blessing of God also is upon such which quieteth their mindes and is unto them in stead of all things which they want Last of all concerning this matter when we haue through the blessing of God attained vnto great things we must make this account of them that there is no certentie in them for wee may loose them all in a moment Iacob had experience of this Gen. 32. 7 who being commanded of God to returne into his cuntry was in the way confirmed in the prouidence of God ouer himself in that iourney ver 1. came laden homewards with so great abundance as is noted in that chap. vnderstaÌ„deth of the sudden contrary to his expectation that Esau commeth against him with 400. men who remeÌ„bring his former threatnings when he departed froÌ„ him now considering his great power maner of coÌ„ming towards him is suddenly stricken into a great feare of loosing his life al that he had though it pleased the Lord to deale more mercifully with him yet by the prouidence of God he greatly feared it by which he was taught not to place his chiefest coÌ„tentation in this great abundance but in the fauour of God which before he most of all desired which as he inioyed when he had none of all these things so it might continue with him when all they should be lost Therfore we must not say Oh if I had this or that c. I should be well and then I would be coÌ„tented for what if I had it how soone may I loose it againe then how quickly shall I be discontented Therefore are they called uncerten riches 1. Tim. 6. which is true of all worldly commodities pleasures And the whole scripture besides daily experieÌ„ce teacheth how great uncertentie there is in the inioying of husbaÌ„d wife children parents friends goods houses lands libertie life or any thing else onely the fauour of God in Christ Iesus is certaine his promises of the forgiuenes of sinnes and euerlasting life are irrevocable for as all of them be Yea Amen in Christ Iesus so he is to day and yesterday and the same for euer therfore if in all times and estates we would be well contented we must onely make a certen account of that so that whether we enioy any thing we must more account of the fauour of God appearing unto us in it then of the thing it selfe or whether the Lord denie us the thing we desire it must be sufficient unto vs that he hath receiued us into his fauour or whether hee taketh the thing away from us againe yet this contenteth us that he turneth not his louing countenance from us which if we could come unto then no doubt many times we shoulde enioy things longer then we doe for this is the next way to keepe all things still so to hold them as being contented to giue them to the Lorde whensoeuer it shall please him to take them from us Besides it maketh the minde contented whether we haue them or we haue them not when we alwaies esteeme them but as things uncerten Nicholas Bownde FINIS WHOSOEVER IS DESIROVS TO LEARNE AND REMEMBER THE word of God that he might liue according to it let him consider that which is written in the Psalme 119. part 2. THE TEXT THE PARAPHRASIS 1 Wherwith shall a yong man cleanse bis wayes In taking heed thereto according to thy word 2 With my whole heart haue I sought thee let me not vvander from thy commandements 3 I haue hid thy promise in my heart that I might not sinne against thee 4 Blessed art thou O Lord teach me thy statutes 5 With my lippes haue I declared all the iudgements of thy mouth 6 I haue had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in all riches 7 I will meditate in thy precepts and consider thy wayes 8 I will delight in thy statutes and I will not forget thy word 1 First of all be perswaded that the word of God is onely that rule whereby the whole life of euery man that in euery thing must be ordered euen the life of a yong man who hath most reasons for him selfe why he should be excused as he is most disordered 2 Then upon this perswasion giue your selfe unfainedly to the reading and hearing of Gods word as to the meanes which God hath appointed to teach you pray to God in the carefull use of those meanes for his holy spirit that therby you might come to the true understanding of his worde 3 That which you haue thus learned let it not swim aloft in your braine but let it be deeply setled hidden in your heart as a treasure labouring to frame al your affections unto it that so you may haue it in a readinesse whensoever you shall occupie it otherwise though you know neuer so much it will not keep you froÌ„ sinning against God 4 You thus profiting giue thanks vnto god alwaies for that which you learne because be it neuer so little it is more then many in the world do knowe yet content not your selfe with it as though you had sufficient but pray unto him to be further inlightened because it is lesse then many others doe and you your selfe should knowe 5 But aboue all be carefull to talke of that unto others which you doe daily learne your selfe and out of the aboundance of your heart let your mouth speake for by teaching others you shall learne your selfe 6 That you might do all these things labour to haue ioy in the worde and in all the exercises of it more then in any worldly thing and be occupied about those things with greatest delight for in whatsoeuer we take greatest pleasure that will sticke fastest by us 7 Last of all meditate and consider of that with your selfe which you haue learned and muse upon it alone not contenting your selfe with the generall rules but labouring in your conscience to make the use of them profitable to your owne selfe in the particular practise therof 8 Thus doing all these things carefully you shalbe sure neuer to forget that which you learne though you doe not remember euery thing yet God will by his spirite call so much into your remembrance as is needfull for you to know and then especially when you haue most neede of it as in the houre of your death the day of temptation but as you faile in all or any one of these so may you feare to faile in the truth of this promise A good helpe for an ill memorie N. B. Phil. 4. 8. 9. 2. Cor. 5. 9. 2. Cor. 5. 17. 1. Cor. 4. 2. 2. Cor. 5. 11. 2. Cor. 5. 11. 1. King 8. 39 Luc. 23. 30. Revel 6. 17. 9. 6. Gen. 4. 8 9. Gen. 4. 8. Gen. 4. 10. Genes 4. 11. Gen. 4. 13. Matt. 26. 48. Heb. 10. 31 Psal 10. 11. Psal 6. 7. Dan. 5. 27. Psal 50 21. Mat. 24. 36. Mat. 24. 41. Mat. 13. 35. Mat. 24. 44. 1. Thes 5. 2 3 Vers 34. Mat. 24. 41 44. 1. Cor. 15. 52. 1. Thess 5. 2. Luc. 21. 55. Mat. 24. 48 50 51. Mat. 16. 26. Amos 6. 3. Luc. 12. 17 18. Luc. 12. 22. Amos 6. 5. Matt. 24. 51. and 21. 44. â— Thess 5. 2. Matth. 24. 5. Rom. 2. 4. 2. Pet. 3. 13. Math. 25. 11. Reuel 22. 20 Phil. 1. 23. Luc. 23. 30. Reuel 6. 17. and 9. 6. Matth. 6. 33. Math. 7. 13. Deut. 27. 26. Gal. 3. 10. Mat. 5. 22. Prov. 20. 9. 1. Kin. 8. 46. 1. Ioh. 1. 8. Eccl. 7. 22. Rom. 6 23. Rom. 3. 4. Ioh. 3. 33. Luc. 13. 3 5. Luc. 13. 3. 5. Ioh. 12. 48. 1. Cor. 9. 10. Apoc. 12. 9. â—â—ut 27. 26. Gal. 3. 10. 1. Kin. 8. 46. Rom. 3. 23. 1. Ioh. 1. 8. 1. Ioh. 3. 20. Mat. 5. 17. Mat. 5. 18. Luke 16. 17. Ioh. 12. 48. Matt. 24. 35. Deut. 27. 26. Gal. 3. 10. 1. Reg. 8. 4â— Rom. 3. 23. 1. Ioh. 1. 8. Rom. 6. 23. Gal. 3. 10. Iames 2. 10. Mat. 5. 10. Rom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 51. â— Mat. 5. 28. Mat. 5. 22. 1. Ioh. 3. 15. Matt. 22. 37. Gal. 3. 10. Rom. 6. 23. Matt. 25. 4â— and 10. 28. Marc. 9. 44. Apoc. 20. 6. and 21. 8. Gal. 3. 1â— Matth. 5. 41. Apoc. 19. 20. and 20. 10. Marc. 9. 44. Luc. 22. 44. Gal. 3. 10. Rom. 6. 23. Ioh. 12. 48. Marc. 9. 44. Matt. 16. 28. Matt. 22. 3â— Gal. 3. 10. Gal. 3. 22. Rom. 3. 23. 1. Ioh. 1. 8. 1. Reg. 8. 40. Prov. 20. 9. Gal. 3. 20. Rom. 7. 4. 3. 20. 4. 15. Gal. 3. 20. Rom. 6. 23. Eph. 3. Rom. 3. 4. Ioh. 3. 33. â—al 3. 10. 2. Cor. 1. 3. Psal 145. â— 86. â—5 Mark 9. 44. Matt. 25. 40. 1. Ioh. 2. 1. Gal 4. 4. Heb. 2. 9 10. 4. 15. 1. Tim. 2. 15. Rom. 8. 3. Gal. 3. 13. Matt. 27. 46. Esa 59. 2. Luc. 23. 46. 1. Cor. 4. Eph. 1. 20. 1. Ioh. 2. 1 2. Eph. 5. 2. Matth. 7. 13. Ioâ— 3. 16. 18. Vers 18. 36. Mat. 8. 29. Mark 5. 7. Iam. 2. 19. Hebr. 2. 16. 1. Cor. 1. 30. Rom. 8. 15. Eph. 3. 17. Rom. 8. 38. Mat 6. 10. 1. Eph. 3. 17. Iam. 1. 6. Rom. 5. 1. Eph. 3. 12. Psal 77. 3. 42. Phil 5. 6. Matt. 16. 17. Act. 16. 14. Rom. 8. 15. Math. 7. 7 8. Rom. 10. 17. vers 14. Ioh. 3. 18. 36. 1. Cor. 1. 21. Ioh. 3. 36. Rom. 10. 14. Matth. 6. 1. Cor. 1. 21. Gal. 3. 13. Ioh. 3. 16. Rom. 8. 15. Eph. 3. 17. 12. Matt. 16. 17. Rom. 8. 15. Act. 15. 9. Roman 8. 9. Ephes 3. 17. Rom. 8. 15. Gal. 5. 19. Roman 6. 4. Ephes 4. 25. Galat. 3. 20. Ioh. 1. 2. Ephes 2. 3. Matt. 28. 41. 1. Thess 4. 7. Phil. 1. 23. Math. 10. 28. Lev. 19. 18. Matt. 11. 39. Phil. 2. 6. Hebr. 4. 15. Rom. 5. 8. Ioh. 15. 13. 1. Ioh. 3. 6. Rom. 5. 8. Matth. 6. 32. Matth. 6. 12. Matth. 6. 15. Matt. 18. 23. Vers 35. Matth. 5. 22. Luc. 23. 34. Ioh. 3. 15.
matters more strongly and more fiersly pursuing the matter then a thousand vvitnesses So could that cruell beast Cain that bathed in the blood of his brother vvrangle vvith God after that manner What doest thou meane to aske me of my brother saith he what have I to doe with him am I my brothers keeper is he not old enough to keepe himselfe He thought forsooth he had made sure vvorke on all hands vvhen he had gotten his brother into the broad fields far from the presence of men that none could espie him to beare vvitnesse of the fact but the Lord findeth out this cruell tiger and subtill foxe bringeth in vvitnesses enough to condemne him that vvere present euen at the deed doing Thy brothers blood saith God crieth aloud for vengeance in mine eares doest thou thinke to escape scotfree in my iudgement because no mortall man can testifie of it the blood vvhich I put into thy brothers body and thou cruelly didst let out the same that same blood hath a lovvd voice before my iudgement seate to beare vvitnesse against thee and to call for iustice at mine hand to revengement the verie earth vvhich opened her mouth to receiue the blood is another loud vvitnes before me to condemne thee vvhat saist thou to the matter vvhat hast thou to say for thy selfe Alack poore soule he standeth as dumb as a block before his iudge hath not a vvord to ansvvere in his defence against these vvitnesses but like an obstinate rebell against Gods maiesty doeth murmure against God that he is hardly dealt withall and that his punishment is greater then he is able to indure that he is oppressed and throwne downe with the fierce wrath of God Let vs see then what we can prevaile with all our shiftes and subtilties here where wee thinke no man can charge vs no witnesse against vs the Lord needs no such witnesse in his iudgement seate he can call all his creatures to witnesse against vs the very house wherein we commit wickednesse our conscience in our breast witnessing thereunto the darke night the ground we tread vpon the bedde we lye vpon all the creatures of God about vs when we are committing wickednesse shall be sufficient testimonies against vs. The matter that we so subtilly contriue in our braines for to wind in our neighbours and deceive them euen the very matters them selves shalbe sufficient before our God to stand against vs to condem nation The pen ynke paper parchment scribe subtill pety-fogger and whatsoever haue bene instruments with vs in our craftie deuises whatsoever of Gods creatures we haue vsed or rather abused thereunto shall testifie their humble obedience to their creatour to our condemnation yea euen our owne hands that wrote our tongue that spake our feete that went our heart that devised our body that executed must needs stand in iudgement as an army of witnesses to condēne vs. What did it availe that miserable caytiffe that he could use his legges and feete to meete his Master and his armes to imbrace him and his tongue falsly to speake wordes of pretensed friendship Haile master his mouth like a trusty frend to kisse him what could all these prevaile I say when God pursued him more narrowly and haled him more neerely vnto his iudgement seate what did they prevaile Alas poore damned creature his conscience was made his hangman The Lorde needed no other witnesse to bewray the false meaning of his fained friendly heart then his owne conscience within his breast that spake so lowd against him to his condemnation that he could not abide but cruelly caused his owne selfe same legges and feete to carry him to his owne death and the selfe same hands to hang vp his body to dispatch his life and then which is most lamentable when he thought to be ridde from his Iudge then alas did he but begin his torments which never can be ended So horrible a thing it is to fall into the hands of so mighty a Iudge O good breethren let vs lay vp these examples deepe in our hearts to bring in continuall remembrance before our eyes the iudgement seate of God that we may learne to feare his maiestie and stand in awe of his dreadfull iudgement seate that we be not so bold with our God to dally with him and as it were play with his nose as they say thinking our selves sure enough when we can make faire weather with men and with our smooth lookes sugred wordes and faire countenances subtilly intrappe our brethren Alas good brethren this geere will not be good stuffe with our God when hee calleth vs to answer the matter in his highest court of parliament it vanisheth away as smoke Those same Iudas kisses be to common against vs and which worse is it is holden almost no sin nay I am afraid it is accounted of most of vs a notable point of pollicie as without which we could not be able to live amongst men to flatter speake faire and as it were to creep into mens bosoms whereas within there is nothing but falshood and a double heart and yet we are growen to this brutishnesse as though God had no iudgement seate that we thinke we could not otherwise live amongst men unlesse we play on both hands with God and the world and we haue made it as it were an infallible rule and brought it to a common proverb Nescit regnare qui nescit dissimulare He knoweth not how to keepe his owne that knoweth not how to dissemble fayne flatterie faire speech is called holy-water of the court and I can not tell what I know not what is in the court for I am no courtier but I am sure that we haue too much of such holy-water amongst vs here in Norffolke faire words and false hearts sugred talke and subtill meaning it is too too common the Lorde be mercifull vnto vs as though God did not see vs view vs marke vs and even register vs vp vnto his iudgement seat well good brethren let vs not deceiue ourselves all this our faire subtiltie is no more but Iudas kisses and vndoubtedly vnlesse we in time repent we shall with Iudas at the hand of Almighty God taste of the like vengeances for God will not be mocked although during our life wee come not to the gallowes or to fordoe our selues as he did yet our God hath his iudgement after this life will hang vs vp in hell with Iudas everlastingly all of vs if we doe not repent yea although we do weare velvet coats on our backes all shall not save vs there is no remedy we must all appeare before the iudgement seat of God therfore let vs now think upon it whiles we have time that vve may be in a readines when it commeth for therfore we are summoned in that court we must appeare Away then with all these counterfaited devises which be so common amongst vs
whether it be good or euill WE haue heard good Brethren heretofore howe to behaue our selues one with another touching strifes and contentions that we must not be mooued to reuengement vpon euery light occasion but put vp iniuries and harmes and pray for our enemies following the exāple of our Lord Iesus our chiefe peacemaker with God that we euery one in like maner should be studious of peace in our selues and helpe others to be at one among themselues that the prince of peace may rest among vs all this we haue heard at large declared vnto vs it remayneth onely that we be diligent followers of it for thereunto tendeth all teaching and preaching to beate into our heades knowledge of our dutie towardes God and our neighbour that we should not onely be knowers of his will with the wicked seruant but practisers of the same with the godly childe And because in this point we be very dull content our selues often with the bare knowledge of our dutie thinking it sufficient that we can make iolly discourses of matters whereof we be nothing at all touched in our heart I haue therefore chosen out this portion of Scripture to this end that it might partly awake vs out of such a sound sleepe of securitie to the more deepe and effectuall consideration of our dutie These words as I haue read them vnto you be vttered by the Apostle to this ende that he might stirre himselfe vp more feruently and earnestly to the doing of his dutie not onely before men in shew but also syncerely from the bottome of his heart before God the searcher of the heart For so it doth appeare by the verse going before howsoeuer it be saith he whether it be that we be at home in this bodie or remoouing from home out of this bodie we doe alwaies indeauour that our actions and deedes may please our God For we must all once appeare before the iudgement seate of God as though he should say Howe men iudge and esteeme of me I make not so great account so that my doings may be allowed of my God for there is no remedie they must once come to be skanned before God where all the allowing or disalowing of man can take no place And herin also he secretly represseth and beateth backe the vaine ostentation of the false teachers that had nothing before their eyes but onely to haue the applause and the liking of men I dare not so doe my dutie saith he as some teachers among you who frame them selues to please men but my chiefe and whole purpose is to please God in my calling for when men shall haue giuen vpon my doings their verdict and iudgements either in liking or disliking of me I know that when men shall haue don with me with their iudgements and censures that I must after all that come before God and he must take the viewe of me and my life not according as it hath appeared outwardly to the shew of men but as it hath beene indeede before God and therefore I dare not frame my selfe to the onely liking of man but especially to the pleasing of my God before whose iudgement seat I must once stand and that is it that maketh me so carefull as he addeth in the verse following not onely to doe my dutie before men so truly as they can not iustly blame me but especially to examine my heart before God that it be vpright before him as my outward doings are before mē because I set before mine eies this terrible iudgement of the Lord who is a sore reuēger of all dissimulatiō Thus ye heare then for what purpose the Apostle bringeth in this sentence of our appearing before the iudgement seat of God that is to stirre himself vp to walke more sincerely before God not to be contented with the applause or liking of men It remaineth now that we gather our profit by it applie it to our vse that it may serue vs in as good stead as it did the Apostle for I neede not stande long to prooue the truth of the sentence seeing it is so euident through the whole bodie of the Scriptures so apparant as cā be that Christ shall come to iudgement it is a thing euident ynough of it selfe and denied of none the simplest of all doe acknowledge it euery one knoweth that doomes day wil come it is an article of our Creede that Christ shall come to iudge vs so that I neede not busie my selfe to set out that matter in large proofe which is of all so generally confessed but this especially we haue to note out of it that we learne to make our profit benefit by it vnto our soules health as the Apostle doth vnto his soule and applie it vnto our soules as he doth vnto himselfe For he bringeth this sentence not to doe vs to vnderstande that he knoweth onely and acknowledgeth a iudgement to come for the very diuels do in like maner so much yet cease not continually to rage against God but that by the acknowledging of that iudgement he is inwardly touched with a reuerent feare and an earnest desire to doe his dutie and walk vprightly both outwardly before man inwardly before God This profit doth he gather to him selfe then by thinking vpon the iudgement to come setting it before his eies that therby he is stirred vp to walke this life warily sincerely both before God men by this example we are admonished good brethren to doe the like that is to set the remembrance of the iudgement seat of God before our eyes that thereby we may be raised from our securitie but alas we are very farre from it euery one of vs I graunt can confesse and I thinke we doe beleeue it too that Christ shall come to iudgement we can so say but alas we goe no further wee gather not hereupon with the Apostle a lesson to our selues to walke therefore vprightly and without guile before God knowing that all our doings must once come to the skanning before his iudgement this we leaue out and content our selues onely with a vain repetition of bare words in our Creede think that we are notable Christians when wee haue rolled vp the wordes in our Creede that Christ shall come to iudge both the quicke and the dead in the meane time neuer apply it to our life to take admonition thereby to walke in the feare of our God this I say men litle thinke vpon but we see how the Apostle teacheth vs another lesson by his example to apply the consideration of the comming of Christ vnto our soules with feare and trembling to walke in simplicitie before God because we cannot escape his iudgement And it standeth vs in hand to learne it well and put it in practise for we see the vntowardnes of the world our owne blindnes how we doe not onely suffer our selues to be blinded by others but willingly
not see both daily and hourely how that the Lord calleth as wel the young as the old and what patent haue we of our life that we are not in the number Doe we not see that God calleth men euen suddainly when they are in as good health as can be yea euen when they are eating their meate at dinner euen supping an egge is the last breath that euer they draw wherefore doth the Lord this but onely to let vs vnderstand and see before our eyes how soone our life is gone that so we might alwaies be in readines we see these things continually and yet alas howe smally we profit by them wherefore we see it needefull and a thousand times more then needefull to haue this soundly imprinted in our heart and the remembrance of it continually before our eyes that we must hence we can not tell when that our heathenish eares and Epicures pleasures may be cut off by the continuall meditation of the same otherwise vndoubtedly good brethren when we thinke our selues most at ease we shal vnderstand the sentence here that Christ Iesus spake That we shalbe taken in an houre when we least thinke That rich Epicure that wallowed and tumbled in his wealth little thinking vpon his death but soked in his sinnefull pleasures sitteth at his ease debating with himselfe howe he may make his life most easie and at length concludeth with himselfe such a way as he thinketh to liue most pleasantly and easily for many yeares he will pull downe forsooth his old barnes and build him greater that shalbe able to receiue all his grayne and then like a iolly carnall swine he will say to his soule Oh soule eate and drinke and make lustie good cheare for thou hast ynough laid vp for many yeare here is nothing with him but cherishing the belly and pampering the bodie as though God had put life into him and set him in this world for none other end but like a bruit beast to crāme vp his bellie to the corge and feede him selfe fat against the 〈◊〉 of slaughter this miserable caytiffe hath forgot himselfe that he must die there is no remembrance of death but as though he must liue euer but when the carnall belly-god in his chiefest ruffe and as he thinketh in his greatest felicitie his cheare was cleane changed in a moment he heard a voice that daunted his courage it was said vnto him in the selfe same houre Thou foole this night shall thy soule shall be taken from thee this night thou must needs die and what shalt thou then be better for all this false conceiued ioy in thy pleasures and riches when thou must not inioy them one minute of an houre I am afraid good brethren it is too liuely and too true a description of vs Englishmen which haue neuer done with feeding the belly and cloathing the backe as though we should liue here euer I am afraid too many of vs haue vtterly vanished out of our remembrance the day of our death or els haue put it a farre off as though it would not come of a long time I am afraide too many of vs say in our hearts with this worldly wretch Oh if such a thing and such a thing were brought to passe I would say to my soule take euen thy full pleasure eate and drinke thy belly full make merry take euen thy hearts desire Alas good brethren let vs take heede vnto our selues what shall it auaile vs when God shall suddenly take vs from all our pleasures in a moment and throw our soules into euerlasting torment The cause of this loosenes amongst vs is because we doe not practise that doctrine that is taught vs out of this sentence namely that the day of our departure is vncertaine euen oftentimes when we least thinke wherefore I desire you in the feare of God for the loue we beare vnto our owne soules that we make our profit of this sentence better then we haue done heretofore let vs apply it vnto our selues and call our selues to an account euery one of vs enter into his own heart and thus say VVhat wickednes doe I know by my selfe Am I a thief a murtherer a couetous person is all this hid from man yea But alas God doth see it and hath appointed a iudgement to punish it therfore I will no more continue in it I will now repent while I haue time I will not dāme mine own soule for once I must appeare before the iudgemēt seat of God And if the deuill would goe about to suggest into thine heart that it wilbe long before the day come and that that thou hast yet a long time to liue and therefore thou maist a while continue in thy sinne answer him with Iesus Christs words that then I shall haue my part with the wicked seruant in the continuall burning lake that the time is not knowne to any creature it is vncerten it will be sudden when we least think therfore defer not to be alwaies in a readines if he will reply and say it is not like to be so soone for that all things are well and there appeares no tokens of sicknes much lesse of death answer him againe that euen therefore I ought more to suspect the day to be neare because it shall be at such a time as men shall thinke all thinges well and quiet euen then shall it come and take men vnprepared Let vs good brethren in this manner applie this doctrine to our selues that we may profit by it in newnesse of life let vs not deferre the time till to morrow the Lord God knoweth where we shall be to morrow we are al of vs here now God be thāked but the Lord knoweth whether we shall euer come togither againe or not the Lord may take vs before we goe out of the Church-doore so vncerten are we of our life wherefore let vs for Gods sake deferre the time no longer but euery one of vs now beginne to amend and lie no longer in our sinne but turne to the Lord by true repentance knowing that our time is vncerten thus doing we shall finde the Lord our God mercifull vnto vs he will increase in vs his graces and gifts of his holy spirite that we may grow on forward from faith to faith in sanctification and newnesse of life till it shall please his goodnes to call vs in his good time to euerlasting rest Thus we haue heard good brethren what we haue to learne out of this sentence it remaineth that we knowing it put it in practise and that we doe not thinke it sufficient to come hither to sit here and to lend our eares to the preaching to giue it the hearing and haue yet notwithstāding no purpose of amēding but rather some hard heart still to continue in our sinne as we we came for assuredly if we doe so the eternall God wil neuer suffer vnreuenged such horrible contempt of his blessed word it
doth cōmit the outward fact but also euē when the heart doth break it although the body haue not done it that thou art guilty before God when thy heart hath broken it euen whē thou hast lusted after thy neighbours wife thou hast cōmitted adultery in thine heart saieth Christ yea and if thou speak but a railing or reprochfull sentence thou art guilty of hel fire although thou neuer neither kill thy brother nor smite him yet if thou hate him in thine heart thou art a mankiller before God who condemneth the thoughts of our hearts Yea further it must be done not only with thy heart after a cold fashion with some part of thy good vvill liking but cheerfully vvith all the heart with all the mind yea with all the soule So that although vve could fulfill all the cōmandements of God yet break but one of them once in al our life yea although it were but in our heart yet that vvord condēneth vs as guilty of Gods curse vvhich saith Cursed is euery one which doth not fulfill all that is written in the booke of this law if any one cōmandemēt be but once in all our life brokē all is not fulfilled therfore is a curse pronounced against vs. This is brought in against vs ye see and alledged to prooue vs guiltie of the curse and vengeance of God for breaking his commandements the least of them although it were but in thought yet sufficient to throw vs downe to hell all this is brought against vs out of the word of God in this iudgemēt therfore cannot be answered with gloses we may vvel enough surmise of our own head what we think good here below whē we come before god nothing wil serve but his vvord It vvill not availe thee a stravv vvhen thou shalt stand before the iudgement seat of God it will not availe thee to say O good Lord I graunt indeed I haue sinned but yet they are but small sinnes for strait thou shalt haue ansvver Cursed is every one that doth not fulfill all not onely the great but also the small these gloses vvill not serue at that day and yet see hovv many are caried avvay novv a dayes by such imagination of Gods commandements For a great number think that if they be not notorious sinners before men they shall be vvell enough for they think that the rest of their sinnes are not of so great vvaight because they be knovvn only to God not greatly hated of the vvorld this the fall into because they measure the breach of Gods commaundement by the rule of their ovvne iudgement or by the common opinion of men But alas good brethren it vvill go farre othervvise vvith vs before the iudgement seat of God vvho vvil measure the breach of his blessed vvill not by mens vvord but by his ovvne vvorde that vvord telleth vs that the revvard of the lest sin is death We must seeke then for more sound stuffe then this to answer our cause or all vvill else go vvrong vvith vs. We go on yet further vvith the matter vvhen vve are conuicted that our sinnes are great grieuous before God vve acknovvledge it to be so but vve haue remedy enough for it as vve thinke for vve bring in to ansvver the matter the punishments vvhervvith vve haue punished our bodies as pining our selues vvith fasting vvhipping scourging such like and these things vve thinke be a sufficient recōpense to God for our sins as so much as he must needs be satisfied vvith therfore vve call them Satisfactions oh say vve vve haue sinned indeed our sins be grieuous but yet for al that vve haue pinched our body for our sins vve haue scourged our selues euery day vve haue gone on pilgrimage in frost snovv barefoot and therfore although vve haue sinned yet we haue satisfied God for our sins vve trust this vvill be a sufficiēt recōpense to God for our sins yea but let us see whether this wil be a sufficient ansvver before God vvhether God vvill take this recompence for our sins or no. The Lorde our God hath appointed in his vvord a far greater punishment and recompense for our sins then can be fall the body of man whē they haue pined it all that euer they can the punishment and due debt of our sinne by the word of God is not onely a punishment of the bodie but also of the soule not onely for a certaine time of daies and yeares which haue an ende but daies and yeares which neuer ende It is the fire which neuer goeth out which can neuer be quenched it is the worme which neuer dieth it is a second death where men be alwaies dying and neuer can make an end because it is euerlasting this is the iust recompence of our sinnes we must not then thinke we haue trimly satisfied for our sinnes when we haue vndergone and taken vpon vs certaine punishments in our bodies which we thinke be very grieuous for although we should our whole life long pine our selues with the greatest and extreamest torment that could be it is nothing in comparison of that full measure of punishment for our sinnes which God setteth downe for that is not for a day or two or as long as we liue no not for twentie thousand yeares but for euer euer euer and hath neuer ende and not onely in the torments of the bodie but also in soule the griefe whereof can not be expressed a thousand times more intollerable then any griefe that can come to the bodie Doth the Lord God say VVhipped be that bodie for certaine yeares which doth not fulfill all that is written c. no he saith not so but he saith Accursed be he I trow the curse of God stretcheth further then the bodie of man the curse of God containeth in it all the torments that can be deuised both in soule and bodie euen as his fauour and goodnes containeth all happines This curse of God which is due for our sinnes as it containeth all the torments which can be deuised both of soule and bodie so is it set forth vnto vs in Scripture by such things as seeme terrible vnto vs to expresse vnto vs more deepely the terrour of it by such things as seeme terrible vnto vs in this earth as fire that can not be quenched burning lake second death damnation where is weeping and wayling and gnashing of teeth and such other like kinde of speeches to expresse vnto vs the horrour of the same not that any terrible thing in this life can sufficiently expresse the horrour of these paines as they are in deede for the tongue of man can not vtter nor heart thinke the torment prepared for sinne The burthen thereof caused the deare Sonne of God to sweat not vsuall sweat but droppes of blood not one or two drops but in such abundance but in such
I am fully assured that neither life nor death principalities nor powers neither things present nor things to come neither height nor depth nor any other creature can separate vs from the loue of God vvhich is in Christ Iesus our Lorde And for the confirmation of this in vs be the Sacraments ordained to be applyed to euery one particularly not only to be deliuered to others but also to euery one of vs to be partakers of thē that we might be more certenly perswaded that the benefits of Christs passion wrought for the saluatiō of his flock in common pertaineth euen to euery one of vs particularly as certenly as we be partakers of the outward seales pledges of them This is then the chiefest point in a sound beliefe wherein it differeth from the deuils beliefe to applie whatsoeuer Christ hath done to our selues not onely to other men this is a speciall point and pertaineth to the true faith of the children of God The deuils can not beleeue that Christ is theirs peraduenture they may say Christ Christ and Lord Lord but they can not beleeue in their heart that Iesus Christ is theirs with his death and passion and that is also another point in true and sound faith that is not onely to say with the tongue notably and finely that I beleeue that Christ is mine and dyed for me c. for so can the deuils and damned creatures say and yet lye impudently but it is to beleeue and inwardly to be perswaded thereof in the heart which no diuell nor damned creature can doe but rather they feele the horror of Gods iudgements in full measure in their hearts and consciences True and sound faith of Gods children is not then a whirling knowledge and speculation of the braine but it is an inward feeling of the heart for a great number haue a knowledge what they should beleeue and yet not an heart to beleeue yea further not onely a knowledge what they ought to beleeue but also be able notably to set out the matter to teach others how they should truly and rightly beleeue and yet they themselues damned creatures members of Satan and firebrands of hell as the miserable caytiffe Iudas who with the rest of the twelue went and preached the Gospel of the kingdome and sealed it with miracles in Christ name and as Christ Iesus testifieth of many that not onely know to say Lord Lord but also had knowledge to teach others and prophesie and preach in his name and yet Iesus Christ refuseth them to be his Let vs then good brethren looke well to our selues and content not our selues with a vaine babbling tongue-faith that will not serue in the day of the Lord it must be an heart-faith let vs looke whether we feele Iesus Christ there or not Therefore saith the holy Ghost that this true faith maketh Christ Iesus dwell not in worldly brauerie in our tongues but in our hearts in our hearts in our hearts good brethren in our hearts It is too too lamentable to see how the world is bewitched with this tongue faith with this carnal gospelling-faith it is an horrible abuse of Iesus Christs gospell we shall dearely abide at his hands vnles we speedily repēt it is euident ynough that Iesus Christ dwelleth not in that inward heart where the deuill apparantly sheweth his hornes as they say in the outward deeds there is not Iesus Christ in that heart but the whol power of Satan and therefore no children of Gods faith in that heart but a deuils faith Let vs not deceiue our selues good brethren a true and a sound faith admitteth Christ with further entrance into vs then our tōgues lodgeth him into our hearts I can not enter into your consciences but there is a Lord Iesus that seeth them onely I desire you in the name of God to enter euery man into his owne heart and examine himselfe diligently whether he beleeueth that Christ hath redeemed him ransomed or not whether he beleeue that Christ Iesus hath purchased euerlasting life for him or not Let him examine him selfe throughly whether he beleeue it in his heart now while it is the time of mercie for once we must come to iudgement and so let him rest himselfe in the Lord Iesus with full assurance of euerlasting life not mistrusting our good and gracious God nor doubting of his good will towards him for he that doubteth is like the waues of the sea that be tossed to and fro such wauering is farre from the certentie that true faith bringeth vnto our consciences whereby beeing iustified by faith we haue peace with god For this true sincere faith maketh vs to haue entrance vnto our God with boldnes so that it is far from the wauering vncertenty of the wicked vnbeleeuers yet the dearest children of God euen the most faithfull haue often maruelous assaults to shake their faith oftentimes feele thēselues almost deadly woūded as though they were almost past al hope but yet their faith getteth the victorie in the ende At that stay was the Prophet when he said to himselfe Hath the Lord forgotten to be mercifull is his mercie cleane gone but yet they vse to striue and stirre vp themselues by calling vpon God and tarying Gods leasure Why art thou vexed o my soule saith Dauid why art thou so troubled within me c. So that although the children of God be oftentimes maruelously assaulted with distrust and doubtings of their saluation yet they striue against them at Gods appointed time leasure they feele the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding Thus farre ye see then the full answer of our cause and matter of our saluation before the iudgement seat of God against Satan sinne deuill death and hell that we that be the people of God doe fully beleeue not onely say with our tongue but beleeue assuredly in our heart that Iesus Christ hath satisfied whatsoeuer Gods iustice doth require for our sinnes not onely for other mens sinnes but euen for our sinnes whereby we feele our selues at peace with God reconciled by the death of his Sonne brought into an assured hope of euerlasting life thus far haue we heard taught and now yet further least any carnall wretch should thereby take libertie to sin saying within his heart If there be nothing but this that whosoeuer beleeueth shalbe saued then I care not what I doe I wil continue in my sinne then I wil beleeue to be saued I shalbe saued I can beleeue when I list the word of God to answer all such filthie sinne doth testifie vnto vs that this true liuely faith of Gods people to saluation is not in the power of man to beleeue when he list but it is onely the worke of God Flesh and bloode saith Iesus Christ hath not reuealed this vnto thee but euen my heauenly father which is in heauen it was the Lord which touched the
is no law I trow forbiddeth this vnlesse I say the law of the purse And if thou say I can not there be able to liue I answer thee first seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and all other things needfull shall be giuen vnto thee as ouerplus So we see there is nothing can excuse us before God vnlesse we get vs preachers I know there be other kind of excuses that vve frame unto our selues as we thinke sufficient to exempt vs from the preaching of the word but let vs not deceiue our selues vnlesse there be preaching the people perish vnlesse they haue beleeued they are damned and beleeue can they not without preaching Away therfore with all vaine excuses which might make vs thinke our selues well enough without preaching these gloses will not serue before God the Lord will haue his people taught there is no shift otherwise we shall all of vs answer for it so many of vs as haue our hands stained with the blood of them that perish And let all of vs in the feare of this our God fall seriously to meditate of this geare and now at the length begin to make more diligent and careful preparation for the preaching of the word then hitherto we haue done seeing it so standeth vs in hand vnder paine of damnation God may otherwise saue vs as I haue told you if he will but it hath pleased him to let vs vnderstand that he will haue vs saued by preaching if we shal not be carefull and carefull againe to prepare for that meanes of our saluation surely we shall declare our selues either to be wiser then God esteeming his heauenly wisdome but base and foolish or else plaine contemners of God in despising so heauenly and wholsome ordinance Wherefore good brethren if ye will be saued get you preachers into your parishes that may instruct you in the wayes and meanes of your salvation against that day that yee must appeare before this iudgement seate bestow your labour cost and trauell to get them ride for them runne for them stretch your purses to maintain them we shall begin to be rich in the Lord Iesus and so much riches also of this world we shall haue as our God shall make vs contented withall and then our ioy shall be full in the last day when we must leaue all these earthly things receiue at the hands of the Lord Iesus an heauenly an euerlasting crowne Thus farre then good brethren how we are discharged in this iudgement seat from the euerlasting curse and condemnation which euery one of us haue fallen into by breaking Gods cōmandements ye haue heard how we are discharged from this punishment by Iesus Christ who hath fully taken it upon him ouercome it how it is made ours applied vnto us by faith not such a faith as the deuils haue but such as teacheth unto us all that euer Christ did for us maketh Christ dwell with us not in our tongues but in our hearts not in a wauering maner but in a true certenty not by a vaine perswasion of the flesh by the liuely witnes of Gods spirit all this to be deliuered unto vs by no other ordinary means but onely by the preaching of the word Here is then the full waies means of our saluation declared unto us to be in Christ onely in Christ in no worke deed or merit of ours or any saint or angell for us but in Christ alone none other herein remaineth our whole comfort ioy which passeth all the ioyes of the earth But I haue yet one thing more to answer which the deuill might bring into the head heart of the carnall gospeller hereby What saith that filthy Epicure this is sweete doctrine in deede now I may take my pleasure at will liue at lust in my sinne for I beleeue in Christ therfore must needs be saued it maketh no matter I will sin my belly full for I beleeue that Christ hath borne the burthen of my sin therfore what need I care I answer these abuses of Gods mercy that if there be any such that either hath such a blasphemous tongue to speake or an heart to purpose to sinne or one minute of an houre to continue in sinne because he beleeueth that Christ hath paid the punishment of his sinne if there be any such that thus say or purpose I say with the worde of God that such haue no sparkle of true faith for the word of God setteth forth unto vs this true faith not such a faith as filleth the heart with sinne and all uncleannesse as these carnall Epicures speake of but such a faith as maketh the heart pure such a faith as doth not incourage men to sinne but such a faith as maketh men to hate their sinne lothe abhorre it because this true faith of Gods people proceedeth frō the spirit of Christ maketh Christ dwell in vs by his holy spirit which spirit of Christ can neuer dwell in one and the same heart with sinne wickednes in such maner as to be at agreement with it to like well of it take pleasure in it but continually striveth and struggleth against it And although sin doe continually hang on vs yet this spirit of Christ dwelling in vs will not let sin raigne rule in vs therefore such carnall wretches as shall loue sinne take pleasure in their sinne doe sufficiently declare that they haue no part nor fellowship with Gods spirit consequently no true liuely faith They haue no part of the spirit of Christ that suffered death for sinne but the spirit of Satan the authour of sin the spirit of the world the imbracer of sin the spirit of the flesh the nource of sinne for it filleth the heart with the fruits not of the spirite but of the flesh lust whordom fornication uncleannesse wantonnes vanity filthinesse couetousnes extortiō usury oppression pride contempt disdain flattery dissimulation idolatry witchcraft hatred malice division drunkennes gluttony c. And I warrant them let these carnal swine that thus wallow in their sinne taking their full ioy pleasure in it yet say stoutly that they haue a beleefe that Iesus Christ hath paid the punishment of their sin let them I say enter a litle more deep into their own heart they shal find a thing within them that shal speak the clean contrary euen their own cōscience doth cry aloud within their brest if they would let it speak that they beleeue no whit at all of the discharge of their sin by Christ for then they would not loue like wel of their sin which was the cause of the death of Christ Is it like they hold any thing of Christ which ioyne hands with the wicked Iewes to put Christ to death They neuer therfore haue any true faith in Christ unlesse they detest their own sin which
was the cause of the death of Christ Therfore this true liuely faith of Gods people is so farre from making men lie wallowing in their sin that untill such time as they haue it they neuer haue a perfect hatred of their sinne then onely when wee haue faith and neuer till then begin we to take pleasure in those things which are allowed and liked of God For this true liuely faith maketh vs new creatures beareth vs a new maketh vs the children of God whereas by nature we are the children of Gods anger that hee can neither loue vs nor any thing that we doe Then begin our blind hearts to be lightned to perceiue our sinne which before we did not see then beginneth our hard heart to be softened and effectually touched with griefe and horrour of our sinne which before wee did like well of whereas we had a delight in deceit and craft flatterie and briberie now we begin to abhorre it and to loue plaine and simple dealing whereas before we were covetous hard hearted vnmercifull usurers oppresours now we begin to hate it and to study after pity and compassion The selfe same tongue that had a pleasure to talke of filthinesse lying blasphemie now is framed a new to hate all cursed speaking and hath a delight to speake the truth and talke of godlinesse and to reprooue wickednesse To be short when we haue this true and liuely faith wrought in vs by Gods spirit we are then framed a new by the same spirite into an inward lothing of our sinne and continually pricked on forward to striue against our sinne by true repentance and not to say we purpose to continue in our sinne but to labour continually against our sinne Let vs therefore good brethren diligently enter into our selves and examine the thoughts of our hearts whether we haue our delights in our craft subtiltie whordome fornieation vncleannesse and such like whether wee set downe with our selues to abide in it yet a certaine time and if wee finde such an vncleane filthy and beastly heart in our selues let vs not flatter our selues good brethren vndoubtedly there is no true faith in such a heart but onely a fleshly and carnall perswasion there is not the spirit of Christ which ouercometh sinne and death the deuill in vs continueth firme steadfast and strong euen in the great and terrible day of the Lorde there is not that spirite in vs but the spirit of the world which perisheth with the world the spirit of Satan which shalbe confounded with Satan and the Spirit of the flesh which bringeth forth in vs the workes of the flesh and darkenesse and therefore shal come to nought with the deeds of the flesh Let all those therefore that haue shadowed them selues vnder the name of the gospell and say they doe beleeue and say they haue faith and yet when they come home nearer to themselves into their owne bosome and finde no loue there to the gospell to Christ to holinesse and righteousnesse but a lust liking and pleasure in all their wonted sinne let them once for all be answered out of Gods blessed worde that they haue no portion with the gospell that they pertaine not to Christ not his sanctification and holinesse and let all such as by these filthy beasts which pretend the gospell and yet haue such abominable heartes and carnall liues are caried away to mislike Christes glorious gospell and to forsake the truth therein thorough these carnall professours let all such as haue bin drawne away by them I say be answered that the Sonne of God neuer taketh such carnall professours for his that they be no true gospellers that they be none of his members none of his faithfull but meere members of Satan transformed into an angell of light and therefore that although they cloake them selues with the name of the gospell and can say Lord Lord and Christ Christ that they may more safely worke all sinne and wickednesse to the shame of the gospell Christ yet in the great and terrible day when all must yeelde up their accompts he shall giue sentence against them Depart from me ye cursed caitiffes workers of iniquitie I neuer acknowledged you for mine depart from me into euerlasting torments to the deuill and his angels to whome alwaies you appertained and whome in heart you serued there shalbe weeping wailing and gnashing of teeth Wherefore let vs all humble our selues under the hand of God abuse not his gospell so many of us as the Lord hath called to tast of the sweet cōfort in his gospell let the fruit of it appeare in our life and conuersation to the glory of Gods gospell For the Lord is a seuere reuenger of the blasphemie done to his heauenly gospell if wee shall seeme to professe it and through our conuersation cause it to be ill spoken of Wherefore good brethren let vs remember our selues that we are called to an holy calling the Lorde is holy and loueth holinesse that hath called vs we are called to holinesse and not to filthinesse let us walke then in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life Thus then good brethren you haue heard the wayes and meanes of our salvation handled before the iudgement seate of God at large how we are delivered from sin death hell and Satan by the meanes that Iesus Christ in our nature hath ouercome them all for us that so many as take hold of him by faith should be deliuered from eternall destruction and haue everlasting life ye haue hearde that this true faith is not to beleeue generally but to reach all that Christ hath done unto our selves not to say with the tongue wee beleeue but to feele in the heart not with a worldly perswasion of the flesh but with an inward perswasion of Gods spirit that sealeth all these same in our hearts ordinarily by the preaching of the worde whereby we are transformed into the image of Christ and renevved in the inwarde heart to haue our delight and pleasure to walke in holinesse and righteousnesse all the daies of our life all this we haue heard as it hath pleased God to giue me wisdome and knowledge out of his word to vnderstand it and vtterance to deliuer it I haue bene peraduenture longer in handling the matter then some would haue wished to whome these principall groundes of religion are knowen well enough and peradventure therewith all looked for more curious speeches in handling of the matter but such must understand that my purpose is to instruct the ignorant in the waies and meanes of their salvation not to speake to the eares of men but to the heartes of men if I can that the deuill may be pulled out from thence and Iesus Christ planted there I will neuer so abuse Gods blessed worde to satisfie the vaine humour of men so long as I liue by Gods grace it is sufficient for me that I know Iesus Christ and
before he told them he was going from them These words were vttered then by our Sauiour Christ when he was going to his death as a thing specially to be marked of vs which he knew to be most needefull for vs and therefore of vs more to be considered and marked yea and neuer to be forgotten but alwaies deepely imprinted in our minde You know those things that are spoken of men lying vpon their death bedde vse to pearse much that commonly the words be neuer forgotten but still almost as fresh in memorie as when they were newe spoken those words which be spoken by a louing father vpon his death bed vnto his childe take great effect in a good childe if a tender father at the point of death doth call his sonne vnto him and vttereth these or such like words Oh sonne thou seeest in what case I am I am euen now readie to goe from thee these be the last words that I shall speake vnto thee remember them well thou shalt neuer heare me more speake I must goe from thee yet for a remembrance that thou maist thinke vpon me when I am gone I will giue thee one lesson from my mouth while I liue that thou maist remember me when I am dead as long as thou liuest I charge thee therefore as thou louest me doe this or that c. thou knowest I haue had many troublesome daies for thee much cost and paines I bestowed vpon thee nowe I must goe from thee thinke vpon this that I charge thee euen as thou louest me if a tender hearted father giue this or such charge vnto his sonne vpon his death bed will it not make the heart of any naturall childe to bleede in his bodie to heare such tender wordes of his louing father alas those louing wordes neuer be forgotten of any naturall childe and good sonne vnlesse he be an vnthrift and past all grace which careth neither for father nor friend liuing nor deade Euen so in like manner will these words of our Sauiour Christ spoken at his death pearce the hearts of any of the children of God vnlesse they be bastards and no sonnes we can not if we loue the Lord Iesus but remember this his last lesson which he giueth vs for his farewell And I am sure vnto the children of God it pearceth a thousand times more their tender hearts to heare them so louingly taught of their louing Lord then any other rough manner of dealing because they be children and not slaues and therefore serue of loue and not of slauish feare although it be sometime needefull for the best of them to feele of the louing correction of their louing father for the taming of their wilde flesh But because in the house of God all be not children which haue the outward coūtenance of children but there be a great companie of dissembling hypocrites which take the libertie of the Gospell to liue after the flesh doe nothing but only make a mock of all louing kind of dealing laugh in their sleeues when they heare any such exhortations because they wil not be taught by faire meanes and as ye would say by maner of intreatie therfore the Lord Iesus for their cause especially dealeth after an other sort here in this sentence and calleth this same his admonition to loue not onely a friendly exhortation as by way of request but also a commandement Not onely a matter of intreatie forsooth to doe or not to doe as best liketh vs but a speciall commaundement to be done whether we will or no whether we like it or not like it vnlesse we will abide the penaltie of disobedience And herein then he dealeth with us not only as a louing friend to exhort but also as a prince of authoritie to command that if we should violently cast off from vs all kinde of friendly admonitions here and thinke we haue escaped wel because we haue broken in sunder all the fast bonds of louing exhortations we should yet vnderstand he is our Prince that hath his iudgement seat to arrayne vs there to answer the breach of his blessed commandement and that we should not thinke or say Oh I will indeede loue my brethren but it shalbe at leisure when I see my time and when I thinke best but rather thinke because it is commanded vs we must doe it whether we will or no not at our pleasure but at the pleasure of the commander vnlesse we wilbe guiltie of his curse in his iudgement seat So then ye see what we haue to marke in this where the Lord Iesus doth not onely exhort but commaund vs to loue one an other that is that we not only haue a cold affectiō thereunto but that we be liuely touched with the authoritie of the commander setting before our eyes his princely iudgemēt seat where he will bring in triall all stubborne breaches of his blessed commandements although they be neuer so smoothly passed ouer in this life Ye see then this hath or at least vvise ought to haue a vvonderfull vvaightie force vvith it vvhere the Lord Iesus falleth a commanding and therefore ought of vs deepely to be considered and not coldly for fashion imbraced because it is the Lord Iesus that not onely vvilleth but commaundeth it But alas it is a vvonderfull thing to see the authoritie of the Lord Iesus so smally regarded among vs if once the vvill of a prince be but knovvne it is a vvonder to see hovv readie vve are to frame our selues thereunto but if he fall a commanding vvho doe not then tremble at his displeasure But the Lord Iesus may intreat pray and beseech nay straightly charge and command and for all that not regarded of a straw It declareth certenly good brethren that there is no feare of God among vs but onely a certaine worldly feare of man and yet the one killeth the bodie alone the other throweth both soule and bodie into hell fire eternall Oh good brethren let vs not deceiue our selues it is the Lord Iesus that commaundeth vs let vs obey he chargeth vs to loue one an other let it be done not onely said but done done done Let vs earnestly repent that we haue beene so slacke in doing this commandement for our Sauiour hetherto that we haue done nothing but onely make a mocke of it oh it is his mercie that hath saued vs hetherto and hath not throwne vs downe to hell as we haue deserued but in mercie hath kept vs till this day let vs nowe from henceforth thinke earnestly vpon this commandement of our Lord Iesus Christ and now begin to practise it that there may be loue among vs and not such brabbling brawling and contention as we see daily and is too lamentable but like to good schollers in the schoole of the Lord Iesus let vs haue loue and peace among vs and surely then he will dwell among vs and protect vs for euer Nowe it is said in the text that this commaundement
a time and he vvould pay him the vvhole the king taking compassion upon the man forgaue him the whole debt this man being so discharged went his vvay and found one of his fellovves that ovved him a certaine small trifling peece of money and ragingly caught him by the throate commaunding him to pay that he ovved the poore man amased fell downe at his feete with vveeping teares humbly besought him to be good unto him and he vvould pay him all The other vvould not heare but cruelly commaunded him to be cast in prison and there the poore man lay The king hearing of this crueltie called him and saide I forgaue thee the vvhole debt vvhen thou besoughtest me oughtest not thou to haue had compassion upon thy fellow also as I had on thee the king in great displeasure cōmanded him to be deliuered to the tormentours Euen so saith our Saviour Christ vvill my heauenly Father doe to you unlesse you forgiue one another from the bottome of your heartes your sinnes and offences done one to another This is the doctrine of the Lord Iesus it is not mine they be his ovvne vvords and therefore they must be marked It is a vvoonder to see how much vvee can make of a smal offence done unto us how small account we make of our great offences done to God if one do but a litle contrary to our mind in any smal matter oh we make it so great a matter we haue never done with it and hardly shall a man bring vs to any good agreement we be so hard hearted it will not out of our stomacke but we must be reuenged strait waies vve will waite him at the advantage once in our life time to be euen with him if we can What is this els but to prouoke Gods fearce wrath and indignation vpon vs and to heape Gods iudgement vpon vs Iesus Christ telleth vs euen so will our heauenly father deale with vs. Doeth it not now then stand vs in hand to forgiue one another to put malice and hatred out of our hearts and now at the length to learne perfectly this lesson at our Sauiour his hand to loue one another as he loued vs not onely them that doe us good but euen our enemies and them that hate vs. True it is wee must neuer loue the sinne of our enemies nor of none els but alwaies be in deadly hatred with that but yet we must loue and pity the person of our enemies that is in dangered thereby And if this were well waighed you should see that we had more need to pity then to hate our enemies If there be any iniurie or harme done unto vs either by word or deed they that doe it are guiltie of hell fire so saith Iesus Christ would it not pitie our hearts to see any in the torments of hell alas yes if we were not worse then bruit beasts we would take pitie vpon them and surely in that case are all those vvhich doe vs harme vnlesse they repent and therefore the Lord Iesus pitied the case of them that put him to death because he knew in what dangerous estate their soules were whereas they in spight and rage against him were so blind that they could not see it but alas he saw it and pitied their case and prayed saying O Father forgiue them they can not tell what they do they are euen almost in the gulfe of hel and yet see it not they are so blind in their rage that they run headlong to hell and neuer thinke upon it The same affection must be in vs towardes our enimies if we be of the same spirite of Christ we must pitie their case that haue done any harm or iniurie against vs thus think O Lord God this their fact is damnable before thine eyes they haue deserued hel fire and yet O Lord they see it not Good Lord giue them hearts and mindes to see their sinne that they may see in what daunger they be in and so turne unto thee and repent Thus you see how we must pity our enemies and pray for them doe what we can to bring them out of the danger there is none without so much naturall affection but he will pitie the life of any thing being in danger if it be but an oxe or an asse to put it out of the mire if he could there is none so brutish that will suffer the life of a beast to perish if he can helpe it much more is the life of man to be pitied being in danger but much more is the everlasting life of the soule of man to be tendered being in daunger while thine enemie rageth against thee with all despite and villanie his poore soule is in perill to be drowned in the gulfe of hell oughtest not thou to pitie his estate and reach out thine hand to helpe him out and not like an unmercifull man to plunge him downe to be drowned that thou mightest reuenge thy spite and malice for the iniurie harme he hath done vnto thee There is none so cruell that woulde deale so with a very beast If vve had receiued any harme at any beastes handes either a stroke with an horse his foote or such like if wee should happen to see the poore beast after that in perill of drowning is there any so cruell that he might be revenged of the harme done unto him would let the poore beast starue or else violently push him headlong and holde downe his head to drowne him Surely none would doe it vnlesse he were worse a thousand fold then a beast What do we meane then seeing the soules of our enemies in so great perill by continuance in their sinne that we doe not pitie their case to pray for them to helpe them out but rather to revenge our malice doe sooner push them in forwardes headlong to destruction Nay rather what doe wee meane in pushing them forwarde to destruction to throwe our selues downe headlong with them to the pit of hell For what is it els when we beare hatred spite and malice against them It is murther before God and therefore guiltie of hell sire Haue wee not then notably prevailed against our enemies when for pure spitefull loue and reuengefull good will towards them wee vvill euen iumpe with them into the dungeon of hell This is not to loue one another as the Lord loued vs well then good brethren I pray you let us looke unto it vvee must loue one another yea euen our enemies for so did Christ loue vs his enemies we must loue their soules and pitie their soules and helpe them euen as we can vvee must not so much regarde the spite they haue done unto us as the daunger their soules be in before God and this may make vs to stay our rage and reuengement against our brethren vvhen they haue offended us for what is the cause that we be so out of patience with them that haue done us iniurie
that wee can not finde in our heartes to forgiue them Surely euen this because wee doe onely looke upon the hurt done unto us we muse upon that we make much adoe about that and so marveilously weigh what losse we haue by it on euery side but in the meane while wee doe not consider the soule of him that did vs the iniurie continuing in impenitencie for then wee should be driuen to pitie him for the daunger before God and not hate him for our losse before man The want of this is the onely cause then why wee be so hatefull and malitious towardes our enemies which haue iniuried vs because we looke upon our owne harme and not on the harme of the soule of man before God but wee must doe it certenly the Lorde Iesus commaundeth us Pray for your enemies doe good to them that hate you and here biddeth us loue as he loued us euen enemies to him Well then good brethren thus yee haue heard how by the loue that Christ loued us wee be taught to frame our loue one towardes another euen towards our enemies in pitying them praying for them that they may be brought to amendment not for the hurt done vnto vs but for the auoiding of the hurt of their soules I haue bene somewhat more long in this matter of loue towardes our enemies because I know it is so hard a matter for flesh and blood to be satisfied in this point to stay from revengement it is marveilous neere growen into the corruption of our nature and therfore it must be more carefully taken heed of us and we must bende our force more to resist it and so shall we not onely be hearers of this lesson of our Lorde Iesus but also followers of the same And yet further when he saith that we must loue one another as he loved us he giueth vs to understand that our loue must be sincere without respect of gaine or aduantage Such loue then as is commonly amongst vs Norffolke men will not serue that is to loue a man as long as we can get any profit by him and then farewell no our loue must not be so but it must be as Christ loued vs which was not for any great gaine I trow that he hoped to get at our handes and yet this is so common amongst vs as is marveilous there is scarsely found amongst vs any other loue then that which is for gaine a lamentable thing If we haue money enough we make our account to get friends enough and without mony or hope of gaine we shall hardly finde any great store of friends Is this the loue good breethren which ought to be amongst vs Alas no such loue may be found amongst the very deuils in hell and yet we will be Christians forsooth yea and protestants to but it is but onely in name for Christ saith that among his true schollers loue must not be for advantage but as he loued vs. Moreouer we are hereby taught also that our loue must not be dissembled in faire countenance outwarde within nothing but rancour and malice it must not be in a faire flattering outward shewe but it must be as he loued us euen in very deede from the bottome of our heart from our heart from our heart from our heart Oh this must be marked good brethren The Lorde Iesus seemeth to plucke vs English men by the sleeue and condemne our faire flattering dissembled loue which raigneth so commonly among vs Such faire lookes sugred wordes louing salutations and courteous embracings as is marveilous as though there were such perfect loue and friendshippe amongst vs as could possibly be required and yet such deepe dissembled hatred and spight in the bottome of our breastes as we would if we could euen pull their hearts out of their bodies and eate them with garlicke as they say Alas good brethren is this Christian like is this as Christ loued vs No no it is Iudas-like faire kisses false dissembling harts Is there not a God in heauen thinke you to reuenge it yes no doubt and I warrant vs we shall feele it if we doe not repent We thinke we haue done notable finely when we haue made a man a faire countenance and in the meane while practise his death if we can we go slily on with the matter and laugh in our sleeue when wee haue thus done as though there were not a God in heauen that did see view and try all the secret thoughts of our deepe dissembling heartes and spie out all our crooked waies and when we haue made faire with all the earth will then call our crooked practises to account Did that cruell wretch Cain any thing preuaile when dissembling his cruell malice towardes his brother he made faire words with him till he gate him in the broad wilde field alone and then fell upon him and killed him did it any thing preuaile with God I say that none was at the deede doing to accuse him needed God any such thing which was privie to his wicked malicious thoughtes No but he bringeth in the very blood which he shedde and the earth which receiued the bloode to bring euidence against the man to condemnation what shall we say then will our faire lookes and sweet words one to another prevaile before God when there is nothing so in our hearts but murther and malice No I warrant you hee will bring in account euen the very secret wicked thoughts that we conceiue upon our beds he will bring in euen our pillowes to beare evidence against vs to our condemnation if this geere be not amended looke as smoothly on the matter as we can God will haue an assaying with vs when we haue made all whole with man Wherefore good breethen in the feare of God let us looke to this geere let us giue eare to Iesus Christ his teaching that commaundeth our loue one toward another to be as his was towardes vs and away vvith this same dissembled loue vvhich raigneth so amongst us this Iudas loue theese loue deuils loue and let vs like good Christians here in Norffolke once at the length beginne to imbrace Christes loue true loue unfained from the bottome of the heart and sincere to the glorie of our God and comfort of our soules And thus much for this part where we are commaunded that our loue should be as Christs loue toward vs now it followeth By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye loue one an other This is an other reason to perswade to the obedience of that commaundement which he hath giuen in the verse before that we loue one an other as he hath loued vs for that men shall thereby take them to be his schollers his disciples Christian men This is an argument which carieth with it great force to perswade amongs men for there is none but he will say he is a Christian euery man will say so yea and euery man would gladly so be
vs so great or infirmities so many vpon vs which the spirit shall not strengthen euen to the bearing of the greatest crosse that may be laid vpon vs as we heard the Apostle saying before that God did comfort him in all his tribulations and that his consolations did abound euen as his sufferings did abound In the meane season he giueth vs to vnderstand that the afflictions of the godly are so great that they farre passe any strength that is in vs to beare them yea that we are very weake of our selues and subiect to many infirmities though we be partakers of the spirite of God for it doth not ridde vs of them Nay the very Apostles and Paul him selfe confesseth that hee was not able to haue vndergone so many and great things as he did being a fraile man like vnto vs but that he had the spirit helping him in his infirmities The trueth of which may likewise appeare in the great complaints of David Iob and the rest who though they did patiently beare many great things yet not without many infirmities For Iob sometimes curseth his day Dauid saith unto God in his hast I am cast out of thy sight Psal 31. 22. therefore we are not to imagine of such a portion of God spirite that might swallowe up all our infirmities for then we were no men but it must be sufficient that we are ayded with the strength of it so that wee finally fall not downe and lye still vnder the heauy burthen of affliction but that there is a mixt thing as it were in vs namely our owne infirmities to humble vs the strength of Gods spirit to inable vs to beare so that hauing so able an helper to beare with vs wee may be comforted with hope of induring the greatest thing that may befall vs in this world though continuing upon vs never so long And that we might doe it the rather the Apostle further addeth that the same spirit shall likewise stirre us up in all necessities of ours to pray vnto God and to make our moane vnto him as to our Father and shall be heard of him For though we sometimes through the greatnesse of our miserie knowe not what or how to pray as wee ought yet his spirite shall stirre vp euen then though not many well ordered speeches or wordes yet those sighes and grones which being unspeakeable and only felt are notwithstanding well vnderstoode and accepted of God because they proceede from his spirit whose meaning he knoweth and graunteth because it maketh request for the Saintes according to the will of God as it is ver 26. wherein we are notwithstanding to consider that though we haue receiued the spirite of God euen the spirite that teacheth vs to pray so that we haue many times called upon God with great assurance and comfort for and with our selves and others yet there may be a time and that very often wherein we may be so distracted by some great affliction and in that case that being as it were astonished and ouercome with the greatnes and strangenesse of it wee can not tell what to pray and though prayer then be our onely refuge yet wee can not tell how to begin it or what to say And so unlike shall we be unto our selues and that that we haue bene in times past as though we were not the same nay our estate may seeme like unto the wicked who are at their wits end For if we were asked what we would haue vve can not tell and though we haue liberty to aske of God we can not use it for we can not tell what to pray A wonderfull thing but yet most true and that which is to be found not in some but in the most excellent seruants of God euen the Apostles themselues as Paul here bringeth in himselfe for an example and in this infirmitie maketh himselfe like unto the rest And though we haue a forme of prayer prescribed us by our Sauiour Christ yet we aske those things many times which if we had them would hurt vs and when we aske that which is profitable and good yet by prescribing to the Lord the time maner and meanes of our deliverance we pray with such impatience and distrust that it may truely be said we can not tell what to pray as we ought This was the estate of good King Hezekiah Isa 38. 14. when he was oppressed in the bitternesse of his soule as he saith he chattered like a Crane or a Swallow and mourned as a Doue Such was the perplexitie and more then infirmitie of Dauid when instead of praying he roared all the day long Psal 32. 3. and when hee mourned in his prayer and could but make a noise Psal 55. 2. and when as he saith for the voice of his groning his bones did cleave to his skinne and that he was like a Pelicane of the wildernesse and like an Owle of the desert and as a Sparrow alone upon the house toppe Psalm 102. 5 6 7. and when his heart panting and his strength failing him euen the light of his eyes he roared for the very griefe of his heart and he powred out his whole desire before the Lorde by sobbing and sighing rather then by any thing else Thus these most excellent seruants of God in their greatest agonies were so farre from being able to pray unto God in any tollerable maner that in their owne sence and feeling they did but roare and crie sobbe and sigh mourne and complaine and that very confusedly euen like the Crane the Swallow the Owle so confused were they in themselues and full of disorder and fallen into so many great infirmities at once Therfore we may not iudge of our selues or others by any one such or fewe particular cases least wee deceiue our selues neither must wee then in this great vnfitnesse of ours be like unto the wicked who giue ouer all prayer because they are unfitte for it but striue earnestly against this infirmitie of ours and then pray vnto God that we might pray vvhich if we will do no doubt we shall finde his promise to be true in this That euen then his Spirit shall teach us to pray for as our Sauiour Christ comforteth his disciples in another case Matt. 10. 19 20. that when they shoulde be brought before kings they should not take thought what or how to speake for he would giue them in that houre what to say because it was not they which should speake but the spirite of the Father vvhich speaketh in them euen so we shall finde when we are most unfitte to pray if we will not yeelde to it there shall be a secrete inwarde working whereby wee shall be stirred up to doe something and there shalbe a labour of the heart and an indeauour of the minde aspiring unto that which we may seeme not to attaine unto and there shall be many sighings though fewe vvordes many great desires though fewe voices yea there shalbe
that which wee can not greatly conceiue of our selues and euery thing shall be unspeakeable For no doubt those men that we spake of before euen at those times when they could not tell what and hovv to pray as of them-selues yet the spirite helping them they did pray and there were at least vnspeakeable sighes and grones stirred up in them For it is said of Hezekiah that hee then turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lorde and wept sore 2. Kings 20. 2 3. and Dauid vvhen as in his owne feeling hee did but roare and sigh euen then he poured out that very plentifully his whole desire before the Lord Psal 38. and when he did but mourne and make a noise it was counted a prayer before the Lord Psal 55. 2. and when as he saith that his grouings were like the Pelicans the sparrows or the shriekings of an owle yet to shew that in them there was a worke of Gods spirite that made them acceptable to him he beginneth the Psalme thus O Lorde heare my prayers and let my cry come unto thee So it is saide of the whole Church of God in Egypt Exod 2. 23. 24. that vvhen for the extremitie of their bondage they could not pray unto God yet they cryed and sighed and mourned unto him This then is a most notable cōfort in all afflictions that beleeuing in Christ and pertaking of his spirit it shall helpe vs in all our infirmities so that when we can not tell what or how to pray as we ought it shall teach us so to doe it as wee may haue hope and comfort of being heard For this is that which he addeth that the Lord which searcheth the heart knoweth the meaning of his owne spirit for it maketh request to him for the Saintes according to his will for by knowing he doth not only meane that he understandeth it as he doth all other things but he accepteth and alloweth it and doeth most willingly graunt such requestes as though they were made in farre better liking to our selues and so is the word taken Psalm 1. 6. The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous For he heard the crie of the Israelites when they did but sigh moane deliuered them from the bondage he heard Hezekiah chattering in his prayer raised him vp from death added 15. yeres more to his life he heard David roaring for the extremitie of his paine and forgaue the punishment of his sinne and he hath heard us many times in our greatest need when wee haue howled and cried rather then haue made any setled and well ordered prayer yea when we haue rather sighed then spoken For the Lord in this case regardeth not so much the multitude of wordes as hee looketh to the meaning of his spirite and graunteth that though we speake neuer a worde For euen as a father hauing a yong Infant sicke of some sore disease though the child can speak neuer a worde is ready to helpe it and if it can speake yet being full of paine can not call for things as it ought yet if the mother can but by any signes gesse at the meaning of it shee will accept as much of it as if it had spoken very plentifully yea though it should say one thing and meane another she would giue it according to the meaning of it So the Lord that is filled with the bowels of compassion towardes us in Christ farre aboue any father or mother though he delighteth to heare vs pray unto him yet when as by the extremitie of our miseries we are oppressed or distracted so that we can not in any orderly maner pray unto him as we ought he alloweth of the sighes and sobbes that wee offer vp unto him and graunteth not so much our words which are none or fewe as the meaning of his spirite which is plentifull in vs. Hereupon it commeth to passe that the Lord in his rich mercy imputeth not unto his servants the manifold rebellions of the flesh or great complaints in their prayers as not unto Iob or to David who vvere full of them because he hath respect vnto the meaning of his spirite in them euen as the father is not so much greeued or offended with the murmurings impatience and outcries of his poore sicke childe as he by the least token gesseth at the meaning of him and taketh that in good part What shall we then say to these things is it true indeed that the Lord wil vouchsafe to looke vpon the lowe degree of his servants and haue respect unto poore sinnefull creatures who when they are in their iust deserued miserie and euen then cannot pray vnto him one worde aright and when they beginne to speake and their tongue cleaueth unto the roofe of their mouth that he vvill then heare their sighes and their cries yea undoubtedly he that of his great mercie will not quench the smoaking flaxe nor breake in sunder the bruised reede will of the like mercie heare not only the well ordered prayers of his Church but euen the very cryings and roarings of his seruants though they be like the Pellicanes and the Owles yea their mournings though they be like unto the Doues yea when they say nothing neither indeede can their verie lobbes and sighes which come from the aboundance of a troubled Spirite and can not be expressed for he alloweth of the meaning of his spirit which worketh those things in them and if they could are willing thereby to perfourme better seruice unto him What can be more comfortable vnto vs then this In all our necessities let us then with great boldnesse goe vnto the Lord by Christ and though we cannot utter many wordes yet 〈◊〉 vs speake vnto him for surely the acceptation of our praiers consisteth not in the multitude or well placing of our wordes but in the request of our hearts and therefore if we can pray but two wordes and say with the Publicane Lorde be mercifull vnto me a sinner with the Apostles Lord increase my faith or with the blind man O sonne of David haue mercie upon me or with the Theefe on the crosse Lorde remember me this shorte thing proceeding from the spirite in vs and offered up in the mediation of Christ Iesus and in the vertue of his praiers shall be as well receiued of him when we can doe no otherwise as if we had spent an whole houre in praier and if we can not doe this yet if we lift up our mindes unto God as Hannah did who spake neuer a worde and as Nehemiah did yea if we doe but sigh after an unspeakeable manner the Lorde will not refuse that Vers 28. Also we know that all things worke together c. Wherein the Apostle proceeding to comfort us in afflictions ministreth this soueraigne medecine against the contagion thereof namely that all affliction come to the beleeuers not for their hurt but for their singular good seeing that they doe befall them not