is our Iudge and acquiteth vs and Christ was condemned and iustifieth vs he is our iudge that willeth not the death of a sinner he is our man of law who to excuse vs suffered himselfe to be accused for vs. O gluttonous hell where is thy defence O cruell sin where is thy tyrannous power O rauening death where is thy bloodie sting O roring lion why doest thou fret and fume Christ my Law fighteth against thee O law is my libertie Christ fighteth against thee O sin and is my righteousnes Christ fighteth against thee O diuel is my Sauiour Christ fighteth against thee O death and is my life Thou didst desire to paue my way to the burning lake of the damned but contrarie to thy will thou art constrained to lift vp the ladder wherby I must ascend into the new Ierusalem Wherefore if we shall finde our selues forsaken of God so as we perceiue nothing but matter of despaire let vs still hold our owne in the certaintie of our faith stay our selues sith Christ is giuen vs of God that he might extinguish sin triumph ouer the law vāquish death ouercom the diuel destroy hel for our only comfort and consolation But peraduenture some will say my faith is weake and cold and my conscience is as a flaming lampe and burning fornace I feare the Lord will still pursue me with his wrathfull indignation Thou doest well to feare but feare and sinne not For feare which subdueth the securitie of the flesh is in all most requisite in that the weaker we are in our selues the stronger we are in God But that feare is dangerous which hindreth the certaintie of faith in that it incourageth our enemie more fiercely to set vpō vs when we comming into the campe wil cast away our armour especially which should defend vs. Comfort thy selfe the Lord will not quench the smoking flaxe nor breake the bruised reede he looketh not on the quātitie but on the quality of our faith For as a good mother doth not reiect her childe because through some infirmitie it is weake feeble and not able to goe alone but rather doth pitie and supporte it least peraduenture it should fall and recompenseth that with motherly affection which in her childe is wanting by occasion in like manner the Lord God our most gracious father doth not cast vs off because through our imperfections we are vnable or afraid to draw neerer to the throne of grace but rather pitieth vs and seeing vs a farre off desirous to come vnto him meeteth vs by the way and by grace and strength of his owne hand directeth our steppes vnto his kingdome And as he which freely purposeth to giue a wedge of gold will not withdrawe his gift because the hand of him that should receiue it is weake troubled with the gout palsey or leprosie so that by any meanes though in great weakenes he be able to hold it euen so the Lord purposing in free mercie to bestow on vs an immortall weight of glory will not depriue vs of it though many filthy blemishes haue polluted and weakened our faith so that in any small measure we be able to take hold of his promises neither are we to looke for the perfection of faith because we neuer beleeue as we ought but rather on that which the Gospell offereth and giueth and on Gods mercie and peace in Christ in whose lap if we can lay our heads with Saint Iohn then we are in felicitie securitie and perfect quietnes Contrariwise there be some who notwithstanding that a tormented conscience is a stinging Serpent that it were much better that all the creatures rose vp against vs euery one bringing their bane then once to come before the dreadfull face of God are so blockish that they are wholy resolued into hardnes If they be pricked with sicknes they crie alas if they be pinched with pouertie they can complaine but as for the torment of minde they cannot skill of it And euen to talke of a brused contrite and broken heart is a strange language For proofe whereof our cōsciences are rocked asleepe so that not one amongst a thousand knoweth what it is to be pressed and harrowed with the rake of Gods iudgemēts But blessed are they that to their owne saluation feele this in their bodies whilest sinne may be both punished and purged For though God spare vs for a time yet we know what he keepeth for our ende Wherefore it is the best for vs to runne to the Lord in this life with a troubled minde least we tarrie till the Lord haue locked vs vp with the heauie fetters of desperation when he shall summon vs to the barre of his iudgement in the sight of his Angels and impanelling the great inquest of his Saints against vs shall denounce our fearefull and finall sentence of eternall condemnation for we see many that haue beene carelesse haue made good cheare all their life long yea and when men haue laboured to make them feele the iudgement of God they haue turned all to mockery but their iolity the Lord hath so abated when they draw towards death that in stead of resting sporting whereunto they had been giuen they haue felt the terror of death hell and damnation and lapping vp their ioyes in finall desperation haue forced out cursings against their filthie pleasures Wherefore if we in the tempest of our temptations will saile a right course neither shrinking nor slipping into the gulfe of desperation neither battering our barke against the rocke of presumption let vs in a contrite spirit crie vnto the Lord Haue mercie vpon me heale my soule for I haue sinned against thee forgiue all mine iniquities and heale all mine infirmities Thou healest those that are broken in heart and bindest vp their soares why art thou cast downe my soule and why art thou disquieted within me waite on God for I will yet giue him thankes he is my present helpe and my God Yet my soule keepe thou silence before God of him commeth my saluation he is my strength therefore I shall not much be moued His mightines is enough to giue me courage yea and shall be euen when I am forlorne I know that the diminishing of my body goods friends or any other thing is a calling of me to that which neuer shall diminish nor decay I beleeue that my Lord and my God allureth me daily thither that I might not doubt that when my body is laid in the graue and there consumed as it were to nothing yet notwithstanding my soule resting in the bosome of the Lord shall returne vnto me and shall rise to glory euen as it resting in this life in the mercies of Christ did rise to grace verily I see that with ioy that my flesh must goe to decay for looke what freshnes soeuer was in it it diminished day by day And I neede not goe farre to seeke for death for I feele not
of such as professe godlinesse And so in all euils beware of secret and colourable occasions of euill wherein some make a shew of good being guiltie of great offences Patience 1 PAtience then possesseth the soule whensoeuer all our outward wants are supplied by patience 2 There are many who haue set a presse on their hearts and purposed to exempt themselues from all griefe others eate vp their hearts with griefe as the flesh of the body is eaten vp with a corrosiue and so make themselues dull stones rather than feeling members the meane is not to be too quiet as without all griefe nor to be vnquiet too much as being without a God Pitie 1 THey are not to be pitied in their griefe which sorrow not with some griefe for their sinnes Pouertie 1 WE often want outward things because we esteeme no more of inward graces 2 It is the policie of Sathan to lay before vs the great benefits which we want to cause vs to murmur for them and to disgrace the present benefits which we haue least we should be thankfull We must not desire to come out of the fire of affliction vntill the Lord thereby haue purified â—s as fine gold for his owne vse but still thinke that the continuing of the crosse is the continuing of scouring away of some corruption 3 The Lord oftentimes giueth his children no other riches but his promise made vnto them which they must wholy depend vpon vntill the Lord seeing them readie for the thing in the testament hequeathed vnto them shall in wisedome giue them their legacies 3 The Lord will haue vs to begin with good things though our beginning be small the diuell contrary In euill things God would haue vs feare the very first beginnings the diuell contrary Preaching 1 IT is to be feared that by reason of our long peace and ease mens teaching will become glassie bright and brittle for that preaching is alreadie growne so cold and so humane that the simple preaching of Christ doth greatly decay that the great peace quietnes which men haue in themselues shall destroy the power of godlines out of them 2 If wee preach things whereof wee are not fully perswaded or if we be perswaded of them yet if they be not sound according to truth they will trouble our consciences afterwards 3 He obserued that many would receiue the word of God publikely preached with reuerence and being priuately spoken they made no such account of it wherein men shewed themselues not to respect the preacher of God and his word but some other thing And that some men which was a foule sinne and worthie publike reprehension would heare a man willingly in the Church and gainsay his doctrine at home Wherein they bewraied rather that they heard for solemnitie of place more then for any deuotion 4 In denouncing the iudgements of God either priuatly to one or publikely to more the Ministers of Christ still ought earnestly and inwardly to be moued to pray that that euill which the Lord foreshewed them by the word to fall on such sinners might be turned away so farre must they be from speaking in wrath 5 Some Preachers doe much inueigh against the body crying out that it is the enemy of the soule when notwithstanding we are rather to nourish the body as the friend of the soule for the exercise of repentance and mortification and sanctification and on the contrarie the soule is the enemie to the body in vsing it to sinne for that there is neuer any corrupt action in the body but there hath been first a corrupt motion and sinful affection in the soule 6 He was alwaies desirous to be in the place of publike reading praying and preaching euen of conscience to Gods ordinance were the Preachers neuer so meane For if he spake of iudgement he either increased as he said or confirmed his knowledge If the speaker had great wants euen these wants did humble him and made him to meditate inwardly of that truth whereof the Preacher failed in so much that sometimes hearing the wants and then meditating of the truth he could as well be enabled to preach againe of that text as if he had read some Commentarie Prayer 1 WE cannot be drie in the graces of God so long as we resort to Christ by feruent prayer 2 If you will aske any blessing at Gods hands begin with crauing his fauour Psal. 4. If you would auoid any crosse begin first with repenting and crauing pardon for thy sinne Psal. 32. 3 He in all things would aske counsell of God by his word and prayer thinking he could neuer well doe good to others vnlesse he had also first done well to his owne soule And hee obserued that taking in hand things more suddenly hee either was crossed in the doing of them or if he had any present fruite yet hee saw it was not an abiding and remaining fruite 4 It is good to vse euery night as soone as wee awake some exercise of prayer or meditation and to preuent the morning and euening watch in thinking on the Word 5 Hee compounded with himselfe three times a day to pray for those things which he preached vsing also daily three portions of Psalm 119. 6 They pray not altogether of fashion who see their infirmitie in praying and are grieued for it And they that indeed doe pray onely of fashion doe not see it and this imperfection doth not so much displease the Lorde as the griefe in vs for our imperfection doth please him And though it come to passe that God doe crosse a vehement prayer and doth graunt our prayer when wee pray coldlie it is not either to make vs to surcease from zeale or to slip to coldnes in prayer for that is the way either to heresie or prophanenesse but to teach vs that wee must not on the one side trust too much to the meanes as though wee would tye God to our praying and to encourage vs on the other side to vse prayer when seeing the Lord hath heard vs praying faintly he will surely heare vs when we pray feruently 7 Sometimes in a good action vsing good meanes with an vpright heart to a lawfull ende if our prayers be vnfruitfull and our labours want successe then let vs remember that in all these there were secret imperfections and that the Lords deferring is that wee being better prepared by humilitie to be thankfull he may graunt our requests in richer manner and measure 8 When one said to him after long conference and prayer Sir I haue troubled you Oh my brother not so said hee I neuer felt ill by well-doing and if I may pleasure you it is as ioyfull to mee as any thing can bee for for this cause I liue Praise 1 VNto one that with many words disabled himselfe he said meekly O why do you so much seeke your owne praise for it bewrayeth a
saluation and of an vpright heart 8. Necessarie rules for the profitable reading of holy Scriptures 9. A treatise of the Resurrection 10. A treatise of Examination both before and after the Lords Supper 11. A treatise of Gods feare 12. A treatise of hypocrisie 13. A treatise of Anger 14. A treatise of blessednes 15. A treatise of Fasting 16. A treatise of sending the holy Ghost 17. A short treatise of Prayer vpon the wordes of the Prophet Ioel chapt 2. vers 32. alleadged by Saint Peter Acts 2. vers 21. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL SIR DRV DRVRIE KNIGHT GENTLE-MAN-VSHER OF HER MAIESTIES PRIVIE CHAMBER AND MAISTER THOMAS FANSHAW Esquire the Queenes Remembrancer in her Highnesse Court of Exchequer H. H. wisheth the increase of all mercies and comforts in Iesus Christ for euer SOme of these Treatises Right Worshipfull serue well to teach vs both the daunger and the cure of the greatest wound a man can haue on earth the rest differ in argument yet haue one generall scope as namely the building of Gods people in the faith and obedience of Christ. Herein first I request your worships patience to take some view of a short representation of the whole booke by speciall branches couching the authors owne very words and matter in this compendious forme following The first treatise is of a wounded spirit wherein this faithfull seruant of Christ teacheth vs 1. How great an euill the wound of the spirit is for that the very Pagans and Papists can beare great afflictions till their spirits be wounded but if their minds be deiected they will dispâ—tch themselues with any violent death and the faithfull also cast downe with Gods arrowes and sight of their sinnes and the feeling of Gods hand vpon their mindes Iob Dauid Ezekiah Ieremiah mourned heauily for the wound of the spirit 2. What comfort the true peace of conscience carries with it able to free vs from all discomforts of this life and contrarily how the minde appalled no blessing can long cheere vs in this present life 3. How mad they be which by violent death seeke to end their afflictions of minde for that this is the onely way to increase their torments for if their burthen be great here it is intollerable in hell 4. How most men seeme actiue painfull and prudent to preuent and foresee other troubles and euils but few regard with any care aâ— all to preuent the troubles of minde How many trauell with great skill for riches and honour c. but few take any paines for the precious treasure of the peace of a good conscience 5. Preseruatiues against afflictions of minde are the searching of our sinnes past and present great and small and the examination of our faith 6. In examination for sinne we may not content our selues to haue left them We must also heartily sorrow for them euen the sinnes of our youth for if we doe not truly repent vs of them they may againe rebound vpon vs saith he after many yeeres to the great affliction and tormenting of our minds 7. Examination of sinnes must be as well of sinnes committed after our calling as before for these sinnes of all other bite sorest and pearce deepest Couer them not but confesse them to God in time least thou be constrained to blaze them abroad to thine exceeding griefe and torment 8. After knowledge and light receiued from God note euer what sinnes sway most in thee by the often checks of thy conscience and so labour to auoide them being grieued for them which if thou doe not thou canst not escape either hardnes of heart or afflictions of minde 9. Sinnes of omission haue much distempered Gods good children the negligent vse of the meanes of saluation and for the not putting of their gifts in practise many haue beene whipoed afterwards in their naked consciences and the Lord hath euen pearced them in their secret bowels 10. Some are troubled for their priuate pride and this is a good preparatiue to receiue Christ Some for doing more in shew than in truth abusing their knowledge in that they make it but a maske to iuggle in and for that they make but theâ—r affections to fight with their owne iudgement Some righteous men are troubled when they offend not for they are their owne greatest accusers for some secret corruptions in other matters so that there is nothing more difficult than to search our hearts to the bottome for sinnes past and present for priuie pride hidden wants and secret corruptions 11. That we must carefully auoide too scrupulous a feare as well as carnall securitie If the aiuell finde vs voide of all feare he thinkes his assaults must be stronger because our resistance is the weaker but if he finde in vs a cowardly feare and fainting of heart before we strike one stroke against him he will suddenly stab vs to the heart and make a spoile of vs. 12. If we see the godly afflicted in their consciences either before or in the issues of death we may not conclude therefore they are hypocrites or great sinners before God for that the Lord may as well make triall of their faith as take punishment of their sinnes as we see in Iob and others for saith he if such affliâ—tion come principally for sinne then the greatest sinners should haue the greatest afflections 13. When any shall come to the cure of soules afflicted they must not begin with words of compassion onely God is mercifull c. but first with a gentle searching of their sores labouring to draw out of them the confession of some speciall and secret sinnes 14. All griefes are either confused or distinct â—rising of knowne or vnknowne causes The spirituall Physition must wisely consider of the originall of the euill whether it be in soule or bodie or both for this cause he warneth that in this distemper the Physitions counsell be neuer seuered nor the godly ministers labour neglected 15. The persons ministring in this affliction must be men learned of sound iudgement wise and of good experience meeke and of most louing spirits I counsell thee saith he if thou canst not come to the particular sight of sinne iâ— and by thy selfe vse the helpe of such men vnto whom thou must offer freely thine heart to be gâ—ged anâ— searched and the whole course of thy life to be examined by the bright shining glasse of the law of God 16 A certaine cause or knowne sinne is either alreadie committed and not repented or a sinnâ— not committed but whereunto we be tempted If troubles come for some speciall sinne committed say thus Doth this one sinne so displease thee and deserue I thus to be punished and farre more grieuously for this one how great then should my punishment be if thou shouldest so deale with me for all my other sinnes If the heart be terrified with feare of the commission of sinne for temptations and motions vnto siâ—ne we are not so much to dispute with our motions as to
acknowledge it not hauing his word regard it not enioying his mercies inful measure wilfully resist them all If we so lie vnder sinne and fancie to our selues the Gospell and promises and mercie we deceiue our selues for as those that haue the fruites of the spirite haue no lawe written against them so they that haue not such fruites haue no Gospell written for them It is not the vniust man that shall liue by faith for hee lyeth vnder the law but the iust Gala. 3. Rom. 1. 17. Heb. 10. 38. Might not a man thinke you pen a Psalme of as many verses wherin the foote might run in this tenour For his Iustice endureth for euer as Dauid had done of his Mercie Psalme 136. The Lord will not part from any drop of his mercy to them which first haue not bin swallowed vp of his iudgements which haue not laboured and been heauie laden which haue not beene locked vp in hell for a season and felt for a time the fire thereof in their bones which haue not been baptized with the baptisme of their owne teares He that feeles not these things in some measure here elsewhere shall he feele them It is the iudgement of Abraham The diuels policie in youth in health in prosperitie is to sing vs songs of God his mercy but in age in sicknes in tribulation vpon thy death-bed he will make such reasons for his iustice as we shall neuer be able to answere Wherefore the Lord hath to make it more terrible in our eyes put vpon it the name of his most wrathfull indignation fierce and heauie displeasure It is not for vs as we do to put the remembrance of this farre from vs or to shift it lightly by turning ouer to a Psalme of mercy but to terrifie our owne soules with it and to cast our selues downe with the trembling consideration of his iudgements Of one example without a precept nothing is to be concluded and therefore in great wisedome that men at the last gaspe should not vtterly despaire the Lord hath left vs but one example of exceeding extraordinary mercy by sauing the theefe on the crosse by faith onely yet the peruersnes of all our nature may be seene by this in that this one serueth vs to loosnes of life in hope of the like whereas we might better reason that is but one and that extraordinary and that besides this one there is not one moe in all the Bible and that for this one that sped a thousand thousands haue missed what folly is it to put our selues in a way where so many haue miscarried To put our selues in the hand of that Physition that hath murthered so many going cleane against our owne sense and reason whereas in other cases we alwaies leane to that which is most ordinary and conclude not the spring of one swallow It is as if a man should spur his asse till he speake because Balaams asse did once speake so grossely hath the diuell bewitched vs. And yet if we mark in that example which the diuell so oft tempteth vs with we shall see euen in that little time he liued sundry good works as many as in that time case would be required first prayer secondly confession thirdly glorifying of Christ fourthly humilitie remeÌ„ber me fifthly reprouing of his fellow sixtly acknowledging of his own deserts seuenthly patience And it is to be thought by these few that if he had liued he would not haue been behind any of the Saints The root being holy the braÌ„ches must needs be like vnto it My senteÌ„ce is that a man lying now at the point of death hauing the snares of death vpoÌ„ him in that streight of feare and paine may haue a sorrow for his life past but because the weaknes of flesh and the bitternes of death doth most commonly procure it we ought to suspect our selues if we neuer sorrow till then And therfore let vs store our selues with good things against the euill day come vpon vs for our life past for as that man which in his health and good successe hath been diligent to feare God and to do good feeles in his sicknes an vnspeakable comfort which he would not misse for all the world and a mighty boldnes to speake vnto God towards whom he knoweth he hath not beene vnkind doth not feare at all so that man which whiles the world prospered with him neuer thought of God nor regarded his word nor the preaching thereof when the visitation of the Lord is vpon him when God shall take his soule from him his case is most miserable feeling no comfort nor daring to speake to God whom he hath neglected And sorrow such a one neuer so much yet he doubteth and must needs doubt for that he knoweth not whether his remorse be of the loath somnes of sin or for the feare of death whether he be humbled before the Lord or before sicknes It is good policie to print his iudgements first in our bowels and to diet our selues more sparingly with his mercies least making vp our sins in the remembrance of his mercies they breake forth flame to our confusion in body soule euerlastingly Eccles. 12. Psal. 73. Heb. 12. Rom. 11. Thy iudgements are as the great deeps Then to feare God when he sheweth mercy and to loue him when he executeth iudgements are two hard things yet necessarie Howsoeuer God doth now forbeare he will not doe so alwaies but he will set him downe in his iudgement seate and throne of iustice and our chiefe care must be how we may appeare without feare and trembling before him This is it that we must thinke of at midnight what we shall answere that dreadfull Iudge when he shall aske for our account Let vs set him before our eyes not as our fond braine is wont to imagine of him but as the Scriptures describe him When he will arise to commaund the Angell to blow his trumpe such a God as the Seraphins hide their faces at his glorie at whose presence the mountaines smoke and melt away whose wrath shall shake the foundations of the earth who ouertaketh the wise in their policie who wil not account the guiltie innocent at whose purenesse all our innocencie is as a stained cloth whose iustice the Angels themselues dare not call for whose iudgement when it is once kâ—â—dled burneth to the bottome of hell Let this God take his place let him trie our hearts and examine our thoughts let him call for the account and take his reckoning let vs thinke how we shall stand before him quietly with peace of conscience who is it that can doe it Esa. 33. 4. let him of vs come forth Alas none shall dare to doe it If the Lord in his owne person should appeare vnto vs without Christ a redeemer we should flie from him with horrour and feare and neuer be able to stand in his sight 2 He that searcheth
life and labours in the Church of God yet had I rather be noted of some for want of skill than of any for want of loue and affection to so louing a father I haue knowne his life for many yeeres and reioyce in heart to haue knowne it for that most rare graces of Gods spirit did shine in him all tempered as with faith vnfained vnto Christ so with bowels of compassion and loue towards men In his holy Ministerie hee was euer carefull to auoide all occasions of offence desiring in all things to approoue himselfe as the Minister of Christ he much reicoyced and praised God for the happie gouernment of our most gratious Queene ELIZABETH and for this blessed calme and peace of Gods Church and people vnder it and spake often of it both publikely and priuatly as he was occasioned and stirred vp the hearts of all men what he could to pray and to praise God with him for it continually yea this matter so affected him that the day before his departure out of this life his thoughts were much troubled for that men were so vnthankfull for that strange and happie deliuerance of our most gratious Queene from the dangerous conspiracies and practises of that time He was the speciall instrument and hand of God to bring many both godly and learned to the holy seruice of Christ in his Ministerie and to restraine and to reduce not a few from schisme and error striuing alwaies to retaine such in obedience of lawes and pretiouslie to esteeme and regard the peace of the Church and people of God When God had translated this Elias from vs then I sought to finde him in his workes for they doe liuely expresse the picture of his minde and heart and taste sweetly of that pure fountaine of God from whence they were deriued While he liued his lips often refreshed my soule when he was gone I lamented much that I had not in Christianitie made that vse of him that a Heathen doth of a naturall wise man in humanitie But now I praise God I haue found some good supplie of that which through mine owne neglâ—gence I wanted for of his workes which were then dispersed farre and neere but now by Gods prouidence the greatest and best part are come into my hands I can say for my content as much as Cyprian could say of his graue ancient and learned Tertullian both for speciall instruction and consolation He was no sooner gone from vs but some respecting gaine and not regarding godlinesse attempted forthwith to publish some fragments of his workes to the griefe that I say no more of many louing friends which haue long desired and expected the impression of all his workes And here could I wish all the godly learned were of M. Francis Iunius iudgement for hee to escape these hucksters handling endeuours wisely in his life time to preuent such a mischiefe For this cause M. D. Crooke a reuerend man for his learning and labour in the Church well deseruing of Gods people for the great loue hee bare him and desiring the good of many pervsed and corrected some part of these workes intending to reuiew the whole Now the Lord hath taken him also from vs and giuen him rest I haue endeuoured what I could to looke ouer the rest of all these workes and here I offer and recommend them to the Church of God in the best manner that I can after some labour and wearines I wanted not the helpe of diuers both godly and learned friends we haue conferred sundrie copies together and by good conference reuised and corrected all The Treatise of Counsels I found most distracted and corrupted Of many hundreds I selected these few and haue reduced them into this alphabeticall order desiring so to dispose them as that euery counsell might be set vnder one speciall head or argument whereunto it seemed to haue most reference As for example all of affections I couched vnder that title AFFECTIONS and all of afflictions vnder that title and so of the rest Of these Counsels I may anouch Christian Reader that thou shalt finde more experienced knowledge and more sound refreshing for thy soule in some one of them than in some one whole Sermon full of humane eloquence and affectation of stile which so many nice eares doe so much admire and yet still be learning and come but to a poore and meane taste and knowledge of the truth When this volume was finished and past the presse in reuiewing the whole for the correction of some verball faults I see and must confesse wee haue offended by our negligence not onely in the words but also in the matter yet so as I trust the louing and Christian readers will accept our endeuour without offence In the Counsels ye haue often this addition he thought this or he said that here I must request thee Christian reader not to iudge any such speeches to proceed from any pride or singularitie for that such obseruations as I suppose were collected and taken by others and not set downe by himselfe If his own hand had giuen these workes the last filing they might haue no doubt a farre more excellent forme and beautie But such were his trauels in his life time in preaching and comforting the afflicted that he could not possiblie leaue these workes as he desired In that one treatise of the Sabbath I found his owne hand with many corrections and yet not answering I am well assured his hearts desire There are foure yeeres past since I first purposed the collection and publishing of all these works Now thou hast good reader an impression of all which hitherto I haue collected in this forme thou seest that so by Gods good prouidence they may the better be reserued as a holy monument for posteritie Concerning which be aduertised againe good Christian that whereas some books serue well for the increase of knowledge in diuine mysteries in the causes and meanes of saluation yet thou must remember not to rest herein for many be rich in knowledge which be very poore and barren in obedience contented onely to looke on the end a farre off and thinking that when like Snailes they creepe in the way they be too forward and make too much haste to follow Christ. And againe whereas others labour much and to good purpose in books of controuersies against all the professed enemies of the Gospell this studie also hath not the like fruit in all sorts of people for howsoeuer some profit much this way the Church of God in the confutation of all the aduersaries of the Gospell yet in very many these bookes helpe little to godlines but rather fill the heads and hearts of men with a spirit of contradiction and contention as our common experience daily teacheth vs. This good seruant of Christ in all these workes doth not onely teach and informe the mind in sundry arguments handled in this volume concerning truth and error that so in iudgement wee might receiue
conceale a sinne in vs nor againe to mistrust him too much that will not willingly be admonished at the first For as a furious or a phreneticall braine can by no meanes away with him that shall lay any hands vpon him though it were for his profit so so long as we be in impatiencie we shall suffer no man to speake vnto vs though it be for our good but the lâ—thargie of our minde being cured we marueile at our former impatiencie and are ready to shew our selues thankful vnto him that would haue a care to draw vs out of such a sinne Regeneration 1 AS good natures doe not helpe of necessitie to regeneration so euill natures cannot hinder Gods purpose in calling if the meanes with his mercie and blessing be purely and painfully vsed Repentance 1 SAthan vnder the colour of repentance bringeth many into an extreame sadnes and strictnesse in vsing the creatures of God Again vnder pretence of Christian libertie and deliuering of men from extreame griefes he allureth them to an immoderate and an vnsanctified mirth and intemperate vse of the creatures of God so blinding iudgement he afterward corrupteth affection 2 One complaining vnto him for the not feeling of his corruption which did sometime enbolden him to sinne and to adde one sinne to another as to shuffle a little sinne vnder the pretence of a great sinne and to deferre the sorrowing of one sinne vntill the more generall accounting time when we should sorrow for more and many sinnes his temptation touching him on this manner Why fearest thou to commit this one sin and this little sinne which is as pardonable by repeÌ„tance as the former sinnes which are more in number and greater than this seeing thou maist repent for this sinne when thou repentâ—st for them all He made this answere In such a temptation because Sathan is very neere we are to tremble vnder the hand of God to feare our selues to striue in prayer and to mourne for the temptation whereby Satan would cause vs after not to dispute with it and we be to suspect our selues to be rather readie to adde sinne to sinne than to repent of any sinne howsoeuer Sathan would blind vs with a kind of repenting and we must stay vpon the power and helpe of God in Iesus Christ. Reproches 1 HE said although he was subiect to many and grieuous reproches yet two things did euer comfort him the one that his heart was well and not euill affected to any man secondly that going alone he could humble himselfe and pray to God that the authors of such reproches might be pardoned Riches 1 SOmetimes good outward gifts hurt the beholders when they hurt not the possessors as we may see in the beautie of Sara and Ioseph which thing ought to humble vs in the desire of outward things and to make vs thankfull for a mediocritie 2 It is a iust iudgement that earthly riches doe deceiue our hearts when heauenly riches doe not delight vs that the outward things should carrie vs away when heauenly things cannot so much preuaile with vs. Well howsoeuer gold or siluer goe here on earth for the greatest riches before men godlines is the greatest riches before God and Angels in heauen Sacraments 1 AS Isaaks intent being to blesse Esau hindered not the will of God in blessing of Iacob so the corrupt intent of the Minister doth not hinder the blessing of God in the Sacraments it being Gods owne ordinance 2 After one had asked his aduice for sitting or kneeling at the Lords table he said As for such things let vs labour what we may to doe as much as we can for the peaceof the Church Securitie 1 SEcuritie is a forerunner of some grosse sinne or of some great crosse 2 We must ouercome our vnwillingnes sluggishnes betimes in good things and preuent delayes at the first because it is certaine the longer we delay the worse 3 There is a great corruption in our natures which makes vs most dull when we haue most meanes This ariseth either because when we haue the publike meanes more plentifully we vse the priuate more sparingly or because we doe not so much esteeme of the meanes ordinarily administred as we doe when they are lesse familiar vnto vs or if the Lord seeing vs too immoderatly desire the place where we are denieth vs the benefits and fruites of the place to correct our desire or for that we promised to our selues too large a hope of freedome from many euils by the meanes of the word therefore it pleaseth the Lord to proue vnto vs that they are nothing vnto vs without the blessing of his holy spirit Or this may arise from the temptation of Sathan who because he would make vs discontent with our present estate and calling and to hunt after new therefore he sheweth vs all the inconueniences of the place present and hides all the profits and shewes vs all the profits of the place where we haue beene or shall be and hides all the inconueniences Or because when we were the best in a whole towne and saw nothing in others but corruption we pleased our selues and prouoked our selues more to good things and being among many good men we make not so much of our goodnes and grow something secure and trust too much in the goodnesse of the place persons Or in that we like of our selues well when we are teaching and instructing others and are more impatient of silence in our selues and to be instructed of others Or because we would still be getting praise by bringing out but we are loth to store vp treasures both new and old for time to come when as yet there is a time of both Or we more see this because the last complaint seemeth the greatest though indeed we haue suffered as euill euen as a man thinketh his sicknes present to be sorer than any sicknes past The onely remedie against this dulnes is continually by prayer and by vsing the meanes to striue against it Singing 1 HE wished all men that would sing that in singing they euer sing with affection and feeling or else haue a mourning in their hart that they cannot doe so Coloss. 3. 17. Ephes 5. Sinne. 1 Iâ— we goe on still in sinne God will goe on still in iudgement but if our hearts relent from sinne God will release his sentence of punishment 2 To a Courtier complaining of the occasions of euill he said Though you haue occasions of sinne offered yet the cause of sinne is still in your selfe 3 Because God worketh the sense of sinne by degrees in his children he suspected them who at euery sinne named would shew themselues forthwith troubled 4 Sinne is such a canker that it spreadeth secretly and there is such a chaine of sinnes that he that yeeldeth to one draweth on another grant a little one and a great
we be not too quiet in sinne that we please not our selues in a generall good and in a perswasion we haue heard enough but still let vs labour for the word for I dare say that all our power in prayer commeth from the word euen as the life that is in a tree is inuisible and yet by the fruites comming out in due season is discerned of all and as the life of a childe is a thing not seene but by mouing going and feeling is easily perceiued so the life of faith is a thing very secret and yet by the effects of it at one time or other is discerned of good men There may seeme to be workes and yet not faith and there may be faith and yet not workes by and by following Many men thinke the word now preached not to be the right word because few men are brought to the obedience of God by so long preaching of it But we must rather reason the contrarie this is a sure note it is the true word because it is so much refused and men are made the worse by abusing the word which as it would make them better and doth make better all that obey so it maketh worse all that doe not receiue it in loue that they may be saued 2. Thess. 2. 11. AN OTHER ADDITION OF AN HVNDRED GRAVE COVNSELS OR DIVINE APHORISMES IF you desire to heare the word with profit obserue these things before you goe to the Church humble your selfe in prayer to God that he may prepare your vnderstanding affection and memorie to receiue and that the Preacher may speake to your conscience after in hearing with some short prayer applie the seuerall threatnings promises and instructions to your owne estate when you are come home from hearing change all that you remember into prayer and desire God that you may remember it most when you should practise it and vse to teach others and to conferre of the things remembred it is a good way to remember a thing diligently to remember the reason of it 2 The cause why our meditations and prayers are no stronger in the night is because we ioyne not with meditation the examination of our hearts vpon our beds which if we did in some truth it would keep vs from drowsinesse want of reuerence in our prayers as well as worldly men are kept waking by thinking of worldly matters Here we are taught by Dauids example when we want the more solemne and glorious meanes in dignitie to make a supplie by often and sincere vsing of such priuate meanes as we can 3 It is better to offer a voluntarie and free sacrifice in respect of Gods mercie as doe the Angels than a violent and constrained obedience as doe the Diuels And this dareâ— say that though the fearefull pronouncing of the curse the wrath the iudgement of God be fearefull in the law yet the denouncing of our separation from Gods kingdome of the gnawing worme of the second death is farre more fearefull in the Gospell which by how much it is the more proper seate and treasurie of Gods mercies so when thundrings and lightnings doe proceede from thence they are the more piercing 4 Two notes to discerne good Christians from hypocrites First whether they complaine of their owne wants and corruptions Secondly whether they speake with griefe and compassion of the infirmities of others 5 To one that seemed scrupulous in wearing the Surplice and Cap and notwithstanding stood in neede of greater things he said As I will not for all the world aduise you â—o weare them so I would counsell you to be well grounded ere you leaue them least you shaking them off â—ather of light affection than of sound iudgement afterward take them againe to your great shame and the offence of others 6 The greater gifts we haue the flesh is the prouder and Sathan the readier to assault vs. 7 The Church is to feare and expect some notable affliction when long ease and prosperitie haue bred either superstition or prophanenesse 8 Thinke not with thy selfe if I were in such a place if I were in such a calling or if it were such a time if I had obtained such a thing or if such a trouble were past then I would serue God then I would take another course though the time were changed and these things changed yet if thy minde were not chaunged thou wouldest be of the same opinion still and though these lets were râ—moued yet the diuell would put more great impediments into thy minde to hinder thee still but redeeme the time present doe good while thou mayest serue God to day for who knowes whether thou shalt liue till to morrow God hath left to man the time past to repent of it and the time present to consider of it but the time to come hee hath wholly taken to himselfe to dispose of it Thou maist imagine the time to come but if thou hast beene deceiued in the time past art deceiued of the time present much more thou shalt be deceiued of the time to come Say not then I will doe such a thing and such a thing hereafter doe something now for art thou a Papist Hast thou free will If thou finde thy selfe vnfit now thou shalt find thy selfe more vnfit hereafter if there be manie occasions to hinder thee now there will bee moe occasions to hinder thee hereafter 9 The persons afflicted are either the reprobate or Gods elect the children of wrath or the children of God The afflictions of the reprobate are the punishments of their sinnes here they suffer some in hell they shall suffer all torments here for a time there for euer here a little there vnmeasurable Gods children are either his children onely by election and not by effectuall vocation or else such as are called in Christ. The affliction of Gods children not effectually called are the punishments of sinne God will haue them vnder the rigor of his iustice to make them meet to receiue the grace of his mercy Gods children not onely by election but also by effectuall vocation are of two sorts they are either such as are not sufficiently called which are more out of Christ then in Christ or else they are sufficiently called in whome Christ liueth Againe those that are not sufficiently in Christ which are more carnall than spirituall are of two sorts they are either babes in Christ in whome there hath bene no more working of the spirit or such as haue had a greater worke of God in them in whom the spirit is quenched those that are but babes in Christ and continuing babes still in whom there is but a little worke of God and great abundance of flesh their afflictions are the punishments of sinne because they will not bee gouerned by the rule of Gods spirite God will haue them ruled by the rodde of affliction
meaâ—es but if any at any time shall haue more â—ffectuall feelings by priuate conference let him not neglect the publike reading but with all holy humble thankfulnes yeeld this soueraigntie to the Lord that he is to dispose his gifts to whom by whom where and when it pleasetâ— him 40 We are neuer the further from temptation for misliking it but the neerer vnlesse as in â—udgement we mislike it so in affection we humble our selues in feare and prayer as knowing that in time it may inuade vs. 41 Though oâ—ten we speake of things lawfull yet we want wisedome in examining the tiâ—â—â— plâ—â—e â—â—â— persons when where and with whom wee talke and so Sathan laboureth to mâ—ke vs silâ—nt when wee might speake to Gods glorie For the auoyding of this tempâ—ation wee must speake when GOD giueth vs occasion beeing thankfull for the good moâ—ioâ—s of Gods spirite and humbled for our weakenesse wherby both our speeches are most sâ—ained and we faile in many circumstances Then doing it in singlenes of hearâ— onely for the loue of Gods word and of his glorie let vs wholly commit the succâ—ssâ— whâ—â—h depends not on vs though wee obserue all circumstances to the blessing of God in Iâ—sus Christ. 42 In the regeneration and dying of sinne we come as it were to the best head and triall of our hearts when wee come to those sinnes wherein either nature or custome doth breede delight 43 The meditation of death doth so far moue vs from suffering our delights to dwell on earthly things as reason disswadeth vs from making any cost about a tabernacle where we know we shall dwell but a while 44 Our corruption is like to the wantonnesse of children who will doe either as they list or â—lâ—â— leaue all vndone 45 Wâ—en we thinke that our chiefest care is to glorifie God wee indeed doe seeke our owne glorie 46 It is a gracious thing to vse all our members to Gods worship for that will comfort our coâ—science when we cannot vse them 47 If we â—â— notorious in sinne we shall be notorious in an euill name Many would be loâ—h to be â—â—â—â—ed wicked who can be contented to be wicked but Gods children had rather be good then accounted good as the couetous man c. 48 Maâ—ie oft times desire that which when they haue gotten their conscience is afraid to vse 49 Lord giue me thy grace to remember the bead-row of my sinnes to humble me in prayer Lord teach me the catalogue of thy mercies truely to make me thankfull 50 As God doth rather oftentimes by heaping his benefites then powring his plagues vpon vs shew vs our sinnes so we must rather by courteous dealing then seuere handling shew others how they haue offended vs. 51 Ordinarily when God most comforteth he most humbleth before 52 If God watch ouer vs when we sleepe in vnbeliefe much more he will doe it when we wake in faith 53 The sinne of the master of a familie bringeth sinne ouer the whole familie as wee see in Abâ—melech 54 Wee can marke what men are spared and so flatter our selues but we marke not how they repent least we should disquiet our selues 55 We must not denie mercie to others least God denie mercie to vs. 56 Many meddle and stirre much about a new Church gouernment which are sensles and barren in the doctrine of new birth but alaâ— what though a man know many things and yet know not himselfe to be a new creature in Iesus Christ It is often the policie of Sathan to make vs trauell in some good thing to come when more fitly wee might be occupied in good things present 57 As the creatures were made for man so were they punished for man 58 If mercie must pleade for mercie Maâ—th 5 then mercie cannot pleade for merit 59 It is a mercie to let vs see that by Temptation which wee might feele by wofull action 60 If wee be tempted let vs first examine it by prayer whether it be contrarie to the word if it be a sinne then it bringeth the curse if it bring a curse then must we tremble if wee tremble not let vs suspect that our nature liketh the temptation and let vs applie prayer if wee tremble in truth we will neuer doe the thing whereunto we are tempted 61 The Dâ—uell when he cannot at the first corrupt the action he will begin to corrupt the iudgement and the affection 62 When wee must of necessitie vse inferiour things wee must vse them as readie to want them 63 As the hiding of our sinne with Adam hindreth mercie so to confesse our sinne greater then it is with Câ—ine displeaseth God highly 64 Manie will seeke the kingdome of heauen but not the righteousnes thereof 65 A good thing if it bee let alone it will decay but if an euill thing be let alone it will increase 66 The Prophets hauing regard not what ought to be first in knowledge but first in practise respected not the perfection of order but the corruption of our nature 67 Familiaritie with sinners bringeth the punishment of â—â—ne If the wicked that are without the tuition of God and stand onely vpon his â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 and euery minute of an houre lye open to Gods curse and vengeance if they bee our companions then when they are punished doubtles wee shall not escape 68 Sinne may easily be conquered of vs when it is young wee may easily be conquered of it when it is olde 69 Wee must not so much reioyce for that we haue done as we must be carefull what to doe hereafter For manâ—e are called but few are chosen many begin gloriously which ende ignomiâ—iously 70 When wee deferre to haue that in affection which we haue in iudgement it is the iust iudgement of God to depriue â—â—â—â— that which we had in iudgement 71 When wee haue oftentimes qâ—â—ked at a sinne and afterward although wee like it not yet if we mislike it not with as great indignation as we were woont to do but by little and little wee can well away with it it is to be feared that by degrees wee will fall to that sinne ourselues 72 We must be proud against Sathan in Christ and humble to all men in Christ. 73 The neerer Heresie commeth to the likenesse of the Trueth the more daungerous it is 74 Hee that will dissemble with God in his life will dissemble with him in his death 75 Many will take vp the sword to defend Christs cause with Peter who with Peter will shrinke when persecution commeth 76 Wee shall sometime feele by experience a terror suddenly come vpon vs when we are alone or vehemently to strike vs in the night which is sent to humble vs the Physition will say it is a melancholy passion
his mercies are most wonderfull there if they bee contemned the iudgements of God ensue most feareful The serpent of all beasts the wisest abusing that wisedome became of all the cursedst Sodome the beautifull valley being puft vp with pride became the filthiest pit The church of the Iewes the valley of vision not vsing it dignitie was as a scattered wildernes Ierusalem is an heape of stones Sion as a thicket the Temple as a vast vessell The Church of Rome refusing Christ is become the seate of Antichrist The churches of Asia lost their candlesticke because light comming to them they loued darknes more than light 66 Vntill a man by feeling the sorrowes of sinnes determineth to arise goe to his father the word doth say he is not come to himselfe as Luk 15. in the lost child contrariwise when a man by feeling the sorrowes of sinne saith he will arise and goe to the father the world crieth with Festus he is besides himselfe too much learning hath made him mad So farre differ the iudgements of the word and of the world 67 As the Serpent was the first instrument of sinne â—o sinne retayneth still a qualitie of the Serpent For first it windeth round about vs as though it would imbrace vs but in the end it playeth the Serpent and with the tayle it doth sting vs. For the sorrowes which belong vnto sinne do not commonly accompanie the fact to be committed but the fault already committed and doggeth the conscience to sting it to death at the time of most aduantage for sinne taketh occasion by the law and deceiueth and therefore sâ—ayeth vs. And let not him thinke that findeth not a present controlement of conscience for euery sinne committed that therefore he hath not offended God for we are oâ—t suffered to haue the spirit of slumber for a while that the spirit of Christ Iesus might more perfitly awake vs. 68 God his children are to reioyce for the day of their Resurrection is their day of Redemption Their iudgement day was when Christ was iudged at what time all that are in Christ were iudged And as the wicked are now damned but then shall haue the sentence of damnation so now the godly are saued but then they shall haue the full testimonie of their saluation by Christ yea with Christ they shall be assistants in iudgâ—â—â—â—â— to condemne others so farre they shall be from comming into iudgement to be condemned 69 Bersillai hauing done a great benefit to Dauid the King could no◠〈◊〉 estimation how sufficiently to recompence it but referred him and his children to â—eat Salomons table Bersillai thought in himselfe this to be so great a recompence that he reâ—use 〈…〉 If it were both in Dauids estimation and in Bersillaieâ— opinion so great a 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 Salomons table how much more glorious a benefit is it to sit at Christ his table 〈…〉 Salomon but a greater than Salomon is present 70 It is our corruption that we are more grieued when we suffer as â—el-doers than when we suffer for euil-doing For this is the logicke of the world I am grieued that I am thus dealt with because I neuer deserued it had I done any thing worthy of punishment it would not haue grieued me though I had beene punished Thou speakest like a foolish man thou knowest not when to be grieued and when â—ot to be grieued For whether is it better to suffer when thy conscience is free and suffereth not or when with thy outward affliction thou art afflicted also of thine owne heart And is it not a glorious thing to suffer for well doing wherein thy cause of griefe is the lesse and an ignominious thing to suffer for euill doing wherein the cause of griefe is the more For if rather the cause of affliction than affliction itselfe should grieueâ— hee then affliction without cause of affliction being for God his cause should rather comfort thee 71 Companie is the best thing and worst thing in the world how much and how 〈◊〉 are men beholding to it it maketh and marreth whatsoeuer commeth neere it 〈◊〉 as wormes do easily breede in the softest wood so doth it commonly spoyle the best â—â—â—â—sition 72 When we haue any crosse it is hard lucke say we Well that luck as you call it and prouidence as I iudge it is often more worth vnto vs than all our substance And why so the reason seemeth simple and yet is most forcible for then we begin to be in necessitie That is as you thinke a cold comfort and I should hardly perswade you that this argument is good For if I shall say that if ye did beleeue ye should see this as sure as your life I know that you would smile at it Notwithstanding it is sure that the sense of our necessitie causeth vs to looke for a remedie the asking of it by prayer doth assure vs to obtaine because of the promise 73 Herein is a difference betweene children and bastards that originall sinne in the refused hath the roote as rottennes the branch as dust the bud as blasphemie the fruite as despaire in the elect being ouerturned with the power of affliction then ariseth in stead of it both the blossoms of rising from sinne and the sweete smelling fruite of conuersion vnto God 74 There is nothing so good but priuie pride will corrupt it nothing so euill but a lye will couer it For priuie pride cast the Angels from heauen exiled Adam out of Paradise ouerthrew the deerest of God his children when they were most full of the spirit and was the last but most fierie temptation wherewith our Sauiour Christ was assaulted It is seene of others before it is espied of our selues it commeth with greatest graces of God whereas other sinnes come with sinne it was the first sinne in God his childe and it will be last For euen when all sinnes seeme to bleede and all graces seeme to stand herein we can be proude that sinne is so dead and godlinesse so abundant in vs. 75 It is good still to attend vpon hearing the word although we feele not that inward ioy and working of God his Spirit which either we haue felt or desire to feele The preaching of the word is God his ordinance if it hath noâ— wrought heretofore though it worke not presently it may worke hereafter And because we know not who is the man what is the time where is the place which is the sermon that God hath appointed to work on vs let vs in all obedience attend on the ministerie of euery man watch at all times be diligent in euery place and runne to euery sermon which we can conueniently because though the Lord touch vs not by this man in this place at this time through such a sermon yet he may touch vs by another Let euery one therefore thus meditate with himselfe Though I hearing am as dead as a stone and
sinne brake Dauids heart 144 We must humble our selues to see Heretikes doe more for vaine glorie and for their sect than we will doe for Gods glorie and for his truth 145 If once we giue consent to one sinne we are made readie to fall into many sinnes and making no conscience of one sinne we shall not make conference of many and great sinnes and so being once inwrapped in sinne it is a hard thing to get out of the clawes of the diuell 149 If any man make no conscience to walke vprightly I will not free him from pouertie from sicknes from heresie for as well can and will the Lord punish the minde as the bodie 147 It is the greatest iudgement of God that can be to thriue in sinne 148 When men begin to suffer themselues to be deceiued it is to be feared they will be hardened Heb 3. 12. 13. 149 If you slip backe from the Gospell the stranger sort will be offended either by noting in you singularitie or by suspecting you for inhumanitie But O cursed corruptions of our sinfull nature if we giue libertie they will grant licentiousnes if we affoord consolation they will set on presumption if we call for humiliation they crie to desperation 150 Looke often vpon Christ when you are alone be carefull to please him for carefulnes and cheerefulnes may meete together in a sanctified minde 151 He would giue to others not such things as he loued not but such things as he loued dearely that they might know it to be a gift of loue It is the temptation of the godly to feare whatsoeuer they doe that they doe it in hypocrisie A SHORT FORME OF CATECHISING VVHEREIN ARE BRIEFLY SET DOWNE THE PRINCIPLES OF CHRISTIAN RELIGION BY MASTER RICHARD GREENHAM SOMETIMES PREACHER OF THE WORD OF GOD IN LONDON HEBR. 5. 12. VVhen is concerning the time yee ought to be teachers yet haue yee neede againe that we teach you the first principles of the word of God and are become such as haue neede of milke and not of strong meate IOB 33. 16. 23. 24. Vers. 16. He openeth the eares of men euen by their corrections which he sealeth Vers. 23. If there be a messenger with him or an interpreter one of a thousand to declare vnto man his righteousnesse Vers. 24. Then will he haue mercie on him VERITAS VIRESSIT VVLNERE TC AT LONDON Imprinted by Thomas Creede for William Welbie and are to be solde at his shoppe in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Swanne 1611. TO THE RIHT VERTVOVS AND GODLY GENTLEWOMEN MISTRIS ANNE BOVVLES AND MISTRIS A. STEVENS H. H. WISHETH AL COMforts and mercies in Iesus Christ to be multiplied THe holy Apostle S. Iohn saith hee had no greater ioy than this to heare that his sonnes did walke in the truth The same affection all the true Ministers of Christ haue in some measure towards all the sonnes and daughters of God specially such as they haue gained or God by them hath brought to the faith of Christ. I am well assured you remember Master GREENHAMS great care and loue towards you which was vnfained because of the good experience hee had of your vnfained faith in Christ and loue towards him If hee had longer liued hee would haue reioyced yet much more to see your loue so increase in knowledge and the testimonies of your loue in the fruite of righteousnesse and in your godly perseuerance in the truth Now receiue his workes and what you long expected and desired to see This Catechisme I haue sent you that you may teach it your children as Eunice Lois did their children These letters serue wel for your own vse that you may heare them alwaies speake in his absence from you whom you so reioyced to heare being present with you and that you may haue his owne very words written and set before your eyes which you haue heard often to your great ioy sounding in your eares that so in the end you may be able by your good experience to comfort others with the same comforts wherewith yee are and haue beene by him comforted of God For the faithfull are exercised of God diuerslie some by outward some by inward afflictions of minde and some haue both troubles without and terrours within Such as bee not acquainted with the troubles of mind whatsoeuer gift they haue can bring but cold cōfort in time of need to poore soules afflicted as it is very manifest both by Scripture our common experience Now the God of peace sanctifie you both in spirit soule and bodie and keepe you with all yours blamelesse vnto the comming of our Lord Iesus Christ. Amen Yours euer in Iesus Christ HENRY HOLLAND A SHORT FORME OF CATECHISING WHereas all men desire to bee blessed and the most men are deceiued in seeking blessednes tell mee which is the true way thereunto To know God to bee my Father in Iesus Christ by the reuelation of the spirit according to his word therfore to serue him according to his will and to set forth his glorie belieuing that I shall want nothing that is good for mee in this life and that I shall enioy euerlasting blessednes in the world to come How know you this By the working of the holie Ghost and by the meanes of Gods word What call you Gods word It is the reuealed will of GOD set forth vnto vs in the holy Scriptures Which call you the holie Scriptures The Bookes of the olde and new Testament commonly called Canonicall Are all things that are necessary for vs to know contained in them Yea for God being full of all wisedome and goodnesse would leaue out nothing that was requisite for vs to knowe Is it lawfull for to adde or to take any thing from Gods word No for God hath flatly forbidden it and hath pronounced grieuous curses vpon those that doe it Why is it so grieuous a sinne Because it is a very great sinne to alter the last will of a mortall man therefore much more grieuous a sinne it is to change the last Testament of the eternall God Why is it requisite that the will of God should be set forth vnto vs That wee might haue pure rules of his worship and sure grounds of our saluation Is it not lawfull to repose any part of Gods Worship or of Saluation in the doctrine and doings of men No for all men by nature are lyars and defiled with sinne What followeth hereof That all mens doctrines and doings are mingled with lyes and corruptions How farre are wee bound to their doctrine and doings So farre forth as they be agreeable to Gods word May all reade the Scriptures Yea all that be of age able to discerne betweene good and euill ought to encrease in knowledge for their furtherance in saluation as they encrease in yeares Why must all such reade the Scriptures 1. First because euery one must be able to prooue and trie
he only considereth of the body and neglecteth the soule For my part I would neuer haue the Physitions counsell seuered nor the Ministers labour neglected because the soule and body dwelling together it is conuenient that as the soule should be cured by the word by prayer by fasting by threatning or by comforting so the body also should be brought into some temperature by Physicke by purging by diet by restoring by musicke and by such like meanes prouiding alwaies that it be done so in the seare of God and wisedome of his spirit as we thinke not by these ordinary meanes to smoother or smoke out our troubles but as purposing to vse them as preparatiues whereby both our soules and bodies may be made more capable of the spirituall meanes to follow after As we require these things to be the matter of our Ministerie in such a perplexitie so we would wish the persons ministring to be men learned and of sound iudgement wise and of godly experience meeke and of most iouing spirits For when the troubled patient shall be wel perswaded of our knowledge and discretion and there withall shall perceiue vs to come in tender and louing affection I thinke an entrance is made and all preiudice is taken away so as we may the more freely worke vpon the conscience first bringing them to the sight of sinne as to some cause of their trouble Herein we must labour to put away all confusion and blindnesse of sorrow endeuouring by wisedome to bring the parties wounded to some certaine obiect and matter of their trouble and so draw out of them the confession of some seuerall especiall secret sinne I say seuerall and secret sinne because I know how many through a palpable blindnesse or disordered discerning of sinne talke of nothing so much as of sinne and yet they either cannot desâ—ry seuerall sinnes or they will not be brought to acknowledge their secret sinnes whereof the one proceedeth of the ignorance of the law of God and the other of selfe-loue which maketh vs lâ—â—tâ—â—e euen in our trauell of minde to shame our selues Now that the confession of particular sinnes is requisite it may appeare by the two and thirtieth Psalme wherein being a Psalme of instruction concerning the forgiuenesse of sinnes the Prophet by his owne experience teacheth vs that he could finde no reliefe of his sicknesse vntill he had remembred and made confession of his sinnes What shall we thinke that the Prophet of God taught so wonderfully by the word and by the spirit did not see his sinnes before Be it farre from vs. Rather let vs know that he had not seuerally particularly ripped vp his sinnes before the Lord in a seuerall confession of them Which though the Lord knoweth farre better than we our selues yet such kinde of sacrifice is most acceptable vnto him Now if in this trouble the persons humbled cannot come to the particular sight of sinne in themselues it is good to vse the helpe of others vnto whom they may offer their harts to be gaged and searched and their liues to be examined more deepely by hearing the seuerall Articles of the Law laid open before them whereby they may trie the whole course of their actions For as we said before the grossest hypocrites will generally complaine of sinne and yet deale with them in particular pointes of the particular precepts and prooue them in the applying of things to be done or not done to their owne consciences and we shall see many of these poore soules tossed to and fro now floting in ioyes now plunged in sorrowes not able to distinguish one sinne from another Now when we shall see the wound of the spirit to arise of any certaine and knowne sin it is either for some sin alreadie coÌ„mitâ—ed wherein we lie or else for some sin as yet not committed but whereunto we are tempted For the former it pleaseth God ofteÌ„times to bring old sins to minde when we had not throughly repented of them before that so as it were representing them to vs afresh we might fall into a more misliking of them And yet herein is not all to mislike our selues for some particulars although it be good to be occupied about some speciall sinnes for as it is not sufficient for the auoyding of hypocrisie to see sinne generally so it is not enough to eschue the deceiueablenes of the heart euer to be poring busily in one particular and to be forgetfull of our great and generall sinnes But let vs learne by the particulars to passe to the generals When any such one sin then doth pursue thee rest not onely therein but say thus rather to thy selfe Oh Lord is this one sin so grieuous and doth my God punish this one sinne so sorely How great then should be my punishment if thou shouldest O Lord so deale with me for all my other sinnes Let vs labour to haue a sense both of generall and of particular sinnes least in time our griefe passe away without fruite whilest that not being displeased as well with one sinne as with another we either looke too superficially to generals and not to particulars or else too superstitiously obserue particulars and not the generals Concerning those sinnes whereunto we are tempted as when a man is moued to thinke blasphemously of God the father or to doubt whether there be a Christ or no or to imagine grossely of the holy Ghost or to deny God or to doubt of the Trinitie or to be moued to murther adulterie or such like in which temptations he feeleth Gods spirit to checke him for theÌ„ so as he knoweth not in this case what to doe for that on the one side he dares not listen willingly to these fearefull and monstrous temptations and on the other side he feareth least in time by long suite he might fall into them or at the least for that he seâ—th not how to be deliuered from them I suppose these motions are not so much to be disputed with aâ— we by them are to be prouoked to more instant and extraordinarie zeale of prayer Surely these are dangerous temptations and therefore are not to be kept close which our nature will easily incline vnto but particularly are to be confessed of vs. For the diuell will come sometime to thee to keepe thee still in a generall acknowledging of sinne and vrge thee on this manner Surely thou must needes doe this sinne thou seest thou canst haue no â—ase vntill thou hast consented thou art ordained to it the reason why thou art thus incessantly tempted is because thou doest not thus take thy pleasure Goe to denie God beleeue not his word it is but a policie to keepe men in awâ— Religion is no such matter as men take it Thus for feare of yeelding on the one hand and for shame of disclosing the temptations on the other hand many men haue pined away and almost haue beene ouercome by them If we should disclose this say
sinne then to sustaine the sores of our bodie Sure it is that if we haue suffered our hearts to be harrowed with the rake of Gods iudgements as occasion from the Lord hath been giuen that we are become soft and well exercised in the feare of God we shall come to the feeling of our sinnes the sense whereof if it bring as it were a sicknesse to the body and a corsey to the soule it is an vndoubted earnest of our regeneration and happy are we if we finde our selues so diseased and troubled with our sinnes True it is that we can hardly being in the skirmish and agonie make any difference betweene the motions to any euill and the consent vnto the same for oftentimes euil motions do so possesse the soules of Gods children sincking downe so deeply in them that though they weepe pray and meditate which be the last meanes remedies to ease and cure them though they feele them with irkesomenesse and loathsomenesse as we feele sicknesse in our bodies yet those motions will be continually in them without diminishing the delight onely excepted Wherefore for our comfort herein we are not to martyr our selues with disquietnes of minde because we are so pestered and thronged with wicked motions and assaults but rather let vs quiet our selues and not suffer our selues to be hindered with sicknesse either of body or minde by meanes whereof we should become more vnprofitable to our selues the whole Church of God For the godly shall not be so freed from sinne but that they shall be assaulted with euill motions suspicions delusions vaine fantasies and imaginations the body of sinne shall neuer be from vs so long as we liue For the scum thereof is almost continually boyling and wallopping in vs foming out such filthly froth stinking sauor into our minds that it is not onely detestable to the minde regenerate and renewed by the spirit of God but also it would make abashed the very naturall man to looke into so loathsome a stie of sinne and sinkehole of iniquitie Yea it maketh vs often to quaile and if it were possible it would corrupt the very part regenerate For mightie is the power and raging is the strength of sinne Neither for all this must we cease to sorrow for our sinnes nor despaire on the other side although our sorrow be but small For if we be sorrowful for the hardnes of our hearts if we can be grieued for that we are no more grieued for our sinnes if we can but sigh grone because we feele our iniquities it is so much a greater comfort vnto vs as it is a greater testimonie that our hearts are not altogether hardened so that if we feele sorrow indeed although we weepe not yet we may gather comfort considering that this sorrow is for sinne with a loue and hunger after righteousnes yea if our assaults be distrust pride arrogancie ambition enuie concupiscence as hote as the fire in the furnace all our daies and though Sathan laieth out oyle in great measure and out of measure that it is the wonderfull mercy of the Lord that we stand and though our prayers be dull and full of wearâ—somnesse if the striuing and straining of our selues to goodnesse be so hard that we know not whether we striue for feare of punishment or for loue of so good a Father yet if we feele this in our selues that we would faine loue the Lord and be better and being wearied and tyred with our sinnes long gladly to enioy the peace of righteousnes and desire to please God in a simple obedience of faith then let vs comfort our selues there is no time too late to repent in For he commeth quickly to Christ although in the houre of death that commeth willingly and in a desire of a better life howsoeuer sinne and Sathan at that time would especially perswade him For as the huÌ„ming Bee hauing lost her stâ—â—g in another doth still notwithstanding make a fearefull and grieuous noyse by her often buzzing about vs but is nothing able to hurt vs so sinne death hauing lost their stings in Christ Iesus doe not cease at all euen in the height of the parching heate of our coÌ„sciences to make a murmuring and with furious stormes of temptations to terrifie vs and our consciences albeit they neuer sting vs. Wherefore if Sathan charge our consciences with sinne if we can feele the things a little before mentioned in our consciences let vs bid him not tell vs what we haue been but what we would be For such we are by imputation as we be in affection and he is now no sinner who for the loue he beareth to righteousnesse would be no sinner Such as we be in desire and purpose such we be in reckoning and account with God who giueth that true desire and holy purpose to none but to his children whom he iustifieth Neither vndoubtedly can the guiltines of sin breake the peace of our coÌ„science seeing it is the worke of another who hath commended vs as righteous before God and saued vs. It must indeed be confessed that our owne workes will doe nothing in the matter of iustification which from Christ and in Christ is freely giuen vnto vs it must be graunted that in our selues we are weaker than that we can resist the least sinne so farre off is it that we can encounter with the law sin death hell and Sathan and yet in Christ we are more than conquerors ouer them all When the law accuseth thee because thou hast not obserued it send it to Christ and say there is a man that hath fulfilled the law to him I cleaue he hath fulfilled it for me and hath giuen the fulfilling of it vnto me I haue nothing to do with thee I haue another law which striketh thee downe euen the law of libertie which through Christ hath set me free For my conscience which henceforth serueth the law of grace is a glorious Prince to triumph ouer thee If sinne come and would haue thee by the throte send it to Christ and say as much as thou mayst doe against him so much right thou shalt haue against me For I am in him and he in me wherefore O sin I am righteous through my Christ which is become sin to free me which haue been a condemned sinner If death creepe vpon thee and attempt to deuoure thee say vnto it Christ hath ouercome thee and opened vnto me the gates of euerlasting life thou wouldest haue killed him with the sting of sin but the same being of no force thy purpose O death hath failed and he being my life is become thy death If Sathan summon thee to answere for thy debts send him also to Christ and say that the wife is not suable but the husband enter thine action against Christ mine husband and he will make thee sufficient answere who then shall condemne vs or what iudge shall daunt vs sith God
vnder the which we haue bin long coÌ„forted For Gods children acknowledge themselues without ceasing that God hath rods in a readinesse though they see no present euill to beate them from their sinnes bend all their care how they may rather suffer aduersitie to Gods glorie than to sleepe securely in prosperitie vnto their own pleasure Now when the Lord doth as it were hold vs on the racke for these causes before named we must pray vnto him that howsoeuer he keepeth vs in the presse we may haue a breathing while to consider our daies spent in pleasure and to examine our vnthankfulnes which shutteth vp the doore of Gods mercie from vs. And because our afflictions are the sorer when they come the neerer to the soule we may with our selues coÌ„clude to hold on the way of our thorough-faire though we see nothing but thornes of temptations and briers of euill affections so as we must be faine to leape ouer hedges rocks ditches yet must we not cease to continue in Gods seruice For if that were not what triall examination of our faith should there be were we as in a faire medow that we might run on along by the water side in a shade and that there might be nothing but pleasure and ioy all our life time who could vaunt that he had serued God with good affection But when God doth send vs things cleane contrarie to our desires that we must be faine one while to enter into a quagmire and another while to march vpon ragged rockes and stones then we shall haue the vse of a well exercised minde in prayer in repentance and in contempt of this life And why doth the Lord sometime suffer vs to pine away and to languish in continuance of griefe seeing that he could cleane rid vs at the first doubtlesse to this end that we might confesse his mercie more freely and bite of his iustice more sharply Let vs now learne to hold all the passions of impatiencie in bondage both by comparing our euils with the wonderfull mercies of God and our small sufferings with the intollerable conflicts of our forefathers For there is no greater cause of our disparing vnder the crosse thaÌ„ when Satan perswadeth vs that neuer any were handled so roughly or else would beare vs in haÌ„d that although God afflicted the faithfull that haue been before vs yet they were not so weake as we But let vs remember that God hath so pinched his seruants euen them whom he loued and whose welfare was deare and precious in his sight and hath often brought them to such extremities as they were not able to looke vp any more nor wist how to speake nor how to hold their peace Wherefore least our infirmities should ouermaster vs and when temptations are fierce vpon vs we know not where to become let vs call to minde the Saints of God who were constrained with sighes and groanes to stoope vnder the hand of God whose martyrs and tormented children ought to be our looking glasses to the end that by them we may learne that according as God dealeth foorth the gifts of the spirit thereafter doth he send greater afflictions both to make them the more esteemed and also to cause a more plentifull fruite of their faith How did God deale with Abraham not a common man but rather an Angell the tenth part of whose sufferings would make a stout heart to quaile How was Dauid the seruant of God exercised in Gods schoole who felt all Gods darts and had all his arrowes shot at him Thus it is requisite that Gods graces should not be idle in his children but set on worke by afflictions whereby they may be knowne in due time and place How did God play the Lion with Ezechias who as with pawes and teeth bruised and crushed his bones not that we may accuse God of crueltie but that we may see with what anguish the Lord doth sometimes exercise his holy seruants and with what patience he doth arme them who notwithstanding his vehement trials doe stay themselues vpon God accusing themselues saying I will beare the wrath of the Lord because I haue sinned against him and excusing the Lord with all humblenes with Dauid Psal. 114. I know O Lord that thy iudgements are right and that thou hast afflicted me iustly c It is much auailable to mortification and Christian patience also to occupie our hearts in the house of mourning euen in our greatest banquetting and to betake our selues vnto some serious meditation of aduersitie when present pleasures would most diuorce vs from the remembrance thereof So though we haue much in possession we shall haue little in affection and when God doth most aduance vs we shall feare our wants of humilitie and then especially be ransacking our infirmities when the Lord for our triall enricheth vs most with his benefits For if the Lord God by multiplying his mercies increaseth our account we are often to suspect to call to iudgement and to arraigne our selues for the vsing of Gods creatures who often giueth that in iudgement which he might denie vs in mercie and often waineth vs from some things in his loue which he might giue vnto vs in his anger FINIS THE MARKES OF A RIGHTEOVS MAN THe righteous man hath three priuiledges First that he shall neuer perish though he be oftentimes afflicted yea if there be a number of them the Lord will spare the habitation of their place for their sake Secondly if the Lord be minded to bring destruction vpon a land oâ— countrie he will first deliuer the righteous eitner by death or by conueying them to some other place as here he doth Lâ—t and is the children of Israel when Pharaoh was ouerthrowne Thirdly the Lord will not so much punish for the wicked as fauour for the goâ—ly sake and if they fall into the same temporall punishments euen thereby shall the righteous be brought neerer to heauen but the godlesse shall be throwne downe to hell euen as with the same flaile is beaten châ—ffâ—to be burnt and pure corne to be preserued Some thinke that there be none righteous which commeth to passe either through ignorance or because they see the sinnes and loose righteousnesse of others but then the Scriptures should be false which calleth some righteous Then Christ should haue died in vaine and there should be no saluation because none are sâ—ued but the righteous Some think that righteousnes is an inherent qualitie that through works we may be perfectly righteous as of old the Pelagians Puritanes and now Papists and Family of loue But the testimonies of Scriptures which affirm that al our righteousnes is as a stained cloath and that we are not able to answere one of a thousand c. and also the sinnes of those who in the word are counted righteous do proue the contrarie for Abraham sinned after he had beene pronounced righteous in distrusting
of learning They that want this how much soeuer they haue heard or read yet shall they neuer haue sound and setled iudgement And this is one cause why it is said that the greatest Clerkes are not the wisest men Meditation of the affections is when hauing a thing in iudgement we euer digest it and make it worke vpon our affections It is continuall searching of our selues and labouring to lay vp all things in the treasures of our hearts The other will goe away except this be ioyned with it for iudgement will away except we frame our affections vnto it Meditation in iudgement goeth before then this must follow that we may be sound in iudgement before we either feare or cheere vp our hearts least we haue false feares or false ioyes Many are of sound iudgement and yet haue not their hearts purged and touched they can giue counsell to others but cannot follow it themselues because they ioyne not affection with iudgement Meditation without reading is erroneous and reading without meditation is barren The next thing is conference In naturall things man standeth in neede of helpe then much more in spirituall things he standeth in neede of others And as iron sharpneth iron so one friend another Pro. 27. And as two eyes see more two eares heare more and two hands can doe more than one so this is a speciall communion of Saints God hath promised that when two or three are gathered together in his name that he will be present with them by his spirit as he was corporally with his Disciples going to Emaus Conference is either with Ministers of God Our equals Or others This rule must be kept that conference with our equals must be of those things which we heard of our Ministers as it must be kept also in meditation which is a conference with our selues We must for a time like babes hang at the mouthes of the Ministers because we cannot runne before we goe nay we cannot goe without a leader No man may presume to vnderstand aboue that which is meet to vnderstand but labour to vnderstand according to the measure of sobrietie as God hath dealt to euery one the measure of faith and when they haue laid the foundation then build the walles and pillars The Eunuch would not interpret the word without a guide but he laid it vp in his heart as the Virgin Mary did For want of true humilitie conference is slandered because it is vsed after an euill manner as before they be surely grounded in principall points of religion to talke of other matters aboue their capacitie and knowledge Secondly we must come in loue without anger enuie or desire of victory therefore in conference we must vse the preparation spoken of before the want of which maketh much â—anglings and wranglings in companie Lastly we must procure things honest before men that it may be done wisely without confusion and destruction and not by too great a multitude that we may affoord our doings before men not with the doores shut least any man should heare This is the difference betweene the conference of the godly and religious and the conuenâ—cles of Heretikes The next thing is faith The word must be mixed with faith Heb. 42. The word which they hear a profited them nothing because it was not mixed with faith But all haue not faith therefore the Prophet Esay said Lord who will beleeue our report And Luke 18. 18. Suppose ye that the Sonne of man when he commeth shall finde faith on the earth All the former must be vsed to refine faith for as gold before it be pure is seuen fold tried in the fire so faith which is much more precious than gold must goe through all these meanes Faith here is an increase of all that in * preparation A Merchant must haue something before he be a Marchant but he occupieth to increase and get more so we must beleeue in Iesus Christ by a generall faith going before but we must vse all the forenamed meanes to increase our knowledge and faith in all particulars One may be a faithfull person generally and yet an vnbeleeuer in particulars As Christs Disciples to whom he said If â—â— had faith but as much as a graine of mustard seed c. As Abraham Rebecca and Zacharie had There is a difference betweene faith and opinion or knowledge for our knowledge and opinions vanish away in afflictions but as golde is tried in the fire so faith will abide the fire of affliction Sathan winowed Peter but his faith failed not for Christ failed not for Christ praied for him and for his Disciples and for all beleeuers that their faith should not faile Next followeth practise That we haue a desire that the word may bring forth increase of faith and repentance Psal. 119 98. By thy commandements thou hast made me wiser than my enemies for they are â—â—â—â— with me The practise of Infidels is nothing because it is not ioyned with faith But Christ saith Blessed are they which heare and doe And so saith Iameâ— that this is that assureth vs that we haue faith He that doth this is compared vnto him that buildeth his house vpon a rocke and our workes are not the foundation of the house but then we haue builded vpon Christ when we ioyne the fruits of our faith with knowledge they will speake for vs to our consciences and to others Our Sauiour Christ saith That that seruant that knoweth the will of his maister and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes for it is worse to offend of knowledge than of ignorance And why should he giue vs any more if we practise not that we haue For to him that hath shall be giuen but from him that hath not shall be taken away c. Why do many hearing the word either continue or increase in their blindnes but because they would not practise that they knew and also euen that they had is taken from them If a good conscience be not ioyned with faith faith shall be taken away and errors succeed If then we be forgetfull we must confesse that the want of practise is the cause thereof The rule of reason in all things is that the best way of learning is by practise then how much more if we practise will God increase our talents The last thing is praier which must be vsed both in the beginning in the middle and in the end Prayer must be in all the former meanes for without it we can neuer vse them nor haue any blessing by them Prayer containeth vnder it Prayer Thankesgiuing For prayer that it must be vsed when wee reade it is plaine 1. Cor. 2. The eye hath not seene c. meaning not onely the ioyes contained in the kingdome of heauen but euen those that are contained in the word And againe in the same place As no man knoweth the heart of a man but the spirit of
this yet by right of proportion a most reuerent respect should be had thereof therefore we ought to yeeld vnto it As for example thus we are to thinke that if it be eating of the Pascall Lambe which seale coÌ„pared with this seale in the Gospel there is no comparison indeed they were some daies before prepared the same regard of reuerence should be had of vs in the participation of the Lords table so reasoning from the lesse to the greater from the Law to the Gospel from the passeouer to the Supper it may be an argument vnto vs to prepare our selues thereunto We need not stand long on this comparison seeing a thing of lesse account I meane the shew-bread would not be giuen to Dauid without some stipulation that is without he were in some respects made fit to receiue it so that here we are gone a degree lower But if we will go yet lower than this come to the Arke it selfe and see how he handled Vzzah who put his vnprepared hands to the Ark for which the Lord was so mightily displeased that he slew him for it Nay which is more if we shall come downe to the very ground of Gods presence where Moses could not appeare vntill his shooes were off nay if we go to the snuffers and pannes and candlestickes which none could meddle withall without sanctification we may rise now vpward as before we came downe and we may reason from these small things to the Arke and from the Arke to the shew-bread and from the shew-bread to the Passeouer from the Passeouer to the thing we haue in hand to learne an argument of preparation And if Ioseph of Arimathea and others of the godly men and women which were with him committing the body of Christ to the graue would wrap it not only in a cleane cloth nor in euery kind of linnen but in a cleane syndon which is a very fine linnen then what reuerence are we to vse in taking not the dead body but the liuing body yea the glorified body of the Lord in heauen But if the Lord take vs a degree lower and leaue his owne presence to perswade vs and shall come to our owne priuate practise if we put not our owne commoâ— meate our prophane meate for so I thinke I may call it and worse too in respect of that holy mysterie into an vnwashen platter nor a drop of drinke into a cup vncleansed then he that shall put the things exhibiting the very body of Christ into an vnprepared heart and vnsanctified soule shall be most guiltie of that iudgement which is pronounced for him that is He is guiltie of the body and blood of Christ yea as our Sauiour Christ and the Prophets complaine that men are too skilfull in skie poynts and in humane statutes to take the best aduantage they can but the matters of the law are strange vnto them so may he complaine that this is vile meate and which he himselfe saith is after cast into the draught receiueth such estimation at our hands that we prepare so diligently the very instruments of them yet when we come to sanctified things we shew our selues as carelesse in them as in the knowledge of his commandements Thus then we see how in these respects the Lord may require due reuerence in regard of the things pertaining to him comparing them especially with the care that we haue in our owne things Now to set the presence of God aside and to looke to our owne profit as before we put apart our owne profit to consider of so great a presence the fruite is great and so great that the writers of the Primitiue Church haue coÌ„pared the mysterie of the Supper to the tree of life which was in Paradise and the abuse of this mysterie vnto the vnlawfull eating of that tree because I say they doe make Christ that tree of life so that who so eateth of Christ shall eate of life And to the profit if to the faith of the toucher the very hemme of the garment of Christ did affoord such a benefit as the healing of so grieuous a sicknes then we may rise to consider the profit which the touching nay which more is the receiuing of the body and blood of Christ doth bring vs setting the faith equall in both it is like that this exceedeth the other by many degrees and yet few I doubt receiue the fruite of this woman We come then now to say that all these profits are lost without preparation and as one of the Fathers saith they that come vnprepared find not Christ that is the body of Christ but with Iohn they light vpoÌ„ the napkin or the clothes of Christ wherin he was wrapped so little fruit they haue that come vnprepared The reason is as Aggeus saith that if a man be polluted and touch an holy thing it is certaine the thing that is holie becommeth polluted too and vnlesse he be holie that commeth to the holy thing the thing hallowed doth him no good So that hee that commeth to these holy things vnprepared shall turne the nature of them to himselfe it shal be vnto him as it fareth with them that take Physicke if a purgation taken to purge choler doe not worke purge the choler beside the losse of the benefit it turneth into a worse choler and the humor is not onely not lessened but much encreased So if your minde remaine polluted and vnprepared those things in the Sacrament besides your not profiting by them which is to be wished make vs far worse then we were before for our vnworthy receiuing of them bring either temporall or eternall iudgements vpon vs. Therfore for this cause in the Leiturgies of the Primitiue Church the first word was a proclamation of holy things to wit that here are Sanctasanctis that is holy things for holie men But is this losse allâ—no there is losse of other things there is I say a punishment ioyned with the losse for it is not as in outward things if that your enterprise take not effect it is but the losse of so much labour but here is purchased an vnspeakable punishment which the Apostle after specifieth that wee eate and drinke iudgement to our selues according to the proportion of the fault as either for neglect of the meane in which manner Moses offending for not circumcising his sonne was corrected or else for contempt of it and then are we not acquitted from condemnation wee are in danger to be with Iudas in the full and entire possession of the diuell So then in both these respects iointly now considered both in respect of the reuerence of God himselfe and in regarde of the profit that wee shall surely haue it shal be good for vs duely to prepare our selues knowing as it is 2. Chroâ— 20. that the want of successe in things of the Church dependeth on the want of
wold be too long to tel of Gedeō Baruch Sampson Iepthah Dauid Asa Iehosaphat Ezechia who through faith obtained the promises subdued kingdomes escaped the edge of the sword of weake were made strong waxed valiant in battel turned to flight the armies of aliāts of some of which it is pressed that they did these things by faith helped by prayer and fasting and of the most part of the other it may bewel vnderstood Seeing we are compassed about with such a cloud of witnesses shal we be so bewitched as to dreame of the like victories without the like faith or to imagine of the like faith without vsing of the like meanes But it may be some will obiect that this exercise of humiliation weakeneth the hearts of true subiects and incourageth the enemies this was of old slanderously obiected to Ieremie by the vnbeleeuing and carnall Princes who would yet seeme to be wise politikes I haue heard indeed of the Arch atheist Machiauel that writeth of the Religion of Christians that it being practised in truth doth weaken their hands making them cowards and emboldeneth their enemies against thē although there be no doubt many that think so yet neuer haue I heard godly or wise men say so Neither doth this kind of humiliatiō lift vp our enemies the Papists at home or abroad but their owne proud hearts malicious attempts against Gods people by both which seeing that pride will haue a fall and before glorie goeth humility we may assure vs the rather of the victorie hauing so many promises in Gods word for the same confirmed with so many examples In the stead of many in the Psal. 119. this promise shall suffice They draw neere that follow after malice and are farre from the law thou art neere O Lord for all thy words are true The terrible iudgements of God against the pride of Moab and other Nations who conspiring together against the people of God at the last were made their owne executioners and the great destruction of blasphemous Senacherib his hoste Ezekiah king of Iudah being set free from the siege both these being wrought by publike and priuate fasting doe most euidently confirme the same which examples may serue for vs to look after others which are many in number True it is indeed that the great security with the floods of our sinnes flowing ouer the banks in euery place haue hitherto reioyced our enemies heart and if once they arme themselues with Gods wrath which the Lord turne away for Christs sake then will they certainly fray vs which to preuent all meanes will not helpe vs vnlesse in fasting weeping and mourning we rent our hearts though not our garments vnfainedly acknowledging our sinnes trembling at his iudgement that so we may turne vnto God with our whole hearts by repentance by faith beleeuing him to be gratious and mercifull slow to wrath and of great goodnesse And this doing we may assure our selues that the terrour of the Lord shall be stricken out of our hearts and the spirit of gladnes and power shall bee powred vpon vs and through faith helped by prayer and fasting shall we doe valiantly Thus the spirit of God moued Ioel the Prophet to threaten the people of his time liuing vnder a prosperous Raigne vnto whom this obiection might as iustly haue been made as against the exercise and a great deale more because his Fast was more general his threatnings more fearefull his descriptions of their dangers more terrible Againe some may obiect that fasting is an exercise of sinners what shall we say then shall the hypocrisie of man make the appointment of God of none effect yea was it not therefore appointed that he which commeth hither of custome may yet goe away with conscience may he not being reproued and rebuked in his owne soule and seeing his hypocrisie laid open labour from thenceforth to approue himselfe or at the least be without excuse against the day of the Lord. May there not be also at this exercise some that come in trueth and in the feare of God whom God will accept is it meet that these children of God should be bereft of the vse thereof for the abuse of the wicked Moreouer we are to be circumspect that we require not a daily fast for as in Physicke it is a thing most absurd to prescribe a continual vse of violent vacuation seldome of ordinarie foode euen so it is as absurd diuinitie to say it is sufficient that preaching bee vsed at sundrie times in sundrie places and that fasting should be daily vsed when as the ministerie of the word of God is as often to be vsed as milke for babes to be nourished or as meat for strong men to grow vp to the fulnes of the age of Christ fasting is to be admitted but as letting of blood or purging some corrupt humour when some great cause vrgeth the same We lament the want of diligent Preaching which some without a continuall course wherof thinke to be sufficient A Christian heart may appeale to Gods blessed word the true iudge of all them that are teachable but the iudge of all euen of the froward in the last day yea we may appeale to the great inquest of all Gods children which know their owne sinnes yea to the experience of twentie * yeeres which is a witnes so sufficient that no exception can bee made against it whether to worke all and euery point of that knowledge with a care to practise it in any sufficient measure in al places so few Sermons so little preaching in most places be not very insufficiēt The Law saith that the mouthes of the Priests should alwaies keepe knowledge both that they might teach the people by publike doctrine and exhortation and that the people might require of them by priuate conference The Prophets are commanded to crie and not to cease and the Lord is saide by their Ministrie to rise vp earely and to stretch forth his hand all the day long and the Kingdome of God is like to the father of an house that bringeth forth of his treasurie things new and old for the daily food of the family What is this that euery true Minister is charged with as he wil answere it before the iudgement seate of Iesus Christ to preach the word in season and out of season Surely once in a quarter and once in a moneth may soone seeme to be out of season or scarse in season But sure I am that twice on the Sabbath if Gods word be the iudge can be termed no more but in season and to preach longer and oftner on the fasting dayes may not be called in the Apostle his sense out of season Now to fast euery day were more than the Pharisies did who fasted but twice in the weeke if we will be counted the sonnes of Patriarches and Prophets and the disciples of the Apostles to take that liberty of Gods creatures that they did why
should we be burthened with the traditions of Esaues Heremites and Heretikes It is said of Basil the great and Nazianzene the learned that they vse thus to macerate their bodies with very often abstinence but what followes after they were made as a great learned Censurer saith vnprofitable to the Church lying sicke sometimes halfe a yeere sometimes an whole yeere Why then should wee tempt God to lay an yoke vpon the disciples necks which neuer our fathers were able to beare Seeing wee are dead with Christ from the ordinances of the world why as though wee were in the world should wee bee burthened with traditions as touch not tâ—ste not handle not which all perish with vsing and are after the commandement and doctrine of men which things indeede haue a shâ—we of wisedome in voluntarie religion and humilitie of minde and nâ—t sparing the bodie but are of no value saue for the fulfilling of the flesh Moreouer wee must learne to make a difference betweene a temperate moderate vse of Gods creatures which we call sobrietie and ought alwaies to appeare in the life of Christians and an vtter abstinence from the vse of the creatures called Fasting which neither by Gods word ought nor yet by naturall reason can be continually or daily And here let vs learne to auoide the extremities to keepe the meane in fasting which master Bucer hath taught vs who saith that if we â—schue not fasting at all or fasting too much wee shall fast aright Call they this a fast for a man to abstaine euery day from a meales meate to vse prayer at morning and at night although that hee spend the most part of the day and the whole night in the commodities refreshings and pleasures of this life this is no sound Diuinitie The blessed Baptists course and rusticall diet of locusts and wilde hony which he vsed according to the nature of the barren and wilde soile wherein hee liued maketh nothing for this purpose vnlesse those that will haue it vsed put on also the Camels hayteâ— His disciples which foolishly followed him without a warrant of that which he did vpon good ground are said to fast not euery day but oftentimes The hyperbolicall phrases of praying and fasting and of the continuall abode day and night in the Temple of the ancient Anna a widowe of fourescore and foure yeeres liuing in contemplation will not serue to proue that a daily exercise of fasting should bee vsed of married folkes and others that leade a life actiue either ciuill or ecclesiâ—sticall who for their yeeres may endure the traueiles of their minde and bodie and by their calling are bound sixe dayes in the weeke without some speciall occasion to follow the workes of the same and on the seuenth day to celebrate a feast vnto the Lord and not a fast with the Manicheâ—s Thus the most excellent seruants of God Dauid Daniel and Paul are most notably commended vnto vs for their holy exercises of prayer and fasting whereof one as we read they vsed daily and according to their ordinarie wants the other vpon speciall and extraordinarie needes which God did presse them with These examples are wee bound to followe so farre forth as they followed Christ who although hee fasted no doubt verie manie times yet notwithstanding his life was so farre from a daily fast that it was thought a continuall feaste Indeede the Popish fast may well enough and without danger to the bodie bee continually and daily vsed and yet many wayes dangerous and hurtfull to the soule but other fasting being daily vsed would bee both hurtfull to the bodie in puffing it vp with windes and filling it vp with corrupt humours and also to the soule in that pride would bee ingendred and noisome opinions also nourished in it A true fast requireth not an emptinesse of the bellie onelie because the kingdome of heauen is neither in meate nor drinke and that if wee eate wee are not the worse and if we eate not we are not the better and seeing the bodily exercise profiteth little yea oftentimes hurteth much more in puffing vp the minde than it can doe good in pulling it downe wee must as much and as carefully vse the word and prayer and other holy exercises publike and priuate for the increase of spirituall things as we vse abstinence from naturall adding so many meanes to the inward man as we take from the outward that wee may not onely humble our selues in body but in both together that we waite on Gods good time to receiue from him coÌ„fort to our spirites as wee looke and make account shortly to take sustenance for our bodies Besides the true fast requireth vs to rest from our ordinarie profits and pleasures and if it be publike to heare also two three or foure Sermons in one day with long and feruent prayer and serious meditation before in the midst and after these exercises reuerent reading of the Scriptures of singing of Psalmes ioyned with fasting as it is perfectly taught in the perfect vse and true ende of this exercise The Prophets Isaiah and Ioel thought it not enough to exhort the people to true repeÌ„tance but called also for the publike exercise of the same which doctrine of the Prophets is sealed by Nehemiah and Ezrah and the rest of the people who notwithstanding had their notable profiting in the knowledge of the lawe yet seeing the secret threatnings of the Lord against their spirituall euils added this meane of a fast beyond the ordinarie vse of the word leauing an example to the Church for her instruction in all ages Were we as sharpe sighted as tender conscienced as they we might discerne greater iudgements threatned of the Lord against vs and feele more spiritual euils in our selues than euer they did for to let passe that great plague of the Lord vpon our times as the Ministerie so ignorant and dissolute such sacriledge by impropriations and irreligious Patrons which are not all this while amended the carnall life of Protestants the stifnesse of Papists which cannot thus long be conuerted the dangerous dissembling of Atheists and Machiauelists in the Church and coÌ„monwealth the long bitter contentions of the true professours besides many moe euils not to be spoken and many knowne and professed euils in these dayes against which hitherto neither lawe hath been established nor the preaching preuailed and wee forget our brethrens calamitie in the persecuted Churches with whom we haue thus long and still doe forget to mourne Hath not the Lord himselfe blowne a Trumpet to our Fasts let then those which are the Ministers of the Lord be continually exhorting hereunto God graunt them to rebuke sinne to threaten the law moue Repentance and to vrge Fasting OF THE SENDING OF THE HOLY GHOST Acts. 2. 14 15 16 17 c. 14 But Peter standing with the eleuen lift vp his voyce and saide vnto them Yee men of Iudea and yee all that inhabite in Hierusalem bee this knowne vnto
feele that the seede of God his Spirit may bud foorth that both we and they ioyning together in deuout prayer and Christian practise of our profession may call and allure others as yet further from vs to come neerer to vs. But some will say vnto me I was wont to haue better dispositions and to feele sweeter motions than I haue done of late I profit little or nothing nay I feare rather I goe backe Why I pray you is this I say surely God his spirit worketh not in me as he hath done before because I cannot haue such delight in the word such sweetnes in feruent prayer such ioy in the Sacraments I haue not such a plentifull measure of God his spirit in me Now followeth the second thing in these words Vpon flesh Here are two things in nature opposite one against another the one most pretious the other most vile What more pretious than the Spirit of God what more vile than flesh that is than a man meerely vnregenerate That this word flesh so signifieth it appeareth Genes 6. 3. where the Lord saith My spirit shall not alwaies striue with men because he is but flesh that is such as in whom my image is blotted out And Rom 7. 18. the Apostle saith I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing In which place the Apostle speaketh of himselfe as of a man meerely naturall and vnregenerate And Ioh. 3. 6. it is said That which is borne of the flesh is flesh and that that is borne of the Spirit is Spirit Where the antithesis and contrarietie doth shewe the meaning of this word flesh Here then is the depth height length and breadth of God his mercie commended vnto vs in giuing his holie spirit to sinful flesh and therefore we may iustly crie out with the Prophet Psal. 8. 4. what is man that thou art mindfull of him and the sonne of man that thou visitest him Oh what is man that the Lord should giue him his Spirit If the man of God cried out thus for the benefit of outward things how much rather are we to crie for the benefit of God his Spirit If Iob in his booke reasoneth that it is a great mercie of God that he will take paines to chastice man how much more mercie is it when he will vouchsafe his Spirit to be giuen vnto him If then flesh is so contemptible a thing that it lieth without all honour vntil God doth send his blessed Spirit here is confuted the doting opinion of the Papists who think that there is some good thing in man which moueth the Lord through a liking and louing of him to bestow these inestimable graces of the spirit on him when as of it selfe it is wholy alwaies and in al things corrupt and onely euill continually Wherein these blinde Diuines shew and bewray themselues not to haue tasted truly at any time of the spirit of God but to glance at it with some glimmering sight to their further condemnatiō as the foolish Philosophers For God his people doe plainly feele and to the glorie of God boldly confesse that there is no first degree or preparation in themselues whereby they might moue the Lord once to cast his fauourable countenance towards them but that it is onely the merit and the vndeserued mercy of God that his spirit which worketh any good proceedings in them doth also begin in them and the same spirit both continueth the worke and maketh a way for the worke which he himselfe must worke vpon afterward It is said Esay 44. 3. I will powre water vpon the thirstie and flouds vpon the drie ground where our nature for barrennes is compared to drie ground and the Spirit to a fountaine of water The Lord moreouer by his Prophet sheweth that vntill by his good spirit he doth soften vs wee haue stonie hearts And can a stone bleede though you bruise cut and breake it in peeces Surely no more can wee bee bruised humbled and broken in heart for sinne be the iudgements of God neuer so sorely vrged vpon vs vntill God by his good spirit touch vs. If it bee then a great worke to turne a stone into flesh to make a thing most insensible most sensible then surely to make a stonie heart fleshie and our hearts that are hardened to melt bleede and to be resolued into teares is a more excellent worke and this is the onely worke of God his spirit And as thus much wee haue spoken for doctrine so also it may make for our consolation and for the comfort of al them that are broken in minde and feele the burthen of their naturall corruption True it is that all generally and naturally are flesh drie ground and hard hearts but all doe not feele this all see not this all lament not this and therefore all that haue not the beginnings of faith and haue not tasted the first fruites of the spirit because they are but flesh how can they feele any thing in themselues But when the spirit commeth that hardnes is taken away the vale is rent and then wee begin to complaine of our deadnes and dulnes then wee will crie out of our selues as of men vnworthie of any grace or fauour of God Then remember to thy comfort the couenant of God made vnto vs that is that God will powre out his spirit on flesh and thou shalt receiue of the power thereof if thou complaine in truth and not as a Parrat counterfeiting the worke of reason For as some birds can counterfeite mens wordes so some men can counterfeite God his words If then thou art not truly moued and purely affected neither feelest such gratious working in thee as thou desirest remember that God will powre his spirit on flesh God will powre waters on drie ground God will soften the hard hearts and though in our selues wee finde no towardnes the Lord will send flouds of water in steed of drinesse and fleshinesse in stead of hardnes and comfort in stead of heauines Now followeth the third thing that is that this benefit shall vniuersally be powred out vpon all And this setteth out the goodnesse of God that doth giue it in that he doth it without respect of persons as well on children as on fathers as well on seruants as on masters as well on women as on men as well on young as on olde together with the fourth thing in that this heauenly gift shall in plentifull measure bee powred out in that the ions and daughters shall prophecie the young men shall see visions and the olde men shall dreame dreames Wherein we obserue first the difference betweene the Law and the Gospell betweene the Fathers vnder the Law and those that are vnder the Gospell We grant that we al had one substance of faith and repentance only they looked for Christ to come we to Christ alreadie come And here are to be noted two other differences the one that then the spirit was giuen to
heare the Apostles speaking the truth was it any marueile if they were seduced by false teachers If men doe not receiue the word in loue is it any marueile if they be deluded with heresie 2. Thess. 1. If men neglect the peace of their mindes offered by the Gospell preached is it any marueile if they haue warres If men neglect the foode of their soules is it any marueile if they finde a famine When we see then that men turne the Gospell into wantonnes and write against it is it marueile if the Lord sendeth troubles No no when men shall see such a confusion let them know that God will cleere his iustice and recompence vengeance to the wicked and restore the godly to their ioyes and yet shew them that here is no place of rest but that they must lift vp their heads to heauen where they shall haue rest without trouble Now let vs consider what these afflictions worke in the wicked and to what end they are sent vnto them Surely to plague them and to leaue them without excuse They are sent to God his children to humble them to bring them to repentance to keepe them from euil to encourage them in good and to recouer them being fallen But they are sent to roote out the wicked to consume them from the face of the earth and therefore he powreth out all the vials of his wrath vpon the wicked remnant And these manifold plagues haue often come to passe where the Gospell hath been preached because as it is the greatest mercie treasure if it be receiued so the vnnaturall refusall of it doth cause the greatest iudgemeÌ„ts So the Israelites in the wildernes were punished first by idolatrie then by plagues were rooted out of the land And after Christ had spoken the Apostles preached the Iewes remained vnprofitable the Lord in his iustice in that they would not beleeue the true Christ suffered them to be deluded by false Christs and that they that would not profit by the true Apostles should be deceiued by false Apostles and then being punished with famine and sicknes they were by the Romanes subdued When the Gospell came to be preached among the Gentiles and was contemned the Lord first punished them by suffering them to fall into vile sinnes and then after gaue them ouer to the Turke We see how in the West-countrie where the Gospell was preached and refused the Pope was sent to them So likewise must we make our profit herein When God his Spirit falleth plentifully in vs yet men by his word will not be reformed the Lord will send heretikes and wicked men to corrupt them And will the Lord thus censure his owne people and will he spare the wicked No when we thinke all is quiet the Lord will send plagues for refusing the health of our soules the Lord will send famines for refusing the food of our soules the Lord wil plague vs with warres for neglecting the peace of our mindes And Matth. 24. the Lord hath set Ierusalem a type in that the Gospell neuer continued quiet or vncorrupt in any one place aboue the space of an hundred yeeres Well if we see not the beginnings of these things we are halfe mad if we will not feare the euents of them we are worse than so if we will not profit by these things wofull experience will teach vs our miserable estate We see how needfull affliction â—s whether we looke to God his children or to the wicked Miserie maketh mercie sweete and trouble maketh grace gratious Christ is then sweete and Iesus is then a Sauiour when we feeling no comfort at hand are driuen and drawne out of our selues to seeke some reliefe abroade And experience teacheth vs that in prosperitie we are readie to nestle our selues here belowe and forgetting the life to come we are blinded with the God of this world so we become worldlings staying wholy in these inferior things Now that God might by euidence prooue how whom he once loueth he alwaies loueth to admonish others a farre off he sendeth corrections to teach vs that we may not stay here belowe For if iudgement begin at the house of God what shall become of the wicked If the Lord so hamper the godly how shall the wicked looke to escape Now in these distresses and miseries it shall be that whosoeuer calleth on the name of the Lord shall be saued for so the Lord offereth grace in wrath mercie in iudgements so will the Lord moue his chosen and elect to desire these graces and will cause these iudgemeÌ„ts threatned to fructifie whilest they that pray for the Spirit which shall conuey comfort into them by the word and Sacraments and so shall not onely be preserued from finne and iniquitie but also remaine sounder in iudgement and life passing by these plagues to heauen the wicked going downe by them to hell This is then the third thing which in the beginning wee noted the plaine meaning whereof is thus much If ye will now but ioyne in fellowship in prayer and in God his worship with vs you shall auoide these iudgements threatned and receiue these graces promised the sure pledges of life euerlasting Great is the grace and mercie of God who doth appoint a meane to remedie such miseries and a way to obtaine such mercies and therefore it is worthie further consideration and examination A SHORT TREATISE OF PRAYER VPON THE WORDS OF THE PROPHET IOEL chap. 2. 32 alleaged by Peter Act. 2. 21. WHosoeuer calleth on the name of the Lord shall be saued Ioel. 2. â—2 By calling on the name of God in this place which is but one and a particular part of God his worship are meant and vnderstood the other parts of the worship of God Thus the Scriptures sometime ascribe to this one other parte of God his worship as Genes 3. Then began men to call on the name of the Lord and Gen. 12. Abraham builded an Altar and called on the name of the Lord that is worshipped God Againe Psalme 50. Call vpon me in the time of trouble and I will heare thee In the new Testament we shall see the same For this place is alleaged Rom. 10 and 1. Cor. 1. the Apostle wisheth grace to all theÌ„ that shal call on the name of God that is worship God 2 Timoth. 2. Whosoeuer calleth on the name of the Lord that is worshippeth God let him depart from iniquitie So that vnder this one part of inuocation we see vnderstood all other parts And in our English tongue we rather vse this phrase We will goe to prayers or Are prayers done than we goe to the word of God to heare it we goe to receiue the Sacraments and such like when notwithstanding we frequent other actions of religion in the congregation besides prayer And both Ieremie and our Sauiour Christ calleth the Church an house of prayer as Matth. 21. 13. Mine house shall be called the house of prayer c. It
saued which point is necessarily to be noted For the diuell will tell vs Christ died for others but not for vs True it is that all repentant sinners compared with the number of the vnrepentant are but few Howbeit if I truely abhorre my sinnes and my selfe for my sinnes sake if I purpose to leaue sinnâ— and trauell in the wayes of righteousnes if I loue GOD and hate â—niquitie and depart from it although I want all these solen ne preparations yet I am perswaded I shall be saued And yet remember that here is no such libertie for hard-hearted sinners neither is the Sea of mercie denied to sorrowfull sinners For as no sinner shall be damned that will repent and it truth desireth to be saued so the Lord will not iustifie the wicked and obstinate sinner Whosoeuer therefore hath eares let him heare who so hath eyes let him see who so hath an heart let him consider of this bountifull mercie of God whether hee be in miserie outward or trouble inward and know from the Lord his owne mouth that Whosoeuer calleth on the Name of the LORD hee shall be saued FINIS THE THIRDE PART OF THE WORKES OF THE REVEREND AND FAITHFVL SERVANT OF IESVS CHRIST MAISTER RICHARD GREENHAM MINISTER AND PREAcher of the Word of GOD containing seuenteene Sermons the Titles and Texts whereof appeare in the next Page following PROV 10. 7. The memoriall of the iust shall bee blessed but the name of the wicked shall rotte VERS 11. The mouth of the righteous is as a welspring of life VERITAS VIRESSIT VVLNERE TC AT LONDON Imprinted by Thomas Creede for William Welbie and are to be solde at his shoppe in Paules Church-yard at the signe of the Swanne 1611. THE SERMONS FOLLOVVING ARE THESE 1 OF quenching the spirit 1. THES 5. 19. 2 Of murmuring EXOD. 16. 2. 3 Of zeale REVEL 3. 19. 4 Of a good name PROV 22. 1. 5 Of humilitie PROV 18. 12. 6 Of the education of children PROV 17. 21. 7 Of repentance and true sorrow for sinne ACT. 2. 37. 38. 8. 9. Three Sermons of the heauenly purchase on the 13. of 10. Matthew and the 44 verse 11 Of Christian warfare on EPHES. 6. vers 10. 11. 12. 12 Of diuers Christian instructions PSAL. 16. 13 Of flying euill company Idolatrie c. on GEN. 42. vers 9. 12. 14. 15. 21. 14 Of the mutuall duties betweene the Ministers and people on HEB. 13. vers 17. 15 Of the confession of sinne and the necessarie vse thereof on PROV 28. 15. 16 Of the effects of Christ his Crosse c. in two sermons 17 on GALAT. 6. vers 14. 15. TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL SIR IVLIVS CAESAR KNIGHT AND TO THE RIGHT VERtuous Lady his wife HENRY HOLLAND wisheth an increase of all prosperitie and the rich grace of Gods spirit vnto life euerlasting THese Sermons right Worshipfull are full of good instruction and consolation I haue endeuoured to giue some view of theâ— al by some short aphorismes on this manner I. The first Sermon is of the quenching of the spirit where hee teacheth vs 1. That albeit those be worthily condemned that nâ—vâ—r tâ—sted nor desire to taste of the spirit of God yet a more iust and fearefull condemnation is like to come on them that hauing once receiued it doâ— after lose the same 2. To knowe whether we haue the spirit he saith like as hee knoweth best that hee hath lâ—fe which feeleth it in himselfe so hee best knoweth whether hee haue the spirit that feâ—eth thâ— spirit working in himselfe Againe he that hath the spirit of Christ hath some thing in him giuen him of God by his word aboue all that can be attained by any naturall gift or humane industrie 3. Tâ—e spirit often in regeneration causeth in the spirituall man a great and generall astonishment for great â—â—d enormous sinnes committed and then it dealeth more particularly smitâ—â—g vs with a speciall griefe for speciall sinnes 4. Then the spirit teacheth how the faculties of the soâ—le are all bent to rebellion against God and specially how reason fighteth against faith and is a great patronâ— of vnbeliefe 5 After all this the spirit saith he bringeth vs to seâ— the vnsâ—â—rchable riches of Christ and worketh in vs that precious faith whereby â—â— apprehend our free iustification in Christ. And then followes the feeling of ioy vnspeakable and that blessed peace of conscience which passetâ— vnderstanding iudgement is reformed affections are cleane altered and there wil appeare in â—ll faculties great forwardnes and readines to performe things acceptable vnto God 6. After some falies of frailtie â—f we continue our former hatred of sinne the oftner wâ— fal conceiue the more dâ—â—dly hatred against sinne if our sorrow for sinne increase if our care continue to preuent and cut off all occasions of sinne albeit we slip and fall often yet wee may not say the spirit is quenched 7. Such as haue the greater and more certaine graces of the spirit of regeneration their knowledge is well grounded and they labour euermore for a good measure of knowledge to direct them in their particular duties the knowledge of the wicked is but coÌ„fused general vncertaine 8. Albeit the spirit can neuer be vtterly taken from the beleeuers yet if they waxe proud secure and fall to sin the graces of the spirit the cleere vnderstanding the feeling the affection and ioy in the holy Ghost may so die decay in them that they may well seeme to themselues and others to haue quenched the spirit These and the like singular doctrines concerning this matter are contained in this Sermon This argument was further inlarged and amplified in other Sermons by him which as yet I cannot finde For he taught also by what degrees the spirit is quenched and they were these 1. By neglecting the meanes of cherishing the grace of the spirit 2. From neglecting the meanes to proceede to the grieuing of the spirit 3. From grieuing to come to vexing and prouoking the spirit 4. Lastly how some after long prouocations haue quenched the spirit and lost all the good light graces of God which they seemed before to haue had These be most dangerous degrees of sinne and steps to perdition And thus farre of the first Sermon II. The second sermon is against murmuring a sinne no lesse dangerous than common in all degrees and conditions of men We be here taught 1. What the nature is of impatiencie for outward things what dishonour it brings to God what a torment to vnbeleeuers in whom â—â—e want of one small thing breedâ— such â—isâ—â—ntâ—ntment â—â— the possâ—ssiâ—on of mâ—â— rich blessâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—â—ot quâ—â—t them 2. What remedies best sâ—rue to make our hearts calme in aâ—â— such distempred affections and they bee these first most highly to esteeme of Gods fauour and to prâ—ferre that one benefit of the â—ardon of our sinnes before all the riches of this life Secondly to labour for that precious faith iâ— Christ
stay their talke and to lay their hands on their mouths And yet here we must beware of their hastie zeale who will not sticke to charge the children of God to be without zeale if presently and abruptly they rush not into an open reprehension of men that are mightie in authority as though no regard of place time and persons were to be had which opinion many by weaknes of iudgement defending finde neither fruit in others nor comfort in their owne consciences when they do admonish in that presumptuous manner for that hunting after feruentnes without the spirit of meeknes and casting off all consideration of a godly oportunitie they rather exasperate than humble the parties admonished and they themselues rather depart with confusion and shame for such posting on without warrant of wisedome and not according to knowledge than with comfort of heart for any dutie done Neither am I here ignorant how great daunger of trouble of minde commeth to many in that they being so curious obseruers and waiters of oportunitie doe for some ease of the flesh vnder the cloake of this wisedome altogether leaue off that godly dutie Wherefore as we affirme that wisedome and loue mixed together doe deepely enter into the most prefract and prodigious spirits so we mislike their fearefull delay of dutie who hauing a meane occasion offered them from the Lord doe not earnestly puâ—â—ue the quarrell of the Lord and earnestly rebuke sinne though in some higher personaâ—â—es Out of this may issue another fruit of right zeale namely when we are zealous in their behalfe who can neuer recompence vs againe for flesh and blood will easily admit to rebuke the iniuries and reuenge the oppressions vsed to men of credit and abilitie because it is a warie wisedome to patronage them in lesser things who can be our patrons againe in greater things Thus Iob deliuered the poore that cried the fatherlesse him that had none to helpe him he was the eyes to the blinde the foote to the lame at whose hands no hope of reward was to be looked for But to draw to the last and most glorious propertie this thing in zeale is most commendable when we are humbled in our owne soules for those sinnes which we espie and censure in others euen as though we our selues for want of instruction or prayer were in some sort guiltie of their sinnes If this rule were receiued in iudgement and â—uerenced in practise of Ministers Magistrates and masters when they are to admonish their inferiours of sinne it is sure it would breede in them great conscience and religion Alas wee see many who can mangle and martyr a man for some offence who neuer learned for consâ—nce sake to mourne for those infirmities which so bitterly he would iâ—ueigh against in others Let vs consider this in ministers how the Apostle saith to the Corinthians I feare leâ—â—t when I come mâ— God aâ—â—ase me among you and I shall beâ—aile many of them which haue â—â—â—ned alreadie c. Which no doubt he did as thinking that he did not duty enough but that there was euen some cause of griefe in himselfe Did the Apostle who had so little or no cause so to doe thus lament and suspect himselfe as though hee had not vsed all good meanes or with the meanes good affections and should the ministers of our time whose gifts and paines are fâ—rre inferiour nothing bee moued for the sinnes of them for whom they ought to care and mourne Well I hope that euen at this day there are some that feare they haue not in preaching publikely opened al the mysteries of God to them they thinke they haue failed in priuate admonition they suspect themselues of want of praying for them they are readie to accuse themselues that they haue not walked so wisely and warily in vsing their libertie before them or that their life hath not yeelded that example of godlinesse to them as they ought to haue done And so in the whole discourse almost of the sinnes of the seuerall Churches the holy Ghost runneth on in this tenour that whatsoeuer is spoken of the Church is spoken to the Angels that is to the ministers of the Church who are said to haue this or that sinne which indeede was in the people In the Primitiue Church when the credit of the Apostles was called into question they might seeme to haue been much troubled about the matter but they were much humbled by it they examined them selues they accused themselues and afterward they instituted a new ministerie But doth not this dutie as deepely charge Ministers and Masters to mourne for the sinnes of their people Yes doubtles and for good reason For if they will confesse that they must reioyce in the good things that befall their children and families they must also lament the euils which betide them so long as they are vnder their tuition and gouernment FINIS OF A GOOD NAME THE FOVRTH SERMON Prouerbs 22. verse 1. A good name is to be desired aboue great riches and louing fauour aboue siluer and gold ALl that is to be desired of a man is this that hee bee vertuous godly and truly religious This because it is in it selfe most excellent and most contrarie to our nature therefore the Scripture vseth many arguments and reasons to perswade vs thereunto as in this place where the Wise man would stirre vs vp to the loue of vertue by setting before our eyes two principall effects and fruits which we may receiue by it The first of these is a good name the second is louing fauour both which as they doe proceede from vertue and godlines so they doe maintaine and increase one another For as a man findeth much fauour with those that doe speake and report well of him so those that will shew a man louing fauour will or at least ought to shewe it in this that they may willingly affoord him a good report Now both these are preferred before great riches both these are accounted better than gold and much siluer and surely whosoeuer is truly wise will make this account of them whosoeuer doth rightly knowe to discerne what is good he will first and especially labour for them for a good name doth commend vs to God and to his holy Angels in whose eyes those vertues whereof a good name doth arise are most acceptable But riches are not able to doe this no the abundance of siluer and golde is often an occasion of sinne whereby we are most out of the fauour of God Againe whereas riches especially if they be euill gotten do cause men many times to hate vs this good name and louing fauour doth win the hearts of many yea it doth sometimes cause our enemies to be at peace with vs. And this euer hath been and euer will be most certaine and true whether we looke to prosperitie or aduersitie whether we looke to the common callings of this ciuill
from them be glad of such excuse Surely this estate bewraieth a proud heart blessing it selfe with a fulnes and cloyedenes of the meanes and either sheweth vs to lie in some sinne presently or that we are like to fall into some sinne hereafter and that shortly Howbeit being absent iâ— hauing these or like affections wee can mourne beate our owne hearts and iudge our selues enquiring of the things spoken at their hands that haue been at the congregation if being absent in bodie with an humble sight of our want wee are as present in spirit if euen in time of exercises we bestow the time in prayer in reading or in meditation the Lord will shield vs from sinne and the shame of sinne Againe if wee shall finde our selues subiect to peeuishnes concupiscence or couetousnesse with lesse power to preuaile against them that wee haue had let vs feare least some pride hath gone before If wee cannot recouer our selues out of these euils by prayer or mourning let vs suspect our owne hearts that some securitie in the meanes hath ouertaken vs the Lord for a time hath left vs the diuell hath foyled vs. It is a blessed thing to get the victory of our faults before they be ioyned with the offences of the world with the griefe of the godly with the reproch of our aduersaries with the trouble of our owne consciences with the hazard of Gods glorie And therefore if it be so the good will of God let vs earnestly desire him that our trials and temptations may bee inward that they may bee stayed and stenched when they beginne that they breake not out abroade to the greater dishonour of the Lord and our further discomfort which surely they will doe if by cherishing them and not checking them wee striue not for some safetie against them Let vs humblie therefore long before feare this reproch to come and pray with the Prophet Lorde keepe mee from the reproch which I feare least otherwise the Lord seeing vs make no conscience in these cases bee auenged of vs who surely will dishonour them that sticke not to dishonour him Cease then to gaze at the worke of God and labour to gage the pride of your owne hearts in affection which the Lorde is contrained to shame vs with for the abuse of his graces for the discredit of his word the contempt of his glorie and for the neglect of our owne saluation which being before purposed rather then it should bee vnaccomplished wee shall haue shamefull Sergeants sent vnto vs as fire on our houses warres to spoyle our goods sicknes to weaken our bodies and torment of minde to scourge our consciences which will draw vs out by the eares from the heauie slumber of sinne wherein wee snorted And thus fitlie though suddenly we are slipt into the second point and obseruation of this doctrine which is that wee should not be too hie to enter into the gates of aduersitie nor being entred to behaue our selues vnpatiently as though it would vndoe vs to sit in the house of mourning a while rather wee must reioyce in it and be thankfull for it saying with the Prophet It is good for mee ô Lord that thou hast afflicted me c. because the holy Ghost here telleth vs that lowlinesse goeth before honour and in the schoole of humilitie wee shall learne the way to true glorie and Nobilitie Neither doe I here meane that affliction in it selfe hath of it selfe such vertue as to humble vs truly vnder the hand of God but when the spirit of God worketh with it that then it will breede in vs the fruites of righteousnesse repentance faith and holinesse it will driue vs to seeke comfort in the world to aske comfort by praier to yeeld comfort by compassion on other mens euils And therefore it is necessarie against the policie of Sathan who would discourage the Saints of God in their profession by dressing them with afflictions to stay our selues in this testimonie of the holy Ghost that before glorie goeth affliction and after lowlinesse commeth honor either in this life or in the life to come or in both This must further teach vs to profit by the threatnings of God publikely preached not to threaten them or to murmure against them that lay the iudgemeÌ„ts of God against vs in the law this must cause vs to make much of them that by sharpe censuring of vs will soonest draw vs out of sinne This must worke in vs a desire to reape some fruite by priuate admonitions yea and to call on others to admonish vs that we may still be kept in some good course of humilitie Further and besides this it is profitable for vs to frequent them that are sicke ready to diâ— perplexed in spirit imprisoned in chaines and oppressed with miserie that in them we may see our selues as in a mirrour and so with Moses to chuse rather to suffer afflictions then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a time This acquainting our selues with the iudgements of God will both rubbe off securitie and stirre vs vp to greater thankfulnes for our selues and pitie towardes others Wherefore they are not in the way of humilitie to obtaine glorie who are so tender sighted that they cannot abide to see the iudgements of God they are too daintie eared that cannot or that will not heare the threatnings of the Lawe saying oh I cannot abide to heare one in desperation I cannot away to heare such fearfull speeches to heare the diuell speake in one I loue not to see one lie gasping and panting in death These things would depriue me of all mirth breede melancholy and stirre me vp to mâ—â—â—es Nay this delicatenes to flye from the Lord thus drawing neere vs will hasten these things vpon vs which we will not profit by in others Such eyes to see such eares to heare such hearts to be humbled it becommeth Gods people to haue that as they loue nothing more than glorie so they labour for nothing more than humilitie as they shun nothing more than coÌ„fusion so they auoid nothing more than pride of heart Which that we may doe let vs cast down our selues before the throne of mercie in the name and mediation of Iesus Christour Sauiour O eternall God and our most louing father behold vs in thine owne couenant c. FINIS OF THE GOOD EDVCATION OF CHILDREN THE SIXTH SERMON Prouerbs 17. 21. Hee that begetteth a foole getteth himselfe sorrowe and the father of a foole can haue no ioy THE holie Ghost speaking in the Scripture of foolish sonnes as that he that beâ—etteth such a one getteth himselfe sorrowe and that the father of a foole hath no ioy meaneth it not so much of naturall idiots and such as are destitute of common reason although it is true that this is a lamentable iudgement of God and a heauines to the parents of such a childe as of wicked children such as
word of God were we pricked by it then haue we profited Haue wee not bin pricked thereby then as yet are we not a sacrifice for the Lord. For as was said before Christ comforteth them that are troubled hee helpeth them that doubt he easeth them which are in distresse hee setteth their feete in the way of peace and gladnesse that haue long been in darknes and sorrow Haue ye not been sorrowfull and will ye learne a salue for this sore be sorrowfull that ye were not sorrowfull be pricked in your hearts because you were not pricked Haue wee heard the word let vs examine our selues if our knowledge be the better if our affections be the holier As hauing heard the exposition of the law of God doe we feare God doe we know how to loue God doe we pray to God doe we worship God in our soules and in our bodies more carefully and in greater conscience than we haue done heretofore Are we not now as prophane and carelesse still in giuing the right worship to the true God as before wee were too superstitious in seruing Angels Saints and other false gods neither sorrowing for our Idolatrie nor caring for true religion Haue wee not blasphemed and prophaned the name of God in vnreuerent hearing his word in vnprofitable talking of his workes and abusing his owne maiestie with swearing and cursing as much as euer wee did before we heard his word Haue wee kept holy the Sabbath or haue we not prophaned it by open neglect of the word by playing sporting drinking and other vanities Doe wee not still send forth our seruants to dispatch our busines on that day as if it were the market day when they may doe such things most lawfully Are not parents householders and gouernours as slacke in prouoking obedience and children seruants and subiects as slow in yeelding obedience as euer they were parents in the meane time not seeing that children therefore rebell against them because they rebell against God nor householders perceiue that seruants doe not their duties to them because they doe not their dutie to God Are we lesse wrathfull and more mercifull Are we lesse riotous and filthie defilers of our flesh and are wee more sober chast and holie Are we lesse giuen to oppression to hard dealing one with another and more iust righteous and carefull to maintaine the good estate of our brethren Are wee not backbiters slanderers or sowers of discord causers of contention among our neighbours being farre off from maintaining loue vnitie and the good name of our brethren The cause why wee cannot see further into these things is because wee flatter our selues and because we compare our selues with our selues and with others but not with the rule of Gods word Let vs then learne to accuse our selues and to iudge our owne consciences For if God see vs condemne our selues hee will not condemne vs if we accuse our selues God will not suffer Satan to accuse vs if wee iudge our selues God will acquite vs from the fearefull iudgement to come if wee bee displeased for our sinnes God will be pleased with vs in Christ his righteousnesse On the contrarie whilest we lie in our sinnes we lie in our owne blood if wee iudge not our selues God will both iudge vs and bee reuenged of our sinne he will set our house on fire he will send enemies hee will send earthquakes he will send famines to consume our goods he wil make friends foes he wil send sicknes and sorenesse vpon our bodies a troubled spirit into our soules he will send vs an ill name thus will he bring plague vpon plague vntill we repent and come to a feeling of our sins And why doth God all this because we will not come to iudge our selues For this cause saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 11. 30. that is because wee iudge not our selues many are weake and sicke among you and many sleepe 31. For if wee would iudge our selues wee should not be iudged 32. But when we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord that wee should not be condemned with the world Likewise the Prophet Psal. 89. and 30 31. 32. 33. But if his children for sake my law and walke not in my iudgements if they breake my statutes and keepe not my commandements then will I visit their transgression with the sword and their iniquitie with strokes yet my louing kindnesse will I not take from him neither will I falsifie my truth For as a father withdraweth from his childe sometimes his loue and whippeth him with the rod of correction so the Lord dealeth often with his children and scourgeth their naked conscience God doth iudge his heere but his enemies will hee iudge in the world to come if we bee not punished here the punishment will be as thunderbolts in the day of iudgement Hast thou been afflicted and not profited Will not a little crosse serue thee a greater shal come to thee Will not a few troubles turne thee to God then many shall come vpon thee If a man be not troubled for sinne here it is the way to hell if hee bee troubled here it is the way to heauen And as they which haue not bin troubled hauing had a little ioy shall haue eternall paine so they which here haue had a little paine shall after haue euerlasting ioy They that are corrected and haue profited by it are afflicted of the Lord in mercie but they that bee vexed and amend not receiue a token of Gods further wrath Wherefore we must not looke to feele comfort in the remission of sinnes vnlesse wee also haue sorrow for committing our sinnes For neuer any of Gods children were comforted throughly but they were first humbled for their sinnes To the working of which humiliation wee must remember Gods iudgements shewed on others Hath God destroyed the whole world for sinne and can hee not or will hee not destroy thee for sinne Hath hee ouerthrowne whole nations and will hee suffer thee to lie still in thy sinnes See how full hell is alreadie and yet daily wee runne headlong thither Consider also how great thy sinne was that could not be cleansed but by the blood of Iesus Christ Oh how foule was that sinne that nothing else could wash it but Christ his heart blood Oh how great was our guiltinesse that was raunsomed by such a price How great was the sore that needeth such a salue how deepe was the wound that needed such a medicine O louing kindnes and vnspeakable loue towards vs Shall Christ â—ee slaine for our sinnes and wee not labour to slay sinne in our selues Shall Christ dye for our sinnes and sinne as yet is not dead in vs Shall Christ bee crucified for vs and will wee not crucifie sinne in our selues Shall Christ haue his heart pricked with a speare and shall not wee haue our hearts pricked with sorrow This is the true vse and meditation of Christ his passion
wife goods lands friends parents children yea and peraduenture also it will cost thee the losse of thine owne heart blood It is more chargeable than some thinke it is and that it is the cause why they make so little account of it Now there are some which care not what it costeth them so that it may be had with ease but such must know that it is as laborious as costly For before thou canst attaine vnto it thou must trauaile in heart and in soule with weeping with sighing with much fasting with prayer with watching with meditation of the word of God and in practising of all the commandements of God Thou must trauaile in compassion towards all men thou must take paines in doing thy dutie towards thy superiours and in relieuing the needie and such as are in distresse Finally it is a most painfull way to passe and many there be which deceiue themselues entring into it without preconsideration either of cost or paines I tell you in the houre of death in the day of iudgement in persecutions in trials in banishments many shall see and know that they haue deceiued themselues for that they haue not duly thought of these said charges neither is it onely chargeable and troublesome but also there are in it many and great perils and dangers many battailes must be fought before thou canst come vnto the end thereof Now for a man not onely to be greatly chargeable but also to haue great troubles many battels betwixt the flesh and the spirit this is a sore and a great temptation thou must fight with all thy affections with thine owne reason thou must be prepared to fight with fleshly ioy Loue Feare sorrow Anger Meekenesse Softnesse neither is this conflict as the passion of anger which endureth but for a moment but this combat against affections is to be taken in hand diuers and sundrie times and continueth a long time euen during the whole life And though we receiue many blowes and are sometimes as it were drawne backe yet we must to it againe Those I say which meane to inherit the kingdome of heauen must renounce their owne reason and fight against their owne iudgement As for example in anger many will burst out to fighting and why because that their owne reason teacheth them that they are abused contemned and despised and this is it which deceiueth many because they doe not striue and contend with their owne reason but rather doe thus thinke with themselues according to the manner of men what is the reason why we should doe this or why we should doe that why we should lose our wiues children goods and lands this reason then of ours must be fought against and ouercome But when a man hath ouercome his reason and knoweth what things to be angrie for and what things to be patient in what to loue and what to hate then shall he the better walke rightly but for as much as a man must fight both with his reason and his affections this is a hard battell For though a man haue ouercome his reason yet his affections may still â—e head strong in him yea so strong as they shall carrie his reason iudgement headlong Here then ariseth a greater fight than before before the affections can be ouercome but when reason affections ioyne together that a man hath to deale with them both then ariseth a most deadly fight insomuch that a man shall very hardly ouercome them and yet wee haue more enemies to fight withall than these Wee must fight on the right hand and on the left on the right hand with fame and glorie and on the left hand we are to fight with wealth and riches and with credit and all things in the world If God shall vouchsafe to giue thee riches take heede that thy heart be not set vpon them wherfore when thou whosoeuer thou art art blessed with a good report or with the riches of this world take heede and beware of pride vaine glorie and ambition for if the childe of God doe not forecast these things he may easily be ouertaken and wee see many who when they are in lower estate behaue themselues like honest men and as becommeth the children of God but when they come to any preferment and promotion then they are altogether carried away with the vaine glorie of this world Thou must not onely fight with faire and good reports but thou must also fight with reproches and this is no small combate for hauing riches and glorie thou maist escape pride and ambition but if indeed thou professe the truth thou canst not escape reproches Wherefore if this be not foretâ— ought and looked vnto betimes if a man â—e not well armed against this he cannot be able to withstand it but it will make him goe backe from the truth which he hath professed alas will he say I labour to doe good I endeauour my selfe to keepe a good conference in all my dealings yet loe how I am contemned and how I am accounted a Precâ—sian and an Hypocrite We must also figâ—t with losses and want of liuing and in this point we see many to be ouercome when as therefore the Lord hath brought vs vnto a low â—bbe we must take heede that we be â—o shifters For when by a simple and godly liuing many cannot thriue and prosper in this world then fall they to vnlawfull meanes and now adaies rather than a man will be in want hee will take two or three liuings wherefore this temptation of want is very great and therefore so much the more to be looked vnto Likewise when a man must fight with banishment losse of friends or such like then the anguish which ariâ—eth thereof it draweth from him many bitter sighes and deepe groanes and through sorrow of heart he is brought vnto strange thoughts wherefore except a man doe acquit himselfe with these and the rest it will goe hard but Sathan will haue the victorie for it is a very hard matter to endure them There is another thing to be taken heede of and that is this when Sathan shall behold the corruption of a man either which is within him or which is outward for whether it be inward or outward it will serue his turne as it is in Ephes the 6. He is spirituall wickâ—dnesses in heauenly things he is a spirituall enemie and in this world he is Principalities and Powers Therefore I say when he beholdeth thy corruptions he commeth to worke vpon thee and stirreth vp thine owne conscience and thine owne reason to accuse thee and to condemne thee then like a spirituall enemie he commeth to intoxicate thine affections and moueth thee sometimes with losses sometimes with profit sometimes with pleasures sometimes with ioy sometimes with sorrow when I say he doth thus bewitch thy reason and affections and doth thus infatuate thy wits and intoxicate thy braines here is a very dangerous fight And herein may a man
if thy brother repent seauentie times seauen times thou shouldest forgiue him doth he perswade him truly confessing that hee will forgiue him and shall not then the Lord be mercifull vnto thee if thou confesse in giuing thee remission of thy sinnes and sanctification from thy sinnes Yea God is more mercifull than man when man truly confesseth We are to pray that the ministery may be recouered that the Ministers being humbled the people may also ioyne with them Another kinde is to confesse to men and not only vnto God otherwise it is hypocrisie as it is though we confesse to men and not to God We must confesse to men when we owe some dutie or when we are to receiue a benefit by them We owe them dutie when we are admonished secondly when we haue offended them They that vse good meanes and come by authoritie we must confesse vnto theÌ„ Mat. 18. Where there must be a yeelding or a proceeding with farther processe Luk. 17. It is required that a man should acknowledge or he cannot haue forgiuenes Where men offending are admonished I will confesse say they vnto God not vnto you when as the Lord requireth that it should first be done vnto men First reconcile thy selfe to thy brother then vnto God We offend our brethren when we iniurie them secondly when we are authors or counsellers of them vnto euill or thirdly when we giue them euill example Whether we haue iniured them in their bodies goods or good name Leuit. 6. 4. the same day the sacrifice was to be offered the same day must satisfaction be made And where iudgement is threatned men refusing to satisfie the parties God will not forgiue who is also offended for God requireth confession and man satisfaction Many haue charged others to do euill and haue wrought euill with others the one being humbled the other will not be perswaded it is so but hauing hurt them in their soules though by confession we cannot recouer them yet we must shame our selues vnto them that they may haue the cause of sinne vpon themselues If thinking of these things in our studies yet if we practise them not our prayers will not be acceptable We are to receiue benefit when we would haue aduise from them or would be comforted of them and we would haue aduise when we are tempted vnto sinne or accused in our consciences for sinne Though men cannot accuse vs yet there are many times speciall sinnes that we cannot get peace with God for or power to ouercome them these must be confessed to men that we may get strength in wisedome Iam. 5. Where I take acknowledging to be more than confession for a man cannot acknowledge a thing but he must needes confesse it but he may confesse and yet not acknowledge And there the Apostle speaketh of recouering one from sinne when they are tempted as the whole scope of the place sheweth In accusation the Diuell will lay sinne to our charge and the conscience is feared both in reason and affection then there must be recourse to our friends Experience wofull enough will witnes this some for light matters haue hanged themselues who if they had opened their griefes might haue beene recouered as some haue beene whose throats haue beene ripped and others who haue beene found lying in the waters God hath appointed a communion of Saints and if we will not partake of their counsâ—ile we may be brought downe for not disclosing as others haue beene There is another higher sight of diuinitie and better faith of godlines when there is griefe for sinne or for temptation to a sinne or thirdly for lying in sinne and not getting out of it and also for being prouoked to grosse sinnes Many men lying in a sinne when neither by praying nor fasting nor hearing nor otherwise they can get out of it they must seeke for strength at others and desire their prayers The Papists will haue vs bound to the Ministers S. Iames more large To come out of sinne is the best way to shame our selues and acknowledge it and this meanes vsed plainely will driue Satan away for comming neere vs. The temptations are many times strange thoughts to blaspheme God and iniurie highly whom most we loue and many such like things The family of loue had these temptations and many others who haue bene giuen ouer grosely because fighting with an euill conscience they did not vse the meanes of getting out And these are laid vpon men for corrections for things past for remedies for things to come to passe and for prouocations vnto prayer No remedie is so great as to disclose them to thy friend who loueth thee and will pray with thee Choyse must be vsed of those in whom we will disclose especially of a spirituall father must our choyse be spirituall for discerning well of the temptation and for wisedome in prescribing a remedie Not those who say it is fond lessening the sinne which should be waighed as it is that the iust proportion of Gods iudgement may be seene neither to those that shal aggrauate it least they terrifie thee too much When sinne fighteth then learning will not so much preuaile Satan is such a subtle Sophister A father he must be a brother a sister a righteous man as S. Iames saith who must haue the affection of a father for compassion taciturnitie and not vpbrayding Compassion that the heart may bleed as of a tender father and mother that though the sin be not ours yet we may haue a fellow feeling for the mercifull is blessed which followeth the poore in spirit Taciturnitie that the sinne being close it may neuer goe further thaÌ„ the cause is Vpbrayding is such a thing as it feareth many because it is the propertie of worldly men to keepe men vnder by that meanes but these fathers may not doe it Though it be true that many meeting such a father they will not vse him as a father which appalleth the spirit of a good father who if in wisedome hee shall but touch any thing that may be thought to be disclosed he is thought to doe it to vpbrayd them FINIS THE SIXTEENTH SERMON Galath 6. vers 14. 15. Be it farre from mee that I should reioyce but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ whereby the world is crucified vnto me and I vnto the world For in Christ Iesus neither circumcision auaileth any thing nor vncircumsion but a new creature HAuing finished in a late Treatise the doctrine of the true obseruation of the Sabbath as a furtherance to nourish religion in them that are alreadie called we now haue purposed considering the small proceeding in Christian profession which ought to be found in this ripenes of the Gospell more glorious and abundant to entreate of such matter as being most agreeable to them that as yet haue not tasted how sweete Christ is and his Gospell very profitable for our senseles age wherein Christ is almost vtterly forsaken may breede some loue of religion
and beginne at the least some care of our profession in vs. And to deliuer you from further suspense of minde and musing with your selues what this thing should bee it is the comfortable doctrine of Christ crucified and ioyfull tidings of the passion of Christ whereof because I know none that haue gone with a through stitch in this matter but either if they wrote soundly they did it more sparingly than so excellent an argument doth deserue or if any haue laboured more largely they haue done it more corruptly than the historie of the Gospell will permit them by the grace of God I haue purposed and by the blessing of God I shall performe to write of this matter more at large Now for a preface or preparation hereunto we haue made choise of that holy protestation of Paul Galath 6. 14. But be it farre from mee that I should reioyce but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ whereby the world is crucified vnto mee and I vnto the world 15. For in Christ Iesus neither circumcision auaileth any thing nor vncircumcision but a new creature 16. And as many as walke according to this rule peace shall be vpon them and mercie and vpon the Israel of God The Apostle hauing written against such corrupt teachers and false Prophets as after he had preached the libertie of the Gospell laboured to bring in againe the politique gouernment of the Iewish ceremonies and to intermingle the beggerly rudiments of the law with the glorious profession of the Gospell and hauing declared alreadie that the firme faith of Christians needeth not the painted pompe of ceremonies sheweth in the two verses immediatly going before these that these false Apostles and bold Doctors of circumcision kept no good course both for that they sought to auoide trouble and persecution because being a menstruous people and monstrous companie of Christians and Iewes they might bee safe on both sides and hurt of neither part as also for that they carnally sought their owne glorie credit and estimation by boasting themselues of the solemne troupe and notable number of disciples whom they schooled and trained after them in their profession Now in this place Paul opposing his sincere ministerie to their carnall gospelling and the pure faith of Christians to the impure reliques of the Iewes saith with a bold emphasis and godly protestation But be it farre from me that I should reioyce but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ c. As if he should say God forbid that I should reioice in any thing sauing in this that I know by the crosse of Christ the forgiuenes of my sins that his righteousnes is imputed vnto me that mine iniquities are nailed on his crosse and buried in his death so that I am not hencefoorth so much tempted to the things of this world neither make I any great matter how basely soeuer the world accounteth of mee For why I know it is not materiall whether we be circumcised or vncircumcised for that I neither finde benefit in being circumcised neither any hurt in being vncircumcised but herein I haue comfort and matter of reioycing in that I am become a new creature in Christ and am freed from all other shewes of Iewish pompe And this I dare boldly affirme that this cause of reioycing is not to me alone but to all other faithfull Ministers teaching and all other godly people willingly and diligently embracing this doctrine of the crosse of Christ. Briefly then we see in these principals first that the crosse of Christ being neuer so obscure is more to be ioyed in than al shewes of ceremonies be they neuer so glorious because it worketh in vs these excellent effects which the other can neuer doe it crucifieth vs to this world and maketh vs to become newe creatures Lastly it is shewed that this is no variable or particular doctrine but generall no priuate passion of Paul but a common ioy to all Ministers and not to Ministers alone but to all the whole Israel and companie of professors that haue their ioy either in soundly teaching or in sincerely learning of Christ crucified so that all shall haue the ioy which Paul enioyed if they will keepe the rule which Paul obserued by which duties both of Pastors people is insinuated that whosoeuer shal wilfully forsake or spitefully reiect this doctrin he is neither of the number of true Ministers nor any member of the true Israelites And if wee shall more deeply consider how many and how great the crosses of Christ were for vs and therewithall shall marke how vnfaithfully they be though of the most part of professors◠if we shall see the little meditation of them the slender thankfulnes for them the small fruites of mortification in being crucified to the world the fewe tokens of sanctification in becomming new creatures which comeby them wee shall easily graunt the necessitie of this doctrine to bee taught and comfort of it to be learned especially seeing in the old age of the Gospell we haue so fewe true reioicers in Christ crucified so many enemies of the crosse of Christ both amōg them that be teachers and them that are taught As for the enemies of Christ his crosse they be either professed enemies or not heartie friends the professed enemies are either such as be without all religion or such as are seduced by a false religion they without religion are Atheists Epicures worldlings vnto whom Christ crucified is a laughing stocke and a matter of scoffing in that Christ is ridiculous in their eyes and absurd in their iudgement those that are corruptly seduced that I omit Turkes and Iewes are either superstitious Papists or erroneous Heretikes The superstitious Papists notwithstanding their woodden crosse and painted banners and for all their Passion Sundaies good Fridaies are the greatest enemies to the passion and crosse of Christ. For wofull experience hath taught that these foolish deuices of mē hauing but once crept ouer the threshold into the doores of the Church did thrust out with the lorhsomnes of their presence the holie ordinances of God in that when men could not brooke the crosses and afflictions which are incident to true Christians they would inuent for a further ease a crosse of wood and when they were wearie of hearing their filthy sinnes laid open to bring them to Christ they prouided for that in stead of preaching they had Masse singing Wherefore it may truly be said of superstitious ceremonies and Christian religion as the Heathen man reporteth of the Hedgehog and the Satyre who entertaining the Hedgehog which he had found for his guest was so prickt with his thornie brissels as he was constrained to goe out of his house A very ill guest displacing his hoste a perilous tenant dispossessing his landlord Howbeit we know that these superstitious worshippers pretended a very great deuotion to Christ on their Passion Sunday in a solemne making of sepulchers in chaunting diuers songs sometime in Pilates
reioyce in any but in Christ crucified because he can present me blamelesse before God his iudgement seate hee hath nailed my sinnes to his crosse he is the immaculate Lambe that was sacrificed for me and will present me as cleare without spot before his father as euer I was created Wherefore Paul knowing the crosse of Christ able to performe all these things good cause there was why he then and we now attaining in some measure to the like knowledge should reioyce in Christ crucified by whoÌ„ we become crucified to the world First we are to note that they that with delight lye in sinne or haue no desire to come out of sinne cannot reioyce in the crosse of Christ. For if thou be filthie and wilt be filthie still in thy flesh how darest thou presume to reioyce in the scourged and torne flesh of Iesus Christ Canst thou ô miser still like and loue this world so much when thou doest more prick and pearce Christ with thy sinnes than euer he was pricked with thornes and nailes or can the thornes of Christ crucified be pretious to thee when the thornes of worldly cares doe so delight and choke thee How canst thou still boyle in thine anger when thou doest remember how mildly Christ crucified suffered the bitter anger of his father for thee Doest thou looke for great matters in this world considering Christ to bee borne for thee so basely to liue so poorely and to dye for thee so painfully Surely thou maist appertaine to Christ in secret election but thy sinnes thus with delight raigning in thee thou hast no assurance of Christ by thy walking Well on the contrarie doest thou thou poore sinner feele the lusts of thy flesh loathsome vnto thee that thou euen quakest to remember the place the time the occasion where sinne ouertooke thee and feelest more terrour to thinke of them than euer thou felâ—st pleasure in doing of them then for thy comfort remember thy sinnes are pardoned the pretious flesh of Christ was torne for thee and that thou seeing the wrath of God due to thy defiled flesh shalt receiue mercie because the crucified flesh of Christ doth acquite the filthines of thy flesh and the punishment due vnto it Againe doth the world begin to be vile in thine eyes and thou art ashamed that thine heart hath been so long set on things below the thornie cares doe now pricke and wound thine heart with sorrow then remember the head of Christ was planted with thornes and Christ for thee despised the world his hands and feete for thee being nailed his side pearced his whole body for thee being crucified Art thou angry with thy selfe that thou hast been so much giuen to anger and canst willingly take iudgement of thy selfe because thou hast abused God his presence and defiled his holy house in comming thither with an angrie heart then remember how Christ for thee sustained the anger of God his wrath to take from thee the imputation of thine anger Canst thou not be content to bee a worme of men and as it were troden on thinkest thou more vilely of thy selfe than of any other art thou now afraid of hypocrisie and feelest thy selfe troubled that thou didst not more earnestly seeke God and neuer didst so much desire the fauour of men as now thou desirest the fauour of God and thinkest it a great mercie to haue one foote in the earth then remember how vile Christ was to make thee pretious to God consider how he was the seruant of all a reproofe of men a worme and not a man troden downe euen of the worst kinde of men that he might free thee from thy vaineglory and secret pride Art thou grieued that thou hast presumed on the mercie of God and doest thou now thinke no more nor so much to be in thee as in other men and that thou art not a sinner alone but a sinner vily infected not resting thy selfe in any opinion of a ciuill life Art thou now as deepely plunged in despaire as before thou wast puft vp with presumption call to minde that Christ was not only reiected of men but of God to bring thee in fauour both with God and men and that he was trobled when he said Father if it bee thy will let this cup passe from mee remember how he laboured in a sweate and agonie not in a cold sweate but so as the warme blood was faine to runne out of their veines behold how hee was hanged betweene heauen earth as spued out of the one and accursed in the other and suffered the heauines of his soule to free thee from presumption by his mightie humilitie to helpe thee from desperation by his painefull crosse To be briefe there are two kinds of men that cannot reioyce in this crosse of Christ the one because they haue an opinion of their own righteousnes the other because they are senselesse for the securitie of their sinnes For the one because the feeling of the sore causeth vs to make much of the salue and the sense of sinne worketh a ioy in the deliuerance from sinne it is sure they cannot reioyce in the forgiuenes of sinne that neuer could lament for the guiltines and grieuousnes of sinne which are the cause of Christ his death Wherefore our Sauiour Christ Luk. 22. seeing certaine women following him with lamentation and mourning that so good a man so innocently should be put to death saith to them weepe rather ô daughters of Ierusalem for your sinnes teaching them that their most speciall cause of weeping was their owne iniquitie which was the cause why now he should suffer death Now then because we are ignorant many see not their sinnes and for that cause cannot mourne for them For they need no ioy that feele no sorrow they neede no comfort that tast no griefe they neede no release that are in no bands and none can truly reioice in the crosse of Christ but they that see their sinnes haue crucified Christ. Wherefore to helpe our blindnes in seeing and numbnes in feeling sinne wee must come to the law of God and to the iudgements of God there with adioyned Why cannot men come to the sight of their sinnes because they know not the lawe Why haue not men a sense of their sinne because they consider not the threatning of the law So that the remedie to make vs see sinne is the knowledge of the law the remedie to make vs feele sinne is the sense of the iudgements of God threatned in the law And why cannot the Papists reioyce in Christ but imagine other histories is it not because they haue imagined a coloured perswasion of the law thinking that the law may bee kept of man measuring the interpretation of the lawe and the obseruation thereof by grosse sinnes and not otherwise as did the Pharisies counting all the spirituall interpretation of the commandements but good counsels not necessarie precepts So that they not seeing the law spirituall nor
Birth in Paradise her education in Canaan her foode Mannah her habite righteousnes her Armes the Lambe her children Saintes her kinred Angels her habitation vpon Earth is the Church militant and in Heauen the Church triumphant This poore Ladie hath euer yet liued by milke which being drawne out of the two dugs of the Olde and Newe Testament is called the syncere milke of the word of God after which all her true children doe thirst as after that foode which must nourish their soules This Worde it was decreed by God the Father preached by God the Sonne inspired by God the holie Ghost and by Angels Prophets Apostles and Euangelists successiuely made knowne to the children of the Church The Church of the Iewes knew it onely for a time there he thewed his wayes vnto Iaakob his statutes and ordinances vnto Israel The Church of the Gentiles shall know it for euer he dealeth now graciously with euery Nation and the Heathen haue knowledge of his Lawes True it is indeede the Iewes haue the Bible but by reason of that curtaine drawne before their eyes they cannot see him who is the ende of the Bible there is a great diference betweene them and vs. They as Hierome saith haue the bookes wee the worde of those bookes they the Prophets wee the vnderstanding of the Prophets they are killed by the Letter we are quickened by the Spirite They haue Barrabas the murtherer deliuered to vs is deliuered CHRIST the Sonne of God Iudas solde him the Iewe bought him the true Christian is the possessor of him whom he findeth in this Word feeleth in the Sacraments and feedeth on in his heart by a liuely Faith The antiquitie necessitie dignitie and commoditie of Helie writte if it were truely thought of as it should would breede a greater loue to the reading of it desire to the knowledge of it and care to the practising of it then is now a dayes in the most of the worlde For Antiquitie it is in part as ancient as the first Adam and in whole as olde as the second in whome all the Promises contained in this booke are Yea and Amen For necessitie as needfull as the true knowledge of God whome to knowe is eternall life For dignitie so greas that it alone must be called the Law of God yea that law then which no man can shewe a better to serue God by or by which hee may better knowe his dutie to man Compare wee this our Christian lawe with those of Lycurgus Draco Solon Zaleucus Numa Pompilius Romane twelue tables themselues which Cicero preferreth aboue all the bookes of Philosophers and the difference will bee as great as the light of the Sunne to a candle the Cedar to the shrub and the little Ant to the great Elephant â—â—â—â—â— Augustine considering but one sentence of this booke writeth thus What disputations what writings of Philosophers what lawes of any Cities are to bee compared to these two Precepts vpon which as CHRIST saith depend the Law and the Prophets Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with all thy strength and thy Neighbour as thy selfe Heere are Physiques here are Ethiques here is Logique here is the laâ—daâ—lâ— gouernement of the Common-wealth c. Againe would we knowe the commoditie of the Word of God Psalme 19. 7 c. Dauid saith the Law of the Lord is perfect conuerting the soule the Testimonie of the Lord is sure and giueth wisedome to the simple the Precept of the Lord is pure and enlighteneth the eyes The feare of the Lord is cleane and endureth for euer the iudgements of the Lorde are true and righteous altogether They are more to bee desired then golde yea then much fine golde Sweeter are they then the honie the honie combe By them also is thy seruant made circumspect in keeping of them is great reward 2. Tim. 3 Paul saith the Scriptures make wise to saluation are profitable to teach to reproue to correct instruct and to make the man of God that is Gods minister who only in the Scripture is termed a man of God perfect to euery good work And surely if men now a dayes could lay aside curiosity in searching after things not meet affection in louing and hating men too much ambition in seeking their owne glorie selfe-loue in liking their owne opinions best pertinacie in maintaining preconceited errors and in a worde preiudicate opinions of some mens gifts and a popular following of most mens conceipts and that bitter calumniation which is vsed one against another if men I say could lay aside these and onely hearken what God doth say in his Worde there would bee an ende of many Controuersies which till then will neuer be without controuersie The Prophet that hath a dreame will tell a dreame he that hath Gods word will speake Gods word Ierem. 23. If once wee reiect the word of the Lorde what wisedome is in vs Iâ—â—â— 8. 9. I had rather heare what God saith by his Prophets and Apostles then what all the Fathers and Schoolemen and Doctors and Casuists in the world can say though also I will be content to hearken vnto them when they also should hearken vnto the Lord. It is well obserued by Erasmus in his prefuce before Ireneus that that holy father did onely with the weapons of the Scriptures encounter with the whole troupe of heretickes The sung of Dauid against Goliah the sword of Goliah against the Philistines are not comparable to these weapons The word of the Lord it is the sword of the spirit wee must fight with it the light of the soule see by it the guide of our life walke by it the fire of the Sanctuary be warmed by it the water of life be purged by it the food of heauen be nourished by it the interpreter of Gods will we must know him by it the meanes of consolation be comforted by it and that mallet to knocke out the braines of Antichrist we must euer haue it in our hands If euer the Perditionâ—â—e â—â—e ouercome it must be by this meanes To the reading of this word the Fathers especially Chrysostome in many places exhorteth the people and Erasmus in his preface to the new Testament protesting his dissent from such as would not haue priuate persons to reade the Bible saith that the Sunne in the firmament is not so commoÌ„ as the Doctrine of Christ. No man euer hated this light but either he that wanted yes to behold it or feared the light to discouer his workes of darkenes O then let vs reade this and to reading adde meditation to meditation prayer to prayer humilitie to humilitie an ayming at Gods glorie and our good and to all a desire to turne Gods word into good workes This euery word of God is pure and is to be preferred before the golde of Ophir And to the ende wee might all delight in it there is set downe in the Bible all such
one man cannot possiblie fill the vnlimited desire of the soule So vnquenchable is the thirst of mans soule vntill it bathe it selfe in the riuer of life and in the vnmeasurable Ocean of goodnes and wisedome Secondly they cannot secure the conscience distressed with the apprehension of the wrath of God or preuent his iudgements as wee may see in Nebucadnezzar Dan. 4. and his sonne Belshazzar Dan. 5. vers 6. and Prophecied of Zeph 1. 17. 18. Ezech 7. 19. Obad 4. When our sinnes are ripe and readie to take the flame of Gods fierie indignation then neither the wedge of golde nor the height of place can priuiledge or protect vs. Lastly they cannot stretch themselues to eternitie they all can bring vs no further then our death bed then are they vtterly disappointed of their weake imaginarie sweetnes and are wholly turned into wounds and wormewood into gall and vexation They leaue indeed a sting in the conscience that neuer dies but themselues die all at our deaths and lie downe with vs in the graue Iob 20. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9 10. c. But to come to the blessed man indeede in that when the Prophet would make knowne vnto all the world who are in the happiest estate and in the highest place of account with God he describeth setteth them forth by this property that they are sincere in heart and vpright in life and conuersation in a word such as truely feare the Lord. The point hence to be noted in generall is this that Grace and Religion is the way to all blessednesse This doctrine the Psalmist confirmeth vnto vs in sundry other places as Psalme 1. and 112. c. In the former whereof he declareth who is a man truely religious to wit he that escheweth ill counsels and sinfull practises and on the other side embraceth and delighteth in goodnesse and godlinesse and in the meanes of obtaining and increasing the same and then he pronounceth such a man blessed Blessed saith he is the man that doth â—ct walke in the counsell of the wicked nor stand in the way of sinners c. But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law will he meditate day and night And to the same effect is that in the other Psalme before named Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord and delighteth greatly in his commandements c. Throughout which Psalme we may obserue as the true and certaine notes of a righteous man so also his priuiledges which are very many and very great both in regard of himselfe and of his posteritie which shall speed the better for his sake Notable likewise is that place of Deuteromonie where the Lord speaketh vnto his Church in this manner Blessed art thou ô Israel who is like any â— thee ô people saued by the Lord the shield of thy helpe and the sword of thy glorie which speech is not to be vnderstood as pertaining only to that nation but as belonging to all that are the â—â—ue Israel of God and that serue him with an vpright and faithfull heart Now what saith he of them Who is like vnto thee O Israel Why if they should haue looked to outward things they might haue answered the Egyptians the Edomites Assyrians nay the very Canaauites themselues are like vnto vs yea farre beyond vs for at that time when this was spoken they were in the wildernesse trauelling towards the promised land and what great matters had they then Moses who was the best of them had not a house to rest his head in none of them could say this is my ground there is my corne thus large are my reuenews by the yeare c. but they were all tenants at will at a daies or at an houres warning or lesse euen as Gods pleasure was yet the Lord maketh a challenge against all the world Who is like vnto thee ô people saued by the Lord meaning indeed that no nation vnder heauen was comparable vnto them in regard of the wonderfull things that God had wrought for them and in regard of those heauenly prerogatiues which he had vouchsafed vnto them the meanest hewer of wood or drawer of water amongst them was to be preferred before the mightiest Monarch in the world and that may be said of all true Christians which was spoken of them Who is like vnto thee O people saued by the Lord The truth of this will more euidently appeare if we well weigh the things that follow Namely 1. What miserie grace doth free vs from 2. What good things it maketh vs to enjoy 1. In this life 1. Estimation 2. Safetie 3. Comfort 2. In the life to come all manner of happinesse 1. First therefore that wee may see what miserie it frees vs from wee must consider that men naturally are the children of wrath vnder the curse and malediction of God subiect to horrible vexations and terrors all their life long they liue in feare of death and of such iudgements as are forerunners of death their table is a snare and their prosperitie their ruine their aduersitie is imbittered and their callings accursed and in a word nothing maketh them better but euery thing a great deale worse all being infected and poysoned vnto them by their owne sinnes and Gods fearefull vengeance vpon the same If they liue it is to the increase of their damnation if they die they goe to take present possession of destruction if they refuse to eate and drinke they are murderers of themselues if they doe eate and drinke they are vsurpers of that which is none of their owne If they come not to the Word and Sacrament they are contemners of Gods ordinances if they doe come they are profaners of the same and so shal be further hardened to their finall perdition and is not this a wretched case Though for their apparell they were cloathed as Salomon in the midst of his royalty though their Robes were as rich as was Aarons Ephod or breast-plate or the most costliest parts of his garments all were of no worth without grace though they fed on the daintiest dishes and did eate Angels foode as the Israelites are saide to doe yet if they be sinfull and rebellious they shall perish as Corah Dathan and Akiron and manie other of them did Though their habitations were as sumptuous delightfull as Paradice was yet they could haue no more comfort therein then Adam had when he had once broken the commaundement of GOD in eating of the forbidden fruite Notwithstanding all things remaining in their excellencie as before yet hee was surprized with the terrours and feares of a guiltie conscience and could take no pleasure in the goodly riuers in the pleasant fruites in the varietie of all the creatures that were in the garden of Eden c. but hee was faine to flie from Gods presence and to hide himselfe among the Trees of the garden And last of all though their dignitie were neuer so great their
be deepelier humbled and â—raue more earnestly the pardon of that and other sins For as the beggar is alwaies mending and peecing his garment where he findes a breach so the penitent beleeuing hart must alwaies be exercised in repairing it selfe where it findes a want Againe oft times this triall serues to quicken and reuiue the hidden graces of the heart that men may be thankfull for them and feele an increase of them in the heart The good husbaÌ„d man cuts the braunches of the Vine not that he hath a purpose to destroy theÌ„ but to make them beare more fruit In the Canticles wheÌ„ Christ left his spouse then she riseth out of her bed she opens the dore her hands drop myrrhe on the barre of the doore then further she seekes and cals for him and praiseth him more then euer before Dauid testifieth the like of himselfe In my prosperitie I said I shall neuer be mooued c. but thou didst hide thy face I was troubled TheÌ„ cried I to thee O Lord prayed to my Lord. Lastly men that liue in the Church being for a time left of God become so impeniteÌ„t as that they must be giuen vp to Satan yet for no other cause but that the flesh may be killed and the spirit made aliue in the day of the Lord. The third end is the preuenting of sin to come This appeareth in Paul Least saith he I should be exalted out of measure through the aboundance of reuelations there was giuen vnto me a pricke in the flesh the messenger of Sathan to buffet me because I should not be exalted out of measure In the former times when the Lord among many other had set out Craâ—â—er for the maintenance of his blessed truth against his Gods enemies he left him for a while to fall from his religion to make a dangerous recantation but so as therby he preuented many sins and prepared him to a glorious martyrdome As some of his owne words may testifie which he spake a little before his ende And now saith he I come to the great thing that so much troubleth my conscience more then any thing that euer I did or said in all my life that is the setting abroad of a writing contrary to the truth which now here I renounce as things written with my hand contrary to the truth which I thought in my heart that for feare of death to saue my life c. And for as much as my hand offended writing contrary to my heart my hand shall be first punished therfore for may I come to the fire it shall be first burned Answerably wheÌ„ he was at the fire first he burnt his right hand which subscribed his body suffered the flame with such constancie and steadfastnes as he neuer almost mooued his eyes lift vp to heauen often he repeated his vnworthie right hand Thus death which he most feared he most desired that he might take reuenge of himselfe for his sinne The vse that all good Christian hearts are to make of these desertions is manifold First if they haue outward rest and walke in the feare of God and be filled with the ioy of the holy Ghost let them not be high minded but feare least a forsaking follow Secondly if in any temptation they iudge themselues forsaken let them coÌ„sider this wonderfull worke of spirituall desertions which God exerciseth vpon his owne childreÌ„ very vsually then it may please the Lord they shal find it to be restoratiue against many a quame and swound of spirit conscience into which otherwise they would certainly fall Thirdly seeing God for their triall doth often withdraw himselfe from them let them again draw neere to God presse vnto him euen as a man that shiuers of an ague is always creeping to the fire If it be demanded how a man should come neere G O D the answer is by the vse of his word and praier For by his word he speakes to thee by prayer thou speakest to him Lastly seeing by desertions God will take experience of his seruants let euery man triâ— and search his waies and euer bâ— turning his feete to the waies of Gods commâ—ndements let him indeuour to keepe a good conscience before God and before all men that so he may with Dauid say Iudge me O Lord for I haue walked in mine innocencie my trust hath beene alwaies in the Lord I shall not sâ—ide prooue me O Lord and trie me examine my raines and my heart Vers. 9. Wherewithall shall a young man redresse his waies in taking heede thereto according to thy word FIrst of all be perswaded that the word of God is that onely rule whereby the whole life of euerie man and that in euerie thing must be ordered euen the life of a young man who hath most reasons for himselfe why hee should bee excused as he is most disordered Vers. 10. With mine whole heart haue I sought thee let mee not wander from thy commaundements THen vpon this perswasion giue your selfe vnfainedly to the reading and heating of God his word as the meanes whereby God hath appointed to teach you and pray to God in the carefull vse of those meanes for his holy spirit that thereby you might come to the true vnderstanding of his word Vers. 11. I haue hid thy promise in mine heart that I might not sinne against thee THat which you haue thus learned let it not onely swimme aloft in your braine but let it be deeply setled and grauen in your heart as a treasure labouring to frame all your affections according to it otherwise if thou knowe neâ—er so much it will notkeepe you from sinning against God Vers. 12. Blessed art thou O Lord teach me thy statutes YOu thus profiting giue thankes to God alwaies for that which you haue learned be it neuer so little it is more than many in the world doe know yet content not yourselfe with it as though you had sufficient but pray vnto him to be further inlightned because it is lesse than many other doe and yourselfe ought to know Vers. 13. With my lips haue I declared all the iudgements of thy mouth BVt aboue all be careful to talke of that to others which you do daily learne yourselfe and out of the abundance of your heart speake of good things vnto men Vers. 14. I haue had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in all riches THat you may doe all these things labour to haue a ioy in the word and in all the exercises of it more than in any worldly thing and to be occupied in these things with greatest delight for in what soeuer we take greatest delight that will stick fastest in vs. Vers. 15. I will meditate in thy precepts and consider thy waies LAst of all meditate and consider of that with yourselfe which you haue learned and muse vpon it alone not contenting yourselfe with the generall rules but labouring in
word parables hee saith that fathers must teach them to their children and we know that the things which fathers must teach to their children ought to be verie easie and plaine The word then is said to be ful of mysteries or parables to all those whose eyes the Lord hath not inlightned and whose hearts he hath not touched by his spirite But as for them who are beloued of God whom the Lord bestoweth his spirit vpon for their direction those haue an easie entrance into his word and they do behold the mysteries of the law Therfore saith Christ vnto his Apostles To you it is giuen to know these things but to the other are all things spoken in parables Then it is for good cause that the Prophet desireth to behold these mysteries yet hee restraineth his desire and desireth to know no other mysteries than are contained in the word Many would gladly desire mysteries and many flie to reuelations yet they will not bee kept within the bounds of Gods word but wil needes follow the speculations of their own fantasies of this sort is the Family of loue But we must desire with this man of God to behold mysteries and keepe our selues within the compasse of the word euer crauing for the good spirit of God to enlighten our hearts in the true vnderstanding thereof that we neuer bee like the carnall Protestant which resteth in the outward word neuer crauing for Gods spirit to helpe their vnderstanding therein neither yet like the phantasticall Familie of loue which followeth reuelation and illumination without the word Vers. 19. I am a stranger vpon earth hide not thy commandements from me I Am a stranger vpon earth He setteth downe another reason why he would be instructed in the law of the Lord because he is but here a stranger that is that he had not here any long abiding place but continued here for a while And this doe all the men of God professe Heb. 11. vers 14. that they looked for another citie and therefore God was not ashamed to be called their God so in another place Dauid saith I am a stranger as all my fathers were If this were the affliction of Gods childreÌ„ in times past it must be in vs now if we with them will be partakers of the same promises in the kingdome of heauen We see then where we must make the beginning of all godlines and good religion euen in denying this world and acknowledging our selues to bee but pilgrimes in the same When a sonne is sent beyond the seas to learn the tongues c. and hath his time appointed him how long hee hath to tarrie the consideration of that time if he be any thing toward will moue him to take paines that when he returneth home hee may please his father So let vs then often set our times before vs let vs in time learne knowledge and apply our hearts speedily thereto Againe if we be strangers we haue fewe friends and many enemies and therefore it standeth vs in hand to bee carefull of the lawe of God which may teach vs that good path in which if wee walke we shall well please God and so be guarded and defended against our enemies We haue our own corruption to striue with the vanities of the world the euill examples of wicked men to prouoke vs to doe the like their malitious practises against vs and the great enemie of mankinde the diuell and with principalities and powers in heauenly things If wee doe well and wisely consider of these enemies wee shall soone see what neede we haue to be instructed in the law of God that wee may bee able to resist them Hide not thy Commandements from me The Prophet beholding these enemies craueth of the Lord that he would not hide his commandements from him This hiding doth the Prophet oppose to that inlightning which hee spake of before as our Sauiour Christ doth when he saith I thanke thee O Father that thou hast hid these things from the wise and reuealed them vnto babes where is signified that vnlesse the Lord doe reueale his law vnto vs he is said to hide it for it is hidden from vs and we cannot attaine vnto the knowledge of it vnlesse he make it knowne vnto vs. Vers. 20. Mine heart breaketh for the desire to thy iudgements alway THe Prophet sheweth the vehemencie of his desire when he saith that his soule fainteth for the desire thereof So in another place he saith that his heart panâ—â—t and that his soule cleaueth to the dust many such complaints the man of God maketh wheÌ„ he seeth the Lord withdrawing his spirit from him that he cannot so clearely see into Gods word as contrariwise he sheweth his ioy that in heart hee conceiueth when the Lord by his spirit doth open his sight that he can feele some comfort thereby when he saith How sweete are thy precepts vnto my mouth Oh how loue I thy Law c. Many men being not acquainted with this practise of the Prophet doe thinke that it is some melancholike humour c. when they see Gods children suddenly sorrowfull or suddenly full of reioycing but those that haue experience of these things doe know that the griefe sitteth neere their heart when they cannot feele comfort in Gods word and that then they are most comforted when the eyes of their mindes are most inlightned For seeing that our nourishment and life is in the Word we ought continually to fetch nourishment from thence by meditating therein Therfore many are on a sudden cast into great sadnesse and heauinesse of heart and yet they know not for what cause whereas this no doubt is one among the rest because they vse not to meditate in Gods word therefore by this meanes would the Lord driue them to his word that there they might find comfort and so for euer after haue the word in greater estimation and bestow greater diligence thereupon By iudgements here is meant the whole word of God whether it be promises or threatnings wherein the Lord â—heweth himselfe to bee as good as his word in performing and bringing to passe that which he hath spoken This desire which the Prophet had to Gods Commaundements it was not for a start and soone done but it was continually wherein he sheweth a plaine difference betweene a true desire and that which hath no truth in it for there is not the wickedest man that liueth but he may for a time seeme to haue very good things in him and at a start the most wicked will make a shew of very good desires but all this is like a morning clowde and soone vanisheth away therefore if wee will haue our desire to be true let vs also labour that it be continuall Vers. 21. Thou hast destroyed the proud cursed are they that doe erre from thy commaundements THe Prophet doth not let passe Gods iudgements without profit but meditateth vpon them that thereby he may bee kept in greater
obedience because the Lord hath in former times executed his iudgements he will shew himselfe righteous still and therefore the Prophet gathereth that though the wicked bee not all presently punished yet they are all accursed and in time they shall be punished By erring hee meaneth not euery slip but the falling away from God Vers. 22. Remoue from me shame and contempt for I haue kept thy testimonies IN this confidence that the Lord will destroy the wicked hee assured himselfe that hee would defend him against those that set themselues against him The iudgements of God then haue these two effects first to humble him secondly to comfort him as portion 7. and 15 so that he feareth when his heart is broken hee also loueth when he receiueth hope of helpe in confidence whereof he maketh this prayer The vse of Gods iudgements vpon others must we make to ourselues first that we be brought to acknowledge our deserts and so feare and to behold his iustice that we may haue assurance of mercy This is hard to flesh and blood for some can be brought to reioyce at the destruction of others and cannot feare some when they are feared cannot receiue comfort But those which God hath ioyned together let vs not seperate therefore let vs make these vses of Gods iudgements His prayer is this Lord let not mine enemies which pursue an euill cause let them not haue their desire in bringing mee to contempt least whiles I labour to keepe thy Law and â—m become contemptible thy Lawe also should receiue some blot First here we see that it is no strange thing that they which keepe Gods CoÌ„mandements should be standred and therfore we must reforme our iudgement which is ready to condemne those of whom they heare an euill report Secondly seeing hee prayeth against contempt he sheweth that contempt is the greatest crosse that can come to the childreÌ„ of God for many could loose their goods which yet would be grieued for the losse of their name hee here prayeth so not onely because of that naturall cause which hee had but chiefely because his name was ioyned with the glory of God All the punishmteÌ„s of Christ did not so much grieue him as wheÌ„ he was reproched therfore the diuel chiefely goeth about this that when this coÌ„meth to passe that all speake euill of vs we might doubt whether our cause were good or no so fal away therfore the Prophet prayeth thus earnestly against it When we are brought to contempt for our deserts we ought not otherwise to be grieued than that God is dishonoured but when hee shall by this meanes bring vs to the knowledge of our sinnes then shall wee bee content to shame ourselues because thereby we shall glorifie God Vers. 23 Princes also did sit and speake against mee but thy seruant did meditate in thy statutes HE was thus abused euen by Princes these did speak against him eueÌ„ in iudgement whither he was drawne as a malefactor therefore he praieth thus earnestly against it We must then prepare ourselues for euill words not only of the coÌ„mon sort but also of the chiefest Dauid had coÌ„fort in Gods statutes When we are thus dealt with rightfully then let vs be humbled but if in a good cause we be thus dealt with then let vs take heed for the diuel wil goe about either to make vs vse vnlawfull shifts meanes as to reuenge to lie or to contend by our owne wit and policie and to flatter and confesse that to bee a fault which is none or els altogether to despaire of helpe or to be carelesse of our calling and to cast it off that thereby he may haue more aduantage for he will make vs wearie of wel doing by trouble therfore many are ouercome thereby The helpe against al these is Gods word for that will assure vs that our cause is good and that God will helpe vs therein Vers. 24. Also thy testimonies are my delight and my counsellours BY this meanes had hee help by the Word by making it his delight and counsellour for this the diuell in trouble will goe about to bring men to their wittes end or else to breake their hearts and make them faint and a wounded spirit who can beare He put not away craft with craft but made the commadements his counsellours whereby hee first learned wisdome then good meanes to withstand the wicked Hereby then we shall not onely haue wisedome but also comfort we are not come yet to be called afore Princes yet who so will liue godly in Christ shall haue troubles though not alwaies in goods nor life nor banishment yet in reproch and contempt euen from thy wife thy seruants thy children thy neighbours c. The word teacheth that reproch is not without cause for when the wayes of a maÌ„ please the Lord the righteous shal be his friend the beasts of the field shall be at league with vs therefore there is some sin in vs which the Lord by this meanes would correct then let vs first looke to that and then seeke to the word that there we may find comfort wisdome to sustaine vs. For this is the cause that we are without comfort in our trouble because we meditate not in his statutes make them our counsellors If thou be Gods child and despisest lighter troubles hee will send greater till he haue broken thy heart but if thou belong not to God the curse shal be hid from thee thou shalt be eaten vp before thou be aware Thou must not striue with the diuels weapons as to requits euill for euill for fire is not quenched with fire but with water euill is not ouercome with euill but with good and therefore rough speeches must be ouercome with gentle and euer when thou art vncourteously dealt with then consider thine owne sinnes and labour to feele them and thy heart shall be brought downe for then shalt thou be brought to the presence of God who wil not suffer thee to be honoured because thou hast not honoured him c. yet consider that he doth but fatherly correct thee and therefore put thy trust in him Marke what wisdome he hath giuen to his children in the like troubles and then goe to him by prayer and lay open thy selfe to him with hope and faith and thou shalt haue comfort But if when the tentation commeth we cannot come to the word and to prayer that thereby we may finde comfort we haue not laid vp the word in our heart though we can say it all by heart therefore wee must turne a new leafe and learne after to lay vp the word in our heart PORTION 4. DALETH Vers. 25. My soule cleaueth to the dust quicken me according to thy word THe comfort and wisedome which he had was by vicissitude and change sometime comfort sometime sorrowe so Gods children finde this change both into ioye and sorrowe those know this that haue experience of it others knowe it
are readie to be secure therefore euen then we haue most need to pray With my whole heart He sheweth that he is not an hypocrite And then shall we know that we are not when our hearts are set before God and we powre them out before him as much as we haue vttered in words before men This maketh the children of God to sigh when they pray because they haue to doe with God and this maketh the hypocrites that they cannot see themselues because they know not that they haue to deale with God And when the children of God cānot come to shewe their hearts to God then if they sigh and groane for want of a heart this is a testimonie that wee pray in the Spirit Rom. 8. But when men pray as though they prayed not and heare as though they heard not nothing doth the Lord hate more than this Haue mercie This is the chiefe of his prayer and the first that God would giue him mercie not to crowne his worke wrought contrary to the Papists which pleade merites for though the Lord doe giue new grace yet not of merite for that we haue is defiled by vs but because he hath a loue to crowne his owne gifts He doth not pray for mercie of fashion but euen in the presence of God because the true feeling of his neede did driue him to make this prayer For as when wee in the feeling of our heart can long after mercie this may be a pledge that we shall finde mercie so they that haue no feeling of their infirmities cannot long for mercie and therefore haue no assurance that they shall haue mercy for it is the feeling of our miserie that maketh the mercie of God sweete vnto vs. He prayeth not for what he lusteth but for that the Lord promised for Saint Iames saith you pray and haue not c. and this is the cause that wee haue not the thing wee pray for because we pray not according to the word His word must be the rule of our prayers and then shall we receiue as Salomon prayed and obtained hee hath promised forgiuenes of sinnes the knowledge of his word c. these if wee haue let not our hearts bee set on the other He prayes for the promise and maketh not a stipulation by the law for it is the promise that giueth grace then shall wee here haue comfort if wee can beleeue because wee haue the couenant of grace and not of merite For if wee had but the lawe the best man must faile and misse but now it is the promise of which the worst shall not faile if they doe beleeue Obiect He had some speciall promises Answ. He had but the generall promises whereon he grounded these particular The promises therfore are generally made that euery one might know that they belong vnto him and that he might apply them to himselfe as here the Prophet doth Vers. 59. I haue considered my wayes and turned my feete vnto thy testimonies HE sheweth how he came to make God his portion because he had considered the vanities inconueniences of his wayes the mischiefe that they would bring him to Thus then shall we come to turne our steps to God by examining our sinfull wayes and the reward of sinne And because men doe not thus examine themselues therefore doe they make so small account of the word of God for if they knew that the gaine of sin bringeth losse and pleasure bringeth paine then would they not continue in their sinnes The like doth Dauid set down Psal. 4. where he calleth thē to examine thēselues before God and thus Paul 1. Cor. 5. prouoketh the eloquent Preachers to the iudgemēt of God This is a new argument to proue God to be his portion for seeing hee had made God his portion it behooued him to search if there were any thing in him that might displease God that then he might auoide it If we consider that sinne maketh vs ashamed before God as Adam was it will make vs leaue sinne Rom. 6. 22. If wee then will daily consider whether we may offer them vp in Christ to God or whether they make vs ashamed and whether they be to be allowed of men or not this will make vs more warie Testimonies There is no true examination without the word for thereby we knowe that sinne bringeth death but righteousnesse bringeth peace in this life and euerlasting ioy afterward this ioy made him examine his wayes Vers. 60. I made haste and delaied not to keepe thy commandements THis sheweth his care that he had to make God his portion by this speedie haste he made All the lets that are in a man all the corruption of the world and all the baites of Satan did not stay him but the spirit made him with ioy full haste to seeke after God Paul had lets and this man had not greater perfection yet both of them speaking of a regenerate man shew that if we will not nourish occasions the Spirit will not suffer vs to be ouercome therefore we may attempt the like haste in trust of his helpe and we shall finde that we shall be inabled in some measure hereunto Vers. 61. The bands of the wicked haue robbed me but I haue not forgotten thy Law THough the troupes of the wicked band themselues against him yet he forsaketh not the Lord this is a true triall of his loue to the word that he stood in this affliction For that loue which continueth to the word in affliction is true he that hath such a loue hath a true loue For if when we are ill dealt with we doe not so againe but still sticke and continue our loue to the word it is an argument that we loue the word because it is of God and not for glorie The children of God in affliction haue beene daunted as Iob c. and this man no doubt felt his flesh yet here he sheweth that he ouercame it and staied himselfe in faith of the promises and continued in obedience Vers. 62. At midnight will I rise to giue thankes vnto thee because of thy righteous iudgements A New argument because he giueth thankes to God for his iudgements euen at midnight Then we must be occupied in setting out the praises of God for it is the speciall note of Gods children for hypocrites for need may pray The children of God feele great want in this therefore when our hearts are prepared to giue God thankes it is a great gift of God Midnight sheweth that he was both sincere and also earnest Doe we this at noone day if not then we are farre from this for he vsed this at morning noone and euening so did Daniel Singing of Psalmes was vsuall after meate as our Sauiour did Iudgements That is that God tooke vengeance on the wicked and performed his promises to his children and this confirmed his faith for here he had an experimentall faith And this if we note the iudgements of God
is one thing to be noted more notable that is he was not grieued for himself alone but eueÌ„ for others which made no conscience of Gods word was he grieuously vexed and tormented as portio 7. 5. Feare is come vpon me for the wicked which forsake thy law And portio 17. 8. Mine eyes gush out with riuers of water because they keepe not thy law And in portio 18. 3. My zeale hath euen consumed mee because mine enemies haue forgotten thy words He was not onely grieued for his owne incredulitie but for the incredulitie of others he lamented not onely his owne wants but also the wants of others his glorie was then chiefest when the word was glorified his griefe when the word sustained wrong did most abound Like zeale was in Paul who cared not for his owne bonds so the word of God might be free neither did hee care how much he did suffer for the Gospels sake which he preached so others might thereby â—e confirmed Now if we shall lay this with due examination of our owne hearts to our seuerall liues we shall see many grieued for their owne sinnes which are not grieued for the sinnes of others But if we could be grieued both for our selues and for others it were an infallible token that we sought not our selues but Gods word Many likewise are comforted when they finde Gods glory set forth in themselues who cannot so praise God when they see it in others Many indeed as Ioâ— witnesseth can declare â—loquently against the sinnes of others yet we see few weepe and lame it for them as he did But aboue all notable is that place of the Spirit of God to stirre vs â—â—â— to this practise which is Ezech. 9. where a man is mentioned with a writers inâ—khorne by his side which is sent of the Lord to goe through the middest of Ierusalem and to saue from the destroying and reuenging Angell which was to come all them that mourned and cried for the abominations which were done in the citie In which place by marking the children of God vnto saluation is shewed the manner of theÌ„ to wâ—â— to mourne and câ—ie out against the wickednes of the people which they see committed against Gods glorie Paul 1. Cor. 5. sheweth the Corinthians that they had reiected despised the incestuous person but he also telleth them that they had not mourned for him the effect where of is set downe 2. Cor. 7. where the Apostle reioyceth that he had wrought in them a godly sorrow not to be repented of We must therefore learne to lament the sinnes of them with whom we liue and specially of them ouer whom we haue charge least in not so doing we be made guiltie of the sinnes of others Let vs then away with that carnall emulation in the graces of another and let vs learne to giue God the praise of his gifts in others as though they were bestowed on our selues But alas our corruption is great here in and is well set downe in Luke in the elder brother who repined at the receiuing of his younger brother into his fathers fauour Now to draw to the fourth and last reason which concerneth the meanes vsed of the Propheâ— they were these conference prayer praise or thanksgiuing and a vowing of his obedience to the Lord whereof I will speake in order and of the first first I am saith he port 8 7. a companion of all them that feare thee and keepe thy precepts And port 10. 7. Lâ—â— such â—â— feare thee turne vnto me and they that know thy testimonies that I may both impart my feelings and comforts vnto others and that they may strengthen me with their gifts such was his humilitie that notwithstanding his high calling he desired euen to profit by others In naturall things experience doth teach vs that young men cannot satisfie themselues with a priuate vse of their exercise but if any one haue inuented a pleasant conceit he cannot be quiet vntill he haue ioyned himselfe with others therein such is their loue to their carnall deuices Which thing if it be so vsuall in earthly things how much more is it requisite in heauenly things Many will studie for a trade and methode by themselues whereof none shall be partakers but they will still be the fathers of it but it was not so in Dauid but whatsoeuer he had he would teach it others and whatsoeuer good thing he heard he would learne it He had not this spirit to say Tush I haue enough I know many things I neede not to conferre Paul thanketh the Romanes and protesteth himselfe a debtor vnto them for their communicating of spiritual things vnto him Wherfore let vs exhortione another wher one another admonish one another and watch one ouer another for good and suffer our selues to bee exhorted to perseuerance to be whetted for our duties and to be admonished of our infirmities and let vs be grieued that wee haue made so little exchange of our talents to bring so small increase to the Lord. The second meane is prayer wherfore he said so often portioÌ„ 5. 2. Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes c. portion 9 2. Teach me good iudgement and knowledge Where sometime he delireth to haue his iudgement inlightened and sometimes his affections cleered Well was hee one that was wiser than Gad and Nathan and yet had this affection to growe in the knowledge of wisedome and shall not wee be ashamed if wee pray not He felt this ioy delight of the word by measure in him he felt sometimes a cleane heart sometimes an hard heart sometimes vnspeakable ioy of mind sometimes exceeding dulnes of mind sometime hee seemed to haue enioyed the comforts of Angels sometimes no comfort at all So let vs thinke our selues to be as betweene light and darknes clowdes and brightnes sometimes hauing patieÌ„ce and sometimes murmuring sometime purposing to do good sometime fainting in bringing them to passe Concerning thanksgiuing which was another of his exercises it is said port 21. 4. Seuen times a day doe I praise thee because of thy righteous iudgements Where hee sheweth that hee vsed this kinde of worship often which thing with vs is farre contrarie because wee pray more than we giue thankes The reason is wee are giuen in greater measure to feele our wants which prouoketh vs to prayer than to see Gods benefits receiued which might moue vs to thanksgiuing The next meanes by order the fourth which the man of God vseth is here by name set downe meditation But some will say How commeth it to passe that among so many and sundrie meanes no mention is made of hearing and reading the word of God Wee answere that this is a Psalme of experience and not of knowledge And hee that seeketh for knowledge here will want methode but wee must trauaile with the Prophet to finde the truth so applied to our hearts
worldlinesse die in folly because the Lord recompenceth the vanitie of their youth with ignorance in their age So it is the mercy of God to giue them comfort of conscience in their death which haue had care of his word in their life Now we see because some men thinke so basely of the word of God how the Prophet hath commended it by the effects found by experience in himselfe Againe he sheweth that this was not in him by any particular prerogatiue of Gods spirit although the spirit wrought wonderfully in him but that it earne by vsing the mâ—â—â—â—s of the word Teaching vs that as hee was wiser than his enemies because in all peâ—ils â—â— asked counsel of the word wiser than his teachers in that he rested not in their vniuâ—â—s 〈◊〉 but by meditation did appropriate them to himselfe and wiser than the Anâ—â—â—â— because he learned as well to line according to the word as to loue it so we also vsâ—â—g â—â—◠〈…〉 shal find the like effects though not in like measure By which effects we 〈…〉 out these meanes wee become foolish dolâ—â—ish and blockish The word of God 〈…〉 a â—â—easure that if such an holy thing bee cast to swine I doe not douâ—â—◠〈…〉 see our God will execute his heauie vengeance and iudgements Wherof now 〈…〉 it to passe that wâ—â—â—â—â— young men die olde fooles emptie of Gods gracâ—â—f 〈…〉 youth were well brought vp of their parents as Iohaz vnder Iâ—hoiada who also whilâ—st they did look into their former life and repent spake very effectually aginst sin but in their age haue not so much knowledge as before but because they continue not in the faith and in a good conscience It were better to preach to one that neuer heard of Iesus Christ than to such an old ProtestaÌ„t because the one is thankful the other is vnthankfull Tell me O man I speake vnto thy conscience when thine eye did see into the word when thine eare did heare it when thou diddest looke into thine owne conscience when thou feltest sweetnesse in Gods promises wheÌ„ thou diddest tremble with seare of Gods iudgements and diddest delight in the wayes of the Lord Oh how quiet was thy conscience what comfort didst thou finde in thy minde Oh how whole an heart was in thee And on the contrary when neither Gods promises were sweete nor his iudgements fearefull nor his waies pleasant vnto thee oh how cold was thy zeale how weake was thy conscience how feeble was thy heart in good things We shall see some now adayes and that many being but priuate men speake with greater knowledge and conscience than a Preacher Why may a Preacher spend his breath his strength and his life in preaching and so small profiting commeth of it euen because he preached well and practiseth ill Wherefore we see here how necessarily vpon the foresaide effects the Prophet pronounced as followeth Vers 101. I haue refrained my feete from euery euill way that I might keepe thy word SEeing the Lord will put much into their hands who handle a little well wee must expresse our knowledge by life and our profession by practise If a man would consider how fearfully the Lord hath made him how woÌ„derfully he hath redeemed him with what power he hath conuerted him should he spend his youth in vanitie or his age in worldlinesse and so become depriued of all Gods graces in death Looke into the former times Ioseph being but seuenteene yeeres old was wiser than all his brethren young Samuel was wiser than old Ely Moyses than the Egyptians Dauid than Saul Salomon was wiser in his youth than the gray haires Daniel Azariah Mishel wiser than all the Astrologians Chaldeans and Magicians Timothie being but young was preferred to the Euangelistship Paul wiser than all the Apostles Behold our age how mercifully the Lord hath blessed many young men and why are ancient men now so barren of knowledge euen because they are barren in a good conscience There was in time past lesse knowledge more practise lesse science more conscience lesse vnderstanding more wisedome but now there is more knowledge and lesse practise because men labour not to keepe the word of God in a good conscience When wee shall see therefore heretikes growe wiser then Preachers Idolaters wiser then true Professors some young impes of Sathan wiser then olde Ancients in the house of God we must knowe they are made so foolish either because they are not of a good conscience or lye in some secret sinne Would it not grieue a good 〈◊〉 to labour many Winters and Sommers and in the end to finde no Haâ—uest what 〈◊〉 full thing thinke you would it then be to a Minister after he hath long trauailed to â—â—â—â— no fruit The Lord vndoubtedly will punish such fruitlesse Professors with hardnes of heart iâ— they will not heare with care that care may cause prayer that prayer may bring forth meditation and meditation may haue in fruit in godlinesse and practise in perseuerance In this verse then the Prophet declareth that as before he vsed the right meanes to godlinesse and therewithall had the proofe of good effects so now he had power from God to resist all lets hinderances and encombrances therunto Whereby hee teacheth vs that these two things especially make to attaine true godlinesse the one to vse good meanes thereto the other to auoyde carefully all occasions which may hinder vs from the same Neither must wee thinke that all these things can be done presently for if Rome was not built all in one day who would thinke IerusaleÌ„ should be built in one day Surely the necessitie of this practise is such that vnlesse men make couenants with themselues and bind themselues as it were in body and soule to auoid occasions of euill they shall neuer attaine to true godlines Manie will confesse that they ought and will learne the way to holinesse of life but in the meane time because they will not forsake their euill wayes they faile in their purpose To the bettter vnderstanding of the Prophet we must vnderstand that euill wayes are in two things considered either as they be euill in their owne natures or as they be euill by circuÌ„stance the first all men will confesse to be auoided as full concupisceÌ„ce wrath murther malice such like and yet the cause why many men are lesse carefull in holy things is because they make no conscience to stay euill things noâ— to vnburdeÌ„ themselues of all worldly delights But what is the cause that thou canst not ouercome worldlines and vanitie thou dost not consider that thy reason is corrupt and that if thou fightest not against thy corrupt reason thou canst not auoide corrupt affections If a man would fight against Ambition he must not first fight against the thing it selfe but against his own reason leauing him there unto which on this manner perswades him If I may attaine to such dignitie I shall
they must both ioyne together least that wee considering of them being olde and not on new should think they were not or at least that we resting on the iudgements of God executed of late not lifting vp our eyes to the iudgements of old should ascribe them to euil fortune chaunce and destinie We may then see how they which vsed the meanes of good things encreased in them and how they that resrained not from euill did slide backe vnto wickednesse Wherefore that we may throughly be perswaded of the truth of the Lord in things commanded forbidden threatned promised it is requisite to obserue the proofe of them so oft as God giueth iust occasion thereof For vntill wee looke on these things and see his blessings and his iudgements we shall neuer haue a care to doe good nor a conscience to auoid euil and to looke into them is to looke into the glasse of Gods word Many deny prouidence because they haue not a knowledge of the word or else leaning to their reasoÌ„ giue too much to naturall causes or lastly because they haue not a daily growing in the word For that may well be the sense of this place Thou dost make me to grow in knowledge Here is also commended vnto vs the teaching of the spirit by the ministry of the word For otherwise we may often read the Scriptures and yet be ignorant in Gods iudgements in not ascribing euery iudgement to his peculiar office For when we heare of an heretike wee say what is he an heretike I maruell hee is become such a one I knew him an honest man I neuer knew any euil by him yet the word of God telleth vs that some mens sinnes goe before to iudgement and some mens come after and that it is come to him either for want of good workes or for some secret sinne It followeth Vers. 103. How sweete are thy promises vnto my mouth yea sweeter than â—â—ny vnto my mouth VVEe haue heard in the ninth portion that vntill wee put our whole folicitie in the word wee shall not profit That which here is called promises I take rather for iudgements partly because in the proper tongue the word is left out and partly because he had vsed this word iudgements in the verse immediately going before But so me will say how can the iudgements of God hee sweete which are so troublesome fearefull and grieuous I answere that the godly haue no greater ioy than wheÌ„ they feele either the mercies of God accomplished towards them that feare him or his iudgements shewed vpon the reprobates Vnto my mouth That is I take as greate pleasure in talking conferring and perswading thy iudgements as my mouth or the mouth of any that loueth honie is delighted therewith So he saith portioÌ„ 2. vers 6. I haue had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in â—â— manner of riches The meaning then of the verse is when I feele O Lord such effects of thy promises in my selfe and in others that feare thee and such fruites of thy vengeance on them that despise thee I finde great comfort in thy word The Prophet Dauid found this sweetnes by experience in himselfe and therefore spake by proofe Why doe not we feele the like comfort because we vse not the same meanes we finde not the like effects For if we could see our enemies put to the wall by the word then should our knowledge exceede the knowledge of others if we felt the allurements of the world the inticements of the flesh and the motions of the diuell bitter vnto vs then should wee taste this sweetnesse Wherefore before wee make conscience to vse the meanes of good and to auoide the occasions of euill we cannot profit Thus we haue shewed how the iudgements of God may be sweete that is vnto them that reioyce either to see the promises of God performed to the penitent or his wrath fulfilled in the impenitent This delight made the Prophet out of the abundance of his heart to speake ioyfully of them portion 2. 6. With my lips haue I declared all the iudgements of thy mouth And because they testifie no small loue to a thing which for affection to it will rise at midnight he addeth portion 8. 6. At midnight will I rise to giue thankes vnto thee because of thy righteous iudgements This is then a true note that a man hath delight in Gods word if from the abundance of his heart his mouth can speake of it and when the word of God dwelleth so plentifully in him that hee can speake it in wisedome Againe if we haue such an earnest and naturall delight being wearie to refresh our selues with fables what a dulnesse is it in vs that wee cannot finde as great comfort in the word of God Wherefore we are to examine our owne hearts that how so euer we haue bin delighted before to heare vaine and friuolous tales so from henceforth we may please our selues in true histories in the word For though other may be corrupt with flatterings yet these histories are true free from all assentation because they register as well the sins of the Kings and their kindreds as their vertues Neither can wee euer sound the Prophet vntil from the experience of our own selues we can proclaime forth the examples both of Gods promises and of his iudgements We shewed that the cause why wee felt not such profit as the man of God did in the word was because wee vsed not the like paines wee vse fewer meanes therefore our loue is the lesse to the truth wee auoide not so many occasions of euill therefore we sinne the more If we then would be more diligent in conference more feruent in prayer more giuen to meditation wee should profit more if wee would refraine from euill and abstaine from occasions of it wee should both bee great in good things and auoide many afflictions The cause then why we either speake not of Gods iudgements at all or speaking speake so coldly is because we are so dead in vsing the meanes of good and so dull in auoyding the occasions of euill The Prophet port 7. 4. saith I haue remembred thy iudgements of olde and haue beene comforted Where we are to note that wee are not at vtter defiance of sinne and in full league with goodnes vntill we haue found comfort when either the Lord shewed mercy vpon his or vengeance on the wicked And then Gods iudgements will bee sweete vnto vs when remembring that no sinne shall be vnpunished we abstaine from sin â—nd seeing that no good thing shall be vnrewarded we are moued to goodnesse For what can strengthen a man more than to consider this that God will punish sinne one day and that in time he will fulfill his promises to his childreÌ„ which walke in truth before him although in great weakenesse We haue also taught that we must vse such a moderation of our affections as we may stay
in the first and sixt verses with prayer couched in the middest of the portion It is a marueilous strange thing that one thing should bee so often repeated as this to commend still Gods law and to pray still to be taught in the same This proceedeth from the comfort which he felt in the word and from the fight of the corruption of his owne heart and is commended to vs in writing to shew vs our corruption and to labour for the like fruite Wherfore seeing experience hath taught vs thus much we must learne that we can neither see the comfort of our seeking after God nor our calamitie and miserie to be deliuered out of it vnlesse we pray with the Prophet for the right knowledge of the law of God so that we are much to thanke our God that he giueth vs in another such a fight of our owne corruption As in the first verse there is a notable commendation of the word so is there also a singular declaration of his faith Thy word O Lord is a lantorne to my feete and a light vnto my path This seemeth to all men to haue been learned long agoe and belched out in time of Poperie and that it is no new thing but a saying very well knowne but when we looke into the seuerall practises of men which is the righteous iudge of all mens iudgements wee shall finde men to be farre from any inward faith shewed in such fruits This made the Prophet to sweare in that he saw on one side his happines so great in the word the corruption of his heart on the other side And in meditating day and night in Gods law and considering his righteous iudgements he saith in trueth Thy word is a lanterne c. If we will looke into our selues we shall finde that those things which seeme to be most easily beleeued are furthest from faith and that things most easie to be learned are furthest from practise True it is that euery man will say Who will not beleeue this what a beast were he that would denie the truth of Gods word But alas our carelesse reading our rare meditating our cold praying and praising of God for his word our seldome conference of the word will testifie against vs in time to come that we neuer truely beleeued We must first looke and note our selues and then we shall profit somewhat more The man of God opposeth here the word to mans wisedom which he had meÌ„tioned in the verse going before as light is contrarie to darknes For as in darknes we cannot goe safely without the light of a lanterne or such like euen so are we in ignorance and rebellion if we be not continually guided by the word of God and his Spirit This then is a further thing how durst blind bayards be so bold who liuing in the darknes of Egypt thinke they are in the light and being vnable to discerne betweene persumption and despayre betweene promises and threatnings betweene things streightly commanded voluntarily done suppose themselues to be sharpe sighted Nay we shall finde these fruites to be but in few It is said Matth. 22. 23. The light of the body is the eye if then thine eye be single thy whole body shall be light 23. But if thine eye be wicked then all thy body shall be darke Where our Sauiour Christ borroweth his speech from the senses of the body and translateth it to the powers of the soule For as euery part of the body is lightsome whilest the eye seeth so a man being inlightened with the word and the Spirit hauing his eyes alwaies to heauen hath his affections aright and on the contrarie as all things are lothsome to that bodie which for want of the eyes is wholy darkened so a man sitting in the darknes of ignorance hauing his mind wholy set on earthly things hath his affections disordered Now that there is no light in vs but all is darknes in our soules the Apostle Peter doth plainely shew it 2. Pet. 1. 19. We haue a most sure word of the Prophets to the which ye doe well that ye take heede as to a sure light in a darke place c. Where he commending the Christians for their care of the word sheweth that it is a light in the darke and teacheth vs that how much knowledge we haue so much we are in good affections Also Paul Ephes 4. 17. 18 saith I testifie in the Lord that ye henceforth walke nâ—t as other Gentiles walke in the vanitie of their minde 18. Hauing their cogitation darkened and being strangers from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them c. Where he sheweth that the man vnregenerate hath his minde vnderstanding and heart corrupt and blinde in that life which God liueth in his and that as the man which seeth being in darknes or in light the blind man gropeth vncertainely euen so all our doing are endlesse and headlesse which are without the light of knowledge Shall we thinke now that euery man beleeueth this to be true No for if they did they would doe otherwise If they felt this in affection in any measure would they not come out of their prison to the liberty of Gods saints would they not auoid the darkenesse to see the bright sunne What a follie were it for a man who hauing scales and gleamy diseases on his eyes might be cured and will not This is a double fault that when men may know they will lie in errours and ignorance and when they may be conuerted they will dwell still in Heresie Oh what a thing is this wilfullie to remaine in darkenesse and to sleepe at the hearing of the word when the Lord giueth them a lanterne for their feete and offereth knowledge and yet to be no better than the stockes they sit on If it pleased the Lord who giueth vnderstanding to the ignorant and draweth light out of darkenesse to reueale the light into their darke coÌ„sciences they should know that when light came vnto them they refused it and that they are louers of darknes more than of light But he that worketh all things mightily iâ— all men must shew this light vnto their darkenes because they that are in hell thinke on none other heauen they that lie in vnrighteousnes thinke of no other righteousnesse and sitting in the vallies of death they remember none other life We must therefore pray that the Lords glorious light of the gospel may open the eyes of their consciences and let euery man examine his owne heart that he may pray to haue his iudgement cleared by the true knowledge of the word and his affections renewed to the due obedience of the same For how much knowledge wee haue so much light haue we and looke how much we lie in ignorance so much we lie in darknes Wee know but in part when we are at the highest in this life how great then is that darkenes
concupiscence shall solemnely vow to refraine the familiaritie of wanton women and will not come in place where light women frequent but with Iob shall make a couenant with his eyes we see this by the word also to be warrantable And thus much for meanes to auoide euill now for meanes to doe good If a man feele himselfe dull and slow in reading the word or slacke in prayer shall to the prouoking himself the more make a couenāt daily to reade some portion of the word and to bestow some time of the day in prayer if this be taken vp in the wisedome of the Spirit to cast off sluggishnesse and prouoke alacritie herein we see because at morning noone-tide and euening some of Gods children haue vsed it he may set himselfe a taske and thereby may make a stay for his wauering minde Howbeit these things must not be perpetuall as it is in other couenants For a man may abstaine from women and wine for a time and yet not for euer because it must bee done for some certaine ends and causes as also with some holy conditions As for example if a man hath taken a time of the day to pray in and at that time he shall haue some speciall cause of setting foorth Gods glorie or if his particular calling requiring an whole man shall call him away then if hee omit it there is no breach because the thing which hee is about to doe is according to Gods law This is needfull to be considered with a godly care that wee double that some other day when we shall be more at libertie which we haue for the same causes pretermitted the day before If then there be iust occasion offered of this remission for otherwise wee must not be remisse we know that the couenant is not broken in that we made it with a condition that we would vse it so farre foorth as it might not hinder Gods glory our dutie to our brethren nor our seuerall calling because in such a case to obey is better than sacrifice But if there be no iust cause of pretermitting this purpose then is there iust cause of sorrowing for breaking the couenant But here wee see an helpe wee haue not done this taske to day because of idlenes what then We must returne to the assurance of forgiuenes of sinnes and must redeeme that with double diligence which wee haue lost through wilfull negligence In these vowes then taken vp of our selues as meanes to auoid sinne or to doe good we must first take heede that they bee made within the compasse of the word Secondly that they be but for a time and not continuall Thirdly that they bee euer made with wife and discreete considerations least being broken our cōsciences be troubled Fourthly if there be any fault that it be recompenced by double dutie and diligence afterward Thus wee see how either for to pricke vs to good or stay vs from some euill wee may make a couenant vpon condition in a desire of Gods glorie and in crauing Gods grace And thus much of his care and conscience to Gods iudgements now let vs come to the third argument which is his affliction Vers. 107. I am very sore afflicted O Lord quicken me according to thy word IN that the man of God vseth this as a reason before his prayer it seemeth hee was not meanely troubled but sorely vexed as wee may see in ioyning that which he saith in the verse following My soule is continually in mine hand yet doe I not forget thy law Wherein carying his soule in his hand he meaneth that he hath no assurāce of his life but is in continuall danger of it as wee count those things which be in our hand to be hardly sure and in perill to slip from vs as we may see by other places of the word As in the booke of Iudges Iephtha saith I caryed my life in mine owne hand that is I did hazard my life 1. Sam. 28 21. where the Pythonisse saith I haue put my soule in my hand which is all one as if shee should say I haue ventured my life or I was at deaths doore Iob. 13. 14. Wherefore doe I teare my flesh with my teeth and put my soule in my hand As if hee should say Why doe I put my life in danger For euen as water lying in our hand is soone slipt out so our soule beeing in our hand is said to be at deaths doore Besides he confesseth that he had many snares and pestilent deuices of his enemies laid against him so that at his least going astray hee was layed for and readie to bee taken In that hee needed thus to pray wee may see how reason might haue moued him to the contrarie Flesh and blood might haue taught Daniel that in such narrow search hee might haue shut his window when he praied or haue conueied himselfe into some secret chamber and so to haue vsed some policie and prouided means to haue saued himselfe had not the spirit of God mightily preuailed in him against all such temptations So when by reason of some imminent danger we are at our wits end sathan would haue vs go in by-paths and not to make the word of God a lantorne to our feete Saul when hee could heare nothing from the Lord was driuen thus by his extreame daunger to goe to the witches We see then how necessary it is for Gods children in the time of triall to pray for their direction in the right wayes Againe because when we are hardly dealt with wee are ready to reuenge with policie we see how he prayeth to keepe himselfe aright It was vndoubtedly the great mercie of God to Dauid then to pray that no affection of reuenge might enter into him Oh how needfull then is it for vs whē the wicked shall deale with vs vnreasonably to pray to the Lord to be kept in iudgement from policie and in affection from reuenging and that we may stay our iudgement on Gods promises and our affections on his dealings Thirdly if all meanes be wanting to vs then will the diuell moue vs to despaire and therefore great neede haue we to pray that we may be deliuered from the darkenesse of despaire by the lanterne of Gods word We see how necessarily the man of God praied not to be tempted aboue his strength and that the rod of the wicked should not fall on his lot least he should put his hand vnto wickednesse and therefore craued wisedome in Gods word faith in his promises and patience in his goodnesse We see then the plaine meaning of the man of God in this verse if we call to minde in this word very sore afflicted that which we haue heard before that his eyes failed his heart fainted his spirit panted his naturall powers melted and to be briefe that he was an image of death As a man cannot abide great prosperitie no more can he abide great aduersitie For as we are puft vp
contraries This argument is often vsed in the Scriptures as Psalm 145. Doe not I hate them c. Zachar 2. Tit. 2. 1. and most plainly 1. Cor. 6 What fellowship is betweene light and darkenes c. This is needfull for men to knowe that they learne to hate superstition and heresie and to roote it out least whilest with Saul they spare wicked Agag they persecute righteous Dauid If a man hate false religion hee shall neuer be infected with it for if they be perswaded that it will hurt them then they will keepe themselues far from it A man when hee seeth a toade or any other hurtfull beast he will be sure to keepe him farre from it neither will we euer receiue for meate that we know to be poyson so if wee beleeue that Poperie and Heresie are poyson then we will not receiue them But if men thinke fauorably of Heretikes and call them honest men and well dealing men then it is very easie to intangle such a one Herein doth the coldnes of the loue of Gods law in vs appeare in that we doé so coldly hate the false Because loue setteth the price on things and hatred maketh vs far from them therfore if we will continue in the truth we must loue it and if we wil auoide the false we must hate it And we must not be deceiued by the outward shew of an honest life for if comparison be made betweene Gods children Heretikes when they are both in prosperity or both in aduersitie then we shall see the difference betweene them for otherwise there is no comparison to be made when they are one in prosperitie and another vnder the crosse When the children of God are in trouble and in affliction the graces of God doe manifestly appeare in them for first they haue such spirituall wisedome vnderstanding that euen poore simple soules in the countrie are able to answere the great and learned men of the Vniuersitie so that they be not able to withstand the Spirit that speaketh in them Againe their boldnes and courage in the truth is such as that they be not ashamed to speak euen before Kings the mightiest of their enemies But Heretikes how far are they from this wisedom when they come to answere they either say nothing at all or else their reasons are so blockish and without sense that a childe would marueile at their folly and though they set some face and shew vpon them yet if they be vnripped and then referred to their heads they are but vanitie As for their boldnes and courage it is nothing for if they speake to some simple man or in some secret place then will they be bold to speake their pleasure but call thē to the place of iudgement or before them that are able to call them to accounts then their answeres are to seeke And here of it commeth that they are periured vnfaithfull not men of their word but dastards and cowards and such as will not stand to the truth In suffering there is a great diuersitie betweene them for if the childe of God come to suffer he is neither effeminate to account the paine too painfull neither yet blockish without sense and feeling in suffering but he feeleth the smart and bitternes of it and yet feeling Gods fauour he ouercommeth it And this is true patience indeed when men feele the paine to be grieuous and yet through the hope and feeling of Gods fauour doe ouercome it and in suffering they can pray for their persecutors and can be contented to shed their blood for the conuersion of those that seeke their subuersion and ouerthrow Deale Heretikes thus or doe they not cleane contrarie Yes for in their suffering they are either as men without sense bereaued of their wits so they are rather blockes and stones than men and their suffering is blockishnes and not patience or else they are effeminate and womanish to howle and crie out in their paines and to die with cursing and banning and all kinde of railing Thus they deale This experience haue we seene of both euen within our daies If you compare them together when they are both of them in prosperitie and if you then consider their liues you shall also see that there is great difference For the children of God whilest they loue the word the Sacraments and discipline they cannot long lie and continue in any sin for the word will rebuke them the Sacraments will admonish them and discipline will also helpe to bring them from it but the wicked liue and lie as in a dead sleepe in sinne in prosperitie and will not be wakened He doth not onely speake of corruption in doctrine but also in manners as in euery commandement we cannot loue the good but we must also hate the contrarie as in lust adulterie c. as Ioseph hated his Mistresse when he once perceiued that she was vncleane Then whilest men are giuen to vanitie on the Sabbath they loue not the Sabbath for if they did they would either take heede of such or if they fell into them they would recouer themselues Then we cannot loue the Sabbath vnlesse we delight in it and hate the contrarie Then if we will trie whether we loue the word let vs trie it by the hatred of naughtines in vs and this if we feele we may be comforted for God will worke by this The word thoughts is a metaphor from the crooked boughs of a tree and signifieth that as the trees haue their boughs spread abroad crookedly so doe thoughts grow out of men And his meaning is that he hated these ouerthwart thoughts Therefore he laboured not onely for the outward hatred but euen the imaginations that are contrary thereto as the thoughts of idolatrie vncleannes c. and to these all he biddeth battell that he may loue the law This is a good thing for vs for though we come not to idolatrie murder adulterie c. yet the euill thoughts come into our mindes and these we must not suffer to be setled but at the first we must hate them and driue them out Thoughts are not free therefore neither it is enough to loue in shew but we must also loue in thought for if we fauour them wee may by little and little bee carryed away For hereof it commeth that men are brought to reuenge and other euils because they make not cōscience of the thoughts Thus we see that men haue thoughts of herefie anger c. and yet they are not at defiance with them therefore they fall into the sin Hereof men fall into adulterie become enemies to God his Ministers and religion for whilest they make no conscience of thoughts they fall into the sinnes It is true then that we must first fight against reason when wee will fight against sinne as a man fighteth not against swearing because not against anger and not against anger because not against reason Vers. 114. Thou art my refuge and
thy statutes for their deceit is vaine AMong all things to be spoken of I thinke nothing more necessarie thaÌ„ this that God will one day come a righteous iudge to men that are so slow to keepe a good conscience All men are at quiet with themselues and crie peace peace our long enioying of the Gospell our tranquilitie and peace our abundance of the things of the earth make vs drunken with the loue of this life and cause euery man to thinke thus with himselfe I am none of the worst when troubles arise I hope to shift for one but in whom I pray you is the Lord delighted euen in him that hath a contrite heart Esay 66. and in such as tremble at his word The Prophet saith in the verse following a little after that he treÌ„bled for feare of Gods iudgements what had he a more tormented conscience than others no hee had such a coÌ„tinuall feeling of his own corruptioÌ„s that it made him afraid For as the best flesh is most tender where it is most corrupt there it is most hard and where the flesh is neerest to healing there it will more speedily and more freshly bleede so the neerer wee are to God the more fearefull we are the more pretious our consciences be the more tender they are and those things which being vsed in greater measure will nothing fray a wicked man being vrged but a little will dismay the conscience of the godly The minde of the prophet is this thou hast done away the wicked thou hast troden them downe and swept them away I am as britâ—le as they and as ready to fall vnlesse thou vphold me Portion 16. 6. hee saith It is time for thee Lord to worke for they haue destroyed thy law where he complaineth as it were that the Lord deferreth his iudgements because the wicked had brought all things to such a confusion And in the 7 portion 4. verse he saith I remembred thy iudgements of old O Lord and haue beene comforted as if be should say though thy children be had in contempt though thy Church bee kept vnder and the wicked are set aloft yet I remember how in old time thou hast beene a iust iudge hast punished sinne This comforteth me both because of thy mercy which thou wilt shew to me and because of thy iustice whereby thou welt confound the wicked and also makest me to feare my selfe for both thou canst doe as thou hast done and thou wilt doe as thou canst doe Wee must learne then in these two verses thus much That what iudgement soeuer the Lord hath written downe in hiâ— word and wee haue either credibly heard reported the like with our eares or seene them with our eyes they ought to be vnto vs examples and ratifie to vs the truth of Gods iudgements that as he hath promised to punish and indeed hath punished such and such sinnes so hee would doe it in vs for the like and as sometime he hath euen enwrapped his children in the like iudgements though not to that end for which hee punished the wicked but as they haue beene partakers of the sinne in part so they haue sustained the punishment in part so we must know that he will punish the same sinnes euen in vs or spare vs if wee be without them Howbeit the godly shall not haue the like iudgement with the vngodly Hee will not consume vs as drosse but will trie vs as siluer he will not trample vs vnder his feete buâ— humble vs vnder his hand Wherefore as in the sweete promises of God there is a reuerent feare so in our infirmities wee must learne with Dauid to feare much more Genes 10. We reade how God trode downe the pride of them that built the tower of Babel When Pharaoh was aduancing himselfe ouer the people of God the Lord trâ—mpled him down with tenne plagues and trode him vnder foote in the red Sea Exod 14 when Chorah Dathan and Abiram rebelled against God and rose so insolently against Moâ—ses and Aâ—ron his ministers the Lord trode them downe euen into the earth which opened her mouth and swallowed them vp quicke The whole world for their ripenes of sin did he destroy from the face of the earth and scoured it with a purging water The Lord pursued the land of the Sodomites vntill it lay at his foote which before was as a Paradise The Lord swept away the Israelites that they could not come to that plentifull and promised land How often doe the histories record how God trode downe many with warres and swept away others with plagues For as the Goldsmith purgeth the drosse from the gold and the potter treadeth the vnprofitable clay to miâ—e euen so the Lord purgeth treadeth down his enemies This must make vs to feare for many men dangerously peruert their soules and Sathan beguileth them with many shifts But heretikes and prophane men say The iudgements of God indeed in times past haue been great but what is that to vs we confesse they were wonderfull in the time of the Law but we heare not of them in the new Testament what appertaine they then vnto vs But Christ hath taught vs this generall doctrine Luk. 13. 1. where certaine men came to our Sauiour Christ and shewed him of the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their owne sacrifices but Christ answered them on this sort Suppose ye that these Galileans were greater sinners than the other Galileans because they haue suffered such things I tell you â—o but vnlesse ye repent your liues you shall all likewise perish Thus he also spake of them vnto these Iewes which tooke occasion to condemne those men for their punishments vpon whom the tower in Siloam fell Euery man will yeeld to this that the plagues are great but no man wil applie them to himselfe But our Sauiour Christ before teacheth vs rather to feare and suspect our owne estates than to condemne others Indeede all punishment shall not fall vpon one man nor one punishment shal light vpon all Though the flood sweepeth them not away though Serpents deuoure them not though they be not depriued of the promised land yet surely the Sonne of God Iesus Christ hath spoken it and though heauen and earth passe yet one â—ote of his word shall not passe that vnlesse we repent we shall all perish if not in these yet in some of these if not in some of these yet in some other like to these For the Lord hath many and diuers iudgements whereby he would tread downe his enemies Beside the Apostle saith Eph. 5. 6. Col. 3. 6. speaking of fornicators couetous meÌ„ adulterers idolaters wantons Let no man deceiue you with vaine words for for such things commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience This is spoken to Gods children that they should not mocke at the menaces and iudgements of God for if they will not obey the iudgements of God vndoubtedly will fall
helpe them nor their opinions comfort them This then may commend vnto vs the word of God that it onely maketh vs safe and staieth vs in all troubles wherefore it is said port 12. 4. Except thy law had beene my delight I should haue perished in mine affliction So the Prophet Ionah hath a notable sentence worthie to be written in letters of gold and of all men to be remembred Ionah 2. 18. They that waite vpon lying vanities forsake their owne mercie Whereby he sheweth that they which depend on any thing saue on God alone refuse their owne felicitie and that goodnesse which otherwise they should receiue of God So that the Prophet himselfe in not going to Niniuie waited on vanitie and could finde no comfort in himselfe We may for a time trust to Idolatrie or vngodlinesse but when the touch-stone and triall of Gods law comes they cannot stay vs nor saue vs for they will deceiue all vsers of them as false and vaine 1. Sam. 12. 21. Samuel exhorting the people to repētance willeth them to follow the Lord and not to turne backe saying also If ye turne backe that should be after vaine things which cannot profit you nor deliuer you for they are but vanitie Where he teacheth vs that when miseries come our delights are but vaine and therefore cannot helpe vs. The Scriptures also applie this to ill manners as Ephes. 5. the Apostle setting downe a bedrow of many sinnes addeth this Let no man deceiue you c. where because some thinke that for such sinnes God would be entreated he saith nay not so be not deceiued vnlesse ye repent God will not be entreated Likewise Gal. 5. the Apostle hauing taught them to prouide temporall things for them that minister spirituall saith be not deceiued where he hath this sense ye may haue many reasons with your selues against this doctrine but when God commeth to tread downe the wicked then your reasons will not stand before his maiestie for the truth onely there preuaileth doe not deceiue your selues your hope will abuse you And here all flattering of our selues in sinne will prooue deceiueable wee walke in a nette and deceiue our owne consciences but this must make vs feare we must not reckon without our hoast nor make our account without our auditour for if we doe we will beguile our selues or flatter our selues Let euery man therefore looke to the fleights of sinne in himselfe and to the deceit of his owne conscience and he shall see that all the wayes of man are euill but the Lord is for euer true Wee must thus examine our selues Good Lord will this thing stay mee in the day of trouble will this thing comfort mee in the houre of death then it is a sure thing then it is comfortable otherwise it is vaine and cannot stay me it is deceitfull and will not comfort me Now if we trust in the word wee shall in death knowe that it is no imagination howsoeuer the world would now perswade vs that we liue too precisely and Sathan lyeth to get vs at a bay we shall then know our labour was not lost and when the Lord commeth to iudgement if we haue laide a good foundation when the tempests arise the windes arise and the raine fall we shall be sure and not beguile our selues that we shall be on the rocke of Gods word and built in faith wee shall bee sure as mount Sion and safe as Ierusalem when the floods of vengeance come Vers. 119 Thou hast taken away all the wicked of the earth like drosse therefore I loue thy testimonies MArke the proprietie of the word he saith not thy statutes doe I loue but thy testimonies he saith here thus much seeing O God thou hast summoned the wicked I will embrace more ioyfully the record and couenant of my saluation made vnto mee in thy word For when we see Gods iudgements on the vngodly this ought wonderfully to commend Gods mercie in free sauing vs from the like that whereas wee were in the like condition of sinne he might haue measured the like to vs and yet vouchsafed to make his couenant in force vnto vs. Was it not a great mercie to saue Noah and his when all the world besides was washed away with water Did it not wonderfully commend the goodnesse of God that in the great destruction of Sodome he should deliuer Lot What a thing is this that the Lord will make a couenant with vs as with Noah that if wee shall trust in Christ we shall neuer be confounded Againe when the man of God seeth the wicked deceiued because they trusted not in the word this maketh him to loue the word and assureth him that there is an end of all perfection but the law of God is exceeding large that it neuer failes in trouble nor deceiueth any in death Wherfore this must make vs to loue it also And if wee compared this word with other vanities of the world and felt in it such ioyes and most specially in death and in troubles and that when all failes this doth minister sufficient comfort surely the perswasion hereof would mooue vs pathetically to expresse our mindes and say with the Prophet Oh how loue I thy lawe it is my meditation continually Then when our strength shal faile our breath draw short our friends depart our goods countrie and life shall forsake vs the word will be so sweete so deare and so pretious that when all these are gone this will yeeld vs great comfort We haue also learned here a further thing in the minde of the Prophet who reasoneth thus Seeing thou hast troden downe the wicked as earth and scoured them as drosse therefore will I embrace thy couenants and records of thy iudgements therfore the euidence of thy couenant which thou hast made to me is most holy and pretious For when the iudgements of God were so seuere against others was it not the great mercie of God to make a couenant with him Was it not a wonderfull grace of God that being conceiued and borne in sinne like vnto the other hee should escape Gods iudgement Was not it a great mercie that when all flesh should perish Noah and his familie should escape Was it not the great goodnesse of God when Sodome was consumed to saue Lot When the Lord had left all to ignorance was it not his great mercie to preserue Abraham When the Lord ouerthrewe the Egyptians was it not free mercie to saue the Israelites Was it not the great grace of God to leade forward Caleb and Iosua into the promised land when to so many he had denied it Our Sauiour Christ gaue thankes to his Father as for a speciall mercy of God that he had reuealed those things to babes and little ones which he had concealed from many mightie of the world If we consider how many are left in ignorance giuen ouer to superstition and remaine vnder the heauie hand of God what a mercie of God
is it to giue vs his truth to enrich vs with his Gospell and to blesse vs with such abundance of temporall things Oh that this were knowne of vs oh that euery man would say Oh Lord what am I that thou shouldest shewe mee such mercie to giue mee the enioying of thy word and Gospell more than any other and giuing it to mee makest me to vnderstand it aboue many oh what am I that thou shouldest offer to mee this goodnesse I was borne and conceaued in sinne I haue multiplied and enlarged my corruptions both before since my calling my vnthankfulnes is great my vnworthines therefore greater and yet thou hast not ceased to preferre me in mercies before many If we consider the fearefull iudgements of God in consuming all hypocrites who will not say that many haue beene called and few chosen When we shall see I say in the day of the Lord his seuere iudgements to tread downe these hypocrites and cause them to goe from his presence to hell oh how wil we esteeme that we are in Christ and say Oh how loue I thy law For I see thy iudgements are equall and thou dealest not with me in iustice but in mercie not in anger but in loue not in wrath but in pittie therfore they couenant is sweete because I haue deserued thy iudgements and thou hast spared me Vers. 120. My flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am afraide of thy iudgements HEre may seeme at the first to be some contrarietie betweene feare and loue sith loue causeth not but casteth out feare For he had saide in the verse going before that hee loued the testimonies of the Lord and here he saith that his flesh trembled for feare Wherefore at the first sight here is some shew of contrariety but indeed there is none For he saith My flesh trembleth c. whereby he sheweth that as he loued the law of God in his inward man and with his part regenerate so it is the outward and olde man and the part vnrenued which is full of corruption that did feare So that as hee had Gods spirit to renue his minde hee had this witnesse in him that he did loue the promises of God but because his flesh rebelleth against the Spirit and hee found many corruptions of nature remaining in him and threatning him that after hee was like to fall againe if the Lord yea but a little should leaue him he saith I am afraid least for my vnthankfulnes and vnworthie refusing of thy mercie thou shouldest leaue me to my selfe and so shouldest make a way to thy iudgements Thus there is an harmonie in the Prophet for because as the flesh hath a trembling feare so the spirit reioyceth Thus as wee haue often heard Gods children finde to their comfort in themselues faith in Gods promises and a delight in his word sometime they are grieued for the absence of this sweetnes of faith in the same For as the presence of Gods spirit bringeth ioy so the absence thereof feare as faith breedeth a loue of Gods promises so infidelitie maketh vs afraid of his iudgements Although Noah had great cause to loue the promises of God for his wonderfull deliuerance so he had great cause to feare himselfe that he might haue fallen afterward Lot also hauing good cause to beleeue and embrace the couenant of God for his safegard had iust occasion also to haue suspected himselfe that he was subiect to falling It is said Prou. 28. 14. Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies but hee that hardeneth his heart shall fall into euill For where feare is not there is securitie securitie breedeth hardnesse of heart and hardnes of heart bringeth Gods wrath Wherfore the Apostle writing to the Philippians shewing that God worketh in vs both the will and the deede of doing good least hereby they should draw to themselues security addeth that they must fill the course of their saluation in feare and trembling For if wee doe only well by Gods grace working in vs wee are much to feare the absence of it Wherefore wee see how the man of God did iustly feare his part vnregenerate This feare of Gods children differeth much from the feare of the wicked for it bringeth vs to the Lord and driueth vs not from the Lord it helpeth and hindreth not our prayers it hurteth not but furthereth our duties For it maketh vs to feare least wee should lose Gods grace it causeth vs to waite more and more to haue it and hauing it moueth vs by prayer to continue it When Noah had Gods fauour he feared and being warned of God as Heb 11. 7. of the things which were as yet not seene moued with reuerence prepared the Arke c So Habacuk hearing of the iudgement of God which should fall vpon the faithfull by the Chaldeans saith Hâ—b 3. 16. My bellie trembled my lips shooke at the voyce rottennes entred into my bones and I trembled in my selfe Paul said he preached with feare and trembling Thus wee see how the good Saints of God did feare because they knewe that if the Lord should enter into iudgement with vs no flesh should be saued and that there was nothing in them but of mercie and therefore they acknowledge their weaknes vnworthinesse and wretchednesse Wee see also that Gods children haue diuers affects according to their diuers estates and though sometimes they are quickened through faith other times they are most ready to sinne if they doe not sinne No maruell then though the children of God feare when they see that God restraineth their will the greater their feelings are yet are they mixed with a reuerent feare of Gods maiestie and sight of their own corruptioÌ„s least they should not abide his glorie and least they should not continue in their good things We see moreouer that this feare humbled Noah that the Prophets Apostles spake in feare which the Lord gaue vnto them either to prepare them to some grace which they should receiue or else more zealously to keepe some grace which already they haue receiued And where it might be obiected that loue casteth out feare wee must vnderstand of that seruile and excessiue feare which driueth vs away from God And seeing though wee feele Gods loue by faith wee will feare then much more had we neede so to doe when by infidelitie wee feele not this loue So wee must haue both feare to prepare vs to grace and wee must haue loue to continue vs in this grace And surely onely they with whom this thing hath been familiar doe knowe how loue and feare doe dwell together For as blessed experiencâ— hath taught some that by this feare they haue attained to speciall graces and continued in them by the same so also by wofull experience some haue found that for want â—f this they either haue not tâ—sted of the grace of God or else not continued in the same PORTION 15. AYN. Vers. 1â—1 I haue executed iudgement and iustice
long and lowd prayers preuaile not For such prayers crie lowd in the Lords eares which make a noise with the feeling of our wants and when though they continue to the failing of our eyes yet we mistrust not God For many either pray coldly or praying zealously they become so dull that they cease to put their trust in the Lord. So that the corruption of our nature is either not to feele our wants or if we feele them to dispaire For thy iust promise Heere we see how the Prophet prayeth not according to his owne fantasie but according to the will of God reuealed in his word When we desire any thing of God we must doe it according to his promise For when we pray not according to the promise of the Lord we waite vpon our owne fantasies and seeke after our owne imaginations Many breake in their prayers into headie and rash conceits who haue not in the meane time the word in their hearts but they obtaine nothing neither shall we obtaine if we be like affected vnto them Ye know saith S. Iohn ye shall obtaine if ye aske according to the will of God And whereas he saith I waited for thy iust promise he sheweth that the Lord is no more liberall in promising than faithful in performing for if we waite for his promise surely he will performe it Euery man will peraduenture confesse this to be a truth at the first but the selfe same thing being in this Psalme so often repeated bewrateth our incredulitie and hardnesse of beleefe of it We can alledge indeed generally that Gods promises be true but we will falle in the particular applying of them to our selues in saying They are true vnto me I haue felt the truth of them by experience in my selfe The Prophet vseth oft to giue this Epithite to Gods word as vers 106. I will keepe thy righteous iudgements 137. Righteous art thou ô Lord and iust are thy iudgements 144. The righteousnes of thy testimonies is euerlasting Why would the spirit of God repeate this one word so often but because it is a singular worke of faith to beleeue the word and a thing much incident to our nature not to beleeue Wherefore Paul vseth often this Preface as a prerogatiue This is a true saying and of all men worthie to be receiued or this is a faithfull saying So that the holie Ghost prepareth such words to purchase credit to the word of God because flesh and blood is so readie to mistrust and Sathan so subtil to discredit the truth This may happily soone seeme true but put case a man being troubled had prayed til his eyes failed his heart fainted and his flesh were parched and still trusteth to Gods promises this man indeed hath a true faith This then commendeth the Prophet that when he was at the last cast he continued in his strength His sense and meaning is this although I be not as yet helped yet I shall be in Gods good time which thing if we also could truly say we should neuer be ouercome of temptation Vers. 124. Deale with thy seruant according to thy mercie and teach me thy statutes HEre the Prophet is desirous to be further taught in the word Here we see the man of God complaineth not of the word though as yet the promise was not performed but of his owne faith Here is then a difference betweene the faith of the godly the presumptiō of the vngodly that when the Lord suspendeth his truth for a while the godly suspect not the truth of the word but the vnbeleefe of themselues and pray against the same If then when Gods promises are suspended we be through Sathans policie and our frailtie tempted to mistrust we can say Thy word ô Lord doth not faile but wee are dull in faith we are wauering we are full of vnbeleefe good Lord increase our faith take from vs these mists and cloudes of mistrust by shining vpon vs with the bright beames of thy spirit and though Sathan would weaken our hope to discredit thy truth yet strengthen vs and though we haue failed in many particular points of thy commandements yet we beseech thee to forgiue the secret errors of our life wee haue beleeued thy word but if wee failed in faith then reueale thy couenants vnto vs that we may recouer Two things as we haue often heard sustaine Gods children in trouble the one is the testimonie of a good conscience the other is faith in Gods promises both which are heere set downe in the verses going before for in that he executed iudgement and iustice he had the testimonie of a good conscience in that his eyes failed by waiting on the promises of God his faith most plainely appeareth This faith breedeth a good conscience and this good conscience doth nourish faith For whosoeuer will execute iudgement and iustice must belieue the promises of God that the couenant of Christ is a sure couenant ratified in their hearts which when they feele they are vrged by loue to keep a good conscience For the place to lay vp the treasure of faith in is a good conscience Here then the man of God prayeth for both these things and if we will seeke still after knowledge without feeling we will iudge this prayer to be barren but if we will looke into our owne incredulitie and enter with a single eye into our owne hearts for such Christians are we as we then shall be found to be and shall enter into the particular troubles of bodie and soule wee shall finde our masse of vnbeleefe and we shall see that we may labour often in the meditation of this Psalme and finde sufficient matter all our life long For the man of God said before I haue executed iudgement and iustice and yet heere he saith teach me iudgement and iustice hee meant not that he had iudgement and iustice fully perfitly and absolutely but that it was according to the grace which hee had receiued yet he thought not himselfe therefore iustified though he was not conscious in himselfe His meaning then is Lord thou searchest the heart corrupt is my hart and blind is my minde if I haue fallen Lord grant me to recouer my selfe if I faile in vnbeliefe Lord increase my faith that I may daily grow in executing iudgement and iustice So farre off was he from being weary in vpright dealing that he praied still for the continuance of it Then if we be not wearie in our calling and could come to say with this man of God and with the Apostle Paul that we are not conscious in our selues yet we must further proceede and say that we are not hereby iustified because the largenes of the lawe cannot be concluded in the narrow compasse of our braine we must pray for the increase both of our knowledge and faith According to thy mercie Hee saith not giue iudgement because I haue done well but deale with thy seruant according to thy
care herein as they do who neuer can content themselues in carking and caring when they are to bring in the fruites of the whole yeare in their haruest Many would thinke that this praier of the man of God is superfluous but if they truly knew their owne decaies of faith and shrinking in obedience they would not suspect this Psalme of any needlesse repetition but would acknowledge that it is the wonderfull wisedome and goodnesse of Gods Spirit so to prouide for our vnbeleefe and disobedience And as the holy ghost doth here set down the glasse of regeneration and teacheth vs how to pray for the continuance of our obedience and strength of faith so we must so behold our corruptions therein as from henceforth we may haue a greater iealousie of our selues in them both We learned in these two prayers how contrary to the doctrine of the Sophisters hee craued knowledge not of desert or merite but of grace and mercie Where we are to remember that when we are to craue of God any new mercie to be receiued or perseuerance in some mercy alreadie receiued we must say with the man of God Deale with thy seruant according vnto thy mercie Now in that he doubled as we may see his request he sheweth the great necessitie of it and that the mysterie of faith is great This is a thing that much deceiueth many when we thinke that we haue eyes and can see into matters as farre as other men we haue eares and can heare as much as another man can doe we haue as good wits and reason we can conceiue and iudge of a thing as soone and as well as other men commonly doe Here is a great iudgement of God that we cannot acknowledge our dulnes and deadnes and that we cannot attaine vnto the mightie power of the word as we ought to doe for wan◠of this we become so fruitlesse in reading and in hearing because we cannot truly vnderstand what we reade or heare we gather one thing here and another thing there we gather many things falsely and often finde fault with the deliuerie of the word when the fault is in our selues in that we neuer suspect our selues our reason nor iudgement The children of God must be iealous ouer their owne affections must know that there is no such naturall thing in them but that all is the gift of God We are here then to learne continually to pray that our iudgement may be enlightened with the true vnderstanding of the word and our affections renewed into the due obedience of the same If we should see in how many things our reason erreth and our affections wauer in vs we should surely acknowledge that there are no superfluities in this Psalme For vntill we be fully acquainted with the dulnesse of our hearts we shall not see our necessitie in vsing the like prayers but he that seeth the blindnesse of his minde and corruptions of his heart and desireth nothing more than to become a new man in Iesus Christ and to learne nothing more than Iesus Christ crucified howsoeuer others perswade themselues of more mysticall knowledge without this in truth knowing nothing he will count all other knowledge but lothsome and as dung in respect of the doctrine of regeneration whereby he is become a new man in Christ. For it is a greater blessing where this knowledge doth abound and other gifts are in lesse measure than where this is but small though in many other gifts we doe abound For euery man must not be learned euery man is not to trauell in the profound mysteries of the Scriptures but euery one had neede to be humbled and we being all destitute of grace had neede to be taught of God as children that being spirituall we may iudge our selues that the Lord will not iudge vs and howsoeuer we thinke of our selues now when the Lord shall take from vs the darknesse of our hearts and the mists of our affections we shall espie our dulnes and blindnes to be very great Vers. 126. It is time for thee Lord to worke for they haue destroyed thy law AFter the man of God in the verses going before had praied for himselfe now he commeth to pray against his enemies after he had prayed for ease of his trouble which he had amōgst his enemies when he himself in the meane time had deserued well of them and had prayed that his knowledge might be ratified both in the law and Gospel of God he now commeth sheweth a reason why he would the Lord should so do with him euen because of the generall flood of iniquitie and vniuersall corruption both in religion and maners as knowing that it was now high time to keep and to be taught the statutes testimonies of the Lord to be confirmed both in obedience faith because happy were they that now could beleeue the law and keep the couenants when on no side one might finde examples of the one or of the other His meaning then briefly is this O Lord seeing there is no further place left for prayer for them seeing I haue executed iudgement and iustice euen to the failing of mine eyes seeing for all that I can do or say they wax worse worse and whereas before they had some reuerence of thy iudgements and now they are growne to the contempt and confounding of thy law seeing mercy will not preuaile with them but the longer thou bearest with them the more they are hardned but iudgement must be vsed it is time O Lord to put to thy helping hand The man of God we see breaketh not out suddenly into this prayer but vpon the great neede which vrged him thereunto We are here to learne first that though at all seasons it be needfull to pray to be guided in the true vnderstanding and due obedience of Gods word yet then especially when through the generall floods of iniquitie all without that especiall grace of God all are like to be carried away For as common and vniuersall floods sweepe all away before them with their swift and violent course so in the common floods of corrupt religion and manners euery man thinkes that the best religion which most men doe hold and that those things are most lawfull which are most vsuall But this is a peculiar and speciall grace of God to be exempted from that generall corruption as was Enoch who was preserued to walke before the Lord in that corrupt age Noah reserued when all flesh had corrupted his waies and Lot who liued a iust man euen among the filthie Sodomites If then we shall be preserued from corrupt religion when religion is vsed but of custome and not of conscience when it is vsed coldly and there is no heate in it if when mens manners are generally become corrupt so that there is no humilitie no mercie no pitie no chastitie no puritie no righteousnesse no true dealing no care of our neighbours credit we
if we haue no loue of the Sacraments no care of discipline if our hearts be hardened all is not well either some iudgement of God is at hand or else we are to feare to be cast into some heresie or such like euill I finde that after Esay had prophecied a long time The Lord God who would not haue his name plasphemed seeing no amendment in his people comes with a greater maiestie and bids the prophet Esay 6. to tell them that they should heare but not vnderstand they should plainly see but not perceiue hee commandeth him moreouer to make their hearts sâ—t to make their eares heauie and to shut their eyes least they should see with their eyes heare with their eares and vnderstand with their hearts And because they would not make the word of God the sauour of life vnto life it should bee vnto them the sauour of death vnto death As this is especially meant of the vngodly yet surely the godly escaped not but by repentance It is the wisedome of God to vse all meanes and then to vse destruction when his word wil not serue We may be comforted euen at this day that the Lord yet giueth a scattering of his people and giueth vs some good ministers and magistrates but if we coÌ„sider of the Lords long suffering of vs of the peace abundance and many other graces bestowed on vs and yet so small amendment we trust for the remnants sake that the generall iudgement of God shall not as yet come vpon vs yet this sore saying should make vs afraide it is time for thee Lord to put to thine hand c. This may be much for the comfort of Gods children and for the discomfort of the wicked Vers. 127. Therefore loue I thy commandements aboue gold yea aboue most fine gold MArke here the spirit of the man of God Doe wee not see that this is a common rate the lesse religion is esteemed the lesse it is of the most regarded the greater the corruption of manners is the greater is the follie then this is a rare blessing of God when religion is in euery place hated euen then to loue religion when manners are euerie where corrupted euen then to be of good conuersation When in our time then we see so many kinds of religion as papistrie the sect of the Iesuites the family of loue Anabaptists and such like it is a singular grace of God to bee established in the loue of true religion When wee looke into their manners whether we turne vs to Magistrates or subiects wee shall neither finde zealous gouernment nor faithfull obedience If wee liued in a heauen among Angels or in a paradise with Saints and would defile our selues with sinne wee were worthie to be cast out of Paradise with Adam and out of the Church with Cain But to liue with Noah vprightly and to walke before God with him when all flesh hath corrupted his wayes or to liue iustly with Lot in the middest of filthie Sodomits or to keepe a pure religion or worship of God with Elias when not one can bee found that hath not bowed to Baal or to liue in keeping iudgement and iustice with Dauid where are so many oppressors of the truth to haue in this case an heart vpright both in religion and manners oâ— consider this to be an especiall worke of grace This we may also see both by naturall and ciuill reason we see the more generall and contagious a disease is the greater care we vse to watch ouer our health and the greater mercie of God we count it if we be not infected with the rest and shall wee not iudge the same in spirituall and more heauenly matters that the more hot sinne groweth to bee and like to ouerrun all shall wee not grow the more zealous of the saluation of our soules and thinke it the rarer grace of God if wee being subiect to the common sinnes are preserued from them In ciuill matters doe wee not see that now deceite in buying and selling vnfaithfulnes in bargaining is so great euery maÌ„ is circumspect to discerne ill dealings euery man almost is become a lawyer no man is ignorant of the common shifts of the world yet this maketh not men therefore to giue ouer their deedes but they make their deedes more sure neither doth deceitfull dealing keepe them the more from markets and faires but men are more carefull in their bargayning Do we loue the Church theÌ„ though there be so many corruptions of religion and so many corruptions of manners Let vs be more afraide of our selues and more carefull of the word and heedie in our liues than wee haue beene let vs listen to the word before the Lord hath sealed vp the prophecie least the wicked preuaile and the iust man make himselfe a pray Now is the time to repent it may bee that the Lord will mitigate his iudgements when they fal wil make his punishment particular and easier For then we truly feare the publike iudgements of God when wee feare the cause of them in our selues when we carrie not for the height of sinne but submit our selues with reuerence to all meanes of true religion and godly life and speedily iudge our selues for not looking to the least occasion of sinne watching ouer our soules that we become not remisse or with looser conscience of prayer the word sacraments or discipline And as it is a secret iudgement of God to passe from one sinne to another without any remorse of conscience vntill wee come to the contempt of the word so it is a speciall grace of God to be grieued with sinne in the beginning And surely that so many are giuen to ill workes and so few to good it is a manifest token seeing the word wil not moue vs to be zealous that the Lord will shortly send a iudgement vpon vs if not generall yet at the least particular This then is worthie noting in the man of God that the more religion decayed the more religious was hee the more godlinesse departed the more godly was hee which is a thing farre contrarie to our practises who allowe that which most doe and loue that least which most doe like making other mens examples placards for our sins For many will say how I pray liueth such a man how doth he doth not he liue an honest life can I follow a better man wee must not doe as other men doe but as the Lord commandeth by his word Let this then be a sure rule whereby euery man may examine himselfe if the more religion and manners decay thou art the more religious and godly thou shalt not be carried away with the common destruction but if thy zeale and care of godlines be the lesse then feare vnlesse thou repent as thou art wrapped in the common sinne thou shalt also be taken in the common reward of sinne Now that corruptions may not preuaile against vs wee must thinke there is as great
behold here the blessing of God he will blesse â—ts and satisfie the hungrie soules The Lord requireth nothing of vs but to mistrust our reason and to suspect our affections but to be teachable in spirit to hunger in heart and thirstingly to long after his word which if we shall doe we shall receiue increase of knowledge and amendment of life For to them that as meeke schollers wil be taught of Gods spirit and submit their reason to the simplicâ—tâ—e of the word the Lord saith Matth. 5. Blessed anâ— the poore in spirit for theirâ—s is the kingdome of heauen Blessed are they that hunger and thirst for righteousnes for they shall be filled But here may seeme to mans reason a great repugnance to the verse aforegoing The entrance into thy word sheweth light and giueth vnderstanding to the simile For hee had shewed in the verse going before that the testimonies of the Lord were wonderfull not in part â—â—â— meaning that all therein was mysticall and here he saith that the very entrance into Gods word giueth light and vnderstanding to the simple We answere that the law or especially the second table of it may bee conceiued by reason but it is nothing so in â—â—â— doctrine of faith which is here meant in this word testimonies which we shewed to bee taken for the couenants of God The doctors of reason I meane the papists say the word is not to be taught to the common people because it is mystical but they neuer knew not by good experience felt that the Scriptures of God were easie to them that would submit themselues to them and vse them familiarly Others indeed may read see and heare them but they shall be as Parables and enigmaticall vnto them If then wee did see this aright that that which the wisest man cannot conceiue the simplest soules may attaine to if they will be taught of God would it not take vp our affections This made our Sauiour Christ say I thanke thee O Father Lord of heauen and earth that thou hast hia these things from the â—â—â—â— and prudent and hast reuealed them vnto babes euen so O Father was it thy good will and pleasure As if our Sauiour Christ should haue said O Lord I see the wise men haue great conceiuings and yet they attaine not to thy word yet to them that are humble and poore of spirit I see thou makest it knowne Did our Sauiour Christ giue thankes for this thing and shall not we for whose example these things were done We can giue thankes for our wits and for our memories but what is that to the purpose our wit may rather hinder vs than further vs in the true knowledge of the Lord vnles it be humbled and subiect to Gods spirit But here is a great cause of thankefulnesse that the simple shall vnderstand these mysteries not as we shewed before such as haue no conceiuing at all but such as acknowledge their simplicitie and hunger after the word euen as we also grant that wisemen shall haue this vnderstanding if they will denie their reason and stir vp affection For as all wise men shal not be debarred from this priuiledge so all simple men shal not be preferred thereunto For neither wisedome in it selfe nor simplicitie in it owne nature doe either further or hinder hereunto But alas I see how loath men would bee to lose their worldly wit and how they seeke after praise and commendation for the same but few eyther with like affection desire spirituall vnderstanding or sorrow in any like measure when they haue it not Deut. 4. 6. That is your vnderstanding and wisedome in the sight of the people saith A Moses That the Lord permitteth you so neere to approch to him and to bee taught his ordinances and lawes What then meane these speeches of them that hunt so much after worldly wit Why doe you thinke I am a foole Doe you thinke I am an asse and haue no wit to conceiue what things be as well as other men Doe you count me but a dul head Surely they are too proud and too much blinded in their owne conceits Wherfore the Prophet doth shew vs that as the mysteries of Gods word are reuealed to them that are simple of vnderstanding so are they to theÌ„ that are zealous in affectioÌ„ The cause then why we do no more profit by the word is because wee doe not denie our reason wee haue not affections that hunger after it nor loue to make vs pant for it which things if we did we should surely be satisfied Indeed the Lord giueth vnderstanding to whom he pleaseth where he purposeth to bestow so great a blessing hee giueth grace also more aboundantly to suboue their reason And as simplicitio cannot of it selfe bee a cause of spirituall vnderstanding but as it sooner bringeth vs to a sight of our wants and maketh vs the more to long after Gods word so wisedome is no cause of hinderance but as wee resting too much in the feare of reason cannot easily be brought to the simplicitie of Gods word And if the entrance rudiments and principles of religioÌ„ giue such knowledge and the very catechismes yeeld such vnderstanding what is to be hoped for when wee attaine to riper knowledge when wee haue more vnderstanding when wee haue more affections well let vs then examine our owne hearts herein when wee begunne were wee delighted with vnderstanding and did our vnderstanding moue in vs such affections and in our proceedings is our vnderstanding lesse and our affections fewer or doe we not thinke still of our ignorance and desire to haue our iudgemeÌ„t clearer we are in a dangerous estate we must suspect our selues Sathan wil bewitch vs and tel vs that this is a paradoxe that after so long hearing and reading we should still be ignorant and that still we haue neede to hunger after the word It is therfore the great mercy of God that to the receiuing of so singular a benefit he requireth nothing of vs but the acknowleding of our ignorance and bewayling of our wants Hee would that we should still put our selues in minde of this one thing that though we haue not this vnderstanding in the highest degree or in an hundred fold yet we must haue it in some degrees either in threescore fold or in thirtie fold we must vexe grieue and trouble our selues for this affection For where it is the heart is a liberall and free ruler of our affections and where it is not we must learne to lay violent hands euen on our affections We are to shew that which we omitted in the latter ende of the verse going before Because I loued thy law c. Heere the prophet sheweth that the loue which hee did beare to Gods lawe was so great that it could not satisfie him but still hee thirsted after it and thirsting did pant Loue as we say alwaies setteth a price of things nothing is too deare no trauaile
zeale is opposed to luke-warmnes which is too temperate a warmenes for the profession of the Gospell Wee must not then onely renounce coldnes farre from vs and put away lukewarmnes but wee must be very hote and feruent in the profession of the truth Againe 1. Cor. 14. 1. that which our common translation hath Follow after loue couet gifts but especially prophecie the naturall Text hath bee zealous after the more excellent gifts And Rom. 12. Be feruent to the spirit that is let Gods spirit inkindle in you a fire which may cause you to flame with a zeale of Gods glorie and with a loue of mankinde Now there are diuers kinds of zeale there is a zeale of the world there is a zeale of the flesh there is a zeale of false religion there is a zeale of heresie and there is a zeale of the true word of God First wee see the zeale of the world maketh men to labour day and night to get a transitorie thing The zeale of the flesh tormenteth mens minds early and late for a momentarie pleasure The zeale of heresie maketh men trauaile and compasse Sea and Land for the maintaining and increasing of theis opinion Thus wee see euery man is eaten with some kinde of zeale The drunkard is consumed with drunkennes the whoremonger is spent with his whoredome the Heretike is eaten with heresies oh how ought this to make vs ashamed who are so little eaten spent consumed with the zeale of the word And so much the rather because godlie zeale leaueth in vs an aduantage and a recompence which the worldlie and carnallie zealous men haue not For when they haue spent all the strength of their bodies and powers of their minde they haue no gaine nor comfort left but torment of conscience and when they are outwardly spent they are inwardly neuer the better whereas the godly being consumed for a good thing and eaten vp with the zeale of Gods glorie haue this notable priuiledge and profite that howsoeuer their outward man perisheth and decayeth yet their inward man is still refreshed and nourished to euerlasting life Oh what a benefit it is to bee eaten with the loue and zeale of a good thing Leauing now the carnall and worldly zeale wee know how zealous Idolaters were that they would euen offer their children in the fire We know the zeale of the Iewes Math. 13. who would compasse Sea and Land to make a man a Proselyte Heretikes as we see spare no labour and let not for aâ—â—e cost to maintaine their Heresies but these are not good The true zeale is that whereof the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor. 11. I am iealous ouer you with an holie jealousie Rom 10. the Apostle â—aith the Iewes had the zeale of God but not according to knowledge Wherefore to shewe some properties of true zeale whereby we may trye our selues let vs first know that our zeale must be grounded on knowledge for otherwise it will carrie vs further to destruction as it did them who oppreâ—â—ed the truth and persecuted the deare seruants of God and yet thought that they did well Wherefore in true zeale it is requisite to haue knowledge going before Wee see the zeale of the Prophet did arise here of the contempt of the law of God For seeing it to be â—o exquisite perfit euerlasting powerfull comfortable it is a manifest argument that he was well grounded on the word This zeale then that we may the lesse be deceiued with the contrary hath these few rules first as we haue already said it must be agreeable wholy with the word of God to begin where it beginneth to end where it endeth Therefore we may thus trie our true zeale If first and especially wee make conscience of the principall matters of the word as of prayer of the Sacraments of discipline of charitie and then of the lesse things that are commaunded if wee will doe them if anie be forbidden wee also auoide them yet euer tollerating through loue little things as they that would not trouble the Church of God Wherefore the Apostle saith 1. Cor. 11. 1. 10. If anie man lust to be contentious we haue no such custome neither the Churches of God as if he should say If any man will striue about matters of lesse importance wee according to the order of the Church will not striue with them but rather will beare many things in loue and yet so as still we vse this caueat That we account nothing small or little which is Gods word This doctrine may be manifested by familiar examples If a man shall steale things of great weight or some great summe of money which deserueth hanging and the cutting off of life we will abhorre him but when it coÌ„meth out that they may â—eale lesse things as wood and corne and that not of necessitie but euen of greedinesse of minde thinking it not to be subiect to so high a punishment they will make no conscience of it But if Adam was cast out of Paradise for the biting of an apple wee must not thinke any thing that the word commaundeth or forbiddeth to be little or that the doing or not doing is but a trifling sinne least that through the iust iudgements of God we falling by little and little by degrees fall into great monstrous sinnes And as this is in life so is it much more in the worship of God It is a great fault that wee will make a scruple in matters of small importance and will not sticke to be dissolute in things of greater weight Indeed it must needs be confessed that our grand zeale must be in great things and yet wee must not lightly esteeme of any thing in the glorious word of God The second rule of true zeale is that wee must looke to the things which are within as well as to the things which are without This also our Sauiour Christ teacheth vs by reprehending the Pharisies in telling them that they made cleane the outside of the platters but left the inside foule shewing that their liues outwardly was without reproofe but inwardly they were full of secret pride disdaine selfe-loue and hatred Our zeale must beginne within and in time appeare outwardly and as we will not sinne outwardly so we must be as loth to sinne inwardly Wherefore here also are two things to be obserued the first is that we feare no more to do ill before men then we do by our selues For wee be giuen to be loth to be accounted ill and yet make no such conscience to be ill we see theeues whores and ill-doâ—rs are loth to bee so accounted and yet in the meane season if they can doe this secretly they make no care of it We outwardly are carefull to maintaine our credit and to trauaile with our selues yet secretly wee can commit sinne greedily What is this but to be painted sepulchers and dishes cleane without but foule within Wherefore wee
by the heresies which doe greatly flourish Also the dulnesse of our wit and weakenesse of memorie and other gifts of the minde which are often greatly weakened and often taken away these ought to moue vs to pray that they may be continued with vs. Also in prosperitie for then the diuell doth moue vs to presume as hee moueth to despayre in aduersitie and hee preuaileth by accusation of sinne in aduersitie against none but those which haue presumed in prosperitie Againe in our goods the danger of fire theeues c that wee are in And if we thinke that wee can by wisedome be warie then wee deceiue our selues for the most waâ—ie haue bene deceiued Also in our iourneyes the danger that we are in likewise in our names wee haue great cause to be carefull for that an ill name commonly followeth the profession of the Gospell and therefore in the Psalmist they often pray against false tongues especially that God may be glorified by their good names Also the want of wiues children seruants and euery man in that calling wherein hee is as the Minister in his calling as Paul who is sorie and I am not sorie and the Magistrates in their circuites when either they are sluggish themselues or for want of lawes cannot doe what they would Also the vntowardnes of our kindred whereby we are often discredited Likewise when we haue enemies wee haue neede to pray that we be not circumuented by them and also we must pray for them Then in the Church we shall see such scarcenes of Preachers such a company of Heretikes and other wants as if the communion of Saints be deare to vs must needes moue vs to pray The Common-wealth also being subiect to priuie conspiracie and for raine war whereby it might be ouerthrowne these if men be louers of their countrie will teach them what neede they haue to pray Then if wee see these wants wee must pray that God will touch vs with the feeling of them and also that he would make vs thankfull for turning so many iudgements from vs and so many mercies to vs. With my whole heart That is without hypocrisie he laid it out before the Lord that he might receiue helpe from him And this the Lord requireth in our prayers For though many doe pray and yell yet because they pray with great corruption and haue not powred out their heart therfore they haue not been heard The heart of man is most vnsearchable and no man can finde it out but the Lord discloseth it And therefore neither we nor others can see it Ierem. â—7 9. This may appeare by those that immediatly vpon the fact or when punishment is vpon them will be sorie but a little after when the shame and punishment is past then are they no more touched with it So when wee are sicke when wee are in danger of any losse wee seeme to pray with our whole hearts yet after wee remember not our vowes which sheweth that we examined not our hearts As the Lord doth search the heart so doth his word for all things are open to it and it reuealeth the secret corners and hypocrisie of our hearts if we will apply it to vs and not thinke that the word is spoken to others As wee cannot see our face but in a glasse so we cannot see our hearts without the word And if in the word wee will see our hearts then must we bring them to the presence of God for he hateth hypocrisie will be worshipped in truth and therefore we must be true Israelites For seeing that we haue to doe with God we must come in feare and truth for the Angels couer their faces Esay 6 and Gods people euen when they had ioyfull messages yet feared and said they should dye because they had seene the Lord as we see in Daniel Zâ—charie Mary c. at the presence of an Angell much more of God A naturall subiect feareth when he seeth his Prince especially when he hath made a fault so we if we bring our selues to Gods presence we shall be greatly humbled as the man of God doth Psalm 139. which is most notable for this purpose And this counsell giueth Dauid to his enemies Psal. 4 Tremble and sinne not And 1. Cor. 5. Paul approoueth himselfe to God in all things because all must appeare before God And Act. 23. he beleeueth that the Lord will come to iudge the quicke and dead and therefore he laboureth to keepe a good conscience And surely if we could doe this to set God before vs in all our thoughts words and deedes with feare as he is a glorious God and with loue as he is our God in Christ wee should flie from sinne because if wee should sinne it would be reuealed vnto vs and we should also be in some measure prepared to performe the good and auoide ill When he prayeth that he may keepe Gods statutes he sheweth that he desireth nothing but that which is agreeable to Gods will So must we in our prayers first desire the things that are for the glory of God and those things that are good for vs according to his good pleasure whether it be to receiue mercy or to haue punishment turned from vs. This is the cause why we obtaine not because we aske amisse Iam. 4. Many aske things not agreeable to Gods will and yet haue them as heretikes idolaters witches theeues c. yet they obtaine not these things in mercy but to their further condemnation which he graunteth to his children for their good Thus he gaue quailes to the Israelites yet he sent leannes to their soules which turned to their destruction And thus haue heretikes c. their euill requests graunted This is the greatest signe of Gods wrath when by these things hee prepareth them to their iust destruction This then is no argument that wee should aske things contrary to his will As their faith is euill so they haue according to their faith Vers. 147 and 148. I preuented the morning Light and cryed c. Mine eyes preuent the night-watches c. WEe may note his great diligence in resorting often to prayer and his sundrie times frequenting of it In which diligence for our instruction let vs obserue three things First often asking Secondly Wisedome in this often asking Thirdly cheerefulnes in asking First wee know they that are diligent in prayer will aske often and can hardly satisfie themselues in their desires as wee may note in the Prophet by these former and such like speeches where we must learne thus much We must not be content to vse one sigh or one grone and away or a fewe words and then thinke wee haue prayed well but we must be importunate with God That this holie importunitie is to be vsed wee may see by our Sauiour Christs words Luk 21. vers 36. Watch pray continually and by the Apostles exhortation 1. Thess. 5 Pray continually in which places the holy Ghost commendeth assiduitie
hearers are not prepared And as this preparing of our selues is necessary so also meditation and applying that to our selues which wee haue heard and prayed for that we may see how the word belongeth to vs and what euent our prayers haue For alas what precious seede is cast in the high wayes side because by meditation it is not laide vp but the diuell is suffered to come and steale it from vs To what end is the word if we hue not according to that which we haue learned If euery man shall enter thus into himselfe O Lord how many sermons haue I heard but how little haue I profited by them how long haue thy ministers preached but how slenderly haue I practised then should he see what comfort he had in the life of IESVS CHRIST when so many pearles haue bene cast to swine and such holy things haue bene giuen to dogs Likewise as needfull is this examination of our selues in prayer if that after I haue prayed I haue obtained mine heart may be enlarged to thanksgiuing if I haue not receiued I may search the cause in mine owne conscience thinke that the Lord would haue me still to continue my prayers vnto him Wherefore seeing we must thus prepare our mindes before and examine our hearts after and we are vnapt to heare or pray after we are refreshed because our mindes are laden and our bodies are heauie it shal be good in the morning so soone as we awake to meditate of GOD our Creatour to call to minde the glorie of the Appearing of CHRIST to consider of the day of the Resurrection and to muse of our rising to Iudgement Thus doing we shall see as in a present viewe all the graces of God set as it were before our eyes and and many comfortable things of Gods spirit comming to our mindes This wee see was the practise of the man of God in this place I preuented saith he the morning light Againe if in the night wee will but giue a good sigh when wee awake although I meane not to take away all naturall refection wee shall finde great comfort in it Thus if wee spend the morning in the word and prayer we shall so walk in the strength of those things which we heare and pray for all the day long as wee shall vse this Worlde as though wee vsed it not wee shall no further vse our callings then they be helpes to a better countrie we shall haue our direction out of the word what to doe and what to leaue vndone wee shall doe all things the better to Gods glorie and to the possessing of our soules continually in peace and patience If yet this doctrine be not sufficient to perswade vs the verie Idolaters will teach vs it who will rise early and breake their sleepes to goe to the masse when Aaron had yeelded to the people for making of a calfe it is said The people did rise early in the morning If then Idolaters for their superstitions can cut off their sleepe that in the morning they might leaue in them the deeper impressions why should wee bee slacke to bestow this time in the musing of the word that wee may feele the more effectuall operation of it all the day following What shall I speake of that Act. 2. That the holie Ghost came downe on the Apostles in the morning as may be gathered by the sermon of Peter when as he telleth them that it was but the third houre of the day Where it may appeare that they before being occupied in prayer and ministring of the Worde the holie Ghost came downe vpon them Thus wee see the fittest time to receiue the holy Ghost is in the morning In euery place almost of the Prophecyes it is sayde the Lorde stretched out his Arme earlie by the Prophets to teach vs that this should be the aptest time both to deliuer and to receiue the word If then students worldlings Epicures and idolaters haue made their gainâ— of the morning if the holy Ghost was then sent downe and the Prophets at that time would each let vs with the Prophet of God preuent the Morning light and take vp the first pâ—rt of the day in wisedome of the spirit to the Lords behalfe The third thing which we noted was cheerfulnes whereby we should cherish feâ—de and support our diligence without which we can doe nothing diligently long but we must also doe it painefully Wherefore the man of God saith Psalm 42. 4. I went with the multitude and led them into the house of God with the voyce of singing praise as 〈…〉 keepeth a feast This spirit of cheerefulnes oh that it were in vs that we might say one to another when the bell tolleth as though the Lord calleth vs come let vs goâ— to other â—o the house of God let vs goe cheerfully for we goe to a feast we goe to heare God speake vnto vs and to be partakers of the banket of his word Well there is not any one sinne that will more sit vpon the conscience of Gods children then their negligence in prayer and want of cheerefulnes in hearing the word which is the onely meanes to make vs fruitfull in good things and to withdraw vs from euill Thus to support diligence wee must vse cheerfulnesse without the which diligence languisheth fainteth and faileth Therefore the Prophet saith Psalm 95. Come let vs reioyce let vs sing aloud let vs come before his face with praise let vs sing aloud vnto â—am with Psalms Neither must women heere shake off their duties as though they were to excuse themselues from comming for in many places of the scriptures wee reade of the zeale of women which ouerpassed the zeale of manie men Luk 8. We reade how certaine women came and followed our Sauiour Christ and were healed of their infirmities Mary is commended for her wisedome in chusing and discerning the times aright Mâ—â—iâ— and Mary Magdalen are set downe in the Gospell for comming early to the sepulcher of our Sauiour Christ who first appeared vnto them because they first sought him Math. 28. we read also Act. 16. that certaine women came to Philippj to heare Paul and Timothie and that a certaine woman named Lydia a seller of purple attended to the things which Paul spake who therefore had her heart opened before other men Well in loue there is no lacke in cheerfulnes there is no negligence in good will there is no want And surely if wee were more cheerfull in these things we should see such good successe that we should be grieued with our selues in that we vsed it not before The next thing we obserue in prayer was Faith for that we might thus be diligent it is needfull wee should belieue and be confident for as we must be throwne downe with the feeling of our wants so must we be raised vp againe with faith in the promises because as neede pulls vs vpon
c. Therefore the Lord denounceth plagues and punishments on euery side to fall vpon them Looke into the destruction of the old cities namely of the Egyptians of the Moabites of the Assyrians and of the Philistines and yee shall see how witcherie was the most especiall cause of their destruction So shall we thinke now that the feare of God doth touch their hearts who for losse of so small pelfe runne to wizards Well we are here to learne that as where the Lords feare doth so rule our hearts that we sanctifie the Lord therein we are free from the greatest temptations So where this reuerent feare of God is wanting there is no temptation though neuer so vile and grosse but we will yeeld vnto it The prouidence of the Lord being so rich and his hand so wide and large we must not be afraide of so small a losse of worldly goods Wee know that Zedechiah being a Prince Iere. 37. when the feare of God was gone from him feared that the very common people would mocke him so that he could not obey the Prophet Againe we know that Ieremiah being the Prophet hauing this reuerent feare of God seasoning his heart was nothing dismaid with all that either Zedechiah or any other of the kings could do vnto him Among many places excellent is that Iob. 31. where the man of God partly to stop the mouths of his aduersaries partly to comfort his own soule with the record of a good conscience and partly to shew the secret iudgements of God and that he did not suffer for his sinnes as he was accused but for som secret cause best known to the Lord he testifieth how free he was from fornication from adulterie from iniuries from vnmercifulnes from crueltie with his seruants and from oppression and sheweth the cause why all these things were in him because the Lord beheld all his wayes and told all his steps First for fornication he made a couenant with his eyes because there is no portion no inheritance from the Almightie to the wicked but destruction and strange punishments to the workers of iniquitie and as of fornication so also he speaketh how he was preserued by the feare of Gods iudgements from adulterie ' and afterward comming to shewe his innocencie in not cruelly dealing with his seruants he saith If I should contemne the iudgement of my seruant c â—hat then shall I doe when God standeth vp and when he shall visite mee what shall I answere Againe he professeth that the cause why he did not oppresse nor iniurie others was not that hee refrained for feare of men but for feare of God For saith he If I haue lift vp mine head against the fatherlesse c. I thinke my shoulder bones would goe out of their sockets Gods iudgements were fearfull vnto me I could not be deliuered from his Highnes c. And though he might by his great countenance which he did beare haue dealt roughly with men and might haue made afraide a great multitude Yet saith he the most contemptible of the families did not feare me Yea though the men were farre lesse then hee yet hee could not hide his sinne as Adam he could not conceale his iniquitie in his bosome Whosoeuer then wil be trulie religious and make a conscience of sinne in sinceritie he must thus walke in the feare of God and though he might so doe as no man could euer touch him for his outward conuersation though he did not run into the hand of the Magistrate and no man thogh he would could say Black is his eye he must submit himselfe to what perill soeuer and ouercome all feare of mans power with feare of Gods punishments And we must know that if there be some sin in vs on which the ciuill law can take no hold yet the fear of the law of God must be in stead vnto vs of all lawes knowing that though we escape the court of men we cannot escape the iudgements of God who will iudge vs not according to the law of man but according to his own law So that the children of God are so far off froÌ„ flattering themselues in these sinnes where mans lawes faile and which they doe not punish that they labour the more against them fearing that God will punish those sins more grieuously in the world to come which by the law of man in this world he doth not correct And because by mans punishing we are oft brought to repent of those sinnes wherein now oft times we die without any repentance So that we see how effectuall an instrument of God this feare of his law is against all kinds of sinne whatsoeuer For though in politike lawes there be no lawes against swearing breaking of the Sabbath or filthie speaking yet Gods children are not for that cause such as cast off all feare but such as by so much the rather feare and suspect such sinnes Now in that the man of God saith in awe of thy word see the man of God performeth that feare to Gods word which he oweth to God himselfe This is profitably to be considered of vs. If any deale now adaies with a prophane worldling in things concerning the true knowledge of God and the way of saluation he will answere What tell yee me of these things tell me what you can I am sure of this you can tell me no more than this Loue God aboue all and thy neighbour as thy selfe and I trust I shall loue God as well as you or the best learned But here is their hypocrisie descried in that they haue so small loue to the word For our Sauiour Christ witnesseth Iohn 8. He that is of God heareth Gods word if ye were of God ye would loue his word so one may say to this effect if we feare God we stand in awe of his word Wherefore the man of God saith Oh how loue I thy law protesting that loue to the law which he had to God And as he saith O Lord thou art my portion so he saith also thy testimonies haue I taken as an heritage Thus we must honour God in Christ and Christ in his word For looke what honour God would haue he would haue vs shew vnto Christ and looke what honour Christ would haue he would haue it done to his word Wherefore the Apostles not reuerencing our Sauiour Christ onely for his person but also for his word said Maister whither shall we goe from thee thou hast the word of spirit and life As this corrupt opinion of the feare of God is in the worldlings so also is it in heretikes and in the familie of loue who perswade themselues to loue God when they loue heresies more than the word but herein are those hypocrites and heretikes descried they will generally confesse they loue and feare God but examine them in any particular either of doctrine or of life and they will bewray their want of loue by heresie and their want of feare
for want of this feare we see how impudent sinners are in those things which ciuill Lawes doe not restraine fearing euen punishment more then Gods iudgement He that feareth God is no theefe why because mans lawe saith that he that stealeth shall be hanged no but because Gods Law saith Thou shalt not steale Though the place be neuer so secret where he may sinne although iâ— bee no manifest vnrighteousnesse and grosse iniurie yet if it were but to denie the last thing which were right and due the childe of God both feareth punishment of God if hee had done it or if he haue not done it he trembleth to doe it And Saint Iames hee reasoneth thus that hee that hath commanded one thing hath also commaunded another and hee that forbiddeth one thing hath forbidden another And surely howsoeuer mans law punisheth one and dispenseth with another sinne yet the word of God rewardeth all obedience and punisheth all disobedience So that he that hath saide as well Thou shalt not commit adulterie as Thou shalt not doe murder hath as well pronounced the shutting of the kingdome of heauen against adulterers as against murderers 1. Cor. 6. which thing Gods childreÌ„ knowing make as great a conscience of swearing banning cursing breaking of the Sabbath drunkennesse adulterie and lying which in mans law escape scotfree as of theft which by Ciuill law is adiudged worthie of death because that God that saith Thou shalt not steale hee also saith Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vaine thou shalt keepe holy the Sabbath c. Suppose they that those things are not forbidden by the law of God which are not prohibited by the law of man Then no maruaile though there bee so fewe theeues and so many Sabbath breakers why there bee so fewe murtherers and so many swearers because men abstaine from theft and murther for feare of temporal punishment and men haue no care to eschue swearing prophaning of God his Sabbath because they feare no externall punishment See here is mens conscience here is their religion this is their deuotion Well haddest thou neuer suâ—n gifts outwardly without this reuerent feare of God thou shalt neuer enter into God his kingdome But peraduenture when thou shalt come to answere before the tribunall of God thou wilt say O Lord I knewe not by mans lawe that breach of thy Sabbath or swearing were such great sinnes heare what the Lord will answere I gaue thee my law whereby thou shouldest bee gouerned neither did I giue any commandement in more ample and flat words than the lawe of my Sabbath wherefore seeing thou hast manifestly cast my law behinde thee and made lesse account of my commandements and iudgements than of mans law and threatnings I adiudge thee to eternall damnation Great indeede is the benefit of mans lawes to restraine sin and to bring to repentance yea often the punishment of man and shame thereof preuenteth the iudgement of God and shame of hell fire because wee see many haue been more ashamed of sinne at the gallowes than others that haue died vpon their beds Howbeit where this law is not executed and sinne seuerely punished or where there be any sinnes which come not within the precincts of mans iurisdiction it is most certaine they shall not escape the punishment of God Wherefore we must otherwise stand in awe of Gods law than mans law doth punish if we will with the man of God from our heart stand in feare of his word This feare maketh seruants as faithfull in their maisters absence as in their presence because it keepeth vnder the most secret sinnes For hypocrites flie sinne before men but sinne greedily behind their backs and they sinne not because mans law will punish them not because Gods law doth forbid them But God his children abhorre sinne as wel priuie as manifest and that because sinne is sinne and not in that it is punishable by mans law For they considering that Adam Hâ—siah Ezechiah and others were punished for small things dare account no sin to be small in the eyes of God It is the whip the rod and the scourge that causeth the hypocrite as an asse a foole and a slaue to leaue sinne but it is loue conscience and obedience that moueth Gods children willingly to abhorre it Vers. 162. I reioyce at thy word as one that findeth great spoyles AS he hath spoken of his feare so now he speaketh of his ioy Great is the ioy of them that finde spoyles for spoyles bring victorie and victorie makes the triumph so that spoyle brings profit and the victorie pleasure both then must needes cause great ioy His meaning then is that what battaile soeuer he did fight what towne soeuer he spoiled his ioy was nothing so great as it was in taking pleasure in God his word Heere then is a true note to discerne vs from hypocrites when we take comfort in nothing so much as in the word of God But some will say that this extraordinarie ioy appertaineth to the Prophet rather than to vs wherfore let vs heare what the holy Ghost speaketh hereof in the Gospel as Rom. 5. We haue peace towards God and reioyce vnder the hope of the glorie of God And Philip 4 he calleth it The peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding and the Apostle 1. Pet. 1. shewing how in the mercie of God wee are begotten againe vnto a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead to an inheritance immortall and vndefiled reserued in heauen for vs biddeth vs to reioyce with ioy vnspeakable and glorious And Paul 1. Cor. 2. 9. sheweth what cause we haue to reioyce because the things which eye hath not seene neither eare hath heard neither came into mans heart are which God hath prepared for them that loue him These things we see are such as are common to all why then doe Gods children so much reioyce in the word First in consideration of their owne vile and miserable estates then in consideration of God his loue and Christ his merits for them For they considering with themselues that by nature they are nothing but vassal of sinne the bondslaues of the diuel the enemies of God and fire-brands of hell and that by Christ they are freed from their sins set at libertie from Sathan ransomed from hell and reconciled vnto God and that he will bring vnto them the fruite of his death and benefit of his resurrection by killing sin in them and quickning them vnto righteousnes remembring Colos. 2. 14. that Christ hath taken away the hand-writing and fastened it vnto his crosse and that euery member through him hath spoiled the principalities and powers and led captiue the world the flesh and the diuel and hath made a shew of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them in the same crosse feele such a ioy as neuer any earthly conquerors felt the like For looke how farre greater the victory of sinne and Sathan is aboue
more willingly and easily we are brought vnto If any haue occasion seuen times and often to praise the Lord it is our age who from the abundance of God his blessings should not onely haue our hearts enlarged but also from our aboundance of the heart our mouthes with praises should be filled Because of thy righteous iudgements This is not the onely thing in the word but there are promises and threatnings but the iudgements of God comprehend all in that they are seene as we haue shewed in fulfilling his promises and executing his threatnings True it is we must praise him for the creation of the world for his louing promises made vnto vs but we can neuer see truly the â—rration vntill wee obserue his prouidence neither can we effectually praise him for his promises vntil we diligently obserue his iudgements For then we truely praise God for his promises and threatnings when wee praise him for his executing of them This therefore requireth an experimentall faith and therefore we shal see in all the Psalmes of Moses Deborah Ezechiah Dauid and Esay that it was vsuall to them then to make them wheÌ„ either they had receiued some notable deliuerance or their enemies had some notable ouerthrow or the Church obtained some speciall benefit As after the deliueraÌ„ce by the read sea after they had safely passed through the wildernes and had put to flight the armie of the alâ—â—â—â—s â—â—â— what els doth the History which is 〈…〉 of things pâ—â—t â—â—ach vs but to praise God by â—â—eing God to be such ◠〈…〉 he is in his pâ—â—â—isâ—s Looke what the law generally speaketh of 〈◊〉 concerning these 〈…〉 to be done or lâ—f vndone either of pâ—â—â—â—es or 〈…〉 of the Prophets the things done which were comâ—â—unded 〈…〉 to them which did according to Gods 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 forbidden or else the threatnings executed on them which did â—o 〈…〉 mandemeÌ„t This we shall see wonderfully to increase our faith if we 〈…〉 of the Prophets with the time of the law If we compare our 〈…〉 our Sauiour Christ Matth 24. 24. that there 〈…〉 Christs 〈…〉 to feare that they which would not learne of the truth shall learne of 〈…〉 We may call to mind how many earnest professors in king Edward 〈…〉 papists in Queene Maries dayes and how many heretofore christians â—â— Queene Maries dayes are now become zealelesse worldlings and they that were â—â—en 〈◊〉 â—â—â—â—â—t height they are growne and wee shall see sufficient matter to praise God his righteous iudgements Againe if we consider the great mercy of God 〈…〉 our country men who were in banishment we shall haue great cause to be thankefull Vers. 165 They that â—â—â—e thy law shall haue a greâ—t pâ—â—â—â—â—ritie or rather shall haue no mâ—â—â—â—r of offence or occasion of stâ—mblâ—â—g and they shall haue no hurt THâ—se in seâ—se agree with that which the man of God sâ—iâ—l Port 65. I 〈…〉 libertie for I seeke thy 〈◊〉 In which places the Prophet sheweth 〈◊〉 they 〈◊〉 â—â—aue peace in minde and shall walke at libertie not be entangled they 〈◊〉 â—â—ue no manner of offence neither shall any stumbling blockes be lâ—â—â— in their waies which carefully seeke to obey the will of God This is the benefit of them that know receiue the word in loue that they shall escape dangers doubtes in streights and plagues so that in all thâ—se they shall finde happie issues and wholsome out gâ—â—e in what streights or troubles they aâ—◠〈◊〉 They then â—â—t walke in this knowledge and loue of God his law shall â—â—uâ— this grace and no man shal be able to take it from them seeing then it is 〈◊〉 in vsâ—l to be careful of nothing more then to be directed in our plagues â—et most of vs faâ—lâ— in â—â—◠〈◊〉 to â—â—â—â— by following too much their owne deuises and not the prescript rule of the worâ— Here 〈◊〉 is described the happie estate of God his children that by faith and loue shall 〈…〉 and continually haue the blessing of God watching ouer them in all 〈◊〉 â—oâ—â—gs whatsoeuer tumult come on them yet they shall possesse their soules in patience and not be plunged and ouerwhelmed in these miseries as other men are O most sinâ—ulâ—r commendation of the word in working such peace in promising such successe in our affaires and in deliuering vs from all ill things That loue thy â—â—â— Wee see here is required that faith which worketh by loue for many will say that they beleeue who bewray their want of faith by want of loue It is then that saith which worketh by loue that maketh vs so to delight in the law of the Lord. Herehence commeth so much disquietnes and so many crosse blowes in our atâ—â—mpâ—s because our faith is so small our loue to the word â—o little When we shâ—l 〈◊〉 then the destruction of our mindes so many ditches hedges walles gâ—ins snares we must consider the chiefe cause to be our want of loue to the word not that it alwayes so appeareth â—â— fleshe and blood but that to faith it is apparant which learneth out of the word Iohn 17 In the world â—â—â—â— shall haue troublâ—â— but â—â— me they shall haue pâ—ace as if our Sauiour should haue saide howsoeuer flâ—sh and blood thinke others iudge ouer vs heauen and earth shall passe but his pro 〈…〉 le Yee shall haue peace in trouble for God that hath â—â—oken it is no more liberall in promising than faithfull in performing if theÌ„ we haue trouâ—les it is for want of faith loue of the word And as here is a plentiful comfort for them who loue the word so is there a fearful threatning to the wicked which the Prophet Esay in his 47 48. chapters speaketh there is no peace saith the Lord vnto the wicked but the wicked are like the raging sea that cannot rest whose waters cast vp mire and durt In which place after the Prophet had promised this good successe to God his people hee addeth that the wicked shall not bee partakers of it For as the Sea hoysteth vp and is stirred more vehemently with the tempest and winde and being once moued one waue fighteth with another so that in that continuall conflict much froth and filthie scumme is cast and spued out so so soone as any tempest of temptation hath stirred vp a wicked mans minde and one temptation beginneth to fight with another many foming and corrupt affections are spued out which disturbe the peace of the minde and offend all the beholders God his children seeing those troubles to helpe them which hurt the world finde only the truth of this doctrine howsoeuer in time of prosperitie the wicked would seeme to be in as great quietnes as the other But as the deepe sea in a calme day seemeth to be as still as other waters vntill by the tempest of windes the raging of the one make a plaine difference from the other so the wicked doe seeme to haue as great
the day-light and of a little childe Buâ— let them couer their sins in the depth of their hearts let theÌ„ hide them with darkenes surely the Lord will keepe them in a register and in time will lay all their sinnes before them that all the world may knowe how they haue buried the long suffering of the Lord in the hollow graues of their hypocrisie Wherefore euery man that wil shew himselfe thus to be perswaded of Gods al-seeing presence must shew it by an earnest care of obedience and a reuerent feare of disobedience whereof the one that is the feare of disobedience is shewed in the first verse of this octonarie the other is shewed in the last Shall we then assure our selues that wee bee perswaded indeede that God doth beholde vs let vs search our hearts whether we haue these or the like affections For dare a subiect in the presence of his prince commit any thing against the lawes for feare of a checke or rather will he not be carefull in the eyes of his soueraigne to do all things to his liking and contentation Dare a good childe in the presence of his father willingly breake his commaundement for feare of controlment or will he not rather endeuour to bee very dutiful for hope of commendation Then doubtlesse without this care and feare wee receiue our soules with this drowsie dreame and vaine perswasion of Gods beholding vs. Wherefore how dare â—hâ— heretikes papists and family of loue perswade theÌ„selues to walke before the Lord seeing they haue not submitted themselues to his word which is the onely instrumeâ—â— that maketh naked the conscience of man as it is Heb. 4. 12. The word of God is liuely and 〈◊〉 operation c. and it is added in the verse following Neither is there any creaturâ— which is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open vnto his eyes So that they whâ—â—â— are not truely instructed in the word cannot truely haue their sins laide naked and they which haue not their sins laid open cannot in the feare of God forsalâ—e their corruptions Wherefore in like manner all ignorant persons may perswade themselues that they please God and walke before him in care and feare but they doe but deceiue their owne soules But if wee can truly say this with pure triall of it in our hearts it is most certaine it will serue in steade of an hundreth rules besides for the right direction and holy gouernment of our liues In that the man of God saith that he kept both the precepts and the testimonies he giueth vs to vnderstand that if we will in truth be perswaded that God seeth vs in all things we must beleeue his testimonies and obserue his statutes because we can neither beleeue aright vnlesse our faith worketh by loue neither be our workes acceptable but as they be the fruites of faith There is indeede a feare without this faith but it is a seruile and slauish farre differing from that childish and filiall feare which is here vnderstood For as a seruant may obey and doe his outward taske rather for feare of stripes of his master if hee should not doe it then for any pure loue and the childe is in all things obedient not so much that hee is afraide of the rod as he is loth to haue the least displeasure of his louing father so wee may vse the outward obedience in a carnall feare trembling at the seuere threatnings of God as of a iudge but without this wee shall leese the care to please him as loth to be depriued of his fatherly countenance and affection towards vs. So that without this faith we are in danger to walke either in secret pride or else in slauish feare But faith maketh vs come liberally and cheerefully â—o obedience when wee shall see that hee will not deale roughly with vs as iudging vs according to our deserts but as bearing with our infirmities and sparing vs as a mercifull father Neither as dare I affirme did euer any truely obey God which in some measure had not this feare of God before his eyes where by they feared him as a God and loued him as a father Gods children dare not dally with their most priuie thoughts for they know that God seeth in darknes as wel as in delight he is the God of the night as of the day to him they are both as one hee beholdeth their thoughts a farre off and there is no word in their tongu which he knoweth not they know he is priuy to their down lyings and vprisings to their goings out and their commings in neither can they in any place high or low far or neare early or late flie from his al-seeing presence If they doe ill they tarry not long to seeke reconcilement because they knowe that his iudgements are according to truth if they doe well they are not proude of it This worketh in them a wonderfull boldnesse in Gods causes and bringeth them to feare when their cause is not good Againe it breedeth patience in trouble profit in slaunders meeknes when the world contemneth them sene in secret sinnes knowing that when the world hath passed in iudgement on them there â—â—â—ll iudgement in greater truth be giuen of them by Christ. And againe though they escape the iudgements of man yet they shall not escape the iudgements of God But as the Lord throweth the wicked with their hypocrisiâ—s to hell So hee will humble and punish his children with sore corrections So that this is the way of them that walke before the Lord they know in time the Lord will reward and make knowne their secret godlines and in time punish and make knowne their secret sinnes If it come to passe that Gods children forget themselues sometimes to be in their Fathers presence as earthly children reioyce sometimes to be from their Fathers that they might play the more neuertheles after they come to be ashamed and grieued when they consider that all that time their Father espied marked them and though they did forget that their Father saw them being carried away with some strong lust the best they know is to returne in time For then they begin to reason on this mannner Oh what a wretch was I to doe this in the eyes of my God and in the presence of my Father so that as we see this consideration of Gods presence bringeth griefe for sinnes present so it maketh after the examinations of our selues ashamed of sinnes past Wee heard before how it also worketh patience in vs when our good causes haue not good successe because we remember that Psalm 34. The eyes of the Lorde art ouer the iust and his eares are open to their prayers Whereupon we recouer our selues with this and such like meditations Well I am misdeemed I am suspected I see I am ill thought of I know in the end that the Lord seeing my cause to be good to be vsed with a good heart will
a double interpretation for either the meaning of them is giue me vnderstanding which is according to the prescript truth of thy holy Word or else according as thou hast promised in the Worde to them that by prayer aske it of thee But because this latter sense comprehendeth the former I more willingly embrace the latter For if God helpe vs according to his promise it is doubtles according to his word for hee promiseth nothing which is not agreeable with his word Besides this may be prâ—ued by that wich is added in the verse following where hee saith according to thy promise Now in that he repeateth the same thing he sheweth that certainly God hath promised to helpe and relieue his necessitie Neither must we thinke that this promise was made to Dauid alone who alone had not such infirmities but hee speaketh as a member of the Church for the promise appertaineth to the Church to all in the Church vniuersally Howbeit looke what the Lord had promised to all generally he applieth to himselfe particularly For we may see both in this Psalme Port 17 2. The entrance into thy word sheweth light and giueth vnderstanding to the simple as also Psal. 19. 7. The testimonie of the Lord is sure and giueth light to the simple that the promise is generall and as well appertaineth to vs as to him So that the meaning of this latter part is nothing else but this as thou hast promised to giue knowledge to them that seeke it so Lord giue it mee for I thus seeke it Thus we see how needfull it is to haue knowledge of God his word seeing none obtaine but they that pray according as God hath promised in his word according to that Ioh. 5. 4 This is the assurance that we haue in him that if we aske any thing according to his will hee heareth vs. Ye aske saith S. Iames cap. 4. 3 and receiue not because ye aske amisse We must not pray then for euery phantasie and for euery grace that commeth into our minds but for those things for which we are taught to pray according to the word But how can we doe this without knowledge how should we pray to him in whom we haue not beleeued or how should we beleeue in him whom we haue not knowne Whosoeuer then will pray aright must pray in faith and he that will pray in faith must also pray in knowledge Againe we are heere to obserue thus much that whosoeuer he be that will be directed in singular actions he must acquaint himselfe with the particular knowledge of the word Wherefore let vs learne to vse often reading hearing and meditating of the word and with often reading hearing and meditating let vs vse often praying applying and examining of our selues that we may both seeke vnderstanding in knowledge and the obedience of it in our affections For often reading hearing and meditating bring ripenes of iudgement often praying applying and examining our selues bring quicknes of our affections We shall see then for often praying the Lord will driue vs to it with often giuing of his graces with the giuing of his graces he will giue necessities with the giuing of necessities he will often giue occasions to set forth his glorie How shall we pray now without iudgement or how shall we meditate without knowledge Wee must often heare for knowledge sake we must often meditate for conscience sake For as we cannot haue profit in the generall knowledge of a thing without particular meditating of it so can wee not meditate without some troubling of our minde vnlesse we doe it of iudgement no more then not hauing knowledge we can pray without great turmoyling and troubling of our minde Thus we must ioyne all meanes together as first by conference wee must labour for knowledge to make our knowledge more effectuall wee must ioyne meditation and that both knowledge and meditation may be sanctified we must vse prayer Let my supplication come before thee and deliuer me according to thy promise Here he prayeth to bee rid from these streights and encombrances which did hinder this vnderstanding of the word which hee desired For whereas some vnderstand it of outward and common troubles I thinke by those things which goe before and comparing it with those things that follow after that he meaneth that deliueraÌ„ct which might rid him from those things which are contrarie and preiudiciall to the things before prayed for that so both being enlightened with true knowledge and deliuered from all blindnes hee might praise God more freely and liberally both for his vnderstanding and for the escapes of those distresses perplexities doubts and ignorances of his mind And thus considering that he prayeth to obtaineÌ„ the good things and to be deliuered from the contrarie euill things let vs consider of that which followeth According to thy promise If wee will obtaine any thing of the Lord wee must first vow thankfulnes and as we be suiters we must be thanksgiuers as we be suppliants wee must be plentifull in prayses to the Lord. For this is the end of our creatioÌ„ this is the end of our redemption this is the end of our sanctification this is the end of all our praying and obtaining euen plentifully to praise the name of our good God Vers. 171. My lips shall speake praise when thou hast taught me thy statutes AS wee learne now that the end of all Gods blessings is thanksgiuing and vnlesse wee purpose and will performe this we must neuer looke to obtaine any thing in fauour so we are also to learne that before God teacheth vs from aboue we are as tonguetide and cannot pray before he by his spirit doth instruct vs we caÌ„not once speake of his word This he sheweth both in the first portion and seuenth verse I will praise thee with an vpright heart when I shall haue learned the iudgements of thy righteousnes and in the second portion where after he hath prayed to be taught in the statutes he promiseth with his lippes to tel the iudgements of the Lord. We cannot then blesse God before he instruct vs. When the Lord rectifieth our knowledge with cleere iudgement and renueth our hearts with holy affections wee are most readie to praise the Lord according to that in the Psalme Lord open thou my lippes and my mouth shall shew thy praise And Rom. 8. 29. The spirit helpeth our infirmities for wee knowe not how to pray as we ought c. Wherefore if wee liue to eate to drinke to sleepe and not to praise God we liue no better than bruit beasts or rather worse for they praise God in their willing seruing of mans necessities and according to their kinde in their waies But man to whom the Lord hath giuen eyes to looke to heauen eares to heare his word speech to sound his praises a mind to conceiue his glorious works and blessed word seeing he hath these gifts aboue beasts it is certaine there must
this true longing be in vs or no we must see whether it be after that saluation which is to be ioyed or whether it vanisheth away and is nothing but a tormeÌ„t of the conscience Besides this is a sure note of it if our desire be sound it is not satisfied vntill the thing longed for be accomplished As wee may see in naturall and humane things is in them that are sicke with loue they are in continual perplexity of mind vntil they haue obtained their loue likewise must we long after the word For loÌ„ging is a feruent desire and not a thing quickly come quickly gone but a thing that hath bin searched by reason and in iudgement hath bin chosen So that as we shewed before there is a great difference betweene a lightning desire a setled iudgement which causeth vs in truth to long In that he now maketh mention of his longing after his election he sheweth that he had cast his accounts set down how he might be able to meet the mighty man indenter battaile with him as it is in the gospell This longing cannot bee in the wicked for when they long it is for heresies or worldly pleasures and right longing commeth from a right sight iudgement and affection which will bring in the carefull vsing of the meanes For as it holdeth in false longing so also in holy longings that after long debaâ—ing and examining of our selues and casting our accounts what will be the fruite of the good and what will be the end of sinne carefully wil vse the meanes For as the desire vseth meanes so longing vseth meanes carefully Let vs now examine our selues where our feruency is for ioy and hope feare sorrow shew a maÌ„s heart as whatsoeuer we ioy in whiles we haue it that we sorrow for when wee haue lost it And let vs examine our longing whether we can vse the word with delight or no whether praier be pleasant whether the sacraments be coÌ„fortable to vs or no and whether the discipline of the Church be reuerend and precious to vs. If our desire be cold our â—sing of the meanes is also cold if we be feruent in desire wee are also feruent in vsing of â—â—e meanes The Apostle speaking to the Romans cap 6. after the manner of men saith he will not extort so much as he might doe but hee will deale with them more easily and whereas he might require greater obedience he saith as ye haue giuen your members seruants vnto vncleannes and iniquitie to commit iniquitie so now giue your members seruants vnto righteousnes in holines This is but an humane thing if we should see how wee haue longed after things naturall and vnnaturall if we should see how wee haue longed inordinately let vs â—ee if our longing be alike after the word and let vs say to our owne soules what was there such a longing in vs after such things whereof wee are now ashamed before God in our prayerâ— and before men when they are but named and haue we such slender longing after our saluation it is to be feared our choise is not yet made for if it were wee should surely long mâ—â—e and longing we should more vse the meanes Vers. 175. Let my soule liue and it shall praise thee and thy iudgements shall helpe mee HEre â—â—â— man of God desireth life to none other end but to praise GOD in keeping of his word as he said before Port. 3. 1. Be beneficiall to thy seruant that I may liue keepe thy Worde In which place hee also desireth none other life but that which is according to the word of God For all other liues haue a vaine title of life but this is true life We see the man of God doth not onely feele with the Apostle that in God wee mooue liue and haue our being but also speaketh of a more excellent thing to wit that in him we liue spiritually Againe he looketh not in himselfe for any naturall life but acknowledgeth that manâ— life is of the word of God Let vs therefore learne with Dauid to commit our liues to the Lord Psalm 31. 15. Into thine hands I commend my spirit c. He speaketh this in his life time and committeth it to the Lord that as he gaue it him so he would vouchsafe to keepe it being giuen Now we shall neuer in truth say the like vntill we perceiue how wee receiued our life of God how he nourisheth it and how to him we must surrender it againe Wherefore we are not to liue as doe the bruite beasts and the heathen but we must liue to enioy our saluation and couet our saluation to praise the Lord because there is no other end of mans life than Gods glorie As for them which liue to any other end Salomon iudgeth no better of the vntimely fruite than of them who enioy many dayes in pleasure and after goe to the darkenes Besides we know how all other inferiour things were created to glorifie God in seruing man and man was made to glorifie God by the true vse of the word Let my soule liue c. This is the vsuall phrase of the Scripture when they vse to set dowâ— a thing more pathetically as Luke 1. My soule doth magnifie the Lord my spirit praiseth Goe my Sauiour And Psalm 103. 1. and 104. 1. My soule praise thou the Lord. Psalm 115. 17. The dead praise not the Lord neither any that goe downe into the place of silence and Psalm 6. 5. In death there is no remembrance of thee in the graue who shall praise thee and Esay 38. 19. The pit cannot praise thee the graue cannot confesse thee death cannot praise thee they that goe downe into the pit cannot praise thee but the liuing the liuing shall confesse thee as I doe this day c. How grieuous a thing it is now euery man may iudge that a man should goe out of this world or euer he knew wherefore he came into the world and this is that which maketh vs so loth to die This was it that made the Saints of God in former times so vnwilling to leaue this life not that they wanted any hope of the life to come or had not the ioy of a blessed resurrection but either they had some speciall sinnes heauily pressed their consciences whereby they had dishonoured God or else they desired to liue in greater measure to glorifie God either in entring into the way of repentance or else growing in the same after they had entred because as yet they could not say in truth I haue fought a good fight I haue runne a good race I haue kept thy faith from henceforth a crowne of glorie is prepared for mee For they knew that whereof we are willingly ignorant that we shall neuer vncessantly praise God in heauen vnlesse wee carefully serue God in earth and we shall neuer praise God in the congregation of Angels which praise not God in the congregation of his saints
the auoyding of the infection which might be gotten by euill companie For what could preserue a man in Sodome but only his lawfull calling therefore vnles a man haue such a calling to keepe him there he must flie quicklie from the wicked he must flie farre from them he must see them amend before he returne vnto them Dauid did very well see this and therefore he doth in many places crie out against them Away from me yee wicked Woe is me that I haue so long dwelt in Kedar Dauid was not effeminate he had not a womanish heart to crie without cause he felt the smart of it and therefore crieth so earnestly against them he saw no good example he saw no occasion of goodnes he was much hindered in his obedience hee had many pulbackes and other great disprofits By this then we see how needfull a precept Salomon doth here giue vs but the necessitie of this shall more plainely appeare if wee consider either the wickednes of their wicked practises or the hurt which the godly haue receiued by them for the will of the wicked is wholly bent to euill they be euer willing and ready to hurt good people when any occasion is offered their skill is great and their wisedome is answerable to their will And therefore our Sauiour saith The children of this world are wiser in their generation then the children of Light This wisedome we may perceiue in them whether they shew themselues deadly and open enemies or friendly and counterfeited friends for if they professe themselues to be our enemies it is marueilous to see their practises First they will vse all extremitie and hard dealing they will offer violence and oppresse him if it bee possible with wrongfull iniuries and what is their purpose in all this but to prouoke him that is good to requiâ—e euill for euill and so fall from his GOD or at the leastwise to stay and hinder him in the course of his godlines that God may be displeased with him If this thing will not preuaile they will worke another way and labour by slaunders and false reports in such wise to discredit him that he may be vtterly discouraged and caused to forsake his profession And yet they will finde another way if this will not worke they will deuise crafty fetches and practise subtiltie against him they will inuent pestiferous policies and finde craftie counsels to ouerthrow him These and many other wayes haue they to spit their spite and spue out their venemous poyson against the people of God If thus also they cannot haue that successe they looke for if by this means they cannot obtaine their purpose they will take a contrarie course to preuaile that way if it be possible they will fame friendship and become our friends they will flatter vs with faire words and allure vs with their benefits to communicate with them in their wickednes and to be companions with them in their sinnes but when they deale most dangerously when they marke and obserue our dispositions and become appliable to our nature for this meanes will they also vse so malicious are they indeed towards vs. If we be religious they will shape some shewe of religion if we praise anie they will praise him if we mislike or dispraise anie they will shewe their mislike of him Thus in all things they will marke our mindes and our dispositions and will so applie themselues vnto vs that except God giue vs grace they will ouerthrowe vs. Seeing therefore they haue a readie will to hurt vs seeing also they haue great skill to deuise most forcible and politike meanes against vs what worthie account must we make of this precept wherein Salomon teacheth vs how we may keepe our selues from receiuing any hinderance by them Againe if we thinke vpon the hurt that the godly haue had by them or if we consider how they haue bene infected through their corruption wee shall confesse indeed that it is most dangerous to deale with them and it is the best way to keep vs farre from them Ioseph was a good man and indued with great graces he had receiued great increases strength of Faith and had strong temptations yet being daily conuersant among the Egyptians hee learned to sweare by the life of Pharaoh Dauid was a man according to Gods owne heart he suffred much and learned great obedience by his sufferings yet abiding but a while among the vncircumcised Philistims he learned to lie and to dissemble What shall I say of Lot and his familie what danger was he in what losse did he sustaine what hurt had he in his goods in his soule and bodie hee was carryed away with the wicked Sodomites captiue his goods and Cattell were taken from him and though through Gods goodnesse hee was rescued yet he loued Sodome still and would liue in it yea though fire and brimstone were ready to be powred vpon it he must be dragged and drawne out of the Towne or else hee would not easily haue left the place albeit his soule was daily vexed with the filthinesse of their behauiour his wife looked backe when shee was deliuered and therefore she was turned into a Pillar of salt his daughters were so corrupted that they were not ashamed to lye with their father and Lot himselfe learned to drinke wine very liberally whereby hee was brought into a filthy sinne If a man were assured that hee should continue safe notwithstanding all the temptations of the wicked yet the care of his familie and feare of their falling should bee a cause sufficient to driue him from wicked companie But if hee himselfe be touched with a conscience and a feeling of his owne infirmitie what loue of profit what hope of aduautage should keepe him there Lot therefore might plainely see the iudgement of God vpon him and vpon his familie because he would liue and linger so long among those wicked Sodomites Now if these men receiued such deepe and great woundes by wicked companie then who is that man or what is his name that can thinke to stand among them We therfore ought to be most circumspect and carefull to keep vs from the company of wicked men for their heresies will make vs heretikes their carelesnes will make vs vngodly and secure This commandement of flying euill is very generall and may bee extended to all the commandements which we are brought to breake by reason of euill companie Vers. 16. For they cannot sleepe except they haue done euill their sleepe departeth except they haue caused some to fall c. THe law and precept which was prouided for the auoyding of euill company was most effectually set downe in the two former verses The reasons of this commandement do follow in the foure next verses These reasons are in nuÌ„ber two The first is drawn from the peruerse and crooked nature of the will and disposition of wicked men in the 16. 17. and 19. verses The second
resort to the children and people of God which in this verse are called righteous The righteous men whose companie wee must keepe and to whom we must associate and ioyne our selues are here described by two notes The first note of a righteous man is this that his life bee ordered and guided by the word of God which shineth out before him as a light to his feete and a lanterne to his paths When a man therefore hath a desire and care to measure all things by the word he walketh in the light his light shineth he hath an argument that shee is a righteous man The second note of a righteous man is that he still growes vp and maketh daily good proceedings in godlines But here may some man say I feele not this encrease and going forward nay I am so far from that that I am somtimes driuen to commit sinne To this I answere that such a state is both doubtfull and daungerous yet if in a good conscience thou labour to prouide for the peace of thy soule then trie thy selfe and thine owne heart by these notes First if the conscience of thy former carelesnesse doe make thee carefull if the remembrance of thy former sinnes do cause thee more to hate and abhorre sinne more to flie from it and the more manfully to striue and fight against it and to be short if thou caâ—st make euery thing that befalleth thee an occasion to help thee forward then maiest thou thinke that euen in these things thou makest some good proceedings for as wee knowe that the cloudes can neither lessen the light of the Sunne nor let the course thereof because at the last they are scattered by the heate of the Sunne which shineth out most comfortably so we may be sure that although sometimes our righteousnes be couered with our infirmities yet if we ouercome them driue them away the course of our righteousnes is not hindred And againe as a man is not letted by a fall in his iourney when hee learneth thereby to take better heede and to haste faster forward so wee by our falles and infirmities are not stayed if they make vs more careful of our selues and more earnest in going forward yet must we not say heere it is a light matter to sinne that thereby they may be made more carefull for if a man haue once truely felt the griefe of heart for sinne if hee know how hard it is to get victorie ouer it if hee consider how much hee hath displeased God by sinne if he consider the fearefull punishment which he hath procured to himselfe and if hee be perswaded that none can raise him vp from sinne but God alone then hee will be most afraide to sinne because hee knoweth not whether God will rayse him vp or no and therefore if anie thinke that it is but a small matter to sinne it is certaine that they haue not as yet vnfainedly repented they are not as yet washed from their sinnes This first rule is good and very fit to trie ourselues when to our owne feeling we can perceiue no encrease of godlines within vs which doth cause vs when wee see it to esteeme more highly of the word and to make greater account or it for if our former negligence or some sin through infirmitie whereunto we haue slipped doe make the word more sauorie lightsome vnto vs then it is certaine that the Lord of his goodnesse by this fall hath helped vs forward Contrariwise if our former carelesnesse do make vs more carelesse if our slippes or sinnes doe make the word vnsauourie or vnseasonable vnto vs we are in a most fearefull plight we are in great danger to fall away therefore let vs striue against these let vs labour to vse euery thing to helpe vs forward let vs labour to finde sweetnes in the Word and thus we shall haue comfort euen in our infirmities then shall our light shine brighter euery day vntill we come to our dying day now the meanes which God hath appointed to preserue and increase this light in vs is his holy Word by which as we receiued our light so must wee labour to haue it continued therefore iâ— wee will not â—auâ— our light quenched wee must not despise prophecie if we will haue it to burne clâ—â—â—e then we must attend vnto hearing reading conferring meditating and other exercises of the Word we must eschue euill and the occasions of euill then our light shall flame out continually Vers. 19. The way of the wicked is darknesse they knowe not wherein they shall fall THe former verse is amplified by the contrarie estate condition of the wicked their way is as darknes because they be destitute of the light of Gods word and they know not wherein they shall fall they sin see it not they run vnto heresies and knowe it not the iudgements of God hang ouer their heads they espie it not therefore when they thinke least they shall be brought into greatest danger trouble shal assaile them like an armed man and their sorrow shall come vpon them like as vpon a woman that trauelleth with â—hild In this case are all those which are not inlightened by the word this is the state of all those that make not the word their lanterne continually to shine out before them But the children of God are in a contrary case they are directed by the word in all their doings and in the light of the word they see light They see the subtiltie of sinne and therefore they shunne it and they are taken with an horror as it were of all manner of heresies they foresee Gods iudgements and preuent them and so are they kept safe and preserued from euil Thus farre haue we bene dehorted from vngodly company both by precepts and reasons The second part of this dehortation followeth from this place to the end of the Chapter Vers. 20. My sonne attend vnto my words incline thine eare vnto my sayings HEre followeth the dehortation wherein we are forewarned of the corruption which â—s in our selues yet before the Wiseman commeth to giue any speciall or particular precepts of this corruption he doth after this maner deliuer some generall precepts for the vse of the word whereby this corruptioÌ„ may be cured in vs. These general precepts are set forth in these 3. verses wherin first there is generally required of vs great attendaÌ„ce vnto the whole word of God in these words Attend vnto my wordes Secondly wee are commaunded to heare the word This precept bindeth vs to heare whether the word be read or preached or whether it be conferred of for all these wayes we may get great profit by hearing the word And because wee are not easily drawne vnto this hearing therefore the precept is very effectually deliuered in these wordes Incline thine eare In which kinde of speech there is first noted our naturall slothfulnesse and securitie which of our selues
looke vnto Gods children in former ages Paul was sore afflicted much troubled and often imprisoned yet all this did nothing grieue him so lōg as the Gospell had good successe and the Churches flourished Therfore in his Epistles he saith often I was comforted when I heard of your faith I liue if you stand fast and such like speeches whereby he did euidently declare that he sought the glorie of God and not his owne praise Daniel contrariwise was in greart credite honour and estimation he was preferred aboue all the Princes of Persia and was second vnto the King but how did he esteeme of this honour what account made he of his authoritie Surely very little for when he saw that the appointed time of the ende of their captiuitie was not come when he saw the worship of God decayed and worne almost cleane out of minde when he saw the oppression of Gods people by the wicked heathen his heart was heauie and his soule did melt for griefe yea though he had libertie to worship God though he were free from all oppression yet did he humble his soule with fasting and was in heauinesse three weekes of dayes because Gods Church was not farther inlarged because the Temple lay vnbuilded and because his brethren the Iewes had no opportunity to cleaue vnto Gods worship This was the practise of godly men in aunciēt times This also must be our practise if our hearts be pure thus farre for the triall of our hearts by feare ioy hope and griefe in all things which we take in hand Now followeth the second part of this triall by applying it vnto times as vnto prosperitie and aduersitie If we looke not warily vnto that time wherein we liue we through the great corruption of our hearts may be dangerously deceiued For prosperitie will moue vs to praise God and trouble will make vs tremble at the thinking of him and none almost is so desperate and voyd of all knowledge which will not doe so the wife of Iob will praise and blesse God in aboundance and prosperitie and she no doubt hath many companions Pharaoh will be humbled when the hand of God is vpon him Saul will be godly when God doth afflict him and will not many doe as Saul did are not many like vnto Pharaoh Therefore if thou wilt haue thy heart pure looke vnto thy profession in prosperitie and diligently trie thine heart when thou art in trouble For thou maist seeme to feare God when his hand is vpon thee thou maist seeme to loue God when he doth enrich thee and yet thou maist proue an hypocrite at the last Take heed therefore vnto thy heart and trie it thus when thou aboundest in all things thou louest God This is well if it be in trueth Doest thou also feare him Art thou afraid to displease him Art thou afraid to sinne against him Doest thou of very conscience abstaine from secret sinne against him though no law can punish thee Art thou afraid to do wrong to any man then when he cannot reuenge himselfe vpon thee This if thou canst do thy loue is true thy prosperitie hath not deceiued thee but if thy prosperitie puffe thee vp if it breede in thee a carelesnesse of sinne if by thy might thou wilt oppresse him although he be poore cannot withstand thee then if thou hadst the loue of men and Angels it were but hypocrisie though thou seemedst to be nothing but loue yet thy heart is bewitched thy prosperitie hath drawne thee from God thy wealth hath deceiued thee O looke vnto Iob and consider his life and thou shalt see that when he flourished like the greene bay tree yet if he had sinned he durst not goe out of the doores and if the most contemptible of his family had ought against him he would haue taken the reproofe if then thou abstaine from open sinne and yet make no conscience of secret corruption if thou abstaine from those things for which punishment is appointed and yet not from those which indeed are greater though by law they be not punishable thou doest not loue God because thou fearest not to offend him he will count thee an hypocrite although thou be called a Christian. The way to remedie this thy corruption is to labour in thy trouble that thou loue God and to striue in thy prosperitie that thou maist feare God and then thy heart shall be vpright neither thy prosperitie nor thine aduersitie shall draw thee from God But what speech can be sufficient to paint out the corruption of the heart which vnto man is vnsearchable and aboue all things most deceitfull One Sermon is too too little if the exercises of weeks and moneths might be spent in one thing this amongst many would minister sufficient matter in this exhortation Take heede vnto your hearts for from thence proceede the actions of life FINIS MEDITATIONS ON PROV 14. VERS 5. 6. 7. 8. Vers. 5. A true witnesse will not lie but a false witnesse speaketh lies THE righteous man knowing that his tongue was giuen to him speak the truth wil make conscience of a lie euen in the least things But if the matter be of more weight or if it come into the place of iudgement then hee will much more heartily abhorre all lying and deceitfulnes yea then he will not bee brought to speake any thing whereof hee hath not a certaine ground As for the vngodly it is not so with them for they hauing no care of trueth in light and common matters doe soone cast off all care conscience euen in greatest and most waightie causes This agreeth with the saying of our Sauiour Christ Luke 16. 10. He that is faithfull in the least he is faithfull also in much Which may be thus particularly applied he that for conscience sake doth speake the truth in common and small matters he will also speake the truth in matters of great importance and he that is not ashamed of a lie in his priuate dealing hee will also without shame beare false witnesse before the Iudge Here then wee be taught in the least things to inure our tongues to speake the Trueth So shall wee be better preserued from false witnesse bearing for the Lord would not haue vs to dallie with sinne Therefore in his righteous iudgement he doth leaue men that make no conscience of a lie and suffereth them to fall and to offend in some open and knowne trueth Againe whereas men take great libertie in lying if the matter be secret and vnknowne the Lord doth hate this hollownes and hypocrisie of men and doth often bring it to light that by the sorrow for and shame of that sinne if it be possible they may be caused to make greater conscience of a lie for euer after Therefore if we would not haue the Lord to punish our lesser frailties with greater sinnes if we would not haue him to punish our secret sinnes and faults with open and notorious offences then
knowe we shall dwell but a while Yet such bare imaginations of Death may build vp in the meane time the kingdome of pride in vs. Wherefore it shall be more auailable if with our meditation of putting off this earthly tabernacle we thinke also of putting on the heauenly Tabernacle and of putting on the royall robe of Christs righteousnes without which we shall neuer stand with comfort before the great Throne of Gods Iudgement 4 The cause why we beso loth to die is because we cannot finde in our conscience that we haue done that good thing for which we came into this life 5 If there be a desire in thee to die in respect of some iniurie shake it off it is better to be a liuing dog than a dead Lion for so long as thou liuest there is time to repent but after death there is none Therefore labour for to feele his fauour in Christ which if thou doe thou shalt neuer faile till thou come to him 6 God dealeth contrary to the course of our common Physitions which first giue one medicine and then if that will not serue a stronger but God giueth the strongest first The argument of iudgement is the last that can moue vs. That argument moueth most in Logicke which hath the best reason and most sense howsoeuer it seemeth to some yet sure I am the argument of iudgement hath the most sense or shall haue and may best serue to moue all sensual men There be three things to moue euen euil disposed men in that great iudgement shame griefe and feare Let it moue vs for shame and if this will not let vs remember the feare which then shall possesse vs if wee want this our state is lamentable for then neither Prophets nor Apostles nor the holy Ghost can tell what to say vnto vs. 7 Many are of opinion that teach without discretion that it is euill to doe any thing for feare of iudgement but all for loue and if we abstaine from any euill for feare that we are in a wrong course I haue been of this error my selfe but the holy Ghost is content to vse this as a good reason and will bee beholding to vs if wee feare to doe euill for iudgements sake Heare what Augustine saith Doe this for feare of punishment if thou caâ—st not as yet obey for the loue of iustice Bernard likens the feare of God to a needle and the loue of God to a threed first the needle entreth and then followeth the threed First feare keepeth vs from doing next loue causeth that we doe not euen then when we can doe This is tâ—â— meanes as Augustine saith A timore bonavita à bona vita bona conscientia inde nullus timor atque ita dulcescit Deus peccanti c. First we are Gods enemies then his seruants if we behaue our selues wel in his seruice we shal be made his adopted children 8 This word iudgement I would no man would let it passe without iudgement and yet there is no word read with lesse iudgement In the law the title de iudicio is best studied and it is a great title Chrysostome saith if we had that care which they haue that be arraigned before an earthly iudge we should doe well Though his iudgements be as the great deepe as the Psalmist saith yet they may be brought to foure heads and first into two the iudgement of man and the iudgement of God the iudgement of man either when another giues iudgement of vs or we giue iudgement of our selues the iudgement of God either in this life or eternall Iob chap. 29 speaketh of some yong men in his daies that feared his iudgement This feare is to be seene in heathen men as in him that ran further into the Tauerne to auoyde the sight of the Philosopher The boyes of Bethel that wanted this feare and reuerenced not Elisha the Prophet were so far gone that it was time to cut them off He cursed them and two she-beares came out of the wood and slew them But as Lucina saith of the consistorie of Christians this is a miserable Consistorie a poore iudgement euery man will pleade with the friar We are exempted Lord yet true it is they that shall iudge the world can best iudge but they shall be iudged also The second is the iudgement seate within vs which God hath made to make vs esteeme his the more It is counted an absurd thing for a man to be his owne iudge This is our owne conscience This is Gods register that registreth all things which we doe or speake and it is also our remembrancer when we are alone Blessed is the man that despiseth not this iudge no man can haue a more seuere iudge than himselfe albeit a man doe acquite himselfe the wicked is sometimes secure but neuer in safetie This is that whereby God would call vs home Euery sinner is his owne tormentor Here be surdo verbera strokes that cannot be heard and yet strokes indeed Then if there be within them such torments why are wicked men so merrie Surely I must answere them thus Peccator est sui carnifex but these are remoued from the way of sinners to the seate of scorners and then all is quiet Euery sinner is condemned in himselfe or by himselfe if he become not brutish his conscience feared and hardened And as for young mens consciences Augustine compareth them to water in a bason the water is stirred and there is no face seene but so soone as maturitie of yeares come then it will stand still and we shall see our faces and crie with Dauid and Iob Lord wipe away the sinnes of my youth The third iudgement may be compared to a quarter sessions that doth consist in depriuing of commodities the mulcte is the losse of Gods grace an vnsensible punishment but so great that if all the creatures should mourne saith Chrysostome it were not sufficient when grace is taken away from one man If we will not be moued with the losse of that which God makes account of hee will take away that which we make account of as by taking away our preferment wit c. for I account that man to haue lost his wit which is turned into a Foxe which hath nothing but craft and subtiltie Then he sendeth sicknes reproches and hearts griefe to humble vs or some singular sharp iudgement on some of very good hope and loue and taketh them out of this life to warne vs that are a great deale worse to the terrour of the wicked and that they might not see the punishments he is to bring vpon the vngodly for sin Now for as much as a man in the first iudgement is coÌ„demned in the second quited in the third repriued Therfore the Lord hath appointed a fourth iudgmeÌ„t which shall pay them home and that may be compared if I
vnthankfulnes by remaining still in our corruption to let him loose his labour in all his sufferings wherein as we haue no care of our saluation so we manifest an open contempt of his most pretious Passion well worthie are we to die and vnworthie are we to liue in that the choise being set before vs we chuse rather to be murdered with our sinnes than to be rescued to life by Iesus Christ. For iustly is the reward promised to such as ouercome Reuel 3. 15. 12. 22. that is to such as will not onely strangle presse out the breath of sin and close vp the eyes of it at the fall and death of it but also follow it to the graue and couer it with moules so as it neuer rise againe Not that we thinke that sinne in this life is so wholy martyred but that the life of sinne may well be weakened counting it a rebell to regeneration not a Prince ouer the spirit of sanctification And as a Serpent cut in diuers peeces hath but certaine relicks of poyson and remnants of fiercenes in the maimed members and mangled parts thereof and is not able to exercise the like violence to a man as when it was whole and perfectly membred so howsoeuer some relicks of sins remaine in our old but in our martyred Adam yet it hath no such force or fiercenes to preuaile against vs as when it was in it perfect age like rather a mightie Monarch than a poore prisoner 22 It is vsuall either in deliuering or hearing doctrine to seuer disioyne those things which in their owne nature are conioyned by the holy Ghost Thus some deale in the doctrine of faith For when it is said The iust shall liue by faith they forget the former proposition that is the iust shall liue For here are two doctrines first he that is iust must liue by faith then that he must not liue by faith except he be iust Here must be no seuering of things because they may well be coupled together CHAP. XXVIII Of Feare MAny causes we haue to feare first for want of perseuerance we should leaue our estate in so great a danger that being swept and garnished yet the diuell at his comming should be accepted and make his reenter into vs againe There is another feare the feare of offence least by our halting we should draw others after vs and so weaken their hands and their knees The third feare is of comforting our enemies and of grieuing others that haue beene our defence I meane the Angels who as they are comforted in the perseuerance of the iust so they mourne at the falles of the righteous 2 True feare hath many properties as first it breeds in vs a maruellous humilitie as wee see in Iacob who was much afraid of his brother Esau therefore comming towards him he falles down seuen times There is a feare humbling and it is the worke of God to bring vs to himselfe And surely the Lord takes great delight in it and what is the reason of it because the Sonne of God in his humilitie hath done greater things for vs than euer hee did in his glorie for being God and vouchsafing to bee humbled euen to a worme hee hath done vs more good and more glorious things than euer hee did whiles hee was among the Angels Now the world is full of such proud spirits that nothing can qualifie them A second qualitie of feare is that it is very credulous This againe wee see in Iacob for when one told him his brother came against him so well furnished he feared greatly yet disputed not long in the matter It is the glorie of our age to dispute and gaine say a man and to say surely though you be of such an opinion I am not thinke as you will I thinke thus So that our dealings are so full of doubts and so ambiguous as though there neuer had been world before vs or as though now it were high midnight in Poperie The third qualitie in feare is diligence This also we see in Iacobs example who was marueilously studious to salute his brother disposing wisely of his children and cattell in the best order he could to preuent his brothers furie 3 It is a kindly thing to feare at Gods threatnings therefore when the iudgements of God were denounced it was noted as a signe of great deadnesse of heart if the most wretched sinner were not smitten with terrour hee that was in the highest degree of reprobation as Pharaoh feared for it is the nature of an iron rod easily to breake an earthen pot But for promises to bring vs to feare it is as strange a thing as it is in nature that thin water should breake a bodie and yet some bodies there be of so weake substance that any thing wil dissolue them Such is the nature of them who seeing and finding in themselues a great vnworthinesse to inherite such gracious promises of God are euer readie to melt away and to breake in sunder as beaten with an iron rod. Wherefore if wee can thus feare in loue and loue in feare we may haue a good testimony to our owne consciences that we haue a good feare because tasting how gracious and marueilous the Lord is in all his Saints we feare least we should lose so good and so gracious a Lord. 4 It is good to be stricken with feare so that we lie not in it willingly but being humbled therewith search our owne corruption and so to bee moued to enquire further after God and his word 5 The wicked feare not before affliction commeth and then they feare too much the godly feare before it comes and then their feare ceaseth For impietie triumpheth in prosperitie and trembleth in aduersitie but pietie trembleth in prosperitie and triumpheth in aduersitie 6 If Moses and the deare seruants of God were afraid when hee did appeare in mercie to them what shall the confusion of the wicked be when hee commeth to iudgement Wee cannot be prepared to receiue God his mercie vnlesse wee be striken with a reuerent feare both because we are his creatures and also sinfull God is alwayes God and is to bee feared 7 Many men maruell how men bee so smitten with such feares and so despaire that they cannot beleeue but these neuer consider the iudgement of God in hardning them and thus by a carnall admiration are depriued of all profiting by such examples In all things we should turne our eyes from man and onely behold God and know that it is hee which maketh our enemies to loue vs our inferiours to obey vs our friends to hate vs our superiours to loth vs. If we had this in our hearts we would surely cast off the feare of man and flatterie and striue to feare God in all sinceritie and to knowe that if the feare of God preuaile with vs we shal preuaile with men and haue
this in the Scripture as Moses and Paul who wished themselues accursed and wiped out of the booke of life for their brethren Rahab although but a nouice in religion yet ventured her life for the espies Ionathan for Dauid Dauid for the people of Israell Obadiah for the Prophets CHRIST for vs all leauing vs an example that we should giue our liues for the brethren Hester for the Church and Iudith for the children of Israell and Paul reioyced for the afflictions which he suffered for the brethren but we are so farre from giuing our liues for them that if two pence would saue their liues they should not haue it so loose is our loue and so cold is our charitie But if this be a great thing and hard to come to such perfection let vs see the lesser markes and first euen the beginning of loue which is to abstaine from doing harme which Paul commandeth saying let no man defraud his brother in any matter but we are so farre from this that in bargaining and such like we soonest deceiue our brethren because they belieue vs easilie and take things on our word insomuch that although they will say I could serue you no better if you were my Father and perhaps they say as they thinke because the god of this world hath blinded their hearts yet is their fraud so manifest that it is a common saying to say I had rather buye of him whom I neuer saw then of my brother We are commanded to forgiue one another euen seuentie times seuen times but we will be meete with him seuen yeares after if by order of friends or cōstraint we be moued to forgiue yet we wil not forgiue we will forgiue the fault but we will not forget the matter nor affect the person offending vs. Abraham in the 13. of Gen. bought peace of Lot with the losse of his right because they were brethren but amongst vs euery word doth breede a quarrell insomuch that that which was wont to be said of little children is now true amongst vs concord is seldome seene amongst brethren If we cannot find these markes in some measure in vs nor yet an earnest desire to attaine vnto them we cānot say that we are truly louing brethren This was an argumēt mouing the brethren to help Paul because they knew his neede but it is an argument to disswade vs from helping if wee see anie in neede therefore rich men are commonly trusted but poore men are not so and if at any time we trust them yet it is with such gaine that although they should die in our bookes yet they should not die much in our debts for wee should well haue payde our selues and yet many times are they cast into a losse by some who although they are in great pouertie yet wil seeme wealthy and go braue til they haue spent all and so become bankrupts And thus because they helped not those whom they know to haue need they loose their goods vpon those whom they thought to haue been wealthy The brethrē did not tarie till Paul did aske them but willingly and of their own accord they helped him but we must haue much adoe to obtaine a little benefite and yet readines in helping is as good oftentimes as helpe it selfe They brought him to Caesaria and sent him to Tharsus here appeareth their great care which they had for him in that they ceased not to do him good neither would leaue him vnprouided and there sent him to Tharsus where he was borne that both by defence of his place and also by defence of his kinsmen he might be kept from his enemies And here wee learne not to bee wearie of weldoing but to make one good turne the beginning of another The loue of his countrie and the care he had in profit caused him to go to Tharsus although a Prophet be without honour in his own countrie whereof there are two reasons first because they know him and therefore looke for no great things of him secondly because of emulation but this is a prouerbiall speech and therefore not alwaies but commonly true It is common with men rather to displease God than their friendes and so to regard their frendes that they forget God their best friend Adam would not seeme to denie the taking of an apple of Eue for feare of discourtesie but let vs learne to please God and displease wicked men that as the poore man said of whom Ambrose writeth that he knew the master was not pleased with him because the seruants would not looke on him so the wicked should knowe that the Lord is displeased with them euen by the lookes of the godly CHAP. XXXI Of godlines and by what meanes we must drawe neere to God IT is a fearefull thing when the exercises of godlinesse haue no power with vs. And it is wonderfull to see how they profit best in knowledge which spend much time in prayer 2 Euery day must haue a dayes increase in godlinesse 3 God is precise in iudgement though hee tempereth it with mercies So we must bee precise in godlines though it be mingled with infirmities 4 Seeing the Lord hath ioyned together the meanes of godlines godlines it selfe let vs not separate them either with the superstitious Papists resting in the worke wrought as in prayer thankesgiuing hearing the word receiuing the Sacraments keeping of the Sabbath c. all which things must bee leuelled to the increase of our knowledge and building vp of a good conscience neither with frantike heretikes despise the meanes as though without them we could liue in obedience to God or loue to our brethren 5 It is an easie thing to disswade men from holy dayes but it is a hard thing to bring men to the true obseruation of the Sabbath it is easie to disswade men from popish shrifts but it is hard to bring them to Christian conession of sinnes it is easie to withdrawe men from superstitious fasting daies but it is hard to bring them to the true vse of fasting It is easie to remoue the papisticall feasting dayes but hard to bring in the godly loue-feasts 6 As the Lord giueth the wicked a taste of hell in this life so doth he giue a taste of heauen and of his goodnesse to his holy children in this life for godlines hath the promise of Gods loue to bee manifested and found of the faithfull both in this life and in the life to come Of the trueth of Gods promise we must consider thus If we looke well to our small obedience and manifold transgressions wee shall not thinke it much if we feele his fatherly corrections It may be that euer since we haue giuen our selues to Gods seruice wee are more afflicted diuers wayes Then if we consider that wee cannot looke for these promises in our selues because we haue not done the cōmandements as we ought or if we beleeue in Christ
the maiestie of God shall be ouerwhelmed with glory but he that searcheth out the mercy how much more shall he be ouerwhelmed of â—â— His iudgements be as a great deepe but the deepe of his mercy swallowes vp that deepe Wherefore well said Chrysostome Great is the hell of my sinnes but greater is the deepenesse of thy mercy O God The Scriptures attribute to Gods mercy all dimensions First depth it fetched Dauids soule from the neather most hell ergo it reacheth thither Secondly breadth for that he setteth our sinnes vs farre from as the East is from the West Thirdly length for it extendeth it selfe not to the cloudes only but to the stars which as Iob saith are not cleane in his sight yea euen to the Angels in whom he hath found folly so that but for his mercy they could not abide his triall Nay God is able to forgiue vs more than we are able to sinne And indeed mercy is the gate of the Almightie By no other qualitie of his can we be suffered to haue entrance or to approch vnto him All other things hath the Lord done in measure number and weight sauing his mercy in our redemption wherein without measure beyond all number and weight he was mercifull two drops of bloud had beene sufficient or one cup of his bloud but the whip pierced his skin the thornes his flesh the nayles his bones the speare his heart and his very soule was made a sacrifice for sinne 2 When we loose an outward benefit we must not so thinke of it as of the losse of Gods fauour but what doe blinde people regard Gods grace So they haue plentie of corne and oyle they respect not the losse of their soules whereas if all the creatures of the world should weepe for the losse but of one soule it were too little Yet our people so they may eate of the Lords bread and enioy the fat of the earth care not whether the Lord shew a lightsome or a fearefull countenance vpon them Wherefore because we set so little by that which the Lord sets at so high a price the Lord will take from vs that which we esteeme so highly and bring vpon vs some sodaine desolation 4 We must euer desire the first fruits of the Spirit but hauing attained the first beginnings of Gods grace we must euer waite for the increase of it by degrees 5 When we haue receiued mortification and sanctification as hansels of Gods mercies then may we hope for heauen for they that haue receiued grace shall also receiue glorie 6 The graces of God are not in his children as morning mistes but as well builded towers to continue all assaults 7 Diuersitie of gifts should not make vs disagree or to enuy one another but rather should binde vs in loue to embrace one another that so we might be profitable one to another 8 The Lord hath such respect to his glory that he will giue gifts when he might iustly punish therfore we ought not so much to reioyce in the possessioÌ„ of earthly blessings for the Lord giueth many blessings to stop the mouthes of vnbeleeuers and to call sinners to repentance which if they neglect then assuredly the Lords wrath will be more fierce against them The wicked haue no cause to reioyce that the Lord smites them not for he lets them prosper for a while that their coÌ„demnation may be more iust when it commeth Trie thy selfe thus if thou profitest by Gods correction it is a signe of grace againe if by his patience thou takest as a good sonne occasion to repent and doest studie to come out of thy sinne it is likewise a good argument of Gods fauour 9 God is slow to wrath yet let vs euer remember that albeit he suffered Israel long yet at the last he destroyed them all that none of the vnbeleeuers entred into the promised land Wherefore we may not conclude that because the Lord punisheth not as yet therefore he will not punish at all but confider that all such as respect not his mercies in time shall at the last feele his iustice 10 The thing loued is much desired and sought after whereby we may take a triall of our loue to God or of our loue to the world First looke what we loue indeed we spend much time in it and can be content to affoord houres daies weekes yeares yea and ageâ— too in it And yet with all the contentions we may we get not to the worship of God Dauids seuen times a day nor his morning noonetide and euening exercises hardly we affoord the Lord his Sabbath Secondly we bestow our thoughts and our affections much and liberally on the thing we loue the Apostles were so troubled with bread that they could not vnderstand Christ speaking of the leauen of hypocrisie Thirdly our loue to a thing is shewed when we are skilfull and painfull in commending the thing loued The Spouse in the song of Salomon was very perfect in setting forth the parts of her beloued she knew the time of his going she was acquainted with his attire she was rauished with his beautie she was priuy to his coÌ„ming to her Men shew forth their loue to earthly things in their great skill in buying and selling Amos. 8. in the signes of heauen colours of the skie Matth. 16. in our statutes penall lawes Micah 6. but in the law of God they be scarsly wained Fourthly a man shall see his loue by his great zeale whereby he is caried to bring the thing to that he loueth as Esay 9. 7. when the zeale of the Lord is said to bring our redemption to passe Certainly euery man is eaten vp with one zeale or other The godly seeke gaine by honest meanes if they can but rather than the wicked wil loose their gaine away with honestie away say they with Christ as Iudas Fiftly the great reioycing which we haue bewrayeth our loue as Dauid doth Psal. 4 7. after that he had the thing he desired the countenance of the Lord he saith he had more ioy of heart than they of the world had when their wheat and their wine did abound But immortalitie the blessing of the right hand is lesse esteemed among vs than riches which are the blessings but on the left hand Prouer. 3. Blessed indeed are the people which are in such a case but more blessed are the people which haue the Lord for their God Sixtly what we feare to forgo that we loue to haue Pilat cared not to forgoe Christ but he was afraide to loose Caesars fauour Lastly we loue that well which we are grieued to part with so did the young man in the Gospell shew his loue to riches who hauing a discipleship offered himselfe freely but when he saw he should forgoe all he had he rather forsooke Christ than his riches We must looke where we loue The purest thing
members of the body So that the cause why we shew no mercy is because we cannot perswade our selues to be members Of the primitiue Church and the faithfull congregations gathered by the Apostles it is saide there was but one heart one will among them and therefore no doubt but one body for there can be but one heart in one body and it were monstrous in one body to haue two hearts The lawe of members is that looke what one member receiueth is receiues not for it selfe alone but for all the rest too The eye it sees not to defend and helpe itselfe alone but it sees for the hand for the foote and for the other parts of the body And so by the law of members if wee haue any thing wee must bestow it on the whole body and as well on the foote as on the head Euen so doth one member receiue the benefite of another that as the eye seeth so all seeth as the hand writeth so all write and wee knowe the least benefite or hurt which is in any member is ascribed to the whole body as if but the finger ake we say we haue an ach if the naile be hurt we say we are hurt if the foote be whole wee say we are healed Then if this affection be not in vs mercifully to impart one to another as one member is seruiceable to another mercie is not in vs. If we be grieued for any it is but a complaint of the mouth we can giue him a Lord helpe him but Christ did not onely see one so but he wept ouer him he wept not onely but touched the verie leprous yea and he healed them Well if there be no mercie in vs with what face can we come to the Lord and say giue vs a kingdome let thy kingdome come if wee denie to our brethren the gift of so much as of a peece of bread and how can wee looke vp to heauen with any hope to come thither if we haue laid vp no store there before hand God scummeth away the drosse of his Saints by Crosses yet breaketh not his holy couenant with them but performeth it through many tribulations which they deserue and pul vpon themselues When the Lord threatneth we are often driuē into a secret murmuring and impatiencie of spirit but we must know that his minae be as medicinae the meanes of the Lord are medicines And wee are too nice Christians if wee cannot abide to bee threatned seeing God his iudgements are often greater mercies than euen the continual ordinary mercies themselues Nay because the Lord would not destroy vs hee threatneth vs hee hath not delight in the death of a sinner therefore he threatneth death vnto vs because he would not haue death come vpon vs. For as the mercies of God are iudgments to some that abuse his mercies so the iudgments of God are mercies to others because they cause them to obserue his wil and to enter into a new league with him And this is that the Apostle saith all things turne to the best to them that loue God all things the very melancholie of the diuels euen hell fire for the bitternes of threatnings are fore-warnings to the godly that they should not be destroyed with the world in the ende CHAP. XXXIIII Teaching vs why we are specially to keepe watch and ward ouer our hearts SO corrupt is the heart as being the fountaine of all sinfull actions that although wee shoulde neuer haue patternes of impietie yet our owne heart would schoole vs sufficiently to the waye of destruction Reprooued then bee their Doctrine who thinke that a man is not naturally inclined to euill or that nature is not wholie inclined to sinne but that by example and allurement man is corrupted and infected by others The occasion of euill may bee outward but the cause of it is inwarde not of others but in our selues And good reasons there bee therefore that wee should still haue an eye to our hearts First our hearts doth carrie with it most commonly all our senses so that nature taught men of the world that the eye seeth not but the heart it is not the hand that toucheth but a certaine force proceeding from the heart and exercised by the hand and seeing nor sense left in the body From hence it commeth that great sounds and strange noyses are nothing heard of our eares attending vpon our hearts and our hearts being throughly occupied about some other obiect From hence it is that goodly shewes able to rauish the sight with delight are not so much as seen of vs our eies being wholly restrained about other things whereabout the heart is occupied yea from hence it is that wee stumble sometime on the plaine ground and our feet do faile vs in most faire places our feete attending on our hearts and our hearts being carried vehemently vnto some other matter Although then we ought to keepe with great care our eyes our eares our hands with all other parts of the body yet it standeth vs in hand to keepe diligent watch ward ouer our hearts by which all the other partes are moderated and ruled Another reason why wee should haue speciall regard to our heartes is because they make or marre all our actions If the heart be pure all our affections are pure though Christ through some defectes be mixed therewith if our hearts be not sound but corrupt then the things in their owne nature good by vs are made impure corrupt It is without all controuersie that it is our corrupt nature which corrupteth vs either to be slacke in weldoing or to leaue a good thing altogether vndone to be so prone to euil-doing or to rest too securely in it being done And albeit many occasiōs may be pretēded to stay vs from good which may seeme to carrie some shew of good yet they are deceiuing corruptions and full of rottennesse at the core as experiēce prooueth Some are kept backe from catechising of their familie because they would not be made the by-talke of the people they would not men should talke of them and tear me them a precise company Some goe aloofe and walke along from pure zeale in good works that they might retaine their libertie in buying and selling and so better take order for domesticall expences which they thinke would fall to the ground if God should be purely worshipped And indeed euery thing creepeth vnder colour of a good thing and they will turne out nothing naked but with one ragged reason or other although their pretences be of an ill die or their reasons not able to keepe them from any iniurie of the weather whatsoeuer They are carried away with the deceiueablenesse of sinne their corruption deceiueth them they are beguiled with the diuels sophistrie in putting that for a cause which is no cause at al. But this hypocrisie of hart may appeare not onely in not doing of good which we should doe but
Camels haire we as though we would correct the Lord for some insufficiency in his worke deuise strange attire Of one beast we haue the skin of the other we haue the furre of one bird we haue one feather of another another feather We carrie a pearle to shine on our finger and a burthen of silke to glister on our backes yea wee were the very excrements of some beasts and then we thinke all this is of our selues And that which is more we giue not rest to the dead but we borrow of them to set on liuing bodies as though the Lord had not perfected his worke in it vnlesse we our selues make the worke more beautifull And yet more monstrous is that which maketh me maruell what our proude dames meane to set vp signes in their forheads Tauerners indeed haue signes to call in all that goe by freely to come in and there to haue entertainment and what can be thought of our signes on womens heads but that they meane to make tauernes of their bodies to entertaine whosoeuer will come to them Well if neither the Prophets can preuaile nor Preachers can profit to the taking away of this pride I will say that as the Lord will not let his spirit alwaies to striue with man so will he not let his word alwaies striue with man but they shall die in their sinnes in which now they lie in peace and without all reclaime they shall goe to the Hels with which they haue made a couenant 13 Man seemeth to be great he is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee is naturae miraculum mensurarerum omnium but better things about man than these Augustine reduceth to foure letters of his name the 4. parts of the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereby hee would signifie that it was either a Compendium of the whole world or that he had dominion of euery part of the earth Besides Adam is said to be the sonne of God euen by adoption I confesse it to be a great dignitie but then we must know that it is rather in the great goodnesse of God than in the worthinesse of man and all these titles which he giueth to man as that he calleth Magistrates Gods and Ministers Angels and the Apostle saith Ye are a kingly Priesthood these doe not so much declare the excellencie of man in himselfe as the great goodnesse of God that he should vouchsafe to communicate some part of his excellencie with man yet man must not so suffer himselfe to be flattered of Sathan that he thinke better of himselfe than he should or lesse reuerently of God than he ought The diuel feeling the fruite of his former pride when he would needs trie how well Gods seate would become him hee would faine haue brought man also to the same presumption that hee whose felicitie hee now did enuie being found in the same fault might haue tasted of the like punishmeÌ„t with him And without doubt al men should haue done had not God of his great goodnesse otherwise prouided for man But what is man that God should so wonderfully prouide for him leauing his owne Angels vnprouided for I meane those that were his Angels before they fell Surely if we consider man not as he is in Christ but in his owne nature we shall see what he is not a God as hee would haue bin nor as an Angell as he shall be but such a thing as may â—eare any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or extenuation that can be deuised yet our corrupt nature is readie to dispute with God and wee will not feare to say vnto God as Iob said vnaduisedly chapt 13. Who is hee that will pleade with mee then speake thou and I will answere thee or let me speake answere thou me Thus Iob challenging God to disputation was readie either to answere him or to replie vpon him But what art thou O man that disputest with GOD And indeede when God being prouoked to disputation had disputed with Iob a while had vrged him very sore Iob could answere him nothing but this Behold I am vile what shall I answere thee I will lay my hand vpon my mouth Once haue I spoken but I will answere no more Alas then what is man either in wisedome or in worth In wisedome though as Zophar said Man would be wise though he be but a young Asses colte what is hee to GOD In strength nothing for though the Lord had neede as hee hath not what could man helpe him Man is not great in viewe nor a rocke in his flesh a little paine doth trouble him a small disease doth cast him down a little affection carrieth him hither and thither and though he ouercome all these yet he is weake to resist death and if we could doe the Lord good I thinke he would not vse vs because we are by natare readie to take part and to ioyne hands with the enemie against God himselfe Againe mans time cannot be great being but a spanne long and yet a little Emot will be long in creeping the space of a spanne this time is the time of a post bird arrow or thought a post hath but a small time a bird in her flight hath lesser and an arrow lesse than that but a thought hath almost no time at all And in my iudgement besides all this there is great reason why God should not make any account of man if it please him to vse lege talionis because that man doth not make any account of God and seeing we esteeme not God I see no reason why he should esteeme vs and that we doe not esteeme him this shewes that we preferre before him our profit our pleasure and all Our parents left him for an apple Ahab had rather haue Naboths vineyard than haue him we all like our pleasures better than him generally we will not sticke to sell bodies and soules for a little thing and indeed for lesse than Esau sold his birthright But of all places to shew the mercy of God in chusing vs and our vilenesse being chosen the Apostle â— Cor. 1. 27. bringeth in fiue notable tokens of them whom God hath chosen whereof foure are very base and the fift is lesse than nothing 1. The foolish things of the world 2. the weake things of the world 3. the vile things of the world 4. things that are despised 5 things that are noâ— CHAP. XXXVIII Of hypocrisie and hardnes of heart HYpocrites turne the inward side outward the godly turne the outward side inward the hypocrite beginneth where the godlie man endeth and the godly man begins where the hypocrite endeth the hypocrite gallopeth into great shewes at the first godlinesse proceedeth in holines by de grees as being troubled with a great house of sinne which they are faine to draw after them 2 We must not professe all outwardly
doe not then we cannot escape 3 As there was not one of the Israelites perished so was there not one of the Egyptians escaped which is a type of the last iudgement of God wherein as not one of the wicked shall escape so shall there not one of the godly perish 4 We may not doubt albeit we see not Gods promises forthwith accomplished neither must we be secure because we see his iudgements and threatnings delaied as they did in Ieremies time for though he tarrie a while yet will he certainely come at last and that more speedily to vs than to them because our sinnes are greater for that we haue greater meanes of knowledge than they had 5 They that mocke long at Gods iudgements will mocke in the end and be mocked wherefore it is good to pray for inward reuerence before God sendeth outward vengeance When the Lord accuseth and iudgeth vs to shew himselfe iust and innocent he will haue none other to witnesse against vs than the mountaines or the heauens and the earth he will come to no court on earth but to his creatures and his seruants haue vsed the same proceeding as Moses calleth heauen and earth to witnesse nay we are to call to witnesse the stones in the wal the timber of the house that they may giue their voyces on our sides that we haue told them their sinnes and that we haue spoken to their consciences and then the very beames of the Church and stones of the wall shall be witnesse of this controuersie So that though men would beare one with another yet the mountaines the heauen and the earth shall giue vp their voyce that God hath not come suddenly vpon vs but that he forewarned vs. It were a great matter if a man should be iudge in his owne cause yet the Lord so rules the matter as that he will condemne none but such as first shal see their iust condemnation We shall haue all things laid plaine and orderly before vs as it is Psalme 50 so that we shall be driuen to confesse Gods plea to be iust against vs for howsoeuer men can daube and deceiue their owne conscience howsoeuer they can smother and choke their owne sins and delude men yet in the day of wrath the sealed booke the sealed booke shall be opened and the recorder in our owne conscience shall giue sentence vnto it and then the Lord shall win and recouer his action at our hands and we shall yeeld that he is iust 6 There are places in the Scripture where the Lord is a comforter and there are places wherein he is an accuser the places where he is a comforter shew such persons or such times wherein the Lord by his accusations hath so farre preuailed that the people were humbled thereby The places wherein he is an accuser import such times and persons to whom the Lord hath shewed many comforts and benefits but they haue been vnthankfull as are we in our times in our Realme and in this place For it hath been the wisedome of the Lord alwaies after his threatnings taking place to remember mercy and after his mercies contemned to send out his threatnings as Hose 4. 1. 7 The manner of the ancient Church hath bin that wheresoeuer mention was made in the word of the children of Israel the Christians took that specially to appertaine to themselues But now adaies in our age the case is farre otherwise we are so loth to be accused that our manner is to account our selues to be accused in nothing but there where the Lord hath as it were by name spoken vnto vs and if the Lord hath written no prophecy specially to this land then we thinke nothing cōcerneth vs. Howbeit as Paul saith Rom. 2. That they are not onely Iewes that are Iewes outward but they also which are Iewes inward so I say that they are not onely the children of Israel which came out of the loynes of Israel but who so truly lay hold on the promises made vnto Israel are the true children of Israel also But not to stand long on this point I say looke as Moses is more inferiour than Messiah and as Iesus is better than Iosuah the kingdome of heauen better than Canaan and the blood of Christ more precious than the blood of bullocks or of goates so are we better Israelites by faith taking hold of the promises made vnto Israel than they that descended only out of the body loynes of Israel So that if any will lay claime to the promises of Israel he must acknowledge himselfe to be the child of Israel but if any will let go his hold on this promise he must also exempt himselfe from being the childe of Israel He may well be of the line of Cain Cham or Esan but the other he shall not be And then if we will be the children of Israel in their promises we must be the children of Israel also in their accusations And surely there is good reason why we should so be where as Iacob had two names the one Iacob the other Israel we reade very seldome in the Scripture that the Iewes are named by the children of Iacob but called for the most part the children of Israel For the name of Iacob being giuen him at the time of his natiuitie and the name of Israel being assigned him by the Angel for a name of benefit because he wrestled with God the Lord herein insinuateth that the children of Israel that is the children of his benefits must with a speciall care heare his word 7 The not obseruing of the Iudgements of God maketh vs so loth to loue his mercie and so slenderly to feare his Iudgements 8 It is a naturall thing to reforme our selues whilest Gods Iudgements are vpon vs. CHAP. XLI Of Ioy and Sorrow HE is not far from ioy that sorroweth either for want of good things or for sense of euill for the true way to godly mirth is to feele godly sorrow 2 When wee haue greatest cause of ioy for well doing then it is a good thing to feare most our vnthankfulnes and our selfe-loue and our secure vnkindnesse 3 Gods children not cherishing a continuall sorrow haue often an excessiue sorrow 4 When a man is most merrie he is neerest danger 5 We shall sometimes feele by experience a terror suddenly come vpon vs when wee are alone or vehemently to strike vs in the night being sent of God to humble vs the Physition will say it is a melancholike passion but I say it is the power of Gods presence preparing vs to prayer or some such like seruice of God which when we feele if wee fall downe before the Lord in prayer we may finde an vnspeakeable ioy following it but if we cherish it with euill surmises it may bring vs to further inconueniences 6 The way to godly mirth is to feele godly sorrow 7 The people murmured at the red Sea yet the Lord
ourtakes vs and we are as good as absent or else if wee be waking we goe away before it be done or if we tarrie as soone as we be gone we commit all to forgetfulnesse And so if with want of knowledge wee be mercifull and true dealers it is but after our owne braine and because the Lord hath not planted the Lord will roote it out The end of all is if men will not grow in the knowledge of God his wil they shal neuer come to the knowledge of God that is they shall not knowe God his mercy God his trueth glory and blessednesse neither will he euer know vs. For as without the knowledge of Gods will there is not nor shall be any knowledge of God so if we know not God God will neuer know vs. 11 When we shal be ioyned to God the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost then shal we know as we are knowne then shall all teares be wiped from our eyes then shall our infirmities be taken from vs then shall we dwel with the Angels and with al the hosts of heauen in most happie blessednesse it selfe We see now by this chaine not forged by our own braine but framed out of Gods word that hee is indeede blessed whom God chooseth whom Christ redeemeth whom the Spirit reneweth whom faith stayeth whom the word Prayer Sacraments and Discipline buildevp in the Lord in whom faith breedeth peace peace sinceritie sinceritie loue loue a feare of displeasing and a care of pleasing God in whom this care striueth to a mortification in pouertie of minde this pouertie comming from a mourning heart possessed in a meeke spirit and aspiring to true righteousnesse all these things being ioyned with that sanctification which lamenteth the sins of others and relieueth the wants of others knowing to vse prosperity and aduersitie as pledges of Gods fauour and vndoubtedly looking for the kingdome of heauen in the life to come If any of these linkes be missing the chaine is broken if any of these members be wanting the body of blessednesse is lame and dismembred CHAP. XLV Of Miracles and how God worketh without and with meanes and how we ought to attend on the meanes THe Miracles that were wrought in the Church were partly in mercie and partly in iudgement as in turning Iereboams hand into leprosie and into cleane flesh againe but the miracles against Aegypt were onely in iudgement 2 Signes are giuen to confirme vs in the word are not more excellent than it if then they draw vs from the word we must hold them accursed as wel as the false Prophet Deut. 12. That which Paul speaketh of tongues 1. Corinth chap. 14. is true of all miracles which are signes to beleeuers which may teach vs not to desire them for if we beleeue not Moses and the Prophets neither would we beleeue if miracles were brought from heauen So is it in the Sacramēts which are ordained to nourish that faith which is ingendred in vs by the word and therefore must not bee separated from the word nor esteemed aboue the word For we shall then profite truely by Baptisme when we in and by the word shall beleeue the washing away of sinne and get power to mortifie sinne daily within vs and then shal we profit by the Lords Supper when we beleeue all the promises of our Redemption wrought by Iesus Christ and shall be vnited into his body daily more and more by the word 3 Pharaoh did aske a signe not for any purpose to yeeld thereunto but if they could not doe any he might haue the greater aduantage against Moses and the people So the Scribes and Pharisies aske a signe of Christ to whom he answered the adulterous generation seeketh a signe So many in these daies aske proofe of many things in religion not that they minde to yeeld thereto but if they cannot haue such proofe as will stop their mouthes they may more quietly continue in their error We must learne to leaue this kinde of questioning which is seldome graunted for good let vs so frame our requests as that they may be reuerent and we may haue a desire to rest in that which is graunted 4 A wonder may moue vs for a time but commonly it lasteth at the most but for nine daies and we shall neuer gather any fruite thereby except it doth prepare vs to profite more effectually by the word 5 Some think that the miraculous Manna was not so straunge because it is to be found in these daies in other countries I answere not of that colour not of that propertie Therefore this was a miracle as may appeare by these reasons following First because it was neuer seene before and then came at Gods commaundement Secondly because neither raine nor faire weather did let it Thirdly because as soone as they came to the borders of the promised Land it ceased Fourthly because if it were kept till the morning it stanke but on the Sabbath day it continued sweet albeit gathered the day before Againe when it was reserued in the Arke it putrified not Fiftly because it followed the Israelites whither soeuer they went Sixtly because it fell in such abundance as that it sustained so great a multitude 6 At what time the Lord first sent Manna the children of Israel being rauished with the loue of it called it Manna that is meate prepared of the Lord herein they acknowledged the goodnesse of the Lord. This Manna is first commended for the colour it was as white as the precious stone called Bdellium Secondly for the taste tasting like fresh oyle Numb 11. 7. Thirdly for that it was Angels foode or meate prepared by Angels Psalm 98. And yet for all this when the people had beene accustomed to it they loathed it and set light by it wherefore their sinne was the greater The reason of it may be this This Manna was giuen them not onely to be foode for their bodies but also to be a token vnto them that seeing the Lord fedde them from heauen they were not to settle themselues on the earth but to looke for their inheritance in Heauen So many therefore as did rest in the bodily foode not respecting the thing spiritually signified by it they were soone weary of it So is it also with vs for albeit all the blessings of God be very deare vnto vs and of a great price at the first receiuing of them yet when they are common the best blessings are lightly regarded If it be so in earthly things which are agreeable to our nature how much more will it be in spirituall things which are so contrarie to our nature And hereby the great corruption of mans heart is discouered which will not be moued but with noueltie As for example the sunne if it were but seldome seene how glorious a creature would it be accoūted but because we haue the daily vse of it therfore very few of vs regard it Nay the word of
set vs in a wonderfull taking to see so great kindnesse 5 God wil be with vs wheresoeuer wee dwell he will goe with vs wheresoeuer wee goe He doth not rule vs as Pharaoh did the Israelites to set vs to make bricke and to fetch the straw our selues but looke what he biddeth vs to doe he giueth vs strength and substance to do And for this worke when we haue done it which is very homely this wisedome passeth our conceiuing Behold what promise was made of halfe a kingdome for so vile a seruice of Herods so for a broken seruice he makes vs a promise of heauen and earth not aâ— they be now which if it were so it were too good for the best no hee will breake vp these frames not to destroy all but to renewall for the comfort of men So great is his mercy that as a Father saith that God his childreÌ„ hauing tasted of this in the life to come do as it were mourne and are grieued with themselues that their repentance was no greater and their thankfulnes no more whiles they were on earth and he that hath done best as Abraham Dauid or Paul they repent they haue done no more good 6 The promises of God are free in themselues in respect of the part going before First there is nothing at all in vs to moue the Lord to promise any good to vs. That wee may looke on that first and great promise made to Adam when the Lord after his fall had charged him with his sin he doth not confesse his sin which the vilest malefactors often doe but he chargeth the Lord againe that hee was the cause of it and makes his liberality the patron of his iniquitie and so very miserably sets it ouer to the Lord Euen at this time and immediately vpon such behauiour the Lord makes his promise to him that the seede of the woman shall bruse the serpents head Here is no cause of a promise in Adam he 〈…〉 o coÌ„dition goes before It is true also that God made choise for his mercy of the vâ—â—eâ—s people of the earth Take but the Historiographers and those that write for the Iewes and sâ—tting aside all inward gifts of minde whatsoeuer and come to their gifts of the body their outward shape and lineaments and for the very masse of their nature of all people they were most vnseemely and ilfauoured they were a pernicious and monstrous people and as far from al gifts euen of nature either of iudgement or wisedome as was vnder the Sun nay it were too homely to giue them the name whereby some haue set them out Of these people the Lord makes choice and makes the first promise to them So that this is also a free promise nothing comâ— to it to moue the Lord to make it And yet to these people the Lord promiseth Leuit. chap. 26. 12. I will walke among you I will be your God and ye shall be my people Againe in the reigne of Zedekiah when the measure of their sinne was come to the brim when they were in the estate of the Perezites Hiuites and Iebusites the Lord makes another promise with the same people greater than the former Ierem. 31. 1. saying Hee will be their father and they shall bee his sonnes and daughters So that God his promises are free in respect of the matter antecedent but in respect of that which followeth they were made with a condition and that is that wee bee holy But for the most part men herein deceiue themselues for as they heare that it is a free promise so they make it a free promise after There is no inducement indeede before he makes the promise but afterwards hee bindes it with a condition For it standes in the promises of God as in his threatnings In his threatnings there is no condition going before they are absolutely pronounced as that Ionas 3. 4. Yet fortie dayes and Niniâ—ie shall be ouerthrowne And that to Ezâ—kiah Esa. 38. Put thine house in an order for thou shalt dye and not liue Yet there is somewhat followeth after as Vnlesse ye repent which sometimes is expressed but if not expressed is alwayes to bee vnderstoode For neuer any threatning so strongly was pronounced from the Lord but this Vntill we repent if it were done would breake the force of it and turne it backe againe as the Niniuites repented and the Lord turned away his fierce wrath Ezekiah wept and the Lord gaue him length of dayes So how flatly and freely soeuer the promise made to vs yet this condition followeth We must be holy Thus wee see how Gods promises in respect of themselues before they be made are sure yet not as the wicked imagine that there is no limitation 7 That the Bible is the Librarie of the holy Ghost it may appeare first for that it setteth downe the infirmities of men without all flatterie as well as it commendeth them for their vertues Gens 49. Numb 12. Secondly the matter of it is altogether heaueÌ„ly and nothing nor any part thereof sauoureth earthly it yeeldeth to no one affection or other but opposeth it selfe to all Thirdly the forme the dignitie of the sâ—ile and maiestie of the sentences in it is such as it cannot bee fully and wholy conceiued and vttered of any man and it is alwayes more powerfull in the matter than in words The Apocrypha going about to expresse the excellencie of it in Greeke is a very cold and barbarous thing Fourthly of all things it moueth affection in the readers pierceth into the secrets of the hearts which you shall neuer finde but for some little time and straight vanishing away in other writings of the profoundest Philosophers that euer were Fiftly of all it is most auncient and many good thing in Philosophers and Poets are fetcht from this Sixtly all the prophecies set downe by diuers writers with one consent are accomplished so are none of the diuels oracles Reade that of Iacob Genes 49. that of Moses Deut. 32. of Ethan Psalm 89. Esa. 45. Seuenthly the wonderfull preseruing of this booke from time to time 2. King 22. so that it hath not perished whereas many other bookes of great price and estimation are vtterly lost Eightly that there hath been such a continuall and vniuersall consent of this booke from time to time and because all the heretikes and labours of them that would withstand and confute this still are soyled and brought to nought Lastly the constant death of wise sober and meeke Martyrs whoeuer in their deaths for this haue had a plaine distinction from the deaths of other franticke and witlesse persons Many places of Scripture saith the Apostle 2. Pet. 3. are peruerted of the vngodly and you shall see the wickedst man talking most and making much of one kinde of Scriâ—ture Among Heretikes Arrius of this 1 My Father is greater then I. Mâ—richeus of this 2 He was
be turned into sinne yet if we can continue in prayer and be diligent therein if we can euen then also heare the word when wee can receiue no comfort thereby yea though it euer rebuke vs and seeme to make our cōdemnation knowne vnto vs if wee can abide our selues to bee touched and continue our care to heare the word still if we can doe these things it is a notable token of true faith and the great worke of Gods good spirit doth shewe it selfe herein yea and that more liuely than when a man hath comfortable feeling 11 It is a speciall fauour of the Lord when he giueth such Ministers or Magistrates as will pray for the people for so they may see that he will not punish them as he ought but yet forbeareth them We see in Psalm 106. That by the prayer of Moses and Phineas the Lords wrath was stayed and Samuel prayed for the people Therefore Ministers and Magistrates ought to labour euen by praying and doing good for the people that euen for their sakes the Lord may spare them though they haue deserued to be punished Contrariwise it is a signe of Gods wrath when hee withdraweth the hearts of Ministers and Magistrates from the people and that they cannot doe them good 12 The lifting vp of the hands is taken sometimes for prayer it selfe the signe for the thing it selfe so the speech is vsed Psal. 141. 2. Let the lifting vp of my hands bee as an Euening sacrifice And in Tim. 2. 6. I will that men lifte vp pure hands in euery place Where we see that the truth of the things is ioyned neerly with the signe For if a man haue not an heart his lifting vp of hands is nothing but if the heart be thoroughly mooued then also will the eye be lifted vp yet we doe lift vp our eyes that our hearts thereby may be the better lifted vp and our eye doth not wander nor our care doth harken after other things but our hearts haue first wandered 13 When Moses preuailed with the Lord by prayer then did he also preuaile against his enemies S. Iames saith The prayer of a righteous man preuaileth much if it be feruent So that if he be not a righteous man that prayeth or if the righteous mans prayers are not feruēt it will not preuaile As S. Iames therefore gathereth a generall of a particular so may we gather that if we be feruent in prayer then we shall preuaile but if we be not feruent we can haue no hope And that is the cause that in our matters we bring not our purpose to passe because we are cold in praier or trust too much to our owne wisedome or such like Therefore in what matter soeuer we haue in hand if we do first seeke to God by prayer in feruencie as did the men of God herein then shall we preuaile as well as euer they did 14 Those things which wee heare and reade are other mens vntill by applying them to our selues by Meditation they be made ours 15 As reading hearing and conferring of the word do more encrease knowledge then feeling So praying singing and meditating doe more increase feeling then knowledge 16 It is not certaine how long after his sacrifice and prayer Iacob receiued comfort and therefore we see that the comfort of the Spirit doth not alwayes depend vpon the meanes neither is bound thereunto but sometime cōmeth long after the vsing of them As Christ saith of the Husbandmen that they sowe and looke long after for the fruites of the earth which may teach vs comfort for that our prayers are neuer in vaine but alwayes graunted though sometime long after and here are those corrected which looke for comfort immediately vpon their requests not knowing that sinne is the cause why wee receiue not when we aske and for that we vse not the meanes aright this also trieth our obedience if we will with patience continue vsing the same meanes though presently we feele not the fruite of them and learne with Marke and the Apostles to lay vp things in our hearts to trie what will come of them afterward Iacobs vision is not a bare and mute thing but is ioyned with the word and teacheth that all comfort must come out of the word and therefore what comfort by Sacraments visions apparitions and such like doth not leade vs to the word nor worke in vs greater obedience to the same nor giueth vs some victory ouer sinne that is vaine and proceedeth of error It is Faith in the Promises that worketh in vs obedience and therfore in euery commandement there is a promise either vnderstood or expressed for the law is spirituall and requireth a spirituall obedience which we cannot performe because we be carnall and by nature disobedient except the Lord do minister grace vnto vs. 17 Violence as it were must be vsed in the heart when we pray because it is the heauie iudgement of God that verball prayers bring vs to great blockishnes 18 It is good to reade before prayer to the better preparing of our hearts thereunto 19 Where prayer wanteth the action of sinne is as ready as the temptation 20 Generally we must desire Gods mercies greedily but particularly wee must aske them conditionally and with affection as well to leaue the thing asked as to haue it 21 Manie are barren in grace because they are barren in prayer We cannot be drie in the grace of God so long as wee resort to Christ by prayer who hath the seauen Vialls of gold full of seuen-fold mercies 22 In singing of Psalmes without some speciall occasion he would say in company specially of such as were of some generall instruction although priuately for himselfe according to his griefe ioy or affectiō he would sing proper Psalmes yet he thought they that did most reioyce might sing the Psalmes of greater griefe to put them in mind what was or may bee in them as also to season their ioyes with the remembrance of the sorrow of some of the Saints Againe those that are most throwne downe might reape fruit in vsing the Psalmes of greatest comfort that they may see what hath been and what is belonging to them after that they haue sowne in teares and mourned with that holy repentance which is not to be repented of 23 There be two extremities of singers Some hearing the action to bee good vse it of custome Some hearing that wee must vse it with prepared hearts stay so long for fitting themselues thereunto that they leaue it often vndone Others vse it so often and yet so vnfruitfully that their customable singing breedes wearisomnesse wearisomnesse causeth tediousnes and tediousnes causeth to leaue all Then wee are indeede prepared to sing when the word dwels so plentifully in vs and we be so filled with the Spirit that the assurance of our sinnes pardoned the perswasion of God his fauour the hatred of sinne the loue of
spirit may worke in our hearts and in them alwaies let vs looke for the teaching of the spirit so shall it come to passe that we shall alwaies reuerently and worthily thinke of the meanes and neuer be wearie of them but alwaies carefully vse them and yet not separate them from the spirit but looking for the working of the spirit in them we shall finde the graces of the holy Ghost most plentifully powred on vs and as it were by Conduits conueighed into our hearts 6 The Lambe was not the Passeouer but a signe of it so is bread and wine in the Supper called the Lords body and blood because it is a signe thereof This is an vsuall speech when the Scriptures speake of Sacraments to teach vs that although there be not carnall presence as the Papists imagine yet there is a true spirituall and effectuall presence of the things signified and therefore we may certainly looke for the performance of the same if by faith we can receiue it 7 He said this was his manner in dealing with them that came to the Communion if they were but indifferently instructed thereunto he by exhortation charged them to beware what they did he would not wish them to come but if they came he would not vtterly denie them if they lay in no sinne 8 Barzillai hauing done a great benefit to Dauid the King could not tell how sufficiently to gratifie him with recompence In the end he chargeth Salomon his sonne that the sonne of Barzillai should sit at his table which thing both in Dauids opinion and in Barzillais estimation was the greatest benefit wherein they could both stay either for his liberalitie in bestowing or for the others contentation in receiuing Now if this for so great a benefit seemed so great a reward how rich and how glorious is the bountifull dealing of God with vs which without any desert or deed offered on our parts hath in his loue appointed it to sit at his sonne Christ Iesus his table where not Salomon but a farre greater than Salomon is present CHAP. LXII Of sinne and how to abstaine from the least and of iniquitie and the punishments thereof THere be some which call good euill and euill good they shrinke vp euill into a narrow scantling and would faine bring it to this if they could that none doe euill but they that are in gailes But wee must take â—eede of this and therefore let vs knowe what it is to doe euill Euill is either naturally euill or euill by circumstance In all our actions to auoide euill 1. Thess. 5. 22. wee must learne this lesson followe nothing but proue it first and keepe that which is good but abstaine from all apparance of euill Be sure that it is good ye doe but if it haue but a shew of euill auoide it if it bee an euill fauoured thing to see to flie it 1. Cor. 6. All things saith Paul are not profitable though they be not plainly forbidden 2 To heare the threatnings and to tremble at them to heare the promises and to beleeue them to reuerence the Sacraments and to receiue them to pray vnto God in all our wants and to be thankfull for all his mercies are waies to keepe vs from sinne and to recouer vs from sinne when we are fallen thereinto Therefore the neglect of these doth pull downe iudgements vpon men for though Paul rebuked the Corinthians of many sinnes yet for this cause saith he some are asleepe some are sickly c. For if these had been vsed as they ought sinne should neuer haue growne so farre as it did 3 Let them that feare the Lord account it his great mercie that hee will not let them prosper and thriue in their sins least they should be carried away thereby to perdition and those who belong not to the Lord though they thinke all well so long as they feele their profit yet let theÌ„ know that the Lord doth shew no greater signe of his wrath than when he suffereth theÌ„ to prosper in their wickednesse For as a father that hateth his child most when he giueth himselfe to be ruled by his owne pleasure so it is with the Lord. Therefore let them that take pleasure in following their owne lusts and satisfie their owne desires in sin and wickednesse though for the present they obtaine that they delight in take heed least the cloudes of darknes suddenly ouershadow them and so the Lord send them to be tormented in hel before they be aware Whereas contrariwise he chasteneth his children in this world that eternally they might not be condemned 4 We shall neuer througly leaue sinne vntill we know and acknowledge sinne to be sinne and be truly sorrowfull for the same 5 The nature of the wicked is that there groweth their loue where they be not gainsaid and reproued for sinne and where they be admonished there groweth their hatred 6 If once we giue consent to sinne we are made ready to fall into moe and many sins and making no conscience of one sinne we shall not make conscience of many and great sinnes and so being once in wrapped in sinne it is an hard thing to get out of the clawes of the diuell Lord giue vs grace to see and to resist the first sinne euen the first motions vnto sinne Iam. 1. 13. 14. conferred with Heb. 3. 12. 13. 7 It is the greatest iudgement of God that can be to thriue in sinne 8 We must take heed that by the occasion of others that sinne we giue not our selues to doe the like but rather by the fall of others into sinne we must learne to rise vp vnto the Lord. 9 The occasion of sinne may be by another but the cause of it is in our owne corrupt nature which is alwaies readie to sinne 10 Sinne getteth most strength when good men fall into it 11 It is a great mercy of God to goe bungar like and foolishly about a sinne 12 It is good to resist that which nature most liketh 13 That God that drew light out of darkenesse will draw goodnes oft times out of our corruption Our corruption corrected by the mercy of God maketh vs esteeme better of good men being remoued or taken away from vs than we did when they were neere and remaining with vs. 14 One sinne goeth not alone but one sinne will open the doores of the soule to let in another 15 We neuer will labour to leaue sinne so long as we be quiet in minde but still flatter our selues and bedawbe our consciences with rotten plasters vntill we be either stricken with feare or cast downe with iudgements The greatnes and enormitie of sinne is seene by sixe points First on Gods behalfe how huge and detestable it is may be seene who by sin is so greatly dishonoured for how much the higher his Maiestie is so much the greater enormitie it is to sinne against him Secondly sinne is noted by the
meanes 15 Gods iudgements are most suddaine and when men are in greatest delight Euen in the Sun-shine Sodome was destroied and in the banquet time Iobâ— children were slaine therefore wee are to learne to bee most warie and watchfull and then most to suspect our selues when the world thinketh least of euill and is most secure CHAP. LXV Of Parents Education of children Gouernours of youth and Care of posteritie WHen children haue infirmities their parents are to see and consider whether they haue not receiued such sinnes from them If they haue they are rather to pray for their children than too much to correct them least they persecute their own sinnes in the persons of their children 2 When Moses was to goe at the commandement of the Lord into Aegypt he first returned with his wife to his Father in law Iothro to haue his leaue of him thereby shewing his dutie and obedieÌ„ce vnto him that so he might giue no occasion of offence and might auoid all appearance of euill so must all the children of God be carefull in the like case and not to excuse themselues by good meanings 3 The Lord is carefull that his workes should bee recorded and that not for his owne cause for he knoweth them wel not for the age present for that many remember it but for posteritie to whom he would haue it to come that in them thereby hee might bee glorified Therefore the Lord made choyse of Iosua to whom he would haue Moses to rehearse the victories which he had giuen the Israelites ouer Amaleck his people that he might not be proud thereof nor glorie in his owne strength but that hee might giue the glorie wholy and onely to the Lord that gaue it Secondly that thereby he might be prepared to helpe the people and to gouerne them after Moses departure And this must teach vs to pray that the Lord would euer prepare such as may be profitable to posteritie And therefore in the 78 Psalme God commaundeth that the workes of the Lord should bee taught to posteritie and so saith Paul to Timothie deliuer this to men which may be fit to deliuer it to others c. From whence wee may learne that when the Lord will haue a blessing continued to any people he wil also prepare instruments to conuey his blessings to posteritie But when the Lord will not continue his mercie then will hee depriue them of the meanes Seeing then in our time men are carefull onely for themselues and few care for them that shall come after and that so few regard to Catechise their families these things I say are signes that the Lord will not continue those mercies to our posteritie which we doe now enioy 4 Youth especially is to take heede of pleasure for though fire be good yet in flâ—xe or tinder it is not good so though pleasure be good yet pleasure in youth is not good We neede not plough for weedes they will grow fast enough in the fallow But some will take their pleasure in their youth especially and they purpose to become good and to liue grauely hereafter in their age This is to make a couenant with the diuell as the diuell said to Christ I will come out but the time is not yet come so we will leaue pleasure when the time comes and in the meane time he keepeth vs in a purpose Young men make their sinnes of a double die Crimzen sinnes they become a disease of the bones and custome is turned into a necessitie whereupon diuers say I would faine but I cannot leaue them of these if one recouer fortie rotte away 5 If Sathan can make our youth an vnprofitable age in all the ages following little good is to be looked for For if yee once nip the blossome where is the hope of the Autumne Where may we looke for fruite Well if we will needes vse our pleasure then must we set downe some measure The diuels rules neuer haue exceptions but Gods Saints must learne restraint we must neuer make our hearts the stewards of our affections that our thoughts wander not in them and least in desiring things too much we exceed when we haue them There must be the least lusting of these outward things because there is least vse of them If a man cannot want them he will abuse them when he hath them It is true that Ierom saith The beginning is honest but the greatnesse is deformed And that also sinne is very reasonable in the beginning very shamefaced Thamar went first to play the whore with a vaile before her face but now with an open face first honest recreation and then a pleasure of vanitie recreation before labour to play before we study we vse pleasure but to no good end 6 There is a generall rule wantonnesse is the beginning of sinne We see in Esau to what great prophanenesse his wanton pleasure in hunting grew So in the Scriptures there can be found none other beginning of Salomons fal but this that 1. Kin. 3. wheÌ„ he had spent seuen yeeres in building the house of God he speÌ„t thirteene after in building an house for himselfe This was scarce a good proportion to bestow thirteene yeers on his own house and seuen yeeres on God his house and the Apes and Peacocks that he brought into the land set the people in such vanitie that they vanished away in their wanton thoughts Idlenesse and trifling be the callings of Gentlemen now adaies as also needelesse expenses 1. Tim. 5. 7 If euer we would haue the Church of God to continue among vs we must bring it into our households and nourish it in our families 8 A certaine woman saying without pittie at the birth of a poore childe here is the mouth but where is the meate had this saying replied on her at what time she brought forth a child which died here is meate but where is the mouth 9 Wee are not to iustifie our selues before God onely by faith but wee must also iustifie our selues by good workes before men so that we must not onely labour for our selues but endeuour to stirre vp others also and looke one on another as the Cherubins did and tell things one to another as Iohn tolde his brother We must be carefull for one another and that not onely for the time present but for the time to come This we are bound to doe and our common dealings ought to bind vs thereunto We prouide for our children should we not prouide for the Church which is spiritually tied vnto vs Surely if we consider the plentie and peace which we enioy we shall see that it is not for our deserts for we abound in sinne and none iniquitie is wanting in vs but it is the bloud of the Martyrs who haue purchased this so dearely For these daies did they sowe with teares and we haue reaped them with ioy Now if we will not haue our
posteritie to reape the teares of our liues then let vs be carefull to sowe the good seede of godlinesse else they shall feele the smart The meaning is this that they which haue househouldes and haue beene called themselues should labour to leaue behind them a go 〈…〉 eed for the continuance of the Church as we see in Zache vnto whose whole house â—â—â— Lord Iesus brought saluation It is a fearefull thing to hasten to be worldly and to linger to an euill thing is an holy lingering and to make hast to godlines is a godly hastines Elisha must not salute any whom he meeteth the Apostles must not tarry to talke with any in their iourney and why The Lord requireth great hast in his busines It is profitable to make hast to heauen but it is no wisedome to make hast to hell yet to doe well we finde a Lyon in the streetes but to doe euill there is no hoe with vs. Well the kingdome of God suffereth violence we must make hast to it and beware we linger not as the foolish Virgins to store our selues with Oyle and to furnish our selues with the graces of God 10 Iob saith wisedome is not found in that land which liueth in pleasures If you finde a land of good fellowes you may seeke somewhere else for wisedome is not there If God hath appointed Gen. 3. that none should eate a crumme of bread without the sweate of his browes how much more the bread of euerlasting life If they be not able to direct themselues the next way is to seeke counsell of others But as Horace saith This age will beare no admonition Rehoboam thought his owne counsell best more resolute at twentie yeares than at fiftie yet reason is but as a gristle in vs. Set them in a good way and yet be vnconstant in it desirous to trie conclusions easily drawne from euill and yet they will easily slip the coller and turne to euill againe 11 There is no sacrifice so acceptable to the Lord as for youth to striue with this double triple and seuen fold corde to abandon all pleasures before we haue tasted of the hony with Ionathan It is acceptable I say before a taste not after a loathing God loatheth such seruice when the streame of affection is weake Looke how many baites and snares Sathan hath for sinne so many remedies hath God to crowne vs. But young men will haue their reasons I will doe it but for a while A foolish reason seeing the whole age of man is but short God will not allow a minute therefore not our youth Againe in our time we must not looke for longum but opportunum this is the time of saluation It is in man as in other things in breaking of Horses luring of Haukes Vegetius in his fourth booke De remilitari had rather haue a Souldier that neuer learned to fight than one il brought vp in warfare Timaeus requireth a double tuition for a Scholler that had beene ill brought vp The diseases of the spring are more curable than those of Autumne So the sinnes of a young man are curable if they take not many surfets one vpoÌ„ another In youth it is easiest to resist the pleasures which we neuer tasted of If a young man then say I will tarrie vntill I be old before I resist sinne it is as much as if he should say I am strong now I will stay till I be weake This is the indignitie of our reason Esay 2. There be sinnes called purple criâ—zen sinnes of a deepe die If it be right purple it was died both in the wooll and in the threed So if Sathan doe die vs before we are made cloath in our youth whiles we be wooll if we be so died it is like to sticke by vs. But if we will needs be died purple we must be so died as purple is taken in the Apocalyps purple righteous in the blood of the Lambe When a man hath long had a trustie seruant he is loath to forgoe him he wil rather giue him double wages so is it with the diuell and thus for their continuance Augustine said of a young man that had liued riotously in his youth and afterward sodainely conuerted I grant true repentance is neuer too late but late repentance is seldome true Therefore to make sure worke let vs carry the yoke in our youth Often God doth punish the want of his feare in our youth with the want of wisedome in our age he punisheth the flesh with the world Oh saith Iob all these things that I suffer are for the sinnes of my youth his conscience accused him of nothing else CHAP. LXVI Of Gods worship and of Religion true and false ALthogh the word of God is alwaies in season to be ministred yet mens harts because of their corruptioÌ„ are not alwaies in season to receiue it 2 The Diuell doth oftentimes bring men to superstition in a good thing that afterward hee might procure them to leaue it off vtterly 3 Superstition doth breake off loue in all estates 4 â—is a great and secret offence through the corruption of nature to perswade our selues that we may goe to see idolatry though in heart we consent not vnto it But doubtles as by the iudgment of God we often fall into that sinne which before we did not know so the offence is great First in respect of our corruption which naturally is giuen to superstition Secondly in respect of our brethren if they bee strong to grieue them if they be weake to offend them Thirdly in respect of Gods glorie the zeale whereof should make vs with heroicall spirits to crie out against such sinne 5 In the first Commandement the substance of Gods worship is set downe in the second the meanes in the third the ende and in the fourth is the time prescribed wherein these things especially are to be practised 6 God requireth the body to worship him as well as the soule and therfore let him that hath an eare to heare heire he that hath a tongue to speake let him speake hee that hath hands to lifte vp let him lift them vp and hee that hath knees to bow let him bow them There are straÌ„ge speeches to this end in the scripture that not only they that haue tongues should praise the Lord but euery thing that hath breath yea hee requireth to be praised of euery bone in the bodie The right title whereby God chalengeth this seruice of our members is because wee are his and when we were not his hee redeemed vs with a price First the clay whereof we are made was his by creation of right he may claime vs he findeth vs here at his own charge cost and expences and so by the testimony of the booke of his prouidence we are his The LORD by bleeding from his heart by the speare from his hands feete by the nailes from his head by the Thornes purchased vs to his
subiect to distractions is no lesse hindred by pleasure then burdened with worldly cogitations yea and so many are the exercises of religion and loue both priuate and publike appertaining to that day that a man is not able to performe all the number of them in one day much lesse then hath he time to follow his delights 25 Vpon a great raine falling in a Fayre time not long after the Sabbath which by the Faire was broken hee had this working in his heart how one should order his affections in such a case First in respect of God whether one should not reioyce seeing men would not be taught by so long preaching to keepe the Sabbath that the Lord euē by his afflictions should teach men his holy ordinance Secondly in regard of men whether he should not pittie them for that their goods were subiect to such dangers True it is that men are to be pittied but when the question is of Pietie towards GOD and pittie towards men it were better to reioyce that the Lord will through some hindrance of worldly things tender the obeying of his owne ordinance than pietie should decay and so many soules perish 26 Against them that say the Sabbath is ceremonial we must first marke that the Prophets are continuall vrgers of the morall lawe as for the ceremonies when they came to them they passe them ouer saying that God hath no pleasure in them as Esay 2. and 66. and among the rest nothing is more namely and precisely vrged than the Sabbath therefore it is no ceremonie Againe grant it to be ceremoniall and yee shall make God a confounder of the Law and Gospell a mingler of the ceremoniall law with the morall and admitting one ceremonie in the Decalogue why may there not be two or three or moe Concerning this mixture many heresies hereby haue crept into the Church and it cannot be auoided if we make the fourth Commandement ceremoniall We know that whē Saul was among the Prophets 1. Sam. 19. it was a common saying Is Saul among the Prophets as if it were no good order but the Prophets should be among themselues and Saul with his companions A third reason may be that Christ in the Gospell deliuereth a summe of the whole law Loue God aboue all and thy neighbour as thy selfe But this summe of the law is meerely morall therefore the lawe whereof this is a summe is meerely morall except wee will accuse Christ for giuing vs a morall summe of a ceremoniall thing Besides the Commandements were but a renuing of the law of nature for it was written in the brest of Adam by the finger of God Now there became a declining from this lawe of nature by the negligence of them that should haue taught it to their children Therfore would the Lord haue it written once for all But in the lawe of nature there is no ceremonie for it is the image of God and whatsoeuer is in God it is altogether holy and for euer and ceremonies are holy but for a time therefore in the image of God in the Decalogue there is no ceremonie and consequenly the Sabbath is not ceremoniall A fift reason is this they that affirme the Sabbath to be a Ceremonie must either say that the Ceremonie is in the word Sanctifie or in the word Sabhath for this is the Commandement Sanctifie the Sabbath as for Remember it is but a prouiso and no part of the Commandement but the force of the Commandement stands in the word Sanctifie and it is a Verbe transitiue and therefore cannot be without an Accusatiue case as Day or Sabbath and in sanctifying is no ceremonie Therefore the Commandement is no Ceremonie Moreouer it must needs follow that that which is concluded by a reason is commaunded by ◠precept but in this it is concluded by reason your labour and rest must bee scanned by Gods labour and rest and the Lord laboured sixe daies and tested the seuenth day therefore you must worke al your workes in sixe and rest the seuenth As much reason is this that as Christ reasoneth how the Diuorce being a thing brought in vpon occasion did not therefore bind the conscience of the Iewes because from the beginning it was not so which was as much as if he should say or insinuate by the contrary whatsoeuer was from the beginning it bindeth the conscience So we say of the Sabbath that it being from the beginning not onely printed in the breast of Adam but also sounded in his eares must therefore binde the conscience CHAP. LXIX Of Thankesgiuing and right vse of the creatures NOne can euer praise the Lord till he be rauished with his greatnesse and goodnesse and the want of this feeling causeth vs to be cold in thanksgiuing euen as our praiers be cold when we haue but small feeling of sinne 2 And that wee doe in truth of heart acknowledge God to be the preseruer of vs from all euils and giuer of all mercies we may trie by our thankfulnes and prayer 3 The sin that was in the Israelites is in vs for the want of one good thing doth make vs rather to mourne than the hauing of many good things doth make vs thankfull 4 We must be thankfull presently and speedily when wee wil long keepe the remembrance of any mercie 5 Because our faith yeeldeth but drops of thankfulnes the Lord is constrained to yeeld but drops of his mercies 6 Being with one afflicted in body and minde vnto whom the Lord had shewed great tokens of saluation and fruitfull to sanctifie the present afflictions he said I feare not the time of the visitation of them that thereby doe grow in the gifts and graces of God but rather I feare least the time of their deliuerance should be tainted with vnthankfulnes and so wofully they should loose the fruite of that good which so dearly they purchased of the Lord. 7 Wee haue no continuing citie now but we looke for another not that wee may not call these things ours which are sanctified vnto vs by the word and prayer and in a good conscience vsing them but that we should not set our harts vpon them further than they are sanctified vnto vs we should not desire to vse them 1 These outward benefits are promised with a condition that so far we shall haue them as is for his glorie and our good with which condition we are commanded to aske them if then we want any thing we must know it is not good for vs but hurtfull we are to magnifie his mercies which holdeth those things from vs which are not for our good and yet giueth vs that by the want thereof which by the thing enioyed wee could not come vnto For the thing doth not hurt vs but our corruptions which abuse it therefore he keepeth promise when he taketh it away for he hath made the promise for our good 9 It hath been the order of the
sinnes this is a tempting of God and this shall be laid to our charge as wee see that the Lord saith to Dauid that he was in all things vpright before him but in the case of Vriah because his other sinnes which he committed both often and grieuously were but of humane infirmitie and this was contrarie to knowledge and againe he sought meanes to hide his sin and was not easily brought from it yet did hee obtaine pardon because this was but once and he was much humbled for it But Saul often doing the same at last asked counsaile of a familiar spirit by a Witch which he before had punished wherein he did cleane contrary to his knowledge euen for this it was said that the Lord did cut him off Wherefore we haue to pray with Dauid Psal. 19. Lord who doth vnderstand the errors of his life then purge vs from our secret sinnes and keepe vs that no presumptuous sinnes doe beare rule ouer vs. so shall we be free c. For if a man sinne against man there may be an arbiter but if a man sinne against the Lord who shall deale for him As Eli saith to his Sonnes q d. If you had done this being ignorant it had beene a small matter but now you that haue beene taught of me the contrary haue now made the sacrifice of the Lord to stincke and so haue tempted the Lord. 9 As it is a great comfort that no temptation doth inuade vs but that which hath taken hold of the nature of man so this ought to make vs with profit to humble ourselues that there is no temptation vppon any man but the same may take hold on vs in time also 10 Wee are neuer the further from temptation for misliking it but the nearer vnlesse as in iudgement we mislike it so in affection we humble our selues in feare and prayer before the Lord as knowing the same in time may inuade vs. 11 Wee must not keepe our hearts too close in dangerous temptation nor denie mercie to others least God denie mercie to vs. 12 If wee be tempted let vs examine it by prayer whether it be contrarie to the word for sinne by the law is reuealed and rebuked if it be sin then it bringeth the curse for the Lawe accurseth the sinner if it bring a curse then must we tremble if we tremble not let vs suspect that our nature liketh the temptation and let vs apply prayer if we tremble in truth we will neuer doe the thing whereunto we are tempted 13 When Satan cannot get vs to omit grosse sinnes hee will assaile vs with spirituall temptations 14 Those temptations are most dangerous which haue most holy ends 15 If wee conceale our temptations long it is the policie of Sathan to make vs keepe his counsell 16 The Lord through grace doth quench in vs those temptations which would quench in vs his spirit 17 Temptations being resisted to bring a proofe of that grace that is in vs temptation being receiued argueth corruption in vs. Adam should not haue been worse for his temptation no more than Christ but that the one yeelded the other did not 18 They that tremble in the temptation shal triumph after the temptation our faith is as a pots mouth which being large receiued much and being narrowe receiueth but little 19 The godly see their temptations oft much and with profit the vngodly see them seldome scant and without profit 20 Being both feeble in body and sicke in minde when hee felt the Lords strength in his sicknesse nourishing him as also that he did cleere his iudgement and more and more giue him a misliking of euill and a liking of good hee knewe his temptation should goe away in the end CHAP. LXXI Of truth and errors sinceritie and contempt of the word THere is no profit in teaching or hearing without application Ephes. 6. Paul speaking of the trueth calleth it a girdle of truth it must not bee a loose truth out of which a man may easily bee shaken it must be a tied truth not a ranging truth if it bee loose about vs it will fall away with the least flaw of winde Rom. 15. The Apostle speaketh of this putting on of Christ wee must not make a broad cloath of him to make him apparel to warme vs at the houre of death or in some time of trouble but wee must presently make him a garment that it may sit as close to vs as our coates Iames saith in his first chapter that the word must be ingrafted in vs it must not hang by vs but as there is no true grafting without the renting of the old stocke that the newe graft may hee fastned and closed vp in the rent so there is no true receiuing of the word vntill our corrupt wisedome bee rent asunder and the word of God closed vp in stead of it So that as there is truth required so a girdle of truth As Christ is our comfort so he must be put on As the word is receiued so it must bee ingrafted in vs. In more sensible things we are familiarly acquainted with this matter What profit is there in a plaister be it neuer so skilfully made vnlesse it be applied Well nothing indeed is good without applying The Sunne is comfortable but what doth it if wee bee shut vp and it neuer come to vs What nourishment is in meate what vse in apparell if we vse and apply them not So Christ and the word not applied are nothing to vs though most profitable in themselues 2 Truth is a thing specially esteemed of the Lord and it is a seruice so acceptable vnto him that he will not be without it and therefore a rent or pension due vnto the Lord. But why doth the Lord so require truth at our hands the Prophet saith The Lord hath magnified his truth and his name aboue all things and he hath put on himselfe as his name to bee called the God of truth And Christ the second person in Trinitie witnesseth his death to this in calling himselfe not the God of truth but truth itselfe and he bare witnesse before Pilate that he especially came into the world to beare witnesse to the truth so greatly he loued it For the holy Ghost we read Ioh. 14 He is said to be the spirit of truth So we see how great a thing this truth is with God for he makes himselfe glorious in this title and makes it the Crowne of his head his Sonne his Spirit his Ministers are glorified by it In a second respect truth is deare for that Adam being charged to beware of the forbidden fruite had his first assault of Sathan against the Lords truth back-sliding from it he lost all his posfession in Paradise Because of this dealing of the Diuell in Paradise euer since the Lord hath beene very iealous of his truth and wils men should whatsoeuer they doe remember to
value it he saith that it is better than gold yea than much gold than much finde gold than all pretious stones Yea and that he might leaue nothing out he saith it is better than all things else Yea the Kings of the earth doe and ought to fetch the law at the hands of the Leuites although they now being corrupted seeke counsellers like vnto Achitophel Thus we see how the Lord esteemed his Church whom he maketh thus his treasurer We know that Kings make great account of those men whom they make their Lord Chancellers The second note of the dignitie of the Church is in that the Lord hath committed his broad Seales vnto them What hath the Lord seales Yea and therefore the Lord said to Ieconiah though he were the signet of his hand yet he would put him off And what seales be these Surely it is the Sacrament of Baptisme and of the Supper and these are the seales which the Lord hath giuen to his Church The third note of this dignitie of the Church is that the execution of iudgemēt is giuen vnto them and this maketh men esteemed when they are put in such high places Well then the Lord hath committed into the hands of the Ministers the execution of life of death and therefore they are said to iudge the world and if they be Iudges of the world they will not reuerse their sentence and therefore they shall surely be condemned whom the Church bindeth And though that they may not boast of their power to destroy but to edificate for al venemous beasts can they destroy c. and so can the halter yet they haue great glorie thereby for the censure of the Church as one saith was and is the day of iudgement before the great day of iudgement come So that by this we see to what dignitie the Lord hath in all points aduanced his Church 6 It is said that the Diuels dispossessed thought not so highly of themselues but they could be content and desired to be cast into a heard of swine so that this is the estate of this vile fiend that so he may be in some neither dogge nor hogge is misliked of him he refuseth not the very she but he will haue it It is farre otherwise with our Sauiour Christ he will not communicate nor haue communicated his holinesse and his sacrifice to such soules as haue not clensed themselues from the corruptiō of nature as swine or from corruption of custome as dogges hee himselfe denies his pretious things to such vile creatures Matth 7. 5. Therefore if Christ denie these things who dares graunt them For as in the beginning of his workes he separated the light from darknes and in the end shall separate the sheepe from the goates so will hee haue vs to make a separation betweene his Saints and swine and therefore he hath not onely charged his Ministers who are in office next to him to take order for the separation of the pretious from the vile but also euery particular man according to the measure of his calling But in our common course we offend as not giuing where wee should giue so by giuing where wee should not giue as by not casting where wee should cast so by not casting to them wee should cast Indeede in particular to iudge of a man to be a swine or a dogge as Paul did Hymeneus Philetus and the Copper-smith we cannot If we see euident signes of a scorner of a foole that is of one vtterly destitute of the grace of God of a reuiler of the word of one couered with the leprosie of sinne and pleasing himselfe in the wallow of his filth when hee is thus that is while he is such a one that whatsoeuer is bestowed on him is lost we must stay the casting of pearles or giuing of pretious things to such vntill the Lord by the touch of his finger hath turned him vntill I say the Lord hath taken order for a way to bee made for the applying of that which wisely is to be administred But if we neglect to giue pretious things when and where we should giue them and then after giue when where wee should not by rebuking a man in his rage wee should rather driue into a further blaspheming than take away his former sinne CHAP. XI Of Meanes ALthough God haue appointed ordinarie causes yet hee hath reserued in his owne soueraigntie and iurisdiction the staffe of them and the vertue infusion and heate of them For as the Physition prescribing a medicine made with wine it is not the bare wine that nourisheth but it is the thing steeped in the wine that worketh so although wee haue things ministred vnto vs by the best meanes vnlesse the Lord put to his staffe all is but in vaine For as wee may see some continually fedde with cordiall and nutritiue meates notwithstanding labour of a consumption so we shall see others fedde with water-gruell and yet to be very well nourished On this manner GOD can worke with meanes and this he can worke without the meanes because the Lord would shewe that he reserueth a power beyond meanes although hee established all things in a naturall course yet he brought foorth euery thing without meanes so the light was created the first day the Sunne the foorth day Men seeing their corne not to grow crie for raine but her bes and fruits grew before raine True it is that we looke for things ordinarily now by meanes but they began without meanes as God making man at first without seede now will increase them with seede his blessing being with his ordinance and not else But behold a further thing God worketh not onely by meanes and without meanes but contrarie to meanes also Christ when hee would restore sight to the blinde man doth it with that meanes which wee thinke would put out a mans eyes and blinde the sight of him that can see whereby he sheweth that euen contrary things obey him Eliah 2. King 4. to make salt waters sweete putteth salt in them such is the power of our God which bringeth light out of darknes which is the destruction of light The meanes to reape profit by the word of God are 1. reading 2. hearing 3. praying 4. conference 5. meditation 6. practising By meditation we disgest things meditation maketh vs haue vse of that we reade or heare Knowledge is gotten first by hearing else one may go mumbling a long time vnlesse he haue one to direct him and it is a prouerbe among men that the doctrine of the Maister is the learning of the scholler Secondly because it is not good to hang our knowledge on other mēs sleeues therfore we must reade Thirdly many reade bookes but they are but book-learned as we say such a man is book-learned these haue nothing else of their owne therefore is meditation necessarie it maketh learning our owne Fourthly we may be deceiued we may thinke we haue knowledge when we haue
out corruption The milke in the breast not strained is pure too hard pressed it is corrupt Thirdly the word worketh by diuers meanes And I hope with Eliah that there be â—oe profit by the word than I see Iohn Baptist came mourning Iesus Christ came piping but few profited For many would follow Iohn vntill he required repentance They would heare Christ vntill he spake of the crosse Great is the wisedome of God in vsing the vehemencie of one the mildnes of another the zeale of another But some will neither profit by Iohn nor by Iesus Christ who will rather be offended at the infirmities of the speaker being few than by his good speeches profit though they be many FINIS A LETTER AGAINST HARDNES OF HEART I Beseech GOD the Father of IESVS CHRIST giue me his good Spirit in writing to giue aduice and you in reading to receiue it Amen Since the time that I receiued Master S. letter wherin he declared his carefull compassion ouer your estate I haue been not a little grieued because partly for want of a conuenient messenger and partly because of my manifolde distractions with the like occurrences and other weightie affaires I haue bene hindered from writing hitherto vnto you And albeit euen still I am in the same case yet conscience towards God and compassion and loue towards you forceth me to ouercome lets which hardly I could otherwaies preuaile against And albeit I cannot write as I would yet of that which I shall write proceeding from the forenamed grounds I looke for some blessing from God through Iesus Christ if you will not too much faint in faith and yeeld to the aduersarie yea if you will but hope so well of yourselfe as in the feare of God I write it I hope of you First whereas it seemeth you are sometimes grieued because you taryed not still at Cambridge according to my aduice you must know that I aduised it not as a thing necessary but more conuenient as I then supposed but yet that I aduised you to obey your father if his pleasure still continued to haue you home whereunto you yeelding I cannot see how you offended it being your fathers pleasure you should so doe And who knowes whether being heere you might not haue bene as much troubled there being no priuiledge for persons and places in such cases And who knowes whether it be the Lords pleasure for the ensample and instruction and I hope the consolation of others in the end And albeit you wil now thinke that here you were neerer the more and stronger meanes yet know you and hee perswaded that GOD can and doth in such cases worke by fewer and weaker according to his good pleasure Besides it is in our corrupted nature to make much of such meanes as we cannot haue and not so to esteeme those which God doth offer vs as we should I beseech you therefore in the Name of Iesus Christ humblie to praise God for those meanes which hee offereth in mercie vnto you and to vse them in faith accordingly and so God shall blesse you by them and then by such conference as you may haue from hence by letters Wherein if I may stand you in any stead rather for the good opinion you haue of me then for any great matter I am able to performe I shall be readie to offer any office of loue vnto you as God shall enable mee and so farre foorth as I shall be instructed in your particular estate by some letters sent from you by conuenient messengers That which I presently perceiue by M. S. letters is that you are afflicted with the blindnes of your minde and hardnes of your heart which cannot be moued either with the promises of God his mercies or feare of his iudgements nor affected with loue and delight of the things which bee good or with hatred and lothing of the euill Great cause you haue of griefe I confesse but no cause of dispaire dare I graunt because I am perswaded that your perswasion is somewhat false partly for want of a sound iudgement of your estate and partly for some defect of faith somwhat through your owne default First therefore know you for a certaintie that this is no other temptation than such as diuers of Gods children haue for a time bin humbled with afterwards haue had good issue out of And if it please God to moue you to credit me I myselfe haue knowne others as deeply this way plunged as you can be Remember therefore that God is faithfull and will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that which you shall be able to beare c. 1. Cor. 10. 13. And yet further to confirme you herein the holy Scriptures doe record that this way God heretofore hath humbled his owne people In whose person the Prophet Esay lamentably thus complained chap. 63. vers 15. O Lord looke downe from heauen and beholâ— from the dwelling place of thy holines and of thy glorie Where is thy zeale and thy strength the multitude of thy mercies and of thy compassions they are restrained from me And afterwards O Lord why hast thou made vs to erre from thy waies and hardened our heart from thy feare And in the next chapter vers 6. We haue beene all as an vncleane thing and all our righteousnes is as filthie cloutes and we all doe fade like a leafe and our iniquitie like the winde doth take vs away and there is none that calleth vpon thy name neither that stirreth vp himselfe to take hold of thee for thou hast hid thy face from vs and hast consumed vs because of our iniquities And afore in the 59. chapter vers 10. We grope for the wall like the blinde and we grope as one without eyes we stumble at the noone day as in the twilight we are in solitarie places like dead men we roare like beares and mourne like doues So complaines Ezechias in the bitternes of his soule Esay 38 14 Like a crâ—ne or a swallow so did I chatter I did mourne as a doue And Psal. 51. 10. c. when Dauid crieth Create in me O God a cleane heart renue in me a right spirit restore to me the ioy of thy saluation establish me with thy free spirit doth he not declare that his heart was vncleane his spirit crooked the ioy of his saluation lost and himselfe subiect to the spirit of bondage so that wanting the spirit of libertie or adoption he could neither crie Abba father nor â—â—ue any power against sinne Thus you see how God his children may be blinded in minde and hardened in hart for a time so that they feele in themselues the graces of the holy spirit to be as it were perished and dead Further to relieue the infirmitie of your iudgement in this point because I know it may much distresse you you must vnderstand that there be two kindes of hardnes of heart the one which is not felt nor perceiued the other which is
seemeth you are sometimes grieued because you taried not stil at Cambridge according to mine aduise you must know I aduised it not as a thing necessarie but more conuenient as I then supposed but I aduised you to obey your father if his pleasure still continued to haue you home whereunto you yeelded I cannot see how you offend it being your fathers pleasure you should so doe And who knoweth whether being there you might not haue beene as much troubled there being no priuiledge for persons and places in such cases And who knoweth whether it bee the Lords pleasure for the example and instruction and I hope the consolation of others in the end And albeit you will now thinke that here you were neerer the moe and stronger meanes yet knowe you and bee perswaded that God can and doth in such cases worke by fewer and weaker according to his good pleasure Besides it is in our corrupt nature to make much of such as we cannot haue and not so to esteeme those which God doth offer vs as we should I beseech you therefore in the name of Iesus Christ humbly to praise God for those meanes he offereth in mercie vnto you to vse them in faith accordingly and so God shall blesse you by them And then by such conference as you may haue from hence by letters wherein if I may stand you in any stead rather for the good opinion you haue of mee than for any great matter I am able to performe I shall be readie to offer any office of loue vnto you as God shall enable mee and so farre forth as I shall bee at any time instructed in your particular estate in some letters sent from you by conuenient messengers That which I perceieue presently by M. S. Letter is that you are afflicted with the blindnesse of your minde and hardnes of your heart which cannot bee moued either with the promises of Gods mercies or feare of his iudgements nor affected with the loue and delight of the things which bee good nor with the hatred and loathing of the euill Great cause you haue of griefe I confesse but no cause of despaire dare I graunt because I am perswaded that your perswasion is somewhat false partly for want of a sound iudgement of your estate and partly for some defect of faith somewhat through your owne default First therefore knowe you for a certaintie that this is no other tentation than such as diuers of Gods children haue beene humbled with and afterward haue had a good issue out of it and if it please God to mooue you to credit me I my selfe haue knowne others as deepely this way plunged as you can be Remember therefore that God is faithfull and will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that which you shall be able to beare And yet further to confirme you herein the holie Scriptures doe record that this way God heretofore hath humbled his owne people in whose person the Prophet Esay lamentably complaineth O Lord looke downe from heauen behold from the dwelling place of thy holinesse and of the glorie Where is thy zeale and thy strength the multitude of thy mercies and of thy compassions They are restrained from mee And afterwards O Lord why hast thou made vs to erre from thy wayes and hardened our hearts from thy feare And in the next Chapter verse 6. Wee haue beene all as an vncleane thing and all our righteousnesse is as filthie clouts and we all doe fade as a leafe and our iniquities as the winde doe take vs away and there is none that calleth vpon thy name neither that stirreth vp himselfe to take hold on thee for thou hast hid thy face from vs and hast consumed vs because of our iniquities And before Wee grope for the wall like the blinde and we grope as one without eyes we roare like Beares and mourne like Doues So complaineth Ezechias in the bitternes of his soule Like a Crane or a Swallow so did I chatter I did mourne as a Doue And when Dauid crieth Create in mâ—e O God a cleane heart renue in me a right spirit Restore to me the ioy of thy saluation establish mee with thy free spirit Doth he not declare that his heart was vncleane his spirite crooked the ioy of his saluation lost and himselfe subiect to the spirit of bondage So that wanting the spirit of libertie or adoption hee could neither crie Abba Father nor haue any power against sinne Thus you see how Gods children may be blinded in minde and hardened in heart for a time so that they feele in themselues the grace of the holie Spirit to bee as it were perished and dead Further to relieue the infirmitie of your iudgement in this case because I know it may much distresse you you must vnderstand that there be two kinds of hardnes of heart the one which is not felt nor perceiued the other perceiued and felt and of the former that there be two sorts the first which is most fearfull when anie doe purposely resist the motions of Gods spirit and wilfully refuse the meanes of their saluation of which the Prophet Zacharie speaketh 7. 11. They refused to hearken and pulled away their shoulder and stopped their eares that they should not heare yea they made their hearts as an Adamant stone least they should heare the Lawe and the words which the Lord of Hostes sent in his spirit by the ministerie of the former Prophets The outragious sinne of these men the Prophet Esay expresseth in these their owne fearefull tearmes Wee haue made a couenant with Death and with Hell wee are at agreement though a scourge runne ouer and passe through it shall not come at vs for we haue made falshood our refuge and vnder vanitie are we hidden This was a fearfull estate indeed yet for all that no man can say but some of these hauing hardened their hearts might bee and were afterward conuerted The other kinde of hardnes of heart which is not felt nor perceiued or if perceiued yet not felt which albeit it is lesse fearfull yet it is daÌ„gerous enough is in such as although they wilfullie resist not Gods spirite in good meanes yet securely carelesly and willinglie they lie in sinne without any remorse of it or true taste of good things Such was Dauid his estate for the space of a yeare before Nathan the Prophet came to reprooue him and rouze him from his lulled sleepe Both these kindes I am perswaded you are free from otherwise then in temptations Sathan may somtimes moue you thereunto The other kind of hardnes of heart which is perceiued and felt is of two sorts the one in them which are desirous of meanes whereby they may be relieued although they doe finde small or no ease at all in themselues for a time Of this kinde the Prophet Esay in the name of some of Gods people complained And
commonly despised We may not loue that best which the world esteems best A good rule Depth of mystery in plainnes of words Heart seat of diuinitie Triall of heart Note Note Affections Note Popish doctors of reasoÌ„ A wit not huÌ„bled hinders vs in godlinesse Loue. Canticles Griefes Motions Mercie 〈…〉 nts 〈…〉 they 〈…〉 〈…〉 câ—p 7 7. 〈…〉 true sense A two fold iudgement the one in righteousnes another in mercie We are to follow the holy Prophets c. in their holy affections Note Note The name of the Lord. The word the onely glasse to see and know the Lord. Iohn 14. 23. Psalm 119. A mirrour of godlinesse Freewill Albeit wee haue the light of the word yet the Lord must opeÌ„ our eyes before we can see Affection Anger Watchfulnes Simile To meet with teÌ„ptations before sinne be perfected Simile Godly feare The dominion of sinne Rom. 6. 12. Not to bee tempted Heretikes 〈…〉 â—0 Note Simile The blindnes of sinnes Simile Note the louing mercie of the Lord couering our manifold infirmities Simile The ChristiaÌ„ warfare The end of all deliuerances Thankfulnes Two principall props in trouble Esay 5. Godlinesse Afflictions Gods countenance Godly sorrow Loue to Gods word Simile God iust in his prouidence Note Diues and Lazarus Matth. 5. Incredulitie in Gods children Beleeuing the word That the 119. Psalme concernes all the regenerate Iobs sinnes Note A true propertie of zeale Galath 6. 1. Zeale for the contempt of the Word Of Zeale Diuers kinds of zeale 1 2 3 The first propertie of true zeale The first rule of true zeale Toleration of many things for the peace of the church The second rule of true zeale Two obseruations The second obseruation Simile Conscience of thoughts The third rule of zeale The fourth rule of zeale Triall of our obedience To heare with the frailties of Gods children Duties of loue euen to Gods children The fift rule of zeale Sufficiencie for the ministery The sixt rule â—â— zeale Difference betweene fretting anger and pining zeale Admonition Our vnbeleefe and wherefore we see it not Triall of our zeale Our vnbeleefe is shewed vs in the often repetitions of the commendatious of the word No idle repetitions in this Psalme M. Bradford and holy Martyrs much lamenting euer fâ—r their vnbeleefe The word of God a tried friend in troubles Simile Dauid against Goliah Triall of our loue to the word Triall of our loue to the word How Christians differ much from heretikes Heretikes cannot abide the word Good notes for prayer 1. Importunate in praier with God Luk. 1â— 1. 2 Wherfore God delayes to graunt our requests 2. Wisedome of he spirit in prayer Our times for prayer Sabbath Luk. 10. 41. 42 Callings Diligence in hearing and prayer Note Sabbath two Sermons the mornings 〈…〉 eâ—es Note Preparation and meditation Preparation The minâ—sâ—eâ— Balaams witchcrafe Num 23. 22. 23. Meditation The morning meditation 1 2 3 Note 1. Cor. 7. Ierem. 7. 13. Iob. 8. 2. Matth. 21. 18. The third point cheerefulnes in prayer Spirite of cheerfulnes a singular grace Note The fourth propertie in prayer is Faith Faith and patience A iudgement of mercy and of seueritie Note Note Note Secret sinnes Note Witchcraft Zeale Anger Hypocrisie Note Note Rom. â— 3. 4. 5. Luk. 7. 47. Dulnes Esay 25. â— Feare Consulting with witches Is Gods feare be wanting there is no temptation so great but we faâ—â— inâ—o it Triall of our feare of God False feare Simile Witchcraft A true note of Gods child The true ioy of the faithfull howfor it exâ—â—â—des all carnall ioy Triall of our ioy Simile Sabbath Dulnesse in prayer and other holy exercises Feare and ioy tempered together Loue to good things and hatred of euill things may not slakâ— in vs. Prayer AdmonitioÌ„ Relapse Polygamie Heresie or profâ—â—â—nesse like to follow our securitie The true faith worketh by loue Iohn 17. Furies Application Waiting an effect of faith AsouÌ„d faith breedeth a good conscience Incredulitie hastie A patient faith Impatience True faith not without good workes To iustifie diuersly taken How we are iustified by workes Simile Simile Simile RepetitioÌ„s in prayer how reprooued Simile Promises are generall Prayer must bee ioyned with faith knowledge Ripenes of iudgement and quicknes of affections whence Thankesgiuing the end of Gods blessings Many thinke they loue God his word religion wheÌ„ indeed they doe not Simile How to holde fast true Wisedome The cause of forgetfulnes is carelesnes Two things to be auoided first vanitie of minde secoÌ„dly worldlinesse if wee will entertain and possesse wisedome What to be auoided Simile To auoyd the societie of the wicked Citò longè tardè Psalm 119. and 1â—0 1 The practises of the wicked against the godly 2 3 What euill examples doe No hope of Lucre or preferment must linke vs in any league with wicked men Reasons of the former precept The delight of the wicked A true marke of the wicked How we must endeuour to sâ—irre vp otâ—ers â—o â—â—ad neâ— â—â—â— be 〈…〉 we haue not performed any such autie Psal. 119. It is not sufficieÌ„t to flie the counsells anâ— companies of the wicked Wee must hasteâ— to the societie of the godly 〈…〉 〈◊〉 â—â—al â— 1. 2. 〈◊〉 16. â— Gen. 16. 8. Vaine and vnprofitable changes of places of callings c. Two marks of a righteous man 1 2 Notes of a good conscience 1 2 3 Simile Simile Simile Good cautioÌ„s to keepe vs from sinne How the wicked walke in sinne know it not Profit by reading preaching conferring of the word We must store vp the word in our heart by prayer meditations We must not rest in the vse of one good meanes 1 Two causes of watching ouer our hearts 2 The second cause of watching ouer our hearts In what respects the worldlings leaue sinne The triall of our hearts whether in sinceritie wee loue the Gospell for the Truths sake or because we get some gaine glorie by it Cause of all sinne in our owne selues SataÌ„ is made a chirurgion to cure the corruptionâ— of the Saints How the pure heart stadeth fast in temptations Our hearts tried two waies The first by afflictions The second triall of the hart by our ioy and griefe in good and euill Desire of saluation How to discouer a couetous heart Care for the prosperitie of the Church a speciall note of Gods children Psal. 122. True triall of our ioy and sorrow Paul afflicted yet great ly comforted wheÌ„ he heard of the peace of the church and prosperitie of the gospell Triall of the heart in prosperitie To loue and speake the trueth in the least matters How God chasteneth his children for lying To speake the trueth in iudgement Scorne True knowledge where and how to finde it Triall of our hearts whether we principally respect Gods fauour in all our actions Contempt of the word what causes breed it 1 We say the rich and the mightie estâ—eme it not 1. Cor. 1. 2 We say it is too hard
the spirits of men 1. Ioh. 4. to make souÌ„der confession of our faith to stop the mouthes of our aduersaries and to answere the temptations of Sathan and the wicked But because men sinne not onely in neglect of hearing and reading but also in hearing and reading amisse therefore the properties of reuerent faithfull reading and hearing are to be set downe which are these that follow they be eight in number 1. Diligence 2. Wisedome 3. Preparation 4. Meditation 5. Conference 6. Faith 7. Practise 8. Prayer The three first goe before reading and preaching The foure next come after them The last must goe before and be with them and come after them 1 If diligence be necessarie in reading prophane authors then much more in reading the Scriptures Diligence maketh a rough way plaine and easie and of good taste which otherwise is hard and vnfauourie In our diligence we must keepe an euen course and not to be like those who vpon some sudden good motion or by reason of some good companie or by reason of some good action draw neere or for feare of danger c. reade for a time and soone after giue ouer againe Reade Prou. 2. 12. Matth. 13. 54. 2 With diligence must be ioyned wisedome which is in choise of Matter Order Time For want of wisedome in the matter they reade many sinne in studying other bookes before the Scriptures and in the Scriptures in searching things not reuealed and pretermitting things reuealed as Iohn and Iames sought who should sit at Christs right hand and left hand but they sought not to come thither And the Disciples said Act. 1. Wilt thou at this time restore the kingdome to Israel not asking the meanes to come to the kingdome of heauen And in things reuealed many will curiously and busily search for things not profitable as genealogies and caresly neglect the things that are to be searched And some ignorant how to reforme themselues will be talking of reforming the Church And if the Preacher must giue milke to the weake and stronger meate to the stronger Christians if he must thus applie his doctrine to the hearers then much more the hearers themselues must applie their owne reading to their owne capacities Wisedome is in order as that men must be first grounded in the principall points of doctrine first we must lay the foundation and build vpon the same also we must keep an order in our readings and not be now in this place now in another for order is the best helpe for memorie and vnderstanding he that readeth little after a good manner profiteth more than he that readeth much otherwise as he that â—impeth in the way doth better than he that runneth in another way or out of the way Therefore for want of order many reade much but profit little Wisedome must be vsed in discerning the times for we must not reade alwaies and doe nothing else as some offending in the one extreame are after driuen by Sathan to the other The Sabbath is wholy to be spent in such exercises on other daies in the morning at noone and in the euening that is when we may redeeme the day from the workes of our calling as Dauid and Daniel did pray at these three times vnder which is contained all the worship of God Wee must doe as much as we can euery day and no day must passe without a line God hath made euery thing beautifull in his time Ecclesiast 3. vers 11. 3 Preparation followeth If any man goe away without any profit and either vnderstandeth not or vnderstandeth amisse want of preparation is the cause Preparation is 1 In feare of God his Maiestie 2 In faith in Iesus Christ. 3 In a good and honest heart with a greedie desire to eate vp Gods word In all apparitions God alwaies sent feare before as his apparitor it ingendreth teachablenesse and meekenesse of minde as we see in Isaac who as it is said feared and then he said I haue blessed Iacob and he shall be blessed We see it also in the woman of Samaria Ioh. 4. 7. and in the men Act. 2. From want of this reuerent feare commeth all checking of God his word and that men dare be so bold with it but they that feare will be swift to heare and slow to speake Iames. 1. 19. and will lay vp his word in their heart with the Virgin Mary Though they vnderstand it not though they kicke at the word and spurne against it yet if God once teach them with his feare then will they acknowledge it to be the blessed word of God Feare commeth vpon men sometime they know not how and if then they go to God they shall finde some excellent blessing either in hauing their vnderstanding inlightened or some good affections put into them This feare is in respect of God his Maiestie and our owne corruption to correct the pride of reason and to controll our affections and experience will shew that when our reason and affections are tamed by miserie calamitie sicknes and inward griefe then we are very teachable And when men erre then the pride of their reason is punished as in heretikes and prophane persons Contrarily God his good spirit resteth vpon the humble to cleere their vnderstandings but they first crucifie their vnderstanding and affections and offer them vp in a sacrifice to God Faith in Christ is the second thing in this preparation we must bring that with vs when we come to read looking on him as on the Messiah that must teach vs all things he is the Lion of the tribe of Iuda to whom it is giuen to open the booke of God He opened the hearts of the Disciples going to Emaus Preachers build hay and stubble because they doe not onely glory in him but doe seeke credit and preferment by preaching themselues All heretikes differ among themselues yet they all agree in this that they eâ—â—e from Iesus Christ. A heart prepared to learne is required Pro. 17. 16. Wherefore is there a price in the heart of a foole to get wisedome and he hath no heart Our Lord Iesus Christ saith that those that brought forth fruit when they had heard some thirtie some sixtie some an hundred fold they were such as receiued the word with a good and honest heart Luc. 8. Here saith a godly and learned man men are shut out because they come without a heart Now follow the properties that must follow our readings Whereof the first is meditation the want of which makes men depart without fruit though they reade or heate diligently Meditation makes that which we haue read to be our owne He is blessed which meaitates in the law day and night Psal. 1. 2. Meditation is either of the Minde and vnderstanding Heart and affections Meditation of the vnderstanding is when reason discourseth of things read or heard which the wise of the Heathen call the refining of iudgement the life
For come to the younger sort of them then nouices and learners they will say openly somewhat and will giue some reason of their doctrine but their Elders and illuminate men cannot be seene they flie the light and goe into corners Are these men full of the spirit who so cowardly forsake the triall of their doctrine and leaue the poore people to stand to it who are not so deepe in their reuelations nor so well grounded in their mysteries of iniquitie Vndoubtedly they are not yea rather the elder heretike the ranker knaue and he is called most notable not which is most wise but which is most subtile to denie a truth and to set a face on a lie Wherefore this is not fulfilled euen among the Anabaptists and Familie of loue themselues This thing then cannot literally be vnderstood they must needs confesse that there is a borrowed speech in the verses following where mention is made of blood fire and vapours of smoake whereby is meant that there shall be great troubles heresies and such like And here the Heretikes will graunt a trope though in the former they will not God spake of the blessings of the new Testament after the manner of the old Testament because that was best knowne to the Iewes This deceiued them in that when they heard of the new Temple they were zealous of the old Temple and reioyced in that Temple which Herod made though it was nothing like that which Salomon made and this deceiueth the Iewes vnto this day The like error are the Papists in For where the Scriptures say that in the time of Christ there should be sweete incense offered in all places then say they behold the daily sacrifice the sacrifice propitiatorie for the quicke and the dead Neither of these doe consider that the Lord in the old Testament doth adumbrate foretell these things to come and that vnder those termes and phrases which were best knowne to the Iewes and vsed of the old Prophets This folly of theirs doe the Anabaptists see and yet they runne as farre on the other side as also doth the Familie of loue One of them reproueth another and yet neither of them will confesse his fault to the glorie of God nor returne and receiue the truth There may be also another argument why this place should not be literally vnderstood and that is drawne from the interpretation of the like places of Scripture Exod. 19. Moses telleth the people that the Lord hath called them to bee Kings Priests and Prophets This is repeated by the Apostle Peter in the new Testament by Iohn in the Apocalyps and is applied as in this place generally to all Christians Now the Iewes did neuer thinke that euery man was a King sitting in a throne thereby ouerthrowing the politicall estate they thought not that euery man was a Priest taking that office of the Priest vpoÌ„ him but that they had the liberty of their consciences were freed from the bondage of men of sin as also that now through Christ they might offer vp first their prayers theÌ„ their soules and bodies to be an holy and acceptable sacrifice to him Neither doe we at this day think any otherwise of the kingly Priesthood of Christians And why then should wee thinke grossely and literally that indeede wee are become Prophets hauing that speciall calling and so take away that order of Teachers and learners which God hath ordained For as we be Priests so are we Prophets if the speech must be qualified in the one why ought it not so to be in the other Againe we say of prophecies as we say of miracles Before the word was written the Lord taught his people by visions and by dreames and that hee might prepare them to receiue his doctrine and confirme them in it hee both wrought miracles himselfe and gaue power to others likewise to worke as wee may see in Moseâ— Eâ—iah and Elisha yea he gaue power to doe miracles when the Law was written because the Gospel was not yet reuealed and when the Gospell was reuealed hee continued his gift because the holy Spirit was not yet giuen yea and when the Spirit was powred out vpon the Apostles yet this gift was in the Church that as yet the Spirit had not gotten credit But when the Gospell was reuealed the spirit sent downe and confirmed by signes and wonders then the vse of miracles ceased not that there are no miracles at all now for wee doe not shorten the hands of the Lord but yet they be but few and those extraordinarie Now the rules whereby we shall trie them whether they be of God or no bee these If they doe either conuert and winne men to the word or confirme them in the word who are alreadie wonne if they be agreeable to the word and beare the same maiestie in them as doth the word then may they be receiued as from God But when they agree not with these rules though the thing wrought be miraculous yet they are much to be suspected as the miracles of olde time were with reuerence to bee receiued For God in his secret iudgement doth suffer some times such to be wrought that the wicked and vnbeleeuers may the more effectually be deluded Againe we know that Antichrist commeth with signes yea and the same so effectuall that euen the very elect if it were possible should therewith bee deceiued In like manner doe wee say of dreames and visions vntill the Gospell came and had gotten credit in the hearts of men there were visions and prophecies of things to come but these being now ceased it is not ordinarie that the Lord should make all Prophets or teach by visions and dreames But what doe we stand longer to proue that this place cannot be so taken and vnderstood as the words at the first shew might seeme to giue especially seeing that the deuillish ouerthwarters both of Papists and of the Familie of loue are so grosse and papable in this point For such is the spirit of these men and so contrary to the good spirit of God that where the Scripture ought simply and without any trope or allegorie to be interpreted they will there turne it into allegories as wee see many places peruerted by the Papists and almost the whole Scriptures by the Familie of loue and whereas the Scripture by conference of places doth shewe that it ought tropically to bee vnderstood they sticke bluntly to the bare letter as in these wordes Hoc est corpus meum The Papists here would haue no trope yet the whole course of the Scriptures doth inforce the same The Familie of loue will in no place almost admit the naturall sense as it floweth of the words and yet here they doe bitingly abide by the word notwithstanding all the former reasons And this surely commeth to passe by the righteous iudgement of God that seeing they would neither acknowledge nor yeelde to the naturall sense when they might
therefore they cannot see where a trope should haue his place Thus it went with their great Master and father of allegories Origen who giuing himselfe to follow his deuised allegories could not through God his righteous and iust iudgement see those places that will admir a trope For comming to that saying of Christ our Sauiour where he intreateth oâ— three kindes of chast persons whereof one maketh himselfe chast for the kingdome of God sake hee taking it too literally did cut off his owne members and so grossely did misunderstand it The true vnderstanding of this place then is this that in the Apostles times and in the ages following there should bee riper knowledge than was in the ages before But if it be here obiected that the men of our daies are not like the great men and Prophets of God as Eâ—â—y Dauid Ieremiah or Daniel to this wee answere that comparisons must be alwaies in the like Then if we compare the Apostles with the Prophets that were before them we know the Apostles in cleerenes and excellencie of knowledge did surpasse them And our Sauiour Christ testifieth of Iohn Baptist that he was the greatest among the Prophets and yet that the Apostles and Ministers of the Gospell were greater than he Then compare our Euangelists with the Patriarches and they saw a cleerer light than these did For Abraham sawe Christ but a farre off and to come they sawe him euidently and already come Proceede to compare the common sort of people then with the common sort in these dayes and euen we doe see Christ more liuâ—ly painted out before vs than they did they had assurance that these things should come to passe wee knowe that they are alreadie come to passe seeing plainly the effects and issues of them And thus wee see that God his graces are moe and more excellent than they were in the time of the Law Compare Christ with Mose and hee did as farre exceed him as the Master builder doth the hired seruant Compare their common Ministers the Priests and Leuites with our ordinarie Doctors and Pastors and they goe beyond them in the euidence of knowledge All these notable men of the Law knew that Christ should come and that the holy Ghost should come but the maner of their comming they saw but very darkly but we see it and reioyce therein The plaine meaning then of this place is that whereas God did in the old time reueale his will vnto some by visions and by dreames now al sorts of men young and old man and maide shall be instructed in the knowledge of God more plentifully and more perfitly For it is to be vnderstood as that Exod 19 Ye shall be a kingly Priâ—sthood c. and 1 Pet. 2. it must be interpreted as often in Esay as chap. 11. in Ieremy and in the Gospell aâ—ter Iohn it is saide They shâ—ll all bee taught of God and that which is in his Epistle the annointing shall teach you all things These doe not take away the ordinarie ministerie of the word but doe shew that men shall not onely haue the outward meanes but shall also haue the teaching of the Spirit And all of these are so begun in this life that they be not performed to the full vntill wee be vnclothed of this flesh and haue our full part with Christ in the life to come This is the meaning of the place and herein doe wee goe beyond the men of the old ages And besides this in the very manner of deliuerie there is farre more cleernes and euidence now than was in the times of the Law For the Prophets and holy men of God indeede laboured but the fruite for the most part was little and the Apostles as Christ saith Ioh. 4. entred into their labours Yâ—a the Apostle Peter goeth further and saith that they were a light shining in a darke place but wee haue a surer light of prophecie Further hee addeth in the same place that they serued not so much their owne ages and times as vs that are come after them Now hauing the right vnderstanding of this place we are to be greatly thankfull to God for that he hath not left vs to doubtfull dreames but hath giuen vs the certaintie of the word written whereunto serued all the former visions dreames and prophecies and it is confirmed vnto vs by euery one of them Thus wee haue the sense of this place wherein it was fulfilled in the Apostles times as Peter here witnesseth and in this sense it was fulfilled in the Primitiue Church as all good stories doe record Let vs further see what it is that men shall prophecie that is they shall be taught by the spirit of God in the word to trie themselues to trie the spirits of their teachers to teach others and to be able to giue a reason of their hope before their enemies for as the holy Ghost came vpon Christ so must be come vpon euery one of his members and as he was annointed a Prophet so must his members also be Prophets This sound knowledge consisteth in foure things The first thing required in a Christian is that he be able to trie himselfe and his estate â—efore God whether he be in the faith or no whether he be God his childe or no contrarie to the doctrine of the Papists and cold Protestants that rest onely on common iniunctions and accustomed proceedings Thus Paul giueth charge to the whole Church of Corinth 2. Cor. 12. Examine your selues whether yee bee in the faith or no and hereunto he addeth a fearfull speech vnlesse you be refuses Who so is not in the faith is a refuse and if a man knoweth not whether he be in the faith or no then he doth not know whether he be in Christ or no. This examination must be according to the Scriptures for so saith our Sauiour Iesus Christ search the Scriptures for they testifie of me and in another place he saith ye erre because ye know not the Scripture Then we must not hang on the Preacher nor on this nor on that man but we must beleeue because wee haue found it in the Scripture and haue been taught it by the Spirit according as the men of Samaria saide to the woman when she told them of Christ. Againe we must not simply and barely knowe the Scriptures but applie them to our owne vse and make our owne faith sure by them if we be not reprobates and this is the first thing required of Christians The second thing is that we be able to trie our Teachers not in euery thing that they speak but in things pertinent to saluation Thus we are commaunded to doe 1. Corinth 5. Ephes. 4. and in the Epistle of Saint Iohn Trie the spirits whether they be of God or no and in the epistles of Peter and Iude it is said that those were peruerted with heresies that neuer came to knowe the truth but were vnstable and carried away with euery winde of
our guide and goe before and we must follow after Many make strange to follow his call they will not giue vp their names they wil it may be goe before him or euen by him or cheeke by cheeke but they will not follow after And wherefore Surely they will doe all with reason But Christ requireth faith and reason to Christ is a very euill seruingman A great number already taught in the word will not follow it but if any thing proceed from the forge of their own reason that they magnifie that they wil follow So Ezech. 20. certaine prophets would not follow God and his word but their own spirits and yet there is no greater ods in the world than betweene our owne reason and Gods wisedome as Esa. 55. My thoughts saith the Lord are not as your thoughts Well if wee will follow Christ wee must follow him not as a great Lord to graunt vs great leases fat farmes or high towers but as a man contemned as the reproch of the world as a man full of sorrowes Christ hath two crownes the one of thornes the other of glorie he that wil be honoured with the last must be humbled with the first CHAP. XII Of Conference and Godly wisedome in the gouernment of the tongue AS we often speake of things lawfull but yet for want of wisedome to examine the time place and persons when where and with whom we talke Sathan laboureth to make vs strict silent in our speech when often we might speake to Gods glorie to the auoyding of which temptation we must endeuour to speake when God giueth occasion and that with thankefull acknowledging of Gods spirituall grace by the motion whereof we speake as also with humble acknowledgement of our weakenes who being measured with Gods iustice we should be found to haue stained our speeches and Gods graces with great corruptions and to faile in many circumstances How be it if we do it in a single heart and euen because we loue Gods word and in zeale of Gods glorie we may boldly speake committing the successe which on vs if we obserued all circumstances did not depend to the omnipotencie of God to the blessing of Christ and to the working of the holy spirit for we being neither God nor Christ nor Angels must not thinke to preuaile of our selues by our speeches nor stay vntill we thinke our selues most fit but cōmend our hearts to the Lord who vndoubtedly spareth weakelings 2 Being Christians we must not stay our selues in our meetings for others to begin good speeches but if God giue vs any good thing in our mindes let vs with all humblenes put it forth to be examined if we feele nothing let vs complaine of our dulnesse and deadnesse euen thereby we shal giue occasion of good conference For as in silence among euil men one euill word setteth abroch many so in deadnes among good men one good word may quicken many 3 It were to be wished that godly men in their meetings would first by prayer offer vp their speeches to God to vse them aduisedly reuerently and not passing their bounds of knowledge and if they could not speake of any thing yet they should aske some thing if they could not aske yet they might speake of the communion of Saints if they could say nothing yet at the least they should complaine of the dulnes of their mind so that of their dulnes and deadnes should arise quicknesse and life of speech againe 4 We must be carefull in vsing and watchfull in restraining the tongue Dauid prayed for a watch before his tongue and for a porter at the doore of his lips he would keepe his mouth with a bridle that it should not go riot nor open oft without a cause The eie glaunceth our hands slip our foote treads awry yet if we hold our tongue qualified we shall doe the better It is a little peece of flesh small in quantitie but mightie in qualitie it is soft but slipperie it goeth lightly but falleth heauily it striketh soft but woundeth sore it goeth out quickly but burneth vehemently it pierceth deepe and therefore not healed speedily it hath libertie granted easily to goe forth but it will finde no meanes easily to returne home It is compared with perillous things to a sharpe two edged sword to a razor to sharpe arrowes to an Adders sting to the poyson of an Aspe to fierie coales and being once enflamed by Sathans bellowes to the fire of hell CHAP. XIII Of the Church THe Papist of pride the Familie of loue of hypocrisie and many of singularitie haue singled themselues from vs as Hymenaeus did But we are little discouraged and lesse follow it For if they separate themselues as stones from the building and as members from the body what hope is there of them The Papists will say we forsake them and not they vs. We forsake them in the wall they vs in the foundation For our faith was before their opinion though their persons were before ours As Noah forsooke the world as Lot forsooke Sodome as Abraham forsooke Aegypt as our Sauiour Christ forsooke the Pharisies so wee for sake them and Christ shall be the iudge who hath bene the runnagate who hath bene the Apostata 2 Behold a miracle heauen made subiect to the earth O what is man that thou art so mindfull of him not onely to giue him the rule of the earth but euen of heauen Whom the Church doth loose on earth the Lord doth loose in heauen and whome the Church hath bound on earth he also hath bound in heauen Hee doth manie things without vs yet when we haue done this he will not alter it nor doe otherwise 3 Albeit the Church be base and contemptible in the world yet hee counteth it as the apple of his eye The earth the aire and the heauens attended on it and hee hath made the Angels to serue it Hee hath committed his treasures to it And what bee his treasures Surely when Dauid commeth to value it hee saith that it is better than golde than much golde than much fine golde than all pretious stones The word of reconciliation the couenant of grace the broade seales of his kingdome Baptisme and the Lords Supper binding and loosing life and death are left and committed to the Church and her holy Ministers 4 The Church is euen the quintessence of the world such as Sathan hath sifted to the proofe it is euen washed and made cleane with the bloud and water which issued out of Christs side It seemeth hee forgot to loue himselfe that hee might loue vs yea if that one death and suffering had not beene sufficient hee would yet once more come againe for vs. 5 It is one thing to liue where meanes of pure worship are wanting another to bee where false worship is erected for the first we are not to flie the Church but by prayer and patience
to stay the Lordes mercie for the other wee must depart because of that abomination 6 The world is as the Lords great chamber whereunto all are admitted the Church is as the chamber of presence The natiuitie of the Church is a greater worke then the creation of the world The world was finished with a Word but many dayes and many yeares did the Lord trauell before the Church could be brought forth to his good liking Hee shooke the earth darkened the heauens turned the whole course of nature before he had framed and set vp the little Church of the Iewes But in gathering the Church of the Gentiles the Sunne became blacke as a pot the Heauens were couered as with a haire-cloth the vayle of the temple rent the earth trēbled the graues opened aboue all the GOD of nature suffered But of all the third gathering shall be fearfull when heauen and earth shall not abide to see but shall melte and consume away at the glorifying of that Church which the world so contemneth yet on this Church hangeth the continuance of the world For certaine it is the world standeth and all the foure windes are stopped till all be sealed and in that moment that this number is filled this world shall out of hand vanish away 7 In the world wee doe as it were but see the Lords backe parts we see him as a thing in a troubled well dwelling but in the neather and outward courtes of the Temple but in the Church we see him almost face to face 8 That mightie Sampson suffered himselfe to be shauen and his strength to bee as another mans for the great loue of his Church hee shed his precious blood from all parts of his bodie for it and that no bloud might be too deare for vs with his heart bloud he hath testified how much he doth loue vs his loue and spouse the Church of the faithfull 9 It is true that the Psalmist saith Psal. 16. the Lord hath no neede of our seruice and therefore he hath set ouer his loue to the Chuch there to be answered vnto her in obedidience furtherance of his members there he would haue it seene how we value his benefits All blessings are continued on this earth for the Church sake The Sun doth shine vpon the earth vpon the iust and vniust but vpon the vniust for the iust mans sake 10 The Church is the household of faith the citie of the liuing GOD the spouse of the Lamb CHRIST the kings daughter the childrē of light of the liuing God the children of promise of the freewoman a chosen generation a royall priesthood an holy nation people gotten by purchase the mysticall body of Christ the sold of the Prince of Pastors the virgin Israel the children of Abraham the elect seede of God heires of grace ioynt heires with Christ the Sanctuary of the Lord the daughter of Sion the Lords heritage the people of his pasture the sheepe of his hands the temple of the holy Ghost the price of his blood the Lords Eden Thrice blessed and happy are al the liuing stones of the most beautifull building Confer Psal. 147. 2. 3. 1. Pet. 2. 9. 10. Phil. 3. 8. Ephes. 2. 19. 20. 1. Thes. 2. 19. 20. 2. Cor. 3. 2. 2. Cor. 6. 11. 12. 1. Thes. 2. 8. Rom. 9. 3. Reuel 21. 10. CHAP. XIIII Of the Confession of sinne THis is a good affection of Christianitie to conceale a fault and this also is a good affection of men regenerate to testifie their faults to all men whereby they make knowne their thankefulnesse in that whereas by nature they were thus by grace they are so and so Againe men vse it to comfort others that though they bee in their old estate yet they may receiue grace if they hinder not themselues and shut out the grace of God from them Thus the children of God are wont to aggrauate their sinnes that others might haue comfort in the like case Matthew in the ninth chapter and the ninth verse shameth himselfe by the name of a Publican and yet if we looke to his sinne it was not like the sinne of Peter against the ninth commaundement nor like the sinne of Dauid against the sixe and seuenth commaundements the sinne of Paul against the first as of them that crucified Christ himselfe But that which he concealeth the other Euangelists blase abroad that which they conceale he blaseth abroad And this is one argument of the truth of the word for wheras other Chronicles do euer cōmend themselues and their owne natiue countries best as if you read the Chronicles of England you will thinke it the hest nation it is contrary in the word the deniall of Peter is more expresly set downe of Marke than of any other yet did he write the Gospell out of his mouth Paul setteth out his own faults in more sharpe measure and manner than any other can doe Act. 26. Moses Gen. 49. seemeth to discredit his owne birth Wee see all these were of God who is then most glorified when we are most cast downe 2 As the hiding of our sinne with Adam hindreth mercie so to testifie our sinne to be greater than it is with Cain displeaseth God highly 3 Confession without yeelding and feeling is nothing but a testimonie against our selues let vs then so confesse that it may moue vs to loue the truth 4 Pharaohs confession is rather in iudgement than in affection in respect of the punishment not of his sin ergo it is not enough yet he hath profited further than many of vs which will not confesse our sinnes at all 5 Whensoeuer we haue sinned it is good to haue this or the like meditation good Lord wilt thou call me to iudgement and enter thine action with mee How shall I doe then I will take this order I will disagree and fall out with my selfe But is there any hope that God will then shewe mercy Yea no doubt for if the Lord were minded presently to imprison vs he would neuer by his prophets forewarne vs by a writ hee might vse the whole host of the creatures to execute his vengeance euery houre but hee deales more mercifully with vs if we confesse our sinnes 6 Naturally we be all slowe to confesse our sinnes we cast short reckoning on our owne faults Adam said I haue not sinned Lord hee lesseneth his sinne in conceit saying The woman gaue it me and I did eate Iob seemeth to make an apologie as being vnworthy of such a punishment But wee must learne that a sinner the more hee doth extenuate and hide sinne the more he doth aggrauate sinne and hasten iudgement the more freely he doth confesse and iudge himselfe the more he is freed from Gods seate of iustice Pro. 28. 13. 2. Cor. 11. 31. 32. CHAP. XV. Of Conscience LOoke how is our Conscience so is our confidence it is a tender peece we must