of the meanest witch that hath before bouÌ„d her selfe vnto him And hee doeth extenuate all that service that Iob himselfe had done vnto God for that he was so sufficiently hyred thereto paide so well for it and that before hand Doth Iob saith he feare Iob. 1. 9. God for nought Haste thou not made an hedge about him and about his house and about al that he hath on every side Thou hast blessed the works of his hands and his substance is encreased in the land and therefore what great thing is it that he doth so regard thee hath he not very good cause so to do Verily if he did not seek to serue thee after the best manner he were the wickedst wretch that ever lived Now if the most envious and malicious wretch of all other who by his intollerable ingratitude and vnthankfulnes had deprived himselfe most iustly of al the Lords blessings could yet notwithstanding reason after this maÌ„ner how much more ought the true and faithfull servants of God themselues which do and for ever shall enioy the inestimable favour of his vnchangeable loue set the loving kindnes of the Lord alwaies before their eies making it a sharpe spurre to stirre them vp to walke on forwarde in the Lords truth and even to run the way of his coÌ„mandements And that Psal 16. 3. so much the rather for that the Lord himselfe hath beene so carefull to remember them thereof in sundry places of divine scripture and that after a most vehement and patheticall manner Ier. 2. 31. O yee generation take yee heede vnto the word of the Lord Haue I bin vnto you a wildernes or a land of darknes Wherfore say my people we are Lords we will come no more vnto thee Surely I haue not bin as a wildernes but as a most fruitful land ministring vnto you all blessings in all aboundance And therefore yee ought to haue beene most fertile in my feare and most plentifull in my service This most ample beneficence of God towards his people is so apparant that he appealeth therein even to themselues O yee inhabitants of Ierusalem and men of Iudah iudge yee I pray you betweene Isa 5. 3. me my vineyard What could I haue done any more vnto my vineyard that I haue not done vnto it So likewise in the Prophet Micah O my Mich. 6. 3. people what haue I done vnto thee or wherein haue I grieved thee testifie against me Surâ—… I brought thee up out of the land of Aegypt redeemed thee out of the house of servants and I sent before thee Moses Aron and Myriam O my people remember now what Balaak king of Moab had devised and what Balâ—am the sonne of Beor answered him froÌ„ Shittim vnto Gilgall that yee may know the righteousâ—es of the Lord. The recital of the which so great kindnesse and loue did so inwardly touch the very hart of the Prophet of the residue of the faithfull to whoÌ„ it was vttered that immediatly in their person he calleth as it were al the powers of his soule to a consultation howe al dâ—tiful thankefulnes may after the best manner be rendred vnto God for these his so large and ample mercies Wherewithall saith he shall I come before the Lord and bowe my selfe before the most high God Shall I come before him with burnt offrings and vvith calâ—es of an yeare olde will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rammes or with teâ— thousand rivers of oile Shall I giue my first borne for my transgression the fiâ—ite of my body for the sinne of my soule Hee hath shevved thee ô man what is good and what the Lord requireth at thy hands Surely to do iustly and to loue mercy to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God Wherby we may learne what be those sacrificeâ— that are best acceptable to God first to do iustlie in giuing to God that which is due to God and to man that which is due to man Secondly to sheâ—e mercy to them that are in misery and lastly to haue Gods goodnes alwaies before our eies our owne vnworthines that so wee may learne to humble our selues to renouÌ„ce our owne worth and to cleaue vnfeinedly vnto God yea to deny to die vnto our selues that so we may devote out selues and our whole liues only to God And verely when the Lord hath once revealed shewed vnto vs how he hath loued vs and given himselfe vnto vs and hath abounded towardes vs in his gracious blessings and hath caused al his creatures to serue to our vse theÌ„ shal we desire in al sincerity to loue and please him and to resigne our selues wholy to his service When God shal say vnto vs ye are my people then shal we answere thou art our GOD. When Christ shal haue Hos 2. 23. made manifest his tender affection to his spouse haue taught her to say my beloued is mine and hath assured me of his â—idelity Cant. 2. 16. then shal shee reply I am his and am fully resolved to keepe true touch and faith with him His loue is mine and shall bee alwaies before mine eles and my service is his and shal be continually in his sight If a master among men should giue vnto his servant an annuity of 20. nobles by the yeere or some little farme or other living if hee serue him not therefore at his becke hee crieth out straight waies against his ingratitude but if he happen to ioine against him in any cause or suite and that with his professed and deadly enemie how intollerable an indignity doth this seeme in his sight Now we our selues haue receaved from our grand master and Lord not only some small parte portion of our liueing maintenaÌ„ce but our selues also whatsoever we enioy out lot tâ— is fallen out vnto vs in a good grouÌ„d we haue a very goodly hevitage Psal 16. 6. for the Lord himselfe is our portioÌ„ he doth maintaine our lotte What vnkind vnthankful wretches are we theÌ„ if we surrender not backe againe vnto him both our selues al that we enioy to be prest ready at his coÌ„mandemeÌ„t If we keepe not a continual remeÌ„braÌ„ce of these inestimable mercies sette theÌ„ not alwaies before our eies wee bee worthy to be cleane cast out of his sight vtterly to be put out of his remeÌ„braÌ„ce If so ful streames flowing froÌ„ so pure a fouÌ„taine do not moisteÌ„ the dry barreÌ„ soile of our soules make vs fruitful to al good works theÌ„ are we verely but badd grouÌ„d â—…re to the curse whose end is to be burâ—…d Vndoubtedly as al the rivers flowing out of the sea returne thither againe so empty theÌ„selues after a sort into their mothers lappe eveÌ„ so the Lords innumerable blessings issuing froÌ„ the maine sea of his loue vnto the vse of his faithful sincere servaÌ„ts are thaÌ„kfully returned by them backe againe and faithfully employed
this wrathfull countenance of God of al other calamities crosses is most grievous burdensome vnto them and doth aboue al other miseries vexe and torment their tender harts casteth theÌ„ downe to the gates of hell Then in anguish of soule and bitternes of spirit they powre forth whole streames of complaineâ— crying out and saying Will the Lord absent himselfe forever and will he be no more entreated Is his mercy cleane gone for ever Psal 77. 7. and is his goodnes come vtterly to an end far evermore â— hath God forgotten to be gracious hath he shut vp his loving kindnes in displeasure TheÌ„ said I this is my death againe O Lord how long wilt thou be angrie Psal 80. 4. with thy people that praieth Thou hast fed them with the bread of teares and hast given them plentâ—…snes of teares to drinke thou haste made vs to be a very strife vnto our neighbours our enemies laugh vs to scorne Turne vs againe O God of hosts shew vs the light of thy countenance and we shall be safe And yet in truth when the Lorde most sharply chasteneth his God is nearest to his servants in their asstictions albeit he seemeth to be then farthest of he sheweth then most of all the effect of his loue allthough they for the present feele it not Psa 119. 71. 75 ver own deare children he is not in wrath offended with them but in great loue most of all then tendreth their good his grace and favour is not absent but then especially is present with them albeit they for the very instaÌ„t feele not the same For what is it that in and by their afflictions worketh in them humility repentaÌ„ce patience obedience an earnest desire to feele the Lord gracious and favourable vnto them aboue all things to behold the light of his countenaÌ„ce Are not al these the most evident effects of the favourable presence of God with theÌ„ of the most neere assistance of his grace Doth he not herein shew theÌ„ the light of his couÌ„tenance make manifest vnto them his loue to their great benefit good Surely David did most thaÌ„kfully acknowledge so much saying It is good for me that I haue beene in trouble that I might learne thy statutes And againe I know O Lorde that thy iudgements are righteous and that thou not of wrath but of very faithfulnes hast caused me to be troubled And therfore Ieremy praied for the Ier. 10 24. same as for a thing beneficiall and good Correct vs O Lord yeâ— in thy iudgement not in thy fury For God chastiseth his children in loue albeit he punisheth the wicked in wrath And therfore both Iob. 5. 17. Iob David iudge not that the godly when they are afflicted are in a bad but in a right good and blessed estate Blessed is the man say they whom thou chastenest O Lorde and teachest in thy lawe that thou maiest giue him patience in time of adversitie vntill the â—it bee digged vp for the vngodly And therefore the Apostles did reioice in Rom. 5. 3. tribulations knowing that tribulations bring forth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God is shedde abroade in our heartes by the holy Ghost The loue of God then apprehended by faith not only engendereth Hope Patience ConfessioÌ„ in vs loue towardes God but also hope that maketh not ashamed and patience that maketh vs to reioice in tribulations and to be couragious and constant in the confession of his truth albeit all manner of crosses accompanye the same For out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh and therfore if vvith the hearte wee beleeue to righteousnesse wee will bee ready vvith the mouth to confesse vnto salvation I beleeved saith David Rom. 10. 10 Psal 116. 10 2. Cor. 4. 13 and therefore haue I spoken so vvee also saith the Apostle beleeue and therefore speake And verily if wee doe beleeue that GOD from everlasting hath acknowledged vs and hath written our names in the booke of life howe can it bee but that wee shoulde thankefully acknowledge him before the greate congregation and willingly confesse him before the whole worlde Yea how can it bee but that wee shoulde continually make our resorte to Praier him by praier in all our necessities and craue his gracious aide to assiste and strengthen vs in all those afflictions and crosses which vvee endure for his most holy name sake The vnfaithfull vvho vvill not bee persvvaded of the fatherly loue and favour of God towardes them cannot come with any cheerefulnes to make their praiers vnto God for howe can they call vppon him Rom 10. 14 on whom they haue not beleeved but the faithfull that beleeue that God is become their loving father in Christ that by him they haue such interest in God in al his blessings must needs coÌ„e to him with great coÌ„fideÌ„ce hope powre out their whole harts continually before him and present vnto him all their petitions and requests And verily they need not to be ashamed to come into his presence seeing they are cloathed with the most precious garments of Christ their elder brother and haue him to bee their continuall advocate solliciter to pleade their cause In deed the more they behold their owne nakednes and shame take a true view of the rotten ragges fained garments of their owne righteousnes and the more deepely therewithal they meditate vpon that strange and admirable goodnesse of God that would cast the eies of his loue vpoÌ„ such loathsome wretches they haue great cause as to be ashamed of their abominable corruption so to be waile and lament their intollerable vnthankfulnesse And so the prophet Ezechiel hath testified that the faithful shal Eze. 16. 63. be confounded in themselues and hange downe their heads never open their mouthes for shame when they shal behold the loue of God towards them in Christ which hath freely pardoned all their iniquities and sinnes when I say they shal see on the one side how gracious God is to them on the otherside how grievous they themselues haue bin vnto God An ensample wherof In the praier of Manasse affixed at the end of the bookes of the Chronicles we haue in Manasse king of Iudah vnto whoÌ„ when the Lorde had given a little taste of his promise of mercy and had giveÌ„ him some assurance of the remission of his sinnes and of his receiving into favour how doth he debase and cast himselfe downe as if he were the only offender among all the servants of God and all other were as it were no sinners in comparison of him And how doth he exaggerate and amplifie his own transgressions as if they were more then the sande of the sea and togither withall so odious and abominable that he was not worthy to behold the heavens for the same
in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayest doe it By which words we are to learne that God in his divine and heavenly wisedome hath not appointed either an Angel from heaven or a messenger from beyond the seas to bee the instruments wherby his wil may be related vnto vs but only his holy word sacred coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts In truth such is the pride curiosity superstition and rebellion of sottish sinfull man that he setteth light by the meanes appointed by God for his best instruction would needes haue one raised from the deade or an Angel from heaven to bring him tydings of the Lordes wil and to make relation thereof or else hee woulde receive it by tradition from his auncestors or by descent from his forefathers The rich glutton beeing in hell is saide to haue made his petition to Abraham being in heaven that he should cause one to come froÌ„ the deade to admonish his brethren whom he had lefte aliue behinde him least they also should come into the same place of tor ments Not that the damned spirits in hel are so charitably affected that they could wish others to be delivered from those miseries which they themselues endure wheras on the contrary side they are so envious and malitious that they envy at the happy estate of the blessed and would haue all entangled with them in the same curse But the purpose of the parable is to shew the vanity of such as are aliue who coÌ„tent not themselues with the instructioÌ„ of the word but needs would be taught by a messenger from the dead Now what is Abrahams answere to this petition They haue saith he Moses and the Prophets that is the word of Luk 16. 29. God sett down in their writings let them beare them For howsoever many perswade themselues that they should verily beleeue and amend their liues if one should arise from the deade and admonish warne them of the great danger they are subiect vnto in respect of their sins yet it is a contrary resolution from the spirit of God by the mouth of Abraham If they wil not heare Moses the Prophets neither will they beleeve though one rose againe from the deade For if they will not be taught and reformed by such meanes as God in his dâ—vine wisedome hath thought to be best for their instruction reformation then surely al such meanes must needs be of lesse force and efficacy which blinde foolish man hath of himselfe imagined conceaved And therfore when the vaine people in the time of the Prophet Esay would needes be certified Esa 8. 19. of the Lords will by sorcerers coniurers by informatioÌ„s from the deade What saith the Lord from the living to the deade Doe yee appeale from the censure of the eternall and everliving Lord vnto the sentence of such as are deade To the lawe to the testimony for if they vvhich pretend to certifie you of the vvill of the Lord speake not out of this vvorde it is because they haue no light in them And verely if we meane to consult with God and to haue an answere from him concerning his will wee must seeke for the same froÌ„ the divine Oracles of his sacred word if we be desirous Rom. 3. 2. Psal 119. to be partakers of the Lords counselles our counsellours must bee the Lords owne bookes For they are the Lords testimonies and after a sort his sworne witnesses to testify vnto vs all the truth nothing but the truth in all matters that concerne the glory of God the salvation of our owne soules They containe the full and whole wil and testament of our heavenly father the disposition of all such blessings as he bestoweth vpon his deare louing children the prescription of all such duties as he requireth at their hands And yet there haue bin still are many who had rather seeke for the manifestation of the will of God in the traditions of their auncestors in the examples of their forefathers then in the very will testament of God himselfe Our Fathers Ioh. 4. 10. saith the woman of Samariâ— worshipped in this mount but ye say thaâ— Ierusalem is the place where men ought to worshippe The Samaritaneâ— had forsaked the most certaine infallible rule of the vvritten word pretended the example of their progenitors an olde tradition from their forefathers Our Fathers worshippeâ— in this mount But what replieth our blessed Saviour vnto this so plausible glorious an allegation yee worshippeyee wote not what vve Vers 22. know what we worshippe therfore salvatioÌ„ is from vs. So the Idolatrous Iewes The word say they that thou hast spoken to vs â—n Ier. 44. 16. the name of the Lord we will not heare it of thee but will doe whatsoever goeth out of our owne mouth as to burne incense to the Queene of heaveÌ„ and to powre out our drinke-offrings to her as we haue done both we our fathers our kinges our princes in the cities of Iudah in the streetes of Ierusalem for then bad we plenty of victuals and vvere well and felte none evill So mightely doth crooked custome the example of carnal progenitors other carnal respects prevaile with carnal sensuall men but the spirituall man is taught by the spirit of truth to follow no such deceaveable guids We followed not saith S. Peter deceaueable fables wheÌ„ we opened vnto you the power coÌ„ming of our 2. Pet. 1. 16. Lord Iesus Christ but with our eies we sawe his glory for be received of God the father honour glory when there came such a voice vnto him from the excellent glory This is my well beloued sonne in whom I am well pleased And this voice we heard when it came from heaven being vvith him in the holy mount We haue also a most sure word of the Prophets vnto the which yee doe well that yee take heede as vnto a light that shineth in a darke place Wherby we learne that the word of God delivered either by revelation from himselfe or else sett downe by the pennes of the Apostles and Prophets is a most sure vndeceavable testimony of the Lords wil wheras that which is delivered by tradition from hand to hande hath oftentimes a mixture of decea veable fables in steede of pure and sincere truth as the Iewish Thalmud and the popish Legende can testifie sufficiently And therefore for the safer custodie and preservation of the truth it Luk. 1. 4. pleased the spirite of GOD that the Gospell first preached by the mouth of the Apostles and Evangelistes should afterward be registred by their ovvne pennes and sette dovvne vnder their ovvne handes VVee haue not saith Irene by any other knowen those thinges that belong to our salvation but by those by whom Iren l. 3. c. 1 the Gospell came vnto vs the vvhich they at the first published by mouth and