Christian souldier guided thereby ought to prepare himselfe to followe this high captaine For the better explication whereof I observed 1 That this rule was generall out of the first words And he said vnto all 2 That it was necessary as it is implyed in the condition if any man will come after me 3 That the rule it selfe consisted of 3. precepts let him deny himselfe take vp his crosse dayly and follow me You heard then that this rule was generall for that Christ delivered it vnto all yet to all not simply for the beast the Kings of the earth with their armies following this beast and fighting vnder his colours are no way to bee guided by this rule but to all with a restraint but to all the e Rev. 19.14 armies in heauen which the divine saw following him that sate vpon the white horse which howsoever they are called armies in heaven are notwithstanding men vpon the earth such are Godly Kings Princes Nobles worthie Captaines and Souldiers which with the materiall sword defend the Gospell such are zealous Ministers preachers of the truth which with the spiritual sword fight against Antichrist such are all blessed Christians walking before God in the places whereto they are called warring dayly against their proud enimies the flesh the world and the divell All which are said to be the armies in heaven albeit as yet they liue on earth in regard that their cause for which and the power by which they fight are both from Heauē These ride vpon white horses and are cloathed in fine white linnen and pure these come strongly swiftly and chearefully to this battaile these are cloathed with sinceritie integritie and puritie of faith loue and other affections for all is pure white about them To these only and to all these doth this rule appertaine for he said vnto all if any man will come after me Out of this condition you haue also heard how necessary this rule is even so necessary that neither subiect nor prince neither people nor pastor neither souldier nor captaine how godly soever they seeme in mans eies can be fit to follow this highest Captaine except he be qualified according to this rule Let him deny himselfe and take vp his crosse dayly and follow me saith CHRIST Of the first two precepts I haue likewise already spoken now let vs consider the third And follow me Which words do leade me to speake 1 Of imitation or following in generall 2 Of following the best of such an imitation as beseemeth Christians Man by nature how strangely hee is giuen to following if I should hold my peace servants souldiers all inferiours would make it manifest servants will eye their masters souldiers their captaines inferiors their rulers be they good or be they bad get they honour or get they discredit come their profit or come their losse their liues will be insteed of lawes and that must bee holden for well done which is done after their example saith Siraches sonne Cap. 10. vers 2. Thus examples not lawes doe when lawes not examples should teach men to liue And so it was in former ages In regard whereof the divine Philosopher would by no meanes suffer Homers booke to bee read in his commonwealth because in them Gods Goddesses were fained to be such as no honestly minded man or woman would haue their sonnes or daughters like them Yea so it was from the beginning Eues eating the forbidden fruit was sufficient to make Adam doe the like Gen. 3.6 The younger sister wold make her father Lot drunken as well as the elder Genes 19.35 When Iudah was forward his brethren were ready to giue their consents to sell Ioseph to the Ishmeelites Gen. 37.27 Dead flies cause to stincke and putrifie the oyntment of the Apothecarie saith the Preacher Cap. 10. vers 1. Dead workes the workes of darknesse in the better sort doe cause to stinke and putrifie the towardly inclinations of the inferiours For if any man see thee which hast knowledge fit at table in the Idols temple shall not the conscience of him that is weake be boldned to eate those things which are sacrificed to Idols saith St Paule 1. Cor. 8.10 Thou that f Rom. 2.21 preachest a man should not steale doest thou steale Thou that shouldst punish adulterers and reproue swearers dost thou by thy oaths giue them example g Vers 22. dost thou commit adulterie Marvell not then if thy weake brother seeing thy knowledge become a swearer a theefe and an adulterer Thy life shall be his law Vpon consideration hereof a country man of ours hath added that we of all other people vnder heaven are most famous yea infamous too for our imitation For doe we not imitate h Rogers Ep to the followers of Christ A. 7. b. the Spanish in his braverie The French in his vanitie The Italian in his perfidie Yea we follow the Dutch in luxurie who heares not of it The Papists in idolatrie who knowes it not The Atheist in all impietie and impuritie of life why lament we not O come hither all yee that are any way either for birth or calling whether it be spirituall or temporall better then other men yea and all yee too which in the same respect are worse then others for here are lessons for you both to teach you to looke vnto your footings Is there old custome against you Respect it not for it will be foiled by a better custome Is the flesh against you Care not for it for that will be bridled by the heate of the spirit Is that old serpent Sathan against you Feare him not for he both at your prayers will fly and by your godly exercises will be made to runne away First therefore for those that are better then others wonder we may what the matter is or with what spirit they are led or what commeth into their minds that knowing their liues and examples to prevaile when laws cannot doe notwithstanding with such care and study seeke after vile and vanishing things and so seldome call their wits together to thinke of doing any good Is it not because they are perswaded that the LORD spareth the Cedar tree for his height the oke for his strength the poplar for his smoothnesse the Lawrell for his greenenesse O! then they are deceaued for from the Cedar that is in i 1. Kin. 4.33 Lebanon even to the Hysop that groweth out of the wall k Matth. 3.10 7.19 every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewen downe and cast into the fire Is it not because they partly thinke that God hideth his face from their sinnes seeth them not O! then they are deceaued for Samuel could tell Saul al that was in his heart 1. Sam. 9.19 And Elisha knewe that his servant had taken bribes 2. King 5.26 And shall not God bee able to knowe their deeds and thoughts yes if Miriam and Aaron speake but against Moses the LORD wil
is he at all times most willing to worke your ease First of his presence We hold it as a truth vndoubted that God is every where and in all things by his essence by his power and by his presence by his essence in regard of his creating the world by his power in regard of his operation his working in the world by his presence in regard of his preserving his governing the world It may fit our purpose in general only to vnderstand that God in presence is every where and in al things Against those of Israel which should seek to flee frō the presence of the Lord we haue the words of the Lord as they are writtē Amos 9.2 Though they dig into the hell thence shall mine hand take them though they clime vp to heaven thence will I bring them down though they hide themselues in the top of Carmel I wil search and take them thence though they be hid from my sight in the bottome of the sea thence will I commande the serpent and he shall bite them and though they go into captivity before their enemies thence will I command the sword and it shall slay them b See my 10. Lecture vpō the fi st Ch. of Amos p. 115 Lect. 14. p 159. No corner in Hell no mansion in Heavē no caue in the top of Carmel no fishes belly in the bottome of the Sea no darke dungeon in the land of captivity can hide Israel from the presence of the LORD Am I a God farre off saith the LORD and not a God at hand Can any hide himselfe in secret places that I shal not see him saith the LORD Do not I fill heaven earth saith the LORD Thus hath the Lord spoken Ierem. 23.23 24. Nere or farther of in Heaven or in Earth in places most secret our Lord is a God he seeth all things he fils both Heaven and Earth To like purpose is Davids answere to his owne question His question is c Psal 139.7 whither shall I go from thy spirit Or whither shall I fly from thy presence O Lord His answere is d Vers 8. if to Heaven thou art there if to Hel thou art there if to the vttermost parts of the sea thou art there if to the darknesse thou art there also Nor Heaven nor Hell nor Sea nor darknes could hide David from the presence of the Lord. Yea the darknesse hideth not from thee O Lord but the night shineth as the day the darknesse and light are both alike so should we confesse with David Psal 139.12 Consider the e Mat. 6.28 Lilies of the field the Lord hath cloathed thē f Mat. 10.29 Sparrowes light vpon the ground but not without the foresight of the Lord the clowds drop fatnesse but every drop is by Gods ordinance and cold salt teares trickle down our cheeks with remembrance of our sinnes committed every such teare should be numbred in the Lords g Psal 56.8 bottle The Lilies the Sparrowes the clowds or teares are all regarded by the Lord. How then can we deny his presence And let vs not be moved to thinke that Gods purity is anie whit stained because in presence he beholdeth the crimsin and scarlet sinnes the most vile and filthy actions of wretchlesse mā The Sunne you know casts his most glorious beames into foule and sordide places yet none of you wil thinke that the Sunne is therefore defiled But grant we a possibility for the Sunne to be polluted by shining into such vncleane places yet impossible shall it be for God all pure all holy to partake any variablenesse or shadow of change Wicked man wallowing in his wickednesse because God holds his tongue may think wickedly that God is even such a one as himselfe but God all pure all holy partaking no variablenesse nor shaddow of change shall at last reproue man for his wickednes and for before him the things that he hath done Psal 50.21 It cannot be that the presence of God who sitteth vpon the circle of heaven and thence beholdeth the inhabitants of the earth as grashoppers whose h Mat. 5.34 throne is the Heaven of Heavens whose i Vers 35. foot-stoole is the Earth whose waies are in the great deepe it cannot be I say that the presence of such a God should be avoided * Ipse manet intra omnia ipse extra omnia ipse supra omnia ipse infra omnia superior est per potentiā inferior per sustentationem exterior per magnitudinem interior per subtilitatem Sursū regens deorsum continens extra circumdans interius penetrās c. He is aboue all beneath all without all within all aboue by his might beneath by his helpe without by his greatnesse within by his subtilitie aboue he ruleth al beneath he cōtaineth all without he compasseth all within he pierceth all It is S. Gregories Moral expos in Iob. lib. 2. cap. 12. I will not trouble you with many authorities of the Fathers who in this point are very excellent and plentifull Out of that which hath already beene delivered it is manifest that nor Egypt nor anie region beyond the seas not a couch in a chamber nor a cabin in a ship nor clowds of the day nor the darknesse of night nor the moūtaine caues nor the Sea bottome nor a secret friend nor a more secret conscience not Heaven nor Hell nor any like evasion can hide vs can hide any our actions frō the Lords presence Which manifest truth if we shall yet doubt of I shall dare pronounce that according to the proverbs we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that we are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 more foolish then Corabus more foolish then Melitides those though naturall yet most happy fooles of whom the one was never able to number aboue fiue nor the other to tell of which parent he was borne But such palpable and grosse ignorance is farre from vs. For knowing as we do that God was well knowne in Iurie his name great in Israel we cannot well be ignorant that God is the same God with vs and the presence of his godhead no lesse among vs and in our country Which may make vs the rather wonder to thinke how boldly we dare deale with God how impudently we dare behaue our selues in his presence how wickedly we dare do evē before his eies as if our reckoning were that he had neither eie to see vs nor sword to punish vs nor iudgement seat to condemne vs. Do we not commit all vncleannesse even with greedinesse in the presence of our God which for our liues we durst not bee so bold as do in the presence of a childe were he but a doozen yeares old So ready are we to eschew momentary shame that might be discovered by a childe when we care nothing at al to incurre Gods eternall displeasure Deceaue we not our selues beloved in the Lord we might haue long since learned that God hath
seaven eies which goe through the whole world Zach. 4.10 You may interpret them with me many millions of eies he is i Hieronym in Psal 94.9 See my 10. Lecture vpoÌ„ Amos. 1. p. 115. totus oculus altogether eie for he seeth all things We might haue long since learned that God hath hands to measure the waters and to span the heavens Esay 40.12 You may interpret it with me that hee hath many Millions of hands he is totus manus altogether hand for he worketh all things We may well remember that God hath feet to set vpon his footstoole Mat. 5.35 You may interpret it with me that he hath many millions of feet he is totus pos altogether foot fot he is every where O then farre be it from vs to plucke out the eie of knoweledge as when we sinne to say with those Psal 10.11 Tush who seeth vs God hath forgotten he hideth away his face will never see Let vs rather confesse with the blessed Patriarch that all places are filled with Gods Maiestie as he said the Lord was in this place and I was not aware how fearefull is this place This is the house of God and the gate of HeaveÌ„ Gen. 28.16.17 So let vs for that place and this place and all other places vpoÌ„ the face of the earth are alike let vs I say let each of vs in particular wheresoever and whensoever we shall be entised with sinnes too pleasing bait rouse vp our selues and bee awaked as Iacob was and say with him The Lord was in this place and I was not aware how feareful is this place this is the house of God and the gate of Heaven The due consideration of this all-eyed all-handed all-footed presence of God as it must needs strike a terrour into the hardest hearts of the children of darknesse while they k In circuitu impii ambulaÌ„t Psa 11.9 vul walke by compasse in their crooked and circular endlesse waies so also must it needs affoord a sweet comfort to the afflicted soules of the children of light walking with a right foote toward the l Phil. 3.14 marke in hope to attaine to the price set before them For wheÌ„ they shal perswade themselues that God is at hand with them in all their crosses and tribulations they cannot chuse but endure with patience the worst that may befall them especially knowing that all all things worke together for their best because they loue God Rom. 8.28 So doth Gods presence perswade his children that it is he the Lord none but Hee since all worldly helpes are vaine that it is He the Lord that will lift them vp A second motiue to the same perswasion is the Lordes liberalitie whereof many things worthy our meditation might be delivered but let it suffise for our present occasion to vnderstand that all the good things we haue are from the Lord. Meate to nourish vs wee haue it from the Lord apparell to cloath vs wee haue it from the Lord the Sunne to comfort vs the Moone to pleasure vs wee haue them from the Lord life for our being riches honour whatsoever else for our wel being all commeth from the Lord. What hast thou saith St Paul that thou hast not receaued 1. Cor. 4.7 Art thou rich it is not of thy selfe the LORD giueth saith Iob. ch 1.21 Art thou in estimation in this world It is not of thy selfe The LORD setteth vp saith Hannah 1. Sam. 2.7 Hast thou cuÌ„ning or skil in any thing whatsoever It is not of thy selfe God teacheth handy-crafts-men to worke Himselfe saith so to Moses Exod. 31.3 It is impossible for me to recount those manifold blessings wherewith our gratious God from time to time hath blessed vs such is their infinitie Let every one goe downe into the closet of his owne breast and then say hee whether the Lord hath beene liberal to him O yee righteous m Psal 33.1 reioyce in the Lord for it becommeth well the iust to be thankfull yea it becommeth each of vs very well to take vp Davids song and to say with him O Lord let my mouth be filled with thy praise that I may sing of thy glory and honour all the day long Psalm 71.8 Vpon which place a blessed n Augustine Father hath this meditation What meaneth the Prophet by these words al the day long He meaneth saith he continually O let my mouth bee filled with thy praise CONTINVALLY because in prosperitie thou hast been to me a comfort in adversitie thou hast given mee chastisement when I was not thou madest me since I haue beene thou hast preserued me when I had offended thou forgavest mee at my conversion thou receavedst me and for my perseverance thou hast crowned me O let my mouth be filled with thy praise that I may sing of thy glory and honour all the day long that I may sing continually And the rather doe I commend to you the due consideration of the liberalitie of our God because I would put you in minde of your principall meanes to avoid desperation It is a principall meanes to avoid desperatioÌ„ to cal to mind the goodnesse of the LORD forepassed either to our selues or others If we thâ—nke with our selues that it was the LORD that tooke vs from our mothers wombe that HEE hath beene our hope ever since we hung at the breasts that HEE hath opened his hands from time to time to fill vs with his goodnesse if thus we think vnfeignedly can we thinke that HE will not blesse vs still Here should we compare and lay the times together as Davids vse was Thus he argued I haue heretofore slaine a Lion and a Beare at the fold therefore God will also enable me to prevaile against the hand of this Philistine 1. Sam. 17.37 So may we reason The mercies of the Lord haue beene bountifull towardes vs in former times to create vs of the slime of the ground to breath into vs a living soule to nurse vs vp in a civill countrey to redeeme vs with the blood of his only begotten sonne to visit vs with the light of his glorious Gospell to blesse our garners with store and our baskets with increase to be nowhere wanting to vs in any thing that may doe vs good such and in such sort haue the blessings of God beene vnto vs his arme is not now shortned hee is the same to day that hee was yesterday therefore shall his loving kindnesse be vpon vs for evermore Why should any afflicted child of God take vp Sions complaint Esai 49.14 and say The LORD hath forsaken me my Lord hath forgotten me Never would any so complaine if hee would thinke vpon the Lords name as it was proclaimed in mount Sinai Exod. 34.6 7. The LORD the LORD strong mercifull and gratious slow to anger and abundant in goodnesse in truth reserving mercy for thousands forgiving iniquitie transgression and sinne Never would any so complaine if hee would remember why Ioel would
by young and old It is not sufficient for a young man to say I will repent for assuredly could Iudas haue repented when he had listed hee would never haue hanged himselfe neither may it suffice an old man to say I haue repented God is I am therefore is best pleased with I am he careth not for I was or will be And this the Preacher knewe well and therefore in the first verse of his 12. Chapt. he directeth his speech to young men there he saith Remember thy Creatour in the dayes of thy youth And because young men are very ready to post over this remembrance vnto age that generall day which all men set for themselues to repent in he in the verses following brings in the olde man with the o Eccl. 12.3 keepers of his house trembling with his strong men bowing downe with his grinders ceasing with his lookers out by the windowes darkned with his p Vers 4. dores shut with his daughters of singing abased that is he brings in the old man feeble lame deafe blind and stammering for the young man to behold as if hee should say See here my sonne is it possible for this man to serue God he can neither heare nor see nor feele nor speake nor go Therefore serue thou thy God in the daies of thy youth The chiefest thing that made Rehoboam in the beginning of his reigne to choose young counsellers was because they were his companions before 1. King 12.8 Because they were his companions before therefore they became his counsellers after This is the preferment of your sinnes if they haue beene your companions in youth in age they will looke to bee your counsellers yea and it may be your masters too Begin therefore as q 1. Sam. 2.18 Samuel did to serue God in your minoritie and vse as r 2. Tim. 3.15 Timothie did to read the Scriptures in your childhood thē shall you as ſ Luk. 1.80 Iohn did grow in spirit as you ripen in yeares O blessed are you if you begin betime yet so that you keepe the right way Which is the second note to be obserued in Christian imitation Many false Prophets shall arise saith our Saviour and shall say vnto you loe here is Christ and loe there is Christ but with all he counsels you not to beleeue them Mat. 24.23 Long haue some continued and yet they are not weary of professing that there is life in their pardons life in their pilgrimages life in their sacrifices Rather then fayle they can make shift to clamber to Heaven by Angels by penance by merits Each of them hath his way yet not one of them the right way I doubt not but that all that heare me this day are sufficiently already perswaded not to beleeue them For you haue learned that Iacob in his way to Haran saw not many but one ladder reaching vp to heaven Gen. 28.12 And that the forerunner of Christ prepared not the waies but the way of the Lord Esai 40.3 And thereby are you taught that there is but one ladder to clime but one way to walke in to come to Heaven And as t Mat. 2.13 Herod sought over all Iurie for Christ but could not find him because he followed not the starre so may you long enough seek for Heaven all the broad way over but you shall not be able to find it vnlesse you follow the straight way enter in at the u Mat. 7.13 narrow gate for that way alone leads to Heavē One only river the river Iordan was of force to deliver Naaman the Syrian from his leaprosy neither Abana nor Pharpar rivers of Damascus could doe it 2. King 5.12 One onely way the true and liuing way Christ our Saviour is able to set vs in our resting place in the place of eternall blisse neither the seeming powerfull x Revel 13.1 beast nor any other besides is able to doe it For as he which promised a land to the Israelites sent before the Israelites a pillar of fire to bring them to that land Exod. 13.21 so he the same God hauing prepared a Heauen for vs hath sent before vs that everliving y Ioh. 1.1 word cloathed with our owne flesh to guid vs vnto Heaven Behold here the patterne of your imitation such a patterne as must be followed alwaies and necessarily Alwaies for that no deceit was in his mouth Es 53.9 and necessarily because St Peter doth counsell it 1. Pet. 2.21 Alwaies for that no man was able to rebuke him of sinne Ioh. 8.46 and necessarily because St Paule commandeth it Ephes 5.1 Alwaies for that he is perfectly good 1. Ioh. 3.5 and necessarily because himselfe will haue it so Mat. 11.29 Alwaies therefore and necessarily Christ is to bee followed yet not without a limitation For as he was God many things were done by him wherein wee may not follow him without note of superstition or zealous impietie It was for God alone with z Mat. 15.34 seaven loaues and a few little fishes to feed and suffice foure thousand men besides women and children Mat. 15.38 It was for God alone with a Mat. 14.17 fiue loaues and two little fishes to feed and suffice fiue thousand men beside women and children Mat. 14.21 It was for God alone to rebuke the waues of the sea and the windes and to cause them to cease raging Luk. 8.24 To b Mat. 4.2 fast forty daies and fortie nights to c Ioh 2.9 turne water into wine to d Mat. 14.26 walke on the Sea as one dry land to restore e Mat. 11.5 sight to the blind health to the sicke life to the dead these are miracles wrought by God alone which we may not dare to imitate because there is neither commandement that we should nor example of any Disciple or Apostle that would or durst doe so In those things therefore which Christ did as God worship him religiously but in those things which he did as man follow him zealously Loue and detest whatsoever Christ as God loveth and detesteth and so shall you imitate Christ as much as a man may imitate God but with all doe that as Christ did as man and so shall you follow Christ as a Christian should And here for that my limited time will not suffer me to bee long I can but only point at a few of the particulars wherein you are to follow Christ Follow him therefore in obedience for he is become f Phil. 2.8 obedient vnto the death even the death of the crosse Accursed are the disobedient the Lord shall laugh at their destruction Prov. 1.26 Follow him in innocencie for in his g Esai 53.9 mouth was found no guil◠Accursed are the wicked they are kept vnto the day of destruction and shall be brought forth to the day of wrath Iob. 21.30 Follow him in humilitie for hee h Psal 110 7. drank of the brooke in the way he made himselfe of
violence and the violent take it by force Mat. 11.12 And why doth he tell vs so but to teach vs how earnest and zealous we must be in our professed religiō If we be but luke-warme you know God hath threatned to spew vs out of his mouth Revel 3.16 If our righteousnes surpasse not the righteousnes of Pharises Heaven is no place for vs we may not enter therein Mat. 5.20 If we be no more then statute protestants that is if we thinke our duties sufficiently discharged in comming once a month to the church to pray in hearing once a quarter a sermon in cōmunicating at the Lords table once a yeare well may we hope to come to Heaven but that shall be then as a late and zealous preacher hath said whē hypocrites haue leaue to come out of Hell Therfore were the golden Cherubins set vpon the two ends of the mercy seat with their wings spread out on high Exod. 37.9 to teach vs to be as quicke about the Lords busines as the Cherubins Therefore did God reiect the blind and the halting sacrifice Deut. 15.21 to shew vs how he abhorreth slacknesse in all our duties Therefore did the Apostles leaue all and follow Christ Mat. 19.27 for our instruction that we should speedily follow Christ too For he is not accursed only which doth not the Lords businesse but he also which doth the Lords businesse negligently Ier. 48.10 Watch therefore the x Mat. 2.2 starre so soone as it ariseth follow the y Exod. 13.21 Pillar so soone as it remooveth and so shall you withall speed be received into the z 2. Cor. 5.1 building that precious building not made with hands shall dwell in those a Heb. 9.11 tabernacles those ioyfull tabernacles which God himselfe hath pitched O blessed are you if you make hast yet not so vnlesse you cōtinue to the end And this is my last note Some came into the vineyard at morning some at noone but no man received any reward but they which staide vntill night Mat. 20.8 Iacob did not prevaile with God when first he began to wrestle with him but when he had wrestled with him all night Gen. 32.26 It is not your praying this day only that can do you good for you must pray continually 1. Thess 5.17 He runnes in vaine run he never so swiftly that sits him down before he comes at the goale Heaven is the goale whither our race is intended Begin we this race betimes and keepe we the right way and make we hast too yet if we continue not to the end our portion shall be as his whom CHRIST hath said the last estate of this man is worse then the first Luk. 11.26 Having hitherto beene fed delicately and brought vp in scarlet shall we now perish in the streets shall we now embrace the dung Lam. 4.5 Having as yet had our heads of gold shall we now to become like to Nabuchadnezzars image haue our feet of clay Dan. 2.33 Having already begun in the spirit shall we now end in the flesh Gal. 3.3 b 1. Cor 10.12 He that thinkes be standeth let him take heed that he fall not What shall I say saith Iosh chap. 7.8 When Israel turnes the back What shall I say The trembling of the Pillars is enough to make the whole Temple shake Peter he which said even now that c Mat. 26.33 though al should yet he would neuer forsake Christ d Vers 74. curseth and sweareth that he knoweth not the man Lot he which erst strived so much to preserue his daughters chast in Sodome doth now in the mount commit e Gen. 19.33 incest with his daughters Salomon himselfe which so lately erected a Temple for the worship of God fals now to the worshipping of Idols As if the starres were falling from their heaven and the light departing from the sunne But it is not long since we were taught that the Saints of God though they fal not finally in the end nor vtterly at any time doe notwithstanding fall grievously and dangerously of which we then heard in all plenty and sufficiency so that I may well surcease to speake thereof Only let me say once againe f 1. Cor. 10.12 Hee that thinkes he standeth let him take heed that he fall not For not every one but hee only that 〈…〉 shall be saved Mat. 10.22 and not every one 〈…〉 faithfull vnto the death shall receiue the 〈◊〉 of life Revel 2.10 and not every one but such only as are marked in their foreheads with the letter Ta◠with the note of perfection and perseverance shal enter the inheritance of the blessed Ezech. 9.4 Let the g 2. Pet. 2.22 dogge returne to his vomit and the sow to her wallowing in the mire but doe you as Abraham did hold on your sacrifices vnto the evening the last evening of your liues and so shall a full measure bee measured vnto you O ever blessed shall you be if you continue to the end Then shall the prayers which you haue devoutly made and the teares which you haue repentantly shed and the almes which you haue charitably given set vpon your heads the crowne of glory and the Angels shall triumph for your glorious coronation and the Saints shall reioice at your blessed perfection and God himselfe shall say AMEN to your never dying happinesse To which happinesse O gratious father receaue vs all for his sake in whom thou art best pleased to whom with thee and the holy Ghost be all praise power maiestie and dominion both now and for ever AMEN FIVE SERMONS ON THE EPISTLE OF St IAMES CHAP. 4. VERS 10. Cast downe your selues before the Lord and he will lift you vp CVrious questions and vaine speculations how like they are to plumes of feathers each of vs in part may iudge for that many very earnestly and others nothing at all are desirous to be seene in them The time was when Paule reproved such as had their heads troubled with a 1. Tim. 1.4 Tit. 3.9 Genealogies were he now liuing to see how men and women of our daies busie their heads about as vaine questions tracing dangerously vpon the pinacles while they might safely walke vpon the pauement could he thinke you bee silent It is a world to see how many at this day are much more desirous to learne where Hell is then to bee instructed any way how they may escape Hell much more ready to heare what God did purpose before the world began then to learne what hee will doe whē the world is ended much more willing to vnderstand whether they shall knowe one another hereafter in Heaven then to know now whether themselues belong to Heaven or not Vnwise though worldlings so ready are they to search mysteries before they knowe principles so presume they b Rom. 12.3 to vnderstand aboue that which is meet not much vnlike the c 1. Sam. 6.19 Bethshemites who were not content with the
by our Master haue beene enioined vs. Shall I need to tell you as the prophet Ieremie told the Iewes Ier. 9.2 that in heart you are all adulterers and an assembly of rebels You know it as well as I. Shal I remember you how you as they did do y Vers 3. bend your tongues like bowes for lies to belie and slander your neighbours how there is no courage for truth vpon the earth how every one proceedeth from evill to worse Would to God remembring it would amend it And may it not so be amended Is z Ierem. 8.22 there no balme in Gilead Is there no Physician there Why then is not your health recovered The reason is plaine the balme of Gilead is not soveraigne for you the Physicians there can little profit you vaine is the helpe of man if you will recover your soules health Cast downe your selues before the LORD The time will not suffer me neither hath it ben my purpose to enter the particular examination of those our duties before specified and in diverse respects laid vpoâ— vs. Sith the performance of al the rest consisteth in obedience that first duty which the LORD as our Master requireth at your hands I haue chosen to speake therof aboue the rest as most befitting the times wherein we liue Concerning therefore our first duty to our chiefest Master our obedience consisteth in this that we conforme our will to Gods will with a resolution to doe his will Many are of Israel which are not Israel many are of the seed of AbrahaÌ„ which may not be called the children of Abraham So S. Paule told the Romanes chap. 9. ver 6.7 So may I say here many do will that which God willeth who notwithstanding conforme not their wils to Gods wil neither can be said to do his will Where it shal not be much amisse for vs to examine what it is to frame our wils to Gods will and what it is to do his will both which if wee will learne with a purpose to performe them we shall in some good sort discharge our first duty we shall obey our Master God hath a will which is holy is pure is perfect eternall everlasting from all beginning according to which his doings are incomprehensible his iudgements secret his waies past finding out by which he ruleth all he governeth all he guideth and protecteth all in which all things are as they are This will of God is alwaies fulfilled no man hindreth it no man stoppeth it The Lord hath his decree aboue all the inhabitants of the earth of the Sea and whether they will or no they must be obedient If he call a bird from the East that bird must come if he speake he will bring it to passe if he purpose he will doe it his counsell shall stand he will doe whatsoever he will Esay 46.20 According to his will he worketh in the armie of Heaven and in the inhabitants of the earth none can stay his hand nor say vnto him what dost thou Dan. 4.35 It was Iehoshaphats acknowledgment In thine hand O LORD is power and might none is able to withstand thee 2. Chro. 20.6 No Annas no Caiaphas no Herod no Pilate no Iew no Devill could haue wrought the death of our Saviour Christ if the Lords secret will and counsell had not before determined that it should be done There are two causes why this wil of God is called secret or hiddeÌ„ 1 Because it is so indeed to aâ—â—â—â—en til such time as God manifesteth by events what hee hath appointed to every one In respect whereof St a Chap. 4.15 Iames willeth every one to put in this condition if the Lord will and if wee liue to doe this or that 2. Because the reason of the Lords will thus or thus when it is manifested for the most part is not comprehended of man but is hiddeÌ„ in himselfe as why he chose Iacob refused Esau why he put Saule away from the kingdome for one offence and not David for many no man knoweth it is hidden in the Lord. Onely this we knowe that he b Rom. 9.18 hath mercy on whom he will haue mercy and whom he will he hardneth Now your dutie in regard of this will is as hath beene said Non est curiosè investiganda sed adoranda you must not sift it but highly reverence it so that whatsoever this hidden will be concerning you whether to liue or die to bee rich or poore to be high or low in this world you must rest in the same and bee contented and giue leaue to the Lord that made you to doe with you and dispose of you at his pleasure then afterward when the Lord reveal it by effects much more must yee rest in it giue him thankes howsoever it is Good c Chap. 2.10 Iob took at the Lords hand evill things as well as good sower as well as sweet the losse of all as well as the possession of al so must you do say with him The d Iob. 1.21 Lord hath giuen the Lord hath takeÌ„ it blessed be the name of the Lord. But what Are we able to know how the Lord e Iob. 38.41 feedeth the young ravens how the Phenix is hatched how the Storke is kept Doe we waver do we faile in things that be common among vs Since then this will of God this absolute this secreat this hidden will of God is such as our wils may in no wise be conformed to it let vs lay our hands vp on our mouths and stop the course of our lips lest medling with such secrets we falter in our speeches before the Lord. God hath another will which is manifested vnto vs which I call another will not as if it differed from the former in nature for Gods will is one and the same but because it remaines no longer hidden as the former doth For Gods will as yet it is partly vnrevealed is commonly called his hidden or his secret will but as it is made knowne to vs by the written word and continuall successe of things so is it called the revealed will of God And this is that will of God to which wee must make like fashion and frame our wills And so shall we doe if first we will nothing but what God willeth then if will it in such a sort as God would haue vs will it and lastly if for such ends What God willeth you cannot well at lest you should not be ignorant The Scriptures teaching that the best of you is borne in iniquitie and conceaved in sinne and feedeth vpon transgressians doe they not tell you that God willeth the amendment of your liues The not long since pretended invasion which made the stoutest to feare the late and long and yet during famine which hath made most to faint This Sermon was preached Sept. 15. 1597. the now raigning sicknesse among vs which hath taken away diverse of our