seemes good in his owne eyes pag. 21. Doct. 3. The worst somtime will reuerence Gods Ministers p. 28. Doct. 4. The Minister must conuict the hearer of that he teacheth p. 34. Doct. 5. 1 Marke of an hypocriie When hee is conuicted he fals to shifting p. 40. Whereto adde a second marke Hardnesse of heart and boldnesse bewray hypocrisie p. 50. Doct. 6. Whiles we are yet in meane estate each benefit is thank-worthy p. 55. Doct. 7. The greater Gods blessings be the greater shall be our accompt p. 68. Doct. 8. 3 Marke The hypocrite ferueth God by halfes pag. 79. Doct. 9. 4 Marke Hypocrisie accompanied with corrupt lusts as couetousnesse which is the root of all euill pag. 98. Doct. 10. Sin neâ—er goeth without company pag. 105. Doct. 11. Sin lyeth close and bid till the Word discouer it p. 107. Doct. 12. 5 Marke Iustifying of himselfe a marke of an hypocrite p. 116. Doct. 13. Hath two branches containing a sixth and a seuenth marke Hypocrites vnder colour of some good actions would be excused from all blame p. 122. When they cannot then they lay the fault vpon others pag. 123. Doct. 14. The 8 Marke Hypocrites extenuate their sin pag. 145. Doct. 15. The multitude consenteth to euill without scruple pag. 147. Doct. 16. Sacrifice pleaseth not God without obedience pag. 170. Doct. 17. Men are farre wide in their accompt of sinne pag. 193. Doct. 18. Our shiftes will not serue our turne when God comes to reckon pag. 204. Doct. 19. Our sinnes bereaue vs of our best iewells pag. 214. Doct. 20. Gods message must be done to all sorts indifferently pag. 224. Doct. 21. A ninth marke Hypocrites make little conscience of lying pag. 230. Doct. 22. Few to be found who may bee beleeued vpon their word pag. 238. So that God must force their conscience ere they will bewray the truth pag. 243. A question Whether Sauls confession went with Repentance pa. 262 Doct. 23. Tenth marke The hypocrite is like himselfe at his best pag. 273. Doct. 24. The most carelesse hearers shall one day condemne themselues pag. 294. Doct. 25. Eleuenth marke An hypocrite hardens his heart against confession and repentance through hope of secrefie pag. 297. Doct. 26. Gods fauour is pretious to the worst at one time or other pag. 302. A question resolued viz. How farre forth wee may conuerse with such as are offensiue pag. 310. Doct. 27. A Christian ought to doe nothing whereof hee cannot yeeld good reason pag. 322. Doct. 28. Nothing should hurt vs if we cast not off Gods yoke pag. 325. Doct. 29. Twelfth marke Hypocrites may ascribe much to the meanes though they profit little thereby pag. 331. Doct. 30. More will frequent good company then make good vse of it pag. 335. Doct. 31. Hypocrites may alway looke for ill tydings pag. 344. The end of the Table 1. SAMVEL CHAP. 15. VER 13 c. 13. AND Samuel came to Saul and Saul said vnto him Blessed be thou of the LORD I haue performed the commandement of the LORD 14. And Samuel saide what meaneth then this bleating of the sheep in mine eares and the lowing of the Oxen which I heare 15. And Saul said they haue brought them from the Amalekites for the people spared the best of the sheepe and of the oxen to sacrifice vnto the LORD thy God and the rest wee haue vtterly destroyed 16. Then Samuel said vnto Saul Stay and I will tell thee what the LORD hath said to me this night And hee said vnto him Say on 17. And Samuel saide When thou wast little in thine owne sight wast thou not made the Head of the Tribes of Israel and the LORD anointed thee king ouer Israel 18. And the LORD sent thee on a iourney and said Goe and vtterly destroy the sinners the Amalekites and fight against them vntill they be consumed 19. Wherefore then didst thou not obey the voice of the LORD but didst flie vpon the spoyle and didst euill in the sight of the LORD 20. And Saul saide vnto Samuel Yea I haue obeyed the voice of the LORD and haue gone the way which the LORD sent mee and haue brought Agag the King of Amaleck and haue vtterly destroyed the Amalekites 21. But the people tooke of the spoyle sheepe and oxen the chiefe of the things which should haue beene vtterly destroyed to sacrifice vnto the LORD thy God in Gilgal 22. And Samuel said hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the LORD Behold to obey is better then sacrifice and to hearken then the fat of Rammes 23. For rebellion is as the sinne of witchcraft and stubbornenesse is as iniquity and idolatry because thou hast reiected the stord of the LORD he hath also reiected thee from being King 24. ¶ And Saul said vnto Samuel I haue sinned for I haue transgressed the comman dement of the LORD and thy words because I feared the people and obeyed their voice 25 Now therefore I pray thee pardon my sinne and turne againe with mee that I may worship the LORD 26 And Samuel said vnto Saul I will not returne with thee for thou hast reiected the word of the LORD and the LORD hath reiected thee from being King ouer Israel 27 And as Samuel turned about to goe away he layd hold vpon the skirt of his mantle and it rent 28. And Samuel said vnto him The LORD hath rent the kingdome of Israel from thee this day and hath giuen it vnto a neighbour of thine that is better then thou 29. And also the strength of Israel will not lie nor repent for he is not a man that he should repent SAMVELS Encounter with SAVL THE occasion of these words was this The Lord commanded King Saul by Samuel the Prophet that hee should goe and destroy the Amalekites all both man and beast and leaue none of them aliue Touching the cause seeing it were too long to set downe I referre the Reader to Deut. 25. 18. Saul went about this worke of the Lord very speedily at the first as appeareth in verses 3. 4. 5. but as it is commonly seene that men are not so forward and feruent in good attempts vnto the end of them as they are hot in the beginning so it was with him for afterwards when he had taken the King hee shewed kindnesse and clemency towards him contrary to the expresse charge and commandement of the Lord and spared the best of the Cattell and destroyed them not For the which the Lord was sore displeased seeing he had serued him by halfes and done his busines negligently God declared to Samuel how greatly Saul had offended him Samuel was exceedingly grieued for him and cryed to the Lord all night to pacifie him In the morning he rose early to seeke Saul that he might by pittying his estate moue him to pitty himselfe and whiles the offence was yet but newly wrought hee might bewaile it and intreate the the Lord against
wee shall encrease our sinne and either be forced afterwards with the more shame to confesse it as Saul heere did or be pressed with the load and burthen of it when God shall visite vs to hardnes of hart and despaire Thirdly that wee should not be too light of credit to beleeue men vpon their bare word no although they be earnest therein for they may for all that euen themselues auouch the contrary Lastly to this end God will thus drawe men to confession to feare vs from bold denialls of the truth and to teach vs to rule our hearts gouerne our liues in such good manner that he bee not driuen to such vnwelcome arrestings of vs. To this end I thinke it not amisse to tell you of a report which a graue Preacher vttered in the Pulpit and it was this There was a man who had committed a fearefull murther Hee was conuicted thereof by the Law he vtterly denyed it he was vrged by his friendes to confesse it but in no wise would be brought to it the Preacher tooke him in hand but he would not acknowledge it he was brought to the place of execution and there he was much laboured with to acknowledge it but for all this hee would yeeld no whit What of all this ye will aske or to what end is this example alleadged I answere to very great for when all hope was past and hee was casting downe from the ladder hee clasped his hands about the gallowes and cryed out saying it was I that committed the murther It is therefore to bee feared that at the death God will force such men to confesse to their woe that which in their health and prosperitie they would neuer be brought to We read of Achan a man of the most honourable tribe of Iuda that when Iericho was taken and commandement was giuen that no man should take to his priuate vse the execrable things which were found in the spoile vpon perrill of death yet hee seeing therein a goodly Babilonish garment of great price and 200. shekles of siluer and a wedge of gold coueted them and tooke them And when he saw that most solemne inquirie was made by the Lords commandement for him that had committed the trespasse through all the tribes and families of Iudah so that hee sawe hee must needes be found out yet he keepes his sinne close and goes for an honest man as he was of good wealth and reputation among the people and was thought no worse nor otherwise of then other his neighbours were vntill he was bewrayed and detected in the scrutiny and search which the Lord commanded to bee made for the trespassers by lotte But to passe to another when Gehazai the seruant of the Prophet Elisha had seene great offers made to his master of siluer and gold by Naaman the Syrian for healing him of his leprosie and that his master had refused them we read that he went after the noble man when he was departed from the Prophet and by a lying speach got of him two tallents of siluer and two change of garments and when he came as at other times to stand before his master and to minister to him and he had said to him whence commest thou Gebazai did hee confesse it nay but with a bold lie couered the fact slightly answering thy seruant went no whether meaning hee was but where he should be that is about his busines Who would haue said that such an one being seruant of so holy a man of God would haue wrought such villanie and haue cloaked it so craftily as he had done and still would haue done if the Lord had not bewrayed him to his master So sweete is mans sinne and so couertly it will winde in with them that euen the wise may bee deceiued in iudging of them and would not thinke so hardly of them as they giue occasion Which our Sauiour knowing namely what depth of subtiltie and hollownes was in mens hearts did not commit himselfe to many though such as seeing his miracles did make shew that they beleeued in him and because God hath made vs acquainted with such a truth that there is much falshood and deceite in the heart euen 7. abhominacions as Salomon saith The vse heerof is that wee euer haue our hearts in iealousie suspect and feare them yea search them thorowly and and proue them yea in the things which wee loue best that wee bee not found guilty of any treacherie and vnfaithfull dealing before God but that our innocency and integritie may alwaies be found to abide with and accompany vs and that whatsoeuer the wicked world delight to iudge of vs yet they may not haue no not so much as any shew of matter iustly to conuict vs of that so we may haue that sweete and pretious libertie to reioyce in which the Prophet maketh so great reckning of when hee saith heereby I know that thou louest me because mine enemie doth not triumph ouer mee but thou holdest mee in mine integritie Also this should teach vs that we should not be ouer hastie to iudge and determine of mens estates no although wee see some good tokens in them by embracing the tydings of the gospell more readily cheerefully then the common sort doe till we haue experience and proofe of their syncerity and faithfulnes for euery faire countenance to it and to the professors of it in the time of peace is no sufficient testimony for vs to iudge of their vprightnes yet neither is it my meaning to condemne or iudge hardly of them whose hearts we know not neither can gage but as charitie is not suspicious but hopeth well euen so to iudge and speake of them much lesse is it meete for vs to perswade our selues that such as haue no care in them but a shew of godlines by worshipping of God with vs publiquely are to bee taken for faithfull christians especially when we see with our liuing with them that they deny the power of godlines to rule in their words and actions and yet I say not of those that bee such that we are to giue any finall sentence vpon them seeing the Lord changeth when and whome he will And further let vs marke that wee should not feare euer the more if we walke in innocency though wicked men bee secure bold and iustifie their badliues sometime shamelesly as though they would make vs beleeue that God allowed of their course and vtterly condemned ours for so it might seemesomtime when wee see them prosper and our selues vnder the crosse euen as the godly Prophet himselfe was troubled with this temptation that hee did in vaine clense his heart and wash his hands in innocencie when he saw them merriest who liued most securely and worst But this example of Saul and such like doe free vs from such feare For they must come to confesse that all the iollity of theirs was but froth and
that they highly displeased God in the middest of their security therefore had more cause to houle yea all such glory of theirs must bee to their shame and they must vomit vp their sweet morsells And as the Psalmist faith fret not at the vngodly whose wayes doth prosper for sodainely they shall come to a fearefull end So I say feare not to see them bold in euill as though they could make it good in the end for assuredly the time must come when they must wish that they had neuer done it and confesse that therein especially they sinned in which they most gloried and if it be so then we may well say with the Apostle what fruite had yee in those things whereof yee are now ashamed It is the part of a wise man to beginne with some hardnes that he may afterwards enioy more ease and our Sauiour so teacheth his that they must weepe and lament but their mourning shall bee turned into ioy Whereas the foolish world doth contrarily for it reioyceth in stollen and vnlawfull liberties which cannot hold long and when they haue done and would faine cloake them they must goe to howling sorrow and shame for committing them And it commeth the hardlier vpon them and is more vnwelcome to them because they accustoming themselues to pleasure and ease they looked for no breaking it of nor for any change And what other cheere did our forefathers finde in the booke of Iudges in all their casting of the Lords gouernment and seruice but crying The which what wise men would haue sought and procured it to themselues especially when it must bee continuall as the most is in such a case because euery one cannot crie to repent and therfore must cry in despaire and impenitencie And because I thinke this thinke this point is sufficiently seene into I will shut it vp concluding vpon this that hath been said and vp on like experience that for my part it little moues me to see men walke after their owne desires and to be as they say at their owne hand to be lawlesse as it were sinning with pride and contempt of reproofe and admonition and to please themselues in that which is euill I say it little moueth me to thinke them the only happie people who liue in a manner as they luft and set themselues a stint how farre and beyond which they will not goe in seruing God I lament the estate of all such as looke after no serious and true worshipping of him more particularly the sloth pride and prophanenes of many in the ministrie the little regarding of Gods matters and setting vp of his honour and magnifying the gospell as they may in many of them who haue rule ouer other how little care they haue to rule themselues though no time be too much to look after their own profit pleasure and preferment and in all sorts of people how preposterously they goe to worke setting earth before heauen darkenesse before light louing their foolish delights more then God and hauing a shew of godlines yet denie the power thereof and are strangers from the life of God I see their sorrow and woe not sarre of Oh that I could perswade them that which I knowe and that mine eies were a fountaine of teares that I could weepe bitterly for the desolation that shall come on them for let them say as long as they will with Saul wee in thus liuing doe please God and obey him they shall as little as they thinke it confesse with Saul that euen therein they haue sinned and thereby vndone themselues A question whether Saul repented VERSE 24. 25. And Saul said vnto Samuel I haue sinned for I haue transgressed the commandemen of the LORD and thy wordes because I feared the people and obeyed their voyce Now therefore I pray thee pardon my sinne and turne againe with me that I may worship the LORD TWO of the foure things haue beene spoken of the third followes Therefore to passe to the third of the foure points touching Sauls confession whether hee also repented As the Disciples said of Lazarus to Iesus Lord if hee sleepe he shall doe well so say some of Saul if hee bee come to confesse his sinne he shall doe well considering how farre of hee was from it and how hardly he was brought to it Answere To whom I answere alas that action was violent and wrung from him for the losse of his kingdome as may bee thought it was not free and vnfeined no more then Iudasses confession 〈◊〉 nor he constant in it and therefore it was far from being a fruite of repentance But seeing the cause must first be reasoned of before it be concluded I will first say on both sides somewhat I meane what likelyhood of repentance was in Saul and on the other side what may be brought forth and said against it wherupon the truth will soone appeare That which may most probably be said for it that I can see or finde is this First that this confession of sinne was not only in generall but also particular and of that very sin with which he was charged and which he had before denyed For if it had beene but generall it might haue seemed to bee lesse regarded And as hee did it particularly so it was that wherein he had most offended Secondly this may be said for some likelihood of his repentance that hee did after this call Samuell to goe with him to worshippe God and desired him to pray for him But these were very weake proofes as shall easily appeare by them that shall be brought on the contrarie and by that which shall further bee said of them For concerning his confession it was no better then Iudasses which was also of a particular sin and that which most concerned him as may bee seene by his words when he said I haue sinned in betraying the innocent blood and it was nothing like Dauids in soundnes who yet did confesse but generally saying I haue sinned Indeed for the outward manner of Sauls confession layd forth in words there can no ecception be made against it And I graunt that there was no more to be seene in the confession of the people of Israell whereby they testified their true repentance But we must know that repentance is neuer in the scripture neither ought of vs to be measured by the outward confession only but by the vprightnes of heart lamenting after God who hath beene so sore prouoked and by the vnfained faith of the partie and by the renouncing and forsaking of sinne These graces must bee found to accompany confession so that it may bee sound and good and without them it is nothing worth and Sauls being voyd of these was in no wise to be taken for a true note of repentance And that these must go with confession is to be seene in many places of scripture For Dauids confession that it came both from faith and
dares not hide them and ceaseth not till he renounce and confesse the same that he may finde mercie so farre is he of from playing the part of the hypocrites in setting the best side outward and seeking to shift excuse and defend that which is euill And yet I say not that he is vtterly voyde of hypocrisie which assaulteth the best but yet he seeth it with deadly dislike how it encombereth him and will he nill hee it doggeth him but he makes no prouision to fulfill the desires of it as the other doth but groaneth vnder the burthen of it and of the like sinnes till he testifie plainely that he doth not harbour them as may plainely bee seene in the poore Publican And who doth not see that he is not the man which is odious for his sinne to the godly that know him as the other are approued of them whereas they in whom there is no soundnes nor conscience but they are slie and slipperie do discredit themselues and are neither in fauour with God nor men but like Gehezai whose great sinne although it was found out of his master the Prophet yet when he would trie what grace there was in him to confesse it though he had wickedly committed it he boldly and shamelessely did hide it and where hee asked him where hee had beene after hee returned from his horrible facts he had beene about he answered thy seruant hath beene no where hee meant but where he should and might be that was about his masters busines so farre â—he was of from grace though a Prophets seruant Vse Therefore let euery one that calls on the name of the Lord lesus be farre from bold maintaining of the least sinne and from clearing himself when he is manifestly conuicted in his owne conscience for among all offenders as such an one as hideth his finne shall not prosper so he may be sure to be excluded from Gods kingdome if he abide in his sinne And this is one of the true markes of an hypocrite illustrated by the true contrary properties of a syncere christian which two shall be alwayes able to iustifie or condemne him who will lay his life in the ballances and be content to trie himselfe as all haue good cause to doe Doct. 13. The hypocrite pleads excuse from all blame vnder pretence of any good Now followes the second note of an hypocrite no lesse needfull to be marked and regarded then the former and that is this If they doe any thing that is to be allowed vnder the colour of that all that they doe must be allowed also and borne out by that and whatsoeuer they cannot iustifie but that it must needs be found fault with that they lay vpon others This is most apparantly to be seene in Saul for he saith he slue the Amalakites therefore he had walked in the way in which the Lord commanded him so that seeing hee had done something that God commaÌ„ded therfore by by he had done all that he ought but he said seeing it could not but be granted that some part of Gods will was left vndone by him namely the best of the cattle was saued aliue contrary to Gods commandement therefore beholde that he layes vpon the people The first branch Concerning the first branch of these two how common is it though it bee most palpable and grosse that the goodnes which men doe shall be spoken of by them and set forth to the eyes of the world as if none were like to them therein neither might any thing be layd to their charge how faulty soeuer they be otherwise Now if any alleadge that for all their boasting of their goodnes many abhominations are in their liues they turne all such accusations behinde them with him who being full of great sins healed vp all with these speaches I am no adulterer I fast twice in the weeke I giue almes c. so these because they haue somwhat to boast of therefore all their filthines must be forgotten though the stinch of it annoy all places about them as is to be seene in that answere of Abner who being accused by poorâ— Ishbosheth for defiling his fathers Concubine answered am I a dogges head which against Iuda shew mercie to the house of Saul c all his sinne must be couered with the good seruice he had done to Ishbosheth Which yet take it at the best was in him none of the best as his owne words after declare in the 9. verse But to returne the like practise is at this day to be seene in Popery who vnder a vizoured colour of holines commit all kinde of wickednes painted sepulchres they are full of dead mens bones particular instances are innumerable therefore I say no more for it is but lost labour And I would to God this euill rested in them but with griefe I speake it euen in the land of the righteous where God is knowne and his word preached this iniquitie is committed that vnder a cerimonious and hollow seruing of God which yet is but with lips and from teeth outward all loathsome sins are sheltred For what care or conscience of dutie is there in the most whatsoeuer they are occupied about in their speach or actions saue that they be of our religion and come to Church on the sabbath as others doe Insomuch as the Prophet Ieremy who found out this sinne in his time cryed out of such that they made the temple of God a denne of theeues and yet they were safe in their owne imaginacion for all their adulteries swearing c. as long as they after the committing of them came into the Temple to pray This is ranke hypocrisie though in some more grosse because they haue more knowledge then others when they leape thus out of a wicked and vnreformed life to boast of assurance of saluation and all because they haue somewhat to glory of as that they pray or giue to the poore or doe no man wrong as they say when they who are the children of God indeed doe take so small comfort in this that they doe some duties rightly that they can finde no peace nor walke cheerefully whiles they suffer any one sinne to haue dominion ouer them or to remaine quiet or vnpursued in them And is it any marueile seeing they haue learned that God will be reuenged on the breach of euery commandement They beleeue this and feare to doe against it that so they may declare by their practise that they desire to beseeme the gospell in all things and that they are according to Gods owne heart and liking who saith oh that there were such an heart in them that they did feare mee and keepe all my commandements alwayes that it might go well with them And as these doe highly please God so are they on the contrary most odious which tie God to his stint and performe some slender taske to him as to pray in
the Lord will take no such offring as is ioyned with disobeying him as that should haue beene but hee looketh that his commandement should be obeyed This is the first part of his replie or reproofe when he saith hath the Lord as great pleasure in burnt offrings as that his voyce should be obeyed no but I tell thee to giue eare is better then sacrifice and to harken to his commandement is better then the fatte of rammes In the second part of his speach vnto him he tells him that as light as he made of his fault it was witting disobedience and rebellion against the Lords commandement and that was euen as witchcraft in his sight or as the committing of Idolatrie Therefore in this replie of Samuell vpon Sauls answer he layeth out Sauls sinne of disobedience in this verse and the next and then tells him of the punishment which God had threatned against him and that is in the end of it His disobedience because he made light of it seeing God he said was to be serued in offring that cattle to him for sacrifice for the reseruing the which aliue he was challenged this his disobedience I say Samuell aggrauateth and maketh odious to him comparatiuely First by it and sacrifice together and shewing that God did nothing account of that as to bee obeyed but preferreth obedience before it Secondly he aggrauatet◠his disobedience by a reason comparing it with witchcraft and Idolatrie and maketh it like to them And this of the sinne of this verse Now next he sheweth what the punishment was and that was the losse of his kingdome Both these Samuell standeth vpon with Saul to the end he might rouse him vp and awake him for wee see that he was as one in a dead sleep who stirred not a whit at Samuels calling and crying to him hitherto But when he rung this alarom in his eares of the greatnes of his sinne and of the losse of his kingdome this I say awoke him as it appeareth in the next verse following And this of Samuells words to Saul in these two verses where we see he beginneth with an interrogation that he might make his message more forcible saying hath God as great c. But now seeing Samuell maketh his comparison betwixt obedience on the one part and sacrifice and burnt offrings on the other somewhat is to bee said of these two for the better vnderstanding of the place which otherwise hath some difficultie by meanes whereof we should not see the doctrine that is affoorded vs therein A sacrifice to beginne with that was an holy thing brought by him that gaue it to the Lord and offred by the Priest vnto the Lord according to the Law But there being two kindes of them the one propitiatorie whereby they beleeued the forgiuenes of sinne by Christ which was figured thereby The other Eucharisticall by offring whereof they testified their thanks to God for benefites receaued of him Both were commanded by God and burnt offrings were one kinde The first wherein that which was offred was wholy the Lords and did signifie that he who offred it did wholy consecrate himselfe soule and body to the Lord. Now these all being commanded by God must needs be therfore accepted of him which being so why was not the offring of them accounted obedience For the answering of this doubt three things are to bee marked First if obedience to the morrall law and sacrifice might goe together they were both accepted Secondly if they could not go together as oft times it fell out they did not for he that was obedient could not alwayes offer sacrifice and one might offer sacrifice who yet was not obedient to God in such a case obedience was accepted of God without sacrifice Thirdly sacrifice might bee offred by him who obeyed not God but that neuer pleased God Of this Samuell speaketh here obedience is better then sacrifice and if Saul and the people meant to offer any as he said they purposed to doe it was nothing being without obedience and yet this is the most and the best that could bee said of it So that obedience being better then sacrifice at the best euen when both went together much more is it better when sacrifice goeth alone Doct. 16. Sacrifice pleaseth not God without obedience This being thus said which was necessary let Samuells words hath the Lord as great pleasure in sacrifice as that his voice should be obeyed teach vs that the most religious actions that God requireth such as sacrifices were as prayer hearing the word the vse of the Sacraments c. are in no account with God if he that vse them be not obedient in his life to the cōmandements of God and a repentant Christian A wonderfull and fearefull doctrine yet most true for this our age wherein so few are or thinke it meete they should be obedient to the truth in particular which is taught them and haue nothing to commend them vnto God vnlesse it bee the ceremonious worshipping of God in the manner I haue mencioned a seruice not better then the offring of sacrifice which we see without obedience was nothing worth Indeed the Apostle Iohn saith blessed is he that heareth and readeth and keepeth the contents of that booke but not he that heareth and readeth only but that keepeth it also So then this obedience to Gods will is not to be compared with sacrifices but to be preferred farre before them sacrifices were offrings to God which were commanded but so as they offred them in faith and repentance also but obedience is the fruite of both therefore to bee preferred The Lord tels the Israelites I required no sacrifices of your fathers after that I brought them out of Egypt meaning after that in Sinai but that they should obey my voyce and that is our wisdome so he is not a Iew which is one outwardly Therfore our outward worship is nothing if the heart goe not with it whatsoeuer men answere in their defence if they obey not prayer is nothing cap. 13.13 we hold the generall but the particular we looke not vnto for then our hearts should be taken vp wholy in one dutie after another which now is scarcely done in any to purpose And it is called obedience of faith seeing we must beleeue that God requireth a thing of vs before we can or will do it But men deale with God as one with another for they cogge and deceiue and time must wash it away and then good fellowship againe so they disobey God and after they would be friends again with him Out of the prophets words in this verse and the next namely the 23. wee may learne in what detestable account all disobedience is to the commandement and reuealed will of God and withall how we should censure such disobedience and thinke of it in our selues In what detestation mens sinne is with God howsoeuer they couer it and whatsoeuer colours or pretences they set