perfit Prou. 30. 6. Deut. 4. 2. it is plaine Ioh. 7. 17. Whereunto we must giue our diligence bewaring that the rule of our obedience be not our owne good intent wil or deuotion nor the rebellious affections of our corrupt nature nor that wisedome inuentions doctrines of the carnal man nor the examples customes fashions manners of the world but onely the pure and perfit word of God which is compared to a sword for the cleauing and deuiding of the hard heart If a sword will not serue it is compared to fire for melting and dissoluing of such as wil not giue place to the edge but if we be so stonie as fire will not do vs good it is an hammer to batter bruise and â—ush vs in peeces CHAP. LXXIIII Of good Workes and our obedience to his word IT is written Exod. 10 5. 6. Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded them and so did they And the Apostle Paul saith that of our selues we can doe nothing Yet through the Lord Iesus we are able to doe all things Vpon such like places the Papists gather that the commandements may be kept I answere that those words concerning Moses and Aaron are to be referred to that particular action of bringing the people out of Aegypt for both before and after we see many infirmities in them yea with what temporall punishments are they punished that they cannot enter into the promised land That also that was saide of Noah is to be referred to the making of the Arke Gen. 6. 22. So when Dauid prayeth to be heard according to his righteousnes it is in respect of that cause which he had in haÌ„d for the which his enemies did persecute him Againe the children of God from time to time haue fallen into great sinnes as Noah Abraham Lot and Dauid whose examples we ought to lay vp in our hearts to keepe vs from despaire when we feele infirmities in vs. 2 Nothing is so auaileable to obedience as the due consideration of Gods ordinance 3 The obedience of God is as a chaine to tie vp all the creatures of God from our hurt and as a thing to muzzle their mouthes that they cannot bite vs. Againe disobedience breaketh the chaine and openeth the mouthes of all things to our destruction 4 In good works we must not onely be wrought vpon as patients but worke as agents There be three speciall signes of good workes first a good worke must haue it foundation in the word for a good worke is grounded on a good word and euery plant that is not planted in God his Eden shall be plucked vp In vaine we worship the Lord with our owne traditions whatsoeuer thou doest doe it because God commaundeth thee Now because wicked men may doe good things as sacrifice heare the word pray build houses vse hospitalitie c. we must next see whether these be apples of the tree of faith or no which only purifieth the heart Act. 15. and euen makes the actions pure Kain kneeleth at the altar Habel kneeleth at the altar both sacrifice both obey the commandements in both the same worke according to the same word but the one offers in faith the other not Chore offered his sacrifice Aaron offers his sacrifice the same worke but not the same faith Esau leesing the blessing wept Peter leesing Christ wept here are teares alike but not in truth alike Iudas said peccaui Dauid said peccaui here is repentance the worke like the faith vnlike Yea againe as we must looke to haue a writ from the Lord and with a good writ haue a good heart so we must beware we looke not at these things with a squint eye The Pharisie prayeth in the market places he would haue a good worke in hand but his heart was not right it was mixed with a little leauen of vaine-glorie Heere then falles all the great workes of Papists who will plucke part of their saluation from God and make the Lord to become debtor to them wheras euen the very works of Christ without the promise could neuer haue merited saluation We must say rather my well doing O Lord extendeth not vnto thee all that I doe is nothing I am still an vnprofitable seruant Now all men must doe good workes for the law being written for all shall be exacted of all Vnder the steward we are all contained we must all appeare we must giue an account euery tree that bringeth not forth fruit as well the vaste oke of Bashan as the low shrub shall be all cast into the fire It still runnes in an vniuersalitie yea the very reprobate must doe well and though he cannot attaine heauen yet his condemnation is not so deepe his worme is not so sore his stripes are not so many But is none more bound to doe well than others Yes the faithfull If a brother offend admonish him Though the ignorant shall haue stripes yet they that know the trueth shall haue moe stripes If I had not come saith Christ yee should not haue had such sinnes but now haue ye not wherewithall to couer them yea of the children of God one is more bound to good workes than another Vpon euery soule commeth tribulation vpon the Iew c. Who for that they had the Prophets the tabernacle the couenant and we for hauing good Ministers and Magistrates are especially bound to good works If we would know on whom we should shew these works I answere vniuersally on all euen as our heauenly Father doth on all yet this hath also a bound and restraint Gal. 6. 10. Let vs doe good vnto all men but especially to those that are of the household of faith Among them also they are especially to be helped which most stand in need of our helpe as we may see in the man in the Gospell that lay wounded Lastly to shew why we must prouoke and be prouoked to good workes to passe Iewes and Gentiles we will come to Protestants who are most bound to good workes We are slandered to denie good workes because we would supplant and depose them out of the chaire of Christ and denie them to haue the prerogatiue of saluation But we defend good workes First we affirme good workes out of Ephes. 5. 1. Be ye followers of God as deare children because as God hath called vs to be his children so herein we ought to resemble his image by doing good both to iust vniust Secondly where it is said Tit. 2. 12. that Christ gaue himselfe for vs to this end that he might redeeme vs from all iniquitie and purge vs to be a peculiar people to himselfe zealous of good workes we also say that we are debtors to doe good And surely this commends all the paines of Christ if we be zealous of good workes so not to be giuen to good works doth in some sort crucifie him again But it is enough that we haue once grieued him on
holy Ghost hath giuen sentence vpon such that if they labour not to liue godly they be but fooles yea the more knowledge they haue so much the greater fooles they be if they doe not for conscience sake practise the same We see then what we must doe if we will not be counted fooles Now all of vs be we neuer so simple witted would be loath to be counted fooles and indeede the name is most reprochfull and will grieue a man at the very heart Therefore our Sauiour Christ doth recite it among those words that kill and murther saying Whosoeuer saith vnto his brother thou foole shall be guiltie of hell fire But howsoeuer grieuous it is yet in truth we are such if hauing knowledge we doe not bring it into practise This then must be forcible to make vs to ioyne a godly life with good knowledge and good workes with a liuely faith if before the Lord wee will not be accounted fooles Vers. 9. A foole maketh a mocke of sinne but among the righteous there is fauour THe heart of man is fraught and filled with much grosse and filthie corruption but none is worse than that which is here spoken of that a man should make a light matter of sin It is strange and very monstrous that it should be so and yet by this place we see it doth often so fall out Yea in another place the holy Ghost doth testifie and we know that his testimonie is true that the foole doth make euen a sport and a pastime of sinne Our own dayes will confirme the same For come vnto an adulterer to a false witnesse bearer and to such grosse sinners tell them that God is angrie with them that he will be auenged on them as he hath been vpon others for such sinnes and what I pray you wil they do Surely he that is filthie will be more filthie and the false witnesse will mocke at iudgement And what is this but to make a mocke and a â—est at sin â—ay what is it but to make a God of sin and to serue it in steade of God and how do they grow vnto this height and excesse of sin Surely one chiefe cause is because they be not plagued like other men because the mercy of God doth hedge them in on euery side and because they passe their time in prosperity and pleasure O what a monstrous thing is this that a man should bee made worse by the goodnes of God how miserable is that man that will make the mercie of God an occasion of his owne miserie how vnthankful is he that the more benefits the Lord doth bestow vpon him the more he will heape sin vpon sinne nay how worthily is hee destroyed that will abuse the vnspeakable louing kindnes of the Lord to his owne destruction And that there should be such the Apostle Peter foretold vs In the latter times saith hee shall come mockers which shall aske for the comming of the Lord as though hee would not come at all But these abuse the goodnesse and bountie of the Lord who would that all should be brought to repentance They therfore doe treasure vp wrath for theÌ„selues against the day of wrath wherein the Sonne of GOD shall come in iudgement and fierce wrath against them that haue made a mocke of sin haue not been led to repentance through his long patience and louing kindnes Now seeing the iudgement of God will lay hold of all those that lie in sinne and seeing we can neuer comâ— out of sinne so long as we make such light account of it let vs knowe that although one sinne is lesse than another and although a sinner in thought may bee counted a little sinne in respect oâ— a sinne in outward act yet in very deede and before the Lord no sinne will bee counted little For the infinite iustice and mercie of God is violate euen by the least sinne and therefore no sinne can be counted little for euen the least sinne is sufficiently able to condemne and confound vs from the presence of God Againe if the Lord should set the least sinne vpon our consciences and suffer our consciences to checke vs for it and Sathan himselfe to burthen vs with it doubtlesse it would be so heauy and grieuous that we should not be able to abide it How then can wee make light account euen of that sinne which of all other seemeth least Moreouer the Lord will not onely condemne the wicked as for their great so for their lesser sinnes but hee will very sharpely correct yea and seuerely punish euen his dearest children for those sinnes which in our eyes do seeme most small Thus was Adam thrown out of Paradise for eating of the forbidden fruite Moses for speaking of an angrie word dyed in the wildernes and could not be suffered to come into the promised land Ezechias did but shewe his treasures to the Ambassadors of Babel and for that sinne they were all caried into Babel yea the holy temple was spoyled the holy vessels were prophaned and their glory was giuen into the enemies hand Iosiah did goe to warre against his enemy and the enemies of God and that onely to keepe them out of his own land yet because he did not aske counsell at the Lord therefore hee was slaine in the battell What sinnes are lesse than these and yet see how sharply the Lord did punish them in his owne children and can it bee then that any sinne should be counted light Besides though it were graunted that some sinne in it selfe were but little yet for this cause could it not be counted little because in time it will draw vs and driue vs into grosse offences But seeing that in truth the least sinne is too great then how much the greater must we thinke euery sinne to be considering that it commeth not alone but either presently or shortly after bringeth in great transgressions Last of al seeing that the least sinne could not be forgiuen but by the death of the Sonne of God so that he must suffer the very pangs and paines of hell for the least sinne that euer man committed seeing that euen our least transgressions caused him to be accursed and in the extremitie of griefe to crie My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Where haue we the face or how can wee finde in our hearts to make a mocke of the least sinne Well then let vs know sinne to be sinne and labour to be sorrowfull for euery sinne so that although we be not in like measure sorrowfull for all yet let vs take heede that no sinne escape vs without some true and godly sorrow then shall wee finde fauour among the righteous yea then shall we obtaine mercy from the Lord. For the lesse wee fauour sinne the neerer we be to the fauour of God and the more we hate sinne the more we shall be sure to enioy the louing kindnes of the Lord yea
THE WORKES OF THE REVEREND AND FAITHFVLL SERVANT OF IESVS CHRIST M. RICHARD GREENHAM MINISTER AND PREACHER OF THE WORD of God collected into one Volume REVISED CORRECTED AND PVBLISHED FOR THE FVRTHER BVILDING OF ALL SVCH AS LOVE the truth and desire to know the power of godlinesse By H. H. THE FIFT AND LAST EDITION IN WHICH MATTERS DISPERSED BEFORE THROVGH the whole booke are methodically drawne to their seuerall places and the hundred and nineteenth Psalme perfected with a more exact Table annexed ECCLESIASTES 12. 21. The words of the wise are like goades and like nailes fastened by the Masters of the assemblies which are giuen by one Pastor GOD IS MY HELPER LONDON Printed for VVILLIAM VVELBY and are to be solde at his shop in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Swanne 1612. TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTIE MONARCH IAMES BY THE GRACE OF GOD KING OF Great Britaine France and Ireland defender of the Faith c. RIght gracious Soueraigne I doe here humbly present vnto your Highnesse the holy Labours of that worthy Seruant of Christ Mr. RICHARD GREENHAM painfullie collected corrected and published for the good of Gods Church by my late deere Husband Mr. HENRY HOLLAND a Preacher of the Gospell in your Highnesse Cittie of London VVhich I am bold to offer vnto your excellent Maiestie partly in respect of the Author a man renowned for his rare pietie and paines and for his singular dexteritie in comforting afflicted Consciences partly in regard of the worke it selfe so well accepted and approued in the Church that this is now the fift time it hath ben published But chiefly because my husband hauing a little before his death bestowed great care and paines in collecting and preparing for the presse the fourth and last part of these workes which in this edition is added to the rest straightly and many times charged mee vpon his death bed to present and dedicate the whole vnto your Highnesse as a pledge which he desired to leaue vnto the world of his most dutifull affection and earnest desire to doe your Maiestie all the honour and the Churches within your Highnesse dominions all the seruice that hee could VVherefore humbly praying that your excellent Maiestie would be pleased to accept the same at the hands of a poore widow from him that is now at rest in the Lord and hath in part receiued the crowne of his labours I doe earnestly beseech the God of heauen abundantly to heape all graces and blessings vpon your Highnesse and your royall posteritie in this life and finally to set vpon your heads the crowne of euerlasting life and glory in the world to come Your Maiesties most humble and dutifull subiect Elizabeth Holland widow TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE AND VERTVOVS LADIES THE LADIE MARGARET COVNTESSE OF CVMBERLAND AND THE LADIE KATHERINE Countesse Dowager of Huntington H. H. wisheth the increase of all true honour and comforts in this life and after death a crowne of glory with Iesus Christ. I May seeme to passe the boundes of Christian modeslie so to presse into your presence Right Honorable and vertuous Ladies without due regard of your persons and places But such is your wisedome that you can and your honorable affection that you will heare with patience the meanest seruant of Iesus Christ. I come Right Honorable as in the name of the faithfull seruant of Christ M. R. Greenham a man well knowne vnto your honours and to those most religious patrons of all pietie and good learning the right Honourable Earles of blessed memorie of Huntington VVarwicke and of Bedford which now sleepe in the Lord. Of them much was hee reuerenced in his life time of your Honours much lamented after death for that you know the losse of such to be no small wracke vnto the Church and people of God Now so it is right Honorable and vertuous Ladies that pietie in this declining age waxeth daily very faint impiety doth much abound and God hath not only set before you those noble examples for imitation but also hath enriched your harts with his faith feare and loue as it well appeares to embrace his blessed truth and to be as nursing mothers to the holy religion of Christ. Now then this good seruant of the Lord God gaue him to recompence his want of naturall children many sonnes and daughters begotten by the Gospell to the faith of Christ and some orphanes hee left after him which being cherished and accepted with grace among men shall truely resemble the Fathers heart which begat them and stand vp for him to speake and preach pietie and the true faith of Christ to posteritie One of which after a yeeres trauell in the nurcing and education coated and attired in the best manner that I can and now able to speake distinctly and comfortably the fathers minde and meaning to all the spirituall Sonnes and Daughters of God in our Church here I doe in loue vnfained vnto him and in dutie to your Honours humbly present vnto your Honourable protection If the holy Ghost thought good to commend his great and most diuine Oracles which haue a singular kinde of spirit life and power in them knowne to all true beleeuers to the Church and people of God vnder the patronage as it were of honourable and vertuous Nobilitie for that Inferiours neglect euen the best things which their Superiours seeme lesse to account of and examples doe best preuaile with vnbeleeuers No maruell right Honourable Ladies if the seruants of God desire the like fauour and patronage for their labors euen of those whom the Lord hath set as bright shining starres among men Your Honours shall finde in this first portion of this worke a delectable and comfortable varietie of graue experienced counsels which may serue as precious remedyes wisely applyed for many euils and holy directions for the good gouernment of a Christian life and most diuine rules grounded vpon Scriptures and well approued by his long practise seruing well to appease the rage and to quench the scorching flame and fierie darts of the diuell which so torment all poore distressed consciences in this life Such experience and good liking haue your Honours had of this man of God of his godlines and grauitie and of the manifold gifts of God in him that I neede say no more as any way doubting of your Honourable acceptation I haue beene bould thus to knit your Honours together in this one Epistle because I am well assured the spirit of Grace hath knit your hearts together in his faith and feare and for that you were so knit together in loue vnfained to this holy seruant of Christ This worke then I commend vnto your Honours and your Honours and it to the good blessing and holy protection of the Almightie Your HH to commaund Henry Holland THE PREFACE TO THE READER THe lips of the righteous feede many The true diet of the soule is an Art most rare a very diuine facultie It must be graunted that
the liuely voice of the Prophets feedeth most effectually searching euen the secret chambers of the soule and working greatest impressions in the heart The holy bookes and monuments of the righteous are as strong chests and storehouses wherein God hath euer reserued most pretious food for posteritie neither may wee reiect the industrie of the heathen for they haue some foode meete for liberall men in matters naturall and politike seruing well if due regard and choise be had for our direction in things appertaining to this present life All wise men are circumspect what they feede vpon to preserue their bodies and ought they not much more to be respectiue wherewith they feede their soules Some regard onely the lips of the righteous and feed long before they be strong men or haue their wits exercised to discerne good or euill Some attend onely the hand and bookes of the righteous and these know little how soundly and truely the beleeuers mindes and hearts be fed by the breaking of the bread of life Some regard neither these men starue their soules with ignorance and are setled in Atheisme and prophanenes Some attend both and haue well tasted of the good word of life and goe on from strength to strength vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ. Some yet there are which neither regard righteous men nor righteous matter but feede indifferently vpon all bookes alike to the great hazard of their owne soules these men are vaine and feede themselues with vanitie The diuell in elder ages in the blinde Papacie fed blind soules with fables and idle Friers inuentions now mens wits be refined they can no more feede on such dry stubble Hee feedes daintie eares with choise of words and vncleane hearts with the vnchaste and wanton loue-songs of Italian Poetrie Such foode breedes many vncleane beasts in Citie and Country Such men cannot loue the truth and holinesse because they are repleate with errour and vncleannesse Mr. Ascham a man greatly to be commended for his learning and good affection to pietie of this matter writes on this manner These inchanters of Circes saith hee brought out of Italie marre mens manners in England much by example of life but more by precepts of fond bookes translated out of Italian into English Againe tenne Sermons at Paules Crosse doe not so much good for mouing men to true doctrine as one of those bookes doth harme with inticing to ill liuing I say further these bookes tend not so much to corrupt honest liuing as they doe to subuert true Religon More Papists be made by your merrie bookes of Italie than by your earnest bookes of Louaine This complaint ought wise men to consider well of for that the world was neuer more full of Italian conceits nor men more in danger for the long contempt of Gods truth to be Italianated The diet and cure of soules afflicted is a very great mysterie wherein but few haue trauelled to reduce that matter into any good forme of art or to giue vs any good method of practise M. Luther M. Beza Vrbanus Rhegius M. Taffin and others haue very excellent formes of consolation and many godly brethren in our times haue ministred good helpe for the cure of soules afflicted but wanting art and good experience we conceiue the danger to be great and often as blind Empyrikes cause it to be greater for that wee rather gesse vncertainlie to applie good remedies and speeches vnto the sicke than know how to proceed by any certaine rule of art and well grounded practise If the naturall Physition might truly say as touching his facultie Vita breuis c. much more assuredly may the spirituall Physition prefixe such an Aphorisme to all this mysterie wee haue in hand For herein the godly learned know it a matter farre more difficult to iudge what secret causes breede the hidden distemper of the soule and here it is farre more dangerous to proceede onely by experience without art and skill And here we must as carefully respect all occasions and circumstances of time place and persons For a word spoken in due time is like an apple of gold with pictures of siluer so the contrarie vnseasonable and impertinent speeches be most dangerous The patient here must doe his part prout fides patientis adiuuat and the assistants must be of like tender affection and good meanes must imforme and time conuenient rightly be applied It fares here with vs as with other men in humane sciences wee know the afflictions of the minde to be very great and dangerous but how great and perilous all men cannot so well conceiue much lesse how with art and skill to proceede in the practise of this cure This reuerend man of God M. GREENHAM was a man in his life time of great hope and could haue giuen best rules for this vnknowne facultie for that the Lord by his good knowledge and experience restored many from vnspeakable torments and terrors of minde of which some are asleepe in Christ and as yet liuing not a few If the Lord had not so soone translated him to rest hee was no doubt as fit and as willing as any in our age to effect this matter Of his knowledge this way all the godly learned that knew him both can and will speake I doubt not Of his good will herein to posteritie let his owne words testifie the good desires of his heart for by a speciall occasion he speaketh of himselfe on this manner He hath had a long time a setled disposition as he trusteth of God to studie the cases of Conscience to succour the perplexed in them he hath been so filled with compassion to the afflicted which God wrought in his heart as if he had been distressed with them He hath seene the manifold blessings of God vpon his trauell Againe that many godly learned friends would perswade him to the aforesaid studie by these and such like arguments First that hereby hee might traine vp some younger men to this end and communicate his experience with them Secondly that he might leaue vnto posteritie a commentarie of such particular maladies as through Gods blessing hee hath cured together with the meanes vsed to that end and because precepts are wanting rules of direction in such cases by a through searching with a diligent and continuall obseruation and conference with others learned and experienced might in this age or in the age following be brought to some forme of method and Art whereby the knowledge and experience of these things might be made common to many not onely to the fruitfull curing but also the healthfull preuenting of manifold mischiefes Thus farre his owne words Let these graue Counsels and fruitfull obseruations in this first part of his holie workes which I haue here published testifie how mindfull and carefull he was for many yeeres to giue herein a comfortable direction for posteritie I am the meanest and the weakest of many brethren to write of this reuerend mans
Familie and Fathers 684 Chap. 30. How to profit and examine our selues when friends forsake vs. 685 Chap. 31. Of Godlinesse and by what meanes we must draw neere to God 689 Chap. 32. Of Gods free Grace Iustice and Mercie and how wee may try our loue to God 692 Chap. 33. Of Gods wrath Iustice and Mercie 695 Chap. 34. Teaching vs why we are specially to keepe watch and ward ouer our harts 700 Chap. 35. Where is taught how wee must narrowly watch ouer our hearts and ouer our affections for many causes 703 Chap. 36. Of hearing Gods word 707 Chap. 37. Of Humilitie and pride 711 Chap. 38. Of hypocrisie and hardnesse of hart 715 Chap. 39. Of Heresie and many corrupt kindes of knowledge and how the Diuell pestereth the Churches with euill teachers 720 Chap. 40. Of the Iudgements of God and how iust he is in iudgement and how his promises and threatnings to Israel appertaine to vs. 722 Chap. 41. Of Ioy and Sorrow 724 Chap. 42. Of iniuries offences and controuersies 727 Chap. 43. Of Iudgement and Folly 731 Chap. 44. Of Knowledge and Ignorance and how to seeke God and of Sathans Sophistris c. 733 Chap 45. Of Miracles and how God worketh without and with meanes and how we ought to attend on the meanes 736 Chap. 46. Of Magistracie or gouernment 739 Chap. 47. Of Matrimonie and of the Duties which belong to that state 742 Chap. 48. Of the Ministerie 743 Chap. 49. Of the Ministerie 747 Chap. 50. Of Gods promises excellencie and truth of Gods word and how the wicked abuse Scriptures 753 Chap. 51. Of Murmuring 758 Chap. 52. Of patience vnder the Crosse. 761 Chap. 53. Of predestination perseuerance and presumption 764 Chap. 54. Of Prosperity and Aduersity and of griefe and of the Temptations incident to it 766 Chap. 55. Of Prosperity and Aduersity 769 Chap. 56. Of Prophecie and Preaching 770 Chap. 57. Of Gods Prouidence 773 Chap. 58. Of Prayer and Meditation 775 Chap. 59. Of Repentance 779 Chap. 60. Of Riches and their abuse 783 Chap. 61. Of Sacraments 786 Chap. 62. Of sinne and how to abstaine from the least and of iniquitie and the punishments thereof 788 Chap. 63. Of Phisicke and Diet. 794 Chap. 64. Of Sathans practises of Schisme and security 796 Chap. 65. Of Parents Education of Children Gouernours of youth and care of Posterity 798 Chap. 66. Of Gods worship and of Religion true and false 801 Chap. 67. Of Regeneration and Sanctification 803 Chap. 68. Of the Sabbath 809 Chap. 69. Of Thanks giuing and the right vse of the Creatures 812 Chap. 70. Of Temptation 813 Chap. 71. Of Truth and errors sincerity and contempt of the word 817 Chap. 72. Of Witchcraft and vnbeliefe 821 Chap. 73. Of the word of God and of the confirmation thereof by signes and wonders 822 Chap. 74. Of good workes and our obedience to Gods word 826 Chap. 75. Of Zeale 829 Next vnto these follow other diuine arguments and common places in Religion contained in 22. Chapters Chap. 1. OF Conscience 832 Chap. 2. Of Order how necessary in all things 833 Chap. 3. Of hearing Gods word 834 Chap. 4. Who be Swine and who be Dogges 837 Chap. 5. Of vnmercifulnesse ead Chap. 6. Of Workes 838 Chap. 7. Of Policie ead Chap. 8. Of speciall notes of a man truly righteous and religious 839 Chap. 9. Of the Sabbath 839 Chap. 10. Of Discipline and Excommunication 842 Chap. 11. Of Meanes 844 Chap. 12. Of diuers names applyed to the Diuell in Scripture 845 Chap. 13. Of the contempt of the Ministerie 846 Chap. 14. Of shame and shamefastnesse 847 Chap. 15. Of Iustification 848 Chap. 16. Of Parables and Similitudâ—s ead Chap. 17. Of Gods Prouidence 850 Chap. 18. Of Seeking God 851 Chap. 19. Of Sinne. ead Chap. 20. Of profit and pleasure 852 Chap. 21. Of Christs power 852 Chap. 22. Of Temptation 853 A Short Direction for the comfort of afflicted consciences 854 Rules for an afflicted minde concerning seuerall Temptations 855 Rules concerning the power and priuiledges of Gods word 857 A short direction for one troubled in minde 871 Lastly diuers Letters and a very zealous Prayer of M. Greenhams 881 EPIGRAMMA IN OPERA Pijssimi doctiss Theologi M. Ric. Greenham labore ac studio M. Hollandi diuini verbi apud Londinates Ministri fideliss edita post obitum Authoris per F. Hering D. Med. MEntibus afflictis grauis haec afflictio cessit Greenamum è medio tolli qui saepè solebat Eregius mentis Medicus solatia mira Dexteritate sacris virtus depromere chartis Sicque pias animas vitiorum mole grauatas Implicitas Satanae laqueis misereque agitatas Infernis furijs exemit faucibus Orci Antidotos quippè hic varias ac pharmaca norat Coelica antiqui technasque dolosque colubri Hinc tristes moerent mentes geminant que querelas Quod mala permaneant Medico pereunte sed ecce Hollandus pius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 respicit illas Greenamumque loqui rursus post funera fecit Alloquio duros solito muleâ—re labores Gaudete attonitae mentes lamentaque crebris Suspirijs alijsque remissa relinquite vester Grenamus praestò est vobis pretiosaque secum Balsama in Elysijs portat nascentia campis Floruit in terris olim Greenamus in alto Nunc floret coelo terraque virescere rursus Incipit Hollandi studio curaque sagaci Scilicet haec verae merces pietatis vt ipsam Conculcet mortem satanam ruptisque Gehenna Aeteroum vireat vinclis post fata superstet IN OBITVM ET OPVS Richardi Greenhami NOn erat hic celebri Greenhamus stemmate natus Ast pictate sua nobilitatus erat Huius ego laudes si forsan fingere credar Vita fiet testis testis istud opus Vita fiet testis cuius radiante nitore Vtilitas populo gloria nacta Deo Testis istud opus mira pietate refertum Quod digito monstrat Religionis iter A. R. ON THE DEATH AND WORKS OF MASTER GREENHAM SOme skilfull Caruer helpe me to endorse The blessed stone that hideth Greenhams corse Make me a tree whose branches withered beene And yet the leaues and fruit are euer greene The more the stocke dyes let them flourish more And grow more kindly greene than â—arst before Set Time and â—nuie gazing at the roâ—e Cursing their â—ootlesse hand and sliding foote Let all the Graces sit them in the shade And pull those leaues whose beautie cannot fade Greenham if this cannot thy worth descriue That thou once dead thy works are still aliue Would I might say thy selfe could neuer die But emulate thy workes eternitie VPON HIS SABBATH WHile Greenham writeth of the Sabbaths rest His soule inioyes not which his pen exprest His worke inioyes not what it selfe doth say For it shall neuer finde one resting day A thousand hands shall tosse each page and line Which shall be scanned by a thousand eyne That Sabbaths rest or this Sabbaths vnrest Hard
at the first and sprout out much in the beginning for then we are as yong plantâ— which in their first rising spring out more sensibly though lesse substantially whereas old plants spring not so fast nor so much in sight and sense and yet grow into a more firme and solide substance So we sprout with a more sensible ioy at the first as vnacquainted with that thing but after we bring forth greater fruites things not so sensible vnto our feeling 102 God doth alwaies heare the prayers of his children though not according to their desires it may be yet certainely for their good and saluation 103 We are not so much to haue an eye to the beginning as to the ending in godlines For Paul begun euilly but he ended well Iudas began well but he ended ill 104 Many men will praise themselues but who shall find a faithfull man that is such a one as doth more negotiari in suo than otiari in alieno opere It is not good if the Lord bids vs to worke in one field that we should go gleane in another 105 If they be faultie that let the Sunne go downe on their wrath what shall become of them that let the Moone change on their wrath if the good man for speaking good things but out of time be faultie what shall become of them who speake wicked things with a wicked heart 106 As it is better with a silly Sheepe to feede in a low pasture with peace and quietnes than with the sturdie Bull to be in a fat pasture with a continuall baiting so it is better with God his children to haue a little with ioy of conscience than with the wicked to haue much with terrour of spirit 107 Iohn Baptist was a good patterne for Chaplaines who spared not his Lord and Maister in due time 108 We must not grow to be parched heathes or flintie rocks that let all the drops of grace fall for such cannot be softned 109 The Lord doth often let the wicked liue in iudgement for themselues and for a terrour of God his iudgements to others 110 Many seeke the world before the kingdome of God and so by preposterous order they lose both the world and the kingdome of God Some indeed seeke first the kingdome of God but not for the righteousnes of it but for the â—ase of it 111 Many play the diuels registers in espying the weakenesses of the godly whose worme of conscience shall eate vp themselues 112 We seeke as Demas being more loth to forgoe the world than the Lord or as Lots wife who caried away her body from Sodom but left her soule and affections behind It is good therefore to professe no more than we will performe 113 We must so hide our treasure that though the world strip vs yet we must keepe it from them as the Martyrs did whom when the world did search from top to toe and euery veine in them yet could they not finde this treasure 114 God dealeth with vs as a louing father with his prodigall sonne that is when hee cannot get vs to doe duties he will hire vs to do well Seeing then God bargaineth so with vs that he will giue vs more for our seruice than all the world or the diuels are ready or able to giue vs let vs receiue him for Christ will giue vs for euery peny an huÌ„dred folde 115 We must not leaue or lend time but make a through fare of it A man hauing sold an house may come into it but it is as a stranger not as the owner dweller in the house So we may doe sinne againe but not as they that will continue in sinne 116 We must leaue all sinne one dore is as good as twentie for Satan one poyson is enough to destroy one plague-sore will destroy vs wee must be wholly emptied of sinne least wee be like to him that emptieth his mouth of filthines and so may taste a little of sweete medicines but because the stomacke is not emptied filthines comes againe 117 Oh Lord iudge me not I iudge my selfe oh that I may doe it in truth 1 I haue not so loued the meanes nor set by the Sabbaths as I should doe 2 I haue felt exceeding pettishnes where I did owe dutie and hardnes of heart where I should haue pitied 3 Besides exceeding filthy thoughts most dangerously did I offend in Lord. 4 My prayers are more monkish then powerfull 5 Great hypocrisie of heart and vaineglory in speech hath ouertaken me Good Lord strengthen me to auoyd these things 1 Customable praying 2 Vaine-glorious speaking 3 Desire of being from the meanes Good Lord strengthen me to doe these things 1 To be giuen to a contemplatiue life 2 To keepe my selfe in fasting mine eyes in heauen 3 To meditate of speciall things without superstition 4 To remember my former couenants 118 Wee must endeuour to discerne betweene one sinne and another by the qualities and circumstances following the same for circumstances make euery sinne greater or smaller 119 Being asked whether this may be said that a childe is or children be regenerated he said we might in hope so say because the Apostle saith that the roote being holie the branches are holie and one of the parents being holie the seede is holy 1. Cor 7. yet here we must know that he speaketh of that holines which is according to the couenant 120 It is a great mercie of God to haue a good affection when wee haue a good occasion for God neuer ceaseth in offering good occasions but wee often cease in hauing good affections 121 When a poore man contemptuously in his charge had denyed him his tithe hee saide if he can charge me with want of dutie I will supplie it but that I may not hinder my successors he must pay it And if he thinke I respect gaine more then mercie I will giue it to the poore mans boxe 122 Concerning our studie it may be that a speciall working of God is in vs that Philosophie is made vnto vs so vnsauorie and Diuinitie so sweet In our studies generall precepts which may make for the truth are to be gathered auoiding foolish quiddities wherby manie studie Philosophie as heretikes the scriptures who chuse that which confirmeth their heresies and leaue the body and substance of the truth 123 We then doe truly apprehend by faith Christ dying for our sinnes when we feele sinne dye in vs. 124 A good man being vehement with him in speeches he said you are fire and I will be water 125 Euen as hauing a wheale in our hands be it neuer so little we will not let another let it out but wee will doe it our selues so when we deale with the smallest infirmities in another let vs doe it with great tendernes least they desire rather to admonish themselues of it
I am I am sure he hath infirmities as others haue we are no Angels our nature is corrupt we are but flesh I am sure you would not haue vs Gods Thus the diuell commeth to tempt but he apparrelleth himselfe in another sute when he commeth to accuse and then of a flye he makes an Elephant of the very smallest pricke of a pinne a globe of the whole earth of a molehill a mountaine and presseth sillie soules with feares and terrors that they know not how to winde out themselues If he cannot bring them to make no conscience where they should make conscience he will labour to bring them to make conscience where they neede make no conscience He careth not whether thou wilt be remisse or superstitious so thou be one of them If he cannot get you to follow the Epicurisme of the world as Libertines in diet and apparell he will make you so precise as to thinke it a hainous sinne to eate one bit of meate or to weare one rag of cloath more than for necessitie How needfull therefore it is to saile with an euen course we may coniecture by other things which will bewray the corruption of our nature In the time of a plague we shall see some will be so bold that without any lawfull calling or godly warrant they will rush into places infected and then falling sicke their conscience prickes them for their tempting of God by an vnaduised boldnes in the houre of their death Others plunged as deepely in a quite contrarie extremitie are too fearefull when they doe but heare of the sicknesse and for very feare haue beene brought to deaths doore only by imagining thēselues to haue been infected when they haue been most free who oftentimes haue euen died and that without any naturall cause that euer could be knowne but onely through immoderate feare and the iudgement of God comming vpon them for their infidelitie and vnbeleefe Thus it is with vs in Christianitie in that as well the oppressing our selues with too much feare to be ouercome as the carnall securitie in not fearing to be ouercome may bring sinne vpon vs God his children must labour for a measure and that must be sought for in the word which will teach them how they shall neither decline on the right hand nor on the left but will guide them in the narrow way shewing in euery thing what is vertue what is vice what is the meane what is the extreame Among many examples let vs consider of zeale a most precious vertue in Christianity so long as it is free from the extremities Otherwise if we be cold in zeale it is a sinne on the left hand if we be zealous without knowledge it is preposterous and becommeth a sinne on the right hand But can we not come to some perfection No if you vnderstand it for an absolute vnspottednes albeit to that perfection which the Scripture taketh for soundnes trueth and sinceritie of heart which is voide of carelesse remisnes we may come Neither doth the Lord deale with vs after our sinnes nor reward vs after our iniquities in whose eyes the most glorious actions of men are but as waters flowing purely from the Conduit but defiled by passing through a filthy chanell Wherfore hauing these imperfections let vs not seeke to be more righteous than we can be saying for euery error of this life Oh I am none of God his sonnes I am none of his daughters for I cannot finde that perfection in me which is to be required But let vs comfort our selues in the truth of our hearts and singlenes of our desires to serue God because he is God and so we shall be accepted of God I speake this to this end that poore soules might haue comfort and know that if they abhorre sinne as sinne if they examine themselues for it if they grone vnder it if they mislike themselues for it if they feare to fall into it the Lord will not pursue them with the rigor of his law but will giue them the sweetnes of his promises they are no more vnder the curse but vnder grace But further to inforce our exhortation to auoyde too scrupulous a feare which hindereth the true examination of our hearts let vs thinke that it happeneth in the spirituall conflict as in ciuill warres We reade that many cities lying in great securitie haue suddenly both beene assaulted and ouerthrowne as also how some Countries too much negligent in the meanes through an excessiue fearefulnes haue incouraged their enemies with more greedy violence to pray vpon them With which kinde of stratagems our aduersarie me diuell being well acquainted doth often practise this policie If he see vs without all feare too quietly to rest in our selues he thinketh his assault must needes be the stronger because our resistance is the weaker Againe if he descrieth in vs a cowardly feare and fainting of heart before we once begin to ioyne battell with him he will set vpon our immoderate feare and as villainously as suddenly stab vs to the heart and make a present spoyle of vs. Common practise doth further teach vs that when we can heare the word without all trembling at God his iudgements when we can pray without all feare before the Maiestie of God when we can come to the discipline of the Church without all reuerence of the ordinance of the Lord all is in vaine Againe let vs heare with too much trembling and we shall learne nothing let vs pray with too seruile a feare and our worshipping of God will be without all comfort and vncheerefull Thus if we neither lessen sinne that is sinne indeede neither make sinne of that which is not sin in truth it is good to proceed to this three-fold examination to lay the edge of this doctrine more neere our affections because many will be sound in this ripenes of knowledge and barrennes of conscience to speake dispute and declaime of all these things very skilfully which flickring in the circumference of the braine and not sitting at the ground of the heart doe seale vp a more iust sentence of condemnation against them To helpe this euill we must meditate deeply of the Law and of the Gospel together with the appurtenances of them both that finding ourselues farre from Gods blessings promised to the keepers of the law and seeing our selues neere to the curses due to the breakers of the law we may raise vp some sense of sin in our selues Yet herein we must not stay our foote but giue a further stride for whereas many by a diligent view of the law haue come to the sense of sinne in themselues and saw plainly their owne condemnation yet because they laboured not to see the guiltinesse acquited by the remission of sinne in Christ they plunged themselues into a bottomlesse sea of sorrowes Others hauing passed these degrees and hitherto made these steps to auoyde the wound of conscience haue come
refresh our selues with spirituall pleasures in the pure worship of God and thankefull beholding of his workes We see how these reasons make rather flatly with vs than against vs. And thus much for their proofes out of the prescript words of the lawe now let vs consider what they alleage out of the Prophets Their reasons out of the Prophets be taken either out of Esay or out of Ezechiel Out of Esay they vse these places Esai 56. 1. 2. and 58. 13. 14. and 66. 13. The wordes of the Prophet chap. 56. vers 1. 2 are these Thus saith the Lord keepe iudgement and doe iustice for my saluation is at hand to come and my righteousnesse is to be reuealed Blessed is the man that doth this and the sonne of man which laieth hold on it he that keepeth the Sabbath and polluteth it not and keepeth his hand from doing any euill See say they here is the Sabbath commended as a resting from sinne I denie it not but our controuersie is about the ground of the Sabbath For why doth the Lord so call on his people by the Prophets for keeping the Sabbath and crieth so much against the breach of the same but because it was the especiall meanes of God his worship and their saluation which being contemned they contemned God his worship and their owne welfare And because in this horrible contempt of the holie schoole of the Lord where they should haue learned both their religion towards God and duties to their brethren they gaue a manifest token of carelesnesse in them both they are worthily threatned by the Prophet And concerning the pure interpretation of this place by keeping the Sabbath is meant the obseruation of the first table by keeping their hands from doing any euill is vnderstood the obedience of the second table so that the thing in this place chiefly vrged is this that they should keepe the Sabbath which might nourish them in the worship of God and in duties to their brethren But say they the Sabbath is here ioyned with ceremonies as may appeare in the verses following therefore it is a ceremonie This is no sound argument For in the law is set downe the morall law which teacheth the common duties of all Gods people wherein be also the ceremonies which describe the duties peculiar to the Iewes whereupon we must not conclude that therefore the morall law is ceremoniall Againe these ceremonies containe not only certaine truths of spirituall things which should be accomplished in Christ but also of other meanes which should succeed in their places True it is that if they had onely contained truths of spirituall things in Christ it had beene somewhat that they affirme but seeing they haue also in them such meanes which though not in the same manner yet more effectually are afterward to be vsed the reason is not good Wherefore we reason against them thus that albeit we haue not the manner of their sacrifices yet we haue our sacrifices and meanes of Gods worship succeeding them For though we haue not as they had Priests to offer for vs and such slaine sacrifices as the Priests did offer for them yet we haue the Ministers of the word of God which cut vp mens consciences by whom the secrets of mens hearts are made manifest 1. Cor. 14. 25. By the preaching of the Gospell and word of God which being mightie in operation and sharper than a two edged sword entreth thorough euen to the diuiding asunder of the soule and spirit and of the ioynts and the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the hearts Heb. 4. vers 12. And whereby Christ is as it were freshly crucified vnto vs and that by so much the more profitably than if we were present at the thing it selfe as beside the describing of the manner thereof the fruite of it is more effectually preached And certainely we may affirme that then the dumbe sacrifices of the blinde Papists came in when this glorious sacrifice of preaching ceased And where the word is administred in any power and sinceritie there doubtlesse the preaching of the law striketh vs and the preaching of the Gospell bringeth vs to Christ. Herein is the difference betweene the Iewes and vs that they in all their Sacraments and sacrifices represented Christ that was to come and shewed that their sinnes in him should be taken away being yet to come we manifestly in our sacrifices witnesse that he is alreadie come and that our sinnes in his death are fully pardoned Besides to those forenamed sacrifices we haue the sacrifices of prayer and thanksgiuing whereof the Prophet speaketh Psalme 141. 2. Let my prayer be directed in thy sight as incense and the lifting vp of mine hands as an euening sacrifice As also Psalme 119. part 14. vers 108. O Lord I beseech thee accept the free offerings of my mouth and teach me thy iudgements Of these sacrifices is mention Malac. 1. Hose 14. 2. Mat. 24. Ioh. Heb. 13. 15. Now in that it followeth Esai 56. 7. that the Lord will bring them to his house of prayer I grant in that they had but one house of prayer which represented to them the Church to be one it was ceremoniall yet I also confesse that in the same was this common truth that it should be a meane to worship God Wherefore in this place the Lord commaundeth and commendeth holie assemblies euen to vs to whom they be as needfull as to the Iewes For though it be not now necessarie nor required that wee should goe vp to Ierusalem to worship after the manner of the Iewes yet besides our priuate houses wherein we may worship the Lord we haue neede of one publike and common place to meete in whereunto the Lord in his Gospel hath made this promise that where two or three shall be gathered in his name he will be in the middest of them This also is commended vnto vs by the example of the holy Apostles who mette together and besides their seuerall houses it is said Acts. 2. 46. They continued with one accord in the Temple so that they had one place where the Word the Sacraments Prayer c were vsed And though we now haue not the same offerings places and sacrifices which the Iewes had yet we haue these things more effectually than they and though we haue not their Sabbath yet we haue a Sabbath The words Esay 58. 13. be these If thou turne away thy foote from the Sabbath from doing thy will on mine holy day and call the Sabbath a delight to consecrate is as glorious to the Lord and shalt honour him not doing thine owne waies nor seeking thine owne will nor speaking a vaine word 14. Then shalt thou delight in the Lord and I will cause thee to mount vpon the high places of the earth c. This is spoken to the present estate of the Iewes as then they were and not properly to
for the eating and consuming of meate but that in enioying the coÌ„forr of God his creatures he might praise the Lord the more freely Neither can any man hereof iustly gather that therfore on this day he may fil himselfe with meate as he lusteth because that were rather to vnable than to enable him to keepe holy the Sabbath Againe we say in like maner that labour that is the commoditie that commeth by labour was made for man not man for the labour but for the glorie of God which by labour in his lawfull calling he may gaine to the Lord. Wherefore seeing the rest was appointed only but as meanes wherby man may the more fitly sanctifie the Sabbath and the disciples did eate this corne that they might be the fitter thereunto it is manifest they did not violate the sanctifying of the Sabbath Besides though no man can say that the Sacraments are figuratiue yet the Sacraments were made for man not man for the Sacraments that is for the bare vse of the elements although it must needs be graunted that to vse the word and Sacraments in purenes and holines for the further strengthening of our faith is one of the chiefest and most principall duties of man How be it in respect they be but meanes and are to giue place to the end to the which they are ordained I am perswaded that though the congregation were busie either in hearing the word preached or in receiuing the Sacraments ministred yet if an house being on fire were in loue to be helped the former actions were to giue place to the latter For we reade Act. 20. 10. where Paul being occupied in preaching and espying a young man who was in a dead sleepe fallen downe dead made no conscience to cease from speaking to goe downe to lay himselfe vpon the young man to imbrace him vntill his spirit returned into him and afterward went vp againe and continued his preaching Wherefore in all these reasons we may see how Christ did shew vnto the Iewes that they peruersly did stand in the ceremonie and did not abrogate the Sabbath Here then is a farre contrarie argument to that which these men affirme For seeing our Sauiour Christ might in one word haue shewed it to be a ceremonie if he had purposed any such thing and not haue so amplified the matter we see he rather speaketh against their superstitious opinion and abuse of the Sabbath than affirmeth any such thing as these men do surmise To these former reasons we may adde that which is Matth. 24. 20. Pray that your flight be not in the winter neither on the Sabbath day This say they sheweth that the persecution of Ierusalem should be by so much the more grieuous to the Iewes if it fell on the Sabbath because then it was not lawfull for them to flie so that if they stayed they were like to lose their liues by falling into the hands of their enemies if they fled they should breake the Law of God so become subiect to the punishment thereof But this was nothing in the purpose of our Sauiour Christ who therefore forewarned them to pray that the destruction of the citie should not fall on the Sabbath because then it would be the more grieuous punishment vnto them when besides the hauocke of their owne bodies they should see the glorie of God thrust through the sides the Temple polluted the worship of God prophaned the word of God blasphemed and the Sabbath of the Lord defiled The truth whereof appeareth in this that troubles the time of their visitation should come vpon them when the Sabbath should not be ceremoniall as now it was when Christ spake vnto them but at such time as men should worship God in spirit and trueth without all shadowes and figures when Christ should be ascended into heauen as indeed it came to passe So that this should increase the griefe of so many as sincerely worshipped the Lord that when they should reioyce in the holy worship of God they should mourne and lament for the enemies horrible blaspheming the name of God and that when they should sing the praises of God they would sigh and houle to see the open despite of God and his trueth In respect of which miserable calamities our Sauiour Christ foresheweth the wofull estate that should be in those daies of them which were with child and gaue sucke For though the fruite of the wombe and multiplying of children in respect of themselues were the good blessings of God yet the estate of those times should be so dangerous that euen the blessings of God should be turned to curses and the children which otherwise were a comfort vnto them should now increase their trouble discomfort and sorrow Wherefore it is certaine that Christ neither meant that euery day should be alike for then he would not distinctly haue pointed at this day neither did he thinke it to be a ceremonie because he knowing the time when ceremonies should cease would haue been so farre off from nourishing them in their superstition that being the Prophet of God he would in this as in other things rather teach them the pure vse of the Sabbath Thus hauing spoken of those places in the Gospell which might seeme to make against the Sabbath now let vs speake of those places in the epistles of the Apostles that we may see whether they containe any sound trueth for their purpose howsoeuer they be thought to haue some hold in shew These allegations are either out of the epistles of Paul or the epistles to the Hebrues out of the epistles of Paul which he wrote to the Romans to the Galathians or to the Colossians The place which they bring out of the epistle to the Romans is in the 14 chap. vers 1. Him that is weake in the faith receiue vnto you but not for controuersies of disputations 2. One beleeueth that hee may eate of all things and another which is weake eateth hearbes 3. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him which eateth not iudge him that eateth for God hath receiued him 4. Who arâ— thou that condemnest anothâ—r mans sâ—ruant he standeth or fallâ—th to his â—wne maister yea he shall be established for God is able to make him stand 5. This man esteemeth one day aboue another day and another man counteth euery day alike lâ—t euery man be fully perswaded in his minde 6. He that obserueth the day obserueth it to the Lord and he that obserueth not the day obserueth it â—â—t to the Lord c. In this last verse they would gather that a man might make choise of daieâ— as he will and as in a thing indifferent And some learned expositors affirme that the Apostle in this chapter intreateth of things which in their owne nature are indifferent and therefore here we are to vse theÌ„ in loue As I grant this to be the general scope of the place so I deny it to
of bels or such like vanities the Papists will breake their sleep that more timely they may haue their Masses popish practises the here tikes also to attend on their vaine reuelations will recouer sometime by early rising all which are to our shame that for holy heauenly exercises to serue the Lord in spirit and truth will redeeme no time whereby the Lord his Sabbath may be the better sanctified but on the contrary by bathing our bodies in our beds on that day more than on any other as perswading our selues too great a libertie therein we make it a day of our rest and not of the Lords rest The Israelites are said to haue risen very early to their idolatrie the Prophets are reported to haue stretched out their haÌ„ds betimes in the morning Wherefore for shame of the one for the imitating of the other let vs stirre vp our selues more early on the Lord his day as making the Sabbath our delight Esay 58. wherby we may be no lesse carefull to bestow the first fruits of the day and the sweetnes of the morning in the pure seruice of God than Idolaters in their Idolatrie young men in their vanities wordly men in their couetousnes here tikes in their heresies vse to do If we thus shall examine our selues in our sins committed gifts of God receiued if we shall humble our selues for the one and be thank full for the other if we shall suruay our wants pray for our pastors prepare out selues and vse all these exercises in wisedome and rising early vnlesse vpon some speciall cause or weaknes which requireth rather our wholy keeping of our beds than our vprising let the experience of the after fruits and good increases of the publike exercises speake and let triall report if the word be not more precious our prayers more powerfull our receiuing of the Sacraments more effectuall more profitable vnto vs. Now concerning those exercises which follow after or come betweene those publike meanes they are either for the increase of faith and repentance to make the publike means more profitable to vs or the exercises of loue whereby we may shew some fruit of the other The exercises of faith and repentance are reading comparing of things heard examining and applying them to our selues praying thankesgiuing and meditating First I say after our publike hearing we must priuately giue our selues to reading of those things especially which when we heard we did not sufficiently vnderstand also to the comparing of place with place according as they were alleaged to the better triall of the doctrine receiued and more establishing of our faith therein To this end we must vse priuate prayer for a sound iudgement pure affections that the Lord would vouchsafe to worke that vpon our affections which in iudgement we haue receiued Neither must we forget to be thankfull in praising of God singing of Psalmes for those things whereby we either see our knowledge to be bettered or our coÌ„science touched To these we must ioyne meditation either about the means of our saluation or about the works of God vpon the meanes as in accounting with ourselues what things being read preached chiefly did touch and concerne vs what speciall feelings comforts the Lord gaue vs in our prayers what increase of faith in God his promises and of repentance in purposing a new life we had in the Sacraments that thus we may make a priuate and peculiar vse of the publike and generall means About the workes of God partly concerning those properties which are in himselfe as his mercy iustice wisedome trueth power prouidence partly concerning his creatures and workes of his hands wherein he hath left certaine impressions and qualities necessarie for our vse profitable for our instruction For the former the practise of the Prophet and dutie of all good professors Psal. 92. doth sufficiently shew that it is one speciall worke of the Sabbath to commend declare the kindnes of the Lord to reioyce in the works of his hands to praise his truth and to shew forth his righteousnes In which Psalme the man of God protesteth that the works of God are only glorious to the godly and how the vnwise and wicked men cannot consider of God his workes nor discerne his iudgements because they measure the condition of men by their present estate not looking either how God hath dealt before nor considering how that though the faithfull seeme to wither and to be cut downe by the wicked yet they shall grow againe and flourish in the Church of God as the cedars doe in mount Lebanon Now as with the exercise of the word we haue the Sacraments to strengthen our faith so with the meditating of the workes of God we are to strengthen our selues with the beholding of God his creatures as the heauens and the scope beautie and continuall course thereof and the earth which should haue been all as pleasant as the garden of Eden if Adam had continued in his innocencie whose worke as it was by the light of nature to view the creatures of God so also is it our worke by the light of Gods grace and holy spirit to doe the same To this ende the Propheticall king Psal. 19. setteth downe the exquisite workemanship proportion and ornaments of the heauens saying The heauens declare the glory of God and the firmamènt sheweth the works of his hands 2. Day vnto day vttereth the same and night vnto night teacheth knowledge 3. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard 4. Their line is gone forth through all the earth and their words into the ends of the world in them hath hee set a tabernacle for the Sunne 5. Which commeth forth as a bridegrome out of his chamber and reioyceth like a mighty man to run his race 6. His going out is from the ende of the heauen and his compasse is vnto the endes of the same and none is hid from the heat thereof The Prophet Esay chap. 1. 2. 3. saith Heare O heauens and hearken O earth c. The oxe knoweth his owner and the asse his masters crib but Israel hath not knowne my people hath not vnderstanding In which place we are schooled of insensible creatures how we should doe our dutie vnto God Wherefore it is good to consider how in sixe daies we haue had our â—east obedient vnto vs and how disobedient we are to the Lord. O God how haue thy creatures attended on vs when we speake to them they heard vs when wee did whip them they followed vs in al our busines they attended on vs and yet we haue not listened to the calling vs by the word wee haue not profited by thy chastisements nor attended vpon thy commandements The stork saith the Lord by Ieremiah the prophet knoweth his time but my people knoweth not me And experience may make vs blush to see how the birds against the stormy winter may
hell torments lifting vp his eyes and seeing Lazarus a farre off in Abrahams bosome cried Father Abraham haue mercie vpon me c. But Abraham answering him according to the proportion of God his Iustice said ver 25. Son remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst pleasures and likewise Lazarus paines now therefore he is comforted and thou art tormented To this effect worthie to be obserued is that place 2 Thess. 1. 6. it is a righteous thing with God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you 7. And to you which are troubled rest with vs when the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from heauen c. Where we see how it standeth with God his righteous iudgement and iustice that his persecuted Church and afflicted Saints who in this world goe for nought should in time bee refreshed with a recompence of glorie and that their cruell persecutours being wanton in their sinnes and triumphing in their crueltie should haue their crowne of shame and endles contempt in tormeÌ„ts The equitie of which iustice is in this that seeing the wicked haue not onely dishonoured God in their soules through all the fruites of reprobation but also haue vsed the members of their bodies as instruments of sinne weapons of iniquitie vnto the full number of sinnes so they should not onely suffer the vengeance of God in their soules but also in their bodies and as Gods graces haue shined not onely in the soules of his Saints before him and his Angels but also haue much beautified their bodies and haue taken vp the members also as instruments of Gods glorie so the Lord will not onely aduance the soules of his but also their bodies If this were not where were the fulfilling of God his promises where should be the executing of his threatnings for Abram Isaac Iacob Lot Ioseph Iob Dauid Esay Ieremy Daniel all the rest of the Patriarches Prophets Apostles Martyrs Confessors holy men and women in the world were but as Pilgrimes and desiring a better and heauenly Countrie suffered in this world troubles persecutions trials and all manner of euill Againe the wicked prosper in their goods bodies wiues children they haue no bandes in their death they are lustie and strong they feele not the sores of Iob nor the miseries of Ioseph pride is a chaine vnto them and crueltie couereth them as a garment their eyes stand out for fatnesse they haue more than heart can wish So in this world the faithfull feele not the promises the vnfaithfull feele not their punishments It must needs be therefore by God his iustice as it is certaine by his word that seeing in this life the holy ones are not fully rewarded nor the wicked ones fully reuenged in the life to come the one should rise to heauenly ioâ—es the other should rise to hellish torments And as we see that there shall be a resurrection of the flesh because the word hath said it which is true and iustice will put it in practise because it doth require it so the power of God is able to performe whatsoeuer the word doth shew or iustice doth desire to be done It is not without great cause that in the entrance of our Confession wee acknowledge the Lord to bee almightie For what were his mercie or what were his iustice if hee could not performe that with might which he doth promise nor bring to passe with power that which he threatneth Howbeit when we say God is almightie we giue to vnderstand that hee can doe whatsoeuer he will doe For true it is he cannot faile in his trueth he cannot alter the couenaÌ„t gone out of his mouth what then is there any thing vnpossible to the Lord no the Lord will doe what is good can doe what he wil. Neither doth it any more derogate from God his almighty power to say he cannot lye than it doth extenuate the commendation of a mightie Captaine to say he cannot be conquered This power of God is either seene in his Creation or in his Prouidence or Preseruation In his Creation thus if God our of nothing could draw out heauen and earth if out of the earth which being a formeleâ—se masse and sumpe was by the spirite of God hatching ouer the waters brought a comely order if out of the darkenesse the Lord drew light if of the dust of the earth God made man and out of his ribbe drew a woman is it not as easie for him drawing these and all other things out of nothing to draw our flesh being made out of the earth in which it was corrupted is it not as easie to draw a man out of the earth againe as to make a man of the earth at first Is it not as easie though rottennesse doth seeme to hinder the resurrectioÌ„ to renew a body out of many bones as out of one bone to frame a whole body Is not the Lord as able to restore the body which he dissolueth into the elements being made into it former fashion as before it had any being to tie the flesh together with sinewes to conuey strength into the bones and to beautifie all with a skin Let vs as well consider God his power in reducing mens bodies into their former estate as his mightie hande in vnloosing them For as hee bringeth flesh to rottennesse the rottennesse to wormes the wormes to dust so can he if he would reduce and bring backward the dust to the wormes the wormes to a putrified matter the putrifaction to flesh the flesh to immortalitie The prouidence of God doth teach vs herein if we either consider of it in the course of nature or in gouerning his Church In the course of nature as Esay 26. 19. Awake and sing yee that awâ—ll in the dust for the deaw is as the deaw of herbs and the earth shall cast out her dead Here the Prophet sheweth that that God that made Aarons rod to bad and that draweth out liuely colours of dead flowers and florishing branches out of withered hearbs will also raise vs in our bodies to the brightnes of his glorie which haue been laid in the filthines of the dust Againe 1. Cor. 15. 35. But some man will say How are the dead raised vp wâ—â—â— what bodie come they forth 36. O foole that which thou sowest is not quickened except it diâ— 37. And that which thou sowest thou sowest not that bodie that shall be but bare corne as it faâ—eth of wheate or of some other 38. But God giueth a bodie at his pleasure euen to euery seede his owne bodie c. See the Lord calleth them fooles that will not beleeue this Can the Lord raise graine out of the earth will he not raise man out of the earth for whose sake the graine is renewed Againe shall we doubt that he who holdeth the waters in his fist and swadleth the maine seas which in their own nature are aboue the earth that they should not passe
in a second degree torment him This is an actiue crucifying now comes in a passiue crucifying And this is a cuppe not of the Communion for that needs the sonne of thunder the child of Zebedeus but it is the cuppe of the crosse whereof he himselfe did drink this is the Baptisme wherewith wee must be baptized as he was that is not with the water of Iordan for euery child of a seuen-night old may bee washed with it but of affliction whereof wee must taste And as Christ hath now a Crowne of glorie but hee had another crowne before euen a crowne of thornes so in this feast we haue a cup without bitternes but there is a cuppe of bitternes which either we haue drunk or must drink or both The drinking of that cup binds vs to drinke of this And surely suffer we must some haue their passion in death and inwardly and that is most sore better it is to haue it before death and outwardly for surely drinke we must if we participate of the one we must also participate of the other But as it is good to vse this trial before so there is another examination more profitable that followes after A man may by the sight of the soile gather by some gesse what fruit wil come vp and what it wil beare A man may by the ingredience of the medicine coniecture what effect will ensue vpon it But when we see the fruite come vp it is farre more sure and when the purgation hath wrought wee may more certainely iudge of the effect of it And because these accidēts of repentance from dead works faith in Christ loue toward men going before may deceiue vs it is good to put the matter out of all doubt to trie our selues afterward if we can heare the word more ioyfully if we trauell for righteousnes of Faith more soundly and make the skore of our sinnes lesse then they were before they are comfortable fruites of the truth of our hearts Now if any say that these signes antecedent the beginning whereof is in repentance and sorrow for sinne the end whereof is charitie and these also that follow after are very good things and yet entring with himselfe into the triall he findeth himselfe more discouraged than encouraged to him I say if a man had Repentance and Faith in most perfect and ample manner that man were not to receiue with the Saints for these mysteries were prouided for their helpe which haue wants and therefore for imperfections no man must discourage himselfe to come hither Onely let him looke to this that he doe whatsoeuer he doth though not perfectly yet sincerely Then as it is most sure that by our examination we should fall into the agonie of Christ to sweate blood and if it were possible euen to be couered with the drops of blood so because mans nature cannot bee brought to this by reason of that cold sweate and cold repentance that is in vs. Christ therefore was brought into this sweate by a glooming heate Christ I say who enduring this agonie became not onely a satisfaction for our sinnes but also for our imperfections in good things he doing good things absolutely therefore Christ fell into these bathes that his perfection in suffering might satisfie for our imperfection in well doing The rather we are to sticke to this because if we cannot bring our selues immediately into the first degree of sorrow yet that we stay not to come to the second degree that is that wee be grieued that wee can be no more grieued and if wee come to this this shall be sufficient And to all such as thus in truth shall prepare themselues doe those prayers of Hezekiah 2. Chron. 30. belong that the Lord will fulfill the measure of their righteousnesse and pardon their sinnes that prepare their whole hearts to seeeke him And thus much for the triall before and after the Lords Supper FINIS A TREATISE OF GODS FEARE THe stile of Moses Psal. 90. 11. doth vehemently set downe the paucitie of them that truly feare God hee saith who feareth c. wee knowe the thing sought for and enquired after is not knowne to the Asker for then the question were vaine and superfluous and the verie nature and institution of a question is to haue relation euermore to the increase of knowledge in some thing not sufficiently knowne wherefore it is like that Moses knew few fearing God aright and in generall this stile is very needefull in all Gods things for wee are slenderly acquainted with them but in euill things there is no question or enquiry to be made as being a thing comming into the eyes eares and hearts of all men enough and as wee see by daily experience too much Now if wee will goe from Moses time to Dauids time we shall see hee makes the like question Psalme 15. 1. Lorde who shall dwell in thy tabernacle c. as one that saw a great want of men desiring that way but come to the contrarie and Psalme 14. hee sheweth that all are gone out of the way all are corrupt there needes no question to be made of such Goe yet further to the dayes of Esay and we see his stile to iumpe with both the former as Esay 53 Who hath beleeued our report as though they could hardly bee found that would credit his words but euen in the very first chapter he was not afraid simply and without inquirie to say that all were so full of sinne that there were no place voide of wicked men from top to the toe If wee come to Christ his time he saith in his dayes Who is a true and faithfull seruant who is a trustie seruant who when his Lord commeth he shall finde faithfull but of the ambitious Pharisies we knowe there was great store If wee chronicle from Moses to Dauids time from Dauid to Esaies time from Esay to Christ his time and from Christ to the end of the world wee shall finde it a matter of controuersie to haue men fearing God but of the other sort it is a thing without all manner of controuersie And here we must not thinke that it might be many feared God but they knew not mens hearts for God himselfe the searcher of the heart acknowledgeth the same that they doe as Esay saith 59. 4. No man calleth for Iustice no man contendeth for trueth 16. and when he sawe there was no man hee wondred that none should offer himselfe neither is this excesse of euill noted onely in the persons but euen the times are full of euill Genes 6. 6. It is saide the thoughts of mens hearts were euill continually or euery day Micah saith they spent the whole night in euill and so goeth further so that Moses hauing set downe all the day and Micah all the night wee may say all time is stuffed with euill if we haue any time for good it is in purpose not in practise it is
Through the mercie of God we cannot yet say so for though the Church at this day be not so iustifiable as it should be nay it is condemnable in respect of that which it ought to be yet we cannot say but Abraham hath a place with vs wickednes is not yet come to such a pitch that there is no feare of God with vs. How be it herein we be defectiue in that our knowledge and feare of God is not proportionable to our teaching and the iustice of God For setting our continuall teaching with our discontinued profit in learning and seeing the markes of Gods iudgmeÌ„ts are set in the bowels of the Nations round about vs this thing rightly weighed our feare is nothing our knowledge is little the Lord may haue his action against vs because though we haue some thin feare yet it is nothing proportionable Wherefore as it is not sufficient that our meditations in the law be meditations but that in strength comfort they exceed all our thoughts of the world and as God requireth not onely an hearing but such attention in hearing as we heare nothing more heedily and carefully so we must feare and that accordingly and this according is that which will condemnevs because I say our affections are not according to their obiect But behold a greater euill for as we set not our affections high enough in good things so we racke them too farre in euill things We feare not God enough we feare the world too much we loue the word too scantly we loue our profits too excessiuely So there is a iarre in both our feare in spirituall things is defectiue in worldly things excessiue And surely though we could not doe it in such measure about the best things because we caÌ„not reach so high in lesser things which thing if we could doe it were a great part of an Apologie for vs yet for that we feare so much in lesser things and feare so little in greater this will indeed accuse vs. Againe that our feare is not according to Gods wrath it is knowne by taking that small measure and scantling of it which we are wont to doe for whereas the word hath made the feare of God to be our measure for the feare and forsaking of sinne Iob. 1. we by making our feare of God light make also our departing from euill light Thus we see the Lord must haue an order in things first we will haue his kingdome prouided for then other things in their place we in keeping so low an ebbe in his feare make vp his inditement he hath against vs. FINIS A TREATISE OF HYPOCRISIE THere are two things required in Religion the substance and the ceremonie or visard and we haue but one of them The first is a marueilous hard thing to circumcise our hearts to make them bleede we thinke it enough to heare for opinions carrie the common people for they be like children if they see a face in a glasse they thinke it is a man and begin to talke of it and to it This ceremoniall hearing in times past it would now and then as they say doe good but now as one saith is nothing but to heare eate drinke and talke That a shew is sufficient to moue the multitude it appeareth by Absolom who although he were a beast yet when he had made a vow and Iesabel had proclaimed a fast the people followed them and said the Queene was become religious Absolom was worthie of a kingdome and so the like hypocrites haue an opinion of iust men The dutie of reprehending is the dutie of a good man and vnder the law it was thus the accuser was wont to throw the first stone the theefe on the crosse said Thou being in the same condemnation darest thou reproue Here is a case of premunire which what it is on earth we know and what it is in Heauen we shall know at that day examples we haue in Aaron Nâ—dab Abâ—hu Vzza and Ahaziah Seeing there be such a sort of sore eyes and so few Chirurgions it is good to stay in reprehension till we haue cast out our beames and this is but reasonable that a man should first cure himselfe But because many will not stay for all this Christ waxeth angrie as it were and calleth them hypocrites where saith Chrysostome he sheweth himselfe very angrie for this word when he vseth it or such like as O cuill seruant O painted tombes generation of vipers it is not any little offence that he speaketh against The name of an Hypocrite is abhorred of God and man As it was said of Octauius and Antonius they hate a tyrant but not tyrannie so it may be said with vs we hate an Hypocrite but not hypocrisie Thus we may see first in reall hypocrisie we cannot abide a course cloath with a fine list nor fruite faire without and rotten within nor timber straight without and hollow within nor light waights and false wares In the Common-wealth he that poysoneth a man and he that killeth him with the sword hath not the like punishment because the first is greater in that he killeth him hypocritically In the Church the fathers appointing punishment and penance for diuers sinnes set downe for hypocrisie the greatest punishment in prima quadragesima Peter was first moued at this against Ananiâ—s and Saphira Act. 5. Paul among many dangers setteth this down as a chiefe one that he was in daÌ„ger among false brethren S. Iohn the Euangelist in his Reuelation prophâ—cieth that the Church should neuer be more grieued than by such as had womens faces and haire and Lions teeth The complaints of the Prophets against them is manifest in their termes Pots with scumme cakes bakâ—n on one side Ostriches with great fâ—athers and of little flight But Christ inueigheth specially against theÌ„ for he threatneth seuen woes against them that be hypocrites where he neuer is found to do the like against any sinners To looke more cleerely into this sin it is opposite to God the Father he is a being this a certaine shew God is one and hath made him one but the hypocrite he maketh himselfe two an heart and an heart the hypocrite leaueth a little place for religion and the rest he leaueth for that which he loueth more than religion and in this diuision hee giueth the worst to God that is that which is without he opposeth himselfe against God in his heart God is truth and the hypocrite hath a lying profession vnhallowing the name of a Christian and seducing those that are simple which is a common note of hypocrites so they are deceiuers deceiued as Absolon and Ishmael They are opposite to God in his goodnesse hee is good they are euill within and that which is worse they couer euill with good We may see God his detestation of this sinne by his expostulation Psal. 50. he abhorreth it so that hee forbad his people the very resemblance and representation of it
brother then are we streightly commanded to helpe forward our own as much as we be able then it cannot be without great sinne that a man should cast off all care of his owne credit The very Heathen saw this to be a fault they did commonly say that whosoeuer regardeth not the reports of men he is dissolute indeed and hath in effect lost the nature of man And therefore we may well say that he is without all hope of amendment which is not brought to some remorse and sorrow which with a shamelesse face can face out sinne hauing adders cares and will not heare charme the charmer neuer so wisely As then a shamelesse face openeth a doore to all vngodlinesse so due care of credit causeth a man to be very carefull of his waies whosoeuer therefore will liue godly he must safely prouide for his good name Seeing these things be so it shall be profitable to consider how this good name may be gotten and preserued and againe if we be discredited what vse and profit we must make of it For the first it is certaine that seeing fame honest report are good things therefore they must needes arise and spring of those things that are good as of vertue godlinesse and good religion Now whereas Turkes and such vngodly men haue great fauour amongst the people and be well reported of this indeed is no good name because it ariseth not of goodnesse it is only a vaine applause of the simple people nay it is euen the great and fierce wrath of God vpon them though they neither see nor perceiue it when they be well spoken of for their euill deedes For by this meanes they be hardned in their sinne by this meanes they be hindred and holden from repentance then the which there is not a greater punishment vnder the Sunne Such a name then is not to be desired nay wee ought rather to pray against such a name And if wee will purchase a good name and be of good report then let vs take heed that we seeke it by goodnesse and vertue and then it will be a good name indeede But let vs weigh these things more particularly and let vs know that the first step to a good name is the carefull and continuall auoidance of euill both outward and inward In outward and grosse euils wee must first beware of all euill generally which thing if wee be not carefull to doe then will our good name be soone impaired Secondly wee must narrowly looke vnto some speciall sinnes whereunto our nature is most inclinable and subiect For as one dead flye corrupteth a whole boxe of oyntment though it be most precious so some one sinne doth often crack the credit of a man though otherwise he haue been very well reported of And if it behooueth euery man thus neerely to looke to his waies then much more is it needful that euerie childe of God should so doe For the world through the hatred it beareth to them dealeth with them as it dealeth with witches Physitions The witch though she faile in twentie things yet if she doe some one thing aright though it be but small the world loueth and commendeth her for a good and wise woman But the Physitian if he worke sixe hundreth cures yet if through the waiwardnes of his patient or for the punishment of his patients sinne hee faile but in one that one faile doth more turne to his discredit than his manifold goodly and notable cures doe get him praise In this manner doth the world deale with men if a worldly man haue but an outward gift of strength of speech or of comelines he shall be greatly praised and counted a goodly man though hee be an Idolater or a prophane person and though he swimme and flow ouer in al manner of vices But let the childe of God be truly zealous in true religion let him be honest and holy in conuersation yet if there be but one infirmitie in him or if he haue through weakenes fallen once into some one sinne that one infirmitie against which he striueth or that one sinne for which hee is grieued shall drowne all the graces of God in him be they neuer so great and the world wil account him a most wicked man Seeing then this is the enmitie of the world against Gods people how warily ought they to walke in so crooked and froward a generation And hereof they must bee so much the more carefull because the wicked by such slips and infirmities will not only take occasion to discredit them but euen to speake of all their profession yea and to blaspheme the glorious word of God aâ—d his eternall truth Then if wee be carefull of our owne good name nay if we haue any zeale of Gods glorie if we haue any care of the word if wee haue any loue of the Saints then let vs carefully shunne all and euery infirmitie whereby Gods name is dishonoured his glorious Gospell blasphemed his children grieued and we our selues discredited amongst the wicked And thus much for the open and outward sinne As open sinne committed in the sight and view of men hath alwaies the punishment of an euill name ioyned with it so also secret sinnes which are hidden as it were in the darke corners of our hearts doe bring vs out of fauour credit with God and when we be once out of credit with him then doth hee make our sinnes further knowne vnto men For nothing is so hidden that shall not be brought to light and nothing so secret that shall not be discouered in the sight of the world And that we may the better be perswaded of this let vs all know of a suretie that the Lord hath many meanes to bring such things to light for he can make the fields to haue eyes to see our wickednesse he can make the woods to haue eares to heare our vngodly counsailes yea hee can cause the walles of our bedchambers to beare witnesse against vs for the sinnes committed vpon our beds If this will not serue he can goe further and cause our friends to fal out with vs and the men of our counsailes to bewray our wickednes And though he hath not any such purpose when we make him priuie to our naughtie deuices yet in displeasure the Lord doth cause him all at once to lay open all our secrets Yea rather than thou shouldest beare no reproch for thy secret faults the Lord will cause thine owne mouth to testifie against thee and thine own words shall get thee discredit for either vnawares thou shalt bewray thy selfe or in thy sleepe by dreames thou shalt make the thing knowne or in thy sicknesse thou shalt raue of it or in some phrensie thou shalt vomite it out or else the torment of thine owne conscience shall be so sharpe that euen to thine owne shame thou shalt confesse thy fault Last of all when thou thinkest or
report of another mâ—n and they bee greatly grieued because they themselues be not in the like or some better credite But alas they should rather be grieued at themselues because the fault is in themselues for they regarde not to doe good they are carelesse of good works and therefore the Lord is as carelesse of them and their credite Well hee that will be commended must doe the things that be commendable he must doe good works yea he must doe good and pursue it Yea we must knowe that it is not one good worke nor two nor three that can gaine vs a good name indeede but it is required at vs that we be rich in well doing and continually giuen to euery good worke For as a precious oyntment whereto a good name is compared is made of many and most excellent simples so a good name cannot be gotten but by many most excellent vertues Now when we feele our selues affected to goodnes then we are warilie to see to two things First that all our workes bee done with a simple and sincere affection Secondly that they be done with good discretion For when a thing is done vndiscretely and without aduise it loseth the grace and beautie of the deede and therefore though the thing be good yet no great praise doth come of it because it was not done with good discretion Likewise when men doe things with sinister affections to some other end then to the glory of God they do commonly lose the price of their doings And hereof it commeth to passe that many men which do good works to merit by them or to win the fauor of their superiors or to be of good report among the people or to some such other end when I say men do things to this end the Lord punisheth them with the coÌ„trarie in stead of deseruing glory he powreth confusion vpon them in stead of honor he giueth contempt in stead of riches beggerie And albeit men may pretend the glory of God face out their wickednes with a fresh colour yet the Lord will bring their wickednes to light And truly it is maruellous to see how the Lord layeth folly vpon such men so that although in their wisdome they thinke to bleare the eyes of all men the simple soule doth see their shifts to their discredit Therfore when thou hast done well and yet art ill reported of do not straight way storme against him which hath raised vp this report against thee neither doe thou ouer hastilie cleere thy selfe but rather before the Lord examine thine owne heart and see with what affection thou hast done it And if we finde wickednes in our hearts then let vs be humble before the Lord know that he hath caused vs thus to be spoken of first to correct vs and secondly to trie vs. For when the Lord doth see vs like Scribes and Pharisies seeking rewards then he doth punish vs with the losse of our labour and with shame amongst men to see if thereby hee can bring vs to the sight of our sinnes which before we neither would nor could see And againe when we haue thus done he doth trie vs whether there be any goodnes in our hearts which may moue vs to continue in well doing notwithstanding wee bee euill spoken of Here then wee may see what fruite we must make of such reports namely they must first bring vs to a sight and feeling of our sinnes and secondly they must cause vs with greater vprightnes to continue in well doing True it is a man may be accused to haue this or that purpose in his doings although hee haue done the thing in the simplicitie of his heart But when a man through examination doth finde his heart vpright then he receiueth great comfort by it then hee may commend himself vnto the Lord and his cause into his hands For the Lord maintaineth good tongues and hearts but hee will cut out the tongues of them that speake lyes He will cause the righteousnesse of the righteous to shine as the noone day and as the Sunne after a cloude but the wicked shall be couered with their owne confusion as with a cloake This shall the godly see and reioyce therein but the mouthes of the wicked shall be stopped Thus we haue runne through the things wherby a good name may be gotten and not onely that but also whereby a man may be preserued in a good name and credit and therefore surely the more to be obserued and regarded of vs. For first of all wee see what force the good continuance of the Churches beyond the Seas hath to perswade men to embrace the truth and how soone some men will be moued to continue stedfast when they see the stedfast constancie of good men in all kinde of godlinesse Againe we knowe what great offences are giuen to the weake when whole Churches or some particular persons of some good place and credit doe not stand in that credit nor maintaine by goodnes their good name which they had gotten by great vertues The very Heathen did see this and therefore they saide that it was as great a praise to keepe praise as to get it yea and when they saw what great inconueniences would arise when men did not satisfie the expectation of the people they thought it much better neuer to haue any good report amongst men than to lose it after it had been gotten Therefore to shut vp this whole matter in one word if any man if any household if any towne if any countrey bee carefull to haue an honest report amongst men then must they eschue euill doe good then must they seeke peace and pursue it and if once hauing gotten a good name they would gladly keepe it then they must vse the same meanes so shall we haue it both of God and man Now because men doe suffer very much discredit and are very ill reported of amongst men it shall be good to consider what profit and vse we may make of such reproches and euill reportes And this shall wee doe the better if wee knowe vpon what grounds those reproches doe arise First therefore we must learne that men may bee euill reported of either for euill or for well doing When men therefore are ill spoken of they must first trie whether it be for euill or for good and if it bee for euill then must they goe a degree further to finde whether it bee for some euill worke which they haue committed or for some occasion which they haue giuen When a man is euill reported of for some euill deeâ—e which he hath done that euill deede of his is either manifestly knowne or else it is veknowne And surely it is a thing most common amongst men to suffer discredit for open and grosse sinnes yet very few doe rightly profite by it for some are shamelesse and care not what men say of them
they are corrected for it And yet deale with these and such like men for the euil education of their children and they will answere doe not wee as much as is of vs required Wee send our children to the Church to be instructed of the pastor and to the schoole to be taught of the master if they learne it will be the better for them if not they haue the more to answere for another day what can wee doe more But remember O man consider O woman whosoeuer thus speakest that for thy sinnes sake and thy want of prayer there may be a plague vpon the pastors paines and a curse vpon the teachers trauaile If parents would haue their children blessed at Church and at schoole let them beware they giue their children no corrupt examples at home by any carelesnes prophanenes or vngodlines otherwise parents will doe them more harme at home than both pastors and schoolemasters can doe them good abroade For the corrupt example of the one fighteth with the good instruction of the other which is so much the more dangerous because that corrupt walking is armed with nature and therefore more forceably inclineth the affections of children to that side And further experience teacheth vs that children like or mislike more by countenance gesture and behauiour than by any rule doctrine precept or instruction whatsoeuer Some there be also that will not haue their children taught vntill they bee ten or twelue yeeres olde because as they say before that age they haue but an apish imitation To whom I answere that although indeede they cannot then deeply discerne nor profoundly conceiue things yet how many things before those yeeres both will they receiue and remember And I demand if children being apish in imitating euill whilest they be yong which they will haue the habit of when they be old why may they not much more better doe apishly good when they are young which they may doe carefully when they are old Besides let them so goe vntaught and they will grow so headstrong that they will sooner be broken than bended And sure it is that one stripe or two wordes will doe more good to a child in the beginning than an hundred stripes afterward And here let parents bee admonished of their vndiscreete correction who doe their children more harme in shewing a merrie countenance after their discipline vsed than they doe good by their chastising although in their anger they be corrected Neither doe I purpose to take away naturall affections and a Christian kinde of compassion in all our censures for it is my great complaint of the brutish vnmercifulnes of many parents herein but I would wish Christians to correct their vndiscreete affections herein by heauenly wisedome Neither am I so Stoicall as to denie a more milde and affable kinde of speech to bee both lawfully and conueniently vsed to children but yet I wish it to be voide of all vnseemely leuitie and without all shewe of foolish vaine and vnnecessarie behauiour To bee briefe how needfull household gouernement is towards our children it may appeare by the slender thriuing and smal profiting of religion and vertue either in the Church or Common-wealth For complaine men and preach they neuer so much abroade vnlesse they wil begin to reforme their owne houses and giue religion a roome at home especially in their owne hearts they shal trauaile much and profit little And surely if men were careful to reforme themselues first and then their own families they should see Gods manifold blessings in our land vpon Church and Common-wealth For of particular persons come families of families townes of townes prouinces of prouinces whole realmes so that conueighing Gods holy trueth in this sort from one to another in time and that shortly it would so spread into all parts of this kingdome Well I say let there be neuer so good lawes in cities neuer so pure orders in Church if there be no practise at home if fathers of families vse not doctrine and discipline in their houses and ioyne their hands to Magistrate and Minister they may but most vniustly as many haue done complaine that their children are corrupted abroade whereas indeede they were before and still are corrupted at home Alas if parents to whom the comfort of their children well brought vp is a precious crowne will not informe and reforme their children in the feare of God whom it doth chiefly concerne how should hope sustaine these men that others will performe this dutie to them for whom the charge doth farre lesse appertaine Lastly let parents remember that therefore oftentimes they haue disordered and disobedient children to themselues because they haue been disobedient children to the Lord and disordered to their parents when they were yong wherefore because they haue not repented the Lord punisheth their sinnes committed against others with the like sinne in others against themselues Wilt thou know then O father how thou maist haue that blessing to be the blessed father of a blessed seede wilt thou know O mother how to auoide that curse to be the cursed mother of a cursed seede then bring thy children within the couenant endeuour to make thy sonne by nature the sonne of God by grace and thy daughter by nature the daughter of God by grace and remember that God which on his part protested to our father Abraham that he was all sufficient for the accomplishment of his promise in giuing him a blessed seede required also of our father Abraham for his part that he should walke before him and be vpright Wilt thou then haue the one part of this couenant that is that God should blesse thee in thy seed then remember thou also the other part that thou walke before the Lord and be vpright Wilt thou haue thy children as the blessed seede of Abraham teach them with Abraham the commandements of God pray for them with Abraham that they may liue in the sight of the Lord be readie to offer them with Abraham that they may bee an holy sacrifice to the Lord It is thou O man O woman that maiest do thy child the greatest good and the greatest harme if thou praiest for him and repentest for thy selfe the Lord will blesse thy care the pastors paines and the teachers trauaile But if thou despisest these duties the Lord will denie thee those blessings and the curse of God will bee vpon thy childe at home in thy house abroade in the Church and in the schoole And seeing that the Lord hath promised that hee will bee thy God and blesse thy seede if thou bee faithfull thou maiest both hope that thou art of the faithfull if thou haue a blessed seede and feare that thou hast not as yet the blessing of the couenant when thy seede is cursed But some will say had not Iacob wicked children and Dauid godlesse sonnes And doth not daily experience teach vs that wicked men haue godly children Yes for besides
wife goods lands friends parents children yea and peraduenture also it will cost thee the losse of thine owne heart blood It is more chargeable than some thinke it is and that it is the cause why they make so little account of it Now there are some which care not what it costeth them so that it may be had with ease but such must know that it is as laborious as costly For before thou canst attaine vnto it thou must trauaile in heart and in soule with weeping with sighing with much fasting with prayer with watching with meditation of the word of God and in practising of all the commandements of God Thou must trauaile in compassion towards all men thou must take paines in doing thy dutie towards thy superiours and in relieuing the needie and such as are in distresse Finally it is a most painfull way to passe and many there be which deceiue themselues entring into it without preconsideration either of cost or paines I tell you in the houre of death in the day of iudgement in persecutions in trials in banishments many shall see and know that they haue deceiued themselues for that they haue not duly thought of these said charges neither is it onely chargeable and troublesome but also there are in it many and great perils and dangers many battailes must be fought before thou canst come vnto the end thereof Now for a man not onely to be greatly chargeable but also to haue great troubles many battels betwixt the flesh and the spirit this is a sore and a great temptation thou must fight with all thy affections with thine owne reason thou must be prepared to fight with fleshly ioy Loue Feare sorrow Anger Meekenesse Softnesse neither is this conflict as the passion of anger which endureth but for a moment but this combat against affections is to be taken in hand diuers and sundrie times and continueth a long time euen during the whole life And though we receiue many blowes and are sometimes as it were drawne backe yet we must to it againe Those I say which meane to inherit the kingdome of heauen must renounce their owne reason and fight against their owne iudgement As for example in anger many will burst out to fighting and why because that their owne reason teacheth them that they are abused contemned and despised and this is it which deceiueth many because they doe not striue and contend with their owne reason but rather doe thus thinke with themselues according to the manner of men what is the reason why we should doe this or why we should doe that why we should lose our wiues children goods and lands this reason then of ours must be fought against and ouercome But when a man hath ouercome his reason and knoweth what things to be angrie for and what things to be patient in what to loue and what to hate then shall he the better walke rightly but for as much as a man must fight both with his reason and his affections this is a hard battell For though a man haue ouercome his reason yet his affections may still â—e head strong in him yea so strong as they shall carrie his reason iudgement headlong Here then ariseth a greater fight than before before the affections can be ouercome but when reason affections ioyne together that a man hath to deale with them both then ariseth a most deadly fight insomuch that a man shall very hardly ouercome them and yet wee haue more enemies to fight withall than these Wee must fight on the right hand and on the left on the right hand with fame and glorie and on the left hand we are to fight with wealth and riches and with credit and all things in the world If God shall vouchsafe to giue thee riches take heede that thy heart be not set vpon them wherfore when thou whosoeuer thou art art blessed with a good report or with the riches of this world take heede and beware of pride vaine glorie and ambition for if the childe of God doe not forecast these things he may easily be ouertaken and wee see many who when they are in lower estate behaue themselues like honest men and as becommeth the children of God but when they come to any preferment and promotion then they are altogether carried away with the vaine glorie of this world Thou must not onely fight with faire and good reports but thou must also fight with reproches and this is no small combate for hauing riches and glorie thou maist escape pride and ambition but if indeed thou professe the truth thou canst not escape reproches Wherefore if this be not foretâ— ought and looked vnto betimes if a man â—e not well armed against this he cannot be able to withstand it but it will make him goe backe from the truth which he hath professed alas will he say I labour to doe good I endeauour my selfe to keepe a good conference in all my dealings yet loe how I am contemned and how I am accounted a Precâ—sian and an Hypocrite We must also figâ—t with losses and want of liuing and in this point we see many to be ouercome when as therefore the Lord hath brought vs vnto a low â—bbe we must take heede that we be â—o shifters For when by a simple and godly liuing many cannot thriue and prosper in this world then fall they to vnlawfull meanes and now adaies rather than a man will be in want hee will take two or three liuings wherefore this temptation of want is very great and therefore so much the more to be looked vnto Likewise when a man must fight with banishment losse of friends or such like then the anguish which ariâ—eth thereof it draweth from him many bitter sighes and deepe groanes and through sorrow of heart he is brought vnto strange thoughts wherefore except a man doe acquit himselfe with these and the rest it will goe hard but Sathan will haue the victorie for it is a very hard matter to endure them There is another thing to be taken heede of and that is this when Sathan shall behold the corruption of a man either which is within him or which is outward for whether it be inward or outward it will serue his turne as it is in Ephes the 6. He is spirituall wickâ—dnesses in heauenly things he is a spirituall enemie and in this world he is Principalities and Powers Therefore I say when he beholdeth thy corruptions he commeth to worke vpon thee and stirreth vp thine owne conscience and thine owne reason to accuse thee and to condemne thee then like a spirituall enemie he commeth to intoxicate thine affections and moueth thee sometimes with losses sometimes with profit sometimes with pleasures sometimes with ioy sometimes with sorrow when I say he doth thus bewitch thy reason and affections and doth thus infatuate thy wits and intoxicate thy braines here is a very dangerous fight And herein may a man
80. We see true hearts shall be iustified in the end and hypocrisie shall blush in the issue Thus we see the reward of a good heart the reuenge of an euill heart when we know not how to do our duties simply The honest heart still is strugling out of sin commeth the hollow heart makes a shew of mortification c. but God takes away his vizard in time For some mens sinnes goe before to iudgement and some follow after some mens good deeds are cleered in this life to shew that all weldoing shall be glorified Iniquitie may be coloured but not euer couered truth may be blamed but not shamed For exemplifying the Lord himselfe giues testimonie to his vprightnes Dauid was an vpright hearted man Saul an hypocrite Nathaniel had a good heart Iudas was an hypocrite Iosiah Ezekiah prepared their hearts to the worship of God 2. Chron. 25. Amaziah did good but not with a right heart The people 2. Chron. 20. are said not to prepare their hearts to seeke the Lord their God 2. Chron. 30. Ezekiah craueth mercie for them that came with an vpright heart and God heard him so acceptable is an vpright heart But how shall we discerne our hearts to be vpright It is not by nature Gen. 6. Iob saith a cleanething cannot proceed from an vncleane sinne Dauid confesseth originall hypocrisie which is shewed Prouerb 12. and 20. We then Act. 13. must see that our hearts are made cleane by faith Of it selfe aboue all the heart of man is vnsearchable Ierem. 17. But how comes this because there is a labyrinth of hypocrisie in it there is a gulfe and depth and priuie discourse in it that no man can gage but the Lord who is said Prouerb 16. to be the searcher of the raines howsoeuer our heart is hollow This secret searching is by the Spirit of God 2. Cor. 2. and by the word wrought vpon by the Spirit 1. Cor. 14. Heb. 4. 12. The Spirit rebukes vs of sinne Ioh. 13. but by the word searching the very hidden intents of the heart Therefore as it is to no end to hide any thing from the Lord so it bootes vs not to looke for an hiding of thoughts For be they in loue of good good or for hate of sin or sinfull things then God is pleased for it If we doe good for reward or auoide euill for shame c. all is wofull in the fight of the Lord seeme mens goodnesse neuer to be so good in a mans eye FINIS A GODLY EXPOSITION OF THE XVI PSALME THE TVVELFTH SERMON PSAS 16. vers 1. Preserue me O God for in thee doe I trust THis Psalme containeth the acknowledging of the Prophet his vnworthinesse and sheweth how all things are of God it witnesseth the man of God his loue to the Saints his hatred of false religion the assurance of God his prouidence and his vndoubted hope of life euerlasting All which things containing so many points of heauenly doctrine ought much to prouoke in vs the loue of the Psalme and louing it to frequent the vse of it The Psalme seemeth to be generall and may be vsed at all seasons and of all estates as not being bound to any peculiar condition of men or tied to any seuerall circumstance as are many other Psalmes containing particular matter and therefore is it to be vsed as a notable meditation which may be shewed by this word Mitchtam The first verse is the proposition of the whole and the residue of the Psalme prosecuteth the same matter Now to the words of the text Preserue me O God Here Dauid desireth not deliuerance from any speciall trouble but generally prayeth to be fenced and defended continually by the prouidence of God wishing that the Lord would continue his mercie towards him vnto the end and in the end whereby he foresaw that it was as needfull for him to be safegarded by God his protection in the end as at the time present as also how he made no lesse account of it in his prosperitie than in aduersitie So that the man of God still feared his infirmitie and therefore acknowledgeth himselfe euer to stand in neede of God his helpe And here is a sure and vndoubted marke of the childe of God when a man shall haue as great a care to continue and grow in well doing as to begin and this praying for the gift of finall perseuerance is a speciall note of the childe of God This holy ielouzie of the man of God made him so to desire to be preserued at all times in all estates both in soule and bodie Euery man will say true it is if God should not preserue vs how could we continue But few there be who rightly and carefully vse the meanes as this man of God did whereby they may attaine this grace And therefore howsoeuer they pretend a good affection and well liking generally of the thing yet they haue no true faith as the Prophet had for faith would driue them carefully to vse the meanes how beit this generall knowledge is left in many to take from them all excuse but in the faithfull it worketh an holy feare and feare ingendreth a conscience to vse the meanes I appeale to the conscience of a naturall man If a man being sicke would crie Lord helpe me Lord restore me to my health and yet in the meane time wilfully refuseth the prescribed meanes for his recouerie tempted he not God which if it be so how much more dangerous is this in things concerning the soule when a man either for want of hearing reading the word feeleth not the diseases of the minde or feeling them effectually pineth and languisheth away vnder the burthen of them neglecting prayer confessing of his sinnes repentance and such like meanes of his saluation True it is that man liueth not by bread onely and therefore the wicked are but stalled vp and made fat against the day of slaughter And the children of God know and acknowledge that without the blessing and fauour of God their meate may bring their bane and therefore they craue that by the word and prayer the meanes may be sanctified vnto them much more in things concerning our saluation we must both carefully vse the meanes and in the vsing of them not to trust in the outward worke wrought but to craue the inward ministerie of God his holy spirit which worketh by them not being ordained for God but for vs. For in thee doe I trust Here the Prophet setteth down the cause why he prayeth to God whereby he declareth that none can truly call vpon God vnles they beleeue Rom. 10. 14. How shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued In regard whereof as he prayeth to God to be his Sauiour so he is fully assured that God will be his Sauiour If then without faith we cannot truly call vpon God the men of this world rather prate like Parats than pray like Christians at what time they vtter
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
Ministers to be preached sincerely and purely vnto his people And heere we learne by the way that the people must beware that they bee not seduced with false doctrine and mans inuention therefore they must proue the doctrine to accord with the word of God and then be obedient vnto it Secondly besides obedience wee haue learned that they must also reuerence him because they cannot obey his doctrine except they haue a reuerent opinion of him as we see by the woman of Samaria and the people that S. Peter conuerted Thirdly it is requisite that they feare him for where feare is not there honor and reuerence must needes bee absent And thus haue we heard that they ought to feare him not in respect of his person but for his office sake not as he is a man but in that he is the messenger and Minister of God Fourthly they must loue him and that vnfainedly with all their heart being ready to help him in all distresses Fiftly they must prouide for him that he may haue to maintaine himselfe and his familie to entertaine strangers and buy him bookes that he may not with any worldly care bee drawne from doing of his dutie Sixtly they must pray for him continually and for themselues also that hee may be able to teach and they to receiue the word profitably 3 These duties being wel performed bringeth this commoditie The Ministers labour shall be profitable his account acceptable and his soule saued The people shall make their minister ioyfull and louing vnto them willing to labour for their profit and in the end they shall raigne together in the kingdome of heauen Also if the Minister doth his dutie faithfully though the people doe not their yet hee shall saue his soule Likewise if the people doe their dutie and not the Minister the Lord will so prouide that they shall enioy eternall felicitie 4 Last of all if these duties be not performed we haue learned how great dangers they are in that neglect the same if the Minister his labour shall be cursed he shall be called to a streight account and shall answere for euerie soule that hath perished and so become a diuell in hel for euer If the people doe not their dutie they shall grieue their Pastor make him vnprofitable and in the end be tormented in vtter darknes for euer The Lord of all power deale mercifully with vs for his deare Sonne Iesus Christs sake and graunt such grace both vnto the Ministers of his word that they may carefully doe their duties with that feare of his name that reuerēce of his Maiestie that zeale of his glorie and that desire of the saluation of his people that they ought and that the people may so obediently and willingly receiue thy word and Ministers thereof as shall bee most for thy glorie and the profit of their soules that after this life ended wee may dwell together in thy kingdome of glorie with thy Sonne our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to whom with thee and the holy Ghost three persons and one true and most wise God be al honour and glorie for euer Amen OF THE CONFESSION OF SINNES THE FIFTEENTH SERMON Prouerbs 28. vers 13. He that hideth his sins shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall haue mercie THere are two parts of this verse Hiding of sinnes with punishments and Confessing with mercie It is not my manner to restraine a precept generall but according to circumstances to speake of generall things generally Here both the sinne of hiding sinnes is taught to bee auoided and the vertue of confessing sinnes to be practised A matter not obserued for error hath been much spoken against but truth not so throughly taught which is the cause of the small proceeding of the Gospell Example in Consubstantiation and Transubstantiation in the Sacrament where the true manner of Christs presence is not knowne because it hath not been taught as it should Example in superstitious holidaies the breaknecke of the Lords Sabbaths mē now not sparing to worke on the Lords day also because they haue not been taught to sanctifie it Example of Lent fast wherein the abuse of fasting hauing been checked and the manner of right fasting so little opened it is come to passe that men knowe not how truly to fast Example of the butcherly discipline once entred the truth of discipline not being spoken of it maketh men thinke that now to speake of it is to make euery one a Pope in his owne parish So likewise of Eare confession the grosse abuses whereof hauing been reprooued but the right vse of confession passed ouer vntaught men care not to confesse either to God or men and if they doe either it is rather vpon the commandements of men than vpon the consideration of iudgement and mercies Whereby also all conference and examination is taken from the Minister to whom examinatiō is not to be denied though al things be not to be disclosed And againe acknowledging of sinnes and priuate and publike reconciliation haue vtterly ceased My brethren teach the truth teach the truth for by want hereof it is come to passe that first the peace of mens consciences is not prouided for secondly our winnings are not so great as our losings thirdly God is not glorified The peace of conscience is not looked vnto for when thou knowest what thou shouldest not doe thy conscience straight accuseth thee for doing the euill thou shouldest not but because thou art not taught the good thou shouldest doe thou canst not pursue after it with comfort Our losses haue been greater thā our winnings because the good of men hath not been prouided for by building thē vp For though they heare sinnes spoken against yet seeing godlines and religion to decay the Lords day not being celebrated with reuerence men not prepared for the receiuing of the holy Sacrament neuer fasting neuer confessing c. yet the weake are not staied or drawne on but fal away the aduersaries mouth is not stopped but set wide open because truth is not enough spoken of and practised God is not glorified for they who are wonne are not so truly wonne but become hypocrites and many are not wonne at all because the truth is not fully deliuered for hearing some things spoken against they are led to contrarie heresies by reason they were not grounded in the truth which teacheth it selfe and errors also as good sheweth euil and it selfe also We must then teach loue and practise good things as we must reprooue hate and not doe that which is euill Which manner of teaching because it hath not been in vse we cannot now get credit to peoples mindes being inured with other kinde of teaching Confession is either priuate or publike Priuate first vnto the Lord secondly vnto men first for our owne sinnes secondly for the sinnes of others Publike first vnto God with men and before men secondly vnto God and vnto men That which cannot be done
one man cannot possiblie fill the vnlimited desire of the soule So vnquenchable is the thirst of mans soule vntill it bathe it selfe in the riuer of life and in the vnmeasurable Ocean of goodnes and wisedome Secondly they cannot secure the conscience distressed with the apprehension of the wrath of God or preuent his iudgements as wee may see in Nebucadnezzar Dan. 4. and his sonne Belshazzar Dan. 5. vers 6. and Prophecied of Zeph 1. 17. 18. Ezech 7. 19. Obad 4. When our sinnes are ripe and readie to take the flame of Gods fierie indignation then neither the wedge of golde nor the height of place can priuiledge or protect vs. Lastly they cannot stretch themselues to eternitie they all can bring vs no further then our death bed then are they vtterly disappointed of their weake imaginarie sweetnes and are wholly turned into wounds and wormewood into gall and vexation They leaue indeed a sting in the conscience that neuer dies but themselues die all at our deaths and lie downe with vs in the graue Iob 20. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9 10. c. But to come to the blessed man indeede in that when the Prophet would make knowne vnto all the world who are in the happiest estate and in the highest place of account with God he describeth setteth them forth by this property that they are sincere in heart and vpright in life and conuersation in a word such as truely feare the Lord. The point hence to be noted in generall is this that Grace and Religion is the way to all blessednesse This doctrine the Psalmist confirmeth vnto vs in sundry other places as Psalme 1. and 112. c. In the former whereof he declareth who is a man truely religious to wit he that escheweth ill counsels and sinfull practises and on the other side embraceth and delighteth in goodnesse and godlinesse and in the meanes of obtaining and increasing the same and then he pronounceth such a man blessed Blessed saith he is the man that doth â—ct walke in the counsell of the wicked nor stand in the way of sinners c. But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law will he meditate day and night And to the same effect is that in the other Psalme before named Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and delighteth greatly in his commandements c. Throughout which Psalme we may obserue as the true and certaine notes of a righteous man so also his priuiledges which are very many and very great both in regard of himselfe and of his posteritie which shall speed the better for his sake Notable likewise is that place of Deuteromonie where the Lord speaketh vnto his Church in this manner Blessed art thou ô Israel who is like any â— thee ô people saued by the Lord the shield of thy helpe and the sword of thy glorie which speech is not to be vnderstood as pertaining only to that nation but as belonging to all that are the â—â—ue Israel of God and that serue him with an vpright and faithfull heart Now what saith he of them Who is like vnto thee O Israel Why if they should haue looked to outward things they might haue answered the Egyptians the Edomites Assyrians nay the very Canaauites themselues are like vnto vs yea farre beyond vs for at that time when this was spoken they were in the wildernesse trauelling towards the promised land and what great matters had they then Moses who was the best of them had not a house to rest his head in none of them could say this is my ground there is my corne thus large are my reuenews by the yeare c. but they were all tenants at will at a daies or at an houres warning or lesse euen as Gods pleasure was yet the Lord maketh a challenge against all the world Who is like vnto thee ô people saued by the Lord meaning indeed that no nation vnder heauen was comparable vnto them in regard of the wonderfull things that God had wrought for them and in regard of those heauenly prerogatiues which he had vouchsafed vnto them the meanest hewer of wood or drawer of water amongst them was to be preferred before the mightiest Monarch in the world and that may be said of all true Christians which was spoken of them Who is like vnto thee O people saued by the Lord The truth of this will more euidently appeare if we well weigh the things that follow Namely 1. What miserie grace doth free vs from 2. What good things it maketh vs to enjoy 1. In this life 1. Estimation 2. Safetie 3. Comfort 2. In the life to come all manner of happinesse 1. First therefore that wee may see what miserie it frees vs from wee must consider that men naturally are the children of wrath vnder the curse and malediction of God subiect to horrible vexations and terrors all their life long they liue in feare of death and of such iudgements as are forerunners of death their table is a snare and their prosperitie their ruine their aduersitie is imbittered and their callings accursed and in a word nothing maketh them better but euery thing a great deale worse all being infected and poysoned vnto them by their owne sinnes and Gods fearefull vengeance vpon the same If they liue it is to the increase of their damnation if they die they goe to take present possession of destruction if they refuse to eate and drinke they are murderers of themselues if they doe eate and drinke they are vsurpers of that which is none of their owne If they come not to the Word and Sacrament they are contemners of Gods ordinances if they doe come they are profaners of the same and so shal be further hardened to their finall perdition and is not this a wretched case Though for their apparell they were cloathed as Salomon in the midst of his royalty though their Robes were as rich as was Aarons Ephod or breast-plate or the most costliest parts of his garments all were of no worth without grace though they fed on the daintiest dishes and did eate Angels foode as the Israelites are saide to doe yet if they be sinfull and rebellious they shall perish as Corah Dathan and Akiron and manie other of them did Though their habitations were as sumptuous delightfull as Paradice was yet they could haue no more comfort therein then Adam had when he had once broken the commaundement of GOD in eating of the forbidden fruite Notwithstanding all things remaining in their excellencie as before yet hee was surprized with the terrours and feares of a guiltie conscience and could take no pleasure in the goodly riuers in the pleasant fruites in the varietie of all the creatures that were in the garden of Eden c. but hee was faine to flie from Gods presence and to hide himselfe among the Trees of the garden And last of all though their dignitie were neuer so great their
word parables hee saith that fathers must teach them to their children and we know that the things which fathers must teach to their children ought to be verie easie and plaine The word then is said to be ful of mysteries or parables to all those whose eyes the Lord hath not inlightned and whose hearts he hath not touched by his spirite But as for them who are beloued of God whom the Lord bestoweth his spirit vpon for their direction those haue an easie entrance into his word and they do behold the mysteries of the law Therfore saith Christ vnto his Apostles To you it is giuen to know these things but to the other are all things spoken in parables Then it is for good cause that the Prophet desireth to behold these mysteries yet hee restraineth his desire and desireth to know no other mysteries than are contained in the word Many would gladly desire mysteries and many flie to reuelations yet they will not bee kept within the bounds of Gods word but wil needes follow the speculations of their own fantasies of this sort is the Family of loue But we must desire with this man of God to behold mysteries and keepe our selues within the compasse of the word euer crauing for the good spirit of God to enlighten our hearts in the true vnderstanding thereof that we neuer bee like the carnall Protestant which resteth in the outward word neuer crauing for Gods spirit to helpe their vnderstanding therein neither yet like the phantasticall Familie of loue which followeth reuelation and illumination without the word Vers. 19. I am a stranger vpon earth hide not thy commandements from me I Am a stranger vpon earth He setteth downe another reason why he would be instructed in the law of the Lord because he is but here a stranger that is that he had not here any long abiding place but continued here for a while And this doe all the men of God professe Heb. 11. vers 14. that they looked for another citie and therefore God was not ashamed to be called their God so in another place Dauid saith I am a stranger as all my fathers were If this were the affliction of Gods childreÌ„ in times past it must be in vs now if we with them will be partakers of the same promises in the kingdome of heauen We see then where we must make the beginning of all godlines and good religion euen in denying this world and acknowledging our selues to bee but pilgrimes in the same When a sonne is sent beyond the seas to learn the tongues c. and hath his time appointed him how long hee hath to tarrie the consideration of that time if he be any thing toward will moue him to take paines that when he returneth home hee may please his father So let vs then often set our times before vs let vs in time learne knowledge and apply our hearts speedily thereto Againe if we be strangers we haue fewe friends and many enemies and therefore it standeth vs in hand to bee carefull of the lawe of God which may teach vs that good path in which if wee walke we shall well please God and so be guarded and defended against our enemies We haue our own corruption to striue with the vanities of the world the euill examples of wicked men to prouoke vs to doe the like their malitious practises against vs and the great enemie of mankinde the diuell and with principalities and powers in heauenly things If wee doe well and wisely consider of these enemies wee shall soone see what neede we haue to be instructed in the law of God that wee may bee able to resist them Hide not thy Commandements from me The Prophet beholding these enemies craueth of the Lord that he would not hide his commandements from him This hiding doth the Prophet oppose to that inlightning which hee spake of before as our Sauiour Christ doth when he saith I thanke thee O Father that thou hast hid these things from the wise and reuealed them vnto babes where is signified that vnlesse the Lord doe reueale his law vnto vs he is said to hide it for it is hidden from vs and we cannot attaine vnto the knowledge of it vnlesse he make it knowne vnto vs. Vers. 20. Mine heart breaketh for the desire to thy iudgements alway THe Prophet sheweth the vehemencie of his desire when he saith that his soule fainteth for the desire thereof So in another place he saith that his heart panâ—â—t and that his soule cleaueth to the dust many such complaints the man of God maketh wheÌ„ he seeth the Lord withdrawing his spirit from him that he cannot so clearely see into Gods word as contrariwise he sheweth his ioy that in heart hee conceiueth when the Lord by his spirit doth open his sight that he can feele some comfort thereby when he saith How sweete are thy precepts vnto my mouth Oh how loue I thy Law c. Many men being not acquainted with this practise of the Prophet doe thinke that it is some melancholike humour c. when they see Gods children suddenly sorrowfull or suddenly full of reioycing but those that haue experience of these things doe know that the griefe sitteth neere their heart when they cannot feele comfort in Gods word and that then they are most comforted when the eyes of their mindes are most inlightned For seeing that our nourishment and life is in the Word we ought continually to fetch nourishment from thence by meditating therein Therfore many are on a sudden cast into great sadnesse and heauinesse of heart and yet they know not for what cause whereas this no doubt is one among the rest because they vse not to meditate in Gods word therefore by this meanes would the Lord driue them to his word that there they might find comfort and so for euer after haue the word in greater estimation and bestow greater diligence thereupon By iudgements here is meant the whole word of God whether it be promises or threatnings wherein the Lord â—heweth himselfe to bee as good as his word in performing and bringing to passe that which he hath spoken This desire which the Prophet had to Gods Commaundements it was not for a start and soone done but it was continually wherein he sheweth a plaine difference betweene a true desire and that which hath no truth in it for there is not the wickedest man that liueth but he may for a time seeme to haue very good things in him and at a start the most wicked will make a shew of very good desires but all this is like a morning clowde and soone vanisheth away therefore if wee will haue our desire to be true let vs also labour that it be continuall Vers. 21. Thou hast destroyed the proud cursed are they that doe erre from thy commaundements THe Prophet doth not let passe Gods iudgements without profit but meditateth vpon them that thereby he may bee kept in greater
this is foolish curiositie or to be knowne this is vanitie or to gaine by this is couetousnes but to edifie our selues this is wisdome and to edifie others this is charitie The woman of Samaria had no sooner a knowledge of Christ Iohn 4 but thee runnes into the Cittie leauâ—s her pitcher and saith Come see a man that hath told me all that I haue done Is not he the Christ Am I my brothers keeper was Kayns speech Gem4 But he that belieueth in me saith Christ out of his belly shal flow riuers of the water of life â—oâ—â— I will mâ—ditâ—â—e Three things saith Luther make a good diuine Prayer affliction meditation this last is as the chewing of the cud which we reade of in Lâ—â—â—tâ—cus Meditation without reading is often erroneous reading without meditation makes a barren student In thy wonderous workes Or wonders that is either of those wonderfull things that are contained in thy law as verse 19. of this Psalme and verse 129 which being high and hidden mysteries did cause him to haue them in admiration and reuerence or of those wonderfull workes which God before had done in the world and daylie did amongst the sonnes of men and which ought to be had in perpetuall remembrance Note we first first that Gods word is wonderfull because it containeth in it such things as transcende the reach of mans capacitie and without illumination from aboue cannot be vnderstood by the wisest in the world But especially if we consider the power of this Word in that it is that immortall seede by which we are begotten againe that sincere â—ilke by which wee are nourished that siluer Trumpet by which wee are awakened that Christ all glasse in which wee may behold what manner of persons we are and that mightiâ— arme of GOD by which we are corrected for sinne and protected from sinne we must needes say that this Word is wonderfull Giue mee a man as lasciuious as a Goate as rauâ—â—â—â—â— as a Wolfe as couetous as Hell as prosuâ—e euery way as the prodigall sonne if this Word assisted by Gods spirite seize vpon his soule it will chaunge him as if hee were a newe man and to say as one once did to his wanton louer it is not I. Now as for the workes of God whether wee looke vpon them in the creation or preseruation of them they are euery way wonderfull Dauid could not looke vpon them but hee cryeth out Psal 8. O Lorde how wonderfull are thy workes throughout the worlde And Psal. 139. But considering the frame of his owne bodie he saith I will praise thee O Lorde for I am wonderfully and fearefully made ¶ Vers. 28. My soule melteth for heâ—â—ines raise me vp according vnto thâ— Word ME thinks I see Dauid here resolued into teares and pouring them out at his cies as at â— well with two buckets by reason that the hand of God was heauy vpon him Hee can find no comfort but in the word of God therefore he to be raised vp by it be taketh himselfe to this ciaculatory prayer He thought it not enough to say My soule cleaueth to the dust vers 25. but here wil he adde that it melted for heauines The spirit of a man may beare his infirmities but a wouÌ„ded spirit who can beare saith the wise man Prou. 18 14 There is much in this booke concerning afflicted consciences therefore I need not to adde much In all those sorrowes which the soule hath arising from the consideration of Gods wrath for sinne the first consolation is from the word of God in which is promised grace and forgiuenes of our sinnes Thus it will quicken and comfort vs in trouble and assure vs of this haruest that though we sowe in teares we shall reape inioy But because wee can neither apprehend nor apply this word further then wee receiue grace from God wee must with Dauid pray to the Lord that hee would so guide vs that wee wander not vphold vs that we fall not confirme vs that wee funt not encourage vs that wee despaire not and quicken vs that wee dye not This verse requires rather the meditation of a penitent conuert then the Exposition of a learned Diuine as for the wicked they vnderstand not what is here written Though the righteous fall hee shall not bee cast off for the Lord putteth vnder his hand Psal. 37. 24. ¶ Vers. 29. Take from mee the way of lying and graunt mee graciously thy lawe AS before hee prayed to vnderstand the way of Gods precepts so here hee would bee kept from the way of lying and because they whom God keepeth are best kept he therefore continues his prayer to God desiring so to bee instructed by his word that his minde being purged from all vanitie he may be taught to obey Gods word The way of lying is that which the Prophet calleth vaine inuentions Vers. 113. falshood Vers. 163. the way of the wicked Psal. 1. Our owne wayes Ezech. 18. In a word the Prophet here desireth to be confirmed by God against all corruptions in doctrine and disorder of conuersation which Sathan by his wittie and wilie instruments doth seeke to set abroach in the world These are called the way of lying 1. Because they are inuented by Sathan the father of lies 2. They are countenanced by mans witte the store-house of lyes 3. They seeme to bee that which they are not which is of the nature of lyes 4. They are contrary to God and his truth the discouerers of lyes This way of lying before sinne came into the world it was a way so vnknowne to man that indeede it was as a desert wildernesse in the which neuer any foote had troâ—e but now it is so broade and wide a way that the most in the world walke in it The heathen by his Idols the Turke by his Alcoran the Iesuite by his newe Gospell the Lutheran by his Contransubstantiation the Protestant by his denying the power of godlinesse the Schismatike by his pretenced puritie haue walked so along in this way that the way of trueth they will not knowe Wee haue wrangled so long about trueth in religion that as hee could not finde Rome in Rome so wee cannot finde Religion in Religion And wee haue cloaked so long trueth in conuersation that true dealing is banished from the sonnes of men hee that will vse it must dye a begger Hijs diebus iam peractis nulla sides est in factis mâ—l in ore verba lactis fel in corde fraus in factis Helpe Lord for good and godly men doe perish and decay And faith and truth from mortall men is banisht quite away Had we not neede then with this holy Prophet to hate al vaine inuentions but to pray most earnestly with him to the Lord that he will take from vs this lying way and to teach vs that good and olde way in which if we walke all the dayes of our life we shall in the end finde rest to our soules
when as they that trust in lying vanities doe forsake their owne mercie Ionah 2. 10. And graunt me graciously thy word He boasteth not on his owne merits but desireth all for Gods goodnes and till it please God to make vs rest in his word and in that alone we shall be carried about with euery blast of new doctrine runne a whoring after our own inuentions and neuer be guided in any good way ¶ Vers. 30. I haue chosen the way of truth and thy iudgements haue I layde before mee THough the Prophet prayed in the former verse against the way of falshood and lying yet it seemeth that by the spirit of God hee had made choyce of a good way for here hee protesteth that for his part hee had chosen the way of trueth and laide before himselfe the waye of Gods iudgements God layde before him two wayes the one straite the other wide the one of life the other of death the one of lying the other of truth which doth hee choose the waye of trueth that is that path which leadeth to trueth and wel-doing and in one word to him who is the way the truth and the life But how comes it that hee makes this choyce is it in the power of his free-will nothing lesse no man can come vnlesse he be drawn walke vnlesse he be directed runne vnlesse he bee enlarged or choose this waye vnlesse hee bee guided by the worke of Gods spirit without which we can doe nothing I haue chosen why then should not wee chuse it surely hee maketh this confession both to stirre vp others by his example and to testifie his resolution that though hee were in danger for this choyce and had fewe companions yet hee for his part would neuer seeke out any other way as Ios. 24. 15. Ioh. 6. 67. 68. 69. The way of truth thus he stâ—leth the word of God which alone shewes man the waye by which hee may walke safely and vprightlie But before a man can bee set in this way hee hath many seducements offered vnto him to drawe him into by paths It seemeth that Dauid ouercame them all made Gods word that Ariâ—dnes threed by which he passed through all sorts of Labyrinths If wee intend to make choyce of any other waye doubt not but we shall haue counsellors enough but this is the waye chuse it And thy iudgements haue I laide before me 1. Thy word according to which thou wilt pronounce sentence that haue I saide before mee it is euer in my sight it is my counsellor my comforter my guide and gouernour O happie Dauid if thou hadst euer done so then hadst thou not fallen either by pride of heart in numbring the people or vncleanesse of life with the spouse of Vriah Hence springs all impietie that we laye not GODS iudgements before vs. ¶ Vers. 31. I haue cleaued to thy testimonies O Lord confound me noâ— IF euer good man had occasion by crosses to forsake his profession and hold of pietie Dauid had neuer was man more beloued of God yet neuer was man so molested by men remember his troubles and his truth will appeare Did hee now forsake his standing abandon his generall or start aside like a broken bowe no he did not In the Lord was his delight in Gods word was his comfort He did cleaue so fast vnto the word of God in which his will is testified to man that no trouble could make him to forgoe his hold Mee thinkes I may bring in heere Paul speaking as Dauid doth Who shall seperate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or naked â—â—sse or perill or sworde As it is written for thy sake are we killed all the day long wee are counted as sheepe for the slaughter Neuerthelesse in all these things we are more then conquerers through him thâ—t loued vs. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come Nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bâ—e able to seperate vs from the loue of GOD which is in CHRIST IESVS our LORDE Rom. 8. 35. c. Confounde mee not If I cleaue not to thy testimonies thou wilt confounde mee as all they are who start aside from thee if I cleaue vnto thy testimonies men will confounde mee O LORDE suffer mee not to bee confounded by them or to doe that whereby I may be ashamed either before thee or before any man Thus Dauid fearing that by daily accidents his faith and profession might be shaken and he should in the ende become a scorne to his enemies as who more scorned then the most godly desireth that he might haue as he had trusted such good successe that vpon none occasion that hold which he had laide vpon Gods word might be taken from him Where we see it is the custome of the wicked to put most shame vpon them who desire to sticke most fast vnto God and to serue him with greatest sinceritie this is the great griefe of Gods Saints that they are thus confounded for well doing let them goe on as Dauid did let them pray as Dauid here doth in the ende they shall either see the confusion of their enemies or else reioyce in consolation of a good conscience that they are hated without a cause ¶ Verse 32. I will runne the waies of thy commaundements when thou shalt enlarge mine heart THis last verse is a golden verse in which he sheweth principally with what speede and cheerfulnesse he will serue God But because this race celestiall cannot be vndertaken vnlesse we know Christ and in him the remission of sinnes which alone knowledge doth enlarge the heart drawing it out of the dolors of death and perfuming it with a new ioy by which it resteth quieted in the Lord therefore as before he desired to be quickened and cheereÌ„d according to Gods word so heere he promiseth that he will most cheerfully goe on in the waies of Gods statutes where it shall please the Lord to set his heart at libertie by taking away from him the feare of his displeasure purchased by sinne and the furie of his enemies of whom he was in danger I will runne c. it is a metaphor borrowed from runners in a race who questionles doe runne with speede Such an one was Ahimaaz 2. Sam. 18. who outâ—an Chushi to bring Dauid tydings of Absolons death And Iohn who did ouerrunne Peter to the sepulcher Iohn 20. 4. Dauid will imitate these runners he will make hast and delay no time to keepe Gods righteous iudgements So would Paul himselfe Philip. 3. 13. I forget that which is behinde and I endeuor myselfe to that which is before And followe hard towards the marke for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus And to this race he exhorteth the Corinthians 1. Epistle 9. Chapter Verse 2. So runne that ye may obtaine Now in this race some creepe
word when we come to it Vers. 78 Let the proude be ashamed for they haue dealt wickedly and falsely with mee but I meditate in thy precepts AS hee had before saide that the godly should be comforted in his deliuerance so here he saith that the wicked should see their wickednesse and bee ashamed either with such shame as might bring them to repentance or which might confound them if they would not repent He prayeth against their enterprises not against their persons nor the image of God in them He hath some prayers giuen by speciall instinct for the ouerthrow of the wicked in other places but here he maketh that praier which the Church ought to make For we cānot pray that Gods people may be comforted in our deliuerance but wee must also pray that the wickednes of the wicked may turne to their shame This being obserued that wee pray not against their person but their enterprise then this that wee simply respect the glory of God and the good of Gods people For if we should doe it of some speciall grudge then should we make Gods glorie a cloke of our euill purpose sin against him We may then pray that the Lord would blesse his word among vs that he would sanctifie vs by it that our good workes might be knowne to others for his glory Therefore we may pray so that it be in loue that the heresies of Papists Families of loue and others may be discouered and ouerthrown and the persons ashamed of their doings They dealt falsely with me This sheweth that their dealings that he praied against and not against their persons because their dealings were wicked and false And this teacheth when we must thus pray euen when their wicked dealings are plaine and their doings false and then may we pray with hope because the righteous God loueth righteousnesse and if the cause be good it will come to a good end For though trueth may be ashamed yet it cannot be ashamed for euer for God will defend his owne cause and though the wicked for a time preuaile yet in the end they shal come to shame This then first comforteth vs in euery good cause that it shall haue a good issue and againe that we take no euill cause in hand for if we doe it will bring shame at the last But I meditate in thy statutes He repeateth the same thing often and surely if the world could not containe the bookes that might be written of Christ and yet for our infirmitie the Lord hath comprised them in such a few bookes and yet one thing in them often repeated it sheweth that the matter is weightie and of vs duly and often to be considered And againe we are taught that that is a thing that none do so carefully looke vnto as they ought And he sheweth that as his enemies sought by euil means to hurt him so he sought to keepe a good conscience that so they might not hurt him Then we must not set policy against policy nor Cretizare cum Cretensibus but let vs alwayes tend to the word and keepe vs within the bounds of that and fight with the weapons that it teacheth vs. And this is the cause that many good men are ouercome by the wicked because they striue with them with their owne weapons and then they must needs be too hard for vs. Againe seeing they neuer want euill meanes because they giue ouer themselues thereto so if we would giue ouer our selues to God and his word and admit nothing but that which agreeeth to the word then should we be made wiser than our enemies Vers. 79. Let such as feare thee turne vnto mee and they that know thy testimonies AS he had not his owne flesh to fight against onely but the world also so hee did not only fight himself alone but seeketh the helpe of others When many see that religion cannot be truely professed but danger will come of it because many set themselues against it they flie from it and goe to the greater part which is the wicked If we will auoyd this let vs ioyne our selues to Gods children and they will helpe vs with counsell and aduise for one may be strong when we are weake another may haue counsell when we shall not know what to do therfore by them we shall be kept from many euill things So Paul 2. Timothie 1. 16. after he had complained of the wrong that many had done vnto him he straightway giueth thankes for the familie of Onesiphorus which refreshed him more than all his enemies could discourage him so that he durst oppose this one household to the whole rabble of the wicked It may also be a comfort to vs when the temptation of Elias commeth to vs to think that godlines were gone out of the world for then shal it be good to set the children of God before vs that we may heare of them and be in their company and so be comforted Againe it is no small thing to be godly indeed for then we shall be a comfort to Gods children when they heare that we continue in godlinesse whereas otherwise we are very many stumbling blocks if we shall be readie to fall or haue fallen Againe the mouthes of the wicked shall be stopped for when the Magistrate Minister and professor continue in holines then though he would speake euill yet his mouth should be stopped and what great glorie should come to God by this so that here is a speciall spurre to moue any to stand and continue in godlines If Dauid did thus desire the company of Gods children what ought we to doe But men know not their wants they know not the communion of Saints therefore they are carelesse of this Yet Paul desired to come to the Romanes that he might receiue mutuall comfort for euery member of Christ hath somewhat wherewith he may doe thee good because he is annoynted with the same oyle that thou art therefore by him thou shalt remember something forgotten or haue thy iudgement reformed in some particular thing But we know not the profit of this because we haue no vse of it In the eight part he said this chiefely that he might doe them good and here chiefely that they might helpe him He sheweth that the feete of Gods children are directed by God and if they come to vs it is a blessing of God if they doe not it is his punishment By feare he meaneth that when good men feare God they haue a chiefe care to please God a chiefe care that they might not displease him but may be approued of him in all their doings He ioyneth knowledge with feare because that knowledge without feare puffeth vp and so becommeth vnprofitable Secondly because knowledge without feare resteth not simplie in the word but seeketh by meanes Thirdly because if men haue knowledge without feare they will not come much to the afflicted because they haue not been humbled Therefore that we may be humbled and that
THis shewed first that he prayed against their euill cause secondly that he suffered vniustly first because he suffered for the truth secoÌ„dly because he behaued himself godly in his cause not vsing vnlawful means And we must look that we haue these things before we pray this prayer first that our cause be good secondly that it be rightly handled therefore heretikes and wicked men cannot make this prayer Dauid was long in this trouble and yet he prouoked them not with euill words but laboured to ouercome their euill with goodnes as Psalm 33. So when we doe them no euill when we haue laboured to doe them good and prayed and fasted for them in patience and long suffering then iâ— it be against Gods enemies and their euill causes we may pray this prayer Vers. 86. All thy commandements are true they persecute me fulfâ—ly helpe me HE hath an assured perswasion of the truth of his cause and of the euill vsing of his enemies both which he knoweth by the truth of Gods word this maketh him to stand out in his good cause and to sticke to the truth of Gods word This is a great thing for the diuell will throw into mens minds if this cause were good it should not be persecuted but thou art more precise than needeth c. to this end that if he could once â—â—ing them to doubt of their cause they should leaue suffering for if men bee once perswaded that their cause is euâ—l or if their cause be good and yet if they know iâ— not then can they not suffer for it Therefore if wee will stand in trouble let vs now in peace be assured and grounded in the knowledge of the truth and build vp our selues now in faith and a good conscience For if this be once said to vs of the diuell Thou hast heard much and yet least not profited leaue thy cause betime or else thou wilt shame thy selfe and thy cause toâ— then it must be a great thing that will make vs stand Helâ—â— Though he had been long in trouble so that hee was readie to be destroyed yet hee prayeth contrarie to the reason of the flesh This teached that euen in the greatest trouble we may call vpon God and when all helpe seeâ—eth to be past then is the â—â—me to be holpen because the wickednes of the wicked is at the full and our â—iall is manifest For the lot of the wicked shall not c. Vers. 87. wanteth Vers. 88 Quicken mee according to thy louing kindnes so shall I keepe the testimonie of thy mouth HE sheweth that he was dead and when he desireth to be quickned by louing kindnes he sheweth thâ—t without this there is no quickening for there is no 〈◊〉 I will keep He that kept them before yet in weakenes and his afflâ—ction did somewhat hinder him as Psal. 17. Deliuer me from the affliction c. therfore he 〈◊〉 to keepe them better For troble hindreth the course of obedience and maketh vs â—â—get many things which wee haue learned Then what a benefit haue wee which now are in quiet and haue our libertie Without louing kindnes there is no quickening He playeth to be deliuered that he may keepe Gods commandements and this is the â—ight end of this prayer â—â—ther to be deliuered out of the present euill or to be preserued from it We doe â—â—â—â— pray to be preserued wee pray for our Queene c. But iâ— it be not to this end we 〈◊〉 nothing from beasts This was the end of Dauid in his prosperitie Psalm 23. and this was his ende why hee would bee deliuered from trouble that hee might dwell in Gods house a long season For it was his griefe that hee could not glorifie God Hee desireth to bee quickened to keepe Gods commandements then what are wee that are as dead men when wee heare and pray PORTION 12. LAMED Vers. 89. O Lord thy word endureth for euer in heauen THis part sheweth the comforts that staied him in his trouble his eyes fainted yet hee sawe Gods word to endure for euer in heauen And this is his saith which when hee sawe no helpe in earth yet could lift vp his heart to heauen And hee noteth the weaknes of his enemies that though they had almost made an end of Gods SaiÌ„ts in earth yet they cannot take the word out of heauen which is the seate therof This must comfort vs when persecution waxeth hot so that wee might say with 〈◊〉 I am â—â—â—â— aloâ—e yet the Lord keepeth his word in heauen from whence hee will send it to another place In the confidence hereof Dauid crieth Psalm 2. Why doe c. and in the death of Christ the Sauiour of the world seemed to be dead so that they mocked him He saued others yet Gods word was in heauen and Christ became a Sauiour to them that beleeued When the children of Israel were brought low in Egypt yet Gods word in heauen was true and they returned to the promised land When the Iewes were translated to Babylon so that all hope of returne was taken away yet Daniel and other knewe the word was in heauen that after 70 yeeres they should returne This is true in particular persons as Iob Dauid Ezechias and others being brought very low yet through hope of Gods word which is in heauen they looked for deliueraÌ„ce though they saw no helpe in earth This is good for vs to lay vp against trouble to come and this comforted Bradford Rogers c. which said God would bring his word from heauen to this land againe And because wee cannot see heauen though we must beleeue it by faith which is of things not seene therfore he sheweth that it may be seene in earth Thy truth indureth from generation to generation c. though all things vnder the Sun be changeable yet Gods truth is one for euer Heauen and earth shall passe Matth. 24. and Luk. 21. This generation shall not passe where vnder Ierusalem he setteth out the state of the world till the last day For as the Iewes did not receiue the true Christ so they were deceiued with a false and when they would not looke to cure their soules the Lord sent famine warre and pestilence to consume their bodies and as they would finde no place in their soules for his word so the Lord would leaue them no place in that good land And thus shall the word continue throughout all generations For wheresoeuer the Lord hath a number of his thither hee will send his word to worke in them faith and repentance and so to strengthen them that they shal neuer fall And as for all the rest the Lord will trie them with his word and when they shall be found not to receiue the truth in loue they shall be giuen vp to beleeue lyes afterward loue shall waxe cold and then iniquitie shall preuaile so that the Lord shall bee constrained to send famine and pestilence with which they shall bee exercised till
dayes because wee attribute so much to ministeriall knowledge and haue felt so little profit by the teaching of the Spirit and seeing we brag so much of faith haue so little loue lastly whereas wee boast of our professioÌ„ and yet are so little profited in holy conuersation the Lord for such contempt of his trueth doth now teach vs by deluding spirits and fantasticall deuisers and the lying Familie of loue Wherefore vnlesse we be more enflamed with a loue of the truth and an hatred of heresie than we haue been it may come to passe that as in the Primitiue Church the Gospell of Iesus Christ being preached at the first of men of the lowest state and afterward for the good liking of it was brought to bee preached after the more learned sort euen so heresie now beginning in the vnlearned and ignorant people may by the iust iudgement of God for the contempt of the word take place euen among the best learned For it is as easie for the Lord in his iudgements to send a lying spirit into foure hundred learned men as to suffer the common Israelites to bee deluded therewith so then we haue the mysteries of iniquitie to teach the mysteries of righteousnes and we must learne loue of them which are the abusers of loue Wherefore if wee desire to know Christ crucified by the spirit in his word if wee will know him to be our Prophet our Priest and our King we must be new creatures for the olde things are gone and new things haue succeeded them in their place wee must let loue be laborious in vs and fruitfull in good workes But when wee haue not so good misliking of heretikes wee shall finde them as the grashoppers of Egypt we shall see new and old enemies ioyne together to the great dishonour of our God Oh how I loue thy lawe We haue then in this verse a iust occasion to examine our selues how we profit in the loue of Gods word wherein the Prophet for our example and imitation pathetically protesteth how he loueth the word of the Lord to declare that it was not in outward shew but in inward affection and that he did not indeede delude himselfe as we do in many things he proueth it by effects for that here alone is true wisedome and not elsewhere to bee found Wherefore it shall not bee amisse to gather all such proofes whereby we may see his loue was vnfained and came from the bottome of his heart The first is a speciall hatred that hee had to the contrarie that is to all false religion opposed to the true seruice of God Secondly it may be shewed in the circumstance of the time and that for two causes both in respect of the lawe which then had little countenance and in respect of his person which then did suffer contempt The third is the reposing of his felicitie in the word when either he felt the sweete promises of God or his inward man delighted with the law in that he preferred it before all profit pleasure glorie with which things naturall men are most delighted as also his great griefe of minde when either he felt not such comfort in Gods promises or his inward man not delighting in his word or when he saw any other traÌ„sgressing the same The fourth is his careful vsing of the means which were many namely his conference with Gods children either in reaching his gifts vnto them or in the participating of their gifts with him his praying praysing of God his holy meditations and his vowing with himselfe to keepe the law of the Lord. In that so vehemently he bursteth forth into this speech Oh how loue I the law we are to see his great zeale to compare our selues with it and where he saith 〈◊〉 we are to learne that if we finde in our selues any wearinesse and loathsomnesse to this exercise we are not as yet sound at the heart Concerning this word thy law we may note that he putteth the law of God his loue thereunto for his loue to God for this end because euery man wil say that he loueth God as the Turke the Pope the Familie of loue but few of vs and none of them doe loue his word For is there any heretike or hath bin who perswadeth not himselfe and would perswade others that he loueth God Wherefore to our vse we must know that if we feare the Lord we must feare him in his threatnings denounced by his word if we say we loue him we must loue his promises contained in his truth if we obey him we must obey his commandements reuealed in his will if we will worship him we must worship him according to the prescript rule of his owne ordinances For the first reason which we haue shewed to be the heartie hatred of false doctrine or false religion he saith Portion 15. vers 1. I hate vaine inuentions but thy law doe I loue And in Portion 21. vers 3. I hate false hood and abhorre it but thy law doe I loue And in the fourth Portion vers 5. he â—larly prayeth against it saying Take from me the way of lyâ—â—g and graâ—â—t me gratiously thy truth Where we see that as the mail of God sheweth his loue to the truth so he sheweth his hatred to lies Neither must we vnderstand here that which he calleth the way of lying for a breach of any particular commaundement but for a generall breach of the whole law of God for a thing opposite to the truth of Gods word so also is it to be vnderstood when the Spirit of God calleth Satan the father of lies that is of fained and forged doctrine both in religion and life as also God is said to be the Father of all truth Now it is manifest I neede not as I thinke to shew this out of the Law nor by the Prophets nor by the example of godly Kings how it is by precept commaunded and by practise vsed onely we will shew a few places in stead of many Deut. 7. vers 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Deut. 13. 6. 7. Zach. 13. 3. Where we may see that naturall loue shall giue place to heauenly loue the second table must giue place to the first and the loue of man to the loue of God Psal. 16. 4 the Prophet professeth that he will not once make mention of their names within his lips For examples we may see Reuel 2. 6. how acceptable it was in the sight of the Lord that the Church of Ephesus hated the heresie of the Nicolaitans and Reuel 3. 15. the Spirit of God reprooueth the Laodiceans because they were neither hot nor cold So grieuous a thing is it in the eyes of the Lord when the world will rather take vp false religion than zealously gainsay it But it may be that their ciuill conuersation and outward courtesie doth much slake our hatred against
with the godly This then is a sure token of his loue to Gods word euen then to esteeme it when of the times it was hated neither is this any true triall or argument of the loue of Gods word to fauour it whilest others doe fauour it but when all formall liking of it beginneth to decay then in truth and constancie to professe it argueth true and constant loue of it And it must not be straÌ„ge vnto vs that the Church is often vexed with wicked heresies because it is the infinite iustice of God when men with feare and loue doe not obey the truth in a good conscience whereby they diminish the glorious credit of the childreÌ„ of God to giue them ouer to some horrible heresie At what time we may see both the grace of God in giuing strength to his to beleeue euen in the middest of heresies as also the faith of his children euen then to be constant when others reuolt from the truth As to continue in our former example of Dauid First he was taunted when it was said who is this man is it not the sonne of Ishai Then being betrothed and contracted to the eldest daughter of Saul he was deluded and depriued of her Afterward Saul prouoked him with open violence how beit still he perseuered in the loue of Gods truth To applie this to our selues if a man now a daies â—e called a precisian or termed by the name of a Puritane that some worldlings thus reason with him What will you become a Precisian will you giue ouer and forsake your frends and commit your selfe to their companie who are not able to preferre pleasure nor profit you wil you now enter so hard a life and suffer so odious a name Doth it not come to passe that this first blast bloweth vs away Other some can be content to giue their names to God but when they can take no course to get liuing and preferment then they begin to shrinke These men making godlines a gaine will so long worshippe God as they may get profit by it But wee must neither let contempt abash vs nonbenefits allure vs and when all law is against vs and of all wee shall bee troden vnder foote when wee shall be compassed with so many euils that these temptations wil come vpon vs it is better for you to giue ouer than thus to run on and to put your selfe in danger that which hath been in you was but a melancholike humour if you giue place to such affections you may hurt your selfe when all these things shall meete with vs wee must shew our loue by resisting them and cleauing to Gods lawe If we be not Ieroboams yet we may be Rehoboams Ieroboam hee set vp Calues Râ—â—oâ—oâ—â— a while determined to keepe the lawes of the Lord but afterward he fell to 〈◊〉 exercise This now is a singular triall of his loue who saith of himselfe for our instructioÌ„ I haue bin had in derision and the bands of the wicked haue robbed mâ—â—e c. They haue foâ—â—ged lies and laid snares for mee yet doe I not forsake thy law So that no iniuries could wearie him no contempt discourage him no benefits allure him no subtill daungers make him to quaile in despaire his faith was so sound in Gods word and his loue so pure in an whole heart One thing we haue omitted in the former reason which here must not be left out If we be espoused to Christ in the Gospell we are assured that he will keepe vs from falling or if we fall he will saue vs from lying in our sinnes But leauing this let vs come to the third reason which was the great felicitie which hee felt in the word and the sorrow which he felt in the contrary For the first he preferred the word 1. Before all profit as port 16. 7. I loue thy commandements aboue gold yeâ— aboue fine gold 2. Before all pleasures as port 13. 7. How sweete are thy promises to my mouth yea more than hony vnto my mouth 3. Before glorie as port 8. 1. O Lord thou art my portion I haue determined to keepe thy lawe And portion 14. 7. Thy testimonies haue I taken as my heritage for euer for they are the ioy of my heart Now because in a spoyle all these things doe meete together Seeing then we are giuen to loue our selues and to make 〈◊〉 a gaine or rather loue the word for gaine pleasure and vaine glorie wee shall see how great a thing it is to loue the word for it owne sake that is because it is the word of God But many will vrge the vse of lawfull things and say Why may I not eate this meaâ—e may I not weare this fashion may I not put on such apparell they bee lawfull theâ—â— natures I answere that they bee indeede lawfull in themselues and while theâ—â—â— are nakedly considered and as they are vncloathed of other circumstances yet wee are to a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with meditating on things conuenient least we turne the libertie of the Spirit to a 〈◊〉 of the flesh See here how wee loue pleasures more than the word Some are godly so long as they can get gaine by their godlinesse who quickly can be cold when they haue gotten greater preferment in the Church of God They forget that which wee must remember that wee must grow in zeale in loue in affection and indiligence as wee â—â—rease in outward things that we may shew our selues not so much to seeke after profit as after a better life not vaine pleasure but pleasure of the minde not carnall glory out the hope of Gods kingdome On the other side wee are to see how his afflictions grew when hee sawe the neglect or contempt of the law in others for his eyes failed his heart was 〈◊〉 his spirit panted his fleshe parched away Thus whilest hee measured himselfe by the word how his inward man ebbed and flowed in a delight of the word his ioy increased and decreased with the estate of the mind insomuch that hee desired for no other end to liue than to feele the comfort of Gods promises and his affections gouerned by the word of God For he saith portion 3. 1. Be beneficiall vnto thy seruant that I may liue and keepe thy word Wherein he agreeth with a saying of Paul Galath 2. 20. I liue yet not I now but Christ liueth in mee But I feare that I speake mysteries and paradoxes vnto a great many who yet are but naturall men and may learne these things of simple men in the country Well let vs learne if wee cannot bring foorth 100 folde yet let vs bring foorth 60 folde if not so much yet at the least 30 folde vnlesse we be either stonie ground who for want of roote in time of tribulation and persecution will be offended or as the thornie ground being choked with worldly cares or as trampled ground which is troden of all men And here
they must both ioyne together least that wee considering of them being olde and not on new should think they were not or at least that we resting on the iudgements of God executed of late not lifting vp our eyes to the iudgements of old should ascribe them to euil fortune chaunce and destinie We may then see how they which vsed the meanes of good things encreased in them and how they that resrained not from euill did slide backe vnto wickednesse Wherefore that we may throughly be perswaded of the truth of the Lord in things commanded forbidden threatned promised it is requisite to obserue the proofe of them so oft as God giueth iust occasion thereof For vntill wee looke on these things and see his blessings and his iudgements we shall neuer haue a care to doe good nor a conscience to auoid euil and to looke into them is to looke into the glasse of Gods word Many deny prouidence because they haue not a knowledge of the word or else leaning to their reasoÌ„ giue too much to naturall causes or lastly because they haue not a daily growing in the word For that may well be the sense of this place Thou dost make me to grow in knowledge Here is also commended vnto vs the teaching of the spirit by the ministry of the word For otherwise we may often read the Scriptures and yet be ignorant in Gods iudgements in not ascribing euery iudgement to his peculiar office For when we heare of an heretike wee say what is he an heretike I maruell hee is become such a one I knew him an honest man I neuer knew any euil by him yet the word of God telleth vs that some mens sinnes goe before to iudgement and some mens come after and that it is come to him either for want of good workes or for some secret sinne It followeth Vers. 103. How sweete are thy promises vnto my mouth yea sweeter than â—â—ny vnto my mouth VVEe haue heard in the ninth portion that vntill wee put our whole folicitie in the word wee shall not profit That which here is called promises I take rather for iudgements partly because in the proper tongue the word is left out and partly because he had vsed this word iudgements in the verse immediately going before But so me will say how can the iudgements of God hee sweete which are so troublesome fearefull and grieuous I answere that the godly haue no greater ioy than wheÌ„ they feele either the mercies of God accomplished towards them that feare him or his iudgements shewed vpon the reprobates Vnto my mouth That is I take as greate pleasure in talking conferring and perswading thy iudgements as my mouth or the mouth of any that loueth honie is delighted therewith So he saith portioÌ„ 2. vers 6. I haue had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in â—â— manner of riches The meaning then of the verse is when I feele O Lord such effects of thy promises in my selfe and in others that feare thee and such fruites of thy vengeance on them that despise thee I finde great comfort in thy word The Prophet Dauid found this sweetnes by experience in himselfe and therefore spake by proofe Why doe not we feele the like comfort because we vse not the same meanes we finde not the like effects For if we could see our enemies put to the wall by the word then should our knowledge exceede the knowledge of others if we felt the allurements of the world the inticements of the flesh and the motions of the diuell bitter vnto vs then should wee taste this sweetnesse Wherefore before wee make conscience to vse the meanes of good and to auoide the occasions of euill we cannot profit Thus we haue shewed how the iudgements of God may be sweete that is vnto them that reioyce either to see the promises of God performed to the penitent or his wrath fulfilled in the impenitent This delight made the Prophet out of the abundance of his heart to speake ioyfully of them portion 2. 6. With my lips haue I declared all the iudgements of thy mouth And because they testifie no small loue to a thing which for affection to it will rise at midnight he addeth portion 8. 6. At midnight will I rise to giue thankes vnto thee because of thy righteous iudgements This is then a true note that a man hath delight in Gods word if from the abundance of his heart his mouth can speake of it and when the word of God dwelleth so plentifully in him that hee can speake it in wisedome Againe if we haue such an earnest and naturall delight being wearie to refresh our selues with fables what a dulnesse is it in vs that wee cannot finde as great comfort in the word of God Wherefore we are to examine our owne hearts that how so euer we haue bin delighted before to heare vaine and friuolous tales so from henceforth we may please our selues in true histories in the word For though other may be corrupt with flatterings yet these histories are true free from all assentation because they register as well the sins of the Kings and their kindreds as their vertues Neither can wee euer sound the Prophet vntil from the experience of our own selues we can proclaime forth the examples both of Gods promises and of his iudgements We shewed that the cause why wee felt not such profit as the man of God did in the word was because wee vsed not the like paines wee vse fewer meanes therefore our loue is the lesse to the truth wee auoide not so many occasions of euill therefore we sinne the more If we then would be more diligent in conference more feruent in prayer more giuen to meditation wee should profit more if wee would refraine from euill and abstaine from occasions of it wee should both bee great in good things and auoide many afflictions The cause then why we either speake not of Gods iudgements at all or speaking speake so coldly is because we are so dead in vsing the meanes of good and so dull in auoyding the occasions of euill The Prophet port 7. 4. saith I haue remembred thy iudgements of olde and haue beene comforted Where we are to note that wee are not at vtter defiance of sinne and in full league with goodnes vntill we haue found comfort when either the Lord shewed mercy vpon his or vengeance on the wicked And then Gods iudgements will bee sweete vnto vs when remembring that no sinne shall be vnpunished we abstaine from sin â—nd seeing that no good thing shall be vnrewarded we are moued to goodnesse For what can strengthen a man more than to consider this that God will punish sinne one day and that in time he will fulfill his promises to his childreÌ„ which walke in truth before him although in great weakenesse We haue also taught that we must vse such a moderation of our affections as we may stay
This is the chiefest of all that it cannot bee taken from vs for all heresies and sects are discerned by the word truly vnderstood by this I say that the word truly vnderstood giueth faith whereby wee are surely perswaded of the life to come and of the resurrection Paul saith Act. 20. that without faith in the resurrection there is no religion so Ioh. 6. and Phil. 2. Therefore Heresie Papistrie and Paganisme can giue no true inheritance because they cannot assure vs of our saluation Againe the truth giueth vs not imaginarie good things but good things in truth and assureth vs truly that wee shall bee saued and they haue not these they therefore haue no true inheritance He doth not only confesse that he made the Lord his inheritance but also he saith that hee maketh the testimonies of God his inheritance both because they are the meanes whereby we come to haue inheritance in heauen and also because they are assurances of the same For the word is as it were the deede of gift and the Sacraments are as it were seales of the same Almost all men will confesse that the word is to bee had in this singular account but yet few doe attribute this dignitie to the Sacraments And yet as the indenture when the seale is taken away is nothing worth so if we take power from the Sacraments then can we not haue our assurance good If we cannot come to make this account of the word and Sacraments yet as Dauid did let vs be sorie that we cannot He when he was driuen out of his kingdome and banished from the Temple said this will I require that I may behold the faire beautie of the Lord c. Hee had now lost his kingdome wife children and all yet these if they might be restored could not satisfie him vnles he might also be in the house of the Lord. Then let vs labour to haue this desire that if we cannot with ioy finde it wee may with sorrow labour after it Vers. 112. I haue applied mine heart to fulfill thy statutes alway euen vnto the end IN the former verse he shewed his faith and his ioy which came thereof now he sheweth that here in this ioy he will keepe the commandements whereby hee sheweth that this was a true ioy because it wrought a care to doe good For if we beleeue the promises truly then we also loue the commandements otherwise faith is vaine a care to liue a godly life nourisheth faith in Gods promises Here is the cause then why many regard not the word and Sacraments or if they doe a little it is to no purpose because they labour not to keepe the commaundements For vnlesse they haue care to doe this the word of God to them cannot be profitable nor the Sacraments sacred He further sheweth that this was a true care in that it began at his heart for here is the beginning of al goodnes here is the roote of religion and here the foundation of our faith must be laid It is not the refraining from outward actions it is not the restraining of the outward man but it is the heart that wee must trauell about and take care for Hereof it came to passe that many of the Kings people in the books of Chronicles continued in godlinesse and kept an euen and equall course because they prepared their hearts as Ezechias Iosias and others and hereof it came to passe that many fell from the faith because they sought not God in their hearts as the Scribes and Pharisies which clensed the outward actions onely It must then be our lesson which we must studie on to take care to our hearts aboue al things and to make the beginning there For the cleannes of that pleaseth God and the filth of that displeaseth him But when he saith I haue inclined doth hee meane that of himselfe hee could applie his heart as he listed No no he meant nothing lesse For he was conceiued in sinne and how then were the preparations of his heart in his owne hand Againe he prayeth portion 5. Incline mine heart vnto c. where hee doth plainly shewe that it was God that turned his heart at his good pleasure And no maruell truly for the heart of man can no further bee tried out or spied than the Lord doth gage and open it that wee may see thereinto Ierem 17. 9. And againe the hardnesse of mans heart is such that it will sooner breake than bend and may sooner be applied vnto any thing than vnto goodnes Where in the follie of Papists and other heretikes is more than manifest which by this and such like places would proue the freewill of man and that he can incline himselfe to goodnes sâ—eing that here is nothing else meant than that men doe then incline their hearts when God doth incline them so that the Lord he worketh all and yet is it attributed to men when they receiue and pursue the working of God so the heart is free if God maketh it free not else If we presume of our free will when we haue it not we shall purpose and God will otherwise dispose for hereof commeth it that so many fall from their purposes God is not pleased but with voluntarie offering therefore he applieth his heart and we must beware of seruile seruice The constantnes of his purpose to coÌ„tinue in this obedience he sheweth when he saith he will doe it for euer and euer and that at al times not onely at a communion or at a fast or in sicknes but at all times PORTION 15. SAMECH Vers. 113. I hate vaine inuentions but thy law doe I loue HE shewed in the last words of the former part that hee meanes to bee constant to the ende now hee sheweth foure reasons thereof the first reason is the hatred that hee had of all wickednesse in this first verse Hee hath vsed many arguments to proue to his heart that hee loued God and to commend it to others by his example as Paul doth This was one the loue that he had to Gods law secondly his trust in the word thirdly his care to keepe it c. and therefore he often prayeth for it He sheweth his loue of it in that he preferreth it to all other things as in the eight portion The earth is full of thy goodnesse teach me thy statutes hee maketh it sweeter than hony and better and more pretious than siluer His desire that he had to keepe it and the prayers that he maketh for it are to be seene almost in euery portion Here he vseth a proofe drawne from the contraries which is a true and sensible kinde of reason hee loueth the law because hee hated all the waies of false hood either in doctrine or life Our reason will teach vs that there is no agreement betweene fire and water betweene light and darkenes and so if we goe through all the course of nature we shall see that there is no agreement betweene
that though the wicked seemed to haue an happie time for a while yet through Gods secret curse they had a fearefull end and though Gods children were tried with many troubles yet through Gods secret blessings they had happie issues Thus saith he Was I so foolish and ignorant and as a beast before thee whiles by mine owne wit and reason I would goe about to search out thy secret iudgements Yet saith hee I was alway with thee thou hast holden mee by my right hand and howsoeuer it went with the wicked my faith in thy prouidence did assure me that thou diddest watch ouer me and wouldest not finally forsake me Whom haue I in heauen but thee and I haue desired none in the earth but thee Though my flesh should pine away and I should consume yet am I perswaded that thou wilt not forsake me they goe a whoring and thou destroiest them but as for me it is good that I trust in thee that is let all the world fall from thee yet I see their end shall be fearefull and therefore I will still trust and stay on thee Marke what word he vseth to paint forth mistrust in God he calleth it to goe a whoring we know what a grieuous thing it is for a woman to prostitute herselfe to a baude so monstrous a thing it is to giue our trust to any but to God Wherfore we must fight against the corruptions of the world not by the sight of reason but by looking into the glasse of Gods word Let vs search then which be the promises of God to stirre vs vp to doe good which be his threatnings to make vs afraide of sinne what examples we haue of good men that wee may follow them what examples of euil to auoide them For here be the pictures of good men here bee the liuely anatomies of the godly here wee may take delight in beholding them Let vs discerne by the word who are true worshippers who are Idolaters Let vs look what rules the Lord doth giue in his word to know the truth and in whom it is to discerne heresies and in whom they be Then wee shall see that this man is sound in religion and carefull of a good life the Lord is his God this man is voide of true knowledge and breaketh the law of the Lord therfore vndoubtedly God is far from him This man though his knowledge be vnperfect yet he loueth to learne the truth this man is a good companion for me that man is an vnbeleeuer and trusteth not in God I will not therfore meddle with him Well now we haue learned that we neuer cleaue wholy vnto God vntill all the corruptions of the world be not able to dismay vs but rather being stayed and established on the word of God we know assuredly that the Lord wil not be among the wicked We haue bin taught that if we will truely beleeue in God we must beleeue in him according to his word otherwise he is but an Idoll vnto vs or a false God framed vnto vs after the imagination of our owne hearts And if we will truly discerne betweene good men and euill wee must not iudge them by our owne reason the common opinion of men or according to their prosperitie and aduersitie for so the world cannot perceiue who be Gods children because the wicked often flourish and Gods children are vexed but we must look into the word and see there how God setteth himselfe against the wicked and promiseth to bee neare at hand to his saints This may commend vnto vs what a necessary thing the study of the Scriptures is which teach vs to know God and his true worshippers for otherwise we shall iudge heretikes to be true worshippers and count wicked men honest Vers. 116. Stablish mee according to thy free promise that I may liue and let mee not bee disappointed of mine hope HEre the man of God desireth that the Lord would keepe him safe and sure and that he would confirme him and strengthen him in his word where we see he prayeth for a thing mētioned before Faith is not a sleeping thing lying dead in vs but it is quick and is nourished by the word For Gods children doe not so beleeue but that they are often troubled with vnbeliefe yea the Lord doth often suffer them to see their vnbeleefe in themselues to striue against it We see here how the man of God felt some wauering in himselfe he was not alwaies in one estate his faith was not euer at one stay his beliefe had some vnbeliefe with it and beleeuing he was afraid of himself Thus we know Gods childrē are such as do not presume but they suspect themselues thinke humbly of themselues which maketh them often to pray that they may be confirmed to perseuere For when we begin to be secure and to thinke too well of our selues then we cast off prayer and lay aside all trust in Gods word so that God casteth vs off for our pride and Sathan is readie to beguile vs. We must not then satisfie our selues if we beleeue but our faith must make vs to grow in feare to be more carefull to please and more grieued to displease God wee must desire of God to haue his promises cōfirmed and ratified in vs because we are in a very slippery estate For as a man walking on slippery ice and not heedfull to his steps nor fearing himselfe is most readie to fall so we in this world vnlesse we looke very circumspectly to our selues are in great danger of sliding down So fickle and fraile is the world that in euery place we may take a fall and as they which are on an high hill and steepe are in perill of falling down so in the world which hath such a downefall vnlesse wee be very wary and stay our selues on Gods word we are most ready to slippe We may see in former times how the deare Saints of God haue fallen through securitie and for want of this feare of themselues Noah though a man preserued from the corruptions of the olde world was beguiled of Sathan for presuming in his own strength Lot also through his corruptiō and Sathans policy was deceiued not suspecting himselfe Whē Dauid had not this feare but hoped that he was sure as he thought Psal. 30. he should neuer be remooued hee fell fouly and yet so deceitfull that hee could not see his fall in the space of an whole yeere Wee see then how hard a thing it is to keepe on our course in this world and that it is the mightie power of God as witnesseth Peter in his former Epistle that wee are kept in the faith Wee are not our owne guardians we are not able to take the gouernment of our selues nay our Sauiour Christ saide that if it were possible the very elect should bee deceiued so great is the power of the world the subtiltie of the flesh and guilesulnesse of the diuell But because they be
contrarietie betweene vs and others as is betweene light and darknesse God and the diuell But if wee beginne to bee in mammering of Religion and know not what to holde but wauer in all it is to bee doubted that wee shall bee partakers of the common punishment Let vs learne then to shut vp our faith within the compasse of Noah his Arke and not commit it to the broad waters of the wicked world To this ende saide our Sauiour Christ When the Sonne of man shall come where shall hee finde faith in the earth as though hee should say it would be an hard matter to finde faith amongst men We see in this man of God if we will esteeme aright of the law of God we must loue it aboue gold Vers. 128. I esteeme all thy precepts most iust and hate all false wayes HE sheweth that there is no sound loue of good things where there is not an hatred of euill We shall see this by experience he that loueth to keepe the Sabbath he wil hate a prophane breaker of the Sabbath he that loueth chastitie will abhorre adultery he that loueth true dealing hateth all vnrighteousnes and surely if we doe not in truth loue good and hate euill but bee found to halte in hypocrisie wee shall in time be discouered and one day taken in a trip In that he vseth emphatically I esteeme all thy precepts hee declareth that he loued not one or two but all the commaundements His meaning then is this O Lord there is not one of the least of thy commaundements but I esteeme it there is not one way of falsehoode but I abhorre it Now we are to learne not to esteeme well of one commaundement which our nature best liketh and to dispense with another but true christianitie esteemeth all alike euen that most which by nature we are most ready to breake PORTION 17. TETH Vers. 129. Thy testimonies are wonderfull therefore doth my soule keepe them THe selfe same argument is here continued which hee vsed before For hee partly prayeth for graces and partly sheweth what graces hee hath receiued in the first second third and last verses of this Portion hee sheweth his graces in the other hee prayeth for graces As we see the selfe same argument so we see a new reason Thy testimonies saith he are wonderful that â—â— thy lawe hath in it such mysteries as naturall men cannot reach them and therefore loneâ— thy law As if hee should haue said Lord what is the cause that men doe so basely esteeme of the greatnes of thy couenants why doe men so little regard it because they neuer tasted the excellencie of it they neuer felt the wonderfull and powerfull maiesty thereof Why doe â—lay them vp as my soule because in my soule I haue felt by thy word suâ— wisdome â—s eye hath not seene eare hath not heard nor reason able to conceiue And why I pray you in our times doe so few conceiue or conceiuing doe keepe and so esteeme of the word of God because the wise men of the worlde thinke it a thing very easie and they can conceiue 〈◊〉 they list the more common sort of people make â—o more account of iâ— â—han to giue it the hearing and that with their naturall wit and reason onely Some men may tâ—inâ—◠〈…〉 tâ—â—uâ—â— against mens wits but all men may see that that is a mysterie which cannâ—◠〈…〉 by reason and that if it be a thing which by wit and reason may be conceiueâ— and 〈…〉 that it is no mysterie This is the reason why comming to the word we must haue new eyes to see spiritually new eares to discerne new hearts to conceiue Vers. 130. The entrance into thy word sheweth light and giueth vnderstanding to the simple THis is no painted wisedome yet the simplicitie of the word is of more glorie and pompe than all the wisedome of the world besides Wherefore Paul Ephes. 3. prayed that the Ephesians might according to the riches of Gods glorie receiue strength by his spirit in the inner man to comprehend the breadth and height and length and depth of this our Sauiour Christ speaking to Peter of this mysterie attained to by faith saith Flesh and blood hath not 〈…〉 this vnto thee but the Spirit And in Matth. 13 11. where our Sauiour Christ spake in Parables he â—â—â—â—e Because it is giuen to you to knowe the secrets of the kingdome of â—â—â—â—â—n but to â—hâ—m it is not giuen Many may haue the word of God strike their eares they may haue an humane conceiuing of it but few haue the right and spirituall vnderstanding of it When we come then in feare and trembling to heare the word as knowing that of our selues we can neuer vnderstand the word but must craue of God by prayer to be giuen vs by his holy Spirit who as he was the author in giuing it so hee is also the causer of conceiuing it wee are sure we shall vnderstand There is an hearing of the letter and an hearing of the Spirit Why then haue wee so little iudgement and cold affections in hearing and reading but because we heare and reade so malapertly and are not throughly and truely perswaded of the maiestie thereof The Lord is delighted with the soule that is humbled and refuseth the purpose of the proud For what is the cause that so many runne into heresie but because they are proude in their owne conceits On the contrarie if we had this humbled minde we should not be so senselesse in conceiuing nor so soone caried away with the flouds and tempests of corrupt doctrine In that he saith My soule doth keepe them his meaning is that therefore hee laide vp the precepts of God in his heart that hee might haue them in a readinesse when hee should practise them as he saith portion 2. 3. I haue hid thy promise in my heart that I might not sinne against thee The soule is the seate of affections for hee saith that hee had the statutes of the Lord in his affections The seate of diuinitie is the heart wherefore the Scriptures vse so often to say the heart of man is corrupt the Lord searcheth the heart the foolish man hath said in his heart For though the Philosophers saide that the minde was the seate of knowledge yet they could neuer see that the heart is the seate of Christian religion Which if it were in our minde wee should surely be puft vp with it as wee are with knowledge Here is then a triall of our hearts I see many labour after knowledge but fewe after affections This in temptation will not helpe vntill both knowledge and affections be on our sides to resist so that which we haue in knowledge may also be in affections For though wee may learne it and commend it for a while yet surely wee shall haue no profit by it in temptation When we haue none other seate for diuinitie but our heart and doe not place
whilest they are contented and well pleased and whilest things haue that successe which they looke for who when they suffer discredit are vtterly cast downe We see here the man of God is content to lose his credit so God be not dishonored and is readie to buy glorie to the name of God with the losse of his own name For he resteth in this that though he may be misdeemed of the world ill iudged of yet he hath a warrant in his coÌ„science from the Lord that he wil depose for him and howsoeuer for a time he beareth the reproch as an euill doer yet the Lord will one day drawe out his righteous dealing and make it knowne to all men Wherefore the Prophet saith Psalm 37. Frâ—t not thy selfe because of the wicked men neither bee enuious for the euill doers c. And then hee addeth vers 5. Commit thy way vnto the Lord and trust in him and he shall bring it to passe 6. And he shall bring forth thy righteousnes as a light and thy iudgement as the noone daâ— As if he should say waite still on the Lord and possesse thy soule in patience the Lord in time will put away the clowdie mists of ill reports and will cause thy righteousnes one day to shine as brightly as the Sunne in the midday If we should consider the discredit of Noah how he was accounted as a gazing stocke to the old world if wee should thinke how Enoch was despised in his time or how Lot was discredited among the Sodomites or what contempt Eliah suffered among the Idolaters in the age wherein hee liued with many other holy men wee would thinke it wonderfull Nay if wee would but consider but how this man of God Dauid suffered reproach contempt and discredit wee should much marueile First when hee had the rarest gifts of all his brethren and excelled them in the gifts of God he was set to keepe sheepe in the field when the rest were sent to aduance themselues in the warres Then when he had slaine the Beare and was come among his brethren where he saw the vncircumcised Philistin breathing out blasphemie against the Lord and his people and through Faith in Gods promises and zeale of the spirit could not abide him so to blaspheme the liuing God marueiling that his brethren without great indignation should sustaine it hee setteth vpon the great Goliah which when his brethrer saw in contempt they asked what that princocke could doe and tell him that it were more fitte for him to deale with his sheep-hooke then to attempt to fight for so noble a victorie Besides when as afterwards by his singular dexteritie which he had by playing on the Harpe he had appeased Sauls furious spirit they could not cease to despise him and opprobriously sayd of him Is not this the sonne of Ishai Then being offered one of Sauls daughters in mariage they mocked him by disappointing her of her dowrie afterwards when hee should haue had the second daughter who had her dowrie appoynted and allotted euery clawbacke scorned him yea Doeg that was the heardsman was suffered to slay the children of God So Dauid was faine to â—lie for succour to the Heathen kings his owne men contemning and forsaking him And yet stil he saith I am small and despised yet doe I not forget thy word Well let vs see did not the Lord promote him after he had thus continued in patience we know the Lord made his righteousnes glorious and his good name to shine abroad and his innocency to appeare to all men after the death of Saul By faith saith the Apostle Hebr. 11. 2. our Elders were well reported of whereof some are there said to be tried by mockings and scourgings vers 36. We suppose saith Paul we are made a gazing stocke and the off-scouring of the world yet he fainted not because he knew that howsoeuer vile he was in the eyes of the world yet the Lord delighted in him the Angels of God in heaueÌ„ the Church of Gods Saints on earth reioyced in him his owne conscience felt ioy peace through that patience wherein he possessed his soule Wherefore our Sauiour Christ said to his Disciples Matth 5. Blessed are yee when men reuile you persccute you and say all manner of euill against you for my sake falsely c. Wherefore let vs learne that we are to fight daily against selfe-loue and loue of our credit and let vs be as contented to giue our names to the Lord as we are to giue him our goods our liues and our countries Let vs offer all that we haue to the Lord of whom we haue receiued it and of whom in his good time we shall receiue it againe Abraham gaue Isaac his sonne to the Lord in sacrifice and yet he receiued him again So let vs giue our names to the Lord by what meanes soeuer he pleaseth to receiue them For many would be content to do so if they might leese their name because they haue been famous in warre or haue come by it by some noble sufferings but to suffer discredit wrongfully and as traytors or rebels and to haue most false inditements in the face of the world proceed against vs so that people clap their hands at vs as notable malefactors or heretikes is a thing very difficult But if our Sauiour Christ be contemned as a destroyer of the Temple and Sâ—euen bee accused to speake blasphemie against Moses let vs bee content to leese our name as weldoers also knowing that the Lord in time will take away the clowde which Sathan as a vatle doth put before vs who would perswade vs that when our name is gone God seeth not nor regardeth our righteousnes But hee that draweth the light to shine out of darknes he can also in time deliuer our names out of discredit Doe the wicked then thinke to obscure the glorie of Gods Martyrs Noah Lot Eliah and all the Saints and Martyrs of the Lorde are most glorious the Lord hath glorified them wee still praise them and daily they are commended in the Church of God Alexander the great in all his royaltie nor Pompâ—y nor Caesar nor Tullie haue euer receiued such commendarions in their greatest pomps as haue the deare Martyrs of God And although with the Papists we make them not as halfe Gods to pray vnto them or as Angels to praise them yet we praise God for them Let vs learne therefore to giue our names freely to the Lord. Some mens sinnes saith the Apost go before to iudgement some mens follow after Some mens sinnes goe before and the godly Magistrate seeth them and punisheth them Some mens sinnes come after and shall be in time remembred and reuenged if they be not pardoned in the death of Iesus Christ. Trueth is the daughter of time and in time all shall bee reuealed whether it be good or ill and all ill either in this world or in the world to come shall be remembred and
come to reckoning vnlesse it bee buried in Christ his passion All good things either in this life with the Saints of God or in the life to come among the Angels shal haue their praise and commendation For our triall then this is a true argument that a man doth not loue the word for riches sake because if he were the poorest man in the world he would loue it shâ—ll and whilest he is rich thinketh the word of God to be his greatest riches This is an vndoubted token that a man doth loue the word for liberties sake because if hee were in captiuitie and imprisoned hee would still loue the word as well as if hee were in the greatest libertie This is a sure signe â—at a man loueth not the word because thereby hee hath credit when hee can be content to suffer discredit for the word and yet loue it as deerely as if he had the credit and countenance oâ— the whole world We see it come to passe in all things the better wee meane the worse we are thought of yet if we still continue patient it is a token that wee loue the word because it is the word and wee loue God because hee is God wee loue Christ because he is Christ. For if we can loue the word though we be in sieknes though we be in pouertie and suffer discredit wee loue the word for the word his sake and not for any thing else whatsoeuer If it commeth to vs alone it is welcome if it come accompanied with other things it is also welcome as Eccles. 7. that wisedome is gooâ— with an inheritance and excellent to them thâ—t â—â—â— the Sunne For a man may then haue indeede great occasion of well doing yet wisedome will deliuer the soule and giueth liye to the possessours thereof So as though riches and inheritance will helpe well being ioyÌ„ned with godlines to giue testimonie of a good conscience yet though the man be an heire it wil not deliuer his soule this onely the word of God can do all the other things cannot doe it And therefore this is an vnspeakeable blessing of the word Thus wee see how the Prophet loued not the trueth for any outward respect but for the approued puâ—ches of it We must likewise labour to denie our selues and our good names the too much loue whereof is a great enemie to godlines Wherefore when wee are discouraged to continue our loue to the word for feare of discredit we are greatly to suspect our loue Many Princes and the chiefe Gouernours would follow our Sauiour Christ but they were loath â—o lose their credit Wherefore if in credit prosperate and health wee loue the word and forsake it in discredit in time of aduersitie and siâ—â—â—â—es it is a manifest token we loued it for our credits sake for our prosperitie and for our health noâ— for itselfe and the purenes of it which was the onely cause why this man of God did loue it Vers 142. Thy righteousnes is an euerlasting righteousnes and thy law is trueth THe briefe meaning whereof is Trueth it is that flesh and blood may thinke that when contempt commeth for thy names sake there were sufficient cause to forsake thy word but Lord thy righteousnes is not changeable it is not one at one time and another at another time but it hath been is and shall be one and the same as there is one â—onstant righteousnes with thee so the rule thereof is set downe in thy word which sheweth vs what righteousnes thou requirest Here the man of God teacheth vs how to refell our owne reason which is as readie to bee deceiued as Sathan is readie to deceiue it For in â—â—â—â—â—ble the diueli will bee ready to put this into our heads this is thinke you the true righteousnesse â—â—â—ch you doe professe Doe you not rather deceiue your selfe see how you are in trâ—â—â—â—e 〈◊〉 what losse yee must sustaine by your profession Thus he would deâ—nde vs and make vs â—â— them that are in a burning ague who hauing lost their taste and â—◠〈◊〉 troubled thinke sweete things sowre and sowre things sweete For such is the estate of Gods children in trouble who in stronger temptations cannot iudge and therfore the diuell troubleth and oppresseth the weaknes of their sense as seeing reason most ready to be deceiued and will make them beleeue that white is blacke and blacke white that sweete is sower and sower sweete good ill and ill good Loe here is then a remedie in the sense of these words Thou art not O Lord as man who vpon new occasions maketh new lawes and vpon euill disorders maketh new orders but thy righteousnesse is euerlasting which was with thee from the beginning which to this time hath bâ—n reuealed and shall be euer hereafter therefore I will not yeeld to this temptation for though I suffer for thy trueth yet it is the truth neither can all the subtilties of Sathan or violence of man make it mutable O rare gift of God to beleeue and acknowledge our immutable righteousnesse and not to depend on mens deuises or shifts whereby they deceiue themselues as being too shadowish fading and momentany They are laith the Prophet plausible but there is no solidâ—tie in them they ebbe and they flow but thy righteousnesse O Lord is euerlasting Now whereas the diuell himselfe the Turke and Pope with other heretikes cannot denie but will confesse and graunt that there is one only righteousnes constant and euerlasting that herein Christians differ from them in that they say with the Prophet Thy Law is truth Thou hast set downe an exact rule of all righteousnes wholy in thy Law concerning al things that thou commandest and as I beleeue therefore thy righteousnes to be euerlasting so I looke for it in thy word because that righteousnes which is all one with thee is made knowne and reuealed to vs in thy written word We must then rest in this that as in substance there is one righteousnes so God hath left his word against the which heretikes cannot preuaile because as Gods righteousnesse is pure euerlasting and vnchangeable so his word hath set it downe to vs which is as pure euerlasting and vnchangeable This is no smal comfort in temptation whereby we may be stayed and whereas it may seeme to some that in accessions and additions there was not one gouernment both of the Iewes and Christians we must know that they had one rule of regiment vnto Christ wherewith ouâ— last addition in substance is all one so that when Sathan and the men of the world will pull vs from it we may say Thy righteousnes is euerlasting and if they aske vs how we know it we answere Thy word is trueth This is then the thing wherein we differ much from heretikes for though they giue as great and glorious titles to Gods righteousnes as we dâ— yet they will not with vs acknowledge that Gods word is truth For as we
cause is not heard our enemies crueltie is nothing diminished but much increased as though the Lord either heard vs not or hath forgotten vs. But let vs learne to reason with the Prophet on the contrarie Our enemies O Lord are neere to hurt vs but thou art as neere to deliuer vs what doe we but obey thee what doe they but disobey thee wilt thou then forsake the godly and canst thou suffer the wicked to prosper No thou art the Iudge of the whole world it cannot be for thy deliuerance and saluation is ready and neere for them who labour to keepe faith and to ioyne thereunto a good conscience We see then when flesh and blood would perswade vs that all time of deliuerance is past euen then faith beholdeth it to bee neere at hand for when wee thinke that we are at the last cast then we see saluation and helpe is neerest As this doctrine serueth for our comfort so we must learne for our instruction that if happily we suffer the longer yet we shall receiue for our temporall euill a spirituall recompence remembring alwaies the Apostles consolation 1. Pet. 4. who would not haue vs discouraged when we suffer for they which haue done vs euill shall be iudged of him who will come to iudge the quicke and the dead Although we see not this by the iudgement of the eye and by the light of nature yet although we should die suffering as weldoers cursed are they that shall ouerlie vs Blessed shall we be for we shall rest from our labours God is the iudge of the whole world of the quicke and of the dead he will not forsake his nor leaue his enemies vnreuenged Well although wee perswade our selues of this trueth yet it is to bee feared when the abomination of desolation shall be set vp we wil notwithstanding all this stand in a mammering and doubting what is truth what is vntruth what is good what is euill But alas if the Lord should be any thing the longer from vs in helping no maruel seeing we were the longer from him in obeying Experience will proue that though we haue neuer so many outward gifts neuer so glorious wisedome yet vnlesse wee still depend on the word and promise we shall stagger and falter in the time of temptation For this was the onely staffe that vpheld the man of God at what time he was ready to stagger They are farre from thy Law that is as if hee should haue saide Thou canst not O Lord but punish them for thou hast long suffered them to see if they will turne but there is no hope that they will conuert therefore there is no cause of despaire that thou wilt not punish them Oh true faith O sound perswasion of Gods mercie most needefull in trouble yea when the face of all things shal be changed and things shall be turned vpside downe we shall know the vse of this doctrine to be aboue gold and siluer The like were the man of God his Meditations as wee may see Portion 11. when his eyes failed him his heart fainted his spirit panted and was as the bottle in the smoke The proud saith he digged piâ—s for me which is not after thy Law all thy commaundements are true they persecute me falsely Thus wee see hee vseth two effectuall reasons the one drawne from his owne person who maintained a good cause the other from his aduersaries who defended an ill cause Vers. 152. I haue knowne long since by thy testimonies that thou hast established them for euer I Know O Lord not of late but long since that thou euer hast beene and art the selfe same God thou art no changeling thou doest not sometime maintaine the cause of thy children and some other time forsake them I know now by the couenant and records of thy loue that thou doest defend thine euen vnto the end I know that from the beginning thou hast hated punished sinne thou hast loued and maintained righteous dealing I am perswaded that thy iudgements proue not true once or twice alone but alwayes We see how needefull it is to vs for vs to haue knowledge throughly of the testimonies of the Lord. For this was an assured knowledge of the man of God I haue laboured saith the Prophet in effect to establish my knowledge whereby I may knowe that hereafter which I know now and that I must knowe that now which I must knowe hereafter yea I haue taken great paines to confirme this knowledge in me not of late but of long time Thus we see how the man of God laboureth to fetch out many arguments to strengthen himselfe in time of temptation wherein we also must imitate him For if wee shall store vp great plentie of reasons our enemies may push at vs and shake vs but they shall neuer ouerthrow vs. PORTION 21. RESH Vers. 153. Behold mine afflictions and deliuer me for I haue not forgotten thy Law THe selfe same argument and matter is here repeated which was before but after another manner Hee saith portion 16. 1. I haue executed iudgement and iustice leaue me not to mine oppressours The which in sense being all one with the other and seeing we haue deliuered the doctrine at large before here is not much to be spoken Onely we may obserue this he here laieth his misery open and vnfoldeth his estate before the Lord Behold saith he O Lord thine eyes are vpon the righteous thine eares are open to their prayers Thou seest my case let me sâ—e thy grace that I may knowe for a trueth that thou lookest on me The cause then why we oftentimes are not helped is because we hide our troubles from the Lord. True it is that the Lord seeth all although we should hide all neither needeth he the displaying of our owne miseries but yet in all troubles hee would haue vs to open and acknowledge our griefe vnto him that he might the better make knowne to vs that hee hath helpe laid vp for vs. Wherefore we must beware least at any time we smoother our estate or seeke vnlawful meanes but in all things with prayer and supplication make our necessitie knowne to the Lord. His reason ioyned herewith is this For I haue not forgotten thy Law that is although O Lord there is great want of obedience in me and I cannot and haue not exactly kept thy commandements yet I am none of them that contemne thy Law wherefore O Lord help me Thus we see stil that the man of God suffered as a weldoer teaching vs that if we suffer as ill-doers the rod of correction shall not depart from vs vntill in some measure it hath wrought in vs repentance but if we suffer with him as wel-doers we may boldly vse this argument and with this reason desire the Lord that hee would take his owne cause which we maintaine into his own hand And although he was a sinner which here he doth not denie and did forget many particular
points of the Law yet hee purposeth rather to shew how hee was no notorious sinner or such a one as did fouly and grâ—ssely forget the Law So his meaning is thus much in effect Although I haue offended yet haue I not cast thy Law behind my backe I find and confesse how of frailtie and infirmitie I haue offended â—â—â— not maliciously and obstinately Wherefore although we cannot be free from all sins yet we must beware of presumptuous â—â—â—â— and although we are weake yet we must not willingly and wittingly depart from the law What then is the cause why oft it is so long ere we be deliuered euen because wee lie in some secret sinne For wee must plead our cause in a right plea if wee will pleade with God if we suffer as wel-doers wee may pray to the Lord for defence but if wee suffer as euill-doers we must labour to repent Wherefore in all discredit reproches and ignominies we must labour to say in the trueth of our hearts I haue not forgotten thy Law Vers. 154. Pleade my cause and deliuer me quicken me according to thy word THis agreeth also in the second place with the second verse of the 16 Port whereof we spake before Answere for thy seruant in that which is good The children of this world are wiser in their kinde than the childreÌ„ of God the man of God had such enemies as in subtilties were wiser in force stronger and more valiant than hee which made him enforce his praier to the Lord that he would be his tower against their assaults and his aduocate against all their policies Thus we see he trusteth not to the equitie of his owne cause but to the Lord whereby wee may gather that the cause why our oppressors preuaile oft against vs is because wee trust too much in our owne wits and leane too farre vpon our owne inuentions opposing subtiltie to subtiltie one euill deuice to another matching and maintaining policie by policie and not commit our cause to the Lord. Wherfore in such a case we are to pray to the Lord to put wisedome into our mouthes that wee may bee taught what to speake and strength into our hands that we may know how to fight Quicken me according to thy word whether the Prophet desireth to be quickned corporally or spiritually whether for that hee was readie to be swallowed vp of his aduersaries or for that hee needed some inward comfort or whether it were for both it is not greatly materiall but I thinke we may safely take it in both senses For if he were quickned in the spirit he knew that the other comfort would follow after So that if we vnderstand it spiritually he prayeth that by faith and quickning grace hee might be encouraged to goe on forward and that he might no more faint hereafter than he had done heretofore Without which grace supporting and renewing him he was like to quaile vnder the burden Thus we see Gods children are often at deaths dore in body and soule and therefore had neede to pray to be quickned In that he addeth according to thy word he giueth vs to wit that all our helpe is in the word of God and that all our helpes which proceede not from the word and promise of God in the end become vaine Although this doctrin seemeth at the first to be a common thing yet the onely cause why wee so often faint vnder the crosse is because wee forget Gods promises or elâ—e we cannot beleeue that the truth of them particularly belongeth vnto vs. And this is that that maketh the very children of God so often to stagger the want whereof is great Suppose yee saith our Sauiour Christ that the Sonne of man when he commâ—th shall find faith on the earth whereby he noteth what an hard thing it is to haue true faith which so is fixed in God as neuerthelesse there is no faith but in his word Verse 155. Saluation it farre from the wicked because they seeke not thy statutes HE said in the portion going before they are farre from thy law here he saith they seek not thy statutes in which words he expresseth his meaning more plainely In the former place he saith they were farre from the law here he confesseth they sought it not at all His meaning of this verse is thus much I see their manners are wicked I know they cannot prosper in them for thou art the iudge of the world therfore they haue no interest to saluation And why there is no coherence betweene wickednes and saluation If we were in truth perswaded of this we would not so ly in sinne For if we did surely beleeue that saluation pertaineth to none but to them that keepe a true faith and therewith labour to ioyne a good conscience how durst we be so bold Idolaters so prophane swearers so vnreuerent breakers of the Sabbath If blasphemous mouthes were throughly perswaded of this would they not tremble and quake that now mocke and scoffe at the ministerie and ministers of the word we see then how pâ—arcing words these are They that depart from God by going to wisards they that go farre from his word by changing his holy Sabbath which is as a day of medicine for the soule into an hurtfull day the Lord will also depart from them the Lord will be farre from their saluation All sinnes wherein men lie and continue put them far from saluation But who then shall be saued euen they that labour for faith and a good conscience Who then shall be damned they that are farre from faith and seeke not Gods law As this doctrine is to the terrour of the wicked so it maketh for the comfort of the godly We see the vngodly proue very couragious and thriue very notably in their sinne not being presently punished because such is our corruption that vntil we taste some outward smart we become hardned This declareth in that we abstaine from sinne onely for punishments sake and we would sinne at riot were there no punishing that we are but Hypocrites and such from whom saluation is farre off Well if saluation be farre from them that seeke not Gods law then may we gather on the contrarie that saluation is neere them that seeke his law for like is the rule of contraries If we then labour for faith and a good conscience we may assure our selues of saluation Wherefore wouldest thou haue assurance to be saued let the word be neere thee in thy mouth and in thine heart Rom 10. 8 Let it dwell plentifully in thee with all manner of wisedome Col. 3. 16. Here is also a good rule as we see whereby we may discerne who be good and who be euill Here the Lord hath set downe one stedfast order which is a touchstone to trie al men and howsoeuer we account of it it is alwaies the same and like to it selfe condemning sinne commending holines Oh to what extremities should we be brought in these
may know that he felt great dulnesse and deadnesse in himselfe which often creepeth euen on the dearest Saints of God but so as they struggle against it still and referre themselues to Gods mercie wherein consisteth our life both spirituall and corporall Vers. 160. The beginning of thy word is truth and all the iudgements of thy righteousnesse endure for euer AS if hee should say I beleeue that thou wilt thus quicken men because the verie beginning of thy Word is most iust and true and when thou diddest first enter into couenant with me I did finde that thou diddest not deceiue me nor beguile me and when by thy spirit thou madest me beleeue thy couenant thou meanest trutâ—â—â— I know that â—s thou diddest promise thou wilâ— performe for thou art no more liberall in promising than faithfull and iust in performing and thy iudgement will be as righteous as thy promise is true wherefore as soone as thou speakest trueth proceedeth from thee so â— know that thou wilt defend and preserue me that thy iudgements may sâ—â—â—e as righteou in thee And as this was particular to him so is it generall to all for where the Lord doth in mercie promise there in righteousnesse he will performe and where the Lord in wâ—â—â—h doâ—â— threaten there in iudgement he wil righteously execute For where he 〈◊〉 he sheweth himselfe true and when he performeth he executeth righteousness when the Lord threatneth he manifesteth himselfe to be iust when he executeth he proueth himselfe to be righteous So the speech of the man of God containeth thus much Though all men be liars I know thou O Lord art true thou doest promise that thou wâ—â—t watch ouer thy children and that no temptation shall ouercome them I know this promise is true and therefore as thou diddest promise in truth in the beginning so wilâ— thou performe in righteousnes in the ending For both in beginning and in ending thou â—â—â—â—like and true How iniurious then are we to the Lord who will doubt of Gods promises that in prosperitie he will renue our hearts and put into vs a good spirit And why doe we doubt of his prouidence in aduersitie seeing his promise hath euer his issue in truth and veritie and seeing the Lord will not leaue vs vntill euery word that he hath spoken come to pass for heauen and earth shall passe but not one word of his mouth shall faile And as the consideration hereof doth coÌ„fort vs in his promises so also must it humble vs in his threatnings Seeing then he hath pronounced and giuen out his sentence that no vnrighteous persons nor fornicatours nor idolaters nor adultereâ—s nor wantons nor buggerers â—â—r theeues nor couetous nor drunkards nor â—aâ—lers nor extortioners shall inherit then his kingdome as this is truth so it shall surely come to passe in his righteous iudgement So that they that haue done these things without speciall grace and singular repentance shall surely be damned For as true as the word of God is so righteous are his iudgements He is true of his mouth when the word passeth from him he is iust in his workes when he is righteous in performing Thus we see that to be soundly grounded in faith we must couple with the promises of God his performance with his threatnings his executions Thus also must we fight against vnbeleefe so that if we will not 〈◊〉 the Lord of vntruth we must waite for the accomplishmeÌ„t of his truth Whether then concerning â—â—s mercy his promise be of newnes of life of forgiuenes of sinnes of his prouidence or of life euerlasting we must strengthen our faith with assurance that as his word is true so also his executing of it is righteous So that the word of God shall certainly haue an issue either to humble vs by profiting or else to debarre vs of his kingdome in refusing it The sense then of the man of God is plaine and euident in shewing whatsoeuer the Lord hath spoken for good in his promise he will performe it to his children Whatsoeuer he hath threatned for euill he will execute it vpon the sinners so that we may be assured of the full accomplishment of his promises and of the righteous executing of his iudgements PORTION 21. SHIN Vers. 161. Princes haue persecuted me without cause but mine heart stood in awe of thy word AS the man of God not long before shewed that he had many persecutors so here she sheweth they were no meane men nor of the inferiour sort but mightie Princes neither Princes of a prophane people but rulers of the chosen of God the Iewes and that he did not suffer for deserts as an ill doer but innocently as one that had â—â—â—ther presu 〈…〉 transgreâ—sâ—d against the Maiestie of God neither disobediently done against th 〈…〉 〈◊〉 this was no 〈◊〉 temptation in that Princes who should haue taken â—is part against his eneâ—â—â—â— â—â—â— whom he should haue received countenance in his cause being good should 〈…〉 and goe against him For what 〈◊〉 â—t to haue the 〈◊〉 to be our 〈◊〉 who should â—ee the gouernouâ—â— of Gods Church in that hee should be◠〈◊〉 to thinke that 〈◊〉 the gouâ—rnours of the people weâ—e â—â—â— or that his one â—â—â—â—â— of your head â—f noâ— one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lesse your bodie iâ—â—â—ppâ—ly 〈…〉 yet not the soule You sâ—â—â—â—e â—â—â—â—lâ— bodies of feathered fowles without God â—â—s permission fâ—ll not into the hands of men which are so little in value that two of them are sold for a penie how then can they haue power vpon your bodies without leaue of the Lord seeing ye are far more pretious in his sight and hee taketh a further care of your bodies But if for my glorie yee shall lay downe your liues they can reuenge themselues but of your bodies as for your soule they cannot touch it But mâ—ne heart 〈…〉 we of thy word c. Here wee see the greater feare ouercame the lâ—â—sâ— If the faces of Princes be terrible because their angrie lookes threaten euill their wrathfull words â—enace death because whatsoeuer they will doe they can doe and whatsoeuer they can doe they dare doe yet fâ—are them not â—aith Christ but feare him who in his wrath 〈…〉 â—â—ule into hell They can take and attach the bodie but the good eâ—t â—â— of the soule can they not 〈◊〉 but rather feare him who can arrest the bodie and afterward can â—lso attaâ—h the soule The 〈…〉 het may be this I was afraide to displease thee O Lord and 〈…〉 noâ— to please mâ—â—â— enemies although they were mightier then I. Thus 〈…〉 hâ—w he wâ—â—◠〈◊〉 and that hee perseuered in the feare of God without 〈◊〉 For â—â—â—th hâ— though the feare of my mightie aduersaries was great â—et â—â—◠〈◊〉 the feâ—re of thee had â—â—asoned mine heart and had left sucâ— a deep impression in to 〈…〉 thâ—â— by infidelitie I should mistrust thee or by disobedience I 〈…〉 Wherefore the spirituall feare of thee
ouercame â—ll corporall feare of 〈◊〉 The r 〈…〉 corporall feare are which so much dâ—unteth the heart is to craue a greater feare of Gods Maiestieâ— the strength whereof may ouermatch the 〈◊〉 feare When the Kings of 〈◊〉 had conspired against the people of God the Prophet of God said vnto them Esay 8. 12. Say â—ee 〈◊〉 A confedâ—racie to all them to whâ—me this people â—â—ith a confederaâ—â—â— neither 〈…〉 nor be afraid of them 13. Sanctifie the Lord of Hostes and let him be 〈…〉 your drâ—â—â— And least we should think that this appertaineth not as well to all Christians as to the Iewes Let vs heare what the Apostâ—â— Peter â—aith 1. Perâ— 3. 14 Blessed are yâ—e if we suffer for righteousnes sake yea feare not 〈…〉 e neither be troubled 15. But 〈◊〉 the Lord in your hearts be ready 〈…〉 were to euery sin â—n that 〈◊〉 you a reason of the â—oâ—e that is in you Were the blessed Apostle sheweth that wee are not readie to make Confession of our hope vntill wee put away this feare and sanctifie the Lord in our harts glorifying his truth in promising and his 〈◊〉 in performing And to applie this to our selues if the Magistrate should bring vâ—to the Racke or torture to betray the good cause of God or innocencie of our brethren let vs rather feare to displease God for his threatnings then man for his punishment And in particular example to applie this doctrine we heare Ierem. 1. 17. what the Lord saith to the Prophet Say not I am a childe c. Be not afraide of their faces for I am with thee to deliuer thee saith the Lord. Here the Lord addeth ver 17. Thou therfore 〈◊〉 vp thy loynes and arise and speake vnto all that I commaund thee be not afraide of their faces least I destroy thee before them In which place the Lord setteth downe a promise to assist him and a threatning to punish him both which did so preuaile that he durst speake boldly and prouoke the King to wrath Acts 5. wee reade that when the Priests and Sadduces being full of indignation laide hands on the Apostles and put them in the common prison Peter the rest of the Apostles answered We ought rather to obey God then men Menace vs say they as much as yee will we care not for it we feare to discredit the blessed promise and lightly to passe ouer the heauie threatnings of our God and wee feare you not Againe this feare was written in the heart of Paul 1. Cor 9. 16. Though I preach the Gospell I haue nothing to reioyce of for necessitie is laid vpon me and woe to vnto me if I preach not the Gospell c. Howsoeuer we thinke this easie to be learned it is doubtlesse most hard to be practised For though Princes doe not their duties yet wee must not therefore rebell against them and though we be persecuted of rulers without a cause yet we must stand in awe of Gods word and our Sauiour CHRIST hath pronounced that whosoeuer striketh with the sword shall perish with the sworde If then either our Princes shall be vngodly or their vnder officers vnfaithfull we must not therevpon grudge to pay tribute to giue taske and to yeeld subsidie but we must doe them euen with conscience as to the ordinance appointed of God knowing and acknowledging that the hand of Gods wrath in their corrupt Gouernment is iustly layd vpon vs for some sinne Wherefore the holy Ghost saith Eccl. 10. 20. Curse not the King no not in thy thought neither curse the Rich in thy bed-chamber for the fowle of the heauen shall carrie the voyce that which hath wings shall declare the matter If then our Princes should vse all their tribute to sensualitie or take vp all their taxes for pleasure withour either feare of God or loue of their Common-wealth yet curse not the King saith the Wiseman no not in thy bed-chamber So that if flesh and blood should moue vs to murmure that wee should be readie to thinke euill of them that are in authoritie the holy Ghost here warneth vs that wee vse no such speeches and put away such thoughts because both our speeches and thoughts stand at the controlling of God his iudgements but we must humbly ascribe it to our sinne that hee withdraweth his grace from them and pulleth his wrath vpon vs. Wherefore if we thinke as many worldly men doe that thoughts are free and are not called into the Court and that euery man is a King in his priuie chamber the spirite of God chargeth our conscience here before the Court of heauen and telleth vs that our chambers are the Lords chambers also and therefore as true Israelites euen in secret we should thinke no guile for the Lord will reueale it and punish it openly yea euen the fowles of the ayre shall bewray our vnfaithfulnes To come lower to our selues because we must not thinke that this affection must be in Dauid and not in vs for so shall we make vnprofitable whatsoeuer is taught whereas the man of God did feare to offend euen when Princes are against him we not onely cannot sustaine so great a triall in the feare of our God but if the losse of any worldly pelfe come to vs we are straight voyde of all feare and cannot abide to be taught any good thought we are vnquiet vntill we haue consulted with wizards witches not withstanding in awe of Gods threatnings against that sinne Deu. 18. 10 Let none be found among you that vseth witchcraft 11. Or that is a charmer or that counselleth with spirits or a southsayer or that asketh counsell at the dead 12. For all that doe such things are abomination to the Lord c. where the Lord counteth no otherwise of these things then of the vp-heape of sinne Againe 1. Chron. 10. 13. it is said that Saul died for his transgression that hee committed against the Lorde euen against the word of the Lord which hee kept not in that hee sought and asked counsell of a Familiar spirit 14. And asked not of the Lord c. where we see that in reckoning Saul his sinne this is the laâ—â— and wrappeth vp all the rest in that hee asked not counsell of the Lord but went to a witch So this was the heape of his sinne this filled the iust measure of his iniquities because when he should haue repented of all other sinnes hee made this the full heape of his sinnes and pulled consequently vpon him the height of Gods iudgements for he was cut off from the kingdome and desperately ended his life Esay â—8 when the Lord reckoned vp the sinnes of the people as their infidelity their obstinacie he commeth at the last to their sorceries saying 19. When such shall say vnto you enquire of them that haue a spirite of diuâ—â—ation and at the south sayers which whisper murmure should not a people enquire at their God from the liuing to the dead
died well as they liued well or else by their martyrdome glorified God and edified others who neuer sought great things in prosperitie nor were impatient in aduersitie If wee feare with Baruch Iere. 45. the wofull troubles at hand wee are vnfit to purchase glorie to the Lord but if wee be of Ieremiah his minde as considering how God hath alwaies assisted his and that if we beare the crosse patiently with his children who were iustified sanctified and blessed wee also shall be iustified sanctified and blessed and shall haue our faith strengthened whereby we may the better glorifie him For as the curse causelesse shall flie away and doe no harme so heauen and earth shall passe but not one word of the Lord shall faile Vers. 166 Lord I haue trusted in thy saluation and haue done thy testimonies HEre the man of God particularly applieth that to himselfe which generally before he had spoken whose meaning is thus much I haue seene that they that labour to keepe a good conscience shall haue peace therefore I labour to keepe a good conscience in hope that the same will come to me Now let vs first carrie away the lesson namely to apply that particularly to ourselues which wee heare reade or receiud of others generally And as he seeing the peace of the godly generally laboured to feele the same in himselfe particularly euen so we are not to satisfie our selues with the generall threatnings of the law and promises of the Gospell but to make them seuerall and particular to our selues We see whatsoeuer the law teacheth generally the prophecies inculcate particularly whether it be in threatnings or promises in things commanded or forbidden Wherefore let euery man desire of God that he may be a Prophet to himselfe by laying the line of the word to his owne conscience in this or such like manner This thing the Lord commanded therefore I must doe it for he commandeth me this thing the word forbiddeth therefore I must auoide it for it is forbidden me this the Lord threatneth to such a sinner if I lie in that sin I am to feare it this the Gospell promiseth to them that repent then I hope vpon repentance to feele the comfort of it For this is the true vse of hearing when by this meane we are either comforted and incouraged to doe well or terrified and dismaied to doe ill The words in their originall tongue signifie thus much I haue waited for thy saluation Wherein is commended vnto vs a speciall effect of faith which must be seene in waiting for that which is promised The first generall truth that we must here take profit by is that if we will keep a good conscience we must haue a sound faith which breedeth a good conscience and without which it is impossible to please God If we then will doe good things we must beleeue in God as the author of all goodnes wisedome and eternitie and that he hath made a sweete couenant with vs and beleeuing this to be true we must labour to keepe his commandements For without this faith we doe good or auoide ill either for hope of reward or for feare of ill so that our obedience is violent constrained and not free He beleeued not onely but also looked patiently for those promises which is here shewed by waiting For many say they loue the word who doe not in truth beleeue it or if they beleeue it as they wil say they doe not patiently waite for it and many thinke they feare God who worship rather an Idoll and stay not themselues on God his promises Many so perswade themselues to haue faith who will make haste that God should presently helpe which if it come not they withdraw themselues seeke meanes to serue themselues These declare themselues not to haue this waiting faith Faith saith the holy Ghost Heb. 11. 1. is the ground of things which are hoped for and the euidence of things which are not seene So that it is a thing which bringeth vs to the hope of that which afterward we shall possesse As he that beleeueth shall liue by faith so he that waiteth not on the Lord hath no true faith because he will not tarrie for the Lords appointed time but will prouide for himselfe The Prophet saith Esay 30. 18. Blessed are all they that waite for the Lord. And Habac. 2. 3. Though the vision tarrie saith the Lord wâ—ite for it shall surely come and not stay Againe it is said Psal. 147. 11. The Lord delighteth in them that feare him and attend vpon his mercie A doctrine worthie to be written with the Diamond of God his Spirit in our hearts This then is one of the chiefest effects of faith when we waite on the Lords leisure and make a distinction of the time of making and accomplishing Gods promises vnto vs. For betweene the one and the other God sendeth often crosse things in the way to trie vs whether we will waite or no. Indeed at the first whilest our faith is but tender it pleaseth him to feede vs as it were with pap and to performe his promises plentifully vnto vs but when we are growne to some strength he will not still deale with vs as with children but will often proue vs by suspending for a while his promises If we consider how Abraham waited tenne yeeres vntill the promise was accomplished and how Iacob staied himselfe one and twentie yeeres vntill he also obtained and if we call to minde how long the Lord proued Ioseph after he had dreamed and how he tried Dauid with many troubles and yet notwithstanding after so many temptations and dangers they beleeued we shall see approued witnesses of this true effectuall faith And as it is the nature of true faith to waite so it is the nature of incredulitie to be hastie so that if we haue not things presently to helpe vs we cannot be merrie we must make some shifts to helpe our selues For how coÌ„mon a fruit of our vnbeleefe is it that we so often haue in our troubles and bring forth of the rotten stocke of our corrupt nature when helpe is a little deferred to say I haue prayed I haue asked counsell of Physitions I haue vsed all the meanes I can I haue staied thus long I may waite indeede vntill my heart breake I haue made hue and crie I can finde no release I am neuer the better I must needes goe seeke out I must aske counsell abroad I must needes goe to some wiseman I thinke now the Lord would haue me to vse some meanes for my reliefe Thus Sathan after our Sauiour Christ had long fasted thinking that after so long waiting his temptation should come in some good season moued our Sauiour Christ to seeke out and to make some shift to helpe himselfe and as he was the Sonne of God so he might the better and more easily prouide for himselfe Thus we see the man of God speaketh not onely of a small faith
but of a patient faith and the cause of impatiencie is want of faith Of this faith speaketh the Prophet Esai 28 16. Behold I will lay in Sion a stone a tried stone a precious corner stone a sure foundation He that beleeueth shall not make haste to wit to by-waies and indirect meanes as casting off his hope of God his promises Of the contrarie the want of faith speaketh our Sauiour Christ Luke 18. 8. When the Sonne of man commeth shall he finde faith on the earth Likewise Heb. 10. when the Apostle had said The iust shall liue by faith If any withdraw himselfe his minde is not vpright in him my soule shall haue no pleasure in him Againe Habac. 2. when the Lord had commanded the Prophet to waite he saith He that lifteth vp himselfe his minde is not vpright in him that is he hath a troubled minde and vnquiet spirit Wherefore let vs attend vpon that exhortation of the Apostle Iam. 5. 11. Ye haue heard of the patience of Iob haue knowne what end the Lord made As if he should say ye are not ignorant of that my errour of patiēce who when the Lord suspended his iudgements still waited for the accomplishments of his promises Whosoeuer then thinketh himselfe to haue faith and by patience cannot waite for the Lord his leisure and due time of helpe but withdraweth himselfe and maketh haste to other meanes and not staying himselfe on God his word and promises but hastneth and cannot be quiet in his minde vntill presently he haue gotten some helpe he is as yet an vnbeleeuer And I haue done thy Commandements Euen as without faith it is impossible to please God so is it impossible truly to trust in God his saluation vnlesse we labour by faith to serue him in loue and to please him with good workes Wherefore as the Apostle hath taken vp the truth of this rule so he sheweth Heb. 11. how all the Fathers by their faith did trauell in good workes By faith saith he Abel offered vnto God a greater sacrifice than Cain by faith was Enoch taken away by faith Noah prepared the Arke by faith Abraham obeyed God through faith Sarah receiued strength to conceiue c. A contrarie argument to that which we haue in our times where our faith and profession is so barren of good workes True it is that when we will glorie before God all boasting in good workes is shut out in that if he entreth into iudgement with the best of our actions he shal find them polluted with many imperfections so that we can by no meanes stand before him but in faith but Iam. 2. 20. Wilt thou vnderstand O thou vaine man that the faith which is without workes is dead was not Abraham our father iustified through workes c. where we must note the diuers significations of the word iustifie if we will shew these two propositions to be true and how they may be reconciled we are iustified by faith we are iustified by workes For as God sanctifieth vs when he maketh vs partakers of his holinesse and we sanctifie him when we shew him to be holie so God is said to iustifie vs when we are approued iust before God and we iustifie God when we testifie that he is iust In like maner faith iustifieth vs in that it acquiteth vs before God from our sinnes for Christ his sake in whom we beleeue workes iustifie vs in as much as they witnesse to vs and to men that we are iustified by faith before God whereof our sanctification is a pledge So that we meane nothing else when we say we are iustified by works than if we should say We declare and make knowne that we are iustified by these works For when euery good worke is of the spirit of God and the spirit of God is giuen to none but to the children of God when we faile in doing many things whereunto we are by Gods spirit moued and in those things which we doe we corrupt those motions so that our best actions stand in neede of faith to haue them purged in Christ his perfit obedience it is manifest that our workes onely giue a testimonie to our selues and others that we are iustified If then we haue true faith it must worke by loue that as faith doth acquite vs from sinne before God so good workes may giue euidence thereof before men When then we are carried away with dulnesse in good things and with deadnesse in weldoing we are to trie our hearts if we want God is not pleased with vs if we haue saith without workes we deceiue our selues The meaning then of the man of God in this place is thus much Because I know that they haue happie successe that loue thee and obey thy word this moueth me to keepe a good conscience So we haue learned thus much that it is but follie to boast of faith without good workes For as we iudge a man to be aliue so long as we perceiue his vitall spirits his animall powers and naturall operations to exercise themselues and thinke that he is not dead whilest the faculties of the minde are exercised in the senses mēbers powers of the body but notwithstanding that life it selfe is a thing most secret yet by a mans seeing hearing tasting touching going and working we discerne the same euen so so long as we perceiue the fruits of God his spirit and new birth and the effects of grace and fruites of sanctification in the soule we thinke him not spiritually dead in whom these things are And notwithstanding saith which is the life of Gods children be a most secret thing yet when we can open our eyes to see the wonderfull word of God to his praise and shut them from seeing vanities when our eares are open to the works of God and closed and dull to heare worldly vanities when our mouthes can speak of Gods iudgements and are dumbe in leasings we may iudge by these and the like effects that there is the life of Christ in vs. And herewithall we must obserue as these naturall workings are not the cause of life but that rather insomuch as we liue these things do exercise themselues in vs euen so the good workes are no cause why we are good or liue by faith but because by faith in Christ we are accounted good and iust before the Lord therefore we are good For as the tree hath not his goodnes of the fruits but the fruits haue their goodnes because first the tree was good so we cannot be said to be good in respect of our workes but our workes are good in respect of vs iustified before by faith And although the sap life and nourishment of the tree be a thing most secret and hidden from common sense yet by the leaues buds greenes and fruits thereof we draw knowledge of the life in it so though our life which is hidden in Christ be hidden from flesh and
blood yet by the holy practises of good workes we easily discerne the same Now for want of this we may see the great iudgement of God in suffering the Papists heretikes familie of loue to spoile vs of this peace of conscience by teaching their false opinions of iustification by workes Which thing seeing they hold the rather with seeing the cold profession of worldly Protestants it must needs humble vs. For thus reason they that are vnstable in the truth Surely their profession is not according to the truth it is so barren of good works and they maintaine not the true doctrine whose liues are so contrary to their professions Woe be to them by whom these offences do iustly come and woe be to them that take such offences and that shut wilfully their eyes and will not see the truth Howbeit we are to profit hereby and to trauell in a greater care of good workes whereby we may stop these blasphemous mouthes of the aduersaries Vers. 167. My soule hath kept thy testimonies for I loue them exceedingly HEre he confirmeth the same doctrine which he vsed before for in saying my soule hath kept thy testimonies is all one as if he should haue said I haue looked or waited on thy saluation For as we often obserued the man of God meaneth the couenant which engendreth faith as the records and testimonials of Gods fauour towards vs. So that the effect of these words is thus much I haue an entire care in sinceritie of faith to encrease the blessed witnesses of thy loue toward me It is an vsuall phrase among the Hebrues when they would expresse their vehement affection to any thing to say My soule as Psal. 103. 1. and 104. 1. My soule praise thou the Lord and Luk. 1. My soule doth magnifie the Lord. So that here the Prophet doth not only outwardly coÌ„mend the law but saith that he hath sworne and will performe the keeping of God his testimonies With the heart saith the Apostle we beleeue shewing that the heart is the proper place of faith and not the braine and that we must as wel be touched in affection as in outward bettering of our iudgement They must be vehement passions of the minde wherewith we must let the testimonies of God sinke down into the depth of our hearts Wherefore we are here to learne that our ouer profession of the Gospell will not acquite vs before God his iudgement seate For I loue them exceedingly that is They are not of small value with me I loue them entirely because they are things most precious vnto me This is the high dignitie estimation which we owe and should performe to the sweet testimonies of our saluation Wherefore our Sauiour Christ saith the kingdome of heauen is like vnto a treasure which is hidden which when a man findeth for ioy he selleth all that he hath to purchase that Thus we see the man of God hauing made mention of faith maketh mention also of loue teaching vs that true faith worketh by loue Also he sheweth vs that the cause why the comfortable promises of the Gospell so soone slip from vs and our comforts are so momentany and griefes so sore charge vs and ouerwhelme vs is euen because we haue laid vp these promises rather in the braine than in the heart This is too short cold and small a loue for the profession of the Gospell and bewrayeth the want of faith the want of faith declareth a want of loue For if we know aright what an inestimable treasure the promises of God were in that in them we haue the assurance of all our sinnes pardoned of God his prouidence watching ouer vs his Angels ministring to vs his creatures wayting on vs that we shall be companions not onely with his Saints and Angels but heires and fellow heires with Christ and that after this life a happie crowne of glorie is laid vp for vs we should more highly esteeme of them then we doe and more heartily loue them For what maketh worldlings so to loue golde but that they thinke it the most precious mettal what causeth ambitious men so to set by prefermeÌ„t but that they thinke it the best thing for them what causeth the man so to loue or like his wife or the woman her husband but that they are perswaded that none in the world were fitter each for other When our Sauiour Christ would haue Peter to be carefull in ouerseeing his flocke he vseth this triall louest thou me Peter And the Apostle said how through loue he was inforced to preach Christ to the Church This theÌ„ must not be faint and feeble loue but a streightned and â—aborsome affection which is stil occupied in adorning the thing loued and cannot satisfie it selfe in thinking of it and in speaking of it and in doing it so that the greatnes of the perswasioÌ„ draweth out the greatnes of the affection It is then a drowsie dreame which some hold for a setled opinion who thinke that loue goeth before faith when the very heathen saw by the light of nature that a man could not loue that which he knew not And we know that faith is a knowledge with a ful perswasion so that if we loue the word exceedingly we are perswaded by an exceeding faith of the word which we loue and this faith shewing it selfe in loue is fruitful in good workes Look in what measure we are perswaded of the goodnes of the thing in that measure we loue it Vers. 168. I haue kept thy precepts and thy testimonies for all my wayes are before thee WE haue heard the man of God speaking of his faith and loue whereunto now he ioyneth his feare which moued him to keepe both the testimonies of the Lord and his precepts So that if we will grow to this measure of obedience we must first labour for faith to beleeue faith must worke by loue loue breede in vs a reuerent feare of God his maiesty which feare must engender in vs a care to please God and a griefe to displease him so that we may thus shew the prophet his meaning Lord I set all my doings open in thy sight wherefore I am carefull to doe any thing which thou commaundest and afraide to do any thing thou forbiddest So that we learne for our instruction that as the very motions of his heart were laide open before the Lord whereby he was armed with this care and feare so if we will be beautified with the like affections we must vse the like meanes True it is that God seeth all mens wayes and gageth the hearts of al as well of the wicked as of his children howbeit all beleeue not all see not this in themselues The wicked may confesse it so to be in outward things but doubtles they are not in truth perswaded that God doth see their hearts For if they were how durst they do that in the sight of God and his Angels which they dare not doe in the sight of
the day-light and of a little childe Buâ— let them couer their sins in the depth of their hearts let theÌ„ hide them with darkenes surely the Lord will keepe them in a register and in time will lay all their sinnes before them that all the world may knowe how they haue buried the long suffering of the Lord in the hollow graues of their hypocrisie Wherefore euery man that wil shew himselfe thus to be perswaded of Gods al-seeing presence must shew it by an earnest care of obedience and a reuerent feare of disobedience whereof the one that is the feare of disobedience is shewed in the first verse of this octonarie the other is shewed in the last Shall we then assure our selues that wee bee perswaded indeede that God doth beholde vs let vs search our hearts whether we haue these or the like affections For dare a subiect in the presence of his prince commit any thing against the lawes for feare of a checke or rather will he not be carefull in the eyes of his soueraigne to do all things to his liking and contentation Dare a good childe in the presence of his father willingly breake his commaundement for feare of controlment or will he not rather endeuour to bee very dutiful for hope of commendation Then doubtlesse without this care and feare wee receiue our soules with this drowsie dreame and vaine perswasion of Gods beholding vs. Wherefore how dare â—hâ— heretikes papists and family of loue perswade theÌ„selues to walke before the Lord seeing they haue not submitted themselues to his word which is the onely instrumeâ—â— that maketh naked the conscience of man as it is Heb. 4. 12. The word of God is liuely and 〈◊〉 operation c. and it is added in the verse following Neither is there any creaturâ— which is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open vnto his eyes So that they whâ—â—â— are not truely instructed in the word cannot truely haue their sins laide naked and they which haue not their sins laid open cannot in the feare of God forsalâ—e their corruptions Wherefore in like manner all ignorant persons may perswade themselues that they please God and walke before him in care and feare but they doe but deceiue their owne soules But if wee can truly say this with pure triall of it in our hearts it is most certaine it will serue in steade of an hundreth rules besides for the right direction and holy gouernment of our liues In that the man of God saith that he kept both the precepts and the testimonies he giueth vs to vnderstand that if we will in truth be perswaded that God seeth vs in all things we must beleeue his testimonies and obserue his statutes because we can neither beleeue aright vnlesse our faith worketh by loue neither be our workes acceptable but as they be the fruites of faith There is indeede a feare without this faith but it is a seruile and slauish farre differing from that childish and filiall feare which is here vnderstood For as a seruant may obey and doe his outward taske rather for feare of stripes of his master if hee should not doe it then for any pure loue and the childe is in all things obedient not so much that hee is afraide of the rod as he is loth to haue the least displeasure of his louing father so wee may vse the outward obedience in a carnall feare trembling at the seuere threatnings of God as of a iudge but without this wee shall leese the care to please him as loth to be depriued of his fatherly countenance and affection towards vs. So that without this faith we are in danger to walke either in secret pride or else in slauish feare But faith maketh vs come liberally and cheerefully â—o obedience when wee shall see that hee will not deale roughly with vs as iudging vs according to our deserts but as bearing with our infirmities and sparing vs as a mercifull father Neither as dare I affirme did euer any truely obey God which in some measure had not this feare of God before his eyes where by they feared him as a God and loued him as a father Gods children dare not dally with their most priuie thoughts for they know that God seeth in darknes as wel as in delight he is the God of the night as of the day to him they are both as one hee beholdeth their thoughts a farre off and there is no word in their tongu which he knoweth not they know he is priuy to their down lyings and vprisings to their goings out and their commings in neither can they in any place high or low far or neare early or late flie from his al-seeing presence If they doe ill they tarry not long to seeke reconcilement because they knowe that his iudgements are according to truth if they doe well they are not proude of it This worketh in them a wonderfull boldnesse in Gods causes and bringeth them to feare when their cause is not good Againe it breedeth patience in trouble profit in slaunders meeknes when the world contemneth them sene in secret sinnes knowing that when the world hath passed in iudgement on them there â—â—â—ll iudgement in greater truth be giuen of them by Christ. And againe though they escape the iudgements of man yet they shall not escape the iudgements of God But as the Lord throweth the wicked with their hypocrisiâ—s to hell So hee will humble and punish his children with sore corrections So that this is the way of them that walke before the Lord they know in time the Lord will reward and make knowne their secret godlines and in time punish and make knowne their secret sinnes If it come to passe that Gods children forget themselues sometimes to be in their Fathers presence as earthly children reioyce sometimes to be from their Fathers that they might play the more neuertheles after they come to be ashamed and grieued when they consider that all that time their Father espied marked them and though they did forget that their Father saw them being carried away with some strong lust the best they know is to returne in time For then they begin to reason on this mannner Oh what a wretch was I to doe this in the eyes of my God and in the presence of my Father so that as we see this consideration of Gods presence bringeth griefe for sinnes present so it maketh after the examinations of our selues ashamed of sinnes past Wee heard before how it also worketh patience in vs when our good causes haue not good successe because we remember that Psalm 34. The eyes of the Lorde art ouer the iust and his eares are open to their prayers Whereupon we recouer our selues with this and such like meditations Well I am misdeemed I am suspected I see I am ill thought of I know in the end that the Lord seeing my cause to be good to be vsed with a good heart will
this true longing be in vs or no we must see whether it be after that saluation which is to be ioyed or whether it vanisheth away and is nothing but a tormeÌ„t of the conscience Besides this is a sure note of it if our desire be sound it is not satisfied vntill the thing longed for be accomplished As wee may see in naturall and humane things is in them that are sicke with loue they are in continual perplexity of mind vntil they haue obtained their loue likewise must we long after the word For loÌ„ging is a feruent desire and not a thing quickly come quickly gone but a thing that hath bin searched by reason and in iudgement hath bin chosen So that as we shewed before there is a great difference betweene a lightning desire a setled iudgement which causeth vs in truth to long In that he now maketh mention of his longing after his election he sheweth that he had cast his accounts set down how he might be able to meet the mighty man indenter battaile with him as it is in the gospell This longing cannot bee in the wicked for when they long it is for heresies or worldly pleasures and right longing commeth from a right sight iudgement and affection which will bring in the carefull vsing of the meanes For as it holdeth in false longing so also in holy longings that after long debaâ—ing and examining of our selues and casting our accounts what will be the fruite of the good and what will be the end of sinne carefully wil vse the meanes For as the desire vseth meanes so longing vseth meanes carefully Let vs now examine our selues where our feruency is for ioy and hope feare sorrow shew a maÌ„s heart as whatsoeuer we ioy in whiles we haue it that we sorrow for when wee haue lost it And let vs examine our longing whether we can vse the word with delight or no whether praier be pleasant whether the sacraments be coÌ„fortable to vs or no and whether the discipline of the Church be reuerend and precious to vs. If our desire be cold our â—sing of the meanes is also cold if we be feruent in desire wee are also feruent in vsing of â—â—e meanes The Apostle speaking to the Romans cap 6. after the manner of men saith he will not extort so much as he might doe but hee will deale with them more easily and whereas he might require greater obedience he saith as ye haue giuen your members seruants vnto vncleannes and iniquitie to commit iniquitie so now giue your members seruants vnto righteousnes in holines This is but an humane thing if we should see how wee haue longed after things naturall and vnnaturall if we should see how wee haue longed inordinately let vs â—ee if our longing be alike after the word and let vs say to our owne soules what was there such a longing in vs after such things whereof wee are now ashamed before God in our prayerâ— and before men when they are but named and haue we such slender longing after our saluation it is to be feared our choise is not yet made for if it were wee should surely long mâ—â—e and longing we should more vse the meanes Vers. 175. Let my soule liue and it shall praise thee and thy iudgements shall helpe mee HEre â—â—â— man of God desireth life to none other end but to praise GOD in keeping of his word as he said before Port. 3. 1. Be beneficiall to thy seruant that I may liue keepe thy Worde In which place hee also desireth none other life but that which is according to the word of God For all other liues haue a vaine title of life but this is true life We see the man of God doth not onely feele with the Apostle that in God wee mooue liue and haue our being but also speaketh of a more excellent thing to wit that in him we liue spiritually Againe he looketh not in himselfe for any naturall life but acknowledgeth that manâ— life is of the word of God Let vs therefore learne with Dauid to commit our liues to the Lord Psalm 31. 15. Into thine hands I commend my spirit c. He speaketh this in his life time and committeth it to the Lord that as he gaue it him so he would vouchsafe to keepe it being giuen Now we shall neuer in truth say the like vntill we perceiue how wee receiued our life of God how he nourisheth it and how to him we must surrender it againe Wherefore we are not to liue as doe the bruite beasts and the heathen but we must liue to enioy our saluation and couet our saluation to praise the Lord because there is no other end of mans life than Gods glorie As for them which liue to any other end Salomon iudgeth no better of the vntimely fruite than of them who enioy many dayes in pleasure and after goe to the darkenes Besides we know how all other inferiour things were created to glorifie God in seruing man and man was made to glorifie God by the true vse of the word Let my soule liue c. This is the vsuall phrase of the Scripture when they vse to set dowâ— a thing more pathetically as Luke 1. My soule doth magnifie the Lord my spirit praiseth Goe my Sauiour And Psalm 103. 1. and 104. 1. My soule praise thou the Lord. Psalm 115. 17. The dead praise not the Lord neither any that goe downe into the place of silence and Psalm 6. 5. In death there is no remembrance of thee in the graue who shall praise thee and Esay 38. 19. The pit cannot praise thee the graue cannot confesse thee death cannot praise thee they that goe downe into the pit cannot praise thee but the liuing the liuing shall confesse thee as I doe this day c. How grieuous a thing it is now euery man may iudge that a man should goe out of this world or euer he knew wherefore he came into the world and this is that which maketh vs so loth to die This was it that made the Saints of God in former times so vnwilling to leaue this life not that they wanted any hope of the life to come or had not the ioy of a blessed resurrection but either they had some speciall sinnes heauily pressed their consciences whereby they had dishonoured God or else they desired to liue in greater measure to glorifie God either in entring into the way of repentance or else growing in the same after they had entred because as yet they could not say in truth I haue fought a good fight I haue runne a good race I haue kept thy faith from henceforth a crowne of glorie is prepared for mee For they knew that whereof we are willingly ignorant that we shall neuer vncessantly praise God in heauen vnlesse wee carefully serue God in earth and we shall neuer praise God in the congregation of Angels which praise not God in the congregation of his saints
owne nature and kinde are good yet doe become euill sinfull through vs. This may be perceiued in all the parts of our life let vs then a little fee how our corruption deceiueth defileth vs in many things First this is without all controuersie that is onely the corruption of our owne hearts which causeth vs to be slacke in doing good or to leaue it altogether vndone or else to do that which is euill and odious in the sight of God For albeit many causes may be pretended which sometime may haue a shew of goodnesse yet those causes are but corruptions there is no goodnesse in them Some men are kept back from doing good to their familie by catechizing them because they would not haue all meâ—â—â— talke of them and because they would not hazard the credit of their name Some are 〈◊〉 backe from being zealous in godlinesse because they might stil vse their libertie in buying and bargaining whereby they might prouide for their selues and families And for euery thing they doe they will haue a colourable excuse they will doe nothing without a reason But their excuses are but colours their reasons are very rawe not seasoned with the word They are deceiued through the deceitfulnes of sinne their corruption deceiueth them they are beguiled because they make no triall of their hearts The same thing commeth to passe euen in those things which in their kinde are good To leaue sinne is a very good thing yet if wee doe not herein take heede vnto our hearts we may besore deceiued for when wee be minded and doe purpose to leaue sinne let vs consider the cause why wee purpose and goe about such a thing and we shall often finde that it is not the conscience of sinne but the feare of punishmeÌ„t or the shame of the world which moueth vs so to do The adulterer doth many times abstaine from his filthie adulterie not because that sinne is odious in the sight of God but because it will bring him to open shame among men The theefe without any hatred of theft doth sometimes keepe himselfe from the outward act that hee may auoid hanging and the outward danger of the lawe And that the shame of the world and feare of men doth more preuaile with many than the feare of God it may appeare by this that they wil abstaine from such things whereunto there belongeth shame or for which some grieuous punishment amongst men is appointed as for theft murther adulterie c. yet they will passe by great sinnes for which there is no penall statute as swearing c. For if there were any true conscience of sin in them they would make a conscience of all sinnes but especially of these sinnes which in Gods eyes are most abominable Againe we must not rest when we haue left any sinne as though that were sufficient but we must narrowly search into our hearts to see what cause hath moued vs so to doe for if we doe not with sorrow repent vs of our wickednes and leaue it for the feare of God but forsake it either because it will bee no longer profitable vnto vs or because wee be sickly or olde or weake and take no longer pleasure in it then our labour is but lost our hearts haue deceiued vs. And many no doubt are thus deceiued yea they shew that they be deceiued by this that they can still speake of their sinnes without sorrowe and laugh at others which commit the same sinnes Verily if they had repented of their sinnes the remembrance of them would haue bene grieuous vnto them yea they would be very sorie when they saw others fall into the like sinne But seeing they can laugh and make a sport at it when any man doth it as they haue done most sure and certaine it is that their hearts haue deceiued them they are yet in their sinnes though they haue left them outwardly Let vs proceede a little further that we may see into the corruption of our hearts We purpose to deale faithfully we purpose to heare the word to reade it These things in themselues are very good yet if wee be not carefull ouer our hearts their corruption will pollute and defile them For if we be moued hereunto not with any zeale of Gods glorie but with a care of our owne credit not because in Truth wee would countenance the Gospell but because wee would get some countenance by it the thing good in it owne nature is made euill vnto vs and sinfull because our hearts are not right in the thing And how manie bee thus deceiued may soone appeare by the small fruit which most men doe get by the word For when wee see manie very diligent in hearing of the word yet profiting nothing nor desiring to profite it is vndoubtedly true that those men are deceiued by their owne hearts which are not right with God If there were any conscience if there were any heart or spirit in men they would profit something or at least they would be greatly grieued for their not profiting Moreouer when wee haue brought our purpose to practise and haue done any good thing indeed euen then I say may wee be beguiled if wee take not good heede The corruption of our heart is readie to make vs proude of well-doing whereas indeed we should be humbled it is readie to make vs glorie in that for which we should giue glorie to GOD it is readie to make that an occasion of slothfull carelesnesse which should be as a spurre to make vs more carefull Therefore when the thing is done when the worke is wrought and when all our purpose is brought to passe wee must still be carefull ouer our hearts wee must still haue an eye to them that our corruption bee in no wise hurtfull to that good grace which God hath giuen vs. Thus whether wee purpose to leaue sinne or wee leaue it indeede yet we may be deceiued by our hearts if they bee not right in doing of them Therefore aboue all things we must take heede vnto our hearts otherwise we may doe many goodly glorious things in the sight of men yet our hearts wil one day accuse vs for them our conscience will check and controll vs and God which is greater then our consciences will vtterly condemne vs. Now contrariwise when our heart is vpright with God when it is sound and sincere then will the Lord fauourably accept of our doings and through his Sonne he will count them righteous Thus if we with a pure heart doe leaue sinne though the dregs therof remaine with vs if with a good heart to Godward we labour after goodnes though wee cannot doe the good which we would this vprightnes of our hearts doth please God greatly and he will surely pardon the other imperfections through Christ. True it is that no man can say his heart is pure if he compare it with the rule of Gods word or with the iustice of God and therefore
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
to stay the Lordes mercie for the other wee must depart because of that abomination 6 The world is as the Lords great chamber whereunto all are admitted the Church is as the chamber of presence The natiuitie of the Church is a greater worke then the creation of the world The world was finished with a Word but many dayes and many yeares did the Lord trauell before the Church could be brought forth to his good liking Hee shooke the earth darkened the heauens turned the whole course of nature before he had framed and set vp the little Church of the Iewes But in gathering the Church of the Gentiles the Sunne became blacke as a pot the Heauens were couered as with a haire-cloth the vayle of the temple rent the earth trēbled the graues opened aboue all the GOD of nature suffered But of all the third gathering shall be fearfull when heauen and earth shall not abide to see but shall melte and consume away at the glorifying of that Church which the world so contemneth yet on this Church hangeth the continuance of the world For certaine it is the world standeth and all the foure windes are stopped till all be sealed and in that moment that this number is filled this world shall out of hand vanish away 7 In the world wee doe as it were but see the Lords backe parts we see him as a thing in a troubled well dwelling but in the neather and outward courtes of the Temple but in the Church we see him almost face to face 8 That mightie Sampson suffered himselfe to be shauen and his strength to bee as another mans for the great loue of his Church hee shed his precious blood from all parts of his bodie for it and that no bloud might be too deare for vs with his heart bloud he hath testified how much he doth loue vs his loue and spouse the Church of the faithfull 9 It is true that the Psalmist saith Psal. 16. the Lord hath no neede of our seruice and therefore he hath set ouer his loue to the Chuch there to be answered vnto her in obedidience furtherance of his members there he would haue it seene how we value his benefits All blessings are continued on this earth for the Church sake The Sun doth shine vpon the earth vpon the iust and vniust but vpon the vniust for the iust mans sake 10 The Church is the household of faith the citie of the liuing GOD the spouse of the Lamb CHRIST the kings daughter the childrē of light of the liuing God the children of promise of the freewoman a chosen generation a royall priesthood an holy nation people gotten by purchase the mysticall body of Christ the sold of the Prince of Pastors the virgin Israel the children of Abraham the elect seede of God heires of grace ioynt heires with Christ the Sanctuary of the Lord the daughter of Sion the Lords heritage the people of his pasture the sheepe of his hands the temple of the holy Ghost the price of his blood the Lords Eden Thrice blessed and happy are al the liuing stones of the most beautifull building Confer Psal. 147. 2. 3. 1. Pet. 2. 9. 10. Phil. 3. 8. Ephes. 2. 19. 20. 1. Thes. 2. 19. 20. 2. Cor. 3. 2. 2. Cor. 6. 11. 12. 1. Thes. 2. 8. Rom. 9. 3. Reuel 21. 10. CHAP. XIIII Of the Confession of sinne THis is a good affection of Christianitie to conceale a fault and this also is a good affection of men regenerate to testifie their faults to all men whereby they make knowne their thankefulnesse in that whereas by nature they were thus by grace they are so and so Againe men vse it to comfort others that though they bee in their old estate yet they may receiue grace if they hinder not themselues and shut out the grace of God from them Thus the children of God are wont to aggrauate their sinnes that others might haue comfort in the like case Matthew in the ninth chapter and the ninth verse shameth himselfe by the name of a Publican and yet if we looke to his sinne it was not like the sinne of Peter against the ninth commaundement nor like the sinne of Dauid against the sixe and seuenth commaundements the sinne of Paul against the first as of them that crucified Christ himselfe But that which he concealeth the other Euangelists blase abroad that which they conceale he blaseth abroad And this is one argument of the truth of the word for wheras other Chronicles do euer cōmend themselues and their owne natiue countries best as if you read the Chronicles of England you will thinke it the hest nation it is contrary in the word the deniall of Peter is more expresly set downe of Marke than of any other yet did he write the Gospell out of his mouth Paul setteth out his own faults in more sharpe measure and manner than any other can doe Act. 26. Moses Gen. 49. seemeth to discredit his owne birth Wee see all these were of God who is then most glorified when we are most cast downe 2 As the hiding of our sinne with Adam hindreth mercie so to testifie our sinne to be greater than it is with Cain displeaseth God highly 3 Confession without yeelding and feeling is nothing but a testimonie against our selues let vs then so confesse that it may moue vs to loue the truth 4 Pharaohs confession is rather in iudgement than in affection in respect of the punishment not of his sin ergo it is not enough yet he hath profited further than many of vs which will not confesse our sinnes at all 5 Whensoeuer we haue sinned it is good to haue this or the like meditation good Lord wilt thou call me to iudgement and enter thine action with mee How shall I doe then I will take this order I will disagree and fall out with my selfe But is there any hope that God will then shewe mercy Yea no doubt for if the Lord were minded presently to imprison vs he would neuer by his prophets forewarne vs by a writ hee might vse the whole host of the creatures to execute his vengeance euery houre but hee deales more mercifully with vs if we confesse our sinnes 6 Naturally we be all slowe to confesse our sinnes we cast short reckoning on our owne faults Adam said I haue not sinned Lord hee lesseneth his sinne in conceit saying The woman gaue it me and I did eate Iob seemeth to make an apologie as being vnworthy of such a punishment But wee must learne that a sinner the more hee doth extenuate and hide sinne the more he doth aggrauate sinne and hasten iudgement the more freely he doth confesse and iudge himselfe the more he is freed from Gods seate of iustice Pro. 28. 13. 2. Cor. 11. 31. 32. CHAP. XV. Of Conscience LOoke how is our Conscience so is our confidence it is a tender peece we must
our end if we haue a generall intent though we faile in some God iudgeth the lesse by the greater Thirdly if we be willing to lose in sundrie cases our goods and all we haue rather than displease God Fourthly God accepteth for continuance if we striue to continue if we fall yet seldome and rise quickly and runne more swiftly In respect of our neighbour God accepteth vs if we keepe our vocation till for the further benefit of the Church we be called for Secondly if we be readie to commend good things in others as well as in our selues and for that no man can be wholy loued euery one hauing many euill things in himselfe if when and where sinne ceaseth our hatred also cease and that we be readie also to giue him our helping hand to pull him out In the courts of men we may say boldly some men are iust of whom the Scripture saith they were iust in their generation when they with whom they liued had nothing to lay to their charge and if they write a booke against them they might as Iob saith carie it on their foreheads And God iudgeth now by Christ and he is the Mediatour 6 Faith teacheth vs to iudge of things not according to the shew but according to the end for it seeth what kinde of pleasure bringeth sorrow and what kinde of sorrow bringeth ioy in the end If Moses hauing the word in Aegypt but by traditions yet had a cleere iudgement of things by faith how much more ought we to striue to this end which haue the word cleerely reuealed vnto vs 7 In persecution it is the chiefest grace of faith to suffer death for the truth if neede require but if we cannot attaine to this yet to forsake all that we haue and to flie rather than to communicate with the wicked Idolaters and to dwell with false worshippers yeeldes a good testimonie of a true faith For so Christ and his Apostles did yet some may better flie than others 8 Euery faith is not a iustifying faith but that which continueth in temptation and bringeth fruite in patience Wherefore let none presume on his faith till he see it tried by temptation 9 Moses had a weake faith yet was he carefull to be strengthened and therefore fled to the Lord for succour So must we in all our doings and troubles repayre vnto the Lord by prayers so that we come in reuerence keeping measure willing to be satisfied and trusting in the grace which the Lord giueth vs. 10 By faith we haue the right vse of Gods blessings and by vnbeleefe we are depriued of the benefite of them yea they are often turned to our hurt if wee obserue not the rules that God hath giuen Desire we then to haue the pure vse of Gods blessings let vs by â—aith receiue them set our hearts vpon God that gaue them not seeking our owne praise applying them to the benefit of our brethren If we haue this testimonie when we want them we shall haue ioy because we vsed them well whiles we had them But if we be in want and then remember we had them before and our consciences tell vs that we haue abused them this will depriue vs of all comfort and increase our sorrow 11 The more familiarly God commeth neere vs the more we goe from him It is the great mercie of God to see by faith the inward and spirituall blessings of Gods elect and by faith to see the secret curse of God in the wicked 12 The forgetting of the worke of God either in our selues or in others is the decay of faith 13 If God watch ouer vs when we sleepe in vnbeleefe much more will he doe it when we wake in faith 14 He that beleeueth in many meanes will also beleeue without meanes Gods benefits are as vailes betweene him and vs. 15 The children of God may aske of the Lord their doubts so that they obserue first that we hold our selues within the compasse of Gods truth which we must doe generally though we cannot see a particular thing by reason Secondly that we come to aske with reuerence and feare Thirdly that we doe not so much dispute with God as powre out our supplications before him Fourthly that we be willing to be resolued and not willing to continue in nor nourish a doubt in vs. Fiftly neither must we looke for miracles but be content that the Lord will giue vs by his word the certaintie of his most holy will 16 There are three things whereby we may knowe whether we be in the right way or no and they bee precious and deere in the sight of them that haue a care to please God The first is their grosse temptations for many trusting to good talke good edâ—cation good companie and thinking themselues well setled are content to rest in these meanes and trauell not to see their inward corruptions and priuie temptations which if they be burthensome vnto vs and make vs as it were sicke to carrie them it is a good token The second thing is by marking our affections if we loue nothing so much as the fauour of God feare nothing so much as the losse of it hauing found it if we carefully keepe it and hauing lost it if wee bee neuer quiet till wee recouer it being content to want all things to haue it not staying in the possession of all things if we want it this is a good signe for it is good to knowe the state of our affections because looke where willingly they rise and rest there is our state to be seene Thirdly we may comfort our selues if we feare God in prosperitie as well as in aduersitie and loue God in aduersitie as well as in prosperitie For euerie man can feare him vnder the crosse as Pharaoh Saul and Balaam and euerie man can praise God in abundance as who praised him more than Iobs wife in prosperitie 17 As a mans desire to any thing groweth or decreaseth so doth his endeuour and labour for the meanes If thy desire be strong then shall not light occasions withdraw thee from the meanes but it must be a violent occasion and let that shall stop the passage of thine endeuour and seeking after the meanes This may be a rule to measure thy selfe by and to examine thy proceeding in Christianitie If thy desire to the word of God be but weake then is thy care and trauaile but small but if thy desire be doubled then it becomes loue which putteth out of vs a vehement and carefull trauaile and seeking after it and of auoyding the contrarie meanes that may withdraw thee from it or quench thy desire None can hunger but hee that feeleth himselfe emptie no maruaile then if hee haue no hunger which feeleth not his owne wants seeing that feeling is the fountaine of hunger as if our feeling be of sinne then our hunger is after righteousnes and holines For
too much or too long whole daies from morning vntil night til we be set on fire with them We come to be too effuse Nabals feasts are like the feasts of a king he being but a countrie farmer 14 This is a general rule wantonnesse is the beginning of sinne we see in Esau to what great prophanenesse his wanton pleasure in hunting grew So in the Scriptures there can be found none other beginning of Salomons fall but this that 1. Reg. 5. when he had spent seauen yeeres in building the house of God hee spent thirteene yeeres after in building an house for himself This was scarse a good propertie to bestow thirteene yeares on his own house and seauen yeares on Gods house and the Apes and Peacockes that hee brought into the Land set the people on such vanitie that they vanished awaie in their wanton thoughts Idlenes and trifling be the callings of Gentlemen now adaies as also needelesse expenses 1. Tim. 5. CHAP. XLII Of Inuiries offences and controuersies WHen an iniurie is offered thee the Lord doth trie thee what loue patience and meekenesse is in thee to blesse them that curse thee which will followe if thou be the childe of God contrariwise if thou requite euill for euill then doth the Lord shewe vnto thee the corruption which thou must labour to pull out of thee if thou wilt ouercome 2 When we see that others stand in neede of our helpe and wee are able to helpe the Lord requireth our obedience 3 Meditations of GODS promises and prouidence will driue from vs all desire of reuenge 4 We must not tarry vntill others reconcile theÌ„selues vnto vs but as God doth rather oftentimes by heaping his benefits than powring his plagues vpon vs shew vs our sinnes so must we rather by courteous dealing than seuere handling shew others how they haue offended vs. 5 The more Pharaoh restrained the more Moses stood in the thing that was commanded coÌ„trary vnto those which making a mingle mangle in religion yeeld in some things but wee must not yeeld a lot of that the Lord requireth although in worldly matters wee ought for peace to yeeld one to another In religion it skilleth not how little the matter seeme for which we doe contend The least thing that God commandeth is great in the sight of God and Gods children haue been punished for small offences in appearance as Moses and Aaron for grudging were debarred from the land of promise Iosiah was slaine because he asked not counsell to goe to warre which may teach vs to beware of the least offences It ought not to be condemned nor counted precisenesse not to giue consent in the breach of the least thing though we may beare them when they cannot be redressed but not with consent 6 Shall we be contentious I thinke no nature is so misâ—reant that it doth delight in contention if any delight to dwell in Meshâ—ch as Dauid calleth it I would he had a tabernacle there if any delight in contention I wish no more harme than that he may be neuer without it What then shall we blot out controuersies That were to teach the spirit of God wisedome Could he not as well haue said let there be peace as let there be light â—ay God hath ordained there should be contentions and not onely permitted them but saith they must be and such as be about the waightiest matters in truth called heresies 1. Cor. 11. Then it is a dreame of idle braines that any good can be receiued without controuersies and as the Prophet Esaiah saith without the barking of some dog or other It is not so in euill things they are receiued with silence what then shal we play the pots and aske the potter a reason of his doing Albeit I like not that humor of men which wil search out the reason of God his doings when they know his flat wil yet in this we may because he hath set it downe There be three reasons first that those That are stedfast may be approued we will haue it in this As Sathan did to Iob God called him what saiest thou of my seruant Iob Liueth he not vprightly No grandmercie said he for he hath all blessings of thee but take away them and then c. Secondly there are cities to be gouerned and to that ende we must vse our talent Iohn reproued the Scribes and Pharisies and came to reproue Herod Samuel reproued Ely and came to reproue Saul that might haue smitten off his head Thirdly that the Diuell may haue the greater ouerthrow that as God triumphed ouer him in Iob so in our constancie he might doe the like Then controuersies are necessarie How then is it that God is called the God of glorie and peace that Christ is called the prince of peace the Gospell the Gospell of peace the Ministers the Ministers of peace of glad tydings and vnitie commended so generall Surely it is the fault of our age to deliuer the word by halfes and so I say that he that teacheth peace to be good simplie without exception teacheth an errour Therefore peace must be peace in truth and for this cause Christ saith I am the way the life and truth for to haue contention with such as hold not in him is no breach of peace Nay the wicked among themselues haue no peace it is but truce they haue couenanted with hell for a time a day a few yeares or as the rearme of their life and then is great and euerlasting debate we may see it in the first agreement among the wicked The serpent disputed with Heua vntill she had yeelded then all was quiet vntill the euening but then came one brake the truce Separate peace from truth and peace is no peace The reason therefore is set down Ps. 138. Lord thou hast magnified thy truth aboue al things therfore aboue peace And that I fal not into that error aforesaid my selfe I will tell you what truth is We thinke we are at peace haue vnitie perfect among vs if we be of the same religion and we agree that we must and wil be all Protestants but the fathers haue al distinguished truth into three parts First truth of doctrine in religion Secondly of life in our conuersation Thirdly of iustice in giuing preferments Vnlesse a man hath al these he hath none of them and if in all these be peace I will seeke ensue after peace as saith the Psalmist if any offend in these I will not haue peace with him We knowe that veritas doctrinae hath had witnesses martyrs so haue the other two though they send vs not to heauen in a firie chariot but an euil name which euery maÌ„ for their stakes must prouide to suffer we must be in this as Christ when he kneeled before his father in the garden If maÌ„s saluation may be wrought let this cup passe if not thy will be done So
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
shall pronounce the truth of vs. Christ saith Reioyce when men speake euill of you for so did your fathers of the Prophets 13 Gutturall praises must not bee giuen to God It is an easie thing to affoord a good thing a good word to crie Euge macte virtute The Prophet saith the wicked are onely mouthed men they sprinkle it with a little court-holy-water it is pretie shippe but they will not goe in it they crie Lord Lord but yet they doe nothing When the women cried out to Christ Blessed are the pappes that gaue thee sucke No no saith he Blessed are they that heare these words and do them Let the worke speake and commend it selfe not he that when he heareth a good thing straight breaketh out into glorious praises his affection is so hot but hee that is so stricken with it that he is past praysing so musing of it that the sent of it appeareth in his life long after They count Paul a wise man but behinde the doore they laugh as Sarai did Socrates Praise me that I may see it for our praise is to giue a testimony that we like it but this is the best testimonie if we follow it for if thou didst thinke it to be true wisedome thou wouldest follow it 14 Vniuersities are the Lords Lebanon froÌ„ whence timber is to be felled for the building of his Church his quiuers as Esay saith wherein are hidden all his chosen shafts the sonnes of the Prophets and as I may say the bayes or workes from whence salt is to bee digged with whose verdure the sacrifice is to be seasoned 15 Schollers must make a good bending of their studies and bee vertuously brought vp first that they may profit the Church and attaine more easily to the knowledge of the Scriptures they may not want humane arts Secondly if they be vertuous and godly they shall haue more authoritie to preach when men haue nothing to lay against them sinfull men blush and get not nor haue not that authoritie that others haue CHAP. XLIIII Of knowledge and ignorance and how to seeke God and of Sathans sophistrie c. KNowledge and other giftes of God not sanctified keep vs from the sight of sinne and perswade vs that they will excuse vs from wrath to come vntill our sinnes be pulled out by the eares 2 Knowledge must goe before obedience obedience must followe after knowledge with all chreerefulnes 3 The Egyptians by all Gods wonders might haue knowne him but they considered not his works so they refused knowledge therefore the Lord by a great destruction would make them feele that he was God indeede which may teach vs to get knowledge while the meanes are offered for if we will not know him while he sheweth himselfe fauourable we shall certainly know him to our owne fearefull condemnation 4 All our disobedience commeth of this that we knowe not the Lord. And wheresoeuer the word of the Lord is hee will moue those that be his to beleeue though he did the same things from the wise of the world 5 There is none almost but at one time or other do seeke God though the common sort at the last cast in extreame danger when health and friendes faile them goe to him But Malachie saith GOD is a King and will haue his Senioritie in this order of seeking manie good men are deceiued for so they deale not falsly they thinke they may scratch woridly riches but the Lord will not haue vs take the siluer of worldly things before gold of godlines Neither must the seruant first waite some houres on himselfe and then on his master but contrarilie because as there is a seeking so in seeking there is an order And this is Gods prerogatiue to be sought first Matth. 23. he is a foole which thinkes the gold of the temple that is riches better then the Pietie of the temple which sanctifiethriches Salomons chaire must be our direction Abraham sought obedieÌ„ce before his own countrie Ioseph and Moses sought GOD rather then Pharaoh but wee seeke preposterously giuing youth to pleasure old age to God we make our eldest childreÌ„ Lawyers the second or yongest diuines whereas our fathers made the first-borne to seruein the Priesthood In our contracts wee first seeke wealth and then religion a cursed match well while wee thus seeke God we shall neuer finde him Wherefore let vs seeke God in his word and that not in a peece of the word but in all the word not making conscience of some sinne and yet â—etaining other sinne God will not be diuided nor quartered in qualities because hee is indiuisible in substance Manie vse a restrained obedience and the world hath euer a placard for some sinne Such a one was he that would haue a dispeÌ„sation for kneeling in the house of Râ—mmon with his maister Ananias would keepe some part to himselfe GOD will bee sought totally in respect of his Worde as also hee requireth an vniuersalitie in seeking of himselfe We must not seeke God and the world together wee must not haue two strings to our bowe hauing one eye on the word and another on the world We must not thinke if we haue God it is well if we haue him not it is no great harme purposing a pietie to out felues so long as wee be in the Church and promising to our selues immunitie being out of the Church 6 Samuel the first builder we reade of Colledges calleth his Colledge Naioth that is euen beautie it selfe where must be no deformitie for a small spot in beautie is a great blemish Againe Colledges are as Epitomes of the Common-wealth as Athens was of Greece and what a thing were it in an Epitome to finde superflâ—â—tie Vniuersities are the eyes of the Common-wealth and a mote in the eye is a great trouble Briefly Vniuersities be the Lebanon of the Lorde from whence timber must be fetched to build the Temple They be the Conduits to deriue water into the whole land They be the Rocks or Bayes where Salt is prepared to season They be the polished Saphires to garnish the house of the Lord. 7 It is a parte of the Diuels Sophistrie as in good things to seuer the meanes from the ende so in euill things to separate the ende from the meanes Dauid ioyneth both together Psalm 119. I am thine O Lord saue mee The Diuell perswadeth vs God will saue vs but makes vs neuer looke to that I am thine In euill hee beareth vs in hand we may vse the meanes and neuer come to the ende and so clip off halfe as when hee can suffer this Eccles. â—1 9 Reioyce O young man he would leaue out this But thou shalt come to iudgement But these hath God ioyned together and neither the subtilty of youth nor any wit of man nor all the Diuels in hell can separate them the pleasures of the flesh and the iudgements of God as to our first parents Eate yee shall not die
Prudentia doe thus differ that the former is the generall comprehension of knowledge of things the latter is the experience of that knowledge in particular actions Experience in other things doth shewe how necessarie this propertie is For wee see in Physicke and other Artes manie by much reading to haue obtained singular knowledge so that they thinke with themselues they could doe great matters yet when they come to haue the vse of their knowledge in some particular maiters they are oftentimes behinde hand and their knowledge for want of experience doth soone faile them the reason hereof is this by reading they get the knowledge of generall rules which when they are applied to particular cases are altered by circumstances and manie exceptions may be made against them So that in all Artes and Sciences this is generally holden that so much is thorowly and soundly knowne as is knowne by experience It is necessray therefore that a Magistrate bee not onely a man of knowledge but also that hee be well experienced in the matters that be incident to his calling 3 The third propertie necessarie for a Magistrate is that hee bee of a good heart and courage For although hee bee able for his knowledge and experience to deale in anie matter yet if hee haue not a couragious heart to goe about them the others will little profite him And if wee consider with whome hee shall deale and in what matters how hee is subiect to the rebukes of those that are aboue him to the hatred of his inferiours and to the euill speeches of all then wee shall easilie see how needefull it is for him to haue courage that hee may proceede in his calling and with nothing be discouraged 4 It is fourthly required that they bee such as feare the Lorde By this feare of GOD they shall both examine their courage whether it bee good and also they shall moderate and rule it by the same feare For as courage when it once passeth the bounds of knowledge and experience doth oftentimes prooue to be but a heady rash boldnesse So likewise if it bee not seasoned with the feare of GOD it doth often ende in oppression This feare of GOD with whomsoeuer it preuaileth doth cause them to abstaine from doing of wrong to anie as Ioseph reasoneth with his brethren I feare God therefore I will not doe you wrong as contrariwise wheresoeuer it is not truly planted no sinne so great nor no wickednesse so grieuous which men for their pleasure sake will not easily bee brought to commit as Abraham Genesis â—0 answereth Abimelech Therefore must Magistrates euermore set the feare of God before their face as Iob chapt 31. doth witnesse that hee himselfe did that thereby they may both make a conscience in doing Iustice and also be kept from doing wrong 5 Fiftly it is needfull that they bee true dealing men this true dealing hath first respect to the Mâ—gâ—â—rates themselues that whatsoeuer they spe 〈…〉 and what they promise they be carefull to performe and that 〈…〉 they thinke This simple and vpright dealing doth purâ—â—aâ—e 〈…〉 re vnto a Magistrate Secondly it hath respect to the case that they 〈…〉 to 〈…〉 that they take paâ—â—es to search out the truth thereof and giue righteous 〈…〉 râ—quireth For as the Lord iudgeth according to right so ought they 〈…〉 re his Ministers Therefore they must not further the euill cause of a good â—â—â— though otherwise he be good neither must they hinder the good cause of any man thâ—â—â—gh otherwise he be euill they ought not to be carelesse of a stranger because he is a stranger neither must they goe busily about the euill cause of their friend or neighbour because he is their neighbour or their friend To conclude they must neither behold the persoâ— of the rich nor of the poore to peruert iudgement for their cause but giue true iudgement without respect of person 6 Sixtly they must be haters of filthie gaine Couetousnesse is the mother of appression and extortion which doe differ in this that oppression hath the colour of â—â—â—â— and law and extortion is when man getteth by hooke or by crooke and careth not how so he may haue it but these two are not onely here forbidden but euen the louâ— of â—â—â—e and rewards which are of such nature that they will blinde the eyes of the prudent and sloppe the eares of the righteous Yet is it not altogether vnlawfull to giue gifts and rewards for Salomon saith that a gift in the bosome pacifieth much strife and if it be â—â—â—â—ly bestowed it prospereth whithersoeuer it turneth Againe Mordeeâ—y and Hâ—stersâ—east â—east is mentioned with this commendation that they sent gifts euery man to his neighbour but when they are giuen with corrupted purposes or receiued to peruert right then are they of all men to be abhorred but specially of Magistrates 7 The seuenth and last propertie of a good Magistrate is that he be well knowne to all men and this hath respect to all those that went before he must be knowne then to be endued with wisedome and experience to be of a valiant and couragious heart to haue the feare of God before his eyes to be vpright in his dealing and a hater of filthie gaine So Paul would haue the Ministers to haue a good report euen of those that are without And surely it is great reason that they should be well knowne or else they shall hardly haue any credit with vs. For the weakenesse corruption of our nature is such that when he who is not well knowne vnto vs shall speake as sound a truth and deliuer it peraduenture more plainely yet doth not his word beare so much credâ—t with vs as another whom we know and haue some experience of For our natures do for the most part suspect strangers and we are loth to commit our selues and our matters to them we know not Wherefore to the end that Magistrates may beare credit among vs it is very meete that they should be well knowne and their gifts also 8 This doctrine must teach vs first to consider what calling the Lord hath in mercy placed vs in and whether we haue gifts answerable to our callings that we may thereby be brought to pray vnto the Lord that he would giue vs that which we haue not and increase that which we haue and euermore supplie that which is wanting Secondly it serueth to teach vs to giue due honour to those in whom we see the true properties of Magistrates to be and to acknowledge their lawfull calling Thirdly that in all our elections we make choise of such Magistrates as are endued with these properties Fourthly that we may pray that such Magistrates may be profitable where they are and that the Lord would giue them to such places as haue them not And last of al that the Lord in mercy would vouchsafe to giue these properties to all Magistrates which now are set ouer
might bee better spent on themselues For saith hee the time will come when mothers shall thinke them most happy that are no mothers and in this case Teares shall bee the onely vent to ease your hearts keepe them therefore against those dayes So that griefe in some sort is sweete and allowable in the sight of God Now that wee may discerne the better betweene sorrowes let vs note there is a griefe of passion and a griefe of compassion the first we sustaine in our selues either vpon some euill present or vpon some good thing absent the other workes in vs vpon the estate of others when we shall see the Sword of the prophane sheathed in the bowels of our owne brethren who can make a doubt that a good man might say with the Apostle Rom. 9. I speake the truth my conscience bearing me witnes in the holy Ghost that I haue great heauines and continuall sorrow And if for others shall we not much more be grieued for things in our owne persons Yes for be it that a man were free from the griefe of indignation wherewith Dauid so laboured be it that a man were free from the griefe of emulation wherewith he also was tried be it that a man were free from the griefe of contrition wherewith euen Dauid was exercised be it I say that a man were free from all these yet from the griefe of a longing expectation in their prayers how free or vnfree rather Gods children are their sighes and sobs doe shew We crie for aide we seeke for helpe and yet it is deferred this is a great griefe and this is an holy griefe But marke how in our best affections Sathan takes occasion by these things most good to draw vs to things most euill 11 In suffering griefe we shall be prouoked to mistrust God and therefore not in vaine was it spoken by our Sauiour Christ to arme them against the griefe of his departure Pray that ye fall not into temptation Surely whatsoeuer our estate be here Sathan will not leaue vs without some sollicitation to sinnes Art thou in prosperitie say not in thy heart ther 's is no God The Phenix of the world by wealth became a wanton Is the world in an vproare the Diuell if he can will keepe thee without all feare And of this an ancient Father complaineth saying It is a dolefull thing to see how honorable men of gray haires were wholy in time of publike calamities giuen ouer to securitie and that when destruction was imminent when as much as all their liues were worth did hang on one single thred Nay he goeth further Mens iniquities grew vp with the punishment of iniquitie as if their sin should feed still the punishment of sinne so many of them did dye dallying because they dallied with destruction But if wee cannot come to this stupidirie not to be moued at all our case must be thought the happier yet are wee not freed from as great a temptation as the former for euen this leadeth vs along to another triall and that is a temptation to distrust if our sighes and grones haue not successe in things praied for 12 There is no kinde of griefe voide of some speciall prouocation to euill The griefe which is least dangerous is the griefe of compassion for we cannot be too much touched with the miseries of our brethren and yet this griefe makes vs spare oftentimes where we should strike but the griefe of our own sufferings is far more full of griefe How many the griefe of indignation hath cast away the histories shew by whole millions The griefe of emulation marke how it grieues the godly Dauid sawe the wicked hauing their children dancing before their faces and this chastised him euery morning and see the downefall whereunto it brought him to say I haue in vaine washed my hands in innocencie Griefe of contrition is counted a godly griefe euen by Pauls own testimony but into what extremities this godly griefe doth bring many the number of afflicted consciences can shew and speake to the world Nay the holiest griefe the griefe of deuotion and longing for heauenly things is not free from temptation as wee may see in Habacucke who seeing the delay of his prayers concludeth Thou wilt not heare This suggestion though it be once and againe expelled yet the minde will grudge againe though we haue once controlled and giuen a checke to such a sinne yet must wee not thinke to bee quiet but still Sathan is at the elbow with the same argument With our conquest of our corruption wee must not hold our selues contented and though wee giue one repulse wee may receiue a double foile for it But in this case a godly conscience dealing in a godly cause with his God may thinke if I were an Idolater the Lord might say Goe to thy Gods in whom thou hâ—â—st trusted see if they will helpe thee for thou hast refused mee and cast mee behinde thy backe If I were a murtherer the Lord might say thy hands are full of blood and thy Sacrifice is an abhomination vnto me If I were a blasphemer the Lord might say what hast thou to doe to call vpon mee and to take my name in thy mouth thou hast polluted my name how should I take pleasure in thy prayers But when we see wee simply protesting as did Ezekiah Remember Lord how I haue walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart and hâ—ue done that which is good in thy sight and yet cannot bee heard what a prouocation to temptation is this For we would thinke if God will heare any hee would heare the godly if euer he will heare that hee would heare after long praying if any thing when wee complaine of violence and miserie But to crie and a good man to crie and to crie long and to crie in extremitie and yet no hearing this is grieuous From this griefe growes another temptation If I haue prayed so long and cannot be heard what booteth it me to pray I will spare the labour rather than labour without hope and helpe 13 To be left when wee please our selues and take our pleasure in sinne were a thing more easie but when wee shall begge on our bare knees when the sorrow of sinne shall make our cheekes full of teares when wee shall wrinkle our faces with weeping and our throats shall grow hoarse with crying and then be as forelorne and forsaken is not this a sore assault what then in such a temptation may we doe We must ouercome griefe with patience and care out and burne out with this temptation by faith and purge distrust in Gods promises by perseuerance in prayer Griefe naturally is heauie and lies as lead at the heart and consequently presseth vs downeward so that if faith and prayer can keepe the heart the hands the voice the eies vpward it is apparant that patience surmounteth griefe
would neuer faile them nor forsake them till he had brought them to his habitation which should teach vs to doe the like for strengthning our faith in his goodnes by keeping continually as it were a beadroll of his benefits already receiued of him least by letting the olde slip out of our mindes which should make vs thankfull we neuer receiue the new whereof we are so carefull 3 As the roote of all sinne is in our soule so the beginning of all diseases is in our bodies And as there is no sinne which we should not fall into if the Lord leaue vs so is there no disease which should not come vpon vs vnlesse he preserue vs. For when his prouideÌ„ce watcheth not ouer vs we are ready to fall into all miserie It is not in our selues to keepe our good name from euill reports our minds from disquietnes our estate from pouertie c. This if it were beleeued and felt it would both make vs thankful continue in prayer not only in the want of such things we desire but also in the abundance of those we enioy For man liueth not by bread onely neither is it care can make vs rich nor our owne deuises bring quietnes to our mindes but it is the Lord who in his prouidence worketh all in all which must alwaies be acknowledged of vs to the end we may make vse of all things in any estate to the glory of his name and the good of our brethren 4 We may trie our faith in Gods prouidence by this as we vse the meanes to come to earthly things so for this we must vse the word and prayer Psal. 119. part 22. If then we esteeme not of the word and find no comfort in prayer Psal. 32. we can neuer esteeme of his prouidence we can neuer say in truth God giueth vs all things 5 The Lord oftentimes in his wise prouidence helpeth the wicked and such as are vnworthie and in steade of punishments which they doe deserue he sendeth blessings when they crievnto him for them From which we may gather that if he heare the wicked much more will he graunt the desire of such as feare him If hee remit the vngodly much more them that in truth of heart serue him for he dealeth not with vs as our deserts are as euery man may feele but he doth good both to the godly and the wicked that to diuers ends to the godly to hyre them from their sinnes to the wicked that after hee may confound them without excuse Therefore if when the Lord forbeareth we be touched in heart to repent this is the worke of Gods spirit the coÌ„fort thereof will abide for euer but if when he forbeareth we thinke our sinnes are lesse and so harden our hearts then are wee to feare that vtter confusion is at hand 6 The Lord neuer forsaketh his but in all dangers he will prouide though all meanes faile onely let vs belieue his prouidence and so will he giue vs our hearts desire if it stand with his glorie or else if we desire that which standeth not with his glorie yet let vs belieue that he is our FATHER in CHRIST and he will recompence the outward wants with a spirituall blessing 7 We may reade in Exodus 17. 7. that the Israelites through distrust doubted whether God was among them because they saw not such visible signes of Gods presence and fauour as they would With the like doubt our Sauiour Christ was tempted by the diuel Luc. 4 who laboured to make him doubt whether he were the Sonne of God because he wanted some things which were needful for this life wherby we may learne to know our own corruption how ready we are to iudge as the Israelits did because we sâ—e not such ordinary helps as we and other of Gods children haue at sometimes had but we are to correct this in ourselues and on the contrarie to thinke that God is amongst vs and with vs although we see some tokens of his anger Thus do we reason in religion Is this true religion seeing there be so many diuersities of iudgments such little godlines it is like it is not but rather we are to looke for some other so we reason in the common-wealth Is this gouernment good which bringeth so great hurly burlies and so great troubles so in mariage when contentions and temptations do arise then they thinke they were not ioyned together by God so in euery kind of trouble we iudge of the presence and prouidence of God by our outward sense feeling This is the policie of the diuel to cause men either to sink downe in despaire or else to be impatient at the least to murmur But to preuent this these are some remedies following The first that we looke to the word and when we see that religion hath alwaies had troubles and so shall haue still then shall we straightwaies see that our iudgement is fleshly Secondly wheÌ„ we see that many of Gods children in the world as Iob and others had trouble in their mariage and yet that it was of God then shall we learne that our iudgement is not according to the spirit Then let vs consider that the diuel doth herein exercise policie to ouerthrow our mariage we shal be wary to auoide them And if many haue been in this state yet the Lord hath not left them why should we yeeld to the temptation of Sathan who would perswade vs that our case is worse Thirdly we must looke to the former mercies of God which we haue felt If we haue once felt them then though we haue not alwaies the like feeling yet we must not thinke that he hath forsaken vs so that experience of former mercies must be our strength herein if we haue been in as great danger as now we are and euen then he helped vs why should we doubt Fourthly we must consider that many of Gods children are and haue been so and therefore we must take heede that in our rashnesse we do not condemne them We must not therefore iudge thus vnlesse we will be hurtfull to our selues and iniurious to our brethren 8 Moses was commanded to take the same staffe with which he stroke the red sea and therewith to strike the stonie rocke to giue the Israelites water to drinke to teach theÌ„ that the Lord was as well able to bring water where it is not as to stay the course thereof where it is This ought they to haue considered and then would they not in other things haue doubted If we wil auoid the like distrust we must remember the former works of God then labour to be garded in the hope of euerlasting life the resurrection of the body and the forgiuenes of sins that so we may be sure he will be good to vs still And as the chiefe helpe of al these let vs labour to be throughly
subiect to distractions is no lesse hindred by pleasure then burdened with worldly cogitations yea and so many are the exercises of religion and loue both priuate and publike appertaining to that day that a man is not able to performe all the number of them in one day much lesse then hath he time to follow his delights 25 Vpon a great raine falling in a Fayre time not long after the Sabbath which by the Faire was broken hee had this working in his heart how one should order his affections in such a case First in respect of God whether one should not reioyce seeing men would not be taught by so long preaching to keepe the Sabbath that the Lord euē by his afflictions should teach men his holy ordinance Secondly in regard of men whether he should not pittie them for that their goods were subiect to such dangers True it is that men are to be pittied but when the question is of Pietie towards GOD and pittie towards men it were better to reioyce that the Lord will through some hindrance of worldly things tender the obeying of his owne ordinance than pietie should decay and so many soules perish 26 Against them that say the Sabbath is ceremonial we must first marke that the Prophets are continuall vrgers of the morall lawe as for the ceremonies when they came to them they passe them ouer saying that God hath no pleasure in them as Esay 2. and 66. and among the rest nothing is more namely and precisely vrged than the Sabbath therefore it is no ceremonie Againe grant it to be ceremoniall and yee shall make God a confounder of the Law and Gospell a mingler of the ceremoniall law with the morall and admitting one ceremonie in the Decalogue why may there not be two or three or moe Concerning this mixture many heresies hereby haue crept into the Church and it cannot be auoided if we make the fourth Commandement ceremoniall We know that whē Saul was among the Prophets 1. Sam. 19. it was a common saying Is Saul among the Prophets as if it were no good order but the Prophets should be among themselues and Saul with his companions A third reason may be that Christ in the Gospell deliuereth a summe of the whole law Loue God aboue all and thy neighbour as thy selfe But this summe of the law is meerely morall therefore the lawe whereof this is a summe is meerely morall except wee will accuse Christ for giuing vs a morall summe of a ceremoniall thing Besides the Commandements were but a renuing of the law of nature for it was written in the brest of Adam by the finger of God Now there became a declining from this lawe of nature by the negligence of them that should haue taught it to their children Therfore would the Lord haue it written once for all But in the lawe of nature there is no ceremonie for it is the image of God and whatsoeuer is in God it is altogether holy and for euer and ceremonies are holy but for a time therefore in the image of God in the Decalogue there is no ceremonie and consequenly the Sabbath is not ceremoniall A fift reason is this they that affirme the Sabbath to be a Ceremonie must either say that the Ceremonie is in the word Sanctifie or in the word Sabhath for this is the Commandement Sanctifie the Sabbath as for Remember it is but a prouiso and no part of the Commandement but the force of the Commandement stands in the word Sanctifie and it is a Verbe transitiue and therefore cannot be without an Accusatiue case as Day or Sabbath and in sanctifying is no ceremonie Therefore the Commandement is no Ceremonie Moreouer it must needs follow that that which is concluded by a reason is commaunded by ◠precept but in this it is concluded by reason your labour and rest must bee scanned by Gods labour and rest and the Lord laboured sixe daies and tested the seuenth day therefore you must worke al your workes in sixe and rest the seuenth As much reason is this that as Christ reasoneth how the Diuorce being a thing brought in vpon occasion did not therefore bind the conscience of the Iewes because from the beginning it was not so which was as much as if he should say or insinuate by the contrary whatsoeuer was from the beginning it bindeth the conscience So we say of the Sabbath that it being from the beginning not onely printed in the breast of Adam but also sounded in his eares must therefore binde the conscience CHAP. LXIX Of Thankesgiuing and right vse of the creatures NOne can euer praise the Lord till he be rauished with his greatnesse and goodnesse and the want of this feeling causeth vs to be cold in thanksgiuing euen as our praiers be cold when we haue but small feeling of sinne 2 And that wee doe in truth of heart acknowledge God to be the preseruer of vs from all euils and giuer of all mercies we may trie by our thankfulnes and prayer 3 The sin that was in the Israelites is in vs for the want of one good thing doth make vs rather to mourne than the hauing of many good things doth make vs thankfull 4 We must be thankfull presently and speedily when wee wil long keepe the remembrance of any mercie 5 Because our faith yeeldeth but drops of thankfulnes the Lord is constrained to yeeld but drops of his mercies 6 Being with one afflicted in body and minde vnto whom the Lord had shewed great tokens of saluation and fruitfull to sanctifie the present afflictions he said I feare not the time of the visitation of them that thereby doe grow in the gifts and graces of God but rather I feare least the time of their deliuerance should be tainted with vnthankfulnes and so wofully they should loose the fruite of that good which so dearly they purchased of the Lord. 7 Wee haue no continuing citie now but we looke for another not that wee may not call these things ours which are sanctified vnto vs by the word and prayer and in a good conscience vsing them but that we should not set our harts vpon them further than they are sanctified vnto vs we should not desire to vse them 1 These outward benefits are promised with a condition that so far we shall haue them as is for his glorie and our good with which condition we are commanded to aske them if then we want any thing we must know it is not good for vs but hurtfull we are to magnifie his mercies which holdeth those things from vs which are not for our good and yet giueth vs that by the want thereof which by the thing enioyed wee could not come vnto For the thing doth not hurt vs but our corruptions which abuse it therefore he keepeth promise when he taketh it away for he hath made the promise for our good 9 It hath been the order of the
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
heare thou the word of God preached diligently Potest enim tibi id in animo contingâ—re quoa Eutycho in corpore 2 There bee some of this sect that will yeeld vnto men their bodies to doe with them what they will but their soules they say are for the Lord. And why not their bodies for him also they haue an inward and a darke kinde of godlines that so thinke it enough to make the night or a corner of their chamber a witnesse of their religion which kinde of men are to giue an account for detracting from the Lord his worship Others there are and they will goe to the congregation but it is when the chaine of idlenes other busines is growne so long that they may goe with some case Some will come to the Church more often but when the iudgements of God are denounced they say they shal not come neere them Deut. 29. 19. we are deliuered though wee haue committed all these abominations We haue al vncircumcised eares and naturally we haue a praeputium before our â—ares and they that are skilfull in Anatomie knowe that there is as it were a hammer at the â—are which will open wide when wee heare vanitie but it is fast shut when the Lord speaketh vnto vs. It is a common disease in others to seeke after varietie and so after vanitie and so nature desireth an infinitum And these meÌ„ either hunt after words which may cause them to erre from the word of truth or else they say they heare such cold vncomfortable sermons as they cannot away with If good gifts bee ioyned with the preaching of the word and we heare the word with the gifts it is a question whether we heare for the words sake or for the gifts sake but if the word come without such glorious gifts a man may stirre vp himselfe sufficiently thereby And when it doth come to passe that such vnsauory liquors be drawne out of mustie vessels we must be driuen to this consideration that God for our dulnes hath shut vp the mouthes of his Preachers and hath denied the power and puritie of preaching vnto vs and that our dead and deafe eares are the cause that the Lord tieth vp the strings of our Preachers tongues Neither is this to smooth or sooth vp any one in negligent vsing of their gifts for the Lord will haue his gifts vsed and a candle put vnder a bushell is not of the Lord his setting it is the diuels doing when our gifts are suppressed Well if we haue eares and heare not the word then is no difference betweene a mans eares and an Asses and it is rather a propertie of Idols which haue eares and heare not haue eies and see not And as they that haue mouthes and speake not are rather Idoll shepheards than true Pastors so they that haue eares and heare not are rather Idoll gazers than true hearers of the word Againe for this cause we must heare because we heare the most excellent obiect the obiect of the eare is a sound or voyce now the most excellent sound is the sound of the Gospell the most excellent voyce is the voyce of the Preacher Another reason may be that our members are put to their best vse when they serue most for the glory of God as our feete are put to the best vse when they carrie vs to the congregation our hands when they are lift vp in prayer our eares when they be hearkening to the word of God and therefore they prouide well for themselues that early in the morning before they doe any thing else doe put out their members to the best vse in the worship of God And surely if there were nothing but the bare word of God deliuered vnto vs as it is a thing containing the will of God it were worthy the reading hearing and meditating but when it openeth to vs the treasures of saluation when it teacheth vs wisedome and equitie so as we may be able to discerne euery affection it is a thing much more worthie our trauell We think that we may flie vp to heauen by the wings of profound knowledge but saith the Scripture that learned preaching shall saue vs No the foolishnes of preaching must saue vs all our saluation must be fetched from hence therefore it is worth the hearing this is Ioels trumpet and of great force We must learne therefore to vse a preparation without which all our seruice stinketh before the Lord. When thou enterest into the house of the Lord looke vnto thy feete Eccles. 4. 17. Stand in awe saith the Prophet commune with your owne hearts Psal. 4. And Iob. 1. 6. Iob is said to sanctifie his sonnes 2. Chro. 30. 18. 19. though many of the people had not cleansed themselues yet Ezechtas prayed for them that prepared their whole hearts to seeke the Lord. But all we rush to the congregation as a foxe out of his forme And though we haue knowledge enough yet we had need to be straighted because we are as a broken bow and in seeking of knowledge we must seeke it fruitfully scire vt scias audire vt audias is meere vanitie Euery one would be a patient in the word of God but there be many pragmaticall things Beatiqui audiunt What is that enough Beati qui ambulant qui custodiunt eati qui perseuerant If we will not heare the time will come when we shall be constrained to heare if we will not heare when the Lord speaketh we shall crie but not be heard if we heare it as a bond to tie the Lord to heare vs againe according to his promise 3 Looke how neere we come vnto the practise of Dauid so neere are we to the liuely members of God and looke how farre we are from that so farre are we from the image of God Men rather seeke for profound knowledge than for faith that worketh by loue and couet more the ministeriall doctrine than after the power of the Spirit Therefore God who is as able to send a lying spirit into the mouthes of 400. Prophets as into any of the meanest Israelites doth punish them commonly with strange doctrine giue them vp to strong illusions We ought to haue such a burning affection in vs that we should not be able to expresse it as Dauid had who because he could not expresse it vseth an exclamation Psal. 119. 97. O how loue I thy law but mens hearts are dull and their spirits heauie they are farre from this affection that was in Dauid 4 Our loue to Gods word is a triall of our loue to God he that trembleth at Gods word and is obedient vnto his voyce doth better than he that offereth sacrifice and he that loues Gods word doth loue God and else not Where the loue of a man is the practise will be there Matth 6. where the treasure is there will be the heart As the couetous are bent vpon their riches as the adulterer is bent vpon his
such was Dauids state After that Nathan had reproued him and Gods spirit beganne to worke with him yet hee crieth out as yee heard before of the losse of Gods graces and when hee saith that God will accept of no Sacrifices bee they neuer so manie nor precious without a contrite heart and broken spirit he sheweth that for a time euen after the Prophet had reproued him hee wanted both This is your case and therefore you a in the state of saluation For Dauid was in this case euen after he had confessed his sin and had receiued absolution and pardon from God by the ministerie of Nathan although he neuer felt ioy thereof nor true griefe for the other yet because in trueth of heart he confessed his sinne as my trust is you doe and was certainely perswaded of the pardonablenes of it by Gods mercy although he was farre off from the feeling of it or applying it to his wofull conscience his state was good and very well to be hoped of And you must know to be perswaded that those things which are written of Gods Saints and namely of Dauid and Peter and such others are examples for vs if we will stay our selues vpon the word of God in the ministerie of his seruants and waite vpon the Lords good time till he come neerer vnto vs by his spirit neerer I say for he is come alreadie vnto you or it may be he neuer went from you because to be grieued and humbled with blindnesse of minde and hardnesse of heart to beleeue certainely the truth of Gods promises in generall and to reuerence the seruants of God which bring the glad tidings of saluation and to long after the comforts vsing the meanes of the word and prayer the Sacraments of the Supper and the company of Gods children contrarie to hope vnder hope yea without any present feeling all this is a certaine argument that Gods spirit is with such and therefore with you This estate although it be very grieuous yet it is neuer dangerous much lesse is it fearefull vnlesse any be so wilfull that they perseuere and continue desperate refusing all good meanes vnlesse they perseuere I say for that through the spirituall aduersarie and his forcible power whereby God suffereth him sometime for a season to winnow them as wheate they are so bewitched and intoxicated that they are carried by violent force of temptation to waxe wearie of or to refuse all meanes of comfort by fits yea almost to haue no desire at all vnto them yea sometimes to speake very euill of them but all this is but temptation and therefore God will be mercifull vnto them for Christs sake Thus Iob cursed the day of his birth and wished to be strangled Ieremie almost repented that euer he preached in the name of the Lord both scarcely abstaine from blasphemie Dauid mooued with the spirit of ambition though dutifull admonished wilfully went on in numbring the people Peter also vaingloriously presuming of his owne strength being most wisely and effectually preadmonished of his weakenes euen by our Lord Iesus yet wittingly rushing as a horse into the battaile euen then very cowardly yeeldeth yea doubly denieth yea strengtheneth his sinne with a threefold cord and fasteneth it with bannings and cursings and yet for all these he obtained mercie most bountifully For why as Sathan had desired to winnow them so our Lord Iesus prayed for them that their faith though it was vehemently assaulted yet should not be ouercome although it was bartered yet that it should not be destroyed and though it was oppressed yet that it should not be extinguished And here be you fully perswaded that albeit Luke 22. 31. the words seeme to runne as belonging but to Peter viz. I haue praied for thee that thy faith should not faile yet he prayed for the rest of the Apostles yea for all the faithfull For first he saith not Simon Satan hath desired to winnow thee but you Why then saith he I haue praied for thee Verily because he should more grieuously offend than the rest although their offence was very great therefore his our most blessed Sauiour applied to him the promise but did not appropriate it vnto him onely and restraine it from the rest Compare with this place Iohn 17. 20. and you shall see that the heauenly veritie affirmeth that he prayed not onely for the Apostles but for all those that should beleeue through their word yea further Our Lord Iesus Christ was yesterday is to day and shall be for euer And as the forefathers were baptized into him did eate his flesh and did drinke his blood so was his prayer effectuall euen to them vnder the law much more to vs vnder grace And when you can finde testimonie in your heart that when you would doe well euill is present with you and that you doe the euill you would not then do not you it but sinne in you when it leadeth you captiue much more when Sathan workes withall buffetting you assure your selfe that God hath pitie on you that the vertue of his power shall be perfect in your weakenes If you beleeue according to your faith it shal be done vnto you But you will say you cannot beleeue that this vile crocked hardnes of your heart can be remitted and renewed and euen this was the second point which in the former part of my letter I gaue you to vnderstand was the cause of your excessiue distresse I beseech you I charge you in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that you will not willingly lie nor offer iniurie to Gods spirit or to your selfe who hath receiued it Tell mee what is the reason why you thinke you haue no faith Verely because you haue no feeling nor any other fruites thereof as you thinke Well first then agree with me herein as you must if you will not disagree with the truth that feeling is but an effect and fruit of faith and therefore there may be faith without feeling as well as the cause may bee without the effect and the tree without any appearance of fruite yea of sappe for a season And as a man sore wounded and diseased may for a season be depriued almost of all operations of the naturall life to the outward shew and to his owne iudgement and feeling so may a spirituall man bee sore wounded by Satan and diseased by the present feeling of his sinfull corruptions specially in temptations that he may thinke yea appeare to others that the life of the spirit is not in him Thus Peters faith did not wholy faile as you haue heard or else the prayer of our Sauiour preuailed not Thus when Dauid declared that his heart was vncleane or his spirit crooked or vnstable and that he had lost the ioy of his saluation and the spirit of libertie or adoption yet hee prayeth that God would not take his holy spirit from him therefore he was not
Dauid prayeth against presumptuous sinnes that they should not reigne ouer him signifying though hee sinned presumptuously yet if hee did not perseuer in presumption obstinately without desire to repent that such sinne or sinnes were pardonable Now the Lords couenant towards his in Iesus Christ is not to deale after their sinnes nor to reward them after their iniquities much lesse will he not regard in wrathfull displeasure their infirmities For if he should so marke what is saide or done amisse who were then able to abide it But with him is mercie in Iesus Christ that he may be feared Therfore lift vp your hands which hang downe and strengthen your weak knees and say vnto your soule Why art thou so cast down and vnquiet within mee I will yet trust in Iesus Christ and waite vpon the mercifull graces of God purchased by his merits Consider that true humilitie ariseth of faith in Iesus Christ and that is true Faith that ingendreth humilitie as we may not diminish our sins so may we not too much aggrauate them nor diminish Christs merits haue euermore in your minde the example of the prodigall sonne who saith not I am not thy sonne but I am no more worthie to be called thy sonne hee saith not Let me be thy bond-slaue Nay hee saith not Let me be thy hired seruant but Let me be as one of thy hyred seruants his Father came and met him and fell on his necke c. So shall it come to you good brother I need make no more application the holy annoynting which you haue receiued will bring the old mercies of God vpon others and vpon your own soule vnto remembrance and leade you into all trueth which shall be requisite for your saluation Put your trust in the Lord and be you assured beleeue his Ministrrs and you shall prosper The Lord Iesus came not to breake the bruisedreede nor to quench the smoking flaxe his grace shall bee euermore sufficient for you and his vertue shal vnto the end manifest it selfe in your weaknesse Now therfore I beseech him to preserue your bodie and soule and spirit vnto his most glorious appearing Faithfull is hee that hath called you and promised who will also performe it Amen From my house in London in Warwicke Lane Annâ— 1591. Feb. 24. Yours in Iesus Christ as he hath bene RICHARD GREENHAM A LETTER CONSOLATORIE WRITTEN TO A FRIEND AFFLICTED IN conscience for sinne Grace and peace in Iesus Christ. MY very good and louing friend in the Lord Iesus I vnderstand by M. H. who oft trauaileth into those parts that you require of me letters of comfort for reliefe of your afflicted and distressed conscience Wherein I could bee glad to performe any dutie that is within the compasse of my poore abilitie But your best and soundest comfort as I take it lieth in those that haue themselues beene exercised with that triall who from the comforts of Christ that haue abounded in them are best able to comfort those that are in like sort afflicted by the hand of God Againe I haue written vnto you many times of this argument if my Letters remaine with you they may alwaies speake for me that which I am able to say to that poynt If you require more than I haue written before this then were it reason you should send me my former letters that I might know where to begin that which remaineth My leisure is not great as you know and there is nothing whereinto I enter more vnwillingly than into this labour of writing Yet that you may vnderstand that I haue not altogether forgotten your old loue towards me nor haue suffered mine affection towards you vtterly to decay I will endeuour at once as briefly as I may to remember vnto you so farre as I can cal to mind the summe of all that I haue written vnto you heretofore The question as I take it that lieth in controuersie betweene your conscience and the enemie is of the assurance of your saluation Wherein I would haue you first to consider what is or at any time past hath beene the testimonie of the spirit of God vnto your spirit and then I doubt not but either from present sense of the same spirit of God crying in your hart Abba Father or from the remembrance of the daies of old wherein you had a comfortable assurance of Gods fauour you shall be able to repell the force of this temptation considering that the holy Ghost cannot lie that God whom he loueth vnto the end he loueth and because his gifts and calling as the Apostle saith are such as whereof he doth not nor cannot repent him Then consider the nature of faith which how weake and vnperfit soeuer it be it cannot be deuided euen by Sathan himselfe to be faith according to that which is said I beleeue Lord helpe thou mine vnbeleefe And if you haue faith euen as much as a graine of mustard seede c that faith apprehendeth Christ Iesus in whom there is all sufficiencie of saluation and in whom we are complete so that whatsoeuer scruple ariseth from our selues or is enforced of the enemie from any imperfection that is in vs it neede not at all to dismay vs because we saue not our selues but are saued by him Who is made vnto vs from God wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption that who so glorieth should glorie in him And indeed there is no surer refuge when the enemie distresseth vs than renouncing our selues to professe the onely name of Christ Iesus who dyed for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification For if the enemie shall say we haue sinned our answere is Christ hath dyed for vs yea is risen againe yea is ascended into heauen c. If he say we want the righteousnes of the Law we must answer Christ hath fulfilled the Law that we by him might be made the righteousnes of Christ If he say we are in nature corrupt and therefore both vnworthie and vnfit for the kingdome of heauen we must answere him with the words of Christ himselfe For their sakes haue I sanctified my selfe Finally whatsoeuer shall be obiected against vs by the enemie our answere must be that in Christ all the promises of God are Yea and in him they are Amen That all fulnes dwelleth in him and that in him we are perfected so that we may boldly say with Saint Paul There is no damnation to those that are in Christ Iesus If Sathans importunitie and impudencie will not thus be answered we must end all disputation with him by our selues and send him vnto Christ who amongst other parts of his office towards vs performeth also this for vs both before his heauenly father and against all our aduersaries that he is our aduocate to plead and defend our cause which yet is not so much ours as his owne because the question is not of our merits or satisfactions
other part yet remaining in vs still subdued vnder sin in which the Lord of mercie doth not esteeme vs but in that new man which is fashioned againe according vnto his own Image In so much as S. Paul doubteth not to say that the sinnes of the faithfull proceeding from the remainder of corruption yet abiding in them are not their works but the works of the flesh which being already wounded vnto death by the power of the death of CHRIST languisheth more more and shal finally be abolished by death which is the ende and accomplishment of our mortification and fullie endeth the battaile betweene the flesh and the spirit What shall I say of the loathing of this life and the vanitie thereof of that desire which is in the children of God to be dissolued and to be with Christ of contentment in all estates patience in afflictions constancie in truth loue towards those that loue the Lord pitie towards those that are in miserie and the desiring of the good euen of their enemies and thos that hate them Which vertues though they beare not an equall saile by reason of the weaknes of the flesh and of the malice and resistance of the enemie yet are they vndoubted testimonies of our loue towards God which is not but in those who are first beloued of him and haue tasted how good and gracious he is If we shall looke vnto the exercises of pietie of the worship of God though we may here aâ— else-where complaine of our wants and defects yet we shall through Gods goodnes finde matter of comfort Remember therfore what mercie the Lord hath shewed you in this part with what desire affection you haue heard the word of God how precious it hath bene vnto you aboue gold euen the most fine golde how sweet and comfortable euen aboue the hony the hony combe Remember with what fruit of knowledge in the will of God increase of Faith in his promises purpose and endeuour of amendment of life you haue oftentimes heard the same Call to minde with what zeale and earnestnes of spirit you haue sometimes called vpon the Name of God both publikely and priuately with others and alone by your selfe with what ioy and reioycing of the soule you haue praised the Lord for his mercies towards his Church and towards your selfe Call to minde what hath bene in you at any time the power of those Sacraments which are annexed as seales vnto the promise of saluation by Christ and how farre they haue by the blessing of God erected your minde in hope and assurance of his goodnes towards you If your present discouragement resist the comfort of these meditations it is no newe thing that in our weaknes wee should after the manner of those that be sicke disaduantage our selues of that which might doe vs good yet remember how iniurious a thing it were to esteeme the children of God by their present agonies and conflicts of conscience rather then by the comfort of that estate wherein the grace of God shined plentifully vpon them and in them For as when men are diseased it cannot thereof be concluded that they were neuer in health so the present discomforts of the children of God though they take away the sense of his mercie for a time yet they are no repeale of his former goodnesse and fauour towardes them nor denie them to haue bene euen in their owne iudgement and feeling deare vnto the Lord and still to bee though the storme and tempest of their present affliction suffer them not so liuely and comfortablie to enioy the same as before For which cause they must with Iob and Dauid call to remembrance the comforts of times past from thence to assure themselues of the returne of the good hand of the Lord in due time I doubt not but you can be witnes vnto God and to your owne selfe that the time hath beene when your comfort and assurance of Gods fauour was such as Sathan himselfe could not denie the testimonie which then the spirit of God did beare vnto your spirits Now the gifts and calling of God are without repentance and whome hee loueth he loueth vnto the end neither doth our saluation depend vpon any thing of our owne for then we should a thousand times perish and fall before the enemie but vpon that eternall and euerlasting loue of God wherewith he hath loued vs in IESVS CHRIST before the foundations of the world were laide which loue of his if it hath at anie time bene made knowne vnto vs and apprehended of vs we haue assurance greater then the testimonie of men and Angels But you will say that which sometimes I felt is now gone and in stead thereof I am perpetually oppressed with the horror of the wrath of God iust against me for my sinnes It is true that the power and sense of Faith is not alwayes alike in the children of God yet is it a false and sophisticall conclusion suggested from him that is a lyar from the beginning and the father of lying to say we feele not faith therfore there is no faith in vs. For in many diseases of the body wee haue no sense of life and yet wee liue the Sunne shineth not in the night season nor when it is obscured with cloudes shall wee say therfore that there is no Sunne or that it hath vtterly no operation Admit also which yet may not be admitted that the Lord had for a time vtterly giuen vs ouer can wee conclude thereof that he will neuer againe be mercifull vnto vs Nay hee that found vs when wee sought him not will surely returne vnto the worke which hee hath begun though he seemeth for a while to haue forsaken it There is sometime as it were an eclipse of our faith and of the feeling of the grace of God towards vs but let vs assure our selues that as the Sunne and Moone doe not perish in their eclipses nor loose their light for euer so in this eclipse which happeneth for a time vnto our faith and sense of Gods goodnesse the same shall not perish or lose his vertue for euer but shall in good time bee restored or rather quickened in vs againe vnto our further and more assured comfort This you haue seene in many deare children of God whose heauinesse hath beene knowne vnto you that they haue not beene forgotten for euer but that the Lord who seemed for a while to frown vpon them did in the end cause his most gracious and louing countenance to shine vpon them againe you haue felt it in your selfe that there hath beene an interchangeable course of sorrow and comfort of faith and feare and that the one hath continually succeeded the other that the same hand that humbled you did raise you vp againe that he that inflicted the wound into your soule applied thereunto the
for all those which receiuing the first fruites of thy holy spirit walke before thee in vprightnesse of their heart wee thy vnworthy children come vnto thee in the name of thy onely begotten sonne Iesus Christ our Lord beseeching thee to renue and encrease thy holy spirit in vs and to purifie our hearts more and more by faith that we may haue a clearer sight and a surer perswasion of thy fatherly goodnesse vnto vs and that wee may more readily performe our dutifull obedience vnto thee For wee doe acknowledge and confesse vnto thy sacred Maiestie that we haue yet neuer hitherto worthily esteemed thy mercies towards vs nor sufficiently expressed the fruites of our bounden dutie towards thee but that still we remaine ignorant and forgetfull of many good things which wee ought and might know And we confesse Lord wee are slacke vnto those things which thy holy spâ—â—t offereth to our mindes vnapt to doe them soone wearie of wel-doing and wherein we please thee something we please our selues too much Moreouer wee likewise confesse that we are ignorant of many euill things that wee haue done doe or may doe forgetfull of diuers things which sometime wee haue hadde knowledge and remorse of And now the things which come to our remembrance and are in our sight doe not appeare to be soâ—sinfull in any measure as they are and ought of vs to be regarded Yea wee are beguiled ere euer we are aware with our present corruptions and they cleane so fast vnto vs that wee can hardly leaue them but most hardly bee brought to true repentance of them We beseech therefore thy sacred Maiestie to worke in vs by thy holy spirit a wise and carefull searching out of and into our sinnes that by the lawe wee may be conuinced of them awakened by thy threatnings rebuked for them by thy iudgements executed vpon the wicked and exercised toward thy children seruants and friends that so wee may feare and tremble for them And by the serious premeditation of the vncertaine houre of a most certaine death of the day of thy generall ineuitable and dreadfull iudgement of the horrible and euerlasting paines of the wicked in the helles and their losse of the inestimable ioyes of the heauens stirre vp our dead hearts to seeke thee O Father in thy Christ and thy sonne our Lord and Sauiour in the Gospell And finally we pray that we may bee euen confounded in our selues by the fruitfull remembrance of thy blessed sufferings the most precious blood-sheading and death of our Lord Iesus Christ that so we may be humbled after that manner and measure thy children should bee beseeching thee that wee may so aforehand accuse our selues before thy blessed Maiestie that our aduersarie may haue no power hereafter to accuse vs so iudge our selues that we be not iudged by thee so with shame sorrow feare and trembling acknowledge the vilenes of our sinnes wholely before the throne of thy iustice that wee finde it to be a throne of grace and mercie vnto vs in Iesus Christ our Lord. Now O Lord the searcher of the hearts and reynes thou knowing this to be the humble and single desire of our hearts wee flye vnto thee for refuge beseeching thee by thy holy spirit to worke in vs a clearer sight of the wisedome of our Lord Iesus Christ wherby our minds may be further cleared from blindnes and we haue a clearer sight of the whole ministerie of our saluation in him and graunt vs God a fuller perswasion of the discharge of all our sinnes in his death and of the imputation of his righteousnesse vnto vs in his resurrection that the guiltinesse of our conscience may daily more and more goe away from vs and peace of the same be confirmed in vs especially in the time of our temptation and trouble the day of our death and the houâ—e of iudgement And next most mercifull Father graunt vs a more powerfull experience of his death killing sinne in vs and of his resurrection raising vs vp vnto a new life that daily we may be lesse sinful and more holy righteous and sober in this present life that so also wee may haue a more sure and stedfast hope in his redemption and may more strongly resist the vanities of this world in false pleasures profits and glories and more patiently endure all manner of miseries of the same which may befall vs vntill his glorious appearing when hee shall come to be glorious in his Saints and made maruellous in al those which beleeue in him Amen Furthermore O Lord whereas we are priuie to our selues ere it is knowne vnto others or vnto thee that thereby any sinne or sinnes more strange in vs through our corrupt nature or custome or the temptation of others or of the tempter wee beseech thee that there we may labour to finde the precious death of our Lord Iesus Christ more powerfull in subduing the same and whereas through vnabilitie of nature want of meanes or grace we are weaker in any duties of well-doing there we may striue to finde the vertue of his glorious resurrection more effectuall in raising vs vp in meanes of life so that our familiar corruptions being cured and our speciall infirmities being relieued wee may be also endued as with generall graces meete for all Christians so with such peculiar graces as may be meete for our callings and inable vs to glorifie thy holy name build vp others in well-doing and treasure vp the fruites of a good conscience for our selues at all times and especially in our neede And in this behalfe the desire of our heart is that thy holy spirit worke in vs the renouncing of our reason so farre forth as it is blinde and the crucifying of our affections so farre forth as they be corrupt that so we may offer them vp with soule and bodie in sacrifice of humiliation and that hauing receiued these graces we may also offer them vp in sacrifice of obedience vnto thy gracious Maiestie And wherein soeuer we haue doe or shall with thy graces obey thee we desire to offer vp thy graces our obedience and our selues in a sacrifice of thankesgiuing and praising of thy holy and blessed name through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen All thy waies O Lord we acknowledge to bee mercie and truth we beseech thee therfore giue vs the holy fruites of al the good meanes thou hast heretofore wrought our good by as thy holy and sweete promises preached vnto vs read of vs meditated vpon by our selues or conferred of with others the prayers thankesgiuings Psalmes Hymnes of our selues our friends and thy Church thy sacred Sacraments the ministrie of thy holy Angels the communion of thy Saints and admonition which hath beene giuen vs for our good most humbly entreating that wee may haue sanctified vnto vs the remembrance of thy former mercies bestowed vppon thy Church vpon any member therof or vpon our selues either in benefits or in crosses and albeit our nature is
Psalm 19. 7. Hebr. 3. 12. 13. 3. Cause Some secret or open sins cause the word to seeme hard vnto vs. 1 2 Friendship Common duties with godlesse men True wisedome Greatest fooles Matth 5. Fearefull to make a sporte of sinne Psal 73. Rom. 2. 4. 5. 2. Pet 3. Light sinnes with men great with God Light and small sins in appearance in Gods children seuerely punished in this world Note True sorrow for sinne SalomoÌ„ how qualified in his youth Practicall reall syllogismes far aboue imaginarie 1. Sam. 25. 31. 32. Gal. 2. 11. 12. 13. All sins are not equall qui me tradiâ—it maius peccatum habet Turbare oculum excaecare Nihil leue quod praepondâ—ratuâ— mâ—do Note Leuit 16. 6. 15. Heb. 7. 27. A man may shun a beâ—me in the darke but we cannot see motes but in the Sunne light Multiplex peccatum Saint lerome saith Si citò remouetur festuca est si durauerit trabs est Simile Accusat aggrauâ—t quaerit remedium Sathan T it 1. élenche apotómos Redargue praecisè B. Cortipiendo corripies Examples practising this dutie Note Venit quidam è Prophetis where a Father saith Hâ—ù quid est quòd venit niâ—i vnus How we must suffer reprehension A Father saith Ostendo illi lutum aspergit me â—uto ostendo illâ— speculum â—llidit parieti Exiuâ—e genâ—iâ—m Ex iure membrorum Prâ—â—â—be â—crrectioâ—em diuinam fraterna correctio Mutua appâ—obatio Mutua laus Nam non putat se peccaâ—e qui à nemine corripitur Est peccatum tuum quicquid non disâ—lâ—ceâ— ubi Who ought to be reprehended Abstiâ—â—endum metu charitaâ—â—s non metu â—upiditatis Munus proportionatur dono Per oculum mentem pervisum cogniâ—â—onem Ginóskeis anaginóskeis Cataginóskeis Sapiunt ex aâ—â—â—no pectore Note A rule Deceptus in minoribus noÌ„ debet de maioribus iudicare Mensura enim prior mensurato Potes ne alium melius noscere quam â—â— Feare Griefe for sin Remedies against vncleane lusts Note 1 2 The reason of our corruption for sinne Against the vnbrideled affection of youth Simile Simile Youth how dangerous an age Pheûge tà s neoâ—erikà s epi thumias hâ—n philâ—i Theòs apothnés kei néos Neâ—phyta Youth â—â—â—umâ—aâ—es â—â—â—â—teâ— Take heed of lusts of youth Sins of youth Dauid and Salomon no Proctors for sinnes Youth dissolute Salomons example Tria bonorum genera Adulterie She called to the men of her house Gen. 39. 14. Carnall loue 2. Sam. 13. 15. PerseueraÌ„ce 1. Sam. 24. Daâ— 3. 16. Act. 5. Note Good affections Headstrong affections Pray for good affections 2. Chor. 19. 3. How to consider of Gods hand in affliction 2. Chro. 19. 2 The conscience in afflictions 1. Pet. 5. 9. The crosse needfull Faith Note Patience Headie affections To seeke vnlawful means in affliction The Crosse of Christ. Health The Lord hath holpen the vnworthie often in afflictions Curseâ— Simile Triall of faith Sicknesse Patience For what causes the Lord chastiseth his elect in this life 1 Heb. 12. 3. 4. 5 2 3 4 5 6 The tryall of anger Patience 1 2 3 4 Baptisme how effectuall in the faithfull Baptisme in Poperie Baptisme of women vnlawfull 2. Cor. 5. 18. 19. 20. Contempt of Baptisme dangerous not the omission Godfathers in Baptisme Catechising Couetousnes Mans desire how satisfied Simile Simile Note Desire of riches Many rich men are emptie of all goodnes The nature of riches Many rich poore Simile Riches Thornes How some rich men die Vse of riches Note The heathen poore man at the first would haue of his God but 1000. sheepe but after he desired more saying Pauperis est numerate pecus Riches caÌ„not fill the soule Simile PareÌ„ts to rest â—n Gods preuidence Triall of our faith in Gods prouidence Couetousnes how dangerous The readyest way to obtain temporall blessings Carking care Carking care Earthly blessings no signs of Gods fauour Wee must take heecâ—â—â—â— to what end we vse things lawfull in themselues How Christ calleth vs. Our loadstar to Paradise Carnall reason How to obey Christ when he calleth Decay of Gods gifts Idlenesse Angels Not to enter into any calling rashly Our infirmities in our calling Ministerie Truth of our calling Triall of our selues before we enter into any calling Reason to Christ is an euill seruingman Christs two crownes Conference Not to be too strict and silent wheÌ„ occasion of good speech is offered Note Good speeches Our speech is insigne potentiae diuinae vinculum societatis humanae Tenera mollis exâ—gua Iam. 3. 6. Schismatickes and heretickes Who forsake the Church Protestants or Papists Matth. 18. Binding and loosing in the Church Rom. 3. 1. 2. The dignitie of the church The Church deer to christ Note 2 Cor. 11. Means wanting or superstition set vp howe much they differ Church of the Iewes Church of the Gentiles The day of iudgement 2. Pet. 3. Tolle hanc ipsa Angelcâ—uÌ„ gloria claudicabit O magnnm vinculum charitatis quo ipse Deus alligari voluit Diligis me plus his Pasce oues meas coÌ„firma Fratres â—ous symboluÌ„ amoris cura Ecclesiae Primitiae mundi Municipeâ— coelorum Phil. 3. 20. Hoâ—tus conclusus Foâ—s signatuâ— To acknowledge our faults one to another Grace Gods word Hiding sinne How to rise when we fall into any sin Note Conscience is tender Desire all good Luk. 16. Shipwrack of good consciâ—nce how daÌ„â—â—rous Examination of the conscience The watch-word of the conscience True peace of conscience The state of man before grace and in grace The peace of the wicked Moâ—e Psal 37. 37. Note To be iealous ouer our own corrupt affections The eye and conscience tender Schirâ—us ocuii Schirâ—hosis conscientiae How the conscieÌ„ce is hardened What sinne brings wrath Note Simile Simile qui non corrigit seipsum alij corrigent sâ— per ipsum Simile Melius est vt pereat vnus quà m vnitas We can see clearly intellectu directo but with bleare eyes iâ—â—ellectu refleâ—o Admonition how profitable Euil reports Simile A good ceremonie What ceremonies are receiued and retained in the Church with profit Col. 2. 17. What ceremonies bee abrogated Sabbath Last times Last dayes Eschátais hemérais Christian liberty turned into vnchristian licentiousnes Ecclesiast 11. Bonum iuuenile Youth Zeale tried Pleasures 1. Cor. 10. Basil Ierâ—â—ns austeritie in fasting Pleasures Christ is our Captaine Christ a Lambe Affliction of minde Christ is our wisedome Seeke not for great things in the flesh Righteousnes 3 SanctificatioÌ„ Mary Magdalen Matthew Cretians Naturall corruption Promises 4 Redemption The most holie haue need of Christs righteousnes and the most righteous of his holines Note Christ holdeth his kingdome by two titles Feeling Simile Faith without feeling The death of the soule Simile Simile Meditation of IudgemeÌ„t Simile Meditation of death Loth to die Wherefore some desire to die Iudgement Morbus magnus magnum remedium Pâ—dor Dolor Timor Augustine Maxima est poena timorem amisisse iudicij Fac fac vel
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