which is good HE that possesseth his heart who hath his minde rightlie informed with knowledge and iudgement and orderlie moderateth his desires and affections loueth his owne soule hath a due care of himselfe and vseth direct meanes for his saluation safetie comfort and welfare For to loue ones soule in this place is otherwise taken then in the Gospell by Saint Iohn chap. 12. 25. where it is saide that hee which loueth his soule shall lose it and hee that hateth his soule in this world shall keepe it vnto eternall life To loue the soule that is to be desirous of reteining this naturall life as rather to denie the truth of God and forsake the gospell of Christ then to make profession therof and yeeld sincere obedience to it with hazard and perill and he shall lose his soule that is forfeit his saluation and happines as hee that hateth his soule which chuseth to forgoe life rather then the seruices of God and a good conscience shall keepe it vnto eternall life be saued and glorified for euer Hee keepeth vnderstanding not onely heareth good instructions but seriouslie attendeth to them pondereth of them in his meditations laieth them vp in his memorie obserueth them diligently in the course of his life and retaineth them constantly till the time of his death to find that which is good that is the end which he proposeth to him self this is the successe which he obtaineth that Gods fauour shal be confirmed vnto him both by the blessings of this presēt life and by a blessed estate in that which is to come hereafter ¶ It is a prerogatiue peculiar to the wise and godlie to be owners Doct. 1 of their owne hearts Fooles and graceles persons are otherwise described when they are sayd to haue a price in their hand to get wisedome but they Prou. 17. 16. lacke an heart And therefore also the Prophet likeneth them to Doues deceiued as being without an heart Which sayings are Hos 7. 11. not so meant as if they wanted integrall partes or reasonable soules of men but that they were deuoyd of grace power to vse gouerne the same as much as the sillie bruitish creatures First Sathan rules and raignes in all the wicked as a king Reas and worketh in their hearts as a God hauing no lesse power ouer their soules till God by grace deliuer them then the Fowler hath of the byrd that is taken in his net which he may carrie whither he will and deale with in what manner he list without 2. Tim. 2. 26. any resistance Secondly lust and passion claime a iurisdiction in them and hold the same and rigorously exercise it to their greatest dammage They are thereby constrained but willingly which is the most tyrannous compulsion to desire nothing but that which will hurt them nor to distast any thing so much as that which will doe them most good to be well pleased with that which prouoketh Gods anger against them and farre offended with that which would procure his fauour vnto them to be merrie when there is greatest cause of mourning and so to mourne as no sound comfort shall follow after it Now what can depost the diuell from his regalitie and what can restraine these lusts and passions from their violence but the word of God but the spirit of God but the power of God which are effectuall onely in them that are wise and godly Confutation of that erronious and pernitious doctrine of Vse 1 the papists maintaining free will without grace whereby they arrogate to themselues and yeeld to others how much soeuer inthralled to sinne an vnderstanding in minde to iudge of the right way to saluation and a power of heart to chuse it and walke in it at their pleasure As though Sathans captiues had no manacles on their hands nor bolts on their heeles neither were shut vp in prison nor doore locked vpon them but enioyed libertie to be within and without in house in streete and in field as they lust and to stay as they will and depart when they will and doe what they will If this be so there is lesse crueltie in the diuell and sinne then the Scriptures complaine of If this be so why may not wicked men safely presume to spend all their daies in lusts because it is pleasant to liue in them and yet leaue off at their latter end because it is dangerous to die in them If this be so what needed Christ to be at so great paines charges as to lay downe his life and powre out his soule to redeeme his people from their iniquities when themselues had will wisedome and power to prouide for their indemnitie with lesse torment and trouble Instruction to get wisedome and pietie that we may be capable of this prerogatiue and obtaine this inestimable possession without which the hauing of houses lands Lordshippes kingdomes and worlds if there were many to be gotten is nothing comparable How great is his power that can rule his owne minde when wrongs and iniuries be offered vnto him that can possesse his soule with patience when troubles and afflictions be vpon him that can mourne with godly sorrow when there is cause of heauines that can reioyce with Christian gladnes when there is matter of comfort that can subdue those corruptions whereunto others are in bondage that can bring into Gods presence the vprightnes of his heart as well as the gesture of his body at all holie exercises that is made able to dispose of his will and affections according as the Lord his word or workes doe call vpon him to be affected But no man can attaine to this freedome by his owne power or by the might of any other creature the word of God is that which must put vs in possession of it if euer we will obtaine the fruition of it as he that did purchase it for vs doth testifie in the Gospell saying the truth shall make you free Neither yet will the word of truth Iohn 8. 32. worke it where the force of grace is wanting for where the spirit 1. Cor. 3. 17. of the Lord is there is libertie saith the Apostle And what then but bondage and thraldome is to be found or looked for where the spirit dwelleth not ¶ Loueth his owne soule c. Euery godly wise man is a true Doct. 2 friend to himselfe The wicked are full of corrupt false loue carnally seeking onely their owne priuate aduantage without respect of the benefite of their brethren and yet loue not themselues well because they doe the worke of hatred in procuring of their owne hurt and deale with themselues in satisfying lusts of the flesh as fond parents doe in cockring their children and exempting Prou. 13. 14. them from the rod but those that are indued with grace and wisedome as they restraine their sensuall desires so they giue a good testimonie of their sound loue to themselues by their prouident care both for
dazeled with the glittering glosse and brightnesse of golden bribes that they cannot apprehend the foulest matters which al the Country euidently behold and cry out vpon Verse 9. Who can say I haue cleansed my heart I am pure from sinne VVHo can say Who can truely and with good warrant affirme I haue cleansed my heart I haue vtterly and for euer freed my selfe from all vnlawfull desires delights purposes cogitations and motions He beginneth at the heart because it is the Fountaine or at least the Cesterne from whence corruption floweth which yet must be vnderstood of his owne naturall power and not of grace and of perfection and not of sincerity for the Prophet doth truely professe that he had cleansed his heart though in his temptation it seemed to be in vaine Psa 73. 13. which he did by the spirite of God and in part and by degrees I am cleane from sinne my nature soule and wayes are all pure nothing can be laid to my charge for vnlawfull thoughts vnrighteous actions vnfruitfull speeches good dueties at any time omitted or sinfull workes euer committed meaning by that interrogation that no man hath power so to walke nor any reason so to boast Notwithstanding this is nothing against that saying of S. Paul Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Rom. 8. 33. chosen It is God that iustifieth For he there speaketh of that innocency that the godly attaine vnto by remission of their sinnes in Gods presence who hauing receiued satisfaction for them from Christ imputed them to him and fully acquitteth them and Salomon here speaketh of another matter that no man is throughly purged from originall corruption and the impure humours that issue out of it Neyther let any man obiect that of S. Iohn Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not for he speaketh not 1. Joh. 3. 9. in that place of the practise but the dominion of sinne that a regenerate man yeeldeth not obedience vnto it as a slaue to his Master but is taken captiue or receyueth a wound as a Souldier from his enemy ¶ The best shall haue corruptions and sinnes cleauing to them Doct. so long as they liue As euery sonne of Adam sauing Christ our Sauiour is or hath beene defiled by generation and conception so none of them can wash any part of their filthinesse without his helpe neyther may any looke for an absolute purity in earth by his assistance for that in his holy wisedome he reserued as a prerogatiue proper vnto his owne person not admitting of any copartner therein Here vpon certainty of his ground he proposeth the point by way of demaund making a challenge to all the world knowing that no man could euer steppe forth and iustly say I am entirely innocent I was neuer culpable or at this time I am as good as I ought to be and as Gods law requireth And in Ecclesiastes vpon like assurance hee affirmeth the same with an asseueration saying Surely there is no man iust in the Eccl. 7. 20. earth that doth good and sinneth not And S. Iames comming behinde Iam. 3 2 very few in sanctification and holinesse of life dooth yet professe this against himselfe as well as others In many things we sinne all as if he should haue said we children of men we elect we Christians we Disciples of Christ we Apostles we that are counted chiefe among the Apostles we all and euery one of vs in diuers things doe faile of our dueties First that conflict which is betweene the flesh and the spirite Reas 1 the one resisting the other in the most righteous and best graced of all Gods people is an vndenyable argument heereof We read Gal. 5. 17. of none that hath more preuailed against the flesh by mortification or shewed forth better fruites of the spirit by viuification then Paul and yet he complaineth that When he would do good Rom. 7. 19. 21. euill was present with him that hee did not the good which hee would but the euill which he would not that did he Secondly our Sauiour directeth so many as may call God their heauenly Father daily to pray Forgiue vs our debts and the blessednesse of Abraham and Dauid and all that euer Christ Rom. 4. 6. hath redeemed with his blood consisteth in the remission of sinnes which maketh it apparant that euery childe of God is daily attainted with the guiltinesse of sinne Thirdly how commeth it to passe that all men are obnoxious to so many chastisements and afflictions and subiect to death and mortality but that they haue their faults If there were perfect innocency in them no strokes of corrections could light vpon them for it would not stand with the iustice of the Lord to scourge such as are free from offending And the soule could haue no passage out of the body to part company one from the other but by occasion of the corruptions that are in them both Confutation of the Papists which ascribing to the death of Vse 1 Christ the beginning of iustification doe impute the perfection of it to their owne worthinesse by infused grace whereby they thinke themselues able to fulfill the law of God and more then that to adde an ouer-plus by workes of supererogation which may goe for payment of their fellowes debts and so they doe not onely deliuer themselues from damnation but are become pettie Sauiours or peeces of Sauiours to others Which are to be pittied for their ignorance and rated for their presumption taking vpon them to be Christ his fellowes not knowing that Gods law requireth an exact obedience with fulnesse of loue perpetually beyond all that any meere man since Adams fall could possibly performe And it serueth also to ouerthrow the hereticall opinions and to pull down the proude conceits of the Catharists or Puritanes which brag of such a perfection of purity already attained vnto as that they neede no further to be purged from corruptions Instruction for euery man to looke warily to himselfe that he be not circumuented by Satan since such a treacherous foe as sinne is doth lie continually in waite as neere him as may be euen in his owne breast to betray his soule into his hands And seeing all haue their faults and are vnable to stand before the iudgement seate of God in their owne righteousnesse therefore none should be ouer rigorous in censuring of others and passing too heauy a sentence of condemnation against their poore and weake brethren for their infirmities Verse 10. Diuers Waights and diuers measures euen both these are abhomination to the Lord. DIuers Waights one heauier another lighter and diuers measures one greater another lesse to buy with the greater weight and greater measure and to sell by the lesse or lighter or with a iust weight and measure to sell to the wiser sort and with the vniust to the simpler whome they may easily deceiue both these and all such kinde of craftie and couetous dealing are abhomination
against God doth call for such stroakes For his law is violated and his commaundement broken and an heinous offence is committed against him as our Sauiour testifieth in the Gospell by opposing this practise to his precept and iustifying the penaltie that is due for the same Why saith he doe Mat. 15. 3 4. ye transgresse the commaundement of God by your tradition For God hath commaunded saying Honour thy father and mother and he that curseth father or mother let him die the death If it be a fault for seruants whose tongues God hath not so strictly bound to the good behauiour to answer againe to their Gouernors if wiues which may be bolder with their husbands are not yet allowed to be malapert as Michol was with Dauid but must reuerently speake to them and of them as was Saraes demeanour towards Abraham then it will proue an odious crime and brutish doggednesse for children to snarle and barke at or inueigh against their parents Thirdly the righteousnesse of God will not suffer them to escape with impunity but calleth vpon the Magistrate and requireth him to proceede against them and doe iustice vppon them saying If there be any that curseth his father or his mother he shall die the death seeing he hath cursed his father and his mother Leuit. 20. 9. his blood shall be vpon him And though men would seeme more mercifull then he and iudge it cruelty to execute this sentence so sharpely yet he often compelleth them to it by putting such vnnaturall malefactors into their handes for other facts as Rapes Robberies Murthers Treasons and such like offences and so they are cut off aswell the one as the other by the sword of iustice And albeit they should not this way be brought to their end by a violent death as it cannot be denied but that many escape eyther those crimes or punishments yet certainly his own hand will bring them to a miserable death that they shall die a a cursed death and be swallowed vp of eternall death Instruction for all children to beware of contumelious speeches Vse tending to the disgrace of their parents as of contumacious behauiour otherwise or of violent actions for the hurt of their persons That which should affright them from speaking treason against the Prince namely the feare of God and perrill of discouery and punishment if it be discouered ought also to with-hold men from vttering opprobrious wordes against their fathers and mothers sithence it proceedeth also from impietie and iudgements are likewise threatned against it It is not safe to harbour a disloyall thought against thy Soueraigne vnder whom thou liuest nor so much as to whisper any thing to his dishonour and it is dangerous to conceiue a base opinion of those out of whose loynes and bowels thou hast discended or to suffer thy tongue thine eye or thy minde to contemne them He that giueth this admniotion Curse not the King no not in thy Eccl. 10. 20. thought neyther curse the rich in thy bed chamber for the Fowles of the heauen shall carry the voyce and that which hath wings shall declare the matter the same is the Authour of this threatning The eye that mocketh his father and despiseth the authority of his Prouerb 30. 17. mother the Rauens of the Valley shall picke it out and the young Eagles shall eate it Wouldest thou then haue a bright estate a comfortable estate feare parents in thy heart honour them in thy wordes obey them in thy deedes and reuerence them in thy gestures If thou hast failed in former times amend and reforme it now and hence forwards and if they be gone that thou canst not performe these dueties vnto them be humbled before God and repent whiles yet thy light burneth that thou mayest preuent and stay that hideous darkenesse of terrour and plagues which otherwise will ouerwhelme thee And Parents are likewise to be exhorted so to looke to their owne waies and so to educate and traine vp their children that they may minister help and not be an hinderance vnto them for the ordering of their hearts lippes and actions And therefore by conuersation it concerneth them to be their patternes and precedents and by their gouernment to be their guides and directions neyther vsing rigour as if they were Tyrants ouer them nor too much remisnesse as though they were but equals and fellowes with them S. Paul giueth a precept to Fathers that they prouoke not Col. 3. 21. their children to anger lest they should be discouraged dooth not meane that they should suffer them to liue without all controlment and be altogether regardlesse of them Neither is it enough for fathers and mothers to take authority ouer their sonnes and daughters vnlesse there be also concord peace and good agreement betweene themselues For there will be partaking if they growe to diuision and they that are on the mothers side must maintaine her cause by impugning the father and they that take the Fathers part must iustifie his dealing by dispraising the Mother and it will be very difficult to cleaue to them both or speake well of them both when there is nothing but ciuil warre in the family Vers 21. An heritage is hastily gotten at the beginning but the end thereof shall not be blessed AN heritage Lands goodes money offices or promotions and the like is hastily gotten at the beginning is of many wicked men quickly atchieued by euill meanes but the end thereof shall not be blessed the issue of it shall be vnhappy and cursed partly in this respect that it is a snare to their soules and stoppeth their way from eternall life and partly in this that it is like to be as badly spent as it was ill gotten and he that rose vp to wealth so sodainly may as sodainly or by leasure fall into want as it is said that a man with a wicked eye hasteth to riches and Prouer. 28. v. 22 knoweth not that pouerty shall come vpon him And the thoughts of the diligent doe surely bring aboundance but whosoeuer is hasty Prouer. 21. v. 5. commeth surely to pouerty partly in this that it bringeth them many perturbations and troubles whiles they retaine it See Chap. 10. v. 22. and 12. 27. Vers 22. Say not I will recompence euill waite on the Lord and he will saue thee SAy not I will recompence euill Be so farre from reuenging thy selfe in deede for iniuries done vnto thee as not in wordes to threaten or in minde to purpose any vengeance But waite on the Lord commend thy cause vnto him and stay his leasure till he deliuer thee and he will saue thee he saith not he will reuenge thee and plague them though he will doe so vnlesse our aduersaries repent yet he would not haue vs so much to thinke of or desire that as to put our trust in him referring our selues wholly to that which seemeth him good to doe without desiring hurt to them which doe vs hurt