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
for the eating and consuming of meate but that in enioying the coÌ„forr of God his creatures he might praise the Lord the more freely Neither can any man hereof iustly gather that therfore on this day he may fil himselfe with meate as he lusteth because that were rather to vnable than to enable him to keepe holy the Sabbath Againe we say in like maner that labour that is the commoditie that commeth by labour was made for man not man for the labour but for the glorie of God which by labour in his lawfull calling he may gaine to the Lord. Wherefore seeing the rest was appointed only but as meanes wherby man may the more fitly sanctifie the Sabbath and the disciples did eate this corne that they might be the fitter thereunto it is manifest they did not violate the sanctifying of the Sabbath Besides though no man can say that the Sacraments are figuratiue yet the Sacraments were made for man not man for the Sacraments that is for the bare vse of the elements although it must needs be graunted that to vse the word and Sacraments in purenes and holines for the further strengthening of our faith is one of the chiefest and most principall duties of man How be it in respect they be but meanes and are to giue place to the end to the which they are ordained I am perswaded that though the congregation were busie either in hearing the word preached or in receiuing the Sacraments ministred yet if an house being on fire were in loue to be helped the former actions were to giue place to the latter For we reade Act. 20. 10. where Paul being occupied in preaching and espying a young man who was in a dead sleepe fallen downe dead made no conscience to cease from speaking to goe downe to lay himselfe vpon the young man to imbrace him vntill his spirit returned into him and afterward went vp againe and continued his preaching Wherefore in all these reasons we may see how Christ did shew vnto the Iewes that they peruersly did stand in the ceremonie and did not abrogate the Sabbath Here then is a farre contrarie argument to that which these men affirme For seeing our Sauiour Christ might in one word haue shewed it to be a ceremonie if he had purposed any such thing and not haue so amplified the matter we see he rather speaketh against their superstitious opinion and abuse of the Sabbath than affirmeth any such thing as these men do surmise To these former reasons we may adde that which is Matth. 24. 20. Pray that your flight be not in the winter neither on the Sabbath day This say they sheweth that the persecution of Ierusalem should be by so much the more grieuous to the Iewes if it fell on the Sabbath because then it was not lawfull for them to flie so that if they stayed they were like to lose their liues by falling into the hands of their enemies if they fled they should breake the Law of God so become subiect to the punishment thereof But this was nothing in the purpose of our Sauiour Christ who therefore forewarned them to pray that the destruction of the citie should not fall on the Sabbath because then it would be the more grieuous punishment vnto them when besides the hauocke of their owne bodies they should see the glorie of God thrust through the sides the Temple polluted the worship of God prophaned the word of God blasphemed and the Sabbath of the Lord defiled The truth whereof appeareth in this that troubles the time of their visitation should come vpon them when the Sabbath should not be ceremoniall as now it was when Christ spake vnto them but at such time as men should worship God in spirit and trueth without all shadowes and figures when Christ should be ascended into heauen as indeed it came to passe So that this should increase the griefe of so many as sincerely worshipped the Lord that when they should reioyce in the holy worship of God they should mourne and lament for the enemies horrible blaspheming the name of God and that when they should sing the praises of God they would sigh and houle to see the open despite of God and his trueth In respect of which miserable calamities our Sauiour Christ foresheweth the wofull estate that should be in those daies of them which were with child and gaue sucke For though the fruite of the wombe and multiplying of children in respect of themselues were the good blessings of God yet the estate of those times should be so dangerous that euen the blessings of God should be turned to curses and the children which otherwise were a comfort vnto them should now increase their trouble discomfort and sorrow Wherefore it is certaine that Christ neither meant that euery day should be alike for then he would not distinctly haue pointed at this day neither did he thinke it to be a ceremonie because he knowing the time when ceremonies should cease would haue been so farre off from nourishing them in their superstition that being the Prophet of God he would in this as in other things rather teach them the pure vse of the Sabbath Thus hauing spoken of those places in the Gospell which might seeme to make against the Sabbath now let vs speake of those places in the epistles of the Apostles that we may see whether they containe any sound trueth for their purpose howsoeuer they be thought to haue some hold in shew These allegations are either out of the epistles of Paul or the epistles to the Hebrues out of the epistles of Paul which he wrote to the Romans to the Galathians or to the Colossians The place which they bring out of the epistle to the Romans is in the 14 chap. vers 1. Him that is weake in the faith receiue vnto you but not for controuersies of disputations 2. One beleeueth that hee may eate of all things and another which is weake eateth hearbes 3. Let not him that eateth despise him that eateth not and let not him which eateth not iudge him that eateth for God hath receiued him 4. Who arâ— thou that condemnest anothâ—r mans sâ—ruant he standeth or fallâ—th to his â—wne maister yea he shall be established for God is able to make him stand 5. This man esteemeth one day aboue another day and another man counteth euery day alike lâ—t euery man be fully perswaded in his minde 6. He that obserueth the day obserueth it to the Lord and he that obserueth not the day obserueth it â—â—t to the Lord c. In this last verse they would gather that a man might make choise of daieâ— as he will and as in a thing indifferent And some learned expositors affirme that the Apostle in this chapter intreateth of things which in their owne nature are indifferent and therefore here we are to vse theÌ„ in loue As I grant this to be the general scope of the place so I deny it to
this true longing be in vs or no we must see whether it be after that saluation which is to be ioyed or whether it vanisheth away and is nothing but a tormeÌ„t of the conscience Besides this is a sure note of it if our desire be sound it is not satisfied vntill the thing longed for be accomplished As wee may see in naturall and humane things is in them that are sicke with loue they are in continual perplexity of mind vntil they haue obtained their loue likewise must we long after the word For loÌ„ging is a feruent desire and not a thing quickly come quickly gone but a thing that hath bin searched by reason and in iudgement hath bin chosen So that as we shewed before there is a great difference betweene a lightning desire a setled iudgement which causeth vs in truth to long In that he now maketh mention of his longing after his election he sheweth that he had cast his accounts set down how he might be able to meet the mighty man indenter battaile with him as it is in the gospell This longing cannot bee in the wicked for when they long it is for heresies or worldly pleasures and right longing commeth from a right sight iudgement and affection which will bring in the carefull vsing of the meanes For as it holdeth in false longing so also in holy longings that after long debaâ—ing and examining of our selues and casting our accounts what will be the fruite of the good and what will be the end of sinne carefully wil vse the meanes For as the desire vseth meanes so longing vseth meanes carefully Let vs now examine our selues where our feruency is for ioy and hope feare sorrow shew a maÌ„s heart as whatsoeuer we ioy in whiles we haue it that we sorrow for when wee haue lost it And let vs examine our longing whether we can vse the word with delight or no whether praier be pleasant whether the sacraments be coÌ„fortable to vs or no and whether the discipline of the Church be reuerend and precious to vs. If our desire be cold our â—sing of the meanes is also cold if we be feruent in desire wee are also feruent in vsing of â—â—e meanes The Apostle speaking to the Romans cap 6. after the manner of men saith he will not extort so much as he might doe but hee will deale with them more easily and whereas he might require greater obedience he saith as ye haue giuen your members seruants vnto vncleannes and iniquitie to commit iniquitie so now giue your members seruants vnto righteousnes in holines This is but an humane thing if we should see how wee haue longed after things naturall and vnnaturall if we should see how wee haue longed inordinately let vs â—ee if our longing be alike after the word and let vs say to our owne soules what was there such a longing in vs after such things whereof wee are now ashamed before God in our prayerâ— and before men when they are but named and haue we such slender longing after our saluation it is to be feared our choise is not yet made for if it were wee should surely long mâ—â—e and longing we should more vse the meanes Vers. 175. Let my soule liue and it shall praise thee and thy iudgements shall helpe mee HEre â—â—â— man of God desireth life to none other end but to praise GOD in keeping of his word as he said before Port. 3. 1. Be beneficiall to thy seruant that I may liue keepe thy Worde In which place hee also desireth none other life but that which is according to the word of God For all other liues haue a vaine title of life but this is true life We see the man of God doth not onely feele with the Apostle that in God wee mooue liue and haue our being but also speaketh of a more excellent thing to wit that in him we liue spiritually Againe he looketh not in himselfe for any naturall life but acknowledgeth that manâ— life is of the word of God Let vs therefore learne with Dauid to commit our liues to the Lord Psalm 31. 15. Into thine hands I commend my spirit c. He speaketh this in his life time and committeth it to the Lord that as he gaue it him so he would vouchsafe to keepe it being giuen Now we shall neuer in truth say the like vntill we perceiue how wee receiued our life of God how he nourisheth it and how to him we must surrender it againe Wherefore we are not to liue as doe the bruite beasts and the heathen but we must liue to enioy our saluation and couet our saluation to praise the Lord because there is no other end of mans life than Gods glorie As for them which liue to any other end Salomon iudgeth no better of the vntimely fruite than of them who enioy many dayes in pleasure and after goe to the darkenes Besides we know how all other inferiour things were created to glorifie God in seruing man and man was made to glorifie God by the true vse of the word Let my soule liue c. This is the vsuall phrase of the Scripture when they vse to set dowâ— a thing more pathetically as Luke 1. My soule doth magnifie the Lord my spirit praiseth Goe my Sauiour And Psalm 103. 1. and 104. 1. My soule praise thou the Lord. Psalm 115. 17. The dead praise not the Lord neither any that goe downe into the place of silence and Psalm 6. 5. In death there is no remembrance of thee in the graue who shall praise thee and Esay 38. 19. The pit cannot praise thee the graue cannot confesse thee death cannot praise thee they that goe downe into the pit cannot praise thee but the liuing the liuing shall confesse thee as I doe this day c. How grieuous a thing it is now euery man may iudge that a man should goe out of this world or euer he knew wherefore he came into the world and this is that which maketh vs so loth to die This was it that made the Saints of God in former times so vnwilling to leaue this life not that they wanted any hope of the life to come or had not the ioy of a blessed resurrection but either they had some speciall sinnes heauily pressed their consciences whereby they had dishonoured God or else they desired to liue in greater measure to glorifie God either in entring into the way of repentance or else growing in the same after they had entred because as yet they could not say in truth I haue fought a good fight I haue runne a good race I haue kept thy faith from henceforth a crowne of glorie is prepared for mee For they knew that whereof we are willingly ignorant that we shall neuer vncessantly praise God in heauen vnlesse wee carefully serue God in earth and we shall neuer praise God in the congregation of Angels which praise not God in the congregation of his saints
other part yet remaining in vs still subdued vnder sin in which the Lord of mercie doth not esteeme vs but in that new man which is fashioned againe according vnto his own Image In so much as S. Paul doubteth not to say that the sinnes of the faithfull proceeding from the remainder of corruption yet abiding in them are not their works but the works of the flesh which being already wounded vnto death by the power of the death of CHRIST languisheth more more and shal finally be abolished by death which is the ende and accomplishment of our mortification and fullie endeth the battaile betweene the flesh and the spirit What shall I say of the loathing of this life and the vanitie thereof of that desire which is in the children of God to be dissolued and to be with Christ of contentment in all estates patience in afflictions constancie in truth loue towards those that loue the Lord pitie towards those that are in miserie and the desiring of the good euen of their enemies and thos that hate them Which vertues though they beare not an equall saile by reason of the weaknes of the flesh and of the malice and resistance of the enemie yet are they vndoubted testimonies of our loue towards God which is not but in those who are first beloued of him and haue tasted how good and gracious he is If we shall looke vnto the exercises of pietie of the worship of God though we may here aâ— else-where complaine of our wants and defects yet we shall through Gods goodnes finde matter of comfort Remember therfore what mercie the Lord hath shewed you in this part with what desire affection you haue heard the word of God how precious it hath bene vnto you aboue gold euen the most fine golde how sweet and comfortable euen aboue the hony the hony combe Remember with what fruit of knowledge in the will of God increase of Faith in his promises purpose and endeuour of amendment of life you haue oftentimes heard the same Call to minde with what zeale and earnestnes of spirit you haue sometimes called vpon the Name of God both publikely and priuately with others and alone by your selfe with what ioy and reioycing of the soule you haue praised the Lord for his mercies towards his Church and towards your selfe Call to minde what hath bene in you at any time the power of those Sacraments which are annexed as seales vnto the promise of saluation by Christ and how farre they haue by the blessing of God erected your minde in hope and assurance of his goodnes towards you If your present discouragement resist the comfort of these meditations it is no newe thing that in our weaknes wee should after the manner of those that be sicke disaduantage our selues of that which might doe vs good yet remember how iniurious a thing it were to esteeme the children of God by their present agonies and conflicts of conscience rather then by the comfort of that estate wherein the grace of God shined plentifully vpon them and in them For as when men are diseased it cannot thereof be concluded that they were neuer in health so the present discomforts of the children of God though they take away the sense of his mercie for a time yet they are no repeale of his former goodnesse and fauour towardes them nor denie them to haue bene euen in their owne iudgement and feeling deare vnto the Lord and still to bee though the storme and tempest of their present affliction suffer them not so liuely and comfortablie to enioy the same as before For which cause they must with Iob and Dauid call to remembrance the comforts of times past from thence to assure themselues of the returne of the good hand of the Lord in due time I doubt not but you can be witnes vnto God and to your owne selfe that the time hath beene when your comfort and assurance of Gods fauour was such as Sathan himselfe could not denie the testimonie which then the spirit of God did beare vnto your spirits Now the gifts and calling of God are without repentance and whome hee loueth he loueth vnto the end neither doth our saluation depend vpon any thing of our owne for then we should a thousand times perish and fall before the enemie but vpon that eternall and euerlasting loue of God wherewith he hath loued vs in IESVS CHRIST before the foundations of the world were laide which loue of his if it hath at anie time bene made knowne vnto vs and apprehended of vs we haue assurance greater then the testimonie of men and Angels But you will say that which sometimes I felt is now gone and in stead thereof I am perpetually oppressed with the horror of the wrath of God iust against me for my sinnes It is true that the power and sense of Faith is not alwayes alike in the children of God yet is it a false and sophisticall conclusion suggested from him that is a lyar from the beginning and the father of lying to say we feele not faith therfore there is no faith in vs. For in many diseases of the body wee haue no sense of life and yet wee liue the Sunne shineth not in the night season nor when it is obscured with cloudes shall wee say therfore that there is no Sunne or that it hath vtterly no operation Admit also which yet may not be admitted that the Lord had for a time vtterly giuen vs ouer can wee conclude thereof that he will neuer againe be mercifull vnto vs Nay hee that found vs when wee sought him not will surely returne vnto the worke which hee hath begun though he seemeth for a while to haue forsaken it There is sometime as it were an eclipse of our faith and of the feeling of the grace of God towards vs but let vs assure our selues that as the Sunne and Moone doe not perish in their eclipses nor loose their light for euer so in this eclipse which happeneth for a time vnto our faith and sense of Gods goodnesse the same shall not perish or lose his vertue for euer but shall in good time bee restored or rather quickened in vs againe vnto our further and more assured comfort This you haue seene in many deare children of God whose heauinesse hath beene knowne vnto you that they haue not beene forgotten for euer but that the Lord who seemed for a while to frown vpon them did in the end cause his most gracious and louing countenance to shine vpon them againe you haue felt it in your selfe that there hath beene an interchangeable course of sorrow and comfort of faith and feare and that the one hath continually succeeded the other that the same hand that humbled you did raise you vp againe that he that inflicted the wound into your soule applied thereunto the
cause of them it was both easie and sure to attribute it to our failing in religion in not doing some good which God required at our hands or if we did it because we were too ceremoniall and rested in the thing wrought If we haue failed in not doing it may be the Lord calleth vs to some thing to be done Againe by these sudden feares and griefes the Lord will sometime prepare a way to come vnto vs not much vnlike to a Prince who before his comming hath a peale of gunnes as a warning peece and then we are to meete the Lord with prayer for now is the time now is the fit oportunitie of praying because the Lord will shortly passe by vs and therefore we must stirre vp our selues And hauing prayed it is good to make an holy pursuite after him as laying a godly claime to the promises of God not in particular but in generall for who knoweth but the Lord what is good in particular for our saluation Here he shewed by his owne example to commend the vse of prayer how he being once feared with deceiuable and grieuous visions called to minde being alone in the darke night the vnbeliefe of the Disciples on the Seas where our Sauiour Christ was asleepe then he asked his owne soule whether he had prayed or no or whether in prayer he made not some haste out of it as being desirous to be rid of it Then cōsidering that he gaue himselfe to God who was the Lord of the night as well as of the day of darknes as well as of the light he prayed againe to the praise of God he spake it he slept more quietly than before after he did so striue in faithfull prayer 5 In afflictions we must search the cause first by ascending to God then by descending into our selues First we must ascend to God pleading guiltie crauing mercie and not stand quarrelling with the malice of men or hatred of the diuell against vs for as it were no good wisedome for a man condemned to die to make any long suite to the Iaylor or to the executioner for they be but vnder officers can do nothing but he must labour to the Iudge who can either reprieue or release him so it is no good policy to stand about Sathan in our temptations who doth all by constraint restraint vnder the Lord but we must goe to the principall that is God in whose hands are both the entrance the continuance and the issues of our sufferings Secondly we must search our selues how farre either reason is vnreformed or affections vnrenewed knowing that the diuell himselfe can neuer hurt vs vntill we haue hurt our selues And looke in what measure our reason is corrupt or our affections disordered in that measure are we weake and easier to be ouerthrowne of men or of Sathan and in what measure our reason is sound and our affections sincere in that measure we remaine inuincible Before and in all we must pray that the spirit may be giuen vs that we neither adde nor detract that we goe not too farre nor come too short 6 If God bestow good gifts on a man it were good to feele some crosse to seale and season them in vs. If God giue vs foode and raiment it were good to be exercised with some crosse 7 He that will haue comfort in his triall and trauels must haue a good conscience a sound cause and must be sure that he hath vsed and doth vse sound discreete and louing meanes 8 We must not like fooles stumble at the crosse but profit by the grace offered to vs in it by repenting our former state past and by giuing thankes for our state present and fearing our state to come 9 It is a great corruption in men to be more grieued when the crosse priuatly toucheth themselues than when publikely it concerneth the whole Church and common-wealth 10 Being in great paines and crosses which he suffered hee said Blessed be God that I suffer no more for the Lord that in mercie laieth this affliction vpon me might iustly punish me in my soule and bodie and cast me into hell and as soone haue taken away the life of my soule and bodie as this thing 11 To one complaining that his afflictions were extraordinarie he answered It is not so for your afflictions are farre inferiour to your sinnes and therefore howsoeuer it seemeth to you to be an extraordinarie affliction yet with God it is but ordinarie or lesse than ordinarie Besides this is a dangerous temptation for it will bring you to this conceit that you shall reason thus in your selfe that an extraordinarie crosse must haue an extraordinarie comfort and therefore you must looke for some wonderfull and strange consolation whereby Sathan will moue you to contemne or at least not so to regard ordinarie consolations which haue helped others and may helpe you by this meanes breed in you such vnthankfulnes that before you are aware an extraordinarie affliction shall be sent indeed 12 He that will suffer great things in persecution must suffer small things in peace and they that will suffer of Papists must suffer of Protestants Anger 1 THis is a good triall whether our anger be spirituall or carnall if our anger hinders not some other holy action but stirres vs vp to good workes if it hinder vs not to pray with libertie of minde if it interrupt not our meditations if we doe not omit the doing of any dutie to the partie offending vs if we can deale with others without peeuishnes then our anger is spirituall and will comfort our consciences 2 He was euer most grieued and angrie yet in loue with them whom he tendred most in the Lord and who had giuen him most credit by submitting themselues wholie to his ministerie Angels 1 TO one asking how the Angels of God watch ouer vs he answered we are rather to pray for the experience of their ministerie vnto vs than either to describe it or prescribe it This is sure if we be Gods children and walke in his waies the Angels of God do watch ouer vs and yet all see it not and when they see it it is by the effect of their ministerie for though their ministerie be certaine yet the manifestation of it is extraordinarie Atheisme 1 A Certaine man being a Papist though not so grounded as he desired to be tooke a view of the life of Papists if it were as glorious in truth as they pretended which when he found not he turned himselfe to the Protestants and looking into their conuersation he found himselfe not contented vntill in the end he met with Familists in whom he so staied himselfe that he grew into familiaritie with their doctrine The first principle that they taught him was that there was no God This boyled much in him so that he began to adde conclusions to this precept on this sort If there be a God he
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
that Christ shall come in his Majestie to pronounce sentence vpon all those that were dead before and vpon them that then shall befound aliue What comfort haue you by this 1. I am comforted in my greatest miserie knowing that CHRIST will come one day and 〈…〉 of all 2. I am sure that hee will giue sentence on my side and take me to glorie with him Why say you I beleeue in God the holie Ghost Because he is God equall with the Father and the Sonne Why call you him â—â—â— Because hee is the Author of all holinesse What fruite haue you by this 1. The holie Ghost doth assure mee that I am the childe of God by making mee to call him Aâ—â—â— Father 2 He assureth me that by the vertue of the death and resurrection of Christ that sinne dieth in mee and I am raised vp to holinesse of life 3. The holy Ghost leadeth me into all truth needfull to Gods glorie my saluation 4. Hee comforteth mee in all my troubles and in death assureth me of a better life in this same bodie and soule What is the meaning of this article I belieue that there is a Catholike Church That God hath a certaine number of his chosen children which hee doth call and gather to himselfe Why say you I belieue that there is a Catholike Church Because that the Church of God cannot be alwayes seene with the eyes of man Why call you the Church Holie Because the Church on the earth though in it selfe it is sinfull yet in Christ the head it is holy and in the life to come shall be brought to perfection of holines Why doe you call it Catholique Because God in all places and of all sorts of men had from the beginning hath now and euer wil haue an holy Church What is the meaning of this article The Communion of Saints The whole Church communicateth with Christ and euery member one with another in the benefites of Christ. What comfort haue you by this article 1. I am comforted because I am iustified by that Faith whereby Adam and Abraham were iustified which is tyed to no time or place and excludeth no person 2. I am comforted because I am made partaker of Christ and all his mercies by Faith and of all the blessings of the Church by loue What belieuest thou in this article I belieue the forgiuenesse of sinnes I belieue that God for Christs sake doth freely forgiue me not onely all my sinnes but also the punishment that I haue deserued by them Why say you I belieue the forgiuenesse of sinnes Because no reason can perswade mee but the holie Ghost onely must worke the assurance of it in my heart What comfort haue you heereby 1. First I am comforted because all the sinnes I haue and daily commit shall neuer be laide to my charge 2. Secondly I am comforted because that the weaknes and wants of all my duties are couered and supplied in Christ. 3. Thirdly I am comforted because God will heare mee praying for others that they may haue Faith to feele the forgiuenes of sinnes What belieuest thou in this article The resurrection of the body vnto life euerlasting I belieue that this bodie after it shall be dissolued into dust shall bee raised vp againe at the last day and my soule shall liue in euerlasting glorie What comfort reape you thereby 1. I am made comfortable and chearefull in well-doing seeing my labour shall not be in vaine 2. I am made to despise the pleasures and glory of this world and with patience to suffer all troubles that are laide vpon me in this present life 3. It comforteth me ouer the death of my dearest friends and maketh mee carefull in death knowing that I shall haue a part in the resurrection of the iust What fruite haue you when you belieue all these Articles All doe come to this ende that being iustified by faith I am righteous in Christ before God What be the seuerall fruites 1. First I am at peace with God although in my selfe for my outward sinnes which I daily commit and my inward corruption which remaineth I am daily accused 2. I get strength to fight against my outward sinnes to subdue my inward corruption to doe outward good workes and to delight in the law of God in the inward man 3. I haue a right to all Gods creatures so that the vse and want of them shall turne to the furtherance of my saluation 4. I am assured of the glorification of my soule and bodie in the heauens because I am made an heire of euerlasting life Why is this giuen wholly and onely vnto Faith Not because Faith doth deserue it but because the merits of Christ can be laid holde on and applyed to my selfe by none other meanes but by Faith alone Cannot our good workes in some part iustifie vs before God No for the righteousnes which is able to stand in the iudgement of God must be perfect in all respects Are not our good workes perfect No for in many things wee sinne all and againe the best workes we doe are defiled with sinne and therefore can deserue nothing at the hands of God Why then doth God promise a reward vnto them The reward that God doth promise it is not for the desert of workes but of his owne grace and mercie Will not this doctrine make men carelesse of well doing No for they that be ingraffted into Christ must needes bring forth good workes Why is it needfull that they should doe good workes 1. First that wee may by them shew our selues thankfull vnto God for all his benefites 2. That we may be assured of our Faith and election by good works 3. That by our good workes wee may edifie others How maiest thou edifie others 1. First by encouraging and strengthening those that are good 2. Secondly by winning those that are not come vnto God 3. And then by stopping the mouthes of the wicked 4. The fourth ariseth of the former and that is the glorie of GOD which is aduanced by them Are good workes so needfull that without them wee cannot be saued Yea for although good workes doe not worke our saluation in any part yet because they that are iustified are also sanctified they that doe no good workes declare that they neither are iustified nor sanctified and therefore cannot be saued Then they must much more be condemned which commit sinne and lye in it Yea for such are not onely pronounced to bee accursed by the Law but also the Gospell hath denounced that they shall not inherite the kingdome of heauen Can euery one doe good workes None can doe good workrs but they that are borne againe How can they that are thus borne againe doe good workes They that are thus borne againe and carrie in them the Image of God haue repentance wrought in them from whence good workes doe proceede What is Repentance Repentance is a turning of
I am I am sure he hath infirmities as others haue we are no Angels our nature is corrupt we are but flesh I am sure you would not haue vs Gods Thus the diuell commeth to tempt but he apparrelleth himselfe in another sute when he commeth to accuse and then of a flye he makes an Elephant of the very smallest pricke of a pinne a globe of the whole earth of a molehill a mountaine and presseth sillie soules with feares and terrors that they know not how to winde out themselues If he cannot bring them to make no conscience where they should make conscience he will labour to bring them to make conscience where they neede make no conscience He careth not whether thou wilt be remisse or superstitious so thou be one of them If he cannot get you to follow the Epicurisme of the world as Libertines in diet and apparell he will make you so precise as to thinke it a hainous sinne to eate one bit of meate or to weare one rag of cloath more than for necessitie How needfull therefore it is to saile with an euen course we may coniecture by other things which will bewray the corruption of our nature In the time of a plague we shall see some will be so bold that without any lawfull calling or godly warrant they will rush into places infected and then falling sicke their conscience prickes them for their tempting of God by an vnaduised boldnes in the houre of their death Others plunged as deepely in a quite contrarie extremitie are too fearefull when they doe but heare of the sicknesse and for very feare haue beene brought to deaths doore only by imagining thēselues to haue been infected when they haue been most free who oftentimes haue euen died and that without any naturall cause that euer could be knowne but onely through immoderate feare and the iudgement of God comming vpon them for their infidelitie and vnbeleefe Thus it is with vs in Christianitie in that as well the oppressing our selues with too much feare to be ouercome as the carnall securitie in not fearing to be ouercome may bring sinne vpon vs God his children must labour for a measure and that must be sought for in the word which will teach them how they shall neither decline on the right hand nor on the left but will guide them in the narrow way shewing in euery thing what is vertue what is vice what is the meane what is the extreame Among many examples let vs consider of zeale a most precious vertue in Christianity so long as it is free from the extremities Otherwise if we be cold in zeale it is a sinne on the left hand if we be zealous without knowledge it is preposterous and becommeth a sinne on the right hand But can we not come to some perfection No if you vnderstand it for an absolute vnspottednes albeit to that perfection which the Scripture taketh for soundnes trueth and sinceritie of heart which is voide of carelesse remisnes we may come Neither doth the Lord deale with vs after our sinnes nor reward vs after our iniquities in whose eyes the most glorious actions of men are but as waters flowing purely from the Conduit but defiled by passing through a filthy chanell Wherfore hauing these imperfections let vs not seeke to be more righteous than we can be saying for euery error of this life Oh I am none of God his sonnes I am none of his daughters for I cannot finde that perfection in me which is to be required But let vs comfort our selues in the truth of our hearts and singlenes of our desires to serue God because he is God and so we shall be accepted of God I speake this to this end that poore soules might haue comfort and know that if they abhorre sinne as sinne if they examine themselues for it if they grone vnder it if they mislike themselues for it if they feare to fall into it the Lord will not pursue them with the rigor of his law but will giue them the sweetnes of his promises they are no more vnder the curse but vnder grace But further to inforce our exhortation to auoyde too scrupulous a feare which hindereth the true examination of our hearts let vs thinke that it happeneth in the spirituall conflict as in ciuill warres We reade that many cities lying in great securitie haue suddenly both beene assaulted and ouerthrowne as also how some Countries too much negligent in the meanes through an excessiue fearefulnes haue incouraged their enemies with more greedy violence to pray vpon them With which kinde of stratagems our aduersarie me diuell being well acquainted doth often practise this policie If he see vs without all feare too quietly to rest in our selues he thinketh his assault must needes be the stronger because our resistance is the weaker Againe if he descrieth in vs a cowardly feare and fainting of heart before we once begin to ioyne battell with him he will set vpon our immoderate feare and as villainously as suddenly stab vs to the heart and make a present spoyle of vs. Common practise doth further teach vs that when we can heare the word without all trembling at God his iudgements when we can pray without all feare before the Maiestie of God when we can come to the discipline of the Church without all reuerence of the ordinance of the Lord all is in vaine Againe let vs heare with too much trembling and we shall learne nothing let vs pray with too seruile a feare and our worshipping of God will be without all comfort and vncheerefull Thus if we neither lessen sinne that is sinne indeede neither make sinne of that which is not sin in truth it is good to proceed to this three-fold examination to lay the edge of this doctrine more neere our affections because many will be sound in this ripenes of knowledge and barrennes of conscience to speake dispute and declaime of all these things very skilfully which flickring in the circumference of the braine and not sitting at the ground of the heart doe seale vp a more iust sentence of condemnation against them To helpe this euill we must meditate deeply of the Law and of the Gospel together with the appurtenances of them both that finding ourselues farre from Gods blessings promised to the keepers of the law and seeing our selues neere to the curses due to the breakers of the law we may raise vp some sense of sin in our selues Yet herein we must not stay our foote but giue a further stride for whereas many by a diligent view of the law haue come to the sense of sinne in themselues and saw plainly their owne condemnation yet because they laboured not to see the guiltinesse acquited by the remission of sinne in Christ they plunged themselues into a bottomlesse sea of sorrowes Others hauing passed these degrees and hitherto made these steps to auoyde the wound of conscience haue come
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
refresh our selues with spirituall pleasures in the pure worship of God and thankefull beholding of his workes We see how these reasons make rather flatly with vs than against vs. And thus much for their proofes out of the prescript words of the lawe now let vs consider what they alleage out of the Prophets Their reasons out of the Prophets be taken either out of Esay or out of Ezechiel Out of Esay they vse these places Esai 56. 1. 2. and 58. 13. 14. and 66. 13. The wordes of the Prophet chap. 56. vers 1. 2 are these Thus saith the Lord keepe iudgement and doe iustice for my saluation is at hand to come and my righteousnesse is to be reuealed Blessed is the man that doth this and the sonne of man which laieth hold on it he that keepeth the Sabbath and polluteth it not and keepeth his hand from doing any euill See say they here is the Sabbath commended as a resting from sinne I denie it not but our controuersie is about the ground of the Sabbath For why doth the Lord so call on his people by the Prophets for keeping the Sabbath and crieth so much against the breach of the same but because it was the especiall meanes of God his worship and their saluation which being contemned they contemned God his worship and their owne welfare And because in this horrible contempt of the holie schoole of the Lord where they should haue learned both their religion towards God and duties to their brethren they gaue a manifest token of carelesnesse in them both they are worthily threatned by the Prophet And concerning the pure interpretation of this place by keeping the Sabbath is meant the obseruation of the first table by keeping their hands from doing any euill is vnderstood the obedience of the second table so that the thing in this place chiefly vrged is this that they should keepe the Sabbath which might nourish them in the worship of God and in duties to their brethren But say they the Sabbath is here ioyned with ceremonies as may appeare in the verses following therefore it is a ceremonie This is no sound argument For in the law is set downe the morall law which teacheth the common duties of all Gods people wherein be also the ceremonies which describe the duties peculiar to the Iewes whereupon we must not conclude that therefore the morall law is ceremoniall Againe these ceremonies containe not only certaine truths of spirituall things which should be accomplished in Christ but also of other meanes which should succeed in their places True it is that if they had onely contained truths of spirituall things in Christ it had beene somewhat that they affirme but seeing they haue also in them such meanes which though not in the same manner yet more effectually are afterward to be vsed the reason is not good Wherefore we reason against them thus that albeit we haue not the manner of their sacrifices yet we haue our sacrifices and meanes of Gods worship succeeding them For though we haue not as they had Priests to offer for vs and such slaine sacrifices as the Priests did offer for them yet we haue the Ministers of the word of God which cut vp mens consciences by whom the secrets of mens hearts are made manifest 1. Cor. 14. 25. By the preaching of the Gospell and word of God which being mightie in operation and sharper than a two edged sword entreth thorough euen to the diuiding asunder of the soule and spirit and of the ioynts and the marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the hearts Heb. 4. vers 12. And whereby Christ is as it were freshly crucified vnto vs and that by so much the more profitably than if we were present at the thing it selfe as beside the describing of the manner thereof the fruite of it is more effectually preached And certainely we may affirme that then the dumbe sacrifices of the blinde Papists came in when this glorious sacrifice of preaching ceased And where the word is administred in any power and sinceritie there doubtlesse the preaching of the law striketh vs and the preaching of the Gospell bringeth vs to Christ. Herein is the difference betweene the Iewes and vs that they in all their Sacraments and sacrifices represented Christ that was to come and shewed that their sinnes in him should be taken away being yet to come we manifestly in our sacrifices witnesse that he is alreadie come and that our sinnes in his death are fully pardoned Besides to those forenamed sacrifices we haue the sacrifices of prayer and thanksgiuing whereof the Prophet speaketh Psalme 141. 2. Let my prayer be directed in thy sight as incense and the lifting vp of mine hands as an euening sacrifice As also Psalme 119. part 14. vers 108. O Lord I beseech thee accept the free offerings of my mouth and teach me thy iudgements Of these sacrifices is mention Malac. 1. Hose 14. 2. Mat. 24. Ioh. Heb. 13. 15. Now in that it followeth Esai 56. 7. that the Lord will bring them to his house of prayer I grant in that they had but one house of prayer which represented to them the Church to be one it was ceremoniall yet I also confesse that in the same was this common truth that it should be a meane to worship God Wherefore in this place the Lord commaundeth and commendeth holie assemblies euen to vs to whom they be as needfull as to the Iewes For though it be not now necessarie nor required that wee should goe vp to Ierusalem to worship after the manner of the Iewes yet besides our priuate houses wherein we may worship the Lord we haue neede of one publike and common place to meete in whereunto the Lord in his Gospel hath made this promise that where two or three shall be gathered in his name he will be in the middest of them This also is commended vnto vs by the example of the holy Apostles who mette together and besides their seuerall houses it is said Acts. 2. 46. They continued with one accord in the Temple so that they had one place where the Word the Sacraments Prayer c were vsed And though we now haue not the same offerings places and sacrifices which the Iewes had yet we haue these things more effectually than they and though we haue not their Sabbath yet we haue a Sabbath The words Esay 58. 13. be these If thou turne away thy foote from the Sabbath from doing thy will on mine holy day and call the Sabbath a delight to consecrate is as glorious to the Lord and shalt honour him not doing thine owne waies nor seeking thine owne will nor speaking a vaine word 14. Then shalt thou delight in the Lord and I will cause thee to mount vpon the high places of the earth c. This is spoken to the present estate of the Iewes as then they were and not properly to
the Gentiles but as they may see their estate in the Iewes in which respect it may be profitablie applied to the Gentiles but euident it is that here properly it was spoken to the Iewes For in this place the Prophet sharply reprehendeth them because they kept not their fastings and holy daies aright Howbeit they did not sticke to complaine among themselues that they had fasted that they humbled themselues and vsed all the meanes which their fathers before them had done but all in vaine in that they felt not the like effects which their fathers did Wherefore the Lord by his Prophet answereth them in this sort True it is that yee fast indeed but therewithall yee lie and liue still in your sinnes yee fast but without repentance and so farre are yee from true forsaking of your sinnes that on your fasting daies howsoeuer like hypocrites ye vse the outward action ye exercise crueltie oppression debate and strife and doe ye looke that this holy hypocrisie should be acceptable vnto me No If ye will please me with your fasting repent ye of your sinnes shew foorth your sorrow by the fruits of loue in exercising the works of mercie and compassion which things when I shall behold in you with an vpright heart then I will accept your offering and be pleased with your fasting Againe doe not thinke that I will looke vpon your holidaies so long as ye vse them but vpon custome in hypocrisie making them vnprofitable for my worship and your saluation and repentance vntill such time as ye endeuour a better and more holie vse of them both concerning the pure honouring of my name and the furthering of your owne saluation Behold here say they the Sabbath is abrogated than which they can affirme nothing more contrarie out of this place For here is no abrogating of the Sabbath but an establishing of the true celebrating of the Sabbath with a sharpe reprehending of their corrupt and present estate And as he speaketh against their corrupt Sabbath so he taxeth them for their hypocritical fasting so that if they will haue the Sabbath to be abrogated much more must they driue fasting out of the doores of the Church against which he is most earnest and telling them that their fasts are not in truth the Lord sheweth them with what fasting he is pleased Againe say they see here it is manifest that to cease from sinne in our Sabbath which we must keepe I answere it is the fruite of the Sabbath which we must keepe and therefore because where the meanes are vsed without any effect or fruite there the meanes are nothing the Lord rather vrgeth them to the effects and keeping of the Sabbath with fruite then disanulleth the Sabbath And it is vsuall in the word of God to vse the effect for the cause and the fruite for the meanes as we may see Iam. 1. 27. Pure religion and vndefiled before God euen the Father is this to visit the fatherlesse and widowes in their aduersitie and to keepe himselfe vnspotted of the world Which briefely is as if the Apostle should say this is the effect of true religion when faith doth purely shew it selfe in the workes of loue Againe Ioh 6. 47. 48. He that beleeueth in me hath euerlasting life I am the bread of life Where our Sauiour Christ sheweth that the effect of faith is the eating of Christ his flesh and drinking of his blood So that to vse the meanes without the effect is hypocrisie as also to looke for the effect without vsing of the meanes is foolish presumption Wherfore we affirme that from the mouth of the Lord by his holy Prophet that to rest in fasting and in the Sabbath an outward meane is of no value being separated from good workes the issue and the effect of the same that if we would God should be mercifull to vs we should also shew our selues mercifull to others So then the Lord taketh not here away the one but sheweth the one to be fruitlesse without the other and is so farre from taking away the Sabbath that rather he goeth about to informe them in the true vse of the Sabbath The meaning therefore of the Prophet his word is this If thou wilt not rest in the bare ceremonie of thy holie daies but wilt do thy holy seruice to me and duties of loue to thy brethren then shalt thou shew thy selfe to take true pleasure in God and his worship Where we must learne so to delight our selues with the meanes of our saluation that seeing we can but iâ—part giue our selues vnto them in the weeke daies we should greatly reioyce when the Sabbath day commeth contrary to the practise of the people â—â— Amos his time who would say Amos 8. 5. When will the new moneth be gone that we may â—â—â—â— corne and the Sabbath that we may let forth wheate and make the Ephah small and the shekâ—â— great and falsifie the weights by dâ—â—â—it Wherefore we conclude that here is not the abrogating but the pure celebrating of the Sabbath which appeareth by effect when it draweth vs neerer to God and causeth vs to take greater pleasure in his waies There remaineth that which is Esai 66. 23. And from moneth to moneth and from Sabbath to Sabbath shall all flesh come to worship before me saith the Lord Where it is said from Sabbath to Sabbath behold say they here is set downe a continuall Sabbath to be obserued euery day in the kingdome of Christ and therefore there ought not to be one prescript day onely in the whole weeke But the reason is most weake and containeth a manifest absurditie For if euery day should be a Sabbath and we in the Sabbath are commaunded to doe no manner of worke when should we trauell in our ordinarie callings whereunto the Lord himselfe hath permitted vs sixe daies Thus we see the sixe daies of our ordinarie callings should be pulled away If they say that a man may follow his calling and yet worship God sufficiently and as becommeth the holy Sabbath then they must graunt that we may doe our ordinary workes on the Sabbath as also they suspect the Lord of want of wisedome But if we should looke narrowly into these mens liues we should finde that whilest they crie out to keepe euery day a Sabbath they in trueth in the meane time obserue no Sabbath at all Besides in that there needeth one particular day wholy to be giuen to the Lord it is certaine that the dearest children of God who vpon the other daies redeeme time to Gods worship earnestly desire this Now concerning the place it selfe which they seeme much to misconstrue we must vnderstand two things First it is not simply to be taken but in the way of comparison secondly it is meant of the kingdome of glorie and of the second comming of Christ. In the way of comparison it is vnderstood thus that the people of God should not content themselues to
of bels or such like vanities the Papists will breake their sleep that more timely they may haue their Masses popish practises the here tikes also to attend on their vaine reuelations will recouer sometime by early rising all which are to our shame that for holy heauenly exercises to serue the Lord in spirit and truth will redeeme no time whereby the Lord his Sabbath may be the better sanctified but on the contrary by bathing our bodies in our beds on that day more than on any other as perswading our selues too great a libertie therein we make it a day of our rest and not of the Lords rest The Israelites are said to haue risen very early to their idolatrie the Prophets are reported to haue stretched out their haÌ„ds betimes in the morning Wherefore for shame of the one for the imitating of the other let vs stirre vp our selues more early on the Lord his day as making the Sabbath our delight Esay 58. wherby we may be no lesse carefull to bestow the first fruits of the day and the sweetnes of the morning in the pure seruice of God than Idolaters in their Idolatrie young men in their vanities wordly men in their couetousnes here tikes in their heresies vse to do If we thus shall examine our selues in our sins committed gifts of God receiued if we shall humble our selues for the one and be thank full for the other if we shall suruay our wants pray for our pastors prepare out selues and vse all these exercises in wisedome and rising early vnlesse vpon some speciall cause or weaknes which requireth rather our wholy keeping of our beds than our vprising let the experience of the after fruits and good increases of the publike exercises speake and let triall report if the word be not more precious our prayers more powerfull our receiuing of the Sacraments more effectuall more profitable vnto vs. Now concerning those exercises which follow after or come betweene those publike meanes they are either for the increase of faith and repentance to make the publike means more profitable to vs or the exercises of loue whereby we may shew some fruit of the other The exercises of faith and repentance are reading comparing of things heard examining and applying them to our selues praying thankesgiuing and meditating First I say after our publike hearing we must priuately giue our selues to reading of those things especially which when we heard we did not sufficiently vnderstand also to the comparing of place with place according as they were alleaged to the better triall of the doctrine receiued and more establishing of our faith therein To this end we must vse priuate prayer for a sound iudgement pure affections that the Lord would vouchsafe to worke that vpon our affections which in iudgement we haue receiued Neither must we forget to be thankfull in praising of God singing of Psalmes for those things whereby we either see our knowledge to be bettered or our coÌ„science touched To these we must ioyne meditation either about the means of our saluation or about the works of God vpon the meanes as in accounting with ourselues what things being read preached chiefly did touch and concerne vs what speciall feelings comforts the Lord gaue vs in our prayers what increase of faith in God his promises and of repentance in purposing a new life we had in the Sacraments that thus we may make a priuate and peculiar vse of the publike and generall means About the workes of God partly concerning those properties which are in himselfe as his mercy iustice wisedome trueth power prouidence partly concerning his creatures and workes of his hands wherein he hath left certaine impressions and qualities necessarie for our vse profitable for our instruction For the former the practise of the Prophet and dutie of all good professors Psal. 92. doth sufficiently shew that it is one speciall worke of the Sabbath to commend declare the kindnes of the Lord to reioyce in the works of his hands to praise his truth and to shew forth his righteousnes In which Psalme the man of God protesteth that the works of God are only glorious to the godly and how the vnwise and wicked men cannot consider of God his workes nor discerne his iudgements because they measure the condition of men by their present estate not looking either how God hath dealt before nor considering how that though the faithfull seeme to wither and to be cut downe by the wicked yet they shall grow againe and flourish in the Church of God as the cedars doe in mount Lebanon Now as with the exercise of the word we haue the Sacraments to strengthen our faith so with the meditating of the workes of God we are to strengthen our selues with the beholding of God his creatures as the heauens and the scope beautie and continuall course thereof and the earth which should haue been all as pleasant as the garden of Eden if Adam had continued in his innocencie whose worke as it was by the light of nature to view the creatures of God so also is it our worke by the light of Gods grace and holy spirit to doe the same To this ende the Propheticall king Psal. 19. setteth downe the exquisite workemanship proportion and ornaments of the heauens saying The heauens declare the glory of God and the firmamènt sheweth the works of his hands 2. Day vnto day vttereth the same and night vnto night teacheth knowledge 3. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard 4. Their line is gone forth through all the earth and their words into the ends of the world in them hath hee set a tabernacle for the Sunne 5. Which commeth forth as a bridegrome out of his chamber and reioyceth like a mighty man to run his race 6. His going out is from the ende of the heauen and his compasse is vnto the endes of the same and none is hid from the heat thereof The Prophet Esay chap. 1. 2. 3. saith Heare O heauens and hearken O earth c. The oxe knoweth his owner and the asse his masters crib but Israel hath not knowne my people hath not vnderstanding In which place we are schooled of insensible creatures how we should doe our dutie vnto God Wherefore it is good to consider how in sixe daies we haue had our â—east obedient vnto vs and how disobedient we are to the Lord. O God how haue thy creatures attended on vs when we speake to them they heard vs when wee did whip them they followed vs in al our busines they attended on vs and yet we haue not listened to the calling vs by the word wee haue not profited by thy chastisements nor attended vpon thy commandements The stork saith the Lord by Ieremiah the prophet knoweth his time but my people knoweth not me And experience may make vs blush to see how the birds against the stormy winter may
may safely vse it to proue the Resurrection It is said moreouer Iob. 19 25. I am sure that my Redeemer liueth and hee shall stand the last on the earth 26. And though after my skinne wormes destroy this bodie yet shall I see GOD in my flesh 27. Whome my selfe shall see and mine eyes shall beholde and none otâ—er for mee though my reines are consumed within mee This place the very Heretikes will grant after a fashion that is with a most wicked minde vnderstanding it onely of that rising againe vnto sanctification which is in this life Others there bee which are of a reuerent iudgement in other things who expound this of the renewing and restoring of his flesh to freshnes and soundnes after that it was corrupted with sores and eaten with cankers But admitte it were so which in truth cannot beare that exposition how could hee haue belieued that but that hee being perswaded that God who when his bodie should wholly bee resolued into corruption would raise it to a more glorious perfection could much more restore soundnes to his bodie now whilst this corruption was but in part on him How could hee doe it but by hope in the power of GOD which with greater case could renewe his flesh and bones beeing but corrupted than reuiue the same being altogether dead and throughly consumed as we reade Ezech. 37 5. 6. wherein is set downe a notable type of this rising againe 5. Thus saith the Lord vnto these bones Behold I will cause breath to enter into you and ye shall liue 6. And I will lay sinewes vpon you and make flesh grow vpon you and couer you with skinne and put breath in you that ye may liue and ye shall knowe that I am the Lord. True it is that the chiefe purpose of the Holy Ghost is to foreshewe the bringing againe of the people out of captiuitie howbeit vnder a most excellent figure of the rising and restoring of the flesh in the last day So that the place importeth thus much if the Lord could restore sinewes flesh skinne breath and life to rotten bones much more hee could restore the Israelites to their countrie The same sense may be applied to that Esay 26. 19. Thy dead men shall liue euen with my bodie shall they rise Awake and sing yee that dwell in dust for thy dewe is as the dew of hearbs and the earth shall cast out the dead In which place is signified thus much As hearbes in time of winter seeme dead and yet in the spring time sprout againe by reason of that sappe that lay hidden in the roote and as the bodies of the faithfull seeme vtterly to perish when they are in the earth and yet in the last day shall rise againe through that seede which is giuen in Christ euen so the Israelites who in time of their banishment seemed to die as winter hearbes and to perish as dead bodies should bee brought home againe and restored to their former libertie Which place could not but shew the returne of the people vnder the type of the resurrectioÌ„ in that the Prophet saith Euen with this bodie shall they rise Notable is that place Daniel 12. 2. Many of them that sleepe in the dust of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life and some to perpetuall shame and contempt Whereunto agreeth that saying of our Sauiour Christ Ioh. 5. 28. Maruaile not at this for the houre shall come in which all that are in the graues shall heare his voyce 29. And they shall come foorth that haue done good vnto the resurrection of life but they that haue done euill to the resurrection of condemnation Now wheÌ„ we shall see that there is nothing more cleere of the doctrine of faith contained in the new Testament than that of the resurrection and that there is no new doctrine in the same but it is also in the old Testament although indeede that is more manifestly and in more perfect beautie set down by the Prince of Prophets than by the Prophets his forerunners what shall wee say there is in the new Testament not proued in some measure alreadie in the old The Iewes beleeued no one article more than that of the resurrection as may appeare by that readie answere of Martha Ioh 12 24. at what time our Sauiour Christ came to raise vp Lazarus her brother for hee saying vnto her in the verse going before Thy brother shall rise againe by and by she answered I know that he shall rise againe in the resurrection of the last day Again we reade Act. 23. 8. that the Pharisies confessed the resurrection Now it is knowne that the faith of the Iewes was grounded on the word which as yet was onely in the administration of the old Testament and not in the new for as yet it was not extant or in no credit at the least with them wherefore seeing not onely the primitiue Church hath beleeued herein by the euident light of the new Testament and the Iewes before beleeued it by the light of the old it is manifest that the doctrine of the resurrectioÌ„ is proued in the old and among many places this of our Psalme is not the least where it is said Thou shalt not leaue my soule in graue nor suffer thine holy one to see corruption By soule we must vnderstaÌ„d he meaneth his natural life as it is taken in the Scripture 1. Cor. 15. 45. where the Apostle borrowing his speech from the second chapter of Genesis and seuenth verse saith The first man Adam was made a liuing soule and the last Adam was made a quickening spirit The reason why hee prooued the rising againe of his flesh is here drawne from the power of our Sauiour Christ of whom these wordes are meant Thou wilt not suffer thine holie one to see corruption as both Peter in his notable Sermon Act 2. and Paul Act. 23. doe plainly affirme for the Apostle saith that Dauid was buried and sawe corruption and therefore he spake not this of himselfe but of Christ his head in whom was found no qualitie of corruption at all so that Dauid as a member of Christ gathered this by the eye of faith that there should come an holie one out of his loines who by his owne mightie power should raise vp his owne bodie from seeing any corruption and by the same power should also raise his bodie which should see corruption that it might rest with his and be made like his as we may reade Philip. 3. 20. Our conuersation is in heauen from whence wee looke for the Sauiour euen the Lord Iesus Christ. 21. Who shall chaunge our vile bodies that they may be fashioned like to his glorious boâ—ie according to the working whereby he is able euen to subdue all things vnto himselfe So that the Prophet looketh for a resurrection of the flesh after it shall bee corrupted contrarie to the heretiquâ—s who dreame of a spirituall resurrection from sinne which by no meanes
80. We see true hearts shall be iustified in the end and hypocrisie shall blush in the issue Thus we see the reward of a good heart the reuenge of an euill heart when we know not how to do our duties simply The honest heart still is strugling out of sin commeth the hollow heart makes a shew of mortification c. but God takes away his vizard in time For some mens sinnes goe before to iudgement and some follow after some mens good deeds are cleered in this life to shew that all weldoing shall be glorified Iniquitie may be coloured but not euer couered truth may be blamed but not shamed For exemplifying the Lord himselfe giues testimonie to his vprightnes Dauid was an vpright hearted man Saul an hypocrite Nathaniel had a good heart Iudas was an hypocrite Iosiah Ezekiah prepared their hearts to the worship of God 2. Chron. 25. Amaziah did good but not with a right heart The people 2. Chron. 20. are said not to prepare their hearts to seeke the Lord their God 2. Chron. 30. Ezekiah craueth mercie for them that came with an vpright heart and God heard him so acceptable is an vpright heart But how shall we discerne our hearts to be vpright It is not by nature Gen. 6. Iob saith a cleanething cannot proceed from an vncleane sinne Dauid confesseth originall hypocrisie which is shewed Prouerb 12. and 20. We then Act. 13. must see that our hearts are made cleane by faith Of it selfe aboue all the heart of man is vnsearchable Ierem. 17. But how comes this because there is a labyrinth of hypocrisie in it there is a gulfe and depth and priuie discourse in it that no man can gage but the Lord who is said Prouerb 16. to be the searcher of the raines howsoeuer our heart is hollow This secret searching is by the Spirit of God 2. Cor. 2. and by the word wrought vpon by the Spirit 1. Cor. 14. Heb. 4. 12. The Spirit rebukes vs of sinne Ioh. 13. but by the word searching the very hidden intents of the heart Therefore as it is to no end to hide any thing from the Lord so it bootes vs not to looke for an hiding of thoughts For be they in loue of good good or for hate of sin or sinfull things then God is pleased for it If we doe good for reward or auoide euill for shame c. all is wofull in the fight of the Lord seeme mens goodnesse neuer to be so good in a mans eye FINIS A GODLY EXPOSITION OF THE XVI PSALME THE TVVELFTH SERMON PSAS 16. vers 1. Preserue me O God for in thee doe I trust THis Psalme containeth the acknowledging of the Prophet his vnworthinesse and sheweth how all things are of God it witnesseth the man of God his loue to the Saints his hatred of false religion the assurance of God his prouidence and his vndoubted hope of life euerlasting All which things containing so many points of heauenly doctrine ought much to prouoke in vs the loue of the Psalme and louing it to frequent the vse of it The Psalme seemeth to be generall and may be vsed at all seasons and of all estates as not being bound to any peculiar condition of men or tied to any seuerall circumstance as are many other Psalmes containing particular matter and therefore is it to be vsed as a notable meditation which may be shewed by this word Mitchtam The first verse is the proposition of the whole and the residue of the Psalme prosecuteth the same matter Now to the words of the text Preserue me O God Here Dauid desireth not deliuerance from any speciall trouble but generally prayeth to be fenced and defended continually by the prouidence of God wishing that the Lord would continue his mercie towards him vnto the end and in the end whereby he foresaw that it was as needfull for him to be safegarded by God his protection in the end as at the time present as also how he made no lesse account of it in his prosperitie than in aduersitie So that the man of God still feared his infirmitie and therefore acknowledgeth himselfe euer to stand in neede of God his helpe And here is a sure and vndoubted marke of the childe of God when a man shall haue as great a care to continue and grow in well doing as to begin and this praying for the gift of finall perseuerance is a speciall note of the childe of God This holy ielouzie of the man of God made him so to desire to be preserued at all times in all estates both in soule and bodie Euery man will say true it is if God should not preserue vs how could we continue But few there be who rightly and carefully vse the meanes as this man of God did whereby they may attaine this grace And therefore howsoeuer they pretend a good affection and well liking generally of the thing yet they haue no true faith as the Prophet had for faith would driue them carefully to vse the meanes how beit this generall knowledge is left in many to take from them all excuse but in the faithfull it worketh an holy feare and feare ingendreth a conscience to vse the meanes I appeale to the conscience of a naturall man If a man being sicke would crie Lord helpe me Lord restore me to my health and yet in the meane time wilfully refuseth the prescribed meanes for his recouerie tempted he not God which if it be so how much more dangerous is this in things concerning the soule when a man either for want of hearing reading the word feeleth not the diseases of the minde or feeling them effectually pineth and languisheth away vnder the burthen of them neglecting prayer confessing of his sinnes repentance and such like meanes of his saluation True it is that man liueth not by bread onely and therefore the wicked are but stalled vp and made fat against the day of slaughter And the children of God know and acknowledge that without the blessing and fauour of God their meate may bring their bane and therefore they craue that by the word and prayer the meanes may be sanctified vnto them much more in things concerning our saluation we must both carefully vse the meanes and in the vsing of them not to trust in the outward worke wrought but to craue the inward ministerie of God his holy spirit which worketh by them not being ordained for God but for vs. For in thee doe I trust Here the Prophet setteth down the cause why he prayeth to God whereby he declareth that none can truly call vpon God vnles they beleeue Rom. 10. 14. How shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued In regard whereof as he prayeth to God to be his Sauiour so he is fully assured that God will be his Sauiour If then without faith we cannot truly call vpon God the men of this world rather prate like Parats than pray like Christians at what time they vtter
for whatsoeuer is ours by gift it is the interest of others by necessitie whatsoeuer is proper to vs by possession is common to the Church by vse and participation and whatsoeuer wee haue wee haue it for dispensation as the stewards of God his gifts and disposers of his graces And therefore as at the audites and dayes of accounts such stewards are culpable and vnworthie of their places who hauing large summes of money for the liberal maintenance of the family haue appropriated all to themselues so likewise in that great day of reckoning and audite of Angels those stewards will bee found damnable and iudged vnworthie to haue had accesse to the Lord his treasurie who hauing receiued of God singular graces and plentifull gifts for the building vp of his Church and distributing things necessarie to the Saints in due season haue notwithstanding enriched themselues alone and impouerished their fellow seruants vnto whose vse and for whose good such rich reuenewes of God his graces and gifts were committed to their fidelitie It followeth in the Psalme The sorrowes of them that offer to another God shall bee multiplied their offering of blood I will not offer neither make mention of their names with my lips Heere the man of God declareth himselfe to bee no lukewarme professor and therefore as in the third verse hee sheweth the profession of his faith concerning the communion of Saints so in the fourth verse be protesteth his hatred to the false worshippers and he teacheth that none can truly loue the Saints but he must also hate the wicked God cannot abide to be worshipped in part or by mixture of religion as though the Arke and Dagon God and Mammon Christ and Belial should bee ioyned in worship together Many are not so fully contented with the Saints as that they are throughly discontented with the wicked who so long as they see matters of ciuill authoritie and good order haue successe can loue the word to serue time and season whose liking of it is so small that when other religion commeth they find not themselues much discontented But we must learne so to belieue in the true religion as our faith may drawe out of vs an vnchangeable loue and this true loue must be free from all appearance of idolatrie and contrary religion whatsoeuer If euer this doctrine was necessarie it is now most needefull sith true religion so decayeth false religion so aboundeth heathenish prophanenes so groweth all which no doubt arise oâ— so little esteeming and small liking of the truth For whereof first did spring heathenishnesse Euen from hence men were contented that euery nation should worship as they listed and liked whereupon they did grow to haue both their country gods and houshold gods for we reade that the Senate of the Romans would receiue Christ as their God yet so as they would also maintaine their owne gods Not much vnlike is our familie of loue and common sort of Protestants both which can easily tolerate any kind of religion come what profession come will Wherefore we may see how this Psalme fitly may be vsed when we will accuse our selues of want of loue to the Saints or when wee will accuse our selues of waâ—t of hatred to idolaters seeing the spirit of the man of God so earnest and our selues so cold herein In that he saith hee will not make mention of their names with his lips he declareth his through hatred vnto them which the more euidently appeareth in that hee would not only not coÌ„municate with them in his goods but also that hee would not meddle with their ceremonies Neither must wee thinke that this was any peculiar thing vnto Dauid but that it was common also to all the Israelites as we may see Exod. 23. 13 ye shall make no mention of the name of other gods neither shall it be heard out of thy mouth and not to them alone but to all Christians in like manner as appeareth Zechar. 13. 2. And in that day faith the Lord of hostes I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land yea and they shall bee no mâ—re remembred Besides the law commaundeth all auoyding of occasions of idolatry Deut. 7 25. where are set downe two reasons the one that wee should not bee snared with such occasions the other because it is an abomination to the Lord wherein although somewhat be political yet because whatsoeuer is impure is abhominable to the Lord and our nature is prone vnto and hardly kept from corrupt religion wee hating the impuritie of the doctrine must also hate the impuritie of the ceremonies To the Law agreeth also the Prophet as Esay 30. 22. where the Lord not only commaundeth them to auoid all idolatrie but euen the appertinances thereof Yee shall pollute the couering of the Images of siluer and the rich ornaments of the Images of gold and cast them away as a menstruous cloth and thou shalt say vnto it get thee hence This seemeth precisenes and puritanisme to the world which can be content to vse things for forme and fashion but if we vrge vpon puritie wee are counted precisians Well if it be so then Dauid was a precisian The holy ghost also exhorteth vs also to abstaine from all apparance of euill 1. Thess. 5 22. 1. Iohn 5. 21. Babes keepe your selues from idols And the Apostle Iude verse 23. willeth vs euen to hate the garment spotted by the flesh True it is that one may haue a priuate vse of the meate prepared for Images but as it is an appertinance of idolatrie it is to be auoided Wherefore we are to pray that we may so haue our hearts rectified by the spirit of God as not only the substance of false religion may be auoided but also the appertinances thereof whereby we may the better prouide both for God his glory and our owne peace Whereas he saith the sorrowes of them that offer to another God shall bee multiplied hee sheweth how besides the comforts which he had in the Saints he so much the more hated the idolaters because hee sawe the more they inwrapped themselues the more their spirits were troubled in them and then they could find least rest wheÌ„ they had most trouble So that as the man of God commendeth true religion by this effect that it yeeldeth peace of mind and comfort of conscience in trouble so hee discommendeth false religion by the contrarie because howsoeuer in prosperitie it bringeth aswelling ioy yet in aduersitie it maketh men cry to the rocks to couer them to the mountaines to fall vpon them This must cause vs more narrowly to search our hearts whether we haue this loue of true religion or no against the which neither the gates of hell nor terrours of Satan nor troubles of conscience can preuaile for this religion is no lesse comfortable than true when wee feele our selues assured thereby of our iustification by Christ of the ministerie of God his Angels watching ouer vs and that
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
and no condemnation to them that beleeue in Christ and teacheth that we must be crucified to the world and become new creatures though he doth not all other things perfitly and absolutely yet keeping this foundation hee shall finde mercie But if a man destroy the Temple of God that is labour more about the establishing of ceremonies and maintaining of errours than hee doth to maintaine and establish the power of the Gospell the Lord will surely destroy him As then we dare not say that a man purely preaching Christ crucified though he faile in some smaller points of discipline shall be damned so we affirme that a man maintaining corruptions and nothing labouring to preach the crosse of Christ and neglecting the doctrine of being crucified to the world and of becomming a new creature is to feare least that if hee repent not the Lord destroy him For if they destroy the Temple of God that is the people of God by not teaching the truth and by keeping out from entring into the truth not only themselues but others the Lord will vndoubtedly destroy such This place maketh much also for our comfort against heresie and poperie because as God promiseth peace and mercie to them that preach and embrace the doctrine of our saluation by Christ so hee threatneth on the contrarie his curse and vengeance both to the preachers and followers of the contrarie doctrine howsoeuer they hope for a day or cōtemne the flocke of Christ. For the same God that made the Israelites a valiant people in pursuing their enemies so long as they continued in the rule he had appointed them brought them low and made them flie before their enemies when they forsooke this rule so as one chased tenne of them and tenne put to flight an hundred of them Let vs boldly then both preach and receiue this doctrine of Christ and not feare any corrupt Teachers whatsoeuer seeing their supposed felicitie shall be accursed and our supposed miserie shall be blessed Which curse manifestly appeareth in many Papists this day that become rebels traitors and murtherers as also in heretikes who are become mad and frantick the Lord watching ouer them for euill and not for good And vpon the Israel of God Heere with the Preachers the Apostle ioyneth the people of God shewing that they that willingly heare and carefully imbrace the doctrine That by the law we are condemned for sinne and by the Gospell wee are saued through faith in Christ and therfore from henceforth endeuour to haue this world crucified vnto vs and vs to be crucified to the world and to become new creatures shall also be saued and finde mercie and peace Israel properly signifieth one that preuaileth with God Now because there was Israell in the flesh which many did boast of hee heere speaketh of the Israell in the spirit as he speaketh of the Iewes Rom. 2. and therefore calleth it the Israel of God making a distinction betweene that counterfeit Israell resting in the ceremonie and outward title of the name and that true Israell whose praise is of God and not of men Before the Iewes tooke the whole priuiledge of the couenant of God but now the Gentiles also are contained in the couenant because all ceremonies abolished there is one shepheard and one sheepesold This promise then belongeth no more to all professors than to all preachers but to them alone which are truly called to be the true Israel of God Whereby we are to learne that all Christians shall not obtaine mercie and peace but the Christians of God that is true Christians in life doctrine Wherefore all counterfeit Christians are to feare their estate can they neuer so well say their catechisme were they neuer so well baptized or confirmed were they neuer so often comming to the Church to heare the word receiue the sacrament Now if Israel the beloued of God not reioicing in the crosse of Christ not being crucified to the world not being a newe creature shall not finde mercie and peace what comfort are wee to looke for being Gentiles wanting the same things And yet we must remember the consolation aboue named that though Christians be in some points infants in doctrine iudgement life and conuersation yet if they carefully hold the foundation and build thereupon a godlie life in trueth and sinceritie though in some weakenes infirmitie and imperfection they shall obtaine mercie and peace in the ende The truth of this promise and sure wrath of God on the wicked may appeare to vs both in the life and in the death of the true and counterfeit Christians in seeing what mercy and peace appeareth in the one what anguish and impatience breaketh foorth in the other The deare Martyrs of God neither were afraid of death on the one side but reioyced in that they were made worthie to suffer for the truth neither senselesse and blockish as feeling no paine on the other side The learned heretikes which would seeme to suffer either yeelded being ouercome with the paine or else died like stocks stones being halfe dead before they came to be executed As for others that haue died in their beds the Lord hath giuen a manifest distinction betweene the true prophets false teachers betweene christian professors and obstinate Papists The children of God euer haue laboured to make confession of their faith to make knowne their hope to witnesse their abundant ioy at their departure neither ouercome with immoderate feare neither sincking downe in too much blockishnes the other haue died some desperately without hope some presumptuously without true faith some murmuringly without all ioy FINIS THE FOVRTH PART OF THE WORKES OF THE REVEREND AND FAITHFVL SERVANT OF IESVS CHRIST MAISTER RICHARD GREENHAM MINISTER AND PREACHER OF the Word of GOD containing an Exposition of the 119. Psalme found vnperfect amongst other writings of Maister GREENHAMS and perfected by Robert Hill Doctor in Diuinitie whose obseruations may be knowne by this marke ¶ VVHEREVNTO ARE ADIOYNED OTHER Meditations vpon certaine parts of the Scripture the Titles whereof appeare in the next page following 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. THE MEDITATIONS CONTAINED IN THE FOVRTH part are these hereafter following 1 AN exposition of the 119. PSALME 2 Meditations on PROV 4. from verse 13. to 24. 3 Meditations on PROV 14. vers 5. 6. 7. 4 The summe of the Epistle to the HEBRVES 5 A briefe summe of ECCLESIASTES TO THE RIGHT HONOVRABLE IOHN LORDE STANHOP BARON OF HARINGTON VICECHAMberlaine to the Kings most excellent Maiestie and one of his Honorable priuie Councell Grace and Peace RIght Honourable Though Diuinitie as an Hand-maide attende all other callings and by reason of her pouertie serues manie Masters yet if shee were esteemed according to her worth shee were worthie to become a Mistresse to the most Her Conception is Celestiall her
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
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
that though the wicked seemed to haue an happie time for a while yet through Gods secret curse they had a fearefull end and though Gods children were tried with many troubles yet through Gods secret blessings they had happie issues Thus saith he Was I so foolish and ignorant and as a beast before thee whiles by mine owne wit and reason I would goe about to search out thy secret iudgements Yet saith hee I was alway with thee thou hast holden mee by my right hand and howsoeuer it went with the wicked my faith in thy prouidence did assure me that thou diddest watch ouer me and wouldest not finally forsake me Whom haue I in heauen but thee and I haue desired none in the earth but thee Though my flesh should pine away and I should consume yet am I perswaded that thou wilt not forsake me they goe a whoring and thou destroiest them but as for me it is good that I trust in thee that is let all the world fall from thee yet I see their end shall be fearefull and therefore I will still trust and stay on thee Marke what word he vseth to paint forth mistrust in God he calleth it to goe a whoring we know what a grieuous thing it is for a woman to prostitute herselfe to a baude so monstrous a thing it is to giue our trust to any but to God Wherfore we must fight against the corruptions of the world not by the sight of reason but by looking into the glasse of Gods word Let vs search then which be the promises of God to stirre vs vp to doe good which be his threatnings to make vs afraide of sinne what examples we haue of good men that wee may follow them what examples of euil to auoide them For here be the pictures of good men here bee the liuely anatomies of the godly here wee may take delight in beholding them Let vs discerne by the word who are true worshippers who are Idolaters Let vs look what rules the Lord doth giue in his word to know the truth and in whom it is to discerne heresies and in whom they be Then wee shall see that this man is sound in religion and carefull of a good life the Lord is his God this man is voide of true knowledge and breaketh the law of the Lord therfore vndoubtedly God is far from him This man though his knowledge be vnperfect yet he loueth to learne the truth this man is a good companion for me that man is an vnbeleeuer and trusteth not in God I will not therfore meddle with him Well now we haue learned that we neuer cleaue wholy vnto God vntill all the corruptions of the world be not able to dismay vs but rather being stayed and established on the word of God we know assuredly that the Lord wil not be among the wicked We haue bin taught that if we will truely beleeue in God we must beleeue in him according to his word otherwise he is but an Idoll vnto vs or a false God framed vnto vs after the imagination of our owne hearts And if we will truly discerne betweene good men and euill wee must not iudge them by our owne reason the common opinion of men or according to their prosperitie and aduersitie for so the world cannot perceiue who be Gods children because the wicked often flourish and Gods children are vexed but we must look into the word and see there how God setteth himselfe against the wicked and promiseth to bee neare at hand to his saints This may commend vnto vs what a necessary thing the study of the Scriptures is which teach vs to know God and his true worshippers for otherwise we shall iudge heretikes to be true worshippers and count wicked men honest Vers. 116. Stablish mee according to thy free promise that I may liue and let mee not bee disappointed of mine hope HEre the man of God desireth that the Lord would keepe him safe and sure and that he would confirme him and strengthen him in his word where we see he prayeth for a thing mētioned before Faith is not a sleeping thing lying dead in vs but it is quick and is nourished by the word For Gods children doe not so beleeue but that they are often troubled with vnbeliefe yea the Lord doth often suffer them to see their vnbeleefe in themselues to striue against it We see here how the man of God felt some wauering in himselfe he was not alwaies in one estate his faith was not euer at one stay his beliefe had some vnbeliefe with it and beleeuing he was afraid of himself Thus we know Gods childrē are such as do not presume but they suspect themselues thinke humbly of themselues which maketh them often to pray that they may be confirmed to perseuere For when we begin to be secure and to thinke too well of our selues then we cast off prayer and lay aside all trust in Gods word so that God casteth vs off for our pride and Sathan is readie to beguile vs. We must not then satisfie our selues if we beleeue but our faith must make vs to grow in feare to be more carefull to please and more grieued to displease God wee must desire of God to haue his promises cōfirmed and ratified in vs because we are in a very slippery estate For as a man walking on slippery ice and not heedfull to his steps nor fearing himselfe is most readie to fall so we in this world vnlesse we looke very circumspectly to our selues are in great danger of sliding down So fickle and fraile is the world that in euery place we may take a fall and as they which are on an high hill and steepe are in perill of falling down so in the world which hath such a downefall vnlesse wee be very wary and stay our selues on Gods word we are most ready to slippe We may see in former times how the deare Saints of God haue fallen through securitie and for want of this feare of themselues Noah though a man preserued from the corruptions of the olde world was beguiled of Sathan for presuming in his own strength Lot also through his corruptiō and Sathans policy was deceiued not suspecting himselfe Whē Dauid had not this feare but hoped that he was sure as he thought Psal. 30. he should neuer be remooued hee fell fouly and yet so deceitfull that hee could not see his fall in the space of an whole yeere Wee see then how hard a thing it is to keepe on our course in this world and that it is the mightie power of God as witnesseth Peter in his former Epistle that wee are kept in the faith Wee are not our owne guardians we are not able to take the gouernment of our selues nay our Sauiour Christ saide that if it were possible the very elect should bee deceiued so great is the power of the world the subtiltie of the flesh and guilesulnesse of the diuell But because they be
is in Psalm 125. The rod of the wicked shall not rest on the lot of the righteous So that the man of God prayeth here that his affliction might not hinder his glorie And no maruell for his enemies first laboured to daunt his faith then they went about to loade him with iniuries either subtilly to circumuent him or openly to oppresse him when these things would not serue they striued to bring his person to contempt and his cause to discredit as also they went about to bring themselues into estimation and their cause into credite No maruell then though he thus prayed least that they resisting him too long hee should be ouermatched Wherein we are to learne that wee must not ouercome ill with ill subtiltie with subtiltie violence by violence but by praier And seeing the Lords eares are open to the prayers of the iust and his eyes vpon them that feare him seeing his eares are shut to the wicked and hee will not looke vpon them in mercy but his face is set against them the Lord vndoubtedly will heare vs and looke vpon vs and will confonud our enemies And I will keepe thy testimonies Behold the man of God promiseth thankefulnes and if it pleaseth the Lord to free him from these euils hee would keepe his law not that we must thinke that he before did breake them but though the proude had him exceedingly in derision Psal. 51. though the bands of the wicked had robbed him 61. though the proude had imagined a lye against him 69. though they had dealt wickedly and falsely with him 78. though they had almost consumed him vpon the earth 87. and he was like the bottle in the smoke so that hee was wonderfully distracted in his calling yet if the Lord would vouchsafe to free him from these euils as before in part so now in whole he would bestow his life on the Lord. We are then to learne that in trouble wee are to desire to none other end to be deliuered than the better and more freely to serue the Lord and that when wee haue made so solemne a promise to the Lord we throughly purpose in trueth to performe it For though affliction of it selfe helpeth vs nothing vnto godlinesse but is rather some hindrance why in our calling wee are lesse profitable yet as it is sanctified in Christ and receiueth a blessing from God to worke in vs it keepeth vs from euill and prouoketh vs the more to doe good But wee if we be in aduersitie if wee haue trouble or losse of goods or losse of friends oppression of enemies or such like make large vowes and plentifull promises and crie Oh if I might be deliuered from this sicknes if I might be freed from this trouble if I might be vnburthened of this euill I would surely serue the Lord I would become a new man I would change my life and enter the waies of repentance but we looke not to performance This thankfulnes of heart made the Prophet Psal. 116. 12. to cry out What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits towards me I will take the cup of saluation and call vpon the name of the Lord I will pay my vowes vnto the Lord euen now in the sight of all his people Where wee see that it was the custome of Gods people to stirre vp themselues after their deliuerance vnto thankfulnes We shall see now by examining our selues how it is so in vs. Oh say we that I were recouered of my health oh that the Lord would restore those things to me againe which I haue lost then doubtles would I wholy giue my selfe to the Lord. But let vs see if in all these things wee bee not vow-breakers and are rather growne worse than wee were so greatly are we to feare our selues God hath deliuered vs from our enemies freed vs from warâ—es saued vs from scarcitie penurie pouertie plagues and sicknesse and hath blessed vs with peace abundance plentie health and all other blessings let vs see how we vse these things We know the times haue been such when we could not haue this liberty to reade and heare the word of God but wee are now freed from such miserie and set in great libertie whether doe wee vse this time to Gods glorie and increase of our knowledge and building vp of our faith or not We know that there is a vicissitude in all things and one thing succeeedeth another and as the Lord hath long time vexed other nations with trouble and graunted to vs a long time of libertie and quietnes so our course must come by the order and change of things to be vexed with troubles and others shall be set at some libertie Are we the better then for this benefit If wee bee all is well if not will it not thinke wee be laide to our charge that what time the Lord had giuen vs wherein we might reforme our selues wee haue abused in being so little reformed what our time hath been to set forth Gods glorie how little glorie the Lord hath gained by vs. We haue often heard that our two principall props in trouble are faith in the promises of God and a testimonie of a good conscience which wee see often to be in this Prophet Wherefore what doth fasten and comfort faith euen a good conscience what doth make it wither and wauer euen because we haue been fruitles and haue not done good workes This then must be our comfort in trouble that we suffer not as ill doers that we may look for Gods promises But if our sinnes accuse vs and we suffer as ill doers wee shall not bee able to feele any comfort in God his promises Then let vs see the fruit of this prayer The Saints of God and deare Martyrs of Christ made this prayer before vs the fruit and effect whereof is growne vnto vs. For their sufferings were our prosperitie their losse our gaine their imprisonmeÌ„t our libertie their death our life as true as old is that saying proued The blood of the Martyrs is the seede of the Church For their blood hâ—th cried vp to heauen with the blood of Abel for our comfort and brought downe vengeance on our enemies and obtained mercy for vs. They did sowe in teares and wee haue entred into their haruest with ioy let vs beware least wee sow euill to our selues and for others they sowed comfort for their posteritie let vs take heede that wee sow not discomfort for them that shall come after vs. And as their death hath stayed the wrath of God from heauen that it is not fallen vpon the vine seeing many yeeres he hath planted among vs a vineyard seeing he hath hedged it and gathered out the stones of it and hath planted it with the best plants and hath built a tower in the middest thereof and made a wine-presse therein and hath looked it should bring forth grapes but it hath brought forth wilde grapes so our sinnes so
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
latter dayes of sinne and iniquitie wherein heresies haue so corrupted doctrine and vngodlines hath so stained our liues if we had not this constant rule of Gods word among vs Oh what a treasure is it whereby we may see heresie and auoide it whereby we may see truth and follow it Which rule of equitie seeing willingly the wicked depart from they are worthily plunged and plagued in their owne sinnes Vers. 156. Great are thy tender mercies O Lord quicken me according to thy iudgements THat is True it is I am a sinner O Lord but yet I am not a desperate sinner as mine enemies are but such a one as on whom thou wilt shew thy mercies therefore I hope that thou wilt helpe If thou shouldest simply deale with me according to my deseruings I should be condemned for who can stand in thy sight iustified but I compare not my selfe with thee but with them who are become mine aduersaries According to thy iudgements Such is thy fatherly mercy which forgiueth my sinnes and heareth my prayers that thou wilt not reward me according to mine iniquities but wilt fauourably looke vpon me according to the multitude of thy mercies Vers. 157. My persecutors and mine oppressors are many yet doe I not swarne from thy testimonies THis sentence is the same in effect with diuers other in diuers portions of this Psalm As The proude haue had me exceedingly in derision the proude haue digged pits for me the wicked haue laid a snare for me and such like Now in that he saith my oppressors are many he sheweth that he had not to doe with one man or two but with many It is a matter as wee haue shewed before to be godly among the godly but he is a diuel that is euil among Angels and therefore was he worthily cast downe into hell and he is a sinner that will sinne among Saints and therefore iustly was Adam throwne out of Paradise If we liue among the godly what praise is it to be godly nay what an horrible thing were it not to be godly If the Church discipline were truly executed it were a small commendation to do well and to abstaine from sinne yet now in this want it is praise-worthie to abstaine from sinne for feare of God But it may be we taste not of such troubles as the Prophet tasted of because we liue not so carefull of godlinesse as he did which if in truth we did we should haue troubles as he had Well we are in this world as sheepe among wolues to trie vs whether we will be corrupted with the euil examples of this world or whether we will swarue from the Lord our God whilest he proueth vs. Their carnall reasoning commeth to nothing which say the world is set on euill the world was neuer so wicked charitie was neuer so colde a man cannot now professe without taunts scoffes and troubles For we see here that the Prophet in his time had many and great persecutors whom notwithstanding so manifold corruptions could nothing mooue Wherefore we must learne although sometime we are slaundered though sometime we are euill spoken of taunted and troubled our estate is not worse than our forefathers hath bene and the beloued Saints of God haue had before vs. So long as we are well entreated of God and man we will keepe the lawe but when we suffer reproaches taunts iniuries losse or discredit we then run either to euill meanes or to reuengement or to dispaire Where many iniuries haue bene offered many haue bene rendred againe if they haue not requited iniury for iniury with reuenge they haue vsed some ill means to escape out of their trouble if they haue not vsed ill meanes yet they haue secretly begun to mistrust God his promises and prouidence and haue gone to wisards and witches if they could doe nothing in malice they would doe something in policie if they could preuaile with neither they would fall to dispaire But the Prophet of God vseth here no vnlawfull meanes he goeth not in his affliction to Sorcerers hee recompenceth not ill for ill hee did not dispaire in God his promises he did not thinke with himselfe that the Lord would defend his enemies cause and forsake him but hoped still in God his good and appointed time to receiue helpe wherein the man of God is set before vs for our imitation in that neither his faith could bee shaken nor his obedience slaked nor daunted And surely this is Sathans last refuge and most daungerous assault to perswade vs in affliction that therefore the Lord doth plunge vs in miserie because he hath no loue towards vs. But the man of God opposing his faith to all such temptations saith I know O Lord by the records of thy law that thou hast laide vp helpe for mee and that thou art my defender How sweete and comfortable this is they which are humbled and well exercised by temptations know What greater assault vsed the diuell to our Sauiour Christ than this what saith he doest thou thinke if thou werst Gods childe thou shouldest want bread it is not like if thou werst the sonne of God that hee would or could suffer thee to be without food Like are his temptations to vs art thou thinkest thou the childe of God then thou shouldest be helped then thou shouldest not lie in this case This was his last dart which he threw at Christ on the crosse if thou art the childe of God then we doubt there is nothing but thou canst helpe thy selfe Well we see here that the man of God neither mistrusteth Gods promises nor forsaketh his law Neither surely is our faith sound vntill we can beleeue in miserie neither is our obedience pure vnlesse we continue euen when we are oppressed not of a few but of many For then we may perswade our selues to haue true faith when it is wrought in prosperitie and tried in aduersitie and being voide of all helpe of men wee still hope for helpe of God that we may say I will not be afraid often thousands of the people that should beset me round about Psalm 4. 6. Though I walke through the vallie of the shadow of death I will feare no euill for thou art with me thy rod and thy staffe doe comfort me Psalm 23. 4. I am perswaded that neither life nor death nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other thing shall be able to separate vs from this loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Verse 158. I saw the transgressors and was greiued because they kept not thy word THis also in substance we had before where the Prophet saith Mine eyes gush out with riuers of water because they kept not thy law my zeale hath euen consumed me because mine enemies haue forgotten thy word The Prophets words in a word haue this meaning Lord as for mine owne things or priuate iniuries I am cōtent to put
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
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
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
this in the Scripture as Moses and Paul who wished themselues accursed and wiped out of the booke of life for their brethren Rahab although but a nouice in religion yet ventured her life for the espies Ionathan for Dauid Dauid for the people of Israell Obadiah for the Prophets CHRIST for vs all leauing vs an example that we should giue our liues for the brethren Hester for the Church and Iudith for the children of Israell and Paul reioyced for the afflictions which he suffered for the brethren but we are so farre from giuing our liues for them that if two pence would saue their liues they should not haue it so loose is our loue and so cold is our charitie But if this be a great thing and hard to come to such perfection let vs see the lesser markes and first euen the beginning of loue which is to abstaine from doing harme which Paul commandeth saying let no man defraud his brother in any matter but we are so farre from this that in bargaining and such like we soonest deceiue our brethren because they belieue vs easilie and take things on our word insomuch that although they will say I could serue you no better if you were my Father and perhaps they say as they thinke because the god of this world hath blinded their hearts yet is their fraud so manifest that it is a common saying to say I had rather buye of him whom I neuer saw then of my brother We are commanded to forgiue one another euen seuentie times seuen times but we will be meete with him seuen yeares after if by order of friends or cōstraint we be moued to forgiue yet we wil not forgiue we will forgiue the fault but we will not forget the matter nor affect the person offending vs. Abraham in the 13. of Gen. bought peace of Lot with the losse of his right because they were brethren but amongst vs euery word doth breede a quarrell insomuch that that which was wont to be said of little children is now true amongst vs concord is seldome seene amongst brethren If we cannot find these markes in some measure in vs nor yet an earnest desire to attaine vnto them we cānot say that we are truly louing brethren This was an argumēt mouing the brethren to help Paul because they knew his neede but it is an argument to disswade vs from helping if wee see anie in neede therefore rich men are commonly trusted but poore men are not so and if at any time we trust them yet it is with such gaine that although they should die in our bookes yet they should not die much in our debts for wee should well haue payde our selues and yet many times are they cast into a losse by some who although they are in great pouertie yet wil seeme wealthy and go braue til they haue spent all and so become bankrupts And thus because they helped not those whom they know to haue need they loose their goods vpon those whom they thought to haue been wealthy The brethrē did not tarie till Paul did aske them but willingly and of their own accord they helped him but we must haue much adoe to obtaine a little benefite and yet readines in helping is as good oftentimes as helpe it selfe They brought him to Caesaria and sent him to Tharsus here appeareth their great care which they had for him in that they ceased not to do him good neither would leaue him vnprouided and there sent him to Tharsus where he was borne that both by defence of his place and also by defence of his kinsmen he might be kept from his enemies And here wee learne not to bee wearie of weldoing but to make one good turne the beginning of another The loue of his countrie and the care he had in profit caused him to go to Tharsus although a Prophet be without honour in his own countrie whereof there are two reasons first because they know him and therefore looke for no great things of him secondly because of emulation but this is a prouerbiall speech and therefore not alwaies but commonly true It is common with men rather to displease God than their friendes and so to regard their frendes that they forget God their best friend Adam would not seeme to denie the taking of an apple of Eue for feare of discourtesie but let vs learne to please God and displease wicked men that as the poore man said of whom Ambrose writeth that he knew the master was not pleased with him because the seruants would not looke on him so the wicked should knowe that the Lord is displeased with them euen by the lookes of the godly CHAP. XXXI Of godlines and by what meanes we must drawe neere to God IT is a fearefull thing when the exercises of godlinesse haue no power with vs. And it is wonderfull to see how they profit best in knowledge which spend much time in prayer 2 Euery day must haue a dayes increase in godlinesse 3 God is precise in iudgement though hee tempereth it with mercies So we must bee precise in godlines though it be mingled with infirmities 4 Seeing the Lord hath ioyned together the meanes of godlines godlines it selfe let vs not separate them either with the superstitious Papists resting in the worke wrought as in prayer thankesgiuing hearing the word receiuing the Sacraments keeping of the Sabbath c. all which things must bee leuelled to the increase of our knowledge and building vp of a good conscience neither with frantike heretikes despise the meanes as though without them we could liue in obedience to God or loue to our brethren 5 It is an easie thing to disswade men from holy dayes but it is a hard thing to bring men to the true obseruation of the Sabbath it is easie to disswade men from popish shrifts but it is hard to bring them to Christian conession of sinnes it is easie to withdrawe men from superstitious fasting daies but it is hard to bring them to the true vse of fasting It is easie to remoue the papisticall feasting dayes but hard to bring in the godly loue-feasts 6 As the Lord giueth the wicked a taste of hell in this life so doth he giue a taste of heauen and of his goodnesse to his holy children in this life for godlines hath the promise of Gods loue to bee manifested and found of the faithfull both in this life and in the life to come Of the trueth of Gods promise we must consider thus If we looke well to our small obedience and manifold transgressions wee shall not thinke it much if we feele his fatherly corrections It may be that euer since we haue giuen our selues to Gods seruice wee are more afflicted diuers wayes Then if we consider that wee cannot looke for these promises in our selues because we haue not done the cōmandements as we ought or if we beleeue in Christ
too much or too long whole daies from morning vntil night til we be set on fire with them We come to be too effuse Nabals feasts are like the feasts of a king he being but a countrie farmer 14 This is a general rule wantonnesse is the beginning of sinne we see in Esau to what great prophanenesse his wanton pleasure in hunting grew So in the Scriptures there can be found none other beginning of Salomons fall but this that 1. Reg. 5. when he had spent seauen yeeres in building the house of God hee spent thirteene yeeres after in building an house for himself This was scarse a good propertie to bestow thirteene yeares on his own house and seauen yeares on Gods house and the Apes and Peacockes that hee brought into the Land set the people on such vanitie that they vanished awaie in their wanton thoughts Idlenes and trifling be the callings of Gentlemen now adaies as also needelesse expenses 1. Tim. 5. CHAP. XLII Of Inuiries offences and controuersies WHen an iniurie is offered thee the Lord doth trie thee what loue patience and meekenesse is in thee to blesse them that curse thee which will followe if thou be the childe of God contrariwise if thou requite euill for euill then doth the Lord shewe vnto thee the corruption which thou must labour to pull out of thee if thou wilt ouercome 2 When we see that others stand in neede of our helpe and wee are able to helpe the Lord requireth our obedience 3 Meditations of GODS promises and prouidence will driue from vs all desire of reuenge 4 We must not tarry vntill others reconcile theÌ„selues vnto vs but as God doth rather oftentimes by heaping his benefits than powring his plagues vpon vs shew vs our sinnes so must we rather by courteous dealing than seuere handling shew others how they haue offended vs. 5 The more Pharaoh restrained the more Moses stood in the thing that was commanded coÌ„trary vnto those which making a mingle mangle in religion yeeld in some things but wee must not yeeld a lot of that the Lord requireth although in worldly matters wee ought for peace to yeeld one to another In religion it skilleth not how little the matter seeme for which we doe contend The least thing that God commandeth is great in the sight of God and Gods children haue been punished for small offences in appearance as Moses and Aaron for grudging were debarred from the land of promise Iosiah was slaine because he asked not counsell to goe to warre which may teach vs to beware of the least offences It ought not to be condemned nor counted precisenesse not to giue consent in the breach of the least thing though we may beare them when they cannot be redressed but not with consent 6 Shall we be contentious I thinke no nature is so misâ—reant that it doth delight in contention if any delight to dwell in Meshâ—ch as Dauid calleth it I would he had a tabernacle there if any delight in contention I wish no more harme than that he may be neuer without it What then shall we blot out controuersies That were to teach the spirit of God wisedome Could he not as well haue said let there be peace as let there be light â—ay God hath ordained there should be contentions and not onely permitted them but saith they must be and such as be about the waightiest matters in truth called heresies 1. Cor. 11. Then it is a dreame of idle braines that any good can be receiued without controuersies and as the Prophet Esaiah saith without the barking of some dog or other It is not so in euill things they are receiued with silence what then shal we play the pots and aske the potter a reason of his doing Albeit I like not that humor of men which wil search out the reason of God his doings when they know his flat wil yet in this we may because he hath set it downe There be three reasons first that those That are stedfast may be approued we will haue it in this As Sathan did to Iob God called him what saiest thou of my seruant Iob Liueth he not vprightly No grandmercie said he for he hath all blessings of thee but take away them and then c. Secondly there are cities to be gouerned and to that ende we must vse our talent Iohn reproued the Scribes and Pharisies and came to reproue Herod Samuel reproued Ely and came to reproue Saul that might haue smitten off his head Thirdly that the Diuell may haue the greater ouerthrow that as God triumphed ouer him in Iob so in our constancie he might doe the like Then controuersies are necessarie How then is it that God is called the God of glorie and peace that Christ is called the prince of peace the Gospell the Gospell of peace the Ministers the Ministers of peace of glad tydings and vnitie commended so generall Surely it is the fault of our age to deliuer the word by halfes and so I say that he that teacheth peace to be good simplie without exception teacheth an errour Therefore peace must be peace in truth and for this cause Christ saith I am the way the life and truth for to haue contention with such as hold not in him is no breach of peace Nay the wicked among themselues haue no peace it is but truce they haue couenanted with hell for a time a day a few yeares or as the rearme of their life and then is great and euerlasting debate we may see it in the first agreement among the wicked The serpent disputed with Heua vntill she had yeelded then all was quiet vntill the euening but then came one brake the truce Separate peace from truth and peace is no peace The reason therefore is set down Ps. 138. Lord thou hast magnified thy truth aboue al things therfore aboue peace And that I fal not into that error aforesaid my selfe I will tell you what truth is We thinke we are at peace haue vnitie perfect among vs if we be of the same religion and we agree that we must and wil be all Protestants but the fathers haue al distinguished truth into three parts First truth of doctrine in religion Secondly of life in our conuersation Thirdly of iustice in giuing preferments Vnlesse a man hath al these he hath none of them and if in all these be peace I will seeke ensue after peace as saith the Psalmist if any offend in these I will not haue peace with him We knowe that veritas doctrinae hath had witnesses martyrs so haue the other two though they send vs not to heauen in a firie chariot but an euil name which euery maÌ„ for their stakes must prouide to suffer we must be in this as Christ when he kneeled before his father in the garden If maÌ„s saluation may be wrought let this cup passe if not thy will be done So
pay him truth The third respect why the Lord will haue truth is because it is a thing most concerning vs and comforteth vs in the agonie of a distressed cōscience For in this case mercie cannot so comfort vs for God hath iustice as well as mercie and hee is iust as well as he is mercifull and for Christ he cannot comfort vs for he is not giuen to all and it may be not to thee and therefore in these two onely there is no comfort But to challenge the Lord his truth is best and his faithfulnes in giuing Christ whom he hath promised is our chiefest hold and nothing can put vs beside it This is the surest tenour of our saluation because by this we hold whatsoeuer we hold and howsoeuer we are defectiue in other things yet in respect of truth we must make much of it Thus in these respects that truth is the diadem of the Lord in respect that Sathan doth so assault it it is the tenour of our saluation it is sure that it is a pension to bee paid But to come neerer whether this truth be in vs or no we see the earth it selfe is not only true but liberall to vs. And as it hath truth and mercie so knowledge is in it too for it knoweth al times and seasons When to receiue when to returne it shewes it selfe a cunning Scholler and it keepes such a comely course in all seasons as if it had perfect knowledge and this is another reason why wee must labour for truth We may well be compared to a land For though there be a soule in vs of the substance of heauen and comming into our bodies made of earth should make them like to heauen and so heauen should lift vs vp to heauen from the earth yet our bodies which by the soule should be more heauenly haue so weighed down heauen as it were to the earth pressed downe the soule to things below That we haue set earth as it were aboue heauen in all our attempts and imaginations and so our soules are become a very ground and land for all our intent being earthly we are iustly called earth 3 There are found out three truths First The truth of life which euery man must labour for The second is The truth of Iustice which is in Common-wealths The third is Truth in doctrine and religion which is in the Church For that truth of life which ought to be among men that we may better vnderstand it wee will shew it in measures and weights In a measure there is a Standard and in weight there is a Seale and if our measure be equall with the standard and if our weights be iust with the seale so as they be neither lighter nor heauier than the standard weight our measures and weights are true Now to applie these things the maine and standard truth is set downe Ioh. 17. Thy word is the truth Then here is the point the word is trueth If our thoughts bee agreeable to this standard and then our tongues be agreeable to our harts well agreeing to the standard if our doings agree with our tongues then comes sinceritie of heart simplicitie of speech and constancie of life Now here is the question then whether the conclusion wee make in our braine be equall with the standard or else our hearts are false and they being false our tongues are out of rule and our outward life can neuer be true For surely if the word haue not taught vs our truth wee haue no truth in the world and then wee truly measure all things according to the truth when we esteeme all things as the word doth esteeme them looke what conclusions the word hath set downe of the world and of other things that must be our conclusion and principle in euery thing Phil. 3. Paul who doubtlesse knew the truth and deliuered nothing but measured by the standard of the truth hath this conclusion that to winne Christ he would lose all there was nothing so glorious in the world but he counted it riffe raffe for the attaining of Christ. This is then the first thing to doe al things by the analogy of the word and then we shall haue but one heart not a heart and an heart Otherwise wee shall be as deceiueable as the vineyard that Esay speakes of whereof grapes were looked for but it brought foorth wilde grapes And because men haue worldly conclusions and the world not the word is their standard so that they are resolued of their principles speaking thus secretly in their hearts We will keepe this gaine and profite they haue lost the truth So must it be in the simplicitie of our speech for vnlesse our words bee according to our hearts we delude our selues For if in the Church we shall haue an Amen a great praising of heauen and a large cursing of sinne and yet no regard of this simplicitie all is but an illusion When men shall publikely sing out of the Psalmes that nothing is more precious than the word of God and yet wee set by nothing lesse this is plaine mockerie to beare the world in hand that we loue the word and yet our thoughts are more large and deepe and attentiue to the world So that wee haue false hearts and dissembling words and truly though we dare not shew this to the world and though in our hearts wee care not for a Sermon once in seuen yeeres yet if wee were asked how wee stood affected to the word what great credit and commendations would flie out of our mouthes But now let vs come to the truth of our actions in stedfastnesse of life that a man may bind on our word the ouerthrowing of our liues doe so much drowne the voice of our mouthes that whatsoeuer we protest in word wee spoyle in our workes The blood of Habel was an action and it cried vp to heauen our Amen in our mouthes is drowned by the blood of our actions crying so loude before the Lord. For our actions bewray men for there is such wringing going ouergoing and incroching that there is no Truth in our liues in respect of the concordance of the tongue And whatsoeuer their bonds are we must haue other forfeiture vpon forfeitures to proclaime their falsehood to the world Now come to the Truth of the Common-wealth wee see as the Prophet saith Iudgement is turned in to Worme-wood that is a man had as good eate a hand-full of Worme-wood as haue our cause pleaded in the Courte Let Noble-men be neuer so wise to open the Truth yet the Diuell hath made many wiser in breaking of the Truth then any can be wise in setting it downe It is knowne too well that many grieuances haue beene for that men haue growne more cunning in ouerthrowing of Iustice then manie haue bene able to establish Iustice. But euery man would be content to beare this burthen because it concernes another Courte But
what say you to the Truth of Religion that is among vs why our Doctrine is sound enough that needes not to be spoken of No Yes surely very needfull it is to speake of it Truth indeede runnes about the Church-walles for eares and goeth about the Pillars but it findeth no nearers and as the wise man saith he that hath a Treasure in store and not in vse is as though he had it not so we may say of our Age men haue a little knowledge but for want of vsing it they are as though they had no knowledge and seeing wee hide our knowledge if wee haue it and we cannot speake the truth at our going in and our going out as men are charged by Moses wee cannot be said to haue the truth So in a second degree Paul would haue vs vse the world as though we vsed it not surely had hee made his wish of the Truth as hee did of the world hee had surely had it All our knowledge is a knowledge of the braine it is not a knowledge of the hart for it neuer makes vs set lesse on the score of sinne yee shall see this plaine wee know that fire will burne and because wee know it indeede by no paine almost can wee be brought to put our finger in the fire and doubtles if wee were perswaded that sinne would burne vs as a fire wee would not so easily put our hands vnto it And I would know if a man had a rule or gold-weight whereby he might measure his timber weigh his mettals and yet he neuer vseth either his rule or his weights what good it would doe him Talke of religion and begin to speake of the word and you shall haue manie that will holde you talke a whole dinner time or halfe a day and looke into their liues and common course of their conuersation and they wil falsifie whatsoeuer they haue said so they haue a thing but without all vse of it There is yet another thing mentioned Ephes 6. and that is a gyrdle of Truth it must be tyed to vs but our truth is not gyrt to vs it sitteth not close to vs it will easilie be shaken off from vs if the Crosse come and persecution shake vs a little wee can easily shift it off 4 A man would not willingly dwell by an euill nature and hatred will driue any man a way Truth is hated among vs and no maruell though it delight not to be among vs. If a man should take vpon him to plucke vp an olde-hedge and to admonish one of sinne straight way one Snake or other will bee ready to hisse at him and to sting him for his labour They that should looke to vs are hated and if a man be so bold as to tell a man of his fault he shall haue a rebuke for his paines with this scoffe or the like this is one of the wise generation which can telll the truth so cold an occupation is it to tell the truth So that we are not onely culpable for not hauing Truth but because we haue driuen Truth out of the Land It would grieue me to name mens sinnes herein but yet your selues know that a man will sell credite Faith and all that he hath to set Truth out of the way and shall wee thinke then that Truth hath any heart to dwell among vs seeing wee sell it for two-pence or a groate nay for a paire of old-shooes But let vs know seeing that CHRIST hath pronounced himselfe to be the TRVTH hee hath made these men that sell the Truth guiltie of the sinne of Iudas they sell Christ not for so much but for halfe so much nay for a quarter so much as Iudas sold him For CHRIST is TRVTH and CHRIST is solde 5 Contempt and hatred ouerthroweth all estates if either the Law be contemned or the Law-giuer hated And as in Kingdomes so it fareth for this point in the Church if the law of God be not esteemed then the iealousie of the Lord of Hostes will surely either take away his Law or punish the abusers of it The cause of contempt commonly as they say is familiaritie Familiarity breedeth contempt Indeed the wise men of the world noted that there were three excellent mothers which brought forth three very euill daughters The mothers are these first Familiaritie which is the high pitch of friendship brings vp contempt so the more we enioy the thing loued the viler it growes in our eyes Secondly truth breeds hatred The third is peace and that is the mother of idlenesse and securitie So that whatsoeuer is free in vâ—e once that growes vile as Manna though it were a verie precious thing did in the eyes of the Israelites Yet we must know that albeit somtime these issue from these mothers yet they be not their natural daughters The naturall child of familiaritie is not contempt but it commeth of our corrupt nature which is cleane opposite to the nature of God For as the nature of God is so perfectly good that he doth turne euen very euill things to very good things as the malice of the Iewes in putting his Sonne to death to be a meane of our saluation so our nature is so absolutely euill that it turnes very good things into euill Wherfore retaining this foolish axiome of vanitie that nothing is precious but rare strange things it commeth not of the nature of the thing which is still good but of our nature which no more esteemes it In the first of Samuel it is said the word was precious in those daies which was because it was rare for they accounted highly of Samuel because they had no Prophet long before but we must not doe so neither in other things doe we so Doe we in naturall things contemne the sunne the water and the fire because they be vsuall we doe not Then surely naturally we contemne not a thing for familiaritie but the cause of contempt is the ignorance of the vse of the thing and therefore no doubt as we doe not contemne the sunne the water the fire because we know and are perswaded of the true vse of them so therefore we doe in long vse contemne the word and prayer and sacraments because we know not the necessitie and the vse of them Whensoeuer then we begin to be cloyed let vs know the nature of a sinne doth begin to grow in vs not that in the long vse of the word we are so full of knowledge but for that we know not the vse of it and therefore like swine we leaue the pearle and goe to the shels Greatly therefore are we to pray against this Concerning hatred when the pearles are contemned the Ieweller is wrathfull and when the word is despised the Lord is surely displeased for which cause good men feeling their spirits to grow hot at the sight of such contempt and the contemners seeing themselues to be drawen out
speech into sharpenes as Mat. 6. If light be darknes how great is that darknes If sweetnes become bitternes how great is that bitternes Euery thing when it degenerateth into his contrarie becommeth most contrary as of the sweetest wine is made the sowrest vineger and that which is coldest when it is boyled is most feruent the sea calmest when it is moued is most raging Augustine saith that his laughter is more to bee feared than his anger That which he speaketh with laughter let vs reade with weeping For God neuer vseth such speeches of derisioÌ„ but there followeth immediatly destruction Prou 1. 26 27. Psal. 2. Hee will laugh them to scorne and then will breake them in peeces And because this is the last warning before iudgement when wee finde the Lord speaking so vnto vs it is as much as if he should say Now heare the word or neuer Well these speeches are vsed to wilfull sinners as Micaiah speaketh to the King that would go to battaile whatsoeuer came of it Go to and prosper Prou 2. Because you haue not heard any word nor profited by my sermons nor by my inward checks nor come when I shewed out my benefite but refused my correction then commeth this I will laugh at your destruction Ephraim will needes follow Idols well let him saith God Iosu 4 Psal. 2. We will not be yoked and will ye not goe to the Lord in heauen will yoke you And againe such as drinke iniquitie till they haue no vse of God his gifts in them woe be to them 4 We must redeeme time euen from our ordinary callings to read the holy Scriptures 5 It is best to note the general vertue of the word and not to vse exceptions but vpon particular and constraining necessitie 6 It is the grace of God when the word of God is of such credit with vs that it humbleth vs more than all manner of corrections 7 The vsuall dealing of the Lord is that hee first sendeth his word then his wonders which if they preuaile not then doth hee fall to afflicting vs and the ending of one crosse shall be the beginning of another till he hath brought vs to him if we be his or till we bee hardened if we belong not to him 8 The word of God is the sauour of life to some and the sauour of death to others it bringeth some to repentance and others it hardeneth 9 We must esteeme highly of the Sacraments admonitions of our brethren because in contempt of these we despise Gods ordinance and they can neuer haue their fruit in vs. For whosoeuer haue felt the fruites of the spirit can tell that nothing is so comfortable to vs as that great ioy which they felt in the right vse of these holy ordinances of God And hereof commeth that continuall ioy which the children of God take and finde in reading hearing and speaking of his word prayer Sacraments Therfore let vs learne to esteeme the word of God which hath been offered so long and let not our corruption as in other things so in this lesse esteeme it because it hath been long with vs which through corruption we shall doe if God by his great grace doe not sustaine vs. 10 Our father Adam had nothing to leade him by but the great booke of the creatures which when by sinne it was blotted the Lord supplied this want by the word though not written which is cleere for that without faith it is impossible to please God but Abel by faith pleased God and that faith presupposed the word therefore they had the word for which cause some were called the sonnes of God because they were ruled by the word of God And this word is said by the Apostles and Prophets that it endereth for euer therefore our Fathers had this word though not alwayes written 11 We must learne principally those things which the spirit of God most purposeth to teach vs and be more sparing in those things which to knowe Gods spirit is the more sparing to teach vs. 12 Although the word of God is alwayes in season to be ministred yet mens hearts are not alwayes in season to receiue it 13 To one that said she had a thing told her in the spirit that should vndoubtedly come to passe he answered how it might bee of God who after some great and grieuous conflict comforteth her But euermore such workings are according to the word if they be of God And seeing such inward motions for the most part are either offered or wrought by our owne corruption or sent of the diuel as an illusion we must trie these motions by the word whether they be for spirituall or temporall things if they be of God and according to his word beleeue them for the words sake and not onely because of the reuelations if they agree not to the word how pleasant soeuer they seeme to flesh and blood listen not then to them too much and lesse beleeue them 14 The word of God is reuerenced with many titles it is the reuealed will of God the librarie of the holy Ghost the cubit of the Sanctuarie the Lanterne of Israel Psa. 119. â—09 the spirituall Manna Christ his Aphorismes the wisedome of the crosse the Lord his legacie the touchstone of error the key of the sheepfold the mystery of godlinesse the oldest way of life and truth Prou. 28 the fulnes of knowledge the Schoole-master of mankind the beacon of the soule the seede of new birth the mouth of the Lord Iehouah the two-edged sword the acts and statutes of the highest Parliament the mint of the Church the lode-starre of the faithfull pilgrim the signeâ— of God his right hand â—he Lambes book the watch-bâ—l the glasse of our life 1. Pet. 2. 2 the scepter of his kingdom the arch of the truth the breath of the holy Ghost God his Oracle the Epistle of God to the world the inestimâ—ble pearle the tenour of our freehold the couenant of promise the Court-roule of his fiâ—es and amercements the well of the water of life the Lord his treasurie the lightning and thuÌ„der of the most High WheÌ„ God speaketh any thing although it be no more than once spoken we ought to receiue it with that faith and deuotion as if it had often bin spoken Wee must thinke of the Lord his writings at the least to be as sure as the proclamations of the Medes and Persians which alter not Dan. 6. 12. Euerie iot title in the librarie of the holy Ghost is fined hath passed seuen times through the fire ere it come to our hands so it shall not neede the furnace of our vaine reason for it further triall Psal. 12. This word was giuen first by God in his owne person secondly by the ministerie of Angels thirdly by his seruants the Prophets fourthly by his owne Sonne Coloss. 2. 3. it was written 2. Pet. 1. 21. it was inspired 2. Timoth-3 â—6 it is
to folfow it 586 Seeking of God 836 Sermons â—6 twice on the Sabbath 563 SeruaÌ„ts their maisters dutie 163 177 their dutie to their maisters 784 Shame and shamefastnes 851 Shepheards and heardsmen 306 Sicknes in minde how cured 5 794 all are sicke 793 their impatiencie to be borne with 7 rules for them 34 to visit the sicke 275 what they should doe in their sicknes 640 715 Signe of grace 170 how it differeth from a figure 138 Silence in meetings not good 5 not too strict 64â— Similitudes of things naturall and better knowne applied to things diuine and lesse knowne vnto vs 11 12 15 16 18 20 21 29 4â— 4â— 244 245 247 262 264 285 613 100 â—52 162 164 166 174 874 875 876 877 294 265 636 640 651 652 655 656 659 661 673 676 682 685 689 693 7â—4 710 713 717 752 722 776 785 79â— 793 802 809 813 819 822 829 Simplicitie godly 715 Sinceritie 161 209 Sinne to finde out specialll sinnes 5 and to confesse them 10â— 484 cause of it within vs 30 in what respect worldlings leaue it 616 fearefull to make a sport of it 626 secret sinnes 37 262 272 610 5â—1 secret sinnes not repented of 461 sinnes not equal 631 euery sinne hath two reasons for it 670 the death of it in the faithful 682 first motions of sinne must be crucified 467 particular sight and loathing of speciall sins 475 wisedome of Gods children to preuent sin 514 of three things which may keepe vs from it 697 two heads of many sinnes 703 ripenes in sins 712 foure companions of sin 7â—0 the cause of the losse of many blessings 786 dominion of it 527 528 presumptuous sinnes 852 to leaue sinne and to repent 85â— differ 858 to leaue it not sufficient 304 sinne of apostacie and fiue reasons to disswade therefrom 627 A maruellous great prerogatiue to be freed from the bondage of sinne 90 we must deale with our sinnes as the iudge doth with malefacters 4â—9 Singing of Psalmes with feeling 30 Sleepe triall therein 36 Slothfulnes 1 Sobrietie at all times required 769 214 Societie 14 of the wicked ought to be shuâ— ned 610 612 â—93 Gods children how sweete 458 Sophistrie of the diuell 734 Sorrow two extremities in it 16 not to delay sorrow for sin 29 worldly 265 godly sorrow 282 signes of it 284 it must be continued 286 it is the way to heauen 285 foolishly put off 95 Soule the consumption thereof 4â—7 starued 846 847 Speech good in meetings required of dutie 647 to speake pleasing things and serue the time 750 Spirit of God comes by the word 12 two workes thereof 13 singularitie of spirit 37 religion vnprofitable to those that want the spirit 241 precepts of not quenching the spirit 242 testimonie of it 875 of faith 484 of cheerefulnes 556 Spirituall man must haue an alteration 42 Superstition 35 41 it breaketh off loue in all estates 801 popish superstition described 345 Surmises euill against others 263 666 Swearing 659 790 Swine who be 455 T TO be taught of God 469 temptation 37 702 47 when and how it breeds 39 wee must not yeeld in it 865 866 how to know whether wee be tempted 816 why many are ouertaken therewith 300 how we conspire with Sathan therein 876 how God tempteth vs 813 what it may teach vs 874 resistance of it a signe of grace 874 dispute not with Sathan 874 Terrors of minde sudden 48 Thanksgiuing 812 of al sacrifices most acceptable 40 483 to God for feeding our soules 177 it was a chiefe exercise of Dauid 458 459 How a Christian may say vnto the Lord I am THINE 449 Thoughts euill resting in the minde how dangerous 267 why Gods children are often exercised therewith 27â— euill thoughts on the Sabbath depriue vs of the fruit of Gods worship 171 two kinds of thoughts 704 what Satan doth suggest into men 748 Conscience of thoughts 543 Theefe on the crosse 794 notes markes of faith in him 693 Time the â—ithe of it to Gods worship 1â—5 To redeeme it for good meditations 471 Tinder the efficacie of it in our nature 676 Trauelling on the Sabbath 167 Tree of life Adam had it for a signe 133 Troubles necessarie to feele them for foure causes 439 Two things sustaine vs in our troubles 508 Trust. 29. to trust onely in God 494 Truth how we ought to speake it 622 Truth and peace go together 728 how God punisheth such as receiue not the truth in loue 802 3. kinds of truths 818 V VAnitie both of life and religion is deceit 501 Vertue two speciall fruites of it 260 Visitation of the sicke 275 Vnbeleefe the godly often troubled with it 95. why we see it not 5â—7 how it is shewed vs. 549 Vngodlines 41 Vnmercifulnes how great a sinne 837 Vnthankfulnes 41 punished 269 cause of it 678 Vse of the creatures 41 813 Vaine-glorie 518 Why God visiteth his dearest sernants 445 Visions how farre to be beleeued 41 Vowes rash 822 what a vow is 477 two things hinder vs from holy vowes 478 to vow against drunkennes 479 Vowes in baptisme must be remeÌ„bred 477 against Whoredome Ibid. 41. Vowes in holy purposes 397 Vsurie 41 Vulgus how it may be taken 667 W WAiting on God properties thereof 17 Wanâ— to lament it in others 457 Wantonnes ends in wickednesse 727 799 468 Watchfulnes 703 527 two causes of watching ouer our hearts 616 304 Way in it three things to be considered 703 euill way two things to be considered therein 416 The way of lying what it is 411 why it is so called ibid. the good way must be chosen ibid. Wearines in good things 531 453 Warfare of a Christian. 531 29â— 298 Description of a wicked man and why he is so called 450 451 Wicked their societie to be auoided 610 how they walke in sinne and know it not 614 the diuell helpes them in meditation 463 punished 699 Wickednesse and wantonnesse 468 Wife how the husband should gouerne her 124 Will free 525 how accepted for the deede 61 Wisedome how to hold it fast 609 what it is 625 99 how the faithfull are wise 124 461 our owne wisedome to be suspected 57 Difference betweene true and false wisedome 414 415 Wits the diuell chuseth the best for his seruice 62 Witchcraft 468 aduertisement against it 42 how cured 822 consulting with witches is to aske counsell of the diuell 578 581 Wonders to beware of 822 Word of God 649 549 preparation to heare it 42 true arguments of Loue thereto 453 the power of it 282 283 857 it is a treasure and hidden 289 few loue it therefore 290 wherfore so many neglect the word 462 how it is found before it be sought 291 famine of it 791 loue to it 440 5â—4 44â— it is necessarie for safe direction 475. to keepe it in a good conscience bringeth wisedome 466 it yeelds most profit pleasure and glory 457 whole felicitie therein 470 direction thereof safe 475 why Gods word is wonderfull 410 it neuer
they differ The sins of the people moue God to punish them with euill gouernours c. How Christians should communicate good things Preparation to the hearing of the word All our power in prayer commeth from the word The life of faith very secret and often hardly discerned How we must haue not onely a knowledge by the last commandement of our naturall corruption but also an experience Prophaning of holy exercises Note well Sathans diligence We must be as diligent to serue the Prince of glorie as the 〈◊〉 are the Prince of darknes The 〈…〉 the light law Law â—â— Gospell in â—â—â— ages till Christ came No thriuing in sinne The feare of God the strong bridle of the faithfull The great power of Gods feare Thankesgiuing How feruent prayer preuailes with God A sweete consolation The heart whose it is by right A great mercie not to thriue in sinne Patience Hardnes of heart Simile To suspect our own wisedome in matters of saluation Diuers infirmities of men Admonition How can rebuke kindly A good counsell Iudgement To vse well the graces which God hath giueÌ„ vs. The generall promises of outward things 1. Tim. 4. 8 To learne to obserue inward corruption by the outward sense How some respect neither cursing nor blessing Sinne how terrible An experienced faith Gods prouidence The Church hath a mixture of good and bad Simile Our faith the same with the Fathers How the law and the Gospel is to be preached Of profiting by hearing of sermons Of Gods presence and how to present our selues before him in his worship Heb. 11. 26. 27 Differences of sinning in the godly and godlesse How some can correct the same sin in others which they like in themselues How many couer sinne by example What respect God hath to his children in the execution of his iudgements A good signe of Gods grace when Gods sweete blessings make vs more free in his seruice How God accepteth the will in some for the deede Of our happy communion with Christ how thereby wee haue an assurance of all his insearchable riches Iustification sanctification goe together If we respect Christ his Crosse wee may not continue in the filthines of our sinnes How sinne dwâ—lles in the godly How the diuell chuseth the best wits for his seruice How many sinnes may lie couered vnder one How to preserue a teÌ„der conscience to keepe our hearts from hardning How dangerous to reiect grace and light offered How coÌ„trary the iudgmeÌ„ts of the word worldare How sinne 〈…〉 the qualitie of the Serpent The iudgement day of Gods 〈…〉 day of 〈◊〉 redemption To sit 〈…〉 Note â—â— How profitable â—he crosse it Children and bastards how they differ Priuie pride Matth 4. The hearing of the word preached How corruption â—urneth grace into wantonnes How our own kindred may hinder vs with God How to entertaine and loue the Saints How to labour for contentation if we will profit in godlinesse How to attaine the measure of blessings which God hath appointed for vs. A good note of our loue to vertue Not to proceed rashly in iudgement against any man The ende of the wicked Prayer How to cure contention Prayer Selfe-loue selfe-will Pride Admonition Matrimonie Affliction Doctrine How troubled mindes feare threatnings How greatly God is pleased with faith on his prouidence Admonition How to put difference betweene persons The passions of Christ in his death Obserue well the heart in all things How the diuell malignes the best Memorie Wherefore the Lord bids vs flee Fornication but re sist the diuell The zeale of youth and of age The differeÌ„ce between our feelings in our first conuersion and afterwards Simile Prayer The end tries all To be faithfull in our owne busines Anger The godly mans peace Chaplaines Hardnes Iudgements To seeke first the kingdom of God The Diuels registers Sound profession How to hide our treasure How God rewardeth vs. Not to dwell in sinne To empty our selues of euery one Priuate examination and confession * Or spiritual Differences in sinne Children regenerate Affections Tithe Studies A liuely faith Vehement speeches Admonition Death The coÌ„tempt of the Gospell a signe of wrath How to respect aduisedly the workes of God A coÌ„solation to one afflicted Iob. 7. 15. Act. 16. 27. * The afflicted must flie idlenes Sinne. Mirth Griefe Vehement speeches A graue counsell to Ladies To a man of ciuill life much troubled in minde Teachers 2. Cor. 1. 3. Ioy griefe Sabbath How to â—â—rrie our selves in the temptation Few meanes vsed in truth better than many in ceremonie Faith and feeling How God blesseth and directeth the single and simple heart Isaac was blinde and so was Iacob Sinne. Heretikes To lie in any one sinne how dangerous To walke vprightly To thriue in sinne Deceitfulnes of sinne Iohn 3. 4 All must reade the Scriptures Act. 17. Heb. 3. 12. 1. Pet. 3. Reading the Scriptures in the Church Heb. 4. 2. Preaching Hearing the Word Law Gospell Amoâ— Dei amorem proximi geâ—eâ—at Generall obseruations concerning the Dâ—calogue Rules 1. Preâ—â—pt Euill forbidden Good commanded The second commandement Generall euils Speciall euils Occasions of the breach of the secoÌ„d law What wee must tolerate in a Church which lies not in our power to reforme General good Speciall good thing Occasions of good Sufficient prouision for Godâ— sâ—ruie 3. Precept 4. Precept Publike exercises Priuate exercises 5. Precept Triall of the loue of children to Parents Triall of the loue of Parents to children Triall of the loue of Seruants to their Maisters Triall of the loue of Maisters to Seruants The sixt Precept The seuenth Precept A man may commit adulterie with his owne wife Meanes of Chasti ie 8. Precept Idlenesse Restitution 9. Prccept False witnes Psal. 15. Suspâ—â—ion against any man without any iust cause a sinne against the ninth commandement 1. Cor. 13. Charitie suspecteth no euill 10. Precept Motions What motioÌ„s are forbiddeÌ„ in the tenth Commandement How wee be infected with the motions which come from Sathan the world Who is our Neighbour Ioh. 3. Ephès 2. 3. The Mediator described 1. Cor. 1. Faith defined What Creatiâ—â—â—â— Vse of the first article of the Crâ—eâ—e Christ verie GOD. Christ very Man Vse of holie Conception Vse of Christs Prophesie Vse of his Priesthood Vse of Christs kingdome Christs passion most grieuous in bodie and soule Vse of Christs buriall Phil. 3. 9. 13. Rom. 6. 12. Vse of the article of the Resurrection Iohn â— 14. Vse of Chrstes intercession 1. Thess. 4. 26. 1. Cor. 15. Phil. 3. 10. Rom. 12. 13. Church The holie Ghost alone giueth vs the assurance of the pardon of sinnes * By Faith wee come by degrees to feele to haue a comfortable experience of the pardon of sinnes The comfortable vse of all the articles of the Creede Faith onely iustifieth Rom. 3. 28. A reward to workes is promised of Gods free mercie and not for merit Workes Law and Gospell coÌ„demne sinners which
of happie memorie and our worthie King Iames whom the Lord long keepe to rule ouer vs that the iawebones of the Lions may be broken before euer he be giuen a prey to their teeth To destroy Before he shewed their vigilancie in wayting now he declareth their malice in destroying nothing will quench their thirst but his blood he vsed all kindnes to them they practised all crueltie towards him Thus the wicked neuer leaue till they haue killed they will persecute and take and destroy to roote out the memoriall of the godly out of the earth Haman could not be satisfied vnlesse the Iewes were destroyed nor the Scribes vnlesse Christ were crucified nor the Persian Sages till Daniel was deliuered not the Paâ—â—â—â—an Massakerers till the Protestants were killed The Lion is often satisfied when hee hath brought vnder his prey the Beare will not be satisfied till it be deuoured But I will consider thy testimonies It was a grieuous temptation to be sought for to slaughter but a greater mercie to consider Gods testimonies euen then when his life was sought for had it not beene for the consideration of Gods testimonies a thousand to one he had fallen away But I Though I was thus assaulted yet I despaired not of thine aide cast not off my calling was not carelesse of mine estate vsed no deceit could not flatter auenged not my selfe became no polititian confessed no fault where none was committed trusted not in my sword went not to witches as Saul did but being assured of the innocencie of mine heart the goodnes of my cause the helpe of my God and his comfort in trouble I considered thy testimonies It is good for a Christian not euer to arme himselfe with the weapons of flesh but to put vpon him the armour of the spirit which she must fetch out of Gods armorie Consider thy testimonies Bernard wrote 5. bookes of consideration to pope Eugenius They that consider Gods testimonies that is the commandements of God which were testimonies to the Israelites that they were bounden to keepe them and the couenant of grace testifying to all Gods mercy in Christ haue no great neede of those bookes no if it were the Pope himselfe who I am perswaded doth not reade much of Gods booke This consideration will make vs patient in trouble forgetfull of wrongs and in the end we shall get such a conquest of our aduersaries that they shall say to vs as Saul did to Dauid 1. Sam 24. 17. 18. My sonne Dauid thou art more righteous then I. ¶ Vers. 96. I haue seene an end of all perfection but thy commandem â—t is exceeding large IN his precedent meditation he considered Gods testimonies here he breaketh out into acommendation of them and by the consumption of things vpon earth obserues the consummation of the word of God Where note first that the most perfect earthly things are but imperfect they shal haue an end The goodliest cities seuelled with the earth the mightiest Empires deuided into Dukedomes the auncientest buyldings come to the ground and the greatest Monarches haue not long left their inheritaÌ„ce to their children where is Salomon with all his royaltie Absolon with all his beauty Diues with all his wealth Haman with all his honour Sampson with all his strength Achitophel with all his wisedome yea or Dauid with all his victories they are gone and so gone that man must say as Dauid once said surely euery man nay euery thing in his best estate is vanitiâ— vanâ—â—tis of vanities all is vanity We that now liue nay the greatest that now liue what shal become of vs ours them theirs but an hundred yeares hence which yet is the age of some one man Alternante rota moras mutantur in horas Omnia nunc huius mea cras post nescio cuius The turning wheele things changeth all His now mine then next haue who shall Aetas nostra canit Veneres postrema triumphos This age of ours sings songs of loue The next of triumphs got by loue 2. Dauid like a wise man sees this with his eye ponders it with his heart A wise memeÌ„to for al meÌ„ quod cuiquaÌ„ cuiuis that which may come to al men may come to euery man and mansion vpoÌ„ earth It is the point of a wise man to obserue the passages of honours honourable personages in the world and it wil make him to say Noâ— aâ—tum sapâ—re sed time be not high minded but feare Rom 11. As they haue beene so I may be As Dauid the father had these eyes so also had Salomon his sonne Preu 24 30. I passed saith he by the field of the slothfull and by the vyneyard of the man destitute of vnderstanding 31. And loâ— it was all growne ouer with thornes and nâ—ttles had couered the face thereof and the stone wall was broken downe 32. And I behold and considered it well I looked vpon it and receiued instruction Happie are they that haue such eyes But thy commaundement c. out of the imperfection of other things he gathers the perfection of Gods word And in truth what is the drosse to the gold 〈◊〉 Christus amaâ—elâ—it mundus If once the glad tydings of the Gospel affect vs the sweetnes of this world will be bitter sweet or rather indeed meere bitternes vnto vs. Exceeding large Extending to al times persons places actions circumstances of actions The auncient lawes of the Persians Grecians and Romans are gone or at the least mosâ—lie gone in their gouernments but the word of our God will endure for euer in it selfe and make vs to endure for euer This one verse is an excellent meditation for great ones that they presume not meane ones that they repine not and all that they build not vpon this preseÌ„t world We see now an healthful happy time do we know how long it wil coÌ„unue we doe not There dyed in the yeare 160â— in and about this Citie of London fortie two thousand nine hundred eightie and nyne persons whereof of the plague thirtie sixe thousand eight hundred siâ—â—e and two Our sinnes deserue the like desolation the Lord giue vs comfort out of that word of his which is able to comforâ—al to teach them of whom by whom vnder whom to what and aboue what things they are and that they shall haue an inheritance with them that are sanctified PORTION 13. MEM. Vers. 97. Oh how loue They law it is my meditation continually THis Psalme is a liuely representation of a man regenerate and teacheth vs what are or ought to bee his meditations his exercises and his affections so that by how much a man shall haue found himselfe to bee truly conuersant in this Psalme so much may hee thinke himselfe to haue profited in regeneration and by how much the lesse hee hath found that hee is lesse occupied in the practise hereof so much he is to suspect himselfe to faile and come short of newnesse of life In these
Wherefore we must needes see and confesse that either hee was very vile and wee very holie or he most holie and we very vile Shall we hope to attaine this without vsing the like meanes Did not hee attaine to Knowledge without so many meanes and shall wee attaine to it with vsing of no meanes Shall wee thinke the Lord will be more partiall with vs than he was with his beloued Prophet Did not the man of God obtaine without asking often and shall we obtaine without asking at all Shall he crie and call pray and complaine watch and wake to get vnderstanding and shall wee slugge and doe nothing Or did it more appertaine to him to doe these things or doe they lesse concerne vs seeing he did them for our instruction The holy Ghost hath for no other end blessed the commendation of so good men to vs then for a type of godlines which we must follow and wherby he vouchsafeth as it were to open heauen gates for vs and to giue vs accesse to the treasures of heauen Surely it was not for any profit of the Prophet himselfe who did it but for all posteritie to come to put vs in minde of our corruption to shew how we should striue against it Wherefore it standeth vs in hand more carefully more frequently more feruently to vse prayer if euer wee will hope for the like graces For the Lord hath promised that if wee knock on this sort the doore of knowledge shall be opened if we seeke wisedome on this sort wee shall surely finde her if wee craue vnderstanding with this affection and alaâ—â—â—â—e we shall receiue plentifully We must then in our behalfe know that wee must knocke and that instantly we must seeke and that carefully we must aske and that diligently with an holy importunitie Away then with our old drowsines God will not bestow his hidden secrets his treasures his mysteries his iewels vpon them who vouchsafe not to aske them For seeing the things which he promiseth in his word be no small things but such as the eye hath not seene the eare heard tongue expressed nor heart conceiued shall we thinke to come to them by shutting our eyes by making dull our eares by closing vp our mouthes and hardning our hearts Surely no. Behold then this vehement praying of the man of God for a president for vs to follow But why should the man of God here pray for vnderstanding had he not often prayed for it before was he a nouice in knowledge being a Prophet doth not our Sauiour Christ reprehend repetitions and babling in prayer True it is our Sauiour Christ doth reprehend that babling which is without faith and knowledge and a feeling of our wants but he speaketh not against these serious and often repetitions which proceede from a plentifull knowledge abundant faith and liuely feeling of our necessities Againe although it cannot be denyed but he was a man of God and had receiued great graces yet God giueth knowledge to his dearest Saints in this life but in part and the most which we see and know is the least thing which we see not nor knowe Besides when wee haue knowledge and knowledge must be brought into practise wee shall finde such difficulties such wawardnes such forgetfulnes such wants that although we haue had with the Prophet a very good direction in the generall things of the word which are vniuersall and few yet we shall finde many distractions in our practises which must bee particular and many and wee shal either faile in memorie by forgetfulnesse or in iudgement by blindnes or in affection by dulnes So easily may we slippe when wee thinke we may hold our iourney on Wherfore the man of God through that examination which he tooke of his heart and affections seeing those manifold streights and difficulties prayeth in the verse following not for the renuing of men in generall troubles but for the hindring of his particular estate and condition Vers. 170. Let my supplication come before thee and deliuer me according to thy promise WEl now if we only coÌ„sider those former causes we shal see that here is no vaine repetition and that in nothing this prayer was made too often For besides that as we said we know here but in part we forget also that which we know and wee cannot practise that which we remember so that it is a rare thing to haue a good iudgement but rarer when wee haue a good iudgement to haue a good affection and most rare when wee haue a good iudgement and a sound affection to haue them still For wee haue not in vs any indwelling righteousnes Againe as it had not been sufficient for vs to haue had light heretofore and not to haue it now or hauing it now vnlesse we haue it hereafter so it is requisit for our life which we hold in Christ that we haue not onely had iudgement heretofore vnlesse we haue it now and it is not sufficient to haue it now vnlesse we haue it hereafter For they that thinke their iudgement is perfit enough and their affections holy had no need to haue Christ to be their schoolemaster who teacheth the simple and ignorant they that are whole need him not to be their physition who came not to cal the righteous but sinners to repentance But God his children seeing their ignorance and corrupt affections euen by experieÌ„ce the schoolemistresse of schooles know how needful it is daily to craue knowledge and continually to labour for a good conscience On the contrary part who so bolde as blinde bayard who so loftie as hee that vnderstandeth least who so proud as hee that hath but slender knowledge But surely the children of God who are conscious still of their deadnes dulnes in heauenly things would euen haue despaired had they not seene the same in the Saints of God before them and had they not receiued from God this holy Psalme both for a patterne of godlines to their instruction and also for an example how they might be rid from their ignorance deadnes dulnes and how they might be comforted when after much striuing and shaking them off they returne to them againe to their consolation For when we see that the Saints of God before vs haue had such fightes not onely with corruptions of ill iudgement and corrupt affections which they had of nature but after they haue beene renued by knowledge and therewithall consider that by prayer alone they haue bene reuiued we are assured and comforted that if wee continue and renue our prayers GOD will continue and renue his graces in vs. Thus we see as well to our consolation as instruction that the Saints of GOD were not onely not safe from presumptuous sinnes but also they laboured to see the errors of this life and also desired to bee rid from the daungerous and sluggish sinnes of prophane professors who will see nothing at all According to thy Word These wordes will beare
a double interpretation for either the meaning of them is giue me vnderstanding which is according to the prescript truth of thy holy Word or else according as thou hast promised in the Worde to them that by prayer aske it of thee But because this latter sense comprehendeth the former I more willingly embrace the latter For if God helpe vs according to his promise it is doubtles according to his word for hee promiseth nothing which is not agreeable with his word Besides this may be prâ—ued by that wich is added in the verse following where hee saith according to thy promise Now in that he repeateth the same thing he sheweth that certainly God hath promised to helpe and relieue his necessitie Neither must we thinke that this promise was made to Dauid alone who alone had not such infirmities but hee speaketh as a member of the Church for the promise appertaineth to the Church to all in the Church vniuersally Howbeit looke what the Lord had promised to all generally he applieth to himselfe particularly For we may see both in this Psalme Port 17 2. The entrance into thy word sheweth light and giueth vnderstanding to the simple as also Psal. 19. 7. The testimonie of the Lord is sure and giueth light to the simple that the promise is generall and as well appertaineth to vs as to him So that the meaning of this latter part is nothing else but this as thou hast promised to giue knowledge to them that seeke it so Lord giue it mee for I thus seeke it Thus we see how needfull it is to haue knowledge of God his word seeing none obtaine but they that pray according as God hath promised in his word according to that Ioh. 5. 4 This is the assurance that we haue in him that if we aske any thing according to his will hee heareth vs. Ye aske saith S. Iames cap. 4. 3 and receiue not because ye aske amisse We must not pray then for euery phantasie and for euery grace that commeth into our minds but for those things for which we are taught to pray according to the word But how can we doe this without knowledge how should we pray to him in whom we haue not beleeued or how should we beleeue in him whom we haue not knowne Whosoeuer then will pray aright must pray in faith and he that will pray in faith must also pray in knowledge Againe we are heere to obserue thus much that whosoeuer he be that will be directed in singular actions he must acquaint himselfe with the particular knowledge of the word Wherefore let vs learne to vse often reading hearing and meditating of the word and with often reading hearing and meditating let vs vse often praying applying and examining of our selues that we may both seeke vnderstanding in knowledge and the obedience of it in our affections For often reading hearing and meditating bring ripenes of iudgement often praying applying and examining our selues bring quicknes of our affections We shall see then for often praying the Lord will driue vs to it with often giuing of his graces with the giuing of his graces he will giue necessities with the giuing of necessities he will often giue occasions to set forth his glorie How shall we pray now without iudgement or how shall we meditate without knowledge Wee must often heare for knowledge sake we must often meditate for conscience sake For as we cannot haue profit in the generall knowledge of a thing without particular meditating of it so can wee not meditate without some troubling of our minde vnlesse we doe it of iudgement no more then not hauing knowledge we can pray without great turmoyling and troubling of our minde Thus we must ioyne all meanes together as first by conference wee must labour for knowledge to make our knowledge more effectuall wee must ioyne meditation and that both knowledge and meditation may be sanctified we must vse prayer Let my supplication come before thee and deliuer me according to thy promise Here he prayeth to bee rid from these streights and encombrances which did hinder this vnderstanding of the word which hee desired For whereas some vnderstand it of outward and common troubles I thinke by those things which goe before and comparing it with those things that follow after that he meaneth that deliueraÌ„ct which might rid him from those things which are contrarie and preiudiciall to the things before prayed for that so both being enlightened with true knowledge and deliuered from all blindnes hee might praise God more freely and liberally both for his vnderstanding and for the escapes of those distresses perplexities doubts and ignorances of his mind And thus considering that he prayeth to obtaineÌ„ the good things and to be deliuered from the contrarie euill things let vs consider of that which followeth According to thy promise If wee will obtaine any thing of the Lord wee must first vow thankfulnes and as we be suiters we must be thanksgiuers as we be suppliants wee must be plentifull in prayses to the Lord. For this is the end of our creatioÌ„ this is the end of our redemption this is the end of our sanctification this is the end of all our praying and obtaining euen plentifully to praise the name of our good God Vers. 171. My lips shall speake praise when thou hast taught me thy statutes AS wee learne now that the end of all Gods blessings is thanksgiuing and vnlesse wee purpose and will performe this we must neuer looke to obtaine any thing in fauour so we are also to learne that before God teacheth vs from aboue we are as tonguetide and cannot pray before he by his spirit doth instruct vs we caÌ„not once speake of his word This he sheweth both in the first portion and seuenth verse I will praise thee with an vpright heart when I shall haue learned the iudgements of thy righteousnes and in the second portion where after he hath prayed to be taught in the statutes he promiseth with his lippes to tel the iudgements of the Lord. We cannot then blesse God before he instruct vs. When the Lord rectifieth our knowledge with cleere iudgement and renueth our hearts with holy affections wee are most readie to praise the Lord according to that in the Psalme Lord open thou my lippes and my mouth shall shew thy praise And Rom. 8. 29. The spirit helpeth our infirmities for wee knowe not how to pray as we ought c. Wherefore if wee liue to eate to drinke to sleepe and not to praise God we liue no better than bruit beasts or rather worse for they praise God in their willing seruing of mans necessities and according to their kinde in their waies But man to whom the Lord hath giuen eyes to looke to heauen eares to heare his word speech to sound his praises a mind to conceiue his glorious works and blessed word seeing he hath these gifts aboue beasts it is certaine there must