haue crucified the Lorde of glorie Christ may be called the Lord of glorie 1 Because he is full of maiestie power and glorie at the right hand Philip. 2. of God Which glorie Saint Paul noting vnto men affirmeth that God his father had highly exalted him and giuen him a name aboue all names that at the name of Iesus euery knee should bowe of things in heauen things on earth and things vnder the earth and euerie tongue should confesse Iesus Christ to be Lord to the glorie of God And in another place to like purpose entreating of the same glorie of Christ at the right hand of God auoucheth Ephes 1. that God had raised vp his sonne Christ and set him at his right hand in heauenly places farre aboue all principalities and might and power and dominion euerie name that is named not onely in this world but in the world to come Which the author to the Hebrues calleth the right hand of maiestie in highest places Which glorious Heb. 1. exaltation S. Peter expressing writeth that Christ is at the right hande of GOD gone into heauen to whom 1. Pet. 1. the powers and angels and might are subiect this being Heb. 1. a glorie farre aboue the glorious and most excellent condition of Angels to whom the Lord neuer saide Sit at my right hande till I make thine enemies thy footstoole and this glorie being proper vnto Christ our Lord hee may be called our glorious Lord or the Lord of glory 2 Christ Isai 53. Zach. 9. is the Lord of glorie because howsoeuer hee first came in basenesse great humilitie yet at his second appeaing and comming he shall come in vnspeakeable glorie as the Scriptures haue auouched The holy Euangelists with one mouth as it were describing the cōming of our Lord Matt. 24. Luke 21. Marke 13. Iesus Christ to iudgement affirme that he should come in the clouds with great power glorie S. Mathew setting down the maner of the general iudgemēt the summoning citing of all creatures before Christ the sentence of Mat. 25. iudgement which should be pronoūced to al writeth that when the sonne of man should come in his glorie and all his holy angels with him thē should he sit vpō the throne of his glorie and all nations should bee gathered before him that he should diuide the one from the other as a shedheard diuideth the sheepe from the goates and set the sheep on his right hand and the goats on his left and say to the sheepe Come ye blessed of my father receyue the kingdome prepared for you but to the goats depart from me ye cursed into euerlasting fire prepared for the diuell and his angels Saint Iude the Apostle intreating of this glorie of Christ which he proueth out of Enoch writeth thereof in this wise Behold the Lord commeth with Iude v. 14. thousands of his saints to giue iudgement against al men Accompanied with so glorious a troupe and traine of his saints his comming is glorious S. Paul painting out the same matter vnto vs and shewing the glorious cōming of our Sauiour Christ auoucheth that the Lord Iesus should discend from heauen with a shoute and with the voice of 1. Thes 4. the archāgel with the trumpet of God The archangel being the harminger or the proclaimer of Christs comming the trumpet of God soūding out the same to all the world doth not a litle shew the glory of Christs cōming His comming therefore being so glorious he is the glorious Lorde or the Lorde of glory as the Apostle calleth him 3 Christ to conclude is a glorious Lord because he bringeth and aduanceth his seruants to immortall glory after his appearing in iudgement For he exalteth and lifteth Iohn 12 them to his eternal kingdom of glory as himselfe of himself witnesseth to the Iewes whom he telleth that when by death vpon the crosse he should be lifted vp so exalted to his kingdom he would draw all men all that beleeue vnto him to the same glory To which purpose he praieth Iohn 17. vnto his father father I will that they whom thou hast giuen me be with me euen where I am that they may behold that my glory which thou hast giuen me Wherof he assureth his Church in the person of the disciples as my Luke 22. father hath appointed vnto me a kingdom euen so I appoint vnto you that you may eat drink in my kingdom and sit iudge the twelue tribes of Israel Vnto the reall possession wherof he calleth all his saints in the sentence Mat. 25. of the general iudgement to them by him pronounced when with most comforable voice hee crieth nowe vnto them Come ye blessed of my father possesse the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world S. Paul Col. 3. subscribeth hereunto We are dead and our life is hid with Christ in God when Christ which is our life shall appeare thē shal we also appeare with him in glory Wherin the apostle assureth vs that howsoeuer our glorious condition by reason of worldly miseries calamities afflictions whervnto weare here subiect is as it were hid yet shal wehaue the accomplishmēt of our glory at Christs comming when we shall be exalted to our glorie which wee haue in Christ Iesus Saint Iohn disputing of the glorie 1. Iohn 3. which we shall inioy by Christ and the excellent dignitie and calling to that immortall glorie wherunto at his cōming by him the Saints shal be exalted saith dearly beloued we are the sonnes of God but it is not manifest what we shal be and we know that when he shal appeare we shal be like him So that albeit in this life we receiue not the perfect measure of our glorie yet when he commeth to iudge the worlde our glorie shall bee reuealed and we made like him partakers of the like and same Rom. 8. though not of equall glory with the sonne of God Christ Iesus This is that glorious libertie of the sonnes of God whereunto the saints are brought by Iesus christ our Lord not onely himselfe full of maiestie and glorie but appearing to the world in the last day in excellent glorie and then making all his seruants partakers of the like glorie is for these and like respects in Scripture called the glorious Lord or the Lord of glorie This glorie of Christ yea this glory of his poore saints if we would esteem as we ought there would not be such respect of persons as there is among men to esteeme of the riche and wealthie though prophane and wicked and to contemne and disdainfully account of the poore albeit vertuous and godly 3 To haue this faith of Christ our glorious Lord in respect of persons is to esteeme the faith religion and profession of Christ by the outward appearance of men VVhich this Apostle here condemning saieth My brethren haue not the faith of our glorious
desert of Maon perceiuing the inestimable loue of God toward Psal 116. Psal 143. 12. 144. 10. him protesteth that he will therefore be thankfull and do God seruice Behold Lord for I am thy seruant I am thy seruant and the sonne of thy handmaide In this sence infinitely is setuant taken in holy Scripture meaning all such as serue God in profession of religion Specially they are called the seruants of God and of Christ who in some seueral and chiefe calling do homage vnto God and promote his kingdome So Princes in common wealths Preachers and Ministers in the Church of Christ are seruants of God and of Christ in speciall seruice Our sauiour Christ in some sence is also a seruant in that in the office of a mediatour he serued the wil and pleasure of his father whereof the prophet Ezechiel speaketh Ezech. 34. I will set vp a shepheard ouer them and he shall feed them euen my seruant Dauid he shall feede them and be their Shepheard By Dauid not meaning Dauid the king the sonne of Ishai but Iesus Christ of whom Dauid was a liuely type and figure Isai also speaketh of Christ in the Isai 52. 53 v. 11. 42. 1. person of God Behold my seruant he shall prosper hee shal be extolled and exalted very high speaking of our sauiour Christ in whose hands the worke of our spirituall deliuerance prospered Seruing therefore as the head great Shepheard of the church he is called in a special respect the seruant of God Dauid and other Princes seruing God in the chiefe place of the common wealth in handling the scepter of gouernment are called Gods seruants Magistrates seeking by setting foorth Gods glory and true religion by geuing precepts and making lawes for the aduancement of godlines and vertue are called the seruants of God in that speciall seruice as Augustine Epist 50. to Boniface the Earle at large sheweth So the Apostles and Ministers of Gods word specially called to the ministerie of the word and sacraments are called in respect of that speciall seruice specially the seruants of God and of Christ as Saint Paul in sundrie his Epistles Saint Peter and this Apostle of himselfe speaketh calling themselues the seruants of the Lord. Princes themselues haue no greater honour then to 1. Iames 1. become seruaunts vnto Christ and to licke dust vnder the feet of his Church as the Prophet speaketh which is that earthly Princes should not feare to set out the gospel Psal 72. and geue all their strength to the enlarging of Christ his kingdome though it bee with hazard of their crownes Yea this is by the Apostle to the Hebrewes 1. chap. verse 7. attributed to the angels of God as their hiest honour to be ministring spirites to Christ and to be subiect vnto him How many times doeth Abraham Isaac Iacob Moses Iosua Dauid Ezechiah and all the zealous kinges of Iuda entitle themselues the seruants of God How often doeth God shew foorth his great loue fauour and goodnes to Israel yea and many other vnder this name that they are his seruants Who euer of the Princes of the earth but Pharao and Senacherib and the like exalted themselues against him in this wise Who is the Lorde that I should heare his voice I know not the Lord neither vvill I let the people goe Exod. 5. Exod. 5. If thou vvert as mightie as Dauid the King and Prophet yet this is thy greatest honour vvith him to say Behold Lord for I am thy seruant I am thy seruant and the sonne of thy handmaid Psal 116. If thou excellest al kings in vvisdome riches honor as Salomon did yet this is thy Psal 116. glory to reioyce in the seruice of Iesus Christ If thou vvert vviser then Daniel more righteous then Noah more perfect then the Prophets this is thy glory the seruice of Christ If vve vvere Princes on earth Prelats in the Church Angels in heauen yet this is the height of all glory to reioyce in the seruice of Christ Who are vve and vvhat are our fathers houses vvho can imagine and frame vnto our selues greater glory then to bee seruantes vnto Christ This the Apostles did not vvho alvvais held it their greatest glory to be indeed the seruants of Christ 1 Now this name of seruant must teache vs humilitie that we submitte our selues to Christ whose seruants we are and for his sake and by his example to serue one another wherunto he exhorteth You know that the Lords of the Gentiles haue rule ouer them and they that are Matt. 20. exercise authoritie vpon them But it shall not be so among you but who so will be great among you let him be your seruant and who so wil be chiefe among you let him be your minister euen as the sonne of man came not to be ministred vnto but to minister and to geue himselfe John 13. for a raunsome for many Whereunto his example in washing his Disciples feet serueth Whereupon he concludeth You call me master and Lord and ye say well for so I am if I then your Lord and master haue washed your feete ye ought also to wash one anothers feet For I haue geuen you an example that ye should doe euen as I haue done vnto you Verely verely I say vnto you the seruant is not greater then the master neither the Ambassador greater then hee that sent him So by their calling vnto his seruice hee by his example teacheth them humilitie both to serue him and to serue one another also The holy Apostle teaching the Saints that their freedome and liberty Gal. 5. consisteth in mutuall seruing one another in the humilitie of their hearts thereunto exhorteth Brethren you haue been called vnto libertie onely vse not your libertie as an occasion to the flesh but by loue serue one another Elsewhere about to entreate of the particular dueties of Ephes 5. speciall persons as a sentence generall he premiseth this Submitte your selues one to another in the feare of God Vnto whom Saint Peter subscribeth Submitte your selues 1. Pet. 5 one to another deck your selues inwardly in lowlines of minde for God resisteth the proud and geueth grace to the humble Hereof our profession and calling putteth vs in remembrance who are seruāts by calling to serue God in spirite and trueth and to serue one another in the feare of God Let disdainfull contempt let ambitious honour let insolent pride let peeuish arrogancie be abandoned abolished frō the harts of the Saints who are therfore seruants to serue God his sonne Iesus Christ in all pure holy obediēce for his sake to serue one another in loue 2 By our seruitude we are furthermore taught what we owe vnto Christ Iesus our Lord and maister euen all Luke 1. seruice which is the ende of our redemption and cleansing by Christ from our sinnes Zacharie the father of Saint Iohn Baptist therefore saith wee are redeemed and deliuered
dovvne and abasing our selues before God vvorke our glory and our lifting vp by him it is reason sufficient thereunto to moue vs cast dovvne your selues before God and he vvill lift you vp Novv God exalteth and lifteth vp such as cast dovvne How God lifteth the lowly themselues before his diuine maiestie diuerse vvaies 1. When he ministreth invvard comfort of his holy spirite in all the difficulties and daungers of this present vvorld in so much as come life come death come sword come famine come plague come persecution come peril come nakednes come prosperitie come aduersitie come sicknes come health come wealth come woe these are lifted vp in heart with comfort from God So they which caste downe themselues haue the Spirite of God in all distresse to comfort them and so are they exalted by God 2 God also lifteth vp those who cast downe themselues and humble themselues before him by sending theÌ„ deliuerance and riddance from their troubles wherewith Gen. 41. they were afflicted So Ioseph submitting himselfe and casting downe himselfe in all Christian duetifulnes to God was therefore lifted vp by God and deliuered God speaking Esah 17. by his Prophet of the deliuerance of the Church and Saints which cast downe themselues in dutifull maner and were also low and contemned in the world affirmeth that as he would bring downe the high tree the proude so would he by deliuerance exalt and lift vp his seruant the low tree and the tree cast down in the world The Prophet Dauid entreating of the lifting vp of the Psal 149. Saints by deliuerance from their trouble sayeth The Lord hath pleasure in his people he will make the meeke glorious by deliuerance Thus lift he vp Jacob who in Gen. 3. 32. the humilitie of his minde cast downe himselfe before God when he kept him from the iniuries of Laban and from the crueltie of Esau his brother Thus did God lift vp Dauid whome he deliuered out of infinite troubles Thus did God lift vp Hezechiah when hee deliuered him from Sennacherib the king of Assiriah Thus lift he vp many of his deare Saints when hee rid them from their miseries and afflictions whereunto they were subiect Thus he lifteth vs vp dayly nowe deliuering vs from troubles at home now from troubles abroade now from troubles by sea and nowe by land nowe by straungers now by our domesticall and houshold people nowe by professed enemies nowe by counterfeit friends intended Hereof haue we examples innumerable hereof haue we experience in other in our selues thus God Almightie lifteth them vp by deliuerance from their troubles who humble and cast downe themselues before him Whereof neuer people nor nation hath had greater experience and An. 158â— triall then we of England nowe presently haue whome the Lorde hath deliuered by his owne hand from immenent daunger and present perill of the proude Spaniards who with determinate purpose and full resolution to haue inuaded our Countrie and subdued our Nation came with bloudie mindes prepared tortures with a mightie nauie with long preparation with helpe of manieprinces but the Lorde hath deliuered this humble and despised land and hath lodged their shippes in the bottome of the sea and sent their dead carkesses partly into this land partly into Scotland partly into Ireland partly into other Countreys to proclaime what accesse their diuelish and desperate attempte hath had 3 Neither thus onely but God aduaunceth them vp to great honour who in the humilitie of their heart humbled themselues before him When Dauid humbled himselfe before the Lorde and counted himselfe vnworthie 1. Kings 18. of that honour to be the kinges sonne in lawe the Lord not onely aduaunced him thereunto but made him to reigne and rule in the steade of Saul the wicked king of Israel When Moses was appointed by God to doe a Exod. 3. message to Pharaoh he in humilitie refusing it was therefore exalted to bee the prince and captaine of his people Daniel humble in minde and cast downe before the Lord Daniel 1. 2. 3. was by him exalted to great glorie euen to be the chiefe and ouerseer of all the princes of the prouinces of Babylon Psal 113. 1. Kings 2. And thus we see it true both that Dauid and also Anna the mother of Samuel song that the Lord raiseth vp the poore and meeke out of the dung-hill to set him among his princes and to inherite the seate of glorie 4 Finally God lifteth vp those which prostrate and cast downe themselues before him by exalting them in the ende to the glorious kingdome of his sonne euen to the eternall kingdome of heauen Which our Sauiour Christ promiseth to such as are truely humble Blessed Matt. 5. saith he are they which are humble in spirite for theirs is the kingdome of heauen To this kingdome they are in due time exalted who prostrate and cast downe themselues before God And as Christ humbling himselfe before God was therefore highly exalted by him farre aboue Philip. 2. Ephes 1. all principalities and powers and euerie name that is named not in earth onely but in heauen also euen so doth our most gracious God highly exalt and lift vp such as in meekenesse of their hearts in humilitie of their spirites in lowlinesse of their mindes cast downe themselues before him These in fine he crowned with eternall glorie and immortalitie these hee raiseth vp together maketh theÌ„ to reigne with Christ in heauenly places to these he promiseth his eternal kingdome of gorie there to rule reigne with the Saints for euer according to the doctrine of the Apostle cast downe your selues before God and he will lift you vp Now the Lord for his mercie giue vs this grace that we may in all things humble our selues and prostrate our selues before him and be by him exalted And the God of peace which brought againe from the dead our Lorde Iesus Christ the greate shepheard of the sheepe by the bloud of the euerlasting couenaunt make vs perfect in all good workes to doe his will working in vs that which is pleasant in his sight through Iesus Christ to whom bee praise for euer and euer Amen Iames Chap. 4. verses 11. 12. Sermon 21. verse 11. Speake not euill one of another brethren he that speaketh euill of his brother or he that condemneth his brother speaketh euill of the law and condemneth the law and if thou condemnest the law thou art not an obseruer of the law but a Iudge 12 There is one lawe giuer which is able to saue and to destroy who art thou that iudgest another man â— part THese wordes and the rest to the end containe the fourth and laste parte of this Chapter which is touching the remoouing of two euils and mischiefes which grow of pride Whereof the one is reproch and speaking euill of our brethren the other is the vaine confidence of men whereby they rashly determine long â—wo euils
the Lord in the lawe said thou shalt not take Exod. 20. the name of the Lord thy god in vaine it is apparant that seeing in other places he permitted the Israelits to sweare therefore thereby he forbad not all swearing but vaine swearing false swearing loose and licencious dissolute and disordered swering For seeing that swering by the name of God is a part of that diuine seruice which is due vnto him as in holy Scripture is apparant Exo. 20. v. 7. c. 23. v. 13. Deut. 6. 13. v. cap. 10. ver 20. Isai 65. 16. Ierem. 4. 2. 5. 7. ver Isai 45. 23. c. 48. 1. Iere. 23. 7. 8. verses Psal 93. 11. v. Therefore woulde hee his people to take diligent heede and beware that they runne not into anie superstition irreligiousnesse or impietie by vaine and wicked swearing which euill to preuent and that the religion of an othe might be inuiolable therefore the Lorde in his lawe commaunded that they shoulde not take his name in vaine by rash vaine wicked and false swearing or anie other way whatsoeuer Our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell teacheth his that they should not sweare at all not forbidding such Matt. 5. othes as the law of God commendeth but correcting controlling the disorderednesse licenciousnes of swearing which in his time was crept into the manners and mouthes of men in whose time it was in custom to sweare by creatures by heauen earth Hierusalem the great Citie by the Temple thereof and such like as in the Gospell appeareth Which thing saith Saint Hillarie they did in reproch of God and to his dishonour who is then Hillar 4. vpon Matt. highly dishonoured when his religion or anie poynt thereof is applied vnto creatures This detestable wickednesse our Sauiour condemneth willing that his shoulde not sweare at all And worthily doth Christ altogether forbid that wickednesse and vanitie of swearing especially by creatures for it is plaine idolatrie in as much as men make those things their gods whereby they sweare S. Chrysostom writing vpon S. Matthew his gospell handling Homil. 12. operis imperf vpon Matth. the matter of swearing by creatures affirmeth truly that who so sweareth by heauen yearth or what thing else so euer he therein and therby maketh that his God whereby he svveareth and so euery one that svveareth by any thing else then by God thereby maketh himselfe an idolatour because he applieth the religion of an othe to a creature which is onely due vnto God the creatour and to no other S. Hierom expounding that place of Christ sweare not at all neyther by heauen c. subscribeth herevnto Vpon S. Matth. Men saith he swearing by angels heauen earth the elements worship carnall and corruptible creatures with diuine and holy worship Now to giue diuine worship to creatures is idolatrie therefore to sweare by any thing then by God is idolatrie Lactantius reprouing Lib. 3. de falsa sapientia c. 19. the vanitie of Socrates the philosopher whom the auncient heathen helde as the wisest among men among other things hee findeth great fault with him for that hee swore by a dog and a goose reputing him for madde in hauing a most filthy creature as a dog is for his GOD thereby intimating that what creature so euer it be albeit most vile and contemptible yet vve make it our God by swearing by it as Socrates did a dogge and a goose whereby he swore vsually If then thus to sweare be a thing so wicked as our Sauiour rightwell considered then no doubte our Sauiour had iust cause to forbid swearing altogether yet not meaning all in generall but all vaine idolatrous and vvicked svvearing vvhereunto that time vvas giuen Saint Iames likewise not forbidding or condemning all svvearing but that svvearing which grew of their impatiencie vnder the crosse the disorderednes of othes which was crept into their liues and manners giueth this exhortation to the Saints But aboue all things my brethren svveare not neyther by heauen neyther by earth neyther by any other othe condemning their vaine othes their othes by creatures their needlesse othes in their priuate communication and so in all things agreeth with our Sauiour Christ who to his disciples saith I say vnto Mat. 5. you sweare not at all If S. Iames and our Sauiour Christ also forbad men to sweare by heauen earth or any such creature or other whatsoeuer wil that rash othes proceed not out of our mouthes shall we then thinke it lawfull in vaine vpon euery occasion rashly to sweare by him that sitteth vpon the Cherubins which walketh vpō the wings of the wind and rideth vpon the heauens as an horse shall wee not sweare by the earth shall we thinke it lawfull to sweare by the most pretious price of our redēption paide by the only death bloud shedding of Iesus Christ shall we not sweare nether by heauen nor by earth nor any other oth shal we think it lawful to sweare by the creatour of heauen earth shall we thinke it lawfull to pearce the sides wound the hart slay the soule teare rent the body of Iesus Christ by vaine swearing All vaine othes therfore all swearing by any creature al swering in any maner otherwise then the expresse word of God alloweth is cōdēned The vanitie of our times in this behalf is vtterly reproued whose detestable othes are by this light by the holy sacrament by Gods wounds by Gods hart by the bloud of Christ by Gods side by the passion of Christ by his death by heauen by the Lord a thousand more which a man is afraide for very horror to name This vtterly condemneth our most disordered dissolute manner of swearing in euery childes mouth most rife and readie this conuinceth the licentiousnes of our age whose common speach and cōmunication is intermingled interlaced with manifold othes horrible blasphemy this altogether reproueth our false filthy othes in our shoppes ware houses in barganings and occupyings this condemneth the ruffenly svvearing of men destitute of knowledge voide of all feare of God who glory in their blasphemie and encourage themselues in their vvickednesse who haue their pleasure and felicitie in their disordered and dissolute swearinges in rapping out othe after othe to the great dishonour of God and his sonne Iesus Christ 2. The Apostle then reprouing the vaine rashe and wicked swearing of men teacheth how the faulte may be corrected what remedy against the euil is best to be vsed Therefore saith he sweare not neither by heauen nor by earth nor by any other othe but let your yea be yea and your nay nay that is vse in all things which are to be affirmed a plaine affirmation in things to be denied a flatte negation and deniall If a thing be so or so say so it is if it be not so then say it is not so This is to let our yea be yea and our nay nay The like correction of
pacience to beare it send deliuerance to be rid out of it make a way 1. Cor. 10. and giue an issue to escape whatsoeuer might be daungerous vnto vs. Naturall and carnally minded men in whose hearts the spirit of God resteth not being afflicted distrust despaire frette fume mutter and murmure against God Num. 11. 1 16. as the Israelites in the wildernesse did as Moises recordeth In their calamities they relent not they amend not they reforme not themselues they call not vpon God in their hearts they runne not by prayer to the throne of Heb. 4 grace there to find mercie in the time of neede but they blaspheme God as the wicked did in the Reuelation vpon whom when the Angels had powred out the viols of Reuel 16. v. 9. 11. 21. Gods wrath then blasphemed they the God of heauen for their paines and sores they sustained but repented not of the workes which they wickedly had committed The vngodly being perplexed afflicted and tormented curse banne stampe stare flie to valawfull remedies wise men witches sorcerers cunning women enchaunters and such like for riddance therehence and for deliuerance they runne to the wine tanernâ—s flie to strong drinke hunt after lewde companie seeke and search for such meanes for their solace and comfort they send for instruments of musicke they seeke for melodious harmonies they delight in harpe lute and viole therehence desiring in their afflictions to be recreated refreshed and reuiued but the Saints of God as else where so out of this present place learne a better profession to seeke for a more sound and safe remedie euen by prayer to haue recourse to him who deliuereth our soules from death our eies from tears Psalm 56. Psal and our feete from sliding Thus are we taught by the spirit of God in the Apostle when for our afflictions we bee heauy in hart troubled in mind sad in spirit to flie to god by praier Is any among you afflicted let him pray Which is the thing almightie God taught his saints willing them in their troubles to call vppon him from Psal 50. whom they shall haue deliuerance Call vppon me in the day of thy trouble and I will deliuer thee and thou shalt glorifie mee Our blessed Sauiour Christ ordained this Matt. 7. as the onely meane in all our lackes and wantes wherefore to his he sayeth aske and you shall haue seeke and you shall finde knocke and it shall bee opened vnto you It behooueth vs therefore according to this admonition of the Apostle according to the commaundement of God and the precept of his onely sonne our Sauiour Christ in our afflictions to solicite him with vncessant prayer who knoweth howe to deliuer his out of temptations to reserue the wicked to the day of iudgement 2. Pet. 2. to be punished To him in our necessities and miseries must we haue recourse whose eies are ouer the righteous his eares open vnto their praiers and so deliuereth them out of all their troubles Psal 43. Wherefore whensoeuer any of the saints be afflicted whensoeuer they be tried with any temptations when they feele any perill or daunger immenent and at hand whensoeuer they are pressed with any misfortune and cast downe by any aduersitie their onely remedie must bee praier and thereby to drawe neare vnto God of whom they must earnestly desire pacience in trouble constancie in affliction strength in miserie comfort in destresse deliuerance in calamitie riddance out of tribulation as shall seeme best to his diuine maiestie Thus did the renowmed patriarkes thus did the godly princes thus did the holy prophets thus did the blessed apostles thus did the constant martyrs thus did all the holy men of God thus must all the Saints of God in their affliction doe that they may practise the precept of the Apostle Is any among you afflicted let him pray As here we are exhorted in affliction to pray so doe afflictions mightily stirre vppe the Saintes of God to pray so that they which oftentimes greatly forget God in their flourishing wealth in their abounding prosperitie in their plentifull condition in their continued health in their affliction aduersitie and miserie flie to him by praier and seeke him with their whole hearts VVhich is not the least profite redounding vnto the Saintes by affliction For men in prosperitie often forgetfull of GOD colde in zeale slacke in prayer negligent in duetie their loynes weakened and pressed with a heauie weight and burthen of troubles and passing through the fire and water of affliction runne speedily by prayer to God for succour as the Scriptures of God and examples of the Saintes teach vs. VVhen the Prophete had denounced calamitie and miserie agaynst Isai 17. Damascus and Ephraim and tolde the people what affliction shoulde befall them shewing the effect and worke which afflictions cause in the Saintes especially euen to force vs to God and make vs by prayer to humble our selues vnto him sayeth At that day shall a man looke to his maker and his eies shall bee to the holy one of Israel In another place answerable and correspondent is Isai 26. the saying of the same Prophete hereunto Lord sayeth the Prophete in trouble haue they visited thee they powred out their prayers when thy chastisement was vppon them Dauid himselfe a man according to the Psal 120. minde of GOD at other times not vnmindfull of God yet when hee was afflicted by his enemies was more effectually stirred vp to prayer therefore hee sayeth of himselfe when I was in trouble I called vppon God Psal 81. and hee heard me And rehearsing the storie of Israel who in their welfare were rebellious and forgetfull but by aduersitie were drawen vnto God through prayer affirmeth that when God punished them and any wise afflicted them then they returned vnto him by prayer And the bookes of Iosua Iudges and the first of Samuel especially shewe howe effectually their calamities and Iosua Iudges 1. Samuel c. afflictions moued them by prayer to haue recourse to God insomuch as it appeareth when by their prosperitie they were puffed vp yet when they were eyther smitten with the sworde of their enemies or pinched with penurie and want or distressed with famine or persecuted by grieuous pestilence from God or any wise by him afflicted then they by prayer returned vnto the Lorde And this experience in our owne selues aboundantly teacheth vs who in our afflictions if euer haue our recourse by prayer vnto God This is therefore in all afflictions the best remedy to flie vnto God by praier which hath place both in aduersitie and in prosperitie both in mourning and in mirth both in sorovve and in ioye whereof the Apostle in this place assureth vs is any amoÌ„g you afflicted let him pray And to teach vs that prayer is profitable also in ioye therefore Saint Iames addeth is any among you merie Let him sing As in our afflictions we must not
and be saued Hereof the powers and holie Spirites of men and Angels in heauen reioyce as our sauiour recordeth in the Gospell auouching that there is Luc. 15. ioy in heauen ouer any one sinner that repenteth This is therefore a singular benefite which commeth of this Christian and godly care we haue to conuert other euen the sauing of their soules 2. The other profit herence rising is the couering hiding of the multitude of sinnes The manifolde sinnes of men conuerted are hidde in their conuersion so that he which conuerteth another as hee conuerteth so putteth he away hideth the multitude of his sinnes which is now rightly conuerted and turned to the knowledge of the trueth To conuert one from his sinne and from going astray from out of his way is a special point of loue and a notable effect thereof and it is a propertie of loue also to couer sinnes Loue saith Peter out of the wise Salomon 1. Peter 4. Prou. 10. 12. couereth the multitude of sinnes Wherfore in conuerting the brethren wee thereby hide and couer their sinnes also And thus this double benefite redoundeth to him that is conuerted euen the sauing of his soul and the hiding of his sinne Which as it is referred to the partie conuerted so may it be to him which conuerteth In the conuerting of others he saueth his owne soule in discharging so great a worke of loue And men thus saue their soules in perfourming Ezech. 3 33. of this action as the watchman is saide to saue his soule when he hath descried the enemie and admonished the people of their danger which hangeth ouer theÌ„ for sinne And as the Minister by exercising himselfe in the Scriptures and by continuing in reading is saide to saue himselfe and those that heare him So men in performing 1. Tim. 4. this duetie towards their brethren by discharging a good conscience and perfourming so excellent labour of loue doe thereby saue their soules And as they saue their soules so they hide a multitude of their owne sinnes when they endeuour the conuersion of others For God is commonly marueylous merciful to their sinnes which endeuour to winne others vnto him by which trauaile they purchase great fauour with the Lorde and obteine thereby the pardon of their manifold sinnes wherefore S. Iames saith they hide a multitude of sinnes Albeit then this may stande with a iust proportion and an analogie of the Scriptures yet I thinke rather that the first ought to be referred to him that is conuerted and the second to him that conuerteth in this wise let him knowe that hee that conuerteth a sinner from goeing a stray out of his waie saueth a soule from death euen that soule which he conuerteth And hideth a multitude of sinnes euen the multitude of his owne sinnes which almightie God hideth forgiueth and couereth for the exceading loue he sheweth to his brethren in their conuersation Which sheweth the vnspeakeable reward which shal be giuen them which seeke to winne other vnto God Which thing the holy prophet Daniel long before had for Daniel 12. tolde who speaking of the glorious crowne of the ministers of God and also of all the faithfull which instructing the ignorante bring them therby to the true knowledge of God saith they that bee wise shall shine at the brightnes of the firmameÌ„t the that turne many to righteousnes shall shine as the starres for euer and euer thus shall they be rewarded at the hand of God which conueâ—t sinners from going astray and turne others to righteousnes God for his Christ sake so prepare our heartes in holy feare that we may be instrumeÌ„ts effectual through him of the conuersion of others that so wee may winne wandring soules to God and bring the straying sheep of Christ into his sheepefolde that they thereby may by his grace be saued and our sinnes in his fight couered in the only righteousnes of Iesus Christ vnto whom with his father and the holie Ghoste our euerlasting comforter three persons in trinitie one eternal God in vnitie be rendred al power praise dominion and Maiestie for euer and euer Amen FINIS Faults escaped in the printing the chiefest whereof are here noted and may be found out easily by this direction looking to the leafe first then to the page next to the section or diuision of the page and lastly to the line of that section or diuision MOnarches for monarchies fol. 6 pag. 2. sect 2. line 12. groane for groyne f. 15. p 1. s 2. l. 2 Crotoniales for Crotoniates f. 15. p. 2. s 2. last line wuering a wauering f. 20. p. 2. s 1. l. 13 kind kinds f. 33. p. 1. s 2. l. 14 churchmeÌ„ church meÌ„ f. 39. p. 2. s 2. l. 18 efficiencie efficient f. 53. p. 1. s 3. l. 2. receiued reserued f. 57. p. 1. s 2. l. 29. malistious malicious f. 61. p. 2. s 1. l. 8 from the end addistion addition f. 64. p. 1 s 2. l. 11 here heare f. 65. p. 1. l. 28. 2. from the end of it spared saued f. 67. p. 1. s 3. l. 5 professorus professours f. 69. p. 2. s 3 l. 5. her heuier f. 70. p. 2. s 2. l. last and when f. 70. p. 2. s 3. l. last then the. f. 72. p. 2. s 2. l. 2. froÌ„ the end Melta Melita f. â—8 p. 2. s 2. l. 12 I say superfluous f. 79. p. 1. s 2. l. 6 bodies bodie f. 84. p. 1. s 2. l. 8 remoued moued f. 84. p. 1. s 2. l. 11 shedheard shepheard f. 91. p. 2. now out f. 92. p. 1. s 2 l. 18 degreles degrees f. 98. p. 2. s 1. l. 2 obseured obserued ead pa. l. 21 other ether f. 102. p. 2. s 2 l. 11 reforming informing f. 106. p. 1. s 1. l. 8. or of f. 107. p. 1. s 2. l. 20 correction concession f. 121. p. 2. s 3. l. 3 say he is wanting f. 122 p. 1. s 2. l. 1 discussed distressed f. 122. last word s 2. voine vaine f. 127. p. 1. s 2. l. 5. froÌ„ end runing ranne f. 128. p. 2. last word which why f. 137. p. 1. s 2. l. 2. signe life f. 138. p. 1. s 1. l. 4 fourth fifth f. 146. p. 1. s 1. l. 17 bitterresse bitternes ead last word section 1. secure seuere f. 149. p. 2. s 2. l. 9 boidly bodily f. 157. p. 1. s 3. l 5 them him f. 168. p. 2. s 1. l. 1 there that ead l. 3 them him l. 3. there twise vntill lacketh there s 2. l. 7 shine striue f. 170. p. 1. s 1. l. 1 folowed foloweth f. 190. p. 1. s 3. l. veheminice vehemencie f. 192. p. 1 s 3. l. 2. resist him resist the deuil f. 20. s 3. â— your you f. 211. p. 1. s 4 signes of this outwarde for of thi our margin f. 216. p. 2 partly in for other f. 217. p. 1. s 3. l. liue lie f. 218. p. 1. s 3. l. last in redoundeth f. 229. p. 1. s 2. l. â— imprudent impudent ead l. 18 euen euill f. 234. p 2 s 3. l. 10 we men f. 235. p 2. middle laud lowde f. 242. p. 2. s 1. l. 2 this such f. 248. p. 2. s 1. l. 6 their there f 258. p. 1. s 1. l. 5 violent valiant f. 275. p. 2. s 4. l. 7 that is lacking f. 295. p. 1. s 2. l. 8 diuine diuers f. 310. p. 2. s 3. l. â—