in them a great mourning as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon for the death of the good King Iosias Euen so must men mourne because they haue pierced Christ through with their sinnes wounded him with their abominations And men must know that a few drie teares when they haue offended are not sufficient repentance or sacrifice to God but they must rent their hearts and be heartily sorie and turne vnto the Lord Now many are so stricken with the sense and feeling of their sinnes that thereby they are moued to confesse and lay open their wickednesse in such sort as a man would thinke them to be such as for euer afterwards would stand in feare to offend the Lord any more but these after that they haue receiued some comfort by the word of their sinnes and haue seene that their sinnes are pardonable not distinguishing between these two that it is one thing to haue their sinnes remissible and another thing to assure themselues that they are remitted After I say this comfort receiued by the preaching of the word they labouring no further to be renewed and throughly reformed although they had some sorrow for a season yet because they did not search themselues more narrowly and endeuour to purge themselues as well from inward sinne as from outward and to be wholy transfigured and transformed into a new holie and righteous life therefore it commeth to passe that the loue of righteousnesse departeth from them and they returne againe to their old by as and are become praies for Iesuites and massing Priests such is their prophanenesse And this is because they rested onely in the vniuersall promises of God which although they bee all most true and comfortable yet they can minister no true comfort and consolation vnto mans soule except hee make a particular application thereof vnto himselfe Lastly some there be who would faine seeme to the appearance of the Church to haue forsaken and sold their sinnes and to haue made a full and perfect reformation of their former liues euilly spent which notwithstanding harbour and nourish sinnes in their hearts which afterward will breake foorth and discouer their hypocrisie and this they doe because they were but a little enlightened with the flash of the holy Ghost and were not throughly reformed inwardly which is euident in this that they couet to approoue themselues more before men than before God nourishing in their hearts secret selfe-loue as in shewing themselues zealous vntill they come to preferment or to this end that many perceiuing their zeale may flocke after them to heare them so they may procure themselues fame whom so soone as Sathan beginneth a little to buffet them they fall away and shew that they had sold sinne but for a season This is contrarie vnto that course which the true ministers of God and those which feare him aright ought to take for it is their dutie to seeke the praise of God and not of themselues to couet the profit of the people of God and not their owne priuate lucre knowing this that they serue not men but God and that they must professe religion religiously setting before their eyes the praise of God the crowne of immortall glorie the saluation of soules and the acceptation of their labour before God And all men must desire rather to be religious than to seeme so giuing themselues to the exercises of priuate praier reading fasting to priuate admonition conference and other priuate duties at such time and in such place when and where they neede not to boast of any thing done seeing it is done in secret which who so doth let him assure himselfe that there is nothing so secret but it shall be reuealed whether it be good or euill If we doe this then shall we not be in the number of those which beginning in the spirit end in the flesh or of those which serue God for a season and in the end fall away from him and his seruice Doublesse it is a strange thing to see some who haue bin themselues a light vnto others so now to shrinke from Gods truth as that they should become Papists or of the Familie of loue or of some other heresie The cause of this is because their inward stuffe was corrupt and not fullie cured by effectuall repentance And thus much of grosse sinnes Now of the infirmities of nature which remaine euer in the best this inward corruption must be sold also for it is not enough to leaue outward and grosse sinnes except also we beate downe the inward corruption of our owne nature and although we cānot altogether blot out this our naturall corruption yet the righteousnesse of Christ may be so resident and dwell in vs that it shall not onely keepe vs from grosse outward outrages and offences but also will holde downe keepe short our naturall corruptions neither must we thinke it enough to sell the fruites of our corrupt nature but we must also sell the corruption it selfe for as we see so long as the tree remaineth there will alwaies spring foorth some buds euen so of the children of God so long as the corruption of the nature raigneth in them so long do they burst out into some offences or other but most men make either little or no conscience at all of these little faults but it must be otherwise with vs or else we cannot but displease God greatly For as a riuer drieth vp vnto the fountaine yet if we doe rest from all emptying of it it will encrease againe So except the children of God doe keepe downe their naturall corruption although they offend not as the reprobate and wicked in monstrous sinnes against God yet they cannot but haue great downfals Wherefore we must not with the woman whereof the Poet speaketh see and behold good and lawfull things and follow that which is euill neither must we be as the Philosophers whose reason fighteth with their appetite but we must fight both with reason and appetite we must be as new creatures borne againe and we must be more willing to endure all shame and reproches than to fall and offend to the dishonour of God Being grieued that we see our selues ready to displease the Lord. The Apostle Paul Rom. 7. saith of himselfe I see another Law in my members rebelling against the Law of my minde and leading me captiue vnto the Law of sinne which is in my members Heere the Apostle sheweth his captiuitie vnto sinne by reason of his inward corruption now when men are in imprisonment or captiuitie then they are fed with the bread of aduersitie and affliction and therefore the Apostle viewing the miserie wherein he was by nature in the type of a true regenerate man saith O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death Here he crieth out against himselfe from the truth of his heart as he findeth himselfe
murmuring and grudging nature whensoeuer our flesh by any occasion is prouoked thereunto FINIS OF ZEALE THE THIRD SERMON Reuel 3. 19. Be zealous therefore and amend AS Zeale can neuer be sufficiently commended so much lesse may it effectually be perswaded to many howbeit that wee may shadow out some Anatomie thereof let vs first see how God commendeth it then how hee rewardeth it that so wee may the more freely with greater authoritie speake of the thing it selfe What is the vse of the first foure Commaundements but that wee should with zeale worship the Lord The first precept chargeth all men charwith the matter of God his worship shewing what it is The second geth vs with the manner prescribing how wee must vse it The third imposeth on vs the right end of his worship and teacheth why we must doe it The fourth commaundement pointeth the time and instructeth vs when wee must solemnely professe and exercise this worship of God Concerning the large promise offered to pure zeale what is greater than that the Lord should binde himselfe to aduance them into the chaire of honour before all the world who will honour him Againe that he will defame them most surely with some notable marke of infamie that dishonour him yea and he will vomit them vp as a loathsome burthen to testifie his vtter misliking of them First now let vs consider how true zeale beginneth in our selues and taketh his proceedings to others For neuer can that man be zealous to others which neuer knew to be zealous to himselfe And as zealous men in their ascendent begin at themselues and goe to others so in their retrograde they come from others end in themselues If we consider the zeale of Abraham Moses Iosua Samuel Daniel Iehosaphat Ezekiah we shall neuer see expressely in the word that at any time they were more zealous to others than to themselues We see on the contrarie how it hath beene a fearefull note of hypocrites and such as haue fallen from the liuing God that they haue waded very deepely into other mens possessions gored very bloodily into the consciences of others who neuer once purged their owne vncleane sinkes at home noâ— drew one drop of blood out of their owne hearts How zealous as wosull and late experience still crieth in our eares were some great reformers of the Church who were readie to burst their bowels with crying against disorders abroad and yet neuer reformed their owne consciences at home noâ— found themselues any whit grieued for their owne sinnes These men being so zealous to others but onely through some secret loue of the world when they had that they sought for made knowne their hollow and rotten zeale in that without any griefe of conscience they could rush into a profound worldlinesse and without all godly sorrow could aâ—ter they had satisfied their greedie and fieshly zeale nâ—t onely more hardly â—eare vp their owne consciences but also be so chaunged that they sowe vp theiâ— lippes and â—pare their words from speaking in the like manner againe to others and so are neither zealous to themselues nor others True zeale casteth the first stone at our selues and plucketh the beame out of our owne eyes that we may the better draw the more out of anothers eye And this is the condemnation of the world that euery man can prâ—e and make a priuâ—e search into the wants of others but they account the same wants no wants in themselues The father saith thus the child dâ—th so the child saith in this dutie doth his father faile the husband knoweth what the wife should doe the wife seeth the duties of her husband we thinke in this particular another should behaue himselfe but yet the father repenteth not of the sinnes which he did being a child the child repenteth not of his sinnes being a father we call not in our consciences for those things which we dare challenge and one out for in others Here offereth it selfe the second propertie of zeale that it is sincere and in the truth it vrgeth our selues more than others it maketh vs the most seuere censurers of our owne soules it is strictest to our â—elues offereth libertie to others and this simplicitie appeareth either in inward corruption or in the liberrie of outward things the first whereof doth so humble vs in the wants present and in those corâ—uptions which hang behind vs that we are zealous of those secret â—uils which are not onely vnespied of others but euen vnknowne also to our selues Although the whole world cannot charge vs with want of dutie yet considering our priuie corruptions wee daily declaime against our selues and say with the Apostle though our consciences do not oppresse vs yet herein we are not iustified Yea such ought to be ouâ— familiaritie and acquaintance with secret infirmities in ourselues so grieuous ought they to be in our eyes in our eares to our faces that where we shall see heare and behold the sinnes of others they may be more tollerable and so learne by the sense of our owne sores to deale more mildly and mâ—ekely with the sores of others Neither doe I meane that we should make other mens sinnes no sinnes and that wee should haue no kinde of censure vnto others but that there should be that holy mixture in vs of the zeale of Gods glorie and sight of humaine corruption that for the one we may not spare to rebuke any sinne and for the other wee may moderate our rebukes with mildnes and meeknes Abraham was so strict to himselfe that he would not take of the King of Sodom so much as a threed or a latchet and yet he would not deny Aner Echol and Mamre their libertie Iob would not permit to himselfe nor denie to his children their libertie of feasting so that it is rather a Pharisaicall pride than a Christian zeale to be too tetricall in vrging of others so farre that whosoeuer in euery point is not pure and precise as we we cast them off as dogs and prophane persons and such as are vnworthie of any account or countenance This then must be our pedagogie in this point that as for the glory of God which is deere vnto vs we are not to leaue the least sinne vnespied or the least meanes vnattempted to aduance the glory of God So for the grieuousnes of sinne for the easines to fall into sin for the vilenes of corruption which we haue obserued in our selues for the knowledge of the wrath of God for sinne in vs we are loth for loue to see our brother either so vilely infected so perillously endangered to goe without our louing admonition both to draw him out of his sinne and to rescue him from the wrath of God due to his sinne Further this attribute of true zeale maketh vs as willing to be admonished as carefull to admonish and that not onely of our superiours which is
are to beware of this and so much the rather because the Lord hath plagued them that in outward shewe haue borne a great countenance of religion whose liues priuily were filthie whose cases and vizards when the Lord hath taken from them and hath reuealed their corruptions they haue appeared hypocrites The second obseruation is that we looke to the priuie corruptions of nature lurking in our hearts which containe such a bottomlesse pit of corruption that it is the special grace of Gods spirit to gage them to the depth Wee must therefore learne to search our hearts for it is the fearefull iudgement of God when we make no conscience of sinne secretly to haue our sin breake forth publikely As when we haue no care to pilfer secretly we shall be brought to steale openly by the secret wrath of God whereby also secret lusts malice hatred nourished in the heart and affections are permitted to breake out in time euen into our outward actions This is a plague to them who rather would seeme to be than in truth desire to be godly Couetous men haue this propertie that they rather would be rich than be accounted rich such ought our affections to be that we should indeede rather be godly than desire to bee so accounted of Let vs labour to doe well secretly howsoeuer for a while it be hidden from the world that God which seeth our doing in secret will reward it openly and in his good time will giue vs grace to doe well publikely But peraduenture the wicked will say what ground what intent what cause haue you to labour so much about the disclosing of the secret corruptions of our heart But yet alas they are ignorant of this that because they know not the secret corruptions they fall the more violently to grosse sinnes and euery man shall trie this to be true in himselfe that he that maketh conscience of his thoughts will vndoubtedly make conscience of his words and deedes and he that maketh no conscience of his thoughts he may come to make no conscience of his words and deedes Besides he that beginneth to reforme his heart hath this promise in the word that he shall not be confounded as Psal. 119. 6. Then shall I not bee confounded when I haue respect to all thy commandements And Port. 10. 8. Let my heart be vpright in thy statutes that I be not ashamed Wherefore if wee will bee truly zealous wee may adde another rule that we haue none other end of our zeale than how wee may glorifie our God whether it be in prosperitie or aduersitie This then is the third rule that we keep a right course tenour of zeale in both estates We must especially look to that wherunto we are most ready that is whether we be more zealous in prosperitie and fall away in aduersitie or whether we are more feruent in affliction and ouerwhelmed in abundance whether by the one wee are not puft vp with securitie and secret pride or whether with the other we be not too farre humbled and abased For many in time of peace are religious who seeing persecution to followe the Gospell slide backe and flie from it Iobs wife whiles her husband was in prosperitie could worship God and shew her selfe in outward things as zealous as Iob himselfe but when affliction came she was readie to curse God We know in prosperous times many were very forward in religion who in time of trouble shrinked from the truth some so long as they may haue credit by giuing countenance to the Gospell goe farre but when discredit comes they will leaue all But the Prophet saith I am small and despised yet doe I not forget thy word O ther'on the contrarie part so long as God exerciseth them with any crosse are zealous professors who being set aloft and comming once aboue begin to be secure We see many in time â—f their misery to be much humbled and whilest they want liuings and preferments we see both preachers and people very godly who when they haue gotten them some liuing obtained that which they sought for haue their zeale choked Do not many pray for the continuance of the peace of the Gospell that they themselues might continue in peace and prosperitie Doe not many mourne in the aduersitie of the Gospell because they mourne for their owne aduersitie Oh great corruption of our hearts Oh bottomles pit of hypocrisie If wee were ashamed that wee are no more grounded on the word and that we can be no more holy and vpright in our hearts surely the Lord would so gouerne vs that hee would not suffer either prosperitie to quench and carrie away our zeale to bee buried in the graue of securitie or aduersitie too much to dismay and discourage vs. This is then our triall herein if when we are in greatest prosperitie we can mourne with them that mourne in the Lord and when wee are in greatest aduersitie if wee can reioyce with them that reioyce in Christ. This is a sure token wee loue not the Gospell nor fauour the word because wee haue a loue to prosperitie neither are zealous to see the word conremned because we haue an hatred of aduersitie Daniel concerning outward things was an happie man as being neere to the Crowne and yet when he saw the God of Israel his glorie to bee defaced and an abominable Idoll to be erected hee could content himselfe with nothing so much as with weeping fasting and prayer And Paul being in bonds for the testimonie of Iesus Christ and concerning his outward man in a miserable case reioyced greatly and as it were reuiued when hee heard that the Gospell prospered and howsoeuer hee was in bands hee neuer felt them grieuous vnto him for the ioy which he had that the Gospell was at libertie If this zeale were in vs that the word of God were so exact pure and holy in our eyes that when wee are most aloft wee could be sorrowfull if the word of God hath a fall and when wee were in our greatest downefull yet we could bee glad that the word of God were set aloft then surely we would labour to sanctifie the creatures of God which we vse with the word and by prayer and at the least giue the tenth part of the day to the worship of the Lord. But if wee cannot bestow on him the tithe it is a token that wee labour more for the bodie than for the soule And if our soules bee farre more pretious than our bodies and it is an harder thing to prouide well for the soule than for the body we must deuide our times the better that daily wee may bestow some part of our time in the word and prayer if wee would truly espie our thriuings and proceedings in our seuerall callings and take a diligent view of our selues in our vocations we should vndoubtedly see the plentifull blessing of God when in truth wee vse the word and prayer and his
but in the qualitie of them that all bee done and spoken soundly and sincerely this is required Psalme 15. that he that will be a member of the Church militant on earth and of the Church triumphant in heauen must walke vprightly and speake the truth from his heart And againe in another Psalme a question is made to the same effect Who shall dwell in the mountaine of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place and the answere is Hee that hath innocent hands and a pure heart which hath not lift vp his minde to vanitie nor sworne deceitfully In which wordes we haue a description of a sound hearted man 1 By his actions that he dealeth vprightly and so hath innocent handes 2 By his affection that he lifteth not vp his minde to vanitie that is setteth not his heart on any earthly thing in which sense that phrase is vsed in the originall Ier. 22. 27. 3 By his speeches that he hath not sworne nor any way spoken deceitfully The reasons to confirme this point are drawne from the great inconueniences that will follow on the contrary for if there be in any a fraudulent and deceitfull heart 1 First there is a deadly quarrell and mortall enmitie betweene God and him for who are they that are reconciled to the Lord whose sinnes are couered by the righteousnesse of his sonne so that they shall not be imputed vnto them euen they In whose spirit there is no guile And what will follow then for those whose hearts are full of fraude and deceite but that they must needs be destitute of all hope of the pardon of their sinnes and so consequently lye open to the strokes of Gods vengeance due vnto the same 2 And as their persons are hatefull to the Lord so are their seruices abhorred of him for indeed they are not the seruices of God but of Sathan and of their owne flesh and therefore be they neuer so glorious in outward shew and let them pretend neuer so much zeale in the performance of them yet the Lord hath them in vtter detestation As we may plainly see in the hypocriticall Pharisies they would be euery where praying with great deuotion and very often fasting with great austeritie and blowing a trumpet to giue notice vnto men of their almesdeeds and liberalitie and striuing with all their might by externall obseruations to winne themselues the praise of holy zealous men yet for all this our Sauiour sharpely rebuketh them saying Yee are they which iustifie your selues before men but God knoweth your hearts for that which is highly esteemed before men is an abomination in the sight of God It is as loathsome vnto him as carions or toads or any such creatures as mans nature doth most abhorre can be vnto vs. Thirdly this is another miserie of hypocrites that they liue in continuall feare and danger there are holes in their maskes at least there will be and their double dealing shal be seene into it shall sometime or other come to light how they haue abused Gods presence and dissembled with their brethren by making faire shewes and pretences of that which they neuer meant their sinnes shall not alwaies lie hid but either they will giue ouer all in time of persecution as the stony ground did or in hope of promotion as Iudas and Achitophel did and so discouer their false-heartednes or else it shall be drawne forth by their speeches in their merriments or in their distempers or else Gods spirit in godly men shall descrie it by working in their hearts a vehement suspition of them and causing them with a iudicious eye more narrowly to pry into their workes and waies By one such meanes or other God will lay them open to the view of the world so that being in such perill they cannot but haue a fearefull heart and a restlesse conscience And to this purpose notable is that saying of Salomon He that walketh vprightly walketh boldly or surely but he that peruerteth his waies shall be knowne Whence it is apparant that the vpright man needeth not to feare any thing he needeth not to be afraide of ill men for though they may disgrace him they cannot shame him he needeth not to be afraide of good men for the oftner he speaketh vnto them and conuerseth with them the more he is approued by them neither needeth he to be afraide of God for he that searcheth the heart and the reines knoweth and alloweth of the integritie of their soules They haue no cause of feare for the present because all things goe well with them neither is there any for afterwards because all things shall goe well with them for they shall neuer fall away from God None can plucke them out of his hand Sathan cannot because hee that is in vs is stronger then he that is in the world sinne cannot because grace will preuaile against it the world cannot because this is our victorie whereby we ouercome the world euen our faith And the Apostle concludeth generally for all other matters that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. What followeth now on the contrarie part for hypocrites but hee that peruerteth his way that is alloweth himselfe in any ill course though neuer so secretly shall be knowne that is his vile and wretched dissembling shall bee detected if not in this world yet when the thoughts of all hearts shall bee made manifest they shall be found out first or last and therefore they cannot but walke fearefully in their ill courses wherein they walke and giue libertie vnto themselues This should make vs exceeding carefull and warie when wee offer our selues to Gods seruices to search and dig deepe into our hearts that we may cast out all the loose earth that is there and so our building may be on a rocke and not on the sand Wee must purge away that leauē of hypocrisie that hath wholy infected our nature that so we be not found to halt in our worshipping of God least he take vs with the manner as hee did him that came without a wedding garment whom he singled out from all the guests that were present and that not only to ignominie reproch but to euerlasting punishment and torment in hel fire It is very dangerous then we see to deale hypocritically with God it is not safe with men to pretend and say one thing before their faces and to speake and doe another behind their backes because they may peraduenture discerne it but it is more dangerous to dissemble with God for he doth certainly discerne it and will as certainly punish it Many when they are reproued or admonished will snuffe at it and say What need you be so hot in the
that the fruites thereof may appeare in his life then let him vse all priuate and publike religious exercises whereby these things may bee wrought and increased in him and delight in such company as both by precept and example may further him therein Doth any one wish that hee could get victory ouer some speciall sinnes and corruptions that hee is troubled withall then let him enter into combate against them as the Apostle did Rom 7. Let him humble himselfe by fasting praier and complaine and crie vnto the Lorde for the repressing of them and get such forcible reasons against them out of the Scriptures as may quell the strength and violence of them and thus a sincere heart will doe But if wee make shewe that we desire to bee godly and religious and yet vse not the meanes at all or but some of theÌ„ or if we vse them all it is but by fittes and starts or if we vse them constantly yet wee doe it but remisly and coldly wee cannot haue any assurance that our hearts are faithfull vnto the Lord. A fourth argument of sinceritie is to performe all duties as in Gods presence looking vnto him as the directer and discerner of our thoughts words and workes and thinking it sufficient if he approue of vs though men do dislike vs as the Apostle Paul telleth the Corinthians As touching mee I passe very little to be iudged of you or of mans iudgement c. Hee that iudgeth mee is the Lord. And againe in the Epistle to the Thessalonians As wee were allowed of God that the Gospell should be committed vnto vs so wee speake not as they that please men but God which approueth our hearts And therefore he prayeth in another place that the Corinthians might doe none all not that hee might seeme aâ—proued and haue the credit of their goodnes as beeing wrought chiefly by his Ministerie but that they might doe that which is honest though he were disallowed to wit by men for with God the righteous Iudge he knew that he should be both approued and rewarded Thus hee that is a seruant faithfull and trustie in his place seruing the Lord Christ in conscience and not men with eye-seruice albeit he should be accounted the most idle and vntrusty seruant in all the familie being indeede the most diligent and painefull of all hee will still goe on with his faithfulnes and not diminish any jote of his industrie and laboriousnes This Iob alledgeth as a testimonie of his integritie that whereas hee might haue giuen free scope to his eye for wanton lookes and to his heart for sinfull affections yet hee saith of himselfe I made a couenant with mine eyes why then should I thinke on a Maidâ— And why was he thus jealous of himselfe thus carefull to guide his eye and to gouerne his hart in a right maÌ„â—er the reason is rendred vers 4. Doth not he beholde my wayes â—â—ll all my steps That also is Iosâ—phs commendation that whereas he might haue liued in impurity and filthinesse not onely without blame and reproch but euen with the fauour of his sinfull and vnchaste mistresse yet the feare of the Lord restrained him from that monstrous and abhominable sinne How can I doe this great wicâ—edneâ— saith he and so sinne against God Yea though shee spake to him from day to day yet he refused and would not so much as be in her companie lest any temptation should be offered vnto him by that occasion hee would rather haue her displeasure theâ— Gods and rather be imprisoned amongst malefactors for forbearing of euill then to be vexed and 〈◊〉 on the â—acke of an euill conscience for committing of euill And this good disposition Godâ— seruants doe many timâ—s find in themselues that wheÌ„ they haue falâ—e into any 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ne haue entertained â—â—â—â—e and foolish thoughts or corrupt and carnall affections when they haue ouer-shot themselues in their speeches or in their carriage and 〈…〉 discerneth it yet they take themselues with the manner and knowing that Gods holy eyes are vpon them they iudge and condemne themselues and are throughly angry with themselues for that which they haue done Yea somtimes when men praise and extoll them yet they blush within themselues and haue an holy indignation against their owne soules that they haue dealt hypocritically or vaingloriously or lightly or indiscâ—â—â—tly or passionately This is a very singular marke and vndoubted argument of great pietie and sincerity As on the contrary it is a certaine note of grosse hypocrisie euer to bee caring what men thinke and speake of vs and of our doings and neuer to regard what God seeth amisse in the same 1. The last note though many other might be named shal be this patiently to endure an admonition and reproofe and to be desirous of the same to the intent we may profite thereby in publike to like best and desire most those sermons wherein our owne corruptions are most throughly met withall and strucke at with greatest sharpnes and vehemencie and in priuate to be most glad of the societie of those friends that will in wisedome and mercie tell vs most often and most plainly of our faults Hypocrites cannot abide that anie should â—ubbe vpon their galled backes as it were or come neare them to touch their gouty and festered and corrupted consciences but they will wince and kicke and lay about them and crie out on those that are such judgers and such busie-bodies as they terme them and so reiect all wholesome reproofes and carrie a bitter heart against the reprouers Only those that are sound-harâ—ed can submit theÌ„selues in the lowlines of their mindes and meeknesse of their spirits to beare admonitions when they need it be hee a superiour or an inferiour that administreth the same and labour to make a right vse hereof and to loue the partie the better that will deale so mercifully and faithfully with their soules Indeede Gods best children may somtimes faile herein and beginne to bustle and take on when they are somewhat sharpely dealt withall and cannot so readily and cheerefully swallow and digest those bitter pils as they should but if they be grieued in their soules that they finde so much pride in themselues and though they be a little distempered in company yet when they are alone they are ashamed of their folly and desire more wisedome and grace to reape benefit by the admonitions that shall afterwards be giuen them and begin to thinke more reuerently of the parties that shewed them that mercy and kindnesse they should not be dismaied knowing that they are true Israelites in whom there is no guile notwithstanding that vnwillingnesse and vntowardnesse to vndergoe a rebuke that they finde in themselues and their corrupt nature Thirdly this is for the great comfort of all such as finde these notes of vprightnes in themselues though they haue many corruptions and imperfections mixed with
not Here then is a mirrour of Gods children the worldly minded men would alwayes keepe one tenour and neuer bee moued but the children of God doe thus change they cannot finde this wisedome and comfort at the first but then when they are brought lowe Many when they heare a promise thinke to haue it by and by but they maâ—ke not that a promise and the fruition of it is not all at once for the lawe will make them fit before they enioy it This causeth many to fall from the promises which seemed to beleeue because they haue not helpe at the first but the children of God melte and cleaue to the dust and yet trust in God and waite on him and then feele comfortâ— others in the beginning of trouble pray and waite a little but if helpe come not quickly then cast they all away But the child of God hath a patient spirit and therefore feeleth comfort when the hasty minded man wanteth not his woe He marketh the deliuerance of others and hopeth for the same and so waiteth still on God Hee was as good as dead and saw no helpe but the word The nature of man is readie to trust in meanes so long as hee hath them therefore God pulleth all meanes from vs that we may onely trust in him Let vs thinke that God hath deliuered others and therefore hee will deliuer vs. ¶ Vers. 26. I haue declared my wayes c. VEers 59. He considereth his wayes that is his inward imperfections outward aberrations from the straite and stâ—eight wayes of God and here he is not ashamed to declare them that is to acknowledge and confesse that all this came vpon him because hee was forgetfull to doâ— Gods will My soule claue vnto the dusâ— because I claue not to thee I haue declared my wayes of wickednes teach thou me the wayes of rigtâ—eousnesse I haue declared my wayes Our wayes are our sinnes or rather that course which we followe in sinning wee ought with the Prophet to declare them that is wee must deale with our sinnes as the iudge dealeth with malefactors 1 Apprehende 2 Aâ—raâ—gâ—â— 3 Condemne our selues as guiltie before God For he that hideth his 〈◊〉 shâ—k not prâ—â—pâ—r Proâ— 28. 13. See what declarations or rather declamations the Saints mâ—â—e against themselues 2. Sam. 12. Psal. 32. 51. Neh. 9. 33. 34 35. Daâ— 9 5 6. 7 8. 9 10. It were good for vs in our life time to keepe a register of all our sinnes to recount them often before God that hauing from him our estâ—ere â—ere wee may not hereafter bee called to an account Men carefully looke how they stand in the world but are carelesse to see how they stand before God and therefore may iustly haue the statutes of bancke-rupts sued against them And thou heardest me This is the benefit that commeth vnto vs vpon the vnfained confession of our sinnes He that confesseth and forsaketh them shall finâ—e mercie Prou. 28. 13. Vncouer thou God will couer declare thou God will heare In the seate of Iustice vpon earth we say open confession open confusion here it is farre otherwise 1. Ioh. 1. 9. And thou heardest me God heareth our prayers two wayes first in mercie when he granteth the requests of such as call vpon him in the feare of his name Secondly hee heares mens prayers in his wrath Thus he gaue the Israelites quayles at their desire Psal. 78. 29. 30. 31. and Hos. 13 10. 11. Thus men often times curse themselues and others yea their children caâ—tell and accordingly they haue their wish Dauid was not euer heard at the first neither are we ouer heard at the first It pleaseth God to deale with vs as with the woman of Canaan Matth. 15. 24. 1. To proue vs by delay 2. To exercise our faith 3. That we may acknowledge from whom we haue receiued that which we praied for 4. That wee might more esteeme of the graces giuen by importunitie 5. To whet on our desires after such things as we pray for and 6 that others may learne that he that beleeueth will not make hast Isay 28. 16 Nay it pleaseth God ofteÌ„times not to heare vs at all 1 Because we theÌ„ know not to aske as we ought Matth. 20. 22. 2. Because wee aske amisse Iames 4. 3. 3. Because they are not good for vs 2. Cor. 12. 7. But because the Prophet saith thou heardest me after what maÌ„ner doth God heare the prayers of his seruaÌ„ts Answer 1. By graunting the thing which was asked according to his wil. 2 By denying the thing desired by giuing something proportionable vnto it We aske temporall he giues spirituall blessings we aske deliuerance he giues patience The Cup was not remoued at Christs prayer his manhood was inabled to beare Gods wrath The pricke in the flesh was not taken from Paul but he heard this voyce My Grace is sufficient for thee Teach me thy statutes This often repetition of this one thing in this Psalme argueth 1 The necessitie of this knowledge 2 The desire he had to obtaine it 3 That such repetitions are not then friuolous when they proceed from a sound heart a zealous affection and a consideration of the necessitie of the thing prayed for 4 That such as haue most light haue little in respect of that they should haue 5. As couetous men thinke they haue neuer gold enough so christian men should thinke they haue neuer knowledge enough ¶ Vers. 27. Make me to vnderstand the way of thy precepts and I will meditate in thy wonderous workes HE goeth on in his former petition and considering that euerie man is a beast in his owne vnderstanding like the owle that cannot beholde the sunne and the Mole that wanteth sight hee desireth that God would partly by his spirit partly by his ministers partly by afflictions partly by studie and labor make him to haue a right and sounde vnderstanding not onely of his statutes but of the wâ—y of his statutes that is after what sort and order he may liue and direct his life according to those things which God hath commaunded him in his Lawe Learne heere first how hard a thing it is for man ouerweening himselfe in his owne wisedome to knowe Gods will till God make vs to knowe wee are fooles and slowe of heart to belieue all that is written in the Worde till CHRIST open our eyes Luke 24. wee say with Nâ—câ—demus how can these things be Iohn 3. Secondly it is not enough to vnderstand the Word but to knowe the waye to walke in it that by it wee may be directed what to doe when where and how wee ought to performe euery action And I will meditate or as some reade speake of it as if he should say if thou teach me I by thy grace shall teach others and surely to what ende doth God giue knowledge but that wee should be carefull to edifie others by it Wee may not desire this knowledge onely to know
refuâ—â—th meates the wicked heart the word of God Wil the spice smel vnlesse it bâ— bruised and câ—n the Scripture be comfortable vnlesse it be meditated PORTION 8. CHETH Vers 49. Remember the promise made to thy seruant WHen he had said he would keepe Gods Law hee then prayed that he might doe it Secondly he had the promise for that hee prayed to teach vs to rule our prayers by Gods word Thirdly he sticketh to the promise of the Gospell not to the law Fourthly when he saith remember he doth not reproue the Lord of forgetfulnes but rather prayeth that he himselfe might be kept that he should not fall He had not any particular promise but applied the generall promises to himselfe This must serue to answere the diuell asking what promises we haue of saluation or forgiuenes of sinnes for we haue the promises that are made to the whole Church which we haue applied to our selues So did Abraham Genes 22. the woman of Canaan Matth. 15. Thy seruant the promises are made to vs not that wee should abuse them but thereby should become his seruants Wherein thou hast There is a time betweene the making and the fulfilling of the promise which God doth to trie whether wee will account of the promise and sticke vnto it By this it is manifest that faith feeling are not all one but that is faith which without feeling beleeueth for when feeling is theÌ„ it is an experimeÌ„tal faith Vers. 50. It is my comfort in my trouble for thy promise hath quickned me WHen he felt sweetnes in it then he was comforted for there is a changeable working in Gods children He sheweth the nature of faith which will neither be staied in vaine nor wicked things but all his delight was in the word where though he felt not full comfort yet he had so much as staied him This is contrarie to the men of the world which in their trouble will either seek delight in vaâ—ne things or in euil things This is the nature of faith to feele coÌ„fort then when they are at the point of death This shewetâ— that Gods childreÌ„ haue sometime comfort sometime none And this is true faith that can comfort vs when all meanes faile and when we haue them yet not to stay in them For a righteous man liueth by faith therfore when he feeleth Christ liue in him in forgiuing his sins renewing him giuing him hope of euerlasting life he liueth but if he cannot feele that then he is as a dead man Can we finde comfort delight in the word when we cannot finde comfort in any thing else this is a notable argumeÌ„t of faith And though we feele drowsines yet if we can by feare shake it off finde sweetnes in the word this is faith The word then and prayer are the chiefest comforts in troubles CoÌ„trarily when the word feareth vs because we feele sinne abound in vs and because we finde not that taste in the word which we ought as that the threatnings feare not the promises comfort not c. If I say we can then feare though we haue plentie of all outward things there be no outward occasion to feare this is an argument that we haue faith but if faith be caried with the time then it is no faith but is choked with prosperitie or aduersitie Vers. 51. The proud haue had me exceedingly in derision c. THe Prophet was in great distresse because of the reproches of the wicked as Psal. â—â— yet for all this he was staied by Gods law though their mocks were exceeding great that is often and in grieuous manner It is no new thing then that Gods children are had in derision and it is one of their sorest outward troubles as we see in our Sauiour Christ which heard this he saued others c. after which he cried My God c. and this was the last temptation therefore the greatest For if this come once into the minde that wee suffer for euill doing then will there bee no comfort The Heathen would doe any thing for their countrie yet would not lose their praise And this is the cause why wee see many fall to heresies because they cannot be in estimatioÌ„ as they would The greatnes of this temptation did not driue him from the law Psalm 37. Euery one will bee forward when others will speake well of him but fewe doe learne here with Dauid to doe well though they bee ill vsed And this did the diuel espie in the nature of men therfore he saith of Iob Hast thou not hedged him about c. Then let vs trie our selues whether such reproches will driue vs from our duties for if they doe all is not well but if thou see they doe not then take comfort and know that thou must approoue thy selfe to God and not to men which to doe is an argument of faith as in Samuel 1. Sam. 12. Dauid though his sinne was not knowne yet he crieth Against thee haue I sinned Then if thou canst be sorrowfull for thy secret sinnes though men speake neuer so wel of thee and neither wil nor can accuse thee thou hast saith Thus then briefly reproch and discredit amongst men must not driue vs from well doing neither must praise and credit among men make vs fauour our selues in our sinnes or take greater libertie to our selues He swarued not from God law but we see that if wee be mocked wee will mocke againe if we be reuiled we will reuile againe But Dauid would not so doe as wee see by his doings when Sheâ—â—i cursed â—â—m 2. Sam. 16. These are true notes of repentance when men can charge themselues more sore than others will and that they labour to approoue themselues to God which triâ—th the hearts The proud Faith maketh humble but infidelitie maketh proud Habac. 2. for by faith we know that we haue no goodnes are full of corruption disposed to euill and vnfit to goodnes and this humbleth But they that know not these are proud whatsoeuer they seeme to be Such are those that contemne the threatnings and will continue in their sinnes For faith in the commaundement humbleth and throweth vs downe and faith in the promises doth make vs with feare to waite vpon God and to bee humbled They are humble to their brethren which are humbled to God in their heart and they that are proude and contemne their brethren are not humbled in their heart For if they did see that the Lord had forgiuen infinite sinnes to them then would they forgiue a few to their brethren Secondly if they considered that whatsoeuer they haue they haue it for their brethrens profit then would they be humble to them Thirdly if they knewe that there is no difference but by grace then c. Can we not forgiue then are we proud Can wee not deuour iniuries then are wee proud For our owne sinnes being not forgiuen nor cared for therefore wee cannot forgiue others nor regard
who although we haue the generall rule of our doings yet faile in the particular practise thereof I beleeue He confesseth that all wisedome was in Gods word and this although we confesse yet in practise wee often thinke that some wisedome of men must be added thereto But hee confesseth that all wisedome is in the word and that it is sufficient to make men perfect Vers. 67. Before I was afflicted I went astray but now I keepe thy word THis is another reason which moued him to pray that hee might not be as a horse alwayes beaten but teach me that I may preuent these beatings If I be taught of thee I misse not if I be not I erre In prosperitie I could not seeke to be taught but in affliction drawe me thereunto so that now I desire to be taught of thee If prosperitie made this man worse seeing we are in prosperitie let vs be iealous of our selues and now seeke for that which God will bring vs to by affliction and which will bring affliction vpon vs. If hee will heare when wee humbly crie in affliction how much more if wee make our humble suite in our prosperitie Afflictions come because we will not iudge our selues then it is a blessing to haue the word to iudge vs and the Preacher to rebuke vs that our wanton lusts may be corrected Then wee are fond if wee will bee wearie of the word or of daily admonition If the word helpe in affliction how much more in prosperitie if we tend thereto Whom God loueth hee correcteth and wee shall know that God loueth vs when we are corrected if we be made better by it for in it selfe it is a punishment of sinne but when in the death of Christ it is sanctified to vs so that it maketh vs dye to sinne and that sinne is loathsome to vs then is it a token of Gods fauour For afflctions are common to all Eccles. 9. but when we profit by them then are they good to vs. For if good things become hurtfull if they bee not sanctified much more shall afflictions if they bee not sanctified in the death of Christ to make vs examine our wayes and see our sinnes and to driue vs to Christ. But the wicked are either worse or no better Then wee must profit by them or else we make away for a greater punishment Vers. 68 Thou art good and gratiâ—us teach me thy stâ—tutes HE desireth to be taught by God that whether hee were in prosperitie or trouble hee might liue well because prosperitie would make him forgetfull and affliction would ouâ—â— whelme him if God did â—ot teach him This must teach vs that in what state soeuer we be we desire to be taught of God otherwise we shall false After he had shewed that he keepeth Gods commanden eâ—ts he craueth for grace where he pleadeth not his merit Though he kept the word yet he prayeth that he may still be raught because he knâ—w not all and because he was râ—adie to eâ—â—e both in practise and iudgement And tâ—â—s must teach vs not onely to desire to be taught when we eâ—â—e but euen when we doâ— well Hee prayâ—th especially for the teaching of the spirit Vers. 69. The proude haue imagined a lye against mee but I will keepe thy prâ—cepts with my whole heart HE sheweth another cause why hee would be taught and that is hee hath to fight with the world And wee haue the same causes as our corruption and the world The world loueth none but her owne And if we were as zealous as others haue beene wee should be as sore troubled For they are enuious and if wee should fight with them with their owne weapons wee were too weake and therefore wee haue neede to bee helped of God Proud Faith humbleth and infidelitie maketh proud Faith humbleth because it letteth vs see our sinnes and the punishments thereof and that we haue no dealing with God but in the mediation of Christ and that wee can doe no good nor auoide euill but by grace but when men know not this then they thinke much of themselues and therefore are proud Therefore all ignorant men all heretikes and worldlings are proud They that are humbled vnder Gods hands are humble to men but they that despise God doe also persecute his seruants By proude he here meaneth them that had good gifts to teach vs that though wee bee persecuted of them that are in high places yet this is the manner of Gods people These first mocked him part 7. then they did him iniurie part 8. and here they deuise suttle deuices against him and this is the continuall practise of the wicked This is a great temptation to set a faire face vpon an euill cause and to deface a good cause as is noted by the Hebrue word This was great grace that he could withstand it The way is to approue our selues and our cause to God for if we depend vpon men then shall wee be amazed This maketh that true which is Eccles 8. that it happeneth to the good as though they were euill and contra This is the practise of the Familie of loue to raise vp euill reports against the cause of true religion and against the persons and they preuaile much This is the practise of men in these daies to deface the persons by calling them Puritanes and the cause that it will ouerthrow states With my heart The word must haue the whole heart and not a part or else we shall not outstand this temptation He meant that he did throughly meditate not that hee did nothing else For want of this we see that many being well coloured with the word yet doe shrinke when euill reports arise Vers. 70. Their heart is sat as grease but my delight is in thy law HE further sheweth the daunger of this temptation for as they were suttle to deuise wickedly so were they able to bring their wickednesse to passe For by this speech he meaneth that they had all things at their owne will and were through their riches in great authoritie I delight He sheweth how hee ouercame this by fatting his heart with the word as the wicked fatted themselues by their riches or else he should haue been carried away Then let vs neuer rest in reading or hearing the word till wee come to such delight in it as that we fat our selues with it as the worldlings doe with their riches If wee could doe this then should we easily take our hearts from these earthly things for this is the cause that men set their delight on earthly things because they know no better And that they may finde this delight it is needfull that they finde comfort in the promises by the forgiuenes of sinnes by the assurance of Gods fauorable prouidence in this life and euerlasting life afterward which when they feele and finde then shall the word be so sweete that they shall forgoe all things for it Till wee come to this delight temptations
also in doing of good otherwise than we ought to doe To leaue sinne in it owne nature is a commendable thing but if we doe it for feare of punishment or for shame of the world rather than for conscience of sin it is not at all praise worthie The adulterer may restraine his loathsome and sinfull action not for that he feareth to defile himselfe with sinne in the sight of God but because he would not be knowne to haue sinned in the sight of the world the theefe may surcease from actuall theft for feare of the law and to auoide the gallowes but neither of these haue repented of their sin though after a sort they haue left their sin This is manifest in that they leaue not euery sinne as true repentance doth without all exception or dispensation but onely those bloodie faced sinnes which ciuill discipline censureth with shame and suffrings as murther treason adulterie and theft making no bones to commit sins as grieuous before God though not so punishable before men as are swearing prophaning of the Sabbath lying drunkennes such like which sinnes if they were worthy of imprisonment by law either men must change their accustomed course or all the prisons in the realme would not be able to receiue the offendaÌ„ts Such men learne the common statutes and penall lawes of the land the lawes of the Lord the statutes of the highest they will learne hereafter If they had a conscience of sin then it should be in vniuersall not in particular because one sinne is as grieuous to the Lord as another and no sin must haue a placard before his presence Other will leaue sinne because they haue beene in seruice so long and spent their body so much in sinne that now not that their action is lamed but because their abilitie is gone they for feare of some sickenesse will leaue it but if they might runne through a new body they would runne through their old course againe Others haue consumed all to feede and cloath sinne and therefore now because their purse constraineth them not because the law commaundeth them or the curse feareth them they count it for husbandrie to staie a while Others being somewhat politike thinking it good to get some profit that may giue longer life to pleasure hereafter for a while bridle in their wantonnesse whiles they haue gotten some sure hold of their inheritance and after so soone as they haue brought with sorrow their fathers olde age to the graue recompence the diuell with their hote pursuite of sin much more than they lost in their former sparing of sin Others when either for deadnes of nature or want of abilitie or feare of man they dare not or cannot commit sinne in their owne persons yet they drawe ouer as much pleasure as men in their case may doe by commending and chronicling of their owne sins past or by laughing in their sleeues at the artificiall sinning of some other present They can laugh at sinne hartily whereby they shew they cannot mourne for sinne hartily they make a mocke of it therefore bewray they haue little conscience of it and therefore they die in their sinnes howsoeuer they haue left their sinnes To deale carefully in Gods worship and faithfully with man are things both commaunded and commended and yet to doe them without zeale of Gods glory and with a care or our vaine glory rather to win credit to our selues than to gaine credit to the Gospell is neither commended nor commaunded And yet how many beguile their owne soules hreein it may appeare by so many frequenters of the word and so few fruitfull hearers of the word if they profit not it grieues them not if they remember it not they â—est at it if they cannot speake of it they scoffe at it and yet they thinke they be great protestants Many goodly and godly things we may seeme to doe before men and be thought to be petty Angels come out of the cloudes and yet being impoisoned at the hart with vaine glory the Lord hath no delight in vs our owne hearts euen in these glorious workes doe accuse vs our consciences doe controll vs and without repentance God that is greater than our conscience will in the end condemne vs Contrariwise be our action neuer so beggerly for want of abilitie neuer so deformed for want of beautie in the eyes of man yet if it commeth from a sincere heart sound and sincere in the eyes of the Lord it is acceptable and through Christ accounted righteousnes vnto vs. If then for sins sake we leaue sin and leauing sinne repent of sinne repenting of sin leaue sinne though the lees of it remaine in vs if for righteousnesse sake we labour for righteousnesse â—hough an essentiall righteousnesse be not inherent in vs though we do not all good we loue but in loue desire to doe it though we leaue not all sinne we hate but in hatred of it labour to resist it the good we do is accepted the good we desire to do is imputed the euill we leaue is discharged the euill we desire to leaue shal not be imputed True it is indeed no maÌ„ can say my hart is vpright I am pure if he measure himselfe by the rule of the law which thing whosoeuer seeth not by his manifold corruptions as yet he seeth nothing as he should see yet the children of God may say their hearts are right within them when by faith in Christ and a pure purpose to approue themselues vnto God their hearts are purified so as they labour for the death of sinne though the whole body of sinne be not slaine in them and labour for true righteousnesse though the man of righteousnesse be not fully fashioned in theÌ„ This doctrine then hath two especial vses the one to humble vs the other to comfort vs. Good cause we haue to be humbled by it seeing it teacheth vs that the cause of sinne is stil in our selues and cannot be charged vpon any other as the cause thereof For if our corruption were not neither Satan by feare and tyranny neither the world by preferment and glory neither the fleshly delights by subtiltie neither our enemies by their feares and tyrannie could euer preuaile against vs Christ Iesus was thrise vehemently assaulted yet because the Princes of this world could find nothing in him and all his temptations were as a little arrow shot at a brazen wall no corruption being in his heart no guile being found in his lips they nothing preuailed against him Adams heart was corrupted before Adams hand had sinned Sathan doth offer we doe yeeld vnto our temptations he is the occasion but we are the cause of our owne woe The fond sophistry and lying logicke of theeues is here to be withstood who thinke they wash their hands from all sinne by crying woe worth such a man that euer I knew him for had not he constrained me and
none there it is good to make many doubts and hence commeth conference all these meanes are to be vsed for God sometime blesseth one and not another we must vse all least we should tempt God some heare and not reade some reade and not meditate some keepe their studie and neuer conferre Faith is a knowledge it is called a demonstration it hath alwaies relation vnto the word as the schollers learning is the Maisters doctrine Wicked men know the Scriptures as it is a knowledge but they cannot applie it and haue the true vse men of God speake as if they were moued therfore the interpretation of the scripture must be of the same spirit no man knoweth the minde of God but Gods spirit CHAP. XII Daemonis appellationes or the diuers names giuen to the Diuell in scripture THE Diuell is called Daimôn of his great knowledge and great experience Diábolos of his slaundering and false accusing peir ázan of sifting boring and broching the faithfull to see what is in them skoloposarkòs of making vs subiect to the rebellion of the flesh the Diuell of doing euill or à diuellendo or else as in the old english monuments the diuels fetched from the Greeke Diábolos for his authoritie the Prince of this world that is of the corrupt estate of the world for his forme and vgly shape the Prince of darkenes for his vntruth a lying spirit for his filthines an vncleane spirit for his hurting a serpent for his experience in hurting an old serpent for his strength a Lion for his greedines a ramping or roaring Lion for his poyson a Dragon for his alluring a tempter for his constraining an armed man hauing store of darts sometimes he ramps and roares in one sharpe with hornes and clawes full of terrour in a Lions skinne which is especially in the euill day at the houre of death Sometimes he transformes himselfe into an Angels shape in bright apparell full of compassion in the mantle of Samuel in a religious habit full of scripture euery other word is scriptum est setting an ambush of Diuels to inuade vs holding the crosse and this is his craft If he be able to change himselfe into an Angell of light much more is he into a shadow of the night for he setteth his nets and diggeth his pits in euery thing to take vs in our flesh by ease or pleasure or pride of the eyes suis mimis by death and the feare of it In our soule he hath his forge and bellowes euill motions lusts suggestions to kindle the fire of concupiscence in our affections bending our feare and our loue and such like to that which they should not be imployed vnto in our reason by casting doubts and planting the roote of bitternes in vs which is infidelitie in the creatures by abusing of them or by vnthankfull receiuing of them in the world by hauing his nets in riches preferments euill examples customes and euill companie in melancholie humors perswading despaire to be true sorrow in cholericke bodies perswading wrath to be good zeale in ciuill wisedome by mingling policie with Christianitie in our best motions by mingling with repentance distrust in Gods mercies with faith securitie in making vs measure Gods loue or hatred by blessings or afflictions of this life in preuenting vs of good by breeding in our hearts a loathsomnes of the word and wearines in the meaner in stripping Christ of his high Priests garments and true office of mediatorship vrging sometime these sayings Except ye also repent ye shall all likewise perish which kinde of sentences are not so properly his as belonging to his office which is a Mediator and true Sauiour 2 Sathan is inuisible changeth himselfe into an Angell of light that he cannot be discerned by the eye no nor by reason he windeth himselfe into our reason Peter thought Christ should not dye what reason was it that the sonne of man should dye CHAP. XIII Of the contempt of the Ministerie 1 IEhu being threatned called the Prophet a madbraine for so they iudged of them that digressed any whit from the set composition of words and orderly precepts of their arte which no doubt therefore hath and will come to passe because men can no longer either lend eye or eare than either they can see by reason or discerne by arte or whiles the speaker keepeth himselfe within this ordinarie course of stile or carieth himselfe euen in an orderly and oratorious period so long as wittie inuention comely compassing of matter proportionable measure of words are afforded but if a man come to cut vp the conscience and in some vehemencie of spirit dealeth more roughly and lesse orderly with their speciall sinnes then he is brainesicke and runneth as they say besides the text Neither are these complainers sillie soules but learned Parthians and wise Arabians men elaborate in arte skilfull in precepts and proud Babylonians who cannot discerne betweene a godly vehemencie of spirit for the Lord of hosts sake and a rayling austeritie of speech for malice or vaine glorie sake If then Paul be misconstrued wrongfully he must recompence such sinnes with meekenes patiently whereby often the Lord hath brought to passe that the proudest heart of most obstinate gainesayers haue beene more broken seeing the mild sufferance of the Ministers of Christ than if they had beene pursued with most hote reuengement which then especially experience hath proued true when the Lord with some crosse and humilation sealing the truth of his faithfull and zealous seruants hath caused many to thinke themselues to haue resisted the graces of God and persecuted the gifts of God in them whom they thought before to be curious precise and seekers of singularitie 2 Grieuous enough it is when our corne our cattell our goods and treasure shall come to the tables of our enemies but what though we be yet freed from such Chaldaeans yet is there a great famine in the land which they little thinke of that are the Church-robbers whom we falsely call Patrons of the Church Little thinke they of it who in stead of feeding to saluation starue many thousands to destruction in whom if there were any loue of God from their hearts I dare say and say it boldly that for all the promotions vnder heauen they would not offer that iniurie to one soule that now they offer to many hundred soules But Lord how do they thinke to giue vp their reckning to thee who in most strict account wilt take the answere of euery soule committed vnto them one by one Or with what eares doe they often heare that vehement speech of our Sauiour Christ feede feede feede With what eyes doe they so often reade that pearcing speech of the Apostles feede the flocke whereof you are ouerseers looke vnto the flock committed vnto you But if none of this will mooue them then the Lord open their eares to heare the grieuous grones of many soules lying vnder the grislie altars of destruction
The Lord left vs a lesson that wee must learne thereby namely that it is not the meanes but the blessing of God vpon the meanes that nourisheth vs and therefore if we haue them wee must not put our trust in them and if we want them wee must not distrust in God Did Moses and Eliah liue fortie dayes without meate and did the Israelites walkein the wildernesse fortie yeeres in the same apparell which waxed not olde whereas othersome hauing meate in abundance yet are hunger-starued and being laden with clothes yet quake for cold shall we not yet learne that the blessings of God are all in all and that the other are but meanes prouided for our weaknes Dauid proued by experience that the righteous seede of the righteous parents were neuer forsaken nor begged their bread If we no doubt could come to such measure of obedience as they did then and if we could be righteous as in his time men were the Lord would prouide for vs as well as he did for them and we should haue as good experience hereof as euer had Dauid To this prouidence of God wee must bring a patient minde which first must bee contented with whatsoeuer the Lord sendeth alwaies acknowledge godlines to be great riches For we ought not to seeke great matters nor suffer our desires to be carried after high things for this did the Lord by his Prophet Ieremie rebuke in Baruck And CHRIST giueth vs another rule when he teacheth vs to pray for daily bread which when we haue then must we be contented This minde was in our father Iacob when hee prayed for nothing else but meate and clothing And this doth Paul generally command to be in all saying When we haue meate clothing let vs be contented We must first therefore seeke the kingdom of God and the righteousnes therof we must first labour for the forgiuenes of our sinnes in Christ that so we may be in the fauour of GOD and enioy the light of his louing countenance which when we haue and feele let vs esteeme it aboue all earthly treasure as Dauid doth let vs receiue it though it come alone yea though it bring troubles with it then for outward things we shall possesse our soules in patience If the Lord giue plentie of them wee shall take it as an ouerplus of his fauour but if he giue the lesse yet shall we be contented because we binde not his fauour to these outward things but if wee cannot rest in the fauour of God though wee want these outward things it is certaine wee neuer truly esteemed the fauour of God neither did we euer feele the forgiuenes of our sinnes if wee could not when we felt it be therewith contented and ready to forgoe all other things The second propertie of a patient minde is simplie to giue vp it selfe vnto God and commit itselfe into his hand waiting at all times for helpe from him who onely is the aâ—thor of all goodnes yet neither prescribing the meanes nor appoynting the time nor in any case indenting with him for the Lord will haue the disposition of his mercies free vnto himselfe to giue and to bestow when and where and how it pleaseth him and as it may most make for his glorie We must then euermore and with our whole hearts desire and craue of the Lord that his blessed Name may be glorified that his Kingdome may be enlarged and his holy will performed but the meanes to bring these things to passe we must whollie leaue vnto him who knoweth what is best and in other things which concerne our outward estate we ought alwayes to rest in his good pleasure This iâ— we can once doe so mercifully doth hee vse to deale with vs that when wee least desire them wee shall haue them and when we freely giue them vp to him he will soonest giue them vs againe Salomon desired wisedome of the Lord but for outward things his prayer was that hee might haue a meane estate then the Lord gaue him wisedome which his heart so much desired and riches also which he did not once desire Oh happie man if in his heart he had desired to walke before the Lord in feare Abraham gaue vnto the Lord Isaack his sonne which when the Lord did behold he quickly gaue him his sonne againe euen thus also must we thinke it standeth now with vs. The readiest way to obtaine life is to be heartily well contented either to liue or to die and to commit our selues vnto the Lorde knowing that nothing euer perished that was committed to his keeping so is it also in all other outward things the readie way to obtaine them is to giue them vp wholly into his hands But yet wee must not commit these things to the Lord with this condition that hee should giue them vs againe for that were to mocke the Lorde but without all care to haue them wee must giue them to him beeing in respect of his glorie and because his good pleasure is so heartily well content to forgoe them and then if they be good for vs we shall receiue them againe if not wee shall receiue some spirituall grace which better shall supplie the want of them Yea the infinite wisedome and mercie of God doth wonderfully appeare herein for sometimes he keepeth vs long without these things because that if wee had them hee seeth we would abuse them and would preferre them before spirituall blessings And sometime the Lorde seeing our small regard and accompt of spirituall things will by the want of these outward things bring vs to make greater accompt of them that when wee can well want the one and highly esteeme the other we may haue both together Let vs therefore reuerence this great goodnes and wisedome of the LORD and be content with the vse of life which he in mercie graunteth vs knowing that it is better to be a liuing dogge then a dead Lyon For whilest we liue we haue time to repent and time to glorifie God but after death there is no time left for repentance Whosoeuer then doth not account the vse of life a singular benefit though he doe euen want things necessarie for the same he is vnworthie of life or of any other the blessings of God therein The end of all then is this that patience is wrought in vs strengthened by the assurance of Gods mercies by faith in Christ by hope of euerlasting life and by trust in Gods prouidence and therefore the carking care of these things is left to the Gentiles which are ignorant of the forgiuenes of sinnes of Gods prouidence and of euerlasting life so that if we be like them in these greedie desires it argueth that either we know not these things or if in iudgement we doe conceiue them yet in heart we doe not beleeue them By meditation therefore of these things we must learne patience whereby we may ouercome our