with idolaters for this is to joyne our selues to those that hate god And for this Iehosaphat was reproued what saith the prophet wouldest thou loue those that hate God help them what hadst thou to do to be so friendly familiar with Gods enimies Yet if one had come to Ahab and tould him that he had hated God he would haue defied him and said that he had loued God as well as the best but that is no matter what Ahab would say so long as God accounts him an enimy Iehoshaphat should haue had no society nor freindship with him so that they are much to be condemned that will seeme to haue some care of religion them selues and to looke to their owne waies that they be good but yet they can be familiar make friendship with Idolaters and professed superstitious persons why but is not this an hatred of God and are not you then subiect to that reproofe of Iehoshaphat what wouldst thou loue them that hate me No man will be known to be a familiar friend to an open traytor that the King counsell hath proclaimed a traytor for feare least he should be tainted with some suspicion of treason And in deede he that will be so conuersant and so well acquainted with such as God hath proclaimed traytors those that haue any spirituall wisdome and true loue of God may not without just cause vehemently suspect him as one that him selfe beares no great good will to God and his pure religion And shewes mercie to thowsands of them that c. IN that that God promiseth to shew mercie to thousands of them that loue him keepe his commandements we learne that the best way for any man to do good to his childrē is to be godly him selfe as the verie words of the commaundements doe carrie it So Psal 37. 21. ver A good man is mercifull and lendeth his seede enioyes the blessing c. After 29. The righteous shall inherite the land and dwell in it for euer Not this in his owne person for that were no blessing for a good man to liue still in this world but in his seede hee meanes One would thinke the contrary what is hee alwaies lending still doing good why alas how shall his poore children doe how shall they do nay they be rich children shall do well enough they haue a rich legacy left them for they shall haue Gods blessing for when he saith the blessing it is more then if one had said the whole earth and all the world for so one might haue and yet bee vnder the curse and liue and die a miserable man but he shall haue the blessing all things necessarie for soule bodie heauen and earth for so much the blessing containes So 112. Psal The generation of the righteous shall be blessed If then the blessing of God be the cause of all prosperitie and happinesse and contrarie the curse of God the beginning ground of all miserie then so farre as we are good or ill so farre doe we doe good or ill to our stock For in Leuit. God threatens that if one be disobedient to God and his commaundements he shall be cursed in his soule and bodie in his wife children and all that he puts his hand vnto but on the otherside if one be vpright with a perfect hart set him selfe to follow Gods commaundements then he shall be blessed in soule and body in wife and children and all that he shall put his hand vnto so that the blessing of God shall meet him at euerie turne Sith then God is so mercifull to all those that loue him and shew it in keeping this commaundement This serues for the comfort of all such that be good children of good parents though perhaps their parents can leaue no great matter for outward things yet if they haue laide vp many praiers for them in heauen and leaue them Gods fauour for their possession they haue a good parentage for they haue Gods blessing to trust vnto better be the childe of a godly then of a wealthy parent for he that him selfe is a good man and hath proceeded of good parents is now possessed of a double blessing for his fathers prayers and for his owne prayers for his fathers mercie and for his owne mercie to This likewise serues for the comfort of gods children that haue many children and little wealth little goods to leaue them but that is not the question what goods they haue but if they be good and labour also to haue their childen good if they were thowsands of them they haue the blessing of God and that shall maintaine them well enough those that be blessed of god shall not want for signes of his blessing Sometimes indeede the godlyest parents haue wicked and vngodly children as Iacob had but yet God will either couuert them as he did Iacobs sonnes so that those which at the first he saw to be as prophane as any hee liued to see conuerted verie holy men and pillers of the church or else if all be not good yet God giues grace that some one of them at the least shal be holy as Abraham had vngodly Ismael but yet he had godly Isaac and Isaac had prophane Esau but he had holy Iacob to and Dauid had wicked Absalon incestious Ammon but yet with all he had godly Solomon Nathan or if none of the next of-spring be good yet some of them that follow shall bee holy the godlinesse of the parent will shew it selfe in the bud sooner or later as in Hezekiah though Manasseh that succeeded him was at first a wicked idolater yet good Iosiah was in the next generation a good holy man or if that good men at any time bee barren yet his owne soule and bodie shall feele the blessing Those that loue him and keepe his commandements THat is those which haue such a true loue to him as doth shew itselfe by the faithfull vsing of his pure worship and by keeping not the duties of flesh and bloud but his commandements So that heere God sets down this as a note of louing him to keepe his commaundements whence this lesson ariseth that the loue of God consists in keeping his commaundements but afore the doctrine be further declared an objectiō must be remoued for one may say what doe you say that none loue god but those that keepe his commandements then I pray you where can you find one that loueth God and who is this that is able perfectlie to keepe and fulfill the law of God But for the absoluing of this doubt knowe that there is a great difference betwixt these two to keepe Gods commandements to fulfill Gods commandements for keeping noteth a truth fulfilling a perfection this perfection Christ onely had but this truth euerie christian must haue for euerie christian man may so farre keepe Gods law as that he shal be both accepted and also rewarded though not for the merits
knew not God nor cared not for the sabboth came with wares to Ierusalem on the sabboth hee shut the gates against them and tolde them that if they did so any more hee would laie hands vpon them And there is great reason why one should bee carefull of those of other congregations and of other places for if wee haue the true loue of God in vs it will grieue vs to the hart to see gods name dishonoured and his lawes broken of any one whosoeuer and therefore so much as in him lies hee stop all such practises who euer they bee that doe them Also euerie man is bound to loue his enemie yea his enemies beast and if hee see his enemies beast vnder his burden hee must help him vp if one must help a mans oxe or asse if hee bee burdened much more his soule that is burdened with the sinne that will kill it if it bee not taken off No man is so sauage that if hee see a blinde man running into a well wherein hee may bee drowned will say let him goe I care not hee is none of my family nor of my friends though hee bee not mercie is to bee shewed to all and nature in such a case will teach one to runne and call to him and hinder him by what meanes he can So for the soule much more if wee see a person who is in truth blinded through ignorance and knowes not the danger about to cast himselfe into the pit of hell mercie will moue him that hath any true mercie to seeke to reclaime him And then in regard of the good of the whole congregation one must hinder strangers from giuing such ill examples for though it seeme at first a small thing to suffer a stranger let him doe what hee list it pertaines not to vs yet it is dangerous for our nature is so subiect to infection and we so easilie drawne to euill that if one suffer a stranger at length his children and seruants will learne and come after to doe the same things so that for our owne sakes wee must be diligent to cut of occasions and warilie preuent danger for one house on fire may burne the whole towne and if a stranger would buy an house in the towne and then be so foolish to set it on fire men would not let him alone for feare it should also catch their houses and so in truth if the fire of sinne kindle in the heart practise of a stranger we seeke not to quench suppresse it it will not tarrie there long it will catch some in the congregation and set them a burning to Therfore in loue to Gods glorie to our brothers soule and to our selues and those that bee neere vnto vs we must labour by what meanes wee can to hinder euen a stranger from breaking the sabboth now if one must hinder strangers how much more such as bee borne and dwell in the same place our neighbours children or seruants if wee see such prophaning the sabboth we should much more hinder them by admonition and reproofe but especiallie if we see them run to things that be simply euill and in their owne nature at all times vnlawfull therefore for men that be of some account note in a congregation in a towne to come among headdie youths and see them violenly carried to dauncing to gaming or any such lewdenesse on the sabboth especially and let them goe on without any rebuke or exhortation neuer tell them of it neuer dehort them from it this shewes that there is but a little loue of God in none of the parties soules and that they haue little regard of themselues and their owne families But in truth this is the cause that makes wickednesse grow so fast and sinne get vp with an high hand and youth grow to such impudent and shamelesse boldnesse because the minister fights alone against sinne None else will open his mouth to speake against it or discountenance it he that would not stand by and see the Oxe fall into the ditch but he would help him out will looke on while the children runne headlong towards hell and say not a word to reclaime them This remisenesse of men that are of some estimatiō in the town makes proud youthes oft times so audacious to set themselues openly against the ministers doctrine and as it were by their practise in the heat of lust to contrary him euen when he is reprouing any sinne when the doctrine is yet hot and the sound of his voice is scarce gone out of their eares then to runne openly to gainesay that which was taught in the church so soone as they come out of the church This strength of impietie proceedes hence I say that the minister hath no help none hath a zeale of Gods glory so that he is grieued at his dishonour none hath so much charitie and compassion ouer their neighbours as that they seeke to pull them out of the daunger of hell fire for if but two or three or some more of the auncient men that haue some authoritie and sway in the congregation would ioyne their hands with the minister and set in with their priuate rebukes and reprofes to make his publique reprofes forcible younger people would be more ashamed of sinne and learne to behaue themselues more soberly then in publique as it were to bid battaile to the publique doctrine of the minister Therfore this slacknesse and coldnesse is much to be reproued Then secondly this is for the encouragement of such as doe desire to help others out of this or any other sinne they may boldly with a good hart and conscience rebuke a sabboth breaker wheras they will object why what is that to you if I sinne my selfe I must perish my selfe what haue you to doe to meddle yes they haue to doe to meddle they haue to loue thē they haue to loue the congregation and to loue Gods glory therfore as much as they can to disgrace sinne for though sinners begin to set sinne a foote yet if some godly wise man will encounter it with a sound admonition and sharp rebuke that will dash and disgrace it as much as the practise of sinners will support it so that it cannot get an head so soone Therefore because they be men that sinne and it is Gods law that is broken and the whole congregation that is infected poysoned he that hath that affection he should to any of these hath to doe to vse a preseruatiue against this poison and to stand for Gods commandements and the saluation of man let wicked sinners while they will accuse them to be busie bodies that is no matter better displease man by good then God by euill It followes For in sixe daies the Lord made heauen and earth the sea c. and rested the seauenth day BEcause this commandement is much oppugned by the examples of great men because almost all men breake it therefore it is confirmed from the
as an house to put his head in hee must come be brought before a judge ther be cōdemned scourged mocked spitted on crowned with thornes at length must be carried and hanged vpon a crosse and beare the paines and anguish of Gods curse in his soule on the crosse and by these meanes God must be set at peace with man a perfect reconciliation was made and all former sinnes and jarres twixt God and man put away This greatest work that was done when heauen was purchased for man sinners made just before god miserable men of the earth had the right of an immortall kingdome in heauen bestowed vpon them all these things were brought to passe and fully effected by these meanes that to mans reason seemed of all things the most vnlikely to bring to passe a matter of such wonder and difficultie And so at the resurrection in the twinkling of an eye what great chaunges shal be those that lay in the dust rotten some thousands of yeares shal be raysed from their graue made aliue and to stand on their feet and that bodie that was at the best before subject to death to paine and all miserie but now turned into earth deuoured of wormes and corruption and as it seemd vanisht to nothing shal be in a moment if it be Gods childe freed from mortalitie from being subiect to diseases or any affliction and shal be made immortall and incorruptible and like to Christ Iesus in glory So wonderfull we see be the works of God so mightie he is and so full of power that in the shortest time by those that seeme the weakest meanes he can bring to passe the most strange and glorious effects that can bee This then if we often meditate vpon it will serue wonderfully for the comfort of all those children of God whose case is so grieuous intangled with such perplexities oppressed with such ruines both of bodie and estate as they think it is impossible to get out and to be repayred againe or if it might be yet it will be a long time first Oh but if we could beleeue Gods almightie power all things are possible to God all things are possible to the beleeuer it makes no matter what the disease be so God be the Phisition it skils not what distresse a man be in so God take in hand to help him he can as soone and as easily cure the deadliest wound as the lightest scarre bring one out of the greatest misery with no meanes as out of the least miserie with all meanes Oh but I am poore owe much and haue nothing to pay it No matter So was the prophets wife yet the little oyle in the cruse held out to fill so many great emptie vessells that she was restored made in a better estate thē euer before it is not to the purpose how weake the meanes be and how great the ruins be so the great and strong God put to his hand to help No man was euer more dejected then Nebuchadnezar from a King to be worse then a beggar from a pallace to the briars and bushes from princely robes to plain nakednesse from a man to a beast from among men to be among beasts and yet none in lesse time and lesse meanes aduanced to an higher outward estate then he And for the soule so great sinnes such hideous darkenesse in minde and hardnesse of hart such peruersenesse in will such disorder and rebellion in affections and what of all these how shall one get out of so many sinnes can one cry to God can one lift vp his hart to heauen though he cryed out of the bottome of the sea and out of the fishes belly with Ionas God will heare him and let him see the Sunne if hee were in the dungeon tyed with as many chaines and burdened with as many sinnes as he yet God can and will if he call in truth bring him out of all and set him in a better estate then euer he was before There 's not the least sinne or miserie but would be to hard for vs if we haue nothing but our owne strength to help vs there is not the greatest sinne nor the greatest miserie that shall hurt vs or preuaile ouer vs if we haue the strength and power of God to hold vs vp Therefore christians should take comfort in their afflictions Can God rayse vp his bodie when it is dead in the earth and glorifie it when it is rotten in the graue can he not raise him out of some debt or miserie of his estate Oh but then he loues the bodie and doth he not loue it as well now Then he will vse his power and is it curbed in shortned now Nay God vseth his infinite power now for the help and preseruation of his children as he will vse it then for their glorification If we cannot beleeue God can help vs now how will we say we can beleeue he will raise our rotten bodies out of the graue sith we haue the same power and promise for the one as the other Therefore it is a great fault and shame for christians to sit down discouraged why is gods power lessened is his hand shortned hath not he sayd that a little that the righteous hath is better then all the great riches of the wicked Gods blessing can doe more then wealth and he alone is better to vs then if wee had all the world without him This serues likewise for the terror of the wicked men of the world God can as easelie set heauen and earth on fire and bring them to nothing and in as little space as hee made them of nothing then much more can hee bring to destruction a base sinner notwithstanding all his worldly helpes if hee bee their aduersarie as hee is a profest enemie to all vnrepentant sinners They flatter themselues and thinke it shall bee well with them why they bee vnderlaid with wealth supported with friendes mounded and fenced with pollicie but how stands the matter betwixt God and them are they his inheritance or not is hee reconciled vnto them or no nay for that though they will not in word say so yet their life proclaimes it that they do not greatly respect his fauour for they care not to break his law vpon any small occasion surely then let them know that they are in no safetie god can pull vp their defence and pull away their props and supports he can as easily bring a rich mans soule to hell as a poore mans and as soone damne the soule of the richest king if hee bee naught as of the basest beggar Therefore those that leauing God leane to worldly props shew that they litle beleeue the power of God and little think of the creation of the world Thus much for the example of God now the last reason is drawne from the end of the sabboth namely that God hath consecrated it to bring a blessing on the keepers of it in these
window vpon a time and sees how commodiously Naboths vinyard stoode to his pallace and thought the might make him a faire garden there and he might haue a gooly priuate walke as it were so close to his therfore he would faine haue it And so sends for Naboth offers him some consideration for it but Naboth knew that he might not alienate his possenssion from himselfe that God had giuen him therefore hee sayes him nay but his desire was so earnest and importunate that it would take no nay and therefore hee was euen sicke with greefe and desire of that which was none of his And then there was no way left but Naboth must be slane and by hooke and crooke Ahab must haue the vinyarde and so Naboths life and vinyarde were both taken away but so that Ahab destroyed his familie and posteritie by this euill couetousnesse The vse that we must make of this is that though we haue neuer done any man wrong in one pennie yet we must repent for the wrong of the heart and the secret desire of the soule or els before God we are culpable of the breach of this commandement and lyable to the plague of God for it Secondly wee must learne to restraine our desires and keepe in the wandring lusts of our heart for that which it is a sin to take before men it is a sinne to wish before God therefore we must binde our minds to the good abearance Now the way to expell this wicked and greedie couetousnes of wealth is to consider these two thinges First the small or noe good that riches can doe vnto them that haue them Secondly to consider the certaine hurt that the desire of them will bring For the ground of couetousnesse is this that men haue a false and foolish imagination that wealth will bring some happinesse and if they had riches in good store then they should be in good safetie and in an happie case but that riches can make ones estate no whitte the better it is proued in the Psalme 62. 10. 11. 12. If riches increase set not thine heart vpon them He would haue one let his heart be neuer a whit set to his wealth and deeme himselfe no whit the better for the increase of them what is not one better nor hath he not cause to be more glad when his purse is full of monie then if he had neuer a farthing no sure not one iot and hee giues three reasons First saith he God spake once or twice and I heard it power belongeth vnto God This is reason nothing hath any power to doe a man any good but God therefore if he haue all the wealth in the world his wealth cannot helpe him it cannot keepe away any iudgement it cannot free him from death nor from hell but one may as soone goe to hell from weale or woe Diues may passe into torment as well as the veriest begger aliue Nay it cannot beare of any one stroake of God vpō soule or vpon bodie in this life it cannot keepe away sickenesse not greefe then if they be such weake thinges he that hath them is neuer a whit the nearer any good nor further from any euill why should one either earnestly desire them or greatly reioyce when he hath them Secondly To thee O Lord belongeth mercie There is no mercie but in God nor kindenesse but from God and that a man is kindely entreated it is not from wealth but from God that puts loue into mens hearts for if ones ways be pleasing vnto God he will make his enemies to become his friends and contrarie if ones waies displease him he will make ones friends his foes and those that owe him most dutie and haue here tofore shewed most loue vnto him to be his most bitter enemies and seeke his ouerthrow As in Dauid when hee had sinned against God he raysed vp his sonne against him who not with standing his welth and kingdome sought his life and would haue killed him Thirdly thou O Lord rewardest euery man according to his workes That is an other reason because God lookes to workes not to wealth when he comes to iudgment as if he had said most men dreame that it shall goe with them according to their goods and riches that they haue heaped vp this were true indeede if their were no God or else an idle God as Epicures imagine that sits a sleepe in heauen and cares not how things goes with men in the world but if there be a God that gouernes the world that is awaken and hath the ordering of matters then the question shall not be with what a mā hath But what he hath done not what riches But what grace and goodnesse he possesseth for sinne shall haue shame and he that is godly and mercifull and humble hee shall haue glorie and he shall be saued Sith it is so that riches are so little profitable or availeable this must keepe out of our hearts this whorish desire of riches that cannot profit Secondly as riches are sure to doe vs noe good so we are sure that the desire of them will doe vs much hurt and as there is no helpe from the hauing so there is certaine danger from the coueting For in Timothie the Apostle cals it the root of all euill Where this is there is sinne enough no euill that a man will abstaine from if it may procure his filthy lucre he will forbeare nothing if it lye in his way to gaine neither will he doe any good that seemeth contrarie to his profit therefore the daunger is greate that accompanies couetousnesse namely the rushing into all kinde of mischeefe and wickednesse and the neglecting and omitting of euerie thing that is good For it hinders one from the cheefe meanes of saluation and hinders the working of these meanes in him How it keeps men from the word and sacrements Christ shewes in the parable Luk. 14. 18. Some had oxen could not come some had farmes and must be held excused in generall euerie couetous man hath some pulbacke from religion or if happily sometimes he doe ouercome that let by much a doe step into the Church dore and set him downe before the preacher yet the holy Ghost tels vs how he is occupied speaking to Ezekiel he sayes that they sat before him indeede but though he was a man of rare gifts and verie eloquent yet their hearts went after their couetousnesse So that a couetous mans heart is in continuall trauaile though his bodie sit still for sometime yet his meditations and thoughts are moyling and rotting into the earth so that he can giue no attention to the word nor marke nothing that is spoken But yeelde that sometimes a quame of attention come ouer him admit that he can frame to giue eare to that which is spoken vnto him yet all is fruitlesse he gets no good for these be the cares of this world that like thornes choake the good seede of the word
that settles not himselfe to keepe them all This must also teach vs when we see that God doth not blesse vs according to his promises to those that feare him then we must examine our selues diligently concerning our obedience to this his law whether we liue not in some sinne or whether some olde sinne lye not in vs which hath neuer bene repented for certainely of all Gods plagues that he layes vpon vs for our neglect of this his law wherefore when he strikes vs we must begin to looke to our obedience So did Iacob in Genesis when his sonnes Simeon and Leuie had committed that cruell fact and he was therefore made odious in the sight of the people of the land then he knowes that there could not be such trouble without if all were well within therefore he begins to search his family and to see how all things went there and then he perceues presently the cause of all these stirres for his house was full of Idolatry his wife had gotten his father in lawes Idols and many of his people fell from the pure worship of God to abhominable superstition then no wonder if ther were such sturres without when ther was such disorder within therfore he purgeth his house of all this filthinesse and buries all these Idolls in the ground that they might neuer hurt him or any of his any more All this serues for the singuler comfort of all Gods children that seeth these be Gods commaundemēts all as well as one therefore they shall haue power also to obey them all as well as one for that God which gaue vs power to obey one can giue vs the like power to obey the rest and that power which any hath to obey one t is not frō him selfe but from the work of God in him And indeed God doth not giue vs these lawes that we should imagine we could obey thē our selues but that seeing our owne wants we might goe to him for help why then should not euery christian hope to be able to yeeld obedience to God in whatsoeuer God commandeth him As God witnesseth this of Dauid that he was a man after Gods owne hart in all things but in the matter of Vriah he neuer sinned presumptuously but then his hart was vpright in all things else and likewise as it is spoken of Zacharie and Elizabeth that they were perfect and vnblameable in all things not that they were quit from all infirmities or had not their faults as well as any other but they were vpright and sincere their hart was true with God and so God can and will giue grace vnto all his to obey euery one of his commaundements with a true and vpright obedience So that no man ought to discharge himselfe Oh for other things I haue some hope I that I shall ouercome them but for this or that sinne I shall neuer get the better of that while I liue Well then for other sinnes you hope you can ouercome them but this is the point then vvhether haue you power to subdue them by any vertue of your owne or else from the vvorking of Gods spirit in you If you say from your selfe then you speake ignorantly and foolishly for flesh cannot kill any sinne this must be the vvork onely of God I but Christ Iesus did giue help to mee against those but for this one thing I doubt vvhy should you doubt Hee that gaue you abilitie to ouerrule your flesh in some things cannot he giue the like in all Yea this very mercy that he gaue you a disposition and power to obey him in one thing is a sure testimony to you that he vvill doe the like for all onely if you aske it you neede not doubt So that this vvhich he saith GOD spake all these words is a merueylous incouragement to the Saincts therefore feeling their vvants in any they may goe to God and saie Lord thou art the author of all these Commandements a like and the keeping of them all pertaines vnto mee as well as to any other but thou knowest O Lord that there is no power in mee to obey the least of them therefore I come now for power from thee to make mee obedient and hence he shall haue power to keepe all as well as any one I am IEHOVAH THese words signifies the essence of God and his absolute perfection in all his attributes It is expounded in the 13. of the Hebr. and 8. ver Christ yesterday and to day and the same for euer And Reuel 1. He that was and is and is to come He that is the selfe same in all his properties It signifies first Gods eternitie in vvhich he differs from all creatures for men and Angels are euerlasting they shall haue no ending but they be not eternall for they had their beginning from God but he hath his being in and of himselfe neither had he any beginning from any other all other things had beginning from him but he frō none he is from himselfe alone Also power and wisdome and mercie and Iustice and such other things which are properties in men and Angels in him they are natures in vs they are weake and imperfect but in him endlesse and perfect As in Exod. 34. Where he tells his name The Lord the Lord strong mercifull gracious c. Men and Angels are strong but this is a qualitie in them in him a nature so men and Angels are kinde but this is deriued from his kindenesse is a qualitie in them but in him a nature in them finite because no creature can haue any infinite thing in himselfe but in God they are infinit So that it signifies that God is eternall and hath his being from himselfe and other creatures haue their being and beginning from him In him power mercie Iustice c. are infinite in others they are finite In him they be natures and therefore vnchangeable in others qualities and therfore mutable The vse of this must be to make vs earnest to seeke his loue and fauour which if wee haue nothing can hurt vs for in him we liue and moue and haue our being Hauing his loue we haue all power all wisdome and all counsell on our side If he be perfect in himselfe and all creatures haue what euer they haue from him what neede we feare he being with vs what all the creatures can doe against vs being that all their power is deriued from him and vsed at his direction Wee see among men if there be one whose estate depends wholly vpon his landlords curtesie he may put him out and begger him when he please how carefull is hee to please him and haue his fauour least through his displeasure hee should be turned out of all So is it with all the men on earth they be all Gods tenants that at will no man holds any thing by lease for an houre our breath is not our owne but his it is at his discretion what shall become of our
soules and bodies whether they shal be saued or damned and he is such a God whose anger is an eternall anger and his vvrath an eternall vvrath and his plagues euerlasting plagues how carefull and diligent should vvee bee to please and obey him And then vve shew our selues to beeleeue his power and infinitenesse vvhen it is our greatest care to seeke his fauour Secondly this is for the consolation of Gods children Is God the same for euer and that in his dealing to his children and hath hee heretofore vsed his power for their defence his vvisdome for their direction his mercie for their comfort then hee vvill doe the same still to vs also Therefore vvhen any of his children haue bene brought into great miserie and that for their sinne as Manasseh he vvas brought to that hard case for his great sinne and vvicked deedes yet vvhen hee repented and beetooke him selfe to prayer vvee see God heard him helped him out both of his sinne and his miserie Did he deale so with him then the question is whether he be Iehouah or not whether the same for euer without any chaunge If he be as sure hee is then hee must deliuer vs also when we call vpon him But I am sure to be deliuered out of this prison and to bee set out of this debt or temptation if I call vnto God This I am sure of that if I cry to God hee will deliuer me from my sinne and if it bee good for mee then also from the punishment of my sinne but if the curse doe remayne one still hee will recompence it with many spirituall blessings But vnlesse we beleeue that God is Iehouah and vnchangeable then all the stories of the scripture are made vnprofitable vnto vs then we haue no vse nor comfort of those things which we heare reade how God heard Abraham and how hee deliuered Iacob and did many wonderfull thinges for his people in former time But if wee holde this for sure God is the same for euer then this is sure that whatsoeuer good thing he did for them hee will doe the like for vs if we vse the same meanes So also if any one hath found in himselfe that at such time I was in great trouble and temptation and then I prayed vnto God and I know that hee heard my prayer and helped me Are you sure that God did heare you when you cried then you are farre more sure of this that if you cry againe hee will heare you againe else hee should not bee Iehouah If hee haue beene yours he is yours and will bee for euer This is also for the terror of the wicked is God Iehouah constant and vnchangeable in all his iudgements Why then looke what plagues proude persons haue had heeretofore the same shall they now haue so sure as God is true vnlesse they repent and get pardon in Christ Hath God plagued theeues and filthy lyers Saboth breakers in former times He is Iehouah let them looke to it it is his name nature to hate and plague them that bee such euerlastingly least there bee repentance on their part and pardon on his Likewise can any man say by experience I fell into sinne heeretofore and then I got a wound to my conscience a blot to my name and hurt to my body why then as sure as the Lord liues as sure as God is Iehouah without change so sure make account to speed as ill in sinning now as you did before Many that did steale before and were brought to shame and could scarce saue their liues yet when they are deliuered they will fall to it againe but more closely as they thinke they will bee more skilâ—d in their trade and bee more secret and then all shall be well But who found them out before was not that a iust judgement from God that will reward to wicked men according to their wickednesse then be sure that seeth he hath once shewed his power and gaue them both by weale and woe meanes to bring them to repentance hee is the same Who will thinke to fall into former sinnes and yet haue better successe for it cannot be but God is the same both must can punish them So some haue plaied the filthie persons God hath shewed it to men to their discredit will they then fall to it again thinke they can hide it no they shall not for God will reueale it though they may think God will be carelesse of them yet hee will not be carelesse of himselfe and his name As sure as hee is Iehouah that brought them through the pikes before so sure if they turne againe to their filthie vomit he will bring them to shame againe either in this life or if not in this life to make them repent and iudge themselues then sure in the life to come wher the burden shall bee much more heauy vnsupportable vpon their conscience shall presse them down to hell For the best priuiledge for such sinners is to come to shame heere that if it may be they may be brought to repentance amendement So much for the name of God Iehouah that is without change or shadow of change what euer hee hath done hee will doe for euer Thy GOD. THe former argument of obedience was taken from Gods nature that hee was eternall in iustice to punish sinners in mercy to reward his children Now this is from his goodnesse I am thy God so almightie infinit eternall and perfect as that I abase my selfe to take care for thee to haue a louing hart to thee and to be thy father if thou wilt be my child to be thine husband if thou wilt be my spouse one that haue promised to giue thee all good things and to remoue all ill things from thee this is to be thy God If God had set down onely his infinite magestie and greatnesse and his glorious and incommunicable name that would haue feared vs and made vs flie from him But now hee encourageth vs by this that hee is our God and giues vs these commandements because he loues vs. The doctrine hence gathered is that if euer wee will obey God in soundnesse then wee must know him to bee our God to beare a care of vs to loue vs and that we shall speede better by obeying him then by breaking his commandements And this reason Moses still vrgeth vpon thee Israel thou must obey him heare his voyce for he is the Lord thy God that loues thee and careth for thee Reason will shew this for if we heare that God is infinit in power and doe not withall know that he is our God to vse his power for our good then it maks vs feare because we know not wher to hide our selues from him when we heare his infinit iustice we quake and tremble as nothing vexeth the theefe more then to heare of a iust iudge for then he hath no hope of escaping vnlesse he haue a