that God is a patient God not willing the death of a sinner but rather that he should conuert and liue So much doth Paul teach vs of him in Rom. 2.4 saying Despisest thou the riches of his bountifulnesse and patience and long suffering not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance So much doth Peter teach vs of him in 2. Pet. 3.9 saying The Lord is not slacke concerning his promise as some men count slacknesse but is patient towards vs and would haue no man to perish but would all men to come to repentance So much doth Ioel teach vs of him in Ioel. 2.13 saying And rent your hearts and not your garments and turne vnto the Lord your God for he is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and repenteth him of the euill So much finally doth God himselfe teach vs of himselfe in Ezech. 33.11 saying As I liue saith the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue But what is the reason of this Reason Is not God a iust God and are not his eies pure eies not abiding to behold sin and iniquity Yes Why then doth he not strike Because his mercies are ouer all his workes and his compassions faile not according to Dauids words in Psalme 145.9 and the Prophet Ieremies in Lament 3.2 For as the one of them doth extoll the mercies of God aboue all things so the other of them doth declare that they are the cause why hee doth not consume vs accordingly as our sins do deserue Wherefore learne out of this Vse first to put a difference betwixt God and man for they are very much vnlike For my thoughts saith God are not your thoughts neither are your wayes my wayes saith the Lord For as the heauens are higher then the earth so are my wayes higher then your wayes and my thoughts aboue your thoughts Esay 55.8.9 If treason and insurrection bee once made against the chiefe gouernour of any land the parties offending therein are apprehended and according to law they are executed as traytors and rebels and all this is but well and according to iustice and equity without which no common-wealth can stand or flourish But yet with God it is not so though that we do dayly make insurrection against him and commit high treason against his person by blaspheming his holy name and by trampling his diuine statutes and ordinances vnder our feet yet he doth spare vs and not consume vs according to our wicked deserts and as one most desirous to haue vs saued to become blessed he doth cry vnto vs for a turning and amendment of life Oh who can extoll this goodnesse of the Lord sufficiently shall we rebell against him prouoke him to his face and yet will he come and intreate vs to be reconciled vnto him Doubtlesse if one doth but offēd vs some two or three times in some matters that do concerne our credite and profite so that we grow infamous or poore thereby we can neuer soundly and throughly endure that partie againe as we ought to do and though he should come vnto vs himselfe to aske vs forgiuenesse yet we should hardly euer receiue him to loue and fauour againe within our hearts so close would his wrong iniury cleaue vnto vs. We see that when the Samaritans refused to receiue Christ into one of their citties for a nights lodging Iames and Iohn two of his disciples were by and by inflamed with great choler wrath and they would needs haue their maister be reuenged vpon thē for it saying vnto him after this sort Lord wilt thou that we command that fire come down from heauen consume thē euen as Eliah did Luke 9.54 But as for our God we see here how patient he is in putting vp great rebellions and treasons and in calling vpon the rebels and traytors themselues for amendment of life that so they may be saued Learne we therefore in the next place that though we doe sin and offend yet there is mercy in the Lord to forgiue vs. For where sinne doth abound there grace doth more then abound saith the Apostle in Rom. 5.20 Dauid doth speake most excellently of this matter in Psalme 103. c. saying The Lord is full of compassion and mercy slow to anger and of great kindnesse He hath not dealt with vs after our sinnes nor rewarded vs according to our iniquities for as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercy towards them that feare him As farre as the East is from the West so farre hath he remoued our sinnes from vs as a father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him And lest that any should doubt of the pardon of his sinnes marke what God himselfe doth say in Isay 1.18 Come now saith he and let vs reason together saith the Lord though your sinnes were as crimson they shall be made as white as snow though they were red like scarlet they shall be as wooll And surely if God doth here call vpon these traitours and rebels to forsake their sinnes with an intent and purpose to saue them if they will so doe then may you not doubt but that he will receiue euery repenting sinner that doth come vnto him and forgiue him all his transgressions be they neuer so many when he doth aske pardon for them and heartily forsake them Wherefore though you haue sinned greatly against the Lord and haue trespassed euen against heauen and his Maiesty with the prodigall sonne yet despaire not but with the prodigall sonne returne vnto him and know that you shall finde mercy at his hands as he did and as Dauid did and as Salomon did and as Peter did and as Paul did and as many more besides them did whose sins were great and hainous For God hath said it who cannot lye Yea he hath sworne it and bound it with an oath that he doth not desire the death of the wicked but that he should turne and liue as you heard before out of Ezech. 33.11 Lastly from hence obserue this vse Vse that if any doe perish through his sinnes and transgressions he must not impute the fault thereof vnto God but vnto himselfe For God here doth call men from their euill waies that so they may not perish but be saued In all our plagues and iudgements and in all our woes and calamities whether in this world or in the world to come the Lord may alwaies say vnto vs as it is in Hosea 13.8 O Israel one hath destroyed thee but in me is thy helpe For the Lord doth take as it were great paines to make vs good What could I haue done more saith the Lord to my Vineyard that I haue not done vnto it Isay 5.4 Wherefore accuse God I beseech you at no time if any destruction doth happen vnto you but lay the whole blame thereof vpon
sought to be worshipped of him he said vnto him Auoide Sathan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue The Scripture is full of this matter but one place more as containing all the rest vnder it shall suffice vs at this time And that is in Reuel 14.7 For there you shall find that this is the very summe and principall matter whereof the whole Scripture doth intreate and which all the Preachers in the world from time to time do deliuer vnto their people when the Angell flying in the midst of heauen and hauing an euerlasting Gospell to preach vnto them that dwell on the earth doth cry out and say Feare God and giue glory to him for the houre of his iudgement is come and worship him that made heauen and earth and the sea and the fountaines of waters So that this is a point as cleare and manifest as the Sunne at noone dayes when it shineth most brightly ouer all the word And the reasons hereof are many Reasones but at this time I will onely touch two The one is in regard of his making and creating of all things For seeing we are his workmanship and haue our whole liues and being from him he hauing created vs and made vs of nothing it is good reason that we apply our selues and all that we haue to his worship and seruice alone according to the iudgement of the Church triumphing in heauen whereof mention is made in the Reuelations Chapter 4. verses 10.11 For the 24. Elders noting out the Saints in heauen are there reported to fall downe before him that sate on the throne and to worship him that liueth for euermore and to cast their Crownes before his throne vpon this ground and consideration that he had made them and all things else saying Thou ort worthy O Lord to receiue glory and honour and power For thou hast created all things and for thy wils sake they are and haue bene created The other is in regard of his preseruing and keeping of all things For considering that we haue our whole maintenance and stay from him and he doth daily keepe vs vpon his owne cost and charges as we speake it is our part and duty to honour him and to do whatsoeuer we can for him in fulfilling any of his Commandements according to Iosuah his exhortation vnto the children of Israel in the 23. 24. chapters of Iosuah For in these places you may see that he doth perswade them to feare the Lord and to serue him in vprightnesse and in truth and to put away all false gods from amongst them onely vpon this reason and foundation that God was good and beneficiall vnto them destroying all their enimies before them and placing them in a fruitfull country where they had goodly cities which they did neuer build excellent vineyards and Oliue trees which they did neuer plant and other notable commodities which they did daily enioy without any labour and toile of theirs And surely when these things were thus lay de downe before their eyes they also vpon the due consideration thereof resolued with themselues to serue the Lord and to worship him and to do as Iosuah had exhorted them for to do as is apparant about the midst of the 24. chapter before quoted And you know that equitie and conscience doth require that if a man hire a seruant and giue him meate and drinke and wages that he should do his businesse and be obedient vnto him and his commandements And so should it be betwixt God and vs seeing we are his seruants and haue all that we haue from him euen euery morsell of meate that we do eate and euery peece of cloth that we do put about vs as all other things besides we should be tractaable to his voyce and be alwayes ready prest to do his commandements Wherefore as this may controll them Vse who are stubburne and obstinate and do withdraw the shoulder from yeelding obedience vnto the Almightie whereof there are too many in our sinfull dayes So it may teach vs what we our selues ought to do and be as a spurre in our sides to pricke vs forward to all such matters as may bring honor and glory vnto him that is aboue all Beware you beware you of sinfull wayes and be you sure to do nothing but what you know will be well pleasing vnto your God Though others lie and sweare and steale and kill and commit adulterie and do other things that are most vile and abhominable yet be you holy righteous in your wayes auoiding these sinnes and all others whatsoeuer and performing such duties only as the Lord will be serued and worshipped by For you must alwayes remember with your selues that it is not enough to know the will of your God and to vnderstand what he doth require at your hands but you must withall serue him and worship him aright do according to his commandements The hearers of the law saith Paul in Rom. 2.13 are not righteous before God but the doers of the law shall be iustified And our Sauiour doth teach vs in Luk. 12.47 that the seruant who knoweth his maisters will and prepareth not himselfe neither doth according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes Yea you your selues do know that as the ignorant who know not the Lord must be cast into hell and there lie boyling in torments for euermore so must the disobedient also and all such who obey not vnto the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ according to Pauls words in 2. Thes 1.8 And therfore you see the Prophet here doth not onely call for wisedome and learning but also for worship seruice Content not then your selues with your knowledge and vnderstanding but go on forward and become faithfull seruants vnto the Lord in doing his will And looke what you do require of your seruants that are vnder you do you your selues performe vnto your God that is aboue you and whose seruants you are heare his voyce and obey it For what shall he make you and place you here in this world and that in a fruitfull soile in the dayes of much peace and plentie and yet will you not serue him What Shall he nourish you daily giue you light to see aire to breathe in food to eate liquor to drinke garments to weare houses to dwell in and lade you with other infinite blessings both for this life and the life to come and yet will you not honour him and walke according to his commandements Doubtlesse if your seruants should refuse to do your businesse and worke you would turne them out of doores and not feed them vpon your owne cost and charges and in the end pay them their wages and will God then take it well at your hands if you shall refuse to do his businesse and worke will he alwayes then nourish you and giue you a good recompence at the last No no but he will turne you
may see by the example of Nicodemus who came to Christ by night Ioh. 3.2 and of Ioseph of Arimathea who went secretly for feare of the Iewes to Pilate to begge leaue to take downe the body of Christ from the crosse and to bury it Ioh. 19.38 so did they feare trouble from abroad as may be seene by their words in Ioh. 11.48 When they say If we let him thus alone all men will beleeue in him and the Romanes will come and take away both our place and all the nation Thus you see that some of them through ignorance some through malice and some through feare did reiect Christ but all of them through their owne corruptions and naughty natures and none of them for any iust cause that was found in Christ himselfe But yet as Daniels enemies did picke out matter against him in regard of his religion for the which they should haue commended him and not haue condemned him as they did so these enimies of Christ haue drawne occasions of dislike against him from sundry things for the which they should rather haue liked him In number they were 4. The first was his base estate who came of meane parents who liued in this world as a poore simple man As the Israelites said whē they reiected Rehoboā for their king What portion haue we in Dauid we haue none inheritance in the house of Ishai to your tents ô Israel now see to thine owne house Dauid 1. King 12.16 As if they should say Why Ishai was but an husbandman Dauid was but a shepheard we wil not be subiect to so base kindred nor suffer such a foole as Rehoboam of their bloud to reigne ouer vs. So these said Is not this the carpenter Maries sonne the brother of Iames and Ioses and of Iuda and Simon and are not his sisters here with vs and they were offended in him Mark 6.3 The second was his familiarity and fellowship with sinners and with those that were publicanes As they reiected Iohn the Baptist for his strangenesse and austerity of life because he came neither eating nor drinking and said of him He hath a diuell so they despised Christ for the contrary because he came eating and drinking and said of him Behold a glutton and a drinker of wine a friend vnto publicanes and sinners Math. 11.17 c. The third was his faithfulnesse in the discharge of his calling in speaking the truth and in reprouing of men for their sinnes As the Prophets and Apostles lost their liues for this so did he leese his life for the same the people still hating him for it vntil they had nailed him vnto the crosse Mat. 21. 26. and Iohn 18. 10. The fourth and last was his strong confidence in God and his sure trust in him As Dauid was flouted at by his aduersaries for his trusting in God chiefly then when God did seeme to forsake him and left him in some troubles they crying out vnto him saying Where is thy God Psalme 42.3 10. So these did floute and mocke Christ chiefly in his troubles for his resting vpon his Father and his good beleefe in him breaking out into these words saying He trusted in the Lord let him deliuer him let him saue him seeing he loueth him Psalme 22.8 From hence Doct. that all persons doe thus oppose themselues against Christ we collect this doctrine as an infallible rule that all those that do truly belong to God and are the sincere members of Christ shal haue troubles enimies here in this world according to the axiome of our Sauiour in Ioh. 15.20 when he saith The seruant is not greater then his maister if they haue persecuted me they will persecute you also The Scripture is full of testimonies for the confirmation of this doctrine but I wil presse onely two or three Paul writing vnto Timothie and making mention of his owne persecutions and afflictions which came vnto him at Antiochia at Iconium and at Lystri lest Timothy or others might thinke that they might be free from all he doth plainely auouch that all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution in 2. Tim. 3.12 In like manner when he Bernabas came againe to these cities now repeated of Antioch Iconium and Lystri whom before they had taught the right way of saluation to confirme the disciples hearts and to exhort them to continue in the faith they told them that they must through many afflictions enter into the kingdome of God Act. 14.22 Finally Christ himselfe who is truth it selfe doth teach vs in Math. 10.22 that we shall be hated of all men for his names sake and that those that are of our owne houshold and kindred shall be our enimies vers 36.37 And that wee shall be here in this world as sheepe in the middes of wolues vers 16. But what is the reason of this Reason A man might iudge that the faithfull should be loued and be honored of all the world First because they are deare vnto God who hath not spared his owne Son to redeeme them Rom. 8.32 Secondly because they are peaceable and doe offer wrong vnto none In the mount of the Lord there is no hurt done Isay 11.9 They turne their speares and swords into mattockes and sithes Isay 2.4 Yea they goe like sheepe to the slaughter house Psalme 44.22 Thirdly because they are profitable vnto the world and do bring great commodity to them as Laban fared the better for Iacobs sake Gen. 30.27 Patiphar for Iosephs sake Gen. 39.5 All the Israelites for Moses sake Exod. 32.14 Zoar for Lots sake Gen. 19.21 and the Mariners for Paules sake Acts. 27.24 Fourthly because they are adorned with most rare and excellent gifts Ephes 1.3 Fiftly because they are attended vpon by the most glorious Angels of heauen Math. 18.10 Lastly because they are the children of the Almighty and the apparant heires of all the world Rom. 8.16.17 Heb. 1.14 In regard of all these things a man may well demand and aske Why the world should hate and persecute them But the answere is for these causes First because they are not of their number and fellowship being not men of this world as they be according to the words of our Sauiour in Ioh. 15.19 If you were of the world the world would loue you but because you are not of the world but I haue chosen you out of the world therefore the world hateth you Secondly because they are not like them in their waies and conuersations doing as they doe but will be more holy and iust then they are according to the words of Peter in 1. Pet. 4.4 Wherein it seemeth to them strange that yee runne not with them vnto the same excesse of ryot therefore speake they euill of you which shall giue accounts to him that is ready to iudge quicke and dead Thirdly because they reproue them for their euill waies and doe iudge and condemne their opinions and doings which
to haue aduersaries of all sorts wheresoeuer you shall liue or dwell Either Ismael with his flowting tongue or Esau with his bloudy hand shall wound and persecute you for he that is borne after the flesh will alwaies persecute him that is borne after the Spirit Gal. 4.29 And surely as the life of Christ was a warfare vpon earth so must your liues that are Christians be a warfare vpon earth Here we liue in a sea of troubles the sea is the world the waues are calamities the Church is the ship the anker is hope the sailes are loue the Saints are passengers the hauen is heauen and Christ is our Pilot. Now when the sea can continue without waues the ship without tossings and passengers not be sicke vpon the water then shall the Church of God be without trials but not before And as for this voyage we begin it or at the least should begin it so soone as we are borne and we must saile on till our dying day Therefore I beseech you brethren promise vnto your selues no security in this world but looke still for enimies and when you haue slaine a Beare looke for a Lyon when you haue killed the Lyon looke for a Goliah and when you haue ouercome Goliah looke for a Saul when Saul is wounded to death looke for the Philistines c. that is when you haue ouercome one trouble or vanquished one enimie looke still for an other trouble and for an other enimie and that vntill you die and the spirit doth returne to God that gaue it Thus farre of the first point now followes the second In the fourth verse and so forward vnto the end of the ninth verse is shewed how this opposition which was made against the Lord and his Annoynted came to none effect but was withstood and brought to nothing through the powerfull working of the Almighty the enimies that made the opposition being brought to shame and confusion How true this was in respect of Dauid the figure the 2. booke of Samuel doth declare with the beginning of the first booke of the Kings For in these two bookes we finde these three things First that he did enioy his kingdome vnto his dying day and that he did end his lise quietly and in peace in his bed 1. Kings 2.10 Secondly that the Lord his God who dwelleth in heauen did helpe him from time to time in all his troubles against his enemies 2. Samuel 22.1 c. Thirdly that his enemies who did thus resist him were vanquished and slaine Abner he was slaine by Ioab 2. Sam. 3.27 and Ish-bosheth his maisters Sauls sonne for whom he did sight was murdered by two of his seruants in his own house as he lay vpon his bed in his bed-chamber 2. Sam 4.7 The Iebusites they were punished and smitten by Ioab 2. Sam. 5.8 and 1. Chro. 11.8 The Philistines and other out-landish nations they were many of them put to the sword and the residue were made tributaries to Dauid 2. Sam. 5. 8. Chap. Absalom he was hanged by the haire of the head on an Oake in the wood as he was pursuing after his father and there he was slaine 2. Sam. 18.9.14 And Sheba the sonne of Bichri he was beheaded in Abel by the perswasion of a woman and his head cast ouer the wall vnto Ioab 2. Sam. 20.22 Thus all Dauids enimies ended their daies in deserued punishments But now for Christ there may be some doubt whether all things fell out aright according to the text here concerning him considering that his aduersaries seemed to haue the vpper hand of him in that they put him to death and brought him to a shameful end and that he himselfe did cry out and say My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Math. 27.46 Notwithstanding both these things euery matter is true which is reported here of him For first and foremost it is euident howsoeuer he vttered these words in his agony and bitter passion through the consternation of his minde which was now much disturbed through the intollerable burden which God his Father did lay vpon him for the sinnes of mankind that God had not forsaken him but was alwaies present with him for his good first by the sending of an Angel vnto him in his great heauinesse for his comfort Luk. 22.43 secondly by his hearing of him at all times yea euen in those things which he feared Heb. 5.7 And lastly by his aduancing of him from the graue vnto the highest heauens the vniuersall regiment of all the world Ephes 1.20 c. Secondly it is apparant that howsoeuer they did murder him yet they had not the victory ouer him but he rather the victory ouer them First by his rising againe from the dead Secondly by his sitting at the right hand of his Father Thirdly by his dwelling with his Church vpon the face of the earth vnto the end of the world And lastly by his triumphing ouer his enimies euē while he did hang vpon the crosse as it is well obserued by the Apostle in Col. 2.15 when he saith And hath spoyled the Principallities and Powers and hath made a shew of them openly and hath triumphed oner them in the same crosse But if you will not giue credit to these things and so be perswaded by these reasons marke what he himselfe who is truth it selfe Ioh. 14.6 hath said touching this matter in Ioh. 16.33 Where you shall finde him vttering these words vnto his disciples saying In the world yee shall haue affliction but be of a goodcomfort I haue ouercome the world Then as we are conquerours yea more then conquerours when we do suffer for the name of Christ and do leese our liues for the defence of his truth as it is in Rom. 8.36.37 so was Christ a conquerour yea more then a conquerour when he died for vs and by his death did destroy him that had the power of death Heb. 2.14 and so through his sufferings entred into his glory Luke 24.26 he being for that cause exalted aboue all the creatures and receiuing a name aboue euery name that at his name euery knee should bow both of things in heauen and things inearth and things vnder the earth Phil. 2.9 c. Thirdly and lastly it is manifest that his aduersaries were ouerthrowne and that most of them came to fearefull ends First by the ciuill warre that arose vp amongst themselues which continued a long time and brought many thousands to most desperate ends Secondly by the grieuous famine that was in the midst of them that consumed many of them and caused the parents to eate their owne children and one friend to deuoure another Thirdly by the totall destruction of their glorious Temple famous citty of Ierusalem with all the inhabitants thereof by Vespasian and Titus the Emperours of Rome Fourthly by the lasting infamy of a cursed name vpon their whole nation in that they are reproched throughout all the world and counted the worst
people that are according to our prouerbe He is as bad as a Iew. Finally by the woeful plagues not to speake here any thing of the torments of hell which is the worst of all which God hath sent downe immediatly from heauen vpon some of them in particular as vpon Herod Pontius Pilate and others For Herod to passe ouer all the rest and to make him an instance for all was thus plagued First he had a most scorching burning feuer by which he was inflamed exceedingly as well in the inward parts as in the outward Secondly there was in him an insatiable desire of food which could not be abated or be remoned away by all the meate and drinke which he did ranonously deuoure in great abundance Thirdly he had the bloody flixe Fourthly he had the colicke Fiftly he had the goute in his seete Sixtly his priuy members did so swell and rot that wormes did breed in the same And lastly he was from the top of the head vnto the sole of the foote so corrupt rotten that there came such a stinke from him that no person could well endure it and so in this woefull manner he ended his life and gaue vp the ghost Hauing thus seene the truth of all matters and found euery thing agreeable to the words of the text let vs now descend vnto the doctrine Doct. which may be gathered out of the same In few words it is nothing else but this that though we haue many enimies and sore aduersaries as Dauid and Christ had yet they shall not preuaile against vs but we shall prenaile against them doe they what they can as Dauid and Christ did Israel in Aegypt was cruelly handled but yet the more the Aegyptians did vexe them the more they multiplied and grew as it is in Exod. 3.12 And when they had done all the spite that they could doe against them yet at the last they were deliuered out of their hands they themselues being oftentimes plagued by the Almighty for their sakes and in the end most fearefully drowned in the red sea as it is apparant in the 14. Chap. of the same booke Mention is made of a great battell that was fought betweene Christ and the diuell and their armies in the Reuelation Chap. 12.7 c. But if you marke the sequele thereof you shall finde that Christ and his side had the victory For as it is witnessed of the Dragon who is the diuell and his Angels who are his souldiers that they preuailed not neither was their place found any more in heauen in the 8. verse of that Chapter so it is recorded to the glory comfort of all those who take Christs part that they ouercame the diuell the accuser of Gods children by the bloud of the Lambe and the word of their testimony in the 11. vers thereof But to omit other testimonies examples whereof the holy Scripture is full and frequent in this case let the words of our Sauiour Christ suffice vs at this time He tels vs in Math. 16.18 that the gates of hell whereby is meant all the power and force thereof shall not ouercome his Church or be able to ouerthrow such as do depend vpon him by a true and iustifying faith And in the 7. Chapter of the same booke towards the latter end thereof he doth shew the stablenesse of those that doe belong to the Lord haue a care both to heare the word of God and also to do it by a notable comparison wherein he doth resemble them to an house that is built vpon a rocke which cannot be cast downe by any tempest of weather whatsoeuer but doth stand alwaies still and cannot fall A thing neuer to bee thought of enough it is so full of comfort and consolation vnto euery godly soule chiefly vnto him that is afflicted here in this world But what might the reason thereof be may a man say that thus the godly should alwaies preuaile and be neuer ouerthrowne by their enimies but ouercome them rather Experience doth teach vs that they are fewer in number then the wicked are that they are weaker for strength and power that they are more simple for wit and policy and that they are more carelesse for diligence and watchfulnes then their aduersaries be How comes it then to passe that they haue the vpper hand The Prophet Isay doth declare it vnto vs in the 8. Chapter of his Prophecy and the 10. verse thereof Reason It is in few words because the Lord is with for thē For first he is stronger then all beeing able to resist all power that is made against his to do whatsoeuer he will both in heauen earth Secondly he is wiser then all seeing how to preuent them in all their waies and how also to bring matters to passe for the good of his Thirdly he is diligenter then all to stand as it were vpon his watch and to take his aduantage when it is offered him For he that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber nor sleepe Psalme 121.4 Lastly he is happier then all to haue good successe in all his enterprises For he doth prosper still in all things which he doth take in hand and none can resist a thought of his yea the very word that goeth out of his mouth doth accomplish that which he will and prosper in the thing whereunto he doth send it Isay 55.11 In warre all these foure things are respected in a captaine that will still ouercome First that he be strong Secondly that he be wise Thirdly that he be diligent And lastly that he be fortunate For the victory goes not alwaies with the strong nor alwaies with the wise nor alwaies with the diligent nor alwaies with the fortunate but sometimes with the one of them and sometimes with the other But looke where all foure doe concurre together there is alwaies the victory And therefore seeing all of them are in God it is no maruell though those whose battels hee doth fight doe alwaies ouercome and get the victory Here I would gladly come to the vse of the doctrine Obiect but me thinks I heare a man obiecting against that which hath bene said saying that it is not true that Gods children do alwaies preuaile against their enimies but that their enimies oftentimes do preuaile against them For we see that they are murdered and put to death Mention is made thereof in the booke of the Reuelation and in other places of the holy Scripture besides And thousand examples euery where do demonstrate the same daily vnto vs. For we do behold stil with our owne eyes and heare with our owne eares that the godly haue the worst end of the staffe as it is in our adage and that the wicked do beare sway and dominion ouer them How then is it true which hath bene spoken that doe the vngodly what they can yet the righteous shall still preuaile against them as here Dauid and Christ did The answere hereunto may easily
auoided by euery good Christian and those that would be the faithfull children of the most high God of heauen But on the former of thē I will not now stand partly because all do confesse that to be a most hainous offence and partly because we are somewhat cleare and innocent from it but I will stand onely vpon the latter as vpon a thing more doubtfull and wherein we are intangled most The which to be a most grieuous sin in the sight of the Almighty howsoeuer man doth iudge lightly of it appeareth euidently by three things First by his often condemning of it in his word Secondly by his branding of them with a note of great infamie or reprobation who were subiect vnto it And thirdly by his seuere punishing of them who were guilty in it If we peruse the word we shall finde many places condemning the same but I will presse two or three alone Do all things saith Paul in Phil. 2.14 without murmuring and reasonings And againe writing to the Corinthians in 1. Cor. 10.10 he saith Neither murmure ye as some of them also murmured making mention there of the Israelites and were destroyed of the destroyer Likewise Peter well agreeing with him saith in 1. Pet. 4.9 Be ye harborous one to another without murmuring If we search the Scriptures we shall finde againe that murmurers therein are brought in as the leawdest and vilest people that be Iude in his Epistle speaking of vngodly persons who are a staine vnto true religion euen of such as were ordained of old vnto eternall condemnation as appeareth in the 4. Vers of that Epistle doth amongst other things set them out by this marke that they are murmures and complainers walking after their owne lusts as it is in the 16. verse thereof Whereby we see that God doth brand them with the note of reprobation as I said before In like manner as Kain is recorded to be a murtherer a runnagate a vagabond and a damned wretch who was a murmurer and one that did repine and grudge that God should respect his brother Abel aboue himselfe Gen. 4.5 c. So are all the Israelites who did so often murmure and grudge against the Lord and Moses his seruant in the wildernesse reputed for most vile and notorious sinners and that by God himselfe in these words Forty yeares haue I contended with this generation and said They are a people that erre in heart for they haue not knowne my waies Wherefore I sware in my wrath saying suerly they shall not enter into my rest Psal 95.10.11 Lastly if we carefully obserue the story of sacred Oracles we shall find that most heauy plagues iudgements haue bene excuted vpon offenders in this respect But to touch one or two it is not vnknowne that though Miriam were an excellent woman and one of great account amongst all the people of God yet the Lord did not spare her but did strike her with the Leprosie a cursed an odious disease for her murmuring against Moses Numb 12.10 Againe it is apparant that though God made choise of Israel to be his people before all the nations of the world and did carry them as it were in his bosome as a mother doth carry her child in her bosome yet he did destroy many thousands of them by the Amalekites the Canaanites that dwelt in the mountaine of their wandring for their murmuring and repining yea and more then that hee debarred them all from entring into Caanan that came out of Aegypt except two viz. Iosuah and Caleh as we may see at large in the 14. Chap. of Numbers But yet his hand staid not there For besides all that he cast most of them downe to hell and would not suffer them to come to heauen which is the plague of all plagues and the heauiest iudgement that can be as the Apostle doth obserue in the 3. and 4. Chapters of his Epistle to the Hebrewes As thus you heare that murmuring is a sinne Reason so peraduenture you would gladly vnderstand the cause why it is a sinne In few words it is a sinne for two causes The one is because it hath an errour in it whereby we iudge amisse of the Lord and his wayes whether workes or words For whensoeuer we murmure for any matter we iudge and thinke that that matter is out of order and that it might be better disposed of then it is As for example when the maister of the vineyard gaue vnto euery one a penny at night that laboured in his vineyard the enuious man grumbled at this because he thought here was no iustice and equity obserued in that all of them were made equall in their wages who were vnequal in their labours So when we murmure against God we do dislike with something in God and so we do controll him and preferre our selues who are foolish and wicked before him who is most wise and holy as though we our selues in the like case could do better then God hath done then which blasphemy what can almost be more hainous The other cause is because it hath some rebellion in it as a cursed effect arising from the wickednesse of that former cause whereof we haue already spoken For when the soule is thus corrupted with a wrong iudgement the heart that begins to boyle and rise against God in many angry and foolish passions and the tongue oftentimes is loosed with most vile and reprochfull words that I may not speake of the hands and the rest of the members all which are much out of order by this meanes and carried ouer to a sea of corruptions as we may see in those murmurers and many others who were mentioned before Wherefore when Moses went about to draw the people from their murmuring he wils them to rebell no more as though to murmure to rebell were all one Numb 14.9 And when God doth reproue them he doth demand How long they will prouoke him and how long it will be yer they doe beleeue him in the 11. verse of the same Chapter as though there were no difference betweene murmuring and prouoking of God or not beleeuing in him So that then if it be an abhomination before the Lord to condemne the innocent in our thoughts and to rebell against the gouernours of the land it is apparant and euident that murmuring must needes be a great sinne seeing it hath these two great euils in it the one of iudging amisse of the Lord the other of rebelling against his maiesty But to passe the causes let vs come to the vses They are in number two The first of them sheweth the great impiety of our land Vse 1 for seeing that murmuring is a great euill and we haue murmurers in euery place and amongst all estates we may see that our land is wicked and naught In it reigne many sinnes as swearing lying whoring theeuing quaffing gormandizing contempt of the word and the faithfull embassadours thereof with many other notoriousvices such as couetousnesse
and many more they are much bound vnto the Almightie and in regard of them it is their part and duty to serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of their liues they being euermore seruent in the spirit and most zealous of all good workes For the more kind and bountifull that any is vnto vs the more louing and obedient should we be againe vnto him But through their corruptions it is farre otherwise with them For these things make them the worse and not the better and like a violent floud they carrie them to all kind of abhominations First because they make them proud and arrogant in their hearts for pride is the roote of all euill as it cast the Angels out of heauen Adam out of paradise Nabuchadnezzar out of his kingdome so it doth still deceiue men and make them rebell against the Almightie The wicked man saith Dauid is so proud that he seeketh not for God he thinketh alwayes there is no God Psal 10.4 And the Lord saith to Edom who was a bitter enimie to him and his people The pride of thine heart hath deceiued thee thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rockes whose habitation is high that saith in his heart Who shall bring me downe to the ground Obadiah verse 3. Secondly because they make them riotous and licentious in their liues For intemperancy of body and abundance of fleshly pleasures do cause them to forget the Lord and to spurne against him that made them But he saith God that should haue bene vpright when he waxed fat spurned with his heele thou art fat speaking to Israel thou art grosse thou art laden with fatnesse therefore he forsooke God that made him and regarded not the strong God of his saluation Deut. 32.15 Againe you know it is said of the voluptuous man in the parable that though others made their excuses for not coming vnto the feast whereunto they were bidden yet he made none but said peremptorily I haue maried a wife and therefore I cannot come Luk. 14.20 declaring there by that the pleasures of this life are most forcible meanes to withdraw vs from the Lord and from all such duries as do belong vnto him as also from our owne eternall happinesse which is in the heauens aboue Thirdly because they make them most stiffe and obstinate against the most holy and powerfull ministery of the word For the contempt of the word is the very leprosie of the soule and the killing plague of the body Wherewith saith Dauid shall a young man redresse his way In taking heed thereto according to thy word Psal 119.9 And the wise men as Ieremy saith are ashamed they are afraid and taken Loe they haue reiected the word of the Lord and what wisedome is in them Ier. 8.9 So that without the word there is no goodnesse in men Yet they say when faithfull messengers come to them as Moses came vnto Pharaoh Who is the Lord that I should heare his voyce and let Israel go I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel go Exod. 5.2 What say they shall these command vs and shall we do according to their sayings No no but downe with them downe with them let them not liue but die or as it is in Ieremy chap. 18.18 Come and let vs imagine some deuice against them for the law shall not perish from the Priest nor counsell from the wise nor the word from the Prophet come and let vs smite them with the tongue and let vs not giue heed to any of their words Fourthly because they make them to prosper and to carry out all matters for this world according to their owne hearts desire For prosperitie and good successe in our wayes doth harden mans heart exceedingly against the Lord and all holy proceedings His wayes saith Dauid speaking of the wicked vnto God alway prosper thy iudgements are high ouer his sight therefore defieth he all his enimies Psal 10.5 And we find in Mal. 3.14.15 that many did refuse to serue the Lord and to keepe his commandements and chose rather to be lewd and wicked because as they said the proud were blessed and they which wrought wickednesse were set vp and such as tempted God were deliuered Fiftly because they make them to haue a false opinion of themselues as if they were in good case and were in the high fauour of God when it is nothing so For this false perswasion of theirs doth rocke them fast asleepe in their sinnes so bind the cords of their iniquity that they can hardly euer be brokē againe Surely as they say in their harts they shal neuer be moued nor be in danger as it is in Ps 10.6 or as it is in Ps 49.11 They thinke their houses and their habitations shall continue for euer euen from generation to generation and call their lands by their names So this doth cause them not to returne vnto the Lord but to go on stil in their sinnes against him as we may see in Ieremy chap. 5.12 in these words They haue denied the Lord and said It is not he neither shall the plague come vpon vs neither shall we see sword or famine and as it may also be collected out of Chapter 7. ver 4. where the Lord saith vnto Israel who thought themselues deare vnto the Almightie and free from all plagues in that respect Trust not in lying words saying The temple of the Lord the temple of the Lord this is the temple of the Lord. Lastly because they make them to be attended vpon by many flatterers who will smooth them on in their sinnes and to be accompanied by such as will giue vnto them wicked counsell as the young men did vnto Rehoboam when he caused ten tribes to reuolt from him For flattery and euill counsell are the bane of all good manners and forcible spurres to driue men forward to all wickednesse For as Paul doth say Euill words corrupt good manners 1. Cor. 15.33 so the Lord doth testifie that flattering teachers and euill counsellors do strengthen the hands of the wicked that they cannot returne from their wickednesse in ser 23.14 Thus you haue sixe reasons in particular of their rebellion and conspiracie The first is the pride of their hearts who are puft vp with their estate and swolne like a blowne bladder with the vaine wind of their outward pompe The second is the intemperancie of their liues who liue in all kind of excesse for diet apparell and other worldly pleasures most sweete and delightfull vnto the flesh The third is the contempt of the word who meditate but seldome vpon the law of God and come but now and then to the place where it is soundly and vnpartially diuided The fourth is the prosperity of their wayes who flourish like the Bay tree and are not in trouble as other men or plagued as they be but do liue at ease are strong and lustie and haue more then heart can wish The fift is the false
being in heauen the other of his laughing at his aduersaries euen to shew that that conspiracy which was made against him his annoynted should not prosper or preuaile but vanish come to nothing So that the doctrine is rightly collected out of the text and it may be proued vnto vs out of sundry places of sacred Writ but I wil touch some two or three onely at this time and so passe it ouer The first is out of the Prophet Isay in the 8 chapter of his prophesie and the 9. and 10 verses thereof when he saith Gather together on heaps ô yee people and yee shall bee broken to peeces and hearken ye of farre countries Gird your selues you shall bee broken in peeces gird your selues and you shall bee broken in peeces Take counsell together and it shall be brought to nought pronounce a decree yet shall it not stand for God is with vs. The second is in the 33. Psalme the 10. 11. verses thereof where the Prophet Dauid saith The Lord breaketh the counsell of the heathen and bringeth to nought the deuices of the people The counsell of the Lord shall stand for euer and the thoughts of his heart throughout all ages The third and last is the 12. chapter of the Reuelations and the 7. and 8 verses thereof where Iohn saith And there was a battell in heauen Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon and the Dragon fought and his Angels But they preuailed not neither was their place found any more in heauen Thus you see that nothing can stand against the Lord but all doth come to nought that is raised vp against him And the reason thereof is this partly because he is wiser then all seeing which way to preuent his enemies and to bring his owne purpose to passe and partly because hee is stronger then all being able to doe whatsoeuer hee will both in heauen and earth according to Pauls words in 1. Cor. 1.25 when hee saith For the foolishnesse of God is wiser then men and the weaknesse of God is stronger then men The vse of this doctrine is manifold Vse but yet it standeth chiefly in three things The first is to teach vs what shall bee the end of all the plots which the wicked haue in their soules against the Lord and such as do cleaue vnto him They shal vanish and come to nothing being like in this respect as the child in the mothers wombe that there doth perish and neuer come aline into this world or like vnto his dreame who is busie all the night in his sleepe about gold and rich preferments and yet in the morning is as poore as when he went to bed In a word they do but lose their labour as he doth who goeth about by washing to make a Black-moore-white or by teaching to make an asse play vpon an harpe Let this be a continuall meditation with vs euery day and night The second is to pull vs backe from all such matters as doe tend any manner of way against the Lord. For let vs assure our owne soules that if we attempt any such thing wee shall haue no good successe therein but our endeuours shall bee brought to nought I beseech you remember what Gamaliel said and follow his counsell which he gaue vnto the Iewes when they stroue against the Apostles and went about to hinder all preaching in the name of Christ Men of Israel saith he take heede to your selues what you intend to do touching these men refraine your selues from them and let them alone For if this counsell or this worke be of men it will come to nought but if it be of God ye cannot destroy it lest ye bee found euen sighters against God as it is in Acts 5 35 c. But some may say Obiect None of vs are so beastly as to fight against the Lord himselfe Ans Ans Let no man be deceiued For we doe all of vs warre against him many wayes and as in generall when wee doe violate and breake his statutes refusing to doe that which he hath commanded vs for to do so in particular we doe it foure manner of waies The one is when we oppose our selues against the Magistrates of the common wealth whom hee hath set ouer vs for to rule gouerne vs For to resist them is to resist God himselfe as Paul doth shew in Rom. 13.1.2 Another is when we doe oppose our selues against the Ministers of the Church whom he hath raised vp to teach and instruct vs. For to resist them is to resist God himselfe as Christ hath taught vs in Luke 10.16 The third is whē we do oppose our selues against the word of God and such heauenly ordinances of his as he hath bestowed vpon men for his owne worship and the saluation of mans soule For to resist them is to resist God himselfe as Gamaliel doth insinuate in the place of the Acts. before quoted The fourth and last is when wee doe oppose our selues against the children of God and the members of lesus Christ For to resist them is to resist God himselfe as Zecharie doth declare in Zech. 2.8 All these wayes do men in euery place almost lift vp themselues against the Lord but beware we that we ioyne not with them therein but let vs cary our selues holy and reuerently in all these respects as we ought to do otherwise we shall be crost in our purposes and pay most dearely for it at the last The third and last is to comfort vs who haue such a strong and wise God on our side that nothing can preuaile against him It is a great comfort vnto a man to serue such a maister as will alwaies take his part see him wronged by no man but then especially is his heart exhilerated with much ioy alacritie when he doth vnderstand that none is able to make his part good with his maister but he doth alwaies preuaile against all What a consolation then and ioy of spirit ought it to be vnto vs seeing our maister Lord whom we serue is not only omnipotēt in himselfe being stronger then all but also so louing to vs that hee doth alwaies take our part and so assist vs from time to time that we shall still ouercome our foes and not bee vanquished by them Oh let vs ponder often on this poynt For it will be a good cordial medicine vnto vs in all diseases whatsoeuer and it will reuiue vs like Aqua vitae or rosa Solis when we are ready to faint or sinke Hitherto you haue heard a description of the Lord in regard of that which his enimies do to him Now you must marke how he is described in respect of that which he will do to them And that is also two manner of waies the one is by his workes the other is by his words by his works in the first verse and by his words in the fixth verse His workes containe his anger against them and
with vs both his hand that is vpon vs shall be remoued away and those iudgements that do hang ouer vs shall be staied and neuer fall downe vpon vs. Neuer forget we that comfortable saying which is in 2. Chro. 7.14 and is vttered by God himselfe in these words If my people saith he among whom my name is called vpon do humble themselues and pray and seeke my presence and turne from their wicked wayes then will I heare in heauen and be mercifull to their sinne and will heale their land Downe then at night and downe in the morning before your God send vp vnto him the true sighes of an humble heart and of a broken soule for all your transgressions and assure your selues as you liue and breathe he will respect them with a sauing grace For he hath a most melting heart towards his poore people that when the rod is euen vp and he ready to smite then euen then he stayeth his hand oftentimes of himselfe and is loath to strike yea he breaketh out into compassionate words such as are in Hosea 11.8 when he saith How shall I giue thee vp O Ephraim how shall I deliuer thee O Israel How shall I make thee as Admah how shall I set thee as Zeboim My hart is turned within me my repentings are rolled together I will not execute the fiercenesse of my wrath c. as it is there in that place Could euer any father speake more compassionately ouer his child when he were about to beate him Surely no tongue can expresse the Lords goodnesse and pitty towards vs. And therefore settle with your selues this comfort that if you returne from your sinnes and once leaue your transgressions he will not punish you nor execute those iudgements vpon you which you haue deserued Obiect But we are in no danger may you say Obiect and so need not to repent for that cause For we liue in the dayes of peace and no peril doth hang ouer our heads Ans Ans Let no man deceiue himselfe For we all haue sinned and trespassed against the Lord and his Annointed as well as these Kings and Iudges had done who are here called vpon to repentance and amendment of life and looke what danger they stood in through their sinnes and trespasses the same do we now stand in through our sinnes and trespasses and therefore we haue as great need to repent as they had Will you that I speake all in one word Then thus it is Euery person of vs haue deserued to be cast into hell forasmuch as we do daily breake the commandements of God and all the iudgements that are there do of right belong vnto vs and we are liable vnto them euery houre yea euery minute of an houre and therefore I say we haue great need to repent to auoide them Questionlesse the more we stand out the worse it will be for vs. We our selues dislike haughtie pride in others towards vs but especially in such as owe vs duty and obedience and humble and meeke spirits we take pleasure in He that yeeldeth when we chide and stoopeth to vs when we are angry we quickly obserue and readily receiue to fauour againe How much more thinke you are these things due to God from dust and ashes Follow then what to him you know is pleasing and to your selues euer profitable An army of souldiers shall not sooner repell our enimies from vs then true repentance shall the Lords wrath that hangeth ouer vs. That is the onely thing that can make vp the hedge and stand in the gap before the Lord for vs that he should not destroy vs. For the Lord cannot strike vs when we hold vp our hands for mercy and looke vpon him with watery eyes humbled in the dust before him and for Christ begging pardon at his hands And therefore euer make vp this wall of defence by true prayer and hearty repentance against him and stand your selues in the gap thus crying vnto him in his Sonne against your sinnes and be assured you shall preuaile But alas men do faile much in the performance of this dutie It may grieue a good heart and soule to thinke how wretchlesse and carelesse they are therein Though iudgements lie heauy vpon some of them already yet they repent not nor returne to the Lord. The sicknesse that is vpon them the vexation of spirit that is within them the vntowardnesse of their children and seruants that are neare vnto them and the losse of their goods which do decay each day more and more round about them cannot rouze them vp from their sinnes nor conuert them soundly vnto the Lood but they continue still in their transgressions and grow rather worse then better therein adding drunkennesse vnto thirst and one sinne vnto another God amend them if it be his pleasure and giue vnto them better hearts Others there are amongst them who yet are spared ouer whom notwithstanding the iudgements of the Lord do hang in a most fearefull and cuident manner For they are likely euery houre to haue some plague fall vpon them and to be carried away body and soule to hell their sinnes and abhominations are so vile and filthy before the Lord. But yet alas they perseuere on still in their euill wayes and take not this holy course of repentance to stop the Lords iudgements from falling downe vpon them and to saue themselues from that sulphurian and euer-tormenting place It is noted of the wise man in the Prouerbes chapter 23.3 that he seeth the plague and hideth himselfe but the foolish on the the contrary side goe on still and are punished Deale we as this wise man and not as the foole Looke we vpon our dangers and labour we by a sound conuersion vnto the Lord to preuent them otherwise the Lord himselfe will say of vs as he did of Ephraim when he sayd The sorrowes of a trauelling woman shall come vpon him he is an vnwise sonne else would he not stand still at the time euen at the breaking forth of the children Hosea 12.13 Great stirre doth euery man almost make when his aduersarie commeth to take the possession of his house and liuing ouer his head and that by force and violence or when the Shrieffes men do approach neare to take him and to carry him to the gaole where he knowes he shall lie in wofull miserie some time and in the end leese his life by a shamefull death Oh what ado then is there what shiftings then do enter into mans heart No stone then as we say is left vnmoued but euery course that may be thought vpon is taken to preuent that perill and danger And yet shall men lie still and do nothing to preuēt the danger of hel which is 10000. times worse thē any prison or death in this world brings with it more troubles by millions then euer the losse of any house or liuing can do here Awake we awake we and if euer men will bestirre their stumpes as it
Another of loue and kindnesse as in Genes 45.15 where you find Ioseph kissing all his brethren and weeping vpon them for this was in token of his loue and good will which he did beare towards them And so also is it taken in Rom. 16.16 where the Apostle doth will the Saints to salute one the other with an holy kisse Here in this place it may be taken in both the significations for it was their part both to loue Christ and also to be subiect and obedient vnto him And therefore they must kisse him not onely in signe of homage and subiection but also as a sure pledge of their loue and faithful trust which they will performe towards him Yet chiefly the former of these is meant and not the latter Howsoeuer from hence we gather this doctrine Doct. that as we must honour and serue the Father as we were taught in the former verse so we must honor and serue the Sonne as you see here plainely in this verse The same doctrine doth our Sauiour himselfe beate into mens heads in the first chapter according to S. Iohns Gospel and the 23. verse thereof where he doth set downe a reason why the Father iudgeth no man but hath cōmitted all iudgement vnto the Sonne Because saith he that all men should honor the Sonne as they honor the Father and thereupon doth conclude that he that honoreth not the Sonne the same honoreth not the Father which hath sent him Now the reasons for this doctrine are two Reasons One because he hath redeemed vs and set vs free by a deare ransome from all our enimies As the men of Israel said to Gideon Reigne thou ouer vs both thou and thy sonne and thy sonnes sonne for thou hast deliuered vs out of the hands of Midian Iudges 8.22 So wee may say to him in this respect Reigne thou ouer vs both thou and thy Spirit and thy Spirits holy word for thou hast deliuered vs out of the hand of the diuell And this is the reason that is pressed in the fift chapter of the Reuelations by all the Saints and Angels that are in heauen why Christ is worthy of honour and glory euen because he was killed and by his bloud hath redeemed vs to God and made vs Kings and Priests vnto him Likewise Paul doth shew that this was the end wherefore he died for vs and rose againe namely that he might be Lord both of the dead and quicke as it is in Rom. 14.9 The other reason is this because he will hereafter glorifie vs and take vs to himselfe vp into the heauens where he is according to his promise in the be-beginning of the 14 chapter of Saint Iohns Gospell For this is the reason which he vsed vnto his Apostles to encourage them on vnto all dutifull seruice vnto himselfe in the latter end of the 19. chapter of Mathew For when they did aske him what they should haue which had forsaken all to follow him he answered them and said Verily I say vnto you that when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his Maiestie yee which followed me in the regeneration shal also sit vpon twelue thrones iudge the twelue tribes of Israel And whosoeuer shall forsake houses or brethren or fisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands for my names sake he shall receiue an hundred fold more and shall inherite euerlasting life The vse hereof is first Vse to teach vs the woefull estate of all Iewes Turkes and others who know not Christaright nor yeeld any reuerence or worship vnto him as vnto God the Father For as after it doth follow they must needs perish and be destroyed for euer There is no saluation or life eternall to be had of them but they shall be sure to be damned in hell for euermore For as it is in Iohn 3.18 Euery one that doth not beleeue in him is condemned already And as it is in 1. Ioh. 5.12 he that hath not the Sonne of God hath not life he meanes eternall life for of that did he speake in the former verse Secondly this must awaken vs vp all and stirre vs to the execution of all such duties as we do owe vnto the Son we must not onely know what he is aright either in regard of his person or of his office but we must withall performe all loyall and faithfull seruice vnto him We must kisse him that is soundly loue him and carefully obey him in all his commandements Learne we then his statutes and let vs euermore obserue and keepe them Whereas he hath a yoke hath commanded vs to take the same vpon vs Math. 11.29 let vs not fling it away or withdraw our neckes therefrom but with patient soules let vs submit our selues vnto it knowing that we must obserue and keepe whatsoeuer he hath commanded vs as it is in Math. 28.20 Happy were we if we could once say to Christ as the children of Israel did to Iosuah saying All that thou hast commanded vs we will do and whithersoeuer thou sendest vs we will go whosoeuer shall rebell against thy commandement and will not obey thy words in all that thou commandest him let him be put to death Iosuah 1.16 17.18 Cause there is great wherefore we should do this For what Shall he die a cursed and shamefull death for vs to deliuer vs from hell and damnation and yet shall not we obey him and through loue do his commandements Againe doth he daily bestow vpon vs great benefites and do we looke to be glorified by him at the last and to haue glory and honour and immortality through his meanes And yet shall not we loue him and be well content to take vp his yoake and to do whatsoeuer he shall command vs But yet alas we do dishonour him continually we can blaspheme his name and sweare by his wounds and blood and vse his titles of Christ and Iesus vnreuerently but where is a man almost that doth worship him aright and loue him as he ought to doe What Could Nebuchadnezzar and all the States men of his Prouinces make a law that whosoeuer would not fall downe before the golden image which they had made and worship the same should be cast into an hot fiery furnace and there be consumed to death And shall not we so much as dislike with our selues and inflict some punishmēt vpon our owne persons when we cannot bring our soules to fall downe before Iesus Christ the most glorious image of God the Father and worship him For as for that image it was nothing else but a dead peece of gold and a matter of detestable idolatry to be abhorred of euery one But as for this image it is a liuing and a mighty God and a thing of great ioy to all the world to be embraced of all persons as bringing life blessednesse vnto all To conclude this point I beseech you deare brethren euen as you regard your owne saluation and happinesse