heare them Num. 12.2 And if Sarah laugh but within her selfe God will see her Gen. 18.13 Hell and destruction are before the Lord saith Solomon Prov. 15.11 how much more the heart of the sonnes of men Ad to this what the Prophet Esai hath chap. 40. vers 12. God hath measured the waters in his fist he hath counted heaven with his spanne hee hath comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure hee hath weighed the mountains in a weight and the hils in a balance Can their deeds then yea can their thoughts be hid from so powerfull a God Is it not because man of whose censure they stand more in awe theÌ„ of Gods wrath is not able to discrie their wickednesse which they haue so secretly wrought O! then they are deceaued For towne couÌ„try howleth and cryeth out too much overladen and wearied with adulterous Shichemites tyranous Sauls negligent Elies cruell Ahabs proud Herods incredulous Pharaohs here ambition there covetousnesse every where glutony and excesse One mole or freckle in the face offends more then many and great spots and scarres in the other parts of the body Men in authoritie all I meane that are better then others either for birth or calling are as the face of the commoÌ„wealth One small escape in them hurts more then many great grievous faults in the inferiours and therefore one was bold to compare theÌ„ to a booke after whose patterne others are printed if the first draught haue faults all the books printed thereby must needs be faulty but if there bee no fault in the first all the rest will haue the fewer Whosoever openeth a well or diggeth a pit and covereth it not and an oxe or an asse fall therein l Exod. 21.34 the owner of the pit shal make it good saith God by his servant Exod. 21.33 Hath anie of vs by bad living caused his inferiour his weake brother to sin O! let vs not be deafe beloved in the Lord. That maÌ„ whosoever he be hath opened a well and digged a pit which he hath not covered into which because his neighbour hath fallen and so perished he must look to make answer for it his blood shal be required at his hands Thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed it is the Lordes commandement Levit. 19.19 What is this militant church wherein we liue but Gods field whose husbandry yea are 1. Cor. 3.9 Whosoever in this field sitting either in Aarons seat or Moses chaire shall say but not doe shall say good things but doe the contrary shall in word sow wheat but in example cast abroad the troublesome seed of cockle and darnell hee it is that soweth mingled seed in Gods field and such are they whom the author of the booke of wisedome aimeth at chap. 6.6 When hee saith that mighty men shall be mightily tormented In the second place instruction is here to be had for such as are either by birth or calling worse then other men They seeing themselues so addicted by nature to follow others in duety ought to take speciall heed whom they follow For all may not be followed Aske counsaile of the wise man he will perswade with you by no meanes to follow gâ—uttons sleepers and drunkards for the glutton shall be poore and the sleeper shal be cloathed with ragges Prov. 23.21 As for the drunkard he shal haue no want of m Prov. 23.29 wo sorrow strife murmuring wouÌ„ds without cause and rednesse of the eies he shall be bitten as with a n Vers 32. serpent and hurt as with a cockatrice he shall be as one that sleepeth in the middest of the sea or on the toppe of the mast Prov. 23.34 Aske counsell of S. Paule and hee will perswade with you by no meanes to follow fornicators idolaters adulterers covetous persons and the like for such shall not inherit the kingdome of God 1. Cor. 6.10 Aske counsell of the LORD himselfe and he will perswade with you by no meanes to follow the o Levit. 18.3 doings of the land of Egypt or the manners of the land of Canaan For if you commit such abominations the land shall spue you out Levit. 18.28 O p Psal 1.1 walke not in the counsell of the wicked nor stand yee in the way of sinners nor sit yee in the seate of the scornfull for such may not be blessed You know who hath said it Assured I am that in Noahs arke among his three sonnes there was one cursed Ham that in Isaac's house of 2. sonnes one Esau was reiected that in Iacobs house among twelue brethren one only Ioseph was innocent that in Christs house among twelue Apostles there was a treacherous Iudas neither may I deny but that at this day among many Magistrates Preachers and Masters there are some licentious Magistrates some bad living Preachers some too too wicked Masters But what is that to vs We must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ to receiue according to our own deeds For so may we read 2. Cor. 5.10 The licentious life of the Magistrate shall not quite the subiect if he disobey the lawes the wickednesse of the Master may not excuse the servant if he be vngracious the bad living preacher is no cause to saue my soule if I be vngodly For God himselfe telleth vs that that soule that sinneth shal die the death Ezech. 18.4 And thus from the generall imitation I come to that which best beseemeth Christians Follow me The Lyon hath roared who will not be afraid The LORD God hath spoken who can but prophecie Amos 3.8 Ever worthy is his Maiestie to be revereÌ„ced whose voice nothing be it aboue or beneath in heaven or in earth sensible or insensible ought to disobey q Esai 1.2 Heare then ô heavens and hearken ô earth and therefore heare and harken both men women for the LORD hath said follow me Else whom will ye follow Is not he the way to guide you Follow him and he wil leade you in the pathes of righteousnesse Pro. 4.11 Is not he the truth to giue you light Follow him and the sunne of iustice shall arise vnto you Malac. 4.2 Is not he the life to feede you Follow him and you shall go in and out and finde pasture Iohn 10.9 He is the way in example for he hath given an example that wee should do even as he hath done Iohn 13.15 He is the truth in promises for his covenant he will not breake nor alter the thing that is gone out of his lips Psal 89.34 He is the life in rewarde for howsoever the wages of sinne is death yet the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our LORD Rom. 6.23 This our LORD the way the truth and the life in his iourney towardes heaven began betime for at r Luk. 2.42 twelue yeares of age he went about his Å¿ Vers 49. fathers businesse and he kept the right way for he boldly said who can
Apes in Egypt clad in purple Thence came the proverbe o Lucianus in orat cont incruditum Simia Simia est etiamsi aurea gestet insignia A carter may put on Doctors attire The Ostrich may haue gallant fethers yet not be able to flie You may hold it for a truth Christianitie is rei non speciei it is a matter of substance not of forme and shew St Bernard found fault with certaine Monks which thought it impossible the Sunne should shine any where but in their cell Were he now liuing how would he entreat many among vs who thinke themselues so godly so wise so sincere so pure so perfit so Christianlike as if Gods holy spirit had only lighted vpon them It will not bee amisse for them to consider how our Saviour Christ hath in one p Mat. 23. chapter pronounced a sevenfold woe against this sinne of Hypocrisie Woe vnto you Hypocrites yee are like vnto q Vers 27. painted Sepulchers or white◠tombes which appeare beautifull outward but within are ful of dead mens bones and all filthinesse woe vnto you Hypocrites for yee r Vers 25. make cleane the outside of the cup and of the platter but within are full of all bribery and excesse I will not trouble you with the repetitiō of the rest they are al to be read Mat. 23. And it may be for their bettering to giue eare to the wise mans counsell he hath said be not an Hypocrite in the sight of men for the Hypocrite shall not come before God Iob 13.16 Neither can it be lost labour for them to meditate vpon that which followeth chapter 15.34 where he ioyneth the Hypocrite with the houses that are built and maintained with polling and briberie for hee saith The congregation of the Hypocrites shall be desolate and fire shall devoure the houses of bribes he addeth this reason because they cōceaue mischiefe and bring forth vanitie and their bellies haue prepared deceit What did it availe Iudas to seeme to bee a blessed Apostle when in the end he proued himselfe a cursed traytor Luk. 22.48 What did it profit the people to seeme to follow Christ for his miracles when indeed they followed for nothing but for bread Ioh. 6.26 Felix could tremble and seeme to be moued at St Paules Sermon as he disputed of righteousnesse and temperance and of the iudgement to come Act. 24.25 but deepe was his dissimulation his drift was to get money of Paule as appeareth vers 26. The Scripture telleth vs that the fathers of Israel turned vnto God and sought him early they remembred that God was their strength and the most High their redeemer Psal 78.34 You see here a goodly shew of religious yet were such fathers of Israel Hypocrites for the same scripture addeth in the words that follow vers 37. Neverthelesse they did but flatter him with their mouth dissēbled with him in their tongues for their heart was not vpright with him neither were they stedfast in his covenant They which call themselues Iewes and are not because they lye shall be of the Synagogue of Sathan Apoc. 3.9 Thus may many professe that they knowe God when their workes will shew that they deny him themselues inwardly being abominable and disobedient and vnto every good worke reprobate Tit. 1.16 Wherein as I take it you may fitly compare them with falling starres which commonly are thought to bee in the firmament and to be true starres indeed but thinking so we are deceaued for they are only certaine fat exhalations lifted vp from the earth by the operation of the Sunne carried through the vpper region of the aire from whence being kinled by the heate and force of the firie element they fall againe Is it not so with Hypocrites Such is their carriage among vs that commonly they may be thought to be spirituall lights enflamed of God and in mind to be conversant in heaven when indeed they are farthest from it and therefore as the light of such supposed starres is momentary and vanishing so the ioy of the Hypocrite lasteth but a moment Iob. 20.5 though his excellency and his head reach vnto the clouds yet shall hee perish for ever like his owne dung and they which haue seene him shall say where is he he shall fly away as a dreame and they shall not finde him he shall passe away as a vision of the night Thus you see the portion of Hypocrites Can you now endure to drinke of their cup Then shall you ſ Esai 33.11 conceaue chaffe bring forth stubble and the fire of your owne breath shall devoure you O yee sonnes of men sunken deepe in rebellion turne againe yet the day is with you therefore cast away those Idols of gold and silver which your owne hands haue made I meane your sinnes cast them from you Why will you be like them of whom the Lord hath said This people draweth neere vnto mee with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but haue remoued their heart from me Esay 29.13 Why will you not labour to be such as you would seeme to be what shall it profit you to be like gloe-wormes which although they shine in the night are notwithstanding in the day to behold vncleane and vile wormes What shall it profit you I say to shine in the night of this world through a false shew of godlinesse when in the day time that is in the world to come you shall present your selues before your iust iudge foule and abhominable When the king of Iudah proclaimed warre against the king of Israel the king of Israel returned this answer the thistle rebelleth against the Cedar 2. King 14.9 And yet what was there but a king against a king but a man against a man Humble thy selfe thou proud earth not before men for thy hypocrisie will soone be espied but before the Lord. For if thou shalt dare continue in thy rebellion shall not the king of Heaven much more iustly say to thee the thistle rebelleth against the Cedar The Iewes thought themselues holy by offering of sacrifices when in the meane season they had neither faith nor repentance But was God well pleased with them No for he detested him that killed a bullocke as if he had slaine a man him that sacrificed a sheepe as if he had cut off a dogges neck him that offered an oblation as if he had offered swines blood him that burned incense as if he had blessed an Idole Esay 66.3 and all to make you knowe that he detesteth all your sacrifices your prayers your fasts your almes yea all your good workes too when they are done without faith and repentance as much as he detested the sacrifices of the Heathen when they offered men dogges and swine vnto their Idols Wherewith then shall you t Micah 6.6 come before the Lord how your selues before the high God Shall you come before him with burnt offerings calues of a yeare old Will the Lord
is he at all times most willing to worke your ease First of his presence We hold it as a truth vndoubted that God is every where and in all things by his essence by his power and by his presence by his essence in regard of his creating the world by his power in regard of his operation his working in the world by his presence in regard of his preserving his governing the world It may fit our purpose in general only to vnderstand that God in presence is every where and in al things Against those of Israel which should seek to flee frō the presence of the Lord we haue the words of the Lord as they are writtē Amos 9.2 Though they dig into the hell thence shall mine hand take them though they clime vp to heaven thence will I bring them down though they hide themselues in the top of Carmel I wil search and take them thence though they be hid from my sight in the bottome of the sea thence will I commande the serpent and he shall bite them and though they go into captivity before their enemies thence will I command the sword and it shall slay them b See my 10. Lecture vpō the fi st Ch. of Amos p. 115 Lect. 14. p 159. No corner in Hell no mansion in Heavē no caue in the top of Carmel no fishes belly in the bottome of the Sea no darke dungeon in the land of captivity can hide Israel from the presence of the LORD Am I a God farre off saith the LORD and not a God at hand Can any hide himselfe in secret places that I shal not see him saith the LORD Do not I fill heaven earth saith the LORD Thus hath the Lord spoken Ierem. 23.23 24. Nere or farther of in Heaven or in Earth in places most secret our Lord is a God he seeth all things he fils both Heaven and Earth To like purpose is Davids answere to his owne question His question is c Psal 139.7 whither shall I go from thy spirit Or whither shall I fly from thy presence O Lord His answere is d Vers 8. if to Heaven thou art there if to Hel thou art there if to the vttermost parts of the sea thou art there if to the darknesse thou art there also Nor Heaven nor Hell nor Sea nor darknes could hide David from the presence of the Lord. Yea the darknesse hideth not from thee O Lord but the night shineth as the day the darknesse and light are both alike so should we confesse with David Psal 139.12 Consider the e Mat. 6.28 Lilies of the field the Lord hath cloathed thē f Mat. 10.29 Sparrowes light vpon the ground but not without the foresight of the Lord the clowds drop fatnesse but every drop is by Gods ordinance and cold salt teares trickle down our cheeks with remembrance of our sinnes committed every such teare should be numbred in the Lords g Psal 56.8 bottle The Lilies the Sparrowes the clowds or teares are all regarded by the Lord. How then can we deny his presence And let vs not be moved to thinke that Gods purity is anie whit stained because in presence he beholdeth the crimsin and scarlet sinnes the most vile and filthy actions of wretchlesse mā The Sunne you know casts his most glorious beames into foule and sordide places yet none of you wil thinke that the Sunne is therefore defiled But grant we a possibility for the Sunne to be polluted by shining into such vncleane places yet impossible shall it be for God all pure all holy to partake any variablenesse or shadow of change Wicked man wallowing in his wickednesse because God holds his tongue may think wickedly that God is even such a one as himselfe but God all pure all holy partaking no variablenesse nor shaddow of change shall at last reproue man for his wickednes and for before him the things that he hath done Psal 50.21 It cannot be that the presence of God who sitteth vpon the circle of heaven and thence beholdeth the inhabitants of the earth as grashoppers whose h Mat. 5.34 throne is the Heaven of Heavens whose i Vers 35. foot-stoole is the Earth whose waies are in the great deepe it cannot be I say that the presence of such a God should be avoided * Ipse manet intra omnia ipse extra omnia ipse supra omnia ipse infra omnia superior est per potentiā inferior per sustentationem exterior per magnitudinem interior per subtilitatem Sursū regens deorsum continens extra circumdans interius penetrās c. He is aboue all beneath all without all within all aboue by his might beneath by his helpe without by his greatnesse within by his subtilitie aboue he ruleth al beneath he cōtaineth all without he compasseth all within he pierceth all It is S. Gregories Moral expos in Iob. lib. 2. cap. 12. I will not trouble you with many authorities of the Fathers who in this point are very excellent and plentifull Out of that which hath already beene delivered it is manifest that nor Egypt nor anie region beyond the seas not a couch in a chamber nor a cabin in a ship nor clowds of the day nor the darknesse of night nor the moūtaine caues nor the Sea bottome nor a secret friend nor a more secret conscience not Heaven nor Hell nor any like evasion can hide vs can hide any our actions frō the Lords presence Which manifest truth if we shall yet doubt of I shall dare pronounce that according to the proverbs we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more foolish then Corabus more foolish then Melitides those though naturall yet most happy fooles of whom the one was never able to number aboue fiue nor the other to tell of which parent he was borne But such palpable and grosse ignorance is farre from vs. For knowing as we do that God was well knowne in Iurie his name great in Israel we cannot well be ignorant that God is the same God with vs and the presence of his godhead no lesse among vs and in our country Which may make vs the rather wonder to thinke how boldly we dare deale with God how impudently we dare behaue our selues in his presence how wickedly we dare do evē before his eies as if our reckoning were that he had neither eie to see vs nor sword to punish vs nor iudgement seat to condemne vs. Do we not commit all vncleannesse even with greedinesse in the presence of our God which for our liues we durst not bee so bold as do in the presence of a childe were he but a doozen yeares old So ready are we to eschew momentary shame that might be discovered by a childe when we care nothing at al to incurre Gods eternall displeasure Deceaue we not our selues beloved in the Lord we might haue long since learned that God hath
hony in their mouthes but poyson in their stomacks Could Samuel tell Saul all that was in his heart 1. Sam. 9.19 could Elisha know that Gehazi had taken bribes 2. King 5.26 And shall not God bee able to knowe the deedes and thoughts of men yes if Miriam Aaron speake but against Moses the Lord will heare them Num. 12.2 old Sarah must not think to laugh and not be seene Gen. 18.13 Hel and destruction are before the Lord saith l Prov. 15.11 Solomon how much more the hearts of the sonnes of men He hath m Esai 40.12 measured the waters in his fift counted heaven with his spanne comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and waighed the mountaines in a waight the hils in a ballance there is no thought hid from him Let them therfore harkē vnto the words of this God in the 3. Chap. of Mal. vers 5. I will come neere to you to iudgement and I will be a swift witnesse against the soothsayers and against the adulterers and against false swearers and against those that wrongfully keepe backe the hirelings wages and against them that vex the widow and the fatherlesse and oppresse the stranger and against all that feare not me saith the Lord of hosts If Elah king of Iudah drinke till he be drunken his servant Zimrie must kill him 1. King 16.9 If the men of Gibea play the adulterers with an harlot 25000. Beniamites must loose their liues for it Iudg. 20.46 If Achan be found to bee covetous he all that he hath must be burnt with fire Iosh 7.24 If the swearer persist in his swearing the lyer in his lying the idle minister in his idlenesse and every wicked one in his wickednesse behold he that n Rev. 19.15 treadeth the wine presse of the fiercenesse and wrath of Almightie God shall come quickly o Vers 13 cloathed with a garment dipt in blood his eyes shall be as a p Vers 12 flame of fire out of his q Ver. 15. mouth shall come a sharp sword his reward shal be with him to thrust every one of them into the ever burning pit This shall be the portion of their cup if they will not turne from their wicked waies But if they will returne from all their sinnes and keepe the statutes of the living God and doe that which is lawfull and right God will haue mercy on them If their transgressions were more in number then the sands of the earth yet God wil be ready to forgiue them Rehoboam could no sooner humble himselfe but he was forgiven howsoever before he had forsaken God 2. Chron. 12.7 Manasseh did evill in the sight of the Lord like the abominations of the heathen and was therfore taken by the Captaines of the king of Assyria put in fetters bound in chaines and caried vnto Babel yet he could no sooner pray vnto God but his prayer was heard and God brought him backe againe to Ierusalem placed him in the kingdome 2. Chron. 33.13 If the thiefe even thē when he is on the crosse will pray to Christ to remember him Christ will tell him that he shall be that night with him in Paradise Luk. 23.43 Since then such is the compassion of our God let vs not greeue him let vs not provoke him to r 2. Kin. 21.13 stretch over vs the line of Samaria and the plummet of the house of Ahab left so hee wipe vs as a man wipeth a dish who wipeth it and then turneth it vpside downe let him that is covetous be covetous no more let the swearer sweare no more let every one mend one and then our ſ Esai 1.18 crimson sinnes shall be white as snowe and our skarlet sins shall be as wooll for God hath spoken it Esa 1.18 Is there any soule among vs that hath oft times fallen and most infinitely offended his maker with such a soule God communeth in the 3. of Ierem. 1. in this sort They say that if a woman depart frō her husband and do ioine her selfe to another man she may not return to her first husband againe for that she is polluted and defiled yet whereas thou hast departed from me and hast committed fornication with many other lovers doe thou returne vnto me againe and I will receaue thee saith Almightie God Remember the Ninevites Gods sentence was gone out against them t Ion. 3.4 yet 40. daies and Nineveh shall bee overthrowne Come see tast how good our God is u Esal 54.10 the mountaines shall remoue and the hills fall downe but Gods mercyes shall not depart from his people neither shall the covenant of his peace fall away The Ninevites could no sooner in detestation of their former liues x Ion. 3 5. proclaime a fast put on sackcloath and turne frō their wicked waies but y Ver. 10. God repented him of the evill which he had said that he would doe vnto them he did it not Let vs looke to our selues Gods sentence is given against all Idolaters adulterers wantons and the like they shal not inherite the kingdome of God 1. Cor. 6.10 yet let not such despaire of Gods mercy so be hardned to persist in living wickedly the Ninevites can assure them that they may be forgiven If they haue fallen they may rise againe if they haue been lost companions yet they may be saved if they haue committed adultery or haue been drunken for the time past they may be continent and sober for the time to come if they haue delighted in lewd and evill company they may hereafter acquaint themselues with good This only is necessary that they beginne their conversion out of hand that they repent vnfeignedly throughly reforme themselues If they do this they shall liue Yea we must all do so or else we shall not liue We must repent vs of our sinnes from the bottomes of our harts and turne frō our wicked waies and now at last begin to deny our selues and to take vp our crosses dayly and to follow Christ and this is the doctrine which I noted in the third place Diosc li. 4. ca. 77. Describing the nature of the * Nerii sive Redodaphnes Enecant folia floresque ejus jumenta quadrupedesque omnes Eadē homini contra venenatorum morsus medicinā faciunt Vide Leon. Fuchsium Comment de hist stirpium cap. 204. rose-laurel saith that the flower thereof is a very strong poison to al cattle and foure footed beasts but to men of a soveraigne remedy against poison of such a nature is this doctrine of our Saviour It is as poison to the wicked and vnbeleeving the very z 2. Cor. 2.16 savour of death vnto death but to the godly and beleeving it is a preservatiue against poison even the a Ibid. savour of life vnto life The first precept contained therein is that we must deny our selues in which the whole nature of man is
as S. Peter doth interpret it every day if need require 1. Pet. 1.6 or every day if the will of God be so 1. Pet. 3.17 Here might I take iust occasion to reproue diverse sortes of men which are so farre from taking vp their crosses daily as that they refuse to take them vp at all No excuse can bee made for these Christians which in time of persecution become Turkes denying Christ and renouncing their faith nor for our sea-meÌ„ which rather then they will be taken by their enimies wil sink their ship and drowne themselues nor for those at land which in their miseries are their owne murderers nor for those poore ones which make light so they may relieue their poverty to be theeues robbers vsurers enimies to Churches and Colleges covetous persons malicious and shamelesse slanderers the like But neither the time nor your patience can suffer me to speak of al these yet let me briefly touch them which loosing but an oxe or having any about them strangely falleÌ„ sicke run forthwith to the wise ones of this our age to cunning men cunning women to witches enchanters coniurers and the like seeking for helpe of them and it shall appeare that neither these may be excused God hath promised by his prophet that whosoever calleth vpon his name and giveth eare to his voice as to the sole and only shepheard of his soule good things shall betide him in this world and his soule shall liue Ier. 38.20 His plants shal prosper his counsailes shal take effect his corne and oile shal multiply he shall l Deut. 15.6 28.12 lend vnto many but hee shall not borrow himselfe his m Psal 128.3 children like oliue branches shall encloase his table rounde about On the other side whosoever will not giue eare to the voice of the LORD his God but will seeke vnto strange Gods and oracles to false prophets to witches conjurers making more accompt of Beelzebub then of Christ of Gerizzim then of Syon of the prince of darknesse then of the morning starre of pleasing errour then of smarting truth shall n Deut 28. â—8 sow his field but never reape it for the grashoppers shall destroy it shall o Vers 39. plant a vineyard and dresse it but shal neither drinke of the wine nor gather the grapes for the wormes shall eat it shall p Vers 40. haue oliue trees in all his coasts but shall not annoint himselfe with the oile for his oliues shall fall shall q Vers 41. beget sonnes and daughters but shall not haue them for they shall go into captivity the Lord shall r Vers 22. smite him with a consumption with a feaver with a burning ague with fervent heat with the sword with blasting with the mildew all these shall pursue him till he perish the Heaven that is over his head shal be brasse and the Earth that is vnder him yron Deut. 28.23 Was King Asa punished with death because in his sicknes he sought for helpe of the Physicians and not of the LORD 2. Chron. 16.12 and thinkest thou that runnest to Sathans instruments for recovering of thy lost goods or of thy health to escape vnpunished If Ahaziah consult with Beelzebub the God of Ekron about the recovering of his health the LORD will send him word that he shall not come down from his bed but shal there die the death 2. King 1.4 If Saul aske counsaile of a witch the archers shall wound him and his Å¿ 1. Chro. 10.4 owne sword shal kil him 1. Chro. 10.13 If Manasseh vse them that haue familiar spirits and are soothsayers God will send him such evils as that who so heareth of it both his eares shall tingle 2. King 21.12 And can you that haue consulted with Ekrons God with witches with them that haue familiar spirits thinke that God will not smite you O turne vnto the Lord with vnfeigned repeÌ„taÌ„ce that God may withhold his revenging hand from you and you may liue in his sight For as S. Hierome writes that God knows not the women which are painted because they carry not that face or favour which his hands haue made so if you fly from witches and coniurers vnto him vpon necessity and not for loue his answere will be I know you not Come you to demâ—â—nde advise of me As sure as I liue saith the LORD God when I am asked I wil not answere you Ezech. 20.3 And therefore whensoever it shall please God to visite vs with losse of goods with want of health or other like afflictions let vs not seeke by those wicked meanes to be relieved Why should we so much desire to liue at ease What are we els theÌ„ earthen vessels soon broken A spider poisons vs a gnat chokes vs a small pin kils vs. Why then should any crosses in this life so trouble vs As he said t Gen. 45.28 it is enough for me that Ioseph my son liveth so let it be in our greatest miseries our song it is enough for vs that our Saviour Christ reigneth He our head is alreadie crowned we his members are thereby honoured he is alreadie glorified because he hath ascended whither at last we must ascend that we may bee glorified To which place of glory the LORD of his infinite mercy vouchsafe to bring vs all for his sonne Iesus Christ his sake to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all praise power maiesty and dominion both now and ever Amen THE THIRD SERMON ON LVKE CHAP. 9. VERS 23. And he said vnto all if any man will come after me let him deny himselfe and take vp his Crosse dayly and follow me St Iohn in his Revelation as appeareth chap. 19. ver 11 Saw heaven open behold there was a white horse and he that sate vpoÌ„ him was called faithfull true and he iudgeth and fighteth righteously a Rev. 19.12 His eies were as a flame of fire on his head were many crownes and hee had a name written which no man knew but himselfe b Vers 13. He was cloathed with a garment dipt in blood and his name is called THE WORD OF GOD. c Vers 15. Out of his mouth went a sharpe sword wherwith he might smite the heathen them shall he rule with a rod of yron He it is that treadeth the wine-presse of the fiercenesse and wrath of almightie God d Vers 16. Vpon his garment and vpon his thigh hath he a name written KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS This our great captaine because he daily commeth forth to battle against the enimies of his church hath set downe a rule inviolably to be observed of all such as will come after him fight vnder his banner for he hath said vnto all if any man will come after me let him deny himselfe and take vp his crosse dailie follow me when heretofore I entred the examination of this rule then in part I declared how every
Christian souldier guided thereby ought to prepare himselfe to followe this high captaine For the better explication whereof I observed 1 That this rule was generall out of the first words And he said vnto all 2 That it was necessary as it is implyed in the condition if any man will come after me 3 That the rule it selfe consisted of 3. precepts let him deny himselfe take vp his crosse dayly and follow me You heard then that this rule was generall for that Christ delivered it vnto all yet to all not simply for the beast the Kings of the earth with their armies following this beast and fighting vnder his colours are no way to bee guided by this rule but to all with a restraint but to all the e Rev. 19.14 armies in heauen which the divine saw following him that sate vpon the white horse which howsoever they are called armies in heaven are notwithstanding men vpon the earth such are Godly Kings Princes Nobles worthie Captaines and Souldiers which with the materiall sword defend the Gospell such are zealous Ministers preachers of the truth which with the spiritual sword fight against Antichrist such are all blessed Christians walking before God in the places whereto they are called warring dayly against their proud enimies the flesh the world and the divell All which are said to be the armies in heaven albeit as yet they liue on earth in regard that their cause for which and the power by which they fight are both from Heauē These ride vpon white horses and are cloathed in fine white linnen and pure these come strongly swiftly and chearefully to this battaile these are cloathed with sinceritie integritie and puritie of faith loue and other affections for all is pure white about them To these only and to all these doth this rule appertaine for he said vnto all if any man will come after me Out of this condition you haue also heard how necessary this rule is even so necessary that neither subiect nor prince neither people nor pastor neither souldier nor captaine how godly soever they seeme in mans eies can be fit to follow this highest Captaine except he be qualified according to this rule Let him deny himselfe and take vp his crosse dayly and follow me saith CHRIST Of the first two precepts I haue likewise already spoken now let vs consider the third And follow me Which words do leade me to speake 1 Of imitation or following in generall 2 Of following the best of such an imitation as beseemeth Christians Man by nature how strangely hee is giuen to following if I should hold my peace servants souldiers all inferiours would make it manifest servants will eye their masters souldiers their captaines inferiors their rulers be they good or be they bad get they honour or get they discredit come their profit or come their losse their liues will be insteed of lawes and that must bee holden for well done which is done after their example saith Siraches sonne Cap. 10. vers 2. Thus examples not lawes doe when lawes not examples should teach men to liue And so it was in former ages In regard whereof the divine Philosopher would by no meanes suffer Homers booke to bee read in his commonwealth because in them Gods Goddesses were fained to be such as no honestly minded man or woman would haue their sonnes or daughters like them Yea so it was from the beginning Eues eating the forbidden fruit was sufficient to make Adam doe the like Gen. 3.6 The younger sister wold make her father Lot drunken as well as the elder Genes 19.35 When Iudah was forward his brethren were ready to giue their consents to sell Ioseph to the Ishmeelites Gen. 37.27 Dead flies cause to stincke and putrifie the oyntment of the Apothecarie saith the Preacher Cap. 10. vers 1. Dead workes the workes of darknesse in the better sort doe cause to stinke and putrifie the towardly inclinations of the inferiours For if any man see thee which hast knowledge fit at table in the Idols temple shall not the conscience of him that is weake be boldned to eate those things which are sacrificed to Idols saith St Paule 1. Cor. 8.10 Thou that f Rom. 2.21 preachest a man should not steale doest thou steale Thou that shouldst punish adulterers and reproue swearers dost thou by thy oaths giue them example g Vers 22. dost thou commit adulterie Marvell not then if thy weake brother seeing thy knowledge become a swearer a theefe and an adulterer Thy life shall be his law Vpon consideration hereof a country man of ours hath added that we of all other people vnder heaven are most famous yea infamous too for our imitation For doe we not imitate h Rogers Ep to the followers of Christ A. 7. b. the Spanish in his braverie The French in his vanitie The Italian in his perfidie Yea we follow the Dutch in luxurie who heares not of it The Papists in idolatrie who knowes it not The Atheist in all impietie and impuritie of life why lament we not O come hither all yee that are any way either for birth or calling whether it be spirituall or temporall better then other men yea and all yee too which in the same respect are worse then others for here are lessons for you both to teach you to looke vnto your footings Is there old custome against you Respect it not for it will be foiled by a better custome Is the flesh against you Care not for it for that will be bridled by the heate of the spirit Is that old serpent Sathan against you Feare him not for he both at your prayers will fly and by your godly exercises will be made to runne away First therefore for those that are better then others wonder we may what the matter is or with what spirit they are led or what commeth into their minds that knowing their liues and examples to prevaile when laws cannot doe notwithstanding with such care and study seeke after vile and vanishing things and so seldome call their wits together to thinke of doing any good Is it not because they are perswaded that the LORD spareth the Cedar tree for his height the oke for his strength the poplar for his smoothnesse the Lawrell for his greenenesse O! then they are deceaued for from the Cedar that is in i 1. Kin. 4.33 Lebanon even to the Hysop that groweth out of the wall k Matth. 3.10 7.19 every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen downe and cast into the fire Is it not because they partly thinke that God hideth his face from their sinnes seeth them not O! then they are deceaued for Samuel could tell Saul al that was in his heart 1. Sam. 9.19 And Elisha knewe that his servant had taken bribes 2. King 5.26 And shall not God bee able to knowe their deeds and thoughts yes if Miriam and Aaron speake but against Moses the LORD wil
by our Master haue beene enioined vs. Shall I need to tell you as the prophet Ieremie told the Iewes Ier. 9.2 that in heart you are all adulterers and an assembly of rebels You know it as well as I. Shal I remember you how you as they did do y Vers 3. bend your tongues like bowes for lies to belie and slander your neighbours how there is no courage for truth vpon the earth how every one proceedeth from evill to worse Would to God remembring it would amend it And may it not so be amended Is z Ierem. 8.22 there no balme in Gilead Is there no Physician there Why then is not your health recovered The reason is plaine the balme of Gilead is not soveraigne for you the Physicians there can little profit you vaine is the helpe of man if you will recover your soules health Cast downe your selues before the LORD The time will not suffer me neither hath it ben my purpose to enter the particular examination of those our duties before specified and in diverse respects laid vpoâ— vs. Sith the performance of al the rest consisteth in obedience that first duty which the LORD as our Master requireth at your hands I haue chosen to speake therof aboue the rest as most befitting the times wherein we liue Concerning therefore our first duty to our chiefest Master our obedience consisteth in this that we conforme our will to Gods will with a resolution to doe his will Many are of Israel which are not Israel many are of the seed of AbrahaÌ„ which may not be called the children of Abraham So S. Paule told the Romanes chap. 9. ver 6.7 So may I say here many do will that which God willeth who notwithstanding conforme not their wils to Gods wil neither can be said to do his will Where it shal not be much amisse for vs to examine what it is to frame our wils to Gods will and what it is to do his will both which if wee will learne with a purpose to performe them we shall in some good sort discharge our first duty we shall obey our Master God hath a will which is holy is pure is perfect eternall everlasting from all beginning according to which his doings are incomprehensible his iudgements secret his waies past finding out by which he ruleth all he governeth all he guideth and protecteth all in which all things are as they are This will of God is alwaies fulfilled no man hindreth it no man stoppeth it The Lord hath his decree aboue all the inhabitants of the earth of the Sea and whether they will or no they must be obedient If he call a bird from the East that bird must come if he speake he will bring it to passe if he purpose he will doe it his counsell shall stand he will doe whatsoever he will Esay 46.20 According to his will he worketh in the armie of Heaven and in the inhabitants of the earth none can stay his hand nor say vnto him what dost thou Dan. 4.35 It was Iehoshaphats acknowledgment In thine hand O LORD is power and might none is able to withstand thee 2. Chro. 20.6 No Annas no Caiaphas no Herod no Pilate no Iew no Devill could haue wrought the death of our Saviour Christ if the Lords secret will and counsell had not before determined that it should be done There are two causes why this wil of God is called secret or hiddeÌ„ 1 Because it is so indeed to aâ—â—â—â—en til such time as God manifesteth by events what hee hath appointed to every one In respect whereof St a Chap. 4.15 Iames willeth every one to put in this condition if the Lord will and if wee liue to doe this or that 2. Because the reason of the Lords will thus or thus when it is manifested for the most part is not comprehended of man but is hiddeÌ„ in himselfe as why he chose Iacob refused Esau why he put Saule away from the kingdome for one offence and not David for many no man knoweth it is hidden in the Lord. Onely this we knowe that he b Rom. 9.18 hath mercy on whom he will haue mercy and whom he will he hardneth Now your dutie in regard of this will is as hath beene said Non est curiosè investiganda sed adoranda you must not sift it but highly reverence it so that whatsoever this hidden will be concerning you whether to liue or die to bee rich or poore to be high or low in this world you must rest in the same and bee contented and giue leaue to the Lord that made you to doe with you and dispose of you at his pleasure then afterward when the Lord reveal it by effects much more must yee rest in it giue him thankes howsoever it is Good c Chap. 2.10 Iob took at the Lords hand evill things as well as good sower as well as sweet the losse of all as well as the possession of al so must you do say with him The d Iob. 1.21 Lord hath giuen the Lord hath takeÌ„ it blessed be the name of the Lord. But what Are we able to know how the Lord e Iob. 38.41 feedeth the young ravens how the Phenix is hatched how the Storke is kept Doe we waver do we faile in things that be common among vs Since then this will of God this absolute this secreat this hidden will of God is such as our wils may in no wise be conformed to it let vs lay our hands vp on our mouths and stop the course of our lips lest medling with such secrets we falter in our speeches before the Lord. God hath another will which is manifested vnto vs which I call another will not as if it differed from the former in nature for Gods will is one and the same but because it remaines no longer hidden as the former doth For Gods will as yet it is partly vnrevealed is commonly called his hidden or his secret will but as it is made knowne to vs by the written word and continuall successe of things so is it called the revealed will of God And this is that will of God to which wee must make like fashion and frame our wills And so shall we doe if first we will nothing but what God willeth then if will it in such a sort as God would haue vs will it and lastly if for such ends What God willeth you cannot well at lest you should not be ignorant The Scriptures teaching that the best of you is borne in iniquitie and conceaved in sinne and feedeth vpon transgressians doe they not tell you that God willeth the amendment of your liues The not long since pretended invasion which made the stoutest to feare the late and long and yet during famine which hath made most to faint This Sermon was preached Sept. 15. 1597. the now raigning sicknesse among vs which hath taken away diverse of our
seaven eies which goe through the whole world Zach. 4.10 You may interpret them with me many millions of eies he is i Hieronym in Psal 94.9 See my 10. Lecture vpoÌ„ Amos. 1. p. 115. totus oculus altogether eie for he seeth all things We might haue long since learned that God hath hands to measure the waters and to span the heavens Esay 40.12 You may interpret it with me that hee hath many Millions of hands he is totus manus altogether hand for he worketh all things We may well remember that God hath feet to set vpon his footstoole Mat. 5.35 You may interpret it with me that he hath many millions of feet he is totus pos altogether foot fot he is every where O then farre be it from vs to plucke out the eie of knoweledge as when we sinne to say with those Psal 10.11 Tush who seeth vs God hath forgotten he hideth away his face will never see Let vs rather confesse with the blessed Patriarch that all places are filled with Gods Maiestie as he said the Lord was in this place and I was not aware how fearefull is this place This is the house of God and the gate of HeaveÌ„ Gen. 28.16.17 So let vs for that place and this place and all other places vpoÌ„ the face of the earth are alike let vs I say let each of vs in particular wheresoever and whensoever we shall be entised with sinnes too pleasing bait rouse vp our selues and bee awaked as Iacob was and say with him The Lord was in this place and I was not aware how feareful is this place this is the house of God and the gate of Heaven The due consideration of this all-eyed all-handed all-footed presence of God as it must needs strike a terrour into the hardest hearts of the children of darknesse while they k In circuitu impii ambulaÌ„t Psa 11.9 vul walke by compasse in their crooked and circular endlesse waies so also must it needs affoord a sweet comfort to the afflicted soules of the children of light walking with a right foote toward the l Phil. 3.14 marke in hope to attaine to the price set before them For wheÌ„ they shal perswade themselues that God is at hand with them in all their crosses and tribulations they cannot chuse but endure with patience the worst that may befall them especially knowing that all all things worke together for their best because they loue God Rom. 8.28 So doth Gods presence perswade his children that it is he the Lord none but Hee since all worldly helpes are vaine that it is He the Lord that will lift them vp A second motiue to the same perswasion is the Lordes liberalitie whereof many things worthy our meditation might be delivered but let it suffise for our present occasion to vnderstand that all the good things we haue are from the Lord. Meate to nourish vs wee haue it from the Lord apparell to cloath vs wee haue it from the Lord the Sunne to comfort vs the Moone to pleasure vs wee haue them from the Lord life for our being riches honour whatsoever else for our wel being all commeth from the Lord. What hast thou saith St Paul that thou hast not receaued 1. Cor. 4.7 Art thou rich it is not of thy selfe the LORD giueth saith Iob. ch 1.21 Art thou in estimation in this world It is not of thy selfe The LORD setteth vp saith Hannah 1. Sam. 2.7 Hast thou cuÌ„ning or skil in any thing whatsoever It is not of thy selfe God teacheth handy-crafts-men to worke Himselfe saith so to Moses Exod. 31.3 It is impossible for me to recount those manifold blessings wherewith our gratious God from time to time hath blessed vs such is their infinitie Let every one goe downe into the closet of his owne breast and then say hee whether the Lord hath beene liberal to him O yee righteous m Psal 33.1 reioyce in the Lord for it becommeth well the iust to be thankfull yea it becommeth each of vs very well to take vp Davids song and to say with him O Lord let my mouth be filled with thy praise that I may sing of thy glory and honour all the day long Psalm 71.8 Vpon which place a blessed n Augustine Father hath this meditation What meaneth the Prophet by these words al the day long He meaneth saith he continually O let my mouth bee filled with thy praise CONTINVALLY because in prosperitie thou hast been to me a comfort in adversitie thou hast given mee chastisement when I was not thou madest me since I haue beene thou hast preserued me when I had offended thou forgavest mee at my conversion thou receavedst me and for my perseverance thou hast crowned me O let my mouth be filled with thy praise that I may sing of thy glory and honour all the day long that I may sing continually And the rather doe I commend to you the due consideration of the liberalitie of our God because I would put you in minde of your principall meanes to avoid desperation It is a principall meanes to avoid desperatioÌ„ to cal to mind the goodnesse of the LORD forepassed either to our selues or others If we thâ—nke with our selues that it was the LORD that tooke vs from our mothers wombe that HEE hath beene our hope ever since we hung at the breasts that HEE hath opened his hands from time to time to fill vs with his goodnesse if thus we think vnfeignedly can we thinke that HE will not blesse vs still Here should we compare and lay the times together as Davids vse was Thus he argued I haue heretofore slaine a Lion and a Beare at the fold therefore God will also enable me to prevaile against the hand of this Philistine 1. Sam. 17.37 So may we reason The mercies of the Lord haue beene bountifull towardes vs in former times to create vs of the slime of the ground to breath into vs a living soule to nurse vs vp in a civill countrey to redeeme vs with the blood of his only begotten sonne to visit vs with the light of his glorious Gospell to blesse our garners with store and our baskets with increase to be nowhere wanting to vs in any thing that may doe vs good such and in such sort haue the blessings of God beene vnto vs his arme is not now shortned hee is the same to day that hee was yesterday therefore shall his loving kindnesse be vpon vs for evermore Why should any afflicted child of God take vp Sions complaint Esai 49.14 and say The LORD hath forsaken me my Lord hath forgotten me Never would any so complaine if hee would thinke vpon the Lords name as it was proclaimed in mount Sinai Exod. 34.6 7. The LORD the LORD strong mercifull and gratious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse in truth reserving mercy for thousands forgiving iniquitie transgression and sinne Never would any so complaine if hee would remember why Ioel would
You shall see now whether my word shall come to passe or no vers 23. A Prophet may prophecie in the greatest famine of Samaria albeit an Asses head Doues dunge be bought at an vnreasonable rate that yet to morrow at a certaine howre a measure of fine flower and two measures of barly shall be sold at a reasonable rate but a great man will not beleeue it but a prince will say though the LORD would make windowes in Heaven can this thing come to passe 2. King 7.2 But what saith Elisha to this Prince Beholde thou shalt see it with thine eies but shalt not eate thereof vers 2. Distrustfull men to satisfie our selues in such distrustful reasonings Heare we what S. Austin saith Ep. 3. ad Volusianum concerning the workes of God to vs vnprobable Tota ratio facti potentia facientis considera autorem tolle dubitationem the whole reason of the doing is the power of the doer it is God that hath done them Consider the author and all doubts will cease Sing we with the sweet singer Exod. 15.11 Who is like vnto thee O LORD among the Gods Who is like thee So glorious in holynesse so fearefull in praises so doing wonders Say wee with the shipmen Ionah 1.14 Thou O LORD hast done as it hath pleased thee This point as it cannot wel choose but strike a terrour into the seared cōsciences of the wicked because God is able to cast both body and soule into hell fire so may it well yeeld comfort to the Godly comfort to the barrē for he was able to make Hānah fruitfull comfort to the afflicted for he was able to deliver Iob from his miseries comfort to the hungry for he was able to send food to Elias by ravens comfort to the thirstie for he was able of an Asses tooth to make a spring of water to quench Sampsons thirst comfort for all for God is able to do al in all able to deliver from the fiery fornace able to make the shadow in the diall of Ahaz to run backe 10. degrees able to cause the Sunne and Moone to rest from their courses Thou haste done great things O LORD LORD who is like vnto thee O consider the Almightinesse of our God and say whether you are not thereby perswaded that it is he the Lord and none but he since all worldly helps are vaine that it is he the Lord that will lift you vp A fourth motiue to the same perswasion is the willingnes of God whereas hee is most present with you most liberall to you most able to help you whē you stand in need hee is also at all times most willing to work your ease This willingnesse of God importeth the necessity of the fulfilling of Gods promises and so concurreth with the second general note whereof in the next Sermon THE FIFTH SERMON ON THE EPISTLE OF SAINT IAMES CHAP. 4. VERS 10. Cast downe your selues before the Lord and he will lift you vp THE second note is of the certainety of the fulfilling of this promise concerning our lifting vp It is not here saide he will assay he will try he will doe his best to lift you vp but simply he will lift you vp The promises of God made vnto the sonnes of men in the word of God are of two sorts either they haue a condition annexed vnto them or else they are without condition the Gospel which is Gods power to salvation to them that beleeue is the foundation of the one the law which is his rod of yron to crush them in pieces that transgresse is the wel-spring of the other Both one and other assuredly true in their time shall be fulfilled For is the a 1. Sam. 15.29 strength of Israel as man b Num. 23.19 that hee should lie or as the sonne of man that he should repent Is he not c Heb. 13.1 yesterday and to day and the same for ever That d Rev. 1.4 was that is and that is to come My meaning is not only in substance but in will and intention doth he vse lightnesse Are his wordes yea and nay Hath he beene knowne to affirme deny too No. All his promises all his threatnings all his mercies all his iudgmēts all his words yea all the titles of all his words are e Rev. 1.7 Yea and Amen so firmely ratified that they cannot be broken so stāding immutable that they cannot be changed f Mat. 5.18 Heaven and Earth may passe they may be changed they may waxe old like a garment but the word of the Lord endureth for ever When Ahiiah the prophet had foretold Ieroboam of his overthrow namely that God would sweepe away g 1. Kin. 14.10 the remnant of his house as a man sweepeth away dunge till it be all gone that of his stocke none should die in the city but the dogs should eat none in the fields but the fowles should pray vpon that there should a king come over Israel to set abroach all those evils vnwilling to leaue any hope that this time was not yet to come that it was far of removed he correcteth himselfe with suddaine and quicke demaund and maketh the answere vnto it what saith he Yea evē now 1. Kin. 14.14 as if he had said what said I it should come to passe thus or thus Yea even now it is come to passe it is already done What this Prophet hath spoken concerning the Lords threatnings against Ieroboam may be verified of all the promises of the Lord such is their certainety ratified by the Lords owne wordes My covenant will I not breake nor alter any thing that is gone out of my lippes Psal 89.34 confirmed by his visiting of Sarah as he had saide and doing vnto her according as he had promised Gen. 21.1 allowed of by Ioshua's consent when he told the Israëlites that there had failed nothing of all the good things which the Lord had said vnto them but all came to passe Iosh 23.14 What shall I say then that Gods promises shall be fulfilled Yea even now even now they are come to passe they are fulfilled already God hath spoken once and I haue heard it twice that power belongeth vnto God saith David Psal 62.11 and so let mee say God hath spoken once and I haue heard it twice that truth belongeth vnto God God is very constant in the performance of his promises To driue it into our conceits hee hath spoken it once and twice not once but once and twice many times he hath spoken it eternally vnmoueably effectually without revokemēt once in the law and againe againe in the Gospell This sweet milke may be suckt plentifully out of both the breastes of the Church out of Moses and out of Christ out of the Prophets out of the Evangelists out of the Law and out of the Gospell O happy are they that feed only on this milke It is commonly said that truth cannot passe forth without contrarieties and quarrels
of iudgement And so is it here The truth of God the neverfading truth of his promises hath somewhat beene encombred with doubts This doubt hath especially beene made How it may stand with the constancie truth of the eternall God to pronounce a iudgement against any man or place and not effect it or to repent for any thing hee hath done or hath promised to doe hereafter For if it bee plaine that God faileth in bringing to passe his iudgements and threatnings how can I assure my selfe that he will be constant and faithfull in his mercies and promises if it bee plaine that hee repenteth for any thing that hee hath done or hath promised to doe hereafter how can I assure my selfe that he will not repent of those good promises which I account of as made vnto my selfe Now who knoweth not how the Lord repented for making man on the earth Gen. 6.6 how hee repented for making Saule King 1. Sam. 15.11 and how he promised to repent of good or evill accordingly as man should repent of or hold on his evil Ier. 18.7 8 9 10. The LORD said vnto Abimelech Thou art but a dead man because of the woman which thou hast taken Gen. 20.3 yet the event fell out otherwise and Abimelech was purged with God The LORD said to sicke Hezekias put thine house in order for thou shalt die and not liue Esai 38.1 yet did Hezechias liue fifteene yeares after The LORD would haue it proclaimed in the streets of Nineveh Yet fortie daies Nineveh shal be destroyed Ion. 3.4 yet did Nineveh escape that plunge and was reserved to vnderstand of her finall destruction by the ministery of Nahum These places and the like intimating in some sort both repentance and also change of minde and purpose in the LORD of Heauen may be some cause of the former doubt For satisfying whereof diverse haue answered diversely Some answer thus As the spirit is said to make request for vs with sighes that cannot be expressed Rom. 8.26 so may God bee said to repent himselfe Now the holy spirit cannot bee said to cry as if it selfe did crie or to pray as if it selfe did pray or to sigh as if it selfe did sigh but because it stirreth in the Saints of God such affections and maketh them to cry to pray and to sigh And so they vnderstand that other place of St Paul Eph. 4.30 Grieue not the holy spirit that is say they take heed that by your wicked living yee offend not the Saints of God in whom the holy spirit dwelleth In their application they say that God may then be said to repent when he maketh his children in whom he dwelleth to repent for their sinnes But this exposition albeit in some places it may haue good vse as in those before cited of the holy spirit yet may it not generally be applyed to all such places wherein God is said to repent It repented God that he made man Gen. 6.6 Here this sense may not bee admitted to say it repented man that God made him for it repented God himselfe that he made man It repented God also that hee had made Saul king 1. Sam. 15.11 neither here may this sense be admitted to say it repented Saul that God had made him King for it repented God himselfe that he had made Saul King I will speake suddenly against a nation or against a kingdome to plucke it vp to root it out and to destroy it but if this nation against whom I haue pronounced turne from their wickednesse I will repent of the plague that I thought to bring vpon them saith the Lord Ierem. 18.7 nor here may this sense bee admitted to say the people should repent of the plague which the Lord had thought to bring vpon them for it is God himselfe that will repent of the plague which hee had thought to bring vpon the people I deny not but God may truely be said to doe that which hee maketh vs to doe but to say whatsoever God may be said to doe therefore hee may bee said to doe it because he maketh vs to doe it this is vtterly to be denyed Others answer thus God may then bee said to repent and to change his mind when things themselues be changed For example sake as long as men ly wallowing in their sinnes the wrath of God Gods scourges shal be vpon them such is the wil of God revealed in the Law But when men shall repent them of their sinnes committed God also shall repent him of his fore-threatned plagues when men shall be changed there shal be a change also not in the will of God for that is impossible but in the wrath of God his curses shall be turned to blessings And this sense is tolerable in the place before cited Ierem. 18.7 8. I will speake suddainely against a nation or against a kingdome to pluck it vp to root it out and to destroy it but if this nation against whō I haue pronounced turne from their wickednesse I will repent of the plague that I thought to bring vpon them because they are changed from worse to better my curse shall bee changed into a blessing I wil repent of the plague that I thought to bring vpon them And in the 2. verses following 9 10. he saith I will speake suddenly concerning a nation and concerning a kingdome to build it and to plant it but if it doe evill in my sight and heare not my voice I will repent of the good that I haue thought to do for them because they are changed from better to worse my blessing shall also be changed into a curse I will repent of the good that I haue thought to doe for them This exposition howsoever it be naturall to this place may not generally be fitted to all other places I deny hot whē men repent themselues of their sinnes committed but that Gods sentence in regard of any eternall punishment to bee inflicted on them shall be changed but to say that his sentence in regard of temporary punishments shall bee changed is more then I dare as long as I thinke of the continuall afflictions wherewith godly hearts haue dayly beene tryed Others answere thus God may be said to repent as he is said to be angry ielouse Where we may note that these attributs and all other like these must be taken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if they were vsed for mans easier vnderstanding It is a common thing for God in his holy word to apply himselfe to our capacities and to attribute to himselfe such things as are vsuall in the course of our liues For instance because men vse not to bee revenged on others except they be angry therefore when God revengeth our wickednesse he is said to bee angry Againe because men by their exceeding care they haue to keepe their wiues chast doe get to be called iealous therefore God caring in like sort to keepe his spouse chast to preserue his Church spotlesse is