ioyned with faith in Christ for perfect obedience yet he requireth the perfect obedience both of body and soule Now let vs lay these things to our owne hearts and consciences and see whether we haue conformed our wils to the will of God with a resolution to doe it whether wee haue performed our obedience to our great Master To iudge of your heartes is not within the compasse of my commission yet if it bee true that a f Luk. 6.43 good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit if it bee true that g Mat. 7.16 grapes growe not of thornes nor figges of thistles then may I boldly say that your wils are not conformed to the will of God that you haue much failed of that obedience which your Lord and Master hath enioyned you The Prophet Hoseah 4.1.2 told the Iewes that the LORD had a controversie with them because there was no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in their land because by swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whoring they breake out and blood touched blood Whether this same complaint may iustly be made of you I appeale to yourselues as iudges It may be your cheekes will bee redd to talke of Christ as theirs were who went to h Luk. 23.13 Emaus and you will blush apace to seeme so holy but say will not the black-moore blush faster then you when fearefully and fowly you sinne against the Lord Is there any delight more wicked then other we are by and by desirous to wallow in it to tumble in it to ioy in it to liue and growe old in it So bath we in all pleasure and ease this mater of earth and wormes meat wherewith we are clogged as if there were neither corruption to rot it nor Heaven to receaue it nor Hell to burne it Hence is it that we are dead in sleepe and watch not at all over the soules of our children our servants and all others committed to our goverments who were they rightly trained vp by vs in the grounds of Christian religion might happely grow vp like to glorious oliues for the Church Commōwealth We read Gen. 31.53 that when Laban swore by his false Gods then Iacob swore by the feare of his father Isaac so excellent was the instruction given him by his father that in the presence of Idolatrous Laban neither for feare nor favour would he alter his religion yea it was so fastned in him that having been 20. years among the Idolatrous Syrians he chāged not the maner of the oath which hee learned of his father Are our fathers so carefull to teach their children in religiō Indeed if to bee skilfull in oathes be to be religious I cannot finde fault with their nurturing But so they should not learne Christ The time was when servants prayed to the God of their Masters Gen. 24.42 But in these daies if they should doe so some must pray vnto pride some to coveteousnesse some to gluttony most to ignorance Now may we say as commonly is said like servant like Master if one loue the wicked the other will loth the godly like father like sonne if one sell vertue the other will buy sinne like Priest like people if one freeze in loue the other will boyle in malice as the governour is so are they that are ruled if one refuse Christ the other will choose Barabbas such as the seed is such is the harvest every one layeth away life and playeth with death Yet let the children of Abraham doe like Abraham let them teach their sonnes their daughters their servants their people and al that are ruled by them the covenants of the Lord let them teach them to conforme their wils to the will of God let them teach them to doe his will let them teach them perfect obedience both of body and soule So they with all their seed and posteritie shal be blessed not only in this life with a temporall promise but also in the life to come with that ever during promise that they shall bee inheritours of the kingdome of God Of which promise vouchsafe good Lord to make vs all partakers through faith in Christ Iesus to whom with thee and the holy Ghost three persons and one God be rendred all praise power maiestie and dominion for evermore Amen THE FOVRTH SERMON ON THE EPISTLE OF SAINT IAMES CHAP. 4. VERS 10. Cast downe your selues before the Lord and he will lift you vp WEE are come to the promise of the blessing made vnto vs Hee will lift you vp Wherein let vs consider 1 The person who it is that may fulfill this promise it is HEE the Lord none but he vaine is the helpe of man HE the Lord will lift you vp 2 The certaintie of his promise for it is not said hee will assay hee will trie he will doe his best to lift you vp but simply it is said he WILL lift you vp 3 The time when this promise shall bee fulfilled which note we must borrow out of 1. Pet. 5.6 where the matter of my text is thus repeated Humble your selues vnder the Almightie hand of God that he may lift you vp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in opportunitie of time in due time in a time when himselfe shall thinke it most meet He will lift you vp in due time 4 What it is that is promised vnto you even your exaltatiō your lifting vp He wil lift you vp Of these few notes at this time as God shall assist me with his holy-spirit The first is the person who may performe so sweete a promise it is HE the Lord none but HEE vaine is the helpe of man HE the Lord will lift you vp The word of God worthely tearmed the shoote-anker of an vpright conscience teacheth that every plant how gallant or how faire soever yea though for beautie it may bee compared to the tree which springing vp in the midst of the garden was exceeding pleasant in the sight of man yet if it be not planted by our heavenly Father shall be rooted out It teacheth that all coynes be they never so currant among men yet if they cannot abide this sacred touch shall be counted of a base mettall as of tinne or altogether counterfeit and so shall be burnt like drosse It teacheth that the great ones of this world how mightie soever they are yea though their heads reach vnto the cloudes though they bee to all others as the tallest Cedars of Libanus are to the low and little shrubs of the wildernesse of Cades yet if they build their hope vpon any thing besides the Lord they shall perish for ever a Iob. 20.7 8. like their dung and you which haue seene them shall say where are they they shall flie away as a dreame and you shall not find them they shall passe away as a vision of the night And because you haue so good a teacher well may you bee perswaded that a horse his helpe is vaine Ps 33.17 that mans
heare them Num. 12.2 And if Sarah laugh but within her selfe God will see her Gen. 18.13 Hell and destruction are before the Lord saith Solomon Prov. 15.11 how much more the heart of the sonnes of men Ad to this what the Prophet Esai hath chap. 40. vers 12. God hath measured the waters in his fist he hath counted heaven with his spanne hee hath comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure hee hath weighed the mountains in a weight and the hils in a balance Can their deeds then yea can their thoughts be hid from so powerfull a God Is it not because man of whose censure they stand more in awe theÌ„ of Gods wrath is not able to discrie their wickednesse which they haue so secretly wrought O! then they are deceaued For towne couÌ„try howleth and cryeth out too much overladen and wearied with adulterous Shichemites tyranous Sauls negligent Elies cruell Ahabs proud Herods incredulous Pharaohs here ambition there covetousnesse every where glutony and excesse One mole or freckle in the face offends more then many and great spots and scarres in the other parts of the body Men in authoritie all I meane that are better then others either for birth or calling are as the face of the commoÌ„wealth One small escape in them hurts more then many great grievous faults in the inferiours and therefore one was bold to compare theÌ„ to a booke after whose patterne others are printed if the first draught haue faults all the books printed thereby must needs be faulty but if there bee no fault in the first all the rest will haue the fewer Whosoever openeth a well or diggeth a pit and covereth it not and an oxe or an asse fall therein l Exod. 21.34 the owner of the pit shal make it good saith God by his servant Exod. 21.33 Hath anie of vs by bad living caused his inferiour his weake brother to sin O! let vs not be deafe beloved in the Lord. That maÌ„ whosoever he be hath opened a well and digged a pit which he hath not covered into which because his neighbour hath fallen and so perished he must look to make answer for it his blood shal be required at his hands Thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed it is the Lordes commandement Levit. 19.19 What is this militant church wherein we liue but Gods field whose husbandry yea are 1. Cor. 3.9 Whosoever in this field sitting either in Aarons seat or Moses chaire shall say but not doe shall say good things but doe the contrary shall in word sow wheat but in example cast abroad the troublesome seed of cockle and darnell hee it is that soweth mingled seed in Gods field and such are they whom the author of the booke of wisedome aimeth at chap. 6.6 When hee saith that mighty men shall be mightily tormented In the second place instruction is here to be had for such as are either by birth or calling worse then other men They seeing themselues so addicted by nature to follow others in duety ought to take speciall heed whom they follow For all may not be followed Aske counsaile of the wise man he will perswade with you by no meanes to follow gâ—uttons sleepers and drunkards for the glutton shall be poore and the sleeper shal be cloathed with ragges Prov. 23.21 As for the drunkard he shal haue no want of m Prov. 23.29 wo sorrow strife murmuring wouÌ„ds without cause and rednesse of the eies he shall be bitten as with a n Vers 32. serpent and hurt as with a cockatrice he shall be as one that sleepeth in the middest of the sea or on the toppe of the mast Prov. 23.34 Aske counsell of S. Paule and hee will perswade with you by no meanes to follow fornicators idolaters adulterers covetous persons and the like for such shall not inherit the kingdome of God 1. Cor. 6.10 Aske counsell of the LORD himselfe and he will perswade with you by no meanes to follow the o Levit. 18.3 doings of the land of Egypt or the manners of the land of Canaan For if you commit such abominations the land shall spue you out Levit. 18.28 O p Psal 1.1 walke not in the counsell of the wicked nor stand yee in the way of sinners nor sit yee in the seate of the scornfull for such may not be blessed You know who hath said it Assured I am that in Noahs arke among his three sonnes there was one cursed Ham that in Isaac's house of 2. sonnes one Esau was reiected that in Iacobs house among twelue brethren one only Ioseph was innocent that in Christs house among twelue Apostles there was a treacherous Iudas neither may I deny but that at this day among many Magistrates Preachers and Masters there are some licentious Magistrates some bad living Preachers some too too wicked Masters But what is that to vs We must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ to receiue according to our own deeds For so may we read 2. Cor. 5.10 The licentious life of the Magistrate shall not quite the subiect if he disobey the lawes the wickednesse of the Master may not excuse the servant if he be vngracious the bad living preacher is no cause to saue my soule if I be vngodly For God himselfe telleth vs that that soule that sinneth shal die the death Ezech. 18.4 And thus from the generall imitation I come to that which best beseemeth Christians Follow me The Lyon hath roared who will not be afraid The LORD God hath spoken who can but prophecie Amos 3.8 Ever worthy is his Maiestie to be revereÌ„ced whose voice nothing be it aboue or beneath in heaven or in earth sensible or insensible ought to disobey q Esai 1.2 Heare then ô heavens and hearken ô earth and therefore heare and harken both men women for the LORD hath said follow me Else whom will ye follow Is not he the way to guide you Follow him and he wil leade you in the pathes of righteousnesse Pro. 4.11 Is not he the truth to giue you light Follow him and the sunne of iustice shall arise vnto you Malac. 4.2 Is not he the life to feede you Follow him and you shall go in and out and finde pasture Iohn 10.9 He is the way in example for he hath given an example that wee should do even as he hath done Iohn 13.15 He is the truth in promises for his covenant he will not breake nor alter the thing that is gone out of his lips Psal 89.34 He is the life in rewarde for howsoever the wages of sinne is death yet the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our LORD Rom. 6.23 This our LORD the way the truth and the life in his iourney towardes heaven began betime for at r Luk. 2.42 twelue yeares of age he went about his Å¿ Vers 49. fathers businesse and he kept the right way for he boldly said who can
Apes in Egypt clad in purple Thence came the proverbe o Lucianus in orat cont incruditum Simia Simia est etiamsi aurea gestet insignia A carter may put on Doctors attire The Ostrich may haue gallant fethers yet not be able to flie You may hold it for a truth Christianitie is rei non speciei it is a matter of substance not of forme and shew St Bernard found fault with certaine Monks which thought it impossible the Sunne should shine any where but in their cell Were he now liuing how would he entreat many among vs who thinke themselues so godly so wise so sincere so pure so perfit so Christianlike as if Gods holy spirit had only lighted vpon them It will not bee amisse for them to consider how our Saviour Christ hath in one p Mat. 23. chapter pronounced a sevenfold woe against this sinne of Hypocrisie Woe vnto you Hypocrites yee are like vnto q Vers 27. painted Sepulchers or white◠tombes which appeare beautifull outward but within are ful of dead mens bones and all filthinesse woe vnto you Hypocrites for yee r Vers 25. make cleane the outside of the cup and of the platter but within are full of all bribery and excesse I will not trouble you with the repetitiō of the rest they are al to be read Mat. 23. And it may be for their bettering to giue eare to the wise mans counsell he hath said be not an Hypocrite in the sight of men for the Hypocrite shall not come before God Iob 13.16 Neither can it be lost labour for them to meditate vpon that which followeth chapter 15.34 where he ioyneth the Hypocrite with the houses that are built and maintained with polling and briberie for hee saith The congregation of the Hypocrites shall be desolate and fire shall devoure the houses of bribes he addeth this reason because they cōceaue mischiefe and bring forth vanitie and their bellies haue prepared deceit What did it availe Iudas to seeme to bee a blessed Apostle when in the end he proued himselfe a cursed traytor Luk. 22.48 What did it profit the people to seeme to follow Christ for his miracles when indeed they followed for nothing but for bread Ioh. 6.26 Felix could tremble and seeme to be moued at St Paules Sermon as he disputed of righteousnesse and temperance and of the iudgement to come Act. 24.25 but deepe was his dissimulation his drift was to get money of Paule as appeareth vers 26. The Scripture telleth vs that the fathers of Israel turned vnto God and sought him early they remembred that God was their strength and the most High their redeemer Psal 78.34 You see here a goodly shew of religious yet were such fathers of Israel Hypocrites for the same scripture addeth in the words that follow vers 37. Neverthelesse they did but flatter him with their mouth dissēbled with him in their tongues for their heart was not vpright with him neither were they stedfast in his covenant They which call themselues Iewes and are not because they lye shall be of the Synagogue of Sathan Apoc. 3.9 Thus may many professe that they knowe God when their workes will shew that they deny him themselues inwardly being abominable and disobedient and vnto every good worke reprobate Tit. 1.16 Wherein as I take it you may fitly compare them with falling starres which commonly are thought to bee in the firmament and to be true starres indeed but thinking so we are deceaued for they are only certaine fat exhalations lifted vp from the earth by the operation of the Sunne carried through the vpper region of the aire from whence being kinled by the heate and force of the firie element they fall againe Is it not so with Hypocrites Such is their carriage among vs that commonly they may be thought to be spirituall lights enflamed of God and in mind to be conversant in heaven when indeed they are farthest from it and therefore as the light of such supposed starres is momentary and vanishing so the ioy of the Hypocrite lasteth but a moment Iob. 20.5 though his excellency and his head reach vnto the clouds yet shall hee perish for ever like his owne dung and they which haue seene him shall say where is he he shall fly away as a dreame and they shall not finde him he shall passe away as a vision of the night Thus you see the portion of Hypocrites Can you now endure to drinke of their cup Then shall you ſ Esai 33.11 conceaue chaffe bring forth stubble and the fire of your owne breath shall devoure you O yee sonnes of men sunken deepe in rebellion turne againe yet the day is with you therefore cast away those Idols of gold and silver which your owne hands haue made I meane your sinnes cast them from you Why will you be like them of whom the Lord hath said This people draweth neere vnto mee with their mouth and honoureth me with their lips but haue remoued their heart from me Esay 29.13 Why will you not labour to be such as you would seeme to be what shall it profit you to be like gloe-wormes which although they shine in the night are notwithstanding in the day to behold vncleane and vile wormes What shall it profit you I say to shine in the night of this world through a false shew of godlinesse when in the day time that is in the world to come you shall present your selues before your iust iudge foule and abhominable When the king of Iudah proclaimed warre against the king of Israel the king of Israel returned this answer the thistle rebelleth against the Cedar 2. King 14.9 And yet what was there but a king against a king but a man against a man Humble thy selfe thou proud earth not before men for thy hypocrisie will soone be espied but before the Lord. For if thou shalt dare continue in thy rebellion shall not the king of Heaven much more iustly say to thee the thistle rebelleth against the Cedar The Iewes thought themselues holy by offering of sacrifices when in the meane season they had neither faith nor repentance But was God well pleased with them No for he detested him that killed a bullocke as if he had slaine a man him that sacrificed a sheepe as if he had cut off a dogges neck him that offered an oblation as if he had offered swines blood him that burned incense as if he had blessed an Idole Esay 66.3 and all to make you knowe that he detesteth all your sacrifices your prayers your fasts your almes yea all your good workes too when they are done without faith and repentance as much as he detested the sacrifices of the Heathen when they offered men dogges and swine vnto their Idols Wherewith then shall you t Micah 6.6 come before the Lord how your selues before the high God Shall you come before him with burnt offerings calues of a yeare old Will the Lord
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
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
helpe is vaine Psal 60.11 that the helpe of Princes is vaine Psal 146.3 that much strength is vaine 2. Chron. 25.7 that much wealth is vaine Psal 49.6 that all worldly helps are vaine Esay 30.1 A reason of all which may be had Micah 5.10 for neither horses nor men nor princes nor strength nor wealth nor all the worldly helps that may be shall bee able to deliver you when the LORD will punish Will you yet knowe a farther reason of this namely why those helpes before specified shall not be able to deliver when the Lord will punish The 3. vers of the 31. of Esai will yeeld you two reasons when the I 〈…〉 vpon the helpe of Egypt trusting in their Chariors becaâ—â—e they were many and their horses because they were strong God giâ—eth them no other answer then this The Egyptians are men not God their horses are flesh and not spiâ—â—â— Ioâ—â— Egypâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 not God that may be a first reason their horses are flesh and not spirit that may be the second The Egyptians are men and not God that is if Abrahams exposition may be admitted they are dust and ashes Gen. 18.27 very ready with every blast of winde to be scattered They are men and not God that is if Iobs interpretation bee good they are houses of clay Iob 4.19 very easie to be broken in pieces They are men and not God that is if Paul may be the interpretour they are earthly tabernacles 2. Cor. 5. â— certainly within short time to be dissolved b Esai 2.12 Cease yee then from the man whose breath is in his nostrels for wherin is he to be esteemed The Egyptians are men and therefore may they not be accounted of as of hopes of fortresses of castles of deliverers of defenders they cannot teach your c Psal 144.1 hands to war nor your singers to fight they are not God and therefore must they be holden for feeble for weake for miserable Cease then froÌ„ 〈◊〉 who is like a thing of nought hee passeth away as a shadow d Psal 146.4 his breath goeth forth he turnes againe to his earth and then all his thoughts perish The Egyptians are men will you therfore fly from them seeke for helpe at the God of Iacob Blessed shall yee be ye shall be as a tree that is e Psal 1.3 planted by the waters which spreadeth out her rootes by the river yee shall not feele when the heat commeth your leafe shall be greene you shal not care for the drought of summer neither shall you cease from yeelding fruit Ierem. 17.8 They are not God wil you notwithstaÌ„ding repose your trust in them Cursed shall yee bee ye shall bee like the heath in the desert yee shall not see when any good commeth yee shall dwell in the parched places in the wildernesse in a salt land in a land not inhabited Ier. 17.6 Cease then from man even from every son of man for there is no hlpe in him Their horses also are flesh and not spirit They are flesh but cursed be he that maketh flesh his arme they are not spirit and never blessed shall he be whose protectour is not spirit The Egyptians are men and not God their horses are flesh not spirit and therefore let the LORD but strâ—tch out his hand the helper shall faile he that is hâ—lpen shall faile they shall altogether faile But grant we that in the course of this life some one may haue girded himselfe with strength and decked himselfe with maiestie so that he may seeme to haue exalted himselfe like an Eagle and to haue built his nest among the starres yet let such a one looke backe to his trâ—bâ— to his fathers poore house to the pit whence he was heweâ— he shall finde that at length he must be cast downe to the ground let him examine his Pedegree and descent he shall finde that he is but one of the sonnes of men And then who knowes not what shall bee the portion of his cuppe Man that is borne of woman is of short continuance and full of troubles Iob vpon his experience hath said so much Iob. 14.1 Did it helpe the children of Canaan that the sonnes of Anak gyants of the earth dwelt amongst them Indeed the Israelites somewhat daunted in bedâ—â—at the sight of them brake out into these speeches this people is greater and taller then we their cities are great and walled vp to Heaven moreover we haue seene the sonnes of Anak there Num. 13.28 But in the end what became of them They were all destroied by Iosuah they and their cities and there was not one Anakim left in the mountaines of Israel and Iudah Ios 11.21.22 Did it profit the Bashanites to haue so mighty a king as Og was His bed indeed was a bed of yron the length of it was nine cubits and the breadth foure cubits after the cubite of man Deut. 3.11 such a man in all likelyhood might be some incouragement to his people But what was his ende The Lord delivered him into the hand of Moses So sweetly sings the Psalmist He hath slain mighty kings Sehon king of the Amorites and Og the king of Bashan Psal 135.10.11 And be recounts it againe in the Psal following ver 18.19.20 Hee hath slaine mighty kings Sehon king of the Amorites and Og the king of Basâ—â—â— Where to fill vp the measure of his song he addes to the end of every verse this sweet burden for his mercy endureth forever Did it availe any thing the Philistines that f 1. Sam. 17.4 Golias was amongst theÌ„ Proud Golias of whose so g His height was six cubits and a spaâ— huge astaâ—â—â—o you haue so often heard whose h Vers 5 6. helmet whose greâ—â—â—â— whose corsâ—â—s whose shield were all of brasse whose i Vers 7. spâ—â—res shaft was nothing inferiour to a weavers beame But what was his ende You knowe it well enough a * David veâ— 42. childe in comparison came with his shepheards staffe with his sling in his hand with a few k Vers 40. smooth stones in his scrip who in the name of the Lord of Hostes did sâ—â—â—e greate Golias What shall I remember you of that excellent that mightie that prosperous that peaceable king of Assyria set forth vnto you in the 31. of Ezechiel Albeit such was his excellencie as that he exceeded all other Monarches Princes vnder Heaven in regard whereof he is said to be like a Câ—dar in Lebanon whose branches are faire whose shadowing boughes are thickâ— whose top is shot vp very high ver 3. albeit such was his might as that there was no greater power in the world then his was in liew whereof it is said that the Cedars in the garden of God could not hide him that no firre tree was like his branches that no chesnut tree did equall his boughes yea that all the trees in the garden of God gaue place vnto him vers 8.