bodie also whereby he brought grace and restored holines as well to the body as the soule seeing both body and soule had lost the same by transgression He ascēded not only in soule but in body also because he would giue glorie to the body and the soule seeing he had purchased them both Wherefore it must needes follow that there shall be a resurrection of the flesh For if by faith we are made bone of his bones and by faith are made partakers of his flesh Ioh. 6. and Christ did all these things in his body the vertue whereof we must receiue from him how should all this be if there were no resurrection The meanes whereby we come vnto Christ require also that this should be so First we know the word pierceth our bodies as well as our soules for the eye is to see the Sacraments the eare to heare the tongue to speake the word and the bodie hath it duties as well as the soule in receiuing and obeying of the word and therefore the force and fruite of the word shall as well be shewed on our bodies as on our soules Likewise in offering our prayers we haue the vse both of the soule and bodie For we lift vp pure hands and kneele with our knees we eleuate our eyes we crie with our voyces we prostrate our whole bodies and therefore as God hath made both for his glory in this life so hath he appointed to glorifie both in the life to come Again in the Sacraments there are actions of the body as well as of the soule for the body is dipped into the water and taken out againe in the sacrament of Baptisme and therefore if Baptisme be a token of our resurrection to grace and that in bodie and soule we are not to doubt but that the bodie shall rise againe as well as the soule In the Eucharist also we are solemnely occupied in both parts for as the soule in beleeuing so the eies in beholding the bread broken and wine powred out the eares in hearing the word the hands in handling the outward elements the mouth in tasting them are deuoutly occupied and therefore the fruite of it must appeare as well in the bodie as in the soule Now to proue this by other creatures of God the Angels desire this day and the other creatures sigh and groane waiting when the Sonne of God shall be reuealed the diuels feare it and therfore they crie to our Sauiour Christ Why persecutest thou vs before our time Againe the very confusion which is in things sheweth that there is a time when they shall be brought into order againe as they were created in order at the first And man himselfe especially must looke for it and cannot be without it whether we looke to the manifold profits which come by it or to the wonderfull inconueniences by the want of it Why doe men endure the crosse so patiently why doe they abstaine from euill so carefully why do they follow that which is good so cheerefully but that because they looke for a glorious resurrection which is the full end of all God his promises without the which the most godly are most miserable and the most wicked lesse vnhappie For if this were not what sanctification would appeare what sinne would not appeare how few would be good how many would be ill how should God be dishonoured how should good men be disinherited who would care to worship God in their bodies or who would make conscience to keepe their bodies from sinne FINIS A TREATISE OF EXAMINATION BEFORE AND AFTER THE LORDS SVPPER 1. Cor. 11. 28. Let a man therefore examine himselfe and so let him eate of this bread and drinke of this cuppe THese words are ordinarie and well knowne and they containe a sanction or decree whereby the Apostle taketh order for euery mans examination before the participation of the mysterie of the Supper And two things chiefely are to be stood vpon in these words First the necessitie of examination and then the manner of it For the first it may seeme speaking in the phrase of our teaching Let a man examine himselfe that it is but an aduising or a counsell rather than a commaundement yet in the originall tongue the word runnes in that tearme that Princes Parliament lawes and commaundements doe vse to runne in the word I say is as much as if it were said Be it enacted be it decreed or prouided so that the indifferencie in our tongue in the originall seemeth a necessitie Now albeit the commaundement ought to be of sufficient credite with vs and we without all adoe to yeeld vnto it yet hauing receiued it by faith we are to enter into the reasons of this streight examination and finde out the causes of the execution hereof The reasons may be reduced into two heads it standeth either vpon a great reuerence of the person with whom we are present as we see men busilie prepare themselues when they are to come before some honourable personage or beside the dignitie of the person vpon the excellencie of the profit of the things receiued in respect whereof we are also to prepare our selues as in receiuing Physicke we prepare our selues that the prescript may more effectually worke vpon vs so that for both these things we prepare our selues and they both meete together in the Lord his Supper For though we should not haue an eye at all to the profit yet the very reuerence of the person with whom we sit ought to make vs haue regard to this thing according to that rule Prou. 23. 1. When thou sittest at meate with a ruler consider diligently what is before thee and prepare thy selfe well to sit at the table with such a man Albeit Ioseph when Pharaoh sent for him knew not why he was sent for and thought little of that successe of his going which sell out afterward yet because he was to stand before a King and because he was a miserable prisoner he shaued his head and changed his raiment to go to so high and royall a personage The same is confirmed vnto vs in that parable where we see that not only they are reiected which make excuses and refuse to come but such also as hauing once been admitted come vnprepared without their mariage garmēts to honour the mariage of the Kings Sonne because they did not orderly addresse themselues Therfore this table in the Church being but a representation of the table whereat our hearts doe communicate in the kingdome of heauen where is present not only the beloued spirits hoast of Angels but the glorious Trinitie we are I say in respect of God the Father the Sonne and the holie Ghost and all the Court of heauen with great solemnitie to prepare our selues But yet we ought to do it more if we consider what great preparation hath been vsed in things inferiour to this in the law though then there were no commaundement for
conuey themselues vnto warmer climates vntill the spring time and man alone either vnsensibly doth not foresee or vnaduisedly will not auoide the perillous times to come To conclude Matth. 16. 2. 3. our Sauiour Christ reprehendeth the follie of Pharisies saying When it is euening ye say Faire weather for the skie is red 3. And in the morning ye say To day shall be a tempest for the skie is red and lowring O hypocrites yee can discerne the face of the skie and can ye not discerne the signes of the times True it is that this spirituall vse and holy meditation of the creatures of God should be our whole life howbeit because our distractions in our lawfull and ordinarie callings will not permit this so fully in respect of our finite nature we must remember on the Sabbath day to vse a recouery and by Christian diligence to make recompence for our former negligence herein And in so heauenly a varietie which both by precept and practise we haue receiued of our forefathers for this purpose we shall much profit and set forward this exercise if in wisedome of the spirit we endeuour to frame our meditations especially about those things whereof by reason of our callings in respect of our countries in consideration of the season of the yeere we haue most speciall occasion offered Now if by reason of some dulnes or deadnes by the corruption of nature and secret punishment often incident to the dearest children of God we cannot so reuerently cheerefully and comfortably doe these duties required by our selues alone we may humbly vse the remedie which by the communion of Saints the Lord in this case hath prouided that so frequenting the holy companie of the godly learned and zealous vnto whom the Lord hath giuen greater libertie both of graces and of spirit we may be humbled in regard of our owne wants and take the supplie by them in them that if we cannot either for ignorance or blockishnes reade the things heard compare the places by publike ministerie receiued pray for the fruite of them if we be not able to refresh our selues with considering the workes of God then we must attend vpon the reading conferring and praying thanksgiuing singing and meditations of others that so at the least we may either haue our iudgements cleered or our affections better stirred vp Neither must we blush or be abashed to acknowledge our wants vnto our brethren but with all humilitie earnestly deale with them and enquire of them how they can compare and reconcile the places deliuered how they can amplifie it by meditation how they feele their affections renued how they can frame a prayer of it how they can gather of the creatures and workes of God some fruitfull matter of thanksgiuing that by their godly participation we may haue either our ignorance helped or our infirmities relieued For vndoubtedly this is the cause why so many doe rather in ignorance and deadnes beare the Sabbath as a burthen euen in that they are ashamed by asking the helpe of others to bewray their ignorance or display that corruption of nature which indeed they see and seele in themselues Against which worldly and carnall shame we must fight if euer we will triumph ouer that endlesse shame of the wicked and prouoke our selues by that wholesome and mutuall societie which becommeth the children of God either for the increase of spirituall gifts or for a charitable supporting of the infirmities one of another And these briefly be the exercises of faith and repentance whereby we may either stirre vp our selues or be stirred of others Now it remaineth to intreate of the duties of loue because the Lord his Sabbath is not a day of knowledge alone but of loue not onely of hearing the word by preaching but also of doing the word by practising and these duties either respect the persons of our brethren or they concerne such things as are about our brethren The things concerning their persōs are either in regard of their soules or of their bodies the exercises respecting the things that are about them are either appertaining to their goods or to their credite The duties vnto the soules of our brethren are to teach the ignorant to bring sinners to repentance to bind vp the wounds of them that are afflicted in spirit to comfort the weak to strengthen the hands that fall downe and the knees that are readie to faint to stirre vp them which be dul to admonish the vnruly to confirme the faith of them that beleeue to encourage them in weldoing which haue begun well and to rebuke the wilfull offenders And though these should be the exercises of euery day yet especially they belong to the Sabbath wherein we make a supplie of the wants which we haue on the weeke daies The duties of loue required to the bodies of our brethren are the visiting of the sicke the relieuing of the imprisoned the helping of the poore and miserable the feeding of the hungrie the cloathing of the naked the comforting of the distressed the bestowing of our goods on them that are needie In the primitiue Church as they did euery Sabbath receiue the Sacrament so they laide something downe to the vse of the poore which they did both to giue some thankefull testimonie how the Lord the weeke before had blessed them as also to shew some godly token of their pittie to their afflicted brethen Concerning the exercises of loue towards the credit of our brethren if we shall heare of any secret reports tending to the discredite of others wee must not onely carefully suppresse it but wisely endeuour to recouer their former credite This requireth heauenly wisedome both to admonish the author of euill reports as also to signifie vnto the man euill spoken of what hazard and shipwrake of his good name is pretended yet still concealing the person and vrging the report that if the partie be guiltie he may the sooner step out of his sinne the Lord hauing discharged such a warning peece against him or being guiltlesse that he rather seeke to proue by the rumor than to pursue the author But alas the sinne of our age hath not onely brought in the ignorance and banished the practise of this Christian dutie but also which more is in stead of healing we would the credite of others and it is hard to discerne whether there are more willing to report euill or not vnwilling to heare euill reports of others Who seeth not the common profession of our Sabbath to be a table talking and vaine babling of the infirmities of others tossing to and fro the credit of our brethren as a tennis ball and this not onely vsed among brainsicke and vnstable women whose tongues labour of some greater infirmitie but also of men who vndiscreetly either set abroch or draw out to the full measure and past measure the discredit of their neighbours so that they are so farre from saluing such sores
that our sinnes shall not be laid to our charge This the Philosophers and wise men could neuer see by the light of nature because it is a mysterie of mysteries vndoubtedly to be perswaded that for Christ his sake wee shall appeare righteous before God his iudgement seate as though wee neuer had sinned but had fulfilled the whole law of God For wee are imputed righteous as Christ was an imputed sinner and as we hope for the ioyes of heauen euen as wee had committed all the righteousnesse which Christ alone did so hee did beare the paines of hell euen as hee had commited all the sinnes which we alone did commit Besides he must be our holinesse that is our flesh must be so crucified in his flesh and his holinesse must so be communicated vnto vs as of prophane worshippers wee may become truly religious of blasphemers of the name of God pure vsers of the name of God of breakers of the Sabbath obseruers of the Sabbath of carelesse gouernours carefull gouernours of disobedient obedient of cruell meeke of vnchast chast persons of vnrighteous righteous persons of euill speakers couerers of the infirmities of others of such as haue let their thoughts runne vncontrolled carefull watchers euen ouer our least affections The want of the knowledge hereof is punished by the diuelish vermine of the Familie of loue They say Christ in them is their new birth we say new birth is wrought in vs by the Spirit of Christ ingraffing vs into Christ they say the worke of sanctification is perfit in this life wee say it is begun here and continued but ended in the life to come For as our wisedome is not perfit in this world vnlesse it bee by imputation of Christ his wisedome but still groweth by degrees and we are not perfit at the first in faith couering the imputation of Christ his righteousnes vnto vs and we grow from faith to faith so our wisedome is not here so perfit when wee are renewed but stained with many blemishes And as wee see in the naturall birth children are not at the first old men but from infaÌ„cie they grow to childhood from childhood to their nonage from nonage to perfit age and old age euen so in the spirtuall birth we grow from strength to strength from measure to measure vntill wee come to perfection Our wisedom is often captiuated our faith is often weake our righteousnes is often defiled our holinesse is often corrupted Now as in the crosse of Christ our sins are discharged as in the fulnes of Christ we haue wisedomeas in his resurrection we haue righteousnes and by the working of his Spirit he communicateth to vs his holinesse so also in his comming againe we sted fastly looke for the fulnes of our redemptioÌ„ in him who was borne for vs who liued for vs who died for vs who rose for vs who ascended for vs who liueth in vs who will come againe to redeeme vs deliuering our soules from sinne from griefe and reproch our bodies from sicknes paine and trouble wiping away all teares from our eyes and setting vs free from death miserie and corruption for whom wee all crie in our afflictions Come Lord Iesus who shalt change our vile bodies and make them like to thy glorious bodie at such time looking for the accomplishment hereof as hee shall come from heauen with his Angels to gather together the elect and the reprobates the one to receiue the sentence of saluation the other to receiue sentence of condemnation Wee are now new creatures by faith in Christ by hope of our redemption through him but we shall bee so in effect we are here renewed in righteousnes in holinesse in wisedome but in part yet we haue remnants of sinne as they that neither through the grace of God sinne to death neither by reason of our owne corruption are altogether free from sinne And therefore we had neede to looke for Christ to come a Redeemer who will cleane rid vs from our pride who will rid vs from our vnthankfulnes from our vnbeliefe and from whatsoeuer thing may hinder the glory of God or our saluation who will rid vs from all sicknes pouertie sorenes and calamity in our bodies that what freedome we now hold by faith we shall then haue in fruition and most absolute possession which when it draweth neere must cause vs to lift vp our heads and reioyce Being thus made new by faith in Christ we must not stay but testifie this faith to others by effects in becomming no more like vnto the world but putting on a new couersation after the likenes of him that hath so called vs. It is to no ende to say thou art a Christian if thou art not there with all a new creature as the Apostle proueth 2. Cor. 5. 27. These effects are partly in the soule and partly in the body in the soule we must be renewed in our vnderstanding in our memories and in our affections As our vnderstanding sometime hath beene darkened concerning the things of Iesus Christ so from hence forth we must couet to vnderstand nothing more than Christ Iesus and him crucifieâ—â—â— as our memories haue bin as fresh in retaining as our vnderstandings in receiuing earthly things so now forgetting the things of this life we must chiefly remeÌ„ber those things which perish not with memorie but are heauenly spirituall and eternall as wee were wont to loue hate like and mislike for our selues now wee must loue and hate like and mislike for the glorie of God Wee are therefore to pray that the Lord would frame in vs new hearts that as wee haue beene carnally minded wee may bee spiritually minded and as we must haue new hearts so also must we labour for new affections Our loue as I said which was mingled with selfe-loue must bee taken vp for the Lord his behoofe our anger which was in the defence of our owne cause must now bee bestowed in the maintenance of God his glorie and what power soeuer is within vs it must bee spent on the Lord his behalfe And yet we must goe further in this worke of regeneration offering to the Lord our bodies as we haue offered our soules that as we haue giuen our members seruants to vncleannes and to iniquitie so now wee giue our members seruants vnto righteousnes in holinesse from hence-foorth hauing new eyes new eares new tongues new hands and new feete Our eyes haue sometimes lusted after popish pompe they haue beene rauished with a delight in the creatures of God but carnally and without all glorie to God they haue bin haughtie ful of pride fraught with disdaine nourishers of vncleannes the wickets of death vnto our soules and carried away with the couetous desire of worldly things now they must be renewed not in substance but in their duties whatsoeuer wee behold with them we must make them teachers of the soule thereby and all things seeming beautifull to the eyes in this life where the creatures are
their finall destruction Thus did the Lord deale with them at Ierusalem and thus shall the Lord doe from generation to generation For his word after this sort shall goe from one nation to another people till the Gospell of the kingdome hath beene preached through all the world and then shall the end come Then wee see that the contempt of the word bringeth destruction to cities and nations Vers. 90. Thy trueth is from generation to generation thou hast laid the foundation of the earth and it abideth THe earth as the Philosophers thinke standeth in the middest of the firmament and as the Scriptures teach vs the waters are aboue the earth so that to reason the earth seemeth to be very fickle and readie to fall albeit to our sense nothing seemeth so stedfast How commeth it to passe then that the earth falleth not or is not couered with water but because of the word wherein God hath commaunded it so to be as in the beginning hee made it by the word The Lord gaue bounds to the Sea the which it should not passe and those bounds it kept two thousand yeeres then by the word of the Lord it ouerflowed the earth but after that it hath to this day continued within his bankes because God hath so appointed it And if these be so sure by the word of the Lord the word must needs be sure and stedfast wherein God hath promised that he wil haue his Church to the end The like reason Ieremie vseth chap. 31. and 35. 36. 37. So long as the Sun and the Moone continue in heauen so long will I haue my Church vpon the earth though the wicked rage against it This must stay and comfort vs when these thoughts assault vs Oh if the word should be taken from this place where then should it rest If this King or Queene should dye where should the word become then This must assure vs I say that the Lord will prouide for his Church so that the word may continue amongst them so long as his couenant of the night and the day abideth Vers. 91. They continue euen to this day by thine ordinances for all are thy seruants THese are deputed of God to be his seruants and this answereth an objection Obiect These things are chaungeable Answ This in that they are so it is to seâ—â—e Gods iudgements for the saluation of the good and the confusion of his enemies The Sunne is certaine and yet for the glorious victorie of Gods people vnder Ioshua it stood still So did it turne back for Ezechias The waters also were his seruants to take vengeance on his enemies at the flood so likewise the red Sea saued Gods children and destroyed his foes Then when these creatures keepe not their course it is the worke of God for the good of his people and the hurt of his enemies Much more are the ordinarie workes his seruants as moderate raine drie weather c Leuit 25. for to restifie his fauour to his children as immoderate drought for the hurt of his foes So discord â—amine plague warre c all these waite on GOD to serue him when he will punish any people as peace loue plentie health strength c. are to the comfort of his people All are his Seruants All the creatures round about are readie to serue him at his will from the Angels in heauen to the wormes in the earth therefore hee is called the Lord of Hosts they are not ordered by nature fortune or such like but by Gods prouidence example Psal. 107. If we were perswaded of this then should we be seared if our hearts were not right with God and we should be comforted when our hearts were right before him knowing that these serue to testifie his loue to them that feare him and to testifie his wrath where he is displeased This must driue vs from second causes to looke to GOD If God be with us who shall be against us If wee were perswaded that they shall all beare witnesse with vs or against vs then would we be fearfull and desirous to be reconciled to God for he hath giuen these creatures to vs no otherwise to vse then that wee may be in CHRIST for if we be not then must we giue account for them but if we be recoÌ„ciled to GOD then haue we a speciall comfort that nothing shall burt vs and when they might seeme to hurt they shall helpe vs our enemies shall be our friends and the stones shall be at league with vs and nothing shall separate vs from the loue of God Fire shall burne vs easily and water shall easily drowne vs for though Tyrants abuse these for a time yet they are Gods seruants and they groane with vs for our redemption Doe all creatures groane and shall we be secure Doe they their seruice and shall not wee doe our duties Then most grieuous shall our condemnation be ¶ Vers 92. Except thy Lawes had bene my delight I had euen now perished in mine â—â—â—â—â—ction IT seemeth by many verses in this Psalme that Dauid was much afflicted for his life was in his hand his soule cleaued vnto the dust hee was sore troubled and had it not beene for comfort out of Gods Word doubtlesse hee had perished in his trouble This verse I may call A perfume against a Plague the sicke in â—â—â—â—â—â—â—â— the afflicted mans consolation and a blessed Triumph in and ouer all troubles In which note 1. That Dauid was afflicted 2. that hee was readie to perish in his affliction 3. the remedie against his affliction namely Gods Lawe 4. the application of that remedie it was his delight 1. Dauid was afflicted hee was the beloued of the Lorde one of his worthiest Captanes wee reade of in the Bible and indeede a man after Gods owne heart yet the Cup nay the bitter cup of affliction could not passe away from him but because he was made strong enough to beare this mingled drinke and surely all mens braines beare not wine alike therefore did hee drinke vp many a full drâ—ught We ought to thinke of Dauids troubles and to esteeme it as an argument of Gods great fauour towards vs if to the great carowses which we take of Gods blessings it shall please him to adde a purging potion of affliction There is no true sonne but since follie is bound vp by nature in his heart the rod of correction must be laid vpon him From Adam to Christ in whom we all are all haue beene partakers of affliction It was Dauids iudgement In the sweate of thy face shalt thou eate thy breade it was a part of Christs consecration by affliction hee was made the high Priest of our saluation Exulerat Christus comites nos exulis huius Essedecet cuius nos quoque membra sumits Our head Christ here an exile was We members must this exile trace But why doth God thus visite his dearest and most dutifull seruants Answ. I to shewe how he hateth sinne when he
were not vnprepared for it if contrarie by thinking and forecasting and fearing such an euill if the Lord be not mercifull because God doth often correct some sinne past which we regarded not or foreshewes some sinne to come which we were not afraide of and an euill dreame doth shew some euill in the heart either in some sinne alreadie committed or in some sinne which may be shortly committed If the dreame be terrible it is good to auoid all the occasions of that euill and to giue our selues to prayer and not to giue too great credit to dreames least they weaken faith The best is to be neither too remisse nor too wise in them but to labour to profit by them because the Lord by leauing such long impressions in vs doth as it were call vpon our consciences not to passe them ouer without some vse 2 Being asked how one might auoide the sinne of vncleane dreames in the night he said first it were good to auoide all obiects and wandring thoughts in the day and securitie of praying against it at night If these meanes did not preuaile we must then think that God calleth vs to some more earnest repentance for this or some other sinne before committed specially we are to beware of companie such as may stirre vs vp vnto euill either labouring not to come into their companie or hauing iust occasion to doe it with feare and with prayer and doing this not to tarrie longer than godly occasion is offered Distraction of minde 1 BEing asked why a man after sundrie and laborious reading in his calling being desirous by meditation to apply the things read vnto himselâ—e was so much interrupted and violently suddenly and vnwillingly drawne into other conceites he said it was either want of preparing and sanctifying our hearts by prayer before we set vpon so holy an exercise and therefore the Lord correcteth the pride of our â—â—ts and presumption of our hearts in being bold to worke vpon holy matters in our own strength or else for that we resting vpon a generall purpose of thinking some good thing or at least not to thinke any euil did not fasten our minde constantly or continually vpon some particular obiect but raunging vp and downe as hauing some part of our affections studies and meditations voide for some other matters did not wholy seriously set on the thing propounded to our selues The trueth hereof may appeare hereby for that which the heart is throughly set vpon it is so attentiue to that it can be present to no other thing at that instant especially if it be an hindrance to the thing taken in hand Dulnes 1 HE said after his great ioyes conceiued of some effectuall working of God in himselfe he most commonly not long after fell into deadnes and dulnes and thereby was humbled so that vntill that he was prepared with some new grace from God and had receiued some new mercie at his hands he was very vnfit to performe any seruice vnto God or men 2 Deadnes of the spirit is the graue of many heauenly graces Doctrine 1 BEcause in reading of examples we restraine duties to certaine persons and wring our own necke out of the yoke or else we chiefly tye the mercies of God to them and thinke they appertaine not to vs it is good to learne certaine rules whereby we may know when the vse of the doctrine is generall and when particular which is set downe in singular examples Three rules are to be obserued first if we reade of any thing in particular we are to search whether in some other place in the Scripture the samething is not set downe generally that is whether that which is commeÌ„ded or discommended in some proper person be not commanded or forbidden to all if it be then the vse of that is generall not particular but if it be a particular precept enioyned to some one and no warrant found in the word of that to be done of another then it is a thing personall proper to some not general appertaining to all The second rule is that wheresoeuer there is a generall equitie of a thing there is a general practise to be had howsoeuer we see it set down but in particular The third is whersoeuer by the scope of the place there appeares a generall drift either by something going before or comming after though the present place seemeth to be particular yet there is a generall vse of the doctrine to be gathered out of it Exercise of religion 1_THe wicked not daring openly to professe iniquitie redeeme times secretly to commit it so though we haue not the strength to professe religion publikely yet let vs redeeme times secretly to frequent the exercises of godlinesse 2 As it is but a small pleasure so long as we are in the gardeÌ„ to be delighted with the smel of herbes vnlesse we gather of euery kinde some to carrie with vs that so we may haue the benefit of the garden though we be farre from it And as it is but a small comfort to be rauished with sweet odors so long as we are in the Apothecaries shop and afterward to want them so it is but a flattering ioy nay rather a starting ioy no longer to be affected with the word and religion than we are in the Church therefore we must gather here and there that may worke on our affections when we be farre from the place where they grew 3 We must vse all exercises of reading hearing conferring praying singing and meditating but we must not tye the working of Gods spirit to any one particular Experience of our corruption 1 WE shall neuer be brought hungerly to seeke after Christ vntill we come by the last precept to see and feele our naturall corruption where of we must not onely haue knowledge but experience also as S. Paul had Rom. 7. Now wheras the Papists say that this corruption is a sinne in the vnregenerate but â—â—t in the regenerate we say it is a sinne in both I say a bare knowledge hereof is not sufficient for euen the knowledge of our corruption is not without the corruption of a priuie pride Faith IT is harder to beleeue in the abundance of worldly things than it is in the want of them for these things are as it were vailes set betwixt God and vs they stay our sight in them that it cannot pearce to God 2 As the arme being soundly knit to the body receiueth pith and strength from the bodie to resist all euill and to draw all good things vnto it and being but out of ioynt and the sinewes which did knit it to the body being loosed it hath no such force to performe duties so our faith being the meanes spiritually to ioyne vs vnto the Lord we receiue strength so long as it is sound both to resist euill and accomplish good but if it decay and fall
Sathan went about to leade him 9 Hee had often in his publike ministerie and priuate conference a sudden failing in memorie so as by no meanes hee could recouer himselfe in those things hee purposed to speake in which case he vsed this remedie presently to groane in his hart and to humble his soule vnderneath the holy hand of God not busilie to stand troubling and tossing his memorie because he knew and had often prooued that this was the best way to turne away this euill 10 To reade and not to meditate is vnfruitfull to meditate and not to reade is dangerous for errours to reade and meditate without prayer is hurtfull 11 The cause why our meditations and prayers are no stronger in the night is because we ioyne not with meditation the examination of our hearts vpon our beds which if we did in some truth it would keepe vs from drowsinesse and want of reuerence in our prayers as well as worldly men are kept waking by thinking on worldly matters Here we are taught by Dauids example when we want the more solemne and best meanes to make a supplie by often and sincere vsing of such priuate meanes as we can Ministerie Ministers 1 WE must neuer be so moued at the reproches of enemies as at the not profiting of friends that is such as be or ought to be the ioy crowne and glorie of our ministerie for whom wee haue prayed and with whom we haue trauailed for their saluation For as these men alone giue all the credite to our ministerie in well-doing so they doe farre more discredite it by euill doing then all others at whose hands we looke for no such things And for this cause wee may not be so moued to see the common sort of people offend because what maruaile is it if they faile in duties when others which are continually taught doe so often slip and fall 2 Ministers should most frequent those places where God hath made their Ministerie most fruitfull they should heerein be like the couetous man that where they haue once found the sweetnes of gaining of soules thither they should be most desirous to resort 3 Hee feared much the preposterous zeale and hastie running of young men into the Ministerie because as iudgement so also stayednesse and moderation vse experience grauitie in ordering affections and the hauing some masterie ouer corruption was needefull in him that should teach others And hee obserued the extreame in our age to be contrarie to that in the first age wherein men being but slenderly brought vp it was very long ere they were vsed in the Church but now education being bettered they are too soone imployed Too hastie a triall must not be made of mens giftes to their hurt that vse them and that haue the vse of them 4 If we aske whether a man may not lawfully desire to be in the Ministerie or no I answere that in the Ministerie are two things a worke and a worship a dutie and a dignitie The worke and dutie to the glory of God and the good of his Church a man may desire The worship or dignity to serue our couetous mind is not to be desired It is good before we come to the complete function of the Ministery there should be some training vp by degrees in the schooles of the Prophets Acts 20. Wee reade of the training vp of certaine Disciples at Corinth and at Antioch Paul was first a Disciple then an Apostle Ioshua vnder Moses Samuel vnder Ely Elisha vnder Elias Salomon vnder Nathan Baruch vnder Ieremie Timothie vnder Paul were trained vp And surely it is a diuine policie first to be of the childreÌ„ of the Prophets then a Prophet theÌ„ a Pastor First Christ calleth some to be domesticall Disciples Luk 6. After he sendeth them forth Luk 10. And then they preach most fully wheÌ„ after his Ascension they had receiued the holy Ghost Now if this order were in the Prophets times why should it not be much more in ours In the common-weale there is a training vp of the Gentrie before they be installed into Magistracie In the Court no man at the first is admitted to the highest titles and functions but according to their gifts practise In naturall things wee will not commit our bodies to euery Physitian professor but make enquiry after him who hath had the longest experience Then it is good first with Ioshua Samuel Elisha Salomon Baruch and Timothie to be humbled then with Moses Ely Elias Nathan Paul to be honored For what age requireth this more then our headie olde age of the world Wherein young men are some what forward and young men haue younger iudgemeÌ„ts younger affections vnseasoned speeches and vnseasoned speeches bring retractions and retractions bring their discredit Mirth 1 WHen a Gentlewoman asked him if he were not sometime merrie Yes saith he we are often merrie and sometimes we are afraid of our mirth Mercies 1 THe way to see the length depth breadth and heigth of Gods mercies is first with shame and sorrow to see the length c. of our owne sinnes Memorie 1 THe best arte of Memorie is to be humbled at Gods threatnings and comforted at his promises for sure it is that exceeding griefes or exceeding ioyes leaue great impressions in vs. 2 The best arte of Logicke is to reason E conuerso out of that saying of Paul There is no temptation hath ouertaken you but it hath ouertaken others And to say thus There hath no temptation ouertaken others but the same may ouertake vs. This will teach vs to speake charitably and profitably of other mens infirmities Markes of the children of God 1 THere be some notable markes to know whether our iourney be to heauen or to hell first if a man be so close that he will not open his way whither he purposeth to goe yet you shall spâ—e out his intent by obseruing which way his carriage is sent if our carriage goe after the flesh to the flesh we shall come if after the spirit to the spirit we shall come Secondly if a man conceale his voyage yet you shall discerne him by his inquirie this way or that way if he aske which is the way to Canaan and where the way lieth in the wildernesse it is an argument he is going to the promised land Thirdly albeit he would keepe his iourney neuer so priuie yet he is bewrayed if when in hearing a man speake against his countrey and dispraise his Prince and people his blood beginneth to rise he findeth himselfe grieued and standeth in defence of his countrey So if when men disgrace Gods word speake euil of his Ministers or reproch his Saints we finde our selues moued and not able to containe our selues from reprehension that is a token we are trauailing towards heauen Occasions of euill 1 GOdly men are not in danger of grosse wicked women wherefore we must haue a greater carefulnes of our selues when we are in companie
from speaking against the Sabbath in this place that hee setteth downe the pure obseruation of the same against them who peruersely and vntruely did iudge of it And here we see the Pharisees deale very cunningly with them For they might as well haue accused the Disciples of theft as of breaking the Sabbath had they not knowne that as the Lawe permitted a man to goe into the vine-yard for to gather grapes so hee caried no clusters away So they to satisfie their hunger might presently eate of the eares of corne carying none away with them Howbeit they could not see that this their trauell was not like their ordinarie trauelling on the other dayes and that it was agreeable to the Sabbath the Lawe permitting a Sabbath dayes iourney This some curiously haue defined to bee the space of a mile some two â—ome three miles vnto whom as I doe not denie the libertie of their iudgement so I thinke it to consist of that distance as a man may conueniently trauell for some holy purpose without anie hinderance of the ordinarie exercise of that day and without wearisomnes either to bodie or minde whereby he should be the vnfitter for the Lords worship or his duties And therefore they that dwelt but so farre from Ierusalem that they might oâ— that day conueniently goe to the Sacrifices and returne home without any of the former hinderances made a Sabbath daies iourney And now in our times a man may lawfully go so farre for the more comfortable or holie vse of the day in hearing so that neither his bodie be ouerwearied nor any due time of hearing be pretermitted and that without preiudice or breach of the Lords day Wherefore seeing our Sauiour CHRIST and his disciples trauelled to so holie an ende and no further then by a Sabbath dayes iourney was lawfull the end of the iourney which ought to measure this and like actions proueth that herein there was no breach of the Sabbath Neither is it likely that the Pharisees reproued and controlled the Disciples for trauelling seeing euen they themselues with them were companions in the iourney but rather they did it for their plucking the eares of corne whereby they shewed that the ceremonie of resting was not the chiefe thing in the Sabbath as now a dayes some doe thinke it but rather because they made prouision for their bodies contrarie as they imagined to Exod. 16. 24 Well it is most probable that the Disciples beeing gone farre from the place from whence they did set out because if they had then fainted they would there haue recreated themselues and farre distant from aniâ— place where they might eate for if they had bene neere any place they might rather haue refreshed themselues with other things then with corne they through fainting for want of other necessaries were constrained to satisfie their present necessitie with these things which if they had not done they shuld not haue been able to persist in their calling which was agreeable to the Sabbath the workes whereof did neuer restraine from eating which notwithstanding they might as iustly haue reprehended in the Disciples as their plucking the eares of corne The arguments whereby CHRIST doth answere them may briefly be referred to fiue heads The first is set downe in these words vers 3. Haue yee not heard what Dauid did when he was an hungred and they that were with him 4. How hee entred into the house of God ate the shewe-bread which was not lawfull for him to eate neither for them which were with him but only for the Priests Behold he speaketh here of the ceremonie of shew-bread which was broken for the preseruation of mens liues whereby hee sheweth that Ceremonies as a thing of lesse importance must giue place for lifes sake So that this is spoken of the end because the thing which is forbidden for a common end is not brokeÌ„ for a particular vse Wherefore Dauid and his companie did eate the shewe-bread to serue their necessitie and that without breach of the Law how much more may my Disciples eate the eares of corne to enable them the more to attend vpon the ordinaÌ„ce of God It is a rule in the ciuill law that it is against ciuilitie too greedily to hunt after the syllables of their Maximes and too carelesly to neglect and permit the true sense of the Law In which thing our Sauiour trappeth the Pharisees who were too seuere censurers of the letter and too seuere obseruers of the matter of the Law Our Sauiour therefore in effect meaneth thus much that as it was not lawfull to eate the shew bread vsually or ordinarily and yet to eate it vpon necessitie it was not vnlawfull so vsually to gather corne on the Sabbath euen in time of Haruest it was not lawfull and yet extraordinarilie and vpon necessitie to gather it was not vnlawfull on the Sabbath which permitted the works of necessitie whereby men might bee the better enabled and the lesse hindered to doe the workes of that day And for this cause seeing the Disciples without this helpe should haue beene vnfitter either to haue preached to others or heard our Sauiour and by it were enabled the more to either of these things it is euident that they were so farre off from breaking the Sabbath in so doing that rather they should haue broken it in not so doing So that Christ doth onely not abrogate the Sabbath in this place but also reprehending the Pharisies for their misconstruing of the Lawe and too strickt taking it without due consideration of the ende thereof he setteth downe a more pure obseruation of the same The second reason which is drawne from the Lawe it selfe and from the Priests owne practise may bee gathered out of the fift and sixt verses Haue yee not read in the Lawe how that on the Sabbath dayes the Priests in the Temple brake the Sabbath and are blamelesse 6. But I say vnto you heere is one greater then the Temple As if hee should haue saide Verilie yee misconstrue the Sabbath yee must better consider what kinde of works the Sabbath forbiddeth to wit the workes of mens ordinarie callings not beeing fitte for the dignitie of the Sabbath and nothing tending to the worship of God but if they beseeme the dignitie of that day and are done for God his holy worship they are not vnlawfull Aduise your selues I pray you doe not euen your owne Priests on the Sabbath-day slay their beasts to sacrifice Doe they not circumcise on that day And doe yee not carie your children to the Temple to be circumcised which are workes both in respect of your Priests and you and yet in that in these things yee are made the fitter to serue God in his worshippe yee thinke them not vnlawfull Likewise knowe that this plucking of the eares of corne in my Disciples is no worke of their ordinarie callings but to make them more able for the worship of God In that hee nameth the
day of toyling The equitie of the not kindling of a fire must binde Christians although the sanction doth not constraine them whereas the Israelites of an inch of libertie would take an ell for a childish instruction this thing was restrained them And although we haue a further libertie to kindle a fire for as much as we are in colder countries than the Israelites were yet the equitie of the law must teach vs that we ought not to turne this libertie to be seruant of our wanton desires or to foster carnall licentiousnes and hinder the worship of God If it be demaunded whether this day be fit for mariage or no I answere it is because on that day as it is a day of reioycing there is a more lawfull libertie of speech and a more liberall vse of cheerfull behauiour Howbeit let them not on that day if they marrie make their solemne cheere but seeing they may haue a conuenient companie some other day let them either both marrie and feast some other day or marrie on the Lords day feast another And if it be demanded whether Loue feasts may be kept on this day or no I an swere there is difference betweene loue-feasts and solemne feasts And if men were as wiseas they were in the times of Poperie they would be politike to finde out some meanes to prouide for the glorie of God and yet not altogether neglect the conuenient furniture for their table I am not to appoint neither doe I vndertake to prescribe how meate should be prepared or how offices should be deuided yet by experience I can giue testimonie of some who for their religion beare credit in the Church and for their authoritie carie some countenance in common wealth and yet on the Lords day haue their tables both Christianly and worshipfully furnished without any hinderance of the worship of God at all notwithstanding the number of their daily retinue ordinary familie is great It is one thing to prouide feasts of intertainement more than competent and another thing to vse loue-feasts nothing lesse than is conuenient the one oppressing and disabling vs to holy exercises the other refreshing and enabling vs to the duties of religion Now concerning the exercises pleasures of the body leauing all vaine pastimes at all times vnlawfull but most especially on the Sabbath and to speake of such recreations as in themselues are lawfull and may lawfully be vsed of the children of God in their time and place as those of shooting training vp of souldiers and such like all which their pleasures carie a profit either present or in time to come to the Church or common-wealth we denie not simplie then their places but thinke them conuenient and commendable with the testimonie of the holy Ghost 2. Sam. 1. where Ionathan is commended of Dauid for his shooting Howbeit the Sabbath day is no fitte time for these vses which we will shew briefly First we must know that the Lord hauing forbidden the workes of our ordinarie calling which carie with them a more speciall promise of profit and warrant of reward in their time forbiddeth also lawfull pleasures because if the vse of those be forbidden being lawfull and necessarie for the vpholding and maintaining of mans life then these things not so needfull though conuenient for recreation are much more inhibited And this we shall see more plainely if we remember that rest is so farre commanded as it is an helpe and furtherance to sanctification and labour so farre is forbidden as it is an impediment of the same In regard whereof if pleasures be no lesse lets and impediments to the hallowing of the Sabbath than bodily and ordinarie labours then pleasures haue no more libertie on the Lords day than our outward workes Furthermore we must be circumspect not to rest in any drowsie or sleepie securitie of the flesh but in what measure soeuer we detract from the ordinarie workes of our calling in that proportion must we adde to the sanctification of the day not much vnlike to good Christians who bestow on their soules whatsoeuer they take from their bodies Which wisedome and diligence though we vse most carefully yet for as much as we shall leaue as many duties vnperformed as we shall haue performed I see not what leisure we can lawfully lend to recreations If any carnall professor shall presse this thing more vehemently me thinketh he may blush at the defence of it seeing this kinde of keeping holy daies in pleasures and playing was vsed euen of the Heathen who sate downe to eate and drinke and rose vp to play first balacing their bellies with feastes then refreshing themselues with play Wherefore as we now denie Church feasts as imitations of the Heathen so we denie holy-day playes as remnants of ancient prophanenesse But if it be here obiected that the Iewes had their solemne feasts musicall instruments and exercises of pleasure yet the men alwaies by themselues and the other sexe by themselues not with that monstrous mixture of men and women which is a chiefe sinne and arch-enemie to religion of our age and that with holy Psalmes made by Dauid and Moses not with vaine minstrelsie vsed of prophane Atheists I answere as Paul speaketh 1. Corinth 13. of his owne person that they being as children spake as children they vnderstood as children they thought as children being but in the rudiments but we becomming men must put away childish things Againe the superstition of the Papists checketh this abuse who would admit none outward exercises on their Easter Whitsontide and holy Thursday at what times they thought a bird would scarsely build her nest Did not the Papists breake their superstitious holidaies and shall we so prophanely pollute the Lord his Sabbath Our Easter day our Ascension day our Whitsontide is euery Lords day and therefore we ought to make a speciall care of sanctifying of this day What shall I say of the zeale of worldlings which may controll by contraries the securitie of our sinnes For all worldly men seeke neuer for pleasure whilest profit doth drop as we may see in them that liue on Faires and Markets as Chapmen and Inholders So long as they hope to gaine a penie how waite they how diligent are they how little play they how busie are they And why Forsooth it is their haruest it is their market which say they they must attend vpon whilest occasion lasteth Behold the policie painefulnesse of the world may teach vs what we ought to doe for our soules Is not the Sabbath the haruest time and market day for the soule wherein we should gather in whilest the Sunne shineth wherein we we should be very diligent whilest our gaine is promised wherin we must prouide for a liuing and maintenance and lay vp store laying all pleasure aside vntill the time to come And to returne to the Papists what posting Priests what mumbled masâ—es what hunting praiers what hastie seruice had
but there are three especiall plagues which the Lord is readie to powre vpon vs and three manner of waies there be whereby the Lord scareth vs which are verie plaine and manifest and almost euerie childe may perceiue He scareth vs by feare of dearâ—â— and famine whereof this vnseasonable weather these immoderate waters which wee haue had cannot but be fearefull tokens He scareth vs by tokens of a pestilence to come amongst vs which is alreadie laide vpon the necks of many of our brethren in this land not onely farre off as at Yarmouth at Norwich and diuers other places which wee know not but also in this shire at Ely wee knowe not how night it is our owne doores A third way there is whereby he scareth vs and that is more fearefull than all these and that is by the secret deuices of our enemies whom the Lord hath stirred vp euen to threaten a separating of vs from his Maiestie and from his word and the continuance of his gouernment by his word amongst vs and a captiuitie a subduing of vs to false gods and an ignorance of all the lawes and commaundements of our good God whom only to serue is perfit felicitie And this is a sore scaring the other are sore for the time but this punishment if it commeth it shall end at no time We may partly see it I would to God we could as well consider of it and euen yet at the length before we feele the rod as did the brethren of Ioseph acknowledge our sinnes before the Lord whom we haue prouoked to wrath humble our selues before him and call for mercy and euen by prayer stand in the gap and preuent the punishment prepared for vs. Now let vs herein learne one point of wisedome more which is if God sometime shall threaten vs by scaring and shall sit him downe againe a little and it falleth not out presently that wee be punished let vs not thereby get occasion to flatter and deceiue our selues as though Gods rods were then cleane ouerpast as a storme caried away with a clowd but let vs carefully consider what were the causes that moued him to threaten vs and no doubt wee shall finde that euen they were causes sufficient to prouoke him to plague vs and if we will not call them to minde and confesse them while we haue respit giuen vs they wil neuer lin yelling and crying in the cares of the iust and righteous iudge for whole vessels full of vengeance to consume vs vtterly Now as for the godly and those that feare the Lord and haue their hearts vpright before him they are as it were forewarned and fully prepared whatsoeuer plagues come they know that nothing shall come nigh them to hurt them and they can see a glimmering of the thing a great way off and the Lord telleth them before hand what he is minded to doe he told Noah before hand of the great iudgement of waters when the whole world was drowned for sinne he told Lot how hee was minded to burne and boyle vp the filth of Sodom he told Moses before how he would destroy the Aegyptians yea and the Prophet Dauid speaketh truly The Lord reuealeth his secrets to them that feare him and yet notwithstanding the deare children of God when as nothing will serue they must then needes looke for affliction And if it be so that affliction must needes come let vs yet pray to God rather to lay any plague vpon vs than the famine of his word and the subiection to the enemies of his grace yea let vs hartily confesse our sinnes before God as Dauid did at the threatning of the Lord by his Prophet and if the Lord might put vs in choise if it seemed good vnto his Maiestie whether we would flye before our enemies or whether we would wish or chose rather a dearth in the land or a pestilence let vs from our hearts beseech the Lord God that we may rather fall into the hands of the Lord than into the hands of cruell and persecuting men The summe of all is 1 Precepts to flye ill companie which is the plague of our soule Not only to mislike but also to detest from the heart a wicked custome least wee giue consent and reach ouâ— hands vnto sinne as Ioseph and Lot did 2 To beware of swearing by false gods which is idolatry 3 To beware of often swearing for feare of periury 4 How the Lord hath two meanes of humbling vs the law and affliction FINIS THE FOVRTEENTH SERMON Hebr. 13. vers 17. Obey them that haue the ouersight of you and submit your selues for they watch for your soules as they that must giue accounts that they may doe it with ioy and not with griefe for that is vnprofitable for you WHensoeuer it pleaseth the Lord God by his prouidence to call me to preach his word vnto his people as he hath at this present called me vnto you reuerend Fathers and brethren beloued in our Lord Iesus my desire is to intreate of such a parcell of his most holy word as may minister matter both to stirre vp and rouse them out of the denne of ignorance which haue not knowne Iesus Christ nor the sweetnes of his grace and also to pricke forward them which haue receiued some measure of the Spirit of God assuring them of saluation purchased by Iesus Christ to a greater studie and care for to increase this inestimable treasure The Lord of his great mercy therefore hath presented vnto me such a place for my desired purpose as I hope by the assistance of his holy Spirit shall be profitable both to you to my selfe The words are written in the thirteenth chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrues and in the seuenteenth verse Obey them that haue the ouersight of you c. The spirit of God doth most plainly set foorth vnto vs in this place 1 First what duties the Ministers of God doe owe vnto his people declared in these words They watch for your soules 2 Secondly what dutie the people owe vnto them againe expressed herein Obey them that haue the ouersight of you and submit your selues 3 Thirdly the fruites that come of weldoing of these duties to both parts that is both to the Minister and to the people 4 Fourthly what danger it is not to doe them well We must first speake of the duties of Ministers But before we enter into it it is very necessarie that we consider whether it be requisite to haue a Minister or no and also to what vse and end we should haue him For if it were not needfull to haue a Pastor it were in vaine to speake of the dutie of a Minister Whereas the holy Ghost saith Obey them that haue the ouersight ouer you c. It is meant of the Pastors of the Church of the dispensers of the holy word of God For there were placed ouer the Church of God both Pastors Doctors and Elders which were certaine
bring home his children into the sheepfold of Iesus Christ. True faith maketh vs only heires of the kingdome of heauen faith cannot be attained without hearing of Gods word preached the word of it selfe cannot bee preached without a Preacher therefore Preachers are the onely meanes appointed of God to worke faith in his children by the preaching of Gods word and the secret working of the holy Ghost whereby they are made partakers of the promises Whosoeuer therefore is not content with this ordinance of God but would haue some further reuelation from heauen shall neuer be partakers of the benefites of Iesus Christ. He himselfe declareth in the parable of the rich glutron that whosoeuer would not beleeue the messengers of God which are the Preachers of the word they would not beleeue though one should rise from the dead to instruct them For in the word of God is set forth most clecrely and manifestly the true and certaine rule to liue by and the meanes whereby to attaine vnto saluation Therefore it is too too much vngodlines to desire any other meanes to bee instructed by than by the word of God which is the verie gate of heauen and the keyes thereof are giuen to the true Ministers of Gods word with such power that whatsoeuer they bind on the earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer they loose vpon earth shall be loosed in heauen So wonderfull is the mercie of God toward his children herein that they may haue assurance of saluation in this life vea so certaine may they be of it as if they had it alreadie in possession and that not by preaching of Angels but euen by our owne brethren mortall men as we are subiect to sinne and all infirmities at whose hands we may daily bee taught and with whom we may talke familiarly and at their hands through the word of God wee may haue as good assurance hereof as if the Lord should speake himselfe from heauen If God should speake we were not able to abide the hearing of his voyce but bee euen swallowed vp of feare How were the children of Israel terrified with the voyce of the Lord when he spake vnto them they fled away and stood a farre off and cried to Moses Talke thou with vs and wee will heare but let not God talke with vs least wee die What a vaine and vngodly thing were it to perswade our selues that we could beleeue if wee heard God himselfe speake or if one came from the dead to tell vs what wee should beleeue when as the very earth will quake at the voyce of God And our Sauiour Christ telleth vs plainely that if we beleeue not the true Preachers of his word wee could not beleeue though a damned soule should come from hell to preach vnto vs the reason is because the ordinance of God which is vnchangeable hath appointed our brethren to teach vs the way vnto saluation And truely it is a notable place where our Sauiour Christ doth seperate his from the reprobate Then came the Iewes round about him and saide vnto him How long doest thou make vs doubt If thou be that Christ tell vs plainely Iesus answered them I told you and ye beleeue not the workes which I doe in my Fathers name they beare witnes of mee But yee beleeue not for yee are not of my sheepe as I saide vnto you My sheepe heare my voyce and I knowe them and they follow mee And I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any plucke them out of mine hand Wee see then it is a great argument of reprobation when our hearts be so hard that wee cannot beleeue the Gospell of Iesus Christ for this is an infallible truth that those which are the Lords in his time he calleth and they shall abide and neuer fall away but those that are not his shall fall away although they haue been passing cunning hypocrites in outward holinesse The children of God will acknowledge this meanes and praise the wisedome of God which hath thereby quite transfourmed them and chaunged their whole man in sanctifying them by his holy spirit and giuing of them assurance of saluation which they confesse could neuer haue come to passe without the preaching of the word This authoritie is giuen to the Ministers to pronounce the terrible iudgements of God against sinne and whosoeuer hee bee that doth not repent and turne from the same shall be as sure of euerlasting damnation as if hee were already in hell Againe to the penitent whose consciences are burdened with griefe for their sinnes he may pronounce the sweete promises of the Gospell how Iesus Christ hath died for them and hath discharged them before the iudgement seate of GOD and they shall be as sure of saluation as if our Sauiour Christ should speake from heauen himselfe who is Trueth and cannot lye and say Whosoeuers sinnes yee remit they are remitted vnto them and whosoevers sinnes yee retaine they are retained This is a wonderfull thing and this shall Gods children confesse an vnspeakeable goodnesse of the Lord God in sending our brethren with such power Sith then this is so necessarie they which will not confesse this to be the ordinance and meane appointed of the Lord God to bring his children home vnto his heauenly Kingdome either neuer heard of Iesus Christ or else in miserable hypocrisie haue heard and professed the Gospell which shall be a testimonie to their consciences euen to their vtter condemnation Now we haue heard the necessitie of a Pastor and the vse wherevnto he is appointed it is requisite that we consider what dutie the Pastor oweth vnto his â—â—ocke for as the Lord when he establisheth a Kingdome will chuse a King so will hee also giue him first a Kings heart before he setteth him in his seate so when hee prepareth a spirituall father to beget soules vnto himselfe hee giueth him gifts and power to doe the same as Saint Paul testifieth writing to the Ephesians But vnto euery one of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the gifts of Christ Wherefore he saith when hee ascendeth vp on high hee led captiuitie captiue and gaue gifts vnto men so that first the Lord giueth gifts and secondly men This must be the dutie of the Minister as the holy Ghost telleth vs to watch ouer the soules of his people to be so carefull ouer them as that hee will not suffer one through his negligence to perish but by his earnest labouring in preaching the word of God to build them vp into a stronger faith which are already begotten vnto the Lord and also to winne others to Christ and so increase the mysticall bodie of Christ so much as his diligence by the blessing of God shall be able 1. First therefore it is requisite in the Ministers office that he studie the word of God that he doe diligently reade the same and also giue himselfe
build timber hay or stubble whereby is meant all curious and vnprofitable questions and vaine ostentation but he must build gold siluer and precious stone by which precious substance is noted the most excellent and pure doctrine of the Gospell And hereby shall you knowe his argument if hee beate downe the stâ—â—fenecked and obstinate sinners by threatning the rigor of the law and the terrible iudgements of God against the violaters thereof and on the contrarie by healing the bruised and wounded consciences with sinne with the sweete promises of the Gospell If any man therefore shall labour to lay any other foundation and vse any other order of doctrine than this he is an Antichrist that is to say against Christ and no Christian. He must teach them all the counsell of God and keepe nothing backe but whatsoeuer concerneth the saluation of his flocke that must he teach them yea so absolute must his doctrine be that there must be no point of the will of God pertaining to the saluation of his children but the Minister must be both able and diligent to declare Therefore it is requsite and needfull that a rare gift of God be added who onely openeth their vnderstanding that they might vnderstand the scriptures wherein the most holie will of God is reuealed and nothing that is needfull for our saluation omitted so that whosoeuer knoweth not the scriptures must needs erre and be deceiued but the Minister who must declare all the counsell of God vnto his children must be very perfect therein Moreouer he must improue rebuke exhort and stirre vp first himselfe to a great care of doing his duty faithfully then must he also by all meanes spurre forward the godly gently louingly exhorting to hold fast the profession of their hope in the assurance of faith making their election more surely knowne vnto themselues by their godly life and the rather to bring them forward herein with willingnes and great readinesse he ought to set before them the wonderfull mercie of the Lord God shewed towards them in that he hath out of all the world elected them to be heires of his kingdome where they shall â—aigne for euer in such vnspeakable ioyes as neither eye hath seeâ—e eare hath heard neither hath at any time entred into the heart of man He must not be ashamed to rebuke reproue such as will not be obedient to the Gospell but remaine still wallowing in their sinne if that wholesome admonitions will not serue hee must not spare to thunder out the iust iudgements of God against them vntill he hath beaten them down to hell with the terrors therof and after true repentance to raise them vp euen to the heauens and daily strengthen them more and more so that to the impenitent hee must pronounce damnation because he is still vnder the law and vnder the curse of the law and that hee shall be sure to be tormented euerlastingly if he doe not repent but the penitent that labour with a burdened conscience for sinne and are wounded with griefe for the same he shall comfort with blessed promises of the Gospell declaring vnto him that hee is not vnder the law but vnder grace and so build him into a liuely faith in Iesus Christ. This must the Minister doe both openly and priuately for it is not sufficient that hee preach the word of God openly in the pulpet but hee must goe to euery mans house and there diligently instruct both him and his house in the feare of God and not as the manner of some is to goe to folks houses to tell them a tale and flatter them with faire words and glozing speeches to the end they might fill their bellie sat another mans table or get some other benefite which hee hunteth after These be hirelings and time-seruers which thrust themselues into the Ministerie for lucres sake and because they would liue idlie and take no paines for their liuing but contrary to the commaundement of God to liue of other mens labours these are not true Ministers but such as the Prophet Malachy speaketh of in the first chapter of his Prophecie The true Pastor must not haue any such purpose but as it is his dutie to labour to winne the soules of his people vnto Iesus Christ so must he vse all meanes both publikely priuately which may further his ministerie and make it profitable We might proue out of diuers places of the word of God this his dutie both by the example of our Sauiour Christ the perfect patterne for al meÌ„ to follow who did not onely preach openly in the Synagogue but priuately in mens houses The Apostles did so likewise and S. Paul witnesseth the same in the 20 chapter of the Acts with these words I kept backe nothing that was profitable but haue shewed you and taught you openly and throughout euery house This is the dutie of a good Pastor The reason hereof is very good because that which is spoken generally to all is regarded of very few or none so wonderfully hath Satan stopped mens eares and blinded their vnderstanding that either they will not hearken at all or else hearing will neuer applie the same to their consciences and therefore to preuent this the Minister shall not sticke to instruct them priuately when as they shall haue no such occasion to apply that to other meÌ„ that is spoken particularly to themselues By this meanes if the Lord hath appointed so they may be brought home or else haue the testimonie of his word in their consciences euen to make them vnexcusable at the latter day Furthermore this must he not seldome now then once in a moneth or euery quarter â—â—â— he cannot so discharge his conscience before the Lord who hath appointed him to feede his flocke continually but this cannot liue and continue without foode no more can the soule liue vnlesse it be coÌ„tinually fed and nourished with the milke of Gods word He must therefore feede them continually as we reade that carefull shepheard S. Paul did when he tooke his leaue to depart from Ephesus after he had committed the keeping of Gods flocke vnto the Elders of the Church and giuen them warning of false teachers which would be busie with them after his departure and therefore exhorted them to watch Remember saith he that by the space of three yeeres I ceased not to warne euery one both night and day with teares This diligence must be in Ministers to be euermore teaching that if the Lord doe not blesse at one time yet he may at another they know not the time wherein the Lord will call any of his flocke he must therefore vse the meanes diligently at all times both in season and out of season as S. Paul writeth to Timothy I charge thee therefore before God and before the Lord Iesus Christ which shall iudge the quicke and the dead at that his appearing and in his
or other that he shall neuer taste of the ioyes laid vp for the children of God In the 20. of the Acts where S. Paul giuing charge of the Church and flock of Gods people vnto the ouerseers thereof giueth this charge first Take heed therefore vnto your selues and to all the flocke whereof the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers to feede the Church of God which hee hath purchased with that his owne bloud The Minister must watch ouer the soules of his flocke but first ouer his owne for hee that cannot keepe his owne soule can much lesse keepe the soules of others hee that cannot gouerne himselfe cannot rule another The Minister must watch ouer the soules of his flocke so carefully and warily feeding them with wholsome and necessarie doctrine and so hungring after the saluation of all that hee must not suffer one through his default to perish therefore aboue all it is requisite that hee keepe his owne very sure Then when hee preacheth damnation vnto the obstinate and such as remaine in their sinnes thundering out the iudgements of God against them because they will not repent by that meanes to beate them downe and bring them to a sight of their miserie hee must be assured that the same belongeth not to himselfe Againe when hee preacheth of election and remission of sinnes by the merits of Iesus Christ hee must haue an assured and vnfallible testimonie to his owne conscience that he is an elect vessell of the Lord that he is redeemed by the sacrifice of Iesus Christ and that he shall enioy all the promises of the Gospell as all other children of God if hee be not assured hereof his case is worse then all other mens for in preaching condemnation to others hee condemneth himselfe and in offering the kingdome of heauen to others he quite excludeth himselfe so that hee which helpeth other out of an hole falleth himselfe so deepe into the same that it is not possible for any man to helpe him out Last of all the Minister must not onely reade and studie the word of God preach the same purely by exhorting and all other meanes that may be profitable vsing them both openly and priuately continually in season and out of season praying also for his flocke that his Ministerie may be profitable vnto them and setting himselfe an ensample of all godlines vnto them carefully watching ouer their soules but hee must also loue them so dearely that his owne life must not be deare vnto him for their sake Which tender and louing affection was in that good childe of God Saint Paul as it is manifest in his Epistle to the Thessalonians where he writeth in this sort Neither sought wee praise of meâ— neither of you nor of others when wee might haue beene chargeable as the Apostles of Christ but we were gentle among you euen as a Nourse that cherisheth her children Thus being affectioned towards you our good will was to haue dealt vnto you not the Gospell of God onely but also your owne soules because yee were deare vnto vs. So singular loue had hee towards them that they were dearer vnto him then his life this affection did hee not beare to them onely but to all the elect children of God and suffered all things for the elects sake that they might also attaine the saluation which is in Christ Iesus with eternall glory The reason thereof is because wheresoeuer the Gospell is sincerely and purely taught there bee alwayes aduersaries seeking the ouerthrowe thereof by persecuting such as professe the same to the great dismaying of the children of God who so soone as they take vpon them the profession of Iesus Christ in truth with a good conscience are straightway resisted with great combats of affliction which were able to make them forsake the faith of Iesus Christ and the profession of the Gospell if the Lord should not hold them vpright in this distresse The Apostle therefore whom the holy Ghost hath filled with all wisdome knowing that the crosse was the greatest hinderance of the Gospell that could be and also that where the Gospell was truely professed there the crosse would not be absent because by it the Lord bringeth his children into glorie of a great desire that hee had to the edification of the Church of Iesus Christ willingly suffered all kinde of afflictions thereby to confirme and strengthen the faith of Gods children and did reioyce in that hee suffered for the Churches sake for their commoditie in that by his example the Lord did not onely worke in them a greater credence and beliefe in the Gospell but such an earnest zeale also that they were readie and willing to suffer all manner of afflictions for the same and that with great ioy Whereas if the Apostle who preached vnto them this glad tidings should haue shrunke from the testimonie of his doctrine when any afflictions were laide vpon him for the same the people which were guided by him the spirit of God so prouiding would haue fallen away from the truth and euen haue hardened their hearts against it But this childe of God was so ready to confirme the faith of Gods people by these meanes when it was tolde him of a Prophet called Agabus that he should be bound at Ierusalem and deliuered into the hands of Gentiles he being intreated of the brethren that he would not goe vp who euen with teares besought the same Then Paul answered and said what doe ye weeping and breaking mine heart for I am readie not to be bound onely but also to die at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus This affection must be in euery good Minister toward their flocke that for their soules sake he shall be readie to suffer all things yea euen to giue his life for the confirmation of his doctrine the strengthening of their faith and the glory of God Our Sauiour Christ also that good shepheard refused not to giue his life for his sheepe and truely in that place of Saint Iohn he doth notably declare the difference betweene the good shepheard and the hireling I am saith he that good shepheard the good shepheard giueth his life for his sheepe but an hireling and he which is not the shepheard neither his sheepe are his owne seeth the wolfe comming and he leaueth his sheepe and fleeth and the wolfe catcheth them and scattereth them So the hireling flieth because he is an hireling and careth not for the sheepe This place teacheth vs plainely that the Ministers of Gods word must not be hirelings such as haue no care of their flocke but respect their owne profit onely and in time of daunger they will forsake them howsoeuer before they haue fed their flocke but the true Ministers must not be such they must not measure their dutie and affection towards their flocke according to their profit but he must know that he is placed ouer them to watch ouer their soules to
seede but of the immortall seede of the word of God who liueth and endureth for euer And therefore it is necessarie that they be obedient vnto their spirituall father which hath begotten them with the word of God that hee may ioyfully extend a fatherly affection towards them which thing the Apostle S. Peter exhorteth them vnto As newe borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that you may growe thereby The Apostle here sheweth a familiar reason why they should be obedient they be as new borne babes We see that little children are not able to guide themselues no not to feede themselues at the first but must be guided and nourished by the helpe of their parents vntill they be able to shift for themselues So must the children of God bee guided and nourished by the word of God that they may grow from strength to strength from faith to faith till they come to a perfect age in Christ. Therefore it is necessarie that the people be obedient vnto the Minister to whome the Lord hath giuen his word to distribute vnto his children and to increase and strengthen their faith in Iesus Christ. But some will say is this giuen to the Ministers onely what if they teach their owne deuises and not the pure word of God and make vs beleeue wee are in an happie case when wee are in most misery and yet desire to be directed in the true pathway vnto saluation I answere that you must therfore trie the doctrine which he bringeth by the touchstone of Gods word and see that it accord therwith for in that the Lord giueth the vnderstanding and interpreting of the scriptures vnto the ministers it is not without great cause that hee doth it when as hee appointeth them by the power of his word as the meanes without which they can doe nothing to bring together his children yea by the sharpe sword of the word to pearce their soules and consciences to the vtter slaying of sinne and with the excellent vertue of the same word to heale them againe which thing if the Ministers for their part shall not faithfully execute in such order as before I intreated of speaking of the duty of Ministers euen that gift the Lorde will so straightly call to account that hee shall beare the danger of euery soule that hath perished through his default Yet shall not the people be hereby discharged for they must try his doctrine as I said before and take heede that they be not seduced for if they be they shall dye in their owne sinnes If any will say that hee is ignorant truly I say he is in a dangerous case but if God hath shewed him such mercie as to make him desirous to bee instructed in the right way to saluation let him craue knowledge at the Lords hand neuer cease but be importunate vpon the Lorde in crauing his holy spirite to worke in him all spirituall grace to worke in him true Faith and to assure him of his saluation all other worldly respects set aside and let him vse great diligence in harkening to the word of God and be obedient vnto the same Moreouer let him withdraw himselfe from all euill company and frequent the companie of the godly and no doubt but the Lord will strengthen him to worke his will whereby he shall know of the doctrine whether it bee of God or not according to the rule which our Sauiour Christ giueth vs to knowe it by Hee that speaketh of himselfe seeketh his owne glorie but hee that seeketh the glorie of him that sent him the same is true and such must wee obey in the Lord. Now we see as it is our duty to obey the true Minister and such as carefully watch ouer our soules with the most wholsome word of God so must wee beware that we suffer not our selues to be seduced by false teachers and therefore wee must proue their doctrine by the word of God But last of all if any shall preach Iesus Christ sincerely and purely hauing some infirmitie we must not therfore reiect him but obey him for the truth sake and consider that we are all subiect to infirmities and that to some one more than another and therefore it is our dutie christian like to admonish him thereof and no doubt if he be the seruant of God he will giue him more strength against the same Besides this obedience the dutie of the people toward their Minister must extend further and they must also reuerence him and giue him honor else it is most certaine that obedience cannot take place which we may see by the example of the woman of Samaria who notwithstanding the great curtesie of our Sauiour Christ in telling her what he was and what he could do for her yet would she not obey him at the first but tell to taunting and ouerthwarting of him too vnreuerētly but when he had touched her conscience and laid open her wickednes so that she saw plainely he was another manner of man than she tooke him for then she began to reuerence him and said O sir I see that thou art a Prophet and then she obeyed him and desired to learne of him so before she obeyed she conceiued a reuerence of him and accounted of him as a Prophet It is also manifest in the 2. of the Acts when as the wonderfull miracle could not bring the people to obey the Apostles yet afterward when Peter with his sharpe sermon had touched their hearts in such sort that they felt the power that God had giuen them they began to reuerence them and where as before they were not ashamed to say that they were drunken with new wine now they cryed out Men and brethren what shall we doe which words doe plainely declare what a reuerent opinion they haue conceiued of them and after that they became obedient vnto them Common experience sheweth vs the same for which of you will commit your matter to any Lawyer except you haue a reuerent opinion of him that he can pleasure you and a sure trust that he will doe the best he can for the furtherance of your cause Likewise in Physick there is no man that will cōmit his life into the Physitians hand vnlesse he be first perswaded that he can by the help of God ease his griefe and that he is willing also to do what lieth in him except I say a man be thus perswaded of the Physition he will not commit himselfe into his hands nor yet obey those orders that he shall prescribe so is it in this the people must be obedient to the Minister therefore they must reuerence him or else it is not possible that they should obey him The Apostle S Paul doth notably amplifie the honor due to the true and faithfull Ministers The Elders that rule well saith he let them be had in double honour specially they which labour in the word and doctrine as if he should say let
those Elders which are appointed to watch and looke to the manners and behauior of the children of God if they execute this charge faithfully be had in double honour but aboue all let the faithfull Ministers such as labour in the word be honoured for why the other are ouerseers of your outward behauior but these haue an other manner of office they watch ouer your soules which tendeth to the saluation both of body and soule Moreouer it is requisite that they also feare the Minister or else can they in no ease reuerence and honour him for where feare is not all honour is absent and so consequently all dutie extinguished And this feare must not be a fained and counterfeited feare but when he shall come before the Minister to aske him any question he must consider that he commeth to talke with the messenger of the Lord whom he ought to heare as well as if the Lord himselfe were present For this is most certaine where a faithful Minister is that doth sincerely and purely preach the word it is all one as if the Lord himselfe dwelt personally among vs and his owne selfe hath verified the same saying He that heareth you heareth me And therefore it behooueth vs to giue a proofe of our feare loue and obedience towards the Lord by receiuing his word with such feare and reuerence as beseemeth his subiects although the same proceede out of a mortall mans mouth It is a common thing among vs the Embassadour of a Prince is receiued with great honour reuerence yea his message is to be receiued as vndoubtedly as if the King were present himself yea they that shall despise his authoritie shall be as hainously accounted of as if they resisted and rebelled against the Kings owne person And shall the Embassadours of the liuing God who is King of all Kings be receiued lesse worthily than the other whose authoritie is both greater and the message waightier Truly whosoeuer shall take scorne to yeeld this dutie of feare and reuerence vnto the Minister let him be assured that he scorneth not him but the Lord that sent him But some will obiect what shall we make a God of our Minister and is he so to be feared as you say I answere thee that I meane nothing lesse nay I hold him accursed that shal chalenge such dignity vnto himselfe But this feare must ye yeeld not to the person but to his office which is by the word of God to remit your sinnes and to giue you assurance that they are washed away by the blood of Christ if you be truly penitēt for them and that you are made heires of the kingdome of heauen whereof you need not to doubt On the contrarie if you be not penitent by his office hee hath authoritie to binde sinnes here on earth iustly to euerlasting condemnation which the vnpenitent may be as sure to suffer as they see the light of the day feare him therefore I say not as he is a man but as the Minister of God With what a reuerend feare did the Galathians receiue Paul his owne selfe doth report that they receiued him as an Angell of God yea more than so they receiued him as Iesus Christ himselfe And that was not for the excellencie of his person which hee testifieth was simple base vile and to all the world contemptible yea and subiect to all infirmities but they receiued him with such feare and reuerence for that excellent message which hee brought vnto them for those glad tidings which hee published among them and for that hee was a Minister of the Gospell of Iesus Christ which is the power of God to saue all the beleeuers Thus reuerently must all Gods children feare their Minister euen for the worthines of his office and ministery for if they should not feare him they could not in any case obey the word when hee doth sharply reproue them for their sinnes but euen as a light wife so long as her husband pleaseth her so long and no longer will she be obedient vnto him for if he shew a sharp countenance of very loue to driue her from some lewd cōditions then will she begin to scorne to fret and chafe and in stead of obeying him she will deadly hate him and despise him so is it with the people if they stand not in feare of the authority which God hath giuen him they will obey him no longer than he preacheth pleasant things for when he shall touch their consciences with threatning the iudgemēts of God against their sin then can they not abide him but harden their hearts not against him but against the Lord which hath sent him and so fall away to their vtter destruction the children of God must therefore feare their Minister and be obedient to the word of truth which hee bringeth vnto them When the people are come thus farre that they will willingly obey the Minister and that with feare and reuerence submit themselues to bee guided by the pure word of God they must shew further their dutifulnes towards him and must also bee readie to doe for him whatsoeuer lieth in their power which thing S. Paul earnestly desireth of the Thessalonians Wee beseech you brethren that yee acknowledge them which labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonish you that you haue them in singular loue for their workes sake Where the holy Ghost sheweth a reason why they should acknowledge their Ministers which carefully faithfully doe execute their office which is for their workes sake his exhortation is in effect thus much Brethren this one thing doe I heartily craue at your hands that you be not so obliuious as to forget those which labour among you in the Lord and are by his appointment euen of great mercie towards you placed ouer you to the end they may admonish you of your sinnes and to stirre you vp by the word of God to a more zeale of the glorie of God and to walke more circumspectly before him I beseech you I say be not forgetfull of them but haue them in a singular loue yea let nothing be dearer vnto you than such for this worke sake which they haue taken in hand for I tell you truly there is no labour vnder the Sunne so profitable vnto you as this which bringeth not store of corruptible siluer and gold not large kingdomes and empires of this world which shall perish and come to an end but this profit commeth of their labour euen the saluation of your soules such a treasure as all the world no not a thousand worlds are comparable vnto it for this cause loue them Besides this it is their dutie also to prouide for him all things necessarie for that he may haue to supplie his want at their hands as we may by diuers places of the Scripture proue In the 6. to the Galathians the Apostle giueth this commandement Let him that is taught
Ministers be placed ouer the people as the wicked liuers false teachers or domb dogs it is most certaine that the Lord hath set them euen to plague the people for their sinnes Last of all the people must pray cōtinually both for themselues and for their Minister that the Lord may bestow vpon him the perfect gifts of prophecying and vpon vs obedient hearts to the word that the Lord may bee glorified in our life and conuersation which thing S. Paul desireth in his Epistles as in the 4. Chapter to the Colossians Continue saith he i◠prayer and watch in the same with thankesgiuing Pray also for vs that God may open vnto vs the doore of vtterance to speake the mysterie of Christ that I may vtter it as becommeth me to speake The like thing doth he require in the 6. to the Ephesians In both which places the Apostle noteth how needefull a thing it is for the people to pray not onely for themselues but for their Minister also for that the Lord God giueth his gifts to none but them which faithfully call vpon him and continually craue the same at his hand It behoueth the people therefore to pray for their Minister that the Lord will powre vpon him the aboundance of his spirit which may open vnto him the mysteries of his most holy word that he may be able to teach them all the counsell of the Lord. In the second Epistle to the Thessalonians and 3. Chapter he vseth these words Furthermore brethren pray for vs that the word of the Lord may haue free passage and bee glorified euen as it is with you and that we may be deliuered from vnreasonable and euill men for all men haue not faith Here doth the Apostle giue charge also that the congregation do pray for the florishing of the Gospell and the faithful Ministers thereof that the word might so much be preached and the Church of Christ thereby increased he willeth them to pray for the quiet estate of the Ministers that the Lord would deliuer them out of the hands of their aduersaries which seek not so much the destruction of the Ministers but the ouerthrow of the Gospell because they haue not faith to become partakers of the promises thereof which is only the gift of God vnto his children which shall be saued for if that all men should be saued all should haue faith but because all cannot be saued all cannot haue faith Then wee see a notable meane to attaine those things which are profitable for vs euen by prayer If therefore you desire such a Pastor as shall loue you and you him againe pray vnto the Lord for such a one If you would haue him able to teach you and your selues made obedient to his doctrine pray hartily If you would haue him long pray vnto the Lord to continue him among you and to giue him fauour in the eyes of the Magistrates to defend him from all wicked aduersaries that yee may liue peaceably together and bee builded vp into a strong faith by the word of God without any perturbation Now as it is the dutie of the whole congregation generally to pray together with one consent both for themselues their Minister Prince Magistrates and all other people so it is euerie mans dutie particularly at home at his own house to pray for them and that not once or twise now and then very seldome but daily yea continually Thus shall both the Minister and the people doe their dutie to their wonderfull comfort and glorie The third part concerning the fruites that come of the well doing of these duties both to the Minister and the people THese duties thus performed bring wonderfull commoditie And first of all if the Minister doe his dutie in preaching exhorting liuing praying and watching ouer his flocke with that care of the glorie of God and that desire of the saluation of his people that he ought this profit shall he haue The Lord will blesse his labour and he shall make an acceptable and ioyfull account and this which farre passeth all the rest he shall saue his owne soule and because he hath been a faithfull seruant ouer a little the Lord will make him his gouernour ouer a great deale euen in his kingdome of blessednes If the people do their duty vnto the Minister in obeying reuerencing him fearing him louing and prouiding all things for him and last of all in praying faithfully for him they shall make him a glad man and sturre him vp with great ioy to do for them all that be can and euen in great afflictions the remembrance of their dutifulnes and constant faith shall minister abundāce of consolatiō that he shal be forced to say with the Apostle Paul What thankes can we recompence to God againe for you for all the ioy wherewith wee reioyce before the Lord for your sake Thus shall they fill him with ioy and so winne his heart that hee had a thousand liues he would gladly giue them for their sakes to doe them good and moreouer the Lord wil blesse him in great measure for their sake with knowledge that he may be the more profitable vnto them and in the ende their soules shall be saued which is an vnspeakable treasure farre passing all other things Moreouer though the people do not their duty but become obstinate and storme and rage against the faithfull Minister which hath a care ouer them so that they doe grieue his heart through their disobedience yet if he doe his dutie in reading preaching and other points which I haue alreadie declared he shall notwitstanding saue his owne soule and also if the will of God be so he shall by his diligence winne them if not hee must be contented to submit himselfe and his doing to the will of the Lord and knowe the word of God shall haue his effect euen to make them inexcusable at the dreadfull day whereby the Lord shall be as greatly glorified as if they were saued Againe if the people do their dutie faithfully in the Lord towards their Minister being either a wicked liuer or not so zealous and true a teacher as hee ought to bee either the Lord will remoue him and place ouer them a faithfull shepheard or conuert him and bring him to do his dutie more carefully or else stirre vp other helpes for them So their soules shall be saued and he shall perish The fourth part of the danger for not doing these duties faithfully NOw wee haue seene the great fruites that come of well doing these duties both to the Minister and the people we may thereby see what danger insueth of the contrarie that is not of doing them For whereas if the Ministers doe their dutie faithfully the Lord will blesse their labours so that their account may be acceptable and their soules saued so on the cōtrarie if they do not their dutie truly as they ought and seeke the glory of God
Ministers to be preached sincerely and purely vnto his people And heere we learne by the way that the people must beware that they bee not seduced with false doctrine and mans inuention therefore they must proue the doctrine to accord with the word of God and then be obedient vnto it Secondly besides obedience wee haue learned that they must also reuerence him because they cannot obey his doctrine except they haue a reuerent opinion of him as we see by the woman of Samaria and the people that S. Peter conuerted Thirdly it is requisite that they feare him for where feare is not there honor and reuerence must needes bee absent And thus haue we heard that they ought to feare him not in respect of his person but for his office sake not as he is a man but in that he is the messenger and Minister of God Fourthly they must loue him and that vnfainedly with all their heart being ready to help him in all distresses Fiftly they must prouide for him that he may haue to maintaine himselfe and his familie to entertaine strangers and buy him bookes that he may not with any worldly care bee drawne from doing of his dutie Sixtly they must pray for him continually and for themselues also that hee may be able to teach and they to receiue the word profitably 3 These duties being wel performed bringeth this commoditie The Ministers labour shall be profitable his account acceptable and his soule saued The people shall make their minister ioyfull and louing vnto them willing to labour for their profit and in the end they shall raigne together in the kingdome of heauen Also if the Minister doth his dutie faithfully though the people doe not their yet hee shall saue his soule Likewise if the people doe their dutie and not the Minister the Lord will so prouide that they shall enioy eternall felicitie 4 Last of all if these duties be not performed we haue learned how great dangers they are in that neglect the same if the Minister his labour shall be cursed he shall be called to a streight account and shall answere for euerie soule that hath perished and so become a diuell in hel for euer If the people doe not their dutie they shall grieue their Pastor make him vnprofitable and in the end be tormented in vtter darknes for euer The Lord of all power deale mercifully with vs for his deare Sonne Iesus Christs sake and graunt such grace both vnto the Ministers of his word that they may carefully doe their duties with that feare of his name that reuerēce of his Maiestie that zeale of his glorie and that desire of the saluation of his people that they ought and that the people may so obediently and willingly receiue thy word and Ministers thereof as shall bee most for thy glorie and the profit of their soules that after this life ended wee may dwell together in thy kingdome of glorie with thy Sonne our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ to whom with thee and the holy Ghost three persons and one true and most wise God be al honour and glorie for euer Amen OF THE CONFESSION OF SINNES THE FIFTEENTH SERMON Prouerbs 28. vers 13. He that hideth his sins shall not prosper but he that confesseth and forsaketh them shall haue mercie THere are two parts of this verse Hiding of sinnes with punishments and Confessing with mercie It is not my manner to restraine a precept generall but according to circumstances to speake of generall things generally Here both the sinne of hiding sinnes is taught to bee auoided and the vertue of confessing sinnes to be practised A matter not obserued for error hath been much spoken against but truth not so throughly taught which is the cause of the small proceeding of the Gospell Example in Consubstantiation and Transubstantiation in the Sacrament where the true manner of Christs presence is not knowne because it hath not been taught as it should Example in superstitious holidaies the breaknecke of the Lords Sabbaths mē now not sparing to worke on the Lords day also because they haue not been taught to sanctifie it Example of Lent fast wherein the abuse of fasting hauing been checked and the manner of right fasting so little opened it is come to passe that men knowe not how truly to fast Example of the butcherly discipline once entred the truth of discipline not being spoken of it maketh men thinke that now to speake of it is to make euery one a Pope in his owne parish So likewise of Eare confession the grosse abuses whereof hauing been reprooued but the right vse of confession passed ouer vntaught men care not to confesse either to God or men and if they doe either it is rather vpon the commandements of men than vpon the consideration of iudgement and mercies Whereby also all conference and examination is taken from the Minister to whom examinatiō is not to be denied though al things be not to be disclosed And againe acknowledging of sinnes and priuate and publike reconciliation haue vtterly ceased My brethren teach the truth teach the truth for by want hereof it is come to passe that first the peace of mens consciences is not prouided for secondly our winnings are not so great as our losings thirdly God is not glorified The peace of conscience is not looked vnto for when thou knowest what thou shouldest not doe thy conscience straight accuseth thee for doing the euill thou shouldest not but because thou art not taught the good thou shouldest doe thou canst not pursue after it with comfort Our losses haue been greater thā our winnings because the good of men hath not been prouided for by building thē vp For though they heare sinnes spoken against yet seeing godlines and religion to decay the Lords day not being celebrated with reuerence men not prepared for the receiuing of the holy Sacrament neuer fasting neuer confessing c. yet the weake are not staied or drawne on but fal away the aduersaries mouth is not stopped but set wide open because truth is not enough spoken of and practised God is not glorified for they who are wonne are not so truly wonne but become hypocrites and many are not wonne at all because the truth is not fully deliuered for hearing some things spoken against they are led to contrarie heresies by reason they were not grounded in the truth which teacheth it selfe and errors also as good sheweth euil and it selfe also We must then teach loue and practise good things as we must reprooue hate and not doe that which is euill Which manner of teaching because it hath not been in vse we cannot now get credit to peoples mindes being inured with other kinde of teaching Confession is either priuate or publike Priuate first vnto the Lord secondly vnto men first for our owne sinnes secondly for the sinnes of others Publike first vnto God with men and before men secondly vnto God and vnto men That which cannot be done
to tempt vs to euill nor any euill wrought to take example by yet there abideth enough in the heart to corrupt the whole man For there is no euill in the wickedest man of the world but it is in mee and would appeare vnlesse the Lord did suppresse it 8 He was desirous still to keepe himselfe from deadnes and tried his heart with thankfulnes by speaking somewhat after meate receiued to the glorie of God if God gaue any good matter into his minde so to take it if euery one were silent then to raise vp some good occasion of speaking by reading or singing which were so vsed that when other things came in place to the aforesaid end they were surceased from because customable sticking to any thing bringeth lesse reuerence and profit And among other things he was very glad to speake somewhat to such whom he thought after God might make instruments to teach it to others more effectually than he could expresse it which thing he said we should learne of the Apostle Paul 2. Tim. 2. 2. CHAP. XXXVI Of hearing Gods Word TF the Psalmist Psal. 94. could make his argument Hee that hath planted the eare shall he not heare much more may we argue thus He that hath planted the eare shall not hee be heard Shall not hee heare saith Dauid shall not he be heard say we And surely in his creation he planted the eare to this end and therefore by the title of creating vs hee hath good interest to the eare but if the title of creation will not serue yet in respect that he preserueth vs continually which wee call his prouidence that interest may serue but if that serue neither yet Adam hauing through sinne alienated himselfe from God his soule his bodie and so his eares too by the right of Redemption the Lord hauing purchased vs a new and buying euery iot of vs againe as it were at the second hand in this right he may surely claime our eares Now if hee may claime them as they be his and in truth they be his then must we heare him or if they be not his and by no right appertaine to him then we are not the Lords Israel But if wee bee the Lords then I say the Lord hath saide hee cannot abide that a candle being light should be put vnder a bushell and that our eares which appertaine to him should be put to no vse which if they be they little or nothing differ from a carued image who hath eyes and seeth not eares and heareth not He will not haue vs come to the Church and the word beate and beate vpon vs and no more stirre vs than it doth the pillars or seates we sit on wherein we shew our selues to be but idoll Christians or counterfeite professors Then if wee must needes heare the nexte thing to be inquired of is the speciall subiect or obiect of our hearing We can heare a noise as of the beating of the ayre of the winde of the thunder or such like though it be not a voyce but alas a bare sound can doe nothing Secondly then wee heare a voyce but this is common to vs with beasts and what can the bellowing of oxen or the bleating of sheepe doe vs good So then neither a noise nor a voyce is here to be stood vpon which can doe vs no good How then there is yet a better thing and that is a word wherein one may expresse the excellent meaning of his minde to another and man may open himselfe to man Well then a sound is a thing inferiour a voice is somewhat more excellēt but a word is without question the best of all to increase our knowledge Now if the word be the most principal I would gladly know of him that is farthest from God if there be any word better or more worth the hearing than the word of God Then if we ascend from a sound to a voyce and from the voyce to a word and from a word to the word of God we see the word of God to be most principall and good cause there is why it should so bee the speaker of it is aboue all creatures and therefore his word must be aboue the word of all other creatures Whereunto if wee ioyne but the consideration of our reuerend regard in hearing but a Prince or a meaner Magistrate how we listen marke his speech scan and stand vpon euery word he speakes to vs to see what most concernes vs this will surely condemne vs for our negligence and carelesnesse in hearing the word of the Lord. But seeing the word is the best thing we will draw out another reason which is that wee then best imploy our eares when wee heare the word and in hearing can say Now I heare the best thing that I can heare this is the sweetest sound and now mine eares are put to the best vse I heare not onely a sound but a voice a word and the very word of God so are our handes best imployed when they are receiuing the sacraments our eyes when they are reading our feete when they bring vs to the house of God When wee thus haue once set our selues in worke we may well say All that I haue is in their best estate and put to the best kinde of dutie because our senses and the parts of our bodies are about the busines of sauing of our soules about the busines of the Lords glorie The Heathen said that the goodly ornaments of the world and frame of all things was most worthy the seeing as though a man were borne and came into this life onely to take a view of them and so to depart without hauing any vse or profite of them though he neuer felt the power of the Sunne or the sweetnes of flowers or any other thing much more may I say so much of the word though a man should neuer haue benefit by it yet so good it is of it selfe that it is most worthy the hearing though it be nothing but heard But besides our hearing the Lord hath ioyned a speciall profit to the word as either the sauing or condemning of our selues so that the word is therefore more carefully to be heard because it is accompanied with such a benefit as the sauing of our soules God saith Iohn so loued the world that he gaue his only begotten sonne for vs that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life But how shall we beleeue saith Paul Rom. 10. if we heare not how shall we heare without preaching and how shall they preach vnlesse they be sent So that it is preaching that brings hearing hearing breedes beleeuing and by beleeuing we are saued and so howsoeuer the iolly fellowes of this world and others accompt thereof to bee but madnesse or foolishnes this same foolishnes of preaching saith Paul bringeth saluation this foolish thing I say of preaching and this
meate which though he eate against his stomacke and presently feeleth no benefite of it yet we knowe by experience it doth him good and himselfe afterward shall receiue the same In our great feare we are lesse to be feared those are to feare which feare not Sometimes the Lord doth bring vnbeleeuers that wander from him by crooked waies vnto himselfe Reuerence those words and workes of God which you vnderstand not As the sense of an aguish man is corrupt so is the iudgement of one that is in temptation Muscul. so that things that are either seeme not to be or not such as they are The patient bearing of miserie is an acceptable sacrifice vnto God When the Goldsmith putteth a peece of gold into the fire to make better vse of it it seemeth to the vnskilfull that he vtterly marreth it so the children of God in affliction seeme to the iudgement of the naturall man vndone and brought to nothing but spirituall things are spiritually discerned As none can discerne of the Sunne but by his owne light so neither of the Spirit Hereof arise the diuers iudgements of the tempted of themselues because sometime the good spirit doth inlighten them and other times they are left in their naturall blindnes and Satan also easily deluded them Beleeue alwaies your estate to be the worke of God and varie not therein for your humiliation your consolation the glorie of God and the good of others Beware that you doe not often alter your iudgement of your estate as saying sometimes it is God his worke sometimes Melancholie sometimes your weaknes and simplicitie sometimes witcherie sometimes Satan for these diuers thoughts will much trouble you you may thinke Melancholie may bee an occasion but no cause and so of the rest Looke stedfastly to the hand of God surely resting on this that hee not onely knoweth thereof but that whatsoeuer is done directly or indirectly by meanes or immediatly al is done and gouerned by him Beware of reasoning of musing of solitarines of impatiencie of spirit of murmuring of anger enuie wishes suspitions ielousies too often eating c. or fastings much medling with wordly businesse or much idlenes lying musing in bed vaine mirth Say not you cannot be helped for that may hinder the worke of God Say not if I were in such and such a place I should be well Whereas in consideration of the falling away of many excelling you both in the ages and graces of the new birth you feare you shall not perseuere to the end your meditation and collection is good so long as it preserues you from the carelesnesse of your flesh but it is euill when it would dissolue the assurednes of your faith Indeede so long as you looke vpon your selfe you haue cause of feare because you are vnable to prolong as you are to begin new birth but if you looke to God you haue nothing but matter of faith for that whom he once loueth he loueth for euer Againe as a man swimming in deepe waters is neuer in danger of drowning so long as his head continueth aboue the waters so though you swimme in deepe feare of dangerous temptations yet you are sure and secure because Christ Iesus your head is still aboue all your troubles and therefore is able to draw you his member to the shore of saluation without all perill of perishing It is hard to take vp and beare the yoke of Christ but much harder it is to continue drawing and panting in it vnto the end This caused a godly father to pronounce that in godlines not so much the beginnings as the endings are to be looked to Iudas began gloriously but he ended shamefully Paul began ill but he ended well Then let vs say to our owne soules Good Lord what if our first loue be growne cold how fearfull is it to come a great way out of Sodome and in the end to become a pillar of salt Oh let vs neuer put our hand to the plough and looke backe keepe vs deare God from the beginning in the spirit and ending in the flesh Oh suffer vs not to be the first in outward vocation and the last in inward sanctification let vs feare hauing beene once lightned to be darkened Remember how sometime thy heart hath wrought and trauelled in prayer how the springs of your ioy haue beene in the Lord and his Christ how all thy delights haue been in his Saints how it hath beene thy glorie in singing and praising to be familiar with thy God These former fruites make me looke for after fruites A streight course of religion is somewhat an vncomfortable companion but blessed be that mortificatioÌ„ which so farre estrangeth vs from the world that it chaÌ„geth vs to the similitude of Christ to whom we must be coÌ„formed in sufferings that we may be like him in glorie Suffer not your heat to bee straight narrow and vncomfortable in heauenly things this draweth away both the breath and bud and the life of true godlinesse The Lord keepe you from euill and the Lord satisfie you with gladnesse the Lord giue you the spirit of prayer and heare your prayers the Lord bee your teacher your guide and your comfort oh pray pray pray it is the best sacrifice to God and the most comfortable duty you can doâ— I am not loth to put you in minde of these things you haue many carefull for you in other things O pardoÌ„ me if I be bold in this one thing I trust I reioyce more in the good of your soule than euer I should reioyce in the fruite of mine owne bodie it would be a thousand deaths to me as tenne thousand hels to see your soule miscaâ—ie O let me be accepted more than a ciuill friend more than a friend of the world giue me this benefit to be thought further than a friend in the flesh No griefe shame or sorrow pleaseth the Lord which goeth altogether separated from a sweete perswasion of his fauour Againe no pleasing our selues in the assurance of pardon is acceptable to God which altogether reiecteth the care of espying bewailing and auoiding of sinne Wherefore let this be the barre and bound of your affections in these cases so long as Christ goeth with you so long as the mercies of God accompanie you so long as the grace of the Spirit shineth vpon you be dealing with your sinnes and condemne them to death likewise while you are tender of conscience afraide of sinne reuerently prepared to walke holily with your God laugh at Sathans accusations despise destruction and set at nought the terrors of hell You neuer erre one way or other but by failing of one or both of these that is either in your griefes you are grieued without comfort or in your ioyes you reioyce without reuerence whereby it falles out in the end that as in vnnecessarie griefes you can finde no spirituall pleasure
the viewe of such iudgements 1 2 3 4 5 Diem or Sabbathum 6 7 Of vnthankfulnes Vse of the creatures Simile How God tempteth vs. Phil. 2. 14. 15. Deut. 29 21. God trieth men as well by benefits as by wants The triall of our seruice and zeale of God The Diuels obiectioÌ„ Iob. 1. Doth Iob feare God for nothing Trial of faith We are as ready to mur mur as the Israelites What it is to tempt God To sin against knowledge is a tempting of God God beares long with the offences of our ignorance To refuse knowledge is a tempting of God Dauids sins 1. Sam. 2. 1. Cor. 10. To tremble in teÌ„ptation Simile Application of doctrine how necessarie Simile Truth how great speciall arguments 1 1. Father 2. Sonne 3. Holy Ghost 2 3 Men may be compared to laÌ„dor earth Note There are three kindes of truth Note The true standard of truth Note Truth in simplicitie of speech Truth in action Truth of the Common-wealth Truth in the Church Simile Verball profession Why Truth is not found among vs. Contempt of the Worde dangerous Familiaritas parit contemptum veritas parit odium Three good mothers bring forth three euill daughters Note Charitie is true The people of Mediolanum or Millaine Amittere animas quà m Episcopum The world followes and fauours the Gospell when it brings prosperitie with it Against scorners Adde these foure sections to the chapter of Temptation Simile The cure of Witches Voweâ— Wonders Notes of diuine wonders Who be deceiued with the lying wonders of Antichrist Simile The law Morall was before Moses and obserued in the in the Church before it was written The light of the Gospell hath dispeld the mist of Popery The Lord often vseth vehement speeches to spurre our dull hearts In Rhethorike Permssio cum Catastrophe In Logicke Per obliquum ductum Why God vseth vehemencie of speech and how we must reade it Risus Dei prae omni ira Dei. quod cum risu loquitur tâ— leges cum luctu A speciall grace to be humbled by the word Wonders * So the sinne hardneth the clay but softe neth the wax Sacraments Admonition The Fathers of the first age had the word Titles giuen to the word Duo ecclesiae vbera Cum Deus aliquid dieit etfiâ—d non amplâ—us quam semeâ— dicat ea fide ac deuotione accipien dum est ac â—i saepissimè dixerit Chrysoâ—t aduers. vituper Monasticae vitae Will worship Numb 20. Obedience Good workes Three signes of good works 1. Word 2. Faith 3. The end Gods glorie On whom to conferre our well doings Protestants most bouÌ„d to good workes 1 2 3 Motiues to good works 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Perdere beneficium dare non dare perdere We must doe good though it seeme to be in vaine Good works Scôtos tò exóteroâ— Amartimata exótera Extreame sinnes goe into extreame darknes We must doe good to all men 1 2 3 To doe good duties to the soule 4 Conferre this chapter with the sermon of zeale in the third part True zeale the properties thereof Conferre this with the 3. sermon of zeale the third part The recompence of true zeale Note Properties of true zeale 1 2 Zealous in a ceremonie in principall points as cold as ice Two rules 2 Hypocrisie vncased A third Rule A true triall of our zeale A fourth Rule Good notes of true zeale How to be grieued for the sinnes of others A fift rule Prouision for the Ministerie The cause of many 〈◊〉 contemâ—â—â— in the Church A sixt rule Anâ—er aâ—â— sorrow 〈…〉 be ten 〈…〉 toge 〈…〉 Coâ—s 〈…〉 mens ag 〈…〉 sinne Note * The old heretikâ—s Virtus est medium vtrinque reductum 2 Psal. 32. 1. Psal. 103. Simile Order Praeposteratio annihilat actum 1 Sterile officium Non facienduÌ„ quia multifaciunt sed quia bonum Vt bonum faciaÌ„ an bene satis mihi suÌ„t pauâ—i satis vnus satis nullus Augustine Si poteÌ„tiores faciunt non faciam quia faciunt sed gaudeo quia faciunt H◠ô theò◠ekathárise su mè koinou Touto gar esti to thélema tou theou ho agiasmos humôn Meanes for the sanctification of the Sabbath 2 Guides 1 2. 3. 3 4 1 2 3 4 * Visito poto cibo redimo lego rolligo condo * Corrige fuade doce solaâ—e remitte fer oâ—â— The Sabbaths vse Punishment for the breach of the Sabbath Recreations Sabbaths rest Sabbath a signe Nostri iuris Excommunication How dangerous to despise the censures of the Church Psal. 19. Discretion necessarie in discipline 1. King 9. Oratorious periods in preaching Patrones of Churches falsely so called Negligent Pastors Shame how to discerne it Impudencie of our times Obiection Answere 1 Two notes of Gods anger in exercising vs after sinne with shame 2 A secret hiding of sinne Sabbath Rom. 3. 28. Popish perfection Puritans be the old Catharoi and the Paepists Apt similitudes in scrip ture sorting and fitting all callings to instruct all degrees concerning Gods kingdome To stirre vp our owne drie and barren hearts considering and viewing the fruitfulnes of the ground Ioh. 15. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Matth. 3. To trie the hart whether it be barren Foure signes 1 1. If our eares hearts lie common for passengers 2 2. If we be not busie to driue away bad and corrupt affections 3 3. No blessings better vs. 4 4. The preaching of Gods worde discernes it to be fallow SathaÌ„s policy 1 3 1. Cor. 7. 4 Luk. 8. Mark 4. Matth. 13. 5 Matth. 7. Regeneration To leaue sin to repent of sin differ Opus operatum 1. TeÌ„ptation 2. TeÌ„ptation 3. Exercises of religion 4. Comfort discoÌ„fort 5 False feare 6. To discerne the spirit 7. Carnall securitie 8 Complaining 6. Disputation 10 Punishment 11 Not to distrust Gods helpe 12. Secret thoughts and speeches 13. Enuie 14. How to be affected in others weale woe 15. Crosses with blessings 16. Want of an outward blessing 17 Calling 18. Motiues vnto prayer 19. Sinne. 20. Iustification and sanctification 21 The bloud of Christ must be sprinckled by the holie Ghost in our heart Christ fastiÌ„g and prayer 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Note well this rule 20 21 22 23 24 Simile 25 A sweete Prayer 26 27 28 A sweete counsell 29 Friends not prâ—fiting in godlinesse 30 False feare Gal. 2. 20. In temptations striue to stand in faith and not to yeeld to the aduersarie Our corruptioÌ„ desires delights in the meanes we cannot haue Blindnes of mind hard nes of heart Many false perswasions come to the weak for waÌ„t of sound iudgement 1. Cor. 10 13. Esay 63. 15. Esay 59. 10. Esay 38. 14. Psal. 51. 10. The feelings of the faithfull in temptation lost Two kinds of hardnes of heart 1 Not perceiued nor felt 2. Perceiued and felt B. of 2. sorts 1. of purpose to resist good motions 2. Securely negligeÌ„tly to lie in sinne * or discerned The second kind of hardnes of heart not felt Note the difference between perceiued felt 2. kinde of hardnes perceiued felt is of two sorts Esay 63. A troubled conscience perswaded his sinne is pardonable but yet not feeling it is pardoned yet it may be God hath pardoned it as we see in Dauid Satan driues the faithfull in their teptations to be weary of yea sometimes to refuse the meanes The prayer of Christ belongeth to vs as well as to the Apostles 10. 17. Heb 13. Rom. 7. 2. Cor. 1. 23. There may be faith with out feeling Psal. 51. 3. 10. Vers. 11. Vers. 12. Sathan and melancholie disquiet afflicted soules Psal. 51. Esay 17. 19. Esay 11. 6. Leuit. 5. 15. Numb 15. 38. Ignorance and error differ Gods childreÌ„ may fall after their calling into many foule faults Exod. 24. 6. 7. Esay 1. 10. 11. Vers. 8. Esay 31. 6. Esay 63. 10. Esay 63. 9. Iere. 31. 18. 20. Psal. 50. 5. 22. Psal. 89. 30. 1. Ioh. 2. 2. 1. Cor. 1. 6. 7. 1. Cor. 3. 15. 2. 3. 1. Cor. 10. 7. 13. Psal. 19. 13. True humilitie proceedeth from faith 2. Cor. 1. 4. The testimonie of the spirit The nature of faith Maâ—k 9. 24. Matth. 17. 2. Colos. 2. 10. 1. Cor. 1. 30. Rom. 8. 34. Rom. 5. 19. 2. Cor. 5. 21. 2. Cor. 1. 20. Coloâ— 1. 19. Rom. 8. 1. 1. Ioh. 21. Dispute not with Sathan intemptation Whether we haue faith or not Ioh. 8. 24. 25. Mark 2. 24. Act. 16. 18. A desciption of faith 2. Tim. 1. 12. Simile Simile The afflicted desireth to be leeue cannot discerne his estate Matth. 4. Ioh. 5. Temptation what it may teach vs. Simile Resistance in temptation a sure signe of faith and grace Remedie in temptation 1. Dispute not with Sathan 2. Exercise prayer reading 3. Be painfull in the workes of thy calling Faith proued by the fruits Psal. 77. 6. Psal. 119. Iob. 31. Rom. 3. 28. Rom. 8. 10. Ioh. 15. 2. Rom. 7. 17. Rom. 6. 2. Death the complement of mortification Loathing of this life c. Phil. 1. 21. Comfort froÌ„ the exercises of pietie The hearing of the word Prayer Praising of God Sacraments Simile To record our faith and comforts past Heb. 10. 32. 34. Iob. 29 3. Psal 77 6 12. Psalme 23 all Rom 8 16. Rom â—1 29. Ioh 13 1. The testimony of the spirit of adoption better theÌ„ the testimony of men and Angels Simile An eclipse of faith In teÌ„ptations how we conspire with Sathan against our selues 1. Pet. 5. 9. 1. Ioh 5. 4. Ephes. 6. 16. CoÌ„mfort froÌ„ the benefits of this life Rom. 8. 28. A speciall fauour of God to haue his faithfull seruants to pitie vs in our afflictions Matth. 18. 18. Esay Iam. 5. 15 Vers. 41. Ioh. 20. 23. How Gods faithfull Ministers binde and loose 2. Sam. 12. 13 Notes out of Iob. 33. 23. for the comfort of the afflicted 2 3 4 5 Ephes. 3. 18. 6 7 Apoâ— 7. 18. 14. 13. Against the doubt of election Deut. 29. 29. 3 4 Iob. 31. 5 6 7 Phil. 2. 13. Luk. 23. 42. The afflicted conscience like the couetous man Phil. 3. 11. Phil. 2. 13. 2. Pet. 1. 10. He that beleeueth maketh no hast