Amen It followeth in the 7. verse The workes of his hande are veritie and iudgement all his flaâ—â—â—es are true I haue heretofore declared the wonderfull and notable workes which the Lorde executed in the placing of the people of Israell in the land of the Cananits Hitits Heresits c. and shewed by it that which the Prophete speaketh of the strength of God which benefit as hath appeared was to be accounted of aboue the other of the deliueraunce and pray of Egypt which notwithstanding were as I haue shewed wondrous maruelous workes In this verse the Prophet rendreth a reason of this wonderfull counsell of god And first he declareth that it was so beâ—â—â— by God appoynted For he calleth the performance of it â—â—â—eth And because as fleshe and and sinne is prowde and quickely leapeth into the throne of iudgement euen ouer God him selfe his doings such vile and abhominable deuills are we The Prophet giueth a further reason when as he saith the works of his hands are iudgement He saith not â—â—ger least any shoulde thinke crueltie in god The workes of his hands are truth The Hebrewes vse this worde when they speake of a sure and certaine performance of that which is promised Therefore they ioyne these two words mercy and truth together whether they speake of God or man Dauid praiseth God for mercie and truth that is for his mercifull promise and faithfull and true performance And Iacob sweareth Ioseph to do this mercy truth to him that he be caried to be buried in the land of promise These examples shall suffise although I might bring almost infinit But this is enough to vnderstande the meaning of Dauid Nowe that the worke was truth we shall vnderstand if we remeÌ„ber the notable promise which the Lorde made vnto Abraham and confirmed it vnto Isaac and afterward to Iacob that he woulde geue to them and to their seede after them the lande of these seuen nations For the Lord after that Lot was departed from Abraham coÌ„maunded Abraham dwelling in the lande of Canaan to lift vp his eyes and looke from the place he stoode in to the East the West the North Sowth promised to giue it vnto his sede after him for euer This was done fiue times to Abraham And Abraham died and was buried in the land of Canaan In the xxvj chap. the Lord promiseth Isaac to kepe the same oth that he sware to his father Abraham And in the xxviij chap. the Lorde appeared to Iacob in the way to Mesopotamia in a dreame promised to make his seede also to florishe and to spread euen to the North and Sowth East West although he was then a straunger and alone And the same also is in the xxxv chap. with this addition that euen Kings should come out of him These are the promises other which the Lord made bound him selfe to kepe to this people which as we haue seene after 400. yeares the Lorde accomplished This truth which Dauid speaketh of shal be more excelleÌ„t famous if we coÌ„sider those hinderaunces which seemed to haue bene able to haue made all these promises vaine First consider what daungers perills that Abraham was often in being but one man and dâ—iuen from country to countrie And as Dauid saith both of him and of Isaac and Iacob they were driuen from one kingdom to an other people And this came to Abraham what time he had no feede So that by the enmity of the Philistians by the daunger he was in for his wife the promise of God concerning his posteritie was in great daunger Consider the barennesse of Saraâ— and so many yeares after this first promise so that it might haue bene thought he had forgotten his promise After this what was the condition of Isaac in whom now all the hope of the promise rested howe farre of from death was he when his father had already stretched out his hande for his death and that at the Lordes commaundement where then seemed any hope of this promise or of this trueth that Dauid commendeth in this place After this the barennes of Rebecca which when it was taken away behold a newe hinderaunce The children fought in her wombe together that she was in great feare that th one woulde haue destroyed thother Then the feare of daunger that Iacob was in of his brother Esaw who had vowed his death And after that he was returned out of Siria when Simion and Leui destroyed the Shecamites what hope was there then that one of all the â—â—â—cke shoulde haue bene left aliue Which Iacob also feared and had not that God of trueth who to bring to passe his promise had before so miraculously preserued his father from his enemies as it were holden him vnder his arme and kept him in his bosome they had at that time beene all destroyed But the feare of them fell vppon the nations about them and they escaped daunger Then followed also an other enemie for the hinderaunce of his promise euen the famine which was in the lande of Canaan nowe risen as it were against the trueth of god After that the bondage of Egypt in whiche fornace muche more hotte then the fornace of Nebucadnesar yet neuerthelesse they were not consumed These circumstaunces considered which were as so many contrarie windes against this purpose of God or like so many red seas to their entrance into this lande or so many walls of iron gates of brasse thorowe which they must breake before they coulde come into this promised city These circuÌ„stances of hinderaÌ„ce I say considered which notwithstanding the great mighty God for his promise sake remoued doe make the arme of the glory power of God so much more famous and glorious more greatly to be praised neither that onely but comfortable also vnto all that waite for his promises in faith and pacience For here we see an exaÌ„ple drawn before vs by the finger of God to looke vpon for the confirmation of our faith and hope if we waite also for those thinges which the Lord of his mercie hath promised to vs We see that the Lorde hath promised that he will giue the Gospell free passage in the kingdom of Christ And this we looke for all they whose harts are touched with the loue of the glorie of God waite looke for it till their eyes dasell in their heads For we see mountaines hills seas waters kingdoms peoples Kings Princes and Counselers of the earth lift vp them selues stand against it yet we may coÌ„fort our selues with these words that the Lord of mercie is the God of truth and will bring this promise to passe as we see it begun this day For we see these kingdoms of England Scotland Denmarke Germany Polonia and diuers other kingdoms which together with Italy Fraunce Spayne were as a Scepter or mace in the hand of the deuill of Rome
as we se in tragedies in the hands of furies we haue seene this mace although for a time faire bewtifull with crownes gold in his hande yet now almost burnt out of his hande The fire of the Gospell brake forth first one peece of his mace in Germany then it cracked of this side and then of that side the sea and nowe it cracketh in Fraunce and what is left in his hande but a stumpe of Italie and Spayne which the Lorde for his trueth and promise sake will burne also out of his hande Neither will 〈◊〉 thus leaue But I doubt not but as the other Antichrist of the East the Turke began together with him so he shall end together and hope that when the man of sinne is consumed the Lord wil also take his people out of his hand accomplish the number of the elect In Barbarie Grece and else where And when Lord how long shall thy foes triumphe ouer thee and make a mock of thy sonne Iesus our Sauiour whome we looke and waite for for the destruction of these Tirants that haue lift vp them selues against him and for the refreshing of thy wearye and faintye children Doubt ye not but the Lord numbreth the yeares of their captiuitie of their appoynted time for saluation when our Redemer will come and fulfill all thinges which haue bene spoken and determined by the Lorde of truth Thus may we 〈◊〉 comfort our selues in 〈◊〉 Gods promises which because it were 〈◊〉 to folow I wil rest on this one exaÌ„ple Which for all other may be a patterne to vs of the truth of god For in this verse is becâ—â—â— offred againe to speake of it The workes of 〈◊〉 hands are truth iudgement c. This second word which the Prophet vsed I haue already said is added to correct our wicked iudgements against God because such so great is our corruption so venimous poysenfull we are of nature that we coÌ„tent not our selues with equal enmities but our sinne breaketh out falleth vpon the iust and great god Therfore the Prophet attributeth this title to the Lords works that they are no lesse righteous iust then they are true sure Now he meaneth in this place that the punishments which he executed for his people vpon the Cananits Egyptians were most righteous iudgements as we haue seene therefore the truth of God in these workes so let vs consider now therin his righteousnes And first for the Egyptians I dispure not of the secret hid causes which are only knowne to the lord Why he set this people the other of Canaan aboue all other nations as it were vpon a stage in whose persons this tragedâ— should be seene which can not be vniustly 〈◊〉 by the Iudge of heauen and earth the 〈◊〉 of all the world as Abraham saith but I will onely remember those manifest reâ—aâ—ed reasons by the scripture which were the occasion of al their punishments wherâ—â— we may remember that Egypt most tyrannously cruelly handled this people Knowest thou not oh vnthaÌ„kful Egypt how to deale with thy patrons and benefactors was the benefite thou haddest by Ioseph forgotteÌ„ in whose hand was thy life in his wisdome thy glory in whose wil was thy destruction in his pleasure thy shame had ye forgotteÌ„ the law of nature oh Pharao al thy Senators al the people of the land of Egypt so vncurteously and vngently to handle straungers Came they to be your seruants boÌ„dmen or felows coÌ„panioÌ„s yet saide Come let vs take counsell against theÌ„ Knew you not last of al that they were gods people his heritage his childreÌ„ his priests kings whoÌ„ whosoeuer blessed he had promised he would blesse agayne curse theÌ„ that cursed them had not their God threatned smitteÌ„ euen kings for their fathers sakes AbrahaÌ„ Isaac eueÌ„ Pharao Abimelech had not Egipt a singuler benefit aboue all natioÌ„s to be the hosts of theÌ„ that were so deare to the Lord Were not they more theÌ„ Nilus in her highest deepest inundations profitable to the encrease of the fruites of the land The heate of the sunne the influence of the starres all other benefites that are required for the ryping of their fruites came out of no other heauen then euen this very people For as the Prophet describing the returne of the children of Israell out of Babilon for whom the Lorde would digge fountaynes euen in the wildernes turneth to the serpeÌ„ts exhorteth them to prayse God that had giuen waters in the wildernes because through the blessing of this people it was also common to them So these serpents tygers of Egypt receiue these blessings of God as by occasion that is for his peoples sake their corne their wine encrease of all things and yet they take counsell to slay some of them and to kepe the rest in perpetuall bondage Iust therefore were these thy iudgementes oh Lord and righteous was all thy counsell agaynst this cruel vnnatural people Thoâ— turnedst their waters into blood because they were a bloody people thy hand strokâ— theÌ„ with darknes because they were blind and ignorant of the benefites They hande brought botches sores vpon theÌ„ because they were full of veâ—â—n poyson frogges and hee vermin were sent amoÌ„gst them because they were a proud generatioÌ„ they â—â—re depriued of their substance and ornaments because they were gotten by cruelty and extortion their first borne slayne because they were the beginning of their wicked strength the king his hosts drowned in the sea because they were all malicious and obstinate The works therefore of thy hands in this people were iustice iudgement Nowe I will consider the Cananites and declare the Lord my God to haue bin in their destruction also most iust and most righteous This is ofteÌ„ declared in the prophets when they shew Israel of their Idolatrie diuinations crueltie and such like for they say the lande is full of abhominations as it was in the dayes when the Amorites â—ittits dwelled in it And Ezechiel declaring all their wickednes in two words saying AbrahaÌ„ was not their father nor Saray their mother but some AmorreaÌ„ begat theÌ„ and some Hittite surely bare theÌ„ Whereby the sinne abominatioÌ„s of this people are manifest And if we looke for the lord in his owne person to giue senteÌ„ce of theÌ„ behold he appoynteth 400. yeres to passe ere the seede of AbrahaÌ„ should enioy this land because the measure of the sinne of the Amorites was not then full their fruites 〈◊〉 ripe the waters of wickednes not yet oâ—â— their heads but theÌ„ very neare ripe though not fitte for the haruest For the mercyfull and gracious God doth so long beare with the wickednes of the world till it reache to the very heauens that his long patience as thapostle teacheth the Romans might driue them to the consideration of it
shewed already that here is no mention of any speciall and particuler benefits bestowed onely vppon the Prophet but that the causes pertaine as wel to the whole church of God as to him whereuppon it followeth that we vnderstanding this songe and seeing all the partes and vaynes of it we giue our selues to no lesse hartye and earnest praise of God then Dauid hath shewed vs example but that we cast ouâ— eyes aâ— he doth here on euery side to obtaine some furtheraunce and helpe to stirre vs vppe to praise the Lorde let vs then followe the Prophet as it were steppe by steppe and schole by schole that we may attaine to the like zeale Great are the workes c. Here we see the first schole the first maisters doctors that Dauid had eueÌ„ the works of God in the whole worlde Whereby we see what schole the spirit of God trained him vp in to learne to knowe the Lorde a schole in deede most fit to learne the knowledge of God in if we haue the eyes that Dauid had and the diligence which from tyme to time the children of God haue bestowed therein Therefore it is that 〈◊〉 Apostle in the first to the Romaines sayth that which was to be knowen of God that is his eternall power and Godhead may be knowen by them For which cause he condemneth all the wise men of the world euen by these witnesses of the glory of God who though they knew yet learned not by them to worship God as became them that is in spirites But they chaunged the glory of the euerlasting and holy God into the similitude of mortall and vncleane beastes Therefore in the first Epistle to the Corinth the Apostle calleth it wisedome which God set before the worlde when they were without the word and had onely his workes for bookes to read vpon Therefore last of all the Apostle calleth these workes of God the rayne and seasonable weather and ioy of harte witnesses of god We see then that that is in deede a schoole of wisedome by the doctrine of the Scriptures which also may appeare vnto vs by the effectes of that excellent and high knowledge which the Philosophers attained euen by them onely How many of them knewe the prouidence of God Howe many the immortalitie of the soule the creation of the world and many other truthes without the written worde of God But as th Apostle sayth they attained not to that poynt to worshippe him aright by these things but they mingled their deuises and imaginations together with the truth and their foolish harts were darkened that attained not to any profitable knowledge further then to make their condemnation iust But they might haue learned by them the feare and worship of God as Ieremy also witnesseth accusing the Iewes that euen by the blessinges of God they did not learne to feare him who so mercifully blessed them They might well haue learned seeing that we moue and liue and haue our being in God as certaine of their owne Poets taught them that Gods power is infinite euerlasting that there is one God aboue all things to whom onely honor and worshippe is due They that require further to see what the Heathen haue learned euen by reason I referre them to Iustine Martyr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where he setteth forth largely all that they vnderstoode by the workes of god If then the workes of God so clearely and manifestly haue shewed vnto men onely wise and cunning in thinges not pertayninge vnto saluation so muche of the knowledge of God it is a shame that we hauinge not onely the workes of those men but also our owne experience and the worde of God which teacheth vs further of these workes that men of them selues vse to seeke if we become not verie excellentlie and perfectlie learned in those things which the workes of the Lord do teach vs For we may not thinke that the heaueÌ„s were made to gape on or the earth for to tread vpon the creatures of God for vs and we for our selues but we must euen out of all them learne much wisedom concerning the knowledge of God and most out of our selues But we haue not that mind to profit that other of the children of God haue shewed and are leâ—t for our example Why are we not all SalomoÌ„s that be in Camb. that haue such helpes meanes left and lent vnto vs of God for our furtheraunce in the knowledge of the things that God hath made Nay we are as the most rude and ignoraunt men and yet seeke not for better If we looke to the heauens it is a sealed booke vnto vs we know nothing of those quarters we can not heare that excellent sound and noyce and same of God that they sound to his praise If we looke vnto the earth vpon the fruts herbs trees we can not read we knowe no more then is good for the pot for our bellies greater knowledge we neither folow nor desire I am perswaded that if that care had bene in men that might and ought to haue bene neuer a one of vs wheÌ„ we were first bachelers had bene so rude and ignorant in these most noble arts which many yet know not almost by name as we are nowe euen after some yeares that we haue taken the profession of them vpon vs we may take heede by the ignorance negligence of the daies that are past if we haue not such amongst vs as can teach them let vs by rewards and liberall stipends prouoke some to the study of them who may be after lightes to other therein Sure the least pece of learning coÌ„sisteth in vnderstanding quiddities and I thinke meanes might be fouÌ„d to haue euery scholler in this house within foure yeares if men had humble mindes that they woulde harken to other although then inferiours not onely well learned in the three noble tongues but also in the seuen liberall artes sciences This is peraduenture vnsauery to some and seemeth to haue small edification but to him that iudgeth a right he shall finde that in Colledges and in Trinity Colledge it should seeme hye time for men to lay their handes to it if we looke either for godlines or learning to florishe in it For howe shall we see into the workes of God without eyes howe shall we heare without eares and howe shall we vnderstand what they meane if they still lye hidden from vs They are all great excellent notable but as Dauid sayth sought out and searched and inquired into And if we stand to consider them from Behemoth of whom we read in Iob to the Oistrich from the Egle to the flie from the Cedar of Libanus to the Isope that groweth vpon the hill from the starres of heauen to the dust of the earth from the Angells of God to the wormes that creepe vpon the grouÌ„d These are the bouÌ„ds of our knowledge in the workes of god
declared by the hand of Moyses and Aron in the middest of the lande of Egypt vpon Pharao and al his seruantes the turning of the water into blood the destroying of trees and fruites of the earth by the caterpillers the filling of the lande full of frogges and hee those other which are written of by Moyses the 9. of Exod. and repeated in the Psalme 78. but aboue all these he vnderstandeth the cause and the occasion of all these the naâ—â—â—â—tie and as it were the creation of the Church which was a greater more excellent worke then the making of the whole world For the heauens earth as sayth the Prophet shall waxe olde and perish but his fauour grace to his church shall endure for euermore Therefore the Lord in respect of Ierusalem maâ— tâ—â—o accompt of the whole worlde as â— say in the person of God reasone â— with that proude Sanacharib who thought that he could as easily haue one 〈◊〉 â—d Ierusalâ—◠〈◊〉 he had done Samaria and the other 〈…〉 desolation Hast thou not heard sayth the how I haue tourmed it of olde not naming but meaning and emphaticall noting Ierusalem whom he preferreth before all the whole worlde And the prophet Esay prophesieth that the kinges and Monarches of the earth shall like the dust of her feete thereby noting what honour she shall be in euen with her enemies Seeing then the preseruation of her as appeareth is so precious in the eyes of God that in the respect therof he contenâ—neth al things â—lâ— the begettâ—ng and birth of it must needes be the gâ—eatest most excellent worke that euer was and therfore the remembrance of it all those signes wonders which the Lord wrought for it turning the whole course of nature for his Church ought perpetually to be with care and diligence celebrated So Moyses wondreth at it sayth was eueâ— the like heard that God should come to a people take theÌ„ out of another people in such signes tokens wonders The Lord therefore hath printed the memorie of his maruelous works so that they caÌ„not be forgotten Nay Egypt shal be a witnesse froÌ„ generation to generation for euer that the grace of God to his Church passeth all vnderstanding This marke shall remayne for euer which the Lords mighty hand naked arme printed sealed vpoÌ„ his enemies by ten strokes The Prophet by this kind of speaking exhorteth all Israel whoÌ„ the Lord hath so maruelously deliuered to remeÌ„ber these works tell them further with gladnes as in diuers Psalmes This doctrine therefore of the remembrance of the wonderfull workes benefites of God is something to be declared For if euer there were nede to speake of it behold the dayes of ioy and gladnes of security ease of sport and play and of piping dauncing of riote and wantonnes euen the dayes of forgetfulnes of Gods benefites And if euer there were feare of the fulfilling of the prophesie amoÌ„gst the Iewes that being ful they would forget the Lord as Moyses prophesied this is the day howre that Moyses as if he had senâ— so long before prophesied euen of vs Euery one of vs sitteth vnder his vine and vnder his figge tree in his seeled and garnished chamber and the troubles that are so greate and manye bothe in our owne countrey and abrode they touch vs not by Gods mercy And why haue we all this case of God to abuse our time other benefits or rather to remember them perpetually and vse them lawfully to the prayse of god This is therefore our time of daunger our time of forgetting the goodnes of our God our time of falling away from the Lorde If you the Lordes ministers and watchemen make it not your time of care diligence of holding and staying vs of remembring and repeating and night and daye remembring and repeating the goodnes of our God vpon vs his statutes and his ordinances his lawes and his coÌ„maundements which he hath appoynted for vs to do theÌ„ what daunger are we in Therfore I woÌ„der and maruell at it that you see not the slippery places we stand on and seeke to helpe vs The goodnes of God hath so prouyded that in this Colledge there might be euery morning at prayer a SermoÌ„ euery euening with prayers a sermon euery sonday of the forenoone afternoone together with prayers the word of God preached that the words of God perpetually sounding in our eares maye make this Colledge as it is called Trinitye Colledge to be named the Lorde is there There be thirteene places appointed for Preachers beside those that are not accompted for the house and yet this is not done whereas I am perswaded that three doing their office in care zeale in godlines faithfulnes were able by Gods grace to make this Colledge together with the Magistrat a Colledge of Saincts a Colledge where no blasphemer no idle no prophane person no sonne of Belial no Cananite could be found And if so many can not in their course maintaine this order in preaching how many wil doe it Is there any iâ— the places that are vnworthy that are not al able theÌ„ let the booke licence be takes out of his hand giuen to his fellow that is better theÌ„ he I am sure there is none of the wise godly sort but wishe and desire that which I say For as the benefits of the Lord are perpetually euerlasting so ought also the remeÌ„brance of them to be but there be men of corrupt coÌ„sciences wicked childreÌ„ vngodly prophane persons which conteÌ„t them selues with a face or visard of religioâ— who know not what it is to serue God that will securely deride this and laughe it to scorne Wel the Lord would haue his benefits to be remembred let vs looke how we remember then â–ª but it were an infinit thing to speake of all let vs consider the remembraunce but of this one wonderous maruelous benefit euen the greatest that euer was God manifested in the fleshe This I speake of admonished by this time of the feast of the Natiuity that the worde which was spoken the last daye may stande in the mouths of two witnesses And if neither you of your selues neither at the word of God wil giue place I pray God that a terrible heauy iudgement be not the third witnes of this truth vnto vs Hath Iesus Christ comen into the flesh to lay the bridle of our necks to runne after our vayne deuises hath he obtayned by his comming twelue dayes of God the Father for carding dising and lotting for masking and mumming for mocking mowing for crying and laughing for the practising of euery vayne deuise that commeth to our heades all the yeare or doe we thinke that this prophaning of so holye a thinge this mocking of so earnest a matter this tâ—rning of the grace of God into licence and wantonnesse that it shall
vs in truth and not in opinion in harte not in face in workes not in words then may we both for the common benefit of the realme and our owne grace lift vp our hands vnto heauen and blesse him that liueth for euer who hath of so great mercy called vs from so great damnation as we were in to life glory Oh that it would please him to make not onely an aultar in vs and in the realme for his worship but fully and perfectly to build his temple in such order perfectnes amongest vs that we might see his Church begin to flourishe spread her bowes ouer the whole land that all might haue a true knowledge of him and whome he hath sent Iesus Christ For this ignoraunce that is amongest vs and this vntowardnes that is in vs either to learne the good will of God or to put in practise that which we know maketh this blessing but halfe a blessing this grace halfe a grace this light halfe darke nay this blessing no blessing this grace no grace this light no light at all And I praye God we make it not a curse in th ende and extreame darkenes This in deede can not be denied but great grace is come vnto vs But as when the arke of God was with great gladnes receiued of the Bethsanits when it came from the Philistines but with litle reuerence vsed it caused a death and destruction of many euen fiftye thousand and seuenty men so it is to be feared and almost looked for that if generally an other way be not taken in hande for the furtheraunce of the Gospell and perticularly euery one frame him selfe after an other sorte to serue God the Gospell which should be our life will be the destruction and death both of vs of the realme And as Iesus Christ comming in the flesh vnto the Iewes although he was acknowledged of some to be the Sauiour of the world yet being generally contemned was enemye vnto them and the reuenger of his contempt So the Gospell if we receiue it not in al reuerence feare to our power labour that it may be likewise receiued of all that which otherwise should be and would be the water of life to saue vs wil be a sea to drowne vs the sweete powder of our health will be powder to our destruction meate to feede vs poyson to kill vs apparell to clothe and keepe vs will with vermin infect and â—ot vs last of all that which should be a Gospell vnto vs wil bring the heauiest and saddest newes that euer we heard Well howsoeuer we vse it the gospell of it selfe is the precious and excellent tree of life and happy is the garden wherein it is planted yea happy be the daye and blessed from aboue in which the Gospell came vnto vs let that moneth be respected of God and let it be the head of the yeare ioyful and pleasaunt may it be and let them that are ready to blesse blesse that day Let not darknes rise in it in it let no cloudes appeare but let his sonne be euer seene for blessed are the feete of theÌ„ that bring glad tidings of peace and life We celebrate as it were the natiuitie of the whole world euery daye but the natiuitie of the Gospell we ought to celebrate euery day seuen times yea to make it the beginning of the supputation of yeares as we read that the Iewes reckened their yeares from the yeare of the Iubilie and from the finding of the lawe in Iosaahs time for then commeth the true yeare of Iubilie the yeare of ioy freedom and deliueraunce from bondage when the Gospel commeth vnto vs We write in deed in all our letters and leases the yeare of the incarnation of Iesus Christ But I would we so often considered the benefit and vses of the incarnation deepely and wayed that in our mindes Well I neede labour no further to proue the benefit that we receiue by the Gospell to set forth the excellencie dignitie of it but if yet we knowe it not sufficiently by all these colours looke into the blacke countries of ignoraunce farre or neate in the olde time or at this day voyde of the light of the word of god Remember the blindnes of Sodome and Egypt wherof the darkenes and night that God sent vpon them was a visible signe argument Looke into the kingdom of Turky if for darkenes we can perceiue it what confusion and horrour is amongest them looke into the Church and Sinagogue of the Papistes if thorough gold and siluer stone and pearle silke and veluet and fine linnen we can see her horrible filthines that by thâ—â— blacke and darke colours of ignoraunce and blasphemies the beautifull and glorious face of the Gospel of God may appeare For they in deede and we howe many soeuer liue in ignoraunce and idlenes euen in this place are those Cymmerians that the Sunne shineth not vpon although we walke al the day in the Sunne Nay Cymmetâ—aÌ„s are not Cymmetians night no night and darkenes no darkenes to this darkenes The dragons and serpents that lye in the deepe caues cauernes of the earth the moles that are alwayes in then holes and batts that delight in the night are paterns and portratures vnto vs of then estate or rather they are already in confusion and hellish darkenes whiche in th ende they shall dwell in for euermore â—oâ— I beseeche you is not he dishonoured is not Iesus Christ mocked is not the spirit banished are not the godly hated and persecuted is not the word of God detested of some corrupt of other and despised of all such Then there is no affinitie betweene them and God who is light and holines no loue betweene them no affection no thought of eyther toward other but they are a farre of as the Apostle saith they are enemies they are two But they who receiue the worde are one with God one with Iesus Christ â–ª yea as I haue sayd bones of his bones flesh of his flesh Then to conclude this we see what an excellent and highe calling it is to haue the worde of God sent to any people what cause Dauid had to remeÌ„ber it as the chiefe and principall aboue the rest For in deede it is the ende and scope to the which all the rest are to be referred as the place wherin he reckeneth it well noteth it so â—oâ— do we thinke that their deliuerance tha then inriching by the iewells of Egypt that their inheritaunce in Canaan was bestowâ—d of them for their selues to mocke them â—oly fellowes rich braue and glorious No the Prophet Dauid and Esay appoint the ende thereof to be farre other For he sayth that he made them a vine for him self whiâ—h he brought out of Egypt I say in that notable song declareth how he planted thâ—m there that he might delight him selfe in the 〈◊〉 of it and as in another
place he sayth that he made a people for himselfe So thâ—n it was and nowe is muche more euen so muche more as the grace of God is more aboundaunt then it was at that tâ—me For the grace of God hath appeared in these latter daies as th Apostle saith that bringeth saluation vnto all men it hath appeared instructing vs that denying vngodlines and worldly lustes we should liue soberly iustly and holily in this life wishing for the blessed hope and reuelation of the glory of the great God and our Sauiour Iesus Christ who gaue him selfe for vs that he might deliuer vs from all vnrighteousnes and purge vs vnto him selfe a peculier people seruently and earnestly following good works and in deed most iustly for he speaketh of those dayes whereof Ieremy prophesied that the Lord would strike a new couenaunt with his people not as he had done with then fathers from the which they started but he would not put his lawes in then harts to do them Then seeing the grace of God hath bene so maruelous so excellent and superabundant in these dayes aboue the other by proportion and reason there is greater thankfulnes required of vs to whome such grace and mercy hath bene shewed So that if they meete once for the praise of God we ought to meete seuen times if they had one preacher of it in one citie we in one citie should haue seuen if they had charge that they should put the commaundements and the words of God into their harts soules to bind them for a signe vpon their haÌ„ds to be a perpetuall warning in their eyes to teach them their children to talke of them walking in the way and sitting in the house and rising in the morning and lâ—ing downe in the night to write them vppon the dore postes and corner of the house we surely ought not to performe this alone but euen to dreame of them in the night Daye and night to meditate with our selues of them And if their loue to this mercifull God was as the loue of childreÌ„ towards their father or as the loue of wife towards her husband with whome she is one fleshe our loue my brethren ought to be as the loue of a friend who is with his friend one soule For without doubt vnspeakeable is the grace and mercy that is reueiled by the Gospell The eye of none can not see nor eare heare nor hart vnderstand it but such as haue the spirite of God who knoweth the secretes of god Now in that the Prophet Dauid say the he commaunded his couenant for euer he doth not onely prayse it for the perpetuitie and continuance of it in respect of God but also in a word exhorteth all men to faithfull and continuall obedience in performing the conditions of their couenaunt of their part also And of Gods behalfe it had bene great loue if with Abraham alone the father of the people he had striken this couenaunt or with his generation after him for some hundreth yeares but to make it to rest vpon the head of his seede so long after him euen from generation to generation for euer to graunt him this inheritance the riches and fountaine of his mercie appeareth For although that some now are fallen away and their body in a maner dead yet notwithstaÌ„ding the truth of the couenaunt remaineth at this day And if they had continued faithfull it had neuer bene broken for God remayned still sure of the one partie for the performaunce of the old couenaunt Then thinke a litle of this benefit or rather let it occupy al ouâ— whole minds in coÌ„sideration of it that perpetually with one people as in an arke that shoulde neuer be broken the Lord laid the precious treasure of his commaundements Although he departed from Siloth left also Sion at the last yet he neuer cleane cast away the roote branches of Israell but kept and kepeth thowsands to him selfe we looke for the rest to be called euen thowsands ten thowsandes in euery tribe This people thorow their much iniqu ty vaned and vanished as the moone oftentimes hath bâ—ne nowe is in a dauÌ„gerous fearefull eclipse But by the grace and mercy of God and his word appearing neare vnto them they haue gotten and doe get some light shal in th end be in the full when God grauÌ„t our vnthankfulnes that be of the Gentiles breede not great confusion to vs which haue had them our exaÌ„ple but would not learne He raised amongest them by his worde that remayned with them not one in one age but many in many ages as it were Angells euen out of their bodies I meane the wise Prophets noble Iudges and deliuerers holy Priestes and Leuits godly Kings and Angellike Nazarits Euen of your young men I raised Prophets vnto you saith the Lorde and of your children Doctors I powred my spirit vpon your seruaunts and vppon your daughters from time to time And last of al as I opened my coÌ„duits in the dayes of Noah for destruction so the conduits of grace were reueiled vnto you from heauen yea the windowes of heauen were opened at the ascention of Iesus Christ and wisedom vnderstanding rained vppon all flesh euen to thends of the world Thus we may remember the commendations of this couenaunt that Dauid comprehendeth in one word And seing there is also now come to vs like grace the same is also to be vnderstoode in our selues Now of the other parte in that he sayeth he commaunded his couenaunt for euer Beside this praise of the mercie of God I haue sayd that he exhorted theÌ„ vs to continual faithfulnes in keeping the Lordes couenaunt with vs Nowe if we agree with our selues one of vs with an other a man with his fellowe if we after breake our faith we can not but condemne our selues of great wickednes But if we breake with our betters as some Prince or King it is more both wickednes and shame but if the couenant that we made with God in the beginning by our fathers haue renewed it in our baptisme since be by our sinnes broken of what miserie and shame what sinne and death hangeth ouer vs It behoueth therefore in respect of the couenant it selfe first that we kepe faith truth to the commaundements and that not for an hower or the time while we heare the word or when we come to the communion or for a day we hang downe our heades some mortified consecrat to God in saith and holinesse not only to please our selues if we see a good motion in vs though it be sooner quenched then the lightning but to labour to followe it to nourish it to blowe it vp to make a fire of it that we be not as the vnfaithfull waters which in the sommer are dried vp or as the dead trees which perish in the winter but that we remayne whole and sound perfit as the liuing waters and