exhortatios of the Gospell commands that which Christ is readie to giue vs and it chargeth vs not so much to do it but to beleeue that Christ by his blessed spirit will worke euery good thing in vs. For the Gospell being the Ministerie of â—â—fe giueth life and strength from aboue when we are dead weake The not discerning of this difference makes many good precepts fall to the ground The lawe indeede reueales sinne but the Gospell cures sinne the law woundeth and so must it do but the Gospell healeth vs which the law can neuer doe Hitherto wee haue heard thus much first wee must prouide that wee fight in Gods harnesse not with Satans weapons whether they be wit reason policie education or such like We fight against a Prince and principalitie who wants not wit knowledge ciuill gifts or any such things which things haue beene geuen euen vnto the heathen for they were wise and learned men yet many of them lay in great sinnes in idolatry some fearefully ended their liues Let not Christians then say haue I not wit reason and education beseeming a man Well so did the Philosophers and Poets and yet behold their fruits behold their ends but let vs deny reason and withstand wit for it will surely faâ—le in the houre of death and in the houre of temptation No gift of nature no gift of bringing vp can withstand Satan or sinne vnlesse from heauen God change vs Neither is this the sinne only of the vnregenerate but in the regenerate who still sliding to reason or ouerweying of God his power are foiled and therefore we see many ouercome who purpose to withstand yet striuing in their owne wisedome they are spoyled be their purpose neuer so great Many will say why this is a monstrous temptation I will neuer yeelde to this yet they fall This we shall see both in temptations and accusations when â—â—en striue and dispute with reason with so subtill a sophister so the more they striue the more they are intangled for they want strength to fight with the strong man who will not be subdued vnlesse we put on the armour of the stronger man which is Christ Iesus which armour is afterward set downe Neither is it enough to haue a peece of harnesse but we must haue all the whole armour for what is it to couer the head if the breast be bare what if the armes be armed when the back is vnharnesseâ— we cannot auoid the darts which come against euery place So we must not haue one grace and want another for then Satan comes in the open place who obserues whether we want a head-peece â— gauntlet a brest plate or whatsoeuer wherefore we must thinke that Satan as a politique souldier lookes not so much to the armed part as to the naked part If he seeth vs afraid of him theâ—â— will he tempt vs to dispaire if we will not be pearced with vncleannes then he will shake 〈…〉 s with couetousnes If he sees vs pettish and vnarmed with loue then Satan wil tempt v 〈…〉 o anger Alas it is our weake nature to reserue one sinne or other it giues Satan aduantage we â—e Heroaâ—an courtiers and Christians we are halfe perswaded with Agrippa to be ChristiaÌ„s but we must throughly be harnessed least as a dead flye corrupteth much good oyn 〈…〉 h one sinne we defile many graces Euery one hath his familiar sinne which 〈…〉 ur to espie as an aduersarie and to fight against as an enemie whether it bee pl 〈…〉 r couetousnes or such like Whereas then thou seest some graces yet be hu 〈…〉 hose which especially are wanting to thee and wherein thou art most vnarmed then pray labour for more helpe by grace in Christ Iesus But what if we haue good armour and all armour yet without vse of it we may be strangled in our armour What if wee 〈…〉 good graces and all graces yet without experience and vse of them our soules may 〈…〉 urthered in the midst of them Many may come to the assemblies and heare ye 〈…〉 ey either faile in knowledge or in practise of it And sure such is a man as he is in temptation What is it to haue many precepts against anger yet be ouercome of anger What is it to haue rules against couetousnes to see the issue of it yet to be a couetous man Let vs know that it is one thing to learne to fight against Satan and another to fight against men In materiall coÌ„flicts there is some time of truce but with Satan there is no truce with vs but for his aduantage for him we must be armed as well in the night as in the day in outward battels winters make warre to cease we haue no quietnes neither in summer nor in winter That yee may bee able to withstand The Apostle describes our enemies If wee had to deale but with our selues or with men like to our selues or with the world wee had neede of God his power but seeing beside all these wee are to deale with all the hellish armie much more we neede this we are not only to fight against the flesh and the world but against the diuels neither must we thinke that Paul denieth in this place that wee should fight with our owne corruption but he sheweth we fight not only with ourselues and with the world but with Satan too and so that we neede more armour By two things hee describes our enemies by their might and subtiltie For their might he cals them principalities and powers This title is giuen to the diuels Rom. 8. Colloss 1. Indeede these names are giueÌ„ to the good Angels as Ephes. 1. Hebr. 1. so that looke what titles are giueÌ„ to the good Angels are giuen to the wicked spirits which except sanctification are equall in gifts to the good Angels for though these spirits haue lost their goodnes yet haue they not lost their strength and wisedome They be worldly gouernours God be blessed their gouernment reacheth not to heauen but to the world yea of the darknes of the world Thus he distinguisheth of the world as it is by creation and so God is the prince of it and as it is now by corruption and so the Diuell is the god of the world This teacheth vs wheÌ„ Satan shall preuaile euen ouer men liuing in ignorance and vngodlines The world was made good by creation but degenerated to euill by corruption Well we see the diuell is called the prince of the world and he saith of himselfe that all is his It is not so by creation but be the righteous iudgement of God all is in his hands to punish our sins or try our faith It followes to speake of his subtiltie in these words Against ambushments c. Euen as ambushments are vsed priuily to vndermine the enemy so by wiles Satan goeth about to trap vs. But this is larger said against spirituall wickednesses If one could see the enemie he might be
Let vs remember then that we liue not to eate as doe bruite beastes we liue not to liue as doe the heathen we liue to liue well as hauing all the creatures to serue to our vse we must liue to Gods glory according to his will It is requisite that Christians in this lie should be prepared to praise God in the life to come with Angels for how shall wee câ—ie holy holy holy with Angels vnlesse we learne to praise God with his Saints in this life Neither is there any thing more effectual to enforce this doctrine thaÌ„ to know how our life is giuen vs of God to his glorie and that it shall returne to him againe And as the children of God vse this world as though they vsed it not but they vse prayer the word and Sacraments most carefully so the vngodly vse prayer the word and sacraments as though they vsed them not but they vse the world most carefully Some can put on a good face and run slily away with sinne but when Gods children see the occasion of weldoing taken from them oh how it woundeth them Oh how it grieueth them that they haue dishonoured God it pincheth theÌ„ so to the heart that â—hey had rather die a thousand deaths than so displease God They then deceiue themselâ—es that thinke they can be saued and vse their pleasures too but God his children darâ— not fully vse their libertie euen in lawfull things least by little and little they should abâ—se it And here is to be noted the vehemencie of his delight that hee contented not himselfe in the verse going before to say thy law is my delight but thy law is my delight and thy iudgements shall helpe me that is and to confirme my selfe herein I will set before me thy iudgements which are the reall records of thy truth for as thy word is my delight so I will marke how thou doest ratifie the same both by accomplishing thy promises and executing thy â—hreatnings And whereas other men make no conscience to obserue thy iudgements yet â— will marke them that I may goe on to the end If we will liue then to the praise of God â—e must see how he doth deale with men considering as he hath a word written so also he â—ath an hand working The word teacheth that God gouerneth the world and the obserâ—ing of this gouernment confirmeth the word indeede heathen men attribute things to â—hance or to fortune for want of knowledge of the word but seeing we haue Gods mysteâ—ies in his word we must obserue them in his workes This obseruation consisteth in things alreadie past and in things hereafter to come in â—hings past as if the Prophet had said Whereas I see that flesh and blood would discouâ—age me because my faith is weake I consider thy workes of old and I finde thy children â—ere neuer finally forsaken and that their enemies in the end were ouerthrowne Let vs earne in this strength first to looke into the word of God and from thence to obserue the workes of God let vs consider how he hath dealt with the â—â—triarches Prophets Euangelists and Apostles and all our forefathers that put their 〈◊〉 in him and we shall see his â—ich mercie to the repentant and his treasures of vengeancâ—â—n the impenitent And as we looke into the iudgements of olde so are we to thinke that 〈◊〉 will deale in time to come for whatsoeuer is written of olde is written for our learning that we might receiue comfort in the accomplishing of the promises and feare by the execution of the threatnings This the Apostle sheweth 1. Cor. 10 who after hee had feared them with the examples of Gods iudgements in the Iewes in the 11. chap. Now all these things came vnto them for â—nsamples and were written to admonish vs vpon whom the ends of the world are come As if hee should say For this cause these things remaine in record to his 〈◊〉 to instruct vs that if we coÌ„mit these or like sinnes we shall haue these or like punishment Thus we haue them not as personall but reall examples The Apostles Peter and Iude gather the examples of Gods wrath on the Angels on Sodome on Gomorrah on the old world and on Iudas to threaten sinners and to enforce their threatnings for as God will neuer leaue his so vpon the heape of sinne he will bring the full heape of destruction vpon the wicked whipping their naked bodies to the graue and scourging their wretâ—câ—â—d soules vnto hell fire Vers. 176. I haue gone astray like a lost sheepe seeke thy seruant for I doe not forget thy commaundements HE compareth himselfe to a sheepe which of all other is most simple and standeth in most neede of a guide so that here he confesseth his need of a guider and this appeareth in that there is a coÌ„tinual comparison of a sheepe shepheard in the Scriptures Againe though a sheepe goe astray yet it is soone called backe by the voyce of the shepheard My sheepe heare my voyce Thus Dauid when hee went against Nabal was called backe by the Lords voyce in a woman and when hee had slaine Vriah hee was brought againe by Nathan And therefore if wee will be sheepe then though we sometime me goe astray yet we must be easily reclaimed Seeke c. Before we be come to the Lord we cannot desire to be fought but he of his owne pleasure must looke vpon vs. Thus he prayed then after his calling that he might not erre Forgotten A thing is said to be remembred either which is wholy remembred or else in part so that it may be easily brought to remembrance and after this sort had not he forgotten the word that is not wholy but yet in part he might for wee haue the holy Ghost not only to teach vs new things but also to bring to our remembrance things forgotten FINIS This verse 〈◊〉 should haue come in after the verse 86. in the page 442. Vers. 87. They had almost consumed me vpon earth yet did I not forsake thâ— statutes HEre is another argumet oâ— Dauids faith constâcie nothing could make him forsake Gods word He was like a bladder bottle in the smoake verse 83. Pits were digged for him in which he was neere fallen hee was in a manner consumed vpon and from the earth yet nothing can make him to forgoe his holde abandon his generall runne from his colours and forsake that profession which he had made of Pietie Thus the malice of the wicked will neuer haue an end the state of Gods children is oftentimes desperate and so long as the vngodly remaine vpon earth the godly must thinke by them here to be troubled In the world saith Christ yee should haue trouble but in me peace be of good comfort I haue ouercome the world Iohn 16. There 1. Saul his courtiers his generation and alliance yea and many of Iudah by his meanes they thine enemies the Churches enemies and the enemies to
feele as little as a blocke yet I must heare still because it is God his ordinance I will heare that I may obey his ordinance and though I goe an hundred times without any profit yet I shall neuer goe without some peace because though I haue not that which I desired yet I haue done that which God hath commanded This I am sure of so long as I am vnder the dressing hand of the Lord I shall not perish but in his good time I shall bring foorth fruite But thou wilt replie I may happily sometime feele but it is so short and so little and so many haue fallen away before me that I feare I shall fall and of a naturall vine I shall prooue wilde and an vnnaturall branch Well the Lord by his word will purge thee and prune thee he will dresse thee if euer thou hadst any working thou shalt haue more thou shalt not only bring forth Christ being graffed into Christ but much fruite also being trimmed by the word Onely seeke thou God in his word he will not faile to be found of thee vse thou the word which is his pruning knife and he will worke on thee at one time or at another 76 Great is our corruption which turneth the grace of God into wantonnes and maketh his bounteous liberalitie in outward things an occasion to serue our sinne whilest abundance in the vnsanctified bringeth an inglutting of the minde the inglutting of the minde breedeth vnthankfulnes vnthankfulnes causeth coldnes coldnes beginneth carelesnes carelesnes is the way to hardnes of heart and vtter prophanenes and prophanenes ripeneth vs for the iudgements of God to fall on vs. 77 Our owne kindred that should draw vs most to God often hindereth vs most from God and it is Satans policie when he cannot preuaile against vs with the world to vndermine vs with nature So he suborned Lots daughters against their father Iobs wife against Iob and our Sauiours owne kinsfolke against him Kain against Abel Ishmael against Isaac Esau against Iacob the eleuen brethren against Ioseph Ioab against Abner Saul against â—onathan 78 If we count it a great benefit to receiue a Nobleman or any appertaining to the Nobilitie into our house because they may after gratifie vs or if we thinke it a great iniurie to hurt one of the blood royall and to withstand one of princely linage then what a dignitie is it to entertaine the Saints allianced to Iesus Christ what a traiterous villanie were it traiterously to offer violence to one fearing God who is of the blood royall and of the Lordâ— linage whom he accompteth as mother brother or sister 79 Vntill we are fully staied in minde with a contentation of outward things we can neuer be very godly For if either our minde be about liuing when we haue too little for our estate or if our hearts wander as being stollen away to the things of this world wheâ— we abound we can neuer aspire to the spirituall power of true godlinesse And then are we most fit to be wrought vpon by the word and most free to striue in trauaile against ouâ— owne corruptions when we are at peace and at a point for outward things when being content with that we haue we can say O Lord thou art my portion thy word haue I chosen as mine inheritance for euer thy kingdome is my principall labour thy face is thâ— chiefest thing I seeke for thy fauour is the ioy of mine heart 80 To haue that measure which God hath appointed vs wee must vse such meanes as are warrantable and with good meanes wee must vse a right heart neither trusting too much in them least wee be worldly minded neither mistrusting too much least wee be murmurers In this vprightnes of heart wee must not onely be iust that is by euery iust title claiming our owne interest but mercifull that is remitting of our owne for pities sake euen as God remitteth vs. 81 As wee truely shew our selues to hate sinne we loue the contrarie grace and as we truly loue vertue when we abhorre the contrarie sinne so we indeed hate sinne when we hate euery little occasion to the sinne and wee truly loue vertue when wee seeke and receiue euery little meane helping to that vertue as namely euill companie which we must carefully auoide vnlesse wee haue either some speciall calling or some particular gift of God his grace which doe onely priuiledge vs in this behalfe 82 It is daungerous to proceede in iudgement against a man vpon a bare suspition when no proofe can be had both because we would be loath that the Lord should so enter iudgement with vs as also because it were the way as well to iudge good men vndeseruedly as a wicked man deseruedly for that the one may be suspected as well as the other The Lorde hath therefore appointed that rather an offender not conuicted of offence should goe vnpunished then that a man vpon surmise should suffer least so a good man should oft come into vndeserued danger The wicked shall be sunke in destruction and though they be not moued with God his iudgements yet whatsoeuer they doe they shall spinne a threed of their owne destruction and hatch an egge of poyson to themselues 83 Men must not be in wrath when they pray for then it is not pleasing vnto the Lord. For as when an Instrument is played on and it being out of tune it doth jarre the noise is not so pleasing vnto them that should heare it No more are our prayers pleasing vnto the Lorde when we are in contention one with another the Lord cannot abide it 84 When one hath broken an arme or legge and the same is healed againe will that man by and by lift withall as hee doth with that other arme which is strong and perfect in health No hee will spare it still a great while for feare hee bring it out of ioynt againe and so it should be worse to heale than it was before So when enemies are made friends they must beare one with another and not giue themselues leaue to speake anie nipping words one to the other for then they will fall out againe and so their contention will be worse then it first was 85 Wee desire for the most part to doe dutie when wee may receiue like proportion againe which thing in praying one for another ought much to moue vs. For as we pray for others by vertue of Gods commandement So by the force of the same Law are wee to bee prayed for of others all being bound vpon paine of Gods highnes displeasure to pray for vs. 86 There is a selfe-will that breeds selfe-loue and a selfe-loue that brings a selfe-will and selfe-will bewrayes pride which is a monster of diuers heads Some are proud in arrogating that to themselues which they haue not some haue the things they boast of but they thinke they proceed of
at the first and sprout out much in the beginning for then we are as yong plantâ— which in their first rising spring out more sensibly though lesse substantially whereas old plants spring not so fast nor so much in sight and sense and yet grow into a more firme and solide substance So we sprout with a more sensible ioy at the first as vnacquainted with that thing but after we bring forth greater fruites things not so sensible vnto our feeling 102 God doth alwaies heare the prayers of his children though not according to their desires it may be yet certainely for their good and saluation 103 We are not so much to haue an eye to the beginning as to the ending in godlines For Paul begun euilly but he ended well Iudas began well but he ended ill 104 Many men will praise themselues but who shall find a faithfull man that is such a one as doth more negotiari in suo than otiari in alieno opere It is not good if the Lord bids vs to worke in one field that we should go gleane in another 105 If they be faultie that let the Sunne go downe on their wrath what shall become of them that let the Moone change on their wrath if the good man for speaking good things but out of time be faultie what shall become of them who speake wicked things with a wicked heart 106 As it is better with a silly Sheepe to feede in a low pasture with peace and quietnes than with the sturdie Bull to be in a fat pasture with a continuall baiting so it is better with God his children to haue a little with ioy of conscience than with the wicked to haue much with terrour of spirit 107 Iohn Baptist was a good patterne for Chaplaines who spared not his Lord and Maister in due time 108 We must not grow to be parched heathes or flintie rocks that let all the drops of grace fall for such cannot be softned 109 The Lord doth often let the wicked liue in iudgement for themselues and for a terrour of God his iudgements to others 110 Many seeke the world before the kingdome of God and so by preposterous order they lose both the world and the kingdome of God Some indeed seeke first the kingdome of God but not for the righteousnes of it but for the â—ase of it 111 Many play the diuels registers in espying the weakenesses of the godly whose worme of conscience shall eate vp themselues 112 We seeke as Demas being more loth to forgoe the world than the Lord or as Lots wife who caried away her body from Sodom but left her soule and affections behind It is good therefore to professe no more than we will performe 113 We must so hide our treasure that though the world strip vs yet we must keepe it from them as the Martyrs did whom when the world did search from top to toe and euery veine in them yet could they not finde this treasure 114 God dealeth with vs as a louing father with his prodigall sonne that is when hee cannot get vs to doe duties he will hire vs to do well Seeing then God bargaineth so with vs that he will giue vs more for our seruice than all the world or the diuels are ready or able to giue vs let vs receiue him for Christ will giue vs for euery peny an huÌ„dred folde 115 We must not leaue or lend time but make a through fare of it A man hauing sold an house may come into it but it is as a stranger not as the owner dweller in the house So we may doe sinne againe but not as they that will continue in sinne 116 We must leaue all sinne one dore is as good as twentie for Satan one poyson is enough to destroy one plague-sore will destroy vs wee must be wholly emptied of sinne least wee be like to him that emptieth his mouth of filthines and so may taste a little of sweete medicines but because the stomacke is not emptied filthines comes againe 117 Oh Lord iudge me not I iudge my selfe oh that I may doe it in truth 1 I haue not so loued the meanes nor set by the Sabbaths as I should doe 2 I haue felt exceeding pettishnes where I did owe dutie and hardnes of heart where I should haue pitied 3 Besides exceeding filthy thoughts most dangerously did I offend in Lord. 4 My prayers are more monkish then powerfull 5 Great hypocrisie of heart and vaineglory in speech hath ouertaken me Good Lord strengthen me to auoyd these things 1 Customable praying 2 Vaine-glorious speaking 3 Desire of being from the meanes Good Lord strengthen me to doe these things 1 To be giuen to a contemplatiue life 2 To keepe my selfe in fasting mine eyes in heauen 3 To meditate of speciall things without superstition 4 To remember my former couenants 118 Wee must endeuour to discerne betweene one sinne and another by the qualities and circumstances following the same for circumstances make euery sinne greater or smaller 119 Being asked whether this may be said that a childe is or children be regenerated he said we might in hope so say because the Apostle saith that the roote being holie the branches are holie and one of the parents being holie the seede is holy 1. Cor 7. yet here we must know that he speaketh of that holines which is according to the couenant 120 It is a great mercie of God to haue a good affection when wee haue a good occasion for God neuer ceaseth in offering good occasions but wee often cease in hauing good affections 121 When a poore man contemptuously in his charge had denyed him his tithe hee saide if he can charge me with want of dutie I will supplie it but that I may not hinder my successors he must pay it And if he thinke I respect gaine more then mercie I will giue it to the poore mans boxe 122 Concerning our studie it may be that a speciall working of God is in vs that Philosophie is made vnto vs so vnsauorie and Diuinitie so sweet In our studies generall precepts which may make for the truth are to be gathered auoiding foolish quiddities wherby manie studie Philosophie as heretikes the scriptures who chuse that which confirmeth their heresies and leaue the body and substance of the truth 123 We then doe truly apprehend by faith Christ dying for our sinnes when we feele sinne dye in vs. 124 A good man being vehement with him in speeches he said you are fire and I will be water 125 Euen as hauing a wheale in our hands be it neuer so little we will not let another let it out but wee will doe it our selues so when we deale with the smallest infirmities in another let vs doe it with great tendernes least they desire rather to admonish themselues of it
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
serue the world if all our minde heart and affections bee giuen to the world wee cannot serue God They then that are filled with wine are drunken cannot haue the holy Ghost I say drunken because otherwise there were no reason For one may drinke wine moderatly and yet speake wonderfully of the workes of God and a man may after eating and drinking vtter the graces and praises of God to shewe that he hath not immoderatly abused God his creatures For it is a flat argument whereby we may proue our selues that if after our repast receiued wee can discreetly reuerently and humbly speake of things to God his praise and glorie we haue not been immoderate or intemperate deuourers of his gifts This is a profitable argument and worthie our meditation In what worldly thing soeuer we exceede we cannot applie our selues to God his kingdome For if the kingdom of God be our chiefest delight we shall vse this world as though wee vsed it not Wee are wont to marueile much that after the word preached our prayers made the Sacraments receiued there yet appeareth no change nor alteratiō in vs our affections are as they were our life is the same that it was before but we doe not consider that before we came to the word prayer and Sacraments our hearts were fraught and ballaced with worldly cares so that there was no place left voide in our affections for the word and that our hearts were so pestred and thronged with vaine pleasures that there was no roome for God his spirit to keepe residence in and for religion to dwell among vs. The due consideration whereof must waine vs from the world and surfeting pleasures which locke vp our hearts that the Lord cannot enter in We cannot well runne with the Hare and hold with the Hound wee cannot hold fire and water together we cannot reconcile Christ and Belial light darkenesse God and the diuell If one be vp the other must downe if one be downe the other will vp Againe we marueile that after the word preached we are so ouertaken with our accustomed pleasures and profits seeing that whilest we did heare we had a secret and sweete disliking of sinne and an irking of our selues for the same so long as these after-thoughts correct the former Surely I answere out of Paul 2. Cor. 3. 3. because we are yet carnall we are more carnall than spirituall we are babes in Christ we haue but young beginnings in Christ but old proceedings in the world Why then doe we come to God so halting and limping euen because we are not come to any good growth in new birth Howbeit let vs beware that we continue not still to be staruelings least it breedeth in vs a sickne vnto death both of body and soule If we were more spirituall than carnall had the Spirit powred vpon vs in some plentifull measure were fully perswaded of God his prouidēce watching ouer vs of the ministerie of his holy Angels waiting vpon vs assured of the glorie of the life to come feeling the mightie power of the word of the law to humble vs of the Gospell to breede faith in vs of the Sacraments to seale vs of Christ to liue in vs oh how should we liue in this world Whilest Christ liued in Paul he vsed this world as though he vsed it not he felt such ioy in the fruites of the Spirit that all other things were vile vnto him So the cause why good motions die in vs so soone and the suggestions of the flesh preuaile so strongly against vs is because we are more carnall than spirituall Many rules may be giuen how a man may vse himselfe but to set downe all either we shall come short or else in reaching some good measure of them we may swell in priuie pride but learne this well and learne all which after a long part of a sermon our Sauiour Christ concludeth with Matth. 6 33. First seeke ye the kingdome of God and his righteousnes c. This is hard but if we come to any meane growth in holines and taste how sweete the Lord is to vs then we shall surely feele our flesh not to be so masterfull neither shall it be so laborious to doe the good we desire to doe The argument of the Apostle we see is this It is so farre from these men that they are drunken that it is God his spirit in them than which two what can be more contrarie and it is written euen by one of your owne Prophets In the last daies I will powre out my Spirit vpon all flesh c. This is now come to passe and therefore Christ his kingdome is now For whensoeuer God his Spirit shall come vpon all then is the kingdome of Christ come but now God his Spirit is come vpon all therefore now is the kingdome of Christ come Thus the Apostle reacheth vs how we may know when and where Christ his kingdome is euen where as well the young as the old the women as the men the seruants as the maisters can shew forth the workes of the Lord. In Poperie men and women old and young maisters and seruants could not talke of the mysteries of God therefore in Poperie there is not Christ his kingdome And though our compound Anabaptists haue great things in their mouthes yet because their men and women speake nothing but dreames forsaking the word of God they haue not the kingdome of Christ. In many places in the daies of Queene Mary both old and yong were not afraid to shew the praise of God as well women as men boldly professed the truth not only maisters but seruants gaue testimonie to the Gospell with their bloud and therefore then in such places appeared this kingdome And we may safely at this day reason so in euery congregation where old and young men and women can speake the praise of God there is the Spirit of God there is the kingdome of Christ otherwise if these things are not there there is not his kingdome what meanes so euer are vsed And now to braunch out these words more particularly first we are to note that God bestoweth such an excellent thing as his Spirit secondly that so excellent a thing is sent to so vile a thing as flesh thirdly this grace is not leased out to a few here and there but is freely offered to all sorts ages sexes and conditions of men fourthly it is not distilled by thinne drops but powred out in full measure and plentifull abundance What more vile than flesh what more pretious than the Spirit of God the excellencie whereof we shall see more euidently Ioel. 2. where after the Prophet had seuerely threatned the Iewes and exhorted them to conuert he comforteth them againe by promising vnto them the renewing of God his mercies and not staying in telling them how the Lord would send them againe corne wine and oyle he commeth at the last and putteth them in minde of that which
saluation vntothe children of God thus God by little and little conueigheth his graces into vs. But now whether for remission of our sinnes whether for omission of certaine duties whether for our barrennesse in spirituall graces whether for our humbling or triall of our faith or neglecting of the inward meanes or for the setting foorth of the glorie of God it hath pleased him a little to frowne vpon vs and to withdrawe his smiling countenance from vs He which found vs when we sought not him euen hee doth now leaue vs to the intent that we might now learne to seeke after him God hee gaue vs those things which were profitable for vs before we knocked to the intent that receiuing them at his hand we might hereafter learne to knocke for them for we must know that our cloathes must not alwaies be put vpon our backes the teares must not be alwaies put into our mouthes wee must not alwaies be fed with milke and be young children wherefore seeing that there is an infancie and a nonage and a time of discretion as it is in Hebr. 5 and seeing the Lord hath a long time fed vs with milke as babes we must not now murmure if he feed vs with stronger meate as men Fathers will nurture their children and giue them corrections wheÌ„ they abuse their louing kindnesse and will make their children to seeke vnto them and craue of them those things which they want And shall the fathers of our fleshe doe thus shall they nurture their children and by discipline correct their sinnes and offences and shall not wee suffer the father of our spirits to deale thus with vs Seeing that we haue offeÌ„ded the Lord not glorified him as we should seeing we haue been barren in goodnesse haue not brought foorth fruites of repentance worthie the Gospell is it not now good for vs that the Lord should deale somewhat sharply with vs is it not meete that now the Lord should take his blessing from vs when we abuse them is it not meete that the Lord should with hold his goodnesse when wee are not thankfull for it and when the beholding of it doth doevs much harme If God shall now deale somewhat more strictly with vs it is to the intent that wee might the better learne to doe our duties for surely now wee are not in our nonage but euen come to yeeres of discretion wee must not therefore looke still to bee dealt withall as yong children but we must fast and we must pray and vse those good meanes which God hath appointed We must knocke and we shall finde wee must bee important with the widow and we shall obtaine we must seeke earnestly and then I dare bee bold to say that the graces of God which now seeme in some sort to be withdrawne from vs shall be restored vnto vs in as great measure as euer they were before Wherefore seeing the Lord heretofore hath bestowed his graces and blessings vpon vs in more amplesort than euer wee could haue looked for and that now hee seemeth as it were to be absent from vs let vs bewaile and mourne for his absence and then he will returne otherwise let vs neuer looke for his presence againe wherefore let euery man beware that he make precious account of the word of God and let euery one consider and examine himselfe whether he hath in him a readinesse to seeke this treasure or no yea let euery one prouoke himselfe to this for the kingdome of heauen from the time of Iohn Baptist vnto Christ suffered violence and must suffer violence vntill the end of the world And none euer did or shall enter into it to haue fruitioÌ„ thereof but those who with all feruencie violence and zeale haue sought after it Wherefore if we haue not cleerenesse in knowledge purenesse in affections if we finde not in vs ioy in the holy Ghost zeale and boldnesse in good things loue meekenesse patience and such like fruites of the spirit wee are to know that this is for want of fasting praying knocking seeking and due estimation of the Word and Sacraments Wherefore if wee finde in our selues the want of these things wee must haue recourse to the vse of the meanes It followeth And for ioy thereof departeth c. It is a thing incident to treasures when they are found to worke ioy and great is their ioy which haue found pleasures but greater is the ioy of him that findeth the treasure of saluation then his ioy is that findeth earthly treasures Shew vs saith the Prophet Psal. the 4. the light of thy countenance thy fauour and thy grace and thou shalt make our hearts more cheerefull and ioyfull than rich men are when their Corne Oyle and Wine increaseth Great is the ioy that ariseth of abundance of riches but greater is the ioy which ariseth of the loue and fauourable countenance of God The man of God saith in Psalme 1â—9 the ninth part and the 72. verse of the Psalme The law of thy mouth O Lord is better than thousands of gold or siluer That man which loueth gold hee taketh great pleasure and delight therein but yet saith the Prophet Thy word is sweeter and better esteemed and liked of by me than thousands of gold and siluer And in the sixteenth part of the same Psalme verse the â— I loue thy commandements saith he aboue gold yea aboue most fine gold And in the 21. part of the same Psalme and 2. verse of that part he saith I reioyce at thy word as one that findeth a great spoyle Pleasures breede ioy profits breede ioy honour and glorie breede ioy by a good haruest with increase of Wine and Oyle commeth pleasure by riches as gold and siluer ariseth profit by victorie conquest and spoyle of the enemie honour and glorie is gotten Now all these things being laide ioyntly together must needes bring a great ioy to a man but the man of God preferreth the ioy which proceedeth from the Word before all these and that not without good cause for greater is the ioy of the kingdome of heauen and of eternall saluation in heauen than the ioy which ariseth of all these things And what is the ioy of Wine and Oyle to this that mens hearts are refreshed with the refreshed Wine and Oyle of the countenance of God is it not more than to possesse much gold and siluer What greater ioy can be than to be perswaded of the loue of God in Christ Iesus the eye hath not seene neither hath the eare heard neither can the heart of man conceiue of this vnspeakable ioy of the kingdome of heaueÌ„ To liue and remaine for euer with God the Father the Sonne and the holy Spirit in eternall glorie is not this better than thousands of gold siluer To subdue Satan sin the world the Diuell and the torments of hel is not this a great victorie and a great ioy yea is it not greater than the triumph ouer our
bodily enemies to remaine eternally in the glorie of God of Christ Iesus the Spirit and the holy Angels is not this an infinite and incomprehensible ioy Wherefore men must leaue off the false ioyes of this world and the pettie ioyes of sinne and cleaue vnto this ioy and seeke after it Now euery one the greater treasure that hee findeth the more hee doth reioyce and so euerie one the neerer that hee draweth vnto saluation the more ioyfull and glad he is For the kingdome of God doth not keepe one and the same tenour in all men This ioy is not in all the children of God alike God he doth sometime hide his louing couÌ„tenance from them some times he giueth comfort and sometimes againe more sorrow And as wee see that the Lord sendeth sometimes wet weather and sometimes againe more faire weather sometimes he sendeth stormes tempests and boysterous weather and by and by most calme and still euen so dealeth he with his children sometime he hideth his graces from them which other sometimes he maketh apparrant vnto them And as after stormes and tempests come faire weather so after sorrowes and troubles ioyes and pleasures doe come vnto the children of God after their anguish and paines are past great calmenesse and peace of mind and quietnesse in conscience ariseth vnto them And as it is saidâ— in Psalme 30. 5. The anger of the Lord endureth but a while but in his fauour is life Weeping and sorrow may abide for an euening but ioy commeth in the morning Wherefore euery one is to examine himselfe whether he hath this ioy or not for whosoeuer hath it not certainly he hath not his saluation Yet it may be that he may haue some sight of it but it was neuer hid deepely in his heart And here we are to know that there are two sorts of ioyes in receiuing the word There is a ioy in the wicked in hearing of Gods word but it hauing but a small crust of the earth to nourish it it withereth quickly away and remaineth but for a time as is shewed in this chapter in the parable of the seede which fell in hard stonie ground There is another ioy which endureth and continueth vnto the ende which although it haue many intermissions yet it doth not altogether cease but will at the length haue the victorie against all sorrow whatsoeuer The one of these is the ioy of the minde the other is the ioy of the heart The first is deceitfull the second is effectuall A man may therefore be deceiued in ioy and thinke that he hath it before hee hath found it and that there is a ioy when a man thinketh that hee hath found a treasure when hee hath not and another ioy when he knoweth indeede hee hath found it euen so is there a double ioy in the kingdome of God For there is a ioy in the hearing and knowing of this that the kingdome and graces of God are offered vnto vs It is a ioyfull thing for a man to knowe his saluation and to know that God offereth vnto him eternall life and redemption but if this ioy doe but abide and swimme as it were on the top of their braine and goe no further then is there but a crust of the earth as it were in these hearers and their stonie and hard hearts are hardened with deceitfulnesse of sinne and there is also another ioy in this when a man is assured and fully knoweth that he is saued There is a ioy of the minde when a man doth see the mysterie of his saluation there is a ioy of the heart when a man hath the experience thereof the former of these ioyes may be deceiued the other cannot The former remaineth but for a time if a man doe rest onely in the knowledge of his saluation a man can minister no true comfort vnto this man For it is one thing to know there is eternall life and another thing to know that eternall life is ordained for thee For it is one thing to know that sinnes are pardonable and another thing to know that thy sinnes are pardoned neither doth it follow that because thou seest the way to heauen that therfore thou art there Wherfore thou must know that the seate of faith is not in the braine but in the heart and that the head is not the place to keepe the promises of God but the heart is the chest to lay them vp in Therefore as the minde must be conuinced of sinne so the heart must be continually rebuked feared humbled and terrified from sinne it must be the closet wherein the word of God must be kept With the heart saith the Apostle a man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse The minde of man if it be troubled it is nothing but if his heart be troubled the trouble thereof is great Therefore as the griefe of the minde is nothing to the griefe and sorrowe of the heart so the ioy of the minde is nothing comparable to the ioy of the heart And then it is indeed a true ioy when a man hath in his heart an experience of the mercies If I can say now not I but Christ Iesus which liueth in me O this is the ioy of the heart which passeth the reach of all vnderstanding Many cannot distinguish betweene this ioy of the minde and the ioy of the heart But let such men know that a temptation may change the minde and motion of the braine but the heart and affection being roote in goodnesse it can neuer change it For although there be sorrow in thy heart in the euening and for a season yet ioy againe will come in the morning The Lord he is faithfull who hath called his and he will alwaies perfect his worke in them first in raising vp the bodie in the last day and then in ioyning it together with the soule and making both partakers of that blessednesse and glorious happinesse which is prepared for them in the kingdome of heauen THE NINTH SERMON PREACHED ON PART OF the 44. verse of the 13. Chapter according to Saint Matthew MATTH 13. vers 44. And for ioy thereof departeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field IN the former Sermon wee shewed that the kingdome of God was taken in two diuers senses as namely First for the glorious estate of Gods children after this life when they shall liue eternally with God and enioy the presence of the holie Angels triumphing ouer sinne hell death and condemnation and secondly for the entrance which Gods children haue into the kingdome of God in this world This kingdome is of two parts one of the meanes whereby God offereth his kingdome vnto them the other of the graces of the Spirit which hee offereth by the meanâ—s Here we are taught that none shall euer haue fruition of the ioyes of heauen but those which take possession of them in earth none shall rise againe with Christ to glorie which doth not here arise
wife goods lands friends parents children yea and peraduenture also it will cost thee the losse of thine owne heart blood It is more chargeable than some thinke it is and that it is the cause why they make so little account of it Now there are some which care not what it costeth them so that it may be had with ease but such must know that it is as laborious as costly For before thou canst attaine vnto it thou must trauaile in heart and in soule with weeping with sighing with much fasting with prayer with watching with meditation of the word of God and in practising of all the commandements of God Thou must trauaile in compassion towards all men thou must take paines in doing thy dutie towards thy superiours and in relieuing the needie and such as are in distresse Finally it is a most painfull way to passe and many there be which deceiue themselues entring into it without preconsideration either of cost or paines I tell you in the houre of death in the day of iudgement in persecutions in trials in banishments many shall see and know that they haue deceiued themselues for that they haue not duly thought of these said charges neither is it onely chargeable and troublesome but also there are in it many and great perils and dangers many battailes must be fought before thou canst come vnto the end thereof Now for a man not onely to be greatly chargeable but also to haue great troubles many battels betwixt the flesh and the spirit this is a sore and a great temptation thou must fight with all thy affections with thine owne reason thou must be prepared to fight with fleshly ioy Loue Feare sorrow Anger Meekenesse Softnesse neither is this conflict as the passion of anger which endureth but for a moment but this combat against affections is to be taken in hand diuers and sundrie times and continueth a long time euen during the whole life And though we receiue many blowes and are sometimes as it were drawne backe yet we must to it againe Those I say which meane to inherit the kingdome of heauen must renounce their owne reason and fight against their owne iudgement As for example in anger many will burst out to fighting and why because that their owne reason teacheth them that they are abused contemned and despised and this is it which deceiueth many because they doe not striue and contend with their owne reason but rather doe thus thinke with themselues according to the manner of men what is the reason why we should doe this or why we should doe that why we should lose our wiues children goods and lands this reason then of ours must be fought against and ouercome But when a man hath ouercome his reason and knoweth what things to be angrie for and what things to be patient in what to loue and what to hate then shall he the better walke rightly but for as much as a man must fight both with his reason and his affections this is a hard battell For though a man haue ouercome his reason yet his affections may still â—e head strong in him yea so strong as they shall carrie his reason iudgement headlong Here then ariseth a greater fight than before before the affections can be ouercome but when reason affections ioyne together that a man hath to deale with them both then ariseth a most deadly fight insomuch that a man shall very hardly ouercome them and yet wee haue more enemies to fight withall than these Wee must fight on the right hand and on the left on the right hand with fame and glorie and on the left hand we are to fight with wealth and riches and with credit and all things in the world If God shall vouchsafe to giue thee riches take heede that thy heart be not set vpon them wherfore when thou whosoeuer thou art art blessed with a good report or with the riches of this world take heede and beware of pride vaine glorie and ambition for if the childe of God doe not forecast these things he may easily be ouertaken and wee see many who when they are in lower estate behaue themselues like honest men and as becommeth the children of God but when they come to any preferment and promotion then they are altogether carried away with the vaine glorie of this world Thou must not onely fight with faire and good reports but thou must also fight with reproches and this is no small combate for hauing riches and glorie thou maist escape pride and ambition but if indeed thou professe the truth thou canst not escape reproches Wherefore if this be not foretâ— ought and looked vnto betimes if a man â—e not well armed against this he cannot be able to withstand it but it will make him goe backe from the truth which he hath professed alas will he say I labour to doe good I endeauour my selfe to keepe a good conference in all my dealings yet loe how I am contemned and how I am accounted a Precâ—sian and an Hypocrite We must also figâ—t with losses and want of liuing and in this point we see many to be ouercome when as therefore the Lord hath brought vs vnto a low â—bbe we must take heede that we be â—o shifters For when by a simple and godly liuing many cannot thriue and prosper in this world then fall they to vnlawfull meanes and now adaies rather than a man will be in want hee will take two or three liuings wherefore this temptation of want is very great and therefore so much the more to be looked vnto Likewise when a man must fight with banishment losse of friends or such like then the anguish which ariâ—eth thereof it draweth from him many bitter sighes and deepe groanes and through sorrow of heart he is brought vnto strange thoughts wherefore except a man doe acquit himselfe with these and the rest it will goe hard but Sathan will haue the victorie for it is a very hard matter to endure them There is another thing to be taken heede of and that is this when Sathan shall behold the corruption of a man either which is within him or which is outward for whether it be inward or outward it will serue his turne as it is in Ephes the 6. He is spirituall wickâ—dnesses in heauenly things he is a spirituall enemie and in this world he is Principalities and Powers Therefore I say when he beholdeth thy corruptions he commeth to worke vpon thee and stirreth vp thine owne conscience and thine owne reason to accuse thee and to condemne thee then like a spirituall enemie he commeth to intoxicate thine affections and moueth thee sometimes with losses sometimes with profit sometimes with pleasures sometimes with ioy sometimes with sorrow when I say he doth thus bewitch thy reason and affections and doth thus infatuate thy wits and intoxicate thy braines here is a very dangerous fight And herein may a man
varietie of learning as may giue content to each seuerall Reader Histories for the Temporist Philosophie for the Naturalist Ethiques for the Moralist Mysteries for the Artist and languages for the Linguist Heere is a Flood for the great Elephant to swimme in and â— Foorde for the little lambe to walke in Would wee be acquainted with the vanitie of the worlde what better meanes haue wee then the booke of the Preacher would wee know how to liue in the worlde whence better can we haue it then from the booke of the Prouerbes and if we would powre out prayers to God Dauid in his Psalmes hath a platforme of praying which one little booke is the Epitome of the Bible Caluin calls it the Anatomie of the soule Another the prayer-booke of the Church Athanasius the definition of humane life Basil the prediction of things to come Nazianzene the sweete Companion of life Augustine the common Treasurie of all good things Ambrose the Medicine of Mans salutation Chrysostome a Salue against euery sore Gregorie that Stone which killed Goliah And Bernard saith that whosoeuer faithfully and deuoutly doth sing the Psalmes in a sort is in association with the Angels without which deuotion what Quirister soeuer shall sing them in the Church I may say vnto him as Augustine once saide to the singing men of his time Plus placet Deo mugitus Boum latratus Canum grunnitus porcorum hinnitus Equorum quà m cantus Clericorum luxuriantium The bellowing of oxen the barking of dogs the gâ—unting of swine and the â—eying of horses doe more please God then the singing of luxurious Quiristers Now though euery Psalme be of speciall Obseruation yet this one is especially remarkeable It was penned by King Dauid that sweete singer of Israel it hath in euery verse a commendation of the word of God it is artificially written euery eight verses beginning in the Hebrue tongue with one Letter of the Hebrue Alphabet and the longest Meditation that euer Dauid had either concerning Gods word or workes it seemeth hee had it when he penned this Psalme which the Iewes vsed as a Catechisme for their children To the ende this Psalme might bee vnderstood of all it hath beene expounded by many worthie men especially by that worthie man of God M. Richard Greenham memorable in our Church It is pittie that all his meditations on this Psalme come not yet to light but that in former editions about fortie verses were left vnexpounded Now that godly man who hath the sale of his workes was very desirous that there might bee an Exposition vpon euery verse and to that purpose hath employed mee And I finding the foure first verses expounded by a worthie Elisha vpon whom the spirite of this Eliah doth rest was bolde to set downe the same as I found it the rest I haue finished according to the grace giuen vnto mee and thus offer them to the Church of God I remember that an ancient Father saith Iudicem aditurus patrâ—num quaere Must you appeare before the Iudge seeke a Patron I am now to appeare before as many Iudges as Readers I desire a Patron and I finde none fitter then your Honor who hauing for manie yeares post beene a bountifull Patron to my labours in the Church will I doubt not vouchsafe to become a Patron of these labours for the Church If euer wee must looke for a blessing from Counsellors it is then when they consult with the Lord and are not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ. Among manie such Honorable Senators in our Kingdome we haue good cause to number your Honor. What Sabbath is there which you passe ouer without the morning and euening sacrifice what Minister is there who preacheth before you whome you sende away without a blessing what moneth is there in which you once are not a CommunicaÌ„t at the Eucharist what day is there that passeth ouer your head in which you vse not both prayer and meditation You were once gracious in the eyes of that Queene then whome the Church neuer had a more nourcing mother you are nowe gracious in the eyes of that King then whom the Church will neuer haue a more nourcing Father in this honorable Parish wherein you liue what good you do by your owne example in frequenting Gods house your liberalitie bountie in maintaining Gods Saints your care that your familie may be the Church of God I had rather be silent then say little Your old age is a crowne of glorie being thus found in the generation of the righteous The consideration of your honorable respect to pietie and godlines hath made me a long time to honour you in mine heart and the consideration of your fauour to mee a poore preacher emboldeneth mee to publish these my labours vnder your Honorable name If it please you to allow that your name which I am perswaded is written in the booke of life may remaine in this liuing and worthie booke I haue that which I desire by this Dedication Thus crauing pardon I humbly take my leaue beseeching the Lord to continue you long a trustie Counsellor to our most gracious King your Honourable Ladie the Ladie Margaret a precious Iewell vpon your right hand and your hopefull and happie Children as Oliue plants rounde about your Table London From Salisburie Rents at S. Martins in the fieldes Nouember the first 1611. At your Honors seruice Robert Hill WHOSOEVER IS DESIROVS TO LEARNE AND REMEMber the Word of God that he might liue after it let him consider of that which is written in the 119. Psalme ALEPH. THE FIRST PORTION ¶ Verse I. Blessed are those that are vpright in their way and walke in the Lawes of the Lord. THat which all men seeke for and few finde the same is set out in the word of God namely felicitie and true happines And because God would haue all men to know wherein their blessed estate doth consist therefore Christ begins his first Sermon with it Math. 5. Dauid his first Psalme with it Psal. 1. And the Prophet in this place his first verse with it describing therein a blessed man A description opposite to all that vaine felicitie which euer vaine Philosophers deuised out of their deepe speculations or prophane men frame out of their corrupt affections not consisting in pleasures riches honors greatnes in ciuill honestie formall hypocrisie or the whole possibilitie of nature but in the sinceritie of the heart and continuall walking in the waies of God Salomon saw this and therefore after he had sought happines in all things of this life he willeth vs to heare the end of all namely to feare God and keepe his commandements for thus saith hee this is the whole man If this saith one be the whole man then without this man is no man no though hee wallowe in wealth swimme in pleasures and be carried alofte vpon the wings of Honor For first all these though they were all in the possession of some
yeares Against an vtter desertion in this kinde Dauid prayeth in this place and according to S. Augustine is in effect thus much O Lord if lest I should be proud and should say in my prosperitie I shall neuer be remoued it pleased thee to tempt me yet forsake me not ouerlong that is if thou haue thus forsaken me that I may know how weake I am without thine assist mee yet forsake me not vtterly lest I perish I know that of thy good will thou hast giuen me strength and if thou turnest away thy face from me I shall forthwith be troubled O forsake me not that I perish not If Christ be a sleepe the shippe is in danger and if the Lord absent himselfe but for a while we are not able to stand in temptation And yet it pleaseth the Lord to exercise his deerest seruants oftentimes with these desertions For as that iudiciall diuine Maister Perkins obserueth whom I follow in that which followeth the blessings that God bestoweth on them are of two sorts either positiue or priuatiue positiue are reall graces wrought in the heart by the spirit of God priuatiue are such meanes whereby God preserues men from falling into sinne as crosses desertions And these in number exceed the first as long as men doe liue in this world Before it can be declared what these desertions are this conclusion is to be laid downe He which is once in the estate of grace shall be in the same for euer This appeareth in the eight of the Romans 30. Where Paul sets downe the golden chaine of the causes of saluation that can neuer be broken so that he which is predestinate shall be called iustified glorified And a little after he saith Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect and Who shall seuer vs from the loue of Christ and I am perswaded that no creatures shall be able to seuer vs from the loue of Christ which he would not haue said if men being in the estate of grace might fall quite from grace And how should they which are iustified haue peace with God if they were not sure to perseuere righteous before God to the ende And how shall it be said that hope maketh not ashamed because the loue of God wherewith God loues his Elect is shed abroad in their hearts by the holy Ghost which is giuen them if any may vtterly fall from that loue How should the testimonie of the spirit which testifieth to the Elect that they are the children of God be true and certaine if it may be quite extinguished Lastly how shall that of Iohn be true they went out of vs because they were not of vs if they had beene of vs they should haue remained with vs if a man may wholy fall from Christ which hath once beene made a true member of him Our Sauiour Christ saith My sheepe heare my voyce and I know them and they follow me and I giue life eternall to them and no man shall take them out of my hand or out of my fathers hand and whatsoeuer my father giueth me shall come vnto me and whosoeuer commeth to me I will not cast out And if any of the Elect being effectually called might wholy fall from grace then there must be a second insition or engrafting into the mysticall body of Christ and therefore a second Baptisme nay for euery fall a new insition and a new Baptisme which must in no wise be graunted wherefore they which are predestinate to be in the estate of grace are also predestinate to perseuere in the same to the end Hereupon it followeth that the desertions of Gods Elect are first of all partiall that is such as wherein God doth not wholy forsake them but in some part Secondly temporarie that is for some space of time and neuer beyond the compasse of this present life For a moment saith the Lord in Esay in mine anger I hid my face from thee for a little season but with euerlasting mercie haue I had compassion on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer And to this purpose Dauid well acquainted with this matter prayeth Forsake me not ouerlong This sort of Desertions though it be but for a time yet no part of a Christian mans life is free from them and very often taking deepe place in the heart of man they are of long coÌ„tinuance Dauid coÌ„tinued in his dangerous fall about the space of an whole yeare before he was recouered Luther coÌ„fesseth of himselfe that after his coÌ„uersion he lay three yeares in desperation And common experience in such like cases can make record of loÌ„ger time The maner God vseth in forsaking his owne seruants is of two sorts the first is by taking away one grace and putting another in the roome the second by hiding his grace as it were in a corner of the heart God takes away his grace and puts another in the roome diuers waies 1. First he bereaueth his owne children of outward prosperitie yea he will loade them with crosses and yet he wil make a good supply by giuing patience Dauid is driuen out of his kingdome by his owne sonne a heauie crosse yet the Lord ministreth an humble and patient spirit so as he was content to speake If the Lord thus say I haue no delight in thee behold here I am let him doe to me as seemeth good in his eyes So likewise Christian Martyrs are bereaued of all outward safetie and laid open to the violence persecution of tyrants yet inwardly they are established by the power of the might of God when they are most weak they are most strong and when they are most foiled then they obtaine victorie 2. Secondly the Lord cuts off the daies of this life and for recompence to his own elect giues life eternall The righteous is taken away froÌ„ the euill to come This is manifest in Iosias of whom it is said Behold I will gather thee to thy fathers and though shall be put into thy graue in peace and thine eyes shall not see all the euill which I will bring vpon this place 3. Thirdly God takes away the feeling of his loue and the ioy of the holy Ghost for a season then in the roome thereof he kindles an earnest desire thirsting with groanes and cryings vnto heauen to be in the former fauour of God againe This was Dauids case when he complained and said My voyce came to God when I cryed my voyce came to God and he heard mâ— in the day of my trouble I sought the Lord my sore râ—nne and ceased not in the night my soule refused comfort I did thinke vp â—n God and was troubled I prayed and my spirit was full of anguish Selah The like was the estate of the Church making her mone vnto God in Esay O Lord why hast thou made vs to erre from thy wayes and hardened our hearts from thy feare returne for thy seruants sakâ—
not become so much subiect to others but others shall submit themselues to mee I shall purchase to my selfe credite countenance and authoritie to pleasure my friends and withstand mine enemies Thus we see why we cannot ouer-wrastle the vanities of this life because we striue not aright Now likewise how are we so enabled to forsake our worldlines euen because we doe not depend on Gods prouidence Then the way to fight against couetousnes is to fight against the distrust of Gods prouidene and want of beliefe in the word of God in that for too much loue of this world and too little loue of the word they doe not deuide their times that sometimes they may giue themselues to prayer to reading to conferring of the word And how doe these men reason with themselues I shall one day be olde and Age is accompanyed with many euills of weaknes and impotencie I must not thinke then to liue without miserie vnlesse I liue now with some care I must prouide for my wife and children and not leaue them to the broad world it standeth me therefore in hand to worke and to take paines whilest I may So the pleasure of this temptation taketh away the sweetnes of the meditation of the life after death Manie striue against anger and yet the more they striue the more they fret because they resist not the beginning of their Anger which is a secret pride conceiued in their mindes For of pride saith the holy-Ghost in the booke of the Prouerbs commeth contention Such men haue this reason whereunto they yeelde I haue deserued well of their hands I neuer did them iniurie they ought to haue esteemed otherwise of mee they haue abused mee greatly who therefore can beare such contempt and miuries Now if we fight in humblenesse of minde against this corrupt reason wee shall fight against our Anger I suppose a bruite beast is not so ill in his kinde as a man in his corrupt iudgement Then lowlinesse in taking a fight of our wants in good and heauenly things is the thing that will humble vs. This is that which will cut our combes when wee thinke too well of our selues when we see too much by our painted sheath this will make vs to pull downe our peacocks tayle What maketh young men so loose and profit so little by all the admonitions which are vsed to them but onely their corrupt reason which on this sort deceiueth their soules Why is not this lawfull doe I any body harme in so doing doe not all others this as well as I Well if they will not bidde warre against these corrupt imaginations they shall neuer preuaile against their euill affections Whereof is it that the wisest men become whore-hunters and the wisest women often become whores is it not because the Lord punisheth the pride of reason with filthinesse and whilest they will not fight against corrupt reason they cannot get the victorie ouer their filthie affection they will thus reason I haue beene thus long married and haue no children my wife is neuer quiet she is a shrew I will see if I can haue children with another and haue quietnesse abroad Bid battell then to reason if you will fight against sinne for iudgemēt being conuinced we may the better encombate with affection Let vs then take heede to those conceits which are not yet in the bowels of the braine for then the diuell is brought to infect reason and so draweth neere to corrupt affection All idle thoughts discourses comming but to the mind must make vs afraide least we become corrupted And let vs remember that wee must loue the Lord with al our hearts mindes that he taketh vp to his glory al our cogitatiōs And therfore though we yeeld not to lust in affection we must strike at cōcupisence at the first motion because our thoughts haue not been wholy with the Lord We must destroy the broode whilest it is in hatching and wound sinne before it haue receiued a perfect shape For it is better to striue against sinne whilest reason is on our side than when both reason and affection are conspired against vs. Now let vs examine our selues euery man search his own heart whether we be grieued for the sudden discourses and glauncing imaginations in vs or rather whether they be not sweete vnto vs. What is the reason why wee refuse to sinne is it not because wee thinke thus with our selues What shall I doe this thing Shall I commit this fact It is a beastly thing it is a dangerous attempt For there are some which will mislike to haue themselues misled with the temptations of murder of stealing or adulterie and yet will let passe quietly in them rouing imaginations and idle cogitations We see in many after their fall repentance commeth for if in iudgement we could before sinne preuailed discerne the corruption of reason deceiuing and leading captiue our affections as wee doe after wee haue sinned wee should not so soone be deluded For we see it commonly commeth to passe that we repent vs and mislike our selues for some foregoing euil we say Oh what a foole was I that could not consider of this where was my wit how was I besotted Conuince a naturall man of his reason and he wil be ashamed of his purpose but so long as he hath reason on his side hee will not yeeld an inch Why commeth it to passe that there are almost no Heretikes conuerted and so many profane professours conuerted but because the sinne of these men is the sinne of affection the sinne of the other is the sinne of reason and iudgement Peter of whom we reade in the Gospell did not so much sinne of affection as in reason For being put in minde of Christ his afflictions how he should goe vp to Ierusalem and suffer many things and consulting with reason thought it a very straunge thing and not agreeing to equitie that such a Prophet and mirrour of the world and that he that had done so many good things and had wrought so many miracles in that country neuer doing any harme to any man should suffer of such men Wherefore when as our Sauiour Christ sawe Peter giuen so much to naturall reason in that he cried Maister saue thy selfe hee checked him saying Come behind mèe Sathan thou sauorest not of things which are of God but of fleshe and blood Vpon which occasion least the other Disciples also should haue presumed our Sauiour Christ gaue this generall doctrine that if any would become his Disciples they should take vp their crosse and follow him As also that none could follow him in truth vnlesse they denied thēselues where in denying of our selues he meaneth nothing else as the occasion of his foregoing speech plainely sheweth then the forsaking of the reason of the flesh S. Iames chap. 1. teacheth vs that if wee will mortifie our affections wee must first vse the meanes secondly
leaue me not to mine oppressors THe Prophet goeth on praying for the increase and continuance of Gods fauour vsing two arguments the first by shewing his afflictions which hee suffered the seconde by declaring his affection to the word whereunto is added a reason drawne from the nature of GOD that it is his time to helpe in affliction His generall desire then is to haue a further loue of Gods word to this end hee sheweth his miseries and afflictions and with what affection hee longed for helpe trusting that God would now come to doe right His prayer is that the Lord would not suffer him to bee ouercome with ouer-much afflictions but that as it is Psal. 125. 3. that the rod of the wicked shall not rest on the lot of the righteous least the righteous put their hands vnto wickednesse and that the hands of the oppressors should not preuaile God then giueth vs this libertie that wee may pray against our and his enemies but wee must withall consider these two reasons I haue executed As if the Prophet said Thou hast promised to helpe all them that hold causes and maintaine them well through thy grace I haue vsed a good cause well performe therefore oh Lord thy promise in me So the Prophet prayeth Psal. 41. Heare me when I call O God of my righteousnesse c. where hee sheweth that as God doth promise to helpe in afflictions so he requireth of our parts that wee should suffer as weldoers and as doing well in a good cause as if hee had expressed his minde in these words O God the cause which I maintaine is iust and I haue maintained it well let them fall then that haue an ill cause against me who hauing so righteous a cause As we haue to learne that we shall not be without oppressors if we doe well so must we learne how to behaue our selues therein It seemeth monstrous to some that we should by weldoing purchase such enemies as if when ye do well ye suffer wrong and take it patiently this is acceptable to God 1. Pet. 3. 13. Who is it that will harme you if you follow that which is good Yet it is a thing in the secret iudgement of God either to the triall of the faith of his children or the fulfilling of the sins of the wicked Who would thinke a man should haue enemies but by desert True it is if the world were aright but because wee liue in such a world wherein Christ himselfe executing iudgemēt and righteousnes did suffer because it hated him much more must we looke for it as Christ himselfe hath also fore warned because the seruant must not be aboue his maister and because we labour and cease not to hinder the kingdome of Sathan hee enarmeth the world with hatred against vs also We must not think that we can be here quiet For although we be sometimes troubled because we haue not done somewhat which we ought yet often we must be oppressed as righteous doers although not so as our enemies finally shall preuaile against vs. We see the Prophet desireth God to be the patrone of a righteous cause and of a righteous cause rightly handled we must then if we will assure our selues of Gods protection first consider if our cause be iust and hauing such a cause whether we haue rightly dealt in it Let vs therefore when we are oppressed search our cause if we feele that our conscience be guiltie then no maruell though wee suffer because the Lord correcteth either our euill cause or our ill handling of a good cause Wee must see that in the equitie of our request our cause be iust and true and being good that our dealing therein bee also iust and right Let vs see this now in particulars Our Sauiour Christ saith he came to put dissension betweene the father and the sonne the mother and the daughter and that the father in law should bee against his son in law and the sonne in law against his father in law True it is if it be for the Gospels sake and we withall haue done our duties and obedience which nature our callings require that we be hated yet must we not be dismaied although we haue the enemies of our own familie of them which by nature are ioyned to vs we are not to be discouraged if it be righteousnes which we must maintaine and vnrighteousnes which they maintaine if thē our cause being good we vse all obedience loue and dutie and yet be grieued we must recouer our selues with that which Christ hath said but if our cause bee ill or being right wee shewed not our selues humble and dutifull in the defence of it then we haue deserued iustly to be euill entreated of them If wee shall obserue this to happen either among Magistrates to their subiects or Landlords to their tenants or any other gouernours to their inferiours when they shall deale ill with vs in debts fines and exactions we must consider that if we haue done righteously we haue the libertie to comfort our soules in prayer Lord I haue done the part of a faithfull subiect or the dutie of a good tenant Lord helpe me against this man which oppresseth me wrongfully But if we haue discouraged their hearts either simply by ill doing or in a good thing by ill dealing we must know that the Lord by them doth take some good thing from vs who from them did take some good duties We must see then whether we haue done our duties in loue or not this will keepe vs from fuming and will make vs rest in prayer The ignorance of this doctrine maketh vs fret and fume who neuer consider whether our cause be good or whether in a good cause wee haue vsed good dealing or no. If Gods children looke thus into their consciences it will humble them as surely I did not well to him God suffereth him to doe the like to me againe and meateth out vnto mee the like measure with mine owne meat-yeard Where wee must learne that Gods children neuer deale so earnestly with their enemies as with their God And as this holdeth in superiours so must wee marke this doctrine in all troubles with our inferiours or equals Now if our seruants or our children doe not deale dutifully with vs we must enter into our selues on this sort Lord I haue brought vp these sonnes or seruants in thy nurture and feare I haue instructed them and prayed for them I haue vsed all meanes wherby I might bring them to good yet for all this they deale ill with me and in this case wee must knowe that God wil heare our prayers But if we haue not done our parts in cloathing feeding or teaching them or in praying for them it is the iudgement of God in that we haue not done the dutie of godly parents Christian householders in making them the children of God and seruants of the Lord neither can we say Lord release me in this case
inkindle the wrath of God that hee will take away the hedge thereof and his vineyard shall bee eaten vp hee will breake the wall thereof and it shall be troden downe he will lay it waste and the wild bores shall enter into it What a thing is this that the deare Saints and Martyrs of God should deserue so well of vs and wee should deserue so ill of our selues and of our posterities Seeing then Gods mercie hath been shewed by so many blessings and we eate of their sweete of the haruest who neuer haue tasted of the cold of the winter nor heate of the summer let vs feare least for our vnthankfulnes the Lord doth come to punish vs and both for our want of religion and vngodly life cause the Lord to remoue the candlesticke take away the Gospel and bereaue vs of our talents Wherefore wee haue great neede to pray to be reformed in our iudgement renued in our affections that our thankfulnes may appeare in loue of sound religion and obedience of godly life to the glory of our good God Thus we see it is not a strange thing for Gods children to suffer in this world although God giueth vs sometime a breathing time and maketh vs as children of the wedding who so long as the Bridegrome is with them doe not lament nor mourne And seeing euery one that will liue godly in Christ Iesus must suffer persecution and for a good conscience Minister Magistrate and master of an household shall finde trouble in his owne flesh hatred of the world and persecution of Sathan it is certaine that we often purchase too much quietnes to our selues because we doe not so labour for the mortifying of our flesh for reproouing of sinne and the beating downe of the kingdome of Sathan as we ought to doe Thus we see the Prophet groundeth himselfe on Gods promises who hath said that the rod of the wicked shall not rest on the lot of the godly shewing vs that no temptation shall come to vs but we shall haue either strength to beare it or else the Lord will remoue the force of it so that if he remoue the violent force of it we shall neede but little strength to beare it if our trouble be great the Lord will giue vs great strength Neither as some doe doth the man of God vse forgerie for forgerie and deceit for deceit but staieth himselfe onely and wholy vpon prayer For Gods children haue no such spirit as the worldlings haue who for the most part requite euil for euil subtiltie with subtiltie euill language with euill language but by prayer onely they labour for helpe at Gods hand We haue heard that insomuch as he protesteth to keepe the testimonies of the Lord he meaneth that he will more throughly keepe them than before We haue further learned that it is our corruption to be godly in time of trouble but afterward the case with vs is altered Wherefore our godlines then is to be suspected and he is very vngodly that at such times will not be godly But herein is the difference betweene the regenerate and vnregenerate that the regenerate after their visitations are more godly after sicknes they haue a greater zeale after their deliuerance a further care of glorifying God which is nothing with the vnregenerate Now seeing the Lord hath heaped benefit vpon benefit yeare after yeare mercy vpon mercy whether hath God wonne some speciall glorie or our brâ—thren some speciall benefit by vs or no And as the Lord heard the mones of his Martyrs their teares and their blood and gaue them mercy so let vs feare least our sinnes crie for vengeance vnto him All afflictions of themselues are tags of Gods vengeance yet being sanctified in Christ to God his children they be turned into blessings as all outward blessings not blessed of God are turned to curses to the wicked For as sicknes and aduersitie by the Lord sanctifying them are turned to blessings to Gods children so health peace and prosperitie are turned to ill to the vngodly because of their abuse Vers. 135. Shew the light of thy countenance vpon thy seruant and teach me thy statutes VNtill his deliuerance came the Prophet of God prayeth to be taught in the statutes of the Lord whereby he might learne to behaue himselfe well in the time of trouble For affliction is so violent a storme and carrieth away a man so headlong that vnlesse the Lord guide vs we may soone take hurt But what desire we most If we in sicknes delight most in the sweete face and gratious countenance of the Lord it is happinesse if not we are truely in miserie For this is the cause why many goe from euill to worse in their trouble and become so dull because they neuer pray to see the cause of their affliction and that they might profit thereby The sense of the man of God is If Lord thou wilt deliuer me I shall obey thee more if not Lord giue me strength to glorifie thee by patience Away then with the violence of flesh and blood which maketh vs to some out these and such like speeches Who could away with such pangs as I suffer who could suffer such paines as I am in Surely euen they that pray to God to profit by them they haue Gods spirit as for the wicked they cannot profit thereby If then we be deliuered out of aduersitie we must obey the word if not we must craue wisedome to see the will of God constancie to abide in it patience meekely and thankfully to suffer whatsoeuer the Lord shall lay vpon vs. I care not saith the man of God so much for my libertie as I might thereby praise thy name and obey thy commandements This is an vsuall thing in the booke of God to pray for the Lords countenance Psal. 4 6. Many say who will shew vs any good but Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs. And Psal. 67. 1. God be mercifull vnto vs and blesse vs and shâ—w vs the light of his countenance and be mercifull vnto vs. And Psal. 80. 3. 7. 19 Turne vs againe O God and cause thy face to shine that we may be saued This verse is read three times in this Psalme which sheweth vâ— that this ought to be the summe the heape and the chiefe of all our requests namely that in what estate soeuer we are we may be assured that we haue the testimonie of Gods fauour if we be in affliction that the Lord is not angrie with vs if we be in prosperitie because the Sunne shineth on the iust and vniust that we may see withall the mercies of God and his louing fauour in Christ giuen vnto vs. We see where Gods spirit is there we are thankfull in prosperitie and patient in aduersitie where God his spirit is not there we are proud in prosperity and murmurers in aduersitie Many saith the Prophet Psal. 4. 6. say who will shew vs any good See how
and in an holy courage to be delighted in weldoing For the godly whose onely stayes in trouble are faith and a good conscience are brought by their affliction to a sight of their sin to a desire to haue them pardoned to a feeling of God his mercy in hearing their prayers to an hatred of their sinnes Thus if we can support our faith in Gods promises wee shall reioyce in trouble When heretikes suffer for their illusions and being taught of man they quickly shrinke but when Sathan deludeth them with strange fantasies they are ready to suffer much Doe we know that heretikes wil suffer for their illusions and shall not wee much rather suffer for the truth And yet we see the Lord maketh a distinction betweene their sufferings our martyrdomes For Christians through faith can sing Psalmes in the midst of the flame heretikes by their roring shewe they haue no such ioy It stands therefore vpon vs euen now to be iealous of our prosperitie to bestow the time which we haue in weldoing and striue against sinne For we shall breake the first wall by this and so come with ioy to the other And as the word is a comfort in trouble so is it a bridle from sinne in prosperitie For as it doth not let vs fall in trouble so also it bridleth vs from sin in prosperitie For to this end we read and heare the word that in prosperity it should subdue sin and in aduersitie it should minister comfort But what is the iudgement of God vpon them that know not the word If they bee in health they seeke for nothing but for pleasures for profit and for gaine and thinke whatsoeuer they do to be lawfull yea admonish a man of his couetousnes by the word yet will hee not repent vntill eyther theeues or fire or some other iudgement of God vtterly consume him but hee will obiect why should I not get riches why should I not maintaine my gaine Admonish a theefe at his libertie of his theft and it prevaileth no more then if ye should tel him a storie vntill wofull experience â—each him the truth of it by the prison or by the halter There is no hope to any profit to perswade the adulterer vntill some plague of God haue wrought vpon him So we see when fire is on our houses when we must goe to prison or yeeld to any other calamitie men wring their hands teare their haire and rent their clothes crying for woe to themselues and saying they cannot liue they wil not be seene in the world they are ashamed to looke their friends in the face and why because they haue no feeling of the ioyes of the life to come they haue no stay on Gods prouidence they feele no comfort in his promises but they curse they moyle and pine away with sorrow If we see then the great mercie of God in staying vs from sinne in time of prosperitie and in aduersitie telling vs that he doth not punish vs in wrath but in loue and as a father doth teach vs the contempt of this world the desire of the world to come faith in his promises patience and repentance let vs reuerently esteeme the word Verse 144. The righteousnes of thy testimonies is euerlasting graunt mee vnderstanding and I shall liue IN repeating the same againe which hee had saide before the man of God here vseth two words the righteousnes of thy testimonies whereas before he vseth this one word thy righteousnes so that he meaneth here nothing els but the righteousnes of God reuealed to vs in his word For they bee called testimonies both in respect that they bee records of Gods loue towards vs as also they are testimonials of our obedience towards God So the words may beare this sense true it is Lord that that part of thy word where in thou hast comforted vs with thy promises is euerlasting and that part of thy word wherein thou hast set downe our duties is also euerlasting And I shall liue That is what doe men desire but life that I may liue therefore in godly pleasure Lord teach me to vnderstand thy testimonies See the man of God doth rest his life in this vnderstanding of the word They then that are ignorant are dead in sin Ephes 2. They sit in the shadow of death Luk 1. they are bound in the chaines of â—â—â—â—â— as Paul witnesseth of the widowes that liue delicately For as we cal him a man of death on whom not the Iudge but the law or not the lawe but the fact hath already giuen iudgement so they are subiect to the spirituall death on whom not God but his word or not the word but the sinne hath pronounced guiltie What is then life surely this was life the estate wherein Adam liued before hee fell his other life afterward which now is common to vs is a death and wee in him are all dead For when there was no sinne there was no shame when there was no shame there was no trouble when no trouble no death Wherfore sinne bringeth in shame trouble and death and hath left vs dead spiritually by cutting vs off from God For as a ciuill life is when wee are obedient to the ciuill lawes so we liue in God when wee liue according to his lawe And as he is dead ciuilly that by transgressing the lawes of the realme hath cut off himselfe from the common people so we are spiritually dead when sinne hath cut vs off from God The Prophet Abacuk saith chap. 2. 4. Hee that lifteth vp himselfe his minde is not right in him Where the Prophet sheweth that though a man for a time swel not hauing an vpright heart yet afterward he sodainely vanisheth away as a bubble of water for as a bladder with the wind is soone drawne out so the vngodly with conceit of his reason seemeth to bee puft vp but all is but inconstancie The iust man saith the Prophet shall liue by faith not by workes as some would dreame for all the shift of them that will be righteous in themselues will bee as a bubble of water but the iust man beleeuing the forgiuenes of sinne looking for euerlasting life staying himselfe on the promises and prouidence of God hath true soundnesse in him Hee shall liue saith the Prophet noting perpetuitie of time So the man of God his meaning is I shall liue i. perpetually and for euer Wee see then the great mercie of God that commeth by the knowledge of the Worde in that wee finde how hee deliuereth vs from wrath and taketh vs into his fauour he rescueth vs from sinne and clotheth vs with righteousnes he taketh from vs death and restoreth to vs life But marke who speaketh these words doth this man of God attaine to such an heroicall spirit as to crie graunt me vnderstanding and shall wee thinke ourselues sufficiently rich well sighted and that wee are so well clothed that wee neede no such prayer We are like the Laodiceans
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
against For example doth the Lord giue thee wife riches or any such benefits hee doth it to make thee more fitte to serue So then hath the Lord giuen thee a wife Looke to her as the Lord hath committed his owne creature to thee so thou be fit to be a guide vnto her going before her in al honestie and godlines Againe he doth trie thee whether thou wilt rest in her loue and whether thou wilt vse her companie soberly not effeminately he trieth thee whether thou wilt be couetous to care for earthly things in her behalfe But these and the like fruites the Lord doth shew thee the corruption which thou must labour against 6 The Lord gaue Adam a wifeto trie him withall and if he had not yeelded too much vnto her in the time of temptation no doubt hee might haue beene a great helpe that she might haue been recouered and neither of them both haue so fallen For had not he yeelded vnto her hee might haue continued still in her innocencie Thus then the Lord tried Adam whether hee would continue in his obedience or no likewise doth the Lord at all times trie men in marriage whether they will continue in his obedience and labour to win their wiues also to the faith of Christ. So in like manner the Lord tries the wiues whether they will be in all things subiect to their husbands as Sarah For what gifts soeuer a woman hath yet not being subiect to her busband they are nothing For euen in mans innocencie she was subiect and after the fall it was laid on her as a punishment so that if shee be not obedient she cannot be saued Yet the Lord other whiles also trieth whether shee 〈…〉 er sobrietie and wisedome will as it were breake the crookednesse of her husband 〈…〉 the Apostle teacheth that the wiues must adorne the hidden men of the heart that 〈…〉 husbands albeit then not conuerted to the faith might bee wonne by the honest 〈…〉 ersation of their wiueâ— how much the more then ought those who haue Christians 〈…〉 eir husbands by their meanes bring them forward what they may in the profession 〈…〉 ue godlinesse But if they bee disobedient and will requite euill with euill or with 〈…〉 e they doe what in them lieth to ouerthrow the faith of their husbands And thus 〈…〉 Lord trieth wiues also whether they will continue in his obedience Againe hee trieth 〈…〉 whether they will rest in the loue of their husbands onely and bee contented there 〈…〉 yea when they see their husbands hearts turned from them for if they will but onely 〈…〉 when they are beloued they declare that they onely loue themselues and not their 〈…〉 nds for they ouâ—ht thus to consider the Lord hath turned my husbands hart from 〈…〉 because I yeelded not to him that dutie which I ought therefore I will not hold on to 〈…〉 se still but now I will rather loue him more to see if the Lord will by these meanes 〈…〉 his heart againe 7 When Zipporah became troublesome to Moseâ— in his calling he left her with his fa 〈…〉 for a time so she depriued her selfe by her disobedience of his comfortable presence 〈…〉 ought to teach wiues euer to helpe not to hinder their husbands in the Lords af 〈…〉 And like as that holy man of God receiued his wife againe at his returne notwith 〈…〉 ding all her former faults so must all the sonnes of God iâ— there be any separation for 〈…〉 e and for iust causes receiue and entertaine and retaine their wiues againe 8 Husbands must haue a fatherly care as principally of the saluation of his wife so al 〈…〉 her good health and welfare in this life and to this end giue her all the good instru 〈…〉 and direction that hee can This lesson may well be giuen to all Be mâ—st moderate in 〈…〉 things which thine appetite liketh best and checke thy too much greedinesse of an earthly 〈…〉 and thou shalt finde this to bee good physicke for the body and a wholesome pre 〈…〉 iue for the soule 9 A certaine yong man hauing without consent of friends made a contract hee would 〈…〉 marrie them vntill before honest witnesses they had faithfully coÌ„ditioned that in time 〈…〉 mariage they would confesse their fault against the glory of God their superiours and 〈…〉 who le Church which should bee done at that time that the father is wont to giue the 〈…〉 gin in mariage 10 A young man hauing ouer slipped in loue and intended to marrie without consent 〈…〉 gouerours hee did not contract him but admonished him and at the day of mariage 〈…〉 vsed to the parties to be married this discipline First as they had priuately confessed 〈…〉 faults to their gouernours especially offended and craued pardon so he caused them 〈…〉 confesse their fault to the Church and to aske forgiuenes desiring all to beware of the 〈…〉 offence and requesting their prayers for them that this sinne may so humble them 〈…〉 they may more warily walke without offence the residue of their life CHAP. XLVIII Of the Ministerie ALthough the Lord hath promised a speciall blessing to the publike ministerie of his word yet we must not tie wisedome to one ordinarie meane either of beginning or increasing of our faith but if any at any time shall haue more effectuall feelings by â—riuate conference let him not contemne nor neglect the publike ministerie but with all â—oly and humble thankfulnes yeeld this soueragâ—â—tie to the Lord that he is to dispose his â—fts when to whom and where it pleaseth him 2 They that teach not themselues are vnfit to teach others and the cause why men profit not in the word is because they pray not to haue their hearts stricken therewith 3 In all essentiall points of the Ministerie we must in no case follow man but in accidentall circumstances Christian loue suffereth many thinges so that on the on side wee tolerate not too much and on the other side suffer too little 4 Like as if we moderately streine a womans breast there will issue pure and holesome milke and by violent wringing of it wee prouoke blood also and vnholesome matter to come forth euen so in our modest and naturall applying of the word wee yeeld the holesome and pure milke of Gods word but in our immoderate wresting of it wee straine out our owne corruptions and deliuer vnpure doctrine 5 When neither Ministers rebuke sinne nor Magistrates punish it there it cryeth to heauen that God might punish it Woe then be to them who thinke themselues at good quiet when their sinnes crie out for vengeance in heauen albeit they liue in great peace on earth 6 It is a feareful thing to lose the companie of the godly And though the world think they are at good quiet yet when Noah and Lot that rebuked their sins are departed then are men most fit for Gods iudgements
hath done you no good and it hath been heard without feeling as though you cared not greatly for it it hath detected your corruption and accuseth your owne consciences your hearing is turned into sinne and this shall serue to fill vp your enditement and to make your condemnation more â—ust against the day of the Lord. For let no man euer thinke but that euery time he heareth the word it worketh in him either to better or worse there is no qualifying of it there is no altering of it Enter it will be thine eares neuer so vncircumcised it will surely enter and one way it will be effectuall and thou shalt depart from it either a more reuerent esteemer or a more desperate contemner than thou camest For this word shal neuer goe forth in vaine but the worke that is appointed for it to doe it will assuredly bring to passe Seeing that we haue such dul eares let vs pray heartily that it may please the Lord to say eppathah to our eares and hearts that the word may haue easie passage into them And this graue admonition I trust will moue vs if wee haue not set a double locke to our eares and quenched the grace of God already in vs. 14 The dealing with an allegorie as it is ridiculous if it bee too farre pursued as many doe who when they haue gotten an allegorie by the end ring it so deepe that oftentimes they turne the clapper so it is dangerous if it be not warily handled insomuch that euen the Fathers themselues as hee that readeth them shall marke by pressing them too hard doe oft times giue blood in stead of milke CHAP. XLIX Of the Ministerie IT is to bee feared that the price of the Ministerie will daily decay and fall lesse and lesse well how base soeuer it â—eemeth in the eyes of men how low soeuer the world account it when it is at the lowest it is good and I protest good enough for any and too good for some But it is dangerous with all which coÌ„meth oft to passe too oft if it pleased God if it chance I say to be tainted any way if his preaching be flash and haue non ore tast in it than the white of an egge for lacke of learning or if it bee not throughly powdered with salt that it may giue grace to the hearers and make their soules thirst after the water of life for lacke of zeale or if this life haue no salt of the couenant and no part of him be sauorie his case is very dangerous he is subiect to the curse his ministerie is denied a blessing 2 The Minister of the Gospell must not prophecie peace to himselfe nor of a fruitfull vine on the walles of his house nor of oliue braunches round about his table nor of wife and children hee must not dreame that hee is carried on Eagles wings and that all the sheaues in the shocke shall fall downe at his sheafe hee must not imagine of drinking wine in carued bowles of keeping a great house hee must not thinke hee shall goe to his graue like a ricke of corne hee must dreame of euill fauoured kine of troublesome friends of hard times of the willowe trees by the waters of Babell of exile of darke prison which needeth no interpretation that his sheaues are threshed with an yron flaile and that her graue is made him in a woodstocke to bee short his minde must not runne of getting and keeping but of forsaking and forgoing if persecution come wee must trudge 3 If Christ and his Gospell should goe from vs wee must follow him wee must goe sing the Lords song in a strange land and this is not all Those that loue thee best whose soules are knit to thy soule thou must forsake O my father Abraham and O my son Isaac must part thou must forsake thy father which begat thee and bring his gray head with sorrow to the graue thou must forsake the wombe that bare thee and the teares that gaue thee sucke let the mother lacke the staffe of her age the children of thy loines must thou leaue fatherlesse and the wife of thy bosome a widow to the wilde world Yet this is not all thou must stretch out thy hands and let another man gyrde thee and carry thee whither thou wouldest not And yet there lacks one thing Sathans great motiue skinne for skinne that for which a man will giue all that hee hath to redeeme his life All these things will I giue thee saith the diuell all these things will I take from thee saith Christ we must be ready to leaue them all or else we are not for him 4 By this time all is almost marred But flesh loueth ease and it grieueth her that God and Mammon are no better friends and we could be content euery one of vs to be Diues whilest we be aliue so we might be Lazarus when we be dead wee could willingly goe to heauen but it would bee in a conuenient broade way then but in such a way where wee might driue a sumpter-horse before vs. This is a disease where with we are all tainted as that wilie Serpent knoweth right well and such thoughts as these doth he make oft arise in our hearts Seeing other estates liue the dayes of heauen glut themselues in the pleasures of this world and that the world sets them in her lap and makes them her cockneyes seeing they waxe wealthy and fatte so that as Iob saith they haue collops in their flancke seeing them cloathed in softe rayment flaunt it out and seeing them carry the crest alofte and to haue a great range and not such streightnesse required of them and seeing them neuer to drinke of the waters of troubles wee straight-way thinke it is no better then madnes to abridge our selues of these delights and to become a Pillar of salt As for this estate say men it is but a dead melancholike calling but a dumpish kinde of life no ioy of heart wee must liue in it like petie-Angels as if we dropped out of the clowdes or else we shall be offensiue But especially this temptation may come vnto a minister for often we see when all is done great learned Augustine shall get but little Hippo but if it be so you come to get Carthage to be a Priest of the highest chaire sit you neuer so well yee sit not fast and see the gyrts be sure that hold you in your saddle For if the Sunne goe downe and it be a darke night that all the beasts of the field creepe forth whereas other callings may make a little elbow-roome for pollicie and reserue themselues to an indifferent Interim and it will be well taken yet these men these must be killed all the day and be counted as sheepe appointed to be slaine The Diuell will holde the spunge of vineger and gall too at their noses the Flesh is queasie-stomacked and cannot away with these poudered meates shee
thereof come within the compasse of these creatures And so long as such sinnes be vsed so long must we cease giuing pretious things vntill place againe be giueÌ„ for the footing of the Lord. The reasons are for that in that estate they will either tread vnder foote that is contemne such good things or they will turne againe and wound a man that is persecute or else deale ill with hand or tongue issuing from such persecutions To such we must not cast pearles for to them we shall doe no good but to our selues we shall doe harme CHAP. V. Of Vnmercifulnes THe Sier of such vnmercifulnesse is the diuell which if it bee so good Lord how many legions of diuels bee in some then Por quae quis peccat per eadem punitur If we offend by vnmercifulnesse God will punish vs by vnmercifulnesse Our curtesie is like Iudas his curtesie to kisse say Hold him It is Ioabs curtesie to say Art thou in health my brother and to stab in with a knife it is the Diuels curtesie to Esau to seeme to bewaile Gods hard dealing with them the easier to intrap her it is the curtesie of the Pharisies to Christ to say Maister we know thou art no man pleaser and to get an enditement of treason against him The lesse indeede of this curtesie the better Well many times the beautifullest things haue not the necessariest vse nor the richest men doe the most good and in common vse the gold doth nothing so much seruice as iron Wee see that in the armie many beare a better and a bigger shew but when ought is to be done all lieth on the poore Pioner and there is none of vs but well hee woteth that in the most gorgeous house that is though all the other parts be more sightly to see to yet the principall part of all the foundation is nothing but a few oystershels and potsherds and rubbish and such like baggage And wheÌ„ as the best of vs al is no better but esca vermiuÌ„ wormes meate for nothing but the very dunghil though he bee couered with purple cloth yet notwithstanding the worst of vs all is proud enough and thinketh as well of himselfe as the best deserueth yet as riseth our good so rifeth our blood qui velit ingenio cedere rarus erit hee that will thinke of himselfe lesse than of another hee is an odde fellow shew me him giue me such a fellow CHAP. VI. Of Workes TO except or to prophecie against the promises of God is not good because it is sufficient for vs to doe the thing warranted by God his mouth If in offering our seruice to Christ wee lose twentie and winne one it is gaine enough and it is better to doe a thing in vaine than not at all Moses went to Pharaoh though he knew before he should not profit him If wee doe well the good thing persheth in another and not in vs but if we doe not the good we may then the good thing perisheth in vs. Againe wee shall not receiue a reward according to our successe but according to our labour The Lord doth esteeme a barren dutie and no man doth as it were cast away and spend in vaine so much as he doth How many sermons spendeth hee in vaine how many threatnings in vaine how many promises in vaine how many things commaundeth and forbiddeth he in vaine men nothing esteeming them yet he ceaseth not Therefore herein we must not fare better than the Lord and yet as good children of so good a father wee must still labour to do good though we reape small fruite 2 May we follow a rabble to do good this is a question I answere wee must not follow a multitude to doe good for by following them to do good we learne to follow them to doe euill This is my meaning wee may not doe it because many doe it but because it is good for if the other be his reasons surely he will â—ollow in euill also by the same motiue It was well saide of a learned father taken out of a Philosopher a goodly speech To doe good or to doe well fewe shall suffice yea one yea none I haue laide the best medicine I can to this sore yet it will itch still it hath many allures and will continue still for it is one of those sweete euils Iob. 10. It may be effectuall to some yet if none followe it I haue done my dutie Cantaui canticum dilecto meo I haue sung a song to my beloued and so an end Election is a great spurre to good workes It is not as men say if I am elected I cannot perish I may liue as I list but if thou art elected thou art also elected to the meanes to faith and the fruites of it else thou art not elected CHAP. VII Against Policie THE godly haue euer beene wiser than the politicke of the world Ioseph was wiser than the Aegyptians yea than his brethren and yet they were wiser than the rest Daniel Moses Paul wiser than their enemies The Gallathians mingled the Lawe the Corinthians preached gloriously yet Paul was wiser than they all The politicke were ouerthrowne at building of the Tower Pharaoh in Egypt his policie was first in killing the males 2. by his setting of Coniurers against Moses so men beleeued and some men do write that Moses was but a Coniurer 3. in letting them goe and following them now saith he they are intangled in the rocks but what was his ende he sunke downe like a piece of lead in the red sea Balack sent for Baalam to curse the Israelites his most diuellish policie that could be was this his counsell Thou canst not saith hee bring them to open idolatrie send for them bid them to banquets of meates offered to Idols make them drunke so doing they fell first to adulterie secondly to idolatrie but this wretch Balaam perished with so many thousands of them Saul to hold in the people 1. would sacrifice before Samuel came 2. gaue Michol to Dauid for so many foreskins of the Philistines not that he loued him but that the Philistines hands might be vpon him and not his owne 3. when that way preuailed not he by force would destroy him 4. he goeth to the Diuell for this is the end of all policie when it cannot preuaile that they aske counsell of the Diuell The Diuell after he had deluded him long now tels him the truth and after he kils himselfe Looke the policie of Abimelech and Achitophell who being crossed in his counsel went and hanged himselfe This may terrifie all Machiauellists and craftie politicians and 2. encourage all to rest on Gods word which maketh vs wiser than all foes and wicked of the world CHAP. 8. Three speciall notes of a man truly righteous and religious THere be three things whereby we may know whether we be in the right way or no and they be precious and deare in the sight
our guide and goe before and we must follow after Many make strange to follow his call they will not giue vp their names they wil it may be goe before him or euen by him or cheeke by cheeke but they will not follow after And wherefore Surely they will doe all with reason But Christ requireth faith and reason to Christ is a very euill seruingman A great number already taught in the word will not follow it but if any thing proceed from the forge of their own reason that they magnifie that they wil follow So Ezech. 20. certaine prophets would not follow God and his word but their own spirits and yet there is no greater ods in the world than betweene our owne reason and Gods wisedome as Esa. 55. My thoughts saith the Lord are not as your thoughts Well if wee will follow Christ wee must follow him not as a great Lord to graunt vs great leases fat farmes or high towers but as a man contemned as the reproch of the world as a man full of sorrowes Christ hath two crownes the one of thornes the other of glorie he that wil be honoured with the last must be humbled with the first CHAP. XII Of Conference and Godly wisedome in the gouernment of the tongue AS we often speake of things lawfull but yet for want of wisedome to examine the time place and persons when where and with whom we talke Sathan laboureth to make vs strict silent in our speech when often we might speake to Gods glorie to the auoyding of which temptation we must endeuour to speake when God giueth occasion and that with thankefull acknowledging of Gods spirituall grace by the motion whereof we speake as also with humble acknowledgement of our weakenes who being measured with Gods iustice we should be found to haue stained our speeches and Gods graces with great corruptions and to faile in many circumstances How be it if we do it in a single heart and euen because we loue Gods word and in zeale of Gods glorie we may boldly speake committing the successe which on vs if we obserued all circumstances did not depend to the omnipotencie of God to the blessing of Christ and to the working of the holy spirit for we being neither God nor Christ nor Angels must not thinke to preuaile of our selues by our speeches nor stay vntill we thinke our selues most fit but cōmend our hearts to the Lord who vndoubtedly spareth weakelings 2 Being Christians we must not stay our selues in our meetings for others to begin good speeches but if God giue vs any good thing in our mindes let vs with all humblenes put it forth to be examined if we feele nothing let vs complaine of our dulnesse and deadnesse euen thereby we shal giue occasion of good conference For as in silence among euil men one euill word setteth abroch many so in deadnes among good men one good word may quicken many 3 It were to be wished that godly men in their meetings would first by prayer offer vp their speeches to God to vse them aduisedly reuerently and not passing their bounds of knowledge and if they could not speake of any thing yet they should aske some thing if they could not aske yet they might speake of the communion of Saints if they could say nothing yet at the least they should complaine of the dulnes of their mind so that of their dulnes and deadnes should arise quicknesse and life of speech againe 4 We must be carefull in vsing and watchfull in restraining the tongue Dauid prayed for a watch before his tongue and for a porter at the doore of his lips he would keepe his mouth with a bridle that it should not go riot nor open oft without a cause The eie glaunceth our hands slip our foote treads awry yet if we hold our tongue qualified we shall doe the better It is a little peece of flesh small in quantitie but mightie in qualitie it is soft but slipperie it goeth lightly but falleth heauily it striketh soft but woundeth sore it goeth out quickly but burneth vehemently it pierceth deepe and therefore not healed speedily it hath libertie granted easily to goe forth but it will finde no meanes easily to returne home It is compared with perillous things to a sharpe two edged sword to a razor to sharpe arrowes to an Adders sting to the poyson of an Aspe to fierie coales and being once enflamed by Sathans bellowes to the fire of hell CHAP. XIII Of the Church THe Papist of pride the Familie of loue of hypocrisie and many of singularitie haue singled themselues from vs as Hymenaeus did But we are little discouraged and lesse follow it For if they separate themselues as stones from the building and as members from the body what hope is there of them The Papists will say we forsake them and not they vs. We forsake them in the wall they vs in the foundation For our faith was before their opinion though their persons were before ours As Noah forsooke the world as Lot forsooke Sodome as Abraham forsooke Aegypt as our Sauiour Christ forsooke the Pharisies so wee for sake them and Christ shall be the iudge who hath bene the runnagate who hath bene the Apostata 2 Behold a miracle heauen made subiect to the earth O what is man that thou art so mindfull of him not onely to giue him the rule of the earth but euen of heauen Whom the Church doth loose on earth the Lord doth loose in heauen and whome the Church hath bound on earth he also hath bound in heauen Hee doth manie things without vs yet when we haue done this he will not alter it nor doe otherwise 3 Albeit the Church be base and contemptible in the world yet hee counteth it as the apple of his eye The earth the aire and the heauens attended on it and hee hath made the Angels to serue it Hee hath committed his treasures to it And what bee his treasures Surely when Dauid commeth to value it hee saith that it is better than golde than much golde than much fine golde than all pretious stones The word of reconciliation the couenant of grace the broade seales of his kingdome Baptisme and the Lords Supper binding and loosing life and death are left and committed to the Church and her holy Ministers 4 The Church is euen the quintessence of the world such as Sathan hath sifted to the proofe it is euen washed and made cleane with the bloud and water which issued out of Christs side It seemeth hee forgot to loue himselfe that hee might loue vs yea if that one death and suffering had not beene sufficient hee would yet once more come againe for vs. 5 It is one thing to liue where meanes of pure worship are wanting another to bee where false worship is erected for the first we are not to flie the Church but by prayer and patience
to stay the Lordes mercie for the other wee must depart because of that abomination 6 The world is as the Lords great chamber whereunto all are admitted the Church is as the chamber of presence The natiuitie of the Church is a greater worke then the creation of the world The world was finished with a Word but many dayes and many yeares did the Lord trauell before the Church could be brought forth to his good liking Hee shooke the earth darkened the heauens turned the whole course of nature before he had framed and set vp the little Church of the Iewes But in gathering the Church of the Gentiles the Sunne became blacke as a pot the Heauens were couered as with a haire-cloth the vayle of the temple rent the earth trēbled the graues opened aboue all the GOD of nature suffered But of all the third gathering shall be fearfull when heauen and earth shall not abide to see but shall melte and consume away at the glorifying of that Church which the world so contemneth yet on this Church hangeth the continuance of the world For certaine it is the world standeth and all the foure windes are stopped till all be sealed and in that moment that this number is filled this world shall out of hand vanish away 7 In the world wee doe as it were but see the Lords backe parts we see him as a thing in a troubled well dwelling but in the neather and outward courtes of the Temple but in the Church we see him almost face to face 8 That mightie Sampson suffered himselfe to be shauen and his strength to bee as another mans for the great loue of his Church hee shed his precious blood from all parts of his bodie for it and that no bloud might be too deare for vs with his heart bloud he hath testified how much he doth loue vs his loue and spouse the Church of the faithfull 9 It is true that the Psalmist saith Psal. 16. the Lord hath no neede of our seruice and therefore he hath set ouer his loue to the Chuch there to be answered vnto her in obedidience furtherance of his members there he would haue it seene how we value his benefits All blessings are continued on this earth for the Church sake The Sun doth shine vpon the earth vpon the iust and vniust but vpon the vniust for the iust mans sake 10 The Church is the household of faith the citie of the liuing GOD the spouse of the Lamb CHRIST the kings daughter the childrē of light of the liuing God the children of promise of the freewoman a chosen generation a royall priesthood an holy nation people gotten by purchase the mysticall body of Christ the sold of the Prince of Pastors the virgin Israel the children of Abraham the elect seede of God heires of grace ioynt heires with Christ the Sanctuary of the Lord the daughter of Sion the Lords heritage the people of his pasture the sheepe of his hands the temple of the holy Ghost the price of his blood the Lords Eden Thrice blessed and happy are al the liuing stones of the most beautifull building Confer Psal. 147. 2. 3. 1. Pet. 2. 9. 10. Phil. 3. 8. Ephes. 2. 19. 20. 1. Thes. 2. 19. 20. 2. Cor. 3. 2. 2. Cor. 6. 11. 12. 1. Thes. 2. 8. Rom. 9. 3. Reuel 21. 10. CHAP. XIIII Of the Confession of sinne THis is a good affection of Christianitie to conceale a fault and this also is a good affection of men regenerate to testifie their faults to all men whereby they make knowne their thankefulnesse in that whereas by nature they were thus by grace they are so and so Againe men vse it to comfort others that though they bee in their old estate yet they may receiue grace if they hinder not themselues and shut out the grace of God from them Thus the children of God are wont to aggrauate their sinnes that others might haue comfort in the like case Matthew in the ninth chapter and the ninth verse shameth himselfe by the name of a Publican and yet if we looke to his sinne it was not like the sinne of Peter against the ninth commaundement nor like the sinne of Dauid against the sixe and seuenth commaundements the sinne of Paul against the first as of them that crucified Christ himselfe But that which he concealeth the other Euangelists blase abroad that which they conceale he blaseth abroad And this is one argument of the truth of the word for wheras other Chronicles do euer cōmend themselues and their owne natiue countries best as if you read the Chronicles of England you will thinke it the hest nation it is contrary in the word the deniall of Peter is more expresly set downe of Marke than of any other yet did he write the Gospell out of his mouth Paul setteth out his own faults in more sharpe measure and manner than any other can doe Act. 26. Moses Gen. 49. seemeth to discredit his owne birth Wee see all these were of God who is then most glorified when we are most cast downe 2 As the hiding of our sinne with Adam hindreth mercie so to testifie our sinne to be greater than it is with Cain displeaseth God highly 3 Confession without yeelding and feeling is nothing but a testimonie against our selues let vs then so confesse that it may moue vs to loue the truth 4 Pharaohs confession is rather in iudgement than in affection in respect of the punishment not of his sin ergo it is not enough yet he hath profited further than many of vs which will not confesse our sinnes at all 5 Whensoeuer we haue sinned it is good to haue this or the like meditation good Lord wilt thou call me to iudgement and enter thine action with mee How shall I doe then I will take this order I will disagree and fall out with my selfe But is there any hope that God will then shewe mercy Yea no doubt for if the Lord were minded presently to imprison vs he would neuer by his prophets forewarne vs by a writ hee might vse the whole host of the creatures to execute his vengeance euery houre but hee deales more mercifully with vs if we confesse our sinnes 6 Naturally we be all slowe to confesse our sinnes we cast short reckoning on our owne faults Adam said I haue not sinned Lord hee lesseneth his sinne in conceit saying The woman gaue it me and I did eate Iob seemeth to make an apologie as being vnworthy of such a punishment But wee must learne that a sinner the more hee doth extenuate and hide sinne the more he doth aggrauate sinne and hasten iudgement the more freely he doth confesse and iudge himselfe the more he is freed from Gods seate of iustice Pro. 28. 13. 2. Cor. 11. 31. 32. CHAP. XV. Of Conscience LOoke how is our Conscience so is our confidence it is a tender peece we must