THE Care of a Christian Conscience Ten Sermons on the 25. Psalme preached in Tewkesburie in the Countie of Gloucester By Richard Curtis NVNC AVT NVNQVAM Imprinted at London by Simon Stafford dwelling on Adling hill neere Carter lane 1600. TO THE HONORABLE AND VERtuous Lady the Lady Dorothee Stafford widdow one of the Ladies of her Maiesties bed-chamber Simon Stafford wisheth all honor and happinesse in this life and in the life to come perpetuall glorie and rest THE straight and dutifull consideration of so many great fauors with which your Honorable disposition hath vouchsafed to grace me vnworthie the least of them hath compelled me thus presumptuously to dedicate these Christian models albeit the talent of another mans zealous inuention yet as the tithe of my poore Printing-presse vnto your honourable patronage hoping that in regard of their worth and not of my deserts you will likewise peruse them at conuenient seasons The vtilitie of them I neede not rippe vp seeing that your owne deepe-grounded wisedome wil hereafter by experienced perusall find out the same far better then either my simple mind can imagine or my pen lay down Onely this I humbly craue of your Honour that my good deuotion herein bee acceptable vnto you for our Sauior Christ preferred the poore widdowes mite before the golden offerings of the rich And is it not written that Artaxerxes a Pagan King daigned to receiue a cup-full of cold water at the hand of poore Synetes Whose president I imitating am emboldened to register your Heroicall name in the forefront of this booke intituled The Care of a Christian Conscience nothing doubting at all but that your Honours name is registred in the Booke of life for the Christian Care which you haue extēded to many of the poore distressed members of Iesus Christ Thus ceasing I beseech the Lord to cōtinue you in your godly course endue you with all blessings which eyther this earth affords or heauen contains From London Aprill 20. 1600. Your Honours most bounden Simon Stafford The first Sermon vpon the 25. Psalme 1.2 3. verses 1 Vnto thee O Lord lift I vp my soule THe sence is Many are the slaunders great are the iniuries which the wicked O Lord my God the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost thrée persons and one eternall God do raise vp against me thy humble and obedient seruant being vpright as thou knowest and innocent of that great offence to séeke the destruction of thine anointed Saul which whosoeuer doth shall neuer be guiltlesse in thy sight as I now am and for as much as thou knowest that to be deliuered from lying lippes flaunderous toungs I earnestly desire that mine integritie and vprightnes being knowen vnto thy maiestie may also vnto mē appeare I put not my trust as worldlings do in any worldly thing but my trust being fully fixed in the only one God I humbly and hartily in the name and by the mediation of thy dearly beloued sonne Iesus Christ the Messias which is to come beséech thée to deliuer me so shall I praise thy name all the daies of my life Doct. 1 1. Doct. In all our afflictions we must lift vp our hearts to God only by Praier The reason is It is the hand wherwith the Lord from heauen reacheth his benefits vnto vs. Vse Vse Let vs exercise it at all times For euen as the birdes and fowles of the aire that they may escape the nettes and snares of the fowlers flie vp on high so we to auoid the infinit snares of our enemies and innumerable temptations must lift vp our selues from the corruptions lying vanities and deceitful sleights of the world by earnest and harty praier When the sacred Scriptures mention the honoring of God the chiefest point which it setteth downe to vs is prayer and had this bene obserued as it ought to be the manner thereof had bene much more estéemed among men so as they would not haue so swarued one way nor other but haue folowed that which the holy Scripture teacheth But now men regard not profitably to pray they respect not in what maner they pray that their praier might be accepted of God but most men rush in and steppe to it like blind Bayard and come not dutifully and reuerently as they ought to the Lord. From whence procéedeth this vnreuerent behauior Euen from hence Because men accompt not of it to be of so great importance as it is for if we tooke it for the chiefe point of the seruice of God as it is it is certaine wée would more hartily zealously and reuerently take it in hand 2. Doct. 1. verse Vnto thee O Lord. Doct. 2 Praier must be made to God only in the name of Iesus Christ For he onely heareth vs he onely euen Iesus Christ praieth for vs he onely vnderstandeth our praiers he onely is more ready to help thē we to aske Vse Vse Let vs therfore not pray vnto Sainctes departed for we ought not to pray to thē 2. They pray not for vs. 3. They vnderstand not our Prayers The Papists assertiō is that Saincts departed are with great profit and piety called vpon and praied vnto R. 1. Tim 2. sect 4. B. cap. 19 lib. 1. De sanctorū beatit and that it is not onely lawful but godly so to do Arg. 1. They say they pray not to Saincts as authors of any benefit or grace but as Intercessors only neither doe they make them immediate intercessors but onely through Christ concluding all their praiers Per Christum Dominum nostrum Ans 1. It is false that they pray vnto them as intercessors onely for they desire them not onely to praie for them but to haue mercie vpon them For thus they praie O blessed Ladie haue mercy vpon vs preserue thy seruants let the merites of S. Mary bring vs to the kingdome of heauen Answ 2. It is also false that they make them not immediat intercessors but conclude their praiers Per Christum Dominum nostrum for in that blasphemous praier Tu per Thomae sanguinem quem pro nobis impendit fac nos Christe scandere quo Christus ascendit By the blood of Thomas O Christ which hée shed for vs make vs to clime whither he ascended There they aske life eternal of Christ by the blood of Thomas of Canterbury How then is it true which the Rhemists affirme the Christ alone by his merites procureth all grace and mercy towards mankind Praiers are made to S. Mary S. Osmōd S. Anne S. Katherine and none of them concludeth Per Christum Dominum nostrum Likewise An. 1551. in Scotland it was as good doctrine amongst the Papists that it was lawful to say the Pater noster to Saincts that we may call them our fathers say Hallowed be your names because God hath made their names holy and that their kingdome may come because the kingdome of heauē is theirs by possession and further that their will may be done seing their
saith that our louing Lord and swéete sauiour Iesus Christ hath of his mercies not of your merits for you haue none reconciled you to God his father and to wash and clense you hath shedde his precious bloud that he hath paid the price of your ransome that by his righteousnesse you might be acquited and by this meanes become holy and acceptable to GOD our heauenly father the knowledge of these things is to the end wee should throughly cleaue vnto him say What meanes haue we to be saued by but onely by the frée grace of God seing that our Lord Iesus Christ hath of his infinite goodnes made full and sufficient satisfaction for vs and to the ende that our faith should rest therupō But may we lie still and sléepe like Swine No. No. We must awake we must repayre by Praier to God say Wherein is our welfare Euen in the death and passion of our Lord and sauiour Christ Iesus Therfore we must seeke it there for wée shall neuer finde it elsewhere neyther with men nor Angels And how must wee seeke it but by Praiers and supplications Then let vs pray vnto him and say O Lord seing thou seest vs farre from all goodnes giue vs the true feare of thee send downe thy holy Spirite into our hearts to reforme renue and direct vs in our waies True it is we are wretched sinners but forasmuch as we are members of the mysticall body of thy deare sonne our sauiour Christ Iesus we pray thee make vs righteous through him True it is that we are polluted and full of spottes but his precious blood can cleanse vs we are guilty of euerlasting death and in bondage to it but our sweet Sauiour and Lord Iesus Christ hath set vs free from it Wherefore O gracious God fill thou vs with thy holy sweete spirite that by his strength wee in our pathes and waies that we haue chosen may be ledde and conducted suffer vs not for any temptation to fall from thee What man is he that feareth the Lord Him will he direct in the way that hee shall chuse Text. Doct. This beyng an Interrogation wee learne this Doctrine Litle is the flock and small is the number of them which truly feare the Lord. The reason is For although the most men seeme to pray the greatest nūber frequēting the assemblies where the word is preached as for others they euidently openly professe thēselues that there is no feare of GOD before their eyes séeme many times like painted Sepulchers faire without and foule within like Copper which resembleth Golde when it is not it like stage-plaiers that seeme to be Kinges and Princes when in deed they are starke and very beggers when they seeme as if they repented when their liues and conuersations doe euidently shew that they are not in substance that which thy seeme in shew Therefore most rare is the feare of God to be found whereby it cōmeth to passe that iustly vpon great cause the Lord depriueth the wretched and miserable worldlings of the Spirit of counsel and wisedome Vse The vse is That wee pray vnto God to giue vs his holy blessed spirite that wee seeme not to feare the Lord when wee are farre from it but that he will sanctifie our harts with sincerity that all hypocrisie being remoued farre from vs we may be so directed by the same spirit in our way that other seing our good workes may glorifie our father which is in heauen And forasmuch as hypocrisie is so great and gréeuous a sinne as that it not onely deceyueth men but so displeaseth the Lord as hee many times although not alwaies nor al such persons plagueth and punisheth them in this life but much more in that to come Apo. 21. who shall haue their partes with the fearfull and Adulterers in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone which is the second death I thinke it conuenient to handle this point seing that the most are such that they seing how odious it is in the sight of GOD may not onely detest it but also vtterly flie from it as a most mortall and deadly enemy Euen as the fowler A similitude of a painted Oxe to take the silly birds which with a painted Oxe which is not an Oxe but vnder the shape and likenesse thereof lieth in waite for the poore birdes that hee might take them and kill them So he which with a counterfaited and fayned holinesse will colour and couer impietie wicked purposes or whatsoeuer is against the will word of God hath not the feare of God but vnder the colour and shape of godlinesse and honesty séeking the prayse and glory of the world hée casteth in his head and worketh by degrees the ruine decay vndoing of others that hée may compasse their goods lands and possessions and gaine some honour and dignity among men 2. Tim. 3 5. Such men haue a shewe of godlinesse but as the Apostle saith haue denied the power thereof And although some hypocrites will sometimes seeme to forsake their riches and lende some to their neighbors and bestow some vpon the poore yet still the marke and leuell they shoote at is to augment and encrease them A similitude of the soaring hawke for the silly bird For euen as the swift hawke entending to take the birde that flieth doth not presently when she seeth her seyse vpon her but rather at the first with fetching a compasse séemeth to forsake her but at the second or third flight she goeth towards her with a wonderfull force and incredible swiftnesse to take her in the ayre and to rend her in péeces Right so do hypocrites for at the first sight they will séeme not to regard neither thee nor thine but to continue the riches and promotions of the world but then they come and counterfeit a simplicity fowling for a greater matter then they presently sée and reaching at some greater promotion and higher dignitie then the present time and occasion doth offer but at the second or third flight when all thinges aunswere their expectation thou shalt perceiue that with all spéede and gréedinesse they will lay hold on those things which thou supposedst they had contemned These are doubleharted men they haue wicked lippes and handes that worke iniquitie these are sinners that go two waies and eternall woe is their reward The hypocrite goeth two manner of waies when he laieth vp one thing close in his hart the other he sheweth in his actions speaketh one thing doth another Such an one was Herod Math. 2. pretending a great deuotion towardes Christ and that he would worship him when hée was whetting his sword to destroy him True Christians lead their liues although not in perfection according to their profession and as S. Iames saith do shewe their faith by their workes All hypocrites whatsoeuer they would séeme to be do so farre differ from true Christianitie as the drosse of
excéeding sicke dealeth more roughly and seuerely with his Sonne then with his seruant not because hée loueth his seruant more then his Sonne but because hee would restore his sicke seruaunt to his former health but his Sonne whom hee loueth most déerely hée reprooueth checketh taunteth and correcteth Euen so our good gracious GOD and louing father sometimes afflicteth his deere children whom he tenderly loueth and suffereth thē to be exercised with wéepings wailings and want with sighes and sorowfull sobbes with hunger and cold with nakednes and want of harbor with heauinesse of heart and vexation of spirite with sicknes of body and restraint of liberty and with a thousand other calamities and cares and in the meane time suffereth the wicked and vngodly ones of the world to want nothing he giueth them health wealth and libertie worldly honour and dignitie and what not meaning and purposing by these means if the fault bee not in themselues to bring them to know feare honor and serue him by whose prouidence and appointment they haue and do enioy all those good blessings and so be cured and healed of the sores and sicknesse of their soules A similitude As the skilfull Gemmarie and cunning Lapidarie doth willingly suffer the Indian Diamond or Adamant to be smitten with great and waighty blowes because he knoweth well that the hammer and Anuile will sooner be brused then the Diamond or Adamant will be broken so our most wise God yea wisedome it selfe suffereth men of excellent vertues of vnquenchable charity and inuincible constancy as Dauid to fall into diuers temptations to be plunged deepe into manifold miseries because he will haue their inward graces to shewe foorth and so shine before men that they seing the constancy of his Saincts may glorifie God which is in heauen For he is sure that they are cōstant that nothing can separate them from the loue of God Ioseph was imprisoned in Egypt Ieremy in Iudea Ezechiel in Chaldea and Iohn Baptist in Israel by wicked Herode and yet all these infinite others did neuer shrinke from God but as they liued in him so they died in him and are exalted vp on high and shall dwell in his tabernacle rest in the hill of his holines for euer And euen so if wee wil be as they were we shall be as they are True it is that God being iust doth neuer afflict vs vniustly which thing we ought alwaies to thinke confesse to humble our selues and glorifie God Neuerthelesse God doth not alwaies take occasion of our sinnes to punish vs but oftentimes he sheweth this fauour to his children to dispose it for their benefite Text. Mine eies are euer towards the Lord for hee will bring my feete out of the nette Doct. 2 2. Doct. The continuall lifting vp of Dauids eies to the Lord teacheth this Doctrine whosoeuer will pray aright that the Lord might accept them must lift vp continually their affections to the Lord for by the eye which of the sences is the sharpest and draweth the whole man to himselfe he meaneth all the affections of man The Prophet no doubt also by the eyes meaneth his corporall eies which as by an instrument did draw vp his affections to the Lord. The reason is All good things whatsoeuer wée haue GOD is the author thereof of whom in lifting vp our harts we desire the same Example of lifting vp of the eies in prayer is our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ both whē he prayed with thanksgiuing to his Father when hée raised vp Lazarus from death who foure daies lay buried in his graue as also when he prayed to his father not onely for his Disciples but for all that shall beleeue in him Iohn 11.41 and Iohn 17.1 Therefore they tooke away the stone where he was laid that was dead and Iesus lifted vp his eies and said Father I thanke thee that thou hast heard mee This is a token of a mind well framed to praier for to the end a mā may rightly call vpon GOD he must be ioyned with him which cannot bée vnlesse being lifted vp aboue the earth he ascend vp aboue the heauens This is not done with the eye onely seeing that hypocrites who are drowned in the déepe filth and dregges of their flesh séeme with their sterne countenance to draw heauen vnto them but the children of GOD must sincerely perfourme that which hypocrites do but faine Neyther yet must hee that lifteth vp his eyes towardes Heauen there include GOD in his cogitation who is euery where and filleth heauen and earth But because mens mindes can neither escape from nor acquit themselues of grosse inuentions but when they be lifted vp aboue the world the sacred Scripture called vs thither and testifieth that heauen is Gods seat As touching the lifting vp of eies it is no continuall ceremonie which lawfull Praier cannot want For the Publican that praieth with his countenance towardes the earth doth neuerthelesse pearce the heauens with his faith Yet that is a profitable exercise whereby men awake and stirre vp themselues to séeke the Lord yea the feruentnesse of prayer doth so affect and moue the body sometimes that besides meditation it doth willingly folow the mind Certainly it is without all doubt that when Christ and Dauid lifted vp their eyes towards heauen they were caried thither with singular vehemency Vse The vse is that in our prayer we lifting vp our eies to the Lord should not doe it as the hypocrites without the affections of our minds but that both the eyes and the affections of our minds being lifted vp to him together we may be assured that he will heare vs. If we bée in daungers he will deliuer vs if in pouerty he will relieue vs if in sicknes he will cure vs if in sorow he will solace vs. Iohn 17.1 These things spake Iesus and he lifted vp his eies towardes heauen In that Iohn said that Christ lifted vp his eyes towards heauen it was no small signe of zeale and feruentnes For Christ testified in déed by this gesture that he was rather in heauen by the affection of his mind then in earth that he might talke familiarly with God He looked vp towards heauen not that God is shut vp there who doth also fill the earth Ierem. 23. but because his maiestie appeareth there chiefly and secondly because the beholding of heauen doth admonish vs that the power of GOD farre passeth all creatures To the same purpose serued the lifting vp of his hāds when he praied for seing that men are slacke and slow by nature and their earthly nature doth bend them downeward they haue néed to bee stirred vp thus yea they haue néed of chariots to carrie them vp to God But if wee desire to imitate Christ and Dauid truly we must take diligent héed that our ceremonies expresse no more then is in the mind but let the inward affection mooue both handes eies tongue féet and whatsoeuer we haue
tokens of the horrible vengeance that is prepared for them at the latter day You sée then that many men are touched with Gods hand which notwithstanding are accursed For they begin their hell in this world as we haue examples of all them that amend not their wicked life when God sendeth afflictions vpon them but a man shal sée them take a corner and stand barking like dogges although they can do no more yet they cease not to shew continuall madnesse or else they are like horse and mule like restie Iades or finally Psal 32.9 they are altogether ouer-sotted so that they know not their owne harme or miserie I meane as to consider the hand that striketh they will crie out Alas and they féele the blowes yet they thinke neuer the more vpon Gods hand neither know they how it is hée that visiteth them Wée sée then before our eyes that many men are the more vnhappy for being chastised at Gods hand because they profite not in his schoole nor yet take any good by his corrections Let vs assure our selues that when God maketh vs to féele his hand so as wée are humbled vnder it he giueth vs a speciall benefit and it is a priuiledge that he giueth to none but to his owne children When we féele the corrections which hée sendeth vs and also are thereby taught to mislike of our selues for our offences to sigh and grone for them before him and to flie to his mercy for refuge it is a token that he hath wrought in our hearts by his holy Spirite For it is too high a point of wisedome to grow in the mind of man it must procéed of the frée goodnes of our God the holy Ghost must first haue softened that cursed hardnes and stubbornes whereunto wée are enclined of nature euer since the transgression of our first parents Adam and Eue. Let vs marke then out of this branch of Dauids prayer In his great afflictions and trauell vexations both of bodie and Spirit which inward griefes procéeded from the remorse of sinne wherewith he was gréeued and tormented that Gods children are not stubborne vnder his hand but are ouermastered and tamed by the working of the holy Ghost to the intent they should not striue against the afflictions which hée sent vnto them But yet wil this saying séeme strāge after the opinion of the flesh for whatsoeuer afflictions or tribulations fal out otherwise then we would haue them wée terme them aduersities When we suffer any hunger thirst cold or heate wée say that euery one of these is an aduersitie Why so The reason is because wée would willingly haue our owne appetites and desires fulfilled in all things And in good sooth this manner of speach to say that the afflictions and tribulations that GOD sendeth vpon vs are aduersities that is to say things against vs is not without reason Neuerthelesse we must vnderstand the end of them namely that Gods scourging of vs is because of our sinnes And therefore by flattering our selues let vs not beguile our selues Furthermore I haue already preached vnto you not onely that it is requisite for vs to consider that Gods scourging of vs is because he hateth sinne and that his summoning of vs before him is to make vs to feele him to be our Iudge but also that we had néede of him to reach out his armes vnto vs and to shew vs that he is ready to be at one with vs whensoeuer wee shall come to him by true repentance So then we perceiue that they whom God chasteneth are happie notwithstanding that we shunne aduersitie as much as we possibly can Also we shall neuer consent to this doctrine to receyue it with our hearts vntill that faith hath made vs to behold the goodnesse of God which hee vseth towards his seruants when hee draweth them backe to himselfe And that we may the better comprehend this let vs marke what becommeth of men when God leaueth them to themselues maketh none accompt of clensing them from their sinnes Looke vpon a man that is giuen to al euill for example a despiser of God If God permit him and chastise him not you shall see him harden himselfe the Deuill shall cary him still farther and farther and therefore it had béene much better for him that he had béene chastised sooner And so the greatest hurt that can light vpon vs is God to suffer vs to welter in our owne wickednes for then must we néeds rotte away in it in the end Looke vpon mine afflictions Text. Doct. 2 2. Doctr. This example of Dauids teacheth vs that in all our miseries we must séeke reliefe onely at Gods hands The Reason is Because first hée hath so commaunded Psal 50.15 Secondly all power to help is onely in his hands 2. Chron. 20.6 And Iehoshaphat said O Lord God of our fathers art not thou God in heauen and raignest not thou ouer all the kingdoms of the heathē in thine hād is power might none is able to withstand thee The vse is first In all our distresses to séeke only to the Lord and that alone by such lawful meanes as he hath warranted in his word Secondly to reproue them that séeke to be relieued by Saincts Angels or any other in heauen then God alone Also them that séeme to séeke only to the true God but vse vnlawfull meanes to haue his helpe as by Coniurers Witches or such like The holy Scriptures forbid all séeking to Sorcerers Witches Astrologers Enchanters Wisards Fortune-tellers such like All which each séekers vnto them al that any thing trust in thē are abominable before the Lord. These vnlawfull artes hinder the kingdome of heauen They are of diuers sortes all which may most fitly be referred to two heads The first are soothsaiers diuiners wizzards iuglers gessers before what shall come after witches by which all vnlawful artes are forbidden Michah 5.2 And I will cut off thine enchaunters out of thine hand and thou shalt haue no more soothsayers In the Hebrue they are called Ceschaphim and Megnonemin They are called Ceschaphim Iuglers or Couzeners such as with Legerdemain deceiue delude the eie-sight but principally in this place the Prophet meaneth such which by witchcraft that is by Magical artes do hold bewitch the sights of mē that they séeme to do those things which in déed they do not or if they be done by the workings of Sathan they are wrought Of this sort were the sorcerers of Egypt Exod. 7.10 Then went Moses and Aaron vnto Pharaoh did as the Lord commaunded and Aaron cast forth his rod before Pharaoh and before his seruants and it was turned into a Serpent vers 11. Then Pharaoh called for the wisemē It seemeth that these were Iannes and Iambres 2. Tim. 3 8. So euer the wicked maliciously resist the truth of God sorcerers those charmers also of Egypt did in like manner with their enchantments vers 12.
great miserie and affliction for thou hast promised to saue all them that call vpon thy name for the remission of their sins Remember not the sinnes Doct. 1 1. Doct. In vaine doe wee pray to God to be deliuered from our afflictiōs except we pray for the remission of our sinnes both of our youth and all other afterward committed by vs. The 1. Reason is There is no hope for vs to obtaine grace except the Lord be mercifull vnto vs and how doth he loue vs except we be first reconciled to him and that by our Sauiour Christ Iesus and our confession and repentaunce of our sinnes Vse The Vse is therefore to teach vs in all our afflictions to acknowledge our sinnes to GOD onely séeing hee is gracious and fauourable to all his Doct. 2 2. Doct. It is necessarie for Gods people in their praiers to God to make vnto him onely a frée confession of their sinnes Psal 32.5 Then I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee neither hidde I mine iniquities for I thought I will confesse against my selfe my wickednes vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne Selah Dan. 9.5 We haue sinned and haue committed iniquitie and haue done wickedly yea we haue rebelled and haue departed from thy preceptes and from thy iudgements Nehem. 1.6 I pray thee let thine eares bee attent and thine eyes open to heare the praier of thy seruant which I pray before thee day and night for the children of Israel thy seruants and confesse the sinnes of the children of Israel which wee haue sinned against thee The 1. Reason is Els we obtaine no forgiuenesse Secondly Els we haue no assurance that we haue repented séeing confession doth alwaies accompany repentance Thirdly Otherwise wée cannot rightly and throughly condemne our selues and cleare the Lord for punishing vs. Fourthly By the confession of our sinnes we are the more humbled and the better prepared to praier The Vse is First to reprooue all them that iustifie themselues like the proud Pharise and offer vp their owne workes as the Papistes doe Secondly to reprooue them that will not beare sharpe rebuke for their sinnes nor bee contented to be censured by those meanes that God hath prescribed by his word for the same purpose Thirdly it teacheth vs to loue them that admonish vs often and reprooue vs sharpely when wee haue offended estéeming them our déerest friends and auoiding them that flatter vs Leuit. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart but thou shalt plainely rebuke thy neighbour and suffer him not to sinne Math. 18.18 Whatsoeuer you binde in earth c. seeing it is the meanes to bring vs to this confession which is so necessarie Text. Remember not the transgressions of my youth nor my rebellions Doct. 3 3. Doct. True repentance worketh in vs earnest and heartie praier The Reason is First In it we see our miseries in our selues and what néede wee haue to séeke to GOD for helpe Secondly It assureth vs of Gods loue to vs and readinesse to heare vs. Thirdly It encourageth vs to call on the name of the Lord who in our conuersion hath giuen vs experience of his vnspeakeable mercies The Vse is to teach vs to bee as diligent to performe this praier aright as wee are desirous to prooue to our owne hearts that our repentance is vnfained Doct. 4 4. Doct. All our praiers are to bee made to God alone Psa 50.15 Call vpon me c. Rom. 10.14 How shall they call vpon him of whome they haue not heard The 1. Reason It is he onely that can graunt vs our request Secondly We are not commaunded in the holy Scripture to call vpon any other and therefore if we doe it is not of faith and consequently it is sinne The Vse is First to reprooue the dotage of the heathen that praied to the Sunne Moone and Starres and of the Papistes that pray to Angels and Saints Secondly to teach vs to make all our praiers to GOD alone in the name of his Sonne Christ for such things as he hath promised in his word and in such maner as hee hath prescribed Nor my rebellions Text. Doct. 5 5. Doct. It is rebellion against the Lord to despise any of his lawes although all humane lawes should approoue vs therein The 1. Reason Reu. 19.16 God is King of Kings and will bee serued without exception Secondly Els God should yéeld vnto men Thirdly Wee are to obey men onely in the Lord and no further The Vse is First to reproue rulers that require obedience of their subiects to all their owne decrees not regarding whether God be disobeyed therby or no. Secondly to reprooue them that pretend mans lawes to excuse themselues in their sinnes as in the breach of the Sabboth contentednesse with the dumbe Ministerie putting of money to vsurie Thirdly it teacheth vs alwaies to hold this both in iudgement and practise It is better to obey God then man Act. 5.29 Doct. 6 6. Doct. It is our dutie so often as the Lord shal terrifie vs with his iudgements not onely to mourne sigh and lament but to repent vs not onely for our former sinnes committed in our youth but all other sinnes since which we can either call to mind hidden or vnknowne The Reason is The Lord may laye them all to our charge The Vse is that wee neuer flatter or stroke our selues in our vices but narrowly prye into them not into others as hypocrites doe but into our owne not to espie a moate in our brothers eye to cloke our hypocrisie but to pull out of our owne eyes not onely the beames but euen the verie moates therein But according to thy kindnesse remember me euen for thy goodnes sake Text. O Lord. Doct. 7 7. Doct. The children of God expect remission of their sinnes from none but from the mercy of God onely The Reason Sinne prouoketh Gods anger which is infinite and cannot be satisfied by any that is no more then a creature Secondly The Scriptures make the Lords mercie the first part of our righteousnesse Psal 32.1 Blessed is he whose wickednes is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered The Vse is To confute them that thinke they haue it in their owne fréewil to be saued Secondly To confute them that thinke to obtaine heauen by their merites Thirdly To reprooue them that seeke for the Popes pardons and Indulgences seeing it is the Lord of his méere mercie that doth pardon vs our sinnes Psal 25.8 Gracious and righteous is the Lord therefore will he teach sinners in the way The sence is The 2. part of the 3. Sermon I Doubt not at all of the remission of my sinnes neither yet heereafter to leade an holy and innocent life séeing I consider and weigh the great goodnesse and gracious bountie of the liuing Lord as also his righteousnes in performing his promises which among others are that he will pardon the sinnes of the penitent and direct the way
honors and reputations among men which all are vaine We sée after what sort men comfort themselues namely by forgetting God For it séemeth to them to be a melancholy matter to think vpon him And in sooth how many are there that wil say stoutly enough We are good Christians and yet notwithstanding when they entend to be merrie they driue away all thought of God and eternal life and not onely so but also offend God of set purpose After what maner They cannot be merry dut in doing euil Seing then that the nature of men is such that wée be attainted with that disease let vs looke well to our selues and be sure that our mirth shall not be blessed from aboue except we be assured of the remissiō of our sins Therfore if we haue Gods fauour and pray to him therein consisteth true gladnes which is approued of God is eternal will bring vs to euerlasting saluation But so long as we know not in what case we are in with our God nor seeke to be reconciled to him but lie rowting still in our owne filthines the more we desire to be merry the more we kindle Gods vēgeance against vs the more we encrease still the fire of his wrath we plunge our selues the déeper into his bottomles pittes We see then that it is more thē néedfull that it should be shewed vs how much it standeth vs in hand to be well assured of Gods mercifulnesse towards vs. And that also is the cause why the holy Scripture when it treateth of giuing ioy and comfort to vs doth alwaies set before vs the fauour of God Isa 49.13 Reioyce O heauens and be ioyful O earth brast forth into praise O moūtaines for God hath comforted his people and will haue mercy vpon his afflicted Isa 44.23 Reioyce ye heauens for the Lord hath done it showte yee lower parts of the earth brast forth into praises ye mountaines O forest euery tree therein for the Lord hath redeemed Iaakob and wil be glorified in Israel Isa 52.1 Arise arise put on thy strength O Sion put on the garments of thy beauty O Ierusalem the holy one for hēceforth there shall no more come into thee the vncircūcised the vncleane Isa 60.1.2 3. c. thoroughout Luc. 2.10 11. to the end of the Chapt. Zach. 9.9 Reioice greatly O daughter Siō showt for ioy O daughter Ierusalem behold thy King cōmeth to thee he is iust and saueth himselfe poore and riding on an Asse and vpon a colt the foale of an Asse Hereby we are taught that we must néeds be in trouble vnquietnes so long as we know not whether we be in Gods fauour True it is that the wicked will séeke meanes enough to make thēselues merry they ruffle it out you sée in despising God but howsoeuer the world goe with them yet he sendeth them such prickings and torments of mindes so as they be grieuously distressed and if they daūce it is as Moses saith namely that yet neuertheles sinne lieth at the doore that is tormenteth their consciences there waiteth for them like a dogge that waiteth for his master Yée sée then that the wicked may ruffle it out but yet can they not goe out of their doores without gnawing of their consciences and GOD must still hold them at that bay Therefore so much the more ought wee to thinke vpon this doctrine that we turne not our backe vnto God nor burie our sinnes when wée would haue peace but that wée alwaies haue some promise of GOD to comfort vs. And when wée sée that GOD allureth vs to saluation let vs be glad thereof for then shall our gladnesse be blessed And if wée haue the taste that GOD is our louing Father it will swéeten yea it will sanctifie all our ioyes but without it wée must néeds quayle and there is no other meanes for vs truely and in deed to reioice Marke this Also let vs consider that the onely grace of God ought to suffice vs although we haue neuer so many sorrowes mixt with it according as God will exercise vs. For he in this our fraile life will not send vs full ioy so as we may laugh with open mouth as they say yet not withstanding it behoueth vs to reioyce in this certainty that we haue him to our good and louing father and that we shal find mercy with him Then if we haue this grace to call vpon God and can assure our selues that the gate is open to vs and that we in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ shall haue accesse vnto him I say if wée can haue that boldnesse not through our owne rashnesse but that he hath vouchsafed to open his holy mouth to witnesse his loue to vs which thing he doth when to vs his holy Gospell is preached then notwithstanding that many and infinite were our temptations and afflictions yet he will comfort vs and she we himselfe as a kind comfortable and louing father vnto vs. Psal 25.10 All the pathes of the Lord are mercy and truth vnto such as keepe his couenaunt and his testimonies The 2. part of the 4. Sermon The sence is THe faithfull the children of GOD which onely kéepe his couenaunt and testimonies shall surely taste and féele in this life and in that to come both his eternall and swéete mercy and his perpetuall and constant truth of his promises Doct. 1 1. Doct. They onely which remaine in and obserue the couenants and testimonies of God shal taste and féele that all the pathes of the Lord are mercy and truth to them The Reason is God hath so promised Psal 50.23 To him that disposeth his way will I shew the saluation of God Vse The Vse is That we neuer can assure our selues of Gods mercie and his promises of fauour except we endeuour to kéepe his couenant and testimonies which his law containeth consisting of two tables The first concerning our dutie towards GOD immediately which I haue oftentimes heretofore handled and the second concerning our neighbours And that I may the better comfort you with assuraunce of Gods mercy and truth which GOD graunteth to none but to them that leade a godly and charitable life and that except you doe good workes you cannot assure your selues of Gods mercy I purpose the rather to insist vpon this necessarie vse of the doctrine that I might thereby exhort you to good workes that you may féele the fauour and goodnesse of GOD thereby towards you Our Sauiour Christ in the 25. of S. Math setteth down a Catalogue of good workes among which hee accompteth To féede the hungrie To giue drinke to the thirstie To cloth the naked To visite the sicke and prisoners To lodge the barbourlesse Gen. 18.1 2 3. To entertaine straungers and waifaring men not the least This did good Abraham wel vnderstand and practise who sate in his tent doore in the heate of the day of purpose to inuite and call in straungers and wayfaring
mercy I am excluded from being in the number of them that kéeping thy couenant and Testimonies receaue thy great mercies and true promises Therefore O Lord séeing I see how farre I am from kéeping the same by heaping vp daily howrely so many and greeuous sinnes I humbly euen for thy glorious name and not for my deserts sake beséech thée to pardon and forgiue them all so shall all thy pathes be mercy and truth to mée Doct. 1 1. Doctrine Whosoeuer desireth that all thinges that the Lord doth to his Church procéeding of his mercy and truth should turne to his good that hée may be not onely a member of it but also with it to be partaker of his mercies must feruently zealously and earnestly pray vnto God that for his names sake he would vouchsafe to pardon him al his sinnes The 1. Reason is Except our sinnes be pardoned which without our prayer to GOD shall neuer bée all that the Lord doth to vs shall euen our meate drinke hearing the holy worde receiuing the holy Sacramentes temptations afflictions prosperities and what else soeuer wée receyue from his hand redound from him not of his mercie and so hée a blessing but from his wrath and so bée a curse against vs. Vse The vse thereof is First let vs striue against that temptation which perswadeth vs to cease praying to God for remission of our sinnes Sathan our aduersary tempteth vs on the right hand and on the left that is by aduersity and prosperity By aduersity to distrust in God as he tēpted our Sauiour when he was hungry to diffidence and distrust in the prouidence of God when he perceiued that by aduersity he could not preuaile to ouercome him he tempteth him by his confidence Math. 4. Luk. 4. That séeing he trusted in Gods protection that therefore if hée cast himselfe downe from the pinacle of the Temple he should be protected of the Lord by the ministery of his holy Angels Lo we sée that by his confidence he would haue him to tempt God Euen so he tempteth vs if he perceiue that we haue no faith he will perswade not to pray for it if he sée that we are perswaded that the Lord loueth vs he will perswade vs that we need not pray to him for that which we already haue for although we are in our consciences to the great comfort thereof in all afflictions perswaded that the Lord loueth vs yet notwithstanding we must continually pray to his maiesty for the fame and the forgiuenes of our sinnes els we kéepe not his testimonies so by consequence it is but a vaine perswasiō that we haue that God fauoureth vs which may proceede from an opinion thereof onely which the infidels may haue but as for a true faith they onely that haue the Spirite of Praier and exercise the same haue it and so by consequence they onely shall receyue remission of their sinnes Let vs therefore resist this temptation Let vs vse this holy exercise for thereby we both encrease in godlines and all things that the Lord doth to vs euen temptations and afflictions shall redound to our good and from the Lords mercie Text. For thy names sake be mercifull to my sinnes Doct. 2 2. Doct. We must be perswaded that God when he forgiueth sinnes doth for his owne sake not for any other cause whatsoeuer pardō the same The reason is He is good and gracious of himselfe Vse The vse is That we acknowledge that there is none other name giuen vnder heauen whereby we are saued that our sinnes are forgiuen vs without the which there is no saluation but onely the name of our Lord Iesus none other meanes none abilitie power aucthoritie in any neyther in man or Angel but in the Lord onely * Similit Euen as an horseman holding the reynes of his horse guideth him as he wil euē so the Lord holdeth vs to guide vs at his pleasure either not to pardō or to forgiue vs our sins Act. 10. God holdeth the reynes in his handes to guide men at his pleasure and if it please him to punish our sinnes we haue nothing to reply why he should not condemne vs and if it please him of his great mercy wholy to pardon vs who shall resist him who shall let him to shew vs fauour True it is that this is strange to mans vnderstanding at the first sight For seing that God accepteth not the persons of men we aske wherefore he forgiueth some forgiueth not othersome wherfore tolerateth he the wicked seing him so disorderly Then may we trouble our heads to be curious to know wherefore doth the lord so deale But what cōclusiō must we make Euē only to refer al things to his wisdome purpose knowing that it is not in vs to rule him we cānot cōprehend those thinges that are aboue our reach And if it please God to forgiue vs let vs vnderstand that it is not for our deserts but of his frée mercy through Iesus Christ onely And this must bee well marked because the matter that I haue already spoken of comming naturally into mens imaginations hath béene the cause that false wicked doctrines haue ouerflowed in Christendome Psal 25.12 What man is hee that feareth the Lord Him wil he teach the way that he shall chuse The 2. part of the fifth Sermon 12. What man c. The sence is ALthough we know not of our selues what is right acceptable and pleasant to the Almightie what we might to Gods approuing and our owne profiting elect and chuse so that we feare the Lord in suffering our selues to be directed by him to a godly life wee shall alwayes find him a sure and holy guide vnto vs. Doct. 1 1. Doct. Whoso doth feare the Lord shall by his holy Spirite be directed how to frame his life The reason is Iob 1.1 Iob by fearing God is said to eschue euill was an vpright man and a iust man Vse The vse is That wee pray feruently vnto the Lord our God to giue vs his holy Spirite that wee thereby may lead our liues in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the daies of our life Luke 1. The feare of GOD is not a slauish feare Rom. 8. but filiall yea it is a reuerence and an honor which wee owe and performe vnto the Lord our God séeing he is our good and gracious God mercifull master and louing father Haue wée then the feare of God before our eyes Then without all doubt all other things we estéeme not in comparisō of doing him homage seruice and honor then we will wholly addict our selues to his seruice It also comprehendeth the knowledge of our good God Do wee know him Then we do it in such maner as hee hath vttered made himselfe to be knowen not otherwise that is that he is our maker our maintainer and one that hath shewed such fatherly goodnesse towards vs that wee of dutie
yet he will not heare them Solutiō The Solution is very easie if wee waigh wel what is said in the Psal 145.18 The Lord is neere to all that call vpon him yea to al that call vpō him in truth There the Prophet sheweth that many seeke God howbeit fainedly By reason whereof wee be conuinced that there is none other meanes to rid vs of our miseries but onely that God should take vs to his mercy and be pitiful vnto vs. The very infidels call vpon him without regard of him notwithstāding that they scorne at religion and at all things that are spoken to vs in the sacred Scriptures concerning Gods prouidēce his mercy and grace which wee must looke for at his hands Therefore if they be pinched with aduersity they cry Alas my God And what compelleth them thereunto Euen their mother wit So the hypocrites and despisers of God may haue some forme or likenes of praying not onely to speake but to speake properly they cānot pray in déed for they are destitute of the Spirite therof frō their teeth outward whiles their minds are otherwise busied but oftentimes as men may perceyue euen with some harty affection for they are forced thereunto but yet is it not in truth For they haue not the knowledge to say My God calleth and allureth mée vnto him I shall not therefore lose my labour in comming to him Seing it is his good pleasure to reckon and accompt mee in the number of his deerly beloued children I will go to him not on a foolish rashnes and presumption but with obedience vnto the voice of my GOD trusting to his promise The hypocrites cannot speake this language therefore they haue no truth in them For they must haue faith and faith dependeth on the promises of God which the wicked haue not yea neuer tasted of Againe wee must haue a féeling of our miseries so that when we approch vnto God we must be abashed of our selues we must be sory for our sinnes we must hate our selues and wee must acknowledge our selues to be excéeding miserable But the wicked and hypocrites haue none of all these Although then their mouths are open to call vpon God yet do they but blaspheme and vnhallow his holy name because their mindes are not sound and vpright Herba solaris A similitude Heliotropium the herbe of the Sunne so called because it windeth it self about with the Sunne in the morning very early it doth as it were behold the rising therof and all the day it followeth the course of the Sunne euer turning the leaues towards the same but the roote it neuer chaungeth stirreth nor mooueth but hath that stil fast fixed in the earth Euen so many will turne vp their eyes and handes to the sonne of righteousnes but it is onely in ceremonie and outward gestures for their rootes their hearts are farre and fast within the earth how can they then bée lifted vp to heauen where in déede their treasure is according to the words of our sauiour Christ Math. 6. Where your treasure is there will your hearts be also Such men will lift vp their handes eyes and voices towardes heauen to GOD and with such goodly gréene leaues will make a faire florish and beautifull shewe but their hearts and affections are surely sette vpon earthly vaine vile and transitorie thinges and are as farre from GOD as heauen and earth are distant the one from the other How then can they possibly in faith cal vpon the Lord that theyr prayers should bee heard And therefore they fulfill the saying of the Prophet Esay chap. 29.13 This people draweth neere to mee with their lippes but their heartes are farre from mee So then lette vs marke well that when God saith that hee will heare the prayers of all them that call vpon him hee meaneth that their prayers must procéede from faith and wée must bethinke our selues well beforehand of his promises thereby to bée encouraged to come vnto him yet wée must also acknowledge our selues to be as we surely are of our selues forlorne damnable and destitute of all goodnes and this we must be throughly perswaded of to the end that wée may resort to the fountaine of his goodnes and grace Now we sée there is no cause why we should thinke it strāge that God putteth hypocrits wicked men back whē they come to him For they come not with a willing mind nor a pure affection but they would willingly shunne and auoid his hand if it were possible Howbeit seing that they by no means possible that they can deuise can shift themselues from him they come to him by compulsion A similitude For euen as a theefe a murtherer or any other great malefactor being shut vp in prison would not willingly appeare before the Iudge but would wish in his heart that rather there were none at all but seing they are and must bee full sore against their willes that sinne might be punished and vertue rewarded they then humbly entreat him to shew mercie to them Euen so the wicked and hypocrites wish in their heart there were no God but seing he is and wil be they repayre to him not as being perswaded of him as of a louing and mercifull father but as a seuere Iudge but what profiteth that Therefore when we pray vnto God let vs offer vnto him free harted sacrifices let vs haue accesse to him with willing mindes assuring our selues that without him we are destitute of al things we want of all that appertaine to our good Moreouer let vs not doubt of his fauour towards vs seing hée hath promised it vnto vs but let vs alwaies beleeue that he is ready to receiue vs and wil not be deafe to our desires when we come to craue them at his hands True it is that God euery minute sheweth his goodnes towards vs and although wée presently perceiue it not yet doth he preserue vs from the miseries that hang ouer our head and putteth his louing hand betwéene vs and them So then wée cannot but be experienced of his grace in the time of prosperity know that wée are maintayned by the same but yet haue wée not so certaine and manifest experience of his fauour and helpe in prosperity as in aduersity For whensoeuer misery pincheth vs and death threateneth vs wée can discerne that we are wretched forlorne creatures if God should not step before vs to rescue vs. And to speake the truth more largely How great and grieuous were the sorrowes troubles anguish and griefe of our soules if wée had not this swéete consideration Yée sée then an euident Demonstration that God hath had and now hath mercy and compassion vpon vs. We sée therefore that affliction is that wherein God chiefly sheweth himself to be our sauiour Here we sée wherefore God saith in the Psalm 50.15 Call vpon mee in the day of thy trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie mee But shall we therefore inferre