an Rhadamanth Aristot Ethic. l. 5. c. 5. there is nothing more equall than such requitals u 2 Sam 12.10 11. DAVID abuseth the wife of Vriah and x 2 Sam. 16.22 his owne sonne abuseth his in the same sort y 2 Sam. 12.9 10. He slayeth Vriah himselfe with the sword and for the slaughter of Vriah the sword haunteth his house a Iudg. 1.6 7. Adoni-bezeks cruelty on those that he had conquered was requited with the like executed through Gods just judgement on him by those into whose hands he fell and even hee himselfe acknowledgeth the equitie of it And b Exod. 22.22.24 Tolerabilius est siquis patiatur quod fecerit Miramur si nos barbari capiunt cùm sratres nostros nos faciamus captivos Diu id oppressione plurimorum elaboravimus ut captivando alios etiam ipsi incipiamus esse captivi Sentimus enim quae fecimus ac labores manuum nostrarum manducamus justo judice Deo solvimus quae debemus Miserti exulum non sumus ecce ipsi sumus exules Peregrinos fraude cepimus â—ecce ipsi peregrinamur Praejudiciis alios circumvenimus ipsi praejudicia nunc timemus Salvian de provid lib. 5. God threatneth such as oppresse poore widowes and orphans That their wives shall be widowes and their children orphans Consider 5 5. What neglects or evill acts being faultie in them wee have beene admonished of or checked for either publikely in the ministery of the Word or privately by good offices of friends or others yea or inwardly by the voice of our owne heart or the motions and suggestions of Gods Spirit and yet we have not regarded to amend and reforme For it is an usuall thing with God when his Word taketh not place nor prevaileth with us c A verbis ad verbera progreditur Esa 50.1.2 Ier. 26.3 4 5. to second it with the Rod as thereby d Vt fidem verbis verbera faciant dum corporis plagae testes sunt veritatis culpae Gregor in Evan. 37. to seale up and confirme the truth of it so e Esa 28.19 Vexatio intellectum dat auditui quia tunc peccator intelligit quod audivit cùm se jam pro contemptu vexari doluerit Greg. mor. l. 15. c. 22. to make us the more attentive unto it He doth as Absolom did with Ioab f 2 Sam. 14.30 31. when he would not come at him having sent once or twice for him he caused his servants to set his corne on fire and then commeth Ioab to him without further sending for to know what he would with him and why he had so served him And so saith Elihu doth God g Iob 33 14-22 he calleth upon men many times to breake off their bad courses either by outward admonitions or by inward suggestions * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil Caes homil 12. which when men regard not he layeth some affliction upon them that continueth with them and sticketh by them till it have h Aures poena aperit quas voluptas clauscrat opened their eares that were stopt before and pulled down their pride or taken downe their stomack and made them to say with Saul strucken downe to the ground i Domine qâ—id vis faciam Act. 9.6 Lord what is it that thou wouldest have me to doe Considerat 6 6. How we have abused as well Gods judgements as his Mercies how we have either refused or neglected to hearken as well to the sound of Gods rod as to the voice of his Word what afflictions have formerly beene inflicted on us whereof little or no use at all hath beene made by us For that is also usually Gods manner when men profit not by such crosses as he hath formerly exercised them with k Ier. 5.3 6. Esa 9 17-20 Hosh 5.12 13 14. Amos 4 6-12 to proceed from shorter to some of longer continuance from milder to sharper courses He dealeth with the sonnes of men as the Physitian doth with his patient l Si malum morbi fortius creverit majorae remedia quaeruntur pro salute hominis solicita fortiùs se medicina opponit asperi cibi potus ingeruntur amari Et si convaluerit malum ignis adhibetur ferrum Firmic de error Gentil who when he findeth that the potion which he hath given his patient will not worke with him he secondeth it with some stronger purge when he perceiveth the disease to be so setled that sudden courses will not serve he prescribeth him a course of some longer continuance So our Saviour fore-warned the poore man whom he had healed That m Iohn 5.14 if he sinned againe some worse matter would befall him his not profiting by the former would procure unto him some further some farre heavier crosse And n Levit. 26.18 27 28 c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Naz. orat 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. God threatneth his people that if lighter matters would not amend them he would lay harsher and heavier things on them till they were even in a manner wasted and consumed withall Meanes 2 Secondly what we finde our selves thus faulty in we should endevour to reforme As we must labour to finde out the cause of the evill and what hath turned Gods face from us so should we withall labour to remove the same o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gregor Naz. orat 22. Vt sublata caussa tollatur effectus that the cause being taken away the effect also may cease and that Gods face that is now turned from us may be turned againe towards us For this should be the end of our search to discover what is amisse and this the end of our discoverie to amend and remove the evill discovered either in our hearts or in our lives p Dolosè quaerit qui timet invenire quod quaerit Sunt enim qui iniquitatem suam quasi conantur quaerere timent invenire Qui quia dolosè agebant ut invenirent ubi invenerint non oderunt Si enim non dolosè sed sincerè agerent quod invenerunt odissent Aug. in Psal 35. Otherwise our search is but vaine and frivolous and our inquirie unsincere Yea better were it for us never to have beene so forward to search if wee be not as forward to redresse what upon search we have found to be otherwise than well with us It must needs aggravate wrath when we are shewed or see what is amisse and are not carefull to amend q Lam 3.40 Let us search and trie our wayes say they and returne unto the Lord as DAVID of himselfe r Psal 119.59 I considered my wayes and turned my feet unto thy paths where upon such consideration I found that I had swarved from them And then Å¿ Lam 3.41 Explorandum Deplorandum Implorandum Alsted System Theol. Let us lift up our hearts with our hands unto the Lord our God in heaven As if it were
are reall Sermons of reformation and repentance They have a voyce saith the Prophet But every one understandeth not this voyce n Quomodo Bern. in Cant. 79. Graecè loquentem non intelligit qui Graecam non novit nec Latinè loquentem qui Latinus non est Sic lingua amoris ei qui non amat barbara est sicut aes sonans aut cymbalum tinniens They spake in a strange language to many to the most as o Act. 9.7 cum 22.9 Ita conciliat post Calvinum Piscator melius puto quà m Chrysost Theophyl Oecum Lyra Hugo Beza alii qui ad Pauli vocem coactius referunt Pauls companions when Christ spake to him they heare a noyse and no more p Psal 92.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heraclit apud Clement in protrept Theodor. de curand Graec. l. 1. The foolish saith the Psalmist conceive it not and the brutish understand it not But q Mica 6.9 a man of wisedome the wise man saith the Prophet knoweth what it meaneth And as the Psalmist speaketh of Gods workes of mercie r Psal 107.43 Who so is wise to observe these things such shall understand the loving kindnesse of the Lord So of his workes of judgement saith Ieremie Å¿ Ier. 9.12 Who so is wise to understand these things to him the mouth of God speaketh and hee is able to declare what this Voice of God saith And of both of them the Prophet Hoshe t Hosh 4.10 Who so is wise will understand these things and who so is of understanding will know that the Lords wayes are u Esa 26.7 10. Ezech. 18.25 strait and even and the just shall walke in them but the wicked shall fall in them To use Chrysostomes comparison yea and Augustines too x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrysost in 1 Cor. hom 7. Lay you a booke open before a childe or one that cannot reade he may gaze and stare on it but he can make no use of it because he understandeth nothing at all in it But bring it to one that can reade and that understandeth the language it is written in and he can reade you many stories or instructions out of it It is as dumbe and silent to the one it speaketh to and talketh with the other In like manner is it with y Dei opera admiranda qui non aspicit tantum sed intelligit quasi legit Aliter enim videtur pictura aliter videntur literae Picturam cùm videris hoc est totum vidisse laudasse Literas cùm videris commonerà eas legere quod si fortè non nosti Quid putamus inquis esse quod hîc scriptum est Interrogas quid sit cùm jam videas aliquid Sed aliud tibi demonstraturus est à quo quaeris agnoscere quod vidisti Alios ille oculos habet alios tu Apices similiter videtis non similiter signa cognovistis Tu vides laudas ille videt laudat legit intelligit Aug. in Ioan. 24. Gods judgements as Augustine also well applieth it all sorts of men see them but few are able aright to reade them â—r to understand them what they say But what is it that the wise man is by them admonisheâ— Surely a Mica 6.9 to listen to the Rod saith Micah and b Quis accersat Iun. who or what it is that hath procured it to enquire saith Ieremie what is the cause c Ier. 9.12 why the land is spoiled and lieth burnt up like a wilde wildernesse that no man passeth thorow that is to search out the cause of the present crosse To which purpose also Gods people in the time of their captivitie d Lam. 3.40 Let us search say they and sift out our workes and our wayes They had before entered into some discourse and dispute with themselves what might be the cause of that their calamitie And first they lay downe this for an undoubted and undeniable position That e Amos 3.6 Quicquid malorum poenarumve perpetimur censura est divinae manus Salvian de provid l. 8. Quicquid patimur venit ex alto Sen. Oed. 5.2 there is no evill that befalleth any either person or people but the Lord hath his hand in it f Lam. 3.37 38. Dare any man say they say that g Matth. 10.29 ought commeth to passe and the Lord hath not appointed it Doth not h 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Homer Odyssâ—ó both good and evill come out of his mouth But what then Doth God as i Heb. 12.10 earthly fathers doe who in an idle humour sometime correct their children without cause Or k Lam. 3.34 doth God take pleasure in stamping upon his people and in vexing and grieving of them No l Lam. 3.33 he doth not willingly or from the heart punish and afflict the sonnes of men m Est placidus facilisque pater veniaeque paratus Et qui fulmineo saepè sinè igne tâ—nat Qui cùm triste aliquid statuit fit tristis ipse Cuique fere poenam sumere poena sua est Ovid. Pâ—nt 2.2 Est piger ad poenas Deus est ad praemia velox Quique dolet quoties cogitur esse ferox Multa metu poena poenâ qui paâ—ca coercet Et jacet invitâ fulmina rara manu Ibid. 1.3 Torqueris ipse cùm tam lenis irasceris Plin. ep 21. l 9. It is a griefe to him to be grievous unto us it is a paine to him to be punishing of us It goeth as much against the heart with him to afflict as it goeth against the haire with us to be afflicted Why but what is the cause then that he dealeth so harshly with us that he carrieth himselfe so austerely towards us * Lam. 3.39 Wherefore is the living man afflicted Man suffereth for his sinne n Lam. 3.42 Victa tamen vilio est hujus clementia nostro Et venit ad vires ira coacta suas Ovid. Pont. 2.2 Ergò illum demens in me sevire coegi Mitius immensus quo nihil orbis habet Idem trist 4.8 Nunc quoque nil fecit nisi quod facere ipse coegi Nec minus infestus quà m fuit esse potest Idem de Pont. 1.3 Exacerbamus Deum impuritatibus nostris ad puniendos nos trabimus invitum Salvian de provid l. 4. c. 5. Wee have sinned and rebelled against him and he hath not spared us o Deus boâ—us de suo saevus de nostro Tertull. de resurr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil Câ—s homil 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Naz. orat 6. God is good of himselfe he hath his harshnesse from us it is our corruption that requireth it p Crudelem medicum intemperans ager facit P. Syr. A disordered patient maketh a cruell Physitian By our disordered courses q Esa 27.4 Ier. 7.19 Cùm ejus naturae sit meus Dei atque majestas
with us ready on all occasions to advise us never weary of conferring with us i Esai 30.1 31.1 Prov 1.25 Non est verendum ne dedignetur condiscendere nobis qui potius si vel exiguum quid absque illo conamur indignatur Bern. in Cant. serm 17. angry with us for nothing but either for not asking or not following his advice whom therefore if wee shall neglect to consult with and take counsell of upon every just occasion the common warinesse of worldly men yea our owne warinesse in worldly things will one day worthily condemne us § 21. Yet is this that that most men can be hardly drawne to condescend unto to take advice of Gods word that is so willing to advise them There is none but would have comfort from it and there is none almost willing to take counsell of it We like all well to have a Comforter of it but wee have no lust to make a Counsellor of it But as David and Gods Spirit by David joyneth these two together so k Matth. 19.6 wee must not disjoyne or sever them the one from the other or if wee doe wee shall but delude our selves with vaine hopes For he that taketh not counsell of Gods word shall never receive comfort from Gods word Hee that maketh it not a Counsellor shall never finde it a Comforter The neglect of this hath beene the cause that many wise otherwise and religious have oft shamefully over-shot themselves because with l Iosh 9.14 Ioshua and the Israelites in their agreements with the Gibeonites they have not beene carefull to consult with the voyce of God in his word In which kinde commeth justly to be censured the unadvised carriage of those that practise first and advise afterward runne on head into ambiguous actions and then after fall to examining whether they have done well and as they ought in them or no. Of which course well saith the Wiseman m Prov 20.25 Serò atquestultè prius quod factum oportuit postquam comedit rem rationem putat Plaut Trinum 2.4 It is a snare for a man to devoure a thing consecrated and then afterward to inquire of the vow A man is ensnared and entangled now by his owne act so that hee is not so free n malè verum examinat omnis Corruptus judex Hor. ser 2. l. 2. nor fit now to judge aright of it because his practice hath fore-stalled and as it may fall out corrupted and perverted his judgement ready therefore as o Quisque sua in lite est judex corruptus one partiall in his owne cause or as a Judge that hath taken somewhat of the one side to passe no sincere nor indifferent sentence § 22. As also their preposterous course commeth here not unworthily to be taxed that first resolve and then consult determine first what they will doe and then aske advice what they should doe Thus did the Jewish Captaines sometime with Ieremie p Ierem. 42.2 7. They come to him very demurely and make deepe protestations calling God solemnly to witnesse of the truth of their intention of their willing minde and full purpose to put in execution and practise whatsoever God by the Prophet should advise them unto were it good or bad But as q Ierem. 42.20 Ieremie after truly told them they dissembled but with him For they were resolved before what course they would take and came onely to make triall whether the Prophet would concurre therein with them or no. Which when they found that he did not they flie off fairely from him yea they sticke not to give him the lie and to tell him to his teeth r Ierem. 43.2 3. that the answer hee brought them was no divine Oracle but an untruth of his owne coyning at the instigation of Baruc. And in like manner doe many now adayes repaire to Gods Ministers for their opinion in cases of conscience concerning the lawfulnesse of some act that they are resolved on already that if they deliver their opinions with them they may then be able to say they had the judgement of good Divines for it before they did it or attempted ought in it to stop the mouthes of those with that may afterward question it but whether they concurre or no resolved to goe on and so oft doe directly contrary to the judgement and advice of those whom they made shew to consult with I say not but that a man consulting with a Divine if hee receive not good satisfaction from him is free still notwithstanding his sentence But ſ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ariani Epictet l. 2. c. 7. Et c. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a man to resort to t Malac. 2.7 Gods Ministers and Messengers for advice when he is resolved before what hee will doe howsoever they shall advise or howsoever hee may be convinced by Gods word of the contrary is no other but a meere mockerie both of them and of him yea and as it falleth out oft a meanes of deluding himselfe too and betraying his owne soule to sin the rather while u Ezech. 14.9 10 11. God in his just judgement many times fitteth such hypocriticall Consulters with such corrupt Counsellors as speake not what they deeme agreeable to Gods holy will and word but what they suppose the party resorting to them is willing to heare Point 2 § 23. A second point wherein this spirituall Watch consisteth is the diligent Observation of our owne speciall corruptions x 1 Pet. 2.11 I beseech you brethren saith the Apostle as Pilgrims and Strangers abstaine from fleshly lusts that fight against the soule Sinne is the maine enemie and the y 1 Cor. 15.56 band of mans soule And z Omnia vitia contra naturam pugnant Senec epist 112. Et cùm constet omnes ab omnibus impugnari diverso tamen modo ordine singuli laboramus Serapion apud Cassian collat 5. c. 13. all sinnes in generall fight against every mans soule but some sinnes more specially against some than against others And as in the world where two neighbour kingdomes are at open warre either with other there is an hostilitie in generall betweene all the Subjects of either even betweene those that never bore armes against nor ever saw either other but this hostilitie is more specially executed and exercised betweene those that either border either upon other or are up in armes in the field together either against other So here there is a generall hostilitie betweene each Soule and all Sinne but that exercised in more speciall manner betweene each particular soule and some peculiar sinnes and these commonly of two sorts the sinnes of a mans calling or particular vocation and the sinnes of a mans nature or of his naturall constitution § 24. First the sinnes of a mans Calling under which head also may be comprehended the sinnes either of the places that men abide in or of the times that they
bitterly he bewaileth his restraint in this kinde how instantly hee sueth to God for freedome of resort how he blesseth those that had liberty of repaire or place of abode there even the very birds themselves that had accesse but to build thereabout and you will soone see a strange difference betweene that worthy man of God and these that so highly over-prize their owne private devotions as thus to under-value the publike assemblies of Gods Saints and the ministery of his Word § 75. And yet neither also is this sufficient indeed that we frequent the publike meanes private helpes must be added and adjoyned thereunto of meditation of conference of supplication of examination of confession and the like that though much of most of the weeke be taken up with our worldly affaires yet we reserve some time amids them constantly every day for some spirituall imployment For as it is with our clockes and our watches that unlesse they be wound up at certaine times they will slacken their motion yea by meanes of the heavy weights and plummets of lead that hang on them they will at length come downe to the ground and so stand stone still So is it with our soules we have our earthy affections and our worldly thoughts as heavy weights hanging so at the heeles of them that unlesse they be at some certaine times wound up as it were by the use of some holy exercises they will grow slacke and sluggish in their mounting up to Heaven-ward yea at length it may bee come to an utter cessation of all endevour in that kind For this cause David as q Psal 1.1 2. he maketh this one property of a Blessed man that he maketh Gods Law his daily yea and his nightly meditation So he professeth of himselfe that it was r Psal 119.97 one of his daily exercises to meditate on Gods Word and ſ Psal 16.7 63.5 6. 119.62 it was his nightly imployment to bee singing of Gods praises He had certaine set times every day for meditation and invocation t Psal 55.7 at morning at noone-tide and at even And besides those ordinary set times he tooke occasion oft extraordinarily as opportunity was offered even u Psal 119.164 seven times a day that is many times to be lauding of the Lord either for his judgements or for his mercies And the like should wee doe every one of us if we desire to keepe this spirituall Watch fresh in our soules and x Rebus non me trado sed commodo Quocunque constiti loco aliquid in animo salutare verso Cùm me amicis dedi non tamen mihi abduco nec cum illis moror quibus me causa ex officio nata civili congregavit sed cum optimo quoque sum ad illos animum meum mitto Senec. epist 62. Et ad Lucil. ibid. 15. Quicquid facies citò redi à corpore ad animum illum diebus ac noctibus exerce would not have them wholly dulled with or drowned in the world we should set some time apart every day from our worldly affaires to be spent in reading in meditation in conference with God at least in prayer and invocation of his name in search of our soules in acknowledgement of our sinnes c. And so intermingle the one with the other that by over-eager attending the one we doe not wholly neglect the other It is that that would fit us for the publike ministery and make it the more effectuall with us As on the other side y Legatur Chrysost de Lazaro Divite homil 3. it is well observed that the want of such private imployments maketh the publike ministery altogether unprofitable with many z 2 Tim. 3.7 who heare much and are at many Sermons but gaine little by any because they are not carefull hereby either to prepare their hearts before hand to receive the seed of the Word as into ground fitted for it or to water and cherish what they have taken in on the Sabbath by a constant course of religious offices in the weeke following § 76. Nor let any man alledge here in way of excuse for himselfe that for the workes of his calling they are so many so manifold he cannot possibly finde any spare time to spend thus in religious imployments For to omit what might be said further in way of answer hereunto did they esteeme so highly of holy things as the worth of them well deserveth they would finde time for them as well as they doe ordinarily for matters of farre lesse weight than it Yea that which is a foule shame to consider those that will pretend such straits of time to shift off such imployments can finde many of them time enough if not more than enough to follow their vaine and idle disports And canst thou finde every day almost spare time enough at large for the one and canst thou no day almost finde the least spare time at all for the other Undoubtedly that day maist thou well esteeme but evill imployed whereof thou spendest more part in thy vaine delights than in the advancement of thy spirituall good To conclude if we will watch aright and as wee ought as the workes of our speciall callings must not be neglected so our spirituall good and those meanes either publike or private that tend directly to the nourishing and improving of it are to bee principally regarded And therefore so are we to ply and follow the one that yet even amids them we take time for and * Sicut laborantibus manibus nec oculus proptereà clauditur nec auris abstinet ab auditu sic imò multo melius laborante corpore mens quoque ipsa sua intenta sit operi ut non prorsus vacet Bern. de divers 40. exclude not wholly all minding and meditation of the other yea so warily in their due season to attend either that neither wee bee surprised with slouth and idlenesse on the one side nor yet with worldlinesse on the other And thus have wee seene both what it is to watch why wee are so to watch the manner how wee must watch and the meanes whereby wee may bee enabled so to watch in some measure Question § 77. Now here ere we end would a Question be answered For may some say But is it possible for any man living by this manner of watching to keepe ever waking by thus watching against sinne to keepe himselfe wholly free from sinne To passe by here that conceit of some Schoole-men Answer that a man cannot keepe himselfe free from all sin in generall but that he may from any one sinne whatsoever in particular that he may though not from all yet from this or that sinne Which they expresse by a similitude a Exemplum ponitur de existente in vase perforato qui licet possit quod libet singulorum foraminum obstruere non tamen omnia dum enim unum obstruit aliud patens relinquitur
content to wait all day long with forbearance not of disport onely but of ordinary diet too that would thinke much but halfe an houre in the day to wait upon him Againe * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Antipho apud Stob. c. 10. Cogitavarities miseros caeca cupido Noctes atque dies niti praestante labore Lucret. de nat rerum lib. 3. for worldly wealth men can toile and moile all the weeke long and yet are they not weary they thinke not the whole weeke long enough neither But for the heavenly gaine for the spirituall thrift we have but one day of seven and we thinke that too much too we thinke the day all too long the labour all lost and the whole time cast away that wee imploy and spend to this purpose We say as the same Jewes at another time said h Amos 8 5. When will the new Moone be past and the Sabbath once over that wee may returne againe unto our worldly affaires Yea many among us have not the patience to tarry so long but spend a great part of the Sabbath that is Gods Market or Mart-day for the getting of this spirituall gaine either about their worldly affaires or their bodily delights The Sabbath day I say is Gods Market-day And those that seeke to take away the Sabbaths attempt to put downe Gods Markets and so doe the Devill good service whatsoever their intent bee As frequenting of Markets maketh a rich man so keeping of Sabbaths maketh a rich Christian And as we count him a bad husband that followeth game on the Market day so may we as well count him a spirituall unthrift that spendeth the Sabbath in that sort But may some say when we have beene at Church and heard the Sermon and Service is not Gods Market-day then done I answer If the Sabbath be i Levit. 23.32 Matth 28 1. a day then is it not so soone done * Debet totus dies festivus à Christiano expendi in operibus sanctis Rob. Grosâ—hed Lincoln Episc in Decalog praecept 3. Gods Market lasteth all day long Yea grant the principall because the publike of it be past yet as Market-folks returning from Market will be talking of their Markets as they goe by the way and bee casting up of their penny-worths when they come home reckon what they have taken and what they have laid out and how much they have gotten So should we after we have heard the Word publikly confer privately of it with others at least meditate on it by our selves and be sure to take an account of our selves how we have profited that day by the Word that hath beene spoken unto us and by other religious exercises that have beene used of us And as the Market-man counteth that but an evill Market-day that hee hath not gained somewhat on more or lesse So may wee well account it an evill Sabbath to us whereon we have not profited somewhat whereon we have not either increased our knowledge or beene bettered in affection whereon we have not beene further either informed in judgement or reformed in practice whereon we have added no whit at all to our talent To winde up all in a word If wee hold Godlinesse to bee as the Apostle here saith it is a matter of Gaine and of great Gaine that which maketh Gaine to be Gaine and without which Gaine it selfe is no Gaine indeed that k Omnia adsunt bona quem penes est virtus pietas Plaut Amphitr 2.2 it bringeth all good with it to him that hath it and that it never leaveth him but abideth with him and sticketh by him for ever Oh let us labour then to get of it and to grow more and more in it let us endeavour to outgoe one another in godlinesse let us call our selves to a reckoning how we thrive or pare in it let us l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Solon apud Plut. de signis profect de utilit ex inimic de tranquill not put it away for such trifles and toyes as the world or the m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost tom 7. eclog. 30. tom 6. serm 73. in Matth. hom 3. Devil shall tender unto us to bereave us of so pretious a pearle especially let us have a care of frequenting n Esa 55.1 Gods Markets of observing Gods Sabbaths the principall meanes of increasing this spirituall wealth in us So shall it come to passe that we shall have God to be our portion we shall be heires of his Kingdome and coheires with his Christ we shall have all the good things both of this life and the next assured unto us here and the full fruition of them for ever hereafter The end of the first Part. THE SECOND PART The Sufficiencie of it in it selfe HItherto of the maine point to wit that Godlinesse is great Gaine Now because this proposition will not either easily enter into mens mindes or sinke suddenly into their hearts The Holy Ghost by the Apostle is content to bring a double proofe of it The one drawne from the time present because it is able alone to give a man contentment here that which all the world else is not able to doe expressed in this verse The other taken from the time to come because it will continue with and abide by a man for ever hereafter that which no worldly wealth or ought else in the world can doe implied in the a Vers 7. next verse Godlinesse with contentment or b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with Self-sufficiencie For so it is word for word in the Originall and the word so properly importeth As if he had said Godlinesse and contentment are two inseparable companions that continually harbour and keepe house together that goe ever hand in hand the one with other so that a man cannot have the one without the other he cannot want the one if he have the other There is no true Godlinesse where there is not contentment of minde no true contentment of minde where Godlinesse is not So that the Apostle seemeth to reason on this wise That which of it selfe is sufficient to content the minde of man that is true gaine and great gaine indeed For it is no small matter that will suffice to stay and settle mans minde But Godlinesse is of it selfe sufficient to content the minde of man and doth ever bring true contentment with it to him that hath it Godlinesse therefore it true gaine and great gaine indeed Hence then may we deduce these three conclusions to be considered of in order 1 That contentment of minde is a most pretious treasure 2 That godlinesse alone can produce and procure this contentment 3 That true contentment is an undoubted argument of Godlinesse For the first c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Epicur apud Laert contentment of minde is an unvaluable an inestimable treasure For it is that indeed that maketh riches to bee riches d Quis dives qui
c. 13. when hee was even now as it were at the last gaspe r Fateor non sum dignus ego nec possum propriis meritis regnum obtinere coelorum Caeterum Dominus meus duplici jure illad possidens haereditate Patris merito passionis altero ipse contentus ulcerum mihi donat Bern. ibid. I confesse saith he that I am not worthy of nor can by mine owne merits obtaine the Kingdome of Heaven But my Lord Iesus Christ who holdeth it by a double right the Inheritance of his Father and the merit of his Passion contenting himselfe with the one bestoweth on me the other This then hath beene by our adversaries their owne confession the ordinary practice of Gods People even the greatest the godliest the worthiest of them And can we imagine but that their Faith and their Doctrine then at other times was correspondent thereunto No undoubtedly Thus they did and thus they died themselves and thus taught they their people to doe and to die Yea thus were our Ancestors here in England above five hundred yeers agone taught to prepare themselves for death by Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury who then lived Among other Questions he willeth that this bee demanded of the sicke man that lieth a dying * Credis speras venire ad salutem aeternam non tâ—s mâ—ritis sed Christi Dicat Sic. Ansel ut refertur in Tract de Arte moriendi Impress Bisuntii Anno 1488. Dost thou beleeve and hope to be saved or to come to life eternall not by thine owne merits but by Christs To which Question hee adviseth the sicke man to say yea And then turning his speech to him by way of instruction and exhortation Å¿ In sola Christi morte te totum contege huic morti te involve Et si Dominus Deus te voluerit judicare dic Domine mortem Domini 〈◊〉 Iesu Christi objicio inter te me judicium tuùm aliter tecum non contendo Si dixerit quod mereris damnationem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mortem D. mei I. C. objicio inter te me mala merita meâ— ipsumque dignissimo passionis meritu mosserâ— pro merito qâ—od ego habere debuissem heu non habeo Ibid. Cover thy selfe saith he all over with Christs death and winde up thy Soule in it And if God offer to judge thee say thou Lord I set the death of my Lord Iesus Christ betweene me and thee and thy judgement and I will no otherwise contend with thee If he say thou deservest damnation say thou I set the death of my Lord Iesus Christ betweene thee and mee and mine evill deserts And I tender the Merits of his most worthy Passion in stead of the Merit that I should have but alas have not This then was the Doctrine and Practice of those Ancient Fathers and this it was that our Ancestors and Forefathers were taught contrary to that that the Church of Rome teacheth and maintaineth at this day Yea this that fire-brand of the Christian world Pope Hildebrand made profession of when he writ on this wise as Baronius reporteth of him to the Abbot of Clugny * Ita me gravatum propria actionis pondere invenio ut nulla remaneat spes salutis nisi de sola misericordia Christi Greg. PP 7. in ep ad Hug. Cluniac apud Baron tom 11. An. 1075. num 7. I finde my selfe so depressed with the weight of mine owne actions that I have no hope of safety left but in the mercy of Christ alone But let us examine Bellarmines cautelous conclusion a little 1. Is this the surest and safest course why condemne they us then as Heretikes for taking and teaching it Why t Index Expurg Hispan In libro qui inscribitur Ordo baptizandi Deleantur illa verba Credis non propriis meritis sed Domini Christi virtute merito ad gloriam pervenire Index Belg. ex Iac. Fabr in Rom. 4. dele Tu sisapis neque in fide neque in operibus sed in Deo confide Et ex Comment in Gal. 3. Qui confidit in operibus in seipso confidit baculo nititur arundineo Et ex Comment in Ephes 1. Quid igitur laudabimus Nunquid nos aut opera nostra c. Nequaquam crosse they out of their owne Writers such speeches as tend this way Would they not have men goe the safer way It is their Canonists rule and their Casuists common note that u In duviis ambiguis via tutior eligenda este Clemens 3. in Decretal lib. 5. tit 10. cap. 12. Gerson in Reg. Mor. Martin Navar. Enchirid. cap. 27. §. 284. The safest side where any doubt may be is to be held And that much doubt may be yea must needs bee here himselfe telleth us when he teacheth that x Non possunt homines in hac vita habere â—ertitudinem fidei de sua justitia nisi ea speciali revelatione Bellarmin de Iustificat lib. 3. c. 3. Nemo absque revelatione ceriò scire potest se habere verae morita ibid. cap 5. Hoc scire impossibile est nisi ad sit revelatio Ibidem cap. 8. Mans Merits are ordinarily very uncertain yea so uncertaine that without speciall revelation a man can have no assured certainty of them So that our fault belike herein is only this then that we are not so venturous or foole-hardie rather as they are 2. Is it a sure yea the surest and safest course that can bee to trust in Gods mercy alone Then is Gods mercy alone belike able to save a man without merits For in vaine were it to trust in it alone if it alone were not sufficient to save according to that excellent saying of Bernard speaking of those words of the Psalmist y Psal 37.40 Hee will save them because they trust in him He z Salvabit eos quare quibus meritâ— Audi quod sequitur Quia speraverunt in eo Dulcis causa attamen effiâ—me attamen irrefragabilis Nimirum haec est justitia sed quae ex fide est non ex lege Bern. in Psal 90. Serm. 9 â—â—in August de verb. Ap. 7. Miserere mei Quare Quia virtutem habeo qua te promerear quiae voluntatis arbitrium gerâ— unde gratiam tuam meritum meum praecedat Non quoniam in te speravit anima mea Psal 57.1 will save them saith he Why so For what merits of theirs Marke what followeth Because they trust in him A sweet cause but effectuall and irrefragable This is the righteousnesse indeed not of the Law but of Faith a Hoc totum est hominis meritum si totam spem ponat in de qui totum hominem falvum fecit Bern. Idem ibid Serm. 15. This is mans whole merit that he set his whole hope on him who hath saved the whole man And b Haec est vera hominis fiduciae â—se deficientis innitentis
given over to doe for it in these dayes as he had wont to doe in former times yea when wee shall see it left in such plight not for a short space onely but for so long a time together her enemies might and malice q Psal 74.23 dayly growing more and more and her means on the other side dayly more and more failing and her might and power daily more and more impaired and impoverished that God may seeme cleane to have forgotten her and to thinke no more of her but even r Psal 73.1 77.7 8 9. to have cast her off for ever yet ſ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Apollodor must we not despaire even then of her preservation and of the raising of her up againe But as Iehoshaphat in his straights t 2 Chron. 20.12 Psal 25.15 have the eyes of our faith fixed upon God and his Word who hath promised and u Psal 111.7 8. his promise shall never faile or prove false x Iosh 1.9 Heb. 13.5 Psal 94.14 1 Sam. 12.22 never to leave or forsake his though for a time y Iudg. 6.13 he may seeme so to doe ſ Qui nil potest sperare desperet nihil Senec. Med. 2.1 Magnae indolis signum est sperare semper Flor. hist lib. 4. c. 8. And wee must withall remember that this is no new matter but the same that oft-times hath befallen the Church of God formerly That mans extremitie is Gods opportunitie z Psal 119.126 It is now time for thee saith DAVID Lord to put to thy hand when men have even destroyed thy Law So then is Gods time to helpe his Church when it seemeth ready to bee destroyed and even utterly swallowed up for ever Then is the fittest time for a Gen. 22.10 11. the Angell to call to Abraham to stay his hand when the knife is even at Isaaks throat and hee given up now for b Heb. 11.19 dead And then is the seasonablest time for God to set in foot for the rescuing of his Church and Children and the deliverance of his chosen ones c Psal 37.12 13 14 15. when the enemies dagger is at their very heart and they seeme now given up for gone As d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ex Iosephi antiq l. 18. Euseb hist eccles l. 2. c. 5. Philo sometime told his people That hee was verily perswaded that God would now doe some thing for them because Caius was so earnestly bent against them yea that then Gods helpe is nearest when man 's is furthest off As it is commonly said e Vbi desinit Philosophus ibi incipit Medicus Where the Philosopher endeth there the Physitian beginneth and f Vbi desinit Medicus ibi incipit Theologus where the Physitian endeth there the Divine beginneth So g Vbi desinit humanum ibi incipit divivum auxilium where mans aid endeth there Gods aid beginneth Deliverance is oft nearest when destruction seemeth surest It is never fitter time for God to put to his helping hand than when all humane helpes that are wont to bee as vailes and curtains drawne betweene our eye and Gods hand doe utterly faile h Esa 59 14-18 When Iudgement saith the Prophet was turned backe and Iustice stood aloofe off and Truth was fallen in the streets and Equity could not enter and all true dealing failed and i Non potest esse salvus qui non vult esse malus Salv. de provid l. 5. by refraining from evill men made themselves but a prey to the evill and the Lord saw it and wondred that no man would stand up or put forth himselfe to stand for the Truth Then did he himselfe put in to save by his owne arme and by his Iustice to support those that were ready to sinke Then put he on Iudgment as a Corslet and Salvation as an Helmet and Vengeance as a Roabe and Wrath as a Cloake to repay the fury of his adversaries and to recompence his enemies Then saith the Prophet God did thus and why not till then Surely to omit all other ends to get himselfe the more glory k Esa 59.19 That they might feare the Name of the Lord from the West and his Glory from the Sunne-rising when with a blast of his breath he should suddenly turne the tide againe and the Spirit of the Lord should drive back yea cary away the enemy that brake in like a flood had surrounded a great part and was like to over-flow over-whelme all That l Psal 76.10.6 mans furie as the Psalmist speaketh might turne to Gods glory when by his bare rebuke with a word of his mouth both horse and chariot are cast into a dead sleepe and * Psal 68.30 Increpa catervam armidiferam i. sagittis armatam ut tun caetum hastatum post D. Kimchi Leo Iud. lancearios vel jaculatores Calvin the troopes of archers are utterly discomfited and the remnant of their rage is contrary to expectation restrained That m Psal 46.1 2 3 6 7 9 10. he may be knowne and magnified for a mighty God and a powerfull Protector when though the nations rage and the kingdomes are in such a commotion that the earth seemeth to shake withall and the very mountaines to be removed and swallowed up in the Sea yet he suddenly stilleth all breaketh their bowes knappeth their speares asunder and burneth up their chariots and by a generall desolation and destruction of his enemies setleth such peace the whole world over for the behoofe of his Church and the freer passage of his Truth as was n Cuncta atque continua totius generis humani aut pax fuit aut pactio Flor. hist lib. 4. cap. 12. in Augustus time when o Esa 9.6 the Prince of peace came into the world Vse 4 Fourthly Let us learne in these cases to examine our selves where wee finde such things to befall us whether wee have not beene or growne carelesse in endevouring to retaine the favour of God with us and to maintaine the worke of his Spirit in us and strive therein to be more fervent wherein formerly we have beene slacke For that is one cause why God is wont so to estrange himselfe from his children to fetch them home to him that are too p Ierem. 2 31. Nihil est in nobis corde fugacius quod à nobis à Deo etiam toties recedit quoties per pravas cogitationes defluit Greg. pastor cur part 3. c. 1. §. 15. prone to stray from him when hee dealeth kindly with them and to make them more earnest and fervent in those things that they had waxed remisse and retchlesse in before when they were free from such afflictions that as q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg Naz. orat 31. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys contra Anomaeos 5. Humana mens aquae more circumclusa ad superiora colligitur quia illud repetit unde descendit
him though he seeme wholly to neglect mee or whether I will leave him and give over adhering unto him if hee doe not use mee as I would that he should And therefore I will resolve that I may not prove unsound to keepe constantly with him and not hearken to Satan nor yeeld to such indirect courses as by him shall be suggested for the procuring either of ease or of delivery whatsoever shall come of it Such constancie shall seale up unto us our sinceritie and shall not want with God a rich and a royall reward For he that shall so continue depending upon God when all humane helpes shall faile him and all lawfull meanes of releef choosing rather to endure griefe and paine all his life long and to live a life more bitter than death it selfe than to make triall of any unlawfull course to procure ease and releefe such a man so dying saith Chrysostome a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost cont Iud. orat 5. Malè interpres Proximo post martyres loco consistet shall have his place in heaven among the Martyrs yea such a one is no other than b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Idem ibid. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ibid. Non martyrium sola sanguinis effusio consummat nec sola dat palmam exustio illa flammarum Aug. de Sanct. 46. Multi ducunt martyrium in lecto c. Idem de divers 39. vise Chrysost in 1 Thess homil 3. a Martyr indeed he is as good a Martyr as he that leaveth his head on the block or is burnt to ashes at a stake for the testimonie of Gods truth and the keeping of a good conscience All the difference betweene the one and the other is this that to the one it is said Deny Christ or thou shalt die to the other it is said Doe evill or thou shalt live wretchedly thou shalt live a life little better if not worse than death He is once for all a Martyr that will rather endure the one he is oft yea every day a Martyr as Paul saith of himselfe that c 1 Cor. 15.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in Psal 95. cont Iud. 5. he died daily that chooseth rather to undergoe the other Too prone we are * Ier. 2.31 to stray from God when he useth us well when he dealeth lovingly with us but a most blessed thing it is when our hearts are so linked to him that we will not stir an inch from him though he seeme to carrie himselfe never so harshly towards us Vse 8 Lastly Would we have God in these cases to remember us let us be carefull then to remember him yea let us then learne to remember our selves Let us take heed how wee forget him if wee would not have him to forget us for d Deut. 32.15 18. Hosh 4.6 8.14 Zech. 12.7 13. our forgetfulnesse of him and our dutie to him is for the most part the cause that moveth him to forget us As indeed †Quid est quod nos queramur de Deo cum Deus magis queri de nobis omnibus possit quae ratio est ut dolcamus nos non audiri à Deo cum ipsi Deum non audiamus susurremus non respici à Deo terras cum ipsi non respiciamus ad coelum molestum sit despici à Domino preces nostras cum praecepta ejus despiciantur à nobis quid dignius quid justius non audivimus non audimur non respeximus non respicimur Salvian de provid lib. 3. what can bee more just or what more equall than for God to forget us when we forget him and to neglect us when we regard not him to refuse to heare us when wee refuse to heare him Or how can we with any colour complaine of the one when we are guiltie of the other Yea when God seemeth to have forgotten us if wee would have him againe remember us e Psal 22.27 Apoc. 2.5 4. Ezech. 36.31 Deut. 30.1 2. Let not us then be backward to remember our selves But let us apply our selves to make a right use of the crosse helpe to further the effect of it doe not crosse or hinder the worke of it The more speedie successe Gods hand hath with us the sooner it is like to be removed away from us f Psal 32.3 4. Define dissimulare Deus crudelius urit Quos videt invitossuccubuisse sibi Tibull eleg 1. 8. Cedam aculco ne bis pungar Bern. de divers 20. DAVIDS strugling with it and hanging backe and refusing to yeeld to that that God thereby required of him was a meane to continue it the longer upon him and to put him to the more paine And this undoubtedly is one maine cause of the long continuance of many evils that g Multi humiliantur humiles non sunt Bern. in Cant. 34. men are humbled as Bernard speaketh and yet are not humble * Plectimur à Deo nec flectimur tamen corripimur sed non corrigiâ—ur Salvian de provid l. 5. Non cessant vitia civium usque ad excidia civitatum Prius est interire quam corrigi Prius ipsos quam in ipsis vit ia non esse Ibid. Multo facilius fregeris quam flexeris Buchan Bapt. they will breake in sunder ere they will bow or bend under Gods hand Let us apply our selves therefore to that which by the crosse God requireth of us if we desire to have the crosse removed againe away from us Now this that we may doe Meanes 1 First We must endevour to enquire and finde out the cause of the crosse and the ground of Gods aversion of his face away from us h Languorum nullus inveniet medelas nisi prius morborum cognoverit causas Origen in Rom. lib. 1. Non potest scire quomodo morbos curare conveniat qui unde hi sint ignorat Corn. Cels de remed lib. 1. Absque causarum observatione morbos nec praecavere nec curare licet Fernel patholog l. 7. cap. 11. A disease can never be well cured till the cause of it be discovered Nor can we take any right course for the removall of a crosse unlesse that that hath procured it be in some sort discovered i Mica c. 9. The voyce of the Lord saith the Prophet Micah crieth unto the Citie God by his judgements preacheth not verball but reall Sermons unto us k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil Sel. homil 5. He preacheth even without preaching as Basil speaketh As hee is said l Psal 50.21 Esa 42.14 Quid est Tacui non judicavi non vindicavi Non tacet in verbo tacet in vindicta tacet in verbere Aug. in Psal 74. 93. 100. in Ioan. tr 4. homil 2. to hold his peace though he doe speake when hee doth not punish so is he said to preach though hee speake not when he doth punish m Esa 26.9 28.19 His very judgements
ut nulla iracundiae passione moveatur tanta tamen in nobis peccatorum exaâ—erbatio est ut per nos cogatur irasci Vim ut ita dixerim facimus pietati suae ac manus quodammodo afferimus misericordiae suae Cùm ejus benignitatis sit ut velit nobis jugiter parcere cogitur masis nostris scelera quae admittimus vindiâ—â—re Salvian de provid lib. 4. cap. 5. wee enforce him to anger in whom anger is not and even wrest and wring that from him that in some sort is not in him r Ierem. 30.14 Therefore saith he have I smitten thee with the wounds of an enemie for the multitude of thine iniquities and because thy transgressions are grievous What these sinnes of theirs therefore were doe they desire and purpose to make Å¿ Lam. 3.40 Search that so comming to understand the true cause of their calamitie they may set upon some course for meanes of recoverie And in like manner ought we to doe upon the like occasions say as Iob doth t Iob 10.2 Non sententiam causatur sed causam scrutatur erudiri flagellis petens non erui Bern in Cant. 33. Percussionis verbera acceperat causas verberum nesciebat Greg. mor. l. 23. c. 17. Quamvis peccatorem se sentiat fateatur non cognoscit tamen pro qua specialiter culpâ percutitur Ibid. lib. 9. cap. 34. Vise sis eundem ibid. cap. 30. Isidâ—r de sum bon lib. 3. cap. 2. Shew me O Lord or make knowne to me wherefore thou contendest with me doe as DAVID did when in Israel they had had a long time of dearth u 2 Sam. 21.1 Hee went to aske of God for what cause it might be make a search into take surveigh of our hearts and our lives labour as Salomon speaketh x 1 King 8.38 to finde out the plague the cause of it at least in our hearts and in our courses And for our better furtherance herein we may consider Consider 6 Consid 1 1. What sinnes especially God hath in his Word threatned such judgements against as are present on us or any part of his Church For if such sinnes be now found rife or reigning among us there is just cause to suspect that a Fidem verbis verbera saciunt Gregor in Evang. 37. God by such judgements doth make good his word b Iob 33.16 Ezech. 12.22 24 25 28. 5.13 6.10 sealeth up the truth of it and thereby sheweth that c Deut. 32.47 Non sunt vanae minae dominicae Polan in Malac. 1. His menaces are not vaine or uneffectuall that d Ierem. 5.12 13 14. his Prophets words as the prophane people sometime spake are not e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. de aud Translatum ab evis irritis ex quibus nihil gignitur quae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graeci vocant Plin. hist nat l. 10. c. 58. quidam ventò ea putant genetari qua de causa etiam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellantur Ibid. c. 60. Sed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato in Theaet windy Consider 2 2. What sinnes God hath formerly inflicted the like plagues for on others which if these times be found to imitate those in it may well be deemed that f Ier. 7.14 Quid miramur si paria perpetimur qui paria perpetramus Bern. de consid l. 2. God in justice as he findeth us like them in practice so he maketh us like them in punishment as hee findeth the like sinnes among us so he powreth the like plagues upon us as he findeth us sicke of the same sores so hee plieth us with the same plaisters Consider 3 3. How wee have abused those things or our selves in those things wherein or whereby God doth punish us For there is oft an analogie and a proportion betweene mens practices and Gods punishments betweene their transgressions and his judgements Looke g Wisd 11.13 In quibâ—s peccamus in eisdem plectimur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Dion Chrysost orat 55. wherein men offend therein usually are they punished And blessings abused are turned oft into curses as “ Exod. 4.3 the staffe sometime into a Serpent * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Greg. Naz. orat 6. that men may be crossed and plagued in those things which they were not thankfull for or used not well when they were blessed in them h 1 King 1.6 2 Sam 18 5. DAVID was too indulgent a father to his children and he smarted shrewdly for it in i 2 Sam 13 14. Ammons rape of Tamar k 2 Sam. 13.28 29. Absoloms murther of Ammon and both l 2 Sam. 15.10 12. Absoloms and afterwards m 1 King 1.5 9 11. Adoniaes rebellion n Hâ—sh 2.8 9. When Gods people abused those temporall blessings of gold and silver corne and wine wooll and flax that hee had bestowed on them God threatneth to returne and take them againe away from them And in like manner he threatneth them when they observed not his Sabbaths that o Levit. 26.35 their land during their captivitie should rest and lye waste untilled and untoiled because it rested not on their Sabbaths when they dwelt in it As also that because they set light by the word of God when they had it he would p Amos 8.5 11. send a famine of hearing it when they should be constrained to seeke farre and neere for and yet not finde that which they then refused when they might have had it or made no reckoning of when in great plentie they had it And q Deut. 28.47 48. because they did not serve the Lord their God with a good will and with a cheerefull heart in the abundance of all things they should therefore serve their enemies which he should send upon them in hunger and thirst and nakednesse and want of all things And r Ier 5.19 as they had served strange gods in their own land so they should serve strangers in a land that was not their owne Consider 4 4. How wee may have beene faultie towards others in those things that we now suffer our selves For Å¿ Esa 33.1 Ier. 30.16 Quod quisque fecit patitur autorem scelus Repetit suoque premitur exemplo niceâ—s Senec. Herc. fur 3.2 Quae scelere parta est scelere linquetur domus Idem Med. 1. ferox Theseus qualem Minoidi luctum Obtulerat mente immemori talem ipse recepit Catull nupt Pel. Thet. there is a just retaliation oft in such cases with God And t Deut. 19 19 21. Iam. 2.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pindar Nem. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Euripid. Orest Non est injuria pati quod prior feceris Sen. de ira l. 2. c. 30. Qui praedo vult esse meritò fit praeda Aug. in Psal 38. neque enim lex justior ulla Quam necis artifices arte perire sua Ovid art 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pythagor