life and labours in the Church of God yet had I rather be noted of some for want of skill than of any for want of loue and affection to so louing a father I haue knowne his life for many yeeres and reioyce in heart to haue knowne it for that most rare graces of Gods spirit did shine in him all tempered as with faith vnfained vnto Christ so with bowels of compassion and loue towards men In his holy Ministerie hee was euer carefull to auoide all occasions of offence desiring in all things to approoue himselfe as the Minister of Christ he much reicoyced and praised God for the happie gouernment of our most gratious Queene ELIZABETH and for this blessed calme and peace of Gods Church and people vnder it and spake often of it both publikely and priuatly as he was occasioned and stirred vp the hearts of all men what he could to pray and to praise God with him for it continually yea this matter so affected him that the day before his departure out of this life his thoughts were much troubled for that men were so vnthankfull for that strange and happie deliuerance of our most gratious Queene from the dangerous conspiracies and practises of that time He was the speciall instrument and hand of God to bring many both godly and learned to the holy seruice of Christ in his Ministerie and to restraine and to reduce not a few from schisme and error striuing alwaies to retaine such in obedience of lawes and pretiouslie to esteeme and regard the peace of the Church and people of God When God had translated this Elias from vs then I sought to finde him in his workes for they doe liuely expresse the picture of his minde and heart and taste sweetly of that pure fountaine of God from whence they were deriued While he liued his lips often refreshed my soule when he was gone I lamented much that I had not in Christianitie made that vse of him that a Heathen doth of a naturall wise man in humanitie But now I praise God I haue found some good supplie of that which through mine owne neglâ—gence I wanted for of his workes which were then dispersed farre and neere but now by Gods prouidence the greatest and best part are come into my hands I can say for my content as much as Cyprian could say of his graue ancient and learned Tertullian both for speciall instruction and consolation He was no sooner gone from vs but some respecting gaine and not regarding godlinesse attempted forthwith to publish some fragments of his workes to the griefe that I say no more of many louing friends which haue long desired and expected the impression of all his workes And here could I wish all the godly learned were of M. Francis Iunius iudgement for hee to escape these hucksters handling endeuours wisely in his life time to preuent such a mischiefe For this cause M. D. Crooke a reuerend man for his learning and labour in the Church well deseruing of Gods people for the great loue hee bare him and desiring the good of many pervsed and corrected some part of these workes intending to reuiew the whole Now the Lord hath taken him also from vs and giuen him rest I haue endeuoured what I could to looke ouer the rest of all these workes and here I offer and recommend them to the Church of God in the best manner that I can after some labour and wearines I wanted not the helpe of diuers both godly and learned friends we haue conferred sundrie copies together and by good conference reuised and corrected all The Treatise of Counsels I found most distracted and corrupted Of many hundreds I selected these few and haue reduced them into this alphabeticall order desiring so to dispose them as that euery counsell might be set vnder one speciall head or argument whereunto it seemed to haue most reference As for example all of affections I couched vnder that title AFFECTIONS and all of afflictions vnder that title and so of the rest Of these Counsels I may anouch Christian Reader that thou shalt finde more experienced knowledge and more sound refreshing for thy soule in some one of them than in some one whole Sermon full of humane eloquence and affectation of stile which so many nice eares doe so much admire and yet still be learning and come but to a poore and meane taste and knowledge of the truth When this volume was finished and past the presse in reuiewing the whole for the correction of some verball faults I see and must confesse wee haue offended by our negligence not onely in the words but also in the matter yet so as I trust the louing and Christian readers will accept our endeuour without offence In the Counsels ye haue often this addition he thought this or he said that here I must request thee Christian reader not to iudge any such speeches to proceed from any pride or singularitie for that such obseruations as I suppose were collected and taken by others and not set downe by himselfe If his own hand had giuen these workes the last filing they might haue no doubt a farre more excellent forme and beautie But such were his trauels in his life time in preaching and comforting the afflicted that he could not possiblie leaue these workes as he desired In that one treatise of the Sabbath I found his owne hand with many corrections and yet not answering I am well assured his hearts desire There are foure yeeres past since I first purposed the collection and publishing of all these works Now thou hast good reader an impression of all which hitherto I haue collected in this forme thou seest that so by Gods good prouidence they may the better be reserued as a holy monument for posteritie Concerning which be aduertised againe good Christian that whereas some books serue well for the increase of knowledge in diuine mysteries in the causes and meanes of saluation yet thou must remember not to rest herein for many be rich in knowledge which be very poore and barren in obedience contented onely to looke on the end a farre off and thinking that when like Snailes they creepe in the way they be too forward and make too much haste to follow Christ. And againe whereas others labour much and to good purpose in books of controuersies against all the professed enemies of the Gospell this studie also hath not the like fruit in all sorts of people for howsoeuer some profit much this way the Church of God in the confutation of all the aduersaries of the Gospell yet in very many these bookes helpe little to godlines but rather fill the heads and hearts of men with a spirit of contradiction and contention as our common experience daily teacheth vs. This good seruant of Christ in all these workes doth not onely teach and informe the mind in sundry arguments handled in this volume concerning truth and error that so in iudgement wee might receiue
serue Gods prouidence Rehearse the second Commaundement Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen Image nor the likenesse c. What euill is expressely forbidden in this Commaundement I am forbidden to make any Image either to represent God or to worship him by What euill is generally forbidden I must auoide all inuentions and deuices of men in the outward worship of God which be contrarie or besides the written word of God Which be the speciall euills forbidden Chiefly all corruption in the substance of doctrine prayer Sacraments and discipline of the Church What occasions of euill be forbidden There be some which wee must necessarily auoyd vnlesse wee will fall into superstition and idolatrie and they be these 1. First to ioyne the false parts of worship with the true worship of God 2. Secondly to be present in bodie at idolatrous and superstitious seruice 3. Thirdly the reseruation of some speciall monument of superstition and idolatrie Which bee the lesser occasions forbidden and yet so wee haue the speciall groundes of Gods worship we must and may tolerate them when we cannot helpe them 1. First all vaine idle and superstitious Ceremonies 2. Secondly all keeping companie with false worshippers Is not the euill in heart also forbidden Yea so farre forth as I lust in my heart to haue any of them preuaile or be established What good is generally commaunded All the outward meanes of Gods worship which be agreeable to his written word What is specially commaunded I must vse such doctrine prayers Sacraments and discipline of the Church as bee agreeable to Gods word in the substance What occasions of good be here commaunded 1. First to haue and vse good bookes of the doctrine and history of the Church written according to Gods word 2. Secondly erecting and maintaining schooles of learning as nurseries of the ministerie 3. Thirdly sufficient prouision to be made for the Ministers of Gods word 4. Fourthly building and maintaining Churches and all things belonging thereunto 5. Fiâ—ly I must vâ—â—â—ll good ceremonies and orders agreeable to the word of God 6. Sixtly 〈◊〉 famiâ—â—â— company with the true worshippers of God What good in heart is commaunded I am commaunded to vse the meanes of Gods worship not onely outwardly but also in spirit and truth What is meâ—â—â— by these words For I the Lord thy God am a iealous God c That God will punish false worship in the false worshippers and in their posteritie vnto the â—â—â—rth generation What is meant by these wordâ— And will shew mercie vnto thousands c Thâ— God will blesse his true worship in the true worshippers and their posteritie vnto the thousand desâ—ent Wâ—â—t is â—â—â—â—â—â—â—f these The vse is to make false worshippe more vile and his true worship more pretious in our eyes 〈…〉 third Commaundement Thou â—â—â—â— not takethâ— Name of the Lord thy God in vaine c. What 〈…〉 forbidden 1. First 〈…〉 â—â—â—ning or â—ursing enchanting or coniuring 2. Secondly all 〈…〉 by false Gods or naming them with reuerence 3. Thirdly 〈…〉 swearing or speaking of GOD without reuerence 4. Fourthly to câ—use Gods Name to bee dishonoured by false Doctrine or vngodlie life 〈◊〉 in my â—â—â—â—â—r in others Wâ—at good is herein commaunded 1. First in matters concerning Gods glorie I must sweare by GOD onely in Iustice. Iudgement Truth 2. Secondly I must endeuour from my heart to growe vp in true knowledge and a godly life that so Gods Name may bee praised in my selfe and by mine example in others What is meant by these words For the Lord will not holde him guiltlesse c That God will certainely punish the dishonoring of his Name in any sort What is the vse of this The vse of this is to make vs more fearefull to dishonour him and more carefull to glorifie his Name Rekâ—â—â—â—â— the fourth Commandement Remember the Sabbath day to keepe it holie c. What is here generally commaunded I am commanded to make it my whole delight to sanctifie the holie Sabbath of the Lord from morning to night What is 〈…〉 commaunded 1 First to vse â—ll the publike meanes of Gods worship in the congregation of Gods people 2. Secondlie to reioyce to vse all such priuate exercises as may make the publike meanes â—â—â—â—â—table to my selfe and to others W 〈…〉 bee those priuate exercises 1. First the examining of my sinnes and wants priuate prayer reading of the Scriptures singing of Psalmes conference with others and applying all things to my selfe with a care to profite others 2. Secondly relieuing the needle visiting the sicke and them that be in prison comforting them that bee in any miserie reconciling them that be at variance admonishing the vnruly and such like What is especially commanded The spirituall beholding of the Creatures of God thereby to prouoke my selfe and others to praise him What else is A diligent searching of my heart with a like care to finde it out and to reape some profite of the forenamed meanes so that I may be the better for and through them What is then particularly forbidden 2. All such labours and pleasures in thought worde and deede are forbidden as may hinder mee and others for vsing of or profiting by the same meanes 2. Secondly the leauing 〈…〉 of those publike meanes or priuate exercises What is here generally forbidden The vsing either of those publike or priuate meanes in ceremonie without some good fruite in my selfe or care of fruite in others Rehearse the fift Commaundement Honour thy Father and thy Mother that thy dayes may be long in the Land c. Whom doe you vnderstand by father and mother By father and mother I doe not vnderstand onely my naturall parents but also those whom God hath set ouer me for my good as Magistrates Ministers Masters such like What duties doe children owe vnto their naturall parents Children ought reuerently and obediently to receiue the instructions commaundements and corrections of their parents to succour them and to pray for them What are they forbidden to doe To refuse or murmure at the instructions commandements and corrections of their parents or to neglect any dutie belonging to them How may they trie their loue by these duties They may trie whether their loue be right three wayes 1. First if they bee as desirous to doe all these duties to their parents as they would haue their parents to doe all duties vnto them What is the second 2. Secondly if they be as desirous to doe all duties to their parents as they would haue their children hereafter to honour them What is the third 3. Thirdly if they bee as willing to doe all these duties to their parents as they would receiue long life or any other blessing at the hands of God What duties doe parents owe to their children Parents ought to teach correct pray and prouide for their children How may they trie their loue by these duties They may
most full of Gods spirit he was then led to be tempted in the wildernesse when he was most furnished he was most tried On like manner when wee haue receiued some great gifts wee must looke both that the Lord for his part will take some triall of them and that Satan also watching for the richest pray and gaping for a man when he hopes to haue the best spoyle will for his part there vse the most force and cunning where he findeth the rarest and most notable seruants of God partly because he most enuieth them and partly for that by pride he thinketh soonest to inueigle them Wherefore if Gods children shall truly examine their owne hearts in this sinne they shall haue some testimonie and triall in themselues whether they bee thankfull for Gods mercies in truth or no if hauing receiued much they feare much and by how much the more they increase in gifts by so much they grow the more iealous ouer their thoughts wordes and deedes and sit as it were in the watch-tower of their hearts viewing to espie euen their least declinings Which thing if we could doe in trueth hee should not so haue the graces of God and feeling of the spirit by fits but both in greater measure and longer continuance the want of which heede taking to our selues constraineth the Lord to punish vs as I sayd with dulnes and deadnes of spirit thereby to preserue vs from viler sinnes which otherwise our pride and securitie would carrie vs headlong into And were it so that in reuerence and feare wee could attend more on the Lord we should not haue his good spirit so rare a guest vnto vs wee should finde the increase and returne of greater consolations than we haue Why doe men then so much marueile at the dulnes of minde comming on them after some rare feelings of the spirit and when they haue tasted ioyes glorious and vnspeakable and thinke that now all the fruites of Gods grace are as cleane gone away in them as if they neuer had tasted of the power of regeneration seeing vnthankfulnes is so ordinary and vsuall a sinne with vs But admit we haue some good witnesse of conscience and our heart telleth vs that we haue been thankfull then must we thinke that the Lord doth trie vs and will bring vs to acknowledge that the thing we had was his onely gift to giue and take away at his pleasure and that it came not from our selues as a thing to command at our becke Howbeit vsually and for the most part our vnthankfulnes is the cause of this dulnes Now albeit this kind of buffeting be grieuous vnto vs yet wee must not desire vtterly to be freed from it because by it our pride is cured For if that chosen vessell and seruant of the Lord Paul so abounding in graces of the spirit so frequent in fasting so often in prayer watchings and temptations could not preuaile against this sinne seeing by all these former waies hee could not subdue this corruption in the flesh we must not dreame and delude our selues that wee vsing nothing so many helpes of mortification should vtterly be rid from the same When the Lord then shall exercise vs with this pricke in the flesh although it is the messenger of Satan to buffet vs yet we must take hold on this to our comfort that the Lord disposeth and moderateth it and though wee be often and long assaulted with it yet still wee must mislike it we must still be grieued for it and pray in Christ against it we must tremble and hee humbled in our selues that wee should haue such strange and doubting thoughts of Gods wisedome power maiestie and prouidence c. and yet in such manner and measure as knowing it to be Gods mercie that by these meanes the Lord would keepe vs from more vile and enormous crimes Further and besides this the Lord giueth vs to see such monsters of the minde to forewarne vs and to make vs more afraid of falling into the outward action of sinne Thus wee haue often temptations of vnbeleefe to make vs to feare the falling from the faith we haue priuie discourses of Poperie to shew what a dangerous thing it were to be giuen ouer vnto Poperie wee haue often vile thoughts of adulterie murder and theft to driue vs more earnestly to pray that we neuer fall into thâ—â—e sinnes in action And for this cause they that will not make some holesome instruction of their inward temptations nor suspect their falling into the action of sinne by the affection of sin often fall for their pride suddenly into adulteries murthers thefts heresies poperie and such like Thus the Lord coÌ„meth by the messenger of Satan the pricke of the flesh to try vs whether wee will sticke to the word preached or to such suggestions ministred to tri our faith to confirme vs in the fauour of God when wee shall obtaine the fauour of God who often assisteth his children being humbled euen in most dangerous assaults and leaueth them being puft vp in the least temptations so as they fall that thereby they may know what helpe is of God and not of man And howsoeuer flesh and blood counteth this but a paradoxe yet sure it is that our case is worse when the Lord ceaseth by such meanes to â—â—ft fanne vs than when he holdeth vs from some profitable temptation for our exercise For we shall see many who desiring rather to â—e freed from the crosse than to reape the fruite of it although for the time wherein they endured their temptations at the first they were cleere and innocent yet afterward haue fallen most grieuously because they would not profit by those temptations which the Lord sent either to punish some sinne past not throughly repented of or to correct some sinne present not espied or to forewarne vs of sinne to come not suspected of vs â—ome haue been tempted to heresie some to pride some to worldlines who disdainfully looking at such thoughts as matters of no importance though they were before vnattainted of these euils yet now haue come to be heretikes proude persons worldlings This ought to teach vs then most to suspect our selues when wee thinke our estate safest And blessed is the mâ—n that fâ—â—reth alâ—â—â—es This numbnes of the soule striueth and striketh deeply euen against the ordinance of God for our saluation I meane the word the Sacraments and praier so that oftentimes our case standeth thus we thus say iâ—â— our selues If I heare the word so it is I feele no great want of it in receiuing the Sacraments I haue no pleasure in not receiuing them I haue no griefe If the exercises of religion priuate and publike bee vsed there is noâ— much good done if they bee omitted there is no great hurt done if I haue spare time I can goe vnto them if I haue neuer so little businesse I can keepe me away
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
perceiued and felt and of the former that there be two sorts the first which is most fearefull when any doe purposely resist the motions of God his spirit and wilfully refuse the meanes of their saluation Of the which the Prophet Zacharie speaketh chap. 7. vers 11 c. They refused to hearken and pulled away the shoulder and stopped their eares that they should not heare yea they made their heart as an Adamant stone least they should heare the Law and the words which the Lord of hostes sent in his spirit by the ministerie of the former Prophets The outragious sinne of these men the Prophet Esay expresseth in these their owne fearefull tearmes chap. 28. 15. We haue made a couenant with death and with hell are we at agreement though a scourge runne ouer and passe through it shall not come at vs for we haue made falsehood our refuge and vnder vanitie are we hid This was a fearefull estate indeede yet for all that no man can say but some of those hauing so hardened their hearts might be and were afterwards conuerted The other kinde of hardnes of heart which is not felt nor perceiued or if perceiued yet not felt which albeit it is lesse fearefull yet it is dangerous enough is in such as although they wilfully resist not God his spirit in good means yet securely carelesly willingly they lie in sinne without any remorse of it or true taste of good things Such was Dauids state by the space of a yeere before Nathan the Prophet came to proue him and rouse him from his lulled sleepe Both these kindes I am perswaded you are free from otherwaies than in temptation Sathan may sometimes moue you thereunto The other kinde and hardnes of heart which is perceiued and felt is of two sorts the one in them which are desirous of meanes whereby they may be relieued although they do finde small or no ease in themselues for a time Of this kinde the Prophet Esay in the name of some of God his people complained Esay 63. 15. And such was Dauids state after that Nathan had reprooued him and God his spirit began â—â— worke with him yet crieth he out as you heard before of the losse of God his graces and when he saith that God will accept of no sacrifices be they neuer so many or pretious without a contrite heart and broken spirit he sheweth that for a time euen after the Prophet had reproued him he wanted both This is your case and therefore you are in the state of saluation for Dauid was in this case euen after he had confessed his sinne and had receiued absolution pardon from God by the ministerie of Nathan although he neither felt ioy thereof nor true griefe for the other yet because in truth of heart he confessed his sinne as my trust is you doe and was certainely perswaded of the pardonablenes of it by God his mercie as you must be if you will haue mercie although he was far off from feeling it or applying it to his wofull conscience his state was good and very well to bee hoped of And you must knowe and bee perswaded that those things which are written of God his Saints and namely of Dauid and Peter and such others are ensamples for vs if wee will stay our selues vpon the word of God in the ministerie of his seruants and waite vpon the Lords good time vntill he come neerer vnto vs by his spirite neerer I say for he is come already vnto you or it may be he neuer went from you because to be grieued and humbled with blindnes of minde and hardnes of heart to belieue certainely the truth of God his promises in generall and to reuerence the seruants of God which bring the glad tidings of saluation and to long after comfort vsing the meanes of the Word and Prayer the Sacrament of the Supper and the company of God his children contrarie to hope vnder hope yea without any present feeling all this is a certaine argument that God his spirit is with such and therefore with you This estate though it may be very grieuous yet it is neuer dangerous much lesse is it fearfull vnlesse any be so wilfull that they doe perseuere and continue in desperate refusing all good meanes vnlesse they perseuere I say for that through the subtill sleight of the spirituall aduersarie and his forcible power whereby God suffereth him sometimes for a season to winnowe them as Wheate they are so bewitched and intoxicated that they are carried by violent force of temptation to waxe wearie of or to refuse all meanes of comfort by fits yea almost to haue no desire at all vnto them yea sometimes euen to speake euill of them But all this is but in temptation and therefore God will be mercifull vnto them for Christ his sake Thus Iob cursed the day of his birth and wished to be strangled Ieremie also repented that euer he preached in the Name of the Lord both scarcely abstained from blasphemy Dauid moued with the spirit of ambition thogh dutifully admonished wilfully went on in numbring the people Peter also vaingloriously presuming of his owne strength being most wisely and effectually premonished of his weaknes euen by our Lord Iesus yet wittingly rusheth as an horse into the battell and then very cowardly yeeldeth yea doubly denieth yea strengtheneth his sinne with a threefold corde and fasteneth it with banning and cursing And yet all these obtained mercie most bountifully For why as Satâ—aÌ„ had desired to winnow them so our Lord IESVS CHRIST prayed for them that their Faith thogh it were vehemeÌ„tly assaulted yet should not be ouercome although it was battered yet that it should not be destroyed and though it were sore oppressed that it should not be extinguished And heere be you fully perswaded that though Luk. 22. 32. the words seeme to runne as belonging but to Peter viz. I haue prayed for thee that thy Faith should not faile yet that hee prayed as well for the rest of the Apostles yea for all the faithfull For first he saith not Simon Sathan hath desired to winnow thee but you Why then saith he I haue prayed for thee Verily because he should more grieuously offend then the rest although their offence was very great therefore his and our most blessed Sauiour applyed to him the promise but did not impropriate it to him onely and restraine it from the rest Compare with this place Ioh. 17. 20. and you shall see that the heauenly veritie affirmeth that he prayed not only for the Apostles but for all those which should belieue through their word Yea further our Lord Iesus Christ was yesterday is to day and shall be for euer And as the fore-fathers were baptized into him and did eate his Flesh and drinke his bloud so was his prayer effectuall euen vnto them vnder the law much more vnto vs vnder grace And wheÌ„ you can finde testimony of your heart that when you would doe well
such was Dauids state After that Nathan had reproued him and Gods spirit beganne to worke with him yet hee crieth out as yee heard before of the losse of Gods graces and when hee saith that God will accept of no Sacrifices bee they neuer so manie nor precious without a contrite heart and broken spirit he sheweth that for a time euen after the Prophet had reproued him hee wanted both This is your case and therefore you a in the state of saluation For Dauid was in this case euen after he had confessed his sin and had receiued absolution and pardon from God by the ministerie of Nathan although he neuer felt ioy thereof nor true griefe for the other yet because in trueth of heart he confessed his sinne as my trust is you doe and was certainely perswaded of the pardonablenes of it by Gods mercy although he was farre off from the feeling of it or applying it to his wofull conscience his state was good and very well to be hoped of And you must know to be perswaded that those things which are written of Gods Saints and namely of Dauid and Peter and such others are examples for vs if we will stay our selues vpon the word of God in the ministerie of his seruants and waite vpon the Lords good time till he come neerer vnto vs by his spirit neerer I say for he is come alreadie vnto you or it may be he neuer went from you because to be grieued and humbled with blindnesse of minde and hardnesse of heart to beleeue certainely the truth of Gods promises in generall and to reuerence the seruants of God which bring the glad tidings of saluation and to long after the comforts vsing the meanes of the word and prayer the Sacraments of the Supper and the company of Gods children contrarie to hope vnder hope yea without any present feeling all this is a certaine argument that Gods spirit is with such and therefore with you This estate although it be very grieuous yet it is neuer dangerous much lesse is it fearefull vnlesse any be so wilfull that they perseuere and continue desperate refusing all good meanes vnlesse they perseuere I say for that through the spirituall aduersarie and his forcible power whereby God suffereth him sometime for a season to winnow them as wheate they are so bewitched and intoxicated that they are carried by violent force of temptation to waxe wearie of or to refuse all meanes of comfort by fits yea almost to haue no desire at all vnto them yea sometimes to speake very euill of them but all this is but temptation and therefore God will be mercifull vnto them for Christs sake Thus Iob cursed the day of his birth and wished to be strangled Ieremie almost repented that euer he preached in the name of the Lord both scarcely abstaine from blasphemie Dauid mooued with the spirit of ambition though dutifull admonished wilfully went on in numbring the people Peter also vaingloriously presuming of his owne strength being most wisely and effectually preadmonished of his weakenes euen by our Lord Iesus yet wittingly rushing as a horse into the battaile euen then very cowardly yeeldeth yea doubly denieth yea strengtheneth his sinne with a threefold cord and fasteneth it with bannings and cursings and yet for all these he obtained mercie most bountifully For why as Sathan had desired to winnow them so our Lord Iesus prayed for them that their faith though it was vehemently assaulted yet should not be ouercome although it was bartered yet that it should not be destroyed and though it was oppressed yet that it should not be extinguished And here be you fully perswaded that albeit Luke 22. 31. the words seeme to runne as belonging but to Peter viz. I haue praied for thee that thy faith should not faile yet he prayed for the rest of the Apostles yea for all the faithfull For first he saith not Simon Satan hath desired to winnow thee but you Why then saith he I haue praied for thee Verily because he should more grieuously offend than the rest although their offence was very great therefore his our most blessed Sauiour applied to him the promise but did not appropriate it vnto him onely and restraine it from the rest Compare with this place Iohn 17. 20. and you shall see that the heauenly veritie affirmeth that he prayed not onely for the Apostles but for all those that should beleeue through their word yea further Our Lord Iesus Christ was yesterday is to day and shall be for euer And as the forefathers were baptized into him did eate his flesh and did drinke his blood so was his prayer effectuall euen to them vnder the law much more to vs vnder grace And when you can finde testimonie in your heart that when you would doe well euill is present with you and that you doe the euill you would not then do not you it but sinne in you when it leadeth you captiue much more when Sathan workes withall buffetting you assure your selfe that God hath pitie on you that the vertue of his power shall be perfect in your weakenes If you beleeue according to your faith it shal be done vnto you But you will say you cannot beleeue that this vile crocked hardnes of your heart can be remitted and renewed and euen this was the second point which in the former part of my letter I gaue you to vnderstand was the cause of your excessiue distresse I beseech you I charge you in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that you will not willingly lie nor offer iniurie to Gods spirit or to your selfe who hath receiued it Tell mee what is the reason why you thinke you haue no faith Verely because you haue no feeling nor any other fruites thereof as you thinke Well first then agree with me herein as you must if you will not disagree with the truth that feeling is but an effect and fruit of faith and therefore there may be faith without feeling as well as the cause may bee without the effect and the tree without any appearance of fruite yea of sappe for a season And as a man sore wounded and diseased may for a season be depriued almost of all operations of the naturall life to the outward shew and to his owne iudgement and feeling so may a spirituall man bee sore wounded by Satan and diseased by the present feeling of his sinfull corruptions specially in temptations that he may thinke yea appeare to others that the life of the spirit is not in him Thus Peters faith did not wholy faile as you haue heard or else the prayer of our Sauiour preuailed not Thus when Dauid declared that his heart was vncleane or his spirit crooked or vnstable and that he had lost the ioy of his saluation and the spirit of libertie or adoption yet hee prayeth that God would not take his holy spirit from him therefore he was not
partly of those which were done after our calling Euery man especially hauing his reason reformed by the word of God will graunt an examination of the life before our true knowledge of God in Christ to be most needfull But it may be some will thinke that we neede not to be so precise in the searching of those sinnes which were after our knowledge But seeing of all other sinnes these bite forest and pierce deepest for that they are aggrauated with all the mercies of God going before and sinne is then most sinfull when after we know the trueth after we haue beene deliuered from sinne after we haue beene inlightened with the grace of God we haue fallen into it I thinke that an examination most specially ought to be had of these sinnes Wherfore to iterate our former examples in a new matter as we may see the former kinde of examining of our sinnes before our calling in the sonnes of Iacob so we haue a patterne of the latter in the practise of the Prophet Dauid who at the hearing of his sinnes was so troubled in his spirit that he could not rest in the Prophets speech telling him that his sinne was forgiuen him but still was disquieted as one vtterly forsaken of God and could finde no comfort of Gods spirit in him For as it fareth often with sores it commeth to passe in sinnes we are loath to haue our wounds often grated vpon we cannot so well away to haue our sores rifled feared and lanced but fedde with healing salues so we are hardly brought to haue our consciences ground or our sinnes ransacked sifted searched and ripped vp but would still haue them plaistered with sweet promises and bathed in the mercies of God whereas it is farre safer before incarnatiue and healing medicines to vse corrosiue and mundifying waters without which though some sores may seeme to close and skin vp apace yet they proue worse and being rotten still at the core they haue aboue a thin skin and vnderneath dead flesh In like manner we would cloake we would hide and couer our sinnes as it were with a curtaine but it is more sound Chirurgerie to pricke pearce our consciences with the burning iron of the Law and to cleanse the wound of the soule by sharpe threatnings least that a skin pulled ouer the conscience for a while we leaue the rotten corruption vncured vnderneath and so we be constrained to cry out of our sinnes openly As it is a folly then to dissemble our sores whilest they be curable and after to make them known when they be growne vncurable so it is as great folly to dissemble our sinnes whilest they may be remedied so after be constrained with shame to blaze them abroad when thou maist think them remediles But of this by the way because we shall more largely touch it in the last part to come It is sufficient to commit sinne before knowledge but after some good light of the spirit to sinne breedeth either hardnesse of heart or a troubled spirit both which we shall auoid if in trueth we be carefull to watch ouer our affections and beware that after our deliuerie we fall not into sinne againe Seuerall men subiect to seuerall sinnes haue their seuerall checkes in their consciences some are ouercome with wrath and yet after the moodie fit they can tell that the wrath of man doth not accomplish the righteousnesse of God some are subiect to lust and afterwards they say it profiteth them nothing some are giuen to a continuall course of vanitie who notwithstanding can say that mans life hath another ende some slippe deepely into worldlinesse yet they be often weakened with most terrible checks of conscience Well blessed are they whose hearts be truely grieued and let them beware that make daliance with sinne for either hardnesse of heart will ouertake them or a troubled conscience will confound them Wherefore it comes to passe that many spending their bodies on lust lament that euer they so abused their strength many giuen too much to the pleasure of this life had griefe come vpon them to remember how they haue spent Gods graces lauished his good gifts and mispent their time or else if they haue not this griefe they fall into voluptuousnesse and draw such a thicke skin vpon their hearts as will cause the strongest denouncings of Gods iudgements to rebound be they driuen on neuer so hard And sure it is the sinne of this world that men being controlled in their consciences whilest they are a praying and feele a secret charge laide against them to beware of guile in buying and selling either haue these checks lesse and lesse and so they grow to be prophane or else afterward they are wonderfully wounded that they haue beene â—o worldly so greedily pursuing earthly things so coldly procuring heauenly things Thus euen our priuie thoughts not profited by are breeders of farther trouble Now the remedie against this trouble is willingly and wiâ—tingly not to cherish sinne to wish that the Minister should touch our most priuie and secret sinnes to be glad priuatly to be admonished to profit by our enemies when they do reproch vs and rather to desire in such a case to be humbled than to suffer our selues to be flattered This trying of ourselues must yet stretch it selfe further not onely to the committing of euill but also to the omitting of good As when after some good working and feeling of the spirit we begin to fight and conflict with our owne consciences saying though I must pray I must haue time also to prouide for my familie if I goe to heare the word of God surely I shall be in danger to loose this profit if I thus attend vpon the exercises of religion I shall be cut short in the vse of my pleasures Wherefore it shall be good to search our harts not onely in the carelesse not vsing of the meanes but also in the negligent watching ouer the fruites of the meanes saying to ourselues in this maner I haue heard a Sermon but alas without any feeling or working vpon my affections I haue beene praying but with no power of the spirit I haue receiued the sacrament but without those ioyes glorious and vnspeakable which I was wont to taste of I saw the discipline of the Church executed but without any feare of sinne at all in my selfe or compassion to the member censured And here I dare for my owne obseruation assuredly affirme that outward sinnes haue not beene at sometime so grieuous to Gods children as that they haue some times vsed the meanes with little reuerence and with lesse fruite And no maruell we shall see many men at some times not so much grieued for their sicknesse it selfe as for that they haue either willingly neglected the means which might haue preserued their health or that they haue abused the Physicke that might haue restored their health to them
feele that the seede of God his Spirit may bud foorth that both we and they ioyning together in deuout prayer and Christian practise of our profession may call and allure others as yet further from vs to come neerer to vs. But some will say vnto me I was wont to haue better dispositions and to feele sweeter motions than I haue done of late I profit little or nothing nay I feare rather I goe backe Why I pray you is this I say surely God his spirit worketh not in me as he hath done before because I cannot haue such delight in the word such sweetnes in feruent prayer such ioy in the Sacraments I haue not such a plentifull measure of God his spirit in me Now followeth the second thing in these words Vpon flesh Here are two things in nature opposite one against another the one most pretious the other most vile What more pretious than the Spirit of God what more vile than flesh that is than a man meerely vnregenerate That this word flesh so signifieth it appeareth Genes 6. 3. where the Lord saith My spirit shall not alwaies striue with men because he is but flesh that is such as in whom my image is blotted out And Rom 7. 18. the Apostle saith I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing In which place the Apostle speaketh of himselfe as of a man meerely naturall and vnregenerate And Ioh. 3. 6. it is said That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that that is borne of the Spirit is Spirit Where the antithesis and contrarietie doth shewe the meaning of this word flesh Here then is the depth height length and breadth of God his mercie commended vnto vs in giuing his holie spirit to sinful flesh and therefore we may iustly crie out with the Prophet Psal. 8. 4. what is man that thou art mindfull of him and the sonne of man that thou visitest him Oh what is man that the Lord should giue him his Spirit If the man of God cried out thus for the benefit of outward things how much rather are we to crie for the benefit of God his Spirit If Iob in his booke reasoneth that it is a great mercie of God that he will take paines to chastice man how much more mercie is it when he will vouchsafe his Spirit to be giuen vnto him If then flesh is so contemptible a thing that it lieth without all honour vntil God doth send his blessed Spirit here is confuted the doting opinion of the Papists who think that there is some good thing in man which moueth the Lord through a liking and louing of him to bestow these inestimable graces of the spirit on him when as of it selfe it is wholy alwaies and in al things corrupt and onely euill continually Wherein these blinde Diuines shew and bewray themselues not to haue tasted truly at any time of the spirit of God but to glance at it with some glimmering sight to their further condemnatiō as the foolish Philosophers For God his people doe plainly feele and to the glorie of God boldly confesse that there is no first degree or preparation in themselues whereby they might moue the Lord once to cast his fauourable countenance towards them but that it is onely the merit and the vndeserued mercy of God that his spirit which worketh any good proceedings in them doth also begin in them and the same spirit both continueth the worke and maketh a way for the worke which he himselfe must worke vpon afterward It is said Esay 44. 3. I will powre water vpon the thirstie and flouds vpon the drie ground where our nature for barrennes is compared to drie ground and the Spirit to a fountaine of water The Lord moreouer by his Prophet sheweth that vntill by his good spirit he doth soften vs wee haue stonie hearts And can a stone bleede though you bruise cut and breake it in peeces Surely no more can wee bee bruised humbled and broken in heart for sinne be the iudgements of God neuer so sorely vrged vpon vs vntill God by his good spirit touch vs. If it bee then a great worke to turne a stone into flesh to make a thing most insensible most sensible then surely to make a stonie heart fleshie and our hearts that are hardened to melt bleede and to be resolued into teares is a more excellent worke and this is the onely worke of God his spirit And as thus much wee haue spoken for doctrine so also it may make for our consolation and for the comfort of al them that are broken in minde and feele the burthen of their naturall corruption True it is that all generally and naturally are flesh drie ground and hard hearts but all doe not feele this all see not this all lament not this and therefore all that haue not the beginnings of faith and haue not tasted the first fruites of the spirit because they are but flesh how can they feele any thing in themselues But when the spirit commeth that hardnes is taken away the vale is rent and then wee begin to complaine of our deadnes and dulnes then wee will crie out of our selues as of men vnworthie of any grace or fauour of God Then remember to thy comfort the couenant of God made vnto vs that is that God will powre out his spirit on flesh and thou shalt receiue of the power thereof if thou complaine in truth and not as a Parrat counterfeiting the worke of reason For as some birds can counterfeite mens wordes so some men can counterfeite God his words If then thou art not truly moued and purely affected neither feelest such gratious working in thee as thou desirest remember that God will powre his spirit on flesh God will powre waters on drie ground God will soften the hard hearts and though in our selues wee finde no towardnes the Lord will send flouds of water in steed of drinesse and fleshinesse in stead of hardnes and comfort in stead of heauines Now followeth the third thing that is that this benefit shall vniuersally be powred out vpon all And this setteth out the goodnesse of God that doth giue it in that he doth it without respect of persons as well on children as on fathers as well on seruants as on masters as well on women as on men as well on young as on olde together with the fourth thing in that this heauenly gift shall in plentifull measure bee powred out in that the ions and daughters shall prophecie the young men shall see visions and the olde men shall dreame dreames Wherein we obserue first the difference betweene the Law and the Gospell betweene the Fathers vnder the Law and those that are vnder the Gospell We grant that we al had one substance of faith and repentance only they looked for Christ to come we to Christ alreadie come And here are to be noted two other differences the one that then the spirit was giuen to
iudgement for a sinne in another man and wee can point out euery part of it lay this sinne to our selues and we can say nothing So that we see it is easie to know sinne but it is hard to feele the practise against it Let vs not then let the harnesse hang on the wal but let vs put it on Here marke one thing that it is a policie of the diuell to perswade vs there is no diuell as it is the policie of wizards to perswade vs that there are no witches And so as hee comes at the first as a sillie Serpent whilest he would creepe in but after hee prooues a roring Lion when he is once entred yet let vs beware wee feare not too much for that emboldeneth the enemie For as man feareth man keeping courage and is pursued without courage nay as bruite beasts are bolder by seeing one which feareth them so the diuell is the bolder if hee seeth vs afraide of them And besides that feare drieth vp the blood and weakeneth nature it doth also depriue vs of faith in God his prouidence which doth assure vs that Satans power is all by deâ—iuation and limitation it cannot touch the bodie without permission much lesse the soule which is manifest for that witches though they preuaile in pettie and little things yet when they come to great points they can doe nothing So singular a presaruatiue to the godly is the prouidence of God as the Vnâ—cornes horne to the inferiour beasts But we wil herein strengtheÌ„ our faith that the crosse of Christ hath triumphed against Satan for the godly Coloss 2. and therefore if hee now aâ—sault vs he doth cure rather than slay vs. For as an enemy oft by Gods goodnesse thrusts his sword into an vlcer rather to purge that which would haue bred death than to kill so oft God purposeth to cure vs of the impostumation of pride euen by the malice of Satan so wonderfully can hee drawe good out of euill The diuell brings vnrighteousnesse wee alleage righteousnesse he brings terrour of conscience we meete him with peace he offers vanitie we refuse it with truth he comes roring we auoide it by praying Wherefore that proclamation must bee made here that was in the Israelities armie that is that those that are feareful returne home and beware how they come into this conflict And let vs oppose to the strength of Satan the strength of Christ who being our head shepheard wil not suffer vs to miscarrie though wee seeme to be in the wolues mouth and that in the deepe valley of death But what of all this harnesse It must be put on We shall see oft none so weake in affection as they that haue much knowledge Who will better declaime against anger generally than the angrie man Who is more seuere against wantonnes in education than a most shamelesse harlot Why doe men thinke others blessed being troubled in minde and count themselues cursed being in it All this is because wee haue harnesse but vse it not In the euill day The day of temptation is called an euill day because the temptation is euill Iames calleth it a good day and that wee must reioyce in it and it is so in respect of God his wisedome turning it to good So that this may bee a good day and euill day in diuers respects Hauing finished all Luk. 4. After Christ was tempted the diuell went away for a season though that temptation ceased yet he pursued him with afflictions And though as children of the mariage the dint and edge of temptation be blunted to vs yet the enemie still enuieth vs. And therefore we had aboue all neede of perseuerance no daunger like to that which is in the ende When thou hast ouercome the popish diuell the worldly diuell comes Hast thou ouercome the swearing diuell then the lying diuell comes Hast thou ouercome the filthie diuell the worldly diuel comes Hast thou ouercome all these diuels the proud diuels come That thou maist stand This is a promise and we shall not faile of this armour of proofe nor of the profit of it And so as wee are exhorted to put on the armour so wee shall haue the fruite of it by standing so we still pray Da Domine quod iubes iube quod vis Thus Christians by faith and standing fast in the euil day must change the other euill nature of affliction into a good qualitie still being mindfull to comfort themselues in this that the Euangelicall exhortations giue by promise through the holy Spirit a certaine strength to doe the thing commanded the Law leauing vs in our weakenes Againe to the armour Stand. We must alwaies be in a readines and at the first call what time of yeere moneth day or night soeuer the aduersarie prouokes vs. He begins with the girdle because in former ages as there were diuers manners of eating sitting or warring so Paul here speaks of such things as were vsed theÌ„ The girdle is not now which was theÌ„ vsed as we haue some armour familiar to vs vnknowne to them as gunnes c. The vse of the girlde was to gird fast the nether parts this is Truth which is not takeÌ„ for the whole word as Ioh. 17. but for a sincere and vpright heart or for faithfulnes And as we take faith either for our faithfulnes to God or Gods faithfulnes to vs so truth meaneth sometime vpright dealing either from God â—o vs or from vs to God Truth is counted then for a true performance as Roman 2. The iudgements of God are with truth that is faithfulnes Al the waies of the Lord are mercie and truth that is a performaÌ„ce of his mercie Well here it is not spoken of that truth which is the word but of vprightnes of heart and sinceritie Againe the truth of the word is after spoken of and here can be no vaine repetition Well as the girdle knits all together on the bodie so the vprightnes of heart is the band of all vertues and hypocrisie is as a wide or loose sacke wherein nothing can tarrie This vprightnes of minde is in diuers places as Psalm 32. Blessed is the man who with comfort in his remission of sinnes without guile laboureth for a godly life The same commendation is Psal. 15. and 24 and 119. This is a thing accompanied with blessednesse by Christ his owne words Matth. 5. The Author of the Hebrues willeth him that comes to God to come with a pure heart the want of which integritie is reprehended in the Iewes Iam. 4. But what of all these porches to such an house Surely because a true heart â—urseth all graces to the end and the false heart dissipateth all gifts and disgraceth such hypocrites Psal. 125. vprightnes of heart is such a thing that the Prophet specially prayes for such as haue it and leaues them in God his iudgement that want it Psal. 119. Then shall I not be confounded when my heart is vpright Portion 10. vers
those Elders which are appointed to watch and looke to the manners and behauior of the children of God if they execute this charge faithfully be had in double honour but aboue all let the faithfull Ministers such as labour in the word be honoured for why the other are ouerseers of your outward behauior but these haue an other manner of office they watch ouer your soules which tendeth to the saluation both of body and soule Moreouer it is requisite that they also feare the Minister or else can they in no ease reuerence and honour him for where feare is not all honour is absent and so consequently all dutie extinguished And this feare must not be a fained and counterfeited feare but when he shall come before the Minister to aske him any question he must consider that he commeth to talke with the messenger of the Lord whom he ought to heare as well as if the Lord himselfe were present For this is most certaine where a faithful Minister is that doth sincerely and purely preach the word it is all one as if the Lord himselfe dwelt personally among vs and his owne selfe hath verified the same saying He that heareth you heareth me And therefore it behooueth vs to giue a proofe of our feare loue and obedience towards the Lord by receiuing his word with such feare and reuerence as beseemeth his subiects although the same proceede out of a mortall mans mouth It is a common thing among vs the Embassadour of a Prince is receiued with great honour reuerence yea his message is to be receiued as vndoubtedly as if the King were present himself yea they that shall despise his authoritie shall be as hainously accounted of as if they resisted and rebelled against the Kings owne person And shall the Embassadours of the liuing God who is King of all Kings be receiued lesse worthily than the other whose authoritie is both greater and the message waightier Truly whosoeuer shall take scorne to yeeld this dutie of feare and reuerence vnto the Minister let him be assured that he scorneth not him but the Lord that sent him But some will obiect what shall we make a God of our Minister and is he so to be feared as you say I answere thee that I meane nothing lesse nay I hold him accursed that shal chalenge such dignity vnto himselfe But this feare must ye yeeld not to the person but to his office which is by the word of God to remit your sinnes and to giue you assurance that they are washed away by the blood of Christ if you be truly penitēt for them and that you are made heires of the kingdome of heauen whereof you need not to doubt On the contrarie if you be not penitent by his office hee hath authoritie to binde sinnes here on earth iustly to euerlasting condemnation which the vnpenitent may be as sure to suffer as they see the light of the day feare him therefore I say not as he is a man but as the Minister of God With what a reuerend feare did the Galathians receiue Paul his owne selfe doth report that they receiued him as an Angell of God yea more than so they receiued him as Iesus Christ himselfe And that was not for the excellencie of his person which hee testifieth was simple base vile and to all the world contemptible yea and subiect to all infirmities but they receiued him with such feare and reuerence for that excellent message which hee brought vnto them for those glad tidings which hee published among them and for that hee was a Minister of the Gospell of Iesus Christ which is the power of God to saue all the beleeuers Thus reuerently must all Gods children feare their Minister euen for the worthines of his office and ministery for if they should not feare him they could not in any case obey the word when hee doth sharply reproue them for their sinnes but euen as a light wife so long as her husband pleaseth her so long and no longer will she be obedient vnto him for if he shew a sharp countenance of very loue to driue her from some lewd cōditions then will she begin to scorne to fret and chafe and in stead of obeying him she will deadly hate him and despise him so is it with the people if they stand not in feare of the authority which God hath giuen him they will obey him no longer than he preacheth pleasant things for when he shall touch their consciences with threatning the iudgemēts of God against their sin then can they not abide him but harden their hearts not against him but against the Lord which hath sent him and so fall away to their vtter destruction the children of God must therefore feare their Minister and be obedient to the word of truth which hee bringeth vnto them When the people are come thus farre that they will willingly obey the Minister and that with feare and reuerence submit themselues to bee guided by the pure word of God they must shew further their dutifulnes towards him and must also bee readie to doe for him whatsoeuer lieth in their power which thing S. Paul earnestly desireth of the Thessalonians Wee beseech you brethren that yee acknowledge them which labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonish you that you haue them in singular loue for their workes sake Where the holy Ghost sheweth a reason why they should acknowledge their Ministers which carefully faithfully doe execute their office which is for their workes sake his exhortation is in effect thus much Brethren this one thing doe I heartily craue at your hands that you be not so obliuious as to forget those which labour among you in the Lord and are by his appointment euen of great mercie towards you placed ouer you to the end they may admonish you of your sinnes and to stirre you vp by the word of God to a more zeale of the glorie of God and to walke more circumspectly before him I beseech you I say be not forgetfull of them but haue them in a singular loue yea let nothing be dearer vnto you than such for this worke sake which they haue taken in hand for I tell you truly there is no labour vnder the Sunne so profitable vnto you as this which bringeth not store of corruptible siluer and gold not large kingdomes and empires of this world which shall perish and come to an end but this profit commeth of their labour euen the saluation of your soules such a treasure as all the world no not a thousand worlds are comparable vnto it for this cause loue them Besides this it is their dutie also to prouide for him all things necessarie for that he may haue to supplie his want at their hands as we may by diuers places of the Scripture proue In the 6. to the Galathians the Apostle giueth this commandement Let him that is taught
defiled ought to prouoke vs to the beautie of the Creator which is infinite wee must testifie our humilitie our pietie our chastitie and our vpright affections by them Our eares which haue been more carried away with the vaine chaunting of Papists than with the reuerent singing of the Church haue more greedily attended on lies than on the truth that haue heard sinne without griefe and filled themselues with vnchast songs must so be framed and fashioned anewe as wee lend them onely to the word to gracing speeches to chast communication willingly and whatsoeuer wee shall heare contrarie to these to stop them vp and to make knowne our heartie misliking of them Our tongues haue in time past either in praying ignorantly vainly and superstitiously or in not praying at all in abusing the name of God in vnreuerent vncharitable vnchast vntrue speeches set themselues against the Lord and his people now they are to bee the spokesmen of our hearts in vnderstanding in truth in sinceritie praying to the Lord they must be the most glorious aduancers of God his glory they must be dipped and seasoned with salt with grace with reuerence with meekenes chastitie and truth as the vnâ—eined witnesses of a renewed minde Our hands hauing been lift vp to false gods being full of blood violence concupiscence briberie deceit and false dealing are now to bee stretched out to the true God and to shewe forth his power in relieuing the needie in giuing of almes in helping the afflicted in punishing all filthines briberie and falsehood vnto the vttermost Lastly our feete that haue runne so swiftly to sacring and to the resurrection that haue runne so fast to Idoll seruice to huntings bearebaitings and enterludes on the Sabbath day that haue beene so full of contemptuous disobedience so readie to shed blood so swift and nimble in dauncing so expert in carying the things of other men must now runne to the Church of God to the hearing of the word to offer pure prayers to receiue the Sacraments and must now run as fast froÌ„ those prophane exercises on the Lords day they must now carrie vs to prisons to sick persons to the house of moruning we must from henceforth number our steps and order them a right to the glorie of God and the good of our brethren Thus it behoueth vs to doe that will make claime with comfort to the death and resurrection of Christ namely as we desire to haue our sinnes pardoned by his crosse so must we desire to haue our sinnes in some measure pared away by the vertue of his crosse and as wee desire to haue the imputation of Christ his righteousnes by his resurrection so must wee pray for the coÌ„munication of his holines in some measure to worke in vs righteousnes by the power of his resurrection laboring from henceforth to haue our conuersation in heauen and being risen with Christ to seeke those things that are aboue where Christ fitteth at the right hand of God Colloss 3. 1. But alas many men would haue him a Christ to answere for their sinnes that they may be iustified but they labour not that hee should crucifie sinne in them whereby they might be mortified and what is this but to make a mock of Christ And yet I do not here mind to exclude the forgiuenes of sinne by Christ nay I rather graunt a continuall forgiuenes of sinne through Christ adding only this that as we desire to haue our sinnes pardoned so wee should desire to haue them purified Neither do I dreame of being cleane without sinne or of any imagined perfection in this life but I require that we should not wittingly and willingly lye in sinne and though we cannot come to perfection yet to striue to come to perfection For we are said to be new creatures not in being perfitly renewed but in that we are in renewing and finding the remnants of sinne withstanding the worke of new birth wee looke for Christ a Redeemer to make an end of sinne in vs. Wherfore we must beware of the doctrine of heretikes imagining great things of perfection as also of the prophanenes of hypocrites and dissembling professors we must neither be too righteous nor too sinfull neither too wise nor too foolish neither to looke for Christ alone to be without vs neither to imagine any spirituall Christ to be within vs neither with proud heretikes must wee please our selues with any indwelling righteousnes neither must we rest in Christ without new birth as the drousie Protestants for if thou liest in sinne thou art not in Christ because old things are gone and new things haue succeeded their place It is maruellous that the wretched heretikes cannot see their imperfections when they still hunger and eate thirst and drinke sometimes subiect to sicknes sometime needing marriage and dying as well as other men all which things should be laid from them if they were perfitly inâ—â—â—sted in Christ and alreadie had entred into the kingdome of glorie where wee shall neither neede to eate to drinke to sleepe where we shall neither marrie nor giue in marriage there dwelleth incorruption and immortalitie No more than are they perfit in this life than they neede not these outward things and still they shall shew themselues vnperfit whilest they shall shew themselues to stand in neede of them We then grone here vnder infirmitie hope for our perfection in the life to come and this is the excellencie of Christiana But where is this wisedome where is this faith in Christ his righteousnes where is this new heart new minde and new affections where be these new bodies where is this bold courage in persecution and comfortable looking for Iesus Christ to come a Redeemer so that with a ioyfull heart we can thinke of our resurrection Alas we are as yet but chickens we are but as children we are but as babes in Christ and tender nouices yet cleaâ—ing to the cradle and sticking to our swadling bands and well are we if we so be and labour still to grow on But let vs further consider of the wordes of the Apostle In Christ Iesus neither circumcision auaileth any thing nor vncircumcision Wee haue heard before that the false Apostles and secret supplanters of Paules preaching did not mislike that the Gospell should bee preached but therewithall they would induce Moses his gouernement and the discipline of the Iewish traditions Against this mixture of the Lawe and the Gospell of Moses and Christ the Apostle beateth fearing least a little leauen would sowre a great piece of dowe Against such the teachers of our times had neede to preach for many make a mingle mangle of religion neither flat Papists nor sound ProtestaÌ„ts who not for any conscience sake but for the easing of their flesh prouide a safe shelter against the stormes of persecution The Iewes reioyced in that they were circumcised the Gentiles reioyced in that they were not circumcised but both reioyced amisse saith the Apostle in
your conscience to make the vse of them profitable to yourselfe in the particular practise thereof Vers. 16. I will delight in thy statutes and I will not forget thy word THus doing all these things carefully you shall surely neuer forget that which you learne for though you doe not remember euery thing yet God wil by his spirit cal so much especially into your remēbrance as is needful for you to know thē especīally when you haue most neede of it as in the houre of death and in the day of temptation but as you faile in all or in any of these so may you feare to faile in the truth of them Nicolas Bownde D. of diuinitie Preacher of Gods word at Norton in Suffolke PORTION 3. GIMEL Vers. 17. Be beneficiall vnto thy seruant that I may liue and keepe thy word THe Prophet desireth life where he teacheth why mē should desire to liue that is that they might keepe Gods word for life is common to them with beasts and plants and yet all desire to liue some for one ende some for another but Gods child maketh this the end that hee might keepe Gods word And in that he ioyneth these together hee signifieth that his life without it is no life as in the 4. part vers 11. where he counteth himselfe dead vnlesse he finde a readines to obey Gods will A widow liuing in pleasure is dead whilest she liueth and this is to be vnderstood of all that liue in any sinne And this if all they considered which are not ioyned to Christ it would amaze them for though this appeare not now yet at the last day it shall appeare This cannot be perswaded to the carnall man but to vs that haue the knowledge of God it ought to be certaine and we must trie our hearts whether this be our desire to liue that we may keepe Gods word Many men doe speake this and sing this yet fewe in heart doe this therefore if we be thus minded wee must shewe it by referring all our doings to Gods glory which we shall then do when we measure all our doings by the word Therefore Paul Rom. 4. and Phil 2. desireth not life but that he may be ioyned to Christ. All other religion is of no effect till this principall end be in our hearts for no man can haue two ends of his life as to come to preferment and to be saued but this must be onely the end that we might be ioyned to Christ. He desireth not to know but to keepe which presupposeth knowledge wee are here then prouoked to practise and not to rest in knowledge but to labour to doe that we know And this is the cause why they of the olde Testament desired longer life that they might finish that onely which they had to doe at such time as they felt some signes of Gods displeasure and had not sufficiently tasted of Gods fauour so we if we cannot finde assurance of the forgiuenes of sinnes then let vs desire to liue but when we are come to this that with Paul we can say I haue finished my course with ioy then will the children of God be readie to dye Many there be that haue neither care of life nor death and although they feele and see signes of Gods displeasure yet they are not moued but the children of God knowe that it is better to be a liuing dogge than a dead lyon And seeing by their euill life they haue dishonoured God they would be ioyfull to purchase some praise to him by their holy conuersation He knoweth his great vnhabilitie to doe good and therefore desireth it of God It is not in our choyse to doe good or cuill for then this prayer had been in vaine hee knew that this was not in him to keepe Gods word and therefore in the next verse he desireth that his eyes might be opened wher he acknowledgeth that he had not so much as the knowledge of Gods word in himselfe therefore he was far from yeelding such obedience therevnto as the Lord requireth He desireth now to vnderstand which goeth before practise and is lesser than it and yet it is the meanes to come to practise And if we cannot vnderstand it without special grace then much lesse can we practise it Many of vs in iudgement doe hate Papists yet in practise we are such seeing wee doe many things without prayer and the knowledge of Gods word Knowledge goeth before practise and therefore many in vaine doe say that they keepe the word when they labour not to know it Vers. 18. Open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of thy Law IN the former verse hee shewed that hee could not keepe the word without Gods grace now he sheweth that he cannot know it vnlesse the Lord open our eyes this is the want that is in all men but flesh and blood shall not reueale this and Paul saith that it was hid from the Princes of the world which must serue to humble all flesh and to stirre vs vp to pray to the Lord when we come to reade it otherwise wee shall reade and not vnderstand it because wonderfull things are contained therein therefore when wee see the wonderfulnes of this law this is one degree of profiting because the ignorant thinke they haue knowledge enough Dauid well instructed in the word yet made this prayer to teach vs that wee must goe daily forward for we know but by degrees and ignorance is mixed therewith therefore many continuing long fall in the end away which may teach vs to pray that he would not leade vs into this temptation that we should thinke we haue knowledge enough This is the cause why many fal into errors because that they resting in that which they haue conceiued in their owne braine and haue heard or learned of others in the meane while neuer looking to bee taught by Gods spirit when they see their teachers fall away then doe they fall away also because their ground is gone So many therefore as loue to abide stedfast in the truth and neuer to be remoued there from let them neuer rest neither in that they conceiue of themselues neither in the wordes and doctrine of men but let them alwaies by prayer craue that the Lord by his spirit may instruct them this if they doe the Lord will not turne them away emptie but will so season their hearts by his spirit that though a thousand fall away on the one side and ten thousand on the other yet shall they continue stedfast to the end The cause why we haue so great need to pray is set downe when hee calleth the things contained in the word wonders And surely if iniquitie be a mysterie as the Apostle calleth it then much more is the law of God Yet so it is not vnto al for the Prophet in this Psalme saith that the very entrance into Gods word giueth light to the simple And Psal. 88. when hee had called the
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
in the first and sixt verses with prayer couched in the middest of the portion It is a marueilous strange thing that one thing should bee so often repeated as this to commend still Gods law and to pray still to be taught in the same This proceedeth from the comfort which he felt in the word and from the fight of the corruption of his owne heart and is commended to vs in writing to shew vs our corruption and to labour for the like fruite Wherfore seeing experience hath taught vs thus much we must learne that we can neither see the comfort of our seeking after God nor our calamitie and miserie to be deliuered out of it vnlesse we pray with the Prophet for the right knowledge of the law of God so that we are much to thanke our God that he giueth vs in another such a fight of our owne corruption As in the first verse there is a notable commendation of the word so is there also a singular declaration of his faith Thy word O Lord is a lantorne to my feete and a light vnto my path This seemeth to all men to haue been learned long agoe and belched out in time of Poperie and that it is no new thing but a saying very well knowne but when we looke into the seuerall practises of men which is the righteous iudge of all mens iudgements wee shall finde men to be farre from any inward faith shewed in such fruits This made the Prophet to sweare in that he saw on one side his happines so great in the word the corruption of his heart on the other side And in meditating day and night in Gods law and considering his righteous iudgements he saith in trueth Thy word is a lanterne c. If we will looke into our selues we shall finde that those things which seeme to be most easily beleeued are furthest from faith and that things most easie to be learned are furthest from practise True it is that euery man will say Who will not beleeue this what a beast were he that would denie the truth of Gods word But alas our carelesse reading our rare meditating our cold praying and praising of God for his word our seldome conference of the word will testifie against vs in time to come that we neuer truely beleeued We must first looke and note our selues and then we shall profit somewhat more The man of God opposeth here the word to mans wisedom which he had meÌ„tioned in the verse going before as light is contrarie to darknes For as in darknes we cannot goe safely without the light of a lanterne or such like euen so are we in ignorance and rebellion if we be not continually guided by the word of God and his Spirit This then is a further thing how durst blind bayards be so bold who liuing in the darknes of Egypt thinke they are in the light and being vnable to discerne betweene persumption and despayre betweene promises and threatnings betweene things streightly commanded voluntarily done suppose themselues to be sharpe sighted Nay we shall finde these fruites to be but in few It is said Matth. 22. 23. The light of the body is the eye if then thine eye be single thy whole body shall be light 23. But if thine eye be wicked then all thy body shall be darke Where our Sauiour Christ borroweth his speech from the senses of the body and translateth it to the powers of the soule For as euery part of the body is lightsome whilest the eye seeth so a man being inlightened with the word and the Spirit hauing his eyes alwaies to heauen hath his affections aright and on the contrarie as all things are lothsome to that bodie which for want of the eyes is wholy darkened so a man sitting in the darknes of ignorance hauing his mind wholy set on earthly things hath his affections disordered Now that there is no light in vs but all is darknes in our soules the Apostle Peter doth plainely shew it 2. Pet. 1. 19. We haue a most sure word of the Prophets to the which ye doe well that ye take heede as to a sure light in a darke place c. Where he commending the Christians for their care of the word sheweth that it is a light in the darke and teacheth vs that how much knowledge we haue so much we are in good affections Also Paul Ephes 4. 17. 18 saith I testifie in the Lord that ye henceforth walke nâ—t as other Gentiles walke in the vanitie of their minde 18. Hauing their cogitation darkened and being strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them c. Where he sheweth that the man vnregenerate hath his minde vnderstanding and heart corrupt and blinde in that life which God liueth in his and that as the man which seeth being in darknes or in light the blind man gropeth vncertainely euen so all our doing are endlesse and headlesse which are without the light of knowledge Shall we thinke now that euery man beleeueth this to be true No for if they did they would doe otherwise If they felt this in affection in any measure would they not come out of their prison to the liberty of Gods saints would they not auoid the darkenesse to see the bright sunne What a follie were it for a man who hauing scales and gleamy diseases on his eyes might be cured and will not This is a double fault that when men may know they will lie in errours and ignorance and when they may be conuerted they will dwell still in Heresie Oh what a thing is this wilfullie to remaine in darkenesse and to sleepe at the hearing of the word when the Lord giueth them a lanterne for their feete and offereth knowledge and yet to be no better than the stockes they sit on If it pleased the Lord who giueth vnderstanding to the ignorant and draweth light out of darkenesse to reueale the light into their darke coÌ„sciences they should know that when light came vnto them they refused it and that they are louers of darknes more than of light But he that worketh all things mightily iâ— all men must shew this light vnto their darkenes because they that are in hell thinke on none other heauen they that lie in vnrighteousnes thinke of no other righteousnesse and sitting in the vallies of death they remember none other life We must therefore pray that the Lords glorious light of the gospel may open the eyes of their consciences and let euery man examine his owne heart that he may pray to haue his iudgement cleared by the true knowledge of the word and his affections renewed to the due obedience of the same For how much knowledge wee haue so much light haue we and looke how much we lie in ignorance so much we lie in darknes Wee know but in part when we are at the highest in this life how great then is that darkenes
of the soule how sweete excellent and beautifull a thing it is to beleeue and loue the word and how loathsome and palpable is mistrust and ignorance We must then be perswaded that though we are not in prison we walke in the night and in the darkenes whilest we are in ignorance yet the Lord wil giue vs in time to suspect our hearts of ignorance and worke in vs both a desire and a delight to loue and liue after the word and that we shall find the truth of this verse in ourselues to say with the Prophet Thy word is a lanterne to my fecte and alight to my paths Many there are which doe not so much as acknowledge this doctrine Some are come out of this darknes into the glorious kingdome of Christ and yet swarue so much in life that they shew not themselues to haue this true faith And where mens manners swarue besides their profession we see this sentence more professed in mouth than practised in life and they onely doe beleeue this to be true which enterprise nothing but that which hath it warrant out of the word For these acknowledge that in themselues there is nothing but darkenes and that they stand in need to be inlightned by the ministerie of the word and working of his spirit And as we confesse the truth of this in generall so must we deduce it to particulars and seuerals so that euery man may say I am either in light or in darkenesse if I haue a warrant for this which I doe out of the word I am in light but if I doe it by the motion of mine owne braine I am in darkenes Besides as this doth shew the great necessity of Gods word so also it must humble vs because of our ignorance as also it yeeldeth this comfort that as we thinke we trauell safely in respect of our bodies so long as we haue the light of the Sunne so also we are in the safe way to saluation as long as we are guided by the word And when as some doe obiect that the Scriptures doe containe great difficulties and are hard to be vnderstood we said that though the smallest things were deepe mysteries yet they be plaine to the least of Gods children For Prouerb 8. 9. Wisedome saith that all her words are plaine to him that will vnderstand and streight to them that would finde knowledge And the man of God saith Portion 17. 2. The entrance into thy word sheweth light and giueth vnderstanding to the simple And though all men are not curiously to search into questions yet all men are carefull to seeke the way of saluation No man then can herein complaine of darkenesse but as it is in his owne minde neither neede that so to bee if hee will vse the meanes to auoid it and in a repenting heart craue the light by prayer The cause therefore why the word is a parable and a darke riddle vnto so many is either the pride of their owne wit when they thinke their wit to be so good as they can conceiue euery thing and their iudgement and learning to be such as that they can vnderstand any thing and profit by their owne industrie when as God is the author so he is also the reuealer of his trueth or else they doe not esteeme so reuerently of the trueth nor are so much grieued with their blindnesse and ignorance as they should be Vers. 106. I haue sworne and will performe it that I will keepe thy righteous iudgements NOw as his faith was the first argument he vsed so the second was his conscience his loue his affection to the word which he sheweth by his oath that we may know it to be no wandring motion of his minde carrying him away but a thing well considered of and constant he protesteth that he will keepe his oath Wherein he declareth that many men haue sometimes motions to good but they either die presently or else they be so cold that they quickely fall away But as we may see he was no such light-headed man We haue here to learne that this is a iudgement of God why many doe not profit in the word because they cannot being void both of griefe for their natural blindnesse as also of the cleere sight and faith in Gods word say in trueth Thy word is a lantorne to my feet c. Now if these things be in vs we must pray that we may be moued with a purpose to continue in them and purposing we must beware we breake it not but be constant I haue sworne and will performe it that I will keepe thy righteous iudgements Concerning this binding of himselfe with an oath which the man of God here vseth it declareth his care to keepe a good conscience in laying the iudgements of God which were past the iudgements of God to come vp in his heart Wee see then that as when men sweare voluntarily it is a token of their good conscience so it appeareth most in good men who setting so much by the glorious name of God can sustaine any priuate discredit and swallow many troubles to maintaine the credit of it Wherefore Gods children though they are carefully to auoid all sinnes yet make a greater conscience of this sinne than of any other and when they take an oath though before they made a conscience of that thing yet now they make a greater conscience If hee had found no weakenesse no mistrust or doubtfulnesse in himselfe then needed he not so streightly to haue bound himselfe For if he had been alwaies carefull what needed he to haue vsed an oath But the care which hee had to meete with this weaknesse was the cause of his solemne couenant which teacheth vs that such infirmities as are in vs were in him who because of the vanitie and sluggishnesse which he felt in his corrupt nature did prouoke and stirre vp himselfe to a greater care by an oath Then if we see that euen the man of God thought this to be a necessary meane to stirre vp his infirmities why should we not thinke it as necessarie for vs when the most diligent amongst vs may thinke himselfe to bee behind him in many degrees But the cause why we make no such oath is because we are fearefull and our delaying of this practise from time to time sheweth that there is not in vs that feeling of our wants that reuerence of his word nor experience of his goodnesse which he felt This must make vs afraid and ashamed of our selues that we hauing the like infirmities haue not the like affections True it is that to be sparing in these othes is a good token of a Christian so that he be but a nouice in Christs schoole for euery man must not vse this oth because he knoweth not his owne strength but we must not alwaies be at A. B. C. and dwell still in the principles of Religion Neither must we thinke that
the Prophet here made any new or strange couenant but rather he iterated that couenant which before he had made in circumcision although we make no such couenant now yet we must know that we haue made them before For this was a renewing of his oth which he made when he was circumcised and entred into Gods familie And because I am not here to enter into the discourse of many particular vowes wee shall speake of our generall vow which wee make in Baptisme which though we doe not renue yet wee are much to be ashamed of it Wee finde that vowes are either generall or particular And here by the way wee must note that that which wee call a compact betweene man and man the same is a vow betweene God and man For as in ciuill affaires a compact is a streight thing and bindeth vs more before men than a baâ—e promise and promises simply made seeme to haue greater libertie than a compact so also promises made to the Lord must keepe vs in obedience but especially vowes as a double bond are farre more neerely and carefully to be performed Concerning generall vowes we know that in the ordaining of Kings vowes were made from them to the Lord as also some passed from their Princes to the people as 2. Chro 23. where Iehoiadâ— tooke the Captaines of hundreths in couenant with him And all the Congregation made a couenant with the King Ioâ—sh in the house of God And as 2 Chron. 34. 31. Iosiah when hee had destroyed the Idols and reformed the Temple after the finding of the booke of the Lawe stood by the pillar and made a couenant before the Lord to walke after the Lord and to keepe his commandements and his testimonies and his statutes c. Also Nehâ— 10. we shall finde a generall couenant confirmed by an oath Concerning particular couenants they are either simply according to Gods word or else taken vp for some speciall end either as meanes to come to some good or else as bridles to auoide some euill as 2. Chron. 15. 12. When the people made a couenant to seeke the Lord c. 14. They did sweare vnto the Lord with a lowd voyce Also Nehem. 10 the people take a new oth and seale it Ezra 9 where wee may see that when Ezra had wept and fasted for the sinnes of the people in that they had taken strange wiues of the people of the Lands 3. Made them to make a couenant with the Lord and to put away their strange wiues as also Nehem. 5. On this sort Ieremie preswadeth his people chap. 34 to make a couenant concerning the liberties of their seruants and denounceth the fierce wrath of God vpon them for breaking their promise Of these two kindes of couenants â—he selfe same rules are to be prescribed If we feele in our selues any speciall dulnes we must bewaile it and when we see that we haue the more streights of minde we must stirre vp our selues and not neglect the meanes Wee speake not here of free vowes but of such as the word of God commandeth and that for feare of relapse and falling from the Lord we may vse these means more surely to tie vs vnto him A contract is betweene man and man which when it is betweene God and man it is called a vow In contracts men leaue some libertie to themselues so that for some circumstances they neede not keepe it but it is meete that euery vow be performed to God These vowes and couenants are either generall such as the King maketh with his subiects as Ioas and Iosias and Nehemiah maketh a generall couenant or particular as Asa made a particular couenant which couenant is either commanded or taken vp for some cause of and in respect of our selues as meanes to auoide euill or to lay hold of goodnes Ezra 9. The particular couenant or vow which is commanded is euer contained vnder the generall and hath respect vnto some speciall part thereof And therefore many godly Kings tooke othes of their subiects to leaue some speciall sinne or to doe some speciall good deedes So men c. So Nehemiah made a particular couenant with the rich men that they should not oppresse the poore Nehem. 5. So Ieremy caused the people to make a particular couenaÌ„t 44. There is the same reason of the generall couenant and the particular that is commaunded for we are bound to doe them therefore if we be slacke in either of them we must be sorie for it if wee haue receiued grace wee must stirre it vp and for the stirring vp of our selues we must not neglect this remedie Now where some take this to be a place from whence they might either draw an argument of free will or proue by it that we are able to keepe the lawe of God they deceiue themselues for first note the word here vsed he saith not that he hath sworne to keepe the law of God but the iudgements of God which he often before after in the second verse from this vseth for the righteous performance of Gods promises or executing of his iust vengeance neither doth hee meane here a simple keeping of them but rather an inward and carefull receiuing of them in his heart and notan outward performance Thus the word keeping is often taken in the holy Scriptures euen for a laying vp of the truth in our minde from whence wee may draw out the vse of it as occasion shall serue as where it is said Blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it that is faithfully lay it vp in their hearts with a full intent to practise when God shall giue iust occasion thereof So that the meaning of this word is nothing else but a solemne laying vp of the iudgements of God in his minde mentioned also before portion 3. 6 Remoue from me shame and contempt for I haue kept thy testimonies So that he sheweth how hee did marke diligently how God fulfilled his promises to his children and executed vengeance vpon the wicked And because the fulfilling of Gods promises is to giue strength to his to keepe the word hee sheweth how he would take a view how God performed this grace in his seruants both in forgiuing the sinnes of the repentant and giuing his grace to them that craue it Now there are two things especially which hinder vs from this practise First the subtletie of Sathan thus reasoning in vs I would gladly vow but when I haue vowed such a good thing I am further from performing my vow than euer I was before We answere that this indeede is so and commeth as a iudgement of God for vowing so high a thing vnaduisedly and rashly with a secret presuming of our selues and not of God with want of a prayer to the Lord for grace to performe the same as the Prophet did For so soone as the Prophet had vowed thus to the Lord he immediatly maketh his prayer feruently asking of
long and lowd prayers preuaile not For such prayers crie lowd in the Lords eares which make a noise with the feeling of our wants and when though they continue to the failing of our eyes yet we mistrust not God For many either pray coldly or praying zealously they become so dull that they cease to put their trust in the Lord. So that the corruption of our nature is either not to feele our wants or if we feele them to dispaire For thy iust promise Heere we see how the Prophet prayeth not according to his owne fantasie but according to the will of God reuealed in his word When we desire any thing of God we must doe it according to his promise For when we pray not according to the promise of the Lord we waite vpon our owne fantasies and seeke after our owne imaginations Many breake in their prayers into headie and rash conceits who haue not in the meane time the word in their hearts but they obtaine nothing neither shall we obtaine if we be like affected vnto them Ye know saith S. Iohn ye shall obtaine if ye aske according to the will of God And whereas he saith I waited for thy iust promise he sheweth that the Lord is no more liberall in promising than faithful in performing for if we waite for his promise surely he will performe it Euery man will peraduenture confesse this to be a truth at the first but the selfe same thing being in this Psalme so often repeated bewrateth our incredulitie and hardnesse of beleefe of it We can alledge indeed generally that Gods promises be true but we will falle in the particular applying of them to our selues in saying They are true vnto me I haue felt the truth of them by experience in my selfe The Prophet vseth oft to giue this Epithite to Gods word as vers 106. I will keepe thy righteous iudgements 137. Righteous art thou ô Lord and iust are thy iudgements 144. The righteousnes of thy testimonies is euerlasting Why would the spirit of God repeate this one word so often but because it is a singular worke of faith to beleeue the word and a thing much incident to our nature not to beleeue Wherefore Paul vseth often this Preface as a prerogatiue This is a true saying and of all men worthie to be receiued or this is a faithfull saying So that the holie Ghost prepareth such words to purchase credit to the word of God because flesh and blood is so readie to mistrust and Sathan so subtil to discredit the truth This may happily soone seeme true but put case a man being troubled had prayed til his eyes failed his heart fainted and his flesh were parched and still trusteth to Gods promises this man indeed hath a true faith This then commendeth the Prophet that when he was at the last cast he continued in his strength His sense and meaning is this although I be not as yet helped yet I shall be in Gods good time which thing if we also could truly say we should neuer be ouercome of temptation Vers. 124. Deale with thy seruant according to thy mercie and teach me thy statutes HEre the Prophet is desirous to be further taught in the word Here we see the man of God complaineth not of the word though as yet the promise was not performed but of his owne faith Here is then a difference betweene the faith of the godly the presumptiō of the vngodly that when the Lord suspendeth his truth for a while the godly suspect not the truth of the word but the vnbeleefe of themselues and pray against the same If then when Gods promises are suspended we be through Sathans policie and our frailtie tempted to mistrust we can say Thy word ô Lord doth not faile but wee are dull in faith we are wauering we are full of vnbeleefe good Lord increase our faith take from vs these mists and cloudes of mistrust by shining vpon vs with the bright beames of thy spirit and though Sathan would weaken our hope to discredit thy truth yet strengthen vs and though we haue failed in many particular points of thy commandements yet we beseech thee to forgiue the secret errors of our life wee haue beleeued thy word but if wee failed in faith then reueale thy couenants vnto vs that we may recouer Two things as we haue often heard sustaine Gods children in trouble the one is the testimonie of a good conscience the other is faith in Gods promises both which are heere set downe in the verses going before for in that he executed iudgement and iustice he had the testimonie of a good conscience in that his eyes failed by waiting on the promises of God his faith most plainely appeareth This faith breedeth a good conscience and this good conscience doth nourish faith For whosoeuer will execute iudgement and iustice must belieue the promises of God that the couenant of Christ is a sure couenant ratified in their hearts which when they feele they are vrged by loue to keep a good conscience For the place to lay vp the treasure of faith in is a good conscience Here then the man of God prayeth for both these things and if we will seeke still after knowledge without feeling we will iudge this prayer to be barren but if we will looke into our owne incredulitie and enter with a single eye into our owne hearts for such Christians are we as we then shall be found to be and shall enter into the particular troubles of bodie and soule wee shall finde our masse of vnbeleefe and we shall see that we may labour often in the meditation of this Psalme and finde sufficient matter all our life long For the man of God said before I haue executed iudgement and iustice and yet heere he saith teach me iudgement and iustice hee meant not that he had iudgement and iustice fully perfitly and absolutely but that it was according to the grace which hee had receiued yet he thought not himselfe therefore iustified though he was not conscious in himselfe His meaning then is Lord thou searchest the heart corrupt is my hart and blind is my minde if I haue fallen Lord grant me to recouer my selfe if I faile in vnbeliefe Lord increase my faith that I may daily grow in executing iudgement and iustice So farre off was he from being weary in vpright dealing that he praied still for the continuance of it Then if we be not wearie in our calling and could come to say with this man of God and with the Apostle Paul that we are not conscious in our selues yet we must further proceede and say that we are not hereby iustified because the largenes of the lawe cannot be concluded in the narrow compasse of our braine we must pray for the increase both of our knowledge and faith According to thy mercie Hee saith not giue iudgement because I haue done well but deale with thy seruant according to thy
are to beware of this and so much the rather because the Lord hath plagued them that in outward shewe haue borne a great countenance of religion whose liues priuily were filthie whose cases and vizards when the Lord hath taken from them and hath reuealed their corruptions they haue appeared hypocrites The second obseruation is that we looke to the priuie corruptions of nature lurking in our hearts which containe such a bottomlesse pit of corruption that it is the special grace of Gods spirit to gage them to the depth Wee must therefore learne to search our hearts for it is the fearefull iudgement of God when we make no conscience of sinne secretly to haue our sin breake forth publikely As when we haue no care to pilfer secretly we shall be brought to steale openly by the secret wrath of God whereby also secret lusts malice hatred nourished in the heart and affections are permitted to breake out in time euen into our outward actions This is a plague to them who rather would seeme to be than in truth desire to be godly Couetous men haue this propertie that they rather would be rich than be accounted rich such ought our affections to be that we should indeede rather be godly than desire to bee so accounted of Let vs labour to doe well secretly howsoeuer for a while it be hidden from the world that God which seeth our doing in secret will reward it openly and in his good time will giue vs grace to doe well publikely But peraduenture the wicked will say what ground what intent what cause haue you to labour so much about the disclosing of the secret corruptions of our heart But yet alas they are ignorant of this that because they know not the secret corruptions they fall the more violently to grosse sinnes and euery man shall trie this to be true in himselfe that he that maketh conscience of his thoughts will vndoubtedly make conscience of his words and deedes and he that maketh no conscience of his thoughts he may come to make no conscience of his words and deedes Besides he that beginneth to reforme his heart hath this promise in the word that he shall not be confounded as Psal. 119. 6. Then shall I not bee confounded when I haue respect to all thy commandements And Port. 10. 8. Let my heart be vpright in thy statutes that I be not ashamed Wherefore if wee will bee truly zealous wee may adde another rule that we haue none other end of our zeale than how wee may glorifie our God whether it be in prosperitie or aduersitie This then is the third rule that we keep a right course tenour of zeale in both estates We must especially look to that wherunto we are most ready that is whether we be more zealous in prosperitie and fall away in aduersitie or whether we are more feruent in affliction and ouerwhelmed in abundance whether by the one wee are not puft vp with securitie and secret pride or whether with the other we be not too farre humbled and abased For many in time of peace are religious who seeing persecution to followe the Gospell slide backe and flie from it Iobs wife whiles her husband was in prosperitie could worship God and shew her selfe in outward things as zealous as Iob himselfe but when affliction came she was readie to curse God We know in prosperous times many were very forward in religion who in time of trouble shrinked from the truth some so long as they may haue credit by giuing countenance to the Gospell goe farre but when discredit comes they will leaue all But the Prophet saith I am small and despised yet doe I not forget thy word O ther'on the contrarie part so long as God exerciseth them with any crosse are zealous professors who being set aloft and comming once aboue begin to be secure We see many in time â—f their misery to be much humbled and whilest they want liuings and preferments we see both preachers and people very godly who when they haue gotten them some liuing obtained that which they sought for haue their zeale choked Do not many pray for the continuance of the peace of the Gospell that they themselues might continue in peace and prosperitie Doe not many mourne in the aduersitie of the Gospell because they mourne for their owne aduersitie Oh great corruption of our hearts Oh bottomles pit of hypocrisie If wee were ashamed that wee are no more grounded on the word and that we can be no more holy and vpright in our hearts surely the Lord would so gouerne vs that hee would not suffer either prosperitie to quench and carrie away our zeale to bee buried in the graue of securitie or aduersitie too much to dismay and discourage vs. This is then our triall herein if when we are in greatest prosperitie we can mourne with them that mourne in the Lord and when wee are in greatest aduersitie if wee can reioyce with them that reioyce in Christ. This is a sure token wee loue not the Gospell nor fauour the word because wee haue a loue to prosperitie neither are zealous to see the word conremned because we haue an hatred of aduersitie Daniel concerning outward things was an happie man as being neere to the Crowne and yet when he saw the God of Israel his glorie to bee defaced and an abominable Idoll to be erected hee could content himselfe with nothing so much as with weeping fasting and prayer And Paul being in bonds for the testimonie of Iesus Christ and concerning his outward man in a miserable case reioyced greatly and as it were reuiued when hee heard that the Gospell prospered and howsoeuer hee was in bands hee neuer felt them grieuous vnto him for the ioy which he had that the Gospell was at libertie If this zeale were in vs that the word of God were so exact pure and holy in our eyes that when wee are most aloft wee could be sorrowfull if the word of God hath a fall and when wee were in our greatest downefull yet we could bee glad that the word of God were set aloft then surely we would labour to sanctifie the creatures of God which we vse with the word and by prayer and at the least giue the tenth part of the day to the worship of the Lord. But if wee cannot bestow on him the tithe it is a token that wee labour more for the bodie than for the soule And if our soules bee farre more pretious than our bodies and it is an harder thing to prouide well for the soule than for the body we must deuide our times the better that daily wee may bestow some part of our time in the word and prayer if wee would truly espie our thriuings and proceedings in our seuerall callings and take a diligent view of our selues in our vocations we should vndoubtedly see the plentifull blessing of God when in truth wee vse the word and prayer and his
see many men that will come and are driuen to subscribe to these generall speeches That the righteousnes of the Lord is euerlasting so they will easily be brought to discredit the word whereunto they will not stand For the Turke cleaueth to his dreames the Pope to his traditions the heretikes to their reuelations the heathen to their fantasies the worldlings to their policies Thy word is truth 1. As there is one sure and neuer changing righteousnes so I will not clime vp to heauen to seeke for it there I will not goe down to the low places of the earth to seeke it out there neither will I descend into hell for it but I will looke for it in thy word according to that Deut. 30 11. 12. 13. 14. This commaundement which I commaund thee this day is not hid from thee neither is it farre off it is not in heauen that thou shouldest say who should goe from vs to heauen neither is it beyond the sea c. And Rom. 10. 6. Say nos in thine heart who shall ascend into heauen who shall descend into the depth c. Here then is the difference betweene the heretikes and Christians Idolaters will haue Gods word but ioyned with their traditions heretikes will haue the word but with their reuelations But we say that it is all perfit it is a through truth and all truth hauing nothing too much nor any thing too little For it were a disgrace to adde or detract froÌ„ it to ascribe excesse or defect to it So the Prophet his sense is this Seeing I goe not to the right hand or to the left though I am contemned yet herein I stay my selfe because thou hast one righteousnes which thou hast certainly set down in thy word how thy children shall be gouerned by it Here we may also see the infinite wisedome and goodnes of God because otherwise what misery should we haue been in seeing so many heads there would haue been so many religions Wherefore the Lord hath set downe one perfit rule to gouerne all wherein nothing is either abounding or wanting Our Sauiour Christ saith Iohn 17. Father sanctifie them thy word is truth Father sanctifie them and seuer them out being thine with the word it is true Saint Iames saith We are begotten by the pure word this is that sword of the spirite which heretikes cannot abide and putteth Sathan to flight and giueth vs an happie issue and speedie out-gate in all our troubles and temptations if wee stay vpon it This doctrine is as necessarie also for manners euery wicked man will confesse the word to be true yet if we come to examine their life they will faile for if they were perswaded that the word were truth how durst they liue so profane such swearers such murderers such adulterers such theeues and such slaunderers So that we must needs confesse that the word for doctrine preserueth vs from heresies and for life saueth vs from many corruptions We must then labour that the word may haue a credit in our coÌ„sciences that we may not onely confesse God to bee true mercifull iust and righteous which euery of-scouring of the world may doe but let vs beleeue that all is trueth mercie iustice and righteousnesse is sufficiently set downe in the word which word the Lord hath set downe for all vs to beleeue and to obey Vers. 143. Trouble and anguish are come vpon mee yet are thy commaundements my delight SEe here is a further thing The sense then of the words is this Seeing thy righteousnes â—s constant and there is one constant rule of it therefore where besides my contemning I feele also trouble I doe not onely forget thy word but also much delight in it See a rare gift in the man of God for this is a singular gift of God not onely in anguish to bee heauily troubled but also to be comforted not to doe good heauily but to doe it cheerefully In that hee vseth as it were a doubling of the word trouble and sorrowe hee sheweth his griefe to bee the greater It is â—n hard matter not to forget God in trouble but a far greater matter then to haue a delight and a pleasure in the word yet so it is that if we can come neere the one wee shall also come neere the other Here is our strength if wee forget not the word and nourish not vnbeleefe ioy and delight will come after because it is the mercie of the Lord inwardly to recompence that which outwardly hee detracteth from vs. Thy word is my delight or my delight is in thy word This is the same that the Apostle reporteth of himselfe Rom. 7 22. I delight in the law of God concerning mine inner man The way to come to this is to fight against vnbeleefe to beleeue the word is most pure and holy It is a singular comfort to vs though our minde be troubled when we should doe good yet to doe it sith after we haue done it it leaueth a pleasure behinde incontrariwise how sweete soeuer sinne is in committing the pleasure will depart but the sting of sinne remaineth with vs still And surely it is a great quickning to a man when hee doth doe well True it is that this quickning commeth from the peace of conscience But when wee cannot onely reioyce in the forgiuenes of sinnes but feele a speciall comfort arise when wee doe well this is a double quickning For what can bee more comfortable then to be fruitfull in good workes in time of trouble When did faith loue patience constancie meekenes and boldnesse more abundantly flourish in the Church than in trouble In prosperitie wee defer and delay from day to day from to morrow to next day to doe well but when the hand of the Lord is vpon vs it setteth vs forward to the worke This then must mitigate our griefe in time of trouble and make vs iealous of our prâ—spâ—riâ—ie because wee are fuller of the exercise of weldoing in trouble than otherwise Besides a preacher may better perswade good things in time of trouble than in prosperitie Well as it is a generall rule in all things that a good beginning is as good as halfe done so as it is in all godlines likewise is it in this part of godlines What is the cause why men cannot come to this ioy in trouble euen because in the very entrance of it they straight forget the word and so they either despaire or vse vnlawfull meanes This is a thing needfull to be considered of For if a man bee in trouble and hath nothing to ouermatch it then his trouble will ouerquel him For why doe men in trouble lay violent hands on themselues but because they haue nothing in their mindes to comfort them therefore they fal to desperate meanes Wherefore Gods children should soone despaire were it not that they felt comfort in the remission of sinnes and stay themselues on a godly securitie in God his promises and prouidence
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
let vs bee afraide to tell a lye in the very lightest and most secret causes But if this will not at all moue vs yet let vs bee ouercome with the consideration of those fruites which will come of true speaking specially let vs consider of these two First the loue of the Trueth doth breede and beget in vs a great and singular comfort when wee see that herein wee resemble our heauenly Father who is the God and author of Trueth Secondly the loue of the trueth is a speciall helpe to reuoke vs from sinne For as the lyer can so cloake his sinne and set such a colour vpon it that no man can accuse him no admonition or rebuke can take hold vpon him no threatning feare him So the sillie soule that in simple truth doth confesse his sinne is open vnto rebukes and holy censures his heart lieth naked before the word which doubtles will worke effectually to reclaime him from sinne The second thing which we must learne out of these words is this that albeit we must speake the trueth at all times and in all places yet must we be especially carefull so to doe when we be called as witnesses before the iudgement seate For the whole state and order of iudgement doth depend vpon the witnesse so that the Questmen the Iudge and all doe proceed either falsly or truly according as the testimonie of the witnesse is either false or true Last of all we learne that good care must be vsed in chusing of witnesses so that we may not take periured persons or common liers no not such as doe often lie though it be but in light matters but if there be any one man that of conscience speaketh truth in all things he is worthie and fit to be a witnesse This condemneth the practise of the receiuing all indifferently to be witnesses in court and specially such as be knowne to be common liers Thus much for this verse Vers. 6. The skorner seeketh wisedome and findeth it not but knowledge is easâ— for him that will vnderstand BY the skorner is here meant the proud contemptuous man who in the pride of his wit will compasse any thing neglecting yea contemning those holy meanes which God hath ordained This proude and contemptuous skorner shall not finde knowledge By knowledge we may vnderstand not the knowledge of the letter floting in the braine and flowing euen at the tongues end which indeed is not worthie the name of knowledge but the true vnderstanding of the word taught by the spirit which entreth into the heart and worketh on the affections frameth to obedience and assureth of euerlasting life This indeed is healthfull knowledge which the skorners though they seeke shall neuer obtaine And hereunto doth our Sauiour Christ giue witnesse when he saith Many shall seeke to enter in and canâ—ot Now if we would see the cause hereof it is this they doe refuse the right and direct meanes whereby to come to knowledge or else vse the meanes with corrupted hearts For if they seeke and search in the prophane writings of Heathen men or in the corrupted writings of hellish heretikes no marueile if they neuer finde this knowledge For how can they finde trueth in falsehood How can they finde the true knowledge of God in the fained deuises and inuentions of men Againe though they cast off all these and come to the holy word of God yet if their hearts be not sound and right if they seeke profit preferment and vaine pleasure doubtlesse they shall neuer attaine to this holy knowledge For sure if the heart be corrupted when they come to studie vpon the word they shall be made worse and not better by it The experience of this doe we see in many who seeking and searching after knowledge either to get liuings or to gaine credit or to some such like euill and corrupt end they haue beene disappoynted of their hope and haue failed of that which they sought after By the example of others then let vs beware and learne to seeke after the knowledge of God and of godlinesse in the written word of God which onely is able to make vs godly Againe aboue all things let vs take heede vnto our hearts that they be vpright and sound in seeking for it Now for the triall hereof let vs examine whether we seeke knowledge that we might be better able to glorifie God and to profit our brethren let vs examine whether we seeke Christ for Christ whether in Christ we seeke nothing but Christ and this if we can truely see and feele euen in the truth of our hearts then our heart is vpright then haue we before vs a right end then doe we rightly seeke God and he whom he hath sent Iesus Christ euen to the saluation of our soules True it is that the Lord may and doth often bestow liuings riches and such other outward helpes and benefites on his children but they doe not chiefly seeke these They take these as an handfull yea as an ouerplus of his fauour but their hearts are not set vpon them Their loue is set vpon God and vpon his glorie that they especially labour for that they doe toyle and trauell about and that is the ende of all their labours in what measure they obtaine that in that measure they be quiet though they want other things but in what measure they doe not finde that in that measure are they grieued though they abound in outward things WheÌ„ a man is of this mind when he hath this heart when he hath this good will to learne then among many other blessings he shall be sure to finde that which followeth in this verse Knowledge shall be easie to him that will vnderstand There be two things whereat many men are much offended and whereby they are driuen from that due care which they ought to haue of the word The first is because they see that great and wealthie men of this world little esteeme it and make light account of it But men should know that the affections of such are for the most part weaned from the word their loue is set vpon their profit vpon their pleasure and vpon such other things below Now the minde and heart being forestalled yea and surcharged with the liking of these things they cannot with desire receiue the word into their soules and seeing that they haue little liking of it and lesse will and desire to learne it no maruâ—ile though it be as vnsauourie salt vnto them The second thing which feareth and offendeth many is the hardnes of the word Oh say they we would gladly learne indeed but the word is so obscure and hard that indeed it cannot be learned See the shamelesse vngratiousnesse of some men who to cleere themselues will lay a fault vpon the holy and pure word of God But know this O man that the word is hard because thy heart is hard through sinne Couetousnesse anger
without sense of the conflict of the lawe of the members and the spirit as Rom. 7. 24. Sixtly hee is stirred to doe well by some worldly reason liking his fancie and fleshly appetite not constrained by the mercie of God as Psalm 1 30. 4 Rom. 12. 1. or by the loue of Christ as 2. Cor. 5. 14. Seuenthly he doth more often regard the feare fauour and praise of men than of God and his priuate commoditie than that of his brethren These are his characters and yet eightly hee hideth many things vnder the cloake of popularitie and guilefull affected clemencie So did Absolom hide his vnnaturall treason So did the troublers of the state of Rome with their Leges Agrariae Ninthly vnder the cloake of keeping companie with those vpon whom wee may beare our selues bolde and which may back vs when we haue done euill Tenthly vnder the cloake of clinging to their companie which are good men and are wel thought of not to better our selues but to credit our doings the more and to make vs more commended to the people as Nouatus did vpon his confessions Eleuenthly vnder the cloake of lawe and execution of iustice when some other wicked affection is the cause of their doings and the law but their pretence as Iezabel in putting to death Naboth did it not for the vineyard but to see iustice kept and as the Lords of Persia against Daniel Twelfthe vnder the cloake of religion zeale and conscience when deepe in their hearts they hide some other meaning as Simeon and Leui in procuring the Sichemites to be circumcised as Absolom in making the shadow of his conspiracie the performing of his vowe in Hebron as Iezabel making the way to bloodshed on the innocent by the proclamation of a fast as Caiphas adiuring Christ in Gods name to make them knowe who hee was that way to take him 11 Hypocrisie is seene when sinne most lieth dead vnder a cloake and most lieth in a closet wherewith God is displeased that when wee make no conscience of sin in close places our priuie sinnes shall breake out in publike places 12 The holy Ghost Ezech. 24. 6 compareth hypocrites to a pot that outwardly seetheth but within the scumme remaineth And Hoseah in his 7. chapter compareth them to a cake whereof the one side is well baked and the other side is plaine dow And Christ compareth them in his daies to such as wash the outside of the cup and platter but leaue the inside filthie Our common similies whereby wee resemble these men is a course cloath hauing a fine list 13 When two gentlemen ride on hunting it is hard to discerne each others houndes because they are mingled together which afterwards is more easilie done when the hunters are seuered euen so so long as God and the world walke together it is hard to distinguish betweene the heires of the one and of the other but when they are seuered by the crosse it will surely bee seene who be the children of God who be the heires of the world 14 In naturall men wee finde these markes first that naturall men measure others by themselues so did these brethren iudge of Ioseph So doth the world iudge hardly of Gods children because they are vngodly themselues so those that thinke to correct or admonish in anger think that others do so too because they come of fashiō to the Church they thinke so of others When we are readie then to thinke euill of others let vs take heede we be not so our selues and let vs learne to leaue this for the sinne is great For first wee beare false witnes against our brother Secondly wee be enemies to the grace of God in them because in this our corruption wee cannot iudge well of them The readie remedie is to pull out the beame out of our owne eye and to iudge charitably of others Secondly a naturall man doth more abstaine from euill for man than for God and so will it bee till the feare of God be setled in vs to teach vs Gods prouidence in things to come and his iudgements in things past This was with Esau because the daies of his father were at hand So many are now restrained by the magistracie which otherwise would do euil so long as it is with vs thus wee are but hypocrites and not regenerate The remedie is to consider Gods prouidence to commit vengeance to him to ouercome euill with goodnesse and then shall wee doe things for conscience sake and not for feare Thirdly the torments of an euill conscience is the punishment of sinne the wicked shall flie when none pursueth whensoeuer then our conscience doth trouble vs let vs knowe that our sinnes are in vs whereof we are not purged When we feare men it is either for the want of the assurance of Gods mercifull prouidence or forgiuenes of our sinnes or for that wee haue done the like to others as Caine thought euery one would slay him because he slew his brother If wee haue not done them harme and yet feare as Abraham did Abimelech then it is the want of Gods prouidence which riseth of the want of the forgiuenes of our sinnes for if wee feare the creature it is because wee are not reconciled to the Creator The remedie of this feare of men is to learne faith in Christ for the free forgiuenes of our sinnes and the assurance of his prouidence then shall we say wee feare not what man can doe against vs yea then shall wee deale vprightly with others so that if then others deale euilly with vs and we pay them the things which we neuer took we haue the comfort of our conscience and are blessed because we suffer for wel-doing 15 In manners men will first listen to wicked counsel then take pleasure in their companie till at last they communicate with them in their euils an◠as they grow in liking of those euill counsellers so doe they loathe those that giue good counsell and despise them yea when the Minister speaketh priuilie to them by admonition or openly out of the word they thinke hee speaketh of purposed malice and hatred against them and so shut their eares and harden their hearts when any thing is spoken for their amendement but if a word be spoken which concerneth another or else may cherish them in their sinnes that doe they greedily snatch and lay hold of All which sheweth that men are the cause of their owne hardnes for when the Lord cannot preuaile by his word then leaueth he men vnto themselues which stay not till they come to hardnes This must teach vs with feare to examine our hearts to proue what loue of the truth remaineth in vs and what liking we haue of lies what hearts we beare to those which giue vs wholesome counsell to reclaime vs from sinne or whether wee rather incline to those that feede our eares with such wordes as may
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
commonly despised We may not loue that best which the world esteems best A good rule Depth of mystery in plainnes of words Heart seat of diuinitie Triall of heart Note Note Affections Note Popish doctors of reasoÌ„ A wit not huÌ„bled hinders vs in godlinesse Loue. Canticles Griefes Motions Mercie 〈…〉 nts 〈…〉 they 〈…〉 〈…〉 câ—p 7 7. 〈…〉 true sense A two fold iudgement the one in righteousnes another in mercie We are to follow the holy Prophets c. in their holy affections Note Note The name of the Lord. The word the onely glasse to see and know the Lord. Iohn 14. 23. Psalm 119. A mirrour of godlinesse Freewill Albeit wee haue the light of the word yet the Lord must opeÌ„ our eyes before we can see Affection Anger Watchfulnes Simile To meet with teÌ„ptations before sinne be perfected Simile Godly feare The dominion of sinne Rom. 6. 12. Not to bee tempted Heretikes 〈…〉 â—0 Note Simile The blindnes of sinnes Simile Note the louing mercie of the Lord couering our manifold infirmities Simile The ChristiaÌ„ warfare The end of all deliuerances Thankfulnes Two principall props in trouble Esay 5. Godlinesse Afflictions Gods countenance Godly sorrow Loue to Gods word Simile God iust in his prouidence Note Diues and Lazarus Matth. 5. Incredulitie in Gods children Beleeuing the word That the 119. Psalme concernes all the regenerate Iobs sinnes Note A true propertie of zeale Galath 6. 1. Zeale for the contempt of the Word Of Zeale Diuers kinds of zeale 1 2 3 The first propertie of true zeale The first rule of true zeale Toleration of many things for the peace of the church The second rule of true zeale Two obseruations The second obseruation Simile Conscience of thoughts The third rule of zeale The fourth rule of zeale Triall of our obedience To heare with the frailties of Gods children Duties of loue euen to Gods children The fift rule of zeale Sufficiencie for the ministery The sixt rule â—â— zeale Difference betweene fretting anger and pining zeale Admonition Our vnbeleefe and wherefore we see it not Triall of our zeale Our vnbeleefe is shewed vs in the often repetitions of the commendatious of the word No idle repetitions in this Psalme M. Bradford and holy Martyrs much lamenting euer fâ—r their vnbeleefe The word of God a tried friend in troubles Simile Dauid against Goliah Triall of our loue to the word Triall of our loue to the word How Christians differ much from heretikes Heretikes cannot abide the word Good notes for prayer 1. Importunate in praier with God Luk. 1â— 1. 2 Wherfore God delayes to graunt our requests 2. Wisedome of he spirit in prayer Our times for prayer Sabbath Luk. 10. 41. 42 Callings Diligence in hearing and prayer Note Sabbath two Sermons the mornings 〈…〉 eâ—es Note Preparation and meditation Preparation The minâ—sâ—eâ— Balaams witchcrafe Num 23. 22. 23. Meditation The morning meditation 1 2 3 Note 1. Cor. 7. Ierem. 7. 13. Iob. 8. 2. Matth. 21. 18. The third point cheerefulnes in prayer Spirite of cheerfulnes a singular grace Note The fourth propertie in prayer is Faith Faith and patience A iudgement of mercy and of seueritie Note Note Note Secret sinnes Note Witchcraft Zeale Anger Hypocrisie Note Note Rom. â— 3. 4. 5. Luk. 7. 47. Dulnes Esay 25. â— Feare Consulting with witches Is Gods feare be wanting there is no temptation so great but we faâ—â— inâ—o it Triall of our feare of God False feare Simile Witchcraft A true note of Gods child The true ioy of the faithfull howfor it exâ—â—â—des all carnall ioy Triall of our ioy Simile Sabbath Dulnesse in prayer and other holy exercises Feare and ioy tempered together Loue to good things and hatred of euill things may not slakâ— in vs. Prayer AdmonitioÌ„ Relapse Polygamie Heresie or profâ—â—â—nesse like to follow our securitie The true faith worketh by loue Iohn 17. Furies Application Waiting an effect of faith AsouÌ„d faith breedeth a good conscience Incredulitie hastie A patient faith Impatience True faith not without good workes To iustifie diuersly taken How we are iustified by workes Simile Simile Simile RepetitioÌ„s in prayer how reprooued Simile Promises are generall Prayer must bee ioyned with faith knowledge Ripenes of iudgement and quicknes of affections whence Thankesgiuing the end of Gods blessings Many thinke they loue God his word religion wheÌ„ indeed they doe not Simile How to holde fast true Wisedome The cause of forgetfulnes is carelesnes Two things to be auoided first vanitie of minde secoÌ„dly worldlinesse if wee will entertain and possesse wisedome What to be auoided Simile To auoyd the societie of the wicked Citò longè tardè Psalm 119. and 1â—0 1 The practises of the wicked against the godly 2 3 What euill examples doe No hope of Lucre or preferment must linke vs in any league with wicked men Reasons of the former precept The delight of the wicked A true marke of the wicked How we must endeuour to sâ—irre vp otâ—ers â—o â—â—ad neâ— â—â—â— be 〈…〉 we haue not performed any such autie Psal. 119. It is not sufficieÌ„t to flie the counsells anâ— companies of the wicked Wee must hasteâ— to the societie of the godly 〈…〉 〈◊〉 â—â—al â— 1. 2. 〈◊〉 16. â— Gen. 16. 8. Vaine and vnprofitable changes of places of callings c. Two marks of a righteous man 1 2 Notes of a good conscience 1 2 3 Simile Simile Simile Good cautioÌ„s to keepe vs from sinne How the wicked walke in sinne know it not Profit by reading preaching conferring of the word We must store vp the word in our heart by prayer meditations We must not rest in the vse of one good meanes 1 Two causes of watching ouer our hearts 2 The second cause of watching ouer our hearts In what respects the worldlings leaue sinne The triall of our hearts whether in sinceritie wee loue the Gospell for the Truths sake or because we get some gaine glorie by it Cause of all sinne in our owne selues SataÌ„ is made a chirurgion to cure the corruptionâ— of the Saints How the pure heart stadeth fast in temptations Our hearts tried two waies The first by afflictions The second triall of the hart by our ioy and griefe in good and euill Desire of saluation How to discouer a couetous heart Care for the prosperitie of the Church a speciall note of Gods children Psal. 122. True triall of our ioy and sorrow Paul afflicted yet great ly comforted wheÌ„ he heard of the peace of the church and prosperitie of the gospell Triall of the heart in prosperitie To loue and speake the trueth in the least matters How God chasteneth his children for lying To speake the trueth in iudgement Scorne True knowledge where and how to finde it Triall of our hearts whether we principally respect Gods fauour in all our actions Contempt of the word what causes breed it 1 We say the rich and the mightie estâ—eme it not 1. Cor. 1. 2 We say it is too hard
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
though babish things both in life and doctrine become vs being babes yet hauing past our child-hood the Lord looks for more manly ripenesse both in knowledge in holines of life though our perfect age be not consummated before the resurrection As little children whether in teachablenes to good or reformablenes from sinne are either woâ—â—e by a faire word or â—llured by a trifling benefit or awed by a checke or feared by a frowning looke or stiiled by seeing another beaten before them or else quieted by the rod so if we be children either the promises of God must affect vs or the mercies of God must allure vs or his threatnings in his word must awe vs or his angrie countenance must feare vs or his correcting of others must humble vs or else the corrections of God vpon our selues must pull vs downe But as those children are of most liberall ingenuous nature who are rather allured with faire words than driuen to dutie with the rod so they are most gracious which are most broken with the conscience of their vnkindnesse more prouoked by the promises of God then by all the curses thunderings and threatnings of the law but they that are affected with neither degenerate as yet from the affections of children Hypocrisie 1 HEe obserued some who outwardly liued an honest ciuill life yet lying hypocritically in some sinne were constrained in death or before to vtter it to their shame Which kinde of iudgements are most necessarie that God might shewe himselfe to be God and his threatnings to be true that the wicked might lesse reioyce in their exceeding impietie and that Gods children might be raised from their securitie Iudgement 1 IN our most earnest matters wee must be zealous ouer our owne heart and then especiallie examine and call to account our affections because that in such a case there is either some speciall worke of God or else it is some notable worke of the flesh or of Sathan And whereas it is a pedagogie of the soule that in all things we had neede to aske the gouernement of God by his word and spirit for that a man knoweth what hee is but not what he shall be in this or that action When wee cannot gage the depth of our heart wee must impute it to want of prayer and the not trauailing with our heart how to doe the things in wisedome 2 Though all exercises of pure religion purely vsed doe both strengthen iudgement and whet vp affections yet reading hearing and conferring do most strengthen iudgement and in part whet on affections But praying singing and meditation doe mosâ— chiefly whet vp affection but in part strengthen iudgement and vnderstanding 3 Being desired to giue his iudgement of a weighty matter hee answered Syr neither am I able to speake nor you to heare for that wee haue not prayed indeede I may talke and you answere as naturall men but wee are not now prepared to conferre as tâ—e children of God 4 Hee fatherlie exhorted men to labour for increase of iudgment first by reason then by example by reason thus without soundnes of iudgement it is a more difficult trauailing for the childe of God with his owne heart to any fruit Againe not being stayed in iudgement one shall be troubled to commit and afraide to doe many things which indeede he might lawfully and comfortably doe if he had knowledge Thirdly wee shall not without good knowledge satisfie our godlie desire in perswading or dislwading anâ—e for that we cannot doe so assuredly substantially and effectually as wee ought and would doe By example he exhorted men to consider of the Prophet Dauid in his Psâ—lme â—19 hee prayeth for knowledge hauing no one thing oftner then this Teach mee O Lorde thy statutes c. Sound ioy 1 THe more one tasteth of heauenly things the lesse is his ioy in earthly things the more one feeleth earthlie things pleasant the lesse ioy can hee haue in heauenlie Coloss 3. 1. Phil 3. 20. 2 Wee must in reading the iudgements of God obserue this rule If any man will trie conclusions against Gods conclusions hee shall prooue nothing in the ende but himselfe to be a foole And if hee faile in his triall by how much the more he might be admonished by so much the more hee shall be without excuse There are many that feare Psal. 14. 5. where no feare is but there are more which reioyce where no cause of ioy is 3 Some ioy euery man must haue either carnall or spirituall and therfore when Cain had lost his title and interest in heauen hee made himselfe a seate on earth and when hee had lost the harmony of a good conscieÌ„ce his nephew Tubal was faine to inuent Organs that hee might haue some musicke and solace in outward things And 2. Kings 11. when the people could not haue their owne fond delights Salomon causeth Apes Peacockes and such like to bee brought from Ophir for them Men will haue ioy â—t they cannot haue the more solemne melodie by Arte they will haue the common instruments of the Countrey But the reason is because the soule is mouldring and the heart is pâ—rching drie But let these sandie mouldring earthly hearts consider that there is no secure nor true ioy which either time may loose or death dismay or the iudgements of God make afraide It is no sound ioy that either will leaue vs or wee shall be glad to leaue it as an vnprofitable possession 4 Manie had rather part from all fauour of God then loose the grace of some wittie speech which they haue deuised but cursed bee that merriment which respecteth not either dutie to God or loue to our neighbour Knowledge THere are manie who haue a generall knowledge of the Truth but when it comes to particular practise they are hindred with profites pleasures and selfeloue 2 They whose knowledge is in swelling words and painted eloquence of humane wisedome being but a doctrine of the letter in their death they are as if they knew nothing of Christ crucified and whereof comes it that there is so much preaching and so little learning but because men preach and delight to heare plausible nouelties to please the eare rather then the simple power of the Word to pierce the heart they take the bone and refuse the marrow they are content with the shell but want the kernell and not onely the law killeth but also the Gospell that is the letter of the Gospell beeing ministred without the spirite Aske the wounded conscience what comfort it is to heare that Christ dyed for our sinnes Nay aske if this gall not as much as the lawe it selfe so long as it is rather conceiued by reason than receiued by faith 3 He said how after hee knew God hee desired by prayer two things principallie the one that hee might loue the Saints the other that hee might willingly and
Sathan went about to leade him 9 Hee had often in his publike ministerie and priuate conference a sudden failing in memorie so as by no meanes hee could recouer himselfe in those things hee purposed to speake in which case he vsed this remedie presently to groane in his hart and to humble his soule vnderneath the holy hand of God not busilie to stand troubling and tossing his memorie because he knew and had often prooued that this was the best way to turne away this euill 10 To reade and not to meditate is vnfruitfull to meditate and not to reade is dangerous for errours to reade and meditate without prayer is hurtfull 11 The cause why our meditations and prayers are no stronger in the night is because we ioyne not with meditation the examination of our hearts vpon our beds which if we did in some truth it would keepe vs from drowsinesse and want of reuerence in our prayers as well as worldly men are kept waking by thinking on worldly matters Here we are taught by Dauids example when we want the more solemne and best meanes to make a supplie by often and sincere vsing of such priuate meanes as we can Ministerie Ministers 1 WE must neuer be so moued at the reproches of enemies as at the not profiting of friends that is such as be or ought to be the ioy crowne and glorie of our ministerie for whom wee haue prayed and with whom we haue trauailed for their saluation For as these men alone giue all the credite to our ministerie in well-doing so they doe farre more discredite it by euill doing then all others at whose hands we looke for no such things And for this cause wee may not be so moued to see the common sort of people offend because what maruaile is it if they faile in duties when others which are continually taught doe so often slip and fall 2 Ministers should most frequent those places where God hath made their Ministerie most fruitfull they should heerein be like the couetous man that where they haue once found the sweetnes of gaining of soules thither they should be most desirous to resort 3 Hee feared much the preposterous zeale and hastie running of young men into the Ministerie because as iudgement so also stayednesse and moderation vse experience grauitie in ordering affections and the hauing some masterie ouer corruption was needefull in him that should teach others And hee obserued the extreame in our age to be contrarie to that in the first age wherein men being but slenderly brought vp it was very long ere they were vsed in the Church but now education being bettered they are too soone imployed Too hastie a triall must not be made of mens giftes to their hurt that vse them and that haue the vse of them 4 If we aske whether a man may not lawfully desire to be in the Ministerie or no I answere that in the Ministerie are two things a worke and a worship a dutie and a dignitie The worke and dutie to the glory of God and the good of his Church a man may desire The worship or dignity to serue our couetous mind is not to be desired It is good before we come to the complete function of the Ministery there should be some training vp by degrees in the schooles of the Prophets Acts 20. Wee reade of the training vp of certaine Disciples at Corinth and at Antioch Paul was first a Disciple then an Apostle Ioshua vnder Moses Samuel vnder Ely Elisha vnder Elias Salomon vnder Nathan Baruch vnder Ieremie Timothie vnder Paul were trained vp And surely it is a diuine policie first to be of the childreÌ„ of the Prophets then a Prophet theÌ„ a Pastor First Christ calleth some to be domesticall Disciples Luk 6. After he sendeth them forth Luk 10. And then they preach most fully wheÌ„ after his Ascension they had receiued the holy Ghost Now if this order were in the Prophets times why should it not be much more in ours In the common-weale there is a training vp of the Gentrie before they be installed into Magistracie In the Court no man at the first is admitted to the highest titles and functions but according to their gifts practise In naturall things wee will not commit our bodies to euery Physitian professor but make enquiry after him who hath had the longest experience Then it is good first with Ioshua Samuel Elisha Salomon Baruch and Timothie to be humbled then with Moses Ely Elias Nathan Paul to be honored For what age requireth this more then our headie olde age of the world Wherein young men are some what forward and young men haue younger iudgemeÌ„ts younger affections vnseasoned speeches and vnseasoned speeches bring retractions and retractions bring their discredit Mirth 1 WHen a Gentlewoman asked him if he were not sometime merrie Yes saith he we are often merrie and sometimes we are afraid of our mirth Mercies 1 THe way to see the length depth breadth and heigth of Gods mercies is first with shame and sorrow to see the length c. of our owne sinnes Memorie 1 THe best arte of Memorie is to be humbled at Gods threatnings and comforted at his promises for sure it is that exceeding griefes or exceeding ioyes leaue great impressions in vs. 2 The best arte of Logicke is to reason E conuerso out of that saying of Paul There is no temptation hath ouertaken you but it hath ouertaken others And to say thus There hath no temptation ouertaken others but the same may ouertake vs. This will teach vs to speake charitably and profitably of other mens infirmities Markes of the children of God 1 THere be some notable markes to know whether our iourney be to heauen or to hell first if a man be so close that he will not open his way whither he purposeth to goe yet you shall spâ—e out his intent by obseruing which way his carriage is sent if our carriage goe after the flesh to the flesh we shall come if after the spirit to the spirit we shall come Secondly if a man conceale his voyage yet you shall discerne him by his inquirie this way or that way if he aske which is the way to Canaan and where the way lieth in the wildernesse it is an argument he is going to the promised land Thirdly albeit he would keepe his iourney neuer so priuie yet he is bewrayed if when in hearing a man speake against his countrey and dispraise his Prince and people his blood beginneth to rise he findeth himselfe grieued and standeth in defence of his countrey So if when men disgrace Gods word speake euil of his Ministers or reproch his Saints we finde our selues moued and not able to containe our selues from reprehension that is a token we are trauailing towards heauen Occasions of euill 1 GOdly men are not in danger of grosse wicked women wherefore we must haue a greater carefulnes of our selues when we are in companie
of such as professe godlinesse And so in all euils beware of secret and colourable occasions of euill wherein some make a shew of good being guiltie of great offences Patience 1 PAtience then possesseth the soule whensoeuer all our outward wants are supplied by patience 2 There are many who haue set a presse on their hearts and purposed to exempt themselues from all griefe others eate vp their hearts with griefe as the flesh of the body is eaten vp with a corrosiue and so make themselues dull stones rather than feeling members the meane is not to be too quiet as without all griefe nor to be vnquiet too much as being without a God Pitie 1 THey are not to be pitied in their griefe which sorrow not with some griefe for their sinnes Pouertie 1 WE often want outward things because we esteeme no more of inward graces 2 It is the policie of Sathan to lay before vs the great benefits which we want to cause vs to murmur for them and to disgrace the present benefits which we haue least we should be thankfull We must not desire to come out of the fire of affliction vntill the Lord thereby haue purified â—s as fine gold for his owne vse but still thinke that the continuing of the crosse is the continuing of scouring away of some corruption 3 The Lord oftentimes giueth his children no other riches but his promise made vnto them which they must wholy depend vpon vntill the Lord seeing them readie for the thing in the testament hequeathed vnto them shall in wisedome giue them their legacies 3 The Lord will haue vs to begin with good things though our beginning be small the diuell contrary In euill things God would haue vs feare the very first beginnings the diuell contrary Preaching 1 IT is to be feared that by reason of our long peace and ease mens teaching will become glassie bright and brittle for that preaching is alreadie growne so cold and so humane that the simple preaching of Christ doth greatly decay that the great peace quietnes which men haue in themselues shall destroy the power of godlines out of them 2 If wee preach things whereof wee are not fully perswaded or if we be perswaded of them yet if they be not sound according to truth they will trouble our consciences afterwards 3 He obserued that many would receiue the word of God publikely preached with reuerence and being priuately spoken they made no such account of it wherein men shewed themselues not to respect the preacher of God and his word but some other thing And that some men which was a foule sinne and worthie publike reprehension would heare a man willingly in the Church and gainsay his doctrine at home Wherein they bewraied rather that they heard for solemnitie of place more then for any deuotion 4 In denouncing the iudgements of God either priuatly to one or publikely to more the Ministers of Christ still ought earnestly and inwardly to be moued to pray that that euill which the Lord foreshewed them by the word to fall on such sinners might be turned away so farre must they be from speaking in wrath 5 Some Preachers doe much inueigh against the body crying out that it is the enemy of the soule when notwithstanding we are rather to nourish the body as the friend of the soule for the exercise of repentance and mortification and sanctification and on the contrarie the soule is the enemie to the body in vsing it to sinne for that there is neuer any corrupt action in the body but there hath been first a corrupt motion and sinful affection in the soule 6 He was alwaies desirous to be in the place of publike reading praying and preaching euen of conscience to Gods ordinance were the Preachers neuer so meane For if he spake of iudgement he either increased as he said or confirmed his knowledge If the speaker had great wants euen these wants did humble him and made him to meditate inwardly of that truth whereof the Preacher failed in so much that sometimes hearing the wants and then meditating of the truth he could as well be enabled to preach againe of that text as if he had read some Commentarie Prayer 1 WE cannot be drie in the graces of God so long as we resort to Christ by feruent prayer 2 If you will aske any blessing at Gods hands begin with crauing his fauour Psal. 4. If you would auoid any crosse begin first with repenting and crauing pardon for thy sinne Psal. 32. 3 He in all things would aske counsell of God by his word and prayer thinking he could neuer well doe good to others vnlesse he had also first done well to his owne soule And hee obserued that taking in hand things more suddenly hee either was crossed in the doing of them or if he had any present fruite yet hee saw it was not an abiding and remaining fruite 4 It is good to vse euery night as soone as wee awake some exercise of prayer or meditation and to preuent the morning and euening watch in thinking on the Word 5 Hee compounded with himselfe three times a day to pray for those things which he preached vsing also daily three portions of Psalm 119. 6 They pray not altogether of fashion who see their infirmitie in praying and are grieued for it And they that indeed doe pray onely of fashion doe not see it and this imperfection doth not so much displease the Lorde as the griefe in vs for our imperfection doth please him And though it come to passe that God doe crosse a vehement prayer and doth graunt our prayer when wee pray coldlie it is not either to make vs to surcease from zeale or to slip to coldnes in prayer for that is the way either to heresie or prophanenesse but to teach vs that wee must not on the one side trust too much to the meanes as though wee would tye God to our praying and to encourage vs on the other side to vse prayer when seeing the Lord hath heard vs praying faintly he will surely heare vs when we pray feruently 7 Sometimes in a good action vsing good meanes with an vpright heart to a lawfull ende if our prayers be vnfruitfull and our labours want successe then let vs remember that in all these there were secret imperfections and that the Lords deferring is that wee being better prepared by humilitie to be thankfull he may graunt our requests in richer manner and measure 8 When one said to him after long conference and prayer Sir I haue troubled you Oh my brother not so said hee I neuer felt ill by well-doing and if I may pleasure you it is as ioyfull to mee as any thing can bee for for this cause I liue Praise 1 VNto one that with many words disabled himselfe he said meekly O why do you so much seeke your owne praise for it bewrayeth a
the remnants of corruptions defects of good things may easily be drawne of a malicious man to cut off himselfe from the Church not being able to discerne betweene essentiall and accidentall betweene the principall and inferiour points which make or destroy a Church that is which cannot iudge how the substantial ground workes remaining there is a Church though there be otherwise some accidentall things wanting If any man not so much intending this mans good as to feede his owne ambition pride stomacke or vaine glory shal carrie such a one to such superstitions or schismes he by his euill heart intending to hinder the truth and to destroy the temple of God the Lord shall destroy him and he shall either grow prophane or worldly or he shall be cut off by death or beare some other token of Gods wrath And because of a singularitie of spirit such men with an euill conscience disturbe the Church they may grow from error to heresies from precisenesse to prophannesse from strictnes to madnes not being content to be corrupted but seeking to corrupt Howbeit the man of infirmities and for want of iudgement going in an high path shall in the end inherit good things and be saued but as by fire The true suruay and examination of our selues 1 VVHen we examine ourselues we are to sit in iudgement ouer our selues and to keepe a solemne court in our owne consciences to suruay our manners our wits our senses our members and to see how we haue vsed them but yet least we should be too fauourable to our selues either in not espying out our sinnes or in not coÌ„demning our sinnes still we remember to make the law our iudge but Christ the answerer of the iudge The motions of the spirit of God in vs. 1 IT is a good thing to make much of a tender conscience and to nourish the motions of Gods spirit and not to offer any violence to that spirit of grace which rebuketh sinne iâ— vs for he that hath once crackt his credit will happily care for nothing she that hath once bruised her virginitie will by all likelihoods proue an old harlot It is daungerous to burie the checkes of our conscience to fight against Gods spirit or to â—mother the light of grace in vs for so we may grow to such a sottishnes in sinne that no admonition can forewarne vs nor punishment can affray vs the smallest meanes will prouoke vs to sinne the greatest meanes cannot reuoke vs from sinne For suffering our selues to be hardned by degrees the spirit is so quickly quenched the conscience so tender is so soone bruised that it is no maruell though we vse so great precisenesse and warinesse in so tender a matter by suspecting the retire of old sinnes and by foreseeing the assaults of new sinnes Euill spirits 1 HE obserued the difference of superstition and true religion in many things and namely how the diuell whilest he was made knowne to men onely by hornes by clawes or by an hollow voyce was wonderfully feared but now being reuealed to be a more secret aduersarie a spirituall tempter a priuie ouerthrower of the soule no man almost regards him and therefore as some haue feared him too superstitiously so now it is come to a more dangerous extremitie that he is not feared at all and which is more we cannot truly beleeue the gracious helpe of Gods holy Angels but seeke after Satans practises He marked that good men and learned did much omit this in their prayers that God would send his Angels to them to deliuer them from euill spirits Temptations 1 EVery man is that indeed that he is in temptation 2 The faithfull shall not be tempted aboue their strength but with the increase of temptation the Lord will increase our faith or with the decrease of our faith he will decrease our temptation 3 Gods children haue their faith so tried by the crosse as alwaies some drosse of sinne is purged away thereby As Iacob ceased not to wrestle though his thigh were â—â—â—â—â—d till he got the blessing so we must not faint in temptation though we be humbled til we get the victorie We must not despayre of victorie because in our striuing we had some infirmities but rather we must reioyce in this that God hath giuen vs a will and a desire to cleaue vnto him 4 It is a great fault in time of temptation not to resist those corruptions which after our temptation is ouer we are ashamed of and time it selfe resisteth them 5 Outward temptations doe not hurt till our inward corruption doth yeeld but rather they are as Surgeons to draw out our festered corruptions 6 Long and strange temptations may betoken long and strange sinnes 7 Gods seruants being tempted are not so much to looke at their state present as on their estate to come because they that presently sow in teares in time to come shall reape in ioy 8 He said that when a great temptation hangeth long vpon vs it were good to seeke for some speciall sinnes in vs because that we shall finde that for some priuie pride or vnthankfulnes or such like a teÌ„ptation remaineth long with vs. There is a a traine of corruption in vs and God often punisheth one sinne with another which if we espie not but looke onely to the grosser sinnes we shall hardly be brought to humble our soules vnderneath the hand of God or to profit by the admonition of others Againe we must auoide all occasions of drawing on sinne and vse ruery principall meanes at the least that helpeth against sinne For although we shunne all occasions and vse many meanes and omit but one of the chiefest God may correct that one omission in vs. 9 He thought it to be a Christian dâ—scretion neuer to vtter a temptation but when a man had no comfort in himselfe or when he stood in very great neede of comfort and then alwaies to discerne to whom he opened it 10 Subtiltie and violence are vsually attendant vpon the temptations of the diuell and the flesh the diuell especially vsing these two 11 Vnto one that was much tempted with vnbeleefe he gaue this counsell When the temptation commeth either fall downe in prayer and say Lord thou makest me to possesse the sinnes of my youth and this temptation is of very equitie howbeit oh Lord grant I may by wisedome herein make this temptation an holy instruction and suffer me to possesse my soule in patience oh turne this â—o thy glorie and my saluation I see and confesse what hath beene in me a long time by that which now sheweth it selfe in me and that thy grace â—ath altogether hitherto kept vnder this corruption yet Lord I beleeue and yet Lord I will beleeue helpe Lord my vnbeleefe thy name be praised for this seale of thy loue and pledge of thy spirit that in this vnbeleefe I am grieued as in my beleefe
of the word which you knew yet if you turne to the Lord in feare serue him your sinne is remissible howsoeuer Sathan chargeth your conscience in that you haue done euill against your owne knowledge and in that you are afraide least that sinne be in you and would reioyce in God if it were not in you if you purpose to leaue your former sinnes and in truth to turne vnto the Lord I dare assure you that as yet you are free from that sinne 14 When a maide was so sore troubled that two or three held her in her fit he charged her in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ that when the agonie came she should not willingly yeeld to it but in the Lord resist it For both experience teacheth that the ouer much fearing of temptation before it commeth and little purpose to resist it when it commeth mightily incourageth Sathan and also the holy Ghost biddeth vs to resist the diuell and he will flie from vs to draw neere to God and he will draw neere to vs. And the maide was neuer after afflicted Thankesgiuing 1 OF all sacrifices most acceptable is that of thanksgiuing and therefore in many words the Saints of God haue vowed and entred into bands with the Lord to pay this oblation boâ—h to preuent the vntowardnes of nature which is so vnwilling to this as also to shame themselues more if happily they grow herein negligent in which repetition of their vowes and promises which argueth the great desire of their hearts for looke what one delighteth in he often speaketh of it and in many words they declare that as euen in things agreeable to nature we will helpe our delight by often speaking and repeating of them so much more this helpe is requisite in things aboue nature among all the parts of godlines which are aboue nature and chiefly in thanksgiuing which is most contrarie to nature for we will pray often for a thing but hardly giue thankes once And yet experience proueth in ciuill things that of all arguments to perswade one to giue vs a gift none is more eloquent or forcible than to promise our selues to be thankfull and mindfull for that we shall receiue 2 It is our common corruption that the immoderate griefe of euils present stealeth from vs all the remembrance of former benefits and all thankfulnes for them Vnbeleefe 1 HE gaue this aduice to one that when he felt mistrust of Gods promises he should set before him the examples of Gods mercies done to others that we may be the more assured to obtaine faith and when he began to presume he should set before him the examples of Gods iudgements that he might pray for humilitie 2 He said to a godly Christian much inueighing against her vnbeleefe I doe not now suspect your estate when you seeme to me rather to haue faith than when you seeme to your selfe to haue it For faith being the gift of God is then most obtained and increased of God when you thirsting after the increase of present feeling thinke the smallest measure obtained to be no faith and therefore be yet humbled vnder the mightie and mercifull hand of God for it Rather I suspect you when you say you haue faith because then you can lesse feare suspect your selfe and by that meanes lie open to vnbeleefe againe And surely experience proueth that when we shew we haue beleefe when we mourne for our vnbeleefe and then our faith may be least when we thinke it to be most Besides herein you are to comfort your selfe with hope of increase of faith because faith groweth by these two meanes either by some great feelings by the word and the spirit and humble thanksgiuing joyned thereunto or else by humbling our selues before the mercie seate of God for want of our faith Vngodlines 1 WE may not goe to see vngodlines to breede a great detestation of it in vs. For first in respect of our selues in so doing presuming on a thing not warranted it is the iust iudgement of God that we should learne to fall into that sin whereof before we were ignorant because naturally we are inclined to such an action Secondly in respect of our brethren it is vnlawfull for if they be strong we offend them if they be weake we misleade them Thirdly in regard of Gods glorie it is vnlawfull for such should be our zeale thereunto if not hauing heroicall spirits by the motions of Gods spirit to speake against it that we should not ouersee such a thing Dan. 3. 15. Vse of the creatures 1 AS naturall men vse Gods creatures to stirre vp a naturall comfort so spirituall men should vse them to procure some spirituall comfort and to stirre vp godly ioyes and fruitfull meditations in themselues for as Satan seeing men of a sanguine complexion and sanctified laboureth to mixe with their spirituall ioy a carnall iâ—y so seeing some of a melancholie complexion sanctified to haue spirituall sorrowes he bestirreth himselfe to bring vpon them carnall sorrowes Vnthankfulnes 1 HE would say I feare not the time of the visitation of them that thereby doe grow in the gifts graces of God but rather I feare the time of their deliuerance least it should be ouertaken with vnthankfulnes and so wofully they should lose the fruite of that good which so dearely they had purchased of the Lord. Visions 1 BEing asked if there might now be visions agreeable to the word he said They might be extraordinarie but not to be credited but for the words sake and who so is moued with them and not with the word wherewith a man is charged to be moued and is not drawne the more by the vision to the true meanes that mans faith is suspitious And as visions haue beene ordinarie and preaching extraordinarie so now preaching is ordinarie and visions extraordinarie But if you obiect that the visions be true he said Sathan will speake truth and keepe touch twice or thrice in lesse matters to get vs in the luâ—ch in greater matters and at length in some contrarie to the word of God Of Vsurie 1 VSurie is the diuels Alchymistrie to turne siluer into golde it is lucre by lending and they that vse it be a gracious kinde of theeues it is a sinne that hath many aduocates patrons But to whom may this be vsed Men are either poore meane or rich to the poore giue freely to the meane lend freely of the rich take vsurie The Lord was neuer the author of this diuision Aristotle by the very light of reason saw that it was a monstrous thing for money to beget money but Gods law goeth further Leuit. 25 36. Deu. 5. 19. Againe the Iewe of a Iewe might not take interest but the linke of a Christian is neerer than of a Countrie their brother-hood was but by Countrie onely ours by redemption Indeed recompence is to be made where the thing is the
we be not too quiet in sinne that we please not our selues in a generall good and in a perswasion we haue heard enough but still let vs labour for the word for I dare say that all our power in prayer commeth from the word euen as the life that is in a tree is inuisible and yet by the fruites comming out in due season is discerned of all and as the life of a childe is a thing not seene but by mouing going and feeling is easily perceiued so the life of faith is a thing very secret and yet by the effects of it at one time or other is discerned of good men There may seeme to be workes and yet not faith and there may be faith and yet not workes by and by following Many men thinke the word now preached not to be the right word because few men are brought to the obedience of God by so long preaching of it But we must rather reason the contrarie this is a sure note it is the true word because it is so much refused and men are made the worse by abusing the word which as it would make them better and doth make better all that obey so it maketh worse all that doe not receiue it in loue that they may be saued 2. Thess. 2. 11. AN OTHER ADDITION OF AN HVNDRED GRAVE COVNSELS OR DIVINE APHORISMES IF you desire to heare the word with profit obserue these things before you goe to the Church humble your selfe in prayer to God that he may prepare your vnderstanding affection and memorie to receiue and that the Preacher may speake to your conscience after in hearing with some short prayer applie the seuerall threatnings promises and instructions to your owne estate when you are come home from hearing change all that you remember into prayer and desire God that you may remember it most when you should practise it and vse to teach others and to conferre of the things remembred it is a good way to remember a thing diligently to remember the reason of it 2 The cause why our meditations and prayers are no stronger in the night is because we ioyne not with meditation the examination of our hearts vpon our beds which if we did in some truth it would keep vs from drowsinesse want of reuerence in our prayers as well as worldly men are kept waking by thinking of worldly matters Here we are taught by Dauids example when we want the more solemne and glorious meanes in dignitie to make a supplie by often and sincere vsing of such priuate meanes as we can 3 It is better to offer a voluntarie and free sacrifice in respect of Gods mercie as doe the Angels than a violent and constrained obedience as doe the Diuels And this dareâ— say that though the fearefull pronouncing of the curse the wrath the iudgement of God be fearefull in the law yet the denouncing of our separation from Gods kingdome of the gnawing worme of the second death is farre more fearefull in the Gospell which by how much it is the more proper seate and treasurie of Gods mercies so when thundrings and lightnings doe proceede from thence they are the more piercing 4 Two notes to discerne good Christians from hypocrites First whether they complaine of their owne wants and corruptions Secondly whether they speake with griefe and compassion of the infirmities of others 5 To one that seemed scrupulous in wearing the Surplice and Cap and notwithstanding stood in neede of greater things he said As I will not for all the world aduise you â—o weare them so I would counsell you to be well grounded ere you leaue them least you shaking them off â—ather of light affection than of sound iudgement afterward take them againe to your great shame and the offence of others 6 The greater gifts we haue the flesh is the prouder and Sathan the readier to assault vs. 7 The Church is to feare and expect some notable affliction when long ease and prosperitie haue bred either superstition or prophanenesse 8 Thinke not with thy selfe if I were in such a place if I were in such a calling or if it were such a time if I had obtained such a thing or if such a trouble were past then I would serue God then I would take another course though the time were changed and these things changed yet if thy minde were not chaunged thou wouldest be of the same opinion still and though these lets were râ—moued yet the diuell would put more great impediments into thy minde to hinder thee still but redeeme the time present doe good while thou mayest serue God to day for who knowes whether thou shalt liue till to morrow God hath left to man the time past to repent of it and the time present to consider of it but the time to come hee hath wholly taken to himselfe to dispose of it Thou maist imagine the time to come but if thou hast beene deceiued in the time past art deceiued of the time present much more thou shalt be deceiued of the time to come Say not then I will doe such a thing and such a thing hereafter doe something now for art thou a Papist Hast thou free will If thou finde thy selfe vnfit now thou shalt find thy selfe more vnfit hereafter if there be manie occasions to hinder thee now there will bee moe occasions to hinder thee hereafter 9 The persons afflicted are either the reprobate or Gods elect the children of wrath or the children of God The afflictions of the reprobate are the punishments of their sinnes here they suffer some in hell they shall suffer all torments here for a time there for euer here a little there vnmeasurable Gods children are either his children onely by election and not by effectuall vocation or else such as are called in Christ. The affliction of Gods children not effectually called are the punishments of sinne God will haue them vnder the rigor of his iustice to make them meet to receiue the grace of his mercy Gods children not onely by election but also by effectuall vocation are of two sorts they are either such as are not sufficiently called which are more out of Christ then in Christ or else they are sufficiently called in whome Christ liueth Againe those that are not sufficiently in Christ which are more carnall than spirituall are of two sorts they are either babes in Christ in whome there hath bene no more working of the spirit or such as haue had a greater worke of God in them in whom the spirit is quenched those that are but babes in Christ and continuing babes still in whom there is but a little worke of God and great abundance of flesh their afflictions are the punishments of sinne because they will not bee gouerned by the rule of Gods spirite God will haue them ruled by the rodde of affliction
sinne brake Dauids heart 144 We must humble our selues to see Heretikes doe more for vaine glorie and for their sect than we will doe for Gods glorie and for his truth 145 If once we giue consent to one sinne we are made readie to fall into many sinnes and making no conscience of one sinne we shall not make conference of many and great sinnes and so being once inwrapped in sinne it is a hard thing to get out of the clawes of the diuell 149 If any man make no conscience to walke vprightly I will not free him from pouertie from sicknes from heresie for as well can and will the Lord punish the minde as the bodie 147 It is the greatest iudgement of God that can be to thriue in sinne 148 When men begin to suffer themselues to be deceiued it is to be feared they will be hardened Heb 3. 12. 13. 149 If you slip backe from the Gospell the stranger sort will be offended either by noting in you singularitie or by suspecting you for inhumanitie But O cursed corruptions of our sinfull nature if we giue libertie they will grant licentiousnes if we affoord consolation they will set on presumption if we call for humiliation they crie to desperation 150 Looke often vpon Christ when you are alone be carefull to please him for carefulnes and cheerefulnes may meete together in a sanctified minde 151 He would giue to others not such things as he loued not but such things as he loued dearely that they might know it to be a gift of loue It is the temptation of the godly to feare whatsoeuer they doe that they doe it in hypocrisie A SHORT FORME OF CATECHISING VVHEREIN ARE BRIEFLY SET DOWNE THE PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION BY MASTER RICHARD GREENHAM SOMETIMES PREACHER OF THE WORD OF GOD IN LONDON HEBR. 5. 12. VVhen is concerning the time yee ought to be teachers yet haue yee neede againe that we teach you the first principles of the word of God and are become such as haue neede of milke and not of strong meate IOB 33. 16. 23. 24. Vers. 16. He openeth the eares of men euen by their corrections which he sealeth Vers. 23. If there be a messenger with him or an interpreter one of a thousand to declare vnto man his righteousnesse Vers. 24. Then will he haue mercie on him VERITAS VIRESSIT VVLNERE TC AT LONDON Imprinted by Thomas Creede for William Welbie and are to be solde at his shoppe in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Swanne 1611. TO THE RIHT VERTVOVS AND GODLY GENTLEWOMEN MISTRIS ANNE BOVVLES AND MISTRIS A. STEVENS H. H. WISHETH AL COMforts and mercies in Iesus Christ to be multiplied THe holy Apostle S. Iohn saith hee had no greater ioy than this to heare that his sonnes did walke in the truth The same affection all the true Ministers of Christ haue in some measure towards all the sonnes and daughters of God specially such as they haue gained or God by them hath brought to the faith of Christ. I am well assured you remember Master GREENHAMS great care and loue towards you which was vnfained because of the good experience hee had of your vnfained faith in Christ and loue towards him If hee had longer liued hee would haue reioyced yet much more to see your loue so increase in knowledge and the testimonies of your loue in the fruite of righteousnesse and in your godly perseuerance in the truth Now receiue his workes and what you long expected and desired to see This Catechisme I haue sent you that you may teach it your children as Eunice Lois did their children These letters serue wel for your own vse that you may heare them alwaies speake in his absence from you whom you so reioyced to heare being present with you and that you may haue his owne very words written and set before your eyes which you haue heard often to your great ioy sounding in your eares that so in the end you may be able by your good experience to comfort others with the same comforts wherewith yee are and haue beene by him comforted of God For the faithfull are exercised of God diuerslie some by outward some by inward afflictions of minde and some haue both troubles without and terrours within Such as bee not acquainted with the troubles of mind whatsoeuer gift they haue can bring but cold cōfort in time of need to poore soules afflicted as it is very manifest both by Scripture our common experience Now the God of peace sanctifie you both in spirit soule and bodie and keepe you with all yours blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. Amen Yours euer in Iesus Christ HENRY HOLLAND A SHORT FORME OF CATECHISING WHereas all men desire to bee blessed and the most men are deceiued in seeking blessednes tell mee which is the true way thereunto To know God to bee my Father in Iesus Christ by the reuelation of the spirit according to his word therfore to serue him according to his will and to set forth his glorie belieuing that I shall want nothing that is good for mee in this life and that I shall enioy euerlasting blessednes in the world to come How know you this By the working of the holie Ghost and by the meanes of Gods word What call you Gods word It is the reuealed will of GOD set forth vnto vs in the holy Scriptures Which call you the holie Scriptures The Bookes of the olde and new Testament commonly called Canonicall Are all things that are necessary for vs to know contained in them Yea for God being full of all wisedome and goodnesse would leaue out nothing that was requisite for vs to knowe Is it lawfull for to adde or to take any thing from Gods word No for God hath flatly forbidden it and hath pronounced grieuous curses vpon those that doe it Why is it so grieuous a sinne Because it is a very great sinne to alter the last will of a mortall man therefore much more grieuous a sinne it is to change the last Testament of the eternall God Why is it requisite that the will of God should be set forth vnto vs That wee might haue pure rules of his worship and sure grounds of our saluation Is it not lawfull to repose any part of Gods Worship or of Saluation in the doctrine and doings of men No for all men by nature are lyars and defiled with sinne What followeth hereof That all mens doctrines and doings are mingled with lyes and corruptions How farre are wee bound to their doctrine and doings So farre forth as they be agreeable to Gods word May all reade the Scriptures Yea all that be of age able to discerne betweene good and euill ought to encrease in knowledge for their furtherance in saluation as they encrease in yeares Why must all such reade the Scriptures 1. First because euery one must be able to prooue and trie
people and so for mee How gather you this By the annointing of Prophets Priests and Kings which were figures of him Was Christ annointed with materiall oyle as they were No but he was annointed with all gifts of the holie Spirit without measure Why dâ—e you call him Prophet Because hee was he is and euer shall be the onely teacher of the Church What were then the Prophets and Apostles They were his Disciples and seruants and spake by his spirit What comfort haue you by this Hereby I am sure that he will leade me into all truth reuealed in his word needfull for Gods glorie and my saluation Why call you him Priest Because offering vp himselfe a sacrifice once for all he hath satisfied for all my sinnes and maketh continuall intercession to the Father for me What comfort haue you by the Priesthood of Christ Hereby I am assured that he is my Mediatour and that I also am made a Priest How are you made a Priest By him I haue freedome and boldnes to drawe neere and offer my selfe and all that I haue to God the Father Why call you him King Because â—e doth guide and gouerne me vnto euerlasting life by his word and spirit What comfort haue you by this Hereby I am assured that by his kingly power I shall finally ouercome the flesh the world the diuell death and hell Why call you him Lord Because not with gold nor siluer but with his precious bloud hee hath purchased vs to bee a peculiar people to himselfe What comfort haue you by this Seeing he hath paid such a price for mee he will not suffer me to perish What is the second thing wherein the faith of Christ consisteth Secondly I beleeue that he hath wrought my saluation indeed after that manner that is set downe in the Creede After what manner hath he wrought your saluation 1 By his most painfull sufferings for sinne 2 By his most glorious victorie and triumph ouer sinne In what words are his most painfull sufferings expressed In these words Suffered vnder Pontius Pilate was crucified dead and buried he descended into hell What is the generall meaning of these words By them I shew my selfe to beleeue that Christ endured most grieuous torments both of body and soule What comfort haue you by this I am freed from all those punishments of bodie and soule which my sinnes haue deserued How then commeth it to passe that we are so often afflicted with grieuous torments both in bodie and soule Our sufferings are not by desert any satisfaction for our sinnes in any part but being sanctified in the most holy sufferings of Christ they are medicines against sinne Why are these words added Suffered vnder Pontius Pilate Not onely for the truth of the storie but also to teach that he appeared willingly and of his owne accord before a mortall Iudge of whom he was pronounced innocent and yet by the same he was condemned What comfort haue you hereof That my Sauiour thus suffering not any whit for his owne sinnes but wholy for mine and for other mens sinnes before an earthly Iudge I shall be discharged before the heauenly iudgement seate What is meant by this That he was crucified That he died not onely a common death but such a death as was accursed both of God and man What comfort haue you by this I am comforted in this because I am deliuered from the curse which I haue deserued by the breach of the law and shall obtaine the blessing due vnto him for keeping of the same What is meant by this That he died That his soule was separated from his bodie so that he died a corporali death Why was it requisite that he should die Because by sinne came death into the world so that the iustice of God could not haue beene satisfied for our sinnes vnlesse death had beene ioyned with his sufferings Why is it â—rther added That he was buried To assure vs more fully that he was truely dead What comfort have you by his death and buriall 1 I am comforted because my sinnes are fully discharged in his death and so buried that they shall neuer come into remembrance 2 Secondly my comfort is the more because by the vertue of his death and buriall sinne shall be killed in me and buried so that henceforth it shall haue no power to reigne ouer me 3 Thirdly I neede not to feare death seeing that sinne which is the sting of death is taken away by the death of Christ and that now death is made vnto me an entrance into this life What is the meaning of this He descended into hell This is the meaning that my Sauiour Christ did not onely suffer in body but also in soule did abide most vnspeakable vexations griefes painfull troubles feare of minde â—â—to the which both before and most of all when he hanged vpon the crosse he was cast What comfort haue you by this I am comforted in this because in all my grieuous temptations and assaults I may stay and make sure my selfe by this that Christ hath deliuered mee from the sorrowfull griefes and paines of hell What beleeuest thou in this article Hee rose againe from the dead I belieue that Christ in his manhood hath suffered for mee and that he did in the third day â—â—â— againe by his owne power from the dead Wherin doth this article minister comfort vnto thee In three things 1. His resurrection doth assure me that his righteousnes shall be imputed to me for my perfect iustification 2. it comforteth mee because it doth from day to day raise me vp to righteousnes and newnes of life in this present world 3 It ministreth vnto me a comfortable hope that I shall rise againe in the last day from bodily death What beleeuest thou in this Article Hee ascended into heauen I belieue that Christ in his humane Nature the Apostles looking on ascended into Heauen What comfort haue you thereby 1. I am comforted in this that Christ hath prepared a place for mee in heauen which now I see by Faith and herâ—aâ—ter shall fully enioy 2. I am comforted by his intercession to the Father for me What fruite haue you by his intercession 1. First it doth reconcile me to the Father for those sinnes which I doe daily commit 2. Secondly being reconciled in him I can pray to GOD with boldnesse and call him FATHER What is the meaning of this article Hee siâ—tteth at the right hand of God the Father I belieue that CHRIST in mans nature was aduanced by the FATHER vnto that high authoritie whereby hee ruleth all things in heauen and earth What comfort haue you thereby 1. I am comforted because I shall receiue from him all things needfull for mee vnder his gratious gouernment 2. By his power all mine enemies shall be subdued and troden vnder my feete What beleeue you in this article From thence hee shall come c I belieue
saluation and to inable vs to suffer them 2. By a â—ledfast Faith in Gods promises and prouidence that wee shall want no good thing that all things seeming hurtfull shal be turned to the furtherance of our saluation What call you Sathan The aduersarie of enemie of God and his people How doth hee fight against vs 1. By subtiltie alluring vs to sinne and therefore â—e is called a Tempteâ— or Serpent 2. By laying fearefully to our charge our sinnes committed and therefore hee is called the Diuell an accuser 3. By seeking by manifold inward terrors and outward troubles to swallowe vs vp and therefore is called a roaring Lyon How shall wee fight against Sathan and his temptations 1. By Faith in Iesus Christ who ouercame all his temptations in his owne person that so wee might ouercome in him 2. By resisting the inward motions and outward occasions of sinne How shall wee doâ— that By belieuing that wee are baptized into the death and resurrection of Christ. How shall wee ouercome Sathan and his accusations 1 By Faith in Iesus Christ who hath iustified vs from all the sinnes for the which hee can accuse vs. 2 By all those comfortable promises of forgiuenes of sinnes which in CHRISTS Name are made vnto vs. How shall we ouercome him in our terrors and troubles 1. By Faith in Iesus Christ who was heard in all his troubles to giue vs assurance that wee shall not be ouercome in them 2. By Faith in Gods prouidence whereby wee know that hee can doe no more vnto vs than the Lord doth direct and as it were giue in commssion for our good Wee haue heard that the Word is the first and chiefe meanes not onely to beget but also to strengthen and increase Faith in vs What is the next principall meanes Prayer is the next principall meanes seruing for the strengthening and encreasing of Faith What is Prayer It is a lifting vp of the minde and a powring out of the heart before God Is there any prescript rule of Prayer left vs in the Scriptures Yea euen the Prayer which our Sauiour CHRIST IESVS taught his Disciples called the Lords prayer Is it lawfull to vse no other forme of words Wee may vse another forme of words but wee must pray for the same things and with like affection following the same rules which are prescribed in that prayer How is that prayer diuided It is diuided into the Preface or entrance to the prayer Prayer it selfe Conclusion or shutting vp of the prayer Which is the Preface Our Father which art in heauen What doth the Preface put vs in minde of 1. First of him to whom wee pray 2. Secondly of our owne estate in prayer To whom doe we pray Onely to GOD the Father Sonne Holy Ghost Why do you heere name the Father Because discerning the persons wee pray to the Father secretly vnderstanding it that wee doe in the mediation of the Sonne by the working of the holie Ghost Why must wee pray to the Father in the mediation of CHRIST his Sonne Because GOD being displeased for sinne we can haue no dealing with him but onely by the meanes of his Sonne in whom he is well pleased Why is it required that wee pray by the working of the HOLY GHOST Because the holie Ghost assureth vs that hee is our Father and whereas wee know not what to pray nor how to pray the holie Ghost doth teach vs both What must wee be perswaded of and how must wee be affected in prayer Partly concerning ourselues 1. Wee must be truly humbled which is wrought in vs two wayes 1. By a perswasion of our sinfull miserie and vnworthines to be helped 2. By a perswasion of the louing mercie of God in heauen that must helpe vs. 2. We must haue a certaine confidence we shal be heard and this is wrought in vs 1. By faith being perswaded that God loueth vs as his own childreÌ„ in our L Iesus Christ. 2. By faith being perswaded that our Father being God Almightie hee is able to doe whatsoeuer he will in heauen in earth others We must bee per swaded 1. That all Gods people pray for vs. 2. That it is our bounden dutie to pray for others as well as for our selues How are the petitions deuided Into two parts for 1. We make request for those things that concerne Gods Majestie 2. For those things which concerne our owne welfare Which be those that concerne Gods Majestie The three first 1. Hallowed be thy Name 2. Thy Kingdome come 3. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen What is meant by the Names of GOD 1. The Names and Titles of GOD as Iehouah the Lord of Hostes and such like 2. The 1. Wisedome of GOD. 2. Power of GOD. 3. Mercie of GOD. 4. Goodnes of GOD. 5. Truth of GOD. 6. Righteousnes of GOD. 7. Eternitie of GOD. Why bee these Names called the Names of GOD Because as names serue to discerne things by so GOD is knowne to be GOD by these things What is meant by the word Hallowed We pray that as God is glorious in himselfe so he may be declared and made knowne vnto men to be a most glorious God How shall Gods Name be declared to bee holie and glorious 1. First we pray that his wisedome power goodnes mercie truth righteousnes Eternitie may more and more be imparted and manifested vnto vs and other of Gods people 2. Secondly wee pray that according as wee know these things so the fruites of them may appeare in our and other Gods peoples liues that so Gods Name may bee honoured and praised What doe wee pray against in this petition 1. First wee pray against all ignorance of holie things wee should know and want of workes whereby God wants of his glorie 2. Wee pray against all false religion wickednesse and vngodlinesse whereby Gods Name is dishonoured I cannot as yet finde any more of this Catechisme If any man haue the rest in his priuate vse he shall doe well to communicate the same vnto the Church for the good of manie HONI SOIT QVI MAL Y PENSE THE SECOND PART OF THE WORKS OF THE REVEREND AND FAITHFVLL SERVANT OF IESVS CHRIST MAISTER RICHARD GREENHAM MINITSER AND PREAcher of the Word of GOD containing seuerall Treatises the Titles whereof appeare in the next Page following Psalme 94. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest O Lord and teachest in thy Law AT LONDON Imprinted by Thomas Creede for William Welbie and are to be solde at his shoppe in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Swanne 1611. SVCH TREATISES AND MATTERS AS ARE CONTAINED IN THIS PART ARE THESE 1. A comfortable Treatise for an afflicted conscience on the 18. of the PROVERBS vers 14. 2. Another short treatise of the same argument 3. The markes of a righteous man 4. Notes of election 5. A treatise of Contract 6. A large treatise of the Sabbath 7. Short notes of our
you for it is a speciall thing and I know it shall doe you good if God blesse it vnto you for if you be assured in your hearts that it was the Lord who in his gracious prouidence brought you thus together you shall be comforted against all troubles and hindrances that shall by any meanes be raised vp against you For this is the nature of Sathan to bring men and women to this doubt and when they once yeeld vnto it what trouble and what strife doth he worke betwixt them For whereupon ariseth that impatiencie of spirit that we see to be in many in murmuring in chiding in cursed speeches much like vnquietnes doth it not come of this because they haue not a reuerend perswasion that the Lord in his prouidence as by his owne hand ioyned them in that neere bond and coniunction together Therefore my good brother and sister as you would continue and increase in much loue and peace one towards another marke I say this point diligently for it shal be a very comfortable stay vnto you both whatsoeuer should fall out afterwards contrarie to that you looked for as if there should be any disagreement in your seuâ—rall dispositions and natures or if you should fall into sicknesses into any diseases or such like trials you remembring that this was the Lords doing you may be more assured that yet for all this it shall be well in the end if you be coÌ„stant in prayer calling vpoÌ„ God the Father through faith in Iesus Christ. Now that you may prooue vnto your owne harts that the Lord hath knit you thus together you must consider that it must needs be the Lord who hath moued the harts of your Christian parents to giue their lawfull consents vnto you in the same and God in mercie shall giue you greater assurance of it if you marke his dealings with you from time to time Now as touching your faith in Iesus Christ vnderstand that mariage is holy vnto them onely whose hearts are sanctified by faith in his name And although God will alwaies approue his owne ordinance yet it must needs prooue hurtfull in the end vnto them who call not for his blessing vpon the same and without repentance will turne to their further condemnation Therefore you are both to examine your selues diligently herein you brother A. must learne hereby so to loue your wife as Christ Iesus loued his Spouse his Church that is to say euen as our Sauiour Christ is very patient towards it and by little and little purgeth washeâ—h and clenseth away the corruption of it so you must in like manner in all wisedome vse the meanes and with a patient minde waite for the amendment of any thing that you shal finde to be amisse in your wife that the graces of Gods spirit may daily increase in her Therefore I charge you in the sight of God his Angels and as you will answere vnto me and the parents of this my sister before the iudgement seate of Christ that as you receiue her a virgin from her parents so you neglect no dutie whereby her saluation may be furthered that you may present her pure blamelesse as much as in you lieth vnto Iesus Christ when he shall call you to account And doe not thinke that this is a harder charge thaÌ„ is meete for seeing that God hath promised a blessing vnto those husbands that are faithfull to the conuerting of their vnbeleeuing wiues how much more then shall you preuaile with a Christian daughter and one I hope that hath receiued the faith as well as your selfe And you my sister must likewise take heede that you refuse not to obey your husbaÌ„d in all things agreeable to Gods most holy word For you must by his ordinance be subiect vnto him euen as the Church is subiect vnto Iesus Christ. And as the Church should be but a strumpet and be vnworthie of Christ and those blessings which he bringeth with him for her if she should not receiue and acknowledge him as her head so could you not looke for any benefit from your husband vnlesse you should submit your selfe vnto him according to the commandement of God Neither do I thus charge you with any obedience but in the Lord for if he should require any such thing of you as should cause you to depart from Christ I would haue you in any case remember that you are principally espoused vnto Christ. And herein also you must consider that there will be speciall araces of obedience and modestiâ— and goodnesse looked for of you not onely in respect of your good education but also because of that help which is now offered vnto you And when the holie Ghost in the Scriptures telleth you that the belieuing wife may through his blessing winne the vnbeliâ—uing Husband if so be shee walke christianlie in godly conuersation with modestie and scare before him let this encourage you to hope for better successe by all meanes of dealing towards one that is faithfull and I trust will be willing in all good things to comfort you Now thirdly in that you are taught to belieue in God the holie Ghost it admonisheth you to pray for his teaching that you may by him be led into all truth and be further instructed drawne vnto euery Christian dutie froÌ„ time to time The duties are very many to be gathered out of euery article as also out of the seuerall Commandements but I will onely giue you a taste and touch oâ—ely some one dutie required of you in euerie one of them In that you belieue that there is an vniuersall Church and Communion of Saints you must bee diligent to approoue your selues one to each other that you are parts and members thereof and further the graâ—es that God hath bestowed vpon either of you must be common in the vse thereof to each other so againe you must sustaine the infirmities one of another Finallie you must prouoke and stâ—re vp oâ—e another that your Faith may be strengthened and your selues comforted against all other griâ—fes by the assurance you shall haue wrought in you concerning the forgiuenes of sinnes wherein your happines doth consist as also in the hope of the resurrection of your bodies and the continuall meditation of eternall life We will come now to the Commaundements and first for the first commandement which requireth all spirituall seruice of you that is due vnto the Lorde that you stedfastly belieâ—e in him loue him with all your hearts and with feare and reuerence to call vpon his Name in all things giuing thanks as to him which is the author giuer of euery good and perfect gift vnto you You must make the profite of this commandement that if you will looke in truth of heart to be faithfull louing and dutifull one to the other these graces must spring from the other as being the fountaine and well-spring of all life and truth vnto them For
and for want of this order many excellent Sermons haue little effect for where iudgement by the truth is not conuinced there many exhortations fall to the ground for which cause also the holy vse of the Sabbath so little preuaileth with many in that they are not grounded with iudgement in the true knowledge of the same But before we come to the particular discourse of the reasons generally let vs consider why this commandement is in words larger in reasons fuller than any other commandement If we take a view of the whole law we may obserue how the Lord hath set downe sixe precepts in many words and foure nakedly in bare words as the 6. the 7. the 8. and the 9. why then are the first fiue commandements so apparelled with reasons and the last so dilated by a speciall amplification the other foure being so briefe and so naked Certainly the Lord and law-giuer foresaw that vnto these foure men would easily be brought to yeeld and we see how the very Heathen haue freely granted them the Philosophers haue fruitfully written of them all ciuill righteous men do earnestly maintaine them and to be briefe common honestie counteth him no man that will murther he is thought beastlike that defileth his body outward ciuilitie condemneth a theese and the common sort of men mislike a backbiter and slanderer Againe he knew in his eternall wisedome how the first fiue would neither in reason so soone be admitted nor in affection so easily embraced and therefore to meete with the subtiltie of mans nature and corruption of mans heart they are set downe more piercingly This we shall see in the first and last commandements of the second table In the first when the Lord had commanded honour to be giuen to parents he enforceth his commandement with annexing a promise of long life and why euen iudgement herein is much corrupted For many there are who granting the inconueniencie and vilenes of murther adulterie and false witnesse bearing yet denie the necessitie the excellencie of Magistracie Yea and albeit in iudgement many men yeeld to the reason thereof yet is not the equitie thereof so soone in affection embraced for experience of all ages proueth that the corrupt nature of man is most hardly brought to be subiect and these last miserable daies can witnesse the same more especially wherein men are growne to be without naturall affection Not without cause therefore is this precept fenced with reason In the last where God laieth a more precise rule straighter charge to the conscience of man than flesh and blood would willingly beare because men thinke it some rigorous dealing to haue their least affections arraigned and their secret thoughts condemned as willing to haue their thoughts not to be called into any court to hold vp their haÌ„d at the barre of iudgement he is constrained as it were by particular branches and seuerall articles to set downe the law that we might not finde some starting holes to creepe out at and to wring our selues out of the precincts of the same Yet more euidently doth this appeare in all the commandements of the first table because they are more contrarie to the iudgement of man meerely naturall although he be otherwise neuer so wise and the word of truth must only trie them for in the first commandement the reason is prefixed in the second third and fourth commaundements the reasons are annexed But here may arise this question â—o wit why the second and fourth Precepts are so amplified in words and strengthened with more reasons than anie of the other Surely herein the Lord declareth how he plainely foresaw how amongst the rest these two commandements would finde leaâ—â— entertainment and most be refused But what shall we say of the Papists Familists and Heretikes among vs in these dayes and other men also otherwise of sound iudgement which affirme that as well the second as the fourth Commandement is ceremoniall whereof the one would bring into the Church Images the other prophanenes Wherefore the Lord in his wisedome foreseeing these cauilling wits preuented their purposes so that if either they yeeld not or make resistance to the truth so manifest they oppose themselues to the knowne and open truth and so make themselues the more inexcusable Wee see to acknowledge that there is a God to honour Father and Mother to abstaine from blood not to defile our flesh not wrongfully to oppresse not to bee a notorious slanderer euery Papist and naturall man guided but by the light of reason will easilie graunt For the wonderfull order of the heauens the continuall course of the Sunne Moone and starres the outgoings of the mornings and euenings declare there is a God Reason perswadeth how the things in the world must needes be gouerned and that wee owe loue vnto him by whom they be guided Nature teacheth that mens liues must bee maintained common ciuilitie abhorreth adulterie oppression and backbiting But if yee aske how this God is to be worshipped and what times wee must sanctifie to that vse we shall see how many Countreys so many religions how many men so many deuises Thus wee see how necessarie it was that the Lorde should prouide for his owne glorie and captiuate all mans inuentions seâ—ing all these Commaundements doe most fight against the reason of man and by reason haue most beene oppugned So in the pure obseruing of these consisteth the sincere keeping of the rest of them For how shall wee knowe how to walke in pure worship with an vpright heart before the Lord how shall wee giue him the honour due vnto his glorious name how shall wee be instructed rightly and reuerently to deale with the dignitie of our brethren faithfully with their liues purely with their bodies righteously with their goods or tenderly with their credit but by those waies and rules which the Lord hath prescribed in his word and when should wee learne those rules but at such times as hee himselfe hath appointed and sanctified for that purpose Againe where these two commaundements are not rightly vnderstood there true Religion goeth to wracke For admit that wee should not carefully follow the word of God how many religions would then start vp Let this bee graunted that euery man should haue what day he would for the worship of God and then see how many dayes men would bestow on the Lord. But let vs come to the reasons whereof the first is drawne from the end of the law and is partly signified by this word remember and partly by this word sanctifie Remember the Sabbath day to sanctifie it For this word remember which is heere prefixed is set downe this word obserue in Deuteronomie wherein wee are forewarned to watch the more diligently and attend more carefully vpon this Commandement In which point wee may obserue that whereas all other commaundements are simply set downe and directly propounded this alone hath a preface prefixed which is thus
creatures of water bread and wine in the Sacraments but acknowledge all inward grace to proceede from God his blessing and institution so we promise vnto our selues on the Lord his day a greater blessing not for any thing in the day it selfe but by reason of God his owne ordinance and promise of a blessing to the same And as we denie not a blessing from the Lord on priuate prayer reading and conference but acknowledge a greater blessing to be due euen by the Lord his owne promise to these exercises publike in cōparison of the other so wee denie not the grace of God to be vpon those houres redeemed from our outward callings and consecrated to the Lord but confesse a more speciall blessing from God to belong to that whole day which the Lord hath taken vp to himselfe alone and that for his owne promise sake vnto all them which come with simple hearts to obey his holy commaundement Now hauing gone through these reasons which proue the Sabbath day to be morall and that this commaundement is no lesse to be obserued than the other nine before we enter into the exposition of the law it selfe it shal be cōuenient to meet with such reasons as some men bring to preludice the trueth of that which hath beene alreadie spoken which being done by God his grace we will come to the other The reasons against the Sabbath may briefely be reduced into such as either seeme to be drawne out of the expresse words of the Scriptures or else by some consequence to be gathered from the Scriptures The arguments borrowed from the written word are either out of the olde Testament or out of the new they which are contained in the olde are taken either out of the lawe or out of the Prophets Out of the lawe they make much a doe about that which is written Exod. 31. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. where the Lord faith this vnto Moses Speake thou vnto the children of Israel and say Notwithstanding keepe ye my Sabbaths for it is a signe betweene me and you in your generations that ye may know that I the Lord doe sanctifie you Ye shall therefore keepe the Sabbath for it is holy vnto you he that defileth it shall die the death therefore whosoeuer worketh therein the same person shall be euen cut off from among his people Sixe daies shall men worke but in the seuenth day is the Sabbath of the holy rest to the Lord whosoeuer doth any worke on the Sabbath day shall die the death Wherefore the children of Israel shall keepe the Sabbath that they may obserue the rest throughout their generations for an euerlasting couenant It is a signe betweene me and the children of Israel for euer for in sixe daies the Lord made the heauen and the earth and in the seuenth day hee ceased and rested Out of these words they snatch these three reasons First they triumph before the conquest and say it is manifest that it is a signe and therefore as they please to conclude it is a figure True it is that it is here called a signe vers 13. as also Ezech. 20. 12 it is plaine howbeit this is no good reason that seeing the Sabbath is a signe therefore it is a figure or shadowe For although euery figure and shadowe be a signe yet euery signe is not a figure or shadow A figure foresheweth a trueth afterwards to be reuealed a shadow betokeneth a bodie hereafter to be exhibited but a signe as it doth sometimes signifie a thing afterwards to be looked for so it doth sometimes assure vs of a thing alreadie performed The figure ceaseth when the trueth commeth there is no vse of the shadow when the body is present but the signe and the thing signified may be ioyned together and both of them serue for a present vse Againe they gather out of the 16. verse of the chapter which we haue in hand where it is said The children of Israel shall keepe the Sabbath that they may obserue the rest through their generations for an euerlasting couenant that because the Sabbath of God is his couenant for euer that is vntill Christ it is ceremoniall True it is that the lawe admitteth this phrase of speech sundrie times to say for euer that is vntill Christ in whom al things are fulfilled But we must obserue this general rule as our guide when we will know what figures and ceremonies end in Christ and what morall precepts belong vnto vs. When a thing is vrged to the Iewes and hath a peculiar reason made properly to the Iewe and appertaineth nothing to the Christian then as it begunne with the Iewes as they were Iewes it ceased with the Iewes but when the reason of the thing vrged is not peculiar to the Iewes but also belongeth to the Christians then the thing commanded is not proper to the Iew but common to the Iew and Gentile Wherefore let vs square out the reason by the line of this generall rule It is here added v. 17. For in six daies the Lord made the heauen and the earth and in the seuenth day he ceased and rested Where if it had beene said they shall obserue the rest for an euerlasting couenant because they were brought out of Egypt I would haue graunted it to haue beene peculiar to the Iewes but seeing this is the reason the Lord rested which is common not to the posteritie of Abraham alone but to the whole posteritie of Adam the commaundement must be granted generall both to Iew and Gentile For it is a common instruction to all men in all ages to labour six daies wherein the Lord made the heauen and the earth and to cease from labour the seuenth day because in it the Lord rested The plaine sense then of this place is briefly this as if the Lord should say I made this law in the beginning of the world and it shall last to the end of the world I made it to Adam the father of all generations and it shall endure to the last of all his posteritie from generation to generation I made this law to ease my selfe after my great paines taken in the creating of the world in sixe daies and you shall keepe it to ease your mindes which are fraught with many distractions by reason of your ordinarie callings in those daies Neither would I haue any to thinke that the Lord had neede of any refreshing who being infinite cannot be subiect to distractions or wearines but we must know that where the Lord is said that he refreshed himselfe by taking view of his creatures he commendeth his loue to vs ward in shewing rather what ought to be in vs than what was in him For such alacritie and diligence should we vse in our callings as we should be glad when the Lords day commeth that in it we shall recouer our selues and ease our mindes of those distractions which burthen vs in our outward calling and so
and stopping such breaches that they lance deeper and roade further then any haue done before them Furthermore in all these exercises both publike and priuate both concerning faith and the duties of loue both with our selues and with others two things especially of vs must bee obserued First we must at night trie our hearts with what truth with what care and with what sinceritie we haue done these things because as God abhorreth hypocrisie in euery thing so especially he cannot abide it in his owne worship Secondly wee are to examine our selues with what profit either to our selues or to others with what comfort with what increase of good things we haue been conuersant in these dueties that wee rest not in the work wrought but that we may offer vp the fruits of our holy increase in a good conscience to the Lord. The first thing then is to trauaile with our hearts for sincerity because though generally all the cōmandements require spiritual obedience yet those more peculiarly which immediatly do binde vs to our God This we shall do if we do the duties of faith faithfully the exercises of repentance carefully the duties of loue louingly On this manner then may we expostulate with our selues Hath the Lords increase of mercie brought me a daies increase of holines how is my knowledge increased my affectiōs touched my faith strengthened my repentance renewed the loue of the Saints in me confirmed How did the word pricke my heart how were my affections quickned by prayer how much was my faith strengthened in the Sacraments Hath the Sabbath been our delight are we nearer to God in faith and repentance are we nearer our brethren in loue and beneuolence are wee better affected to the glorie of God is sinne more grieuous vnto vs than it hath been If it be giue God the glory in Christ if not let our losses cause vs to make some godly recouery in time to come These things little thought of is the cause why for the most part and almost generally we rest in the ceremoniall vse of the Sabbath Now let vs consider a little of the goodnesse of God in giuing so holy a varietie of good things the consideration whereof partly may humble vs and partly comfort vs. For in so rich and princely vicissitude though we doe many things yet some duties priuate or publike with our selues or with others may be left vndone if we doe the outward actions we faile in inwerd affections this ought to humble vs. Howbeit wee may here also sucke out some comfort to the more alluring of vs to these holy exercises in that though we be weary of one exercise we may refresh our selues with another if we profit not by one we may profit by another so that if we be altogether voide of delight and reape no profit at all we cannot but excuse the Lord accuse our selues For if we cannot thriue in priuate exercises we may gaine by the publike meanes if we can finde no delight by ourselues we may ioyne with others if we cannot profite by reading we may profite by praying if not by praying then by meditating if not by meditating then by conferring if not by conferring yet by singing if not by singing yet by viewing the creatures of God if not by these then by teaching admonishing and visiting of others if not herein by suffering our selues to be taught admonished and instructed of others Wherefore as in a solemne banket furnished with diuers meates the weakest stomacke not liking one dish may refresh it selfe with another vnlesse the appetite bee altogether gone so in this heauenly varietie the Lord hath prouided that the most weake may comfort his conscience if not with one spirituall daintie yet with another vnlesse it bee so sicklie that it is altogether gracelesse and voyde of hope of recouerie which the Lord in his mercie keepe from vs. And thus hauing shewed what is commanded let vs goe forward to those things which are forbidden The Sabbath wee say is broken either by generall impediments and lets whereby we cannot sanctifie the day or else by those euill fruits which follow the not keeping of the same For as there be two things commanded to wit rest and sanctification of the rest so two things are forbidden namely labour and trauaile so farre as either they hinder the sanctifying of the Sabbath and the prophaning of the Sabbath rest First of the impediments of sanctifying of the Sabbath which in their owne nature are indifferent wee must know that as the furtherances of this sanctification are commanded so the hinderances are forbidden and as rest is so farre commanded as maketh to the sanctifying of the day so our works are not simply forbidden but so farre forth as they be hinderances to the holy obseruation of the same And these be either lawfull workes or lawfull recreations and pleasures And therefore as wee say in the Commandement going before that all vaine light vsuall and accustomed othes are forbidden and yet affirme that all such othes are commaunded as are taken vp in the defence of God his glorie our brethrens welfare or in any other cases of weight and importance when the things must needs be knowne and otherwise than by an oth cannot be knowne so wee say in this precept all vsuall affaires on the Sabbath are here forbidden and we grant that if these fall out for the glory of God in the preseruation of his creatures necessarily to be done or so as they may enable vs the more to any duties of the Sabbath then they are not onely not forbidden but also more streightly enioyned vs. And therfore as no others creeping in vnder pretence are allowed but such as are weightie likewise we permit no works of pretended necessitie but such as in that they cannot be done the day before nor the day after are for the former considerations necessarily required And whereas the Lord doth not onely giue leaue to draw the Oxe or the Asse out of the ditch to preserue their liues but also to lead them to the water to make their liues more comfortable to them so we permit not only things needfull to the life of man but also things conuenient to the vse comfort of man as the dressing of conuenient meates whereby a man may be made more cheerfull in the duties of sanctification so that both in vsing them we refresh not oppresse our selues and in preparing them we vse the time before after or betweene the publike exercise But as God hath permitted this leaue so we on our parts are to take heede that we abuse not this libertie For when the Lord is so equall liberall and fauourable in granting and pardoning our necessitie and furthering our conueniences he will not doubtlesse leaue vnpunished the greedy gaine-feekers which vnder the forge of necessitie abuse their libertie his liberalitie The lawfulnes of which permission is taught vs by Christ himselfe
doe affirme that on that day it perisheth if it be vngathered on which day it commeth foorth then I do think that by the law of necessitie this thing happening it may be gathered on the Sabbath yet with these conditions that as many gather as can conueniently be gotten that no publike exercise of the worship of God be omitted that their mindes be holy and spiritually occupied that gather it Now if some will obiect that there is somewhat in the order of nature which fighteth with the ordinance of this law I answere for as much as this thing commeth on the Lords day but seldome times that therefore it is not a thing ordinarie but as a work of necessitie Now to fold vp this question we required in gathering that we should be spiritually minded which they may shewe in giuing it a marke of separation that is that they bestow it on the poorer if the be of they more wealthie sort if they be of meaner condition yet they may impart something to their more needie brethren as testifying thereby that they seeke not their gaine but the glorie of God It remaineth briefly and in a word to speake of trauailing which if it bee ordinarie and vsuall is in no case lawfull but if it be extraordinarie and necessarie as often it happeneth to Lawyers or Physitions the according to the necessitie it is more or lesse permitted We see that many Papists wil not stirre out on their Saints daies whereby is detected the want of our spirituall loue which make no conscience to cease on the Lords day And so the religion deuised by man findeth better entertainment a further practise than that which was ordained by God If any man obiect the losse of his liuing if he should not labour on this day I oppose against that the losse of God his glorie and that with his interrogatory whether the miserable pelfe of man should not giue roome to the immortal glorie of God And experience confirmeth the trueth of Gods word that in vaine men rise early and so late take their rest in vaine they build and take so great paines when the Lord denieth the blessing And what were it to bee rich by policie and poore by God his displeasure What though the bagge be heauie and their consciences troubled What if they be rich with men and poore with God Againe who is it that so disposed of his iournies and his affaires so as some making conscience of their Sabbath are in their iournies in one day better prospered in their affaires in one houre more furthered than many others contemning the ordinance of God are in many houres and in many dayes Who directeth men to bee prouident in their sales and bargainings Who besotteth and infatuateth others Who sendeth a man that not for a simple desire of gaine but for a single care to walke in his calling vseth the trade of buying and selling moe chapmen in one houre than another man hath in an whole day whose heart is inflamed whose eyes are inkindled with louing gaine and looking for profit howsoeuer it come by hooke or by crooke Men ascribe this to chance and so they oft by the iust iudgement of God receiue a blanke that is trusting to the blind world they receiue not so much gaine as will acquite their charges Can men trauaile day and night by sea and by land and that for a thing transitorie and will they reach out no houres for the defence of God his worship Doe they feare theeues if they inlarge their iourney for the keeping of a good conscience are they not afraid of theeues when for their worldly affections they can trauaile early and late Because herein the terror of their owne consciences will preach more forcibly to them than I can speake I will leaue them to that practise of the man of God which is vsed Nehem. 12 And thus hauing spoken of the workes of our callings now wee are to speake of the workes of our pleasures Concerning the lawfull recreations of this life which Christianity doth permit and not forbid for of vnlawfull pleasures being alwaies out of season and especially on the Sabbath we haue nothing to say whether they may haue place and time on the Lords day or no here is the question In this part of the treatise I say wee doe not speake of prophane idle pleasures but of them which bring some further vse after they be vsed which are permitted by the word of God so measure in them may be vsed and they be sanctified vnto vs by the word and by prayer And yet euen for these we dare not giue the time consecrated to God vnto playing and pleasures Neither are we curiously to frame any exquisite diuision in this matter but first we will consider of the feasts and bankets accustomed on this day and afterward of other recreations and exercises at that time frequented and vsed which though in their time place and persons they are not vnlawfull yet at this time on the Lords day we denie them to be lawfull As for feasts we may part them into Loue feasts Church feasts sumptuous feasts which carie with them some further expences and larger liberalitie as are those which are vsed at mariages at the admitting of men into their ciuill offices or else are taken vp for some speciall benefits receiued or some extraordinarie iudgements remoued or some other causes like vnto these as when men carying some port and countenance in the common wealth according to their degrees and callings at some times doe ordaine Touching these solemne and sumptuous feasts thus much we affirme briefly Such as on the Lords day institute such solemnities and stuffe euery office and bumbast euery corner of the house with men and women are to be admonished duly to consider of that which is reported of Dauid both in the historie of the Kings and in the booke of the Chronicles who hauing a vaine desire and superfluous appetite would not deferre but longed to taste of the water of the well of Bethlehem a well fenced citie and from whence water could not be conueied by hand without some ieopardie to them that fetcht it Wherfore three of his most worthie men haue this busines assigned them to the compassing whereof their liues were hazarded At their returne grace making his after fruites better than the former after better deliberation vsed he powred forth the water on the ground saying God forbid that I should drink the blood or the liues of these three men shewing thereby both his offence in sending them the free mercie of God in sauing them Wherefore for as much as these pompous preparations cannot cōueniently be vsed on the Sabbath without the hazard of mens soules though the Lord in mercie may saue their soules as in that diuers offices in great families require diuers persons to performe diuers duties and so that which is a day of rest is made a
can be vnderstood of Christ in whom was no sinne and therefore no rising from sinne And thus much for the places of the old testament now we will alleage those places of the new First let vs consider of the words wherewith our Sauiour Christ confuâ—eth the Sadduces Math. 22. 32. I am the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Iacob God cannot be sayd to be the God of Abraham being dead except he raise his body againe which he hath in keeping as well as his soule For he saith not I am the God of Abrahams soule but I am the God of Abraham the God of his whole man wherefore it must needes be that Abraham must rise againe Mâ—t. 25. 31. When the Sonne of man commeth in his glorie and all the holy Angels with him then shall hee sit vpon the throne of his glorie Likewise Luke 14. 13. When thou makest a feast call the poore the maymed the lâ—me and the blinde 14. And thou shalt be blessed because they cannot recompense thee for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the iust As if our Sauiour Christ should say although thou maiest think that all the things thus giuen are lost here yet there commeth a time when thou shalt reape the recompence plentifully and haue thy reward with the iust Ioh. 5. 28. 29 The Lord sheweth the resurrection of both estates and willeth them not to maruell that he should raise their soules to life which would raise their bodies from death â—8 Marueilâ— not at this saith he for the houre shall come i. the which all that are in the graues shall heare the voyce of the Sonne of man â—9 And they soâ—ll come forth that haue â—â—â— good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill vnto the resurrection of condemnation Ioh. 11. Martha as we shewed before plainely testifieth of the resurrection and confesseth her faith therein Act. 3. 19. The Apostle Peter calleth this rising againe the time of refreshing a thing most comfortable for as the wearisome way saâ—ing man recreateth himselfe with his Inne at night so the godly shall surely after their troubles bee renewed and refreshed at the presence of Christ. Act. â—3 6. Paul sheweth to the Pharisies how hee was accused of the hope and resurrection of the dead And Act â—4 15. Paul protesteth his faith of the resurrection that it should bee both of the iust and the vniust which thing wrought in him as it ought to do in all a carefull conscience of well doing and therefore he addeth in the verse following 16. And herein I indeuour my selfe to haue alway a cleere conscience toward God and toward men What is more largely proued and confirmed than this 1. Cor. 15. 10. in the whole chapter throughout Besides 2. Cor. 5 10. Wee must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ saith the Apostle that euery one may receiue the thiâ—gs that are done in his bodie according to that he hath done whether it be good or euill Philip. 3. 21. it is said that Christ shall change our vile bodies the place is set downe before The manner and end of this resurrection is also set downe 1. Thes. 4. 14. 15. 16. 17. If wee beleiue saith Paul that Iesus is dead and is risen euen so them which sleepe in Iesus will God bring with him 15. For this say wee vnto you by the word of the Lord that wee which liue and are remaining to the comming of the Lord shall not preuent them which sleepe 16. For the Lord himselfe shall descend from heauen with a shoute c. The Epistle to the Hebrues chapter 11. painteth out the manifold martyrdomes of the saints and sheweth how some were racked and would not be deliuered others were tried by mockâ— and scourgings by bands and imprisonments they were stoned they were hewen in sunder they were tempted and so forth and why did they indure these things The Apostle telleth vs verse 35. That they might receiue a better resurrection than any deliuerance they could haue here Againe verse 39. These obtained not the promise that is not the accomplishment of the promises verse 40. Why God prouiding a better thing for vs that they without vs should not be made perfect for euen the first member of Christ dying many thousand yeers agoe shal not receiue the fulnes of the promise that is in bodie and soule vntill the last member be readie But of all places most excellent are these 2. Pet. 3. 10. The day of the Lord wil come as a theefe in the night in the which the heauens shall passe away with a noyse and the elements shall melt with heate and Reue. 20. 11. And I sawe a greate white Throne and one that sate on it from whose face fled both the earth and the heauen and their place was no more found 12. And I sawe the dead both great and small stand before God c. 13. And the Sea gaue vp her dead which were in her and death and hell deliuered vp their dead which were in them Now as we here haue receiued the trueth of the doctrine so now let vs see into it further by reason that as on the one side we cannot denie there is a resurrection seeing the word doth confirme it vnlesse we will depart from the faith and denie the word so on the other side when we shall see how these things are we cannot withstand it euen with reason vnlesse we be senselesse The reasons therefore which we will vse are partly drawne from God himselfe partly from the order of nature and from the creatures partly from the commodities which accompanie the trueth of this doctrine and from the inconueniences which ensue the contrarie Those proofes which are drawn from the Lord himselfe are to be considered either in his owne person simply or as we consider of him in his Mediatorship and as the second person in the Trinitie Concerning those things which are in his owne person we must obserue his trueth his iustice and his power his trueth because heauen and earth shall passe but no title of his word shall faile and his promises in Christ Iesus are Yea and Amen Wherefore whatsoeuer the Lord hath set downâ— in his word to bee done it must beare with vs that credit that it is our part with Abraham to yeeld to it though outward meanes seeme cleane contrary and with Marie to beleeue it although no visible meanes are apparant His iustice is so espoused to his trueth that whatsoeuer we haue heard out of the word the equitie of his iustice doth require both to the accomplishment of his promises in rewarding the godly and the fulfilling of his threatnings in reuenging the vngodly This we see Matth. 25. 33. where by the rule of righteousnesse he seâ—teth the sheepe on the right hand and the goates on the left Luk. 16. 23. it is set downe how the rich man being in
neede not to condemne him he hath done enough let my sitting in iudgement vpon him cease seeing he hath so straightly examined himselfe I remit all I will examine no further hee is free let him come and so let him eate and drinke Thus I say our examination must be in a iudiciall forme that is we must enquire of our selues whether we be guiltie or not guiltie worthie or vnworthie And because euery man is readie to perswade himselfe that he is worthie to beare out this point we are to trie our selues whether we haue faith and because faith hath relation to the truth and the truth must try vs which saith Cursed is hee that continueth not in euery poynt of the Law to doe it wee must search our bookes of remembrance considering what God hath against vs and examine our selues according to euery word thereof Then because we must be constrained to conclude that we be vnworthie we must in the next place goe out of our selues and faint after the righteousnesse that can make vs worthie For a man that findeth himselfe to be left in the estate of condemnation to him will seeme a good saying worthie to be receiued That IESVS CHRIST came into the world to saue sinners and to him the name of a Redeemer will be most precious And therefore at this second returne commeth to be considered of that Faith which commeth by the blessing of the Gospell whereby wee seeing our owne ignorance doe seeke wisedome out of our selues being conscious of our owne vnworthinesse and sue for obedience in the Sonne of GOD and seeing we are altogether aliants from God by reason of these things we seeke for our perfection in CHRIST vpon this condition is righteousnes giuen vnto vs. Then because the examination of this standeth in another point for that a condemned person will redeeme his pardon by a price be it neuer so great if by any meanes he be able to make it and a man spareth no cost for that which indeede hee doth loue as wee may see in the example of a vile loue of Esau who setting his loue euen vpon meate was content with the losse of his birthright to buy it if we truely esteeme Christ his death wee will giue any thing for it And truely God requireth nothing at our hands but euen that small condition Ephes. 4. 52. To be curteous one to another and tender hearted forgiuing one another euen as God for Christs sake for gaue vs. Where we see that as God hath for giuen vs so we should forgiue others â—or a man that purposeth truely to haue Christ it is little to giue â—oue that as the Godhead head wrought in loue towards vs so we must worke in loue toward others This as a necessary thing is first to be required the rather for that we escaping the sentence of condemnation and that by no other meanes but by remission which is as a bridge to escape by it were very rigorous and hard dealing we our selues hauing gotten ouer others being as desirous to come ouer if we should pull vp the bridge from them this would be too sauage euen among the heathen This point of louing others God so loueth and so accounteth of that if a man were readie to come to the Lord his immediate worship hee is content this dutie should rather be left to him vndone then that dutie should be vndone to our brethren And in the parable of the debtor we see this more effectually For so long as the debt is directly the Lords hee breaketh out into no such words as hee doth when the seruant taketh his fellow seruant by the throate saying Pay mee that thou owest So that the retaining of enmitie to our brethren doth after a sort more offend God then our offending against God himselfe This is all the Examination before hand When a man hath by due Examination found himselfe vnworthie and vnworthy in respect of himselfe then is hee to be transformed And here note a thing contrarie to our common diet Though in our ordinary foode our meate is changed into vs and becommeth of our substance not we are changed into it here in this meate I say it is contrarie we are transformed into it not it into vs so that we may say of this spirituall food as of the nature of the leauen The leauen is not vnleauened and changed into the meale though it â—eth hid in the meale but the meale is transformed into it and leauened by the leauen So may we say of this sacramentall food we are traÌ„sformed into it Wherfore seeing the Apostle saith Leâ— a man examine himselfe and so let him eate our examination must end in eating and drinking and not in abstaining They then that thought they honoured the Sacrament with abstinence they by this rule plainely dishonour it for it is saide Let him examine himselfe and so eate not so let him abstaine And the Sacrament is abused as well by forbearing hauing examined our selues as by receiuing it vnworthily The things receiued are called Bread and Wine Concerning the nature whereof better relation we cannot haue then Psalm 104. where seeing the vse of Bread and Wine to bee to nourish to strengthen and to comfort wee shall the better marke the Analogie in this The bodie of Christ represented by Bread must haue that effect in the soule which bread hath in the bodie but bread hath this effect to strengthen the body of man as appears by the cited testimonie of the holie Ghost therfore our soules by CHRIST receiue strength against sinne We reade in Genesis that Abrahams seruant returning from their pursuite had their hearts strengthened by bread which they had of Melchisedech and we know that the Paschall Lambe was to giue strength to the eaters thereof so our Sauiour CHRIST calleth vs vnto him that hee may giue vs spirituall strength for newnesse of life in the strength whereof wee must so labour for righteousnesse as if heauen were to bee purchased by our works For CHRIST his bodie is not only quickened but quickening not only sanctified but sanctifying And as in the bodie such be the humours as in the meaâ—e so in the soule in the actiue parts of righteousnes wee receiue such meate as may enable vs to labour for the kingdome of heauen This is that which the holie men did take in the Sacrament On the other side the blood of CHRIST must worke that effect in our soules which wine doth in our bodies The effect of wine is also set downe Psalm 104. but more liuely Pâ—ou 31. it is said wine is to comfort them that are in the present estate of death for such wine was ordained Then looke what the gladnesse is of the bodie after the wine receiued so there is the same analogie by spirituall comforts in the blood of Iesus Christ seeing that wee can no more goe through that absolute
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
wold be too long to tel of Gedeō Baruch Sampson Iepthah Dauid Asa Iehosaphat Ezechia who through faith obtained the promises subdued kingdomes escaped the edge of the sword of weake were made strong waxed valiant in battel turned to flight the armies of aliāts of some of which it is pressed that they did these things by faith helped by prayer and fasting and of the most part of the other it may bewel vnderstood Seeing we are compassed about with such a cloud of witnesses shal we be so bewitched as to dreame of the like victories without the like faith or to imagine of the like faith without vsing of the like meanes But it may be some will obiect that this exercise of humiliation weakeneth the hearts of true subiects and incourageth the enemies this was of old slanderously obiected to Ieremie by the vnbeleeuing and carnall Princes who would yet seeme to be wise politikes I haue heard indeed of the Arch atheist Machiauel that writeth of the Religion of Christians that it being practised in truth doth weaken their hands making them cowards and emboldeneth their enemies against thē although there be no doubt many that think so yet neuer haue I heard godly or wise men say so Neither doth this kind of humiliatiō lift vp our enemies the Papists at home or abroad but their owne proud hearts malicious attempts against Gods people by both which seeing that pride will haue a fall and before glorie goeth humility we may assure vs the rather of the victorie hauing so many promises in Gods word for the same confirmed with so many examples In the stead of many in the Psal. 119. this promise shall suffice They draw neere that follow after malice and are farre from the law thou art neere O Lord for all thy words are true The terrible iudgements of God against the pride of Moab and other Nations who conspiring together against the people of God at the last were made their owne executioners and the great destruction of blasphemous Senacherib his hoste Ezekiah king of Iudah being set free from the siege both these being wrought by publike and priuate fasting doe most euidently confirme the same which examples may serue for vs to look after others which are many in number True it is indeed that the great security with the floods of our sinnes flowing ouer the banks in euery place haue hitherto reioyced our enemies heart and if once they arme themselues with Gods wrath which the Lord turne away for Christs sake then will they certainly fray vs which to preuent all meanes will not helpe vs vnlesse in fasting weeping and mourning we rent our hearts though not our garments vnfainedly acknowledging our sinnes trembling at his iudgement that so we may turne vnto God with our whole hearts by repentance by faith beleeuing him to be gratious and mercifull slow to wrath and of great goodnesse And this doing we may assure our selues that the terrour of the Lord shall be stricken out of our hearts and the spirit of gladnes and power shall bee powred vpon vs and through faith helped by prayer and fasting shall we doe valiantly Thus the spirit of God moued Ioel the Prophet to threaten the people of his time liuing vnder a prosperous Raigne vnto whom this obiection might as iustly haue been made as against the exercise and a great deale more because his Fast was more general his threatnings more fearefull his descriptions of their dangers more terrible Againe some may obiect that fasting is an exercise of sinners what shall we say then shall the hypocrisie of man make the appointment of God of none effect yea was it not therefore appointed that he which commeth hither of custome may yet goe away with conscience may he not being reproued and rebuked in his owne soule and seeing his hypocrisie laid open labour from thenceforth to approue himselfe or at the least be without excuse against the day of the Lord. May there not be also at this exercise some that come in trueth and in the feare of God whom God will accept is it meet that these children of God should be bereft of the vse thereof for the abuse of the wicked Moreouer we are to be circumspect that we require not a daily fast for as in Physicke it is a thing most absurd to prescribe a continual vse of violent vacuation seldome of ordinarie foode euen so it is as absurd diuinitie to say it is sufficient that preaching bee vsed at sundrie times in sundrie places and that fasting should be daily vsed when as the ministerie of the word of God is as often to be vsed as milke for babes to be nourished or as meat for strong men to grow vp to the fulnes of the age of Christ fasting is to be admitted but as letting of blood or purging some corrupt humour when some great cause vrgeth the same We lament the want of diligent Preaching which some without a continuall course wherof thinke to be sufficient A Christian heart may appeale to Gods blessed word the true iudge of all them that are teachable but the iudge of all euen of the froward in the last day yea we may appeale to the great inquest of all Gods children which know their owne sinnes yea to the experience of twentie * yeeres which is a witnes so sufficient that no exception can bee made against it whether to worke all and euery point of that knowledge with a care to practise it in any sufficient measure in al places so few Sermons so little preaching in most places be not very insufficiēt The Law saith that the mouthes of the Priests should alwaies keepe knowledge both that they might teach the people by publike doctrine and exhortation and that the people might require of them by priuate conference The Prophets are commanded to crie and not to cease and the Lord is saide by their Ministrie to rise vp earely and to stretch forth his hand all the day long and the Kingdome of God is like to the father of an house that bringeth forth of his treasurie things new and old for the daily food of the family What is this that euery true Minister is charged with as he wil answere it before the iudgement seate of Iesus Christ to preach the word in season and out of season Surely once in a quarter and once in a moneth may soone seeme to be out of season or scarse in season But sure I am that twice on the Sabbath if Gods word be the iudge can be termed no more but in season and to preach longer and oftner on the fasting dayes may not be called in the Apostle his sense out of season Now to fast euery day were more than the Pharisies did who fasted but twice in the weeke if we will be counted the sonnes of Patriarches and Prophets and the disciples of the Apostles to take that liberty of Gods creatures that they did why
fond song Christ was thought to cast out diuels by the power of the diuell Iohn Baptist was thought but a melancholike man Iehu being threatned called the Prophet a mad braine for so they iudged of the Prophets digressing somewhat from the set order and compositions of words and precepts of their art So that the graces of God seeme often to men to be cleane contrarie If this hath been alwayes the iudgement of the world that because they could no longer heare men or further see into things than either reason or art did guide them they thought the Prophets and Apostles railing spirits and barren soiles wee must not thinke it a new thing And hearers are here greatly to be circumspect that they thinke not so basely of men zealous in gifts of the spirit as that they should account them mad melancholike or cholerike men and such as either would hurt themselues or doe some hurt to others but rather reuerently acknowledge that there is a secret and mightie power of the Spirit which the Lord often conueieth into the hearts of the godly Men can for the most part well away with an ordinary course in preaching and so long as it fals into an oratorie stile and iust proportion of words or so long as a man sheweth a wittie inuention and comely composing of the matter but if a man presse into the consciences of men and with some vehemencie speake against their familiar sinnes straight way they say surely this kind of teaching bewrayeth him to be brainesick And that we may be the more wearie herein let vs consider who they were that inueyed thus against the Apostles were they not men out of euery natioÌ„ fearing God and such as were somewhat religious yes surely And who nowadayes will sooner and sorer open their mouthes against zealous preachers than men claborate in arte and skilful in precepts who not being able by reason to see into this vehemencie iudge them that vse it too austerely Wherefore as this must correct iudgement in hearers least they iustly offend God in being vniustly offended at them that are zealous for the Lord of hoasts sake so also it must teach the Ministers of the word patience if sometimes they be wrongly coÌ„strued so recompence their furie with meekenes as the Lord may humble their aduersaries the more euen by their meeke dealing of whom they thought so hardly which vndoubtedly oftentimes is most effectuall euen to breake the hearts euen of the most obstinate gainesayers And it cannot be gainesayd that these men seeing the Apostles meekenes were farre more wonne and sooner humbled than if he should haue breathed out furious speeches and so haue ceased from his holy busines And we shall see by experience that men thinking one to be curious singular or precise after the Lord hath sanctified some crosse vpon them and humbled them in some measure vnderneath his hand they are more humbled at the meekenes and long suffering of him whom they offended than by any other meanes because they then perceiue they haue resisted the grace of God and persecuted the gifts of God in him In the last dayes That is when Christ should be manifested in the flesh preached vnto the Gentiles belieued on in the world and receiued vp in glorie shall these gifts of the spirit abound It is called the last day because of the stabilitie of the Church and perfection of the word in that in it wee looke for none other doctrine vntill Christ come in iudgement 1. Corin. 10. 11. After that the Apostle had feared the Corinthians with the example of the Iewes he commeth â—o applie his doctrine in this manner Now all these things came vnto them for ensamples and were written to admonish vs vpon whom the endes of the world are come As if he should say these things seemed not to serue for them alone but for vs in the last daies And Heb 1. â— it is plainly in euident phrase said At sundry times and in diuers manners God spake in old â—imâ— to our fathers by the Prophets in these last dayes he hath spoken to vs by his Sonne c. All which places in sense at the least agree with this place together with that Galath 4. 4. where it is called the fulnes of time For the estate of the people before Christ his comming was childish and paedagogicall and therefore men looked as Iohns Disciples for another that should come and the Samaritanes had this generall principle among them That the Messiah when he came would restore all things and set them in order Whereby we must learne not to looke for any new doctrine or reuelations of men Christ himselfe is come and hath made things perfit Christ the prince of Prophets whom they looked for is manifest in the flesh by how much the Prophets were neerer him by so much they had the clearer sight of him the further they were from him the dimmer was their knowledge of him The Lord himselfe hath spoken the booke is now shut vp with a complet conclusion if any man shall diminish of the words of it God shall take away his part out of the booke of life if any man shall adde vnto it God shall adde vnto him the plagues threatned in the booke And therefore all Heretikes Papists and Turks wil not stick to agree in this common errour The Turke though he doth not denie Christ and the scripture but giues them their time and place yet will haue a way for his Mahomet who must expound the word to him as he please The Papist in plaine tearmes dares not denie Christ and his Gospell yet can he not see all sufficiencie therein but complaining of some defect he looketh to vnwritten verities and leaneth to old traditions to be giuen to the Church therefore he will haue the Pope to be Christ his vicar and looke whatsoeuer their Synodes do conclude that must be established as a catholike trueth measuring the scriptures by their traditions and not their traditions by the scriptures The damnable Familie of loue make the word which is a thing fearefull to bee thought much more to be spoken of but a nose of waxe or a shipmans hose and yet they will haue their H. N. who is the eight person and the last man who must bee ioyned with the Gospell and so farre forth as hee with other gray-headed and illuminate elders do interpret the Scriptures they will agree We now against these and all other heretikes confessing the scriptures of God to be perfect and absolute to saluation ioyne none other thing with them but say that wee liue in the last dayes wherein Christ left the fulnes of doctrine of prayer of Sacraments and discipline to the Church by his Apostles and therefore we minde no reuelation Mahometicall interpretation nor traditions of men but though an Angell come from heauen bring an vnwritten veritie varying from the trueth of God his word we vtterly reiect him Neither as running too
farre on the other hand doe we vtterly and simply refuse all orders of the Church although sometime there be no expresse word but if by consequence if by cause or effect wee can finde it agreeable or not repugnant to the word after triall had with the holy scriptures wee will receiue it thus to make the word the touchstone the heretikes will not agree Besides as in all other artes it is requisite that whosoeuer will attaine sound knowledge of them hee must credit their principles for otherwise as the verie heathen saw there is no farther dealing in the learning of them so we haue certaine generall truthes and rudiments whereby we traine vp new commers to Christ and trie both old and yong by them which thing our heretikes will not admit We hold then certaine generall rules of the power prouidence and wisedome of God of our redemption and saluation by Iesus Christ of our effectuall sanctification of the forgiuenes of our sinnes of the hope of the glorious resurrection and of a better life of obedience prayer discipline and holy conuersation in despite of all heretikes against which though they dispute declame raile and write wee will neuer leese the hold Secondly which is a thing vnto these men vnacquainted we vse to marke the scope and drift of the writer we compare the things that goe before with the things that follow after wee conferre one place with another the olde Testament with the new the allegories with the plaine speeches we see a perfit harmonie in the scriptures wee refuse all dissenting and disagreeing doctrine to the scriptures all which neither Turke Papist nor Familist will doe and therefore we haue the trueth in these last dayes which neither Mahomet Bishop of Rome nor H. N haue and therefore we will not be iudged by their reuelations traditions and dreames but by the scriptures whereby we iudge them and in this sense we say the last dayes or fulnes of time because we haue the trueth But yet the villanoust wretches which heape vp to the brimme the measure of their sins will not also stick to say with vs that these are the last dayes that is as they interpret it who so cōmeth into the house of loue and is illuminated is now risen againe and hath heard the last trumpe and is become of an Angelicall nature needing no eating drinking or marrying after the manner of men and these are our ranging rogues who will tye themselues to no calling but liue as they thinke in the resurrection See how needefull it is to vnderstand this phrase aright of the last dayes We call not them the last dayes in respect that no further time shall be but in respect hereof that these dayes shall not be ended vntill Christ come and giue vp the kingdome to God the Father and as these last dayes were begun at his first comming in humilitie in the fleshe so they shall ende at his last comming in glorie to iudgement It followeth in our text In the last dayes saith God All the Scriptures are worthie to bee heard because they proceed from God and not from man although man may be the pen of the holy Ghost Wherefore it is said 2. Pet. 1. 20. 21. First knowe this that no prophecie in Scripture is of priuate motion For the prophecie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost The Prophets wholy to disauthorise themselues in all their waightie embassages vse to say Thus saith the Lord of hosts Thus saith the Lord the holy one and such like whereby they would purchase the greater credit whilest they remoue the imagination of men from all dreaming of mans doing and set their faith a worke in acknowledging it to proceede from God Wherefore wee must so heare the word as though we heard God himselfe speaking to vs yea as though we either went vp to heauen or God came downe to vs. Likewise whether we reade heare or meditate priuately we must still thinke our selues in the presence of God who narrowly watcheth ouer the pure vse of his holy word remembring that holy speech of Cornelius Act. 10. vers 33. vnto Peter the Apostle Now are we all here present before God to heare all things commanded thee of God It is also said in that exhortation to the Church to praise God Psal. 95. vers 2. Let vs come before his face with praise c. This is that which will humble vs when we know that we come before God and his Angels whose presence is described Ezek. 1. and therefore the Apostle 1. Cor. 11. 10. to moue the womē of Cor. the more telleth thē that they are in the presence of the Angels This meditation breedeth religion in hearing without which whilest we behold a man speaking as of himselfe and by himselfe alone we are neuer moued threatē he promise he menace he comfort he exhort he reproue he neuer so much No we cānot throughly be wrought vpon vntil we can say Surely it is the Lord speaketh to vs it is the word of the most high God vttered by man wee will not receiue it as the doctrine of men but of God either as the doctrine to saue our soules or to cōfound vs it is the mightie power of saluation if wee beleeue it is a mightie power to cast vs downe to the hels if we doe not beleeue It is the word of God that moueth not the word of man For if a man were a Turke how should he moue a Papist or how should a Papist moue a Turke If he take away Mahomets dreames from the Turke or the Fathers traditions from the Papist or the eight man his reuelations from the Familist and vrgethem with the word they are gone so that it is the onely word of God maugre the head of the deuill that vnblindfoldeth all their errors and is able to moue them and conuert so many of them to the trueth as God will haue saued Thus we see what the perswasion of God his presence and the authoritie of his word worketh in vs. Now before we goe into the other particulars let vs by the way consider somewhat of the reason here vsed Before he vsed a reason of probabilitie from the circumstance of the time now he commeth to a reason of necessitie because neuer drunken men could speake the wonderfull things of the Spirit This argument is drawne from contraries men full of drinke cannot so shew foorth the workes of God men thus endued with God his spirit cannot bee drunken On this manner Paul thus reasoneth Ephes. 5. 18. Be not drunke with wine wherein is excesse but be filled with the Spirit As if hee should say if ye be filled with wine there is excesse if ye labour of excesse of wine surely you cānot haue the Spirit Christ also vseth this argument No man can serue two masters c. If a man wholy giue ouer himselfe to God he cannot
vaine doctrine Wherefore we must not be euer learning and yet not come to the knowledge of the truth but the trueth must dwell plentifully in vs with all wisdome that wee may discerne the spiritâ— And when we haue waied and found any thing according to the word then must wee receiue it as the word of God with reuerence and if we finde any thing false in it wee must be so farre off from receiuing it that we must hold him accursed that shall bring it though he were an Angell from Heauen Foolish then is that phreneticall fansie of the Familie of Loue which will say we may not iudge we cannot condemne For euery Christian taught by the spirit may yea and ought in the libertie of the spirit to trie and condemne all that is not consonant with the holy word of God The third thing required of a Christian is that by his knowledge he be able to instruct and admonish others This doth Iude in his epistle require that we should doe wheÌ„ he exhorteth vs to edifie one another in our most holy faith This also is giuen in charge Hebr. 3. that we should admonish one another and Hebr. 5. it is said that in respect of the times we ought to be teachers Our Sauiour Christ also commaundeth vs if our brother offend that we should admonish him This dutie wee owe and this we must be able to discharge especially to them of our household of our towne of our kindred and so by degrees to all men as wee haue occasion to deale with them and as our calling shall suffer vs. The fourth thing is that wee should be able to giue an account of our hope euen vnto our enemies This Peter requireth in plaine wordes this doth our Sauiour Christ require that if we would hee should confesse vs before his Father that we should confesse him before men These things were fulfilled in the Apostles times in the primitiue Church and in Queene Maries daies and this euen among vs may be found in many places therefore this is the true and natural meaning of this place This was neuer found in the Anabaptists who the younger they were in heresie the better they were in honestie and if once they waxe old in their heresie they grow not so much in knowledge as in subtiltie to inuent mens phrâ—ses to delude and deceiue with new starched termes They will auouch nothing before a Magistrate if they bee taken they will recaâ—t if they die they will say it is for treason and not for heresie And although nowadaies there be found few Christians which be able to trie theÌ„selues their Teachers to teach theÌ„selues to admonish others to giue an account of their hope before the aduersarie yet we may lesse marueile at it though they be not ashamed of it when as some occupying the roomes of Ministers and many wise and politique Magistrates cannot examine themselues and much lesse trie others Examine them and deale with them in matters of a better life of doctrine or discipline and they can say nothing but by act of Parliament by iniunctions and the common proceedings If there were a contrarie blast of heresie blowne in their eares they could not tell what to say to it they would follow the Court and doe as most doe affirme as the superiours affirme and denie that they denie because all their religion hangs on the Councels determination and on the Kings proceedings So that euery one is not a Christian that carrieth the title and beareth the face of a Christian but they indeede are professors of Christ who are annointed with his Spirit wherewith hee was annointed whether in a dropping or more flowing measure We see then what we ought to doe and doe not wherein we may be the more ashamed that the Papist the Turke the Familie of loue delight so much in their studie They be so carefull to dishonour God we are carelesse to honour him which thing ought to moue vs and to make vs more carefull to seeke knowledge Many so farre exceede that they begin now to be ashamed and they bid away with exercises of religion they can leaue them for and post them to others I am no teacher but an husband man saith one I am not booke-learned but a poore artificer saith another I was neuer brought vp at schooles with these learned men but at home saith the third it is not for vs to be seene in these points it appertaineth rather to Doctors The words of God are here very flat I will powre out my spirit vpon all flesh c. And surely if any man hath not receiued God his Spirit the Apostle pronounceth him to bee none of God his children and if wee haue the spirit wee shall sheew it in the fruites of the spirit Wherefore let vs cast away these vaine excuses farre from vs We are young men we must haue a fling youth is vnstable it will bee time for vs to be grauer hereafter when wee become old men Howbeit the Prophet Dauid saith Psal. 119.9 Wherewithall may a young man redresse his way c. And Eccles 12. 1. it is said Remember thy Creator in the dayes of thy youth c. If young men will appertaine to God they must haue God his spirit that is such gifts as they may doe these things Let none say wee are old our memorie failes vs if our wits were as fresh as they haue been we could doe something now we can remember nothing For men can remember things of vanitie done in their youth and in chronicling theÌ„ they will weare tongues and to fetch euidences of lands or mony which they haue hidden their memorie failes in no point Well as the Lord saith that yong men shall see visions so old men shall dreame dreames If wisedome and the feare of God be the crowne of old age and without these the aged man euen of an hundred yeeres old is accursed they had neede to labour for knowledge Old men will pleade for their priuiledge to goe before young men in worldly things and will they hope for plackards to excuse them if they come behind them in heauenly things None must say We are but seruants and vnder others wee must labour for our wages and no time can wee haue as others to learne such things it is well if wee may haue the Lord his day to rest on we must haue our recreation then wee cannot alwayes be toyling Well if ye be the seruants of God as well as the seruants of men men or maides ye must by God his spirit be able to prophecie Is your condition hard vnder the Gospell oh praise God it is nothing so hard as vnder the Law For in times past seruants were bondmen little better in condition than bruite beasts and yet men being at that time in such an estate vnder such heathen men did so carefully attend vpon the Lord in the word and in prayer that they would redeeme al times possible for to
heare the Apostles speaking the truth was it any marueile if they were seduced by false teachers If men doe not receiue the word in loue is it any marueile if they be deluded with heresie 2. Thess. 1. If men neglect the peace of their mindes offered by the Gospell preached is it any marueile if they haue warres If men neglect the foode of their soules is it any marueile if they finde a famine When we see then that men turne the Gospell into wantonnes and write against it is it marueile if the Lord sendeth troubles No no when men shall see such a confusion let them know that God will cleere his iustice and recompence vengeance to the wicked and restore the godly to their ioyes and yet shew them that here is no place of rest but that they must lift vp their heads to heauen where they shall haue rest without trouble Now let vs consider what these afflictions worke in the wicked and to what end they are sent vnto them Surely to plague them and to leaue them without excuse They are sent to God his children to humble them to bring them to repentance to keepe them from euil to encourage them in good and to recouer them being fallen But they are sent to roote out the wicked to consume them from the face of the earth and therefore he powreth out all the vials of his wrath vpon the wicked remnant And these manifold plagues haue often come to passe where the Gospell hath been preached because as it is the greatest mercie treasure if it be receiued so the vnnaturall refusall of it doth cause the greatest iudgemeÌ„ts So the Israelites in the wildernes were punished first by idolatrie then by plagues were rooted out of the land And after Christ had spoken the Apostles preached the Iewes remained vnprofitable the Lord in his iustice in that they would not beleeue the true Christ suffered them to be deluded by false Christs and that they that would not profit by the true Apostles should be deceiued by false Apostles and then being punished with famine and sicknes they were by the Romanes subdued When the Gospell came to be preached among the Gentiles and was contemned the Lord first punished them by suffering them to fall into vile sinnes and then after gaue them ouer to the Turke We see how in the West-countrie where the Gospell was preached and refused the Pope was sent to them So likewise must we make our profit herein When God his Spirit falleth plentifully in vs yet men by his word will not be reformed the Lord will send heretikes and wicked men to corrupt them And will the Lord thus censure his owne people and will he spare the wicked No when we thinke all is quiet the Lord will send plagues for refusing the health of our soules the Lord will send famines for refusing the food of our soules the Lord wil plague vs with warres for neglecting the peace of our mindes And Matth. 24. the Lord hath set Ierusalem a type in that the Gospell neuer continued quiet or vncorrupt in any one place aboue the space of an hundred yeeres Well if we see not the beginnings of these things we are halfe mad if we will not feare the euents of them we are worse than so if we will not profit by these things wofull experience will teach vs our miserable estate We see how needfull affliction â—s whether we looke to God his children or to the wicked Miserie maketh mercie sweete and trouble maketh grace gratious Christ is then sweete and Iesus is then a Sauiour when we feeling no comfort at hand are driuen and drawne out of our selues to seeke some reliefe abroade And experience teacheth vs that in prosperitie we are readie to nestle our selues here belowe and forgetting the life to come we are blinded with the God of this world so we become worldlings staying wholy in these inferior things Now that God might by euidence prooue how whom he once loueth he alwaies loueth to admonish others a farre off he sendeth corrections to teach vs that we may not stay here belowe For if iudgement begin at the house of God what shall become of the wicked If the Lord so hamper the godly how shall the wicked looke to escape Now in these distresses and miseries it shall be that whosoeuer calleth on the name of the Lord shall be saued for so the Lord offereth grace in wrath mercie in iudgements so will the Lord moue his chosen and elect to desire these graces and will cause these iudgemeÌ„ts threatned to fructifie whilest they that pray for the Spirit which shall conuey comfort into them by the word and Sacraments and so shall not onely be preserued from finne and iniquitie but also remaine sounder in iudgement and life passing by these plagues to heauen the wicked going downe by them to hell This is then the third thing which in the beginning wee noted the plaine meaning whereof is thus much If ye will now but ioyne in fellowship in prayer and in God his worship with vs you shall auoide these iudgements threatned and receiue these graces promised the sure pledges of life euerlasting Great is the grace and mercie of God who doth appoint a meane to remedie such miseries and a way to obtaine such mercies and therefore it is worthie further consideration and examination A SHORT TREATISE OF PRAYER VPON THE WORDS OF THE PROPHET IOEL chap. 2. 32 alleaged by Peter Act. 2. 21. WHosoeuer calleth on the name of the Lord shall be saued Ioel. 2. â—2 By calling on the name of God in this place which is but one and a particular part of God his worship are meant and vnderstood the other parts of the worship of God Thus the Scriptures sometime ascribe to this one other parte of God his worship as Genes 3. Then began men to call on the name of the Lord and Gen. 12. Abraham builded an Altar and called on the name of the Lord that is worshipped God Againe Psalme 50. Call vpon me in the time of trouble and I will heare thee In the new Testament we shall see the same For this place is alleaged Rom. 10 and 1. Cor. 1. the Apostle wisheth grace to all theÌ„ that shal call on the name of God that is worship God 2 Timoth. 2. Whosoeuer calleth on the name of the Lord that is worshippeth God let him depart from iniquitie So that vnder this one part of inuocation we see vnderstood all other parts And in our English tongue we rather vse this phrase We will goe to prayers or Are prayers done than we goe to the word of God to heare it we goe to receiue the Sacraments and such like when notwithstanding we frequent other actions of religion in the congregation besides prayer And both Ieremie and our Sauiour Christ calleth the Church an house of prayer as Matth. 21. 13. Mine house shall be called the house of prayer c. 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
them their sinnes telling them of a suretie that their iniquitie was the cause of Christ his death whereby a certaine care began to bee wrought in them in so much that being thus troubled they enquired and saide Men and brethren what shall wee doe Whereupon afterward followed the second Sermon of Peter where hee exhorteth them to continue in their repentance and teacheth vs that if our sorrowe bee good wee must goe forward therein Further hee sheweth them to this ende that they must beleeue that beleeuing they may bee baptized that being baptized they might receiue the gift of the holy Ghost Lastly it is manifest how they hearing that Sermon first receiued the doctrine and after perseuered in the practise of the same Briefly therfore three things are hereto be noted First the fruit of the former Sermon of Peter contained in these wordes Now when they heard it c. Secondly the summe of a new Sermon of Peter in these wordes Then Peter said vnto them Amend your liues c. Thirdly is set downe the fruite of their obedience In the former part of this Chapter we may know the wonderfull workes of God that the Apostles who were neuer brought vp in schooles spake with diuers tongues which when the multitude heard some are said to maruell and to be astonished some mocked them and said They are full of new wine But when Peter with great boldnesse of spirit had in this Sermon which he made set the trueth of God against their false accusations and had preached against their sinne then they left off mocking and were pricked in their hearts Where first wee may note the power of Gods word which onely is able to touch our consciences for sinne For neither the diuersity of tongues nor other gifts of the holy Ghost could prick their hearts as being able onely to cast them into an admiration What more forcible thing than that which causeth a godly sorrow and causeth our consciences to be pricked What so able to pricke our consciences as the word of God Indeede many feele sorrow and are inwardly pricked but because therewith is not ioyned the power of Gods word they bee either senselesse as blockes or in their feeling they be murmurers This commeth vnto vs by the dignitie of Gods word in that no wonders from heauen no miracles on earth can touch our hearts and worke in vs any good fruit without the same For though the Lord should shew vnto vs all the wonders from heauen which he shewed on the old world and on Sodome although he should lay al the plagues vpon vs which he laid on Pharaoh and on the Egyptians without the word of God we should be as vnprofitable beholders as euer were the Sodomites and should become as hard hearted as euer were Pharaoh and the Egyptians so that no iudgement from heauen no trouble from earth can humble vs no blessing from aboue no benefit from beneath can profit vs vntill the word of God commeth which teacheth the olde way to forsake it the newe way to enter into it and the perfect way to continue in it And thus much for the generall scope of this doctrine Now more particularly we may obserue in this first part three things First the power of the word to pricke our consciences Secondly that this pricke must not cause in vs a more rebelling against the word and Ministers thereof but rather a greater reuerence to them both Thirdly such prickes must prepare vs to a greater desire to profit For the first we must know that this is the beginning of repentance this is the entrie to godlinesse euen to conceiue a sorrowe for our sinnes and so bee wounded with a feeling of our euils For as long as men are secure it is not possible that they should seriously apply their mind vnto doctrine neither without the knowledge and feeling of our sinnes can we heartily long for Christ. To this agree the Law the Prophets and the Apostles The law because in all their sacrifices wherein Christ was prefigured was manifested also vnder darke signes the contrition of heart and acknowledging their vnworthinesse The Prophet as Dauid and Esay Dauid in the fourth Psalme and fift verse faith Tremble and sinne not where the Prophet sheweth that this is an effectuall thing to true repentance to quake and tremble for feare of Gods iudgements That wee may then truly examine our selues wee must feare and humble our selues because before trouble terrour and quaking at the iudgements of God we wil neuer be brought to offer our selues to Christ alone In Psalme 51. vers 18. 19. the Prophet likewise sheweth that no sacrifice is acceptable to God without a contrite heart that is neither prayer neither almes-giuing neither praise of thanksgiuing vnles wee bringing an humble and contrite spirit with vs cast our selues downe before his iudgement seate and sue for mercy in Christ. And here marke that he saith The sacrifices of God are a troubled spirit c. where hee vsing the plurall number sheweth that the sacrifices of repentance which must not be one but many are humblenes of the spirit and contrition of heart For the affliction of the soule and contrition of the minde doe so cast vs downe wounded with our sins and humbled with a feeling of Gods wrath as that it maketh vs to acknowledge that we are nothing of our selues and to seeke for our saluation wholy at the mercie of God No marueile then seeing by this meanes we being confounded and ashamed of our selues staying our selues on the only promises of God doe come to confesse our owne nakednes and wretchednes if the Prophet should say that the Lord is pleased with his sacrifice as with the sacrifice of sacrifices The Prophet Esay 40. 6. 7. 8. saith All flesh is grasse and the beautie thereof as a flower of grasse the grasse withereth and the flower falleth when the breath of the Lord falleth vpon it Where the Prophet painting out man in his proper colours and driuing him to seeke out saluatiō not in himselfe but in Christ describeth the outward part of man to be as grasse and by the flower of grasse he sheweth his gifts of minde being vnregenerate as wisdome memorie knowledge and vnderstanding So that when Gods spirit doth but breath on vs all our wisdome all our knowledge riches and authoritie fal before the presence of the Lord of hosts neither can we remaine but only by the word of God whereby we are borne againe Wherefore the considering and meditating of our transitorie estate driueth vs to a contrition and humblenes of spirit Besides the Lord God saith Esay whom the heauens cannot containe nor the earth hold will come and dwell with a lowly poore and troubled spirit and which standeth in awe of his word God doth not accept our sacrifices which are offered without trembling at his word no more than if we should kill a man and choake a dogge
Wee are wont to defie the Iewes for accusing Christ wee spit at Iudas for betraying Christ and wee condemne Pilate for condemning Christ but wee are much more to bee at defiance with our sinnes which accused him before the iudgement seate of God wee are to accuse our selues who haue and daily doe betray him wee must condemne ourselues whose sinnes haue condemned him But if neither the iudgements of God hell nor the crosse of Christ can moue vs then let vs examine our selues how wee can reioyce in Christ. It followeth to speake of the counsell of Peter Repent as if he should say I know your hearts are pricked howbeit I wil shew you how it is the policie of the diuell to make these good motions quickly to waxe drie in you hee will stay you from perseuering you must therefore endeuour to continue in this godly sorrow The Apostle saw that this sorrow which as Paul witnesseth is not to be repented of as well begun in them but in continuing his Sermon still to that effect hee sheweth that our sorrow must be also continuall Many sorrow as hath been shewed but in a worldly sorrowing which bringeth eternall death not in a godly griefe which bringeth repentance neuer to be repented of Wherefore we are to note that repentance beginneth in vs continueth and endeth with sorrow Now if it might bee it were expedient to shewe what repentance is In one word repentance is not a bare leauing of sinne but an vtter condemning and misliking of that sinne which wee haue left For though we haue left it yet it may make vs to sorrow for it many yeeres after yea euen at the point of death Dauid had left his sinne but it caused him to sorrow many yeeres after Iosephs brethren had forsaken and almost forgotten their sinne yet it troubled them and grieued them thirteene yeeres after Our pricking of heart therfore must be continued and daily renued This repentance is figured in Baptisme both in that wee must dye to sinne and burie it and also that we must rise againe to newnes of life for a man cannot dye to sinne but by the vertue of Christ his death neither can he rise to righteousnesse without power of his resurrection Now wee must know that as our sinnes are forgiuen so we must also receiue Gods spirit If God promiseth mercie to our children much more to vs if wee beleeue and receiue his promises if to them which are a farre off much more to them that are neere And yet though wee haue been baptized an hundred yeeres and haue not receiued the holie Ghost wee may dye in our sinnes Some vnderstand by the gift of the holy Ghost the graces of God bestowed on the Apostles but in my iudgement their opinion is not sound because that was a particular thing giuen onely to them of that time this promise is generall and respects all posterities We are then to note that repentance is a continuall course of sorrow and if wee haue this in trueth then may wee boldly seeke for comfort out of Gods word and from his ministers and looke What comfort they giue vs on earth the same shall be seaâ—ed also in heauen Wherefore as it is requisite continually to till the group 〈…〉 f we will haue fruit and daily to eate if we will liue so in spirituall things we must be humbled with continuall sorrow that we may be refreshed with daily comfort in Christ in whose name let vs pray Our Father c. FINIS THESE THREE SERMONS FOLLOVVING viz. the 8. 9. and 10. concerning the heauenly purchase were preached vpon the 13. Chapter of the Gospell of Saint Matthew vers 44. THE EIGHTH SERMON Matth. 13. vers 44. Againe the kingdome of heauen is like vnto a treasure hid in the field which when a man hath found hee hideth it and for ioy thereof departeth and selleth all that hee hath and buyeth that field THe whole scope and drift of the holy Ghost in this place is to shewe that the word of God is to the children of God more deare than heauen and earth and that the Word is the onely treasure that God hath left vnto them the which indeede is a hidden treasure vnknowne vnto many but knowne vnto the children of God and the onely treasure which they desire for they which doe knowe it and perceiue the true vse of it doe make such a reuerent account thereof as that they are readie to leaue all things and to seeke for it and when they haue found it they are readie likewise to loose all and to depart from all things that may hinder it which they haue and to doe all things which serue as good meanes to keepe it to the end that they may come to the full assurance and possession thereof Although I might make a diuision of this Text into two parts as first the inestimable value of the word of God and secondly the precious account that is to be made thereof yet because euery word hath his weight and the text yeeldeth a sufficient method as it lieth I will omit the diuision and come to the words as they lie Againe the kingdome of heauen c. The kingdome of heauen is taken in two diuers senses first as all men doe know it is taken for that glorious estate which the Saints and the children of God shall enioy when they shal arise with Christ Iesus and raigne after this life with God and his Angels sinne hell and death being subdued which because it is apparant vnto all men we will not stand to approue The kingdome of heauen is also taken for the entrance which Gods children haue into Gods kingdome in this world which is of two sorts partly of the meanes whereby God offereth his kingdome vnto them partly of the graces of his spirit which he offereth by the meanes For proofe that it consisteth of the graces offered by the meanes we reade that Iacob Genesis the 28. when hee saw the vision of God and the Angels ascending and descending and had the comfortable promise of saluation and of Gods continuall presence and assistance made vnto him then he awaking said Verily this is none other thing but the house of God and this is the gate of heauen And that it is of the meanes it appeareth by the 16. chapter of Matthew where our Sauiour Christ saith vnto Peter And vnto thee will I giue the keyes of the kingdome of heauen-and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen And this meanes of entrance into the kingdome of heauen as it was committed vnto Peter so was it also vnto the rest of the Apostles as it ap peareth by Iohn the 21. whose sinnes saith Christ yee remit are remitted and whose sinnes yet retaine are retained And as vnto them so vnto all the true Ministers
by his terming of them excellent ones such as are fit as well to doe good as to receiue good from others Wherfore the Apostle saith Rom. 1. 12. that he desired to receiue mutual comfort by theÌ„ Secondly this appeareth by the opposition of the verse following which is of the worship of God and therefore it cannot be restrained to outward things Againe in that verse he maketh mention of false worshippers as here he nameth excellent ones meaning that he would vse the benefit of them to waine himselfe from false worshippers as men will frequent the companie of the learned that desire learning and they that will haue their lips schooled by the law of grace will oft resort to the graue speeches of the wise And surely it is a speciall helpe to further our selues in the pure worship of God if we diuorce our selues from the crue of false worshippers and wholy espouse our selues to the fellowship of them that worship in spirit and in truth This reason also may appeare to be generall because it followeth in the order of our confession of our faith that we beleeue the holy and vniuersal congregation the communion of Saints and this communion is in receiuing as well as in giuing and therefore being vnderstood of such a mutuall participation of gifts from one to another it must followe as a particular part thereof that wee be readie to doe good And where he saith All my delight is in them that is in the Saints we must not thinke that he meant to take away ciuill dutie from them that were in authoritie for that must be giuen to them in outward things yet in our hearts and in our affections the graces of God his children must be most esteemed In respect whereof when Iames saith Iam. 1. 2. that the Iewes had their faith in respect of persons when they were wont to say to the rich Sit thou here in a good place and to the poore Stand there his meaning was to rebuke them for that they so highly despised the one and so vily esteemed the other Wherefore wee must learne alwaies to giue vnto Caesar that which belongeth to Caesar but God his children must alwaies bee neerest our heart And this was it that our Sauiour Christ saith that they which heard the word and did the same were his mother his brother and his sister not that he lightly regarded his mother for he was a patterne of obedience to all children yet he loued her more as she was the daughter of God than as shee was his mother Likewise we reade that hee answered the woman that cried vnto him Blessed is the wombe that bare thee and the paps that gaue thee sucke His mother no doubt had as singular blessings as euer were giuen to woman in outward things in that she brought forth the Sauiour of all mankinde howbeit herein she was chiefly blessed in that she beleeued in him to bee her Redeemer That are in the earth See hee maketh mention of the Saints here on earth and speaketh no of the Saints which are in heauen from whom as we are seuered in body so are we also in the soule and wee haue no dealing with them either in soule or bodie Wherefore it is â—â—â—d of the Prophet Abraham knoweth not vs. True it is that the Lord maketh his Angels ministers vnto vs and therfore sending them to doe any thing he maketh it known vnto them Howbeit wee reade no such thing of the Saints that are dead who as they know nothing of vs or our estate which onely is knowne to the Lord and are not vsed as ministers of the Lord so they caÌ„not heare or helpe vs as some foolishly haue imagined The Saints which are dead may be in some respect remembred but in no case worshipped remeÌ„bred I say not for their power to be prayed vnto but for their vertues to bee imitated Wherefore in Heb. 11 the holy Ghost setteth downe a register catalogue of the Saints that seeing wee are compassed with so great a clowde of witnesses wee must cast away euery thing that presseth downe and sinne that hangeth so fast on that we may run with patience the race that is set before vs. Here wee see these are set before that wee might so farre followe them as they followe Christ and in this respect they are called witnesses but to honour them as God or to appoint holy daies vnto them or for them it is not lawfull But behold when it was painful to the belly gods of Rome to remember the good life of the Saints to follow them than which nothing is more grieuous to them the diuell to drawe them from this inuented a more easie way for flesh and blood and taught them an easier lesson by appointing in the stead of this holy and painfull imitation a carnall and voluptuous rabble of holidaies vnto the Saints and that as they said for the better remembrance of them and thus that transformed Angell of light knoweth how to transforme pure religion In like manner wheÌ„ it was an hard thing to preach Christ crucified because it would call them to a sight feeling and forsaking of their sinnes and so they were made more vnquiet the diuell found out an easier way and for sooth would haue Christ painted vpon the crosse in their Church windowes which was a thing more easie to behold being pleasant to the eye than it was to heare that sinne should bee crucified in them if euer they would hope for the fruite of Christ his death Againe when they could not away with bearing the crosse of losse of name of friends goods and life for Christs sake they thought it was good to professe it by wearing some crosse about them or by erecting in euery place a crosse of wood stone or such like thing But let vs learne to be prouoked by the graces of God in his Saints to follow them in goodnesse and labour to haue Christ crucified in our hearts by the ministerie of the word euer preparing our selues in truth to beare the crosse of Christ by preferring the pure profession of his Gospell before any thing in the whole world deare vnto vs. Besides we are here to learne that if our delight be in God his Saints on the earth wee must be farre from vsing them maliciously or speaking of them cruelly This delight then must bee to receiue some profit and benefit by these graces which they haue also to vse to the comfort of the childreÌ„ of God whatsoeuer good we haue receiued For as well the seruant which puts not out his talent with gaine was punished as those that contemned the talent Neither in truth haue we any right vse of the gifts which wee haue receiued of God vnlesse we put them out by imparting them to our brethren in loue and so the gaine may returne by holy reuenewes to the Lord himselfe neither haue we truly learned any thing vnlesse wee haue in some measure communicated it with others
we offering our selues to be gouerned by him hee will worke in vs heauenly things and howsoeuer we are euil by nature or custome yet by grace we are kept safe in him This is that which helpeth in trouble of conscience this comforteth in banishment this relieueth vs in pouertie this is the fruite of true religion In false religion there appeareth not like effects not being able to deliuer vs much lesse to comfort vs in time of triall but it leaueth vs in a mazed spirit and troubled mind Wherefore in respect of the issues of both these compared together wee see how deare true religion ought to be to vs and how wee must abhorre the contrarie The very heathen men by the instinct of nature did most labour for those things which would in death bring peace of minde and asswage their inward troubles who neuer had this remedie how much more then ought we to imbrace this pure religion hauing such effects and hate the contrary which then yeeldeth a swelling and plausible ioy when no heauinesse is at hand but is voide of all substance of perfect consolation to ease a perplexed mind Wherein it may wel be compared to those water brookes which in time of winter when water in euery place aboundeth flow ouer but in summer when droughts bring the necessary vse of water are for the most part dried vp It followeth now in the fift verse The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup thou shalt maintaine my lot He prosecuteth the same matter which he handled before shewing a reason why he linked himselfe so to the Saints and abhorred the wicked to wit because as the Lord defended his holie ones so he defended him as he was their inheritance so he was his as he was a portion vnto them so also he was a sufficient portion vnto him for so was he tied to the Lord and to the loue of his truth that no corrupt religion could moue him from it And why hee saw in the word that God prouided on euery side for him both spiritually for his soule and corporally for his body Wherfore his meaning may thus briefely bee gathered I neede not to seeke for helpe in any false religion although mine enemies would constraine me because I am perswaded sufficiētly that God is my portion hee is mine inheritance God filleth full my cup and as his mercie hath chosen me so his power maintaineth me the sure perswasion whereof maketh me grow in the loue of true religion and in the hatred of false Out of the scope then of the Prophet we may draw thus much that whosoeuer is grounded on pure knowledge and a sure faith shall neuer wander after idolatry because the word of God will shewe them now all sufficiencie both for their soules and bodies is in the Lorde who freely hath taken the whole charge thereof into his owne hands On the contrarie it is apparant how that from hence commeth such slipping into idolatrie because we want true faith in the true religion and true loue of those things which we belieue This place then commendeth vnto vs a continuall care which we must labour for whereby such assurance of God his fauour and prouidence watching ouer vs may be in vs as we contenting our selues with him our portion and inheritance should couet nothing else Some referre this saying of the Prophet thou art the portion of mine inheritance to the soule but it is to be thought that hee rather meaneth how he only resteth and stayeth himselfe concerning his whole felicitie of body and soule on the Lord alone and in that the Lord did not only begin but did continue in him his grace hee assureth himselfe as well of finall perseuerance as of his gracious entrance which vndoubtedly is no small comfort For many haue inheritances who hardly keepe the assurance of them from all assaults of crafty men who craftily vndermine the estate and hold off their possessions by falsifying their euidences Wherfore he addeth in the latter end of the verse thou shalt maintaine my lot For although nothing be more casuall then the life both of body and soule and in manner of a lot is most vncertaine yet the issue of them both being in the hands of the Lord hee dare safely commend himselfe vnto him Thus then must wee be perswaded of our inheritance as for loue of it we had rather with Naboth haue our bloud spilt then suffer our selues to be depriued of it which wee see alreadie to be performed of the Martyrs But here we are to note how all our assurance hereof is in the word and not elsewhere to be found as the man of God himselfe sheweth Psal. 119. 57. O Lord thou art my portion I haue determined to keepe thy words and 111. Thy testimontes haue I taken as an heritage for euer for they are the ioy of mine heart it is both easie and vsuall for all to say God is my portion God is mine inheritance God is hee that prepareth a table before mee God filleth my cup The gayest hypocrites will brag of this and the most wretched worldlings will auouch as much but here in they be wray themselues in reuerencing so smally the meanes hereof and accounting so little of the word which is the onely assurance whereby they holde their inheritance Doth hee seeke by his portion or inheritance bequeathed vnto him by testament or otherwise who maketh none account of his euidence and auncient coppies whereby he holdeth his assurance Can men then thinke that God is their inheritance when they esteeme so smally of his promises which ratifieth their hold and keepeth in record their assurance Can a man assure himselfe that God is his portion when he hath no delight in his sacraments wherein it is sealed and surrendred into his hands This then is a true triall whether we may in truth subscribe to the Prophet his protestation when we delight in the meanes that is in the word in prayer in the sacraments and in discipline which thing if we haue not pretend wee what we will all is but hypocrisie If God be our portion we must be as charie and warie of the word as of some Will wherein some great thing is giuen vnto vs we must be as much afraid and grieued to lose our faith in God his promises as wee are to lose the euidence of our lands wee must be as carefull to vse the sacraments as to keepe whole and vnuiolated the seales of our euidences we must be as carefull to performe to God that which his will requireth of vs as to receiue of him that which in his testamēt is bequeathed vs otherwise we haue nothing to doe with God God hath nothing to doe with vs in mercie God is none of our inheritance neither are we his inheritance Such then as will come a◠their leisure and when they list or when the world will afford no further profite nor the flesh further delight as they did
of his Saints when we cannot keepe them with a good conscience we will willingly leaue them alwaies making the Lord our chiefe inherirance as we aâ—e his and on this manner being weaned from earthly things we must looke for our outward estate to be ordered in full measure and scarcitie by God that we may say with Paul Philip 4. 11. I haue learned in whatsoeuer state I am therewith to be content 12. And I can be abased and I can abound euery where in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungrie and to abound and to haue want If we haue much it is well and wisedome is a goodly thing with inheritance if we haue not outward things the word is able to saue our soules and blessed are they that in time of triall can say my lines are fallen vnto me in faire places Euery man is to try himselfe how in his particular calling he can stay himselfe on the word of God Iacob desired nothing but cloth and meate for foode and raiment and Paul 1. Tim. 68 saith When we haue foode and raiment let vs therewith be content And surely great rest should we finde in our consciences if we could command our soules not to looke for greater things than the Lord hath placed vs in for nothing doth more beâ—ray out want of faith than our restles mindes which are not contented with those places allotted to vs of God But who in the time of the gospell cannot say that his lines are fallen to him in faire places Wherefore we must be so quiet in our proper stations as if we were Kings or Emperors knowing that wheÌ„ our places are not fit for God his glory and his church the Lord will fleete vs. In the meane season let our consciences rest on the Lord his will how base and inferiour so euer our calling is and he assured that by so much the more our walking therein is an acceptable sacrifice to the Lord by how much our gifts being the greater they doe submit and humble themselues vnder the ordinance and appointed calling of the Lord the more And let vs stay at the Lord his commaundement and pleasure to be put in his time to some other vse neither let vs put the fault of our trouble in our places as commonly we doe but in our restlesse minde which as a rolling stone is carried from one place to another It followeth in the next verse I will praise the Lord who hath giuen me counsell my reinâ—â— also teach me in the nights That is I acknowledge that it is thy free benefit that I haue discerned to make this choise For how should I thinke thee to be my portion of mine in heritance and to maintaine my lot but because thou hast renewed me by thy spirit and aduised me in that wherein flesh and blood could not counsel me The due consideration hereof made our Sauiour Christ say on this manner I thanke thee O father Lord of heauen and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast reuealed them to little ones for so it is thy good will and pleasure As if he should say I would marueile these sillie soules should so profit more in heauenly wisedome than the wise of the world but Lord I see it is thy will and the wisedome of the wise can nothing further thee nor the simplicitie of the other can any thing hinder them for thy kingdome but thou workest al in al according to thy pleasure Againe among so many opinions of the Iewes of the Scribes Pharisies of Sadduces Herodians and Essens it was the onely power of God whereby Peter was taught among the rest of the Disciples and in the name of all rightly to confesse Christ to be the true Messias and to be both true God true man Wherefore our Sauiour Christ hearing this his confession saith Peter flesh and blood hath not reuealed this to thee but my Father which is in heauen that is thou neuer attainedst to this by thy mother wit or by the light of nature thou hast not been fenced by thine owne reason from hunting after me and opposing thy selfe against me with the Scribes and Pharisies but my Father hath both guided and guarded thee And what shall we thinke of our selues Is it not the Lord his mightie secret working in vs that among such swarmes of heresies such boldnes of Papists such a multitude of Anabaptists Arrians and Familie of loue we are preserued to discerne the right and to cleaue to the truth If we looke to our wits others which are fallen away are as wise as we If wee looke to our naturall dispositions wee are as full of naturall corruption as they if we looke to our education and helpes in learning haue not others been as much thereby furthered as we We are made all of one mould wee were all borne vnder one climate wee are not sanctified by nature more then others are not wee then highly to praise God in that wee maintaine not our owne lot but whilest round about vs some are become Papists some Atheists some Arrians some Familists we are both guided of God to make our choise of the truth and are continued in the well liking of our choise being made What a benefit is it that in such store of politiques we should not only vnderstand the letter but also conceiue the mysterie of the truth What a grace is it that we should be so taught of God that if we abound wee can be thankfull if wee be in trouble we can be patient if wee suffer the crosse we are content But doe not the Papists and Familists commend the Saints doth not euery man say God is his portion how is this then any particular thing in the godly True it is they doe so but wee stay on God his will reuealed in the word which we account our portion Talke with a blasphemer talke with a drunkard an whoremaster or a worldling talke with a skilfull man of law or an expert Physition and euery one will as proudly and as boldly professe God to be his portion as another but come to them in a matter of saluation or in a case of faith and they can say nothing how much now are we to be perswaded of and being so perswaded to bee thankfull for the free mercie and vndeserued good will of God in directing vs in chusing and nourishing our choise My reines teach me in the night This place hath in it some difficultie and diuers interpreters write diuersly of it But it is certaine that often in the Scriptures the heart and the reines are mentioned together as Psal. 26. Proue me O Lord and trie me examine my reines and my heart By the heart I thinke is meant the more inward and secret thoughts by the reines are vnderstood the more outward and sensuall affections as Psal. 51. 6. Behold thou louest truth in the inward affections therefore hast thou taught
our wicked deedes our vnfauorie words but also the fountaine of al these euen our corrupt nature our vnbridled and vntamed affections our heart which is wonderfull faultie may be made knowne vnto vs that we may come to make conscience of our very thoughts because the thoughts are grieuous breaches of the law of God who being a Spirit hath made a law for our heart for our thoughts for our soule and conscience and thus being very loth in the sight of God to offend by thoughts vaine and vngodly to striue with our flesh and to haue our affections subdued to the spirit that so our heart being reformed all our members may bee conformable in euery respect to the will and commandement of Almightie God And thus farre must we be humbled if we will be truly humbled before the Lord. And truly if wee be not rightly humbled before the Lord we can hardly haue any assurance that wee are the children of God For without this humbling of vs hauing had some taste of the promises of God wee for the most part resemble the corne that our Sauiour speaketh of sowen in the stonie groūd which for a time flourished that is made a faire face as many hypocrites can doe now But hauing no roote nor nothing at all in truth they shew themselues how vnable they are to stand because they haue no deepnes of ground the seede of the word neuer begun nor rooted in their hearts So that we must be truly hūbled before the Lord and the word must be permitted to rip and lay open vnto vs the very secrets and thoughts of the heart Now those which see and feele their sinnes and are alreadie humbled more especially are humbled either by preaching of the law vnto them or else by affliction Affliction is either of the body or of the minde of these the Lord sometime to humble vs doth send the one sometime the other sometime both and all to humble vs before his Maiesty when as he seeth by reason of the corruption of our nature that the preaching of the law is not sufficient to humble vs to strike that terror into our hearts which might make vs duely prepared to receiue into our hearts the sweete and comfortable promises made to vs in Christ that it might be so rooted that it might still grow vp euen to the full ripe and perfitage of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ because I say our louing father seeth that the law will not suffice vs therefore it pleaseth him in mercie who will leaue no way vnassayed for the saluation of his children to prepare vs by afflicting vs which can not by the hearing of his law be truly prepared Now if affliction bee such a notable thing and the Lord worketh euen eternall life thereby oftentimes to those whom hee hath elected and called to bee his how louingly ought they to embrace it to whom the Lord so fatherly doth offer it and how patiently and chearefully ought they to beare it in asmuch as they thereby may assure themselues that God hath seuered them from the world and from those on whom he meaneth to shew no mercie in the day of his wrath And as for those whom the Lord as yet hath laid no scourge vpon them let them not long for it but let them lay the law of God and the threatnings thereof vnto their hearts to humble them thereby It is better to be humbled thereby than by affliction and yet better by affliction than not at all To commend affliction and to mislike of preaching of the law is as though one should commend a sore and dangerous purgation and mislike a good diet A good diet is able and it is the ordinarie meanes appointed of God to procure and conserue health which as many of vs as are not vnwise will obserue Now if for want of discretion or for greedie desire we neglect this and so by gathering together of ill and noysome humors within vs we endanger our life yet to saue our life wee will suffer the working of the most strong purgation that the Physition shall prescribe vs so the law that is the ordinarie meanes to make vs apt to heare the word of peace and saluation and ought of vs to be obserued and applied vnto vs that we may thereby be preserued rather than by affliction yet if our mercifull Lord and only Physition of our soule shall with tender compassion looke vpon our sores and shall see the maladie of our soule to bee incurable without the strong purgation of affliction then ought we euen with good courage to take it except we will suffer and see our endlesse vexation So purgation is good but it is more wisedome to obserue diet and affliction is profitable but if the law might take place effectually that were needelesse Let vs take heed therefore we deceiue not ourselues in thinking that affliction is the only meanes to bring vs to God and so neglect the due preparing by the law till time of affliction We see that is the meanes rather than this and affliction indeede is the curse of God Now the curse of God is the verifying of his lawe and though it please God to blesse it as he doth alwayes to his children for all things turne to the best to them that loue him yet ought it not to be the meanes to humble vs rather than the other The end of affliction and of threatning both is to humble vs and therefore it were better to be humbled by threatning than by experience of punishment for the threats of the law may doe this as well as affliction if we be not vnwise In our selues we may haue some testimonie of our true humbling in time of affliction yet is it hard to say for others whether one which now feeleth the hand of God vpon him and neuer felt any token of Gods displeasure before be either truly humbled for his sinnes for which he is afflicted or seemeth to be humbled because of the paine that he abideth Therefore euen he that is afflicted ought to examine his own soule whether he be truly humbled and feele within himselfe euen a griefe that hee hath so diuersly prouoked God to plague him acknowledging Gods vnspeakeable mercie and long suffering that he long ere this did not cleane consumne him least otherwise the diuel deceiue him as he hath done diuers who for a time seemed to bee humbled because of the heate of their griefe but afterwards when the Lord hath staied his hand they shew what their humbling was they turne againe to sinne as a dogge to his vomit and as a sow that is washing to her wallowing in the mire But as for him that feeleth the weight and burthen of his sinnes and Gods displeasure for sinne and euen groneth as it were vnder the burthen of sinne he may finde a heauenly comfort and assurance of the fauour of God for if thou seest a man truly humbled him will I consider saith the Lord.
bring home his children into the sheepfold of Iesus Christ. True faith maketh vs only heires of the kingdome of heauen faith cannot be attained without hearing of Gods word preached the word of it selfe cannot bee preached without a Preacher therefore Preachers are the onely meanes appointed of God to worke faith in his children by the preaching of Gods word and the secret working of the holy Ghost whereby they are made partakers of the promises Whosoeuer therefore is not content with this ordinance of God but would haue some further reuelation from heauen shall neuer be partakers of the benefites of Iesus Christ. He himselfe declareth in the parable of the rich glutron that whosoeuer would not beleeue the messengers of God which are the Preachers of the word they would not beleeue though one should rise from the dead to instruct them For in the word of God is set forth most clecrely and manifestly the true and certaine rule to liue by and the meanes whereby to attaine vnto saluation Therefore it is too too much vngodlines to desire any other meanes to bee instructed by than by the word of God which is the verie gate of heauen and the keyes thereof are giuen to the true Ministers of Gods word with such power that whatsoeuer they bind on the earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer they loose vpon earth shall be loosed in heauen So wonderfull is the mercie of God toward his children herein that they may haue assurance of saluation in this life vea so certaine may they be of it as if they had it alreadie in possession and that not by preaching of Angels but euen by our owne brethren mortall men as we are subiect to sinne and all infirmities at whose hands we may daily bee taught and with whom we may talke familiarly and at their hands through the word of God wee may haue as good assurance hereof as if the Lord should speake himselfe from heauen If God should speake we were not able to abide the hearing of his voyce but bee euen swallowed vp of feare How were the children of Israel terrified with the voyce of the Lord when he spake vnto them they fled away and stood a farre off and cried to Moses Talke thou with vs and wee will heare but let not God talke with vs least wee die What a vaine and vngodly thing were it to perswade our selues that we could beleeue if wee heard God himselfe speake or if one came from the dead to tell vs what wee should beleeue when as the very earth will quake at the voyce of God And our Sauiour Christ telleth vs plainely that if we beleeue not the true Preachers of his word wee could not beleeue though a damned soule should come from hell to preach vnto vs the reason is because the ordinance of God which is vnchangeable hath appointed our brethren to teach vs the way vnto saluation And truely it is a notable place where our Sauiour Christ doth seperate his from the reprobate Then came the Iewes round about him and saide vnto him How long doest thou make vs doubt If thou be that Christ tell vs plainely Iesus answered them I told you and ye beleeue not the workes which I doe in my Fathers name they beare witnes of mee But yee beleeue not for yee are not of my sheepe as I saide vnto you My sheepe heare my voyce and I knowe them and they follow mee And I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of mine hand Wee see then it is a great argument of reprobation when our hearts be so hard that wee cannot beleeue the Gospell of Iesus Christ for this is an infallible truth that those which are the Lords in his time he calleth and they shall abide and neuer fall away but those that are not his shall fall away although they haue been passing cunning hypocrites in outward holinesse The children of God will acknowledge this meanes and praise the wisedome of God which hath thereby quite transfourmed them and chaunged their whole man in sanctifying them by his holy spirit and giuing of them assurance of saluation which they confesse could neuer haue come to passe without the preaching of the word This authoritie is giuen to the Ministers to pronounce the terrible iudgements of God against sinne and whosoeuer hee bee that doth not repent and turne from the same shall be as sure of euerlasting damnation as if hee were already in hell Againe to the penitent whose consciences are burdened with griefe for their sinnes he may pronounce the sweete promises of the Gospell how Iesus Christ hath died for them and hath discharged them before the iudgement seate of GOD and they shall be as sure of saluation as if our Sauiour Christ should speake from heauen himselfe who is Trueth and cannot lye and say Whosoeuers sinnes yee remit they are remitted vnto them and whosoevers sinnes yee retaine they are retained This is a wonderfull thing and this shall Gods children confesse an vnspeakeable goodnesse of the Lord God in sending our brethren with such power Sith then this is so necessarie they which will not confesse this to be the ordinance and meane appointed of the Lord God to bring his children home vnto his heauenly Kingdome either neuer heard of Iesus Christ or else in miserable hypocrisie haue heard and professed the Gospell which shall be a testimonie to their consciences euen to their vtter condemnation Now we haue heard the necessitie of a Pastor and the vse wherevnto he is appointed it is requisite that we consider what dutie the Pastor oweth vnto his â—â—ocke for as the Lord when he establisheth a Kingdome will chuse a King so will hee also giue him first a Kings heart before he setteth him in his seate so when hee prepareth a spirituall father to beget soules vnto himselfe hee giueth him gifts and power to doe the same as Saint Paul testifieth writing to the Ephesians But vnto euery one of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the gifts of Christ Wherefore he saith when hee ascendeth vp on high hee led captiuitie captiue and gaue gifts vnto men so that first the Lord giueth gifts and secondly men This must be the dutie of the Minister as the holy Ghost telleth vs to watch ouer the soules of his people to be so carefull ouer them as that hee will not suffer one through his negligence to perish but by his earnest labouring in preaching the word of God to build them vp into a stronger faith which are already begotten vnto the Lord and also to winne others to Christ and so increase the mysticall bodie of Christ so much as his diligence by the blessing of God shall be able 1. First therefore it is requisite in the Ministers office that he studie the word of God that he doe diligently reade the same and also giue himselfe
kingdome Preach the word be instant in season and out of season c. It is no small matter to haue such a charge laid vpon him as is here set downe and is giuen to all Ministers as well as to Timotheus that euen as they will answere before the iudgement seate of God when the secrets of all hearts shall be opened so they will preach the word instantly purely and continually both in season and out of season omitting no occasion that may be profitable It is the manner of men to count it out of season if it be not the Lords day and therefore they will not let a little businesse of other daies to heare the word of God preached which tendeth to their welfare The Ministers must labour for their sakes both out of season and in season but if they be more mindfull of their worldly pleasures or businesse than of the saluation of their soules their blood shall be vpon their owne head But when the Minister hath thus studied the word diligently preached the word purely declaring the counsell of God exhorted both gently and sharply laboured to win mens soules both openly and priuately and that very carefully as well out of season as in season to what end will all this come Paul may plant Apollo also water but it is God that must giue the increase Though the Minister laboureth neuer so earnestly doing his dutie absolutely yet if God doth not blesse and increase the same all is in vaine As therefore the Minister is the mouth of God to speake vnto the people so must he be the peoples mouth and pray vnto the Lord both for himselfe and for them that the Lord will blesse him and them and graunt that the ministery of his word may be profitable both to himselfe and to them and that the glory of God may be increased by the same Thus we reade our Sauiour did who being very God as well as man and had power of himselfe to sanctifie the eares and hearts of them which heard him and to make his preaching profitable in such measure as himselfe listed yet for an example to all other which should come after he prayed to his father both for himselfe and vs. S. Paul also in all his Epistles testifieth how continually he maketh mention of them in his prayers The Ministers therefore must pray and that without ceasing as well priuately by himselfe as openly in the congregation and this promise hath our Sauiour made that whatsoeuer we shall aske the father in his name shall be graunted vnto vs. In administring the Sacraments he must also be very circumspect and although children are to be receiued into the Church by Baptisme and not to be denied because the promises do as well pertaine vnto them as vnto the aged yet are they to be baptized in the faith of the pareÌ„ts for there is no promise made to the infidels The Minister therfore must require an account of this faith of such as bring children to be baptized least otherwise he seale to a blancke and so prophane the SacrameÌ„t which appertaineth to none but to the faithfull Furthermore he must not admit all men that come rashly to eate the flesh and drinke the blood of Christ for it is no small matter but first they must eate it by faith out of the word of God and when hee hath so done the Minister shall administer to him the outward seales of bread and wine to confirme and strengthen his faith The third point of the Ministers is He must liue a godly life shewing himselfe an example to all his flock least the word of God bee slandered through his euill behauiour for although he preach neuer so good doctrine yet if his life be wicked and contrarie to his doctrine such is the sabtiltie of Sathan who thereby will bring the Gospell into contempt and be counted a vaine thing of men because the Minister teacheth one thing and doth another this were a grieuous and intolerable matter that the Minister should open the mouthes of the wicked to blaspheme the Lord God and his most holy word which is the power of God vnto saluation Therefore S. Paul together with pure doctrine giueth it in charge to Titus in all things shewe thy selfe an ensample of good workes with vncorrupt doctrine with grauitie integritie and with the wholsome word which cannot bee condemned that hee which withstandeth may bee ashamed hauing nothing of you to speake euill of The Apostle law no small occasion to vse so waightie an admonition that aboue all other things ioyne to pure doctrine a godly life yea such an ensample of grauitie integritie and all other good works agreeable to the most wholesome word which no man is able in any respect to reproue that the contemptuous and despitefull aduersarie against the truth may be ashamed to open their mouthes when as they are not able to accuse the Minister of any vngodlines for the word it selfe is so perfect and absolute in all respects that no man can finde fault thereat but if the Minister contrary to the word doth liue wickedly vngodly he doth not only purchase euill report vnto himselfe but also giueth occasion vnto the enemies and despisers of the truth most wickedly to slâ—nder the most precious Gospell of Iesus Christ. The Minister must therefore liue a godly and vnblameable life euen for an example of well doing to all his flocke Againe the spirit of God in that he saith they must watch ouer mens soules declareth a wonderfull care that the Minister ought to haue ouer his own soule for if he be bound to watch ouer other mens soules to the ende he may be saued and not perish if in the meane time he letteth his owne perish what shall hee get truly it will no whit profit him though all his flock be saued if he himselfe be condemned It is manifest in the first Epistle to the Corinths and 6. Chapter that no vnrighteous person she ll inherit the kingdome of heauen Therefore the Minister must of necessitie according to the admonition of S. Peter giue diligence to make his calling and election sure by his godly life and good workes as well as other if he will approue himselfe the child of God and heire of euerlasting life It were a vaine thing to flatter himselfe in sinne because of his office and thinke that God will deale the more mercifully with him therefore when as it is most certaine that as the saluation of mankinde commeth by the merits of one which is Iesus Christ so is there but one meane for man to attaine thereunto that is by a true and liuely faith in Iesus Christ and whosoeuer cannot assure himselfe in this life by the triall of his faith that hee is the child of God although hee can perswade and flatter himselfe neuer so much with other vaine hope all is to no purpose for hee may be assured whatsoeuer hee be either Minister
time deserueth damnation and either shal be recompenced with the death of the sinner or hath beene alreadie requited with the torments of Christ which serueth 1 For confutation of the Papists that little regarding the commandements of God expect great matters for their deuotion and their outward inuentions and obseruations but who hath required those things at their hands the Lord commandeth them to keepe his precepts otherwise they can expect no recompence from him but that may be said of all their inuented worship which was spoken of them that were so full of externall ceremonies as touch not taste not handle not in the Apostles time concerning all which he saith That they perish with the vsing seeing they are after the commandements and doctrines of man So soone as the worke is done the reward is gone Besides here may be confuted all their workes of supererogation if GOD command vs to obserue his law in perfection then what can there be left for them to performe beyond that which he commandeth doth Christ bid vs say that when we haue done all that we can we are vnprofitable seruants and haue performed no more then our duties and will they be so audacious as to bragge of an ouerplus of well doing Is it possible for obedience to exceed the commandement or for ought to be any thing worth that is not done in obedience but to let them passe This is for our instruction hath God enioyned vs to obserue his precepts so exceeding carefuly and diligently then let nothing draw vs there-from no not in the least circumstance let vs esteeme nothing needlesse friuolous or superfluous that we haue a warrant for out of his word nor count those too wise or precise that will stand resolutely vpon the same if the Lord require any thing though the world should gainesay it and we be derided and abused for the doing of it yet let vs proceed still in the course of our obedience Sithence our maister doth require it as a due and it becommeth vs to yeeld it as a duty and our hire is so great for the performance of the same which will also be inlarged as our integritie shal be increased the greater our faithfulnesse shal be found the more praise we shall obtaine accompanied proportionably with all other good blessings and let this be a motiue further to incite vs to such diligence that the Lord is much displeased with remisnes and negligence sloathfull persons are euery where reprehended in the Scriptures euen for being idle in humaine affaires and matters that concerne mens present estate much more then doe they deserue to be sharply reproued and also corrected for their carelesnesse in those holy workes whereabout God setteth them he that doth not as much as he may in the seruices of God may looke to haue more strokes from his hand and rebukes from his mouth that will be for his comfort ¶ Vers. 5. Oh that my wayes were directed to keepe thy statutes IN the former verse the Prophet Dauid obserues the charge which God giues and that is that his commaundements be diligently kept Here then hee obserues his owne weakenesse and insufficiencie to discharge that great dutie and therefore as â—he by the spirit desirous to discharge it and yet by the flesh not able to discharge it he breaketh out into these wordes oh that my wayes were directed c. Much like vnto a childe that being commaunded to take vp some great weight from the ground is willing to doe it though not able to doe it or a sicke patient aduised to walke many turnes in his chamber findes a desire in his heart though vnhabilitie in his bodie to doe that which he is directed vnto This an holy Father founde in himselfe and therefore hee prayeth to God after this sort Da quod iubes Domine iube quid vis Giue me Lord power to doe that which thou commaundest and then commaund what thou wilt Dauid sawe by the light of Gods spirit wherein true blessednesse did consist namely in the obseruation of Gods lawe willing was hee to attaine that blessednesse but seeing that his wayes were not Gods wayes nor his thoughts Gods thoughts hee obseruing his owne wanderings desires to bee directed in the good wayes When thou hearest saith Augustine this interiection of wishing then acknowledging the word of wishing laye aside the pride of presuming For who can say that hee desires that which hee hath so in his owne free-will that hee can performe it without any helpe If then a man desires to doe that which God hath commaunded hee must desire God to giue that which hee hath commaunded For of whom else should hee desire it but of the Father of lights from whom as the holy Scripture affirmeth doth come euery good and perfect giâ—t This then is as much saith that holy Father as if Dauid should say I haue learned of thee O Lord my Maister that it is necessarie to keepe thy commaundements I none desire thine helpe that I may keepe them for thou giuest both the will and the decide according to thy good pleasure The like to this hath the Prophet Ieremie chapt 10. 23. O Lord saith hee I knowe that the way of man is not in himselfe neither is it iâ— man to walke and to direct his steps Salomon saith the heart of man purposeth his way but the Lord doth direct his steppes Prou. 16. 9. Dauid againe saith the steppes of man are directed by the Lord Psalm â—7 23. And therefore hee prayeth after this sort Psalm 86. 11. Teach mee O Lord thy way and I will walke in thy truth O knit mine heart vnto thee that I may feare thy name The word directed in the originall signifieth to strengthen or to establish noting thereby his owne and all mens insufficiencie either to knowe affect beleeue or obey Gods will much lesse to continue therein vnlesse it please GOD to giue assistance Out of this prayer of Dauid we may obserue 1. The infirmitie of man to doe that which is pleasing to God 2. The desire of the godly to doe that which may please God 3. The confession of the godly that without Gods assistance they can performe no good thing 4. The meanes which are to bee vsed for the keeping of Gods commaundements namely the consideration of our owne weakenesse and prayer to bee directed in the wayes of God and that therein wee may walke vntill our dying daye ¶ Vers. 6. Then shall I not be ashamed when I haue respect to all thy commaundements THis verse hath an excellent dependance on the former there hee desired to bee directed by God here he sheweth the benefit of that direction namely that hauing respect vnto all Gods commandements he should neither be ashamed as some translations read it nor confounded as others haue it In the 22. verse he desireth God to remoue from him shame and contempt here he sets down the meanes to auoide both
be deepelier humbled and â—raue more earnestly the pardon of that and other sins For as the beggar is alwaies mending and peecing his garment where he findes a breach so the penitent beleeuing hart must alwaies be exercised in repairing it selfe where it findes a want Againe oft times this triall serues to quicken and reuiue the hidden graces of the heart that men may be thankfull for them and feele an increase of them in the heart The good husbaÌ„d man cuts the braunches of the Vine not that he hath a purpose to destroy theÌ„ but to make them beare more fruit In the Canticles wheÌ„ Christ left his spouse then she riseth out of her bed she opens the dore her hands drop myrrhe on the barre of the doore then further she seekes and cals for him and praiseth him more then euer before Dauid testifieth the like of himselfe In my prosperitie I said I shall neuer be mooued c. but thou didst hide thy face I was troubled TheÌ„ cried I to thee O Lord prayed to my Lord. Lastly men that liue in the Church being for a time left of God become so impeniteÌ„t as that they must be giuen vp to Satan yet for no other cause but that the flesh may be killed and the spirit made aliue in the day of the Lord. The third end is the preuenting of sin to come This appeareth in Paul Least saith he I should be exalted out of measure through the aboundance of reuelations there was giuen vnto me a pricke in the flesh the messenger of Sathan to buffet me because I should not be exalted out of measure In the former times when the Lord among many other had set out Craâ—â—er for the maintenance of his blessed truth against his Gods enemies he left him for a while to fall from his religion to make a dangerous recantation but so as therby he preuented many sins and prepared him to a glorious martyrdome As some of his owne words may testifie which he spake a little before his ende And now saith he I come to the great thing that so much troubleth my conscience more then any thing that euer I did or said in all my life that is the setting abroad of a writing contrary to the truth which now here I renounce as things written with my hand contrary to the truth which I thought in my heart that for feare of death to saue my life c. And for as much as my hand offended writing contrary to my heart my hand shall be first punished therfore for may I come to the fire it shall be first burned Answerably wheÌ„ he was at the fire first he burnt his right hand which subscribed his body suffered the flame with such constancie and steadfastnes as he neuer almost mooued his eyes lift vp to heauen often he repeated his vnworthie right hand Thus death which he most feared he most desired that he might take reuenge of himselfe for his sinne The vse that all good Christian hearts are to make of these desertions is manifold First if they haue outward rest and walke in the feare of God and be filled with the ioy of the holy Ghost let them not be high minded but feare least a forsaking follow Secondly if in any temptation they iudge themselues forsaken let them coÌ„sider this wonderfull worke of spirituall desertions which God exerciseth vpon his owne childreÌ„ very vsually then it may please the Lord they shal find it to be restoratiue against many a quame and swound of spirit conscience into which otherwise they would certainly fall Thirdly seeing God for their triall doth often withdraw himselfe from them let them again draw neere to God presse vnto him euen as a man that shiuers of an ague is always creeping to the fire If it be demanded how a man should come neere G O D the answer is by the vse of his word and praier For by his word he speakes to thee by prayer thou speakest to him Lastly seeing by desertions God will take experience of his seruants let euery man triâ— and search his waies and euer bâ— turning his feete to the waies of Gods commâ—ndements let him indeuour to keepe a good conscience before God and before all men that so he may with Dauid say Iudge me O Lord for I haue walked in mine innocencie my trust hath beene alwaies in the Lord I shall not sâ—ide prooue me O Lord and trie me examine my raines and my heart Vers. 9. Wherewithall shall a young man redresse his waies in taking heede thereto according to thy word FIrst of all be perswaded that the word of God is that onely rule whereby the whole life of euerie man and that in euerie thing must be ordered euen the life of a young man who hath most reasons for himselfe why hee should bee excused as he is most disordered Vers. 10. With mine whole heart haue I sought thee let mee not wander from thy commaundements THen vpon this perswasion giue your selfe vnfainedly to the reading and heating of God his word as the meanes whereby God hath appointed to teach you and pray to God in the carefull vse of those meanes for his holy spirit that thereby you might come to the true vnderstanding of his word Vers. 11. I haue hid thy promise in mine heart that I might not sinne against thee THat which you haue thus learned let it not onely swimme aloft in your braine but let it be deeply setled and grauen in your heart as a treasure labouring to frame all your affections according to it otherwise if thou knowe neâ—er so much it will notkeepe you from sinning against God Vers. 12. Blessed art thou O Lord teach me thy statutes YOu thus profiting giue thankes to God alwaies for that which you haue learned be it neuer so little it is more than many in the world doe know yet content not yourselfe with it as though you had sufficient but pray vnto him to be further inlightned because it is lesse than many other doe and yourselfe ought to know Vers. 13. With my lips haue I declared all the iudgements of thy mouth BVt aboue all be careful to talke of that to others which you do daily learne yourselfe and out of the abundance of your heart speake of good things vnto men Vers. 14. I haue had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in all riches THat you may doe all these things labour to haue a ioy in the word and in all the exercises of it more than in any worldly thing and to be occupied in these things with greatest delight for in what soeuer we take greatest delight that will stick fastest in vs. Vers. 15. I will meditate in thy precepts and consider thy waies LAst of all meditate and consider of that with yourselfe which you haue learned and muse vpon it alone not contenting yourselfe with the generall rules but labouring in
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
pleaseth God but that which proceedeth out of an honest hart a good conscience and faith vnfained ¶ Verse 35. Direct me in the path of thy commandements for therein is my delight STill Dauid sees the necessitie of walking in Gods way and his owne pronenes to runne out of that way therefore he desires direction from the Lord that as he had giuen him a desire so he would enable him to performe Questionles we are of our selues readie enough like vnbrideled horses in the wayes of this world to runne our selues euen out of breath and we haue many occasions heere to spurre vs on onely the Lord can keepe vs in this path therefore must wee pray for his direction which if we once obtaine wee shall not wander either in iudgement or practise out of the right path For therein is my delight I take pleasure in nothing more then hauing a right vnderstanding of the Lawe to performe obedience to thee according to the same Of this delight we shall speake verse 92. In the meane time note that Dauid in this was a type of Christ to whom it was meate and drinke to doe the will of his Father which sent him Ioh. 5. ¶ Verse 36. Incline mine heart vnto thy testimonies and not vnto couetousnes IN the 3. former verses are three petitions concerning Gods way In the first he desireth instruction teach me in the second apprehension giue me vnderstanding in the third direction direct me But because he sawe many stumbling blocks in this way some offered to his heart as couetousnes others to his eyes as vanitie in this and the next verse he desireth the remouall of them both Incline mine heart to thy testimonies Who now can thinke that mans heart can of it owne accord be carried on to knowledge of Gods will reuealed in his word and of it selfe practise the same when he shall but consider this prayer of Dauid who though he was a man according to Gods owne heart yet durst not presume vpon his owne heart with this gracious inclination from the Lord. The most excellent wits that euer haue beene or shal be will proue in the ende great instruments of Sathan and false witnesses against these testimonies of God vnlesse it please him to refine them by his spirit and incline their hearts to his testimonies And not vnto couetousnes I take it that praying against this one sinne he prayeth against all other sinnes as pride malice Luxurie lust c. But this one is heere named because as the Apostle saith it is the roote of all euill For as there is no braunch of a tree but it is nourished by the roote no streame of a riuer but hath his currant from the spring no veyne in the body but hath his blood from the liuer so is there no one sinne no not the life of man which haâ—â— not life and liuelihood from this one sinne 1. It is as I may say the â—other sinne breeding and bringing vp all the rest Like mother like daughters all bad but couetousnes is the worst of all Yet I know not how it commeth to passe that men are now a daies called good men not of their goodnes but of their goods he is the best man that hath the best purse monie is the man yea the whole man From the peeres to the pesant all are enamoured with Ladie Lucre. But why should they be so is wealth any thing else but thicke clay is it not a part of that refined earth which man ought to treade vnder his feete when in the infancie of the Church possessions were sold the money was laid at the Apostles feete Acts. 4. to signifie as some thinke that we must rather trample vpon and contemne this trash then to haue ouer great admiration of it Alas why should we labour so after things temporall that they hinder vs from getting things eternall what will it profit a man to get the whole world and in the end loose his owne soule shall we preferre monie before God before heauen before our owne soules can it giue satisfaction to vs No it cannot Mans heart indeede is so little of it selfe that it will scant giue a kite her breakefast yet is the desire thereof so infinite that the whole world cannot satisfie it Are we the better because we are rich no more then the horse is for his gaye trappings Can we carrie them away with vs nay we brought nothing into this world and it is certaine we shall carrie nothing out The sumpter horse may carrie all the day treasure on his backe but at night it is taken from him and he carrieth nothing into the stable but often times a galled backe by reason of his burden Dauid saith if riches encrease set not your heart vpon them Salomon saith he that trusteth in his riches shall fall Christ saith it is harder for a rich man to enter into heauen then for a camell to goe through a needles eye Paul saith they that will be rich fall into many temptations and snares and therefore chargeth Timothie to charge rich men that they trust not in vncertaine riches I say then with our Sauiour Christ take heede and beware of couetousnes and that you may pray euer with this blessed Prophet Incline mine heart to thy statutes and not vnto couetousnesse ¶ Verse 37. Turne away mine eyes from regarding vanitie and quicken me in thy way HEre he prayeth against the vanitie of the eye which in truth is a vanitie of vanities Thus Vanitie seduced Heuah entangled Gods children corrupted Dinah endangered Sarah enchaunted Dauid allured Achan and by these windowes many sinnes enter into the soule Reade in this booke that godly chapter of the gouernement of the eyes and in an other booke the vanitie of the eye and with Iob make a couenant with your eyes and with Dauid pray turne away mine eyes c. and you shall looke better all the dayes of your life It were better to haue none eye then either a wanton or a wicked eye If such an eye offend thee pluck it out And quicken me in thy way he considers his owne deadnes and dulnes of spirit and he desires God to quicken him in his way this pronoune thy is very emphaticall opposing Gods way to mans way The Lord is righteous in all his wayes Psal. 1. 45. 18. all the waies of God are mercie and truth Psal. 25. The waies of men are altogether vanitie and leade to death and destruction Onely this way giueth sound comfort to the soule of man Truth it is that the wayes of men are pleasant for a time but the issues thereof are the wayes of death The wayes of God are difficult and dangerous but at the last they will bring thee to heauen ¶ Vers. 38. Stablish thy promise to thy seruant because be feareth thee WHat doth the Prophet in this verse hee confesseth himselfe to be Gods seruant An honorable seruice it is to serue God an argumeÌ„t of his
would not make a shewe of godlinesse and denye the power of it in their liues but earnestly desire that the good worke begunne by the Lord it might in due time bee accomplished by them Quicken me in thy righteousnes He said before quicken me in thy word here in thy righteousnes all is one for the word of God is the righteousnes of God in which is set down the rule of righteousnes In this the Prophet desires to be quickened that is to be confirmed that in cheerefulnes and gladnes of spirit hee might relye vpon the word of God If any by righteousnes vnderstand that iustice of God by which hee defendeth such as commit themselues to him I gainesay it not VAV THE 6. PORTION ¶ Vers. 41. And let thy louing kindnes come vnto me O Lord and thy saluation according to thy promise HE goeth on yet in his prayer and here beggeth of God two things First mercie secondly saluation and both because God had promised them No maruell if hee desire Gods louing kindnesse For thy louing kindnesse saith hee is better then life it were better to be in hel with Gods fauour then in heaueÌ„ without it Mans sauour is mutable Gods immutable mans temporary Gods eternall mans of desert Gods free mans respecteth somewhat in man Gods beholdeth man in Christ. This wee must desire aboue all earthly things And thy saluation First mercie and then saluation the one is the cause the other the effect By saluation he meaneth ayde deliuerance victorie and eternall life this he calleth Gods saluation because it commeth onely from him According to thy promise This is â—â— which hee â—uer chargeth God with all it is an easie matter to trust God on his word in presperitie 〈◊〉 that can doe so in aduersitie hee is the man indeede But what benefit shalt thou haue Dauid if God bee a mercifull Sauiour vnto thee c. ¶ Vers. 42. So shall I make answere to my blasphemers for I trust in thy word MAny aduersaries had this holy Prophet they came about him like bees they layde to his charge things which hee neuer did and especially because hee made his boast of God and trusted to his word they oftentimes reproached him for it and when he was driuen to any extremitie they beganue to say where is now his God Thus became hee the shame of men and thâ— contempt of the people All they that sawe him had him inderision they made mowes and nodâ—ea their heads saying Hee trusted in God let him deliuer him let him saue him seeing hee loueth him Psal. 22. 6. 7. 8. In this hee was a type of our blessed Sauiour who was taunted in the like sort vpon the câ—osse Matth. 27. 39. 40. 41 42. 43. What now doth this man of God labour for to confute and put to silence these his blasphemers Surely the performance of Gods louing kindnesse and saluation the which it pleased him to make promise of This if wee pray for in all our troubles as the propher here doth in his this if wee staye our selues vpon as Dauid euer did though our enemies hee neuer so many neuer so mightie neuer so malitious wee shall in the ende haue such assured victorie that wee shall not onely answere our aduersaries but they with shame shall answere themselues and say wee fooles thought his confidence sollie but now wee see that hee is the Lords beloued and blessed are they that trust in him Obserue 1 That it is no new thing for the aduersaries of religioÌ„ to scorne such as trust onely in God and relie vpon his promises of saluation made vnto theÌ„ These wicked ones knewe no arme but flesh no security but in the things of this life as for such as thinke the name of the Lord to bee the strongest tower them they haue daily in derision 2. Not that if we trust in the word of God we shall be able to answere all our aduersaries for Christ will giue vs a mouth and wisedome whereagainst all our enemies shall not bee able to speake or resist Luk. 21. 15. Hugo Cardinalis obserueth that there are three sorts of blasphemers of the godly the deuils heretikes and slanderers The deuill must be answered by the internall word of humilitie heretiques by the externall word of wisedome slanderers by the actiue word of good life Vers. 43. And take not thy word of trueth vtterly out of my mouth for I waite for thy iudgements HE might for a while not finde the word of trueth to answere yet he prayeth that the word be not vtterly taken from him so hee saide â—â—â—sake me not ouer long This then sheweth that our case doth alter and change ebbe flow as it pleaseth God which reproueth them that are alwayes in the same case for the children of God haue a other course and wee must looke to be so our selues And this is a comfort when wee feele our selues weake yet Gods children haue been so also it may humble vs considering that God doth for some sinne lay this vpon vs let let vs pray that we may not be so for euer For I haue wâ—â—ted c. This sheweth that we may be so for a while yet we must wait til it please him to helpe vs. For thy iudgements that thou wilt execute iudgement on the wicked that thy children may obtaine the promises for then doth the Lord execute iudgements when he punisheth the wicked as he hath threatned and when he fulfilleth his promises to his children giuing them a tong to answere his blasphemers Vers. 44. So shall I alway keepe thy Law for euer and euer IF thou wilt deale thus then shall I keepe thy worde where hee teacheth that if God doe daily assist vs we shall stand but if he do not we shall fal flat This must teach vs to pray and that earnestly and this sheweth perseuerance contrary to the Papists which teâ—â—â— to doubt of saluation for the perswasion of Gods goodnes doth assure vs that we shall continue to the ende and if wee feele our faith weake and pray with assurance of his goodnesse that he will helpe vs we may be assured to stand Vers. 45. And I will walke at libertie for I seeke thy precepts HE will walke in the commandements that he may be at libertie for that is the plaine way all other are biâ—-paths which hee shall be free from if he sticke to the commandements For this is the cause that we are troubled and intangled because we aske not counsell at Gods word and wholy sticke vnto that and therefore we fall into some sinne and be ouercome with some temptation For the word is a lanterne to direct our steps without this we shall wander but if we tend to this light wee shall be at libertie This setteth out the benefit that those haue which enioy the word and their miserie that want it This then requireth that we be thankfull for Gods word and reproueth them that hauing the word yet wander astray and
loue darkenes more than the light and falshood heresies and lyes more than the trueth This is a sin to be punished when we haue the word and yet walke not at libertie and if wee cannot be at libertie when we haue the word it is sure that we cherish some secret sinne and doe not search into God word For that is so full of wisdome that it will rid vs our of all Yet the children of God haue their infirmities out of which they haue good issues But the ignorance of Gods word is the cause of many troubles for though a man were in as great a streight as Abraham was when hee should offer his sonne yet should he be directed Then this layeth a straight charge on vs to studie the word of God Vers. 46. I will speake also of thy testimonies before Kings and will not be ashamed IF God will thus assist mee I will speake euen before the wisest and stand in the sight of the Kings though it be fearefull This then will assure vs that we shall neuer fall if we study heare reade c. on Gods holy word and take heede to our wayes according thereto Then if we desire to stand for euer let vs meditate on Gods word for God hath giuen this not onely to the learned but also to idiotes Here wee see that wee neuer rightly profit till we be not afraide before whomsoeuer wee come for if wee bee assured that our cause bee good then may wee be assured that it shall be giuen vs what to answere and this maketh men afraide when they doubt of their cause Wee are not afraide to speake to a Gentleman if a Lorde bee with vs then shall wee not neede to feare a King when the King of Kings is with vs as Moses Hebr 11. None then haue this gift of bouldnes but they to whome God giueth it not the wise not the mightie of the world The Word giueth vs what to answere then if we faile it is a signe that wee faile in the Word But let vs deale earnestly with the Word and keepe a good conscience and it shall be giuen vs. This doth againe commend the word of God vnto vs. If wee be not ashamed of him before Kings we shall be Kings in his Kingdome Vers. 47. And my delight shall be in thy commandements which I haue loued THat he may come to this grace he will loue the Word because he delighteth in it for delight is the signe of loue Doe wee not then delight in the Word wee haue not a loue to it so of prayer and hearing the Word if we delight in it we will prepare our selues to heare it and meditate in it afterward for hee sheweth his loue when he saith I will meditate then if we will not finde terror of conscience and fall into many euils let vs make conscience to call it to minde For if wee doe take the Name of GOD in vaine by hearing the Word without meditation then the Word being a true witnes shall be a witnesse against vs in that day for this meditation is commended Part. 13. There are set times for hearing praying c but meditation must euer be with thee that thou mayest knowe whether the thing thou doest bee agreeable to his will and whether thou mayest looke for his blessing in it ¶ Vers. 48. Mine hands also will I lift vp vnto thy commandements which I haue loued and I will meditate in thy statutes IT was not sufficient as he thought to acquaint GOD with the delight of his heart vnles he also made manifest vnto him that his outward gesture was answerable to his hart You shall obserue it euen in little children that if they desire to haue any thing that they see they will stretch out their hands that they may get holde and hauing once gotten it you shall hardly get it from them againe And certainly if the inward man be sound you shall obserue it by the outward gesture of the bodie The people were desirous to heare Christs Sermon their eyes were bent and fixed vpon him Luk 4. 6. Dauid would expresse his loue to Gods Arke he daâ—nced before the Arke of Gods Couenant If wee loue Gods Worde and loue it in truth our hands will be as ready to turne ouer the leaues of that blessed booke as our hearts are desirous of the vnderstanding of it that in this longing desire taking it into our hands we may in the ende haue such fast holde of it that wee will not forgoe it for all the worlde We cannot employ our hands in a better worke especially when we haue freedome from our callings then to take vp the booke of God and peruse it ouer Augustine tooke it vp and was conuerted by that one sentence Rom 13. 14. The night is past the day is at hand c. Vrsine tooke it vp and was comforted by this one sentence None can take them out of my Fathers hands Iohn 10 29. Chrysostome tooke it vp and was assured that in his zeale hee should not want because Dauid had saide The earth is the Lords and all that therein is Bilâ—ey tooke it vp as it is in the booke of Martyrs and was much quieted by that saying of Saint Paul This is a true saying and by all meanes worthie to be receiued that IESVS CHRIST came into the worlde to saue sinners of whome I am chiefe And such was the loue of one Gregorie Crowe of whom wee may read in the said booke that suffering shipwracke hee cast away his money and kept his Testament in his bosome and after many dayes floting on the Sea vpon a maste being taken vp by a certaine passinger his first care was for that booke of his fearing least it should haue bene wet with the Sea If he had looked for a Crucifixe as hee looked for Gods booke surely the whole world should haue bene acquainted with it Doth Dauid thus shew his inward loue by his outward gesture let vs doe it whensoeuer wee come either to heare God speaking to vs or will our selues speake vnto God Let our eyes bee fastened our eares attentiue our hearts intent our persons reuerent before our God that whatsoeuer wee doe may argue our pietie to God and bee answerable to the inward affection of the soule And I will meditate And why should not wee The Iewes are reported to be so skilful in that Bible that many of theÌ„ were able to tell how many times euery letter of the Alphabet was in the Hebrue Bible The Scriptures are a light shining in a darke place 2 Pâ—â— 1. 19. we must attend vnto them while we are wandring in the darke places of this world can wee attend without meditation the word of God is the sword of the spirit Ephes. 6. without meditatioÌ„ it is a sword in the hand of a child or a mad â—â—aÌ„ How many take delight in reading of bâ—llads and idle discourses who neuer meditate to the word of God The sicke stomacke
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
as wee may shewe as well our infirmities as our excellent graces Againe because hearing is the sense of discipline and many will attend on reading and hearing which will not bestowe time to conferre to pray to giue thankes to meditate or vow their obedience to the Lord he comprehendeth the one in setting down the vse of the other For if in our reading and hearing for want of meditation we doe not profit we are as coloured in the Sunne wherefore wee must admonish and â—ee admonished we must pray and prouoke to pray we must meditate and often thinke oâ— those things which we haue heard or read Indeede knowledge reading and hearing are sweete euen to a naturall man â—ut to conferre to be admonished to pray to giue thankes be things hard and difficult It may be that some can pray to serue the times because of the law which constrained them but how many shall wee finde that doe it priuately in trueth and voluntarily Some read and they rest in the generall rules not making any vse of it to themselues and so learne that which is another mans not appropriating it to themselues for want of meditation Whereof it commeth to passe that wee see many make a learned sermon in generall precepts who when they come to particulars to comfort those that lye sicke or to raise vp them that are tempted for want of practise in themselues can say nothing The very Heathen could grant and you know who speake it that a mâ—â—s life was a cogitation of death But because we can meditate of death for that we ioyne with it the hope of immortalitie I say that a Christian mans life mâ—y well besaide to bee a meditation of the law of God and how hee shall stand before Gods iudgement seate Which meditation in this man of God sheweth that euen from the heart he loueth the law of God If we examine our selues we shall finde our tongues to cleaue to our teeth and to the roofe of our mouthes whereby wee see that we cannot say this with the prophet that from the abundance of the heart our mouth speaketh For we sinde by practise that we heare reade and sing so coldly as we shew that our affections are almost dead within vs. There followeth in the end of the verse continually Wee know by proofe of daily experience that whatsoeuer we loue of that we continually thinke And in that this qualitie or circumstance is ioyned with meditation we are taught that though we must reade heare conferre pray and giue thanks often yet we must meditate continually For as it is absurd to say that a man should be continually reading or conferring so we must know that it is requisite in all these things to examine our selues by meditation whether we reade profitably conferre effectually or pray vnderstandingly That we now haue this continuall meditation we must pray that we may haue a loue to the word Loue indeed were of it selfe eloquent enough if we had it in any good measure but to stirre vp this loue we must vse many reasons about the nature of the word how it is mysticall pure and eternall which when we see in truth we shall loue the word Where he saith in it is my meditation wee must vnderstand that it was no rouing meditation but that it was circumscribed within the compasse of the law of God Now to our profit let vs learne to meditate according to the law of the Lord and so as vnder the generals we may touch the particulars to make the vse of them in our selues Thus we haue seene the cause of this effect to be loue For as the rich men of this world meditate of gathering goods naturall louers of their loue and ambitious men of their preferments so the man of God hauing no greater riches pleasure nor glorie than in the word maketh it his whole delight and studie For where we loue thither loue doth easily drawe our affections with it We haue heard why mention is made only of meditation namely because it is the life of all the other meanes and maketh them more fruitfull and why his meditation was maried to the law euen because it excludeth all vaine collections which proceede of general knowledge Besides therefore is meditation named because it most agreeth with the nature of loue For though we cannot alwaies be reading hearing or talking of those things which we â—â—â—â— we may alwayes thinke and meditate of them Now what is the cause that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is preached and â—o little is practised but because wee vse so little conference prayer and meditation The remedie hereof is to knowe what a sinne this is and that among all 〈◊〉 in the day of trouble none so great to torment our consciences as that we haue tested in a generall 〈◊〉 and â—â—â—â—ng of the word without applying of it to our seuerall practises by meditation He hath shewed now his loue in the verses following hee setteth downe the fruite of his loue For as hee shewed that the word of God is of such nature that aboue all other things iâ— is eternall so also hee sheweth that the effects thereof are eternall And whereas men desire nothing more than that wisedome whereby they may excel their enemies in policie their teachers in doctrine and the aged in counsaile he declareth that hee made this choyse to set his loue on Gods word which performeth all these things As loue then is the mother that breedeth meditation and meditation is the nurse to cherish this loue so here because the argument of the effect doth most with men preuaile hee sheweth the mightie power and operation of the word of God What is the reason why men do not râ—st and stay themselues wholy on Gods law Surely because they are not perswaded that there is such excellent wisedome in the same We see then that wee must learne for the generals to bee wise in sobrietie and according to the word of God knowing that the Scriptures are sufficient to touch to improue and correct and to instruct iâ— righteousnesse that the man of â—â—â—â— may bee absolute being made perfect vnto all good workes 2. Tim. 3. The Wiseman counsaileth vs Eecles 7. 18. that wee should not â—â—â— iust euermuch â—â— make our selues ouerwise least web 〈◊〉 Where he sheweth that this is the way to bring blockishnes to make our selues wiser than God and to deuile to become more iust than the word prescribeth vs. What is the cause why so many are so foolish in their death when they haue ouerreached themselues as Achitophel Surely because the Lord doth inâ—â—uate them whilest they would be wiser than the Lord so that their wisdome is 〈◊〉 into childishnes and their policie commeth to nothing What is the cause that we are no more occupied in the reading and hearing of the word Doubtlesse because it is a base and simple thing in our iudgemenâ—â— and containeth not so high mysteries in it as
the steadinesse stilnesse and mildnesse of our minde in that wee will not dispute with reason against any thing in our regeneration I see that many that wil not deliuer themselues and their reasons to be captiuated vnto the truth and refuse to beleeue the mysticall power of the Gospel are in time carried away by foule and effectuall illusions For there are many who hearing in the word of the wonderful creation redemption and preseruation of man and of the matter of the Sacramēts cannot beleeue them yet afterwards goe to witches and to be caught of the diuell which they cannot vnlesse they professe and practise an euill faith so that they which will no profit by the truth will suffer themselues to be deluded The other kinde of euill in my diuision was of things not apparantly euill As in times past we were carefull for nothing more then with libertie of minde to vse the creatures of God so now adayes nothing is lesse to be taught because loose libertie and licentiousnes serue so for the flesh and we do not by our libertie serue one another in loue We can say outward things are lawful euery man obiecteth outward things cannot desile a man I answere that when outward liberty bringeth inward bondage and the pretence of outward things lawfull hinder the necessary inward things they be made vnlawfull All things are vnlawfull saith Paul but I will not be brought vnder the bondage of any thing Well howsoeuer wee pretend this lawfull vse of outward things which in their owne natures are the good creatures to cloake our wantonnesse withal let vs know that the wickednesse beginneth in wantonnesse and wantonnesse endeth in wickednesse because it is the way of a dangerous downfall of our soules For either the Lord will punish it with present and temporall punishment or else will cast vs into some great sinnes hereafter And though I will not affirme that euery wanton young man is a meere wicked man yet I dare affirme that wantonnesse is the way to further euill Besides this am I sure of wantonnesse maketh vs vnapt to good workes it takes away the comfort of Gods spirit the ioye of the word the sweetnesse of prayer and of the Sacraments Againe as it is certaine that wantons pray not meditate not nor doe any good thing aright because that sinne desireth all euill and hindereth all good things so if the word would teach vs sinne we would learne it if it make for our good wee cannot learne it And that wee may see to how many euils youth and wantonnesse be subiect reade Galath 6. 1. Cor. 6. Eccl. 11. Psal. 25. Iob. 14. Ierem. 21. So now we know what is the meaning of the man of God in this word euill way that is that which is occasion of euill We can say in worldly things because the way is dangerous through ditches theeues pits or such like Oh that the same minde were in vs to preuent the perils of our soules Our Sauiour Christ taught vs that if our eye offend vs we should pull it out if our hand or foote offend vs we should cut them off the meaning whereof is that we should not indeed shred them off but resraine from the corrupt vsing of them and turne them to a better vse We haue shewed hitherto how carefully the man of God vsed the meanes to godlines and also how carefull hee was to auoide all occasions of euill Wee must not then thinke christianity to bee so small a thing if as lingerers wee make such friuolous excuses that it is hard to be a good man we shall surely neuer come to so high a dignitie We haue also shewed that vnles we labour to deny our selues we shall neuer buckle our selues after the graces of God Vers. 102. I haue not declined from thy iudgements for thou diddest teach me AS if he should say I haue seene and obserued that whosoeuer did resraine from euill they were wiser than their enemies they became more learned than their teachers and proued grauer than the ancient and that they which did not resraine were greatly punished plagued and trodden downe and as thou hast punished some so wilt thou also punish others wherefore I haue not declined from thy iudgements Was there euer towne people or person which truly beleeued in Iesus Christ in whose life and death did not appeare plentifully Gods mercy And contrarily how haue the vnbeleeuers bin giuen ouer to hardnes of heart and a reprobate minde many plagues wars and other iudgements of God to them incident Old Protestants are now become rustie because they made no account of Gods word in their youth Esau lost his Birth-right for a messe of pottage hee sought it afterwards with teares but could not haue it whose prophanesse grew by pleasures We see many wanton men to come to fearefull ends and silthie adulteries who beginning to condemne the word fell to spending from spending to rioting from riot to adulterie from that to theft and from stealing to death If we will obserue godly discipline we must first learne Gods doctrine if wee will learne his iudgements we must learne his mercie We attribute too much to fortune to fatall destinies to charmings and such like but no man doth looke vp to the hand of God wherein we take his name in vaine in not vsing aright his iudgements Thou hast taught me that is thou hast besides the ministeriall preaching giuen me an extraordinarie knowledge of thy iudgements Many knowe much who notwithstanding cannot profit by Gods iudgements So that the briefe and plaine meaning of the Prophet is thus much in effect O Lord I haue not had this knowledge in and of my selfe but I receiued it of thy Holy spirite it was thy mercie and thy grace that made mee knowe thy iudgements The man of God then sheweth vs in this verse that hee did alwayes set the iudgements of God before him what made him then so carefull to doe them the considering of them in his mind the occupying his eies to marke them the vsing of his eares to heare how God performed his promises to the obedient executed his fearefull threatnings on the wicked A thing than which nothing is worthie of greater meditation We heare often with our eares but with little profit the glorious promises and wonderfull vengeance of the Lord what is commaunded and what is forbidden but when we consider and see before our eyes how the Lord hath performed these things we are humbled from sinne comforted to obedience This is it that breeds triall proofe experience to see how the Lord hath in his mercy dealt with Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph Dauid his faithful seruants and how he hath plagued the Egyptians the Sodomites the olde world and other of his enemies Thy iudgements of old O Lord saith Dauid haue I considered Wee shall neuer effectually obserue the iudgements of old vnlesse we obserue the iudgements of God of late For
our selues in meditation and that this depriueth vs of much profit herein in that we doe not appoint some certaine time for meditation moderating other things of our ordinary callings making a conscience sometimes to refraine from our common speeches So our vnderstanding our iudgement our will to practise will be bettered If then at our tables in our beds at our worke we would redeeme some time to reade to pray or to conferre wee should finde wonderfull profit and walking in earthly things we should haue heauenly mindes Vers. 104. By thy precepts I haue gotten vnderstanding therefore I hate all the wayes of falsehood AS in the beginning of this part the Prophet of God protesteth his loue to the word so now in the end he sheweth his hatred to the contrarie This then as we haue partly set down before more largely by Gods grace shall shew hereafter is a true token of loue to the word wheÌ„ we either hate falsehood in religion or corruptioÌ„ in manners We are then to looke into our hearts to see if we hate Poperie and heresie if there bee in vs an hatred against blaspheming of the name of God against adulterie false dealing and such like For we cannot loue the true worship but we must hate heresie we caÌ„not loue Gods name and yet not hate the abusers of it wee cannot loue chastitie and true dealing but we must hate adulterie and vnrighteousnesse But if wee feele our selues to be indifferent persons and come what come may we care not greatly vndoubtedly wee are of no religion For if thou doest not hate an Atheist thou louest not God if thou hatest not heresie thou doest not loue Gods law if thou hatest not adulterie thou art not truly chast if thou hatest not false dealing thou art vnrighteous We see heretiks neuer hate one another because none of them loue the trueth for the Papists can be content with the Familie of loue and the Family of loue with them Wherfore we see that many doe falsely pretend religion chastity and true dealing Note here in that he saith I haue gotten vnderstanding by thy word as though his vnderstanding was the cause of his zealous hatred of the false worship What is the cause then that men doe not hate euill in greater measure because they bee ignorant and knowe nothing Indeede noueltie displeaseth them a little but when they be somewhat acquainted with that which is taught them they will like it well enough Why doe we hand ouer head take any religion euen because we haue not gotten vnderstanding Why doth heresie get such easie entertainment with many of vs because we are vnconstant and borne away with euery blast as witnesse Peter and Iude and because wee are not fast rooted in knowledge as is mentioned Ephes. 4. Many in our countrie are stiffe in heresie because they were neuer sound in iudgement they were euer inconstant they were neuer rooted in Iesus Christ and therefore were carried away with euery puffe of vaine doctrine Some indeede as we haue said before fall for lacke of good conscience but some neuer come so farre because they heard not or else heard very negligently and therefore whosoeuer shall now come and blow an illusion in their eare he shall be heard How shall we know an enemie he commeth vnder the cloake of loue and is couered with the vizard of honestie but his vnderstanding faileth his iudgement is corrupt In that it is here saide all the wayes of falsehood we must note that we are to growe from knowledge to knowledge from faith to faith from glorie to glorie that growing in godly vnderstanding we may grow also in hatred of falsehood This verse may seeme to haue some contrarietie with the verse a little going before where he saith I haue abstained from euerie euill that I might keepe thy law but indeede there is none because no true mortification both here and in that place is required an hatred auoyding of euill Wee must knowe that the way to make good things frâ—â—â—te is the way to feele euill thing sowre As when thou art grieued to feele thine eye an occasion of euill or euill thoughts to bee in thine heart with bitternes and vexation of spirit thou must striue against them and God will giue thee strength to striue not onely without constraint but also of a loue of good and a hatred of euill The first way then vnto righteousnes is wear somâ—â—es of sinne and to striue against it though with great trouble because the more we vexe torment and disquiet our selues the more we shall come to the loue of good and then the hatred of sinne will growe of it selfe If then a man cannot finde this hatred of sinne in him hee must labour to auoide all occasions that hinder his vnderstanding of the truth as distractions troubles of minde and vse all meanes to grow in knowledge as reading hearing conferring and such like For our not profiting in knowledge is our not profiting in hating of heresies and our â—ot hating of heresie is a token of our not profiting in knowledge When we heare then if our hearing doe not worke in vs a loue of the truth and hatred of the contrarie wee haue not profited in knowledge but if we grow in knowledge we shall knowe it by profiting in the loue of the truth and in the hatred of falsehood Wee haue shewed how in the former portion the man of God testifying his affection to Gods law and concluding with his hatred to the contrarie intermiâ—gieth his reasons that because he found by experience that the word of God made him wiser then his enemies than his teachers and the aged and did preserue him from euery euill way therefore he found such comfort in it that no naturall thing was so liking to his outward man as this was to his inward man PORTION 14. NVN. Vers. 105 Thy word is a lantorne vnto my feete and a light vnto my path THis portion following is a prayer to the Lord to bee further instructed in the word of God and to haue his affections thereby more reformed The reasons which hee vseth bee three the first is his faith in the word in that he made account of it to be the onely meanes whereby he should be directed in all his wayes and this is contained in the first verse of the portion Thy word is a lantorne vnto my feete and a light vnto my steps or path The second is his constant purpose to perseuere in the obedience of Gods word in the verse following I haue sworne and will performe it that I will keepe thy righteous iudgements The third is his miserable calamitie wherein he was which constrained him to pray which appeareth in the next verse I am very sore afflicted O Lord quicken me according to tâ—â—y word These things are afterwards shewed in the verses following as his faith in Gods lawe in the two last and his calamity
when we know not so much as the word may instruct vs in When a man seeth as much in a Papist as in a blocke let him consider that as little as the care is which we haue of the word and as small as our conscience is in the obedience of the same so little is his light in heauenly things Yea though we haue knowledge and liue not after it we are yet in darkenes wee grope as it were a farre off who hauing knowledge haue no conscience A saying that may touch vs to the quicke that wee are but hauing a glimmering light as Paul had in the outward man at his conuersion or being as purblinde men not hauing our eyes cleane out nor our sight cleere when we haue knowledge and labour not to build vertue vpon vertue If then thou hast not a care to profite by the word thou hast a darke sight and a glimmering light there is a shadowe before thine eyes thou canst not discerne chalke from cheese No maruaile then why so few are sharpe sighted in the word sith either we know little or knowing somewhat we practise nothing Againe as if wee haue gone some part of the iourney in light and yet passe the other in darkenes it is very dangerous likewise in regeneration though wee haue spent some part of our life in the obedience of true knowledge and in the residue of our life do not escape the willnes of the flesh we cannot without dangerous darknes hold forth our course in the Spirit If we mingle light and darknes together and confound the world and the Church the wisedome of God and the inuentions of man we doe not as yet truly obey nor walke in the light of the word For as whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne and whatsoeuer is not in the light is darknes so whatsoeuer is not done according to the light of knowledge is done in the darknes of ignorance In all our affaires then we must learne to aske counsell of the word Here then is a good comfortable doctrine also that wee are so much in darknes as in whole or in part we be in ignorance so whether in part or in whole wee be warranted by the word of God for our doing so farre we haue a guide we haue a load-starre a lanterne and a sure light as Peter witnesseth to conduct vs. The Papists then are here confuted which say the word containeth hard things wee graunt indeed that there are many mysteries in the word of God and that the testimonies of the Lord are wonderfull especiallie in the doctrine of saluation and to a naturall man yet there be many things easie to a man regenerate and the very entrance into them giueth light to the blinde and to them which are lowly in their owne eyes It is our great corruption that when wee know in part we are as they that haue a glimmering sight of their way and therefore least they should bee accounted starke blinde refuse a leader But although wee see as in a glasse in part and in measure yet as a man may follow if he be not blinde the light of the lanterne so we may come to knowledge vnles wee shut our eyes at the truth We may therefore as safely for the soules health follow the light of the word as we may for the safegard of our body follow the light of a lanterne The way of saluation prescribed in the word is an high plaine and heaten way if anie thing hinder vs therevnto it is the curse and our sinne in that wee are not carefull to be directed For surely this is the word to open our vnderstanding yea though wee be borne blinde if you doe not willingly shut your eyes But wee must note that Gods word is a lanterne when Gods spirit worketh thereby for whilest we goe about the bare and literall sense it is no otherwise then if a blinde man should reade or a man hauing sight should put a vaile before his eyes Wherfore the man of God praieth port 17. 5. Direct my steppes in thy worde c. and vers 7. Shew the light of thy countenaunce vpon thy seruant teach mee thy statutes Why then do we so little profit by the word because we thinking that of our selues we can conceiue aright doe not pray to be taught by God his spirit For as no man seeth or can see what is in man but the spirit of man that which he vttereth with his tongue no more can we see what is in GOD but being taught by the spirit of God and his word Wherefore the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 2. 20. God hath reuealed them vnto vs by his spirit for the spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God 11. for what man knoweth the things of a man but the spirit of a man which is in him euen so the things of God knoweth no man but the spirit of God Flesh and blood as our Sauiour witnesseth to Peter cannot reueale the things of our saluation vnto vs but the spirit of God And why then are we yet so vnprofitable surely because we are not guiltie of our owne infirmities and we see not the darkenesse and blindnesse which is in vs or if wee see it wee feele not our selues pressed with the miserable captiuitie and bondage wherein it holdeth our soules This sight made the Prophet so often vse this prayer Teach me true iudgement teach me true vnderstanding teach me thy statutes c. All which repetitions might otherwise haue seemed to haue bin a vaine babling had he not vsed such a narrow sight of his inward corruptions with a desire to be deliuered from them which may condemne vs of our darknes and teach vs that there is no light in vs but by the word Many indeed are of a modest spirit and haue some sight of their ignorance yet they haue not a feeling of their miserie in particular things and doe not examine themselues in euery particular thing what it is to be in darkenes and therefore as we haue said doe no more desire to be enlightned and gouerned by another than he that hauing a slender eye-sight hardly discerning his way refuseth to haue a guide as though he were blinde And though the Lord often shineth vpon vs and maketh vs guilty of our blindnes yet we doe not see how loathsome yrksome and vncomfortable a thing darkenes is nor how pleasant amiable and comfortable a thing light is although we confesse in generall that we haue not the light but are in darkenes The want of seeing the monstrous vglines of this palpable darkenesse maketh vs dull in prayer for the light of Gods spirit Wherefore we must desire that that may be stricken into our consciences which we haue in iudgement that is that we may see how amiable glorious and heauenly a thing it is to be enlightned with Gods light and how horrible a thing it is to be plunged in the darkenes
shield and I trust in thy word BEcause the Prophet could not perswade himselfe of any other safetie than of the safeâ—â—â—â— which he had vnder the Lord he sheweth that so long as he put his trust in Gods 〈…〉 s he feared nothing And surely this ought to be the principal thing among Christians to looke for none other defence than that which is to be looked for out of the promises of God For what is the cause why when wee are in daunger in pouertie in any distresse wee haue so many by-paths and can inuent vnlawfull meanes and shifts so for our deliuerance but onely because the Lord and his word is not our refuge and our shield For if we were once perswaded that God were our tower to defend vs and our shield to couer vs wee should be staied If wee then call on God in our neede we must know that Psal. 33. vers 18. The eye of the Lord is vpon them that feare him and vpon them that trust in his mercies And that Psal. 145. 18. Hee will fulfill the desire of them that feare him hee also will heare their crie and will saue them And our cause being good we neede not to doubt of him for he hath promised to be our shield and buckler So our Sauiour Christ being tempted of Sathan to turne the stones into bread was moued by him to distrust Gods prouidence What saith he doest thou thinke that if thou wert the Sonne of God thou shouldest bee left in such wants make some shift therefore for thy selfe But Christ knowing God to bee the author of his neede was assured that he would secretly nourish him vntill hee had receiued ordinarie meanes againe and so strengthened himselfe in Gods promises Likewise when we are in need or in perill Sathan will cause vs to vse one shift or other but we must answere him The Lord is my shield and tower I am sure enough and therfore I hate all ill inuentions I put my trust in the Lord. We acknowledge this with our tongue yet it is a hard thing to bee practised to put our trust in Gods word For howsoeuer wee will grant indeede that wee must put our trust in God yet we hardly yeeld vnto this that we must trust in his word but we must here correct this vnbeliefe and learne that if we seeke for helpe at God wee must trust in his word Doth Gods word threaten his iustice and can wee finde in our liues that if wee vse euill meanes we shall be punished Doth Gods word assure vs that God is mercifull and doe we beleeue that Iesus Christ came to saue sinners although we were the greatest and that he came to call sinners and not the righteous to repentance and that Iesus Christ came to saue that which was lost and to refresh all that are wearie and heauie laden Thus the man of God saith portioÌ„ 8. 1. O Lord thou art my portioÌ„ I haue determined to keepe thy law And portion 14. 6. Thy testimonies haue I taken as an heritage for euer for they are the very ioy of my heart Thus he sheweth that we must seeke for that in Gods word which wee seeke for of him For his word is a conduit or waterpipe whereby the Lord conueying his mercies vnto vs will haue them runne through vnto vs. Doe wee beleeue then the promises that God will prouide for vs then let vs beware of al wicked shifts and trust onely in his word For if we beleeue God to be our tower we must looke to Gods word The Heathen men and the prophane worldlings will speake gloriously of the goodnesse of the strength and of the mercy of God but when they come to see it in the word they will erre altogether out of the way whereby they shew how they vtter more in their tongues than they performe in truth For the Lord hath layde that helpe on his word which he would haue vs to seeke for at his hand so Christ by the word put the diuell to flight with these words in effect Thou wouldest haue me Sathan to mistrust my Fathers prouidence and to giue my selfe to be taught of thee but I know he will keepe me in all my necessities and why because he hath said Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God the Lord hath prouided ordinarie meanes to nourish me and hath not commaunded that stones should be made bread and why then should I vse vnlawfull meanes Wherefore I will stay my selfe vpon my Fathers prouidence We see he might haue said that God is almightie and strong or that by his mightie power he might haue put off Sathan but he reciteth the words of Moses which he vsed when the Lord so wonderfully had preserued his people the Israelites in the wildernesse without ordinarie meanes We must in like manner when Sathan shall set vpon vs in time of neede say it is written The Lord is iust and true in all his promises It is written The eyes of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares are open to their crie nothing wanteth to them that feare him The Lyons doe lacke and suffer hunger but they which seeke the Lord shall want nothing which is good It is written Rom. 8. verse 35. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword When we are tempted then with doubting in our selues that we shall not escape we must know that it is written Rom. 8. 31. If God be on our side who can be against vs 32. Who spared not his owne Sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how shall he not with him giue vs all things also If we be tempted to steale we must say as it is written Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word which proceedeth out of the mouth of God knowing that God is able to preserue vs without ordinarie meanes Vers. 115. Away from me ye wicked for I will keepe the commandements of my God THe cause why the man of God could not so stay himselfe on the Lord was because what way soeuer he turned himselfe he could see no man that would helpe him He had no helpe of the world euery man prouided for himself some shifted this way another that way he could see no good example of any which either beleeued Gods promises to be true or were readie to obey his commaundements Wherefore it is manifest that they were impediments rather than furtherances vnto him For else why should he say Away from me ye wicked c Were there so many impediments in his daies and shall we thinke there are not so many in ours or was that age wherein he liued more wicked than the age wherein we liue First we are nothing like him in good things he had greater graces of God than we haue he had gone further in holinesse than we we liue
which way soeuer a man would turne himselfe although hee would search the world with a candle hee shall finde many euill to corrupt him but fewe good to guide him And seeing our times are worse than the times wherein the Prophet liued and wee are easier and readier to take harme by euill examples than he was we must know that whosoeuer will be truly taught to hate vaine inuentions and loue the word of God he must learne that which is written in the first Psalme that is that we walke not in the counsell of the wicked nor stand in the way of sinners Away then with them that say the Preacher indeed speaketh well and teacheth the truth aright but who doth it and rather let vs bid the euill away from vs let vs followe them that doe well so farre as they follow Christ and his word let vs be heedfull to looke to our waies and be the more careful because in former ages the Lord hath set before vs so many examples of falling Wee may communicate with them in our calling wee may be knit to them by consanguinitie wee may bee ioyned with them in affinitie and as neighbours dwell together we cannot in these things bee well free from them yet we must not deale with them as they be wicked we must not drawe in the yoke with them we must not be giuen to the like studies to the like endeuours and enterprises with them Concerning their calling in the world wee may vse them but not according to their corrupt dealing with the world Wee see the Prophet his meaning is Away from me ye wicked ye weaken my faith in Gods promises by your inuentions you inkindle mistrust in me I will not yeeld to you I will not consent to you nor take part in any of your inuentions for I trust in my God he is my shield and my refuge Here wee may also learne how to discerne betweene their persons wherein they beare the image of God and their callings which are the ordinance of God and betweene their liues which are full of corruptions If we looke but into the first commandement we shall see how hard a thing it is to keepe Gods law vnlesse wee sequester ourselues from the societie of sinne How shall we beleeue among vnbeleeuers or pray to the Lord among prophane persons or trust in the Lord among such shifters For as euil men continuing in the companie of godly men shall sodainely at one time or other be coloured with their good things so the godly abiding in the meetings of the wicked vnlesse they bee very circumspect and suspect their owne weaknes will sodainly be taken We knowe that Ioseph being in Pharaohs Court began to be coloured with the Egyptians corruptions If then wee haue any iust cause of meeting with the wicked we must not auoid their companie but we must mislike their manners we must rebuke reproue cry against their sins we must feare our selues and in euery thing suspect them But let vs see how dangerous a thing it is to bee with the wicked and what meanes there be with them for our destruction Whether we be friends and in league with them or foes and at defiance with them all is one For if wee be at defiance with them how will they bring our persons in contempt and raise many calumnious speeches against vs and affray vs with iniuries If we be in friendship with them in what danger are wee least they should inueagle vs allure vs and take vs slily away from a good conscience If we be at defiance with them they will dismay vs with threatnings if we be in friendship with them wee cannot deale so roughly against their sinnes wee can hardly gainesay them in their wickednesse wee are drawne away by them and waxe colde by little and little in those things wherein we haue been zealous Oh here then appeareth the wonderfull and vnspeakeable mercy of God to his children in this world to keepe them as sheepe among wolues and to saue them from the infection of sinne in the middest of a wicked and sinfull generation It followeth in this verse That I may keepe the commandements of my God As if he should haue said he is not your God because you put not your trust in him but follow your own inuentions he is my God I loue him I feare him I put my trust in him I loue his word because his promises are sweete to me I feare to sinne because his threatnings proue true I trust in him because of his word he is none of your God neither can you assure your selues of him For as Portion 20.3 Saluation is farre from the wicked because they seeke not thy statutes No no God is grieued and displeased with you though for a while hee spare you he shall one day punish you he is my protectour and defender This is a notable thing and worthy to be obserued The man of God recouereth himselfe because God hath promised in his word that hee will defend his as with a shield but he will put to flight the armies of their aduersaries He reasoneth therefore thus with himselfe The Lord hath promised to be a tower and buckler for them that put their trust in him and beleeue his word I beleeue this to be true I see it shall come to passe according to his word therefore he is my God my shield and my refuge Let vs learne in time of trouble thus to recouer our selues For doe we not see how now adaies some take this way and some take that way some vse this shift and some haue that policie doe their dealings shew that God is on their side or that hee will take their part nay rather that he is farre from thē We must euery one frame this reason which the Prophet vseth that euery man may say I trust in Gods word I hate the vaine shifts of the wicked God is my God My God wee must here marke that wee giue not God sufficient honour vntill we cleaue wholy vnto him as he requireth of vs in his first commaundement For we then haue him to be our onely God when we onely feare him when we onely loue him whē we onely obey him when we put our trust in him alone So that we deny him his honour vntill we leauing all other fetches and deuises of louing fearing obeying and trusting in him and loue feare obey and trust in him as we are onely and wholy taught in his word Excellent is that place of the Prophet Psalm 73. where the man of God seeing the euill men in number many in power great and good men in number few and abilitie weake began to bee in a dangerous estate in thinking almost wickedly of Gods prouidence and began to be moued and to dispute as it were with God about the prosperitie of the wicked and pouertie of the godly vntill hee came to looke into the glasse of Gods word where he found
of Gods children are not so sirme as that it is neuer shaken they are not alwaies in the tenour and as the Lord giueth them of his grace in measure so hee giueth them at sometimes more at sometimes lesse he often humbleth them with incredulitie to exercise them in prayer and to confirme them the more by his Spirit whereof they haue had a pledge in his word Wee haue learned that the Prophet thought himselfe to haue no life but as he had the feeling of the life of the Sonne of God to be conueyed to him by the spirit of God through the working of the word of God and that as we breathe eate playe and labour wee haue nothing differing from bruite beasts as we haue fiue wits to discourse of things we haue nothing more than the heathen than the Turkes than the vngodly infidels The Scriptures shew that all that liue in ignorance and sinne are dead for they that liue in ignorance sit in darkenes and in the shadow of death as it is in the song of Zacharie and if we liue in sinne the Apostle witnesseth we are but dead Ephes 2.1 The death of sinne is the life of a man and the life of sinne is the death of a man sinne then I meane to liue in vs when wee giue ouer our selues to sin with pleasure and lye in our sinne with delight And yet here is a further thing for the man of God speaketh of the experience of Gods children who when they feele delight in prayer and their inward man delighted with the word of God they thinke they are aliue and that so long they walke in the land of the liuing but when they fal into some sinne and become vnthankfull or pensiue there comes a dulnes and deadnes of heart they are not able to see any difference betweene themselues and the reprobates and finding in themselues such an heape of ill inclinations they think themselues to be dead It followeth in the verse And disappoint me not of mine hope As if he should say O Lord euen as I trust in thy word so my hope is that thy word shall be accomplished As faith is the mother of hope so hope is the daughter and nurse of faith for faith breedeth hope and hope nourisheth faith faith assureth vs of the trueth of Gods word hope waiteth for the accomplishment of it His meaning then is Lord as I trust in thy word so strengthen my faith and disappoint mee not of my hope for howsoeuer the wicked continue for a while I beleeue that I shall haue a glorious end I beleeue it is not lost labour to serue the Lord O Lord I hope to see them troden downe that breake thy statutes Thus we see how Gods children feare their vnbeliefe and nourish their faith with prayer so the true Minister of God cannot but be zealous to stirre vp his people to feruent and frequent prayer We see the one halfe of this Psalme to bee prayer and that in euery portion two or three or foure verses be prayers And the man of God being willing to bring his knowledge to feeling hath still this prayer Stay mâ—e in thy word teach mee thy statutes disappoint me not of my hope establish thy promises to thy seruant For as reading hearing and conferring doe more increase knowledge than feeling so meditating praying and singing doe more nourish feeling than knowledge Had he that had such a faith in Gods word such ioy such delight such life in the spirit neede so often and feruently to pray then I beseech you let vs pray pray pray Vers. 117. Stay thou me and I shall be safe and I will delight continually in thy statutes THis agreeth with that in the verse going before stablish mee according to thy promise Hadst thou need Dauid to be staied didst thou wauer oh how need we to be stayed and to pray against our wauering he meaneth here thus much although I am well minded and delight in thy law yet I am so brittle and so slipperie that if thou stay mee not I shall sall I am gone Oh man of God feeling his owne wants and infirmities I shall be safe that is If I be not stayed by thine hand I shall be at the last cast Psal. 30. 6 he said hee should neuer be remoued here is another spirit where he saith he should be safe But here wofull experience taught him that he durst not be stayed on himselfe whereby he declareth that as without Gods word he could not be safe so come what come would befall what danger could befall in the Lords word he was staied sufficiently Then we are to learne that the promises of God must engender in vs a care and feare of our selues for if we begin once to be quiet with our selues when wee begin to be secure and presumptuous let vs assure our selues that we are not farre from sinne But if we feare that wee are staggering and reeling persons and that we are very slipperie is there not cause of humbling that this humblenes should breed carefulnesse carefulnesse should cause watchfulnesse watchfulnesse should vse the meanes and the meanes should be sanctified by prayer Then come hell come the diuell come the world come the flesh if the Lord stay vs we shall liue and not die we shall surely not miscarie And I will delight continually in thy statutes Wee see here that there is no free will for he prayeth likewise Port. 5. 1. Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes Neither did he promise of himselfe before but did hope in the Lord. Such brittlenes is in the world such sleights in the flesh such slinesse in SathaÌ„ such corrupt examples in the world that vnlesse the Lord stay vs we are so farre off from delight in good that we are ready to fall into great sinnes Euery man therefore is to search his owne heart and by the cause we may come to the effects and by the tree may coniecture of the fruite so by the effects we may iudge of the cause and by the fruite we may iudge of the tree Where is now this delight when we heare the word we heare it with such coldnesse therefore it is a manifest proofe we are not staâ—ed in the Lord. For whosoeuer doth not delight in the word he may deceiue his owne soule but surely as yet he is not staied on God If we are not delighted then are we stâ—ied on our own selues but if the Lord work in vs then shal we feele delight This is a griefe of my soule that I see no delight in the Lords day all things are done for fashion but the power of godlinesse is not among vs. The cause is the want of priuate exercises the want of priuate reading and praying and this bringeth a secret curse of publike exercises and therefore I cannot but so often vâ—ge priuate prayer and meditation Vers. 118. Thou hast troden downe all them that depart from
is it to giue vs his truth to enrich vs with his Gospell and to blesse vs with such abundance of temporall things Oh that this were knowne of vs oh that euery man would say Oh Lord what am I that thou shouldest shewe mee such mercie to giue mee the enioying of thy word and Gospell more than any other and giuing it to mee makest me to vnderstand it aboue many oh what am I that thou shouldest offer to mee this goodnesse I was borne and conceaued in sinne I haue multiplied and enlarged my corruptions both before since my calling my vnthankfulnes is great my vnworthines therefore greater and yet thou hast not ceased to preferre me in mercies before many If we consider the fearefull iudgements of God in consuming all hypocrites who will not say that many haue beene called and few chosen When we shall see I say in the day of the Lord his seuere iudgements to tread downe these hypocrites and cause them to goe from his presence to hell oh how wil we esteeme that we are in Christ and say Oh how loue I thy law For I see thy iudgements are equall and thou dealest not with me in iustice but in mercie not in anger but in loue not in wrath but in pittie therfore they couenant is sweete because I haue deserued thy iudgements and thou hast spared me Vers. 120. My flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am afraide of thy iudgements HEre may seeme at the first to be some contrarietie betweene feare and loue sith loue causeth not but casteth out feare For he had saide in the verse going before that hee loued the testimonies of the Lord and here he saith that his flesh trembled for feare Wherefore at the first sight here is some shew of contrariety but indeed there is none For he saith My flesh trembleth c. whereby he sheweth that as he loued the law of God in his inward man and with his part regenerate so it is the outward and olde man and the part vnrenued which is full of corruption that did feare So that as hee had Gods spirit to renue his minde hee had this witnesse in him that he did loue the promises of God but because his flesh rebelleth against the Spirit and hee found many corruptions of nature remaining in him and threatning him that after hee was like to fall againe if the Lord yea but a little should leaue him he saith I am afraid least for my vnthankfulnes and vnworthie refusing of thy mercie thou shouldest leaue me to my selfe and so shouldest make a way to thy iudgements Thus there is an harmonie in the Prophet for because as the flesh hath a trembling feare so the spirit reioyceth Thus as wee haue often heard Gods children finde to their comfort in themselues faith in Gods promises and a delight in his word sometime they are grieued for the absence of this sweetnes of faith in the same For as the presence of Gods spirit bringeth ioy so the absence thereof feare as faith breedeth a loue of Gods promises so infidelitie maketh vs afraid of his iudgements Although Noah had great cause to loue the promises of God for his wonderfull deliuerance so he had great cause to feare himselfe that he might haue fallen afterward Lot also hauing good cause to beleeue and embrace the couenant of God for his safegard had iust occasion also to haue suspected himselfe that he was subiect to falling It is said Prou. 28. 14. Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies but hee that hardeneth his heart shall fall into euill For where feare is not there is securitie securitie breedeth hardnesse of heart and hardnes of heart bringeth Gods wrath Wherfore the Apostle writing to the Philippians shewing that God worketh in vs both the will and the deede of doing good least hereby they should draw to themselues security addeth that they must fill the course of their saluation in feare and trembling For if wee doe only well by Gods grace working in vs wee are much to feare the absence of it Wherefore wee see how the man of God did iustly feare his part vnregenerate This feare of Gods children differeth much from the feare of the wicked for it bringeth vs to the Lord and driueth vs not from the Lord it helpeth and hindreth not our prayers it hurteth not but furthereth our duties For it maketh vs to feare least wee should lose Gods grace it causeth vs to waite more and more to haue it and hauing it moueth vs by prayer to continue it When Noah had Gods fauour he feared and being warned of God as Heb 11. 7. of the things which were as yet not seene moued with reuerence prepared the Arke c So Habacuk hearing of the iudgement of God which should fall vpon the faithfull by the Chaldeans saith Hâ—b 3. 16. My bellie trembled my lips shooke at the voyce rottennes entred into my bones and I trembled in my selfe Paul said he preached with feare and trembling Thus wee see how the good Saints of God did feare because they knewe that if the Lord should enter into iudgement with vs no flesh should be saued and that there was nothing in them but of mercie and therefore they acknowledge their weaknes vnworthinesse and wretchednesse Wee see also that Gods children haue diuers affects according to their diuers estates and though sometimes they are quickened through faith other times they are most ready to sinne if they doe not sinne No maruell then though the children of God feare when they see that God restraineth their will the greater their feelings are yet are they mixed with a reuerent feare of Gods maiestie and sight of their own corruptioÌ„s least they should not abide his glorie and least they should not continue in their good things We see moreouer that this feare humbled Noah that the Prophets Apostles spake in feare which the Lord gaue vnto them either to prepare them to some grace which they should receiue or else more zealously to keepe some grace which already they haue receiued And where it might be obiected that loue casteth out feare wee must vnderstand of that seruile and excessiue feare which driueth vs away from God And seeing though wee feele Gods loue by faith wee will feare then much more had we neede so to doe when by infidelitie wee feele not this loue So wee must haue both feare to prepare vs to grace and wee must haue loue to continue vs in this grace And surely onely they with whom this thing hath been familiar doe knowe how loue and feare doe dwell together For as blessed experiencâ— hath taught some that by this feare they haue attained to speciall graces and continued in them by the same so also by wofull experience some haue found that for want â—f this they either haue not tâ—sted of the grace of God or else not continued in the same PORTION 15. AYN. Vers. 1â—1 I haue executed iudgement and iustice
care herein as they do who neuer can content themselues in carking and caring when they are to bring in the fruites of the whole yeare in their haruest Many would thinke that this praier of the man of God is superfluous but if they truly knew their owne decaies of faith and shrinking in obedience they would not suspect this Psalme of any needlesse repetition but would acknowledge that it is the wonderfull wisedome and goodnesse of Gods Spirit so to prouide for our vnbeleefe and disobedience And as the holy ghost doth here set down the glasse of regeneration and teacheth vs how to pray for the continuance of our obedience and strength of faith so we must so behold our corruptions therein as from henceforth we may haue a greater iealousie of our selues in them both We learned in these two prayers how contrary to the doctrine of the Sophisters hee craued knowledge not of desert or merite but of grace and mercie Where we are to remember that when we are to craue of God any new mercie to be receiued or perseuerance in some mercy alreadie receiued we must say with the man of God Deale with thy seruant according vnto thy mercie Now in that he doubled as we may see his request he sheweth the great necessitie of it and that the mysterie of faith is great This is a thing that much deceiueth many when we thinke that we haue eyes and can see into matters as farre as other men we haue eares and can heare as much as another man can doe we haue as good wits and reason we can conceiue and iudge of a thing as soone and as well as other men commonly doe Here is a great iudgement of God that we cannot acknowledge our dulnes and deadnes and that we cannot attaine vnto the mightie power of the word as we ought to doe for wan◠of this we become so fruitlesse in reading and in hearing because we cannot truly vnderstand what we reade or heare we gather one thing here and another thing there we gather many things falsely and often finde fault with the deliuerie of the word when the fault is in our selues in that we neuer suspect our selues our reason nor iudgement The children of God must be iealous ouer their owne affections must know that there is no such naturall thing in them but that all is the gift of God We are here then to learne continually to pray that our iudgement may be enlightened with the true vnderstanding of the word and our affections renewed into the due obedience of the same If we should see in how many things our reason erreth and our affections wauer in vs we should surely acknowledge that there are no superfluities in this Psalme For vntill we be fully acquainted with the dulnesse of our hearts we shall not see our necessitie in vsing the like prayers but he that seeth the blindnesse of his minde and corruptions of his heart and desireth nothing more than to become a new man in Iesus Christ and to learne nothing more than Iesus Christ crucified howsoeuer others perswade themselues of more mysticall knowledge without this in truth knowing nothing he will count all other knowledge but lothsome and as dung in respect of the doctrine of regeneration whereby he is become a new man in Christ. For it is a greater blessing where this knowledge doth abound and other gifts are in lesse measure than where this is but small though in many other gifts we doe abound For euery man must not be learned euery man is not to trauell in the profound mysteries of the Scriptures but euery one had neede to be humbled and we being all destitute of grace had neede to be taught of God as children that being spirituall we may iudge our selues that the Lord will not iudge vs and howsoeuer we thinke of our selues now when the Lord shall take from vs the darknesse of our hearts and the mists of our affections we shall espie our dulnes and blindnes to be very great Vers. 126. It is time for thee Lord to worke for they haue destroyed thy law AFter the man of God in the verses going before had praied for himselfe now he commeth to pray against his enemies after he had prayed for ease of his trouble which he had amōgst his enemies when he himself in the meane time had deserued well of them and had prayed that his knowledge might be ratified both in the law and Gospel of God he now commeth sheweth a reason why he would the Lord should so do with him euen because of the generall flood of iniquitie and vniuersall corruption both in religion and maners as knowing that it was now high time to keep and to be taught the statutes testimonies of the Lord to be confirmed both in obedience faith because happy were they that now could beleeue the law and keep the couenants when on no side one might finde examples of the one or of the other His meaning then briefly is this O Lord seeing there is no further place left for prayer for them seeing I haue executed iudgement and iustice euen to the failing of mine eyes seeing for all that I can do or say they wax worse worse and whereas before they had some reuerence of thy iudgements and now they are growne to the contempt and confounding of thy law seeing mercy will not preuaile with them but the longer thou bearest with them the more they are hardned but iudgement must be vsed it is time O Lord to put to thy helping hand The man of God we see breaketh not out suddenly into this prayer but vpon the great neede which vrged him thereunto We are here to learne first that though at all seasons it be needfull to pray to be guided in the true vnderstanding and due obedience of Gods word yet then especially when through the generall floods of iniquitie all without that especiall grace of God all are like to be carried away For as common and vniuersall floods sweepe all away before them with their swift and violent course so in the common floods of corrupt religion and manners euery man thinkes that the best religion which most men doe hold and that those things are most lawfull which are most vsuall But this is a peculiar and speciall grace of God to be exempted from that generall corruption as was Enoch who was preserued to walke before the Lord in that corrupt age Noah reserued when all flesh had corrupted his waies and Lot who liued a iust man euen among the filthie Sodomites If then we shall be preserued from corrupt religion when religion is vsed but of custome and not of conscience when it is vsed coldly and there is no heate in it if when mens manners are generally become corrupt so that there is no humilitie no mercie no pitie no chastitie no puritie no righteousnesse no true dealing no care of our neighbours credit we
vs that vnlesse the Lord teach vs it is vnprofitable Wee must ioyne to the ministerie of the word the direction of Gods spirit What is the cause why we haue a generall liking of the word and yet haue not a particular misliking of our deserts euen because we haue not the particular guiding and gouernment of Gods spirit Marke here the Prophet prayeth not the Lord to direct him either by fantastical reuelations whereof heretikes dreame so much nor by vaine superstitions which blinde the Papists nor by ciuill policies wherein wicked worldlings so abound but onely by his word Nâ—â—â—â—â—r in truth is there any thing that can purifie our hearts or cleanse our affections but onely the word which also is vnfruitful vnlesse the Lord guide vs For it is an hard thing to gette in to the way but it is harder being once in the way to continue in it and hardest of all when wee are out of the way to come in againe For seeing the way to be so strict that sometimes we goe on this hand and sometimes on that it is a grace of graces either to be kept in the way or being out quickly to be brought in againe And let none iniquitie haue dominion ouer me c. Iniquitie as wee taught before hath dominion ouer them where it breaketh out without controlement and in whom it beareth a sway with delight to the hinderance of Gods glory to the breaking the peace of their owne consciences and to the euill example of others He prayeth not we see to be without sinne for that he know he could not be in this life but that 〈…〉 might not rule raigne in him No more doth our Sauiour Christ teach vs to pray that we might be without sinne but that our sinnes might be for giuen not that we should bee voide of all temptations for of all temptations not to bee tempteâ— is the greatest but not to be ouercome of temptations not to be freed from all sinnes but that Sathan the author of euil might not preuaile against vs. Wherefore the Prophet saith Psal. 19. 13. Keepe thy seruant from presumptuous sinnes let them not raigne ouer mee Where he meaneth Let not the errors which are so rife in me grow too presumptuous but giue thy seruant grace to espie and foresee them which agreeth with his sense in this place Lord though I see this heape of corruption is still in me and lurketh still in my body and is buried in my flesh yet let it not breake out to thy dishonour or to the griefe of mine owne soule Now as wee are indeede to beware of the great securitie and carelesnesse of many professors in our time so must wee beware of the presumptuous pride of heretikes For if either Gods commaundement or promises had permitted him to pray for a full deliuerance from sinne then hee had beene remisse or flacke in so doing he should haue shewed himselfe not to haue beleeued the promise of God but disobedient to his Law and to haue flattered himselfe in sinne and to haue had some loue liking thereof Seeing then the scriptures of God allow this kinde of prayer that seeing we knowe not the manifold errors of this life we might â—râ—â—e that we breake not 〈…〉 preâ—◠〈…〉 maruaâ—â—e though the fantaâ—â—â—e â—ll heretikes be blowness high that they 〈…〉 cannot sinne If Adam in his perfection in paradise sinned against the 〈…〉 who an hundred yeares continued a iust man â—ell in the Arke â—f Moses 〈…〉 earth was ouercome by â—â—pâ—â—iencâ—e if Dauid a man after Gods 〈…〉 dayes began to 〈◊〉 his people â—â— Ezechias a good ruler of the 〈…〉 did breake out to vâ—â—â—glorie in shewing of his treasure if 〈…〉 n all things was woâ—â— to aske couâ—sell of the Lord did noâ—â—â—ke 〈…〉 was to fight against the King of Egypt though â—iâ—â—ne â—id nâ—uer 〈…〉 mon ouer any of them and yet after abundance of Gods graces 〈…〉 sinne tooke holde on them then what â—â— hellâ—â—h pride of 〈…〉 of such perfection And againe here wee must beware of the conu 〈…〉 that we gâ—ue not our selues to much libertie For though for Gods children which tâ—rouâ—â— infirmities haue â—lâ—ded this is a â—oâ—oâ—t yet for them that giue the bridle to â—inâ—â—â—â—o lâ—ade â—hem as it listeth it is nothing appâ—â—taining For it is easier to slippe wâ—â—â— Gods â—â—ilâ—ren then when wee haue slipped to recouer our selues with them â—â—ame â—â—â—â— easier to fall â—â—â—â— to rise againe with them and manâ—e haue their sinnes which haue â—eâ—tâ—er their repentance â—or the remâ—ssion of sinnes with them It is saide Ezech. 18 14. â—â— the â—igâ—tâ—â—us turne away from his righteousnes and coâ—â—it iniquitie and doth according to all the abbomiâ—â—tiâ—â—s that the wicked doe shâ—lâ— hee liue all the righteousnes that hee hath done shall not be mentiâ—ned but in his transgressâ—â—ns that â—e â—aâ—â— committed and in his sinne that he hath sinned in them shâ—ll hee diâ— We must not thinke hee speaketh here of â—nie particular breach but of generall back-slidings when iniquitie hath gotten the vpper hand But here is a common objection now a dayes vsed almost in euery mans mouth what sir what doe you tell vs of sinne and make so much adoe about it is there not sinne in you as well as there is in mee why speake you so much of sinne is it not in other preachers and in other hearers as it is in me why do you chaâ—ge me so sir we answere is there no difference betweene dimnes of sight blindnes is there no difference between numnes and senslâ—snes betweene slumbring and dead sleeping betweene a little slâ—p and a dead fall if there be a distinction to be made of these things shall we not also put difference betweene infirmities and leauing of some good things and grosse sinnes and â—uâ—â—ing headlong to vngodlines Is there no difference betweene the error and ignorance which is iâ— Gods children with griefe and with a desire to be freed from them and the errors and ignorance of the wicked wherein they gladly he still and where oâ—â—â—â—â— haue no care to bee â—id No difference betweene the frailâ—â—e and infirmitie of Gods children â—â—â— the sinne and iniquitie of the wicked is there no difference betweene iâ—fiâ—â—â—tâ— and presumptuous fraâ—ltie and rebellion betweene motion and action is there no difference betweene two steppes of a long ladder to the skyes and two steppes at the bottome â—â—â— betweene him that trauaileth though hee attaineth not to the highest steppes and him that still tarrieth at the ladders foote Thus we see they are willingly blinde Where Gods children steppe into some one sinne and being admonished are therefore sorrowfull and labour to recouer themselues and the wicked wallâ—w in so many sinnes and by no admonition can be brought either to a goâ—ly sorrowing oâ— forsaking of their sinne is there no difference betweene these Iudas and Peter sinned both and both against their Maister was there no
Prophet Righteous art thou ô Lord and righteous are thy iudgements Although then the promises of God are not at all times by and by performed nor his iudgements presently executed but the godly do often grone vnder miseries and the vngodly wallow in their delights yet the Lord after death will shew that he is righteous when he wil erect magnifie his iustice before his glorious throne This thing appeareth to be manifest by that historie Luke 16. of the rich man and Lazarus who that the Lord might make knowne his iustice died both together but as their life was altogether diuers so their death did altogether differ For the rich man liued delicately and fared daintily but Lazarus lying sore and hungrie at his gate found more courtesie at his dogs which licked him than at his hands which should haue relieued him Well when they were both dead it is said that the rich man being in hell in torments lifting vp his eyes and seeing Lazarus a farre oft in Abrahams bosome cried Father Abraham send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and coole his tongue but Abraham answered Thou art far deceiued and disappointed my sonne the places are far distant between thee and vs so that the inhabitants must keep their places And my son cōsider of the equity of Gods iustice herein for thou in thy life time didst liue in health in pleasure and prosperitie and didst not glorifie God thereby therefore it is meet and right with God that thou shouldest now haue paine and torments and this man hauing pouertie sicknesse and miserie desired Gods glorie wherefore it standeth with the righteous promise of the Lord that he should now receiue ioy comfort So Christ also teacheth vs though at the first the Lord regardeth not all good at the 〈…〉 yet he that rewardeth one will reward all and he that punisheth one will surely in time punish all either here or in some other place either now or at some other time We must then be content to haue our liues hidden in Christ that it may appeare with Christ at his cōming Now as this doctrine seemeth profitable for comfort so is it necessarie also for terrour For if a man shall lie in sinne and yet through impunitie because neither the hand of God is vpon him nor the authoritie of the Magistrate taketh hold on him shall not repent and because as the wise man saith Eccles. 8. 11. Sentence against an euill worke is not executed speedily therefore the heart of the children of men is fully set in them to doe euill as we may see in profane persons in abusers of the name of God in breakers of the Sabbath in disobedient persons murderers adulterers theeues and back biters let him beware and not flatter himselfe in iniquitie and though God doth not at the very instant when sinne is committed punish all nor the Magistrate presently apprehend all if a man begin to be hot and would haue all men like himselfe and is offended because there is no present execution of iudgement yet God is righteous he will not iustifie the sinner but he hath his fierce wrath vengeance indignation laid vp in store to fal suddenly fearefully vpon the vngodly For assure thy selfe ô man whosoeuer thou art he that hath said that no whoremonger nor adulterer nor couetous person shall enter into the kingdome of heauen and he that hath promised in this life to trie those that be his will surely if thou be the child of God punish thee here that thou mayest not be condemned with the wicked if thou be not he will both in this life and in the world to come plague thee eternally If thou art not presently punished for thy sinnes the Lord calleth thee to repentance if that will not serue the Lord will vndoubtedly breake thy necke and presse thee downe with further iudgements Thus we see how needfull it is to vrge this doctrine to the abusers of the Lords long suffring and contemners of his righteous iudgements Psal. 89. the man of God sheweth that albeit the Lord had made a couenant of mercy with his people yet if their children did forsake his lawes and walke not in his iudgements if they did breake his statutes and kept not his commandements he would 32. visit their transgression with the rod and their iniquitie with strokes And surely if we will not be remoued by the word calling vs from our securitie we shall taste indeed of the Lords heauie scourges and fearefull strokes Wherefore in time let vs humble our selues vnder the louing hand of God learne to deny our selues Vers. 138. Thou hast commanded iustice by thy testimonies and truth especially HE sheweth that in all the holy writings the Lord had set downe speciall mercies and speciall iudgements and that the iustice and truth which the Lord hath taught in his word is a speciall iustice and a speciall truth and euery part thereof is iust and true yea and if there could be degrees therein they are most iust and most true according to that Psal. 19. 9. The iudgements of the Lord are true and righteous altogether So that without exception all the threatnings of the Lord are iust and all his promises true Sure it is then that he will performe his wrath threatned and fulfill his couenants promised for there is nothing in the word which is not truth and iustice it selfe Thus we must learne when we are in trouble to looke to God his word and to knowe that euery title thereof is righteous and true and though heauen and earth doe passe yet not one io◠of it shall faile This is necessarie for vs to beleeue for from hence springeth faith Wherefore the Prophet seeing that this would hardly be beleeued and that euen Gods children sometime are slacke in faith hope and loue and are not so soone perswaded that euery man must performe this but rather that it was a speciall thing the Prophet I say reciteth this word fiue times in the compasse of eight verses being but one portion So much doth he shew incredulitie to raigne in Gods children and declareth it the more vehemently because the wicked will not be brought to beleeue this For what is the cause of sinne either in failing of doing those things which are to be done or in failing to doe those things which ought not to be done in omitting of good things or committing of euill but onely incredulitie Could we beleeue the word of God Oh happie were we can we not beleeue oh cursed are we We shall see as the wicked in all things so Gods children in many things discredit the word of God as the wicked beleeue not at all so the godly beleeue but in part see but in a glasse And doubtlesse they want the comfort which they should haue in that although they consent generally to the truth yet when they come to particulars they reason this with themselues
haue declared an ex 〈…〉 much vsed of the learned to expresse some matter of importance and â—he 〈…〉 in a false or light matter may bee an vntollerable lie As then is meant by 〈…〉 of 〈◊〉 guâ—â—ing out of his eyes a â—â—edding of many teares and his coâ—sâ—ming â—â—â—â— with 〈…〉 his earnest affâ—ction so wee must labour to finde these exercâ—ses in â—â— according to that measure and proportion which the Lord for his glorie shall vouch 〈…〉 vs. We reade also Psal. 69. â— The zeale of thine house hath euen me aâ—◠〈…〉 rebuked thâ—e are fallen vpon â—â— The Prophet here sheweth how he was â—â— much tormented for these things whereby Gods glorie was eâ—pâ—yreâ— as if he had been â—aâ—en with infamâ—â— himselfe This we see maketh as welâ— for our imitation as for our instruction The selfe same thing is repeated Rom. 15. The rebuke of them that rebuked thâ—e c. where the Apostle inferreth this exhortation Let the same mind be in you which â—as iâ— Câ—râ—â— c. as if he should â—â—â— you must knowe that the selfesame affection though not in the selfe-same measure â—râ—uâ—â—â—e in you which was in Christ or in Daâ—iâ— for as Christ had â—â—â—â—â—â—fiâ—â—te measure and Dauid in great abundance that must you also haue in â—oâ—e measure This â—as â—â—dâ—eâ—â—eredâ—â—arie to Iesus Christ and to Dauidâ—eneâ—iciarie â—eneâ—iciarie and that which Dauid speaketh of actiuely as well done of himselfe or of Christ that the Apostle speaketh of passiuely as â—e requireth â—t to be done of others For as Dauid did suffer tâ—â—â—â—iâ—â—ies reproches and â—gâ—oâ—inâ—es which came to Gods name as his owne so Paul speaketh passiuely wisheth that wee should suffer these things with Christ euen as though wee our selues had done the iniuries â—eâ—ciueâ— the reproches or were guiltie of the ignoâ—iâ—es But wee must alwaies shew our selues guâ—â—tâ—eâ—â— in vsing all meanes to set foorth Gods glorie and in be 〈…〉 of the people with tâ—ares and with prayer Notable is that place Ezech. 9. 4 where the Lord speaketh to the man clothed with linnen â—â—â—en had the writers inâ—khorne saying Goe through the â—â—â—â— of the 〈…〉 en through the most of Ierusalem and â—â—â—â— marke vpon the fâ—â—eâ— eâ—aâ—s oâ— thâ—â— that 〈◊〉 and are sorrowfull for all the abominations that are done in the mâ—ast thereof But the other was commanded to follow after and to destroy euery mothers sonne of them which mourned not This then is no stâ—â—â—ge thing when Gods glorie and image is defaced to be grieued as much as if it were for ourselues 1. Cor. 5 the Apostle rebuketh the Coâ—â—ntâ—ians because they rested and reioyced at the sinne committed amongst them contrarie to the rule of loue which willeth vs not â—oâ—â—iâ— yâ—e iâ— inuâ—â—â—â—â— and telleth them that they had not mourned and sheweth how they had â—aâ—â—hed at him when they should rather haue mourned Where hee declareth in his owne example who was so grieued that where he had preached the Gospel one should fall into so great a sinne how all faithfull Ministers godly Magistrates and Christian householders may and ought to mourne when some of the chaâ—ge coÌ„â—iteâ— to them fall into some â—â—torious sinne And though for a while he was sorrowful that he had made them so heauie yet afterward 2. Cor 7. he telleth them that he was not sorie For faith he though I mad you sorrowfull I repent not for behold this thing thâ—t yâ—â—aue beene godly sorrowfull what great tâ—are it hath wrought in you yea what â—lâ—aâ—ing of our selues yea what indignation yea what feare yea what great desire yea what a zeale yea wâ—aâ— pâ—â—ishmâ—nt In all thing you haue shewed yourselues that yee are pure in this matter As if heâ— shâ—uld say Before ye reioiced and then were ye guilty of his blood but now that ye haue â—ourneâ— and prayed for him it shall not be laid to your charge Thus we see the Church was not cleere vntill they had mourned for this one mans sinne no more was the whole arâ—ie of the Israelites vntill they had humbled themselues in prayer and fasting for the sinne of A â—â—â— Wherefore euery man must labour in some measure to finde the same affection in himselfe which was in Christ that we may differ from the hypocrites who esteeme their owne credit more than the credit of the word So that wee alwaies remember this to bee a propertie of true zeale that as we are zealous against the sinne so we must haue a commâ—tation of the person as knowing that wee our selues may fall into the like offence Well to goe forward we see how this verse is inferred after them that goe before For hauing shewed that the Lord was righteous and that his iudgements were righteous and that euery part of his testimonies contained speciall Truths this was the thing that made him so to loue the word and louing it to haue so feruent a zeale vnto it His meaning then is thus much Seeing the word of God hath in it such exquisite goodnes such wonderfull truth such rare perfection such Eternitie such efficacie that in the time of trouble when all other comforts forsake a man this will bee a speciall comfort to him and giueth euen life to a man halfe dead and without it I see a man is but as a beast I cannot but loue and beare an heartie zeale vnto it and when I enter into the consideration hereof I am euen pined away and griefe euen eateth me vp when I see it is not esteemed and that the worde of God can haue no more honour And seeing the word of God was so exquisite so vnchangeable so glorious and so comfortable what a griefe was it to the man of God that men should be so carried away some to the pleasures of the flesh some to the profit of the world some to vaine superstitions and in the meane time the Word little regarded This was it that pricked him at the heart this touched him at the quicke He teacheth vs then thus much If the glorie of God be deare to vs the contempt of it will surely grieue vs if the saluation of our brethren bee precious to vs wee will be grieued for the contrarie Now let vs see what true zeale is I finde here the Tractate of Zeale 2. part was last to bee inlarged and therefore good Reader I would not depriue thee of this benefit Hebr. 10. 27 The nature of it is set downe where the Apostle heauily threatneth them that willingly giue ouer themselues to sinne and there is named in the proper tongue the zeale of fire For as fire is not without it heate but oft bursteth forth into a flame so zeale is hote and cannot long be held in It is described also by contraries Reuel 3. where the holie Ghost reproueth the church of Laodicea because they were neither hot nor cold but lukewarme such as the Lord would spue out of his mouth and afterward is added bee zealous amend Where we see how
them with that affection wherewith we of them in the like case would be admonished and yet as we also remember to be admonished of them as though we were admonished of God Doest thou loue Gods glorie then wilt thou surely admonish thy brother of sinne Doest thou loue thy brother then wilt thou admonish him with compassion See here is that which teacheth all wisedome I must be grieued for sinne because it is that that casts all mankinde from the Lord because it is such a thing as thrust Adam out of Paradise it is so grieuous a thing that it ouerwhelmed the old world with waters it consumed Sodome and Gomorrah with fiâ—e it crucified Iesus Christ the Sonne of God it is such a thing as is an enemie to God the Father an enemie to God the Sonne and an enemie to God the holy Ghost and therefore I must needes be an enemie vnto it yet I must be grieued as putting my selfe in the like case that the offender is Wherefore many faithfull Ministers of God when they are most hot they haue most heauines in their soules least the curse which they must needs threaten doe turne to the confusion of the persons whom they threaten Thus we see this zeale will teach vs neither to rebuke sinne too coldly nor yet too hotly For we shall not so loue God as we shall abuse man the image of God neither shall we so loue man as we shall hinder or impaire the glorie of God for if we be sorrowfull that God is offended and that man hath offended we shall be sure to make an holy medlie Vers. 140. Thy word is proued must pure and thy seruant loueth it HEre the Prophet shewing his loue to be the cause of his zeale repeateth in effect that which he said before It may seeme strange why the man of God should make mention of this so oft that the word of God is true But we must know that he did it to strengthen his faith in the time of trouble and that then he might not faint We thinke not that there is such need of faith because we feele not the like temptations For they that haue no sight of their corruptions know not their vnbeliefe and they that feele not their vnbeliefe feele not the necessitie of this strengthning of their faith And as they that know not their vnbeliefe know nothing so they that beleeue and see their vnbeliefe know this to be necessarie They then that haue a true triall of their vnbeliefe know this faith to be a rare gift of God So that the Prophet commendeth the word of God here of experience for he saith Thy word is proued most pure His meaning is this This is the cause why I am so zealous euen because I loue thy word and therefore O'Lord I loue thy word because I finde it by proofe to be so pure That we then may make this our rule for examination why are we so cold in zeale euen because we are cold in the loue of the word For as our loue encreaseth so encrease also our delight and griefe our delight to see the thing loued to haue happie proceedings our griefe to see the thing which we loue to be despised This we see to be in euery kinde of loue For a man that truly loueth his wifâ— cannot abide to see his wife contemned and discredited nor the woman that truly loueth her husband can abide to see him reiected and despised When we loue our friend we are grieued to see any contempt offered vnto him This then we see in the nature of true loue to reioyce to see the person loued aduanced or the thing which we loue esteemed and grieued to see either the person or thing so loued to be cast downe and contemned It was a griefe euen to the Heathenish Philosophers to see their doctrine not regarded were they so moued for the small regard of that earthly doctrine which had no exact truth in it but was mingled with infinite errors and vntruths and shall not we much more be moued to see the word of God which hath so exact a truth and no vntruth contemned and little set by wherefore when we haue not this godly griefe in vs it is a manifest argument that our loue is very cold For as our loue is the greater so vndoubtedly our griefe will be the greater and so as our loue is the lesse so will our griefe to see the thing defaced be also the lesse When we haue much delight in any thing we are much grieued and who are more grieued to see the word of God troden downe than the godly because of all other their delight is most in it Not without cause then is this loue commended vnto vs to be a token of our zeale and therefore we see Psalme 67. the Church praiseth and prouoketh all the world to praise God when the word had free successe such is the loue of it to the word of God O let thy people praise thee O God yea let all the people praise thee Oh lâ—t the nations reioyce and be glad c. As then the children of God thinke themselues in ioy and prosperity when the word of God is in prosperitie so it being in any trouble death is not troublesome to them so that by their death and suffering they may any thing confirme the truth and giue countenance to it The Prophet of God sheweth his loue to the word saying All my springs O Lord are in it meaning that all his ioy his delight and affections were wholy set on the word of God Wherefore if there be such ioy in hauing it there must needes be great griefe in wanting it We are herein greatly to condemne our selues that we are no more thankfull for our vnthankfulnes bringeth this secret curse that we are no more zealous because many can hardly iudge betweene fleshly anger and spirituall zeale such is the rare feeling of this true zeale they are readie to imagine that if one be godly zealous they are straightway carnally angrie How necessary a thing therfore it is to know godly zeale all men may see for as we haue said that the Lord threatneth Reuel 3. that vnlesse the Laodiceans would be more zealous and amend he would spue them out that is he would haue no delight in them 〈◊〉 the Lord would as leeue haue vs of another religion as to be so luke-warme in his true religion For as a stomacke is easily brought to prouoke a vomite by receiuing somewhat that is lukewarme so the Lord spueth as it were out of his stomack luke warme professors as them whom by no meanes he can brooke which is a most feareful thing We know that the good father Elie 1. Sam. 3. although otherwise no doubt he was the deare seruant of God was grieued for the sinnes of his sonnes and mourned when the Arke of God was taken was reproued by the holy Ghost that he should loue the glorie of his sons
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
by the heresies which doe greatly flourish Also the dulnesse of our wit and weakenesse of memorie and other gifts of the minde which are often greatly weakened and often taken away these ought to moue vs to pray that they may be continued with vs. Also in prosperitie for then the diuell doth moue vs to presume as hee moueth to despayre in aduersitie and hee preuaileth by accusation of sinne in aduersitie against none but those which haue presumed in prosperitie Againe in our goods the danger of fire theeues c that wee are in And if we thinke that wee can by wisedome be warie then wee deceiue our selues for the most waâ—ie haue bene deceiued Also in our iourneyes the danger that we are in likewise in our names wee haue great cause to be carefull for that an ill name commonly followeth the profession of the Gospell and therefore in the Psalmist they often pray against false tongues especially that God may be glorified by their good names Also the want of wiues children seruants and euery man in that calling wherein hee is as the Minister in his calling as Paul who is sorie and I am not sorie and the Magistrates in their circuites when either they are sluggish themselues or for want of lawes cannot doe what they would Also the vntowardnes of our kindred whereby we are often discredited Likewise when we haue enemies wee haue neede to pray that we be not circumuented by them and also we must pray for them Then in the Church we shall see such scarcenes of Preachers such a company of Heretikes and other wants as if the communion of Saints be deare to vs must needes moue vs to pray The Common-wealth also being subiect to priuie conspiracie and for raine war whereby it might be ouerthrowne these if men be louers of their countrie will teach them what neede they haue to pray Then if wee see these wants wee must pray that God will touch vs with the feeling of them and also that he would make vs thankfull for turning so many iudgements from vs and so many mercies to vs. With my whole heart That is without hypocrisie he laid it out before the Lord that he might receiue helpe from him And this the Lord requireth in our prayers For though many doe pray and yell yet because they pray with great corruption and haue not powred out their heart therfore they haue not been heard The heart of man is most vnsearchable and no man can finde it out but the Lord discloseth it And therefore neither we nor others can see it Ierem. â—7 9. This may appeare by those that immediatly vpon the fact or when punishment is vpon them will be sorie but a little after when the shame and punishment is past then are they no more touched with it So when wee are sicke when wee are in danger of any losse wee seeme to pray with our whole hearts yet after wee remember not our vowes which sheweth that we examined not our hearts As the Lord doth search the heart so doth his word for all things are open to it and it reuealeth the secret corners and hypocrisie of our hearts if we will apply it to vs and not thinke that the word is spoken to others As wee cannot see our face but in a glasse so we cannot see our hearts without the word And if in the word wee will see our hearts then must we bring them to the presence of God for he hateth hypocrisie will be worshipped in truth and therefore we must be true Israelites For seeing that we haue to doe with God we must come in feare and truth for the Angels couer their faces Esay 6 and Gods people euen when they had ioyfull messages yet feared and said they should dye because they had seene the Lord as we see in Daniel Zâ—charie Mary c. at the presence of an Angell much more of God A naturall subiect feareth when he seeth his Prince especially when he hath made a fault so we if we bring our selues to Gods presence we shall be greatly humbled as the man of God doth Psalm 139. which is most notable for this purpose And this counsell giueth Dauid to his enemies Psal. 4 Tremble and sinne not And 1. Cor. 5. Paul approoueth himselfe to God in all things because all must appeare before God And Act. 23. he beleeueth that the Lord will come to iudge the quicke and dead and therefore he laboureth to keepe a good conscience And surely if we could doe this to set God before vs in all our thoughts words and deedes with feare as he is a glorious God and with loue as he is our God in Christ wee should flie from sinne because if wee should sinne it would be reuealed vnto vs and we should also be in some measure prepared to performe the good and auoide ill When he prayeth that he may keepe Gods statutes he sheweth that he desireth nothing but that which is agreeable to Gods will So must we in our prayers first desire the things that are for the glory of God and those things that are good for vs according to his good pleasure whether it be to receiue mercy or to haue punishment turned from vs. This is the cause why we obtaine not because we aske amisse Iam. 4. Many aske things not agreeable to Gods will and yet haue them as heretikes idolaters witches theeues c. yet they obtaine not these things in mercy but to their further condemnation which he graunteth to his children for their good Thus he gaue quailes to the Israelites yet he sent leannes to their soules which turned to their destruction And thus haue heretikes c. their euill requests graunted This is the greatest signe of Gods wrath when by these things hee prepareth them to their iust destruction This then is no argument that wee should aske things contrary to his will As their faith is euill so they haue according to their faith Vers. 147 and 148. I preuented the morning Light and cryed c. Mine eyes preuent the night-watches c. WEe may note his great diligence in resorting often to prayer and his sundrie times frequenting of it In which diligence for our instruction let vs obserue three things First often asking Secondly Wisedome in this often asking Thirdly cheerefulnes in asking First wee know they that are diligent in prayer will aske often and can hardly satisfie themselues in their desires as wee may note in the Prophet by these former and such like speeches where we must learne thus much We must not be content to vse one sigh or one grone and away or a fewe words and then thinke wee haue prayed well but we must be importunate with God That this holie importunitie is to be vsed wee may see by our Sauiour Christs words Luk 21. vers 36. Watch pray continually and by the Apostles exhortation 1. Thess. 5 Pray continually in which places the holy Ghost commendeth assiduitie
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
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
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
a double interpretation for either the meaning of them is giue me vnderstanding which is according to the prescript truth of thy holy Word or else according as thou hast promised in the Worde to them that by prayer aske it of thee But because this latter sense comprehendeth the former I more willingly embrace the latter For if God helpe vs according to his promise it is doubtles according to his word for hee promiseth nothing which is not agreeable with his word Besides this may be prâ—ued by that wich is added in the verse following where hee saith according to thy promise Now in that he repeateth the same thing he sheweth that certainly God hath promised to helpe and relieue his necessitie Neither must we thinke that this promise was made to Dauid alone who alone had not such infirmities but hee speaketh as a member of the Church for the promise appertaineth to the Church to all in the Church vniuersally Howbeit looke what the Lord had promised to all generally he applieth to himselfe particularly For we may see both in this Psalme Port 17 2. The entrance into thy word sheweth light and giueth vnderstanding to the simple as also Psal. 19. 7. The testimonie of the Lord is sure and giueth light to the simple that the promise is generall and as well appertaineth to vs as to him So that the meaning of this latter part is nothing else but this as thou hast promised to giue knowledge to them that seeke it so Lord giue it mee for I thus seeke it Thus we see how needfull it is to haue knowledge of God his word seeing none obtaine but they that pray according as God hath promised in his word according to that Ioh. 5. 4 This is the assurance that we haue in him that if we aske any thing according to his will hee heareth vs. Ye aske saith S. Iames cap. 4. 3 and receiue not because ye aske amisse We must not pray then for euery phantasie and for euery grace that commeth into our minds but for those things for which we are taught to pray according to the word But how can we doe this without knowledge how should we pray to him in whom we haue not beleeued or how should we beleeue in him whom we haue not knowne Whosoeuer then will pray aright must pray in faith and he that will pray in faith must also pray in knowledge Againe we are heere to obserue thus much that whosoeuer he be that will be directed in singular actions he must acquaint himselfe with the particular knowledge of the word Wherefore let vs learne to vse often reading hearing and meditating of the word and with often reading hearing and meditating let vs vse often praying applying and examining of our selues that we may both seeke vnderstanding in knowledge and the obedience of it in our affections For often reading hearing and meditating bring ripenes of iudgement often praying applying and examining our selues bring quicknes of our affections We shall see then for often praying the Lord will driue vs to it with often giuing of his graces with the giuing of his graces he will giue necessities with the giuing of necessities he will often giue occasions to set forth his glorie How shall we pray now without iudgement or how shall we meditate without knowledge Wee must often heare for knowledge sake we must often meditate for conscience sake For as we cannot haue profit in the generall knowledge of a thing without particular meditating of it so can wee not meditate without some troubling of our minde vnlesse we doe it of iudgement no more then not hauing knowledge we can pray without great turmoyling and troubling of our minde Thus we must ioyne all meanes together as first by conference wee must labour for knowledge to make our knowledge more effectuall wee must ioyne meditation and that both knowledge and meditation may be sanctified we must vse prayer Let my supplication come before thee and deliuer me according to thy promise Here he prayeth to bee rid from these streights and encombrances which did hinder this vnderstanding of the word which hee desired For whereas some vnderstand it of outward and common troubles I thinke by those things which goe before and comparing it with those things that follow after that he meaneth that deliueraÌ„ct which might rid him from those things which are contrarie and preiudiciall to the things before prayed for that so both being enlightened with true knowledge and deliuered from all blindnes hee might praise God more freely and liberally both for his vnderstanding and for the escapes of those distresses perplexities doubts and ignorances of his mind And thus considering that he prayeth to obtaineÌ„ the good things and to be deliuered from the contrarie euill things let vs consider of that which followeth According to thy promise If wee will obtaine any thing of the Lord wee must first vow thankfulnes and as we be suiters we must be thanksgiuers as we be suppliants wee must be plentifull in prayses to the Lord. For this is the end of our creatioÌ„ this is the end of our redemption this is the end of our sanctification this is the end of all our praying and obtaining euen plentifully to praise the name of our good God Vers. 171. My lips shall speake praise when thou hast taught me thy statutes AS wee learne now that the end of all Gods blessings is thanksgiuing and vnlesse wee purpose and will performe this we must neuer looke to obtaine any thing in fauour so we are also to learne that before God teacheth vs from aboue we are as tonguetide and cannot pray before he by his spirit doth instruct vs we caÌ„not once speake of his word This he sheweth both in the first portion and seuenth verse I will praise thee with an vpright heart when I shall haue learned the iudgements of thy righteousnes and in the second portion where after he hath prayed to be taught in the statutes he promiseth with his lippes to tel the iudgements of the Lord. We cannot then blesse God before he instruct vs. When the Lord rectifieth our knowledge with cleere iudgement and renueth our hearts with holy affections wee are most readie to praise the Lord according to that in the Psalme Lord open thou my lippes and my mouth shall shew thy praise And Rom. 8. 29. The spirit helpeth our infirmities for wee knowe not how to pray as we ought c. Wherefore if wee liue to eate to drinke to sleepe and not to praise God we liue no better than bruit beasts or rather worse for they praise God in their willing seruing of mans necessities and according to their kinde in their waies But man to whom the Lord hath giuen eyes to looke to heauen eares to heare his word speech to sound his praises a mind to conceiue his glorious works and blessed word seeing he hath these gifts aboue beasts it is certaine there must
Let vs remember then that we liue not to eate as doe bruite beastes we liue not to liue as doe the heathen we liue to liue well as hauing all the creatures to serue to our vse we must liue to Gods glory according to his will It is requisite that Christians in this lie should be prepared to praise God in the life to come with Angels for how shall wee câ—ie holy holy holy with Angels vnlesse we learne to praise God with his Saints in this life Neither is there any thing more effectual to enforce this doctrine thaÌ„ to know how our life is giuen vs of God to his glorie and that it shall returne to him againe And as the children of God vse this world as though they vsed it not but they vse prayer the word and Sacraments most carefully so the vngodly vse prayer the word and sacraments as though they vsed them not but they vse the world most carefully Some can put on a good face and run slily away with sinne but when Gods children see the occasion of weldoing taken from them oh how it woundeth them Oh how it grieueth them that they haue dishonoured God it pincheth theÌ„ so to the heart that â—hey had rather die a thousand deaths than so displease God They then deceiue themselâ—es that thinke they can be saued and vse their pleasures too but God his children darâ— not fully vse their libertie euen in lawfull things least by little and little they should abâ—se it And here is to be noted the vehemencie of his delight that hee contented not himselfe in the verse going before to say thy law is my delight but thy law is my delight and thy iudgements shall helpe me that is and to confirme my selfe herein I will set before me thy iudgements which are the reall records of thy truth for as thy word is my delight so I will marke how thou doest ratifie the same both by accomplishing thy promises and executing thy â—hreatnings And whereas other men make no conscience to obserue thy iudgements yet â— will marke them that I may goe on to the end If we will liue then to the praise of God â—e must see how he doth deale with men considering as he hath a word written so also he â—ath an hand working The word teacheth that God gouerneth the world and the obserâ—ing of this gouernment confirmeth the word indeede heathen men attribute things to â—hance or to fortune for want of knowledge of the word but seeing we haue Gods mysteâ—ies in his word we must obserue them in his workes This obseruation consisteth in things alreadie past and in things hereafter to come in â—hings past as if the Prophet had said Whereas I see that flesh and blood would discouâ—age me because my faith is weake I consider thy workes of old and I finde thy children â—ere neuer finally forsaken and that their enemies in the end were ouerthrowne Let vs earne in this strength first to looke into the word of God and from thence to obserue the workes of God let vs consider how he hath dealt with the â—â—triarches Prophets Euangelists and Apostles and all our forefathers that put their 〈◊〉 in him and we shall see his â—ich mercie to the repentant and his treasures of vengeancâ—â—n the impenitent And as we looke into the iudgements of olde so are we to thinke that 〈◊〉 will deale in time to come for whatsoeuer is written of olde is written for our learning that we might receiue comfort in the accomplishing of the promises and feare by the execution of the threatnings This the Apostle sheweth 1. Cor. 10 who after hee had feared them with the examples of Gods iudgements in the Iewes in the 11. chap. Now all these things came vnto them for â—nsamples and were written to admonish vs vpon whom the ends of the world are come As if hee should say For this cause these things remaine in record to his 〈◊〉 to instruct vs that if we coÌ„mit these or like sinnes we shall haue these or like punishment Thus we haue them not as personall but reall examples The Apostles Peter and Iude gather the examples of Gods wrath on the Angels on Sodome on Gomorrah on the old world and on Iudas to threaten sinners and to enforce their threatnings for as God will neuer leaue his so vpon the heape of sinne he will bring the full heape of destruction vpon the wicked whipping their naked bodies to the graue and scourging their wretâ—câ—â—d soules vnto hell fire Vers. 176. I haue gone astray like a lost sheepe seeke thy seruant for I doe not forget thy commaundements HE compareth himselfe to a sheepe which of all other is most simple and standeth in most neede of a guide so that here he confesseth his need of a guider and this appeareth in that there is a coÌ„tinual comparison of a sheepe shepheard in the Scriptures Againe though a sheepe goe astray yet it is soone called backe by the voyce of the shepheard My sheepe heare my voyce Thus Dauid when hee went against Nabal was called backe by the Lords voyce in a woman and when hee had slaine Vriah hee was brought againe by Nathan And therefore if wee will be sheepe then though we sometime me goe astray yet we must be easily reclaimed Seeke c. Before we be come to the Lord we cannot desire to be fought but he of his owne pleasure must looke vpon vs. Thus he prayed then after his calling that he might not erre Forgotten A thing is said to be remembred either which is wholy remembred or else in part so that it may be easily brought to remembrance and after this sort had not he forgotten the word that is not wholy but yet in part he might for wee haue the holy Ghost not only to teach vs new things but also to bring to our remembrance things forgotten FINIS This verse 〈◊〉 should haue come in after the verse 86. in the page 442. Vers. 87. They had almost consumed me vpon earth yet did I not forsake thâ— statutes HEre is another argumet oâ— Dauids faith constâcie nothing could make him forsake Gods word He was like a bladder bottle in the smoake verse 83. Pits were digged for him in which he was neere fallen hee was in a manner consumed vpon and from the earth yet nothing can make him to forgoe his holde abandon his generall runne from his colours and forsake that profession which he had made of Pietie Thus the malice of the wicked will neuer haue an end the state of Gods children is oftentimes desperate and so long as the vngodly remaine vpon earth the godly must thinke by them here to be troubled In the world saith Christ yee should haue trouble but in me peace be of good comfort I haue ouercome the world Iohn 16. There 1. Saul his courtiers his generation and alliance yea and many of Iudah by his meanes they thine enemies the Churches enemies and the enemies to
is drawne from the state of the godlie and from their behauiour vers 18. The nature of the wicked is such that they count wickednesse as pleasant as wine and therefore they make vngodly practises their chiefest delight it is their meate and drinke to doe euill they are best refreshed when they most offend neither are they content with their owne wickednesse but they doe moreouer cause other to fall into wickednesse If they cannot come by their purpose if they haue not great occasion to worke that which they haue deuised if they haue not made some fitter for their vngodly friendship then their sleep departeth from them they cannot be at rest For as the hungry man cannot sleepe quietly because his appetite continually craueth meate so the wicked taketh no rest nor sleepe if he be not stâ—ffed if hee haue not his bâ—lâ—ie full of wickednesse How carefull ought we then to be to auoide euill companie how iarre must we flie from it and how heartily should we hate it continually Here we may note the contrary as a very speciall signe and marke of the true childe of God for if we can make it our meâ—te and our drinke to doe good as our Sauiour Christ saith It is my mâ—â—te â—o do the will of my Father and as Iob saith I esteemed it more then mine appointed â—oode And againe if wee can count it the great comfort of our harts and solace of our soules when we can do good â—o otherâ— and prouoke and sâ—irre them vp to goodnesse this is an argument that wee haue receiued the spirit of GOD as a pledge and a seale of our euerlasting saluation and that wee are the children of God Moreouer if wee be grâ—eued when we haue wrought no goodnesse nor gotten good by others if wee be as it were comfortles when wee haue not taught others â—ome goodnes or when wee haue not prouoked them vnto practise of some good which they had before time learned this may well warrant vs that we doe truely loue God and that he loueth vs and will bring vs vnto life Thus farre for the first reason which as it describeth vnto vs the nature of the wicked so it must bee applied to the generall head of sinne and the corruption of our nature Vers. 18. The way of the Righteous shineth as the Light that shineth more and more vnto the perfect day THe second reason why we should auoide the euill companie of the wicked is because of dutie we are bound to ioyne our selues to the godly and to be companions of all them that feare the Lord. It is not enough to flie from the wicked and to leaue their coÌ„pany but we must make hast to the assemblies of the godly linke our selues in frieÌ„dship with them â—or of our selues wee can deuise euill and by our selues wee can learne to worke wickednesse wee can giue place to vngodly motions wee can foster vp fleshly desires yea and through our corruptions abundance of euill will flow ouâ— of vs. Albeit therefore we doe aâ—oyde the corruption wherewith wee might be infected by others yet if we prouide not some helpe for our owne infirmities by good companie we may be as wicked when we are alone as those which liue among the wicked wee must then seeke the company of Gods people and with them we must nourish peace and loue by labouring to profit them by what good thing soeuer wee haue and by receiuing and learning some goodnesse by them for the sustaining of our infirmities for the relieuing of our needes and for the supplie of our manifold wants Dauid did see how needfull this was therefore Psal. 16. he doth not only say that he will keepe himselfe from the corrupt worship of the wicked because he hateth them but hee will ioyne himselfe to Gods people for the loue that he beareth them saying All my delight is in the Saints And in another Psalme saith hee I haâ—â— them that hate thee O Lorde whereunto that may bee well ioyned that is I am compaâ—ion to all them that loue thee and loue thy name But Lot did greatly faile in that point when he would not returne to his vnckle Abraham after he was deliuered out of Sodome for if he had gonâ— vnto him he might haue bin preserued from much woe peraduenture which â—lter did befall him But it was hard for him to confesse his fault vnto his vnckle this was grieuous vnto him and therefore he would not seeke for the companie of Abraham And what came hereof but griefe vnto himselfe shame vnto his familie and continuall punishment vnto his posteritie This rule then must be diligently obserued that we be alwayes as carefull and desirous to ioyne our selues with godly companie as we be to auoyde the assemblies of the wicked If this be so as it ought to be indeede then how great and how grieuous is their sinne and how fearefully doe they offend which forsake the societie of the godlie to dwell among the wicked and doe leaue the companie of Gods people to haue the familiaritie of wicked men It were good for such to consider what the Angell of the Lorde saide vnto Hagar when she fled from Sarah her mistresse Hagar Sarahs maide whence commest thou and whither wilt thou goe This talke might passe betweene them Angell Whence commest thou Hagar From Abrahams house Angell Whither goest thou Hagar Into Aegypt Angell Whence commest thou Hagar From the people of God Angell Whither goest thou Hagar To the vngodâ—â—e Aegyptians Angell Whence commest thou Hagar From the Church of God Angell Whither goest thou Hagar To the Synagogue of Satan Angell Take heede to thy selfe and beware commit not this great wickednesse doe not this great sinne against the Lord returne thy selfe vnto thy mistresse humble thy selfe vnto her and be obedient vnto her will How pithie is this speech How effectuall and worthie to bee remembred if we haue alreadie changed our places or if wee goe about to change them Let vs remember the saying of the Angell and let vs consider whether it may not likewise be saide vnto vs whence commest thou out of the Church of God whither goest thou to the assemblie of heretikes where hast thou bene in the Church where art thou or whither wilt thou go to the world the vanitie thereof O fearefull exchange Refraine thy selfe betimes returne thy foote with speede come hastily to the Lord thy God humble thy selfe vnder his hand promise and performe all obedience vnto him that thee may receiue thee to his fauour againe Let vs thinke that the Lord doth speake vnto our consciences and let vs answere him with a pure heart and it will without doubt stay vs from many vnaduised and vnprofitable changes If we do rightly and in truth consider of this we shall be so farre from going to the wicked that if we be among them wee shall hastily separate our selues from them that wee may
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
sinnes Thus doe temptations trie what is in the heart of man Thus doe afflictions finde out the hypocrisie of the heart so that he may well be counted a sound hearted man indeed which is not ouerturned by temptations and which falleth not away by the vehemencie of afflictions for euen Gods children for want of examining their hearts doe oftentimeâ— take the foyle in temptations Lot no doubt was no common drunkard and yet the forcible temptations of his daughters caused him twice to commit that sin his daughters were no common harlots for then they might haue had great pleasure in Sedome But the diuell deceiued them with a shew of godlinesse and brought them to that filthie sinne of incest for when they saw there was none to continue their fathers name vpon earth they thought it good to lye with their father that so his name and seede might be continued Very needfull it is therefore to examine our hearts and often to take a triall of them least the couertnes of our corruption deceiue vs and make vs hypocrites and this we must be carefull to doe before afflictions and temptations doe come that when they come we may glorifie God by keeping our standing The second rule to examine our hearts is to take heed vnto our ioy and our griefe our hope and our feare for whatsoeuer our hearts are most set vpon we will be most glad when we haue gotten it we will be most fearefull of loosing it and most greatly grieued when we haue lost it By this rule we may see how our hearts stand affected in any thing we goe about or in any time wherein we liue As for example in seeking riches honour promotion or glorie if we are most comforted when we haue great hope to obtaine them if we be most cheerefull when we haue gotten them if we be most afraide least we loose them and if wee could bee contented to forgoe any thing rather than them verily our hearts are most set vpon riches vpon glorie vpon honour dignitie and promotion Againe if â—e be most destrous of our saluation if we can most heartily reioyce when we haue gotten assurance of it if we be sore afraid of all those things which might put vs in danger of loosing it if no greater griefe can be fall vs than when we feele not the comfort of it a most certaine argument we may hereby gather that our hearts do stand very rightly affected to our saluation contrariwise haue we no desire to seeke after it haue we but small loue of the meanes wherby we may attaine vnto it then surely we are more carnall then spirituall vea it may be well doubted that wee are altogether earthly we seeke not the things that are aboue The like may be seene in all other things Art thou glad and cheerefull when thou receiuest some profite and heauie hearted when thou shouldest be thankefull Art thou sorie when thou receiuest anie losse and without all sorrowe when thou hast sinned Art thou angrie when thou art wronged and not at all displeased when thou hast done open iniurie to the High GOD Where is thy heart where is thy vprightnesse it is gone wickednesse hath bewitched thee and thy owne corruption hath made thee carelesse In heaping vp thy riches thou saiest thou art not couetous because thou giuest to euerie one his owne and takest nothing but that the Lawe will giue thee But all this thou mayest doe and yet be couetous if then thou wouldest know they heart thou mayest hereby trie it If thou be euer musing how thou maiest get thy goods if it cheere vp thy heart when thou doest increase them then thou art couetous though thou see it not thy minde is on thy mony thogh thou perceiue it not Let vs see in this one particular point thou hast much corne to sell dearth of corne would be commodious vnto thee and yet hurtfull vnto thy poore brother and to the whole land Now if thou wouldest wish dearth for thy owne profites sake though it would be a hinderance to the whole Church if thou reioyce more in thine owne gaine then thou canst be sorrowfull for thy brothers harme if thy gaine do make thee through pride to aduance thy selfe aboue thy brother then doubtles thy heart is sore infected with corrupted couetousnes Contrarywise if it be cheape and thou canst bee more glad for the profite of manie then thou art grieued for thy owne losse or if it bee deare yet thou canst wish from thine heart that it were cheape then thou mayest safely say that couetousnes preuaileth not against thee it ruleth not in thy heart yea by this thou maiest see that thine hart is rightly affected both to God and to thy brethren To conclude this poynt wouldest thou know in what truth of heart thou doest labour for the glory of thy God Come hither examine thy hart with all reuerence by this rule and thou shalt know it The glorie of God especially shineth in the prosperous and flourishing estate of his Church and his glory is then trampled vnder foote when his Church is oppressed Thou seest the Church in our land hath great quietnesse this thou reioycest at yea thou canst hartily pray for thy Prince that peace may be continued in this Church This is wel and more than many do but this is not enough thy heart in this may deceiue thee because thou maiest be moued to do this for thine owne ease without any care of Gods glorie examine thy selfe therefore a little further and call vnto thy consideration the Churches beyond the Seas thou dost heare that they be in continuall trouble they be persecuted and on euery side inuaded Their Priests are slaine with the sword their Princes are pitteously abused their people are ledde into captiuitie so that there are nothing but complainings in their streets Here maiest thou trie thy selfe if there be any trueth in thee For if so be thou be so full of thine owne prosperitie that sorrow cannot enter into thy soule for thy poore afflicted brethrens sake nay if thou canst not be more sorrowfull in their sorrow than thou canst reioyce in thine owne ioy thou hast cause to feare thy heart is not sincere toward the glorie of God In like manner thou thy selfe art in miserie tossed with afflictions and troubled on euery side yet thou hearest that rest is giuen to the Churches thou hearest that God hath blessed them with the blessing of peace Oh now if thou couldest reioyce in the ioy of Gods people though thou wert in sorrow if thou couldest glory with Gods inheritance though thou sufferedst some outward shame if thou thoughtest thy self happy in the felicitie of Gods chosen althogh of all men thou mightst seem most miserable then would thy conscience no doubt speak comfortably vnto thee it would tel thee thou didst truely esteeme of the glorie of God Now if thou thinkest that herein too much is required of thee then
looke vnto Gods children in former ages Paul was sore afflicted much troubled and often imprisoned yet all this did nothing grieue him so lōg as the Gospell had good successe and the Churches flourished Therfore in his Epistles he saith often I was comforted when I heard of your faith I liue if you stand fast and such like speeches whereby he did euidently declare that he sought the glorie of God and not his owne praise Daniel contrariwise was in greart credite honour and estimation he was preferred aboue all the Princes of Persia and was second vnto the King but how did he esteeme of this honour what account made he of his authoritie Surely very little for when he saw that the appointed time of the ende of their captiuitie was not come when he saw the worship of God decayed and worne almost cleane out of minde when he saw the oppression of Gods people by the wicked heathen his heart was heauie and his soule did melt for griefe yea though he had libertie to worship God though he were free from all oppression yet did he humble his soule with fasting and was in heauinesse three weekes of dayes because Gods Church was not farther inlarged because the Temple lay vnbuilded and because his brethren the Iewes had no opportunity to cleaue vnto Gods worship This was the practise of godly men in aunciēt times This also must be our practise if our hearts be pure thus farre for the triall of our hearts by feare ioy hope and griefe in all things which we take in hand Now followeth the second part of this triall by applying it vnto times as vnto prosperitie and aduersitie If we looke not warily vnto that time wherein we liue we through the great corruption of our hearts may be dangerously deceiued For prosperitie will moue vs to praise God and trouble will make vs tremble at the thinking of him and none almost is so desperate and voyd of all knowledge which will not doe so the wife of Iob will praise and blesse God in aboundance and prosperitie and she no doubt hath many companions Pharaoh will be humbled when the hand of God is vpon him Saul will be godly when God doth afflict him and will not many doe as Saul did are not many like vnto Pharaoh Therefore if thou wilt haue thy heart pure looke vnto thy profession in prosperitie and diligently trie thine heart when thou art in trouble For thou maist seeme to feare God when his hand is vpon thee thou maist seeme to loue God when he doth enrich thee and yet thou maist proue an hypocrite at the last Take heed therefore vnto thy heart and trie it thus when thou aboundest in all things thou louest God This is well if it be in trueth Doest thou also feare him Art thou afraid to displease him Art thou afraid to sinne against him Doest thou of very conscience abstaine from secret sinne against him though no law can punish thee Art thou afraid to do wrong to any man then when he cannot reuenge himselfe vpon thee This if thou canst do thy loue is true thy prosperitie hath not deceiued thee but if thy prosperitie puffe thee vp if it breede in thee a carelesnesse of sinne if by thy might thou wilt oppresse him although he be poore cannot withstand thee then if thou hadst the loue of men and Angels it were but hypocrisie though thou seemedst to be nothing but loue yet thy heart is bewitched thy prosperitie hath drawne thee from God thy wealth hath deceiued thee O looke vnto Iob and consider his life and thou shalt see that when he flourished like the greene bay tree yet if he had sinned he durst not goe out of the doores and if the most contemptible of his family had ought against him he would haue taken the reproofe if then thou abstaine from open sinne and yet make no conscience of secret corruption if thou abstaine from those things for which punishment is appointed and yet not from those which indeed are greater though by law they be not punishable thou doest not loue God because thou fearest not to offend him he will count thee an hypocrite although thou be called a Christian. The way to remedie this thy corruption is to labour in thy trouble that thou loue God and to striue in thy prosperitie that thou maist feare God and then thy heart shall be vpright neither thy prosperitie nor thine aduersitie shall draw thee from God But what speech can be sufficient to paint out the corruption of the heart which vnto man is vnsearchable and aboue all things most deceitfull One Sermon is too too little if the exercises of weeks and moneths might be spent in one thing this amongst many would minister sufficient matter in this exhortation Take heede vnto your hearts for from thence proceede the actions of life FINIS MEDITATIONS ON PROV 14. VERS 5. 6. 7. 8. Vers. 5. A true witnesse will not lie but a false witnesse speaketh lies THE righteous man knowing that his tongue was giuen to him speak the truth wil make conscience of a lie euen in the least things But if the matter be of more weight or if it come into the place of iudgement then hee will much more heartily abhorre all lying and deceitfulnes yea then he will not bee brought to speake any thing whereof hee hath not a certaine ground As for the vngodly it is not so with them for they hauing no care of trueth in light and common matters doe soone cast off all care conscience euen in greatest and most waightie causes This agreeth with the saying of our Sauiour Christ Luke 16. 10. He that is faithfull in the least he is faithfull also in much Which may be thus particularly applied he that for conscience sake doth speake the truth in common and small matters he will also speake the truth in matters of great importance and he that is not ashamed of a lie in his priuate dealing hee will also without shame beare false witnesse before the Iudge Here then wee be taught in the least things to inure our tongues to speake the Trueth So shall wee be better preserued from false witnesse bearing for the Lord would not haue vs to dallie with sinne Therefore in his righteous iudgement he doth leaue men that make no conscience of a lie and suffereth them to fall and to offend in some open and knowne trueth Againe whereas men take great libertie in lying if the matter be secret and vnknowne the Lord doth hate this hollownes and hypocrisie of men and doth often bring it to light that by the sorrow for and shame of that sinne if it be possible they may be caused to make greater conscience of a lie for euer after Therefore if we would not haue the Lord to punish our lesser frailties with greater sinnes if we would not haue him to punish our secret sinnes and faults with open and notorious offences then
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
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
and through him looke for the promise which belong to godlinesse euen then we may see that for weaknes of faith and coldnes in repentance and slacknes in our sanctification we doe iustly feele the want of Gods sweet promises 7 We shall not accuse God of hard dealing if we consider how many waies he blesseth vs and in how few things he humbleth vs and if we thinke how many sinnes we commit and how few he punisheth how few duties we doe and how many blessings he giueth vs. Let vs neuer maruell why we are often or much afflicted why we haue not Gods promises fulfilled vnto vs nay rather let vs for euer maruell at the goodnesse of God which so plenteously rewardeth our small obedience 8 We must not say with Peter Lord I am a sinner depart from me but Lord I am a sinner come neere to me and draw me neerer to thee They that will not draw neere to the thorne of Mercy in this life shall draw neere to the throne of Iustice in the life to come so they shall go from the East of Gods mercy to the West of his iustice And if the Lord hath sanctified your hearts ye must know that we drawe neere to God by meanes The first meanes is prayer we goe to God by prayer not by paces Prayer is a sacrifice to God a refuge to man a whip for the diuell The second meanes is hearing of his word if we will haue God heare our prayers it is meete God should claime thus much of vs that we shuld heare his word If we will say Lord heare my prayer he must say my sonne hearken to my words The Lord vttereth his affection in this O that Israel would haue heard my commandements O Ierusalem Ierusalem saith Christ how often haue I called and thou wouldest not heare let all men know that there hath been no word from our birth to our death spoken to vs but in way either to our saluation or damnation The third meane whereby we draw neere to God is by the Sacraments The word it selfe is an audible word the Sacrament is a visible word the commandement is flat 1. Cor. 11. Doe this Esay 55. Come buy and eate Matth. 11. Come ye that are heauie c. 9 Great is the wrath of the Lord if we looke to strength are we stronger than the Lord Do we thinke to shift escape his anger or that we can abide the furiousnes of his wrath That we cannot escape it it is plaine for the Lord is euery where if we run from him we run as in a circle the further we run from one side the neerer we run to another and still we are in the Lord his compasse If we run from the East he will meete vs in the West the Lord hath a chaine for vs and will hold vs in darknes so that easily we shall not be able to escape Now for making our part good with the Lord we are not as Iob saith rocks or if we were mountaines we should smoke when the Lord doth blow on vs we are but potsherds and the Lord hath a rod of yron to bruise vs and such is the power of God which we shall trie in our destruction if we will not trie it in our saluation What shall we then doe Surely hauing so mighty an aduersary it shall be good to seeke peace and reconciliation with him For as this is comfortable he shall be our Aduocate which is our Sauiour and he that is our Sauiour shall be our Iudge so this is as fearefull a thing that he shall be our accuser which is our Aduocate Yet therein is the Lord mercifull that he doth not bring vpon vs a sodaine Outlawrie but he fore-telleth vs of his suite and therefore it is good to be reconciled and for our reconcilement because the first part standeth in a confession we must acknowledge that we haue offered as much violence to the law of the Lord as we can and that so we haue forfeited all our benefits our bread our sleepe our apparell to the Lord. The confession of the whole plea is lost if we confesse not all otherwise we are in Adams case to bee condemned who would hide his fault and in the estate of the damned Matt. 25. who being accused did plead againe Lord when saw we thee or heard we thee c. There is no standing out with the Lord but seeing we haue lost all we must confesse all that for knowledge the pap is stil in our mouthes and in respect of our liues we are certainely fellonious vsurpers of his creatures and so promise that hereafter we will doe otherwise but if wee stand out I say with the Lord nothing is to bee looked for but eternal condemnation mourning and woe And as we must confesse this so must we stand against our selues and so goe vp into the chamber of our own conscience and award shame to our selues and hauing such an hote controuersie with our own soules the Lord will remit all 10 We must learne to loue the Lord for himself not for our good let vs learne not to indent with God as if he will giue vs riches or health or power then we will serue him or else not for men cannot away with this indenting with them but let vs say rather Lord take away my sinnes and as for other things Lord doe as it pleaseth thee Thus Dauid did when he was so disquieted in his kingdome by his sonne Let vs desire this heart of God for hee hath wrought euen in sinfull flesh to see life in death health in sicknes wealth in pouertie And this if wee belieue we may see the wonderfull worke of God as well as our fathers haue done 11 Many worldly wise men suspects vs of lightnes of beliefe when we can so soone credite the Word but let no man thinke wee can be too credulous herein seeing euery jote therein is as true as if it had beene from Christ his owne finger or vttered with his owne tongue Deliberation is a goodly thing to a man indeede but yet reason will let a man be credulous enough and as hasty as an horse rushing into the battell vnlesse it be in matters of religion and of conscience and then we feare that Christ would seduce vs and we deale with him his preachers as though they were dangerous fellows And therefore though Gods cōmandements be neuer so plaine yet they must goe vnder the examination of reason And because worldly men say either with Thomas Shew me by experience this or with Nicodemus Shew me that by reason and I belieue you God can haue no dealing with vs Oh is it not marueilous that the lumpe of foolishnes should call into question the Trueth of God ' which is Trueth himselfe and dares not mistrust the worde but of a friend of one that is in some authoritie though smaller credit aboue him And yet
they say Faith is too hastie it should take a greater pause A deepe point of policie to vse deliberation Well Faith is not to morrow it must be presently Christ gaue not so much respite to the young man as that he should burie his father And surely if we knewe all there is great reason of not staying n ithese matters There will be embassadours to stay our well-doing there are fellowes will vse a dialogue with vs and surely if we will needs shake hands with the world if we will bid the flesh farewell and take our leaue of profit it will be violence rather then a habit at first For these are such eloquent perswaders that if a man admit their orations he shall soone be pluckt backe from the right way or it is a maruell else 12 There is a great reason of honestie that we will not obey God if hee requireth our obedience wee haue other callings calling vs away we haue a good liking of this that Caesar commandeth vs to waite vpon him in the house of exchange Doth Christ not want a Christian as well as Caesar doth want a custome Surely wee must needes haue leaue of Caesar to serue Christ. Caesar is not greater than Christ and therefore euen by demonstration Christ must be first waited on As for those that thinke that the worshipping of Baal and of God wil stand together that we may serue Christ and Caesar profit and religion the errour for the grossenes is not worthie confutation for it is a manifest halting The very coÌ„mandement sheweth vs that we must be knit to God as a man is to his wife It is a possession in priuate and not in common if we do not so iealousie will arise But may not God and Caesar be serued together It may be so if they both command one thing but I would wish a mans eye in the obedience bee still vpon God For surely if God and Caesar bee followed in one thing it is hard to say how wee stand affected whether wee followe God or Caesar. And for this cause the Lord is faine often to pull off the vizâ—rd of hypocrisie herein that when God and Caesar haue parted companies it may bee seene how many thousands goe after Caesar and how scarce seuen follow the Lord. And if when God needeth his glorie needeth when his glorie needeth his Church needeth it is sure that rather than the Church should need Caesar must tarrie and giue place It is beter that Caesar should want an auditor than Christ an inheritour if Church and common-wealth want at once it is better the Common-wealth should want than Christ should be left destitute of seruants Let vs therefore wait on Christ not onely a mile or two out of the towne but euen to the riuers of Babel and not onely so farre as we can with the Câ—pernaites conceiue Christ with reason but euen to the resisting with blood not Christ as a King but as Christ to the bar we must not with Peter follow along to see what will become of him but hard at the heels to the bar of iudgement and to beare his crosse with Simon also if neede so bee euen through the lane of reproches though we see many pillars to fall away and to become flat Apostatacs through the ranke of false opinions and though iniquitie so get the vpper hand that there seemeth no religion to be left 13 Then we may be said to walke after Christ when as it is said Iob 13. we haue troden his footsteps when our steps stand as Christ his steps that is wheÌ„ our paces stand as Christ his paces and not contrary to Christ but agreeing with Christ in wel doing The best signe for our gouernmeÌ„t is to haue Christ his word in our eies But some through the bleaâ—ed sight of their consciences are afraid that Christ should looke behind and see them for going backward yea if they doe but dreame of him if they see but Paul or some good man they are afraid But if we haue the peace and testimonie of a good conscience we will desire that Christ would espie vs out as he did Nathaniel and others of his Saints 14 There be some notable markes whereby wee shall know whether our trauell be to heauen or hell First though a man be so close that he will not open the way whether he is purposed to trauell yet a man shall espie his intent by marking whether he sendeth his cariage if our carriage follow the flesh to the flesh we goe if it followe the spirit to the spirit it will carie vs Galat 6. If a man will conceale his intent yet one may discerne it by his iniquiring of this way or that way If hee aske how hee may goe to Canaan and which is the way through the wildernes it is an argumeÌ„t he is going to the promised land Thirdlâ— though he would keepe his iourney neuer so priuily yet he is bewrayed if when a man speakes against his Countrie and dispraiseth the Prince or people thereof he begin to be grieued and take offence at it So if when men disgrace God his word speake euill of the way of the Lord reproch his Saints we finde our selues mooued and not able to containe our selues from reprehension it is a token we are going to heauen-ward 15 Oh that men would feare and follow the Lord well follow we must one way or other If wee will not follow the Shepheard to the fold we must follow the Butcher to the shambles If we will goe to the shambles rather than to the fold we are beasts indeed and as the case is with vs worse than beasts But men here haue gotten an old distinction They say they will one day seeke the Lord that is when they are not able to turne their sicke bones on their beds but seeing they offer their old sinewes to the Lord he wil leaue them and they shall seeke but they shall not finde CHAP. XXXII Of Gods free Grace Iustice and Mercie and how we may trie our loue to God GOd saith the Apostle is a consuming fire Hebrues 12. 29. Fire and water are mercilesse who shall quench him when hee burneth there is nothing so cold as lead and nothing so scalding if it be heated there is nothing so blunt as yron if it bee sharpened nothing so sharpe there is nothing so calme as the sea in a boistrous weather nothing so tempestuous nothing so mercifull â—s God and if he be prouoked nothing so terrible to sinners And if his mercy were seuen times more than it is I know and am sure that hee is prouoked Well as the Lord will haue his power knowen in creating the world his wisdome in gouerning and his truth in his word and his mercy in redeeming mankinde so necessarily must his iustice be knowne in punishing especially those who seeing his creatures marke them not feeling his gouernance
allured me to sinne I might haue beene farre from this Againe great comfort is in this doctrine by giuing vs this assurance from the Lord that how weakely soeuer we walke with God so it be sincerely it is his good pleasure to account of vs for good First the diuell if we haue our hearts vpright with God that we will be aduersaries to our owne corruption that we may be fouourers of Gods glory he shall be but as a Chirurgion which lanceth our impostumation to preserue life howsoeuer he purposed to haue gored vs to the hart to haue depriued vs of life Let vs see this in Ioseph and Dauid both men of one mould renewed by one spirit allured to one sinne Ioseph a young man vnmaried for his person beautifull for his authoritie a gouernour of his maisters familie for his fitnes to commit sin prouoked by his owne mistresse yet grace restraining his corruption he withstands her to the face he resisteth the occasion he feareth but subdueth his owne corruption and so by Gods goodnes obtained a gracious issue out of his temptation Dauid a man now striken in yeeres not so dangerously assaulted with the occasion of sin in respect of the distance of the place suffering the occasion offered to his eye to ioyne in league with that corruption which was in his heart was sodainely snared slauishly yeelded and was fouly conquered The woman was obiect to his eies his eie openeth the way to his hart his hart corrupted his hand and so that sin grew to age was perfitly accomplished In what measure we are regenerate in what measure we withstand our corruption in that measure we are sure to preuaile against our strongest temptation And looke how we faile in these so we lie open to yeeld to our temptations whatsoeuer Now to come to a more narrow triall of our selues we must search out and espie our corrupt nature either by our afflictions or by our affections Such is a man as he is in temptation If trouble doe not ouer-turne him if feare cause him not to fall if temptation cause him not to denie the truth then his heart is vpright then hath he cause of comfort but if for feare he faint if for troubles he turne away if in his temptation he forget his triall and betray the truth his heart is not vpright with God he is in the gall of bitternes he giues occasion of griefe to others and matters of humbling to his owne conscience There is a certaine disease common to all men to suffer their eyes to wander and not to lay the raine vpon their thoughts but letting them range without check or controlement to all sinne and lightnes of minde Thoughts breed in vs or stirre in vs a tickling delight desire to sin This Ecclesiast 11. Salomon goeth about to stoppe but because it cannot be brought to passe in the children of perdition therefore in that place he doth cleere himselfe of their bloud by bidding thē walke on in the thoughts of their hearts Of this a father speaking thus I did walke in the Cloyster of mine heart He maketh the walke of his heart much like the walke in a cloister that is in a secret place where no body seeth or heareth him but onely he of whom Augustine speaketh He that seeth thee when the candle is light and when the light is out in like manner him feare There is also a walking of the eye which is compared to that of Dauid in the top of his turret and to a gallery or place of prospect to see far and neere into the world A disease incident to this age who cast their eyes into all corners of the earth suffering them to seaze vpon any obiect whatsoeuer whereby they find matter to worke vpon Briefly we are not to yeeld to our affections or if we haue yeelded we are not to kindle them we must not gather sticks as Ieremie speaketh to keepe in the fire The reason is this weedes will grow fast enough and the suggestions of Sathan intertained and accepted being offered are sufficient to condemne vs. CHAP. XXXV Where is taught how we must narrowly watch ouer our heart and ouer our affections for many causes THe walking in the waies of our owne hart and of the lust of our eies are the two heads of all wickednes our inward motions and our outward occasions must both breed in vs a carefull conscience and warinesse In the Prouerbes Prophets Apostles we are bidden to restraine our heart and to make a couenant with our eyes and the outward senses These things are confessed daily and amended slowly whereof followeth that transgression of the law and that vniuersall sicknes that we daily confesse there is no health in vs which all commeth from the waies of our owne hearts This word walking hath relation vnto an allegorie For imagine we haue here no naturall citie Heb. 11. as we haue not indeed our countrie being Paradise from which Adam fell by transgression and we being here as banished as Augustine calleth vs haue receiued a new title in Christ who was content to set ouer his owne right by purchase vnto vs. Whereupon it is presupposed that we haue the naturall affection which euery man hath to his owne countrie thorough a wildernes wherein are many waies brought shortly to these two of the one Dauid speaketh Psal. 119. I will run the way of thy commaundements and this is the right way we may well runne in it The second way is the way of our owne hearts and this is the euill way whether it be by the right hand in sinning outwardly and in sight or in sinning secretly on the left hand If we meane to come to Paradise we must leaue this way and walke the other way for this will leade vs to iudgement Eccle. 11. 9. In this way are three things to be considered alluding to the peregrination of the Israelites through the wildernes The first is the little light shining in a darke place which answereth to the word in steede of which we haue a false light the desire of our owne heart The second thing is a guide which is Christ and the Saints that are gone before vs vpō whom we must looke as the author to the Hebrues willeth vs to which answere our false guides when we say we will follow the steppes of our forefathers The third thing is the companie in the way which are the great store of seducers to lead vs out of the way the Diuell chearing them forward It is a signe therefore we are in the wrong way if we do nothing but that we see the greatest part of the world doth How il soeuer the way be and wheresoeuer it lieth euery mans way is right in his owne eyes Prouerb 21. and we will defend whatsoeuer we doe There is a searcher of the heart who saith
which is within but as good merchants keeping somewhat rather in the store-house of our hearts than as bankerupts which spend all at once or make a shew of all in our shop 3 In Pharaoh ye shall finde these speciall notes of Hypocrisie Take this death from me oneâ—y this once So many being in distresse haue more prayèd for the release of paine than for the forgiuenes of sinnes which cause the paine And therefore such being released are nothing the better as may often be obserued Contrariwise if we be grieued more for sin than for the punishment and can well beare the punishment so that the sinne were taken away then it is a certaine signe that we shall liue vprightly if the cup of affliction be taken from vs and assuredly it shall be taken away or else recompenced with some spirituall grace 4 The drunken peace of hypocrites must not be â—oupled with oyle but pierced with the two-edged sword of Gods word to the discouering of the secret corruption of the heart 5 It is the temptation of the godly to feare whatsoeuer they doe they doe it in hypocrisie but they are to know for their comfort that therefore they be not hypocrites because they see their hypocrisie which kinde of hypocrisie in them is not the grosse deceiuing which is in the wicked but that secret corruption of nature which mixeth it selfe in the best actions of the godly Neither is it possible to leaue this sinne wholy as long as we liue but to see it and mislike it is all that is required and can be performed of vs. The godly doe not desire to seeme to doe any thing better than indeed they doe it neither doe they desire to seeme to doe that which they doe not And whensoeuer they doe espie any weakenes in themselues they mourne for it And this desire of a perfect sinceritie and mislike of priuie hypocrisie is vnto them a sure zeale of their saluation and sanctification in Christ. 6 When men suffer themselues to be deceiued it is to be feared they will be hardened Let vs remember that Gods grace assisting sinne may easily be conquered of vs when it is young but we may easily be ouercome of it when it is old 7 It is easie to fall into hardnesse of heart by continuance in euill customes without remorse we see then it is a good thing to be moued betimes and often to be moued for it is a precious thing to haue a melting heart as contrarie a dangerous thing to haue a hard heart not yeelding to trueth Let vs not harden our hearts least the Lord also come to harden vs Heb. 3. For many not altogether abstaine at the first yet yeelding to sinne become obstinate altogether at the last Admonition is a meanes to keepe vs from it We should then be readie to giue eare to good counsell and admonition and be willing also to admonish others It is in vaine to controll the outward senses without the rebuking of the heart 8 Exod. 10. 1. the Lord saith of Pharaoh I haue hardened his heart because Pharaoh had a long time hardened his owne heart as is recorded in the former chapters therfore here the Lord is said to harden it that is wholy to giue him ouer to the diuell So man is said to harden his heart when he will not heare Gods word the diuell when he gouerneth vs and the Lord when he leaueth vs in Sathans handling Man then is guiltie of this sinne and the Lord doth iustly harden for the punishment of former sinnes The Lord is said to harden as he is said to leade into temptation and that is when he withdraweth his spirit from vs and leaueth vs to our selues and then we stay not long till we be hardened Pharaoh had many plagues yet this is the greatest for if his heart had not been hard these would haue had an end but this hardnes made the other but tasâ—s of hel because we do lesse feare this great plague than many other We ought to correct this in our selues for the childreÌ„ of God must feare this more than any other plague For if we doe but feare worldly punishments so doe the wicked but if we doe feare hardnesse of heart and other spirituall punishments then we may be sure Gods spirit hath wrought that feare If we couet worldly things this doe the Heathen Matth. 6 but if we desire the light of Gods countenance Psalme 119. and 4. and 67. this doe Gods deare children Wherefore as we labour for these things which our nature desires feare the coÌ„trarie so let vs labour for the light of Gods spirit and feare least it be quenched in vs or else decayed as when we feare pouertie we labour to be rich and when we feare sicknesse we labour to preuent it so let vs labour for our soules so long as we feele a taste in Gods word feare his iudgements and be comforted in his mercy if we labour to encrease the graces receiued the Lord no doubt will worke with vs but if this be not in vs it is to be feared least the Lord will harden 9 All men are naturally euill so that if the Lord giue not light and softnesse of heart we may all be iustly hardened this is as iust as other iudgements of God are When any thing is spoken in the Word which toucheth another that man will greedily snatch Againe if there be any thing that may cherish them in their sinnes that they note but that which concerneth their amendment they vtterly forget And this sheweth that we are the cause of our owne hardening for when the Lord cannot preuaile with his word then will he leaue men to themselues and then they stay not till they come to hardnesse We must not stay till the Lord strike vs with punishments for if we be hardened we shall not perceiue it and therefore the case is so much the more dangerous but so soone as we feele any coldnesse or dulnesse of spirit then let vs feare and stirre vp our selues that we may continually gaine some knowledge and feeling and thus may we prouide against hardnesse of heart 10 First the hypocrite desireth rather to seeme than to be it is said such crie Lord Lord they are most glorious Secondly he is more busie about the outward worke than about the spirituall and acceptable maner of performing the same Mat. 23. 27. Thirdly he worketh his saluation securely and coldly not with feare and trembling as Phil. 2. 12. not striuing with his rebellious lusts nor longing after the gifts of regeneration nor forgetting that which is behinde endeuouring himselfe forward Philip. 3. 13. Fourthly he hath no resolute purpose to endure but is wauering and vnconstant in all his wayes not cleauing to the Lord with purpose of heart Act. 11. 23. Fiftly hee is more carefull to stop the grosse sinnes than to damme vp the fountaine
and can discourse and talke well of things but yet for that the heart is not truely touched they are as vaine in sinne and as much subiect to pinching sorrowes for sinne as any other Great cause then the fountaines bee staied and the principall parts plastered for if there bee a worlde of sinne in the tongue as Saint Iames saith then there be a great many worlds of wickednes in the hearâ—â—â— there be a beame to be sound in the eye of one hypocrite as Christ admonisheth then there is a whole staâ—ke in the heart CHAP. XXXIX Of Heresie and many corrupt kindes of knowledge and how the diuell pesterâ—th the Church with euill teachers WE must humble our selues to see Heretikes doe more for vaineglorie and for their sâ—ct than wee will doe â—or Gods glorie and for his truth 2 The neerer heresie commeth in likenes to the trueth the more dangerous it is 3 It is a dangerous thing to haue a proudâ— spirit with a vaine minde for theâ—e sinnes leade men to heresie 4 The â—â—ueâ— seemeth to be very strong for as the wise conclude if they that are couragious were also politike or tâ—ey that haue wisedome had also courage none could stand with them Wherefore these are dismembred in men but in the diuell they â—unâ—â—e both together for he is both couragious as a Lion and subâ—ill as a Serpent This is he that foyled all men from the first Adam to the last man in whose hand all the â—athers were no stronger than vanitie and in this age hee hath made the high pinacles of veâ—â—â—e the Iowe shrubs of the earth Besides this combination of strength and wisedome beside this proofe of his courage in all ages Christ himselfe who is his enemie saith â—e is strong Luk. 22. 20. Nay I will adde more Christ that ouercame him pronounceth â—â—m to be a shâ—â—â—d enemy If he hath â—een strong hee is more strong both because the world waxeth shorter and wee grow securer In these latter daies the more the dâ—uâ—â— rageth the more his strength increaseth for anger is the wheâ—â—â—one of strength the elder the world waxeth the more the diuel rageth For as he plaieth with meÌ„ so he practiseth with the world he laâ—eth his sorest siege in his last assault when death beginneth to moderate â—im And no maruell for if he take a foyle or suffer the repulse in our life time he may recouer with ease and come againe with some hope but because in death either now or neuer he must bestir himselfe he followeth with all force Secondly he rageth the more for our security or little accounting of temptation and not serious bâ—thinking of the matter makes him the stronger so as oâ—â— negligence doth inarme his diligence He is strong enough without aâ—â—our yâ—t â—o be sure he will put on armour too Goliah was strong and yet he goâ— armour which sheweth great diligence we are weake and â—eede armour yet seeke it not which sheweth extreame negligence Thus diligent is the diuel Sow no tares nor cockle and yet in the fallow it wil grow fast enough but he cannot conteÌ„t himselfe with that growth but hee wil sow also yea and plough too because he looketh for a plentiful haruest This is his good husâ—aÌ„dry though his crop would be good of it selfe yet he will sow No maruel then though Peter coÌ„tenteth not himselfe to call him a Lion but a ramping Lion and Iohn termeth him not only a Serpent but an old Serpent hauing by experience gotten a perfect habite and Paul ascâ—ibeth to him not onely darts but fiery darts The armour of this enemy is partly the reuelations of flesh and blood partly the corrupt example of the world The diuell hath a motion in vs and straightway it seemeth a reuelation to flesh and blood Doe euill saith the diuell doe so saith the flesh and strikâ—s the matter deeper doe so as Preachers doe it saith the world and this pierceth to the bone If we could wring out these two pieces of armour wee were strong Now the diuell as a Prince Iohn 13. 14. possesseth not alwaies in his owne person but by lieutenants and embassadours who take vp the title of his soule to his interest This deputie or vicegerent is sinne which taketh vs vp as tenants for the diuell and this deputie is accompanied with foure Tetrarches The first is ignorance wher with when hee had taken possession of our fathers they might keepe good houses well enough and haue many gifts indeede for hee knew that for all that they were neuer the neerer to saluation Secondly if the diuell sees knowledge must needes come in and ignorance must needs go out he sendeth out Errour which must make men if they wil needs be knowing either Trinitaries or Arriaâ—s or Anabaptists or such like who may liue well indeed and make a great shewe of godlinesse but all for his greater aduanâ—age to winne the more soules Thirdly Worldlinesse succeedeth who dares play his part euen vppon them that haue pure knowledge whom neyther Ignorance nor Errour could preuaile against but if these preuaile not then comes Hypocrisie and hee will sift vs and search vs to the quick If an Angell from Heauen should withstand vs to the face wee dare boldly pronounce that ignorant erroneous and worldly men such as will take order for God when their barnes are full and all Hypocrites haue surely vncleane spirits breathing in them Ephes. 3 2. 3. 5 There are many kindes of knowledge The common course of the worlde is set down Micah 6 26 Ombries statutes are sought for knowledge of Law-points Christ Matt. 16. complaineth of another kinde of knowledge Yee see in the Euening the skie is red c. but knowe yee the face of the Heauens and are yet ignorant of the knowledge which bringeth euerlasting life A third kinde of knowledge there is spoken of Amoâ— 8. 5. and Prouerhs 20. where a kinde of people had a grace in making of the Ephah small and the Shekle great Wee haue learned a trimme part of knowledge to trippe men in buying and selling Another knowledge there is Ecclesiasticus 30 24. when people keepe much adâ—e about keeping of bullockes and that so farre as they first preferre them but God and his kingdome are sought for afterward Indeed these things are lawfull for him that hath first affected his own soule to seeke the kingdome of God but to make the knowledge of God come after is preposterous There is another knowledge and that is of the law of God which men make so smal account of that the Lord complaineth by his Prophet how hee hath taken paines to write the mysteries of the law and men think it a strange thing the knowledge of God his word is hard to them Well we must enter one way or other and therefore it shall be profitable to search and suruey the wayes One way is
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
God which is his arme to draw vs to saluation when it hath beene a little while among vs it is a thing smally esteemed wheras cōtrariwise in those places where it is newly recouered they flocke together farre and neare and will make it their talke and songes and whole delights The like reason is of the Sacraments other blessings of God which while men doe vse of fashion and custome or else doe rest in the outward thing not looking into them nor beholding the spirituall grace offered by them it cannot be but that they must needs fall into a superstitious abuse of them or else despise and loath them 7 Our Sauiour Christ giueth two notable titles and commendations to the exercises of the Church Matthew chapter 7. verse 6. he calleth them holy and precious First for holines we know there is no sound holines but in the Lord or of the Lord and therefore it was said holines to the Lord it was the inscription of Aarons miter And it is said in the Gospell that none is good but God that is none is essentially good but God the word the Angels so forth are holy but in respect rather of some thing receiued than of their own nature and so the word is holy after a double manner either for that it commeth from God who is perfitly holy and it is of the nature of him or else for that by it we receiue holines and are made holy For the first it is sure that the law-giuer doth alwaies impart to the lawe something of his owne nature and therefore among the heathen looke what kind of men set downe the lawes the law had a smacke of their disposition Solon a very moderate man his lawes were very moderate and tasted much that way Draco his lawes were seuere like to himselfe and therefore they were said to be written with blood So are the Lord his ordinances they comming from the holiest of all carie frō him in them a sensible rellish of holines and are vnited to the nature of God And as the law commeth from one holy and so teacheth holy things likewise cōmeth holines into our hearts by applying them therevnto our hearts of themselues not being holy and so the law hauing a qualitie of God himselfe it hath it not for it selfe alone but for vs. In this respect as the law is liuely so it is a quickning law making aliue as the word is wise so it maketh wise as it is holy so it is a sanctifying law making vs wise For preciousnes the Scriptures sticke not and cease not to set a price of the word as Psalme 19. and 119. Dauid compares it to spoiles a thing full of precious things wherein are things of great price And yet for that in spoiles are things of all value some more some lesse precious after he compares it to gold then to fined gold afterward to much fined gold yea to thousands of gold and siluer and not contenting himselfe he ioyneth to gold precious stones and least yet he might say too little he compares it to all manner of riches The reason hereof is this that for as much as the soule of a man euen of him that perisheth is precious and the soule of euery good man more precious then the soule of the holiest Christ Iesus is most precious Now for as much as the Gospell hath it foundation in opening of the signe of the blood of Christ therefore the Gospell in a singular degree of excellencie must needs be most precious 7 When some penitent sinners are executed for theft we see they are more grieued fo◠whoredome than for theft because it brought them to theft but most of all they sorrow for neglect of the word which hath made them most loose in al their life Seeing then this is warranted by the experience of our times let vs take heed we neglect it not but see the want and neglect of these meanes to be the cause of other sinnes but if we will not doe this the Lord will punish sinne by sinne which is most feareful for this is the only meanes to keepe vs from sinne to heare the word pray giue thankes heare admonitions receiue the sacraments with reuerence and in truth As these meanes doe keepe vs from sinnes so do they recouer vs from them when we are fallen thereinto as when great trouble is vpon vs pouertie disquietnes against these the word of God doth giue a remedie teaching vs that as it came by Gods prouidence so he must take it away contrarie to the familie of loue who denying the prouidēce of God attribute it to outward causes Example of a man which sayd his sicknes came by Gods visitation they replyed vnto him did you not take cold he answered that is but a meanes to serue his prouidence so the familie left him For we take cold often and yet are not sicke because the Lord hath all things in his hand to dispose at his pleasure and then shall we rest in this when we are certainely perswaded of this doctrine Psalme 32. The Prophet saith that before he acknowledged his sinne moysture was turned into drought but when he confessed his punishment was taken away so Iob. 33. when men wil not profite by his word then the Lord wil seale this former doctrine by a correction which if we profite not by it will lie so long on a man that his bones shall sticke out being in this case if the Lord reueale him this he shal be restored to his former state It is plaine that the cause of these corrections is the neglect of the instruction of God in his word which if we would throughly giue ouer our selues vnto we might be sure that no presumptuous sinne should preuaile against vs. But if we esteeme not the word of God or receiue it so as that we profit not by it then let vs not maruaile though the Lord doe visite vs and that in great mercy too if we can be brought so highly to esteeme of the word and of prayer as of nothing more CHAP. XLVI Of Magistracie or Gouernment AFter that Iethro Exod. 18. 21. had tolde Moses a better course in the gouernment of the people hee describeth what manner of men they should bee and to the properties which are there set downe there may be added three in the first of Deuteron vers 13. First then Magistrates must bee wise that is skilfull in all those causes which shall come before them otherwise if they be not men of knowledge they be not fitte for that place Yea though they bee well minded and willing to doe good yet if they haue not knowledge of those things which they must deale in it is not sufficient For as in handicraft matters a good man is not straightway a good Artificer So and much more is it in this waightie calling 2 Secondly it is required that they bee endued with prudence or experience for Sapientia and
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
hell what if there be a punishment So when we haue made vs a commandement to our selues out of that Pasâ—e feede then at length we shall come to say what if Christ his meaning was not sometimes and by another Then they would giue that they got and a thousand times as much more if they had it to be ridde of that if peraduenture In a doubtfull precept note that which is lesse Austin hath this rule This sense is good and godly and so is that holde both for feare of quidsi what if I tooke the wrong sense In a matter of controuersie remember both waies Who would not be their schollers who may be so indifferent but it is not so There is a rule out of Seneca I doe the rather alleage him because the fathers tooke many things out of him and I suppose there was in him something aboue nature One wrote vnto him to knowe how he might knowe riches were not the chiefe felicitie and that vertue was He sent him word that whether vertue were or no is was neuer doubted but whether riches were it hath beene a controuersie chuse that which neuer came into controuersie So whether to do our duties diligently be good or no it was neuer doubted but whether by another or sometimes our selues it was doubted of in the most ignorant times But this subtle dispuring as Paul calleth it will prooue foolish and this shifting of things by distinction vnlesse they be grounded on the word of God Austen held it wisedome to acknowledge a fault where is none the wise man faith I was afraid being sure of the truth I dread all my doings this is the reason of the regenerate man CHAP. L. Of Gods promises excellencie and truth of Gods word and how â—he wicked abuse Scriptures IT is a thing worthie the standing on to consider how the Apostles out of God his propromise deduce arguments of obedience as among many 2. Corin. 7. when the Lord hauing promised that whether wee abide in our houses hee will dwell with vs or whether wee will goe abroad hee will walke with vs or if we be afflicted he will receiue vs out of this promise the Apostle bringeth a conclusion that wee should therefore cleanse our selues This would see me a strange consequence that seeing wee are cleansed wee should cleanse our selues for some haue made a cleane contrarie conclusion laying wee are cleansed let vs defile our selues seeing grace doth abound let vs sinne 1. Corin. 7. The Apostle in the person of the godly reasons thus the time is short let vs therefore vse this world as though wee vsed it not The same Apostle out of the same premisses in the person of the licentious liuer frameth a cleane contrary conclusion as 1. Corin. chap. 15 Tomorrow we shall die therefore let vs eate and drinke let vs vse the world because wee haue it let vs stuffe our selues with pleasure because our time is not long So runnes the tenour of their conclusions Because God hath mercie enough in store and Christ his blood cleanseth vs from our sinnes therefore faith the carnall Gospeller least the blood of Christ should want matter and mettall to worke vpon let vs wallow in sinne for Christ hath blood enough to cleanse vs. Well the Apostle I say reasons in a contrarie manner Christ hath washed vs let vs not therefore defile our selues againe and that which is more strange he deduceth feare out of the promise Wherefore for our vse we must learne whether in reading and hearing the promises of God the same minde be in vs which was in Paul when hee saide and saide truely that hee had the Spirit of God in him and nee that draweth out this conclusion of the promise of God We are raised therefore wee will raise our selues let that man know hee is of the same spirit that the Apostle was But he that concludes on the other manner We haue promises let all goe where it will that man must suspect his estate hee makes not a good conclusion And as that so this is true the nature of God his promises is not to be a placard to sinne but a perswasion a motiue an inducement to holinesse of life and to the feare of God So that they that vse the promises as they doe saying God is mercifull Christ dyed for vs. The Lord will forgiue vs and so stuffe themselues with promises till they haue made them a pillow for sinne they abuse themselues True it is that the sweete Psalmist saith Psal 131. Mercie is with God What Not to make bold with sin but to feare him Such sophisters then shew by their reason of what spirit they are and to whom they belong that is to the diuell For seeing it is of the mercy of God he is become a great preacher and publisher of God his promises and yee shall not haue a promise but he will alleage it hee is a greater enemie against Moses and against those that vrge the law calling them Moses his Ministers and Doctors of Despaire and all to this end to sow promises vnto vs that we might take no thought but still make this conclusion Christ hath died be bold to sinne It is good therefore for a man to watch himselfe whether in hearing the promises of God he hath a cold feare comming on him for his vnworthinesse which if hee haue that man may hope well of himselfe For the nature of a promise from God excludes securitie and therefore it must end in feare 2 We pronounce that the nature of a promise excludeth deserts deserts I say not debt for so wee should heare of it so often as mention is made of praying rewarding and rendering Against the Papists wee say therefore there are two debtes the one of desert as hire is due to a labourer for hee hath deserued it the other a debt of promise which is as well to be rendered as a debt of desert For example because I would make it plaine when the daughter of Herodias daunced before Herod he in the vanitie of his braine made a promise of giuing her any thing she would aske euen to the one halfe of his kingdome and after for the â—endering of his promise he made a coÌ„science of his oath Now no man I suppose that is of any valour thinkes that this vaine exercise deserued half a kingdome in his valuation for it deserued rather another thing far worse but the debt that is due is not of desert but of promise Shee could not come and say giue me because I haue deserued but giue me because thou hast promised No more can wee say vnto God wee haue done this pay vs but thou hast promised to vs therefore graunt vs what thou hast promised though nor to vs immediately yet to Christ by desert to vs for Christ his sake by promise thou hast made it a debt and to goe yet more narrowly to the nature of
a promise it is rather paid to the promiser than to him to whom it is promised as one of the fathers saith God paieth his promises to himselfe and the accomplishment of it most respects himselfe 3 The nature of a promise is not presently to yeeld the thing promised for if wee had that wee haue not a promise of a thing to bee performed but a performance of a thing that hath beene promised we stand in faith and receiue in hope and whatsoeuer wee are we are but one hope which is our tenant and takes vp our possession of things to come for our behoofe Our life saith Paul is hidde with Christ. And it appeares not â—aith Iohn What we shall be But the best that may be made of the wicked is here to be seene to the vttermost And seeing our life is in Christ all that are on the stage of the world it is knowne who they be namely the wicked but whatsoeuer is the price of the godly it is yet hidde in Christ we haue nothing but the hope of it Now least some should say if wee haue nothing but in hope it were better to haue some thing certaine To them I say wee doe not speake of a promise from a man The Apostle saith the Lord is faithful If the life of a Christian be compared to a warfare then hope is our helmet Ephes. chap. 6. If it bee compared to a sea-faring then our hope is as an anchour which we must cast into the sea with them Act. chap. 28. to stoppe our shippe in dangers vntill the day appeare Lastly this is our stay God is faithful he hath promised therfore he will surely performe it First he speaketh the word then he promiseth that is saith it double In blessing thee I will blesse Then he addeth an oath As I liue saith the Lord I will visit thee yet more he hath left vs pledges further to assure vs of the trueth of his word if neither his word his promise nor his oath wil serue vs we haue nothing but promises for concerning riches glorie countrey and such like God his children often want them Come to God his grace and to peace of conscience which one would thinke they should haue they often haue them not but faith they haue the promise they haue euery thing else they haue not still they haue the promises them they haue Our faith takes hold on our sins pardoned on the assurance of the life to come these we haue without peraduenture wee haue the other things but by peraduenture The best things we haue we possesse haue them by hope and they that haue outward things are beholden highly to God but they be not his best blessings 4 Howsoeuer some thinke but meanely of God his promise yet nothing is more worthie our consideration and thankefulnesse That that is 1. Sam. 18 18. in the speech of Dauid wheâ— one tolde him that Saul was disposed to giue him one of his daughters in marriage may here be noted for what saith hee seemeth it small to you to bee a Kings sonne what am I or what is my life or the family of my father in Israel that I should be the sonne in lawe vnto a King So may wee say what are wee or what is our life or the familie of our father that the Lord should vouchsafe to make such promises vnto vs Dauid made no light account of his promise To set Dauid in our case and Saul in the Lords Dauids case was farre better than ours For by reason of his victories he had deserued wel of the countrey and therefore worthie to be considered of Saul againe though he should haue had Michol to wife he was not for this to be heyre of the crowne and yet he saith seemeth it to you a small thing Then I say if we could come to make the comparison betweene Saul and God who is the Saul of Saules and prince of Princes in whose respect al the Princes of the world are but wash pots and Cyrus is nothing to him he vnto whom the Angels are subiects and seruants and to whom heauen and earth stoope downe what analogie would there bee betwixt him and Saul On the other side that wee may stand in stead of Dauid if the Spirit of God would shew vs our vnworthinesse in a thing far aboue the promise of Dauid wee would say or wee should say what are wee what is our fathers house that the Lord should haue respect to vs were not our fathers Amorites drowned in superslitious idolatrie carried away with the loue of the world solde vnto sinne and men full of ignorance what was in our fathers house for ourselues what are we haue we not beene deriders of the word of God or hearers of the Lord speake to vs with far lesse reuerence than we heare a mortall men what is there in vs I thinke not of the worst but he that can best expresse his mind and meaning cannot expresse our vnworthinesse My stammering speech cannot vtter iâ— we must conceiue more of it knowe that there is nothing in vs or in our fathers house that the Lord should vouchsafe vs such mercy It must not seeme little that wee haue the word and are compassed about with so many promises wee must reade them with humility then no doubt wee shall reade them with thankfulnes The Apostle saith When the Angels looke at the mysterie of our redemption they are wonderfully astonished they can neuer looke enough to see the vnspeakeable highnes of the Lord and the great gulfe of our vnworthines to behold the ods betweene his greaâ—nes and our vilenes It needeth their conceauing which if we could also doe it would swallow vs vp to see the Lord bestow his promises on such vnworthie wretches When the Lord shall not only make promises in generall but in particular not onely reall but personal not onely conditionall but free not onely temporall but eternall who can goe through them all But setting aside these great promises benefits of his word of his Spirit he hath promised that euen our very corrections * shall doe vs good Setting these apart with all the care of his Angels ministery of all creatures he saith he wil so narrowly looke to vs take charge of vs that he will looke to the haires of our head nay Leuit. 26. he will looke to our kneading troughes and which more is Psal. 41. he will turne our beds couches in the time of sicknes A strange thing that the Lord should thus do with vs. In the heathen histories we reade that because a certaine Captaine came to wash his souldiers wounds they could not praise him enough Then if God the Captaine of his whole Church the God of glory shall so narrowly looke to vs as to number our haires to take care for our kneading troughs to turne our beds to swaddle our wounds these are able to amaze vs and to
vnto the Lord not binding his fauour vnto them 9 The cause of all rebellion and murmuring is that wee know not the great power of the Lord or else we at that time doe forget it when by faith we should make to our selues most comfortable vse of it as wee may see in the Israelites who had beheld the great power of God with his goodnesse towards them but not in faith and therefore when the tentation was sore vpon them they cleane forgat it The Lord therefore being zealous of his owne glorie sheweth himselfe to bee most louing and beneficiall towards vs which ought to leade vs to acknowledge his great goodnesse but if wee doe not then his iustice will surely teach vs. 10 The Lord oftentimes with holdeth or taketh away that thing the hauing whereof might be hurtfull vnto vs which if we would rightly consider of it would be an especiall helpe against murmuring in the want of Gods blessings For if wee would consider this that the Lord doth therefore keepe it from vs because hee seeth it would bee hurtfull for vs and that when wee shall be fit for it hee will then giue it vnto vs wee should better bee contented with that we haue and more patiently beare the want of that wee would haue as for example if a man wanting health riches estimation and such like and bee grieued for it so that he is almost readie to murmure for the want of them if he then can consider that the Lord knoweth they be not good for him but if he had them they would turne to his hurt this would bring marueilous great quietnes to his heart and would stop his murmuring nature and would rather stirre him vp to acknowledge the goodnesse of God towards him 11 When the Lord proueth his people he thereby laboureth to bring them to prayer yet on the contrarie they flâ—e from him and murmure against him the reason is for that they thinke it a small comfort to pray vnto him in their trouble but rather thinke it very harsh to acknowledge their sinnes and so to obtaine the forgiuenes of them which being obtained nothing can bee more comfortable they must haue that they want or else nothing will please them As the Israelites did murmure against the Lord when they wanted water nothing else would please them so is it with many when they cannot obtaine some corporall or externall blessing which they doe much long for But who art thou oh thou vile man that thus dealest with the Lord and neuer hast had thy heart washed by the blood of Iesus Christ for if thou haddest thou wouldest neuer murmure so much for wanting that thou wouldest haue but rather make him at all times the chiefest comfort and in all thy necessities patiently and meekely call vpon him in feruent and faithful prayer 12 Men doe not onely faile in prayer vnto the Lord but also they murmure many times against such as he hath set ouer them to bee their guides for the latter sinne ariseth of the former The Israelites quarrelled with Moses yet what had Moses done against them they thought no doubt that he of malice and contrarie to the will of the Lord had brought them into the wildernesse for they thought God had a neerer way and a better to bring them into the promised land and because they could not consider the worke of the Lord therefore they must needes quarrell against some bodie and wreake their griefe vpon him laying the fault vpon Moses Thus did Rachel whom when the Lord punished for that she was Proud because her husband loued her best and made her barren when he gaue children to Leah she not considering that the Lord punished her pride with barrennes began to quarrell with her husband asking him why he gaue no children to her To whom he answered Am I in stead of God vnto thee to giue thee children And this is the manner of the people in all ages that when they cannot see the Lord punishing them for their sinnes they straightway lay the fault vpon some or other by whom they thinke it commeth As now if the Lord doe send tumults and stormes into the common-wealth so that the people be brought to some trouble doe we not straight wayes lay the fault vpon the Magistrates and say is not this the doing of the Magistrates They consider not that the Lord doth by this meanes punish them for their sinne for it is certaine that the Lord loueth a multitude better than one or few and therefore hee will not punish a whole realme or nation if the sinnes of a multitude did not prouoke him thereunto But it oftentimes commeth to passe that for the sinnes of the people he doth harden the hearts of the Magistrates that they cannot loue their subiects so well nor that they can bee so profitable and doe them so much good as otherwise they might as is reported by Iehoshaphat 2. Chron. 20. This if the people could or would consider they would not be so ready to lay the faults on their Magistrates when trouble or triall commeth vpon them in like case doe they also deale with their Ministers If trouble come doe they not straightwaies say see what our Preachers haue done and is not this the fruite of their preaching so they will alwaies haue one or other to lay the fault vpon But what was Moses comfort in this case and that which staied him from murmuring against them Euen that no doubt which other of Gods Ministers haue had in the like case Ieremiah in the seueÌ„teenth chapter against the raging of the people made this his sure defence that he had not thrust in himselfe into that office to be their Pastor but the Lord appointed and called him therevnto Secondly that of affection he had spoken nothing but onely that which the Lord commanded did he declare vnto them and from hence may all the true Ministers of God haue comfort for if the Lord send them he will no doubt defend them so long as they doe this message faithfully therefore the people must take heede how they either receiue or reiect any that speake to them in the name of the Lord. For as they may not receiue any that bringeth not the word of truth nor be feared by them for as much as the causelesse curse shall passe without hurt so likewise and as surely shall the word of God spoken truly by his Minister certainely haue his effect and shall not returne in vaine And this is common to all kinds of calling that men may be confirmed therein Contrariwise when we being in affliction can pray vnto the Lord for his helpe and acknowledge his prouidence in that which is vpon vs it manifesteth our faith it preserueth vs from murmuring and keepeth vs from quarrelling with men for if we consider that it is the Lords worke we shall neuer set our selues against him for it but if we passe ouer his prouidence then
seruice and therefore his title to the bodie is good wherefore against the Anabaptists Familists we say that as God is the God of the spirit so he is the God of all flesh and though he will be worshipped in spirit yet not in spirit only but in truth also which truth being his word requireth the seruice of the bodie So many then as refusing the congregation making the corners of their chambers only witnesses of their religion detract from the Lord his worship But they excuse themselues with fearing the suspition of hypocrites an easie slander a thing that none can purge himselfe of a case therfore to be referred to the Lord himself But these men of all other do euill in speaking against hypocrisie for if they be no more inward than they are outward if their Chamber-holines be no more than their Chappellgodlines then are they of all men most miserable Reade Psal. 122. and 84. and 68. and we shall see the Prophet Dauid highly to magnifie that which they smally account of 7 Many carnall men thinke they can trust in God and in riches too they will carrie two bowstrings into the field that if one faile another may serue But we must serue God either euer or neuer either in all or in none either euery where or no where These meÌ„ will not say with Christ one thing is necessary but they will serue God and the world Thus some pray to God and perform their vowes to the diuel some are only retainers to Christ and beare his liuerie but are indeed the seruants of sinne and their owne corruption some beare the marke of God in their foreheads and in profession but they beare the marke of the beast in their hands and conuersation wee dare and must credite the Lord with our soules why should we not credite him with our bodies also God knoweth that wee are but fraile and he hauing made vs will surely preserue vs. 8 The place where God is worshipped is called in the Scriptures The presence and face of the Lord. It is oftentimes said in the Psalmes that we must come before the face of the Lord and they that eate of the sacrifices are said to eate with the Lord. Therefore when we come to heare the Word to or pray to receiue the Sacraments we come euen before the Lord where he sheweth his presence more cleerely although wheresoeuer we be we are in his presence for as the power of the Prince is ouer all the land yet his chiefe presence â—â—â—â— the Court so is the presence of the Lord chiefly in the house of prayer though he be euery where which if men would rightly consider of then would they also take heede with what feete they enter into the house of the Lord and would not â—e so bolde as to come thither without preparation nor to passe away without any meditation of that which they haue done or heard The want of this perswasion causeth all carelesnes both before and after and when wee are present If this kinde of dealing will not bee liked nor allowed of any worldly Prince that men should bee admitted to the Chamber-of-presence and yet care not what they speake nor how they bâ—lieue themselues surely the Lorde will not alwayes beare with such as abuse the house of praier and â—â—reuerently behaue themselues in his holy presence though for a time hee suffer them yet certainly in the ende he will be sure to punish it most grieuously Therefore we had neede to be watchfull ouer our selues both soules and bodies least by abusing our selues before the face of the Lord we prouoke him vnto anger and cause his displeasure to fall vpon vs. 9 In the beginning of our gracious Soueraigne her raigne it was vsually said that the dearths that then were was for the New learning Afterwardes the Lord sent peace and wealth as wee doe now see whereby he giueth vs to vnderstand that it is he that brought them from poperie so that now hereafter none can complaine Wherefore they doe sinne very grieuously that shall say the Gospell hath brought dearth diseases and warre For we can all testifie that the Gospell hath brought peace plentie and health which if wee will not belieue then the Lorde will roote vs out though for his Name and glories sake and for his Sonne Christs sake he will raise vp a seede after vs that shall confesse this to his glorie as we see in the example of the Israelites which had a Iosuah and a Caleb But as hee punished the Aegyptians because they were ignorant and the Israelites because they abused knowledge as hee punished the Israelites because they would not worship him and punished the Aegyptians because they would not suffer them to worship him so he hath punished the Papists because they were false worshippers and the Protestants for that they abuse the true worship and as hee punished the Papists because they would not suffer the Lord to be worshipped so will hee punish the Protestants if they will not worship him in spirit and truth for there is like proportion 10 Some will say what can we gaine by hearing the Word can we liue by prayer Our household must be prouided for if we could come by our liuing so easilie as some doe or if wee were as well to liue as such a man is we would serue God then as well as any of them they may serue God freely and without any cares to hinder them we must take pâ—ines for our liuing necessity calleth vpon vs to follow our labour But dost thou not knowâ—ô man that the Lord leauing thee in this neede doth now proue thee whether thou serue him for thine owne ease or for his glorie sake If thou doe not now discerne of thy temptation and applie thy self to the seruing of God in hearing praying reading thinking of his Word but doest in a greedy care seeke after earthly things be sure that if thou be his sonne he wil at one time or other correct thee by one way or other waine thy minde from these outward things but if thou belong not to his couenant of Grace hee may perhaps giue thee thy desire and leaue thee also without correction which is a signe of a Bastard but at the last he will cut thee off from the things that thy chiefe delight is in and finally thou shalt perish euerlastingly in hell 11 When men will not harken vnto the Truth then will hee giue them vp to belieue lyes and when they will not regard his faithfull ministers that labour with them to bring them to holinesse then will he leaue them to such deceitfull workers as shall please them in prophanenesse And as it fared with Pharaoh and his people that would not belieue Moset but hearkened to the sorcerers of Aegypt so shall it fare with all those that will not belieue Gods faithfull seruants the true Preachers and ministers of the Gospell
sinnes this is a tempting of God and this shall be laid to our charge as wee see that the Lord saith to Dauid that he was in all things vpright before him but in the case of Vriah because his other sinnes which he committed both often and grieuously were but of humane infirmitie and this was contrarie to knowledge and againe he sought meanes to hide his sin and was not easily brought from it yet did hee obtaine pardon because this was but once and he was much humbled for it But Saul often doing the same at last asked counsaile of a familiar spirit by a Witch which he before had punished wherein he did cleane contrary to his knowledge euen for this it was said that the Lord did cut him off Wherefore we haue to pray with Dauid Psal. 19. Lord who doth vnderstand the errors of his life then purge vs from our secret sinnes and keepe vs that no presumptuous sinnes doe beare rule ouer vs. so shall we be free c. For if a man sinne against man there may be an arbiter but if a man sinne against the Lord who shall deale for him As Eli saith to his Sonnes q d. If you had done this being ignorant it had beene a small matter but now you that haue beene taught of me the contrary haue now made the sacrifice of the Lord to stincke and so haue tempted the Lord. 9 As it is a great comfort that no temptation doth inuade vs but that which hath taken hold of the nature of man so this ought to make vs with profit to humble ourselues that there is no temptation vppon any man but the same may take hold on vs in time also 10 Wee are neuer the further from temptation for misliking it but the nearer vnlesse as in iudgement we mislike it so in affection we humble our selues in feare and prayer before the Lord as knowing the same in time may inuade vs. 11 Wee must not keepe our hearts too close in dangerous temptation nor denie mercie to others least God denie mercie to vs. 12 If wee be tempted let vs examine it by prayer whether it be contrarie to the word for sinne by the law is reuealed and rebuked if it be sin then it bringeth the curse for the Lawe accurseth the sinner if it bring a curse then must we tremble if we tremble not let vs suspect that our nature liketh the temptation and let vs apply prayer if we tremble in truth we will neuer doe the thing whereunto we are tempted 13 When Satan cannot get vs to omit grosse sinnes hee will assaile vs with spirituall temptations 14 Those temptations are most dangerous which haue most holy ends 15 If wee conceale our temptations long it is the policie of Sathan to make vs keepe his counsell 16 The Lord through grace doth quench in vs those temptations which would quench in vs his spirit 17 Temptations being resisted to bring a proofe of that grace that is in vs temptation being receiued argueth corruption in vs. Adam should not haue been worse for his temptation no more than Christ but that the one yeelded the other did not 18 They that tremble in the temptation shal triumph after the temptation our faith is as a pots mouth which being large receiued much and being narrowe receiueth but little 19 The godly see their temptations oft much and with profit the vngodly see them seldome scant and without profit 20 Being both feeble in body and sicke in minde when hee felt the Lords strength in his sicknesse nourishing him as also that he did cleere his iudgement and more and more giue him a misliking of euill and a liking of good hee knewe his temptation should goe away in the end CHAP. LXXI Of truth and errors sinceritie and contempt of the word THere is no profit in teaching or hearing without application Ephes. 6. Paul speaking of the trueth calleth it a girdle of truth it must not bee a loose truth out of which a man may easily bee shaken it must be a tied truth not a ranging truth if it bee loose about vs it will fall away with the least flaw of winde Rom. 15. The Apostle speaketh of this putting on of Christ wee must not make a broad cloath of him to make him apparel to warme vs at the houre of death or in some time of trouble but wee must presently make him a garment that it may sit as close to vs as our coates Iames saith in his first chapter that the word must be ingrafted in vs it must not hang by vs but as there is no true grafting without the renting of the old stocke that the newe graft may hee fastned and closed vp in the rent so there is no true receiuing of the word vntill our corrupt wisedome bee rent asunder and the word of God closed vp in stead of it So that as there is truth required so a girdle of truth As Christ is our comfort so he must be put on As the word is receiued so it must bee ingrafted in vs. In more sensible things we are familiarly acquainted with this matter What profit is there in a plaister be it neuer so skilfully made vnlesse it be applied Well nothing indeed is good without applying The Sunne is comfortable but what doth it if wee bee shut vp and it neuer come to vs What nourishment is in meate what vse in apparell if we vse and apply them not So Christ and the word not applied are nothing to vs though most profitable in themselues 2 Truth is a thing specially esteemed of the Lord and it is a seruice so acceptable vnto him that he will not be without it and therefore a rent or pension due vnto the Lord. But why doth the Lord so require truth at our hands the Prophet saith The Lord hath magnified his truth and his name aboue all things and he hath put on himselfe as his name to bee called the God of truth And Christ the second person in Trinitie witnesseth his death to this in calling himselfe not the God of truth but truth itselfe and he bare witnesse before Pilate that he especially came into the world to beare witnesse to the truth so greatly he loued it For the holy Ghost we read Ioh. 14 He is said to be the spirit of truth So we see how great a thing this truth is with God for he makes himselfe glorious in this title and makes it the Crowne of his head his Sonne his Spirit his Ministers are glorified by it In a second respect truth is deare for that Adam being charged to beware of the forbidden fruite had his first assault of Sathan against the Lords truth back-sliding from it he lost all his posfession in Paradise Because of this dealing of the Diuell in Paradise euer since the Lord hath beene very iealous of his truth and wils men should whatsoeuer they doe remember to
what say you to the Truth of Religion that is among vs why our Doctrine is sound enough that needes not to be spoken of No Yes surely very needfull it is to speake of it Truth indeede runnes about the Church-walles for eares and goeth about the Pillars but it findeth no nearers and as the wise man saith he that hath a Treasure in store and not in vse is as though he had it not so we may say of our Age men haue a little knowledge but for want of vsing it they are as though they had no knowledge and seeing wee hide our knowledge if wee haue it and we cannot speake the truth at our going in and our going out as men are charged by Moses wee cannot be said to haue the truth So in a second degree Paul would haue vs vse the world as though we vsed it not surely had hee made his wish of the Truth as hee did of the world hee had surely had it All our knowledge is a knowledge of the braine it is not a knowledge of the hart for it neuer makes vs set lesse on the score of sinne yee shall see this plaine wee know that fire will burne and because wee know it indeede by no paine almost can wee be brought to put our finger in the fire and doubtles if wee were perswaded that sinne would burne vs as a fire wee would not so easily put our hands vnto it And I would know if a man had a rule or gold-weight whereby he might measure his timber weigh his mettals and yet he neuer vseth either his rule or his weights what good it would doe him Talke of religion and begin to speake of the word and you shall haue manie that will holde you talke a whole dinner time or halfe a day and looke into their liues and common course of their conuersation and they wil falsifie whatsoeuer they haue said so they haue a thing but without all vse of it There is yet another thing mentioned Ephes 6. and that is a gyrdle of Truth it must be tyed to vs but our truth is not gyrt to vs it sitteth not close to vs it will easilie be shaken off from vs if the Crosse come and persecution shake vs a little wee can easily shift it off 4 A man would not willingly dwell by an euill nature and hatred will driue any man a way Truth is hated among vs and no maruell though it delight not to be among vs. If a man should take vpon him to plucke vp an olde-hedge and to admonish one of sinne straight way one Snake or other will bee ready to hisse at him and to sting him for his labour They that should looke to vs are hated and if a man be so bold as to tell a man of his fault he shall haue a rebuke for his paines with this scoffe or the like this is one of the wise generation which can telll the truth so cold an occupation is it to tell the truth So that we are not onely culpable for not hauing Truth but because we haue driuen Truth out of the Land It would grieue me to name mens sinnes herein but yet your selues know that a man will sell credite Faith and all that he hath to set Truth out of the way and shall wee thinke then that Truth hath any heart to dwell among vs seeing wee sell it for two-pence or a groate nay for a paire of old-shooes But let vs know seeing that CHRIST hath pronounced himselfe to be the TRVTH hee hath made these men that sell the Truth guiltie of the sinne of Iudas they sell Christ not for so much but for halfe so much nay for a quarter so much as Iudas sold him For CHRIST is TRVTH and CHRIST is solde 5 Contempt and hatred ouerthroweth all estates if either the Law be contemned or the Law-giuer hated And as in Kingdomes so it fareth for this point in the Church if the law of God be not esteemed then the iealousie of the Lord of Hostes will surely either take away his Law or punish the abusers of it The cause of contempt commonly as they say is familiaritie Familiarity breedeth contempt Indeed the wise men of the world noted that there were three excellent mothers which brought forth three very euill daughters The mothers are these first Familiaritie which is the high pitch of friendship brings vp contempt so the more we enioy the thing loued the viler it growes in our eyes Secondly truth breeds hatred The third is peace and that is the mother of idlenesse and securitie So that whatsoeuer is free in vâ—e once that growes vile as Manna though it were a verie precious thing did in the eyes of the Israelites Yet we must know that albeit somtime these issue from these mothers yet they be not their natural daughters The naturall child of familiaritie is not contempt but it commeth of our corrupt nature which is cleane opposite to the nature of God For as the nature of God is so perfectly good that he doth turne euen very euill things to very good things as the malice of the Iewes in putting his Sonne to death to be a meane of our saluation so our nature is so absolutely euill that it turnes very good things into euill Wherfore retaining this foolish axiome of vanitie that nothing is precious but rare strange things it commeth not of the nature of the thing which is still good but of our nature which no more esteemes it In the first of Samuel it is said the word was precious in those daies which was because it was rare for they accounted highly of Samuel because they had no Prophet long before but we must not doe so neither in other things doe we so Doe we in naturall things contemne the sunne the water and the fire because they be vsuall we doe not Then surely naturally we contemne not a thing for familiaritie but the cause of contempt is the ignorance of the vse of the thing and therefore no doubt as we doe not contemne the sunne the water the fire because we know and are perswaded of the true vse of them so therefore we doe in long vse contemne the word and prayer and sacraments because we know not the necessitie and the vse of them Whensoeuer then we begin to be cloyed let vs know the nature of a sinne doth begin to grow in vs not that in the long vse of the word we are so full of knowledge but for that we know not the vse of it and therefore like swine we leaue the pearle and goe to the shels Greatly therefore are we to pray against this Concerning hatred when the pearles are contemned the Ieweller is wrathfull and when the word is despised the Lord is surely displeased for which cause good men feeling their spirits to grow hot at the sight of such contempt and the contemners seeing themselues to be drawen out
into the midst of the congregation as it were then they begin to warre with the Lord and his Ministers and they seeke either in their liuing to muzzle them or else to pursue them with the sword of Ismael that is with their tongues to smite them and so to trie them euen as with coles of Iuniper Dauid complaines that he was compassed about with dogges which thing was most accomplished in Christ who was made of many peeces sometime thought to be a Demoniacke sometime a drunkard sometime a friend of Publicans and sinners and as they speake of the Master so wil they speake of the Disciples whatsoeuer comes into their choler Yet though there be three parts of the land nought for the fourth sake we must sow that though three parts of the congregation be not good yet for the fourth part we must preach as Christ who went about into all places for an hundred and twentie soules who no doubt had foure times as many hearers and so we must follow the renting part for their sake that heare with reuerence and fruit 6 The Galathians esteemed of Paul as of an Angel yea he beareth them witnes that they would haue plucked out their eyes and haue giuen them to him and the Millaines were so affected to Ambrose that they protested that they would rather loose their liues than their Bishop Dauid being called from a shepheard to be a king had friends more than a good many thicke and three-fold But when the oyle is powred forth sharpe wine must goe in But yet Paul is imprisoned Ambrose hath faire promises and Dauid meeteth with one Shemei or other that will giue him hard good morrowes and pelt him with stones so long as the quailes last and the fleshpots and Manna comes down as thicke as dust and feathered foules as the sand of the sea who but Moses then but if they haue not flesh at their call if they fall once a shrugging and whyning if Moses get him not out of the way he may be spurd and perchance goe to the pot Christ if he can so prouide that the water may be turned into wine and that there be taken vp twelue baskets full and so they may sit downe on the greene grasse and eate by 4000. and 5000. it is a trim world why Christ shal be a king and Rabbi and Rabboni and good master and Hosanna in the highest and all that may be and more than may be But if Christ cast out a word and say that a Prophet is not esteemed in his owne country his country men are ready to lay hands on him It is good being for S. Paul at â— conium if he and Barnabas can promise so that they can make men whole with a word such fellowes shal not lacke Iupiters priest shall be sent for and sacrifice shall be made they shal be taken for no men but for Iupiter and for Mercury if they can do vs any good But if Paul goe and gather stickes and so a viper caÌ„tcheth him by the fingers then out vpon him murderer ah wretch Gods iudgement seazed on him yet for all this let him shake it off quickly and he shall goe for a God 7 If thou wilt diligently heare there are two kindes of vnderstanding one in iudgement another in heart the one is but little the other bringeth practise Deut. 29. for we are said to erre in hart though not in iudgement Psal. 95. so in iudgement though not in â—art if we vnderstand in heart theÌ„ it will be a small matter to bring practise For when we allow in iudgement and loue in heart then are we carried willingly to that thing so that if we know a thing which we cannot be brought to do it is because we vnderstand not in heart 8 The chiefest thing that God is pleased with is to be truly religious to loue truth with singlenes of hart and a prepared mind to be obedient vnto it without the which though a man should leade an Angels life in outward shew yet by how much it were the more praise of the world by so much it is more abhominable in the sight of God 9 If we play with our owne affections sinne in the end from sport will spur vs to confusion For though we are giuen to flatter and presume of our selues that being twice or thrice spared we dare sinne againe yet we must know that the Lord will recompence his long tarrying with wrath 10 If any man make no coÌ„science to walke vprightly I wil not free him from pouertie from sicknesse from heresie for as well can will the Lord punish the mind as the body 11 Pharaoh scorning Gods people and his messengers the Lord turned it to a blessing and it may teach vs not to mocke the children of God again to heare patiently the practises of scorners as Dauid did Shemei and so shall it be turned into a blessing vnto vs. Pharaoh could mocke and contemne God in his prosperitie but he could not withstand the plagues when they came but was most fearefull and this is the course of all the wicked to contemne God in prosperitie and to be most fearefull in any trouble 1 The promises of God must be to vs as a double string to our bowe as Iacob ceased not to wrestle though his thigh was bruised vntill he had the blessing so we must not faint in temptation though we be humbled vntil we haue victorie We must not despaire of the victorie in temptation because of our striuing albeit we haue some infirmities but rather we must reioyce in our will and in God his grace whereby we haue desire to goe to God 2 We need not goe farre from our selues for monstrous temptations 3 It is ill halting before a cripple when one hath beene exercised with many temptations he can discerne others 4 Sathan by temptations maketh a man forget mirth casteth a mist before his eyes that he cannot discerne corrupteth his taste that he cannot iudge of meates A certaine man labouring grieuously of a great sicknesse in body yet the passions of his minde were such that he was senselesse of the paine of his body Againe the Lord afterward changing his mourning into reioycing gaue him such abounding comforts of his spirit that as before through extreame anguish of his spirit so now through most wonderfull passions of heauenly ioyes and assurance of his sinnes pardoned he felt no outward paine of his body though dangerously it was afflicted CHAP. LXXII Of Witchcraft vowes and vnbeleefe VVItches and wizards can do nothing as appeareth in that wizard Balaam Num. 23. who saith that God must first be displeased or euer he could preuaile against Israel by his witchcraft therefore must we not seeke for helpe of them they haue not power to hurt nor to helpe vs. Ford God is almighty and he must helpe thee therfore turne to him by faith and repentance and doe not flie to them Meanes
may stay Gods children for a time that they looke not to God nor to their sin yet if the punishment be long vpon them then they lift vp their eyes vnto God Psal. 30. 2 As when a man brought into the iayle conueying him out by bribing the iaylour purchaseth to himselfe greater punishment if after he be taken yet suing to the prince for pardon getteth it and scapeth cleerely so if a man be healed by a witch or wizard which is vnlawfull he deserueth a greater euill if the Lord visit him wherefore let such speedily repent but if we be healed by the Lord and the meanes he hath ordained then wee freely escape and may be thankfull 3 The wise men of Aegypt could not doe as Moses and Aaron in the small creatures where we shall note that witches cannot hurt further than the Lord wil as the diuels paces are also limited and they cannot hurt when nor where they wil but as the Lord is displeased as Balaam confessed And Ahab was not deceiued before the Lord gaue the spirit leaue that so the hypocrisie of men which receiue not the truth in loue may bee detected yea the Lord may afflict his children for a time hereby for to let them see their vnbeliefe and to stay their faith 4 Many not knowing their owne infirmities rashly vow and promise liberally as whores and theeues and therefore anon after returne to their vomit But the children of God knowing their owne weakenes are afraid to make large promises and yet stand more strongly afterwards against sinne CHAP. LXXIII Of the word of God and of the confirmation thereof by wonders THe Lord being about to giue his lawe vnto the Israelites by the ministerie of Moses his seruant doth aforehand warne Moses therof this he telleth him that he wil be seen of him in a darke clowd Of this the Lords strange and wonderfull appearing there are two ends or causes the first was that hee might get more credit to his law and also to Moses the Minister of the law The second was to shew Moses his weakenes infirmitie whereby he might be humbled And for the first wee see that when the Lord would bring to passe any mighty workes he did withall shew such mightie signes as made his works with reuerence to bee receiued and those whom in his businesse hee had appointed Ministers to bee well accepted In the day of Elias when the law had lost credit in the hearts of men and was little or nothing at all regarded then did the Lord wonderfully worke by his seruant Elias and did great things by his hands that credit might once againe bee wonne vnto his law And when hee brought his sonne into the world by whom he would publish the Gospell euen the sauing health of all men such works were shewed as had not beene from the beginnings and such wonders were wrought as made all men amazed at such time as these more than ordinarie mercies were brought and offered vnto the world whereunto these extraordinarie works were coupled and adioyned and therefore such works cannot ordinarily be looked for because they were neuer ordinarie For if such works and signes and wonders should now be looked for and if we should attend vnto them and beleeue them the Lord would then haue warranted them to vs by his word and then hee would haue foretold vs that such things should after come to passe And hath he done this No no hee hath taught vs another lesson and cleane contrarily hath he admonished vs when he biddeth vs beware of false Prophets which come to vs in sheepes clothing and would purchase credit to themselues by lying signes and wonders Seeing therefore that there shall be many such false Prophets especially in the latter daies which shall be sent abroad euen into all places effectually to delude those that haue not receiued the truth in loue And againe seeing the Lord is not bound to meanes but hee will worke when and where and how it pleaseth him that we may wisely iudge of them and discerne the spirit of error from the spirit of Truth and life it shal be profitable for vs to set downe some true notes of those wonders which are set out to vs in the Word if by cōparing them together it may appeare when and how farre they must be receiued and contrarilie when we may and ought to refuse them The first note or difference is in the works themselues the other is in the persons by whose ministery they are wrought for the works themselues which God hath extraordinarily wrought there hath euermore such Maiestie appeared in them that the finger of God might be so plainly seene that all men yea euen wicked sorcerers haue bene brought and forced to acknowledge the same and though the Diuell can turne himselfe into an Angell of Light and his ministers make a shewe as though they were indeede the ministers of righteousnes yet let them worke what they will and say what they can neither their workes nor wordes shall beare such an apparant shewe of Maiestie as the workes of God haue euer done Euery man therefore may plainely see God in his workes and none shall bee deceiued by the othes but those that loue to belieue lyes and are willing to deceiue themselues whome God doth iustlie giue ouer to bee deceiued and to fall from Faith because they loued not to abide and stand stedfast therein For as an Ape of all other liuing things most like a man in shape yet most vnlike of all others in qualitie and condition can deceiue none but euery one will easily know an Ape from a man vnlesse they be fooles or children or such as will bee willingly ignorant so betweene the workes of God and the lying wonders of the Diuell there are so cleare notes of difference that all may easily discerne them but those that shut their eyes that they may not see and harden their harts that they cannot vnderstand The children of God do receiue such wisdome from aboue and such knowledge doth the Lord in mercie bestow vpon them that they are able to discerne the spirits to trie their workes whether they be of God or no and to seuer true doctrine from the false And albeit the Lord sometimes correcting them for their sinnes doe suffer them for a while to bee deceiued and that they might hate falsehood the more doth let them a little bee deluded therewith yet because the Truth of God it cannot faile not an haire of their heads perish it is impossible that they should for euer fall away it is impossible that they should finallie be deceiued and become open enemies of the Trueth or obstinate maintainers of a lye Secondly the Lord did neuer raise vp such extraordinary worke-men or shewe such extraordinarie workes but it was either to confirme the doctrine that had bene taught to get further credite vnto it or else to make it more cleere
and to giue a greater light vnto the same As we see in Moses who came to bring the Law vnto this people not a new Lawe nor contrarie to that which was before but hee renewed it confirming and making it more cleare and that which they had before deliuered from hand to hand that hee gaue in Tables and that which they afore had practised he giueth forth vnto them now in Precepts For by the whole story of Genesis it is soone perceiued that not onely the morall Lawe contained in the two Tables but eueÌ„ the Ceremoniall the Iudiciall law were knowne vnto Abraham and others that liued before the law it was neuer lawfull for them to haue any more gods but one only and true God and so consequently that his pure worship which was according to his will The Sabbath was obserued and kept not onely in Paradise but euen of the Israelites when they were in Aegypt before they came to the wildernes which they could not haue done had they not receiued it by traditions The duties also in the second Table were as common and as well knowne as any others were And when we reade in Genesis of Priests and Altars and sacrifices differences betweene cleane and vncleane beasts c. it doth easily appeare that the substance of the Ceremoniall law was long before Moses his time the death of adulterers and the punishment of murtherers doe plainely declare that they had the politicall Law before the dayes of Moses that he was not the first giuer therof vnto the people he taught therefore no new or strange doctrine nor yet contrary to that which was before He was only the means to confirme it and to make it more easily to be vnderstood for he deliuered it in plainer maÌ„ner than it was deliuered vnto the Fathers The Prophets did expound it more plainly then he and as euery Prophet was more nere the time of Christ so did he bring greater light to that which went before Iohn Baptist had cleere reuelations than any of the Prophets For our Sauiour doth prefer him before them not in respect of his person but in respect of his office and calling but the Lord Iesus euen our God and Sauiour our onely Prophet of al others hath brought most cleere light which hee hath reuealed and made knowne vnto the world both by himselfe and the Apostles whose Epistles and writings are by many degrees more plaine and manifest than the writings of the Prophets which were before them And do we not see that since the time that the Lord began to renue the light of the Gospell and to deliuer vs as it were from the darknes wherewith we were well neere oppressed Doe we not see I say that greater light doth more and more appeare that many things are now more manifest than they haue beene in former times and ages Moreouer the law had testimony from the couenaÌ„t made with Ahraham Isaac and Iacob The Prophets did proue their doctrine by the law and the couenants and our Sauiour hath his witnes out of the law and the Prophets and his Apostles did draw their proofe from all The law is in the Gospell and the Gospell in the law and therefore whosoeuer shall not make their doctrine agreeable to the law the Gospel they may nor ought not to be receiued but in the boldnesse of Gods good spirit we may say with S. Paul Let them be accursed For the Lord is not contrary nor vnlike to himselfe As the spirit spake in old time in the Patriarkes and Prophets so spake he in the Apostles of our Sauiour Christ and so will he speake in his true seruants and ministers to the ende of the world there is with him no variablenes nor shadow of change but hee abideth euer the same most like vnto himself and so doth his word which is of the same nature Whosoeuer then shall bâ—ing vnto vs any doctrine not warranted by Gods word or contrarie to that which before hath beene deliuered yea if he bring it in harder and more darke speeches than the word of God is or if hee deliuer it more strangely or obscurely and yet wil beare vs in hand and make vs beleeue that he hath cleerer reuelations we may then iustly suspect him of vntruth and vtterly refuse him further than by certaine grounds reasons out of Gods word he doth confirme his Doctrine And as we may rightly hold all the doctrines of men accursed when they speake or write any thing contrary to the holesome word of truth or else doe adde anything thereto So likewise if any shall take away from the word of God one iot or tittle we may in the feare of God and in the zeale of his truth pronounce against him that sentence wherewith God in great wisedome hath closed vp his holy Scriptures The Lord will take his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy citie and out of those things which are written in this booke 2 Iohn saith the Spirit bloweth where it listeth so also as much as it listeth sometime breathing softly like the coole ayre and sometime like the whirle-winde for man is full of wandring thoughts and imaginations especially when he heareth the word but nothing is more dangerous than the yong mans heart which is in all places of the world at once if you speake not what he thinketh he doth not attend if hee be not astonished and for this cause doth the holy Ghost often offer galling concessions and pinching permissions as Eccl. 10. God seemeth in such speeches at the first to fauour sinne But as we lift vp a thing high to driue it the harder so God vseth such speeches to throw them to eternal destruction to breake them to fitters Yea we would thinke the Lord to be a proctor of euill if hee should not sometimes be very vehement The bitterest kind of deniall is to bid vs go yet so â—â—ine would God worke on our heart that he vseth such vehemencie 3 It is as farre from God his nature to deride any man as it is for him to repent but our sins are so great that if it were possible yee should make him a scoffer But as when saluation is wrought in the highest measure it is wrought in greatest compassion so the highest point of reuenge is derision Wee know the nature of God is full of pitie and vnlesse it be to very euill persons his speeches are full of compassion Speake my people saith he Micah 6. And Esay 5. What haue I not done that I could doe to thee And Oh that my people would haue heard Psal. 81. And when they would not heare he speaketh to the dumbe creatures Heare heauen and earth Esay 1. And Christ saith O Ierusalem Ierusalem c. These are good and royall speeches which are very sweete and sweetnes it selfe But when he speaketh to the desperate and wicked he changeth his
their whole possessions to giue to the preachers as it was done in the primitiue Church 5 The nature of true zeale is set downe Heb. 10. where the Apostle heauily threatneth them that willingly giue ouer thēselues to sinne there is named in the proper tongue the zeale of fire For as fire is not without heate so zeale is hot cannot long be holden in It is set downe by the contrary Reu. 3. when after the Church of Laodicea for her lukewarmnes is threatned to be spued out of the Lord his mouth it is added be zealous and amend where we see zeale to be opposed to lukewarmnes which is too temperate an heate for the profession of the Gospell Againe I. Cor. 14. 1. that which in our common translation we reade Follow after loue couet spirituall gifts c. the naturall text hath Be zealous after the more excellent gifts And Rom. 12. Be feruent in spirit i. let God his spirite kindle in you a fire which may flame out of you Now there are diuers kinds of zeale as the zeale of the world of the flesh of false religion according to the world And euery man is eaten spent consumed with some kind of zeale which must shame vs if we haue not the true zeale for that this zeale leaueth in vs some aduantage and recompēce which the world and carnall men haue not For when they haue spent set on tilt all the strength of their bodies powers of their minds they haue no gaine but torment of consciēce wheras the godly being spent in a good cause haue that repaired in the inner mā which is cōsumed in the outward Now to know what that true zeale is as neere as by properties we may describe it wee must first vnderstand that it is grounded on knowledge For if our zeale be not according to knowledge much like to the zeale of them spoken of Rom. 11. wee may come to persecute the Trueth and thinke we do very welll Our zeale must begin where the word begins end where the word ends that in all things it be proportionable to the word Our Sauior Christ rebuketh the Pharisies for straining out a gnat swallowing vp a Camel for tithing cummin seed and mint and for pretermitting the weightier matters of the Law wherein they bewrayed a rotten zeale in that they were carefull in the lesse and carelesse in the greater points So now a dayes many rather desiring to be counted zealous then to be zealous for a ceremonie wil be as hot as may be and yet in more principall poynts of religion they are as cold as can be in greater causes let this be our canon to vse greater zeale in lesse matters let this be our pedagogie to vse lesse zeale so that we remember to count nothing small in the word and that we can increase decrease in affection as the thing loued doth increase or decrease in goodnes If I say we can zealously pursue the most principall things and for the peace of the Church can tolerate lesse things for if any man in matters of lesse importance list to be contentious we haue no such custome neither the Church of God wee shall obserue this 1. rule still remembring this caution that we count nothing small commanded or forbidden in the Word The second rule is that wee haue an eye as well to things inward as outward our Sauiour CHRIST reprehendeth the Pharisies for that they made cleane the out side of the platter and left the inner-side foule whose liues though outwardly they were without reproofe yet inwardly they were full of pride disdaine self-loue such like Wel our zeale must begin within and in time appeare without we must no lesse feare to doe euill being by our selues alone then if we were eyed of the whole world least that we become as painted sepulchres and as such dishes as are cleane without and foule within A branch of this Rule is to haue a narrow and iealous eye of our owne corruptions lurking in the bottomles pit of nature and gaged onely by the word and spirit When we loue to be hypocrites in dissembling this naturall corruption and yet are busie in pretending some outward sanctimonie the iustice of GOD in time will vncase vs then the sinne which we would hide shall appeare in the face outwardly and the good which in Truth wee neuer loued shall be seene neuer to haue bene in vs. Herein then we may go to schoole with the couetous man who had rather be rich than be counted rich that we may rather be godly indeed than be counted to be godly least that seeing wee be not such indeed as we would bee we become notoriously to be such as we would not be 3 The third rule is that we keepe a tenor of zeale in both estates as well in aduersitie as in prosperitie Manie in peace are professors who in time of troubles are persecutors who louing the peace of the Gospell not the Gospell it selfe doe more bewray that they were neuer truely zealous Others whilest they be vnder the Crosse are very demure and deuout who if once they come aloft forget the simplicity of the Gospell and fall to the securitie of the world Hereof comes that fearefull complaint that men hote in preaching and professing while they are vnder are choked in their zeale when they come to preferment Such men are glad not of the gospell but of the prosperity of the gospell such men will be sad not for the want of the Gospell but for the aduersitie which followeth the persecutors of the Gospell Our triall herein may bee thus if our priuate estate be prosperous wee lament with Dauid the estate of the Church being ruinous or if our priuate estate being perilous wee can reioyce with Paul in the estate of the Church being prosperous our zeale is according to truth Dauid neere the Crowne for his happines fasted for the estate of the Church lying in abhominable filthines Paul a prisoner in bonds thought himselfe at libertie so long as the Gospell was free 4 The fourth Rule is that in pure zeale wee be patient in our owne causes and deuoure manie priuate iniuries that the Lord his cause may the better be prouided for haue the better successe Many can be as hot as fire in taking vp their owne cause who are as cold as yee in defending the Lord his cause This Rule obserued would sow vp the lips of the aduersarie who though for a time he thinke vs to be cholerike mad-men madly reuēging our priuate affections yet one day should confesse that we sought not our own cōmoditie but God his most precious glorie And to stretch this examination of our harts one degree further let vs beware of that corruption which springing from self-loue will giue vs leaue to reioyce at good things so long as they be in our selues but repineth at the sight of
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
thereof come within the compasse of these creatures And so long as such sinnes be vsed so long must we cease giuing pretious things vntill place againe be giueÌ„ for the footing of the Lord. The reasons are for that in that estate they will either tread vnder foote that is contemne such good things or they will turne againe and wound a man that is persecute or else deale ill with hand or tongue issuing from such persecutions To such we must not cast pearles for to them we shall doe no good but to our selues we shall doe harme CHAP. V. Of Vnmercifulnes THe Sier of such vnmercifulnesse is the diuell which if it bee so good Lord how many legions of diuels bee in some then Por quae quis peccat per eadem punitur If we offend by vnmercifulnesse God will punish vs by vnmercifulnesse Our curtesie is like Iudas his curtesie to kisse say Hold him It is Ioabs curtesie to say Art thou in health my brother and to stab in with a knife it is the Diuels curtesie to Esau to seeme to bewaile Gods hard dealing with them the easier to intrap her it is the curtesie of the Pharisies to Christ to say Maister we know thou art no man pleaser and to get an enditement of treason against him The lesse indeede of this curtesie the better Well many times the beautifullest things haue not the necessariest vse nor the richest men doe the most good and in common vse the gold doth nothing so much seruice as iron Wee see that in the armie many beare a better and a bigger shew but when ought is to be done all lieth on the poore Pioner and there is none of vs but well hee woteth that in the most gorgeous house that is though all the other parts be more sightly to see to yet the principall part of all the foundation is nothing but a few oystershels and potsherds and rubbish and such like baggage And wheÌ„ as the best of vs al is no better but esca vermiuÌ„ wormes meate for nothing but the very dunghil though he bee couered with purple cloth yet notwithstanding the worst of vs all is proud enough and thinketh as well of himselfe as the best deserueth yet as riseth our good so rifeth our blood qui velit ingenio cedere rarus erit hee that will thinke of himselfe lesse than of another hee is an odde fellow shew me him giue me such a fellow CHAP. VI. Of Workes TO except or to prophecie against the promises of God is not good because it is sufficient for vs to doe the thing warranted by God his mouth If in offering our seruice to Christ wee lose twentie and winne one it is gaine enough and it is better to doe a thing in vaine than not at all Moses went to Pharaoh though he knew before he should not profit him If wee doe well the good thing persheth in another and not in vs but if we doe not the good we may then the good thing perisheth in vs. Againe wee shall not receiue a reward according to our successe but according to our labour The Lord doth esteeme a barren dutie and no man doth as it were cast away and spend in vaine so much as he doth How many sermons spendeth hee in vaine how many threatnings in vaine how many promises in vaine how many things commaundeth and forbiddeth he in vaine men nothing esteeming them yet he ceaseth not Therefore herein we must not fare better than the Lord and yet as good children of so good a father wee must still labour to do good though we reape small fruite 2 May we follow a rabble to do good this is a question I answere wee must not follow a multitude to doe good for by following them to do good we learne to follow them to doe euill This is my meaning wee may not doe it because many doe it but because it is good for if the other be his reasons surely he will â—ollow in euill also by the same motiue It was well saide of a learned father taken out of a Philosopher a goodly speech To doe good or to doe well fewe shall suffice yea one yea none I haue laide the best medicine I can to this sore yet it will itch still it hath many allures and will continue still for it is one of those sweete euils Iob. 10. It may be effectuall to some yet if none followe it I haue done my dutie Cantaui canticum dilecto meo I haue sung a song to my beloued and so an end Election is a great spurre to good workes It is not as men say if I am elected I cannot perish I may liue as I list but if thou art elected thou art also elected to the meanes to faith and the fruites of it else thou art not elected CHAP. VII Against Policie THE godly haue euer beene wiser than the politicke of the world Ioseph was wiser than the Aegyptians yea than his brethren and yet they were wiser than the rest Daniel Moses Paul wiser than their enemies The Gallathians mingled the Lawe the Corinthians preached gloriously yet Paul was wiser than they all The politicke were ouerthrowne at building of the Tower Pharaoh in Egypt his policie was first in killing the males 2. by his setting of Coniurers against Moses so men beleeued and some men do write that Moses was but a Coniurer 3. in letting them goe and following them now saith he they are intangled in the rocks but what was his ende he sunke downe like a piece of lead in the red sea Balack sent for Baalam to curse the Israelites his most diuellish policie that could be was this his counsell Thou canst not saith hee bring them to open idolatrie send for them bid them to banquets of meates offered to Idols make them drunke so doing they fell first to adulterie secondly to idolatrie but this wretch Balaam perished with so many thousands of them Saul to hold in the people 1. would sacrifice before Samuel came 2. gaue Michol to Dauid for so many foreskins of the Philistines not that he loued him but that the Philistines hands might be vpon him and not his owne 3. when that way preuailed not he by force would destroy him 4. he goeth to the Diuell for this is the end of all policie when it cannot preuaile that they aske counsell of the Diuell The Diuell after he had deluded him long now tels him the truth and after he kils himselfe Looke the policie of Abimelech and Achitophell who being crossed in his counsel went and hanged himselfe This may terrifie all Machiauellists and craftie politicians and 2. encourage all to rest on Gods word which maketh vs wiser than all foes and wicked of the world CHAP. 8. Three speciall notes of a man truly righteous and religious THere be three things whereby we may know whether we be in the right way or no and they be precious and deare in the sight
none there it is good to make many doubts and hence commeth conference all these meanes are to be vsed for God sometime blesseth one and not another we must vse all least we should tempt God some heare and not reade some reade and not meditate some keepe their studie and neuer conferre Faith is a knowledge it is called a demonstration it hath alwaies relation vnto the word as the schollers learning is the Maisters doctrine Wicked men know the Scriptures as it is a knowledge but they cannot applie it and haue the true vse men of God speake as if they were moued therfore the interpretation of the scripture must be of the same spirit no man knoweth the minde of God but Gods spirit CHAP. XII Daemonis appellationes or the diuers names giuen to the Diuell in scripture THE Diuell is called Daimôn of his great knowledge and great experience Diábolos of his slaundering and false accusing peir ázan of sifting boring and broching the faithfull to see what is in them skoloposarkòs of making vs subiect to the rebellion of the flesh the Diuell of doing euill or à diuellendo or else as in the old english monuments the diuels fetched from the Greeke Diábolos for his authoritie the Prince of this world that is of the corrupt estate of the world for his forme and vgly shape the Prince of darkenes for his vntruth a lying spirit for his filthines an vncleane spirit for his hurting a serpent for his experience in hurting an old serpent for his strength a Lion for his greedines a ramping or roaring Lion for his poyson a Dragon for his alluring a tempter for his constraining an armed man hauing store of darts sometimes he ramps and roares in one sharpe with hornes and clawes full of terrour in a Lions skinne which is especially in the euill day at the houre of death Sometimes he transformes himselfe into an Angels shape in bright apparell full of compassion in the mantle of Samuel in a religious habit full of scripture euery other word is scriptum est setting an ambush of Diuels to inuade vs holding the crosse and this is his craft If he be able to change himselfe into an Angell of light much more is he into a shadow of the night for he setteth his nets and diggeth his pits in euery thing to take vs in our flesh by ease or pleasure or pride of the eyes suis mimis by death and the feare of it In our soule he hath his forge and bellowes euill motions lusts suggestions to kindle the fire of concupiscence in our affections bending our feare and our loue and such like to that which they should not be imployed vnto in our reason by casting doubts and planting the roote of bitternes in vs which is infidelitie in the creatures by abusing of them or by vnthankfull receiuing of them in the world by hauing his nets in riches preferments euill examples customes and euill companie in melancholie humors perswading despaire to be true sorrow in cholericke bodies perswading wrath to be good zeale in ciuill wisedome by mingling policie with Christianitie in our best motions by mingling with repentance distrust in Gods mercies with faith securitie in making vs measure Gods loue or hatred by blessings or afflictions of this life in preuenting vs of good by breeding in our hearts a loathsomnes of the word and wearines in the meaner in stripping Christ of his high Priests garments and true office of mediatorship vrging sometime these sayings Except ye also repent ye shall all likewise perish which kinde of sentences are not so properly his as belonging to his office which is a Mediator and true Sauiour 2 Sathan is inuisible changeth himselfe into an Angell of light that he cannot be discerned by the eye no nor by reason he windeth himselfe into our reason Peter thought Christ should not dye what reason was it that the sonne of man should dye CHAP. XIII Of the contempt of the Ministerie 1 IEhu being threatned called the Prophet a madbraine for so they iudged of them that digressed any whit from the set composition of words and orderly precepts of their arte which no doubt therefore hath and will come to passe because men can no longer either lend eye or eare than either they can see by reason or discerne by arte or whiles the speaker keepeth himselfe within this ordinarie course of stile or carieth himselfe euen in an orderly and oratorious period so long as wittie inuention comely compassing of matter proportionable measure of words are afforded but if a man come to cut vp the conscience and in some vehemencie of spirit dealeth more roughly and lesse orderly with their speciall sinnes then he is brainesicke and runneth as they say besides the text Neither are these complainers sillie soules but learned Parthians and wise Arabians men elaborate in arte skilfull in precepts and proud Babylonians who cannot discerne betweene a godly vehemencie of spirit for the Lord of hosts sake and a rayling austeritie of speech for malice or vaine glorie sake If then Paul be misconstrued wrongfully he must recompence such sinnes with meekenes patiently whereby often the Lord hath brought to passe that the proudest heart of most obstinate gainesayers haue beene more broken seeing the mild sufferance of the Ministers of Christ than if they had beene pursued with most hote reuengement which then especially experience hath proued true when the Lord with some crosse and humilation sealing the truth of his faithfull and zealous seruants hath caused many to thinke themselues to haue resisted the graces of God and persecuted the gifts of God in them whom they thought before to be curious precise and seekers of singularitie 2 Grieuous enough it is when our corne our cattell our goods and treasure shall come to the tables of our enemies but what though we be yet freed from such Chaldaeans yet is there a great famine in the land which they little thinke of that are the Church-robbers whom we falsely call Patrons of the Church Little thinke they of it who in stead of feeding to saluation starue many thousands to destruction in whom if there were any loue of God from their hearts I dare say and say it boldly that for all the promotions vnder heauen they would not offer that iniurie to one soule that now they offer to many hundred soules But Lord how do they thinke to giue vp their reckning to thee who in most strict account wilt take the answere of euery soule committed vnto them one by one Or with what eares doe they often heare that vehement speech of our Sauiour Christ feede feede feede With what eyes doe they so often reade that pearcing speech of the Apostles feede the flocke whereof you are ouerseers looke vnto the flock committed vnto you But if none of this will mooue them then the Lord open their eares to heare the grieuous grones of many soules lying vnder the grislie altars of destruction
this that Satan so busily and so fiercely assaileth vs it doth appeare that as once he lost his possession in vs was cast out by one more mightie than himselfe which is Christ so now he findeth no peaceable entrance but a strong and mighty resistance therfore there yet remaineth such part of the former worke which he could not hitherto ouerthrow nor shal be able for euer which is the secret seede of faith still sustained and nourished by the spirit of God in vs when wee would thinke it were vtterly extinguished For as the fire when it wrastleth with the water throwne vpon it ceaseth not till it haue ouercome so this resistance of the spirit against the flesh will not cease vntill the full victorie be obtained and Satan himselfe troden vnder our feet Neither is there any more sure testimonie either of our present deliuerance begun or of our full perfect victory in time to come than this that by the word of God we doe though but weakly resist the temptations of the enemy and continue in the battaile against him mourning indeede and trauailing vnder the burthen of affliction but yet standing vpright before the enemie so that he cannot fully preuaile against vs much lesse ouerthrow destroy vs. But here one thing must carefully be looked vnto that we be not so farre discouraged either with want of feeling or ouerborne with desire of that wee haue not as wee forget what mercie hereto fore wee haue receiued When Iob so earnestly and as one would thinke impatiently wisheth the good things hee had sometimes enioyed he doth not onely expresse the great affection he had to be restored vnto his former estate but also giueth the attentiue reader to vnderstand a secret work of that grace of God from the remembrance of that which had been insinuating an hope of that which should be as the euent it selfe afterward declared which issue of his troubles S. Iames would haue vs diligently to consider when he saith Ye haue heard of the sufferings of Iob and haue seene the end of the Lord. But it fareth in this case with the afflicted soule many times as it doth with those that greedily striue for the goods of this world their affections of hauing more is so strong and doth so violently possesse and carrie them as it not onely depriueth them of the vse of that they haue but also maketh them forget the same and which is yet more protest against it as if they had it not at all So the humbled and afflicted spirit one borne for the time with present griefe and anguish of minde not onely vseth not the comforts it hath and cannot presently discerne but also causeth an vtter forgetfulnes of them and which more is protesteth against them as if they were not yea as we see often in Iob he so complaineth of the contrarie as if the Lord had not only forsaken his seruant but had armed himselfe and did fight against him to destroy him Here therefore we must bridle and chastice our impatient and murmuring spirit and remember that of Iob so farre contrarie to the other that though the Lord should destroy him yet hee will trust in him Neither must we so much vexe and vnquiet our hearts for that we want as labour to make vse of that wee haue which though it seeme little vnto vs for the present yet in truth is more than Sathan by all his force is able to ouercome as may appeare vnto vs by that endlesse resistance which the spirit of God dwelling in vs maketh against him For he that so fighteth is not yet captiue and he that standeth in face of the enemie and endureth all his assaults is not yet vanquished Yea for that hee holdeth out in so great weaknes of his owne against so strong and furious assaults of the enemie it plainly argueth that he standeth by a greater strength than his owne by which as hee is presently preserued that he falles not into the hand of his aduersarie so neede he not doubt thereby to be finally deliuered and crowned with victorie and triumph in despite of Sathan all hee is able to worke against him But the enemie whose quarelling with vs is endlesse as his malice is vnsatiable will not thus leaue vs and giue vs rest then as I saide before it is our best and safest way at once to end all disputation with him And we cānot better shake him off than by exercising our selues in prayer reading and meditation of the word of God and by diligent walking in the works and labours of our calling for there is no greater oportunitie nor aduantage that can bee giuen vnto the aduersarie than if he shall finde vs idle and vnoccupied If the mind be already possessed of and occupied in good things it cannot so easily be transported vnto that which is euill but if he finde the house empty and fit for him he then entreth without difficultie In the question of faith wee haue comfort also from the works and effects thereof in our selues For as the tree is known by the fruites so faith wanteth not her fruites whereby she may be discerned These are of diuers sorts sorrow for sinne past hatred of euill care and endeuour to auoide it both in generall and particular the loue of God and of his righteousnesse desire and care with labour and contentation to please him both in generall and particular duties And here againe wee haue a lawfull and necessarie recourse vnto time past For albeit wee haue nothing to glorie in before God when the question is of the cause of our saluation yet the effects of the grace and fauour of God towards vs in the former fruites of our faith may yeeld vs no small comfort in the time of our heauines and of the anguish of our spirits hereof it is that the Prophet in the Psalmes doth so often protest his obedience vnto God and care to doe his commandemēts hereof it is that Iob vnto the comforting of his distressed conscience remembreth the course of his former life led in the feare of God and obedience of righteousnes For although we may not attribute any merit vnto our workes but must giue the whole glorie of our saluation vnto Christ alone yet our workes doe witnes for vs that we are the children of God because we are guided by his spirit as the Apostle saith though the bodie be dead in respect of sinne yet the spirit is life for righteousnesse sake Also the gracious effects of Christ himselfe dwelling in our hearts by faith are sure certaine testimonies that we are members of his bodie and doe belong vnto him because as branches implanted into him which is the vine we bring foorth fruite according to the nature of the vine It is said we doe yet sinne our answere is that that happeneth vnto vs not from the new creature but from that
to â—one â—â—â—â— the faithâ—â—â—â— onely He must liue a godly life to the example of others and also to stop their mouths which will be ready to speake euill of the Gospell if the Minister liue contrary to his doctrine Titus 2. 7. 8. Hee must watch ouer the soules of his flocke therfore it is requisite that he is able to keepe his own 1. Cor. 6. 9. 2. Pet. 1. 10. Acts 20. 28. He that is not a carefull watchman ouer his owne soule is not fit to watch ouer other mens WheÌ„ he preacheth damnation to others hee must be sure that it belongeth not to him c. 4 Hee ought to preach and teach as well priuately as publikely 1. Thess. 2. 6. 7. 8. 2. Tim. 2. 10. Coloss. 1. 24. Act. 21. 10. 11. 12. 13. Ioh. 12. 11. 12. 13. How a Minister may flie Matth. 10. 23. Ioh. 8. 59. Ioh. 10. 39. 40. Act. 14. 5. 6. How small a cast soeuer we haue receiued of the trueth we must not giue ouer striuing though it cost vs our liues The faithfull minister flies not from his flocke but by this meanes Philip. 2. 12. To disobey the Minister of God is to disobey God himselfe and to dispise his word Philip. 2. 12. Ioh. 10. 27. Luk. 101. 6. If he were the wisest in the world he must become as simple as a sheepe 1. Pet. 1. 33. How we be borne anew 1. Pet. 2. 2. We must grow from strength to strength Craue knowledge of God without ceasing Ihon 7. 17. 18. Iohn 4. Acts. 2. 1. Tim. 5. 17. The office of the Elders Note Luk. 10. 16. An example of receiuing an earthly Embassador Galath 4. 14. The people ought to feare the authority giueÌ„ by God 1. Thess. 5. 12. 13. A thousand worlds not comparable to the treasure of the faithfull Galath 6. 6. 1. Cor. 9. 11. Deut. 18. 1. Cor. 9. 14. Ves 7. Deut. 25. 4. Matth. 10. 10. Galath 4. 15. Without this heauenly treasure we are more miserable than brute beasts Note The people must pray coÌ„tinually for themselues and their Minister Coloss. 4. 3. 4. The Lord giueth his gifts to none but they which call faithfully on him 2. Thes. 3. 1 2. Few men haue true faith All men can not be saued and therfore all cannot haue faith Of a strong faith Luk. 19. 17. 1. Thess. 3. 9. The dutie of the people that hath a wicked Minister The blessing of a faithfull Minister Mala. 2 The carelesse Pastor shall become a notable diuell in hell They that caÌ„not belieue the preacher shall not belieue though one should come from heauen or from the dead c. Some learned men be like tunnes that are so full they can giue no souÌ„d A man may preach to other and be a reprobate himselfe 2 3 4 This Sermon was preached in the asseÌ„ble of many learned Diuines Epist. 3. ad Volus M. Dod of Hanwell Gregorie Doct. 1. Religion is the way to happinesse Psal. 1. 1. 2 c. and 1 12. 1. Deut. 33. 29. 1. What misery grace freeth vs from Note Daniel 5. 6. 2 What good things Grace maketh vs to enioy 1 A good estimation Prou. 12. 26. Note 2. Safetie 3 Consolation Rom. 5. 3 Psalme 4. 2. Cor. â— Psalme 23. The happines in the Life to come Psalme 16. The price of Grace The rarenes of it Luke 11. 32. Matth. 7. 13. 14. 3 The continuance of it Vse 1. Pro. 8. 10. 11. 2. Cor. 9. 21. Obiect Answer 1. Tim. 4. 8. Note 2. Tim. 6. 6. Vse 2. Ietem 4. Vse 3. Obiect Difficulties in Christianitie Answer Note 2. Cor. 4. 16. 17 Hebr. 10. 33. 34. Doct. 2. Psal. 24. 3. 4. Reasons 1 God hath a quarrell against hypocrites Psal. 32. 3. 2 He loaths their seruices Matth. 6. Luke 15. 16. 3 They liue in continuall danger Luc 8. 13. Prou. 10. 9. Ioh. 10. 29. Ioh 4. 4. 1. Iohn 5. 4. Rom. 8. 38. 39. Use. 1. Matth. 22. Answer Prou. 23. Ierm 29. Vse 1. Markes of an vpright heart 1. Vniuersall obedience Psal. 119. 8. 2 Growth in grace Phil. 3. 13. 14. Verse 15. Rom. 15. 14. Note Note 3 A constant conscionable vse of all the meanes Note Note 4 Respecting God in all things 1. Cor. 4. 3. 4. 1. Thess. 2. 4. 2. Cor. 13. 7. Iob. 31. 1. Gen. 39. 10. Note â— To receiue a rebuâ—e willingly and profitablie Note Obser. Vse 3. Note 2. Chron. 30. 18. 19. Doct. 3. A prerogatiue to be freed from sinne Rom. 6. 17. Reasons Ephes. 2. 2. Sathan is the maister of all sinners Their seruices Note 3 The reward Rom. 6. 2 Reason 1. Ioh. 3. 8. 9. 3 Vse 1. Luk. 9. 21. Heb. 11. 25. 26. Iob. 3. 2. Vse 2. Obiect Answer Luk. 6 4â— Mat 7. 17. 18. Strict obedience to â—e laboured for 2. Cor. 7. 1. Math. 5. 6. 7. Luk. 17. 10. Deut. 5. 28. 19. 1. Cor. 15. 58. Vse 1. Against Popish obseruations Colos. 2. 22. Against workes of supererogatioÌ„ Vse 2. Simile Augustine Psal. 83. 16. 17. Psal. 35. 26. 2. Cor. 1. 12. Prou. 10. 9. Eccles. 10. 1. Similies Why God seemeth sometimes to forsake his children Note In his treatise of desertions Priuatiuae gratiae sunt pâ—ures quam positiuae Ioh. 10 27. and 6. 37. Esa. 54. 10. Ps. 119. 8. 2. Sam. 15 26 Esa. 57. 1. 2. Reg. 22 20 Psal. 77. 1. 2 3. Esa. 63. 17. Can. 2. 4. 5. Rom. 7. 22. 23. 24. Psal. 77. 78. Cuncta Dei opera sunt in mediis contrariis 2 Iob 2. 2 3 4. a Iob. 13. 34. b Iob. 16. â—â— c Ps. 6. 1. 2. 3. 4. d See the book written of his death a Math. 27. 46. a Fox Act. Mon. 1555. Sept. a 2. Chro. 32. 31. 32. b 1. Cor. 1. 30. Ioh. 15. 2. Gal. 2. 20. Iob. 13. 26. Deut. 8. 2. 13. 3. Ioh. 15. 2. Cant. 5. Act. 9. 31. Rom. 11. 20. Iam. 3. 10. Pâ— 119 59. Act. 24. 16. Pia. 26. 1. 2. 2. Tim. 4. 7. Iudgements Simile Simile * He that beleeueth maketh no hast Tim. 6 10. Psal. 62. 10. Prou. 11. 28. Matth. 19. 24. â— Tim. 6. 9. 1. Tim. 6. 17. â— Cor. 4. * Or 〈…〉 Notâ— Note 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 2. Cor. 3. 1 2 3 4 1 2 Simile 1 2 3 4 5 Similie Note well Ephest â— 18. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 Note Similie 1. Iohn 3. 1. Hebr. 11. 1. qui nihil de praeteritis cogitat vitam perdidiâ— Mithridates Cyrus Raâ—â—ang Maliâ—â— Gnâ—shar Duies I am seges est vbi Troia suit The vse of this Psalme to a man regenerate Ministeriall knowledge * Anno Dom. 1580 1581. Haresie Familie of loue True arguments of loue to the word 1 2 3 4 Wearines in good things Wearines in good things Loue God loue his word Ioh. 14. 23. 1. Argument of our true loue to God * Vers. 113. * Vers. 163. Naturall loue must giue place to heauenly loue Ciuill conuersation of heretikes Presumptuous sinnes Religion corrupt life cannot
contrariwise if you be vnmindfull of God hee will not suffer you to finde the benefits of thesâ— one by the other The second Commaundement which requireth of you to worship God after the true manner that hee appointeth in his word teacheth you thus much that you must nourish your lâ—e in this estate by the practise of things whereby he is worshipped and honored of vs nâ—mely by hearing and reading of his holie word and by the vse of the Sacraments For that same that is sâ—irred vp and nourished by this meanes is most pure and will longest endure wheâ— fâ—â—â—thly loue soone vanisheth and fadeth away In the third Commandement as you are trusted with the glorie of God so you are charged bâ—oâ—hâ—r thaâ— you abuse not his Name if you be faithfull vnto the Lord in seeking his gloâ—ie and the aduancement of his truth and of the kingdome of Iesus Christ preferring it in all things as is meete then surely will the Lord blesse you and prosper your wayes but if you fall away and slide into any heresie and so dishonor his Maiestie then will God certainly plague you in his wrath and he will make that which you desire to haue greatest comfort in turne into a curse vpon you And I would haue you remember to this ende how God the Lord dealt with wicked Amaziah who for the prophaning of Gods glorie and worship had the hart of his wife drawne from him and so to his great reproch became a notorious whore So likewise my sister that you dishonour not God as being a meanes of withdrawing your husbands heart from the duties of his calling but nourishing Faith and a good conscience in all things with him so will the Lord for his owne Names sake blesse you together For you shall finde it true which hee hath spoken Them that honour mee I will honour and them that despise mee shall be despised But beware I say that you giue no occasion of falling away or back sliding vnto your husband least God also bring shame vpon you by him by giuing him ouer to some sinne I speake not this as thogh I doubted these things in either of you both for I hope of better things of you but in speaking to you I admonish my selfe wishing that wee all take heede that wee fall not as the wicked and sinners into the hand of God for he will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine I will speâ—ke nothing of the fourth Commaundement onely referring you to that I taught publikely this day concerning the conscience wee ought to haue in the true and spirituall keeping of the same The fifth Commandement teacheth you to be obedient and to relieue and obey your husband And marke this Sister I shall now say vnto you if you had neuer so manie gifts if you had the wisedome of Abâ—gael and all other graces which are in any woman yet if you wanted obedience to your Husband I tell you true that you are nothing worth and you could haue no part in Iesus Christ who denieth himselfe to be the gouernour of anie that will not acknowledge their Husband to be their head Therefore Sister let others doe as they list but bee you in the number of those that doe feare GOD and as the daughter of Sara by doing well who yeelded reuerence to Abraham and is commended in the Scripture for her dutifull speech shee alwayes vsed vnto him calling him Lord or Sir Now Brother remember that you must so gouerne as you must giue account of the manner of your gouernment euen vnto GOD himselfe Besides where there is greater dignitie there must you knowe that there are greater graces required and in ruling well there are manie speciall duties to be performed Therefore you must behaue your selfe wiâ—ely least you dishonour your selfe by abusing your authoritie for it is a daughter of Israel that is committed vnto you and one that is fellow-heiâ—e of the same grace in IESVS CHRIST with you Againe you must consider that a woman is a very fraile creature and may soone be discouraged when as there ought to be more constancie and stayednes on your part Therefore in the sixt Commaundement God forbiddeth all churlish behauiour all lumpishnes and all vnkindnesse and discurreous speeches charging you also to beare with manie weaknesses to the ende they may bee most quietly reformed And you Sister are forbidden all fullennesse and that you also for your part take heede of all bitter speeches and of naughtie names which wee heare throwne out of some women of vnquiet spirits and if you will haue your infirmitie cured by gentlenesse then deale you in like manner towards your husbands For it cannot be but occasions of vnquietnes will sometimes be offered on either part and therefore in many things you must willinglie beare each others burthen Besides this Sister there is a dutie required in this Commaundement that you take care of the health of your Husband in dressing meates wholsome for him And this shall bee a meanes that his heart shall be more bent in all louing affection towards you In the seuenth Commandement there are many things to be noted but I can but touch some one or two at this present for want of time the speciall vse and substance of it is this much that you liue chastly in this estate and that you keepe the mariage bed vndefiled and let me giue you both this warning that you take heede in the beginning marke what I say least that which ought to be a meanes to further chastitie should turne to the hinderance of you Therefore pray to God to giue you grace that you may be soberly affected in all things and namely in the vse of mariage and repent of that which is past if you haue any way offended the Lord in this behalfe For many failing in repentance for their former sinnes fall afterward vnto their vncleannes againe As for you Brother true loue towards your wife will bee a notable stay from all corruptions this wee reade of Isaack Gen 24. 67. because he loued Rebecca very dearely he had no more wiues but her albeit in those dayes it was a grieuous sinne euen amongst many of the faithful they had at once more wiues than one Therefore when you are from her abroade make a couenant with your eyes and let not your heart wander after any other but thinke vpon your owne wife and delight your heart in her continually and pray earnestly vnto God for her and so will the Lord increase your loue vnto her and moue her heart also to delight and long after you So must you sister that the same blessings may ouertake you as surely if you embrace his feare and walke in his wayes he will blesse you as well in bearing of children as in other his manifold graces which he hath in store to bestow vpon you Heere also I must by the way admonish you