harme The which thing the Almighty doth see full well for he is not afraid of them but as a man that is carelesse of his enimie whom he knowes cannot hurt him doth nothing but laugh and deride at him so doth he laugh and deride at them he hath them in derision and so shall haue them still in derision This were enough to dismay them if there were any grace in them But yet this is not all For as man is offended with those that rise vp against him and doth withall punish them according to their deserts if it lie in his power to do it so is the Lord offended with them and in his appointed time he will plague them His wrath is greatly kindled against them and his hand shall be stretched out in a most wofull manner to torment them Then at that time shall they know with a seeling and tormenting soule what he is against whom they are risen vp for God shall then disclose it vnto them saying I haue set my king vpon Zion mine holy mountaine He tooke not this honour vnto himselfe to be the head and ruler of my people neither was he aduanced to this throne of gouernment by any humane authority or created wight but I euen I that am the Lord whom the heauen of heauens cannot containe placed him in his roome made him to be the supreme gouernor of my people how then durst you rebel against him or lift vp either tongue or hand to speak or do any thing which might be cōtrary vnto him The summe of these three verses is nothing else but a description of the Lord or the first person in the godhead against whom the former treason or rebellion was wrought Summe Wherein before we come to the parts of it obserue in a word or two the elegant Antithesis that is made betwixt him and his aduersaries First they are many but he is but one Secondly they are on the earth but he is in heauen Thirdly they rage murmure band and consult but he laughs and smiles Fourthly they intend an ouerthrow to him but he prepares plagues for them Lastly they say Come let vs breake their bands and cast their cords behind vs but he saith I haue set my king vpon Zion mine holy mountaine So here is God against man and heauen against earth Iudge you now who shall haue the victorie But to the parts the Lord here is described out two manner of wayes The one is in regard of that which his enimies do to him The other is of that which he will do to them In the former of these consider the place where he is then his deriding or laughing at his enimies both which doe shew that all their forces can do him no harme but shall be frustrated and be brought to nought First because he is out of their reach hee being in heauen and they vpon the earth Then secondly because he doth not feare as men do who are in some perilous danger and too weake for their aduersaries but doth laugh and deride at them as we are wont to do when we are merrie and sure of safetie and do see how to frustrate all such deuices as are intended against vs. This is set downe in the fourth verse as the other part is in the two next verses following But he that is in heauen saith the Prophet doth laugh Here I will stand a little vpon the seuerall members and afterward conioyne them both together in pressing the doctrine and vse of the place God here you see is not plainely named but he is see out by a certaine periphrasis or circumlocution euen by one that dwelleth or as others reade it by one that sitteth in heauen the Hebrew word Iosheb affoordeth either of them for it comes of Iashab which signifieth indifferently to dwell or to sit as also to stay and to abide in a place Howsoeuer it is a notable description of God whereby the Prophet meaneth to shew that his enimies are not able to do him any hurt or mightie enough to stand against him that is so farre aboue them For as it is euermore a great aduantage in warre to haue the vpper and higher place in fighting against the aduersarie as to be on a hil whē he is below on a valley so is it vnpossible for those who are vpon the earth to reach them with any blows or strokes that are in heauen For betwixt these 2 places heauen earth as the Astronomers do cōiecture there are seuen score eighteene thousand foure hundreth and sixtie three miles And what arrow or shot of gun can flie so farre But here it may be demanded Obiect whether God be onely in heauen and not vpon the earth also The answer is Ans that he is as well vpon the earth as in the heauens according to his owne words in Ieremy 23.24 where hee tells vs that hee doth fill both the heauen and the earth And this you must hold as a ground infallible that he is in all places for as Salomon doth confesse of him in 1. King 8.27 that the heauens and the heauens of heauens are not able to conteine him so Dauid doth teach vs in Psal 139.7 c. that he is euery where as well in the sea and earth and other places as in the heauens themselues And the manner how he is thus in all places is well expressed in an old verse which is this Est Deus essenter praesenter vbique potenter That is God is euery where by his essence by his presēce by his power By his essence or diuine being because it is he that immediatly worketh al things both in heauen earth For we liue moue haue our being in him as it is in Acts. 17.28 By his presence because he seeth beholdeth all things euery matter is naked opē to his eies as those are to ours that stand in our presēce before vs as it is in Heb. 4.13 By his power because he doth sustaine and hold vp al the creatures in the whole world their strēgth vertue being nothing else but as a small portion flowing from that welspring of all fulnesse which is in him as it is in Hebr. 1.3 and Math. 4.4 So that by this it is apparant that God is not tied vp in the heauens as hauing nothing to do here vpon the earth or sea as Atheists and Epicures iudge who thinke that all things do fall out by the course of nature chance fortune as they call it and the policy of man You see that he is in all places he is present with vs wheresoeuer we be he doth consider of all our workes he doth know our sitting downe and our rising vp he doth vnderstand our thoughts a farre off he doth compasse our paths and he is accustomed to all our wayes as we may see most excellently in the beginning of that 139. Psalme which was quoted before And therefore euery man should take heed how he
lie still in their miseries and neuer haue any hope to recouer themselues againe or to repaire such ruinous breaches as thou dost bring vpon them Thus runneth the paraphrase of this place Wherein you haue nothing else to remember in summe Summe but a description of Iesus Christ the second person in the Godhead who is our sweet Sauiour and blessed King In which description obserue two things The first is the person that doth publish the description The other is the parts wherein this description doth stand The person that doth publish the description is Christ himselfe expressed in these words I will declare the decree or rather as it is in the Hebrew text I will speake or declure according to the decree and ordinance El hhok There are certaine decrees and ordinances established by God touching the person of Christ and his gouernment Now according to these will Christ speake and not otherwise You must not here conceiue that some other person is brought in speaking but that it is Christ himselfe and none else but he True it is that Dauid did vtter them as he was a type and figure of Christ but Christ himselfe as he was the body and truth and so the words are properly and in truth it selfe to be referred vnto him Behold he takes vpon him as it were the part of a faithfull Prophet to make knowne his Fathers will vnto mankinde in respect of himselfe and his waies I beseech you marke diligently how he doth it It is not according to his owne fansie as we often speake but it is according to his Fathers owne decree and appointment without all deceipt or fraudulent dealing whatsoeuer there is no adding nor detracting no chopping or changing found in him but all things are faithfully deliuered according to the truth it selfe A worthy thing to be thought often on and euermore to be had in good remembrance by all sorts of persons but chiefly by the Ministers of the Word who ought to be faithfull in their offices as Christ was in his and not to make merchandise of the word of God but as of sinceritie as of God in the sight of God to speake in Christ Iesus as the Apostle Saint Paul doth speake in his second Epistle to the Corinthians the second chapter and the last verse thereof At all times should men looke most carefully to this but much more now in these corrupt and rotten dayes of ours wherein the Lords ordinances are beazelled and his most sacred Oracles turned vp and downe like a nose made of waxe as pleaseth the wicked humor of many a sinfull man but beware we beware we of such cursed and satanicall dealing If we speake at any time let vs speake with all reuerence as doth become them who vtter the words of a mightie God and according to the truth it selfe and not otherwise So shall health be vnto our nauell and marrow vnto our bones when others are perplexed with intollerable woe and paine I might haue made a long discourse of this matter as being a very fit subiect to be stood vpon in our licentious times but thus shortly I passe it ouer as intending onely to stand most vpon those points which are most intended by the Spirit of God himselfe and not to do as many are wont to do vpon euery small occasion to wander abroad from my text in hand Two questions here may be moued the one is whether Christ did thus publish the decree and appointment of his Father touching himselfe and his kingdome as here he doth say he would do The other is for what causes he would do the same and for what end and purpose Touching the former of these two we find in the story of the Euangelists that he did do it according to the tenor of the text here in hand For they do shew how he did consesse and declare abroad that he was the Sonne of God that all iudgement was committed vnto him by his Father that he was a king that all power was giuen vnto him in heauen and earth that he was the Messiah or Annointed whereof Esay did speake in the 61. chapter of his Prophesie and the beginning thereof that he was the bread that came downe from heauen and the partie whom his Father had sealed for the bringing of euerlasting life vnto mankind These and the like things do they report of him as you may see by Iohn the 5.6 and 18. chapters thereof By Luke the 4. the 22. and 23. chapters and by Math 16.21.26 and 27. chapters thereof Reade these places I pray at your ley sure and acknowledge the truth of this point Now for the other Christ might do it for many causes First that he might bring men into the greater and more willing subiection vnto him according to the speech of the housholder in Math. 21.37 But last of all he sent vnto them his owne Sonne saying They will reuerence my Sonne Secondly that he might leaue men without all excuse and make them vnable to answer for themselues at the day of iudgement if they did not obey him and do according to his commandements according to his owne saying in Iohn chapter 15. and verse 22. If I had not come and spoken vnto them they should not haue had sinne but now haue they no cloake for their sinne Lastly that he might comfort and strengthen them that did relie vpon him against the rage and surie of the world as also against the malice and power of Sathan himselfe according to that which is in Iohn chapter 16. verse 33. These things haue I spoken vnto you that in me ye might haue peace in the world ye shall haue affliction but be of a good comfort I haue ouercome the world Hauing thus in few words answered these questions which tend to the clearing of the text and the confirmation of that truth which is included therein let vs now come to the maine doctrine of the place And that in few words standeth thus namely that it is the part and duty of men in authority to stand vpon such gifts and callings as God hath bestowed vpon them according vnto the example of Christ here For as he did the same so must we do it by vertue of his commandement in Math. 11.29 Take my yoke on you and learne of me for I am meeke and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest vnto your soules So did Moses when he came vnto the children of Israel to deliuer them out of their bondage and stood before Pharaoh the King of Aegypt to craue leaue for a free passage for them For he did not onely make it knowne vnto them all how God had called him to this worke and businesse by word of mouth alone declaring what matters had passed betwixt him and God but also by workes and deeds doing strange and admirable miracles daily in their sight as we may see at large in Exodus from the latter end of the fourth chapter thereof and so forward
like a boy of a sprack wit that wants but a good maister to instruct him or a faire white paper that needs nothing but a writing to be set in it But here we see it is otherwise for as man is ignorant of the law of God so he is a starke enimie vnto it he will not be subiect to the commandements of God nor be obedient vnto them Surely euery man by nature is dead in his sinnes and trespasses as Paul did obserue of the Ephesians in Ephes 2.1 and no man vnlesse he be borne againe can thinke well of the law of the Lord and yeeld vp chearfull obedience thereunto Secondly here we may behold the great difference that is betweene the wicked and the godly For as the wicked do abhorre the lawes of God saying Come let vs breake their bands and cast their cords behind vs so the godly do loue the lawes of God saying Come and let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord and to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teach vs his wayes and we will walke in his paths Mica 4.2 And the reasons thereof are these First because they see they come from God their sweet Sauiour and do tend to their eternall good for we cannot but loue that which doth come from him whom we loue best and of whom we are loued most especially when we know that he will send vs nothing which is hurtfull but good as we iudge of God and that according to his owne word in Rom. 8.29 Secondly because they know that the curse thereof shall neuer take hold of them in as much as Christ was made a curse for them Thirdly because they are made easie and pleasant vnto them as by vse and custome they exercising themselues therein day and night so chiefly by the regeneration of the holy spirit of God who doth assist them and make them powerfull vnto good workes Lastly because they bring with them great rewards and honours at the last euen ioyes that are vnspeakable and riches without all end for number and continuance For as this made Iacob to serue seuen yeares for Rahel and Moses to leaue Pharaohs court and to endure much trouble in the wildernesse euen the reward that they did looke for so doth this excellent reward which doth attend vpon the obseruers of Gods commandements make vs euermore to regard them and to haue a care to obserue and to keepe them More might be spoken of this difference that is betwixt the godly and the wicked but this is enough The other doctrine collected out of the text is this Doct. that when men do resist the law of God and oppose themselues against the same then do they rebell against God himselfe and become traytors vnto him As he is a traytor to his Prince who doth altogether set himselfe against the lawes of his Prince and will be subiect to none of them but breake them all to disgrace him and to bring an ouerthrow vnto his estate or kingdome The reason is this for I will but touch this point and end Reason because his lawes are but the significations of his will and the testimonies of his mind and pleasure vnto vs. And you know that none can resist his will mind or pleasure but he must needs resist him himselfe The vse hereof standeth chiefly in two things Vse For first it serueth to detect the great sinnes and enormities that are amongst vs. There is a generation saith Agur in Prou. 30.12 that are pure in their owne conceipts and yet are not washed from their filthinesse We are of that number for we thinke too well of our selues Who is there almost that doth count himselfe a rebell and a tray tor against his God yet all of vs are such for we breake his commandements still and will not be ruled by his statutes and ordinances but we follow the imaginations of our owne hearts and do what seeme good in our owne eyes For these things we must strike vppon the thighs and repent and learne to do so no more Secondly it should awaken vs vp and be a sharpe spurre in our sides to keepe vs alwayes running in the commandements of our God Oh beloued brethren how carefull should we be both to know the lawes of our God and also to keepe them considering that otherwise we do but rebell and commit treason against our sweet and louing God Shall we rise vp against him that hath made vs against him that hath redeemed vs against him that hath sanctified vs against him that doth daily prescrue vs and against him in one word that will glorifie vs hereafter in the heauens No no farre be this from our soules yet this we must needs do vnlesse we endeuor carefully to keepe his commandements And therfore I beseech you looke to them Let them be a lanterne to your feete and a light to your paths Let them be your counsellors and the men of your law and whatsoeuer you thinke desire speake or do thinke all desire all speake all and do all according to the rule and direction thereof that so you may not be rebels and traytors vnto the Lord but be his saithfull seruants and true subiects vnto your liues ende Amen The end of the third Sermon THE FOVRTH SERMON vpon the second Psalme PSAL. 2. VER 4.5 6. But he that dwelleth in the heauens shall laugh the Lord shall haue them in derision Then shall he speake vnto them in his wrath and vexe them in his sore displeasure saying Euen I haue set my king vpon Zion mine holy Mountaine HItherto the Prophet hath shewed who did rebell against the Lord and his Annointed Now he doth begin to declare what the Lord and his Annointed are against whom they do so rebell The Lord is set out in these three verses and his Annointed in the three next The scope drift in the description of them both is one and the selfe same and it stands in two points The one is to shew that all the opposition or resistance that is made against them is in vaine and to no purpose The other is to declare that those that do make the opposition or resistance are in most wofull and wretched case and such as cannot escape most fearefull and vnrecouerable iudgements vnlesse they do in time preuent the same by true and hearty repentance or amendment of life in turning vnto them and in becoming faithfull and loyall subiects vnto them as they ought to be This is the summe of all these verses but at this time we are to stand vpon the three former alone The Prophet going about to describe the Lord euen the Father in the godhead or the first Person in the Trinitie notes him out first of all by his place or abode which is not vpon the earth where his enimies may come at him but in the heauens where they cannot come neare vnto him so that all their power 〈◊〉 malice intended against him can do him no
they cannot endure to haue iudged and condemned by others according to that in Saint Iohn Chap. 3.20 For euery man that euill doth hateth the light neither commeth to light lest his deeds should be reproued But being once reproued they cannot but persecute them that doe reproue them as Herod did Iohn the Baptist whom he did behead because he told him that it was not lawfull for him to haue his brothers wife Mark 6.18 and as the Iewes did Stephen the Deacon whom they did stone to death because he told them their faultes Acts 7.58 Fourthly because they are in greater fauour with God then they are and doe receiue larger gifts of sanctification and holines from him then they do according to that in Gen. 4.4 5. And the Lord had respect vnto Abel to his offering but vnto Kain to his offering he had no regard wherfore Kain was exceeding wroth his countenance fel down as it is in 1. Ioh. 3.12 he slew his brother because his owne workes were euill and his brothers good So that as Iosephs brethren could not endure that old father Iacob should loue him more then themselues as the Princes of Babel could not disgest Daniels fauour with the king aboue themselues so cannot the world endure that the God of heauen should respect his Saints before themselues albeit they doe each day blaspheme his holy name and will be no day obedient vnto him Fiftly because they are for the most part of them poore and base persons as our Sauiour doth intimate in Math. 11.25 where he doth resemble them vnto babes And as the Apostle doth teach vs in 1. Cor. 1.26 c. shewing that God hath not chosen many wise men after the flesh nor many mighty nor many noble but the foolish the weake and the vile and such as are despised in this world that all the glory might be his owne For the world doth see that these cannot enrich them nor countenance them nor aduance them to places of honour and dignity but will rather be a burden and a shame vnto them and therefore they haue them in great contempt and disdaine and doth take them for the very off-scum of the earth 1. Cor. 4.13 Lastly because they haue some infirmities and a few of them now and then doe breake out into great and hainous offences as into adultery murther theft or the like as Noah Lot Dauid Salomon and others haue done For the world vpon this doth condemne them all saying that they are hypocrites and that there is no goodnesse in them As I may reioyce in speaking of the other causes of their hatred so I may mourne and sament while I make mention of this But to passe the causes and to come to the vses of the doctrine Vse here we may obserue First the great corruption that is in the world For did not the whole world lie in wickednesse as Iohn doth say 1. Ioh. 5.19 They would neuer thus contemne the Saints of God as they doe seeing they haue no iust cause for the same but many reasons to the contrary as was noted before Surely the world is not worthy of them as it is in Heb. 11.38 Yet like blind wretches and wicked cast-awaies they despise them who yet are their stay and safety for take away once the godly out of the world the world would quickly come to ruine and destruction The Sunne would giue no more light the earth no more corne the sea no more fish the heauens no more birds the beasts of the field no more meate and the creatures in generall throughout the world no more obedience vnto man For if they doe their seruice now vnwillingly while the godly are liuing whose seruantes by good right and interest they are and do sigh and groane in their kind to be loosed from this burden of their bondage as it is in Rom. 8.19 c. doubtlesse they will refuse altogether to do any seruice vnto the wicked when they are dead and gone The world therefore in resisting Gods children may fitly be compared to a moath that fretteth in peeces the same cloth wherein she is bred or to a certaine worme or canker that corrodeth and eateth through the heart of the tree that nourisheth her or vnto a man that standeth vpon a bough in the toppe of a tree where there is no more yet with an axe choppeth it off and therewithall falleth downe with it and breaketh his necke Secondly out of this we may learne not to be dismaid at our troubles and the multitude of our aduersaries although some strange thing were happened vnto vs acording to Peters words in 1. Pet. 4.12.13 who saith Dearely beloued thinke it not strange concerning the fiery triall which is among you to proue you as though some strange thing were come vnto you But roioyce in as much as yee are partakers of Christs sufferings that when his glory shall appeare yee may be glad and reioyce It is no new thing this is an old fashion of the world which it had from the beginning It was thus in Adams house in Noahs house and in Abrahams house the most ancient houses of all the world For in Adams house Cain hated slew his own brother Abel Gen. 4.8 In Noahs house C ham scorned derided his owne father that did beget him Gen. 9.22 in Abrahams house Ismael flouted and reproched his naturall brother in whom all the nations of the earth were to be blessed Gen. 21.9 Wherefore beloued brethren be not you grieued when any of you are troubled and molested in the world for the Lords sake Complaine not as some doe who say There was neuer any man so crossed as I am Thinke not that you beare a burden alone by your selues the deare Saints of God the Prophets and Apostles together with the holy Martyrs and others are your companions therein You drink of none other cup then they haue done or your sweet maister Christ Iesus before you hath done Comfort your selues with these things Finally let this serue to instruct you that as you must be patient and quiet when troubles doe come and not fret or murmure against either God or man for the same so you must looke for troubles and persecutions while you are here in this world not cry peace vnto your selues as the wicked doe you must thinke with your selues that you shall haue enimies in all places and such as will be your foes in euery corner For this is a rule of the Lords which neuer shall be broken that the seed of the serpent will alwaies be enimies vnto the seed of the woman according to these words I will also put enmitie betweene thee and the woman and betweene thy seed and her seed in Gen. 3.15 As Christ your Lord and maister had enimies of all sorts euen more in number then the haires of his head so must you make your reckoning if you will be like to Christ in holinesse and righteousnesse
to haue aduersaries of all sorts wheresoeuer you shall liue or dwell Either Ismael with his flowting tongue or Esau with his bloudy hand shall wound and persecute you for he that is borne after the flesh will alwaies persecute him that is borne after the Spirit Gal. 4.29 And surely as the life of Christ was a warfare vpon earth so must your liues that are Christians be a warfare vpon earth Here we liue in a sea of troubles the sea is the world the waues are calamities the Church is the ship the anker is hope the sailes are loue the Saints are passengers the hauen is heauen and Christ is our Pilot. Now when the sea can continue without waues the ship without tossings and passengers not be sicke vpon the water then shall the Church of God be without trials but not before And as for this voyage we begin it or at the least should begin it so soone as we are borne and we must saile on till our dying day Therefore I beseech you brethren promise vnto your selues no security in this world but looke still for enimies and when you haue slaine a Beare looke for a Lyon when you haue killed the Lyon looke for a Goliah and when you haue ouercome Goliah looke for a Saul when Saul is wounded to death looke for the Philistines c. that is when you haue ouercome one trouble or vanquished one enimie looke still for an other trouble and for an other enimie and that vntill you die and the spirit doth returne to God that gaue it Thus farre of the first point now followes the second In the fourth verse and so forward vnto the end of the ninth verse is shewed how this opposition which was made against the Lord and his Annoynted came to none effect but was withstood and brought to nothing through the powerfull working of the Almighty the enimies that made the opposition being brought to shame and confusion How true this was in respect of Dauid the figure the 2. booke of Samuel doth declare with the beginning of the first booke of the Kings For in these two bookes we finde these three things First that he did enioy his kingdome vnto his dying day and that he did end his lise quietly and in peace in his bed 1. Kings 2.10 Secondly that the Lord his God who dwelleth in heauen did helpe him from time to time in all his troubles against his enemies 2. Samuel 22.1 c. Thirdly that his enemies who did thus resist him were vanquished and slaine Abner he was slaine by Ioab 2. Sam. 3.27 and Ish-bosheth his maisters Sauls sonne for whom he did sight was murdered by two of his seruants in his own house as he lay vpon his bed in his bed-chamber 2. Sam 4.7 The Iebusites they were punished and smitten by Ioab 2. Sam. 5.8 and 1. Chro. 11.8 The Philistines and other out-landish nations they were many of them put to the sword and the residue were made tributaries to Dauid 2. Sam. 5. 8. Chap. Absalom he was hanged by the haire of the head on an Oake in the wood as he was pursuing after his father and there he was slaine 2. Sam. 18.9.14 And Sheba the sonne of Bichri he was beheaded in Abel by the perswasion of a woman and his head cast ouer the wall vnto Ioab 2. Sam. 20.22 Thus all Dauids enimies ended their daies in deserued punishments But now for Christ there may be some doubt whether all things fell out aright according to the text here concerning him considering that his aduersaries seemed to haue the vpper hand of him in that they put him to death and brought him to a shameful end and that he himselfe did cry out and say My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Math. 27.46 Notwithstanding both these things euery matter is true which is reported here of him For first and foremost it is euident howsoeuer he vttered these words in his agony and bitter passion through the consternation of his minde which was now much disturbed through the intollerable burden which God his Father did lay vpon him for the sinnes of mankind that God had not forsaken him but was alwaies present with him for his good first by the sending of an Angel vnto him in his great heauinesse for his comfort Luk. 22.43 secondly by his hearing of him at all times yea euen in those things which he feared Heb. 5.7 And lastly by his aduancing of him from the graue vnto the highest heauens the vniuersall regiment of all the world Ephes 1.20 c. Secondly it is apparant that howsoeuer they did murder him yet they had not the victory ouer him but he rather the victory ouer them First by his rising againe from the dead Secondly by his sitting at the right hand of his Father Thirdly by his dwelling with his Church vpon the face of the earth vnto the end of the world And lastly by his triumphing ouer his enimies euē while he did hang vpon the crosse as it is well obserued by the Apostle in Col. 2.15 when he saith And hath spoyled the Principallities and Powers and hath made a shew of them openly and hath triumphed oner them in the same crosse But if you will not giue credit to these things and so be perswaded by these reasons marke what he himselfe who is truth it selfe Ioh. 14.6 hath said touching this matter in Ioh. 16.33 Where you shall finde him vttering these words vnto his disciples saying In the world yee shall haue affliction but be of a goodcomfort I haue ouercome the world Then as we are conquerours yea more then conquerours when we do suffer for the name of Christ and do leese our liues for the defence of his truth as it is in Rom. 8.36.37 so was Christ a conquerour yea more then a conquerour when he died for vs and by his death did destroy him that had the power of death Heb. 2.14 and so through his sufferings entred into his glory Luke 24.26 he being for that cause exalted aboue all the creatures and receiuing a name aboue euery name that at his name euery knee should bow both of things in heauen and things inearth and things vnder the earth Phil. 2.9 c. Thirdly and lastly it is manifest that his aduersaries were ouerthrowne and that most of them came to fearefull ends First by the ciuill warre that arose vp amongst themselues which continued a long time and brought many thousands to most desperate ends Secondly by the grieuous famine that was in the midst of them that consumed many of them and caused the parents to eate their owne children and one friend to deuoure another Thirdly by the totall destruction of their glorious Temple famous citty of Ierusalem with all the inhabitants thereof by Vespasian and Titus the Emperours of Rome Fourthly by the lasting infamy of a cursed name vpon their whole nation in that they are reproched throughout all the world and counted the worst
people that are according to our prouerbe He is as bad as a Iew. Finally by the woeful plagues not to speake here any thing of the torments of hell which is the worst of all which God hath sent downe immediatly from heauen vpon some of them in particular as vpon Herod Pontius Pilate and others For Herod to passe ouer all the rest and to make him an instance for all was thus plagued First he had a most scorching burning feuer by which he was inflamed exceedingly as well in the inward parts as in the outward Secondly there was in him an insatiable desire of food which could not be abated or be remoned away by all the meate and drinke which he did ranonously deuoure in great abundance Thirdly he had the bloody flixe Fourthly he had the colicke Fiftly he had the goute in his seete Sixtly his priuy members did so swell and rot that wormes did breed in the same And lastly he was from the top of the head vnto the sole of the foote so corrupt rotten that there came such a stinke from him that no person could well endure it and so in this woefull manner he ended his life and gaue vp the ghost Hauing thus seene the truth of all matters and found euery thing agreeable to the words of the text let vs now descend vnto the doctrine Doct. which may be gathered out of the same In few words it is nothing else but this that though we haue many enimies and sore aduersaries as Dauid and Christ had yet they shall not preuaile against vs but we shall prenaile against them doe they what they can as Dauid and Christ did Israel in Aegypt was cruelly handled but yet the more the Aegyptians did vexe them the more they multiplied and grew as it is in Exod. 3.12 And when they had done all the spite that they could doe against them yet at the last they were deliuered out of their hands they themselues being oftentimes plagued by the Almighty for their sakes and in the end most fearefully drowned in the red sea as it is apparant in the 14. Chap. of the same booke Mention is made of a great battell that was fought betweene Christ and the diuell and their armies in the Reuelation Chap. 12.7 c. But if you marke the sequele thereof you shall finde that Christ and his side had the victory For as it is witnessed of the Dragon who is the diuell and his Angels who are his souldiers that they preuailed not neither was their place found any more in heauen in the 8. verse of that Chapter so it is recorded to the glory comfort of all those who take Christs part that they ouercame the diuell the accuser of Gods children by the bloud of the Lambe and the word of their testimony in the 11. vers thereof But to omit other testimonies examples whereof the holy Scripture is full and frequent in this case let the words of our Sauiour Christ suffice vs at this time He tels vs in Math. 16.18 that the gates of hell whereby is meant all the power and force thereof shall not ouercome his Church or be able to ouerthrow such as do depend vpon him by a true and iustifying faith And in the 7. Chapter of the same booke towards the latter end thereof he doth shew the stablenesse of those that doe belong to the Lord haue a care both to heare the word of God and also to do it by a notable comparison wherein he doth resemble them to an house that is built vpon a rocke which cannot be cast downe by any tempest of weather whatsoeuer but doth stand alwaies still and cannot fall A thing neuer to bee thought of enough it is so full of comfort and consolation vnto euery godly soule chiefly vnto him that is afflicted here in this world But what might the reason thereof be may a man say that thus the godly should alwaies preuaile and be neuer ouerthrowne by their enimies but ouercome them rather Experience doth teach vs that they are fewer in number then the wicked are that they are weaker for strength and power that they are more simple for wit and policy and that they are more carelesse for diligence and watchfulnes then their aduersaries be How comes it then to passe that they haue the vpper hand The Prophet Isay doth declare it vnto vs in the 8. Chapter of his Prophecy and the 10. verse thereof Reason It is in few words because the Lord is with for thē For first he is stronger then all beeing able to resist all power that is made against his to do whatsoeuer he will both in heauen earth Secondly he is wiser then all seeing how to preuent them in all their waies and how also to bring matters to passe for the good of his Thirdly he is diligenter then all to stand as it were vpon his watch and to take his aduantage when it is offered him For he that keepeth Israel doth neither slumber nor sleepe Psalme 121.4 Lastly he is happier then all to haue good successe in all his enterprises For he doth prosper still in all things which he doth take in hand and none can resist a thought of his yea the very word that goeth out of his mouth doth accomplish that which he will and prosper in the thing whereunto he doth send it Isay 55.11 In warre all these foure things are respected in a captaine that will still ouercome First that he be strong Secondly that he be wise Thirdly that he be diligent And lastly that he be fortunate For the victory goes not alwaies with the strong nor alwaies with the wise nor alwaies with the diligent nor alwaies with the fortunate but sometimes with the one of them and sometimes with the other But looke where all foure doe concurre together there is alwaies the victory And therefore seeing all of them are in God it is no maruell though those whose battels hee doth fight doe alwaies ouercome and get the victory Here I would gladly come to the vse of the doctrine Obiect but me thinks I heare a man obiecting against that which hath bene said saying that it is not true that Gods children do alwaies preuaile against their enimies but that their enimies oftentimes do preuaile against them For we see that they are murdered and put to death Mention is made thereof in the booke of the Reuelation and in other places of the holy Scripture besides And thousand examples euery where do demonstrate the same daily vnto vs. For we do behold stil with our owne eyes and heare with our owne eares that the godly haue the worst end of the staffe as it is in our adage and that the wicked do beare sway and dominion ouer them How then is it true which hath bene spoken that doe the vngodly what they can yet the righteous shall still preuaile against them as here Dauid and Christ did The answere hereunto may easily
that God is a patient God not willing the death of a sinner but rather that he should conuert and liue So much doth Paul teach vs of him in Rom. 2.4 saying Despisest thou the riches of his bountifulnesse and patience and long suffering not knowing that the bountifulnesse of God leadeth thee to repentance So much doth Peter teach vs of him in 2. Pet. 3.9 saying The Lord is not slacke concerning his promise as some men count slacknesse but is patient towards vs and would haue no man to perish but would all men to come to repentance So much doth Ioel teach vs of him in Ioel. 2.13 saying And rent your hearts and not your garments and turne vnto the Lord your God for he is gracious and mercifull slow to anger and of great kindnesse and repenteth him of the euill So much finally doth God himselfe teach vs of himselfe in Ezech. 33.11 saying As I liue saith the Lord God I desire not the death of the wicked but that the wicked turne from his way and liue But what is the reason of this Reason Is not God a iust God and are not his eies pure eies not abiding to behold sin and iniquity Yes Why then doth he not strike Because his mercies are ouer all his workes and his compassions faile not according to Dauids words in Psalme 145.9 and the Prophet Ieremies in Lament 3.2 For as the one of them doth extoll the mercies of God aboue all things so the other of them doth declare that they are the cause why hee doth not consume vs accordingly as our sins do deserue Wherefore learne out of this Vse first to put a difference betwixt God and man for they are very much vnlike For my thoughts saith God are not your thoughts neither are your wayes my wayes saith the Lord For as the heauens are higher then the earth so are my wayes higher then your wayes and my thoughts aboue your thoughts Esay 55.8.9 If treason and insurrection bee once made against the chiefe gouernour of any land the parties offending therein are apprehended and according to law they are executed as traytors and rebels and all this is but well and according to iustice and equity without which no common-wealth can stand or flourish But yet with God it is not so though that we do dayly make insurrection against him and commit high treason against his person by blaspheming his holy name and by trampling his diuine statutes and ordinances vnder our feet yet he doth spare vs and not consume vs according to our wicked deserts and as one most desirous to haue vs saued to become blessed he doth cry vnto vs for a turning and amendment of life Oh who can extoll this goodnesse of the Lord sufficiently shall we rebell against him prouoke him to his face and yet will he come and intreate vs to be reconciled vnto him Doubtlesse if one doth but offēd vs some two or three times in some matters that do concerne our credite and profite so that we grow infamous or poore thereby we can neuer soundly and throughly endure that partie againe as we ought to do and though he should come vnto vs himselfe to aske vs forgiuenesse yet we should hardly euer receiue him to loue and fauour againe within our hearts so close would his wrong iniury cleaue vnto vs. We see that when the Samaritans refused to receiue Christ into one of their citties for a nights lodging Iames and Iohn two of his disciples were by and by inflamed with great choler wrath and they would needs haue their maister be reuenged vpon thē for it saying vnto him after this sort Lord wilt thou that we command that fire come down from heauen consume thē euen as Eliah did Luke 9.54 But as for our God we see here how patient he is in putting vp great rebellions and treasons and in calling vpon the rebels and traytors themselues for amendment of life that so they may be saued Learne we therefore in the next place that though we doe sin and offend yet there is mercy in the Lord to forgiue vs. For where sinne doth abound there grace doth more then abound saith the Apostle in Rom. 5.20 Dauid doth speake most excellently of this matter in Psalme 103. c. saying The Lord is full of compassion and mercy slow to anger and of great kindnesse He hath not dealt with vs after our sinnes nor rewarded vs according to our iniquities for as high as the heauen is aboue the earth so great is his mercy towards them that feare him As farre as the East is from the West so farre hath he remoued our sinnes from vs as a father hath compassion on his children so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him And lest that any should doubt of the pardon of his sinnes marke what God himselfe doth say in Isay 1.18 Come now saith he and let vs reason together saith the Lord though your sinnes were as crimson they shall be made as white as snow though they were red like scarlet they shall be as wooll And surely if God doth here call vpon these traitours and rebels to forsake their sinnes with an intent and purpose to saue them if they will so doe then may you not doubt but that he will receiue euery repenting sinner that doth come vnto him and forgiue him all his transgressions be they neuer so many when he doth aske pardon for them and heartily forsake them Wherefore though you haue sinned greatly against the Lord and haue trespassed euen against heauen and his Maiesty with the prodigall sonne yet despaire not but with the prodigall sonne returne vnto him and know that you shall finde mercy at his hands as he did and as Dauid did and as Salomon did and as Peter did and as Paul did and as many more besides them did whose sins were great and hainous For God hath said it who cannot lye Yea he hath sworne it and bound it with an oath that he doth not desire the death of the wicked but that he should turne and liue as you heard before out of Ezech. 33.11 Lastly from hence obserue this vse Vse that if any doe perish through his sinnes and transgressions he must not impute the fault thereof vnto God but vnto himselfe For God here doth call men from their euill waies that so they may not perish but be saued In all our plagues and iudgements and in all our woes and calamities whether in this world or in the world to come the Lord may alwaies say vnto vs as it is in Hosea 13.8 O Israel one hath destroyed thee but in me is thy helpe For the Lord doth take as it were great paines to make vs good What could I haue done more saith the Lord to my Vineyard that I haue not done vnto it Isay 5.4 Wherefore accuse God I beseech you at no time if any destruction doth happen vnto you but lay the whole blame thereof vpon
murmure against any of these is to murmure against God himselfe because all of them haue their calling from God and do supplie his roome and place nor against any worke or word of the Almightie whether you be in aduersity or in prosperity but be quiet waite vpon the Lord praying alwayes for the redresse of things that are amisse but neuer murmuring for any thing And so I passe from the acts of the people and come to the Prophets wondring at the same He doth demand and aske the question saying Why do the heathen rage and the people murmure in vaine And this he doth by way of admiration as wondring at them for this their so doing Sometimes we aske a question when we doubt of a matter or know it not So the Apostles asked of Christ why he did speake to the multitude in parables Matth. 13.10 Sometimes we aske a question when we know a thing our selues and would gladly teach it to another So one of the Elders whom Iohn saw standing about the throne of God asked of Iohn what they were and wherehence they came which stood before the throne and before the Lambe clothed with long white robes and palmes in their hands Reuel 7.13 Sometimes we aske the question for neither of these ends but to tempt or to entrap So the Herodians asked Christ whether it were lawfull to giue tribute to Caesar or no. Math. 22.17 Sometimes we aske a question when we would checke or reproue one for some thing which is either spoken or done amisse So God asked of Caine where his brother Abel was Gen. 4.9 Sometimes we aske a question when we would expresse a thing with the greater force and vehemency So Paul asked of the Romanes how they that were dead to sinne should yet liue therein Rom. 6.2 Sometimes we aske a question when we would stop his mouth that doth propose vnnecessary or vnpleasing matters vnto vs. So Christ asked the chiefe Priests and Elders of the people whether the baptisme of Iohn were from heauen or from men Math. 21.25 Sometimes lastly we aske a question when we maruell or wonder at a matter So Dauid asked what man was that God did so regard him and extoll him aboue the rest of his creatures Psal 8.4 Thus you see that questions are proposed vpon sundrie considerations and for diuerse ends But the end why the Prophet here doth propose this question is for wondrings sake for he saw such madnesse and foolishnesse in the heathen and people for their raging and murmuring against the Lord that he could not but maruell and wonder at the same If a man should attempt a thing that is either vnpossible to be done as to cary a Church vpon his backe or else which being done will be altogether hurtfull vnto him as to kicke his heeles against sharpe needles we should wonder and maruell at him much for it thinke that he were mad and out of his wits So was it with the Prophet in this case he saw first that they went about a thing impossble that which could neuer be brought to passe for who can remoue the Lord out of his throne or displace him out of his kingdome none no not all the inhabitants of the world Againe he saw in the second place that as this was impossible so it was a thing altogether vnprofitable for them and most hurtfull in euery respect For whether we respect Dauid or Christ they could not haue the like king againe in all the world For as it is recorded of Dauid that he was a man according to Gods owne heart and that he executed iudgement and iustice vnto all his people as it is in 2. Sam. 8.15 so it is chronicled of Christ that he was the very ingraued forme of his Fathers person and that the scepter of his kingdome was ascepter of righteousnesse he louing righteousnesse and hating iniquitie Heb. 1.2.8.9 And as though this were not a commendations great enough of him that he should reigne as a king and prophet execute iudgement and iustice in the earth marke what the Lord doth adde further to this in Ier 23.6 when he saith In his dayes Iudah shall be saued and Israel shall dwell safely and this is the name whereby they shall call him The Lord our righteousnesse that so thereby we might know that all those are in a most happie estate who are vnder him and his dominion In regard of both which things you may see that the Prophet might well wonder and maruell as here he doth at their rebelliō Whereout shortly obserue this doctrine Doct. That the acts of the world and the people thereof are such oftentimes that a wise and godly man such as the Prophet was may well wonder and maruell at them It is noted in Esay cap. 59. v. 16. that God himselfe did wonder at the dealing of the world that there was no man found in it that would offer himselfe to helpe the Church in these words And when he saw that there was no man he wondred that none would offer himselfe But what may the reason of this be Reason that we may draw quickly to an end In few words it is this because they haue no good groūd nor reason for that which they do but either haue or might haue many good reasons to the contrary The which thing we may see as in other things so in the conspiracy of our traytors whether against our former Queene of blessed memory or against our present King of holy reputation For I dare protest that none of them had euer any iust cause giuen vnto them whereby they might be moued to their treason or rebellion but they had many excellent reasons still to stay them from it as their peace their wealth their honor and the like which they did alwaies in great abundance enioy but chiefly the word of God which did charge them not to touch the Lords annointed no not though the had bin persecuted to the death as Dauid in a manner was by Saul daily experiences by the which they did see that all their plots frō time to time were euermore in vain did still turne to their own ruine destructiō Wherefore seeing the acts of the people are acts so farre voide of reason vnderstanding Vse that a good holy man may wonder at them do you neither approue of them your selues neither yet ioyne with them in any of their wayes that are of such a nature or qualitie but follow you that which is wel pleasing vnto the Lord remēbring alwayes what God said to the Prophet Esay in the like case when he tooke him by the hand taught him that he should not walke in the way of the people saying Say ye not a confederacy to al them to whom this people saith a confederacy neither feare you their feare nor be afraid of them but sanctifie the Lord of hosts let him be your feare and let him be your dread Esay 8.11.12.13
shall finde both Kings and Princes as well domesticall as forreine banding and assembling themselues against him it is apparant by the record of all the Euangelists that as the whole body and Commons of Israel were set against our Sauiour Iesus Christ so were the States of the land and the chiefe men of place therein most deadly foes and enimies vnto him As they banded themselues together to make their faction and side strong against him so they had their often assemblies and meetings for counsell and aduice which way to bring him vnto his death Herod and Pontius Pilate two kings as it were amongst them though they did iarre and disagree betwixt themselues yet now they could ioyne together against Christ and become friends as we may see in Luk. 23.12 in these words And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together for before they were enimies one vnto the other Here is the banding of the Kings of the earth together when these two agree in one like good friends who were before at ods and do assemble together at Ierusalem against our sweet Sauiour the Lords Annointed For now at this time both of them were at Ierusalem and so as well together in place as in heart as it is in the 7 verse of the same chapter of Luke But for their consulting together and the meeting of their Princes in assemblies for counsell and aduice against him there are many places in the Euangelists declaring the same but I will touch onely two at this time The one of them is in Iohn the 11 chapter and 47 verse with some others following For there we find that after Christ had raised vp Lazarus from the dead the high Priests and Pharisees who were the chiefe rulers of the people and as Princes among them gathered a Councell and assembled as it were in a Parliament against him plodding and deuising what were best to do vnto him and as it is in verse 53 of the same chapter from that day forth consulting together to put him to death The other of them is in Math. 26.30 where we reade that the chiefe Priests and the Scribes and the Elders of the people assembled together into the hall of the high Priest called Caiaphas and consulted how they might take him by subtiltie and kill him In regard of all which things now shortly touched you see that this is most true which is here recorded namely that the Kings of the earth banded themselues and the Princes are assembled together against the Lord and his Annointed The which thing the faithfull that liued after Christ was ascended into heauen and were eye-witnesses of those things which were done vnto him do in their prayer to God acknowledge and confesse saying For doubtlesse against thine holy Sonne Iesus whom thou hast annointed both Herod Pontius Pilate with the Gentles and the people of Israel gathered themselues together to do whatsoeuer thine hand and thy counsell had determined before to be done Acts 4.27.28 Hauing thus shewed the meaning of the text and confirmed the truth thereof let vs now come to the vse and benefit which we may make of the same Out of it we may gather two principall doctrines One from the persons rebelling the other from the manner of their rebellion Out of the persons rebelling we collect this doctrine Doctr. That great States mighty men of this world are oftentimes enimies vnto the truth and deadly foes vnto holy and vpright courses This the Prophet Esay doth shew when he doth call the Princes of Iudah and of Ierusalem the Princes of Sodome Esay 1.10 for Sodome was a city so wicked and the Princes thereof so leude and filthie that God could not spare them but for their abhominations he brought downe fire and brimstone from heauen and consumed them all as we find in the 19 chapter of Genesis This Ieremie doth shew when he saith I will get me to the great men and will speake vnto them for they haue knowne the way of the Lord and the iudgement of their God but these haue altogether broken the yoke and burst the bonds Ier. 5.5 This Hosea doth shew when he saith They are all hot as an ouen and haue deuoured their Iudges all their kings are fallen there is none among them that calleth vnto me saith the Lord. Hos 7.7 This Amaziah though a wicked man doth shew when he said to Amos the Lords Prophet O thou Seer go flye thou away into the land of Iudah and there eate thy bread and prophesie there but prophesie no more at Bethel for it is the kings Chappell and it is the kings Court Amos 7.11.12 This the story of the Acts of the Apostles doth shew when they were apprehended cast into prison beaten and put to death by Herod by the high Priests and other officers and states men for gouernment as we may see in the 4.5.12 and other chapters of the same booke This the complaint of the Church doth shew when she doth say The watchmen that went about the citie found me they smote me and wounded me the watchmen of the wals tooke away my veile from me Cant. 5.7 for by watchmen here are meant the chiefe rulers of the Church who should watch ouer her for her good and not thus persecute her and wound her as they did This the storie of the ten persecutions doth shew when Nero Domitian Traian Antonie Seuerus Maximinus Decius Valerian Aurelian and Dioclesian most bloudy Emperours of Rome did make hauocke of the Church of God and persecute to the death such as did call vpon his holy name This lastly the example of all ages doth shew and daily experience with men of our time when we with our owne eyes do see and with our owne eares do heare what bloudy things are decreed in the Church of Rome in Spaine and in other places against true Protestants and the sincere seruants of the Lord euen by them that are in the highest roomes and do beare the chiefest sway amongst men in those dominions But how may this come to passe Reason may some man say that the highest persons and the chiefest for wealth and authoritie do thus oppose themselues against the Lord and his most holy and blessed wayes For of all men in the word they are most beholding vnto God and haue greater causes as one should iudge to loue him and to worship him then the meaner and poorer people haue For first they are daintily educated and with great charges brought vp in all good literature and learning Secondly they haue abundance of riches and worldly wealth to supply their wants at all times Thirdly they haue great honor and reputation amongst the sonnes of men in all places for gouernment and the matters of this world Lastly they excell all others for the most part in their persons both for wit and other naturall qualities of the mind and also for pulchritude and other goodly properties of the body Surely for all these causes
perswasion which they haue of themselues who thinke that they shall continue still in their flourishing estate and neuer see any woe or misery The sixt and last is the flattering and wicked counsell which they receiue from others who gladly accept of that which is spoken in their praise or agrees well with the vile inclination of their hearts But the generall reason of all is the corruption of their soules and the deprauitie of their crooked nature who turne that into poyson vnto themselues like the spider which they should conuert into hony with the Bee But to leaue the reasons Vse and to come to the vses here we may learne many things but chiefly foure The first is that we must not depend vpon great men or the higher powers of the world for their countenance as we learned in the first verse not to depend vpon the multitude for their number For here we see that they are against the Lord and his Annointed And therefore if we hang vpon them do as they do iniquity will be our ouerthrow and hell fire will be our portion at the last when we shall dearly repent for it but all too late Some there are of them I grant who are most godly and vpright persons walking sincerely in the paths of the Almightie but they are exceeding few here one and there another but for the greatest part of them they are naught and wicked as we may see by the Apostles words in 1. Cor. 1.26 when he saith For brethren you see your calling how that not many wise men after the flesh not many mightie not many noble are called And therefore I beseech you brethren looke well to this point conforme not your selues to the religion of great States nor walk after the maners of the wealthy men of the world but be you followers alone of Iesus Christ become holy as God your Father is holy in all maner of cōuersation so you shal not be fighters against the Almightie as these Giants are but be faithfull and obedient vnto him to your owne good euerlasting happinesse The second is this that if we will ioyne with the Lord take part with him we must looke for great enimies to arise vp against vs as well as small ones Ye shall be brought saith our Sauiour Christ vnto his Disciples in Matth. 10.18 to the gouernours and kings for mysake in witnesse to them and to the Gentles So must we looke to be brought before such and when such matters do fall out we must not be discouraged as though some new thing had happened vnto vs but be well contented therewith knowing that it hath bene so from the beginning and shall be so still to the end of the world As Ahab was set against Eliah Saul against Dauid Haman against Mordecay the Princes of Babel against Daniel Herod against Iohn the Baptist the high Priests and Elders of the people against the Apostles and Pharaoh with his Princes of Aegypt against Israel so must Gods children thinke that some great States and mightie men of this world will set themselues against them at all times and that they shall neuer be free from their oppositions but shall still be molested by them to the ende Oh thinke vpon this well and make a good vse of it for your selues For praemoniti praemuniti fore-warned fore-armed according to Christs words in Ioh. 16.1 These things haue I sayd vnto you that ye should not be offended The third is that euery one of vs who are more wealthy then others and haue greater places of dignitie then they haue should looke most warily to our selues that our wealth and places do nor steale away our hearts from God according to Pauls words in 1. Cor. 10.12 Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall For you see we stand in a slipperie place and if others do fall round about vs as we see and heare they do pray we heartily to the Lord that he would keepe vs and let vs watch and be sober alwayes walking faithfully in our callings and humbling our selues to the very dust before the Lord our maker Remember we stil what Paul doth write vnto Timothy in 1. Tim. 6.17.18.19 and let vs follow the same Charge them saith he that are rich in this world that they be not high minded and that they trust not in vncertaine riches but in the liuing God which giueth vs abundantly all things to enioy that they do good and be rich in good workes and ready to distribute and communicate laying vp in store for themselues a good foundation against the time to come that they may obtaine eternall life If men trauell in those places where others before them haue suffered shipwracke or do fight with those enimies who haue alwaies conquered others they are very fearefull and circumspect lest they should miscarry So should it be with vs in this case Because we see others led away captiues to sinne by their outward pompe and state and do behold but a few rich men truly fearing the Lord we should vpon the due consideration thereof walke wisely and circumspectly redeeming the time and working out our saluation with feare and trembling The fourth and last is that we should both pray and reioyce in the behalfe of our gouernours and the highest powers of our land For seeing all generally do fall and become enimies to the Lord that are in those places of eminency farre aboue others and yet they do stand and are faithfull embracers of the truth we haue great cause to blesse the name of our God for it and to pray vnto him for a continuance of the same that so they may neuer shrinke backe but grow better and better vntill they come to the perfection of all goodnesse in the heauens aboue and there enioy all those beatitudes which are prouided for them in that celestiall place Doubtlesse there is no nation in the world so much beholding vnto God in this respect as we of England are As once we did say We haue an excellent Queene so we may now say We haue an excellent King His estate is most dangerous yet blessed be our God he doth stand and maintaine the truth of the Gospel as he ought to do He is like a goodly blazing torch set vpon the top of a mountaine which there doth giue light and not go out do all the winds of the heauen against it what they can Strange would the spectacle be if such a matter were visible to our eye I doubt not but all of vs would stand wondering if we should see a candle burning on the top of our houses in a windy and tempestuous night and yet neuer go out before it be burnt to the very end of it So may we wonder at his standing and at the Lords mercy in vpholding him he is so assaulted on euery side and set vpon by the contrary blasts of sundrie oppositions I pray you let vs alwayes pray vnto the Lord
being in heauen the other of his laughing at his aduersaries euen to shew that that conspiracy which was made against him his annoynted should not prosper or preuaile but vanish come to nothing So that the doctrine is rightly collected out of the text and it may be proued vnto vs out of sundry places of sacred Writ but I wil touch some two or three onely at this time and so passe it ouer The first is out of the Prophet Isay in the 8 chapter of his prophesie and the 9. and 10 verses thereof when he saith Gather together on heaps ô yee people and yee shall bee broken to peeces and hearken ye of farre countries Gird your selues you shall bee broken in peeces gird your selues and you shall bee broken in peeces Take counsell together and it shall be brought to nought pronounce a decree yet shall it not stand for God is with vs. The second is in the 33. Psalme the 10. 11. verses thereof where the Prophet Dauid saith The Lord breaketh the counsell of the heathen and bringeth to nought the deuices of the people The counsell of the Lord shall stand for euer and the thoughts of his heart throughout all ages The third and last is the 12. chapter of the Reuelations and the 7. and 8 verses thereof where Iohn saith And there was a battell in heauen Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon and the Dragon fought and his Angels But they preuailed not neither was their place found any more in heauen Thus you see that nothing can stand against the Lord but all doth come to nought that is raised vp against him And the reason thereof is this partly because he is wiser then all seeing which way to preuent his enemies and to bring his owne purpose to passe and partly because hee is stronger then all being able to doe whatsoeuer hee will both in heauen and earth according to Pauls words in 1. Cor. 1.25 when hee saith For the foolishnesse of God is wiser then men and the weaknesse of God is stronger then men The vse of this doctrine is manifold Vse but yet it standeth chiefly in three things The first is to teach vs what shall bee the end of all the plots which the wicked haue in their soules against the Lord and such as do cleaue vnto him They shal vanish and come to nothing being like in this respect as the child in the mothers wombe that there doth perish and neuer come aline into this world or like vnto his dreame who is busie all the night in his sleepe about gold and rich preferments and yet in the morning is as poore as when he went to bed In a word they do but lose their labour as he doth who goeth about by washing to make a Black-moore-white or by teaching to make an asse play vpon an harpe Let this be a continuall meditation with vs euery day and night The second is to pull vs backe from all such matters as doe tend any manner of way against the Lord. For let vs assure our owne soules that if we attempt any such thing wee shall haue no good successe therein but our endeuours shall bee brought to nought I beseech you remember what Gamaliel said and follow his counsell which he gaue vnto the Iewes when they stroue against the Apostles and went about to hinder all preaching in the name of Christ Men of Israel saith he take heede to your selues what you intend to do touching these men refraine your selues from them and let them alone For if this counsell or this worke be of men it will come to nought but if it be of God ye cannot destroy it lest ye bee found euen sighters against God as it is in Acts 5 35 c. But some may say Obiect None of vs are so beastly as to fight against the Lord himselfe Ans Ans Let no man be deceiued For we doe all of vs warre against him many wayes and as in generall when wee doe violate and breake his statutes refusing to doe that which he hath commanded vs for to do so in particular we doe it foure manner of waies The one is when we oppose our selues against the Magistrates of the common wealth whom hee hath set ouer vs for to rule gouerne vs For to resist them is to resist God himselfe as Paul doth shew in Rom. 13.1.2 Another is when we doe oppose our selues against the Ministers of the Church whom he hath raised vp to teach and instruct vs. For to resist them is to resist God himselfe as Christ hath taught vs in Luke 10.16 The third is whē we do oppose our selues against the word of God and such heauenly ordinances of his as he hath bestowed vpon men for his owne worship and the saluation of mans soule For to resist them is to resist God himselfe as Gamaliel doth insinuate in the place of the Acts. before quoted The fourth and last is when wee doe oppose our selues against the children of God and the members of lesus Christ For to resist them is to resist God himselfe as Zecharie doth declare in Zech. 2.8 All these wayes do men in euery place almost lift vp themselues against the Lord but beware we that we ioyne not with them therein but let vs cary our selues holy and reuerently in all these respects as we ought to do otherwise we shall be crost in our purposes and pay most dearely for it at the last The third and last is to comfort vs who haue such a strong and wise God on our side that nothing can preuaile against him It is a great comfort vnto a man to serue such a maister as will alwaies take his part see him wronged by no man but then especially is his heart exhilerated with much ioy alacritie when he doth vnderstand that none is able to make his part good with his maister but he doth alwaies preuaile against all What a consolation then and ioy of spirit ought it to be vnto vs seeing our maister Lord whom we serue is not only omnipotēt in himselfe being stronger then all but also so louing to vs that hee doth alwaies take our part and so assist vs from time to time that we shall still ouercome our foes and not bee vanquished by them Oh let vs ponder often on this poynt For it will be a good cordial medicine vnto vs in all diseases whatsoeuer and it will reuiue vs like Aqua vitae or rosa Solis when we are ready to faint or sinke Hitherto you haue heard a description of the Lord in regard of that which his enimies do to him Now you must marke how he is described in respect of that which he will do to them And that is also two manner of waies the one is by his workes the other is by his words by his works in the first verse and by his words in the fixth verse His workes containe his anger against them and
of Christ made holy in some part by the sanctificatiō of Gods spirit wherby you may be able to go boldly vnto the throne of grace to receiue mercy to find grace to helpe in time of need That as Paul did say of the Corinthians when they were changed frō bad to good And such were some of you but ye are washed but yee are sanctified but ye are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus and by the spirit of God as it is in 1. Cor. 6.11 so may you say of your selues And such were we our selues once euen bad and most wicked persons but blessed be God we are now changed and made better our sinnes are washed away by the bloud of Christ and the spirit of God hath begun to renew vs in some good part Leauing these things for the meaning of the words and some short annotations vpon the same let vs now come to the maine doctrine of the place and in few words it is nothing else but this Doct. that Christ our Sauiour did not take this office vpon him to be the King of the Church but was lawfully called thereunto by God his Father and not by any created power whatsoeuer This he confesseth of himselfe in Iohn Chapter 6. verse 27. Where he doth endeauour to draw men from a greedy hunting after the foode of the body vnto a carefull seeking for the foode of their soules saying Labour not for the meate which perisheth but for the meate that endureth vnto euerlasting life which the Sonne of man shall giue you for him hath God the Father sealed He hath chosen him for this purpose and set his marke and seale vpon him as designing him ouer this worke and businesse which is to be performed alone by him and none else And this also he doth proue in the fourth chapter of the Gospell according to Saint Luke by a testimony out of Esay chap. 61.1 c. where the calling of the Messias is excellently and at large set out vnto vs. But the Apostle Saint Paul not to stand vpon other places doth make this point most cleare and euident vnto all persons in the first chapter of his Epistle to the Ephesians beginning at the twentieth verse therof and so forward in the second chapter of his Epistle to the Philippians in the ninth verse thereof with others following For in both these places you shall finde that as Christ is exalted aboue all the creatures in the world and made the supreme head of the Church both warring in earth triumphing in heauen so he was raised vp hereunto by God his Father he making him thus the vniuersall gouernour of all the world So that looke what the Author to the Hebrewes said of Christ in regard of his Priest-hood that he tooke not to himselfe that honour to be made the high Priest but he that said vnto him Thou art my Son this day begat I thee gaue it him Heb. 5.5 So may we say here of him in regard of his kingdome that he tooke not this honour to himselfe to be made the supreme King of the Church but God that sitteth in the heauens and hath his enimies in derision gaue it vnto him but somewhat more of this hereafter when we come vnto the 8. verse of this Psalme Reason But why did God may you say set vp Christ and make him thus the King of his Church Wherefore did he not make choise rather of some Angell or Arch-angell or of some Emperour or great state of this world Because none of them were fit for this office As no man was worthy to open the booke and to loose the seales thereof which Iohn saw in the right hand of him that sate vpon the throne but onely the Lyon which is of the tribe of Iudah the roote of Dauid as it is in Reu. 5.1 c. So no creature was found fit for this office whether in the heauen aboue or in the earth beneath saue Iesus Christ our sweete Sauiour and the blessed Sonne of God and therefore God his Father did make choise of him before all others But why was he fittest for this office may you further say For two causes the one is in regard of his Person the other of his qualities belonging vnto his Person For his Person because he is not onely man as many others are but also God as none else besides him is and thereby is made able to weald such a great mighty kingdome as he hath Otherwise it is impossible that he should rule his people according to his will and subdue his enimies to make them his footstoole considering that they are Principallities and powers and the greatest Potentates of this world For what man or Angell is able to ouercome all the diuels in hell rushing vpon him at once together and to withstand the whole army of mankind assaulting him together with them with their whole power and force Surely none he must be a God that must doe it And therefore was Christ chosen for this purpose who is a God as well as man for his qualities belonging vnto his Person because he is indued with most singular giftes and graces fit for gouernement Iethro in his counsell to Moses required but foure things in a Gouernour namely courage the feare of God true dealing and the hating of couetousnesse as we may see in Exod. 1 S 21. But here in Christ the chiefe gouernour of all we shall finde as many more for besides these foure you shall haue in him foure more namely wisedome diligence bounty and loue So that in number there are eight The first is courage for he feares no man as being the Lord of Lords the God of Gods according to his name which is written on his garment and thighs in Reu. 19.16 The second is the feare of God for he reuerenced his Father and was obedient vnto him euen vnto the very death of the crosse Phil. 2.8 The third is iustice or true dealing for the Scepter of his kingdome is a Scepter of righteousnesse and he himselfe is one louing righteousnesse and hating iniquity Heb. 8.1.9 The fourth is hating couetousnesse for he neuer receiued any bribes or recompence for all the cures he did but he became poore that he might make vs rich 2. Cor. 8.9 The fift is wisdome for in him are hid all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge Col. 2.3 The sixt is diligence for he was so painefull that he trauelled from place to place to doe good and left his owne foode to go about his Fathers businesse Ioh. 4.34 And he is brought in by Iohn in the Reuelations Chapter 1.13 standing in the midst of the seuen Candlestickes which are the seuen Churches there busily occupied in gouerning them as a man is when his garment is about him and trust vp with some girdle that it may not trouble or hinder him in the execution of his businesse The seuenth is bountifulnesse or liberality for he doth not
for many chapters together So did Dauid when Michall his wife did mocke him for dauncing in a linnen Ephod before the Arke of the Lord. It was saith he in 2. Sam. 6.21 before the Lord which chose me rather then thy father for she was Sauls daughter and all his house and commanded me to be ruler ouer the people of the Lord euen ouer Israel and therefore will I play before the Lord. So did Amos when Amasiah the Priest of Bethell went about to perswade him to flie away out of the land of Israel vnto the land of Iudah and there to eate his bread and to prophesie but not to prophesie any more at Bethell where was the kings chappell and the kings court Then answered Amos and sayd to Amasia I was no Prophet neither was I a Prophets sonne but I was a heardman and a gatherer of wild figges and the Lord tooke me as I followed the flocke and the Lord said vnto me God prophesie vnto my people Israel c. Wherein you see he doth stand stoutly vpon his calling and doth presse it well to stop such a caytifes mouth as that Amaziah was This is in the 7. chapter of Amos his Prophesie and the 12. verse thereof with some others following So in a word did all the Prophets from time to time as is apparant in their prophesies This was a common phrase or stile with them The burden of the Lord or Thus saith the Lord of hoasts or The word of the Lord came to me As Ieremy saith The words of the Lord that came to Ieremy the Prophet in Ieremy 47.1 As Hosea saith The word of the Lord that came vnto Hosea the sonne of Beeri Hos 1.1 As Ioel saith The word of the Lord that came to Ioel the sonne of Pethuel Io. 1.1 As Ionah saith The word of the Lord came also to Ionah the sonne of Amittai Ionah 1.1 And as Micha saith to omit the rest The word of the Lord that came to Micha the Morashite But in the new Testament Paul is very frequent in this matter he doth presse his calling oftentimes and standeth very stoutly vpon the same to the defiance of all his enimies to the cōfort of all such as did cleaue fast vnto Iesus Christ such doctrine as he did deliuer vnto them in his name But amongst all other places I commend vnto you at this time onely three the first is in the 26 Chap. of the Acts of the Apostles where he did answere for himselfe before Agrippa the King The second is in his second Epistle to the Corinthians and eleauenth Chapter wherein he doth make a comparison betwixt himselfe and other Apostles and doth preferre himselfe before them all The third is in his Epistle to the Galathians and the beginning thereof where he proues that his doctrine which he had taught the Galathians was not humane but diuine he being taught the same by the reuelation of Iesus Christ who called him immediately from heauen to be an Apostle and so had his office not from man but from God as also his Gospell or the doctrine which he taught them Thus you see good men from time to time haue stood vpon their places and callings And the reasons also wherefore men should do it are these Reasons First that none through ignorance might contemne them or set light by their callings but haue them in good veneration according to their worth and excellency A man may passe by a king without any reuerence done vnto him if he know him not the country peasant we know doth trample many an wholesome herbe vnder his feet which the skilfull Apothecary doth gather vp and make good reckoning of because he knowes not the vertues and medicinable vses thereof as the Apothecary doth And so may men be despised and their callings be passed ouer without due reuerence and obedience yeelded vnto them by others vnlesse they know what they be and wherehence they haue their authority therefore it is good that the same should be made knowne vnto them Secondly that all persons may be left without excuse and haue their mouths stopped if they shall rebell and disobey for then they cannot pleade ignorance and say We knew not that they came from God or had lawfull authority committed vnto their charge to doe those things which they tooke vpon them for to do As God doth make himselfe knowne by the visible creatures of the world to leaue all mankind without all excuse which will not feare and worship him so the same God will haue men to goe in his name vnto others and to make knowne their authority and callings that if they will not obey they may be left tongue-tide as we say and without any answere for themselues as we may see in Ezechiel Chapter 2. verses 4.5.6 Say vnto them Thus saith the Lord God but surely they will not heare neither indeed will they ceasse for they are a rebellious house yet shall they know that there hath bene a Prophet among them Thirdly that they might approue and iustifie themselues in their waies and stoppe the malignant tongues of their aduersasaries who are ready wrongfully to accuse them as if they vsurped their places and did things without lawfull authority from aboue For as Zidikijah smote the Prophet Michaiah on the cheeke and said When went the Spirit of the Lord from me to speake vnto thee as it is in 1. Kings 22.24 so from time to time doe many arise vp to impeach the credit of those whom God hath raised vp and to make the world beleeue that the Lord did neuer bestow those places of dignity vpon thē which they do challenge vnto themselues For as Paul and the rest of the Apostles together with the Prophets and others found this oftentimes too true as we say in regard of themselues so Iude doth shew in his Epistle and eighth verse thereof that there are many wicked dreamers that doe despise gouernment and speake euill of them that are in authoritie Lastly that they might put courage into their owne hearts and with due care and conscience goe about the workes of their callings not fearing what man can do against them but looking alwaies vpon God who placed them in their roomes and who will neuer faile them vnlesse they be wanting vnto themselues therein For as the Spirit of God came down vpon Cornelius his friends whiles Peter was speaking vnto them as it is in Acts 10.44 so whiles they doe meditate vpon their places and are pressing the same vnto others in a zeale towards God and in a care to do them good a certaine heauenly courage and boldnesse from aboue comes down into their soules whereby they are made more stout and valiant then euer they were before and doe become in this respect like vnto the fire when it is blowne with the bellowes that doth burne more and more So that here are foure reasons to mooue men to respect their callings and to stand
sought to be worshipped of him he said vnto him Auoide Sathan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him onely shalt thou serue The Scripture is full of this matter but one place more as containing all the rest vnder it shall suffice vs at this time And that is in Reuel 14.7 For there you shall find that this is the very summe and principall matter whereof the whole Scripture doth intreate and which all the Preachers in the world from time to time do deliuer vnto their people when the Angell flying in the midst of heauen and hauing an euerlasting Gospell to preach vnto them that dwell on the earth doth cry out and say Feare God and giue glory to him for the houre of his iudgement is come and worship him that made heauen and earth and the sea and the fountaines of waters So that this is a point as cleare and manifest as the Sunne at noone dayes when it shineth most brightly ouer all the word And the reasons hereof are many Reasones but at this time I will onely touch two The one is in regard of his making and creating of all things For seeing we are his workmanship and haue our whole liues and being from him he hauing created vs and made vs of nothing it is good reason that we apply our selues and all that we haue to his worship and seruice alone according to the iudgement of the Church triumphing in heauen whereof mention is made in the Reuelations Chapter 4. verses 10.11 For the 24. Elders noting out the Saints in heauen are there reported to fall downe before him that sate on the throne and to worship him that liueth for euermore and to cast their Crownes before his throne vpon this ground and consideration that he had made them and all things else saying Thou ort worthy O Lord to receiue glory and honour and power For thou hast created all things and for thy wils sake they are and haue bene created The other is in regard of his preseruing and keeping of all things For considering that we haue our whole maintenance and stay from him and he doth daily keepe vs vpon his owne cost and charges as we speake it is our part and duty to honour him and to do whatsoeuer we can for him in fulfilling any of his Commandements according to Iosuah his exhortation vnto the children of Israel in the 23. 24. chapters of Iosuah For in these places you may see that he doth perswade them to feare the Lord and to serue him in vprightnesse and in truth and to put away all false gods from amongst them onely vpon this reason and foundation that God was good and beneficiall vnto them destroying all their enimies before them and placing them in a fruitfull country where they had goodly cities which they did neuer build excellent vineyards and Oliue trees which they did neuer plant and other notable commodities which they did daily enioy without any labour and toile of theirs And surely when these things were thus lay de downe before their eyes they also vpon the due consideration thereof resolued with themselues to serue the Lord and to worship him and to do as Iosuah had exhorted them for to do as is apparant about the midst of the 24. chapter before quoted And you know that equitie and conscience doth require that if a man hire a seruant and giue him meate and drinke and wages that he should do his businesse and be obedient vnto him and his commandements And so should it be betwixt God and vs seeing we are his seruants and haue all that we haue from him euen euery morsell of meate that we do eate and euery peece of cloth that we do put about vs as all other things besides we should be tractaable to his voyce and be alwayes ready prest to do his commandements Wherefore as this may controll them Vse who are stubburne and obstinate and do withdraw the shoulder from yeelding obedience vnto the Almightie whereof there are too many in our sinfull dayes So it may teach vs what we our selues ought to do and be as a spurre in our sides to pricke vs forward to all such matters as may bring honor and glory vnto him that is aboue all Beware you beware you of sinfull wayes and be you sure to do nothing but what you know will be well pleasing vnto your God Though others lie and sweare and steale and kill and commit adulterie and do other things that are most vile and abhominable yet be you holy righteous in your wayes auoiding these sinnes and all others whatsoeuer and performing such duties only as the Lord will be serued and worshipped by For you must alwayes remember with your selues that it is not enough to know the will of your God and to vnderstand what he doth require at your hands but you must withall serue him and worship him aright do according to his commandements The hearers of the law saith Paul in Rom. 2.13 are not righteous before God but the doers of the law shall be iustified And our Sauiour doth teach vs in Luk. 12.47 that the seruant who knoweth his maisters will and prepareth not himselfe neither doth according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes Yea you your selues do know that as the ignorant who know not the Lord must be cast into hell and there lie boyling in torments for euermore so must the disobedient also and all such who obey not vnto the Gospell of our Lord Iesus Christ according to Pauls words in 2. Thes 1.8 And therfore you see the Prophet here doth not onely call for wisedome and learning but also for worship seruice Content not then your selues with your knowledge and vnderstanding but go on forward and become faithfull seruants vnto the Lord in doing his will And looke what you do require of your seruants that are vnder you do you your selues performe vnto your God that is aboue you and whose seruants you are heare his voyce and obey it For what shall he make you and place you here in this world and that in a fruitfull soile in the dayes of much peace and plentie and yet will you not serue him What Shall he nourish you daily giue you light to see aire to breathe in food to eate liquor to drinke garments to weare houses to dwell in and lade you with other infinite blessings both for this life and the life to come and yet will you not honour him and walke according to his commandements Doubtlesse if your seruants should refuse to do your businesse and worke you would turne them out of doores and not feed them vpon your owne cost and charges and in the end pay them their wages and will God then take it well at your hands if you shall refuse to do his businesse and worke will he alwayes then nourish you and giue you a good recompence at the last No no but he will turne you
there is nothing wanting in him which is fit to be in one on whom we are to place our trust There are sixe things required of such an one First power that he may be able to helpe vs. Secondly will that he may be ready to do it Thirdly skill that he may know how to do it Fourthly remembrance that he may mind vs for the doing of it Fifthly carefulnesse that he may not post it off or neglect it from time to time Lastly boldnesse that he may feare no inconuenience to ensue vpon it to hinder him from the doing of it But all these are in Christ He is able to helpe vs because he is omnipotent and can do all things He is willing because he loues vs to the death He is skilfull because all the treasures of knowledge and wisedome are hid in him He is mindfull because his eyes are alwayes open vpon vs as who doth neither slumber nor sleepe but stand alwayes girded in the mids of the seuen golden candlestickes to do them good He is carefull because he is touched with our wants and infirmities Lastly he is bold because he is Lord and King ouer all and that Lyon of Iudah that feares nothing Withdraw not then your hearts from him but trust in him most constantly for euermore Secondly by this we see that godlinesse is great gaine or riches as the Apostle doth speake for trust here you see brings with it blessednesse It is not a barren thing but fruitfull it comes laden with all the blessings of the Lord vnto vs. Cursed man will say that it is in vaine to serue God and that there is no profit in keeping his Commandements and in walking humbly before him as it is in Mal. 3.14 But here we are taught the contrary The wicked that do rebell they are cast downe and do perish but as for those which do serue Christ and trust in him they stand vp and are blessed Then for as much as your labour is not in vaine in the Lord that I may vse the phrase of the Apostle be ye stedfast vnmoueable abundant alway in the worke of the Lord and trust you in Christ for euermore which will thus bring blessednesse vnto you Finally seeing they are blessed that do trust in Christ euen then when others perish and are destroyed we should not feare at any time but be of a good hope and comfort in the midst of all our calamities as knowing that then we are blessed and in happy estate as well as at other times For Christ doth know how to make a separation betwixt vs that are his friends and others that are his enimies Questionlesse as God did put a difference betwixt the Israelites and the Aegyptians in all such plagues as he sent amongst them sparing still the Israelites and punishing the Aegyptians And as he did put a difference betwixt his seruant Noah and the old world sauing Noah and drowning the world And as he did put a difference betwixt holy Lot and wicked Sodome deliuering Lot and burning Sodome with brimstone and fire from heauen So will Christ put a difference betwixt vs and others to saue vs and to destroy them as we may see most apparently in Math. 25.32 c. where it is said that he will gather all nations before him and that he will separate them one from another as a sheepheard separateth the sheepe from the goates sending some to hell and carying others with him to heauen Let vs then neuer feare in any perill or danger whatsoeuer whether of warre famine plague or the like lest we should perish with the wicked hand ouer head We see he hath a care of his owne and what he will do he can do If it be good for vs to escape these worldly woes we are assured we shall as we are sure we liue And if otherwise it please him to wrap vs with others in the outward punishment yet shall we euer be sure to be distinguished from them in the eternall paine and these outward griefes shall be but meanes to leade vs to euerlasting ioyes Wherefore cleaue ye fast vnto him and feare not be of good comfort though others be cursed yet you shall be blessed For you see the difference of being religious and being prophane of louing Christ and of loathing him And this difference here will
shall preserue thee Wisdome is the beginning get wisdome therfore and aboue all thy possessiōs get vnderstanding He is very frequent with the like exhortations in many places also of the same booke Reade them I pray at your leasure and marke them well Paul in like manner writing vnto the Ephesians doth stir them vp to the same duty saying Wherefor be yee not vnwise but vnderstand what the will of the Lord is Eph. 5.17 Dauid also inioined the same duty vpon his son Salomon towards the end of his dayes saying vnto him as followeth My sonne know thou the God of thy fathers and serue him with an vpright heart and willing minde as it is in 1. Cron. 28.9 Finally the Lord himselfe doth oftentimes make his moane and complaint for the want of this wisdome and knowledge in his people which is here required of vs all teaching vs thereby how necessary it is for euery one and how well pleasing to himselfe But at this time two places alone to shew the same shall content vs. The one is in Esay 1.3 when he saith The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his maisters cribbe but Israel hath not knowne my people haue not vnderstood The other is in Ieremy 4.22 where you haue these words For my people is foolish they haue not knowne me they are foolish children and haue no vnderstanding they are wise to do euill but to doe well they haue no knowledge By all which places we may clearely see what doth belong to vs euen a sauing knowledge of Gods will and an holy vnderstanding of his waies Wee must not be like to the horse or mule that haue no vnderstanding as Dauid saith in Psa 32.9 but we must be changed by the renewing of our minds that we may know what is the good perfect and acceptable will of God as Paul doth teach vs in Rom. 12.2 And the reasons hereof are many Reasons First because euery man by his owne knowledge is a very beast before the Lord as Ieremy doth witnesse of vs in Ieremy 10.14 and as Dauid doth confesse of himselfe in Psalme 73.22 saying So foolish was I and ignorant I was a beast before thee Secondly because we shall neuer obey the Lord aright vntill we know him and vnderstand his will nor yeeld any faithfull seruice vnto him as it doth become vs. For the ground-worke of all religion the foundation of all true pietie is the knowledge of the Lord and his wayes As on the contrary side the cause and fountaine of all disobedience against God is the ignorance of his will and the vnlearnednesse of the same as we haue heard in this Psalme already and as we may see by Hosea his complaint in the beginning of the fourth chapter of his Prophesie where hee doth make his moane that men did lie and steale and commit adultery and that bloud did touch bloud and assigneth this reason of it euen because there was no knowledge of God in the land And surely where men know not God what can bee looked for else but all impietie against God and all vnrighteous dealing against men Lastly because all such as are ignorant of the Lords will doe not onely erre while they are here committing grieuous sinnes against him but shall be damned also hereafter for euer My people saith the Lord in Hosea 4.6 are destroyed for lacke of knowledge And Paul doth shew in 2. Thess 1.8 that when Christ shal come to iudgement and shew himselfe from heauen with his mightie Angels in flaming fire he shall render vengeance vnto them that doe not know God which shall bee punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power So that if we ponder of all these reasons well we shal easily grant that there is cause sufficient why euery man should labour and striue to plant some heauenly knowledge within his soule and to become wise and learned in the statutes of the Almightie In regard whereof we see first in what great fault the world is in For there is ignorance in euery place Alas alas most men know not aright either that God who hath made them or themselues who are made by him And as for the grounds of true religion and the rules of the Lords worship they are as a sealed and clasped booke vnto them We dwell in a nation and country wherin the word of God hath bene freely read preached many yeares together yet it is pittifull to heare vnderstand what ignorance is still amongst men and how vnwise vnlearned they be in the statutes of the Lord. God amend vs. But here some may say that there was neuer more knowledge in this land then now is at this present To this I answer first that our knowledge is nothing to our long and continued teaching For in regard thereof we ought to be teachers our selues who yet are taught of others and haue need also to be instructed in the very first principles of the word of God and are become many of vs at the least such as haue neede of milke and not of strong meate as the Author to the Hebrews doth speake in the latter end of his fifth chapter Secondly that our knowledge for the most part is not a sauing or sanctifying knowledge but talkatiue and discoursing It hangs vpon our tongue and swimmes about in the circumference of our braine but it sinkes not downe into the bottome of the heart as it ought to do to bring forth a reformed life For we haue many talkers but few true walkers and sundry there are who can discourse at large in matters of religion but few there are who feele the power and force thereof being deaded by the meanes thereof vnto their sinnes and quickened vp vnto all fruitfull workes of righteousnesse whereby God may be honoured and man edified Secondly by this we may see that that doctrine which is most currant at Rome those places where Popery doth beare sway to wit that Ignorance is the mother of Deuotion is most false and erroneous and to be abandoned by vs that are true and holy Christians As Christ doth say to the Sadduces Ye erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God in Mat. 22.29 making there ignorance the cause of error which is cleane cōtrary to their doctrine so he saith to the Iewes Search the Scriptures for in them yee thinke to haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of me in Iohn 5.39 imposing there this dutie vpō all that do intend to be saued at the last to be conuersant in the Scriptures which is dissonant altogether to their practize and teaching If I would stand vpon such a common place as this is I could alledge both places and reasons enough to ouerthrow them in this respect who are herein most like vnto those cursed and hypocriticall Scribes and Pharisies who did shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men neither going in thēselues nor suffering
others that would enter to come in But let these things thus spoken suffice and cause vs not onely to see their fault and that woefull miserie wherein they liue but also to behold the sweet and great blessing of knowledge which God hath vouchsafed vnto vs through the happy gouernment of his Annoynted ouer vs who doth permit vs to enioy the Gospell freely for the good of our soules and doth take a care also for the right publishing of the same that so his subiects might not bee ignorant therein but haue the sauing knowledge thereof established within them to their eternall happinesse and euerlasting life Lastly out of this we may obserue what is our owne duty to do and that is this We must cast away our ignorance and become learned in the Lords will we must set his statutes before our eyes and make them the men of our counsell we must call after knowledge and cry for vnderstanding We must seeke after wisedome as after siluer and search for her as for treasures Let the word of Christ saith Paul to the Colossians chap. 3.16 dwell in you plenteously in all wisedome teaching and admonishing your selues in Psalmes and Hymnes and spirituall songs singing with a grace in your hearts vnto the Lord. Here you see hee would not haue them to content themselues with a little knowledge but they must labour to be furnished with a great abundance thereof that they might know how to carry themselues in all matters as well for them of mirth and ioy as for others that were more graue and weightie And good reason too for the word of Christ must bee the stone Ezell to vs that we may know where to stay and remaine as Dauid did 1. Sam. 20.19 It must be our tinne-stone spoken of in Zecharie 4.10 that we may know the measure of the walles of new Ierusalem our glorious and renowned Cittie the foundation whereof is of pearle and the streets of pure gold In a word it must be our starre that we may know which way to go directly vnto all our duties that are here below and vnto all those sweete beatitudes that are aboue Doubtlesse without the true knowledge thereof we are all of vs like to Sampson without his eyes or vnto an hawke that is hooded we shall wander from the Lord we know not whither and commit most grieuous abhominations but we shall neuer serue him aright or doe any faithfull homage vnto him For onely those that know his name do trust in him but others do renounce him as the Scriptures do teach vs. Knowledge we finde by experience doth helpe men exceeding much in the waies of eternall life For it doth direct them aright both what to iudge and what to do in all matters of saith and maners and it is a good bridle vnto their lusts It is most like vnto a clocke whereby thou maiest know how thy life is spent as also vnto a man which striueth to beate the dust out of our cloathing Wherefore I beseech you and that in the bowels of the Lord Iesus Christ haue a care of knowledge and labour by all meanes possible to plant a sauing wisedome within your hearts Remember the reasons that were alledged before to moue your selues to this thinke oftentimes vpon them and if neither your owne beastlinesse by nature who haue grosse and thicke scales of blindnesse vpon the eies of your soules as Paul had vpon the eyes of his body at the time of his conuersion can stirre you nor yet the commodities that comes by the knowledge of the Lords will which are sweete and great can awaken you yet yet I say let the feare of your owne damnation rouze you vp hereunto For it is a most wofull thing to lye burning in hell and yet as it hath bene obserued all ignorant persons do so Suppose here were a fire prepared to burne you and to morrow you must be cast into the same and there lye burning peece after peece till all be consumed would not you doe any thing which any man should command you to do to auoyde this punishment O yes any thing I doubt not And yet will you do nothing to auoyde hell fire which is tenthousand times worse then this where you shall lye burning body and soule for euermore Shall not this moue you vp to get knowledge and vnderstanding If you were blinde in body you would giue great summes of money to haue your perfect sight againe And yet will you doe nothing for the sight of the soule which is blinde and can see nothing at all Will you take no paines to haue that couering that couereth all people and that veile that is spred ouer all nations to be remoued away from you that you may be troubled no more with it Darkenesse was one of the greatest plagues which God brought vpon Aegypt But as for the darknesse of the soule that is worse then that by many degrees For as this doth hinder the iudgement which as an eye should guide our actions from discerning things fit to be done and fit to bee vndone and as it doth let our hearts and minds from going and walking about our workes of godlinesse so that we cannot passe through the sweete fields of true comforts and heauenly meditations to life eternall so it doth make vs fall oftentimes into most horrible sins while we are here and it doth cast vs downe at the last into the bottomlesse pit of hell wherehence we can neuer come out againe so soone as we doe depart from hence And will you then rest in it and not seeke rather to come out of it What could Pharaoh that wicked King vse meanes to come out of that bodily darknesse wherein he was by sending vnto Moses and Aaron for that end and purpose by offering vnto them a certaine kinde of libertie to depart out of his country And will you sit still and not vse meanes to come out of the spirituall darknesse wherein you are which is farre worse then that of his was Remember your selues I pray and do as you ought to do But here some man may say Obiect that it is better for vs to remaine still in our ignorance then to get knowledge vnto our selues because ignorance doth excuse men before God and the more knowledge that any man hath the greater shall his iudgement be at the last if he serue not God according to his knowledge as hee ought to do For the seruant saith our Sauiour in Luke 12.47 that knoweth his maisters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes yea with more then he that knew it not and did it not Here is a goodly shift for men to cosen their owne soules by Ans But know thou ô sinfull man first that ignorance doth not excuse men before God but rather accuse them as all other sinnes do and lay matter of condemnation against them to their eternall woe and death for it is a grieuous transgression in his sight