that he denyeth men two things first that we know not what to pray for secondly that we know not how to pray for both these defects we have a double supply for Christ as he is the light of the world Joh. 8. hath directed us what to pray for by that forme of prayer which he hath prescribed unto us and the holy Ghost who is compared to the wind that bloweth where it will instructeth us how to pray for that it stirreth up our affections so that we pray with fervencie of spirit and utter our desires unto God with sighes that cannot be expressed for as a man that travelleth must have a knowledge of his way so he cannot take a journey in hand except he have a good wind to set him forward to this end we are taught not onely by the wisedome of God the Father what to pray for but from the power of his Spirit we have those motions kindled in us whereby our prayer is made fervent Touching the persons whom the Apostle chargeth with this twofold ignorance they are not the common sort of men but even the Apostles themselves for he includes himselfe in the words We know not So Christ said not to the Heathen men Nescitis quid petitis Matth. 20. but to his Disciples James and John so that this is generally true of all men that they know not what to aske 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as they ought except Gods Spirit help them It is true that we have a diffused knowledge of good and evill and a desire to be partakers of the one and to be delivered from the other for Ignoti nulla cupido but we must have a distinct knowledge that is whether the thing we desire be good or no There is an estate of life which is contemplative and another Active and our infirmity is such as we know not which of them to take our selves unto but oftentimes we thinke that course of life to be good for us which albeit it be good in it selfe yet turns to our overthrow so that when we desire of God to place us in any such course of life we speake after the manner of men Rom. 6. taking it for a contented course for our selves whereas it falls not out so This will appeare more plainly both in things temporall and spirituall The sonnes of Zebedee in their suit to Christ Matth. 10. had a desire to obtaine some good thing at our Saviours hands and they could not bethinke themselves of any thing better than to be exalted to some place of honour and therefore desired that one of them may fit at his right hand and the other at his left hand but Christ told them they asked they knew not what for honour it not fit for all men they were the Disciples of Christ and were to drinke of the cup of affliction and therefore willed them to be mindfull of it and not to affect that which was not for their good Likewise in spirituall things we may erre and hereof we have example in Saint Paul whom a man would thinke to have knowledg enough so that he would not aske the thing that was not good for him he had the messenger of Sathan sent to buffet him and hee prayed that it might be removed from him which seemeth to have have beene a reasonable petition but God answered him that hee asked he knew not what it was more necessary for him to be exercised withthe temptations then not and vvhereas he desires to be so pure as not once to be driven to evill God told him that his grace was sufficient for him for it was his will to perfect his strength in his weaknesse 2 Cor. 12. Therefore if vve have any revelation from flesh and blood Matth. 6. that persvvadeth us that this or that is good for us vve must know that all such are false and that we must suffer our selves to be directed by Gods Spirit who knoweth better what is good for us then we our selves But to the end that we should not erre the Spirit of God maketh intercession for us and therefore we may be sure that although we know not how to pray in such sort as may please God yet the Spirit of God who knoweth the secrets of the counsell of God will make that prayer for us which shall be both for our good and also according to Gods will 1 Cor. 2. It cannot be verified of the holy Ghost which is God that hee either prayeth or groaneth but the Apostles meaning is that he makes us to make intercession and hath that operation in our hearts that he makes us to groane So when the Apostle Galat. 4.6 sayes that the Spirit cries Abba Father his meaning is that by it wee cry Abba Father Rom. 8.15 Againe the Spirit is said to make intercession for us because it sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts Rom. 5. for from the love of God proceeds this love and affection in us that we desire him and all his blessings and therefore make our prayers to him to that end which is nothing else but explicatio desiderii so that we do not so soone desire any good thing but we are ready to pray for it So sayes the Prophet Lord thou knowest my desire and my groaning is not hid from thee Psal 36. Likewise when our desire is delayed so that we obtaine not the thing wee would have then wee are cast into sorrow which is wrought in us by the Spirit which is in us and by prayer for it is the Spirit of God which kindleth this fervencie of desire in prayer as Augustine saith Tepida est omnis oratio quam non praevenit inspiratio every prayer is luke-warme which is not prevented with inspiration The first thing that the Spirit of God workes in us is that he inclineth our hearts to pray to God for the good which wee lacke which is a thing not in our owne power and therefore David thankes God that he found in his heart to pray 2 Sam. 7. for when we would settle our selves to pray Nihil tam longè abest à nobis quà m orare ut decet Now being thus untoward in our selves the Spirit of God comes and helps our infirmitie and as the Psalmist saith He opens our hearts to pray By this meanes it comes to passe that a man having his affections cold shall on a sudden feele in himselfe a desire to pray and shall say Domine paratum est cor meum Psal 108. Secondly whereas the Lord saith Open thy mouth and I will fill it Psal 87. We find this infirmity in our selves that when wee have found an heart to pray yet we cannot open our mouthes and therefore David sayes Open thou my lips Psal 51. and so must we sue to Christ that he will give us words to speake for God hath a key both to our tongue and will Thirdly having begun to pray that falls out many times which David complaines of Cor meum
dereliquit me Psal 40. So our heart will be gone and our mind will be wandring abroad not regarding what our tongue speakes It falls out often that as Abraham had his sacrifice ready he was no sooner gone from it but the fowles of the aire did light upon it Gen. 15. So while we offer up to God the calves of our lips Hos 14. and our course is past Psal 141. it comes to passe through our wantonnesse many foule thoughts be got upon our sacrifice and dispoyle it and the remedie that the spirit of God affords us against this infirmity is that it calls us home and tels us we are kneeling before the Majesty of God and therefore ought to take heed what we speake in his presence Therefore Bernard to keepe his mind in the meditation of God when he would pray began thus Let God arise and let all his enemies be scattered Psal 68. and Augustine to the same purpose began thus Save mee O God for the waters over-flow Psal 64. Fourthly though we have our meditation still on God yet wee shall find in our selves that our spirits are dull and heavie and have no manner of vigour to help our infirmity herein the Spirit helps and puts these meditations in our hearts whereby it kindleth as the Prophet saith a fire burning within us so that God shall be faine to say to us as he did to Moses Dimitte me let mee alone Exod. 32. Fifthly albeit we pray but faintly and have not that supply of fervencie that is required in prayer yet we have comfort that ever when we most faint in prayer there are of Gods Saints that pray for us with all instancie by which it comes to passe that being all but one body their prayers tend to our good as well as their owne for the faithfull howsoever they be many and dispersed into divers corners of the world yet they are but one dowe and as they are the members of one body so they pray not privately for themselves but for the whole body of the Church so that the weaknesse of one member is supplyed by the fervent and earnest prayer of the other Therefore when the Apostle saith The Spirit maketh intercession for us gemitibus inenarrabilibus Augustine asketh what groanings are these are they thine or mine no they are the groanings of the Church sometime in Mee sometime in Thee and therefore Samuel to shew that the Ministers of God do the people no lesse good when they pray for them then when they teach them said God forbid I should cease to pray for you and so sinne against God 1 Sam. 12.23 for he was an help to them not onely in preaching to them but in offering burnt offerings for them Therefore the people pray to Esay Lift thou up thy prayer for us For as the offering of the Minister is to put the people in mind 2 Pet. 1. so they are Gods remembrancers they are Angels as well ascending upwards by their prayer in the behalfe of the people as descending to teach them the will of God But if the Spirit that quailes in us do quaile also in the whole Church yet we have a supply from the teares which our head Christ shed on his Church Luk. 19.41 and from the strong cries which he uttered to God his Father in the daies of his flesh Heb. 5.7 by which he ceaseth not to make request to God still for us so that albeit the hardnesse of our heart be such as we cannot pray for our selves nor the Church for us yet we may say Conqueror tibi Domine lachrymis Jesu Christi Lastly because we cannot pray 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we have two helpes also in that behalfe from the Spirit first that the Spirit teacheth us to submit our will unto Gods will because as we are men so we speake after the manner of men Rom. 6. This submission we learne from the example of Christ his prayer to God his Father Transeat calix isle à me Let this cup passe from mee yet not my will but thy will be done Matth. 26. So David qualified his desire If I have found favour with the Lord he will bring mee againe but if not let him do what seemeth good to himseife 2 Sam. 15. Secondly when wee looke backe upon our prayer and see that by reason of want of fervencie and zeale it is but smoaking flaxe then the Spirit stirreth us up to desire God that according to his promise Esay 42. He will not quench it but that his grace may be sufficient for us and that he will make perfect his strength in our weaknesse 2. Cor. 12. The other thing wherein the Spirit helpeth our infirmities is that he worketh in our hearts certaine groanes that cannot be expressed which is a plaine opposition to drousie and sloathfull prayer for a devout prayer plus constat gemitibus quà m sermonibus it is not fine phrases and goodly sentences that commend our prayer but the fervencie of the spirit from whom it proceeds It is well if wee doe orare mente spiritu 1 Cor. 14. but if our prayers do draw out sighs and groanings from our hearts it is the better fâ—r then it appeares that our prayer is not a breath comming from the lungs but from the very depth of the heart as the Psalmist saies of his prayer De profundis out of the deepes have I cryed to thee O Lord Psal 130. What the Apostle meaneth by groanings which cannot be expressed is plaine for when the griefe of the heart is greatest then are wee least able to utter it as appeares by the Shunamite 2 Reg. 4. Notwithstanding as it was God that wakened in us the desire of good things so though we be not able to utter them in words yet hee doth heare etiam vocem in silentio There are mutae preces tamen clamantes such as are the silent prayers of Moses which he made in his heart to God though hee expressed it not in words to this God said Cur clamas ad me Exod. 14. Now as Martha was loath to serve alone and therefore would have Mary to helpe her Luk. 10. So the spirit doth not pray alone but doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beares together or helpes us whereby the Apostle gives us to understand that man must have a co-operation with Gods Spirit So we see the Saints of God albeit they acknowledge prayer to be the work of Gods Spirit in them for as much as we are not able to call Jesus Lord but by the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 12. Yet they are not themselves idle but do adde endeavour as David Lord open thou my lips So he affirmes of himselfe I have opened my lips and drew in my breath Psal 119. But that we may have the help of Gods Spirit without which our endeavour is but vaine wee must still thinke upon our owne weaknesse and humble our selves in the sight of God as the Publican did Luk. 18. So the
trayterous And it pleaseth the Holy Ghost throughout the whole course of the Bookes of Samuel and the Kings to leave this as a blemish for wicked Kings Quia non c. That they tooke not away the groves and high places c. that they permitted the high places to stand Therefore Augustine saith very well Tu imple personam tuam alioqui Deus de te de illo implebit suam Performe thou thy part otherwise God will performe his both upon thee and upon him Thou shalt be punished with the offender and its better ut sentiam lenitatem patrie quam severitatem judicis that I feele the lenity of a father then the severity of a Judge 3. Provocation The other goe before action 3. Provocation provoking to sinne Provocation is by two means whether it be of a superiour or inferiour 1. By daring as Jobs wife Iob 2.9 Dost thou continue in thine uprightnesse blaspheme God and die Or as when men be provoked to sweare to anger c. 2. To provoke by alluring meanes 1 Kings 21.25 Iezebel Ahab sold himselfe to doe evill whom Iezebel his wife provoked And Iob if he had beene tempted no doubt his wife had beene guilty of it And God is so farre from provoking that he taketh it cleane from the superiours to their inferiours Ephes 6.4 Fathers provoke not your children but bring them up in the feare of God Generally Galat. 5.26 Le ts not be desirous of vaine-glory provoking one another 4. Malum consilium Evill counsel envying one another 4. Evill counsell or advice Psal 1.1 Blessed is the man that hath not walked in the counsell of the ungodly Genes 49.6 Iacob lying in his deathbed and calling his sonnes together to blesse them saith Simeon and Levi into their secret let not my soule come my glory be not thou joyned with their assembly For in their wrath they slew a man and in their selfe-will they digged downe a wall The same prayer maketh Iob 21.16 Loe their wealth is not in their hand therefore let the counsell of the wicked be farre from me Ezra c. 4. v. 5. Privy Counsellers hired to hinder the building of the Temple 2 Sam. 16.21 Absolon committed the incest with dis fathers concubines but the incest is layd to Ahitophel that did put the counsell into his head Marke 6.24 Herods wifes daughter asked John Baptists head in a platter but Herodias the mother counselled her to aske it and the blood of that godly man is laid to her charge Iohn 11.49 50. The sinne of the Jewes in desiring Christ to be crucified came upon Caiphas his head that gave them the advise Acts 19.25 The uproare against Paul is laid to Demetrius the Silversmith that counselled the rest of the handicrafts men c. These by extension are also condemned 5. Consensus Consent Consensus interpretativus Consent by interpretation These two goe before 5. The fault of consent Consilium est instar agentis principalioris consensus instar instrumenti Counsell is like the principall agent consent like the instrument Rom. 1.32 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who knowing the judgement of God that they which commit such things are worthy of death not onely doe the same but consent with them that doe them Consensu peccatur men sinne by consent whether it be as the Lawyers say consensu directo vel vero vel interpretativo by plaine consent or consent by interpretation 1 Tim. 5.22 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lay hands suddenly on no man neither be partaker of other mens sinnes keepe thy selfe pure Consent by interpretation is when a man is instrument of an evill deed by his action though in words he mislike it 2 Sam. 11.16 Ioab is an instrument of evill namely Davids instrument to kill Vriah 2. And not onely that but approbation also Acts 8.1 Saul is said to have beene consenting to Stephens death by onely keeping their clothes that stoned Stephen Num. 16.26 Moses maketh all consenters to the rebellion of Corah Dathan and Abiram which stood by and would not depart from their tents 3. Taking part in the gaine Ps◠50.18 When thou sawest a Thiefe thou consentedst to him and hast beene partaker with the adulterers 4. Casting of lots Prov. 1.14 Cast in thy lot among us we will have all one purse 5. Another is consensus silentii consent by silence When a man is bound to withstand another mans sinnes and doth it not be doth after a sort consent to it That he is bound to it Levit. 19.17 a flat precept This is commonest of all the reason why this consent by silence is a sinne is this Augustine ut malus sermo inducit in peccatum sic malum silentium relinquit in peccato as evill counsell leads men into sinne so evill silence leaves men in sinne 6. Is no doubt a kind by consent by interpretation but it s so speciall 6 Defending c. that it may be a kind of it selfe namely a defending commending flattering of other in their sinnes excusing of them when they are done c. Pro 24.24 He that saith to the wicked thou art righteous him shall the people curse and the multitude shall abhorre him Prov. 16.29 Lactant amicos suos ducunt per viam non bonam with faire words they deceive their friends and lead them by a way which is not good This lactatio peccatorum this deceiving of sinners is the way that leades to destruction Ps 55.22 Habent verba butyrina they have words as smooth as Butter but warre in their hearts Their words were softer to him then Oyle yet very swords Let not their sweet words breake my head but rather let the godly reprove me friendly Rom. 16.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By good words and faire speeches they deceive the hearts of the simple A woe pronounced against them Esay 5.20 Woe to them that speake good of evill and evill of good which put darknesse for light and light for darknesse that put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter And Ezek. 13.10 they are said to be dawbers up of other mens sins And therefore because they have deceived my people saying peace when there is no peace and one built up a wall and behold the other dawbed it with untempered morter and in the 18. verse they are called sowers of pillowes under other mens elbowes We have example of this 1 Kings 22. in Ahabs false Prophets verse 6. Goe up for the Lord shall deliver it into the hands of the King And especially in Zidkiah verse 11. that made himselfe hornes of Iron saying Thus saith the Lord with these shalt thou push at the Aramites untill thou hast consumed them And because Micaiah stood against him he was smitten on the face and sent away to prison The reason why this sinne is so grievous when a man commeth to commend sinne it s a signe that his judgement and conscience are corrupt Non autem semper corrupta est mens
downe under them both he becommeth a peasant 2. Another signe like to this but it is under the Crosse Looke how we are there When a man receives comfort under the Crosse by that that hee hath done out of the Crosse a good signe so we are in deed that will bewray what our heart is 2 King 20.3 there is a Crosse that dismaieth not Hezekiah Why because he knoweth that in his health he walked aright before God but contra Psal 22.14 it is in the middest of a mans body like melting waxe 1. A detestation of sinne in our selves and in others 3. Gen. 38.14 by the example of Iudah that if the like hatred of any sinne be in himselfe or rather greater when he doth no lesse punish it in himselfe then in other if it be the case of Thamar then to crie Away with her to the fire let her be burned but we see a strange and sudden alteration in vers 26. if it be his owne case then he saith Sure I am not so righteous as shee is this falleth much into the account as the Heathen man saith of Anthony and his fellow Brutus Cassius The true hatred of sin must beginne at our selves that they did odisse tyrannum but not tyrannidem hate the traytor but not the treason c. But the true hatred of sinne must beginne of our selves yea and that for the least as Rom. 7.24 the Apostle for concupiscence in himself we see what a great hatred and griefe he falleth into that he crieth out O wretched man that I am who shall deliver c. 4. The last may be this it is somewhat an hard signe if there be any man that can say the two last verses of Psal 139. an excellent Psalme in this behalfe if he can say it without panting of his heart and feare or changing of the affections Prove me and trie me O Lord c. If any dare take this upon him if he deceive not his owne heart it is upright But a gentler then this Psal 7.3 where he saith If my heart be not true and sound in this respect then let me feele the hand of God then let the enemy persecute me c. or when Psal 4.4 when a man entring into his chamber can say As mine heart hath beene upright before thee so I desire to be helped in my greatest neede and to be comforted in the last gaspe so to offer up obedience within us must needs be a true signe 6. Rule for the procuring of it in others Reg. 6. we have the Apostles desire and commandement Phil. 1.10 and the example we have in the friends of Iob though after a corrupt manner for though they tooke a wrong course yet the desire was good to see that his heart was upright haec de integraute Perseverance THe knitting up of all is to persevere Perseverance it standeth first Perseverantia Non habebis or non erunt thou shalt not have or there shall not be but in the order of handling hath the last place because it hath the shutting up of all It is in the words non erunt which will not be answered with non sunt or non habui or non habeo but this must answer it non habebo I will never have any other God And this is a greater matter then many doe imagine fui sum and ero are the notes of the three times surely every man examining these three times shall finde that fui the time past to remember is a sorrowfull thing and as Bernard saith Recordare praeteriti erubesce it is a great shame for us to remember what we have beene In sum the present time peradventure there may be comfort because we strive to attaine but howsoever it is ero the future time must needs be a fearfull thing for a man to consider in what case he shall be hereafter and what his latter end shall be whether God will forsake him as he hath done many that have beene in as good and peradventure in better case then he is and therefore non erunt is a sharpe commandement We place it last and this is the naturall order for it to come in here both because the Heathen have seene it that say that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the end or last part of fortitude is perseverance and because that all vertues are preserved by this or to allude to the phrase of the holy Ghost poudred with it as 2 Cor. 13.5 Abijam King of Iuda to Ieroboam of Israel Ought you not to know that the God of Israel hath given the Kingdome over Israel to David forever that is to him and to his sonnes by a covenant of salt by serving him in a covenant of salt and the truth of that is that every vertue should not be as summer fruit but as a vertue conserved and poudred There was no Sacrifice without Salt in the Type of the Law Now the reason is in regard of the end that God looketh at in all our actions by our persevrance is made knowne the truth of our performances otherwise the Hypocrite might goe for a true Professour 2. It pleaseth God to make a propotrion in every vertue to some quality in God But another and peculiar to this For there is in every vertue a conforming of our selves to some attribute in God as in our knowledge to his wisdome in our beliefe to his truth in our seare to his justice in love to his mercy in integrity to his ubiquity and in our perseverance to his eternity because he Revel 1.8 is α and ω the beginning and ending which is the booke of perseverance so we according to our Quamdiu begnadi till I die usque ad mortem and as he saith to the Angel of Smyrna Revel 2.10 not onely to naturall death but also to violent death Heb. 12.4 there is another usque and that usque includeth bloud usque ad sanguinem So doth the Apostle resolve it Acts 21.13 I am ready not onely to be bound but also to die at Ierusalem this is our ω and howsoever or wheresoever our α is placed this must be our ω this must be our eternity even till I die Otherwise as Bernard saith Quid levitati aeternitati there is no fellowship of God and man without perseverance So on the other side against our nature as we had in regard of the last affection a desire to seeme rather then to be because it is easier and we love ease so here we have an affection that is of a back-starting Bow Psal 78.5.8 as he describeth the nature of the Israelites We have often a desire to start back so that it commeth to be a paine to goe forward and of all to be like a Bow that is bent almost and let it goe never so little and it starts back againe or as Gal. 6.9 no lesse excellent by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. to feele a grudging in our
calleth it likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a free gift 2 Cor. 8.19 it must be done gratis freely Now there is nothing but do ut des or do ut facias I give to thee that thou mayest give to me againe or I give to thee that thou mayest doe something for me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is free and is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a blessing 2 Cor. 9.3 So doing this 4. fruit shall come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the poore shall blesse us and God too God hath ordained that if a man doth appropriate that to his flesh that he will have common he taketh away his use Another use Gal. 6..8 this sowing it must be feede sowe in the spirit and reape life everlasting and so Hose 10.12 sowe righteousnesse and reape afterward 2 Cor. 9.6 Qui parcè seminat pareè metet qui seminat in multis benedictionibus metet in multis benediction ibus He that soweth sparingly shall reape sparingly and he that soweth bountifully shall reape bountifully Now a man may love his feede foolishly so that for very pure love he may set it lie in his barne but then we know that wormes will breed in it and consume it and so he doth amando perdere by loving it lose it therefore a man is so to love his seede as that he doth projicâ—re semen cast his seede into the ground and that is amare semen to love his seede And so if the temporall blessings of God be as seede as they are then there must be a casting and scattering of them And yet in this casting when a man hath so sowen an acre of ground and one aske Whose is this seed we say not it is the grounds but his that sowed it So if a man could be brought to this perswasion to thinke that semen is serentis and not recipientis the seede belongs to him that sowed and not to the ground that receives it he would sowe And that is the state of riches whensoever they are so bestowed c. And therefore as the husbandmen doe credere illud quod nonvident beleeve that which they see not so that they cast in one graine and see it rot and beleeve that howsoever showrs and snow fall yet at the last an Autumne will come and then they shall reape an eare for one come so if God enlighten our hearts and give us faith credendi ejus quod non videmus ejuis fructus est videre quod credimus to beleeve that which we see not we shall reape the fruit of seeing and enjoying that which we beleeve And so we shall see and feele that semen the seede it is serentis belongs to the sower and it will give an hundred fold â—ncrease For the comming to wealth it was said it stood in two things To come to wealth 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 simplicity against deceit 2. Justice against violence or rapine And whether to those that are by lawfull contract or to those that are indirectly possessed restitution belongeth and in sundry other matters of depositum things committed to our trust and things found lent let debt and by vertue of restitution supplieth the other part of justice And then for the use to our selves against prodigality and thereby neglect of houshold and against the part of prodigality that consisteth in the neglect of a mans houshold and against too great nearenesse in scraping frugality it answereth temperance in the former Commandement And for the use that we have toward other against bottomlesse largition and against the shutting up or closenesse of bowels the vertue of liberality So in effect in these three vertues and in the vices opposed to them is all that is forbidden and commanded in this Commandement The spirituall paâ—t the heart Now according to the former course how every man may be an observer of this Commandement which may best be done in this manner As in the former Commandement so in this Christ saith Marke 1.22 that thefts and extortions and deceit and evill gettings of a mans goods which are of affinity they proceed from the heart and therefore in them the fountaine of them must needs be damned And so 1 Tim. 6.3 first they have the corruption of the minde before they come to covetousnesse 1. If we had continued in the state of innocencie mans desires both naturall and oeconomicall should by no other have beene willed but by reason since which losse the corruption of the minde is this appetere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to covet a fulnesse a satiety The belly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it hath an appetite beyond that that is sufficient for it so likewise in the corruption of this unruly appetite we are disquieted with a continuall craving Prov. 30.15 there is one in the minde that saith Have have bring bring Now against this there must be one that saith there is enough that is there must be an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a selfe-sufficiencie or contentednesse for as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the excesse is become the corruption of our wealth so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wealth of nature is selfe-sufficiencie which is contentednesse But now there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 covetousnesse Now we see how the case standeth with the heart 1 Tim. 6.9 because that men will be rich and because it holdeth in all evill things quod volumus valde volumus and whatsoever we desire that we earnestly desire and long after in so much as Prov. 21.25 if a man be never so slow yet if he desire any thing he will have it quickly he will be rich as soone as he can then Prov. 28.20 he that maketh haste shall not be innocent and Prov. 20.21 of an heritage that is soone gotten there never commeth a good end But to come to the heart by occasion of this your unclinablenesse 1 Tim. 6 9. he setteth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a temptation a good round gaine and summe and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the snare nought but a false asseveration a few words a false oath or Luke 16. a dash with a pen 50. for 80. If you will come into this snare you shall have this baite and then Gods judgements when a man setteth himselfe to it he suffereth him to fall into it as Eccl. 5.9 he shall love it and not be satisfied and the reason is for the minde as hath beene said cannot bee satisfied with any thing but with God And from many desires a it is vers to he shall have a great many cares and as his desires shall encrease his cares shall encrease as that that Christ saith Quid edam quid bibam quid induam What shall I eate what shall I drink or wherewith shall I be cloaâ—hed if he be not rich and when he is rich Quid saciaâ— I have not barnes enough Rich and not rich have it And then beside these he saith they shall being thus distracted erre even from the
good is not in us for as the Wiseman saith A man may well purpose a thing in his heart but the answer of the tongue commeth from the Lord Prov. 16.1 Whereof we have often experience They that have the office of teaching in the Church albeit they do before-hand prepare what to say yet when it comes to the point are not able to deliver their mind in such sort as they had purposed as on the other side when God doth assist them with his spirit they are inabled on a sudden to deliver that which they had not intended to speake Fifthly as the ability of effecting was attributed to God so is the will Phil. 2.14 Sixthly for understanding the Apostle saith The naturall man perceiveth not the things that are of the spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. For the wisedome of the flesh is enmity with God Rom. 8.7 Seventhly the power of thinking the thing that is pleasing to God is not in us so farre are we from understanding or desiring it as the Apostle in this place testifieth And therefore where the Prophet speaketh generally of all men Psal 94. The Lord knoweth the thoughts of men that they are but vaine the Apostle affirmeth that to be true of the wise men of the world that are endued onely with the wisedome of the world and the flesh that their thoughts are vaine also 1 Cor. 3.19 20. Secondly that we should not thinke that the want of abilitie standeth onely in matters of difficulty and weight the Apostle saith not we are unable to thinke any weighty thing but even that without the speciall grace of Gods spirit we cannot thinke any thing So Augustine understandeth Christs words Joh. 15. where he saith not Nihil magnum difficile but sine me nihil potestis facere This is true in naturall things for we are not able to prolong our owne life one moment the actions of our life are not of our selves but from God in whom we live move and have our beeing Act. 17. Therefore upon those words of Christs Ego à meipso non possum facere quicquam nisi quod video Patrem I of my selfe can do nothing but what I see my Father doe c. Joh. 5.9 Augustine saith Ei tribuit quicquid fecit à quo est ipse qui facit But the insufficiencie of which the Apostle speaketh is not in things naturall but in the ministration of the Spirit So he saith that God of his speciall grace hath made them able Ministers of the new Testament not of the letter but of the spirit his meaning is that no endeavour of men can endue us with the grace of repentance with faith hope and Christian charity except the inward working of Gods spirit As the Apostle speakes of the gift of tongues of the understanding of secrets and of all knowledge without charity Nihil miht prodest 1 Cor. 14. So all our endeavours are unprofitable to us unlesse God by his spirit do co-operate with us for He that â—abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit Joh. 15.5 that is the fruit of righteousnesse the end whereof is eternall life Rom. 6.22 Thirdly the persons whom he chargeth with this want of ability are not the common sort of naturall men that are not yet regenerate by Gods spirit 1 Cor. 2. but he speakes of himselfe and his fellow-Apostles So these words are an answer to that question 2 Cor. 2.16 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto these things who is sufficient he answereth himselfe Not we for we are not able of our selves to think a good thought much lesse are we fit of our selves to be meanes by whom God should manifest the favour of his knowledge in every place So that which Christ spake Joh. 15. he spake it to his Disciples who albeit they were more excellent persons then the rest of the people yet he telleth them Sine me nihil potestis facere The negative being generall we may make a very good use of it If the Apostles of Christ were unable how much more are we If Jacob say I am unworthy of the least of thy blessings Gen. 32. If John Baptist say I am not worthy Mat. 3. If S. Paul confesse I am not worthy to be called an Apostle 1 Cor. 15. much more may we say with the Prodigall sonne that had spent all I am not worthy to be called thy sonne Luk. 15. and with the Centurion I am not worthy thou shouldest come under my roofe Mat. 8. The reason of this want of ability is for that the nature of men cannot performe that which the Apostle speakes of neither as it is in an estate decayed through the fall of Adam and that generall corruption that he hath brought into the whole race of mankind nor as it is restored to the highest degree of perfection that the first man had at the beginning Adam himselfe when he was yet perfect could not attaine to this for he was but a living soule the second Adam was a quickning spirit 1 Cor. 15. And it is not in the power of nature to elevate and lift it selfe up to conceive hope of being partakers of the blessednesse of the life to come to hope to be made partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. and of the heavenly substance if men hope for any such thing it is the spirit of God that raiseth them up to it As the water can rise no higher then nature will give it leave and as the fire giveth heat onely within a certaine compasse so the Perfection which Adam had was in certaine compasse the light of nature that he had did not reach so high as to stirre him up to the hope of the blessednesse to come that was without the compasse of nature and comes by the supernaturall working of grace As we are corrupt it never commeth into our minds to hope for the felicity of the life to come for all the thoughts of mans heart are onely evill and that all the day long Gen. 6. That is true which the Apostle witnesseth of the Gentiles Rom. 2.13 That they by nature do the things of the Law if we understand it of morall duties for the very light of nature doth guide us to the doing of them But as the Prophet saith Ps 16.2 My goodnesse doth not extend to thee So whatsoever good thing we doe by the direction of naturall reason it is without all respect of God except he enlighten us before Therefore in our regeneration not onely the corruption of our will is healed but a certaine divine sparke of fire and zeale of Gods Spirit is infused into us by which we are holpen to do those duties of piety which otherwise naturally we have no power to do Now followes the qualification of this generall negative sentence For where the Apostle hath said We are not able to thinke any thing of our selves the Scripture recordeth divers good purposes that came into the hearts of Gods servants The Lord
towards our heavenly countrey such as Iob speakes of Dominus dedit Dominus abstulit Iob 1.21 By gift he meaneth the felicity that is reserved for us after this life the Kingdome of Heaven that whereof our Saviour saith to Martha Luke 10. Mary hath chosen the better part which shall not be taken from her That which is a stay to us in this life is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the things which neither eye hath seene nor eare heard all which are reserved for them that love God 1 Cor. 2. these are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as well the one as the other come from God So much we are taught by the adjectives that are joyned to these words Givings are called good and the Gifts of God are called perfect In which words the Apostles purpose is to teach us that not onely the great benefits of the life to come such as are perfect are of him but that even that good which we have in this life though it be yet imperfect and may be made better is received from him and not else where Who doth despise little things saith the Prophet Zach. 4.10 God is the Author both of perfect and good things as the Image of the Prince is to be seene as well in a small peece of coine as in a peece of greater value so we are to consider the goodnes of God as well in the things of this life as in the graces that concerne the life to come yea even in this To thinke that which is good 2 Cor. 3. Of him are the small things as well as the great Therefore out Saviour teacheth us to pray not onely for that perfect gift ut advenia Regnum but even for these lesser good things which are but his givings namely that he would give us our daily bread Under Good is contained all gifis both naturall or temporall Those givings which are naturall as to live to move and have understanding are good for of them it is said God saw all that he made and lo all was good Gen. 1. Of gifts temporall the Heathen have doubted whether they were good to wit riches honour c. but the Christians are resolved that they are good 1 Iohn 3. So our Saviour teacheth us to esteeme them when speaking of fish and bread he saith If you which are evill can give your children good things Luke 11. And the Apostle saith Hee that hath this worlds good 1 Iohn 3. For as Augustine saith That is not onely good quod facit bonum sed de quo fit bonum that is not onely good that makes good but whereof is made good so albeit riches do not make a man good alwaies yet because he may do good with them they are good The gift which the Apostle cals perfect is grace and glory whereof there is in this life the beginning of perfection the other in the life to come is the end and constancie of our perfection whereof the Prophet speaks Psal 84.12 The Lord will give grace and glory The Apostle saith Nihil perfectum adduxit Lex The Law brought nothing to perfection Heb. 7. that is by reason of the imperfection of our nature and the weaknesse of our flesh Rom. 8.3 To supply the defect that is in nature grace is added that grace might make that perfect which is imperfect The person that giveth us this grace is Jesus Christ by whom grace and truth came Iohn 1. And therefore he saith Estote perfecti sicut Pater vester coelestis perfectus est Matth. 5. And by this grace not only our sinnes are taken away but our soules are endued with inherent vertues and receive grace and ability from God to proceed from one degree of perfection to another all our life time even till the time of our death which is the beginning and accomplishment of our perfection as our Saviour speakes of his death Luke 13.32 In the latter part of the proposition we are to consider the place from whence and the person from whom we receive these gifts the one is supernè the other à Patre luminum Now he instructeth us to beware of a third errour that we looke not either on the right hand or on the left hand that we regard not the persons of great men which are but instruments of God if we have any good from them all the good we have it is de sursum the thoughts of our hearts that arise in them if they tend to good are not of our selves but infused into us by the divine power of Gods spirit and so is whatsoever good thought word or worke proceeding from us This is one of the first parts of divinity Iobn Baptist taught A man can receive nothing except it be given him from above Iohn 3.27 This was the cause of Christ ascending into Heaven Psal 68. He went up on high and dedit dona hominibus and the Evangelist faith the holy Ghost which is the most perfect gift that can come to men was not yet given because Christ was not yet ascended Iohn 7.39 Therefore if we possesse any blessing or receive any benefit we must not looke to earthly meanes but to Heaven The thing which is here mentioned excludeth the fourth errour we thinke that things come to us by fortune or customably he saies not that good things fall downe from above but they descend qui descendit proposito descendit Our instruction from hence is that they descend from a cause intelligent even from God himselfe who in his counsell and provision bestoweth his blessings as seemeth best to himselfe for as the Heathen man speakes God hath sinum facilem but not perforatum that is a lappe easie to receive and yeeld but not bored through to let things fall through without discretion When the Prophet saith Tu aper is manum Psal 145.15 he doth not say that God lets his blessings droppe out of his fingers Christ when he promised to his Disciples to send the Comforter saith Ego mittameum advos Iohn 16.7 Whereby he giveth them to understand that it is not by casualty or chance that the holy Ghost shall come upon them but by the deliberate counsell of God so the Apostle postle speaks Of his owne will begat he us by the word of truth The person from whom is the Father of lights The Heathens found this to be true that all good things come from above but they thought that the lights in Heaven are the causes of all good things therefore is it that they worship the Sunne Moone and Starres Iames saith Be not deceived all good things come not from the lights but from the Father of lights The naturall lights were made in ministerium cunctis gentibus Deut. 4. and the Angels that are the intellectuall lights are appointed to do service unto the Elect. Heb. 1.13 It is the Father of lights that giveth us all good things therefore he onely is to be worshipped and not the lights which he hath made to
yee call him Father without respect of persons c. Then passe the time of your dwelling here in feare 1 Pet. 1.13 Our is a word of hope as Father is a word of faith for he that saies noster our includes himselfe and by hope applyeth Gods favour in particular to himselfe which by faith he apprehends to be common to all neither doth appropriate it to himselfe saying My Father but includes them with himselfe and so the word our is also Vox charitatis the voyce of Charity As the first word did teach us the Father-hood of God so the word our implyeth the fraternity we have one with another for God to shew what great regard he hath of the love of our neighbour hath so framed and indited this prayer that there is neither Ego nor mi nor meum nor mea neither I nor mine nor my but still the tenor of it is Our Father our bread our trespasses us from evill Therefore one saith that prayer is not onely breviarium fidei an abridgment of our faith but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a mutuall pledge of our love towards our brethren which is then especially testified when we pray to God for them For this prayer which our Saviour sets downe for us and all Christians prayers are not the prayers of nature pro se orat necessitas necessity stirreth up men to pray for themselves but the prayers of charity when we are to commend the state of our brethren to God as well as our owne quia pro ali is charitas for charity prayeth for others for in this prayer there is matter not onely of supplication for the avoyding of evill and comprecation for the obtaining of good in our owne behalfe but of Intercession also to teach us that whether we desire that evill be rëmoved or good be bestowed upon us we should desire it for others as well as for our selves The use of this doctrine is of two sorts first against Pride for if God be not the Father of one man more then another but all in common doe call him Our Father why then doth one man exalt himselfe above another Have we not all one Father Mal. 2. and the Apostle saith Yee are all the sonnes of God by faith in Christ Iesus Gal. 3. and our Saviour saith Vos omnes fratres estis Yee are all brethren Mal. 2.3.8 Therefore we are not onely to love one another as brethren but to honour one another because we are the sonnes of God for this end the Apostle exhorteth In giving honour to one before another Rom. 12. So farre ought we to be from despising one another Cur enim non pudeat aspernari fratrem quem Deus non aspernatur filium Why are we not ashamed to scorne him to be our brother whom God scorneth not to be his sonne Secondly it serveth against malice wēe were all in the loynes of Adam when he fell and all one in the body of Christ so that whatsoever he as our Head hath done or suffered the same all men doe and suffer in him And lastly we are all included in this word to teachus that wee ought to wish the same good to others which we doe to our selves for this is that which Christ commendeth in our Christian practise in the duty of prayer Vt singuli orent pro omnibus omnes pro singulis that each should pray for all and all for each other He hath taken order that no man can pray this prayer but he must pray for others as well as for himselfe and so doe good to all and the mends that is made him is that they also for whom he prayed doe likewise at another time pray for him and though we cannot alwayes pray in such fervencie of Spirit as is required in prayer yet the holy Ghost doth supply our infirmity by stirring up others to pray and make intercession in our behalfe cum gemitibus inenarrabilibus with unspeakable groanes Rom. 8. even then when we cannot doe for our selves and this is a speciall benefit which the faithfull have in the Communion of Saints The Apostle saith that God to assure us that hee takes us for his sonnes hath sent his Spirit into our hearts whereby we cry Abba Father Gal. 4. the one of these words hath respect to the Iewes the other to the Gentiles teaching that it is our duty to pray both for Iewes and Gentiles and so for all though they be strangers to us Secondly we are to pray for sinners be their sinnes never so great in hope that God will give them the Grace to repent and to come out of the snare of the Devill 2 Tim. 2. and that he will translate them out of the state of sinne into the state of grace for this life as long as it lasteth is tempus praestitutum poenitentiae a time ordained for repentance Thirdly as for our brethren so for our enemies as our Saviour willeth Matth. 5.44 for they also are comprehended under the word noster For God hath shut up all in unbeliefe that hee may have mercie upon all Neither are we to pray in generall for all but for some in particular as neede requireth Not in generall for all good things but for some speciall blessings As we are to pray generally that Gods will may be done so for that this is Gods will our sanctification 1 Thes 4. we may pray in particular for those things that we have neede as to be delivered from all temptations generally so specially from those sinnes whereunto the corruption of our nature is most inclined THE EIGHTH SERMON Which art in Heaven WHich words containe the second part of this invocation for as in the word Father we call upon the bowels of Gods mercy so by these words Which art in Heaven we do invocate the arme of his power for so it is termed by the Prophet in the Old Testament Stirre up thy strength and help us Psal 80.2 Rise up thou arme of the Lord Esay 51.9 So that as the Lepers doubt Matth. 8. is taken away by the consideration of Gods fatherly goodnesse so that when we know that this our Father hath his beeing in heaven it takes away that doubt which we use to make of his power Domine si quid potes Lord if thou canst do us any good Mark 9. For the stile of God in respect of our necessities consists of his goodnesse and greatnesse which as they are both expressed by the Heathen in the title Optimus Maximus so the power of God in these words which they use 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dwelling in heavenly habitations Christ willing to expresse the greatnesse of Gods power doth it by that place where his glory and power are most manifest and that is heaven whereof the Prophet saith The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy worke Psal 19.1 For when we see a poore cottage we presently ghesse that the dweller is no great person but if
it were meeter that we should come toward it But hereby Christ giveth us to understand what our corruption is It is with us as with the Israelites that were so addicted to the flesh-pois of Egypt that they cared not to goe into the promised land likewise we are so in love with this present world as that we have no minde of Heaven Besides there are so many stumbling-blocks in our way as that the Kingdome of God must come unto us or else we shall never possibly come unto it Therefore as we pray that God would lighten our blind eyes and inflame our hard hearts with a love of his heavenly Kingdome so also that he would send his Angels to gather out of his Kingdome all things that offend Matth. 13.41 The things that we pray against are the Kingdome of Sathan darkenesse and sinne that they may depart from us and that the inward Kingdome of Grace may take place in our hearts but the principall Kingdome that we desire is the Kingdome of Glory whereof our Saviour said Behold I come quickly Revel 22.7 This is the Kingdome which the Saints desire saying Come quickly Lord Iesus Revel 22.20 and all creatures doe waite for this Kingdome looking when they shall be made free from the bondage of their corruption Rom. 8.20 For whereas now all things are subject unto vanity then there shall be a Kingdome that shall not perish It is not for the wicked to desire the comming of his Kingdome Woe be to you that desire the comming of the Lord it is darknesse and not light Amos 5.18 The wicked shall say to the Mountaines Fall upon us for the wrath of the Lord no man is able to abide it Revel 6.16 But to the godly it is a day of comfort Lift up your heads for the day of redemption drawes neare Luke 21.33 Howsoever hee will render vengeance to the ungodly that have not knowne nor obeyed the Gospel of God 2 Thes 1.8 Yet he comes to make a garland to crowne the godly and to set them in his throne they shall be received into his Kingdome of glory where they shall injoy the things which neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor hath ever entred into the heart of man which he hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 1. Therefore Saint Paul saith I desire to be dissolved and to bee with Christ Phil. 3. Simeons desire is Lord now let thou thy servant depart in peace Luke 2.29 Thus the remembrance of the day of our redemption is a joyfull remembrance to them and the chiefe thing that they desire so that they are willing to depart in regard of their future hope rather then to tarry here and howbeit that Christ deferres his Kingdome and comming yet we are to be watchfull for it will come as a snare Luke 21. and 1 Thes 5. and when he commeth he will rather be for us then against us THE ELEVENTH SERMON Thy will be done THe summe of all our desires is set downe by those words of the Prophet Psal 84. where he saith The Lord shall give glory and peace and no good thing shall he with-hold from them that live uprightly And our Saviour doth excellently expresse the same Matth. 6. Seeke the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all other things shall be ministred The Petitions of glory and Gods Kingdome have already beene handled Now in this third which is the second of those which concerne our selves we are suiters for the grace of God in this life whereby we may be enabled to doe his will here that so we may obtaine the Kingdome of glory in the world to come for the Kingdome of God and of glory is the Heaven that we desire all to arrive at and grace and righteousnesse is the gale of wind that drives us forward thereunto and our suite to God in this petition is that by doing of his will here on earth Grace may raigne in our hearts by righteousnesse Rom. 5.21 that so hereafter we may raigne with him in glory He doth not onely will us to seeke Gods Kingdome Matth. 6. And tels us that there is one prepared for us before the foundation of the world Matth. 25.34 but also how we may finde it and attaine to it Matth. 7. Not every one that saith Lord Lord shalt enter into the Kingdome of God but he that shall doe the will of my Father which is in Heaven Therefore touching the order of this prayer as of those things which concerne our good the first is that Gods Kingdome may come to us so the doore whereby we must enter into the same is the doing of Gods will and therefore in the second place we are taught that the Kingdome of God shall come not by wishing or desiring but by doing of Gods will as Christ saith The Kingdome of God is come neare you So Christ tels us If we draw neare to God he will draw neare to us Iames 4. Touching the Will of God it may be demanded Why we should demand and aske this petition For as the Psalmist saith Our God is in Heaven he doth whatsoever he will Psal 115. Whatsoever the Lord willed that did he in Heaven in the earth and in all deepe places Psal 135.6 and who hath resisted his will Rom. 9.19 No counsell or wisedome can prevaile against the Lord Prov. 21.30 And if any doe oppose themselves against his will yet they doe but kicke against the prickes Acts 9. The answer to this objection is that we pray not so much that Gods will may be done but rather that what God willeth may bee our will for there is one will of God which we may resist another which we may not resist For the distinction of Gods will it is either hidden and secret or revealed and open the one is that which the Prophet cals the counsell or thought of his heart Psal 33.11 The other is that will of his word wherein the declareth and openeth to men what his will is His secret will is voluntas beneplaciti the good pleasure of his will his revealed will is voluntas signi which is disclosed to us Gods secret will is voluntas quam Deus vult that will which God willeth his revealed will is voluntas quam ipse nos velle vult that will which he willeth us to will the secret will of his heart is voluntas adoranda non scrutanda He that curiously searcheth the glory of Heavenly things shall not enter into glory Prov. 25.27 How unsearchable are his judgements Rom. 11. and who hath knowen the will of the Lord or who was his counsellour But the open and revealed will of God is voluntas scrutanda sacienda both to be searched out and to be done of us Be not unwise but understand what is the will of God Ephes 5.17 The knowledge of his will is not enough but as Christ saith If yee know these things blessed are ye if ye doe them Iohn 13.17 Of
to have sentence pronounced against us for our owne consciences will condemne us For comming 2. Assiduity Because in the second place we see by Act. 17.21 an humour in the Athenians whiles Pauls doctrine was they came gladly as Luk. 23.8 Herod rejoyced when Christ came to him hoping to see some miracle wrought by him Augustine calleth the three daies journey of the people monstrum diligentiae the wonder of diligence therefore as they Acts 2.46 daily continued and resorted together c. and Pro. 8.33 Waiting daily at my doores and giving attendance at the posts of my doores so are we to doe the like and never to intermit this exercise Cyrill Villa non est peccatum sed si impediat est peccatum The Farme is no sinne but if it hinder that is a sinne Excuses ordinary Not to be admitted 1. Businesse 2. Play Math. 20.6 He reprehended them that stood in the market idle Non sunt istae institutiones sicut homiliae these institutions are not as Homilies for if we misse a Sermon we may redeeme it if we once misse this exercise we cannot have a perfect building Comparatur enim aedificio si vel una desit pars totum sit imperfectum aedisicium necesse est it is compared to a building in it if one part be wanting then of force the whole Fabricke is imperfect Therefore we are to follow the Apostles counsell Ephes 5.16 Redeeming the time because the daies are evill Then are we not to excuse our selves whether it be by excuse or businesse as Matth. 22.5 for though the things of themselves be lawfull and good yet where they come to hinder the knowledge of God they become sinne Or by play Gen. 25.27 no other reason given of Esaus idlenesse then that he was a man of the field and loved his pastime and gaming Or by Idlenesse Exod. 32.16 The people sate them downe to eate and drinke and rose up to play Or by a spirit of unlustinesse as Esay 29.10 The Lord hath covered you with the spirit of slumber and hath shut up your eyes Ergo deponenda quaelibet impedimenta therefore all impediments must be laid aside Yet if sicknesse or any other impediment hinder us then are we to follow the counsell of the Apostle Eph. 5.16 of redeeming the time 3. Forasmuch as we see by Matth. 22.11 that every commer is not welcome 3. Idlenesse but he that hath his wedding garment and commeth prepared as he ought 4. Spirit of unlustinesse Videndum quomodo audiamus Take heed how we heare Bona bene good things well 2 Chron. 29.34 the Priests being too few adhuc imperfecta existente religione to slay all the burnt-offerings their brethren the Levites helped them till they had done the worke and other Priests were sanctified for the Levites were more upright in heart to sanctifie themselves then the Priests And seeing 1 Chron. 29.18 when David had taken as good order as he could he directed his prayer to God that it would please him to prepare the hearts of the people And for the Gospell Matth. 3.3 the office of John was to prepare the way of the Lord and to make streight his pathes Therefore we are to be prepared as the Lord requireth which though it be so manifold that the wise men of Israel have set downe 48. things to be used yet may they be reduced to two First Wherein our preparation to hearing doth consist 1. The purpose of the heart that which the light of nature hath set downe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the purpose of our heart to frame our lives accordingly Act. 11.23 Barnabas his first exhortation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with purpose of heart to cleave unto the Lord. And this is the first whosoever will heare must heare with this condition that he convert it to his life and put it in practice quia hic finis est for this is the end Psal 119.9 A young man must rule his life according to the word to this end to cleanse his waies Ergo he that practiseth not that which he heareth faileth in this first point Luke 12.1 Christ calleth the doctrine of the Pharisees there leaven Sic dici potest doctrina Christi fermentum Christi so the doctrine of Christ may be called the leaven of Christ whose property is as 1 Cor. 5.6 to turne the whole lumpe into the property of it selfe So if we heare the doctrine of Christ it must be leaven to us But the leaven turneth the taste of the lumpe into the taste of it selfe To this purpose a most fearefull place Deut. 29.18 That there be not among you man or woman nor family nor Tribe which should turne his heart this day from the Lord our God to serve the gods of these Nations and that there be not any roote among you that bringeth forth gall or wormwood The second thing is prayer ◠Prayer Because as David saith Psal 10.19 when the Lord hath prepared ones heart then he bendeth his eares to his prayers Againe the feare of God is wisedome wisedome cannot be got except it be asked for of God as Iames 1.5 If any one lacke wisedome let him aske it of God c. Practise whereof in Salomon 1 King 3.9 praying to the Lord for wisdome and the Lords approbation that he required wisedome in the same place vers 10. Matth. 21.13 Domus mea domus orationis vocabitur My house shall be called the house of prayer These short prayers are those the fathers call ejaculationes Of such is the Psal 119. full as vers 18. Open thou mine eyes that I may see the wondrous things of thy Law And in the middest when he feeleth himselfe dull vers 37. he saith O turne away mine eyes lest they behold vanity and quicken thou me in the way And in the same place concludeth with thankesgiving saying I will thanke thee with an unfained heart when I shall have learned the judgements of thy righteousnesse By these and such like we must seeke to be upholden Effect of our prayer preparing to the catechisme For the effect of our request that forasmuch as Eccles 12.11 the words of the Lord are likened to goades and nailes as on the contrary Psal 19.10 to Honey-combes we are to pray that it would please the Lord that we may as well feele the nayles of his threatnings as the Honey-combes of his mercy Thus must we believe that there be such things in the word though we have no feeling of them yet the Saints of God have felt them If this might also be in us it would pricke us forward as Genes 32.11 Jacob prayeth to be delivered from the hands of his brother Esau but contrariwise If we might feele the sweetnesse and delight of this Honey-combe so that we might have a love to them the diligence would necessarily follow for Delectatio diléctio diligentia ex se pendent Dilectio
delectatio diligentia sese mutuò necessariò consequuntur Love delight diligence doe mutually and necessarily follow each other seque necessariò consequuntur Delight love and diligence doe mutually and necessarily follow one another 2. Pars. Auscultate mihi The second part Hearken unto me Newnesse of life Esay 29.13 This people come neere to me with their mouth and honour me with their lips but their hearts they have removed farre from me and their feare towards me was taught by the precepts of men As also Marke 7.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This people honoureth me with their lippes but their heart is farre from me which the heathen man declareth by that which they call praesens absens present absent Therefore in this respect it is required that we be so present as that we give eare and have our hearts so neere as our bodies i. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to listen unto to obey Psal 40.8 Sacrifices and offerings didst thou not require but mine eares hast thou opened Esay 22.3 the Lord to Esay The eyes of them that see shall not be shut and the eares of them that heare shall hearken Exod. 5.17 Pharao of this opinion that religion is an idle mans exercise The heathen thinketh that all the duty lieth on the speaker But Christ maketh it a great matter to heare well Luke 8.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Take heed how ye heare He addeth his reason 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for to every one that hath to him shall be given and whosoever hath not from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have Because he that heareth well the spirit will reveale more unto him from him that heareth not well Plutarch lib. de auditione p. 168.5 soloecismes in heaâ—ing shall be taken away that little which he had before And the Gentiles set downe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that one may as well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 commit soloecismes in hearing as to commit a soloecisme in speaking There be five soloecismes in hearing 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contraria 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A looking like one that is goggleeyed the straying of the eye contrary to those Luke 4.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The hanging downe of the countenance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A casting downe of the countenance contrary to that 2 Cor. 9.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not grudgingly or of necessity for God loveth a cheerefull giver Col. 3.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And whatsoever ye doe doe it heartily as to the Lord and not unto men 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the variation of the body which argueth a wearinesse in hearing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The altering or change of the body 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sleepy yawnings gasping cleane contrary to auscultation which argueth a desire to sleepe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sleepy yawnings for which Christ Matth. 26 40. rebuketh his disciples 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What cold ye not watch with me one houre 5. Smiling one upon another whispering in the eare beckning one to another c. Smiling nodding whispering beckning c. The heathen before their mysteries and ministring of their sacrifices had some one that stood up in the middest of them and cryed aloud Hoc agite attend to this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is an easie thing to heare a hard thing to obey Esay 32.3 Iames 1.23 If any man heareth the word and doth it not he is like to a man that beholdeth his naturall face in a glasse for when hee hath considered himselfe he goeth his way and forgetteth immediately what manner of one he was So also may we say of them that though they heare attentively yet lay not up those words that they heare in their hearts A Rabbin compareth such kind of eares to an houre-glasse When the one glasse is full of sand it is turned and the sand runneth out againe into the other glasse These kind of eares are the worst and not worthy to participate the mysteries of God 3. Signe that we give our mind to it There must not onely be a laying up in memory but in our hearts also so long 2 Pet. 1.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vntill the day dawne and the day-starre arise in your hearts Amongst the Schoolemen Axioma Quod cor non facit non sit there is this Axiome Quod cor non facit non sit what is not done with the heart is not done Else shall we be like Pharao Exod. 7.23 Pharao returned and went againe to his house neither entered it into his heart Therefore the precept is set downe Deut. 6.6 And these words which I command thee this day shall be in thy heart And againe this order of catechising there briefly set downe Deut. 6.6 1. Write them 2. Bind them that we remember them 3. Speake of it to worke thereafter Pro. 4.21 Let them not depart from thine eyes but keepe them in the middest of thine heart Pro. 3.1 Let thy heart c. 3. upon the table of thy heart 5. with all thy heart The talking of these must be to this end that they may worke more knowledge in us We are for the most part in these daies content with the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prov. 1.4 To give to the simple sharpnesse of wit to give to the children knowledge and discretion A learned man saith That he learned much of his Master more of his fellowes most of them whom he taught Prov. 2.10.11 When wisedome entereth into thine heart and knowledge delighteth thy soule then shall counsell preserve thee and understanding shall keepe thee Therefore the writing 2. This practise is the fruit committing to memory and talking of them is to this end that they may worke deeper knowledge in our hearts Concerning them therefore that we may not onely be able to intreate of them but also to practice them we have these 3. rules 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 probatio examination 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meditation 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dilatio vel potius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 communicatio conference Because the Lord would have us to be called to his word he commandeth us to search the Scriptures 1. Rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 examination For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—iall John 5.39 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Search the Scriptures Esay 8.19 c. When they shall say unto you inquire of them that have the spirit of Divination c. Revel 2.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Thou hast tried them which say they are Apostles c. Acts 17.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 searching the Scriptures 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 care meditation 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 meditation Besides the manifold iteration Psal 119. Abrahams servant Gen. 24.33 Most plaine 1 Tim.
4.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Meditate upon these things give thy selfe wholly to them that thy profiting may appeare to all 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conference Gal. 2.2 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Conference 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I went up by revelation and communicated unto them Luk. 24.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another Mal. 3.16.17 Then spake they that feared the Lord every one to his neighbour c. Though they say that experience is the mother of knowledge yet 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conversation is the grandmother for it begetteth the experience and in our owne reason the practice is all and fruit of all Esay 27.9 hic est omnis fructus ut auferatur omne peccatum this is all the fruit to take away his sinne As in diseases there are bastard feavers which have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 febrium verarum tokens of true feavers Sic spuria est pietas so is there a counterfeit piety Thus for these two points Venite auscultate Come and hearken The Apostle saith 1 Cor. 13.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whether there be prophecies they shall faile whether there be tongues they shall cease whether there be knowledge it shall vanish away But Christ saith Luke 10.42 Mary hath chosen the good part which shall not be taken from her 2. Prov. 1.28 Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seeke me early but they shall not find me Therefore God will not heare them because they heard not him 3. 1 Sam. 2.25 They hearkned not unto the voice of their father because the Lord would slay them Ideo non audiunt quia Deus interficiet cos Therefore men heare not because God will slay them 4. Labour for knowledge Phil. 2.16 Holding forth the word of life that I may rejoyce in the day of Christ that I have not runne in vaine nor laboured in vaine That it may be with us as with the Romanes of whom the Apostle saies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Rom. 6.17 But God be thanked that ye were the servants of sinne but ye have obeyed from the heart that forme of doctrine which was delivered you Thus we conclude as Cyrill did Meum est docere vestrum auscultare Dei perficere It is my part to teach yours diligently to heare Gods to perfect Religion a building the principles the foundation In teaching religion where we are to begin The course of Religion which we are to intreate of is compared to a building Matth. 7.24 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Hath built his house upon a Rocke c. the teacher to a builder 1 Cor. 3.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 As a wise Builder The principles of Religion to a foundation Heb. 6.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Not laying againe the foundation of repentance from dead workes and of faith towards God Col. 3.23 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doe it heartily In a building the chiefest thing is that the foundation be layd deepe enough Our warrant out of Luke 6.48 Non super arenam Not upon sands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. but as it is in the same place He digged deepe and laid the foundation c. This is spoken â—o this end for that the builders in our age digge not deepe enough till they come to the hard rocke 1. If any ground of Religion be set downe it is asked how we know that it is true 2. How we know that these Scriptures are the words of God And if they be how we can prove ipsum propositum the purpose or aime it selfe by the Scriptures Lastly how we know that there is a God and if what is the regard of him towards man whether such as that he would afford him his word and what is the regard of God But they without further examination presuppose these bookeâ— to be true and the Word of God and digge to build no further then the earth leaving advantage for the undermyner And we know that many have undermined the very foundation and have flatly denyed that there is a God and so when the divell shall bring with him his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inundations and floods He will shake the foundation of Religion as heretofore he hath plunged the dearest of Gods children 4 questions that we way come to the rocke it selfe These are taken for granted by Catechists without any examination Therefore that we may begin at the hard rocke we will adde these foure questions 1. Whether there is a God against the Atheists 2. Whether he hath a care of man and such as that he would deliver his word unto him against the Semi-atheists Epicures 3. Whether the Scriptures we use be his word and true against the Turkes and Pagans 4. Whether this being the Word of God our religion be truly grounded on it against the Jewes Papists and other heretickes 1. Whether there be a God For the first our warrant Heb. 11.6 wherein the two first are set downe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that commeth unto God Heb. 6.11 handled Three things to be observed in Heb. 11.6 must beleeve that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seeke him Wherein these three things are to be noted 1. the fruit of Religion of all our doings and our life i. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to come unto God 2. The meanes to attaine this fruit i. by beleeving 3. What we are to beleeve 1. That there is a God 2. That he is a rewarder of good to the good and evill to the evill Or first the end of our journey 2. The way it selfe 3. The two stations In the first is contained the short summe of the felicity of man able to stirre him up to give care 2. The snatching of the people at that which they suppose it to be 3. The great breaking of the braines of men about the seeking out of it 1. The fruit of religion or the summe of mans felicity That this happinesse is God every mans desire sufficiently testifieth it And David saith Psal 4.6 Who will shew us any good Augustine alledgeth out of Varro 288. severall opinions of Philosophers concerning this felicity August de civit Dei lib. 19. cap. 1. from Varro out of his booke De philosophia First then that man is not happy in his owne estate it is too plaine by the Epithetes that the heathen give to man Nudus miser 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Naked wretched a most weake creature A patterne of imbecillity Therefore seeing that it is not in man himselfe it must be in comming to another thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to come This phrase also of comming is used in the vulgar tongue comming to wealth honour learning c. The opinion therefore of Christian wisedome is this That whilst man kept Gods Commandement and submitted his wisedome to him he was partaker of
ever had never wanted that he ascribes to himselfe of common things we have the like thoughts Later it could not conveniently have beene given for then it could not have beene over the World before the comming of Christ and then men might have pleaded ignorance being no time for the divulging of it To shew that in this written law of Moses be those foure parts that are in all lawes 1. Psal 19.7 The Law of God is a perfect rule for all duties and actions vers 11. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soule the testimony of the Lord is sure and giveth wisedome unto the simple 2. The manners 1. that we may be whole observers of it 1. Toti All the whole of all men we must doe it with all our whole soule and body For we consist but of two parts of a soule and body The soule hath but two partes mind and heart God must be scopus perfectus metae the perfect scope we aime at There must be plena intentio Dei a full intention of God The heart the will must be tota inflammata wholly inflamed For the body with all the strength every member must be an instrument of righteousnesse Deut. 6.5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God 2. Totum The whole Law with all thy heart soule and might 2. For all the law it is the wish of God Deut. 5.29 Oh that there were such an heart in them to feare me and to keepe all my Commandements alwaies that it might goe well with them and with their children for ever And the contrary were very absurd for whereas God is perfectly wise if some of his precepts were needlesse then might God be arraigned of folly in not leaving out that which is superfluous as also Gods wisedome is impeached if any thing beside the law were to be kept then that added to the law would make the whole which we should doe and the law it selfe should be but part of our Agenda things to be done and so imperfect and the Lord should be an unwise Law-giver but this is impossible Therefore doth the Lord justly say Whatsoever I command you take heed you doe it thou shalt put nothing thereto nor take ought there-from 3. Toti tempore at all times Deut. 12.32 3. For continuance totâ vitâ alwaies all the daies of our life Deut. 12.32 And though the place includeth not the time yet the time includeth the place alwaies without dispensation If this law be perfect 3. Pramium The reward 〈◊〉 it carrieth with it a reward 1. Tim. 4.8 There are two rewards of this life and that to come Deut. 28. à vers 3. to 9. in the soule from the 9. to the 11. Levit. 26. à vers 3 For the life to come Levit. 26.3 expounded Dan. 12. some to everlasting life c. Christ Iohn 5.29 saies 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They shall come forth that have done good to the resurrection of life but they that have done evill unto the resurrection of condemnation Acts 26.6 7. Paul answered before Agrippa that he rested in the expectation of the just and the opinion of the Sadduces was very odious among the Jewes 4. Pâ—na The punishment Againe on the contrary if they be not kept or not after this manner 1. Toti not wholly but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in a double heart Jer. 48.10 Cursed be he that doth the worke of the Lord negligently and that keepeth backe his sword from blood And so for the whole law Deut. 27.26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this Law to doe them and all the people shall say Amen For the other that continueth not in every part of the law he is cursed This curse of the Lord was pronounced by the Priest and all the people said Amen These curses are Gods curses and when he saith benè well it will be well indeed And there is a full blessing to them that can keepe it so the fulnesse of his wrath is to the breakers of it A curse without blessing and a blessing without curse In this life Deut. 28.15 But if thou wilt not obey the voyce of the Lord to keepe and to doe all his Commandâ—ments and Ordinances which I command thee this day then all those curses shall light on thee and overtake thee Levit. 26.14 But if ye will not obey me nor doe all these Commandements c. In the life to come Psal 21.9 Their houses are peaceable without feare and the rod of God is not on them Esay 66.24 For their worme shall not die nor their fire be quenched and they shall be an abomination to all flesh So that this law of Moses in summe agreeth with that of nature And as the Proconsull said in the Acts so say we This law is open the good universall and without end whereof the one taketh away feare the other filleth the desire The law is open any man that will may lay claime to it But Paul Gods Atturney from Rom. 1.18 to Rom. 7.13 laieth his accusation 1. To the Gentiles 2. To the Jewes proveth both to have forfeited after he excludeth the regenerate and withall himselfe for though the spirit were willing yet the law of his members was disobedient children guilty by reason of originall sinne as cockatrise egs All men guilty of prevarication and doing against their owne knowledge But Pauls owne argument is sufficient because the stipend of sinne hath taken hold on all and the stipend of sinne is death God being just therefore sinne also must needs take hold on all David confessed this Delict a quis intelligit Who can understand his faults Salomon confessed he could lay no clame to it What then If all offend it should seeme God commanded an impossible thing to be kept It is sure that God is just Therefore we must thinke that there is no injustice in the dealings of God though the matter be never so untoward yet the rule must be streight not as a Lesbian leaden rule 2. It cannot be otherwise for God being perfectly just his rule also must be perfectly just Why then were we not made to it Adam received strength to fulfill it in that perfection that was required but he was like the evill servant who receiving money of his master to accomplish his businesse spendeth it and so maketh his excuse that he hath no money to lay out or being sent about his masters businesse in the way is drunken and so is not able to discharge that businesse that is justly required at his hands And thus of the law generally A preparation to the exposition of the Law PSalm 119.144 The Law of the Lord is from everlasting Genes 1.26 Let us make man according to our Image and likenesse Colos 3.10 The likenesse of God is said to be in all knowledge And have put on the new man which is renewed in knowledge after the Image of him that created him A preparation
we may seeke and finde naught for they should finde none yet verse 27. they would needs goe out to seeke and found none This is a curious inclination of our nature it cleaveth fast to us 1. Sam. 6.19 The men of Beth-shemesh would needs know what was in the Arke but they payed well for it 50070. men of them were slaine for that one action so here God enacted that none should touch the mountaine and that for the beast much more for man Numb 14.45 the people of Israel that would enter into the Land contrary to Gods Will are soone slaine Verse 44. yet they presumed obstinately to goe up to the top of the mount But the Arke of the Covenant of the Lord and Moses departed not out of the Campe. 45. Then the Amalekites and the Canaanites which dwelt in that mountaine came downe and smote them Two things 1. To goe up into the mount 2. To touch the mount It s nâ—t tâ—e law that these men have desire to know it s but to goe up into the mount to gaze which was altogether unprofitable They have omitted the thing and searched for the times and places and consumed them to Hormach It was no necessary thing for the people to ascend the mountaine yet the people itched after it and when they should come there they would not be so hastie to know as to gaze so that the knowledge was not so much sought of them as the place therefore it was an idle thing and odious to God We see the very same hath raigned among the sonnes of men Acts 1.6 Lord wilt thou at this time restore the Kingdome to Israel Matth. 24.3 Tellus when shall these things be and what signe shall be of thy comming and of the end of the World But as Christ answereth them there It s not for you to know the times and the seasons which my heavenly Father hath put into his owne power So Moses here It s not for you to touch or ascend into the mountaine it pertaineth not to you This then must be our wisedome as it is Deut. 29.29 Hiddâ—n things belong to God and those that are manifest to us We must say to our selves as Moses said to the people It s not for you to ascend up into the mountaine More excellently Rom. 12.3 Not to be wise above that we ought but to be wise unto sobriety We must therefore keepe our selves in the limits which the Holy Ghost setteth downe As temporall death or punishment here is for trangressors and those that be over-curious in seeking out quiddities so Pro. 25.27 Qui scrutator est majestatis divinae opprimetur a gloria The curious inquirer after divine Majesty shall be overwhelmed of glory Those that are overcurious in seeking things unnecessary shall seeke with ignorance and lose the knowledge they had of necessary things 1 Tim. 6.4 they shall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 languish they shall be sicke with foolish questions deceiving others and themselves to They shall be alwaies a learning but never know any thing A fearefull example of Salomon Preach 1 17. I gave my heart to know wisedome and knowledge madnesse and foolishnesse I knew also that this is a vexation of the Spirit August Qui inventa veritote aliud quaerit mendacium quaerit He that having found the truth seeketh any thing else seeketh a lie This overmuch curiosity made Salomon subject to the grievous points of Idolatry We are then to know our barres about the law unum est necessarium One thing is needfull Fourth point of the del very or the law There is added of the learned another point not as a point of preparation but as a necessary motive in the delivery of the Law necessary meditation of the law gathered out of the delivery of it and it may be comprehended in the points of the delivery of the law Heb. 12. à v. 17. to the end whatsoever terrible thing there was the Lord caused them to concurre at the delivery of the law vers 9.16 first in a thicke cloud secondly with thunderings and thirdly lightnings fourthly the sound of a Trumpet sounding exceeding loud 18. fifthly Mount Sinai on fire and a vapour of smoake sixthly the quaking of the mount and as David Psal 20.8 The voice of the Lord made the wildernesse to tremble the wildernesse of Cades All these as they are fearefull sights and objects of the cogitation of man so it was the purpose of God to shew his law in terrible things to terrisie them withall And we see it tooke effect For first the mountaines and rockes trembled in the next chapter the people fled and desired Moses that they might heare God speake no more to them And Moses himselfe Heb. 12.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So terrible was the sight that Moses cried out and said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I exceedingly feare and quake This fourth point is a circumstance of the manner of delivery which though it be not of requiring the preparation yet Heb. 12. the Apostle useth it as a great argument to stir us up effectually For whatsoever thing is terrible either to the eye to behold or to the heart to thinke 18. v. 31. Mount Sinai was all on a smoke because the Lord came down upon it in fire and the smoke therof ascended as the smoke of a furnace and all the mount trembled exceedingly So that this wrought such a requisit reverence in the people that the Lord said Deut. 5.29 O that my people had alway such an heart to feare me c. These sights and sounds because they are past affect us not But yet that argument of the Apostle Heb. 12.25 26. may affect us If the delivery of the law be so terrible if the law Act. 7.53 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who have received the Law by the disposition of Angels and have not kept it being delivered by the hands of Angels be so dreadfull when God in the power of his Majesty shall come to require it how dreadfull shall it be And this shall more plainely appeare by the conference of circumstances of the delivery of the law and of the day of judgement 1. The delivery of the law was done by Angels A collation of circumstances in the delivery of the Law and in the day of judgement 1. By Angels 2. Darknesse the requiry shall be by God himselfe 2. Here is mention made of a thicke and darke cloud Amos 5.18 that it shall be a darke and gloomy day that there shall be darknesse and no light Woe to you that desire the day of the Lord what have you to doe with it the day of the Lord is darknesse and not light 19. As if a man did flie from a Lyon and a Beare met him or went into the house and leaned his hand on the wall and a Serpent bit him 20. Shall not the day of the Lord be darknesse and not light even darknesse no light in it Jude v. 13.
uses also for first either they are spurres and provocations to do good and secondly if wee doe good to be our comforters to cherish the thoughts of the heart so there is a beginning of blisse here The first of them is Feare toward God the reason because the word of God being the object of faith Timor inter affectiones prima the prime affection is feare Because the affections have their prius posterius their first and last Looke what object is first that affection is first according to this conclude because Gods justice was first proclaymed therefore feare first to be handled There is a faith in Moses i. e. the knowledge of Gods justice 1. Moses his feare And these 2. are properly attributed to feare Why God set justice first to be apprehended Whether wee take it whole and in grosse or the five books of Moses before the foure Gospells or in the very beginning wee see our faith apprehendeth in the order of the word that in what day soever thou shalt eat of the fruit of the tree thou shalt die before the other the seed of the woman shall bruise the Serpents head So the Justice of God offereth it selfe first to be handled which justice the knowledge that is by faith apprehending armed with the other eight attributes to make it seeme more fearefull considering it with them and the conscience telling us that man hath taken of the forbidden fruit necessary it is that feare come out of this consideration and consequently be in us for our transgressions It is that which before was said Joh. 3. â—6 si crederetis Moysi crederetis mihi if yee beleeved Moses yee would beleeve mee first Moses must be beleeved and then Christ The first is a faith in Gods justice There is a most manifest example of this Jonah 3.5 crediderunt Deo timuerunt they beleeved God and feared which is nothing else but a faith in Gods justice They of the later writers giving to faith 6. motives make the two first and especiall these 2. contritionem a grinding to powder by feare by that knowledge the law being apprehended Psal 119.120 the Prophet telleth us what is the true object of feare My flesh trembleth for feare of the O Lord I am humbly afraid of thy judgments this effect is of faith in the justice of God The reason why it pleased God to set justice first to be apprehended and feare is that before any matter be brought to passe that that hindreth must be taken away Have God wee cannot because Esa 59.2 there is a separation betweene him and us and as it is said Ephes 2.14 there is a great partition wall betwixt therefore wee cannot have him Causae prohiâ—entes expellentes pâ—â—catum The causes which hinder the growth of sinne are 1. Timor feare Now as wee should looke for him that should breake downe so if wee will have it broken downe it is expedient that wee should not build it higher therefore wee must cease to heape sinne upon sinne and looke for Christ to breake downe that which is already built That that causeth us to cease from sinne is the feare of God Prov. â— 13 expulsor peccati timor domini the feare of the Lord teacheth us to hate evill not saying as it is Rom. 6.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What shall we say then shall we continue in sinne that grace may abound therefore this is the reason why God commandeth feare because it makes to leave sinne There are besides this two other reasons and two other affections but it pleased God to make choyce of this here for not onely feare but shame and griefe or paine cause men to leave an evill thing but they that are moved neither with shame nor griefe with feare are moved For shame Psal 83.16 the Prophets prayer is Fill their faces O Lord with shame 2. Pudor shame that they may seeke thy name for griefe Esa 28.19 vexatio dabit intellectum if a man smart for it experience will teach him understanding 3. Dolor griefe Puder tollitur multitudine peccantium dolorem tollit aut certe mitigat volupâ—â— terrena But wee know that in multitude of offenders there is no place for shame therefore that cannot prevaile seeing the world is full of offenders and for paine we have terrenas consolatiunculas some few worldly pleasures to beate it out or at the least to season it but feare which it pleaseth God here to require at our hands is that when these faile it faileth not as we see it hath prevailed in evill men yea in beasts Gen. 3.10 Adam walked up and downe in Paradise with comfort enough though he had Fig-leaves and was naked his humbling came not to any perfection till he heard the voyce of the Lord comming toward him Acts 24.25 Felix the Deputy being a very ill man and an Heathen we see he fell into a trembling on a discourse of Pauls concerning justice and temperance and other vertues and especially of the judgements of God This were somewhat but that it moveth beasts also and that beast in which there is most brutishnesse Numb 22.23.25 27. Balaams Asse being in feare of the Angel of the Lord that stood in the way while there was roome enough on both sides ranne aside out of the way when there was no roome 〈◊〉 that one might passe by another he rubs the Prophets foote against the wall and when there was no way at all to escape the Angel of the Lord he falleth downe flat under him and though he were sore beaten yet he could not be made to runne upon the Angels sword no stripes can drive an Asse where he seeth danger to be to runne into that danger but he will be sooner killed with stripes then move Yet beyond these as that Iam. 2.19 that howsoever all other things are not brought forth out of the Devils yet feare commeth of their faith Daemones credunt contremiscunt the Devils beleeve and tremble therefore this must needs bee a most forcible meanes and he is far gone and in a very fearfull case that feareth not You will happily say but God speaketh much of love that were a better way to be brought by love to obedience and beliefe Objection Responded It is true It is a farre better way but the case is so that love will not prevaile with us for he that doth love a good thing Solution must have a knowledge of it and by his knowledge a taste of it and if his taste be infected as in a Fever they that are troubled with it are delighted with nothing but that which seemeth good to the corrupted state and if wholsome meate be offered them yet they love it not If the love be infected there is no love of that which is profitable unlesse it agree with their corrupted taste and consequently cannot be brought by love to taste of the wholsome meate yet this reason will be
as other men are oppressors unjust or as this publican he did so as he saith he fasted twice in the weeke he gave tythe of all that he had he was no robber no extortioner no unjust person hee said not untrue and on the other side he was as far as we he acknowledgeth that God did it in him for he saith I thanke God but then this that he was not as other men were His fault because he gave more excellencie to himselfe then to others and that he possessed the same gift as others did but after a more excellent manner the giving of this to himselfe and in another manner bringing in the contempt of his brethren this bringing in of singularity hindred the justifying of his prayer and singular men will have new wayes differing from other mens every man will have a strange way by himselfe whereof that followeth that I spake of before I would gladly make this sinne more hatefull unto us for it is a singular impediment to hinder any grace of God The Papists great praisers of humility The common place of humility is very strange among us now adayes and the reason is because it is the Papists theame There is no good thing they use but I would wish we had it more common then they and the leaving of this hath brought our Religion to this case it is in whether we consider those that are without a feeling of God or those that have eminencie of parts or if wee looke to persons in high estate the opinion of Rome that there is a man that cannot erre there is nothing more common in practise with us then that to hold that a man cannot erre and so that which we thinke so absurd in the Papists to ascribe to man that which is proper to God we our selves ascribe to man 2. Is a degree of excellencie they will say as God saith Exod. 33.19 I will have mercie upon whom I will and compassion on whom I will so they will favour whom they will and preferre whom they will and whereas God hath appointed with whom hee will have preferred But they hold this that how good soever he is yet it is not to be bestowed on him but upon the curtesie they will preferre without gifts and whereas there is no merit but all is of favour they will have all merit and no favour Ezek. 28.2 in all things they behave themselves not as if they were men but God but they are men and not God so non cujus volo miserebor it must not be I will have mercie upon whom I will but merit and favour it must be pulled downe it must not prevaile else are we guilty of this Come to the common sort take Bernards seven notes of pride out of his Sermon an missus est two of them are in our soule 1. following and pursuing after our owne counsell As there is a pride in those those of higher estate so in those of lower also 2. following our own will and pleasure Two in our mouth 1. either grudging at our betters and condemning their speeches and murmuring 2. or speaking swelling words of vanity against our inferiors or commending our selves Three in outward matters Superbia habitus pride of rayment tables Those that should humble us puffe us up and wee care not whether we use them or no. Use the means that God hath set downe and when yâ—â— use them use them with credit and estimation and furniture For the meanes that God sends us in them also we shew speciall pride Those meanes that God hath given us to beget in us regeneration in many there is with them a pride of heart and a cloyednesse and so they are indifferent whether they pray heare or not A degree beyond this and that a fearfull degree of pride is if the word be effectuall when it toucheth them at the heart yet in a pride of themselves because they will not seeme to be so moved at a Sermon they will suppresse it and so put it away and if they will have it be effectuall and move them inwardly yet they will not shew themselves outwardly to be moved one whit and so they will resist that good motion thinking they can have it againe at their beck whereas they know not whether that be the last time that it pleased God to offer it to them and that he will never offer it after This is an exalting of our selves against Gods ordinance Now not only with the meanes but with the graces of God also pride joyneth it selfe The object of pride most excellent things where with further graces it hath pleased God to blesse because that is the naturall seate of pride there it will be more busie and it is harder to resist it In other sinnes we see the objects of them are base Cineres reliquorum peccatorum fomes superbiae There is a pride in the Crosse even when wee are humbled under Gods hand We may be proud that we are not so proud Where most bestowed there most required where the great est gift there the greatest perill and therefore ought to be the greatest watch vile and most commonly brutish onely pride will deale with nothing but with most excellent gifts best exercises highest offices and when a man is highest then will pride be most busie with him and even when all other sinnes are burnt up cleane to ashes yet of their ashes commeth pride nay it riseth oft times of the contrary to it for humility it selfe begetteth pride for he that is humble waxeth proud because he is not so proud as others or because he is not so proud as he was before so that the ashes of one pride will beget another pride therefore it is more to be feared and so by pride they fall into such a secure quietnesse as that they have no jealousie or suspition either of themselves or of their doings and so they are overtaken as Noah Lot and David were For we must thus thinke the greater grace God blesseth us withall God will send the greater triall and the richer the prey is the more will the Devill bend his force to rob us therefore the more every man receiveth the more he ought to humble himselfe so shall he be sure that he will keepe it to the end We will adde a few things of the punishment Poena superbiae the punishment of pride Fiscus regalis deâ— ipsius gloria to thâ—â— Exchequer is due not only the receiving of grace but also preserving of it so that man that forgers his returne for preserving of his grace is ingratfull to God both for the receiving and preserving Pride breaketh the net wherin we should be caâ—â—ied to God i. humility 1. Gods glory as one saith well being fiscus regalis his chiefe treasure his Exchequer the proud man breaking in upon it is guilty of treason against God as being not content to be the Steward of God but seeking to
still Such is our nature and in Saul our nature bewraieth it selfe so then we see the coherence To apply it to the glory of God the common saying is Every man is delighted with that especially in the which he exceeds other and because we know that gnalpanai is a thing that God excelleth all other in for he only is a searcher of the heart therefore 't is that God delighteth so much in this Another and two more they are both Prov. 4.23 the wise mans counsell is to looke to our heart especially there is his reason because from thence commeth life and all the faculties of soule and body that is a cause containing a double reason 1. because it is the principall member therefore it must principally give glory to God 2. If it be corrupt there will be no glory by the fountaines The necessity appeareth in this that al those glorious duties before handled take them and remove them from this they are not onely not accepted before God but an abomination before his eyes therefore if our beliefe must be acceptable to him Rom. 10.10 it must come from the heart if our prayer 2 Tim. 2.22 it must come from the heart if our love 1 Iohn 3.18 it must be in word and in truth which is from the heart so likewise our obedience must be from the heart Rom. 6.17 and to conclude whatsoever we doe we must doe it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the heart Col. 3.23 Mandatum Inward soundnesse against inward hallownesse sincerity against mingling That which is commanded it is called by the Fathers virius integritatis the vertue of integrity they ground it on Gen. 17.1 when he beginneth the covenant of circumcision Ambula coram me walk before me what is that that is esto integer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be thou perfect you shall finde it commonly used with another word as in Iob 1.1 that Iob was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they properly sound thus streight and sound the nature of the words is taken from timber in which there must be streightnesse that it be not crooked that is coram facie humana and soundnesse that it be not hollow that is coram facie divina this is for God the other man may see Luke 8.15 Christ expresseth them under these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an honest and good heart Nazianzen speaking of that place in the person of God saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 give me the pithâ— and not that onely but streightnesse is required without too so that without and within we must be such as is required in good timber In Exod. 25.11 37.2 all his embroydering and workes they were both foris intus without and within but for the distinguishing other Kings daughters from the Kings daughter i. the Church Psal 45.14 it is said there that her beauty is specially within for the outward beauty may be counterfeit and represented by them that are not of the Church but the inward beauty is required and that is it that admitteth no hypocrisie The defect hypocrisie That which is forbidden there is forbidden here the fault of the Pharisees Matth. 23.26 whose fashion was to make cleane the out-side of the cup quod intus autem est non curare and never regard the in-side and we see hypocrisie is the sinne of seven woes more then ever any sinne had Excessus when a man is simple without wisdome The other extreme is as in Hoseah 7.11 i. soundnesse and plainnesse the Prophet calleth it columba sine corde a Dove without a heart Matth. 10.16 Christ cals it columba sine serpenie the Dove without the Serpent It is of one that is as we reade Prov. 29.11 powring out his spirit without any manner of wisdome and discretion before every man our integrity it must be preserved with wisdome The Meanes Media Where we are commanded a good thing there is also the meanes of it commanded 1. Senecaes counsell to Lucillius for he desired integrity was that whatsoever hetooke in hand he should imagine Cato or Scipio or some other of the ancient Romanes renowned for this vertue to stand before him and it is a good meanes we have in Psal 16.8 of the same kinde but it farre better exceeds that Let a man as the Prophet there saith say I have set the Lord alwayes before mine eyes i. imagining that whatsoever he doth he is in the presence of God And if that will not move him then that in Rom. 2.16 possibly will if he set not God onely absolutely but as he sitteth when all hearts and the secrets of man shall be opened i. the adding to God the day of judgement Preac 12. the last vers Every thing though it be never so secret shall come into judgement 2. Another is Ephes 6.6 and it may be a forcible reason if this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eye-service satisfie not God no not to our earthly masters if God will not allow that for currant to men but will have it done even to them in singlenesse of heart surely this may be a sufficient argument to perswade us that he will much more exact it of us for himselfe 3. The last is the dealing of Christ with us for the integrity of our heart for he yeelded the integrity of his heart to us he suffered it to be ripped and pierced therefore it is reason that we should yeeld up the integrity of ours to him Bernard Iuste cor nostrum vendicat qui suum pro nostro dedit he justly challengeth our hearts that hath given his owne for ours he thought not his hands and feete c. enough i. when he had given all his members beside he thought not himselfe that he had given enough to us except he had given his heart too therefore it is not our hands and our feete that can requite it for they cannot make recompence for his hands and his feete but the integrity of the heart also is to be yeelded The Signes Nilconsâ—ire sili nulla pallescere culpa hic murus aheneus esto 1. You shall know it by that of the Heathen man you shall know a sound heart by a wall of brasse about it it is so full of courage as we see what Paul saith 1 Cor. 4.3 Mihi pro minimo est at a vobis judicer with me it is a small thing that I should be judged of you i. that the soundnesse of the heart it is it that will put courage to the heart if he be not conscius mali conscious of evill as that all the strength in the world cannot appall it Contra if we want a sound heart our courage will fall We have examples of both Mar. 6.18 Iohns courage in a good cause and in an heart accordingly affected was exalted even above the Majesty of a Prince contra where the heart was false in Peter Mar. 14.66 69. we see two silly maids outcountenanced him and he is faine to cast himselfe
sate about him Luke 5.17 and 10.39 Mary sate at Jesus feet hearing his preaching and Acts 20.9 there sate in a Window a certaine young man c. that it was lawfull for them to sit as also standing Nehem. 8.5 When he opened it all the people stood c. But this hath been a thing alwayes indifferently used and permitted to all estates at the preaching of the Word to stand or sit Thirdly for the administration of the Sacraments the very action sheweth plainely it selfe what behaviour ought to bee used Fourthly for Discipline and the executing of it it is plaine the judge is to sit the other to stand and so it is manifest by the course of the judgements of the Law It pleaseth God to set downe these things for us one end may be taken out of 1 Cor. 6.20 that we might glorify God with our bodies And a second end Psalm 16.7 that our outward gesture might stirre up our soule and that our hearts might learne the duty of our outward parts And a third out of 1 Cor. 14.25 and Tit. 2.10 not onely to stirre up our selves but also for the moving of others that they seeing our reverent behaviour may fall downe with us and be moved to doe that which at any time they shall see in us So we have gone through two parts of the Commandement Now the negative is nothing else but the opposite of this that hath been taught and delivered As if a man come with a proud eye and behave himselfe proudly in his service as it is Pro. 6. â—â— a proud eye is the first and chiefest of the seven things that God hateth And if hee hate it at all times much more at that time To the second is stiffenesse When wee are not willing to fall downe and worship and to give him the honour and reverence of our eye head and knee In the other part of service for not comming Chrysostome saith Ludus jubet facis vocat venis cultus dei jubet non facis vocat non venis and whose servant art thou now The Centurion will teach thee whose servant thou art even his that saith to thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Goe and come and thou goest and commest For the doing of the worke and in the first place for the chiefe part of his ministery is of purpose declined because it hath beene long time in controversie and is as yet to the service of our worke and behaviour in the same worke five points are considerable First the service of God in the Liturgie i. whether it be not the will of God as his rule is 1 Cor. 11.33 to stay one for another that inward unanimity and outward uniformity be not a delight to God Matth. 22.12 he without the wedding garment when he was found unlike his fellowes and not uniforme in his apparrell therefore he was separated from them and condemned to be cast into utter darknesse So at that time that the Church doth pray or sing when any one doth not pray or sing with the rest it is a separation and breach Psal 122.2 3. Jerusalem is a City compact in it selfe and the spirituall compacting no doubt is an especiall commendation of the Church and it is that that is so often set downe in the Acts. Together with one accord Acts 2.1 They were all with one accord in one place When they heard they did it together when they sung they sung altogether Psalm 34.3 and let us magnifie his name together in idem As if the whole Church were one person and had but one lippe The separation of tongues and lippes a curse of God and the earth was blessed in this respect when it was said to be Unius labii that it had but one lippe as this was a curse So that in Revel 14.2 And it shall be an especial blessing of the heavenly Jerusalem that the Elders and all that stand before the throne shall lift up their voice together and with one consent sing This is a thing that the Fathers in their ages have much beate upon Wee see how highly it is extolled by Chrysostome That it smiteth upon Heaven and the Lord as a showre of Hailestones and Augustine concerning the singing of praise saith that it soundeth in the Lord eares tanquam resonantia Maris even as the Sea And hee seemeth to take it out of Revelations 14.2 and I heard a voyce from Heaven as the sound of many waters c. Then this is the first thing The second that whereas the service of men therefore much more the service of God ought to be as the Apostle saith Eph. 6.5 in singlenesse of heart 1 Peter 2.18 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all feare and Paul 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with feare and trembling even to men But in our exteriour service of God there is so little feare or rather such want of feare that commonly we see that thing which is contrary to feare namely sleepe which cannot concurre with feare and our service cannot keepe us from it like the Apostles which could not hold up their eyes being with their Master in Horto But Jacob which feared his brother Esau slept not all the night The example of the Apostle was remembred as a speciall thing in the primitive Church Acts 20. that the Christians watched and heard Pauls Sermon media nocte Of which Chrysostome saith Ad hoc commemoravit eos qui vigilabant media nocte ut condemnet eos qui dormiunt medio die and that we may know how farre we are from them whose seed we follow Now the actions of a naturall man being first cibus secondly potus thirdly somnus meat drinke and sleepe sleepe condemned by the same reason of the Apostle by which he condemneth the other two 1 Cor. 11.22 because we have houses and chambers to sleepe in His reason there is The Church is not appointed to that use that is in private houses therefore ye ought not to eate and drinke in the Church Have yee not houses to eate and drinke in What contemne yee the Congregation Apply it to sleepe we have our chambers and our houses to that end to sleepe in Despise yee the Church of God And as from the place so wee may reason also against it from the time 1 Thes 5.7 he exhorteth to wake Nam qui dormiunt noctu dormiunt but wee say and see Qui dormiunt die dormiunt Naturall reason telleth us that Actio vestita indebitis circumstantiis mis-circumstanced actions are unlawfull Esay 5.27 there the Prophet as his manner is after the denouncing of a curse on a carelesse people falleth into a blessing of the new Church Non dormiet quisquam nec dormitabit Marke 13.36 Take heed that the Lord when hee commeth take you not sleeping As also we may see what losse the Church hath by sleepe Cantic 3.1 shee slept and awoke and found not her Beloved and wee know not whether God will forsake us utterly in
it or not As after this of the Apostles Matth. 26.40 some departed nay all left him some forswore him this measure of apostasie is to be feared But howsoever it standeth in respect of Gods punishments and mercies yet the former reasons doe condemne it but especially Luke 24.32 The heart rightly affected is ARDENS COR and a Father saith It is not possible that Sub gravi Oculo should be a burning heart Againe seeing every sinne is to bee weighed and esteemed In primo partu prima poena as of disobedience in Adam Murther in Cain unlawfull marriage in the old World Pride in Sodome so in the New Testament unreverent hearing punished in Eutiches Acts 20. vers 9. and in the Apostles that after it forsooke their Master And this is the second signe The third is that our hearts be present Many there be that outwardly watch yet their gesture testifieth to all that looke on them that they are praesentes absentes Where the heart is absent it is impossible but that the outward members should give a signe of his absence If we have Cor fatui Eccles 7.6 it will be in the house of mirth the minde runneth on the place where his sport lyeth and so as Prov. 15.7 14. Non dilatabit scientiam non quaerit scientiam as the wise heart doth which doth not let knowledge passe but Eccles 21.14 the inner parts of a foole are like a broken vessell they can keepe no knowledge it runneth out as fast as it is powred in the wise not so Eccles 21.17 They inquire at the mouth of the wise man in the Congregation and ponder his words in their heart That the fooles heart is such as ante will be testified by some signe Proverbs 17.24 by having his eye in all quarters and corners not as they Luke 4.20 that fastned their eyes nor an eye searching out the places of Scripture Acts 17.11 and his hands and feet will tell you that he is not present Proverbs 6.13 And when he heareth his fault reproved it is but a laughing matter Proverbs 14.9 to behave himselfe in this sort Patrare scelus hoc And it is nothing to heare except we looke how we heare and be attentive Luke 8.18 or be affected as Lydia was Acts 16.14 To give an eare is nothing but to give a wise eare Proverb 18.15 and 3.13 and happy is he that speaketh to a wise and understanding eare Proverbs 25.12 it is compared to a golden earing The foolishnesse of the eares of this Generation is such that you shall see the same attention given to him that giveth out a sort of words as to him that telleth us the message of God It is a sore plague and often repeated in the Scriptures Esay 6.10 a fearefull place repeated by Christ Matthew 13.15 Mark 13.12 Luke 8.10 John 12.40 Acts 28.26 Rom. 11.8 beside three times in the Prophets Give this people an heavy eare that they may heare and not heare give them a fat heart This is the extremity of his wrath and a heavy curse and so to be accounted If it be true and the heathen could say Pietas non est vultu laedenda sive serio sive simulate then our owne reason will lay on us an hard rule of framing our gesture when haec pietas is in place The fourth That we talke not in the time for that is cleane opposite unto it not to allow unto it so much as silence Preacher 4.17 When yee come into the house be ready to heare and not to offer the sacrifice of fooles to prate and talke Joh 29.21 If I spake every man gave eare and there was not a word a note of reverence in them for if any man should turne from us to talke with another whilest we tell him a tale wee will thinke hee maketh little regard of us and that is to offer the Sacrifice of fooles Zephe 1.7 When the Lord speaketh let all the earth give eare and keepe silence and he speaketh when his messenger speaketh for that Qui vos audit me audit therefore Deus loquitur And the Fathers say that that place is taken out of Esay 32.17 Cultus justitiae silentium So in the primitive Church the first word was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that is out of Paul Act. 13.16 he made silence with his hand The fifth not to depart from it till it be done and ended set downe Exod. 33.11 and may be gathered out of Tit. 2.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 said there of Joshuah that hee dealt faithfully in the Lords service because he departed not Used in Psalm 119.118 they had a relation to the departing out of the Congregation when the Law was a reading As preaching is the speaking of God to us so prayer is a speaking of us to God We pray that hee would heare us Psalm 30. and 38. Goe not farre from us O Lord Why then should we goe farre from him The Law is equall as we deale with God Psalm 130. so will he deale with us and if we be attentive to him he will be attentive to our complaint and so there shall be talio Psalm 38.21 we shall have occasion to say Goe not from me O Lord Why then goe not from him forsake him not Else when we say Quare dereliquisti me Domine he will say againe Serve mi quare dereliquisti me that sentence Discedite à me Mat 25.41 shall be a punishment for them that goe farre from him here in this kingdome of grace where he is willing to keepe them In the primitive Church from the first word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto the last words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 none might depart for the punishment of it was no lesse then Excomunication Concil 4. Carthag 24. so that none might goe out till the end The fourth Rule the meanes The first in Eccles 4. ver last well considered and with it Heb. 12.22 25 28. These by meditation well digested before the service of God Take heed to thy feet when thou entrest into the house of God Give not the sacrifice of fooles Be not hasty In the other place Ye are not come to the Mount that might not be touched but to Mount Sion c. Despise not him that speaketh He maketh it more to come to the Church then to the Mount Secondly to consider that the Angels are present among us 1 Cor. 11.10 and 1 Pet. 1.12 the Doctrine of the Gospell is such as the Angels of Heaven desire to behold Therefore if they see any not to esteeme it which they so much esteeme shall they not be ministers of Gods wrath c therefore the Angels presence another meanes Thirdly we live to glorifie God by our worke and how shall we doe that if we heare not Ut audies ita facies for glorification commeth from instruction and instruction from hearing Fourthly but if you put too Ut audies ita audieris of God and men it may be a fourth meanes therefore
he will worke the like effect as men doe for the breach of Wedlocke Out of these we have three commodities First we learne that we are of dull spirits not feared with Gods proper names of justice c. but he must take other of raging men so jealousie we feare but when we heare that God is just we heare it without any great motion Secondly that of Tertullian Lib. 2. contra Marcion Utitur Spiritus hoc vocabulo ad exaggeranda ejus scelera that sinne is so odious a thing and so vile that if it were possible would make God angry and to be that he cannot be Thirdly it is the Apostles use that he maketh of the justice of God as we see in 1 Cor. 11.29 he protesteth himselfe to be jealous that we our selves might be jealous that is that every man enter into his owne heart and consider what God is and say thus What saith God that he is jealous let us consider what God is and againe what we are how excellent hee is and how vile and wretched creatures we are Why then it should appeare that this should pertaine to us and not to him and rather of our selves and our owne salvation there is nothing worthy in us that he should be jealous of And this for the entry to the thing Now to the thing it selfe Visiting the finnes c. This commination hath two things 1. The censure of the sinne 2. The punishment The censure is by two names First by hatred for if it bee love that maketh us to keepe the Commandements then it must be hatred that maketh us to breake them But can any thing hate God The nature of God is essentially good Solut. nay goodnesse it selfe which can no way come to be the object of hatred Againe sundry of his effects come from his love and they are such as the very wicked love them and him for them because he bestoweth on them their being life sense moving But there is another kind of effects that proceed indeed from his love by which he would have us preserved and so consequently he giveth us Commandements Cohibentia voluntatem inordinatam that bridle our licentious will and these are they that make him to be hated of us For when a man is given to his owne will and is drowned with the zeale of himselfe then he must needs hate those Commandements because they are adversaries and contrary to his will and affection and indeed God commeth to be hated by too much love of our selves For it would have all our desires to be free to our selves and any that doth oppose it selfe it hateth it So then as God saith Mal. 1.5 Your eyes shall see it and you shall say The Lord will be magnified upon the borders of Israel Secondly I have loved you saith the Lord And ye say Wherein hast thou loved us Was not Esau Jacobs brother yet I loved Jacob and hated Esau and made his Mountaines wast c. Expounded Rom. 9.13 to be nothing else but that he did not choose Esau Then are we said to hate God when there standeth a case betweene his will and an inordinate affection of ours when his will is not chosen but our inordinate affection is preferred and our minde Hoc est odisse deum deum non eligere For God loving us it is the will of God that when the question commeth his loving being so exceeding good to us as that it challengeth us wholly and that love is Vinculum conjugale and therefore the love of the Lord should be Amor conjugalis which hath no third thing but aut amat aut odit non est medium Mat. 6.24 either he must love or hate Deut. 22.16 the Maids father shall say to the Elders I gave my Daughter to this man to Wife and he hateth her c. and chap. 24.3 And if the latter husband hate her and write her a bill of divorcement c. treating there of love betweene married persons he saith If a man marry a wife and hate her that is cease to love her and begin to be weary of her If shee be not onely and wholly loved she is hated because these duties are joyned to one alone there can be no third thing 2. The other name which God calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iniquity perversnesse peevish and perverse the having of it is to meete with the opinion and censures of men as Dan. 3.14 Nebuchadnezzar to the three Children What disorder is this in you that you will not serve my god nor worship the golden Image that I have set up For the observing and not transgressing of this Second Commandement they were called perverse fellowes and disordered Subjects because they obeyed not the Kings decree Therefore God sheweth the truth who are disordered even those that are breakers of this Commandement and so it shall be found at the judgement of judgements at the last day of judgement God saith Exod. 23.2 A man must not follow a multitude to doe evill his reason is because in doing so he shall become perverse But the voice and judgement of the world is cleane contrary But the resemblance of it that is commonly made of the Fathers is of a pond full of Crabs a perverse swimming fish for she swimming backwards and a fish that were cast into the pond should swimme right they would charge her of not swimming right because she swimmeth not backward as the rest But God Christ the Prophets and Evangelists the Apostles tell us it is not so but that they are disordered that breake this Commandement And this for the censure 2. Now for the punishment It were enough to be found among the hated of God but God moreover addeth here a visitation the meaning of it we haue 1. Sam. 7.16 the word betokeneth the Circuit of a Judge as Samuel went his Circuit year by yeare to Bethel Gilgal and Mispeh and judged Israel And out of our owne practise or as we our selves terme it the Visitation of a Bishop And because visitare is to goe to see it presupposeth absence and so an intermission and it doth very fitly resemble the judgements of God For the forbearing of them as it is Luke 19.44 Dominus requiret de manibus vestris he will require it at our hands to know the time of our visitation As there be some that say the Lord is long a comming so there be some that say he will not come at all That say Non requiret Dominus as Ps 10.12 therefore for the patient waiting of the just for the judgement and glory of God that they may know that it 's a sure thing that he will come as a Judge and though he be long a comming yet at the last he commeth and then he taketh order so certaine we should be of the requiring of our sinnes at our hands though he seeme as though he would not come at all The visitation of God we find to be fitly resembled to this his
oath the whole judgement and will must submit it selfe to it otherwise as Isidore saith his rule is looke which partie it is that meant the deceit God will understand and take the oath as the other partie tooke it if hee that swore had a fraudulent minde non vt ille qui juravit sed vt is cui juratum est so it shall bee The fift Rule The meanes wee have before Aug. cave facilitatem The Meanes hee beginneth with it there de facilitate nascitur consuetudo ex consuetudine perjurium ex perjurio blasphemia By easinesse wee come to a custome by a custome to have no Religion in swearing for from that sometimes to bestow it upon a lie and by a lie to perjurie and by perjurie you shall be in a way to blasphemie as Jobs wife Blesse God and die id est curse God And if higher to the fearfull sinne the sinne against the holy Ghost obstandum igitur initiis we must therfore looke to it betimes in the beginning These are the links of the chaine of an oath 2. Againe as hee there saith beware of that which is not a perfect oath but a way to an oath as per fidem nostram per salutem meam by my faith by my salvation not as CHRIST said Amen amen But when a man saith and commeth to sweare per fidem meam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est an execration that is a part of an oath It is as Augustine saith obligo me per fidem meam Deo so when a man saith per salutem meam he doth obligare salutem suam Deo If it be not true the gift of beliefe and the salvation of his soule hee desireth to be taken away from him And God may take it away if it be his will in that houre This is a way whereby Gods Name commeth to be porfaned and God first displeased 3. The third is the reading and the abridging of two infirmities or evills 1. Impaciencie of spirit 2. Vaine-glorie These bring us ad facilitatem juramenti to an easinesse of swearing Ps 4.4 Be angrie and sinne not The same Fathers The first sinne is Anger if a man be of an angrie spirit it commeth not without an oath in an angrie mans mouth nothing is so soone as an oath Therefore one way to rid our selves of it is as GOD sayth that wee bee slow to wrath that our spirit be long within us In glory men will seeme magnificent to sweare to make their oathes as true as Gospel 2. For the second a vaine credit or glorie every man desireth that every word he speaketh should bee esteemed as the word of GOD as an Oracle or to bee as true as the Gospel or els there commeth an oath It is well said of one There is nothing that they desire so much as that they make so light accompt of their faith as doe they that make shipwracke of it at every blow That they should not bee lightly accompted of and so they come to bee lightly accompted of ideo leviter aestimant ne leviter aestimentur leviter aestimando leviter aestimantur 4. Lastly the judgements of GOD particularly considered there have bene Sermons of them there hath no commandement had so manie visible judgements of GOD as the breach of this in no age 5. The Signes To stand in the due consideration of an oath The Signes as it is massah a burthen a taking it up as an heavie thing if an oath bee unto us as an heavie thing as wee would marke what signes there may bee drawne of it There is the first part of a burthen wee put not more vpon you than you can beare Act. 15.28 the avoyding of it every man is loath to take more upon him than needes hee must but otherwise more burthens than hee must beare hee will not take upon him Then the first is when wee come to it very hardly or vnwillingly 2. The second is 2. Chron. 15.15 When a man must take up an heavie thing hee goeth to it with all his strength vt bene feratur onus that hee may the better carry it For they did sweare to GOD with all their heart and soule c. id est their understanding was occupied in estimation of GODS Law id est every part of their soule was occupied their members trembled to sweare with all his heart his affections being striken with a due feare 3. The last Matth. 11.28 CHRIST saith there from the nature and propertie of those that are laden that they would bee refreshed and bee desirous to bee vnladen so if our desire bee to bee rid of it so soone as wee may bee If when wee have entred an oath presently I have sworne saith David Psal 119.106 and will performe it Ps 15.5 though it be to his owne disadvantage Last point for the keeping of this Commandement being keepers of it Psal 74.10 he speaketh there of those that doe irritare nomen Domini when the name of God is provoked a thing that we are to take heed of if we know the persons to be vaine-glorious and heady in their oathes yet we seeme to consent and as it were irritare nomen Domini Therefore these two are to be taked heed of First either to deale so as that we wring not our an oath nor that may be provoked Secondly when it is provoked and is not kept as Ezek. 17.12 malicious and fraudulent interpretations Next to the nature of an Oath commeth juramentum promissorium the Vow and for the affinity of both the one is to be handled after the other A Vow because the same conditions are annexed to the Vow as to a Promise The difference is this that the oath is necessary the vow is a thing of our owne accord voluntarily offered And againe that an oath is betwixt man and man but a vow betwixt Us and God This vow is when by the particular consideration of Gods graces in us we bind our selves either secretly in heart or else outwardly in word before others to yeeld him any duty which by necessity we are not bound to doe It may be performed many waies and they may all be reduced to two The limitation of some generall Commandement to a particular as this To give almes it is a generall commandement but to restraine my selfe to this person or to give this quantity of my goods yearely and weekly we know it falleth not under any precept neither is commanded specially So these particular restraints fall under the Vow Againe for the second he handled before that we call sepes mandati the enclosing or fence of the Commandement When a man can be content to abridge himselfe of any lawfull thing which Christian liberty maketh common to all least he fall into unlawfull things Or thus When a man by the use of any lawfull or indifferent thing findeth himselfe lesse able and lesse meete to sanctifie the name of God and so entreth into a vow
Commandement is the fountaine whence all of the second Table doe come as a streame beginning at the Conduit-head This fifth Commandement hath all those properties which are due to any man with respect And in those two things which must be seene in love 1. In respect of God the excellencie 2. In respect of us conjunction or nearenesse Whereas in conjunction we must rather love the faithfull our countreymen and kinsfolke here in the case of excellencie it is not so For sometimes wee must give more honour to an infidell as Acts 25. Paul to Nero and Dan. 6.3 to a stranger as they did to Daniel and Gen. 41.40 as Pharaoh did to Ioseph And to give this to men indued with gifts is in regard of their nearenesse to God for by his benefits they are neerer his end so as for this cause they are to be preferred and made nearer to us also And they are also nearer to us in respect of the greater profit we shall receive of them according to that of the Heathen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He as God for God setteth as much by that which is his his owne as by himselfe so that being nearer our profit we may love them and being nearer to God we must performe all other duties unto them Why are not all men excellent alike Quest Sol. Gods wisdome wonderfully appeareth in this For seeing Gen. 2.18 the occasion of the Woman was that she should helpe because that though it were good yet not the best that Man should be alone for he being finite and therefore of a finite power might with helpe performe better services unto God Now seeing they were plures more then one the question is whether they must be one body or not And if there be one body then must there be diversity of members 1 Cor. 12.21 But if it be said there should not be one that is confuted here Also God being most excellent and having all other things under him would in his creatures have a patterne of that excellencie and subjection so that for that cause 1 Cor. 15.41 he made every star differ from other inglory So also that they might be those divers vessels 2 Tim. 2.20 And by this Commandement doth all power stand And hence it is that he hath called them Gods Psal 82.6 And therfore this Commandement possesseth this place as in medio in the midst as Philo Iudaeus saith because God would have him first to looke to his worship and then to his owne honour in the second Table Gen. 17.9 This Commandement hath two parts 1. precept Honour c. 2. Reason that thy dayes c. This division proved Ephes 6.2.3 The precept containeth the duty of Inferiours Honour Superiours to be Fathers and Mothers For God includeth in one word the most especiall things And because as Chrysostome saith first they must be before they can be honoured therefore first What is meant by Father What is here ment by Father 1. That is true Matth. 23.9 We have but one Father for all others as the Heathen said be but instruments Whensoever therefore any thing is attributed to God and man God is the first Ephes 3.17 so he is the first Father Psal 27. which tooke us out of the wombe and the last Father Psal 82. which taketh us up when all other have forsaken us So that seeing to be a Father commeth from God and our superiours are made partakers with God as his instruments they must also have their duties from him The word Father signifieth him that hath a care or desire to doe good for which Iob cap. 25. was called a Father so that he is a Father by whom others are in better case and estate 2. Mother This hath the name of a faithfull keeper as we may see by the end of her making which was to helpe And the same word was so used Iob 12.20 Ruth 4.4 And the Heathen themselves know this that a good governour differeth nothing from a good Father 3. Honora honour The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth aggravare so where excellencie is added to the thing it is of weight and in precious things the heaviest is the best So that addere pretium is addere pondus and so by translation honorem honour for when a man hath received the person of God it is more to be esteemed It was a miracle among the Heathen that so many Kings should give their heads to one sometimes to a Woman sometimes to a child which argueth plainely that they knew a divine power therein that might not be resisted i. Gods ordinance and so worketh a reverence in our hearts And as in the former word so for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 honour Solon in his Lawes and Plato and the Romanes doe make choyce of this word and other that write of Lawes and that matter 1. Now what the estate of them is this is to be set downe as 2 Cor. 4.13 All things are for your sakes i. for the Churches sake Politia est propter Ecclesiam set downe 1 Tim. 2.2 For there the Apostle goeth thus to worke God would have all men saved that they might be saved he would have them live in all godlinesse and honesty that they may doe thus he would have them taught the knowledge of God this necessarily requireth a rest for in the warres there is nothing rightly ministred That men might intend thus to live it is said vers 2. it is expedient they should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 leade a peaceable life in regard of outward invasions and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quiet in regard of minde and inward tumult and troubles Now if the naturall Father and Mother could have performed this as a while they did to Gen. 9. there had needed no other But Gen. 10.8 9. there comes one Nimrod with a company of hounds at his taile the same metaphor it pleaseth the holy Ghost to use i. sons of Belial and he taketh upon him to be an hunter i. a chaser of men to disturbe So because the naturall Father cannot performe it and because we cannot in deede doe fully the duty of our soules therefore there is a Priesthood in the Tribe of Levi a spirituall Father in the Apostles and their successors For this cause Heb. 13.17 to soules and bodies 1 Tim. 2.2 was it that God first allowed and after instituted that men should have government both for resisting of outward foes and quieting of inward strises Rom. 13.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let every soule be subject c. There it is said that this binding of men into one society this power is of God and so to be accounted of us for vers 4. he saith God hath delivered him a sword to the end that he should be vindex malorum against the evill and disturber of this quietnesse by which men might intend the former rest and consequently that he should be a comforter and cherisher of good men and those that love to live
off I will alwayes wish him well and acknowledging that I shall never be able to recompence him And this is recompence Now Unthankfulnesse is a great vice Unthankfulnesse But there is one kind that is now thought unthankfulnesse and yet it is not Every one that receiveth a benefit he must not onely requite it with the like par pari referre but he must trudere in manus requite that and doe annother or else it is not beneficium And when he faileth himselfe tranfferre in Deum he must desire God to recompence him But when as a man bestoweth a benefit upon his Inferiour and afterward doth looke that he should like what he liketh and mislike what he misliketh and to be at command and if he will not follow then to be accounted unthankfull this is not unthankfulnesse For first unthankfulnesse is res gratiae not res officii is in matters of favour and not of duty therefore it is unthankfulnesse in the other And secondly it is injustice For that is a benefit quod licet non dare or dare which I may give or not give but in a matter of Justice I cannot requite him because there is not non facere or facere l liberty of doing or not doing therefore I will say That that I may doe or not doe if he require it I will doe it But now he cometh to me in a matter of Justice let him come to me in re gratiae in a matter of curtesie or favour and I will be thankfull let him not come to me in re officii in a matter of duty Another and that is better then this is this He would havo me follow his appetite to doe an injust thing I will not consent to him Is this unthankfulnesse The rule is quod tibi fieri non vis alteri ne fcceris thou mayst not doe that to another which thou wouldest not have done to thy selfe a man is made the rule of duty to his neighbour If my appetite would lead me wrong or to any injust thing should I follow it No for I should wrong my selfe because thus doing I doe consentire peccato in me consent to the motions of sinne within me And so in like manner if I consent to him he would have me to doe him a displeasure for my pleasure he would have me doe evill for good he would have me to doe his soule hurt to consent to sinne The heathen man calleth it occidere amando a killing love and so not to doe this is species injuriae species ingratitudinis quae saepe incidit in virum bonum it hath a shew of injurie and ingratitude which is often many a good mans case But a good man per mediam infamiam hujus ingratitudinis will tendere ad officium this reproach of Unthankefulnesse maketh him looke the narrower to his duty The second Rule of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let that suffice which was spoken before The third Rule concerning the working of all this in the heart this law also is spirituall For the Superiour Psal 78. vers last That he must feed them not onely intelligentia manuum by the skilfulnesse of his hands but also in simplicitate cordis in the integrity of his heart And 1 Peter 5.2 it is in two wordes expressed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 willingly and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 diligently readily And as this pertaineth to him so on the other side because not onely before the abuse but the usurpation was touched and the usurpation of the place being either lawfull or unlawfull Therefore against usurpation David Psal 131.1 non est exultatum cor meum mine heart is not haughty likewise Rom. 12.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there must be a sober appetite in the mind because it falleth out as the Heathen man saith that there is often purpureus animus sub radi panno a high minde under a beggers cloake and Judges 9.15 some are of the brambles nature and of that thistle 2 Kings 14.9 that he would needs match his sonne with the Cedars daughter In regard of the Inferiour Judges 5.9 The people must be of a ready and willing minde as Barach and Deborah testifie in their Song and because their faults are comprehended either under the spirit of Theudas or of the Herodians or tumultuariâ— spiâ—itus or of those tumultuous spirits Job 30.11 he findeth sault with some that as soone as the Cord is losed they themselves lose the Bridle and so as it is shewed plainely be the sonnes of Belial And for a second for a too much servile spirit we have our rule Joshuah 1.17 tantum si Jehovah fuerit teâ—um onely if ye depart not from Jehovah wee will not depart from you but hearken to you in all things and that tantum that Onely must bee our direction if they command further and we disobey we are still good subjects This for the spirit of the Commandement Media bufut mandath The fourth Rule The meanes partly handled before In the behalfe of the Superiour they be foure our of the hundreth and first Psalme First a meanes whereby a Superiour shall be able to call up himselfe vers 2. quando venies ad me O when wilt thou come unto me Therefore his thought will be of his end first because he must give an account how he hath behaved himselfe and must answer to that Jerem. 13.20 God shall say Ubi est grex tuus What is become of thy slock The second meanes is in the same verse For the well ordering of his whole Kingdome he will begin with his House And if he be in a Family with himselfe John 8.3 Qui facit peccatum servus est peccati qui servus est peccati hee that commiteth sinne is the servant of sinne and hee that is the servant of sinne should hee bee over the Creatures of God Who are indeed therefore committed to him that he may deliver them from it Thirdly vers 6. another meanes He professeth that his eyes shall be alwayes on the Lord to pick and choose out integros wise men that be worthy that he might set those in the places as perpetuall looking glasses as well to see as to know those that are to be called ad praemia to places of reward Fourthly and vers last this shall be out of the City of the Lord the price of those over whom he is The Heathen man said Remember ye are over free men and over the Athenians c. shewing that there was not so great odds between him and them And so beginning with himselfe and so considering the excellencie and having ever his eyes over the Realme to pick out fit and worthy men and last having alwayes before his eyes when hee shall come before the LORD may breed a carefulnesse Now on the other side For his usurpation it shall be good if he thinke of himselfe as David 1 Sam. 24.15 the account he makes of himselfe there
raised by Iosua and there were some in the hoste that prophesied but Moses would it were more he would that all the people of God were Prophets Deut. 1.10.11 Now I pray to God it were seven fold more and as 1 Sam. 25.41 Abigail said to Davids messengers she was not fit let me be an hand-maid rather to wash the feete of my Lords servants A conceit of himselfe that he is not meet for that God bestoweth on him and that he is meeter for a lower estate The Saints they can be content to have others goe before them and others overtake them Envie can be content with neither If to our equall then if our arme have strength he is sure to feele presently what we can doe The wiseman Prov. 21.24 he giveth him 3. servants 1. proud 2. furious 3. scornefull derisor that in his pride worketh wrath Now if he be so our equall as we cannot presently meet with him then we play Absaloms part 2 Sam. 13.22 he saith nothing sed manet alia menie repostum he keepeth it in his minde which afterward Amnon felt at the Sheep shearing and aso should David have done if he had gone downe Prov. 10.18 The wicked dissembleth his wrath and Prov. 26.13 he saith Burning lips and an exulcerate heart it is even as a man should over-lay a Potsheard with the drosse of silver Gen. 26.28 Abimelech commeth to Isaac with Ahuzzah and Phicol and they would be at a league with him Isaac saith I wonder that you come to me seeing that you hate me and have put me away from you yet let us be at league till they could revnege And it is a great part of worldly policie to keep league with other till such time as he can odium perfundere be revenged but 1 Iohn 3.15 qui odit frairem homicida est he that doth this is a murtherer he that seeketh murther And you shall ever see if it be hatred it seeketh either murther or some revenge that proceedeth to murther On the other side if he be our inferiour Prov. 18.3 With a wicked proud man there commeth contempt although it be said Prov. 17.5 that the very contempt of the inferiour is the contempt of his Creator wee see it plaine in the wicked men especially in those that have had more given them then to other that come to be more strong and mighty elder exercised in hunting c. 2 King 19.21 it is Rabshakeys humour so basely he speakes of Hezekiah and Luke 23.11 Herod and Luke 16.14 the High Priests and Pharisees and Gen. 21.9 Ismael and Gen. 25.34 they were contemners and scorners all After it had thus lien inwardly post suppurationem after the Impostume then they did consider icterum peccati the Jaundise the breaking of it out and appearing in the face It is set downe in another sense but to the same effect Cant. 4.9 vulnerastime ictuoculi tui thou hast wounded me with thine eye A wound that a man giveth by the eye Prov. 6.17 it is one of the sixe things that God hateth an haughty and contemptuous eye an eye that over-looketh 1 Sam. 18.9 Presently upon his envie Sauls eyes began to be obliqui and Prov. 23.6 the wise man would have one avoid an evill eye from whence Matth. 20.17 Christ seemeth to take the same nequam oculus invidus obliquus an evill eye envious and winding such as his meate should doe him no good Now for the other for hatred and anger whereas it hath his right course Prov. 6.13 hee doth bend his first and stamp with his feete supplodere pedibus and Prov. 10.10 if he fall a winking he meaneth no good and Prov. 16.30 of those that bite the lip and of those that have attonitos oculos and looke as though they would looke through one Psal 37.12 the ungodly looke upon him and they gnash with their teeth upon him Acts 7.54 there is the practise of it to Sieven But the Spuma the foaming at the mouth Marke 9.18 it is rather the property of one possessed with a Devill then of an angry man Then it is as a wound Psal 120.3 he speaketh of a tongue that is like sharp arrowes that will stick in a man and like Juniper coales that will burne one whole yeere and Psal 55.21 they have warre in their hearts but their words are buttered and oyled but in effect they are gladâ—i acuti likâ— sharpe swords and Psal 52.3 they cut like a sharpe razer Here these are handled as they are fructus irae fruits of anger afterward they are to be handled in the ninth Commandement as they hurt a mans name Toward the Superiour 1 Cor. 10.10 Be not murmurers as some of them murmured and were destroyed c. Phil. 2.14 doe all things without murmuring as Iudas Iohn 12.5 murmured sed quid perditio haec to what purpose is this waste he thought the money had beene better bestowed upon the bagge which hee carried And not onely that but if it be moe it is muttering Exod. 14 15. the people muttered against Moses Then there is another thing i. Susurratio tale-carrying he is one that he cannot deale with or if he should deale with him openly he should have small credit with it then he carrieth tales Levit. 19.16 God he forbiddeth it 2 Cor. 12.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whisperings Rom. 1.29 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whisperers they both are condemned Prov. 26.10 if these would cease strife would quickly quaile and vers 22. verba ejus sunt tanquam contusa his words are with a sigh he seemeth to be loath to speake out but they pierce deepe and goe downe to the bowels of the belly Prov. 6.17 he saith there are sixe things which God hateth and the seventh thing he cannot abide and that is a whisperer or a tale-carrier that soweth contention among brethren Beside this there is another vice against Superiours that is deiractio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 backbiting or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 12.20 the vice 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 backbiting Rom. 1.30 1 Pet. 2.1 the thing it selfe is condemned Iames 4.11 Eccles 10.11 They are like to Serpents that are not charmed and yet sting and Prov. 25.23 he sheweth how they must be dealt withall that with a sowre countenance we must drive them away even as the North-wind driveth away raine And the reasons alleadged come to that Levit. 19.14 we are not to speak ill of one that is deafe De'aâ—sâ—râ— us nil â—â—si bâ—m and this detraction from one that is absent is so hee that curseth a man that is absent doth indeed curse him that is deafe and therefore all the Congregation curseth him there And it is one of the vices that are adjudged to be a great punishment Now when this way also is hindred that he cannot revenge then there is a fourth way that envious men have and they use to wreake themselves Cursing not as necessarily but as properly belonging hereunto Iames 3.8
faith i. they shall be brought even to the estate that they shall not care for the Commandements of God nor his threatnings that was the punishment of Iudas that when he made no conscience of carrying the bagge Iohn 12.6 fur erat loculos gerebat he was a thiefe and carred the bagge we see afterwards he came to make little account of Christ and to sell him And from this which is very heavie they fell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into destruction and perdition that is of substance it selfe as Zach. 5.3 he saith there was a booke flew out that had the curse of God and it should enter into the house of the thiefe and swearer and should consume the house and burne up timber and the stones and there should come no good end of such as the Heathen man saith if you would have your chests full of riches Evill gotten goods will not prosper long to continue see that you get them well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoever is unjustly brought into the house hath no footing Iob. 20.15 It shall make him cast up his gorge againe So for a mans life Psal 58. vers last They shall not live out halfe their dayes as it is well said dies Domini veniet tanquam fur nulli autem ita tanquam fur ut furi the day of the Lord will come as a thiefe but to none so like a thiefe as to the thiefe But this is not the point of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the casting away and perdition of the soule concerning which Matth. 25.35 40 45. they held it for a rule for those which have beene takers from others non controvertitur de iis there is no question of them but of those that did not give to others is the plea but for eripuistis such as have taken by violence there is no question of them Ezek. 13.19 Then they shall see the truth of the saying of the Prophet that they have gotten an bandfull of barly and have sold the Kingdome of Heaven and they shall see that it advantageth them not to win the whole world and to lose their owne soule Tâ—â—â— covâ—◠〈◊〉 man like hâ—â—d â—nd like will to like And because the wiseman Prov 30. compareth a wicked man to Hell as if he would hold as much as Hell therefore there is an affinity and just adequation betweene them and Hell so the Apostle setteth downe his conclusion 1 Cor. 6.10 he saith no thiefe no covetous man no extortioner c. none of them shall inherit the Kingdome of Heaven Come now to the roote or place a contented minde or heart and that is the way to avoid and destroy covetousnesse Heb. 13.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let your conversation be without covetousnesse how is that being contented with those things they have i. when a man for personall or naturall necessity hath that that is sufficient 1 Tim. 6.8 that he stay and be contented with them and for the better supply of statuall necessity and of our degree which is a thing that hath not his medium in indivisibili and therefore not so to be regarded for if once he be contented he must stand upon equall conditions if he be not contented Matth. 6.25 Luke 6.22 there commeth in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the division of the soule a disquietnesse he beginneth to distrust the providence of God which the righteous 1 Pet. 5.7 out of Psal 55.23 they cast all their care upon God and Psal 34.9 they have this perswasion that they shall not want a very Lion shall want before they want Now Paul 1 Tim. 5.8 allowing men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 providence and industry for the necessity of nature and person and if they have not that he saith they have denied the faith But he maketh a difference of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 providence from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an anxious care for the one is able to exempt and avoid it selfe cleane out of the soule so that it is a way to give the heart wholly to God in prayer whereas the other taketh up the most part of the heart Ezek. 33.31 Worldly cares compassed their hearts not the exercise of religion that was preached unto them in so much that with their mouthes they made jests and their heart ranne after their covetousnesse and doe what they can they cannot bring it in from thence Hosea saith cor corum divisum est their heart is divided which with a great desire and carefulnesse and distrust withall groweth so strong and so deep that when they present themselves before God he shall not have it hole nay many times it taketh up their heart therefore this contentednesse grounded upon Gods providence not excluding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the first thing Then the second in Psal 128.1 Feare God and outwardly walke in his wayes i. he must set himselfe in a calling he must eate his bread either in the care and study of his soule or in the sweate of his browes either jure manus or jure oculi by the labour of his hands or of his eyes 2 Thes 3.11 he saith there they be altogether out of order that live idely and they are such persons as must be cast off therefore it is certaine that every man must keepe himselfe in an honest calling Being come to this Calling he must stand thus resolved 1 Thes 3.8 First to have a desire not to be chargeable to others Secondly Ephes 4.28 not onely that but also to be helpfull and beneficiall to others if it please God Now for the attaining of that this we must know Deut. 15.11 that God will have some poore So whosoever is rich and without cares and sorrowes as Aug. saith he hath divitias sine verme he must be perswaded that it is God that maketh rich and poor and therefore that riches is the gift of God that whomsoever God will have to be rich he will also have him to use lawfull and direct meanes in attaining to them 1. doing nothing but according to the strict rule yet God will extraordinarily blesse him Gen. 26.12 wee see it in Isaac God blessed him strangely so that he made him fearefull to the Philistims which was a signe that God would have him rich and so it is said of Iacob Gen. 30.43 that he did labour in righteousnesse and increase in wealth exceedingly and as he confesseth Gen. 32.10 that he went over Iordan onely with a staffe but came backe againe with two great bands and flocks So as God will have some rich and they are divites dei Gods rich men indeed using onely lawfull meanes so there are other that shall not grow up but God will have them poore they shall not have Isaacks increase hee will blesse their labours no further then they need And againe of evill men benedictio Domini ditat the blessing of the Lord enricheth and addeth no sorrowes with it there are some that are rich but with great sorrowes The Heathen
is the very Gospel the word of God promiseth Matth. 10.42 that if it bee but a cup of cold water it shall be returned there This is the warrant of delivering it here and receiving it there The Heathen man saith that opera misericâ—rdiae workes of mercie doe onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 swimme out with us Revel 14.13 corum opera sequuntor eos and their works follow them Esa 28.9 the other swimme not but are like to him that dreameth of a great dinner and when he awaketh he is hungry But then he will repay them that give their worke shall be accounted of and theirs is the Come ye blessed of my Father c. To conclude Prov. 21.21 he saith he that followeth after righteousnesse i. just dealing in getting and restoring and mercie in parting he shall finde life in this life and in the life to come and his righteousnesse shall have a certaine signe in this life and in the world to come glory The sixth point of the procuring it in others 6. Râ—â—â— Psal 50.18 It is set downe there that currere cum fure to runne with a Thiefe and Prov. 29.24 he saith that he that is partner with a Thiefe destroyeth his owne soule therefore Gen. 31.37 we see how bold Iacob is with Lâ—ban he saith Bring forth that which was stollen let him search and biddeth him shew then if he had found them hee knew he had not brought them And not onely for himselfe but Psal 62.10 for the other part he directeth himselfe and speaketh to all Trust not in oppression and robbery if riches encrease set not your hearts upon them And the like is Prov. 20.17 for he saith there My sonne the bread of deceit is sweete to a man but afterward his mouth shall be filled with gravell Prov. 3.3 he warneth him to take this order that truth and mercie forsake him not for so shalt thou fiâ—â—â— fafour And so we see both in themselves and others inwardly and outwardly concluded of theft of the Saints in all ages The IX Commandement Thou shalt not beare false witnesse c. THe exposition of this is in Levit. 19.11 16 17. and in Zech. 8.16 17. and by our Saviour Christ Matth. 12.34 and so forward and by Saint Paul Ephes 4.25.15 for so he setteth it downe Cast off lying and let every man speak the truth to his neighbour and the addition in vers 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speake the truth in love that is the affirmative part of this Commandement First to make plaine the words of this Commendement it is not of one word as the other the Hebrew translated is after this manner Non respondebis testimonium salsum super vicinum tuum thou shalt not answer a false testimony concerning thy neighbour In which the word respondebis must be understood after the * Hebrew phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a radâ—◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Evangelists often use to begin thus Jesus answered and said Matth. 11 2â— where no man speaketh nor being demanded of any so that by answering is meant not onely when a man is demanded to speake the truth but also when he speaketh the truth no man demanding him for we see Exod. 32.18 the same word he saith there that he heard vocem cantantium the voyce of them that sing it is expressed by this word so that it signifieth to speake whether as of the mover of a question or of the answerer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4 Sorts of wâ—â—nesses 1. â—od Now then for witnesses It is of foure sorts in the Scriptures for 1. it is applied to the great and chiefe witnesses to God Iob 16.19 he saith Though they did oppresse him with their eloquence yet ecce testis meus est ia coelis behold my witnesse is in Heaven and 1 Iohn 5.7 he saith there are three witnesses in Heaven the Father the Word and the Spirit that there is no Person in the Deity but it is a witnesse of the truth and of our doings and thoughts whether good or evill Rom. 2. vers last Though the name of truth be attributed to Christ Iohn 14.6 yet often a wicked man shall have an applause of wicked men and a good man shall not so he hath his praise indeed but that praise shall not stand it is not that that hath the praise of men that is praise-worthy it is a judgement of God against them he is not a Jew that is outwardly a Jew but he is a right Jew that is inwardly one and therefore Paul when the judgement lay betweene them and God 1 Cor. 4.3 inrespect of true judgement he saith Mihi pro minimo est ut judicer à vobis he counts it a small thing what man can judge of him Now after this great witnesse 2. Conscience in the second place commeth the witnesse that Saint Paul speaketh of Rom. 2.15 attestante ipsis conscientia their conscience bearing them witnesse and 2 Cor. 1.23 he saith Now I call God to record unto my soule c. this is that the Heathen man cals conscientia mille testes conscience a thousand witnesses i. the knowledge that pertaineth to our selves and concerneth our doings and as the Heathen man saith that calleth him miserum miserable that contemneth hunctestum this witnesse for he will make but small conscience of this Commandement or else that it is worse for the Apostle Rom. 1.18 saith plainely that it is the beginning of Apostasie when a man will presse downe and smother the truth in unrighteousnesse When he hath a wicked affection an unrighteous appetite to any action for the attaining of that though his his heart speake unto him and tell him that it is not right yet he can be content to suppresse and keepe downe the truth as a prisoner and not let it over rule as the Heathen man saith That the foundation of the justice of God beganne here speaking in the hearts and consciences of men and they themselves will doe the contrary and it is a way for God as Paul saith 2 Thes 2.11 to give them over to strong delusions that they may beleeve a lie Though this witnesse be great yet as 1 Iohn 3.20 and Paul 1 Cor. 4.4 he saith that God is a greater witnesse then our conscience and Paul saith though his heart acquit him yet he is not acquited for a man often dreameth of himselfe and deceiveth himselfe and beguileth himselfe in his purposes which when it commeth to be ript up coram magno teste before the great witnesse shall be found to have beene wrong and shall not prevaile therefore we give it the second place Now the third 3. Man Because God will not speake from Heaven and a mans conscience may be seared the third is one man to another Ios 24.22 saith unto the people Vos estis mihi testes ye are my witnesses that ye have chosen the Lord to serve him and they said Sumus testes we are
see the word was no sooner out of her mouth Gen. 39.20 but presently there is commandment given that Ioseph should to prison Putiphars wife was beleeved without examining Whereas Ier. 40.16 Aug. saith The righteous are liker to Gedaliah when Iohanan told him that Ismael would slay him yet because he did not suspect any such thing by him he would not beleeve him that is they are not credulous either to admit them or non indulgere not to have regard unto them that is when a man maketh a conclusion of it or a action upon it or maketh a shew by gesture as if he thought it were true without examination and sheweth himselfe so against him as if he were guilty Irrigatio soli the watering of the soyle is that which Peter called 1 Pet. 4.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Irrigatio â—â—li to take care of another mans Dioces that is a curious searching that is a note of an Hypocrite Cur aspicis why spyest thou not cur vides not why lookest thou that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to espie into other mens affaires to looke for it and to know what they thinke and what they say that Paul maketh the opposite to the former Commandement for indeed it is idlenesse he saith They doe not onely come to be idle but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 praters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 busie bodies an affection much mis-becomming a discreet man and certainely to be condemned 2 Sam. 18.19 there is the image of this vice in Ahimaah many would not have stood for the best office in all Iury to be the tydings carrier And so we see that it is the vice and quality Act. 17.21 wherewith Athens was infected They intended nothing in the world but to heare what tydings And surely by this meanes when we looke onely outward it sheweth either a neglect of a mans selfe or else they fall in jucundum spectaculum into pleasing dotage in themselves Ierome Qui sua non ornani aliena eupiunt they that are carelesse of their owne behaviour are alwayes observing other mens carriages They are still noting of other mens lives as to prate asking what shall Iohn doe Iohn 21.22 Christ saith what have you to doe Care not for him but follow me and sheweth his appetite to know what Iohn must doe it is not for Peter to doe it he must keepe himselfe in his owne Diocese And so if we can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doe our owne businesse 1 Thes 4.11 and search them as we ought we shall have but little leisure to looke to other mens And for the remedy the Heathen Qui confidit virtuti suae non invidet alienae he that can rest confidently in the assurance of his owne vertue needs not envie anothers And so we see both what is in the minde first and after the disposition and what is that that watreth it So we are come to the outward actions Actus evill words The actuall sin is in words specially which as Christ Matth. 12.35 are according to the treasure in the heart so that there is not onely an evill treasure that bringeth forth evill things but also an idle treasure that bringeth forth vers 36. idle things idle words Divisie actuum hujus mandati Now these two comprehend the division of false and vaine For false things and then either as disagreeing from the truth and essence of things or else from our minde And againe both these either as they concerne either our selves or our brethren for whatsoever it is that is prejudiciall to us or to our neighbour it is therefore condemned because it is against charity But though it doe no hurt to us or to our brethren yet if it be a falshood it is against the truth of God 1 Cor. 15 15. We are found false witnesses to God though not as in the third Commandement because the falshood that is in the truth of doctrine there as it toucheth Gods glory here as it hurteth our brethren Prov. 30.6 by adding to the word by taking from or by changing Gal. 1.9 or by making alium Iesum by preaching another way of salvation this was touched before So not now onely this we are to know that as there so here it is a good rule of Basils not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all lies and falshoods all turnings of the Scripture and one thing and the speciall thing hee beateth against it that making of the literall sense typicall it giveth an occasion to an heresie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 placet they so please themselves though thus they displease others Now to make man the reasonable part and Eve the sensuall and naturall part and thereupon to inferre this maxime as a positive doctrine deducible thence and Adam imperare Evae cave Serpentem that if reason command sense we shall escape temptation A man may allude to it but to say that by Agar and Sarah is meant this or that is nothing else in the world but to make the Scripture cothurnum a buskin with will serve either legge or a Welshmans hose and bringeth in an uncertainty in religion Ezekiel maketh it an opprobrie to God to say that in obscuris scripsi vobis I have written to you in dark speeches that as for the third Commandement so here in regard of men because they shall be brought in doubt to have nothing to hold to Testim in judicio extra judicium We consider first the testimony as it is given in judgement and then as it is out of judgement Prov. 19.5 and the very selfesame three verses after is repeated vers 9. Solomons division there is this They that speake lies and false witnesse this is applied to the judgement-seate and these propositions that stand thus Non feres contra proximum Thou shalt not beare against thy neighbour c. shew plainely that there may be falsum testimonium a false testimony that is not de proximo concerning our neighbour So it may be resolved into two so that this is one to speake lies though they doe not concerne our neighbour and the other that may c. Of lies in generall Mendacium that seeing Iohn 8.44 the Devill was alwayes a lyer from the beginning for the first word he spake was a lie and they that utter lies belong to him And seeing Psal 58.3 it is a property of wicked men even from the very wombe to speake lies and that is not onely a light fault but as Psal 5.6 Perdes omnes qui loquuntur mendacia Thou shalt destroy all those that speake lies so whether it concerne our selves or our neighbours or none yet it is false witnesse to God and as Revel 22.15 out of Heaven in the place of torments shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all that make or love to heare lies So we see that these things are condemned whether they be Actively or Passively Come to that that
sinne indeed but those that are cast into us are no sinne if they infect us not 1. Now we are infected of those sixe wayes 1. for the fruit when sinne beganne Gen. 3.6 was holden out to be 1. profitable and 2. pleasant and 3. to be desired in regard of the knowledge or preferment it should bring And so the first thing was and is to turne our selves to Satan 1 Tim. 5.15 Gal. 4.9 to entertaine him this is prostitution of the soule to his temptation when they would have it 2. Which affection if it be sudden Ierome on Mathew calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first passion or motion that is desires upon sight but if it be more impressed he calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 passion that is a setled lust This is Iob 20.13 poyson to the mouth which if it be spit out hurteth not but if it be retained under the tongue it breedeth woe 3. And this retentio seminis consensus in delectationem retentation of the fuell is a consent to the pleasure of sinne for consensus in opus est suppuratio for the consent to the lust is the very impostume of sin to delight in it And this is conceptio peccati the conceiving of sin 4. Morosa delectatio a lingring delight to stay in it and to consider every circumstance and this is articulatio foetus the forming of this deformed issue 5. Aberratio cordis in peccato the wandring of the minde in sinne reasoning of it and after it once left to call it backe againe and to make a contrary covenant to Iob that is to looke still upon it or else to make figmentum cogitationis a wicked imagination in the heart Gen. 4. of that which was never seene And this vita peccati is the life of sinne for here it moveth 6. Nixus the endeavour and as the fathers call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 laying hold on the occasion si tanta voluptas in animo quid si potiar if there be so much pleasure in the imagination what in the fruition And these sixe are in every sinne though many have not the spirit of God to watch them all for that saepe iniquitas mentitur sibi wickednesse often cousens it selfe The Devilâ— fetches Now Iames 1.14 we are brought into this two wayes 1. by the esca the baite the allurements 2. by uncus the hooke force 1. For this concupiscence will make pleasure libido a sensuall delight libido and this delight will make consuetudo custome consuetudo and custome will make necessity for the concupiscence is like an hot Oven Hose 7. which will ever have matter So the Devill hath those two also by these two speciall termes unto the which the rest may be brought as to allure Revel 20.6 which doth not as they cogge a Die but hath Ephes 4.14 methodum decipiendi a cunning craftinesse or the art and method of deceiving by subtilty And this distinguisheth his allurements from ours And this his craft extraordinarily the Apostle could know 2 Cor. 2.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his fetches 2. To draw by force 1 Pet. 5.8 a roaring Lion and Matth. 8.31 cast them headlong as he did the Swine 2 Cor. 7.5 his thrusting sore that if he might he would cast us downe and this also could Paul perceive 1 Thes 2.18 that Satan hindred him Mundâ— illâ—â—â—â—ae So the world also hath these three to allure us 1. profit 2. pleasure 3. preferment And contra if they will not prevaile it will be violent with 1. losse 2. griefe 3. reproach As Aug. saith aut amor erit mali inflammans aut timor mali humilians either love shall be the inflamer and kindler of evill or feare the humbler and bringer downe to evill so that these two meanes are in our selves the Devill the world to bring us to the danger of this fin â—â—itas quid After simulationem dicti simulation in words we come to consider simulationem facti simulation in words and deeds for first the truth is nothing but an agreement or equality betwixt the heart and minde and that which we conceive in our minde 2. a consent of the minde with the tongue 3. a consent of our minde with our deedes and actions If there be agreement betwixt these then are we witnesses of the truth for as veritas oris truth is in the mouth if the speech and heart goe together so is veritas vitae truth in our life if it be agreeable to the word which is signum ejus rei quae menie signata est the signe and fruit of that thing which is sealed up in the minde which is plaine by Christs assertion By their fruits yee shall know them Mat. 7. and Matth. 12.36 the Scribes require a signe from Heaven to testifie to them the greatnesse of Christs power And workes and not onely words but deeds may be called signa ejus rei quae in mente est signes of such things as are in the minde This also is manifest by common experience For we see not onely by precept and speech but also by example and action good and hurt done therefore we must expresse the truth as well in action as in word avoid simulation in both which opposite in this place for this cause God taketh order that neither in deede nor in word men should counterfeit to be that which they are not Notwithstanding as before a man may lawfully occultare partem veritatis in dictis conceale a part of the truth in his discourse so also so he may doe it in factis in his actions except it be manifest to the eyes of all men as that of the Sodomites Gen. 19. or of the Benjamites Iudg. 19. and that of Zimri and Cozbi Numb 25. who were not ashamed to make their sinne manifest even to the sight and view of all men and not to this end to make them loath and detest their sinne but rather to glory in it Also there may be significatio ejus quod deest an intimation and signification of what is wanting As he is not bound to tell that forth in word which he knoweth so neither is he bound by conscience to utter that by countenance which he knoweth Otherwise in time of warre to oppose our selves to such as resist the truth a man may with Iosua 8.15 simulare fugam make as if they fled As also for triall as our Saviour Christ did Luke 24.28 he made as though he would have gone further if intreaty had not stayed him and it is plaine by Gal. 4.20 A principall part of this vice is hypocrisie which is an outward resemblance or cloke of religion without any ground of it in the heart of this we have spoken heretofore we will therefore passe it over and come to that which the Prophet hath Psal 26.4 hee saith he hath not kept company with vaine persons For as in Commandement 8. not onely injury was forbidden but also superfluity
in this place where it may be demanded First Whether we be able of our owne strength to shew forth that diligence that is required to assure us of our hope The Apostle resolveth us of that doubt in saying We are not able of our selves to thinke any good as of our selves Secondly because it may be objected If we be not able of our selves from whence then may we receive abilitie he addeth that our sufficiencie is of God from whose goodnesse it commeth that we are able to do any good thing whatsoever to the end that when God stands without knocking at the doore of our hearts Rom. 3. for the performance of such duties as please him we in regard that of our selves we cannot do the least thing that he requireth should knocke at the gate of his mercy that he will minister to us ability to do the same according to his promise Mat. 7. Knocke and it shall be opened to you That as by the preaching of the Law there was opened unto us the doore of faith Act. 14. And as the Creed is unto us a doore of hope Hos 2.15 So the consideration of our owne insufficiencie might open unto us a doore unto prayer by which we may sue unto God for that ability which we have not of our selves So this Scripture hath two uses first to preserve us from errour that we seeke not for that in our selves which cannot be found in us secondly for our direction that seing all ability commeth from God we should seek for it where it is to be found Both these things are matter very necessary to be knowne the first serveth to exclude our boasting Rom. 3.27 We ought not to boast of our ability because we have none The second is a meanes to provoke us to call upon God by prayer that from him we may receive that which is wanting in our selves To speake first of the negative part both Heathen and holy Writings do commend to us that saying 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but in a divers sense the Heathen use it as a meanes to puffe up our nature that in regard of the excellencie which God hath vouchsafed us above other creatures we should be proud thereof but Christian Religion laboureth by the knowledge of our selves and of our misery to cast downe every high thing that exalteth it selfe against the knowledge of God and to bring into captivity all imaginations to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 Which as Heathen Philosophers will us to consider the excellent vertues wherewith mans nature is endued the Scriptures all along put us in mind of our insufficiencie and tell us That if any man seeme to himselfe to be something when he is nothing hee deceiveth himselfe in his owne fancie Galat. 6.3 And if any man thinketh that hee knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know 1 Cor. 8.2 Amongst the places of Scripture which the Holy Ghost useth to shew our insufficiencie none doth so much disable our nature as this place of the Apostle which denieth unto us all power ever to conceive a good thought so farre are we off from fulfilling that good which we ought In this negative we are first to consider these words wherby the holy Ghost doth disable us We are not able to thinke any thing Secondly the qualification in these words as of our selves In denying our ability he setteth downe three things 1. Not able to thinke 2. any thing 3. this want of ability is imputed not to the common sort of men onely but even to the Apostles themselves who of all other seemed to be most able The Apostle to shew our insufficiencie telleth us We are not able so much as to thinke any thing therefore much lesse are we able fully to performe that good which is enjoyned us For whereas there are seven degrees to be considered in the effecting of any thing to thinke that which is good is the least and lowest degree which being denyed unto us doth plainly shew what is our imperfection The first thing to be observed in undertaking any good is the accomplishing of it secondly the working or doing of the thing required thirdly the beginning to do it fourthly to speake that which is good fifthly to will and desire it sixthly to understand seventhly to thinke But the Scripture doth deny all these unto us The perfecting or bringing to passe of that which is good is not in our selves To will is present with us Sed bonum perficere non invenio Rom. 7.8 Deus est c. It is God which enableth us to performe Phil. 2.7 This we find by experience to be true in things that are evill The brethren of Joseph when they sold him to the Egyptians had a purpose to worke their brothers hurt but they had no power to performe their wicked attempts For God turned their wicked purpose to good Gen. 50.20 When Paul was going to Damascus with purpose to persecute the Church it pleased God in the way to stay his purpose so that he could not performe that evill which he intended Act. 9.9 Thus much the Wiseman sheweth when by an example he proveth That the strongest doth not alwaies carrie away the battell Eccl. 9.13 The Heathen themselves say that heroicall vertues are in the mind of man but if any singular thing be done it is the gods that give that power and the Pelagian saith though we be able to begin a good worke yet the accomplishment is of God Secondly we are not able facere no more then we were able to effect for so saith Christ Sine me nihil potestis facere The Prophet saith Scio quod viri non est via ejus Jer. 10.23 If it be not in mans power to order his way and to rule his owne steps much lesse is he able to hold out to his journeyes end but it is God that ordereth and directeth mans steps Prov. 16.9 Therefore Paul saith The good I would do I do not Rom. 7.17 And if we do any good that it be not effected yet it is the worke of God in us as the Prophet confesseth Domine omnia opera nostra operatus es in nobis Esay 26.12 Thirdly the inchoation or beginning of that which is good is denyed us though we purpose in our hearts to performe those duties of godlinesse that are required yet we have not the power to put them in practise Filii venerunt ad partum non sunt vires pariendi Esay 37. The children are come unto the birth and there is no strength to bring forth If we begin to do any good thing it is Deus qui coepit in nobis bonum opus Phil. 1.6 In consideration of which place Augustine saith of the Pelagians Audiant qui dicunt à nobis esse coeptum à Deo esse eventum Here let them learne of the Apostle that it is the Lord that doth begin and performe the good worke Fourthly the power to speake that which is
will turne to you we must pray Convert thou us O Lord and we shall be converted Lam. 4. If he say to us Make you cleane hearts Ezek. 18 Because that is not in us we must pray Create in me a cleane heart and renew a right spirit in mee Psal 51.10 When Christ saith Beleevest thou this Joh. 11. for as much as Faith is the gift of God Eph. 2. we are to pray with the Disciples Domine adde nobis fidem Luk. 17.5 When the Apostle exhorteth Perfecte sperate 1 Pet. 1.13 we should say with the Prophet Lord my hope is even in thee Psal 39. And where our duty is to love with all our hearts because we cannot performe this without the assistance of Gods Spirit we are to pray that the love of God may be shed in our hearts by the holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 THE SECOND SERMON JAMES 1.16 17. Erre not my deare brethren Every good giving and every perfect gift is from above and commeth downe from the Father of lights with whom is no variablenesse neither shadow of turning AS Saint Paul 2 Cor. 3.5 tels us that we are not sufficient to thinke a good thought but our sufficiencie is of God So the Apostle saith â—t is God onely from whom every good giving and every perfect gift commeth And that we shall erre if we either thinke that any good thing which we enjoy commeth from any other but from God or that any thing else but good proceedeth from him so that as well the ability which man had by nature as our enabling in the state of grace is from God He is the Fountaine out of whom as the Wiseman saith we must draw grace by prayer which is Situla gratiae the conduit or bucket of grace Therefore he promiseth in the old Testament To poure upon his Church both the Spirit of grace and of prayer that as they sue for grace by the one so they may receive it in by the other Zach. 12.10 Unto this doctrine of the Apostle in this place even those that otherwise have no care of grace doe subscribe when they confesse themselves to be destitute of the good things of this life and therefore cry Quis oftendit nobis bona Psal 4. As before the Apostle shewed that God is not the cause of any evill so in this verse he teacheth there is no good thing but God is the author of it If he be the Fountaine of every good thing then he cannot be the cause of evill for no one Fountaine doth out of the same hole yeeld sweet and bitter water Iam. 3.11 Secondly if every good thing be of God onely then have we neede to sue to him by prayer that from him we may receive that which we have not of our selves Wherefore as this Scripture serves to kindle in us the love of God for as much as he containes all good things that we can desire so it is a speciall meanes to provoke us to the duty of prayer This proposition hath two parts first an Vniversall affirmative in these words Every good giving secondly a prevention for where it may be objected that howsoever some good things come of God yet evill things also may successively come from him even as the Heathens say that Iupiter hath divers boxes out of which hee doth powre both good and evill the Apostle preventeth that objection and saith that with God there is no variablenesse nor shadow of changing So that as the meaning of these words in the Prophet Hosea 13.9 Salus tua taniummodo ex me is both that salvation is onely of God and that nothing else but salvation commeth from him so the Apostles meaning in these words is both that God is onely the cause of good and that he is the cause of nothing else but good lest when we are tempted unto evill we should make God the Author of all such temptations The former part of the proposition called subjectum is Every good giving c. The latter part called praedicatum is descendeth from above Where the heathen call all vertues and good qualities which they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of having the Apostle calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of giving to teach us that whatsoever good quality is in any man he hath it not as a quality within himselfe but he receiveth it from without as it is a gift Esau speaking of the blessings bestowed upon him saith I have enough Gen. 3.3 And the rich man Luke 12. Anima soule thou hast much good as though they had not received them from God but the Saints of God spake otherwise Iacob saith These are the children which God hath given me Gen. 33.5 Againe when Pilate without all respect of God of whom the Apostle saith There is no power but of God Rom. 13. said Knowest thou not that I have power to crucifie and to loose thee our Saviour said againe Thou shouldest not have any power over me except it were given thee from above Iohn 19.10 The consideration hereof serveth to exclude our boasting Rom. 3. That the Wise man boast not of his wisdome Ier. 9. seeing wisdome strength and whatsoever good things we have it is the good gift of God as the Apostle tels us Quid habes quod non accepisti 1 Cor. 4. Secondly this division is to be marked that of the good things which come from God some are called Donationes others Dona and to these two substantives are added two adjectives whereof one doth answer to the givings of Gods goodnesse the other to the gifts of God ascribeth perfection The first errour the Apostle willeth them to beware is that they thinke not that God is the cause of any evill because every good thing commeth from him the second errour is that they should not conceive this opinion that the maine benefits are from God and the lesser benefits are from our selves not so for the Apostle tels us that as well every good giving as every perfect gift is from above That which the Apostle cals Donatio is a transitory thing but by gift he meaneth that which is permanent and lasting Ioseph is recorded to have given to his brethren not onely corne but victuals to spend â—y the way Gen. 45.21 So by giving the Apostle here understandeth such things as we neede in this life while wee travell towards our heavenly Countrey but that which he calleth gifts are the treasures which are laid up for us in the life to come and thus the words are used in these severall senses Of things transitory the Apostle saith No Church dealt with me in the matter of giving Phil. 4.15 there the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but speaking of the good things that come to us by Christ he saith The gift is not as the fault Rom. 5.16 where the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By Givings he understandeth beauty strength riches and every transitory thing whereof we stand in neede while we are yet in our journey
desire to have remission of sinne no otherwise then as we forgive our brethren whereby the love of our brother is continually increased And this prayer is breviarium fidei it teacheth us to beleeve those things which we pray for Lastly our perfection in obeying the Law and in beleeving those things which we ought to intreat with such a hope by prayer Legem implendi legem credendi lex statuit supplicandi THE SIXTH SERMON LUKE 11.2 And he said unto them When yee pray say Our Father which art in Heaven hallowed be thy name thy Kingdome come Let thy will bee done even in earth as it is in Heaven c. IT is the answer of our Saviour Christ to that Disciple of his which in the name of the rest desired to be taught a forme of prayer Concerning prayer among other things already noted we te to know that it is the doctrine of the Fathers that God not prayed unto on our parts and his holy Spirit not yet possessing our soules hath notwithstanding promised that he wâ—ll poure his Spirit upon all flesh Ioel 2. as it was poured upon the Apostles after Christs Ascension Acts 2. Namely that Spirit which he cals the Spirit of Grace and Prayer Zach. 12.10 When he thus vouchsafeth to send the Spirit of Grace into our soules then from thence there doe runne two streames into the two severall faculties of our soule that is the Spirit of Grace hath a working on our Vnderstanding by the light of Faith and secondly in our Will by inspiring us with holy desires of which holy desires the interpreter betwixt us and God is Prayer For that as the Apostle speaks Our requests are made knowne to God by prayer and supplication Phil. 4.6 Now as prayer is properly the effect of Grace so whatsoever wee obtaine of God by prayer it is the gift of Grace which prayer is therefore our reasonable service of God because we doe therein acknowledge not onely our owne wants and unworthinesse but also that as God hath in his hands all manner of blessings to bestow upon us so if we sue to him for them he will with hold no good thing from us Psal 84.12 Before we can pray for good things it is required that we doe conceive a love of them which if it be in us then we shall not onely bee inflamed with a desire of them which is an effect of love but shall be stirred up to pray for them But it is the peculiar worke of the holy Ghost to shed in our hearts the love not onely of God Rom. 5. but of all other good things which work he performeth not in all in differently for he is compared to the Wind that bloweth where it will Ioh. 3. But those whom it pleaseth the holy Ghost to inspire with a love and affection towards good things they doe not onely desire them but withall doe pray earnestly for them unto God for as it is the worke of Jesus Christ the eternall Word to enlighten every one that commeth into the world so it is the office of the eternall Spirit to inspire our hearts with holy desires In this answer of our Saviour we are to consider three points first a time limited for prayer secondly the contents of the word Oratio thirdly what is to be noted out of the word Discue Touching the time limited for prayer we have heard already that there are three uses of prayer one was the use of dignity and persection when men doe converse and enter into familiarity with God by abstracting their mindes from humane affaires and sublevating them into Heaven by a continuall meditation of God and things pertaining to the life to come which because it is peculiar to them that have already attained to some perfection we must say of it as Christ did of another matter Qui poâ—est capere capiat Matth. 19. Our weaknesse is such as cannot by any meanes come to this use yea the infirmity of the Disciples themselves was so great that albeit Christ had so many other things to tell them of yet they were not able as yet to beare them Iohn 14. Therefore we are to consider the two other uses which doe more neerely concerne us whereof the one is the Vse of necessity which standeth either upon feare or upon want and when necessity lyeth upon us in either of these respects they are so forcible that they make all flesh to come unto him that heareth prayer Psal 65. Of feare the Prophet saith Lord in trouble they visited thee they powred out a prayer when thychastening was upon them Isa 26.16 And the want of outward things is so vehement a motive as when nothing else can move men to prayer yet they will assemble themselves before the Lord for corne and oyle Hos 7.14 These two the one being as Solomon termeth it Plaga cordis 1 Reg. 5. the other Defiderium cordis Psal 5. doe point to us two times of prayer namely when either we are oppressed with misery as the effect of sinne or disquieted with our selves with the conscience and guilt of sinne it selfe which is the cause of all our miseries Touching sinne the Prophet saith While I held my tongue my bones consumed away but after he had confessed his sinnes unto the Lord and craved pardon he forgave his wickednesse And because it is not his case onely for as much as we have all sinned his counsell is in this behalfe pro hoc orabit omnis pius Psal 32. Which being done as the Prophet speaketh the weakest of them that is every sinner shall be as David Neither are we of necessity to pray that God will forgive the guilt of our sinnes past but that he will prevent us with his grace against temptations of sinnes to come for in this regard our Saviour Christ would have his Disciples occupie themselves in this holy duty Orate Pray ye that ye enter not into temptation Luke 22. For the effect of sinne which is adversity Then is prayer necessary in the time of affliction when outwardly through the malice of our enemies we are in misery In which case the Prophet saith when the ungodly for the love he bare to them requited him with hatred Then he gave himselfe to prayer Psal 109.3 Or else inwardly by reason of crosses which it pleaseth God to bring upon us against which the onely remedy is to use prayer as the Apostle exhorts Iames 5. Is any afflicted let him pray A timore iuo concepimus spiritum salutis Esa 26.8 That is for feare And when we consider our owne wants the troubles that are upon us though for a time we hold our tongues and speake nothing yet a fire will kindle in us we cannot long be silent but the desire of our heart must have a vent by prayer as the Prophet had experience in himselfe Psal 39. So that as well the feare of danger to come as present want and affliction will leade us to prayer But
so he set them all downe in this forme of prayer The Confession of sinne and the supplication for remission is in the five petitions The thanksgiving is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for thine is the Kingdome power and glory and the good which he desireth is the sanctification of Gods name the accomplishment of his Kingdome and fulfilling of his will as also a continuall supply of all things needfull for this present life The evill from which he prayes to be delivered is first from sinne it selfe secondly from the temptations of sinne thirdly from evils which are the effects of sinne The third and last point in this Text is that we observe something in this word Dicite whereof the first is that here Christ doth not say Say thus as Matth. 6. whereof some gather that we may frame prayers after the forme of the Lords prayer but not use the words themselves But he saith to his Disciples Dicite Pater noster c. that is wee may boldly use the very words of this prayer and albeit to set forth the desire of our hearts we use other formes of prayer and that in more words yet we must conclude our prayers with this prayer of Christ Secondly when he sayes Dicite he doth not say cogitate or recitate or murmurate but intus dicite cum ore for there is a mouth in prayer non est oratio sine ore therefore he alloweth vocall prayer and as he will have us expresse the desire of our hearts in words so the chiefe thing is that our prayers be from the heart for invocation is a spirituall sacrifice 1 Pet. 2. A reasonable service Rom. 12. So both the understanding and reason must be occupied and also the spirit or inward affection of the heart Our Saviour requireth both in expresse words Worship him in spirit and in truth Iohn 4. Sing with understanding Psal 47. I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the understanding also 1 Cor. 14. We must not onely have a spirituall servencie and zeale but also must know what we pray for which is belonging to the understanding So that if both doe not concurre our service is not reasonable nor our sacrifice of praise spirituall As for that prayer that comes onely from the lippes it may be said of it as God spake of hypocrites Is that the Fast that I required Isa 58. So assembling to heare the word as a people useth to doe Ezech. 33. Is that this which God requireth Is this to eate the Lords Supper 1 Cor. 11. It is not enough to make long prayers and use many words there is a spirituall prayer which God will have with our vocall petitions and therefore that we may pray with understanding we have neede to be instructed in the sense of the Lords prayer The excellencie of this prayer is in regard of him that made it who is come from above who hath mixed nothing with this petition that savoureth of the earth for they are all heavenly as hee himselfe is heavenly Secondly in respect of the forme which is a most perfect forme it was compiled by him who was the wisedome of God and therefore cannot be but perfect quia perfecta sunt opera Iehovae Deut. 33. Thirdly in regard of the excellent benefits that are procured to us by it which are so many as can be desired at the hands of God Fourthly for the order which Christ keepeth If man did make a prayer he would beginne at daily bread but Christ in this prayer teacheth us first to seeke the Kingdome of God Matth. 6. Our first petition must be for the glory of God and then for our owne welfare chiefly in the world to come and also in this life for as we may not pray at all for things that are evill so in things that are good and lawfull we must take heed that we aske not amisse The petitions being seven are divided thus The first concerne God himselfe the other sixe concerne us They concerne us in a three-fold estate first of Glory secondly of Grace thirdly of Nature In these petitions that concerne us the evill that we would have removed from us is first sin secondly temptation thirdly evill The good we desire to be granted us is first that Gods Kingdome may be in our hearts secondly that his will may be performed of us thirdly that he will give us things necessary for this present life THE SEVENTH SERMON LUKE 11.2 Our Father THis Prayer penned by our Saviour Christ in the behalfe of his Disciples and his Church unto the end of the world standeth first upon an Invocation then upon certaine Petitions The invocation is the stile or word of salutation wherein we call upon the Majesty of God The Petitions containe the sum of those things we seeke for at the hands of God That which we have generally to note out of this Preface is that this is one benefit which God vouchsafeth us that we may pray unto him and be heard whereby we are to conceive of him that hee is not like the great Monarches to whom no man might presume to speak except he hold out his golden Scepter to him as it is in Est. 4. The heavenly Majesty vouchsafeth every man this honour to speak to him and the Golden Scepter of his word doth allure us thereunto Secondly it is a greater benefit to pray to God on this manner that is by the name of Father and therefore by that which he promiseth the faithfull Isa 65. Before they call I will heare them wee are taught that we are so assured of Gods good will and favour towards us even before we open our mouthes to aske any thing of him that we doubt not to call him Father from whence we may reason as the Apostle doth Rom. 8. Seeing he hath given us his Sonne how shall he not with him give us all things So seeing God taketh us for his children how shall he deny us any thing whereby he may shew himselfe a Father In the first we consider the perfection of Gods goodnesse in these words Our Father In the second the excellencie of his power expressed thus Which art in Heaven Both these are attributed unto God not onely of the Christians but even by the Heathen that are strangers to the Church for they attribute this unto God that he is optimus maximus and therefore where these two doubts arise in our hearts Domine si vis Lord if thou wilt Matth. 8. and Domine si quid potes Marke 9. they are both taken away by these two attributes By that terme which setteth out the perfection of Gods goodnesse he assureth us that he is willing and by that which expresseth the excellencie of his power we are taught that he is able to performe our requests His goodnesse giveth us fiduciam that in regard of it we may boldly come to the throne of grace Heb. 4. The consideration of Gods power breedeth in us
Iohn 1.18 that is borne againe of the Water and of the Spirit without which Regeneration no entrance is into the Kingdome of God And our dignity in being the sonnes of God in these three sorts is to be considered First in that we are the price of Christs bloâ—d 1 Cor. 6. Secondly we have Characterem that is the stampe of the sonnes of God when we are called Christians Acts 11. Thirdly we are the Temples of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 3. By meanes whereof he giveth us holy desires and maketh us sorry that we have offended his Majesty the assurance of this is that which the Apostle caâ—s the Spirit of Adoption which hee sends into the hearts of Christians to certifie them both that they are the sonnes of God and may call him Father Rom. 8. in a double sense both in respect of nature and grace not onely by generation but by Regeneration In the naturall affection that God beareth us we have two things 1. the immutability of it 2. the excellencie God doth teach us that his love to us is unchangeable in this that he expresseth it by the name of Father nam pater eâ—tansi offersâ—s est pater filius etiamsi nequam tamen filius A father though offended is a father and a sonne though naught yet is a sonne The Master may cease to be a Master so may a servant The husband may cease to be a husband so may the wife by meanes of divorce but God can never cease to be our Father though he be never so much offended and we cannot cease to bee his sonnes how wicked soever wee bee and therefore God doth by an immutable terme signifie unto us the immutability of his affection Heb. 6. And indeed whether hee doe bestow good things on us or chasten us his love is still unchangeable for both are to bee performed of a father toward his children and therefore whether hee afflict us or bestow his blessings on us we are in both to acknowledge his fatherly care howsoever To flesh and bloud no affliction seemeth good for the present Heb. 12. This immutability of his love as it ministreth comfort in time of affliction so doth it comfort and raise us up in sinne and transgression so that notwithstanding the greatnesse of our sinnes wee may bee bold to seeke to God for favour and say Etsi amisi ingenuitatem filii tamen tu non amisisti pietatem patris Although Lord I have lost the duty of a sonne yet thou hast not lost the affection of a father The excellencie of Gods love appeareth herein that he is not described to be God under the name of a King or great Lord as Mat. 18. There we have an example of great goodnesse in pardoning tenne thousand Talents but yet a doubt will arise in our mindes except we know him to be good otherwise then as he is a King for so looke what mercie he sheweth to us the like he will have us shew to others but we come short of this But this is it that contents us that he describes his goodnesse under the terme of Father in which regard how wickedly soever we deale yet still wee may say with the evill child I will goe to my Father Luke 15. He had cast off his father he had spent all his patrimony yet for all that he resolveth to goe backe and his father is glad to receive him he went and met and entertained him joyfully such affection doth God beare to his children The benefits that we have by the fatherly love of God is of two sorts First Fructus indulgentiae paternae Secondly Fructus liberalitatis paternae that is the fruit of fatherly compassion and the fruit of fatherly bounty Fathers stand thus affected towards their children that they are hardly brought to chasten them and if there be no remedy yet they are ready to forgive or soone cease punishing Pro peccato magno panlulum supplicii satis est Patri for a great offence a small punishment is enough to a father And for their bountifulnesse the Apostle saith that there is naturally planted in fathers a care to lay up for their children 2 Cor. 12. they are both in God for facility ad veniam to pardon and readinesse to forgive makes him Patrem misericordiarum 2 Cor. 3. not of one for he hath a multitude of mercies great mercie and little mercie Psal 51. The affection of David toward Absolon a wicked sonne was such that he forgave him though he sought to deprive his father of his Kingdome 2 Sam. 12. and though wee offend the Majesty of God yet hee assureth us that hee will be no lesse gracious to our offences then David was For David was a man after Gods owne heart 1 Sam. 13. Touching the care which God hath to provide for us the Prophet saith and also the Apostle Cast your care upon the Lord for hee careth for you 1 Pet. 5. He careth for us not as he hath care of Oxen 1 Cor. 9. but such a tender care as he hath for the Apple of his eye Zach. 2. He provideth for us not lands and goods as earthly fathers but an inheritance immortall incorruptible and that fadeth not reserved in Heaven for us 1 Pet. 1. and hath prepared for us an heavenly Kingdome whereof we are made co-heires with his Sonne Christ Rom. 8.17 and this is the fruit of his fatherly bountifulnesse towards us Out of these two the immutability and excellencie of Gods love shewed both in forgiving sinnes and providing good things ariseth a duty to be performed on our parts for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all comfort nomen patris ut explicat sic excitat charitatem the name of a father as it sheweth so it stirreth up love as it sheweth quid sperandum sic quid sit prastandum what is to be performed of us the name of a father doth promise unto us forgivenesse of sinnes and the blessings not of this life onely but especially of that that is to come and this duty lieth upon us that we so live as becommeth children wee may not continue in sinne but at the least must have virtutem redeundi the vertue of returning Isa 63. Why hast thou caused us to goe out of the way A child though he have wandred never so farre yet at length will come to that resolution I will returne to my father Luke 15. But if we consider the dignity whereunto we are exalted wee shall see on earth Si filii Dei quodammodo Dii simus if we be sonnes we are after a sort Gods Divinae participes naturae 2 Pet. 1. partakers of the divine nature as the sonnes of men are men But the Apostle sets down this plainely Behold what great love he hath shewed us That we should be called the sonnes of God 1 Iohn 3. This dignity requireth this duty at our hands that we reverence our Father Mal. 1.6 If I be your Father where is my love If
of their enemies Josh 10.13 Thirdly the earth it selfe and things contained in it do yeeld obedience to heaven for if the heaven be favourable in sending downe raine and fruitfull seasons Act. 4.17 Psal 65. the earth answerably will bring forth her encrease for the good of man but if the heaven be brasse the earth also will be Iron Deut. 28. Lastly as the powers of the heavens are such as that they can draw up clouds from the earth Psal 13.5 which do distill raine upon the earth to water the Furrowes thereof so we desire that the spirituall heaven may transforme us into an heauenly nature not setting our minds on earthly things but on things above For the things contained in heaven as they are heavenly so we desire that we living on earth may have our conversation in heaven that earthly man to whom God said Terra es Gen. 3. may by this meanes be made heavenly In the third heaven is contained in respect of his humanity first Christ himselfe who is both in heaven and earth for as he is called the head Ephes 3.23 of his Church he is in Heaven but in respect of his body which is called Christ 1 Cor. 12. he is on earth Therefore we pray that Christ on earth that is the Church may do Gods will even as Christ the head who is in heaven hath done it that as Christ our head came not to doe his owne will but the will of him that sent him Joh. 6.38 so the whole body of Christ may labour to fulfill the same Secondly in heaven thus are Angels which fulfill his Commandement and hearken to the voyce of his word Psal 10. So our prayer is that men to whom God hath made the promise that they shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 20. may labour to be like the Angels in doing Gods will as they hope to be like them in nature Thirdly in heaven there is the Congregation of the first borne Heb. 12.23 that is the Saints departed wherefore our prayer is that as they have and still do carefully fulfill Gods will so the Saints on earth and Church militant may do the same Againe whereas Saint Cyprian out of the 16. Psalm 2. and 19.1 saith that heaven is here upon earth for when the Psalmist saith The Heavens declare the glory of God the Apostle applyeth that to himselfe and to the rest of the Apostles Rom. 10. of whose preaching he saith No doubt their sound went out into all Lands and their words unto the ends of the World So that the Apostles were heavens living on earth So our prayer is that as they living on earth lived an heavenly life and began heaven here so our carnall heart may be applyed to the meditation of heaven that we may be Saints on earth Ps 16. The Wiseman saith of the body That it being dust at the houre of death turnes it self to dust from whence it came and that the spirit returnes to God that gave it Eccl. 12.17 Thus must the spirit returne to God in our life-time and we must while we be on earth and beare the Image of the earthly man seeke still to be in heaven and here labour more and more to beare the Image of the heavenly 1 Cor. 15.49 As the heavenly part of man that is his spirit is willing and doth not only consent that Gods Law is good but delight in it Rom. 7. so must we be carefull to bring our flesh in subjection that our old man and outward man may conforme himselfe to the inward and new man 2 Cor. 4. Eph. 4. Secondly touching the question How Gods will is done in heaven the answer is that where his will is both dulcis and amara voluntas a sweete and a bitter will it is there obeyed and performed in both kinds for the heavens do not onely at Gods commandement keepe a continuall motion which is agreeable to nature but against nature Sunne and Moone stand still at his will Jos 10. whose obedience tels us that our duty is to doe his will not only in things agreeable with our nature but when his will is contrary to our liking This obedience was performed in Christ Not my will but thine be done Luk. 22. and in the Angels which at Gods commandement are ready not onely to ascend but also to descend Gen. 28. to shew that they are content not onely to appeare in heavenly glory which is their nature but also to be abased according to the Apostles rule I can abound and I can want Phil. 4. The heavenly bodies do service to all Nations and the Angels are ministring spirits Heb. 1. As naturally they have a desire to ascend to beare rule so at Gods commandement they are content to descend to do service here below they do altogether fulfill Gods will Psal 104. whereas the nature of man doth hardly grant to obey Gods will in that which seemeth strange to flesh and blood as Agrippa affirmeth of himselfe Thou somewhat perswadest mee Act. 26.25 The Saints in heaven confesse to God Thou hast created all things and for thy wils sake they are and were created Rev. 4.11 And therefore refuse not to subject their will to the will of God be it pleasant to them or not but as our Saviour speaketh Yee seeke mee not because ye saw the miracles but for that ye did eate of the loaves and were filled Joh. 6.26 So if we do that which God requireth it is rather for our owne sake with regard to our owne private profit then to do Gods will The heavenly Angels do Gods will with willingnesse and readinesse of mind which is the fat of their sacrifice and therefore they are said to have every one sixe wings Esay 6. From whose example wee must learne to do all things commanded of God without murmuring or disputing Phil. 2.14 and that because it is Gods will we should do it In earth when God willeth any thing that is not pleasant to our wils we make excuse Luk. 14. or we post it off to others as Peter said to John Joh. 21. Quid autem hic We are ready to communicate with flesh and blood Gal. 3.16 and to say with the Disciples Durus est hic sermo this is a hard speech Joh. 6. If we cannot shift it off from our selves yet as the Devill reasoned Cur venisti ante tempus Matth. 18.29 and as the people say It is not time yet to build the house of the Lord Hagg. 1.5 So we are ready to deferre and prolong the doing of Gods will as much as may be when we do it as the uncleane spirit would not come out of the child but with much crying and renting of him Mark 9.26 so we cannot do Gods will but with great murmuring and grudging and when men do Gods will in this sort they do it not as it is done in heaven by the Angels and Saints that willingly obey it but as the Devills in hell which against their
wills are faine to do it Therefore our rule in this behalfe is that we do Gods will not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 9. but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 3. not grudgingly but cheerfully from the heart accounting it our meat to do the will of our heavenly Father Joh. 4. Secondly for the Elevation it is true that the qualification is signified by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and our prayer is that we may do Gods will as it is done in heaven but not as much with like readinesse of mind but not in like measure for that is impossible for earthly men wee desire to fulfill Gods will in the manner but not in the same degree of obedience which may be expressed by the words Image and likenesse Gen. 1. Our obedience may be the likenesse of the Angels but not the Image The Character or Stampe of the Angels obedience is that which is equall in proportion but such obedience is not to be found there may be a beame of it answerable in likenesse and quality not in quantity so in likenesse we are Conformes imagine Christi Rom. 8. and beare the image of the heavenly Man 1 Cor. 15. as endeavouring thereunto but yet we cannot attaine to it But albeit it is hard for flesh and blood which our Saviour required Be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect Matth. 5. yet there is an use of such precepts first ut feramur ad perfectionem that we may be led on to perfection Heb. 6.1 Secondly we must have an Heroicall and free spirit Psal 51. which may stirre us up to wish that wee could do more then we can which consists of Aspiration and Suspiration We must aspire to the greatest perfection with David Concupivit anima mea My soule hath lusted to keepe thy righteous judgements for ever Psal 119.20 And O that my waies were so directed Psal 119.5 This is an Angelicall perfection which we cannot attaine unto in this life therefore we must suspirare when we consider that the Law saith Thou shalt not lust and yet find that wee do lust we are to sigh and say with the Apostle Who shall deliver us from this body of death Rom. 7. If we find that we cannot love our God with all our heart and soule as we ought then to say with the Prophet Vae mihi quia prolongatus est incolatus meus in terra Wo is me that my dwelling is prolonged in the Tents of Kedar Psal 120.5 We must desire to do more then we can and grieve that we cannot do so much as we ought that as we do what we can so what we cannot do we should supply it Voto desiderio animo with our hearty wish desire and mind Thirdly the supplication is of two sorts Reall and personall Touching the first as the grace of God is multiformis gratia 1 Pet. 4. So the will of God being one is of many sorts and containeth divers particulars therefore as we generally pray that the will of God may be done so when by the word of God wee understand what is the will of God in particular we are to desire no lesse that it may be performed This is the will of God even your sanctification 1 Thess 4. Therefore our desire must be that this will of his may be done and fulfilled in us This is a speciall remedy against the tēptations of the flesh which oppose themselves against Gods will There is another will of God for patience for he would have us suffer for Christs sake without murmuring that so wee may stop the mouthes of ignorant men 1 Pet. 2.6 Therefore we are to pray that this will of God also may be done in us As Joseph was carefull to do Gods will touching sanctification and Job to obey Gods will in suffering patiently both which are now Saints in Heaven so must wee after their examples be both holy and carefull and patient It may be we are willing to obey Gods will in particular but we will say Nondum venit hora it is not yet time Therefore we must learne to practise the Prophets resolution I made hast and prolonged not the time to keepe thy Law Psal 119. When God revealeth his will to us we must presently put it in practise and as Saul did Act. 9. and not counsell with flesh and blood and this is the reall application The persons to whom the doing of Gods will is to be applyed are not onely the whole earth which is also to be wished as the Prophet sheweth Set up thy selfe O God above the heaven and thy glory above all the earth Psal 57. But the earth or land wherein we dwell as the Prophet speakes that glory may dwell interra nostra in our land Ps 85. So we pray that Gods will may be done in all lands but especially in our land and country that so he may bestow his blessings upon it but yet we are every one of us particularly to apply to our selves for to man it was said by God Terra es Gen. 3. To man it was said Earth earth earth heare the word of the Lord Jer. 22. So we desire that Gods will may especially be done and fulfilled in that part of the earth whereof God hath made us that is that in these our earthly vessels which we carry about with us we may be carefull to do that which God requireth at our hands THE THIRTEENTH SERMON Give us this day our daily bread OUt of the words of our Saviour in the sixth of Matth. vers 33. wee have elsewhere set downe the order of these three Petitions which concerne our selves for the first is the Petition of Glory and of Gods Kingdome which our Saviour willeth us to seeke in the first place The second is the Petition of Grace and of Gods righteousnesse wherein we pray that Gods will may be done The third Petition tendeth to this end that as the Prophet speakes God would not with-hold any temporall blessing needfull for this life but that he would give us all things that are necessary for us The things pertaining to Glory for which wee pray in the first place are Eternall those that concerne grace are Spirituall and the blessings of this life which we desire may not be with-held from us are naturall and temporall This is Natures prayer for not onely we but all creatures above and beneath make the same suit to God by the voyce of Nature the ravens of the aire call upon God that he would feed them Ps 147. The Lyons beneath roaring for their prey do seeke their meat at God Psal 104.21 and therefore no marvell that wee in as much as we are creatures do seeke to God who is the God of Nature to supply the defects of nature that we find in our selves as other creatures and yet there is a difference betwixt us and them for they call upon God onely for corporall food that their bellies may be filled but
manducanti 2 Cor. 9.10 We are destitute of the meanest blessings that are it is God onely from whom wee receive all things therefore to him we pray acknowledging our owne want Da nobis panem Secondly we must consider the word Da as it is set in opposition to Veniat or habeam panem it must not content us that we have bread but labour that we may have it of Gods gift Esau said of things temporall which he enjoyed I have enough Gen. 33. not acknowledging from whom Balaam cared not how he came by promotion so he had it and therefore he is said to have loved the wages of unrighteousnesse 2 Pet. 2.15 but we must labour not so much to have good things as to have them from God and Pilate is to acknowledge that the power which he hath was given him from above Joh. 19. and not to vaunt of any usurped power It is said of God Tu aperis manum tuam Psal 104. Thou openest the doores of heaven Psal 78. So we are not so much to labour for temporall things by our owne endeavour as that we may have them from God Thirdly Da opposed to rendring teacheth us that it is not of our owne endeavour but it is of Gods free bounty and liberality that we have bread and other things which while wee seeke for of Gods gift we confesse that to be true which Salomon saith Non est panis sapientis Be a man never so wise yet he hath not alwayes to supply his need Eccles 9.11 As he that is highest gets not alwaies the goale nor the strongest man the victory so saith our Saviour Which of you by taking thought can adde one cubit to his stature Matth. 6. All our endeavours for the things of this life are unprofitable without Gods blessing It is in vaine to rise up early and to go to bed late Psal 127. And when he blesseth our labour then he is said to give us bread and therefore we are to confesse with David that whatsoever we have received we have received it at his hands 1 Chron. 29.14 Now the meanes of Gods giving is of foure sorts First God giveth bread when hee blesseth the earth with plenty when hee gives force to the heaven When the heaven heareth the earth the earth heareth the Corne the Wine the Oyle and they heare man Hos 2.21 Secondly he gives when hee sets us in some honest trade of life and vouchsafeth his blessing to our endeavours therein that we may get our living and eate the labour of our hands Psal 128. without which the first giving will do us no good Thirdly he gives us bread not onely in his blessing the earth with increase and by blessing our honest paines in our vocation but when he gives us Baculum panis the staffe of bread for at his pleasure he useth to breake the staffe of bread Levit. 26. and to make it of no power to nourish us then are they but beggerly elements When we eat and have not enough Hag. 1. Therefore our prayer is that he would cause the earth to yeeld us bread so that to the bread he would infuse a force to strengthen mans heart for which end it is ordained Psal 104. Fourthly because Moses saies Man lives not by bread onely but by the Word of God therefore we pray that as our bread by his blessing is made to us panis salubris so it may be panis sanctus Deut. 8. that he will give us grace to use his creatures to the end that wee may the better serve him otherwise howsoever they nourish our bodies yet they will prove poyson to our soules God performeth these three former givings to the Heathen so that their bellies are full with bread but withall hee sendeth leannesse into their soules Psal 106. But Christian men have not onely the earth to yeeld her fruit Gods blessing being upon their labours and a blessing upon the creature it selfe that it is not in vaine but nourisheth but also it is sanctified to them and that bread is properly theirs because they are Gods children Et panis est filiorum it is the childrens bread Secondly the thing we desire to be given is Bread concerning which because the decayes and defects of our nature are many so as it were infinite to expresse then severally therefore our Saviour Christ doth here comprehend them all under the terme of Bread using the same figure which God himselfe useth in the law where under one word many things are contained Howsoever our wants be many yet the heathen bring them all to these two Pabulum latibulum food and covering and as they do so doth not onely Moses in the Law where all that pertaine to this life is referred to victum and amictum Deut. 10.18 but also Saint Paul in the Epistle 1 Tim. 6.8 Hebentes victum amictum his contenti sumus So then under this petition is contained not onely that God would give us bread by causing the earth to bring forth corne and all good seasons for that purpose but that withall he will give us health of body and not plague us with sicknesse as hee did the Israelites Psal 31. Then that we may have peace without which these outward blessings will afford us no comfort and that as he fills our bellies with food so he will give us Laetitiam cordis Act. 14.17 that is all manner of contentment in this life Howbeit this petition stayeth not here for the prayer of Christian men must differ from the Lyons roaring and the Ravens crying the end of their praying is that their bellies may be filled but we must have as great a care for the food of our soules therefore where we call it panem nostrum we do not meane panem communem such bread as is common to us with other creatures but that Spirituall bread which is proper to men which consists not only of body but of soule and body which must be both fed and where we pray that God would give 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we aske such bread as is apt and meete for our sustenance that is not onely Earthly but Heavenly Bread because we consist not onely of a terrestriall but also of a celestiall substance so then our desire is that God would give us not onely panem jumentorum but panem Angelorum Psal 78. The bread of Angels and our suit is as well for panis coeli Joh. 6. as for earthly bread The bread of the soule is Gods word which hath a great reference to earthly bread and therefore speaking of the sweetnesse of that bread Job saith I esteemed of the words of his mouth more than my appointed food Job 23. and David saith Thy word is sweeter then hony and the hony combe Psalm 19.10 In the New Testament the Apostle to shew the nourishing force of Gods word saith that Timothy was enutritus verbis fidei 1 Tim. 4.6 To shew the taste or relish that it hath as well as
naturall food saith Gustaverit bonum Deiverbum hath tasted the good word of God Heb. 6. So the food of the soule is to be desired at Gods hands as well as the bodily food There is a Famin as well of Gods word as of bread Amos 8. There is an hungring thirsting after righteousnesse Matth. 5. therefore wee are to pray that God would supply the wants not onely of the body but of the soule likewise But there is a Spirituall food both for Body and Soule that which our Saviour promiseth Joh. 6. He that commeth to mee shall not hunger and he that beleeveth in mee shall never thirst that is the hidden Manna that God hath promised for us in heaven whereof it was said Blessed is he that eateth bread in the Kingdome of God Luk. 14. Thus by how much the leannesse of the soule is worse then bodily famine so much the more earnestly are we to pray for the spirituall food then for the food of the body Thirdly for the first attribute we pray not simply for Bread but for our Bread The word Our hath respect not onely to Use but to Property and right This right or property is double First that which was appointed in the beginning In sudore vultus tui comedes panem tuum Our request to God is for that food which is gotten by honest paines taken in our calling whereunto God hath made a promise Thou shalt eate the labour of thy hands Psalm 128. And without which we have no right to this bodily food For 2 Thess 3. Qui non laborat non manducet He that laboureth not let him not eate Now we would have God supply our wants with bread by right and this right is generall to all adventurers Secondly as we would have it made Ours by the labour of our vocation so by the duty of invocation that this corporall food which is common to other creatures may be proper to us by calling upon God for his blessing upon it which if we do we have a promise it shall be truly ours Open thy mouth I will fill it Psal 81.11 For the creatures of God are sanctified to us by the Word of God and prayer 1 Tim. 4. This puts a difference betwixt the Christian mans bread and that which the prophane man eates for first those slouthfull persons whom the Apostle calls slow-bellies Tit. 1.12 cannot say this prayer as they ought for they are nothing but idle upon the earth and Fruges consumere nati borne to eate and drinke they labour not for their living but eate panem alienum not suum which the Apostle requires 2 Thess 3.12 Secondly those that eate the bread of violence Prov. 4.17 and feed upon bread that is gotten by deceit Prov. 20.17 do not eate panem suum but subdititium they eate not panem datum à Deo but a Daemone Thirdly Esau having filled his belly rose without giving God thankes after he had eate as without calling upon God for his blessing before Gen. 25. For the which also he is said to be prophane Heb. 12. So are all those that eate of Gods creatures without praying to him for his blessing and for a sanctified use of them which thing if they refuse to do as Atheists and prophane persons their bread may be panis salubris but not sanctus it may be able to nourish their bodies but it shall bring leannesse to their soules Fourthly the other attribute of bread is Daily concerning which we must consider foure things First from the Latine word quotidianum which hath relation to the time by which word as we acknowledge our daily want and Gods continuall care and providence for the supply thereof of whom it is said Thou givest meat in due season Psal 104. So Christ teacheth us daily to praise and magnifie Gods care daily extended towards us and to use that Psalme of thanksgiving wherein the Church confesseth Gods goodnesse in that behalfe Psal 145. Secondly for the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth bread apt and meete for our substance Now for as much as man consists of Body and Soule his prayer to God must not be onely for such meat as is meete to nourish the Body but also for the food which agreeth with the Soule for it is in vaine to have food except it be nutritive and convenient for us Thirdly the Syriack word used by our Saviour signifieth panem necessitatis meae which hath relation to the quaility of the bread teaching us not to pray for Dainty meat but such as is fit to relieve our hunger Tribue victui meo necessaria not meat which is above my estate Da panem necessitatis non lasciviae bread of necessity not wantonnesse The Israelites lusted after the Flesh-pots of Egypt and therefore God gave them quailes from heaven but which was the heavie judgement of God upon them they perished while the meat was in their mouthes Psal 78. The Apostle willeth us therefore not to set our minds upon supenfluity but contrarily 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Food and Rayment let us therewith be content Fourthly the Hebrew word used Prov. 30. hath relation to the quantity for it signifieth panem dimensi mei non gulae and it teacheth us not to seeke abundance but to desire of God to measure us out so much as he knoweth to be meet for us and as Christ speaketh to give us our portion of meat in due season Luk. 12.22 For the Scripture telleth us what inconvenience commeth of abundance of meat Dilectus meus impinguatus recalcitravit Deut. 32.15 My beloved when he waxed fat spurned with his heele and the sinne of Sodome was fulnesse of bread Ezek. 16. and the people by excessive eating and drinking of wine made themselves sicke Hos 7.5 Therefore Christ diligently warneth his disciples to take heed of surfetting and drunkennesse for this cause Ne graventur corda That your hearts waxe not heavie Fifthly in the word Nobis we must consider two things First a Reason secondly a Limitation For the first we desire that this bread should be given us First because we are Gods creatures he refuseth not to heare the Lyons and Ravens in this behalfe when they cry to him And our Saviour saith that our heavenly Father feedeth the fowles of the aire Matth. 6.26 And therefore wee in regard we are his creatures as well as they we may by right make this prayer to him Secondly in as much as we are men we may be bold to crave that favour at his hands which he sheweth indifferently to all men for he suffereth the Sunne to shine on the evill and on the good Matth. 5. And as David saith Oculi omnium suspiciunt in te The eyes of all wait and looke up to thee Psal 145. Therefore we are to pray that God will give bread not onely nobis animalibus but nobis hominibus not onely as to living creatures but as to Men. Thirdly the Gentiles and Heathen people
beginne to pray to bethinke our selves whether we forgive Cum stabitis ad orandum Marke 11. when ye stand to pray forgive Secondly as we must use this Sicut so not with our lippes onely but with our heart for otsterwife we doe imprecari nobis we pray for vengeance against our selves and Christ may say to us Ex ore tuo te judicabo serve nequam Luke 19. We cannot curse our selves more bitterly then if we say to God forgive us as we forgive our debters unlesse wee dâ—e indeed forgive them As we runne in debt with God daily and so need daily forgivenesse the same measure of charity we are to shew to others that offend us by forgiving them their trespasses We must not thinke it enough to forgive them till seven times but untill seventy times seven times and as we would not have a counterfeit forgivenesse of God so we must be carefull to forgive our brethren from our heart otherwise he will call backe his word and promise made to us touching the remission of our sinnes Matth. 18.35 Whereas some count it a sufficient forgivenesse to forgive onely though they doe not forget they must know that it is onely Semiplena remissio a forgivenesse by halfes for we desire God by the Prophet that he will not onely forgive but forget our sinnes and remember not our old sinnes Psal 79.8 Therefore wee must performe the same measure of charity in this behalfe to our brethren and whereas the messenger of Satan doth so buffet us 2 Cor. 12. and our owne corruption so prevailes with us that we cannot utterly forget an injury yet so long as we shew not a revenge in deed nor in word nor in looke but strive to master our corrupt affection we shall be accounted according to that we have and not according to that we have not 2 Cor. S. 12. As for that which some object that so the law of justice is overthrowne by this kinde of mercie Rom. 3.31 It is not so for mercie triumpheth over justice Iam. 2. Now as prayer is a meanes to apply Christs benefits and mercie to our soules as Christ sheweth I forgave thee because thou prayedst me Matth. 18. So that is not enough unlesse we use charity and mercie to dimitte tu we must adde nos dimittimus the want whereof caused the King to deale so severely with the unmercifull servant Matth. 18. Now mercie which is the second meanes of application slands in giving and forgiving Quicquid praestatur indigenti Eleemosynae est Therefore because these have need of forgivenesse which offend wee should doe a worke of mercie in forgiving them when they doe us wrong and both those kinde of almes and mercie are alike accepted of God and therefore in the Law he ordained as well peace-offerings as meat-offerings That mercie is a meanes to us to apply this benefit unto our selves which Christ offereth appeareth by these places Prov. 16.6 with mercie and faithfulnesse sinnes are forgiven Isa 58.7 Dan. 4.27 and Luke 11. Date Eleemosynam omnia sunt munda This is that which maketh both prayer and fasting acceptable before God and without which all prayer is rejected as hypocriticall Mat. 6.16 Thus must we have oyle from him and the vessell to receive it in us dimitte dimittitis that is both prayer and mercie As we pray to God for pardon of our sinnes so we must forgive others now Christ maketh choyce of that kind of mercie which standeth in forgiving because it is common to poore and rich for all cannot give but the poore may forgive as well as the rich and therefore it is the duty of us all to forgive one another if we will be forgiven of God Secondly he maketh choyce of this mercie as the greatest and excellentest for nature will move us to give him that is in need and wee cannot in such case hide our selves from our owne flesh But when we doe not onely forgive him that hath done us wrong but also offer kindnesse to him that did provoke us to anger that is a supernaturall worke Thirdly it is the fittest mercie for we desire to bee remitted and therefore the fittest meanes to obtaine remission is that mercy which standeth in remission and forgiving of others The mercy that we shew in this behalfe is active mercie that which God promiseth us if we forgive our brethren is a passive mercie Of the active mercie our Saviour saith Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercie Matth. 5. But contrariwise here shall be judgement mercilesse to him that sheweth no mercie Iames 2.13 Wherefore wee must so deale with those which offend us that wee may say to God Ecce misericordiam activam praesta mihi passivam Behold my active mercie performe to me thy passive mercie And to shew you the necessity of this duty on our parts Christ having penned this Petition upon this condition is not contented therewith but having ended the prayer he returnes to the same matter and sheweth why we should forgive our debters For if yee saith hee forgive men their trespasses your heavenly Father will forgive you yours but if you will not neither will God forgive you and hereof he hath given an example in the parable of the King Matth. 18. who to shew to us what we are to looke for at Gods hands is said to have beene loving and mercifull at the first to him that was indebted so farre unto him But when the same party having the debt which hee ought pardoned would notwithstanding have present payment of his fellow-servant then the Kings affection was turned and he became severe and rough and committed him till he had paid all that was due THE SIXTEENTH SERMON And leade us not into tentation THis is the Petition that concernes sin to come for Remission which was the thing we prayed for last is referred to sinnes past Rom. 3.25 and wee are no lesse to desire of God that he will give us ability to resist sinne to come then to be gracious to us in pardoning our sinnes already committed thus much we are given to understand by this that this Petition is chained to the former with the copulative And as if that were not perfected without this no more in deed is it for as God le ts goe his hold so must we let goe ours and if wee will have God to remit our former sinnes we must beware that we doe not willingly sinne against his Majesty afresh but that we strive against temptations to come For as the Psalmist speakes If I incline to wickednes in my heart the Lord will not heare me Psal 66.16 If I purpose still to continue in sinne I shall in vaine pray Forgive me my sinnes But contrariwayes he that doth not onely confesse but also forsake his sinnes he shall have mercie Prov. 28.13 If accounting it sufficient that we have spent the time of our life past in sinne we shall resolve henceforth to live so much time as
to us that was offered to the Fathers for we beleeve to be saved by the faith of Jesus Christ as well as they Act. 15.11 and wee have no other Sacraments then those which the Jewes had of whom Saint Paul saith They all did eate the same spirituall meat and dranke the same spirituall drinke 1 Cor. 10. and therefore it is meete likewise that we should make the same prayer that they made and indeed there is no Petition in the Lords Prayer which is not found in the Old Testament used by the Church of the Jewes For that which the Prophet prayeth Psalm 57.6 Lift up thy selfe O God above the heavens and thy glory above all the earth Psal 67. That thy way may be knowne upon earth c. is nothing else but the hallowing of Gods Name Secondly Remember mee O God that I may see the felicity of thy chosen Psal 106. It is nothing else but an exposition of the second Petition where we pray Thy Kingdome come Thirdly these words of the Prophet Psal 143. Teach mee to do the thing that pleaseth thee is a full comprehension of the third Petition where we desire that his will be done Fourthly the eyes of all things do looke upon thee and thou givest them meat in due season Psal 145. and the prayer of Solomon Prov. 30. Give mee not poverty nor riches but feed mee with food meete is a full expressing of the fourth Petition Fifthly My misdeeds prevaile against mee O be mercifull to our sinnes Psal 65.3 is a summe of the fifth petition and the condition of this Petition is found Psal 7. wherein the Prophet saith If I have done any such thing or if there be any wickednesse in my hands If I have rewarded evill to him that dealt friendly with mee yea I have delivered him that without a cause was my enemy then let my enemy persecute my soule whereby he desireth no otherwise to be forgiven of God then as he doth forgive his brother Sixthly that which the Prophet prayeth Psal 119.37 Turne away my eyes that they behold not vanity and Psal 143. Set a watch before my mouth and keepe the doore of my lips is that which Christ teacheth us to pray Lead us not into temptation Seventhly Redeeme Israel from all trouble Psal 25.20 in affect is as much as Deliver them from all evill which is the seventh Petition Lastly looke what reason Christ teacheth us to use here the same doth David use 1 Chron. 29. Therefore having the same prayer that the Jewes had it is meet that wee should have the same conclusion that they had and the same is they said Amen and so do wee Touching the use of this word it is found in Scriptures to have two seats or places and accordingly two severall expositions to wit in the beginning and in the end before and behind In the beginning as in the doctrine of the Sacrament of Baptisme concerning which our Saviour saith Amen Amen except a man be borne of the water and of the Spirit hee cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Joh. 3. And touching the Sacrament of the holy Eucharist Verily verily except yee eate the flesh of the Sonne of man and drinke his blood yee have no life in you Joh. 6.33 And touching the effect of prayer Christ saith also Verily verily I say unto you whatsoever yee shall aske the Father in my name hee will give it you Joh. 16. In those places the word Amen is used and thereby our Saviour laboureth to expresse the truth of that which he doth teach In the end likewise it is said as Psal 41.13 Psal 72. Psal 87.50 Praised be the Lord for evermore Amen Amen And in the New Testament when the Apostle sheweth That of the Jewes according to the flesh came Christ who is over all God blessed for ever Amen Rom. 9.5 Here the word is used and set behind to signifie that wee desire that that may be performed which God before by his Amen hath affirmed to be true Therefore David having received promise from the Lord by the hand of Nathan saith Let the thing that thou hast promised be Amen Let there be an accomplishment of the same 1 Chron. 17.25 So when the Prophet Hananiah had prophesied in the name of the Lord I have broken the yoke of the King of Babell and after two yeares will I bring againe into this place all the ornaments of the house of the Lord Jeremy the Prophet said Amen the Lord do as thou hast said Jer. 28.6 As in the beginning it ratifieth the truth of Gods promise so being set in the end it signifieth the desire of our hearts for the accomplishment of the same and this desire alwaies followeth and is grounded upon the promise of God and the truth thereof In which regard the Prophet saith Remember me O Lord concerning thy word wherein thou causest me to put my trust Psal 119. and therefore to Christs A non in the beginning where he promiseth Verily verily whatsoever ye aske in my name Iohn 16. we may boldly adde our Amen in the end that his Amen may be performed and by right doe we ground our Amen upon Gods Amen for he is called Amen that is truth Esa 65.16 So the Apostle expresseth it when speaking of Jesus Christ he saith Thus saith Amen the fault fall and true witnesse Revel 3.14 Therefore S. Paul saith of Christ that in him all the promises are made to us yea in the beginning and Amen to us in regard of the certaine accomplishment 2 Cor. 1. The reason of our Amen is because not onely faith but trust and confidence doth proceed from the truth of God fides hath relation to Gods truth but fiducia or confidence is setled upon Gods faithfulnesse and both are affirmed of God Moses saith of God that he is verus and fidelis Deut. 32. and Esay The Lord is faithfull Esa 49.7 8. Paul in the new Testament Hee is faithfull that promised Heb. 10. He deemed him faithfull that promised Heb. 11. For there are two things required in faithfulnesse without the which a man cannot be said to be faithfull the one is ability of which Abraham doubted not of Gods faithfulnesse being fully perswaded That what he promised he was able to performe Rom. 4.21 the other is will and readinesse to doe touching which the Apostle saith Faithfull is he that called you ipse faciet 1 Thes 5.24 These are the parts of faithfulnesse and they are both found in God and therefore not onely God the Father is true but Christ is said to be the truth Iohn 14. and the holy Ghost is called the Spirit of truth 1 Iohn 5.6 So that albeit men deale so untruly that it is verified of them ad men are lyers Rom. 3. Yet God abides faithfull and cannot denyâ—h myselfe 2 Tim. 2.13 So much the Prophet teacheth when he saith the mountaines shall be removed but the thing which be hath spoken shall not faile Esa 58. And
our Saviour faith Heaven and Earth shall passe but one joy of my word shall not passe Matth. 5.18 that is in regard of his power and ability For the other part of his faithfulnesse which is his will and readinesse he is said to be a faithfull Creator that will have care of the soules committed to him 1 Pet. 5. and to this purpose serveth that which S. Iohn affirmeth Behold what love the Father hath showed us that we should bee Sonnes of God 1 Iohn 3. There is in God that faithfulnesse that is in a mother towards her children for as a woman cannot but pity her owne child and the son of her womb so the Lord will not forget his owne people Isa 45.15 As his arme is not shortned but is still able to helpe so his affection towards us is such that he is most willing to helpe In this regard as hath beene observed he is both a King and a Father the one shewing his power the other his willingnesse and good-will towards us upon both these we doe ground our Amen and doe learne not onely Credere vero beleeve God which is true but fidere fideli trust him which is faithfull upon this faithfulnesse we may ground all our Petitions if we seeke forgivenesse of our trespasses as Christ teacheth us to pray then God is faithfull to forgive us our sinnes 1 Iohn 1. If we will pray against tentation the Apostle saith God is faithfull and will not suffer us to be tempted above that we are able to beare 1 Cor. 10. If to be delivered from evill which is the last Petition the Apostle tels us The Lord is faithfull and will stablish us and keep us from all evill 2 Thes 3. Thus we see both what is our Amen and whereupon it is grounded The last thing is the right saying of this word which is a thing to be inquired for the Apostle as though he tooke care for the right saying of it saith How shall the unlearned say Amen 1 Cor. 14.16 Teaching us that it is not enough to say Amen unlesse it be said in right forme and manner The right saying is reduced to foure things First that as the Apostle sayes We pray with the Spirit 1 Cor. 14. For of the foure evill Amens which the Hebrewes note one is when our Amen doth not come from an earnest desire We must powre out our hearts before him Psal 62.8 So our Amen must come from the heart we must be so disposed that we may say As the Hart brayeth for the rivers of waters so thirsteth my soule after thee O God Psal 42.1 My soule thirsteth for thee and my flesh longeth for thee in a barren and dry land where no water is Psal 63. without this Amen our Amen is evanime a dead Amen Secondly a man may desire a false thing so did the Prophet give his Amen to the false prophecie of Hananiah Ier. 28. but wee must bee carefull that it be true that we pray for therefore the Apostle saith He will not pray with the Spirit onely but with his understanding also 1 Cor. 14.25 So our Saviour tels us We must worship God not in Spirit onely but in Spirit and Truth That is we must have understanding that our Petitions be true and agreeable to Gods will Ioh. 4. for as in thanksgiving it is requisite that we sing praise with understanding Psal 47. So the like must be done in prayer they are both good both to pray with the Spirit and with the mind therefore it is better to pray with both then with but one alone Therefore it is a marvell that any should thinke it enough to pray with the Spirit though they doe not know in their mind what they pray for but pray in an unknown tongue as the Church of Rome doth seeing the Apostle saith He will pray both with the Spirit and with the understanding 1 Cor. 14.15 and this understanding is not of the words onely but of the matter that we pray for We may understand the words wherein the prayer is made and yet not understand the thing that is prayed for The sonnes of Zebedee prayed in their owne Language and yet our Saviour tels them Yee know not what yee aske The Eunuch that was reading the Prophet Esay no doubt understood the Language of the Prophet and yet when Philip asked him Vnderstandest thou what thou readest he answered How can I except I had a guide Acts 8.31 Therefore we must pray not onely Intelligenter but Scienter we must know what we aske wee must be carefull that whatsoever we aske be according to his will for then may we be assured that he will heare us 1 Iohn 5. we must aske in Christs name Iohn 16. Lastly to a good end for otherwayes our prayers shall not be heard Yee aske and receive not because yee aske amisse Iames 4. But this is not all that is required that we may pray with the Minde and Vnderstanding for we must intend the thing that wee pray for with out heart that the Lord may not have cause to complaine of us as of the Jewes that honoured him with their lips while their heart was farre from him Isa 29.14 That we may with more attention of heart addresse our selves to pray our Saviour bids us to gather our selves from all things that may carry away or distract our minds and to enter into our chamber there to pray to our â—ather which is in Heaven Matth. 6.6 This did not Saint Peter observe when he prayed Master let us make here three Tabernacles and therefore the Evangelist saith He knew not what he said Lake 9.33 Thirdly that we may say Amen aright we must not onely understand in our mind and desire in our spirit the thing that wee pray for but must confidently looke for the performance of that we desire for unto this confidence there is a promise made on Gods part of whom the Prophet saith That the Lord is nigh to all that call upon him in truth Psal 145. that is in faith and confidence that they shall obtaine the thing that they pray for therefore our Saviour saith whatsoever yee pray for belâ—eve and it shall be done Marke 11.24 and the Apostle saith If we will obtaine our requests we must aske in faith without wavering or else we shall be like the waves of the sea that are tossed with the wind and carried about with violence Iames 1.6 And we shall not need to doubt but we shall be heard if we pray in a right manner if we pray for a right end that we may say Tua est gloria This confidence and trust hath certaine Limitations first wee may assure our selves that God will grant our requests if it be expedient for us and therefore we must not limit God nor appoint him his time but as the Psalmist saith We must direct our prayers early to him and wait for his pleasure Psal 5.3 We must tarry our Lords leasure Psal 27.
and Common-wealth have taken order accordingly and the rather for that our times require it for the times that forbad marriage and the abstinence of meates 1 Tim. 4.3 There is more feare of a pottingerfull of gluttony than a spoonefull of superstition This is no Fast but a change of meate Verse 3. Then came to him the Tempter c. BEfore we come to the particular temptations we have foure generall points to be considered First the changing of the devils name from devill to Tempter Secondly that it is said Hee came unto him Thirdly that he came when he was fasting Fourthly the diversity and order of the temptations I. First in Jam. 1.13 it is said that God tempteth no man and yet in Deut. 13.3 it appeareth that God doth tempt some we must then make a difference betweene Gods temptations and the devils The devill indeed tempteth us but God as our English translation hath it tryeth us The latter is to commend us Rom. 3.5 or rather that our tribulation may bring forth patience and patience hope Rom. 4.3 It makes us know that to be in our selves which before wee knew not as we see in Job So the Lord proved the Israelites to see if they loved him or no Deut. 13.3 The devils temptation is to know our corruption for knowing the innocency of Adam hee went about to corrupt him It is like the Israelites proving of Manna to try conclusions Gods is like the tryall of gold 1 Pet. 1.7 which the oftner it is tryed the purer it waxeth the devils like that of Manna which stinketh and corrupteth by tryall Gods is like the tryall of the fanne Matth. 3.12 the devils like that of the scive Luke 22.31 which lets goe the flower and keepes the branne II. Secondly the devill hath two shapes in the one he tempteth and allureth and in that he came now to our Saviour in the other he assayleth us that is by assault and violence Ephes 6.11 The first is the temptation of hypocrites Matth. 22.18 Shall we pay tribute to Caesar The second of Judas who in the garden assaulted our Saviour John 6.70 So Satan sets on Christ by violence He came unto Christ by casting sparkes of fire into him for hee was devoyd of any wicked and vaine thoughts comming forth of him Two wayes may a man be tempted either by doubts arising in our hearts out of us Luke 24.38 or by a sop entring into us John 13.27 Christ could not be tempted the first way for he was devoyd of any wicked and vaine thought comming forth of him To us the devill needs bring but a paire of bellowes for he shall finde fire within us but to Christ he was faine to bring fire too III. Thirdly he then came to him when he was fasting which discovereth the devils desperate boldnesse as also his craftinesse in that he waited his time to stay till he was hungry Notwithstanding Christ was newly come from his Baptisme and was full of the Holy Ghost and even now in his exercise of mortification yet had the devill courage to set upon him There is no place so holy nor exercise so good as can represse his courage or give a stay to the boldnesse of his attempts as we see Marke 4.14 The word is no sooner sowne but Satan comes immediately and takes it out of their hearts which must needes be done in the Church For the word is out before they be out of the Church so that hee is not affraid of hearing the word but can abide it well enough yea better than many And though they carry the word out of the Church he will waite on them home and choake the word with cares and riches and voluptuous living like the seed that fell among thornes Luke 8.14 And no more doth he care for the exercise of prayer for even then immediately after the repetition of forgivenesse when we have made even with all the world when God hath forgiven us and we others then doth the devill give us occasion to say Lead us not into temptation as standing by there ready to tempt us And as little cares he for the Sacraments for presently after they had received the Sacrament and sang the hymne Christ tels them they shall all be offended in him that night Matth. 26.1 Thus we see his courage serves him at all times nothing is able to quaile it As this ought not to discourage the children of God having so faithfull an assistant to take their part so it giveth them this caveat that they be at no time secure but alwayes to keepe a sure guard Saint Bernard in the middest of a Sermon was solicited to vaine-glory because he thought he pleased his auditors and thereupon brake off his speech and turned it to the devill saying Non propter te hoc opus coeptum est nec propter te nec in te finitur And as he is couragious so he is subtle for notwithstanding his eager desire he staid the fittest time wherein consisteth a chiefe point of wisedome So when he tempted Eve he staid till her husband was away and till he could shew her the fruite which was so pleasing to the eye So when David lay with Bathsheba Vriahs wife he tempted him in the evening and after his sleepe 2 Sam. 11.12 a very fit time for the purpose So when they were asleepe the enemy sowed tares Matth. 13. And as he is wary in choosing his time so is he as cunning in chusing the meanes observing the dispositions of men For wanton and voluptuous men he hath the daughters of Moab a bayte fit for their humors whereby to tempt them to idolatry Numb 15.1 For men secure and carelesse he hath a net that sufficeth to throw over them 2 Tim. 2.26 and snare them in For others that have more care to seeke and inquire into things hee hath quils to blow them up as knowledge which puffes up 1 Cor. 8.1 Yea even the best things can he make serve for his purpose and to be occasions of temptations so that he may finde better entertainement for the good exercises sake that come with him He will come sometimes shrowded in the necessity of nature as here for when a man is hungry nature requireth somewhat to asswage it Prayer no man doubteth to be a godly exercise yet thereby he tempted them that loved to pray in the Synagogues and make much babling and repetition Matth. 6.5.7 In like sort doth he abuse the name of good counsell as in Peter to Christ Matth. 16.22 who as a friend wished him to spare himselfe and live out his time Thus can he put on a faire shew the sooner to beguile and for good reason for if he should come unmasked in his owne likenesse he would be rejected as if Jehoram the King of Israel had come himselfe without Jehoshaphat Elisha would not have looked on him so by a good pretence the temptation shroudes and insinuates it selfe otherwise it would not be looked on
know was a melancholy place and in no wise fit for this temptation so neither was the Pinacle for besides that it might have hindred the working of this temptation being the Pinacle of the Temple the prospect was not good enough For though it were high yet there were divers hils about Jerusalem which would have hindred the sight of many things And though Sion were a Mountaine yet in respect of Mount Hermon and Libanus it is said to be a little one Psal 42.6 And Psal 68.16 Basan is said to be the great Hill Therefore as God chose a convenient Hill both for heighth and neemesse where Moses might behold the whole Land of Canaan Deut. 32.49 So here the devill chose an exceeding high Mountaine where a high minde might best take view and comtemplate such where his horizon might be as spacious as was possible and where his sight might not be hindred by any meane object III. Thirdly he sets before his eyes all the kingdomes of the earth There is nothing so soone enticed and led away as the eye it is the Broker betweene the heart and all wicked lusts that be in the world And therefore it was great folly in Hezechias to shew his robes and treasure Esay 39.2 as he was told by the Prophet it stirred up such coales of desire in them that saw them as could not be quenched till they had fetcht away all that he had and all that his Ancestors had laid up even till that day It is the wisdome that is used now adayes when men would have one thing for another to shew the thing they would so exchange as the buyer sheweth his money and the seller his wares in the best manner that he can each to entice the other by the eye to the desire of the heart It is the devils ancient sleight he would not goe about to perswade the matter in words till he might withall present the thing to the eye So he dealt with Eve Gen. 3.6 First he shewed her how pleasant the fruite was and the woman saw it So the cause of the deluge was Gen. 6.2 that the Sonnes of God saw the beauty of the Daughters of men Achabs seeing of Naboths vineyard 1 King 21.2 for that it lay neere his house was the cause of all the mischiefe that followed This same foolish vanity of apparell whereof I have given so often warning out of this place comes from hence I saw a fine Babilonish garment and desiring it I tooke it saith Achan Joshu 7.11 So the seeing of the bribe blindeth the eyes of the Judge Deut. 16.19 So still the sight of the eye allureth the heart to desire The Heathen man therefore wished that vertue and honesty might as well be seene with bodily eyes for then he thinketh that Admirabiles amores excitarent suo So if we could as well see that which God hath for us as that the devill here offereth us we would not regard the devils largesse Moses and the other Patriarchs saw him which is invisible which had provided a better thing for them Therefore he refused to be called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter Heb. 11.27 And to enjoy the pleasure of sinne But you are not so to take it as though it were a thing simply ill to behold such things or to looke on a cup-boord of plate or to stand on a Pinacle it is dangerous but no sinne especially it is unfit for an unstayed and an ungoverned eye Therefore Lot and his wife were forbidden to looke backe at the destruction of Sodome Gen. 19.17 To Abraham it was left at large without any restraint for that he was a man of better ruled affections For as there must be one without to take view and to entice so must there be one within to hearken to it and to condiscend Be sure of that within that it be upright and then thou mayest the better looke with that which is without But ever be wary for the tinder of thy nature will soone take fire Job said Chap. 31.1 He made a covenant with his eyes why then should he thinke on a maid and that he had not beene deceyved by a woman vers 9. and that his heart had not walked after his eyes vers 7. Paul knew how to use want and how to use abundance or plenty how poverty both to be full and to be hungry he had stayed affections Phil. 4.12 IV. Omnia Regna This was no small offer but even all the wealth and honour that may be two such things as are most vehemently desired of all men So that as Jerome saith Prae auri sacra fame nihil sacrum The desire thereof also is so unsatiable that it is like the dropsie which the more liquor is ministred to it the more it thirsteth it is perpetuall and unnaturall The lesse time a man hath to live and so needes the lesse the more he covets to abound These two doe never waxe old of all vices gray haires doe never grow on these This is the baite the devill laid for Christ and layes for youth and mindes lasciviously given he layes a baite on live flesh to cholericke natures he ministreth matters that may encrease their wrath for melancholy he laies baites of envy and so for every one according to their naturall inclinations and humours such baites as may entice them soonest Which if he can get them once to swallow his hooke that is within it will hold them sure enough and by his line he will draw them to him when he list so that he cares not to let them play with the line then though hee goe to twenty Sermons it is no matter with an Apple he caught Adam and Eve and all their posterity Well we must be as children weaned from this world though it bring weeping with it Psal 131.2 Gen. 27.38 When Eve was Lady and Mistresse of all the world yet because there was a Godship a higher degree than hers she was not content Princes because they can goe no higher by any earthly dignity aspire to be gods and so would be accounted as was said to Herod that it was the voyce of God and not of Man But as they that are above can abide to have no equals but will be alone by themselves so they that be below can abide no superiours As when Saul was chosen by lot from amongst the Israelites to be King over them some wicked men said There is a goodly wise King nay I would I were King I would they might come to me for Justice 1 Sam. 10.27 2 Sam. 15.4 Every one hath this conceit of himselfe that he is worthier to beare rule than they which are in authority not so much as the silly Fur-bush but it thought it selfe a fit person to make a King Judg. 9.15 and the Thistle would have the Cedars daughter marryed to his sonne 1 King 14.9 The Spider a silly poysonfull thing will yet be in the top of the Kings Palaces Prov. 30.28 The Gourd starts