which is a greater miracle then any of the other so grant we must a miracle whether we will or no. Such were the Prophets and Apostles for they wrought such workes as no man else could worke seeing they came from God These warrant us that these men that is the Prophets and Apostles they came from God and God hath spoken to us by them Now whether we be able to performe these things Luke 1.37 with God nothing is impossible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both for his knowledge power and will for so he saith Mat. 19.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with men this is unpossible but with God all things are possible and the reason is if it were not so there must needs be a want in his knowledge for every impotency it is for want of abilitie of knowledge but for his knowledge Heb. 4.15 all things are naked to him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. neither is there any creature which is not manifest in his sight but all things are naked and open unto his eyes For his Power Esay 59.1 his hand is not shortned it is able to reach to all and that we may see out of Numb 11.23 where God promising flesh enough for all the Host We see Moses his unbeliefe insomuch as he said Shall all the Fish of the Sea bee gathered together or all the Beasts of the Field come together and God saith ver 23. Is the Lords hand shortned thou shalt see now whether my words shall come to passe or no to thee The order Lastly for his Will that in Lament 3.25 The Lord is good to them that trust in him and to the soule that seeketh him A Father Scioposse scio scire cuperem velle I am perswaded of the Power and Knowledge of God but it is his Will I stick at 1. Faith Heb. 11.1 is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the substance of those things that are hoped for and the ground evidence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or demonstration of those things that are not seene Both words argue the great necessity of the Order of it If it be a substance it is to be handled first or if it be not the whole substance but the first part yet it commeth first to be handled For in totis ordinatis in all things where there is Order as Religion hath an order the first part dicitur substantia reliquarum is said to be the substance of the rest as the substance of an house is in the foundation of a ship in the sterne of a tree in the root Col. 1.23 it is compared to a Foundation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if ye continue grounded in the faith Col. 1.23 to a root 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rooted in the faith and there is a Shipwrack of our faith as 1 Tim. 1.19 and consequently it is compared to the sterne of Ship 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Argumentum or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the first Principle Rom. 4.14 if the Law stand still in effect then faith is voyde and then the principle of Religion is denyed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. 1 Cor. 15.17 If Christ be not risen then is your faith vaine making faith the first Principle And this for the Order Necessitas fidei There is a further thing to be considered in Faith that is the necessity of it That is necessary without which nothing can be done of a Christian man Faith is a diffused thing every where a Cor. 1.24 if we stand it is by Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for by faith yee stand 2 Cor. 5.7 if we walke we walke by faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for we walke by faith and not by sight 1 Cor. 7.37 if we sit it is our seat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. he that standeth firme in his heart c. or Rom. 14.23 whatsoever we doe if we have not faith it is sinne and in this respect Faith is called mater obedientiae the mother of obedience because all duties arise out of it at every thing that it apprehendeth it bringeth forth a new Vertue Luther hath a saying and if it be taken in a good sense it is true That in Faith all the Law is fulfilled before we have fulfilled any part thereof or worke of it in act And therefore in regard of this great necessity it pleased God to cast away the great names of the jolly wise men of the world and Philosophers 1 Cor. 1.19 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. for seeing the world knew not God in the wisedome of God it hath pleased God by the foolishnesse of Preaching to save them that beleeve Prima â—â—x christians credo and to entitle his flock onely by the name of Faithfull And Eusebius Emissenus hath a good reason for it for the first word of a Christian is Credo I beleeve which maketh a Christian If we be not faithfull we are unbeleevers and God giveth us no other name then that he is contented to take to himselfe 2 Cor. 1.18 Fidelis Deus God is faithfull and his sonne Heb. 12.2 is in no other sense called Author fidei finitor fidei the author and finisher of our Faith 1. Tim. 3.1 4.9 his word is called Sermo fidelis a true or faithfull saying This inchoatio visionis is begunne in this life and performed by faith and in the same place 1 Tim. 4.6 Sermo fidei and Rom. 10.8 Verbum fidei the word of Faith Gal. 6.10 the Church is called the Houshould of Faith Jam. 5.15 Prayer is called the Prayer of Faith Rom. 4.11 the Sacraments are called the Seales of Faith The kingdome of Heaven being compared to a marriage So we see it goeth cleane through all duties * * * Every good duty in this life is an inchoation of the blessednesse in the life to come And not only this but also that which was said in knowledge may be said of Faith for knowledge is for faith That it is the beginning of our blessednesse John 20.29 the faith without sight blessed are they that see not The necessity of the Negative The reason of the necessity why it should be so punished for else woe make God a lyer and yet beleeve Hosea 2.20 there is a fit similitude to expresse this God likening the knowledge that we shall have to a Marriage and the knowledge that we have now to Espousing as the inchoation and certainty of marriage is in sponsalibus in true espousals When hands are given so our sponsalia espousals are in fide in Faith therefore it is said Mar. 16.16 that qui non crediderit condemnabitur he that will not beleeve shall be damned And as it is John 3.18 it is not differred but the sentence is gone on him Et quanto major tanto migis expetit the greater any one is the more tender is he of his word he is already condemned Then we may conclude
faith i. they shall be brought even to the estate that they shall not care for the Commandements of God nor his threatnings that was the punishment of Iudas that when he made no conscience of carrying the bagge Iohn 12.6 fur erat loculos gerebat he was a thiefe and carred the bagge we see afterwards he came to make little account of Christ and to sell him And from this which is very heavie they fell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into destruction and perdition that is of substance it selfe as Zach. 5.3 he saith there was a booke flew out that had the curse of God and it should enter into the house of the thiefe and swearer and should consume the house and burne up timber and the stones and there should come no good end of such as the Heathen man saith if you would have your chests full of riches Evill gotten goods will not prosper long to continue see that you get them well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whatsoever is unjustly brought into the house hath no footing Iob. 20.15 It shall make him cast up his gorge againe So for a mans life Psal 58. vers last They shall not live out halfe their dayes as it is well said dies Domini veniet tanquam fur nulli autem ita tanquam fur ut furi the day of the Lord will come as a thiefe but to none so like a thiefe as to the thiefe But this is not the point of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the casting away and perdition of the soule concerning which Matth. 25.35 40 45. they held it for a rule for those which have beene takers from others non controvertitur de iis there is no question of them but of those that did not give to others is the plea but for eripuistis such as have taken by violence there is no question of them Ezek. 13.19 Then they shall see the truth of the saying of the Prophet that they have gotten an bandfull of barly and have sold the Kingdome of Heaven and they shall see that it advantageth them not to win the whole world and to lose their owne soule Tâ—â—â— covâ—◠〈◊〉 man like hâ—â—d â—nd like will to like And because the wiseman Prov 30. compareth a wicked man to Hell as if he would hold as much as Hell therefore there is an affinity and just adequation betweene them and Hell so the Apostle setteth downe his conclusion 1 Cor. 6.10 he saith no thiefe no covetous man no extortioner c. none of them shall inherit the Kingdome of Heaven Come now to the roote or place a contented minde or heart and that is the way to avoid and destroy covetousnesse Heb. 13.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let your conversation be without covetousnesse how is that being contented with those things they have i. when a man for personall or naturall necessity hath that that is sufficient 1 Tim. 6.8 that he stay and be contented with them and for the better supply of statuall necessity and of our degree which is a thing that hath not his medium in indivisibili and therefore not so to be regarded for if once he be contented he must stand upon equall conditions if he be not contented Matth. 6.25 Luke 6.22 there commeth in that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the division of the soule a disquietnesse he beginneth to distrust the providence of God which the righteous 1 Pet. 5.7 out of Psal 55.23 they cast all their care upon God and Psal 34.9 they have this perswasion that they shall not want a very Lion shall want before they want Now Paul 1 Tim. 5.8 allowing men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 providence and industry for the necessity of nature and person and if they have not that he saith they have denied the faith But he maketh a difference of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 providence from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an anxious care for the one is able to exempt and avoid it selfe cleane out of the soule so that it is a way to give the heart wholly to God in prayer whereas the other taketh up the most part of the heart Ezek. 33.31 Worldly cares compassed their hearts not the exercise of religion that was preached unto them in so much that with their mouthes they made jests and their heart ranne after their covetousnesse and doe what they can they cannot bring it in from thence Hosea saith cor corum divisum est their heart is divided which with a great desire and carefulnesse and distrust withall groweth so strong and so deep that when they present themselves before God he shall not have it hole nay many times it taketh up their heart therefore this contentednesse grounded upon Gods providence not excluding 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the first thing Then the second in Psal 128.1 Feare God and outwardly walke in his wayes i. he must set himselfe in a calling he must eate his bread either in the care and study of his soule or in the sweate of his browes either jure manus or jure oculi by the labour of his hands or of his eyes 2 Thes 3.11 he saith there they be altogether out of order that live idely and they are such persons as must be cast off therefore it is certaine that every man must keepe himselfe in an honest calling Being come to this Calling he must stand thus resolved 1 Thes 3.8 First to have a desire not to be chargeable to others Secondly Ephes 4.28 not onely that but also to be helpfull and beneficiall to others if it please God Now for the attaining of that this we must know Deut. 15.11 that God will have some poore So whosoever is rich and without cares and sorrowes as Aug. saith he hath divitias sine verme he must be perswaded that it is God that maketh rich and poor and therefore that riches is the gift of God that whomsoever God will have to be rich he will also have him to use lawfull and direct meanes in attaining to them 1. doing nothing but according to the strict rule yet God will extraordinarily blesse him Gen. 26.12 wee see it in Isaac God blessed him strangely so that he made him fearefull to the Philistims which was a signe that God would have him rich and so it is said of Iacob Gen. 30.43 that he did labour in righteousnesse and increase in wealth exceedingly and as he confesseth Gen. 32.10 that he went over Iordan onely with a staffe but came backe againe with two great bands and flocks So as God will have some rich and they are divites dei Gods rich men indeed using onely lawfull meanes so there are other that shall not grow up but God will have them poore they shall not have Isaacks increase hee will blesse their labours no further then they need And againe of evill men benedictio Domini ditat the blessing of the Lord enricheth and addeth no sorrowes with it there are some that are rich but with great sorrowes The Heathen
towards our heavenly countrey such as Iob speakes of Dominus dedit Dominus abstulit Iob 1.21 By gift he meaneth the felicity that is reserved for us after this life the Kingdome of Heaven that whereof our Saviour saith to Martha Luke 10. Mary hath chosen the better part which shall not be taken from her That which is a stay to us in this life is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the things which neither eye hath seene nor eare heard all which are reserved for them that love God 1 Cor. 2. these are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and as well the one as the other come from God So much we are taught by the adjectives that are joyned to these words Givings are called good and the Gifts of God are called perfect In which words the Apostles purpose is to teach us that not onely the great benefits of the life to come such as are perfect are of him but that even that good which we have in this life though it be yet imperfect and may be made better is received from him and not else where Who doth despise little things saith the Prophet Zach. 4.10 God is the Author both of perfect and good things as the Image of the Prince is to be seene as well in a small peece of coine as in a peece of greater value so we are to consider the goodnes of God as well in the things of this life as in the graces that concerne the life to come yea even in this To thinke that which is good 2 Cor. 3. Of him are the small things as well as the great Therefore out Saviour teacheth us to pray not onely for that perfect gift ut advenia Regnum but even for these lesser good things which are but his givings namely that he would give us our daily bread Under Good is contained all gifis both naturall or temporall Those givings which are naturall as to live to move and have understanding are good for of them it is said God saw all that he made and lo all was good Gen. 1. Of gifts temporall the Heathen have doubted whether they were good to wit riches honour c. but the Christians are resolved that they are good 1 Iohn 3. So our Saviour teacheth us to esteeme them when speaking of fish and bread he saith If you which are evill can give your children good things Luke 11. And the Apostle saith Hee that hath this worlds good 1 Iohn 3. For as Augustine saith That is not onely good quod facit bonum sed de quo fit bonum that is not onely good that makes good but whereof is made good so albeit riches do not make a man good alwaies yet because he may do good with them they are good The gift which the Apostle cals perfect is grace and glory whereof there is in this life the beginning of perfection the other in the life to come is the end and constancie of our perfection whereof the Prophet speaks Psal 84.12 The Lord will give grace and glory The Apostle saith Nihil perfectum adduxit Lex The Law brought nothing to perfection Heb. 7. that is by reason of the imperfection of our nature and the weaknesse of our flesh Rom. 8.3 To supply the defect that is in nature grace is added that grace might make that perfect which is imperfect The person that giveth us this grace is Jesus Christ by whom grace and truth came Iohn 1. And therefore he saith Estote perfecti sicut Pater vester coelestis perfectus est Matth. 5. And by this grace not only our sinnes are taken away but our soules are endued with inherent vertues and receive grace and ability from God to proceed from one degree of perfection to another all our life time even till the time of our death which is the beginning and accomplishment of our perfection as our Saviour speakes of his death Luke 13.32 In the latter part of the proposition we are to consider the place from whence and the person from whom we receive these gifts the one is supernè the other à Patre luminum Now he instructeth us to beware of a third errour that we looke not either on the right hand or on the left hand that we regard not the persons of great men which are but instruments of God if we have any good from them all the good we have it is de sursum the thoughts of our hearts that arise in them if they tend to good are not of our selves but infused into us by the divine power of Gods spirit and so is whatsoever good thought word or worke proceeding from us This is one of the first parts of divinity Iobn Baptist taught A man can receive nothing except it be given him from above Iohn 3.27 This was the cause of Christ ascending into Heaven Psal 68. He went up on high and dedit dona hominibus and the Evangelist faith the holy Ghost which is the most perfect gift that can come to men was not yet given because Christ was not yet ascended Iohn 7.39 Therefore if we possesse any blessing or receive any benefit we must not looke to earthly meanes but to Heaven The thing which is here mentioned excludeth the fourth errour we thinke that things come to us by fortune or customably he saies not that good things fall downe from above but they descend qui descendit proposito descendit Our instruction from hence is that they descend from a cause intelligent even from God himselfe who in his counsell and provision bestoweth his blessings as seemeth best to himselfe for as the Heathen man speakes God hath sinum facilem but not perforatum that is a lappe easie to receive and yeeld but not bored through to let things fall through without discretion When the Prophet saith Tu aper is manum Psal 145.15 he doth not say that God lets his blessings droppe out of his fingers Christ when he promised to his Disciples to send the Comforter saith Ego mittameum advos Iohn 16.7 Whereby he giveth them to understand that it is not by casualty or chance that the holy Ghost shall come upon them but by the deliberate counsell of God so the Apostle postle speaks Of his owne will begat he us by the word of truth The person from whom is the Father of lights The Heathens found this to be true that all good things come from above but they thought that the lights in Heaven are the causes of all good things therefore is it that they worship the Sunne Moone and Starres Iames saith Be not deceived all good things come not from the lights but from the Father of lights The naturall lights were made in ministerium cunctis gentibus Deut. 4. and the Angels that are the intellectuall lights are appointed to do service unto the Elect. Heb. 1.13 It is the Father of lights that giveth us all good things therefore he onely is to be worshipped and not the lights which he hath made to
but to thy name give the glory Psal 115. So that all men are no lesse desirous of their owne honour and glory then the builders that built Babell that said Let us get us a name Gen. 11. But such as are thus affected and carried with the love of themselves are not fit to sanctifie the name of God as our Saviour speakes How can yee beleeve seeing yee receive glory one of another and seeke not the glory which is of God Joh. 5.44 As we may not usurpe Gods honour for our selves so we may not defie Princes for we see how ill that voyce was taken Vâ—x Dei non hominis the voyce of God and not of man Act. 12. neither may we give divine honour to the Apostles and Prophets of God The Heathen people said of Paul and Barnabas Gods are come downe to us in the shape of men and they would have sacrificed unto them but the Apostles not willing to admit this sacriledge rent their cloathes and cryed We are men subject to the same passions that you your selves be Act. 14. for we are desirous to give honour if not to our selves yet to others but here Christ tels us that no other name is to be sanctified but the name of God whereof we should be so carefull that we ought to pray that Gods name may be sanctified by others if not by our selves though we in our owne persons cannot hallow it yet sanctificetur nomen tuum Let thy name O Lord be sanctified Hereby as we pray for the gift of the feare of God which is one of the seven vertues which are set downe Esay 11. because wee do truly sanctifie God when we make him our Feare and Dread Esay 8.13 So wee pray against the vice of pride which is the contrary to the vertue of Feare so shall we obtaine the blessings Matth. 5.23 Blessed are the poore in spirit c. And upon this petition is grounded not only whatsoever Hymne or Psalme is sung of the Congregation but even the end of all Assemblies is to ascribe Holinesse to God and to sanctifie his Name for his benefits bestowed upon us And in this they acknowledge first their owne unworthinesse secondly they blesse him for his goodnesse extended toward them thirdly they do not acknowledge it in themselves but do tell it forth as the Psalmist speaketh O come hither and hearken all yee that do feare God and I will tell you what he hath done for my soule Psal 66. Fourthly to this end they lift up their voyces in singing to the end they may make the voyce of his praise to be heard Psal 66. And among other benefits we are to praise and blesse his name for the benefit of Sanctification which we have in the name of the Lord Jesus secondly for the Meanes whereby this Sanctification is offered and wrought in us which is the Word as Christ saith O Father sanctifie them in thy truth Joh. 17.13 For the perfection of sanctification that we shall have after this life when we shall be Partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light Col. 1.12 when we shall continually sing with the heavenly Angels Holy Holy Holy Lord God of Hosts Esay 6. And howsoever when we desire of God that his name may be sanctified we seeme like naturall children to forget our owne necessities in respect of the care we have to Gods glory yet even then we pray no lesse for our selves then for God for the Lord hath promised Them that honour mee I will honour 1 Sam. 2.30 and Christ saith That if the Name of the Lord Jesus be glorified in us we also shall be glorified in him 2 Thess 1.12 Et sanctificando nomen adveniet Regnum In sanctifying his name his kingdome shall come as the next Petition is If while we remaine on earth our whole desire be to sanctifie Gods name we shall at length come to the place where we shall day and night sing as the Cherubims do Esay 6. And with the heavenly Host of Angels sing Glory to God on high Luk. 2. we shall fall down before his Throne saying alwaies Thou art worthy O Lord to receive glory and honour and praise for ever Rev. 4.11 THE TENTH SERMON Thy Kingdome come HAving intreated of the first petition touching the holy estimation of Gods name we are consequently to speake of those sixe that concerne our selves whereof the first three are spent in praying for that which is good in the other three we pray for the removing of evill The first two petitions or the summe of them is excellently expressed by the Propher Psal 84.11 And by our Saviour Matth. 6.33 for agreeable to the words of David and of Christ our Saviour in the first petition wee aske for glory and seeke for the Kingdome of God in the second for grace and righteousnesse in the third for the good things of this life which shall not be withheld from them that leade a godly life but shall be ministred unto them that upon earth doe seeke Gods Kingdome and the righteousnesse thereof Wherefore as of things which concerne our good the first both in order and nature is the Kingdome of God for the first thing in our desire ought to be the Kingdome of God according to the commandement of our Saviour and we are to account all things but dung in respect of it Phil. 3.9 Hereunto is required the spirit of Wisedome and Vnderstanding Isa 11.2 that may teach us to contemne all earthly pleasures in respect of the heavenly Kingdome Here our Saviour condemneth that capitall vice that reignes in those men which in the world live of their owne and take no further care but to establish for themselves a Kingdome upon earth But if according to his direction we fixe our desire upon the Kingdome of Heaven and by despising the world doe labour for the vertue which consists in the purity of the heart then shall we have the blessing that is promised to the pure in heart Matth. 5.8 that is they shall be exalted to see God Now when he saith None shall see my face and live Exod. 33. they that truly make this prayer shall behold his face in the Kingdome of glory These two first petitions have relation to the Invocation for as God by the word Father doth expresse his love to us and for that he is in Heaven doth give us hope for an heavenly estate so we in these petitions doe first desire that whereby our love towards him may appeare while we prefer the sanctifying of his name before the regard of our owne good secondly we declare our heavenly Hope that may come of being partakers of his heavenly Kingdome Howsoever God will not have any mans name Hallowed or Glorirified but his owne as he speakes of himselfe Esa 42. My glory will I not give to another yet he will communicate his Kingdome to us and therefore in our owne behalfe weare taught to pray Thy Kingdome come In the
petition we are to consider two things First the Kingdome it selfe secondly the Comming of his Kingdome Touching the first point it may be objected how it is that Christ teacheth us to make this petition for Gods Kingdome is an everlasting Kingdome and his Dominion endureth throughout all ages Psal 145.13 How then is it said to come For the answer of this doubt the Kingdome of God must be distinguished First God hath an Vniversall Kingdome such a Kingdome as ever was and for ever shall be of which it is said The Lord is King be the people never so impotent he ruleth as King be the people never so unquiet Psal 99. Secondly there is a Kingdome of Glory that whereof our Saviour speaketh Matth. 25.34 Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you c. And the thiefe upon the Crosse said Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdome Luke 13. and this is the Kingdome which in the first place Christ teacheth us to pray for we pray for this Kingdome that it may come we pray for our owne good for it is a Kingdome of power and therefore able to defend us and therefore our Saviour in the conclusion of his prayer addeth this For thine is the Kingdome Matth. 6. According to which the Prophet David saith Thy Saints give thankes to thee they shew the glory of thy Kingdome and talke of thy power Psal 145.11 The government of his Kingdome is committed to Christ of whom it was said by God I have set my King upon my holy Hill of Sion Psal 2. In which regard he doubteth not to affirme of himselfe Matth. 28 Data est mihi omnis potestas c. All power is given â—e in Heaven and in Earth And notwithstanding God reigneth as King yet that is verified which the Prophet complaineth of Isa 26.13 O Lord God other gods besides thee have ruled over us for Sathan taketh upon him to be King and hath played the Tyrant and hath prevailed so farre as that the greatest part of the world are subdued unto him in which regard our Saviour calleth him the Prince of the world Iohn 14.30 And by the Apostle he is termed the God of this world for that he blindeth mens eyes and maketh them subject to the Kingdome of darknesse 2 Cor. 4. Secondly there is a Kingdome of sinne against which the Apostle exhorteth Let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodies Rom 6 â—2 which he meaneth when he saith That sinne hath reigned unto â—â—â—ath Rom 5.21 Thirdly the Apostle sheweth that Death hath a Kingdome when he saith that by meanes of sinne death reigned from Adam to Moses Rom. 5.14 These are enemies to the Kingdome of God for while the Devill reighneth by meanes of sinne as he doth so long as he worketh in the children of disobedience Ephes 4. he taketh away the glory of Gods Kingdome and Death takes away the power of it And in regard of Sathans Kingdome he is said to be a King over all the children of pride Iob 41.34 For he makes the whole world rebell against God so that they are not ashamed to deny him to his face and that is true not onely of the common sort of the world but even of a great many of the Church of which number are those that sticke not to say We will not have Christ to rule over us Luke 19.14 Againe there are many stumbling blocks for the hinderance of Gods Kingdome Matth. 13.41 that the Kingdome of God cannot come and therefore we doe worthily pray as well that the Kingdome of Sathan and sinne may be overthrowne as for the removing of those offences God having exalted his Sonne into the highest Heaven saith unto him Sit thou at my right hand till I make thine enemies thy foot-stoole Psal 110. The last enemy that is to be destroyed is death 1 Cor. 15.16 Wherefore our desire is that there may be such a Kingdome as wherein the Law of God may be exactly kept and that it would please God in this Kingdome to tread downe Sathan under our feete Rom. 16. that not only death it selfe but he that hath the power of death being destroyed Heb. 2.14 God may be all in all 1 Cor. 15.28 When we behold the state of the world and see that good men are trodden under feete and the vessels of wrath and sinne are exalted and prosper then we may know that that is not the true Kingdome and therefore we pray that God will set up his Kingdome in our hearts and governe us by his Spirit And therefore this point doth not onely concerne our selves but also God for unlesse his Kingdome come his name cannot be sanctified of us As there are temporall Kingdomes so there is a spirituall Kingdome called the Kingdome of Grace whereof our Saviour speaketh The Kingdome of God is within you Luke 17.21 As before we prayed for the Kingdome of Glory so now for this Kingdome of Grace for without this we shall never bee partakers of that other Kingdome The glory of other Kingdomes is the reformation of things that were before amisse but the glory of the Kingdome of Grace is that as during the tyranny of Sathan Sinne raigned unto death so now under this Kingdome Grace may raigne through righteousnesse by Iesus Christ Rom. 5.21 That we may have interest in both these Kingdomes wee must hearken to that which Christ proclaimeth Matth. 4.27 Repent for the Kingdome of God draweth neare as it draweth neare to us so wee must draw neare to it else we shall never enter into it for except a man be borne againe he cannot enter into the Kingdome of God Iohn 3.2 And that we may beginne to draw neare to it there is an outward regiment to be used which is a token of the grace of God bearing rule in our hearts we must by the Kingdome of God within us cast out Devils Matth. 8. We must intreate God by the power of his Spirit to plant in our hearts that which is good and to roote out and remove out of them that which is bad Matth. 13.48 We must displace Sathan and sinne that they set not up their thrones in our hearts and in stead of it we must set up Gods Kingdome ruling in us by his Spirit for the Kingdome of God stands in righteousnesse and peace and joy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 If we finde these vertues in us they are sure pledges of the Kingdome of Grace and we may assure our selves that after this life is ended we shall be received into the Kingdome of Glory And how soever he hath appointed Kings and Rulers over us for our outward safety and defence yet they have their Scepter from him and the end of their rule is to further Gods Kingdome as the Apostle speaketh That we may live under them in all godlinesse and honesty 1 Tim. 2. Touching the comming of his Kingdome it may be demanded why we pray that it may come to us seeing that
Act. 20. He saith He will be our God and wee his people Levit. 26. Hee will be our Father and wee his Children 2 Cor. 6. he our Lord and we his servants Therefore we may challenge at his hands that favour which Kings vouchsafe to their subjects which Fathers shew to their children that is to love them to defend them and to wish them all the good things they need If he have purchased us to himselfe by his blood then wee pertaine to him and we may say to him as his Disciples said to Christ Mark 4.38 Carest thou not for us that pertaine to thee but sufferest us to perish These words Kingdome Power and Glory being joyntly considered are a representation of the Trinity As Moses speaking of the Author of our creation reckons up the name of God three times Gen. 1.27 as in the blessings of the Law the name of God is there repeated Numb 6.6 and as the Angels cry there Holy Holy Holy Esay 6. to teach that there are three Persons in the God-head which the Heathen themselves have compassed So Christ in the New Testament doth by these words Kingdome Power and Glory signifie those three Persons which afterward he expresseth by the name of Father Sonne and Holy Ghost Matth. 28. If we consider them severally although they may all be ascribed to any Person of the Deity yet the Kingdome is to be ascribed unto Christ 1 Cor. 15.35 Power to the Holy Ghost Rom. 15.13.19 and Glory to the Father Rom. 6.4 that wee setting our selves in Christs Kingdome that is his Church by the power of the Holy Ghost may be partakers of that glory which God the Father hath prepared for us Againe these words are set to distinguish Gods Kingdome from earthly kingdomes Each King hath not power as the King of Israel saith If the Lord do not succour thee how can I helpe thee 2 Reg. 6.21 But Gods Kingdome is a Kingdome of power Secondly there are Kingdomes of Might but not of Glory such was the Kingdome of David hee had a Kingdome of Might but not of Glory for hee spent all his time in troubles but the Kingdome of Solomon his sonne was both a powerfull and a Glorious kingdome and there was a figure of the perfect Kingdome of Christ Wherefore we are taught by these words that as the Kingdome is the Lords so he hath not onely a Kingdome of power whereby he is able to defend but of glory whereby he can also reward his servants and subjects Moses desired of God that hee would shew him his glory Exod. 33. But hee that is of Christs Kingdome shall see the glory which Christ had from the beginning with the Father Joh. 17.21 To consider these words severally upon these words of the Prophet Knit my heart unto thee Psalm 86. one saith Religio dicitur à religando as there is a mutuall bond betweene the King and his people so is there betweene God and us The Kings duty is to defend his subjects from injury and wrong and to bestow on them all manner of benefits The duty of subjects is to be dutifull and yeeld all ready service to their Prince so God for his part is ready not onely to defend us from all danger but to bestow all good things upon us and therefore wee are bound to be religious and dutifull to him as to our King and Soveraigne wee must not onely love him as a Father but feare him as our Lord and King Matth. 1.6 And this mixture shall keepe us in the way of salvation wee shall neither too much despaire nor presume of his goodnesse this feare we must testifie both by a reverend regard of his Law and of his Officers Hee is no good subject that rebelleth against the lawes of his Prince no more are we when no more can be gotten at our hands but by the precepts of men Esay 29. when the statutes of Omri are kept for feare of temporall punishment Mich. 6. and the lawes of God are had in no price then it is a signe that we are not so dutifull and loyall to our heavenly Prince as wee ought to be Secondly we must testifie our feare of God by a reverend regard of his Prophets and Priests which are the Ministers and Officers in his kingdome When the Jewes mocked the messengers of God and mis-used his Prophets they shewed their contempt of God himselfe and therefore the wrath of the Lord arose against that people 2 Chron. 36.16 Contrariwise if wee have an honourable conceit of them and receive them as the Angels of God Gal. 4. then we shew our selves to be dutifull vassalls to our heavenly Lord and King Next for power as S. Peter saith God is able both to respect the righteous and to shew vengeance upon the wicked 2 Pet. 2.9 So whether we respect the power of his grace inward whereby hee worketh all good things in the hearts of his people or the outward power whereby hee defends them from evill whether it be the power of his holy Spirit or of his right hand wee must confesse with the Saints that all power and strength and might belongs to God Rev. 7. And therefore whatsoever power we have whether inward or outward we must imploy it all in his service Fortitudinem meam ad te servo I will keepe my strength or reserve it unto thee Psal 59.9 So we must not spend our strength in thoughts of vanity but imploy it to his use and to the setting forth of his glory to whom onely all power belongeth Thirdly Christ teacheth us to ascribe all glory to God that whatsoever praise or commendation doth come unto us by any thing we do wee should make a surrender of it to God to whom all glory is due and say with the Church Non nobis Domine c. Not unto us O Lord not unto us but to thy Name give all glory Psal 115. For as the Prophet saith The Church is a place wherein the voyce of gladnesse is heard and the voyce of them that sing Praise the Lord of Hosts for he is loving and his mercy endures for ever Jer. 33.11 The faithfull are taught to returne all glory to God which is given to them God himselfe saith Gloriam meam alteri non daho Esay 42. If he gives his glory to any other it is to such as deserve it and have all power of themselves but there is no creature which hath any power but what is given of God and therefore God doth by right reserve his glory to himselfe and wee ought willingly yeeld all glory to him alone because he promiseth them that honour mee I will honour 1 Sam. 2. that we glorifying him here with a verball glory we may be glorified of him with a reall glory when he commeth to judge the world 2 Thess 1.12 and with an exceeding weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. But yet wee do not fully see wherein the glorious Kingdome of God differs from the
Chaldean paraphrast or to Ionathan or to Rabbi Shimâ—on tâ—e sonne of Ishai or to Rabbi Moses the sonne of Nichar or to Rabbi Haccodesh Whether Christ should be an earthly Monarch and to all the ancient Rabbins that lived before the comming of Christ then were the matter at an end But they give more credit to the latter Rabbins which all were moved with envie against Christ Rabbi Salomon Nizahon For the first whether the Messias comming should be an earthly Kingdome See Esay 53.2 but especially verse 6. Esay 53.6 8. The Lord hath laid upon him the iniquity of us all But they shift this off and say It s meant of the whole people But after he saith He shall die for his people And it were absurd to say the people shall die for the people neither could they die Psal 22.16.18 They pierced my hands and my feete Psal 22 16 17 18. they parted my garments among them and cast lots upon my vesture which cannot be understood by David Zach. 9.9 Zach. 9.9 The King of Zion shall come to thee poore and kumble sitting on an Asse most plainely Dan. 9.26 And after 62. weekes Messiah shall be slaine Daniel 9.26 c. This the elder Jewes could not conceive and Philo Iudaeus understandeth it of the sanctification of the high Priest But he might easily gather that this place was meant of the Messiah by Iohn the Baptist that sent two of his Disciples to know whether he were that Christ or no but especially that place of Daniel troubleth them insomuch that Nizahon falleth into these blasphemous words that the Prophet was deceived and over-seene Reason against the Jewes 1. Haggai 2.8 That the Messias of the world should be the expectation of the Gentiles How should it be a comfort to the Gentiles Reasons against the Jewes to have a stranger raigne over them which is forbidden the Jewes Deut. 17.15 16. There shall not be a stranger to raigne over them 2. For as much as it is plaine that the Messias should be that that giveth felicity to all the world I would know of them how Abraham Isaac and Iacob could be saved by an earthly Prince and temporall they being dead many hundred yeeres before his time This they shake off so weakely that they are faine to say It shall be as they say no bigger then it was before as also the City God will not call the Saints from the fell-city that they have with him to an earthly banquet Whether Christ be the Messiah that they and all the true Jewes shall returne to life againe But that is absurder than the first For first they doe themselves injury to thinke that the Land of Iury as also their Temple can hold all the Jewes that ever were 2. They are utterly injurious to the Heavenly soules to call them out of an heavenly paradise out of Abrahams bosome to come into an earthly paradise The third is common By this there should be no purgation of the soules from sinne for this earthly Kingdome cannot purge the soule it belongeth onely to the body The second part That Christ is not the Messias 1. Gen. 49.10 That the Scepter shall not depart from Iudah nor a Law-giver from betweene his feet till Shiloh come It was sure that before the captivity it was altogether in Iudah till the leading of the captivity continued In the captivity they had it by one of their brethren that was called the King of captivity And after the captivity it continued till it fell betweene Aristobulus and Hircanus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rex multitudinis deportatae who striving for it were both dispossessed and Herod an Idumaean placed in their roome and then was the time of Christ Now if they shift this off and say that the Macchabees were not of the Tribe of Iudah Object but of Levi and so deny the prophecy Sol. The prophecie is divided Sol. that either a King or a Law-giver should be of the Tribe of Iuda And that there was a Law-giver even till Christ was borne its manifest for they confesse that Simeon Iustus Note whose song we have in our Liturgy was the last of them and ever since the whole company of their Sanedrim dispersed The third answer Object They say that in the prophecy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Scepter shall not depart from Iudah The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth not a Scepter but a Tribe so that it is meant that Iudah should be a Tribe till Shiloah come Even that way they are confounded For ever since that time Sol. all the Tribes have beene promiscuae confused and the Emperours presently after that they had heard that In Iudaea nascetur orbis dominus the Lord of the World should be borne in Iudaea sought to roote out the Jewes and especially that Tribe that Christ should come of and so it made them to confound their Genealogies 2. Dan. 9.25 Daniel receiveth this Oracle from the Angell that from that time to Messiah c. What these seven weekes are it s shewed in the Gospell that they stand for yeeres so counting for every weeke seven yeeres 49. And so long was the Temple in building for three yeeres they were in building the walles and gathering themselves together the other 46. in building the Temple as the Iewes said to our Saviour from that time to the comming of the Messias 490. yeeres 3. Hag. 2.10 The glory of the last house shall be greater then the first But in the first Temple there was thâ— Arke of the Lord the pot of Manna Aarons rod the shew-bread c. the second Temple had none of these but the Prophet saith the second Temple should be more glorious This glory they cannot finde unlesse it be in the time of Christ for forty yeeres after his death it was destroyed so they make this no prophecie Petrus Galatinus de arâ—â—â—is Two Famous companies among the Iewes the schollers of Rabbi Shamma 2. Of R. Hillel but the latter the more famous Petrus Galatinus out of the third of their Talmud that the schollers of Rabbi Hillel considering thâ—se three prophecies Daniel Haggai Esay though they lived 50 yeeres before his time hoped that he should be borne in those daies being thereto induced by the end of the 60. chapter of Esay That God would hasten his comming In the same chapter of the Talmud on that place Esay 9.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is written with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 finale in all copiâ—s in that place onely against the nature of the letter Whereupon Rabbi Thalumma doth hold it is an Oracle sâ— that iâ— is the number of the yeeres betweene Esay and Christ his comming i 600. yeeres 3. They say This a principle among the Iewes that the vaile should not open not the voyce of the Lord faile till the comming of the Messiah that the prophecie of the second Temple should not cease which
with that Heb. 11.6 that without faith it is impossible to please God And the reason why God dealeth thus streitly with them that beleeve not for there is no man but desireth this to be credited To argue that the Princes word must be so stedfast as if that no other disgrace or dammage might come to him but the breaking of his word yet in that respect he is to stand to his word The honourable man thinks the venturing of his honour sufficient for his credit the Prince his word if there be such majesty in an earthly Prince then much more in the word of God not only giving his word but also sweaâ—ing writing sealing pledging c. as you have heard before and the greater person he is the more he desireth it as a private man would be credited upon his honesty a man of greater state upon his Worship or Honour the Prince upon his own word Teste me ipso witnesse my selfe and if on any of these offers credit were denyed to any of these they would thinke great discourtesie offered them If there be a God he must set himselfe higher then a Prince and consequently he may with greater right say teste meipso witnesse my selfe because he is above all Job saith none dare say to a wicked Prince Impius es much lesse to a good Prince and least of all can any say it to God Especially seeing he ads on his part that it is true 1 John 3.33 If ye beleeve signastis quod Deus est verus you have set to your seale that God is true and on the contrary 1 Joh. 5.10 Qui non crediderit facit Deum mendacem he that beleeveth not God hath made him a lyar and there can be nothing more to Gods disgrace then to say that he is a lyar Bernard upon that sine fide impossibile est placere Deo without faith it is impossible to please God Quomodo potest placere Deo cui non placet Deus how can he please God saith he that is not pleased with God that likes not of him And this is for the necessity and end of Faith Unbeliefe forbidden Now we come to our Rules As we have seene the Affirmative and what is commanded so we must see the Negative and what is forbidden Here is forbidden first Unbeliefe Ephes 5.1 it is a note of the reprobate to be the children of unbeliefe whether it be a proud imagination of our owne reason as Habac. 1. ver 5. saith or in contempt or any other wretchednesse that notwithstanding the forbidding of it yet in carelesnesse the world is like to grow to be Scepticks and to come to this that Machiavell holdeth God punisheth unbeliefe by it selfe Non curandum quid boni credat sed quid faciat it matters not what our beleife is if our actions be good And it is thus punished 2 Thes 2.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they should beleeve a lye If thou any way reject the truth thou shalt be given over and beleeve a lye Because they beleeved not Christ when he came in his Fathers name one shall come in his owne name and shall prevaile and they shall beleeve him So in our age those that would not cleave to the truth shall be given over to untruths in this World and for the world to come And so the promises of God they shal see them performed in this life albeit in the life to come thy shall have no communication that punishment shall befall them which is 2 King 7.19 when the Prince on whose hand the King leaned would not beleeve the Prophet prophecying of great plenty of victuals though the Lord should make windowes in Heaven the Prophet said to him Videbis sed non gustabis thou shalt see it but shalt not tast of it So they shall see the glory of God and their children after them but they shall have no tast of it 2. A scanty measure of faith forbidden And as unbeliefe is forbidden so also a scant measure of faith is forbidden when a man doth partly beleeve but it is mingled with many doubts Rom. 12.3 there is mention of a measure of faith and if we want that we are not of the faithfull Mat. 8.10 verily I say to you I have not found so great faith no not in Israel Mat. 15.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We must pray for faith and I 〈…〉 when â—is setled ad 〈…〉 then bring it to the measure O woman great is thy faith there is a great faith and Mat. 14.31 Christ to Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 O thou of little faith wherefore didst thou doubt here is a little faith Luke 17.5 there is a prayer made by the Apostles to the Lord for the increase of Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord increase our faith and this is if we have faith if we have it not then in Mark 9.24 Credo Domine adjuva incredulitatem meam Lord I beleeve helpe my unbeleife We must first pray to God to helpe it Secondly to increase it The reason of the quantity why it must come to a measure If it be not in some measure it will not be able to hold fast as Heb. 11. the quantity we see is not great no greater then a graine of Mustardseed Luke 17.6 It is Roman 14.5 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let every one have a full assurance a full resolution The Interpreters thinke it is a metaphor taken from a Ship This is our power and our strength 1. against Satan 2. against the world that commeth with full sailes Our strength it is of God Ephes 6.16 there is commended unto us a speciall defence against the Devill and his firy darts scutum fidei the shield of faith against the World 1 John 5.4 This is your victorie wherewith ye overcome the World Fides vestra even your faith Against the Flesh 1 Thes 5.8 the Apostle willeth us to be sober and to put on loricam fidei the breast-plate of Faith And no marvaile that faith is a thing of so great might and hath such strength seeing the Apostle maketh the strength of the Sacraments to come by Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. who through faith subdued Kingdomes Heb. 11.33 c. beside that which we see Matth. 14.29 It prevailes with things above nature as also in things naturall Peters faith made his body so light and brought it to such a temper that he walked on the sea and sunke not and that Mark 6.5 that except faith be his power is restrained not but that he can worke miracles but that he hath so compounded it and as this was to prove the concurrence of Faith with the mercy of God so he ascribeth the strength of all the Sacraments to Faith Christ could not worke any more miracles because of their unbeliefe so that it seemeth by Gods owne ordinance that he must have helpe
he commanded all the male children that were in Bethlehem and in all the coasts thereof to be killed from two yeares old and under Joh. 11.47 the Jewes were afraid that if they suffered Christs doctrine so to prevaile all would beleeve in it and the Romans would come and take away the Kingdome from them 2. Punishment Prov. 10.24 The second the punishment Prov. 10.24 Quod timet impius accidet illi the feare of the wicked it shall come upon him so that thing that these foure most feared that happened to them the Romans came and the Jewes lost their Kingdome Herod mist of his purpose and lost his Kingdome Jeroboam was put out in the next generation and the Israelites increased and prevailed against Pharaoh and the Egyptians 4. Rule Media timoris meanes to beget feare The meanes Seeing how vehement a mover feare is beside that that hath beene spoken before the first way or motive to feare is the weighing of such Scriptures as containe matter that may give occasion of meditation of Gods judgements Heb. 6.4 as that to fall into Gods hands how terrible a thing it is And if God marke what is done amisse no flesh can be righteous in his eyes Esay 66.2 And to him will I looke even to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and that trembleth at my words There must be a trembling at his Words else his spirit commeth not 2 The consideration of the judgements of God and examples in former ages 1 Cor. 10.11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. All these things having named many are examples for us they are our monitors Quot habetis historias judicii Dei in Bibliis tot habetis conciones so many examples of divine justice as thou meetest withall in the holy Bible they are as so many Sermons of Gods justice and severity unto thee to move you to feare God and to be modest when we see his justice on his Angels on man and his posterity on the whole world in the deluge on the Egyptians on the Jewes on his owne Church Jerusalem and last of all on his owne Sonne Such was the bitternesse of sin that was executed on Christ it pursuing him to the fulnesse of bitternesse insomuch that one of the Fathers saith Magna fuit amaritude propter quam tanta sustinenda fuit amaritudo deadly was the bitternesse of sinne which could not be cured but by the blood-shed passion of the Sonne of God And because the judgements aforetime move not every one hath a great store of judgements in himselfe 1 Inhaerentia 3 So the present judgments in our age and they are three 1 Those that it pleaseth God wee should feele in some measure as feare sicknesse in our bowels 2 Impendentia hunger crosse c. 2 Those that are neere us 3 Excubantia that we see not yet they are hanging over our heads 3 Kind which they call Excubans pro foribus the horrour of a guilty and wounded conscience which as God said to Caine lies at our doore it shall grind them to powder Tria novissima 1 the meditation of the day of ones death 2 Of the day of judgement 3 The horror of the torments following So the other three which they call tria novissima which shal be at the representing of our death Psal 90.12 O teach us to number our dayes that we may apply our hearts unto wisedome The Prophet maketh the speciall meanes to bring us to wisedome or feare of the Lord to number our dayes 2 The consideration of the judgement of God and what account we are to give and that wee are never able to make account if God assist it not 2 Cor. 5.10 Wee must all appeare before the judgement seat c. 3 The terrour of the torments which follow the impenitent Esa 66.24 Their worme shall never die but be alwayes gnawing upon their consciences the fire that shall never be quenched the weeping wayling and gnashing of teeth after sentence of eternall death shall passe on them 5 Rule this made the Saints to passe in fear Reg. There was never any apparition of any thing above nature but presently a feare came upon them Luk. 1.30 Then the Angell said unto her Feare not Mary c. Act. 10.4 But when he looked on him he was afraid c. The signes there are so many questions and cavills of duties as its an evident signe there is no feare among us 1 The Heathen man saith Timor est credulus feare is lazie of beliefe Deut. 5.27 that is a true signe of feare giving credit to that is taught by them The true signe is to credit that which is taught that have authority and knowledge to give it not studying after questions and frivolous distinctions and cavils for this questioning is a signe that we have no feare 2 An evill signe is negligence 2 Diligence Wisd 7.19 Qui timet Dominum nihil negligit He that feares the Lord neglecteth nothing Feare is the diligentest that can be Gen. 32. Jacob being in feare of his brother could not rest all the night before but would be either sending messengers before to his brother or ordering his houshold and his goods or praying to the Lord c. 3 Humility 3 That wee must raise out of feare Humility Gen. 33.3 Jacob hee falls seven times to the ground before he comes to his brother For as the Philosopher saith Timor contrahit non extendit Feare it shrinkes not swels the heart Prov. 3.7 There is a plaine medicine for pride Be not wise in thine owne eyes but feare the Lord and depart from evill Nothing so bold as ignorance but knowledge is very fearfull as the Prophets c. that having more knowledge and lesse cause to feare yet feared most He that hath more knowledge and lesse cause to feare he most commonly feareth more When the governour of the ship or mariner feareth then the passenger must needs feare 4 The feare of sinne 4 The surest signe is the feare of sinne and that is all one with the feare of God Psal 34.11 Come yee children and hearken to mee I will teach you the feare of the Lord. They joyne feare of sinnes with the feare of God Job 1.1 Job was an upright and just man one that feared God and eschewed evill Job 28.28 The feare of the Lord is wisedome and to depart from evill is understanding 5 To fly from sinne 5 Timor est fugitivus ergo non potest armari feare bids us not resist but flee though he put on never so much armour on his backe A theefe being taken in the manner runneth away and if he be chased after hee will dimittere furtum drop the thing that he hath stollen in the way so when God commeth we must be sure not to have that that thing will be to our condemnation with us i. not to have sinne about us if wee do hold
from the understanding Secondly this must have with it an order and no interruption as Luke 24.27 he began at Moses when he expounded unto them the Scripture and John 15.12 he had other things to teach them which he did not at that time because they were not capable of them Some must have stronger meat then others Now for this there be foure wayes to teach by 1. Precept Psal 119.31 Teach me thy precepts 2. Example Pr. 24.32 the field of the sluggard c. 3. Experience which we cal our Genesis Gē 30.27 4. Ex eo quod passus est Heb. 7.8 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Correction is good instruction Christ the most perfect paterne of a Teacher in all these and of all names he accepted of this to be so called 1. Concerning precept Mark 4.34 he expounds every parable privately 2. Example John 13.15 Exemplum dedi vobis I have given you an example 3. Experience hath taught them practice Mat. 16.13 John 4.2 in increasing in knowledge Mat. 17.14 in casting out spirits Mat. 10.1 in preaching of the first order of the seventy whereof twelve were after chosen to be Apostles The difference of these are 1 Cor. 3.2 that some are cheife builders which lay the foundation as were the twelve whereon the other must build as the seventy And thus then remaine distinctions in the Church by Christs first Order 4. Ex iis quae passus est for teaching by reproofe Mat. 15.16 know ye not c Mat. 16.12 in their ignorance of the leaven and v. 23. he reproved Peter for his counsell Mark 10.14 for keeping children from him Mat. 17.7 when the spirit resisted them Thus they learned by reprehension for so Pro. 17.16 as sharp words to the wise are better then whips to the foole Christ could teach by stripes also when it was needfull as Joh. 2.15 when they made the house of God dens for theeves And there is a theft in not labouring as well as in not praying we shall find all that are held up with sufficient allowance and yet idle to be such theeves Learners duty The Learners duty answering to this is Pro. 22.17 Bow downe thine eare c. and Lam. 2.46 it is set downe to be 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Studious in hearing 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to aske questions First 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 opposite to this is Heb. 5.11 dulnesse in hearing accompanied with dulnesse of heart Luke 24.25 Therefore this must come as Pro. 22.17 18 19. in aurem into the eare and then in cor into the heart and hence again ad labia unto the lippes and for weaknes of memory we must do as the Scribes write it in tables of paper and by oft reading bring it into the tables of the heart Proverbs 7.3 Secondly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to inquire Exod. 13.14.6.20 to shew it to all and Deut. 23.1 all commanded to aske John 16.17 Mat. 13.10 15.5 Every Scribe must have both new and old parables to teach them that enquire For they bought Christ by Interrogation to expresse many things which could not be left unexpressed without great doubt to the Church as Matth. 23. concerning the Kingdome of Heaven and John 9. in rendring the cause why he was borne blinde hee shewing the cause of all defects of nature 2 Sam. 20.8 We must enquire at Abel the towne of learning And withall we must add to this conference spoken of before Salomon likeneth it to two Irons one whetting on the other Pro. 27.17 2. Duty of the Teacher The second duty of the Teacher which Aug would have in his sonne is vitia morum magis quam verborum vitare the Solecisme in manners chiefely to bee avoyded Quintilian saith well Quid prodest si studiis prodesses moribus autem obesses potior ast bene vivendi quam optimè dicendi facultas What availeth it that thy instructions be profitable if thy example and manners be hurtfull it is farre more praise worthy to live well then to speake well Luke 10.20 It is our Saviours advice that we onely rejoyce in our salvation not in any other knowledge 1 Cor. 15.2 For without charity the foundation of all good manners all the tongues and knowledge are but as Brasse 1 Corinthians 13.1 Therefore Christ Si scitis haec beati estis si faciatis aliter non if yee know these things happy are yee if yee doe them and not else John 13.17 This did John rejoyce at John 3.4 The Scholers duty answering this Lam. 3.47 Is to perswade themselves it is a blessed thing to beare the yoke of Christ in youth Therefore thou must Rom. 12.11 redeeme the time If thou loose any of the Day take up as much of the Night Ephes 5.10 And Numb 6.13 that there is a day of Consecration and thou must study for it 1 Sam. 10.11 1 Tim. 3.6 hee must be no young Scholer for these are they that bring all out of course which take that upon them that they are not able to discharge Of these complaine the Prophets and the Fathers and themselves also fall into temptation 2. Also they must he willing to be directed not without leave to doe so much as bury his Father And this is it that maketh a Disciple in the estate of following that is to be enjoyned and not to depart without permission And then the Apostles counsell 2 Tim. 2.22 He must flie the lusts of youth one noted Tit. 2.6 by the opposite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be sober minded How is that Esay 51.21 there is Ebrietas è vino a drunkennesse through wine and a drunkennesse that commeth not by Wine For Wine and company they that are given to it delight in it Pro. 23.20 21. avoid such The avoiding of such as are amatores pinguium lovers of commessations and of ease of slothfull and drunkards Dormitatio vestietur panais nunquam sapit amator vini sloth shall be covered with rags and the drunkard may not boast of wisedome The other that is not with wine in Esay to be drunken with his owne conceit and opinion it is in them that know least When a man hath a fume in his head and thinks he can doe as the drunken man that thinks he can overcome all the World Pro. 30.12 13. he speaketh there of a generation pure in their owne eyes not so indeed yee shall know them by their outward behaviour as by haughty eyes holding up the head shewing the breasts c. Pro. 11.2 With the lowly is wisedome It is the first discite of Christ Matth. 11.29 and John 13.16 expressed in example And it is his Maxime No Disciple is higher or to check his Master The heathen say they are protervi petulantes impudent and sawcy that doe so Deut. 32.15 the Holy Ghost saith If two be scholers and taught together and one of them had a conceit of himselfe and the other were a foole there were more hope of a foole to proove
of the Ministery that the knitting and building up of the faithfull might be effected It is the not duly considering this that bringeth the perturbance and confusion in the World that now is For whereas it is expresly set downe that this ought to be a thing for which we ought anhelare to breath after And Esay 49.24 this should be the whole drift of the King to be nutritius pater a nursing Father and of the Queene to be nutrix a nurse to the Church and their duty to be wholly nutrire to do the part of a nurse that the Churches estate might be more glorious And by these they may be in best estate in stead of this as before they that be in high places Ezek. 11.3 such thinke it to be for nothing else but to soake in their breath and seek their owne ease and others thinke with Jezebell 1 Kings 21.7 they may doe what they list and because Forraine envasions tumults and broyles would hinder this takeing and using their commoditie Therefore the next thing that cometh to be provided for 2 Kings 20.9 is onely to care ut sit pax tanti in diebus meis to keepe peace and so consequently the Church of God lyeth troden under foot and neglected And so on the other side where the Subjects also be such as Psal 49. last being made to be in honour yet come to be without understanding that is doe know no other nor further bonum but sensibile their bellies table and regard of furniture for their house it is as Col. 3.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to minde earthly things to have their conceit onely on them or Mat. 16.26 so they can find a commutation for their soules they have no minde of this minde of Gods or of God but onely follow their senses and sensible things And so having such a minde are willing to be governed accordingly and so the purpose of the Lord doth come to be of none effect so that he himselfe must lay to his hand and if he should not set to his hand extraordinarily hee should get none For when as 2 Cor. 10. Paul had given out great words there of the Ministery that it was able to cast downe c. then verse 7. he beginneth to say you looke on things after the outward appearance and pompe and then there is no such thing in it For the sensible glory and sensible signes of that glory as a sword c. they strike a terrour into mens mindes but here it is not so Because they measure 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the outward appearance this is the cause that they contemne them and so they dealt with Christ Esay 53.2 the Prophet saith they looked on him and he seemed to them to have neither forme nor beauty that they should desire him and so they despised him and were ashamed of him And so they are ashamed of the calling wherein he lived and was so greatly magnified Contempt of the Ministers most common So then there is nothing more familiar in the World then this Luke 23.11 Herods account of Christ he did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 set nought by him and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scoffe at him so that it is called a Calling not to be set by and to be scoffed at whereas God had advanced it And so under the Law 2 Kings 1.9 Ahaziahs his men in denision called Eliah The man of God for why else should he call for fire to consume them So 2 Kings 9.11 Ahab his Courtiers when the Prophet came to Jehu about the Kingdome c. they said What did this mad fellow with thee c So shall you see it to be where Religion hath not taken deepe root he which hath the greatest worke is payd with the greatest score Only we are helped in this with the distinction of David Psal 52. verse last That there is a bonum a good by the contrary member as it should seeme that there is a bonum coram mundo and a bonum coram sanctis there is a good which seemeth so in the eye of the World and a good which is accounted so onely by the Saints I will praise thee O Lord c. for thy Saints like it well saith the vulgar translation but not so properly as bonum coram sanctis it is good in the eyes of the Saints The World would thinke as Pharaoh did if a man should sing or give thankes to God he is idle as humour raigneth too much in him Therefore hee saith Thy Saints like it well To this is the the judgement of the Apostle 2 Cor. 10. last It is not the well thinking of man that maketh it to be well thought off but Gods liking and the bonum coram sanctis Duties of the Pastor Come to the duties of the Pastor where we will passe over the duty before that is bringing of the gift which was handled under education The end and scope of the calling to the Ministery The Apostle Heb. 5.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in things pertaining to God sheweth the end of the Ministery he is for men in stead of us wherein we are to deale with God he standeth for the Church Now this being an honour no man must take it unto him unlesse he be called Mat. 25.14 Gods calling is knowne by his talents that are given Thus being inwardly by Gods talent called and having here is bringing up and having 1 Tim. 4.14 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gift of Prophecie then we come to his duties We shall find them in John 10. 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1. and from thence John 10. there be foure degrees of Ministers three bad first a theefe secondly mercenarie thirdly a Wolfe one good the good Shepheard He distinguisheth them thus into Calling first lawfull and secondly unlawfull A Theefe hath no lawfull entrance as the second and third have for he saith there is an usurpation and we all hold that usurpation and abuse is not of God For he saith there that if he come not in according to Christs Institution by the doore by the ordinary way and not bring his talent he is an usurper and theefe as Jer. 23.21 They runne and I never sent them they Prophecie and I bade them not For the Law and ordinance of God Deut. 16.19 being perverted and wrested as there two wayes first per gratiam by favour of some great man or friend secondly per munus by a bribe that is as one saith the Bishop for the one falleth downe for a reward and he goeth over his back and the other goeth in at the lower hole as alluding to that of Danae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the showre of Gold that fell into her lappe c. These two wayes pervert this Ordinance Hence 1 Tim. 5.22 is Cita impositie the suddaine and unadvised imposition of hands that because he hath not the gift of the heart to commend him he is loath to examine him but for the gift of
the Prince The next duty of a Prince is in cases of appeale to give Justice Pro. 16.12 Justice must especially be commended for by it he hath his solium sirmum his throne established Augustine Sine justicia magna regna nil aliud sunt quà m magna latrocinia without justice great Kingdomes are but great roberies Therefore Pro. 16.10 Et os ejus non declinabit in judicio he must see that his mouth transgresseth not in judgement In so doing he shall exalt his kingdome Pro. 14.34 and shall make it flourish that is by making all things for the best And that is Pro. 11.11 When the righteous flourish then the Kingdome flourisheth Psal 97.2 In his dayes shall the righteous flourish 2. As on the other side Pro. 20. â—8 his looks shall be so terrible in the seat of Judgement that even by them shall he drive away all evill and Deut. 13.8 for those capitall sinnes and crimes he saith Non parcat illi oculas tuus thy eye shall not spare them and Psal 101. in Davids justice against the evill we have an excellent paterne Pro. 23.4 the wicked are like drosse in the republick Take away the drosse from the Silver there will be an excellent cup for the Fyner So there will be an excellent Common-wealth if you take away the wicked from it 3. Duty of the people The peoples duty in regard of this Justice is to feare him Pro. 20.2 knowing that the feare of the King is like the roaring of a Lyon and Pro. 16.24 faire words are a sweetnesse to the heart and health to the bones therefore we must feare if we doe evill Rom. 13.5 otherwise though he have power over the body Luke 12.4 Heb. 11.23 if we doe well feare not the kings commandement or edict seeing he is therefore appointed ut omnia coopperentur bonis in bonum that all things may work together for the good of them that are good 4. Duty of the Prince humblenesse in government The last duty that procureth them honour is their humble and meek ruling the meek usage of the poore not having the spirit of Saul 1 Sam. 22.7 I can give every one of you fields and vineyards and make every one of you Captaines c. nor of Pilate John 19.10 Knowest thou not that I have power either to crucifie or release thee An insolent bragging of their power and as the Septuagints interpret it Heb. 5.11 they cannot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and digest that God hath sent them but all the World must know it 2 Cor. 10.8 A good lesson for every Magistrate no man hath received power to hurt but to doe good none to destruction but to edification And he shall answer it that useth his power otherwise The Heathen man makes this distinction between a Tyrant and a good King A good King when he is to doe any thing will say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I must doe it I pray you pardon me it is my duty to doe it A Tyrant will say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I may doe it and I will doe it therefore I will doe it Therefore his counsell is there that they be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though they may doe it alone yet to take some unto them this makes their authority lesse envious and to depart sometimes from their right And so of Wisedome as Eccles 4.13 better is a young man of good discretion then an old King that is foolish Why Because hee will not receive counsell and admonition It is a speciall point of Wisedome to receive counsell as Naaman did of his servants a Kings 5. though not of the Prophet The conclusion of both is Pauciora licent illi quam ulli oui licent omnia he that may doe what he will must doe lesse then any man and let him thinke so And thus to thinke is a part of that humility The Heathen man saith this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this feare may bring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 adulation but it will never bring 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 true good will 4 Duty of the people to fear for their Prince Now on the other side according to that saying Esto quasi unus ex illis be thou as one of them cap. 32.6 then the peoples duty is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to feare him but to be afraid for him least any hurt come to him Example that feare of Davids men for their Master 2 Sam. 18.3 and againe cap. 21.17 They called Abishai and he succoured David and killed the Philistim And Davids men sware to him thou shalt no more goe with us c. least thou quench the light of Israel This is honour or good will Another part 1 Cor. 12.23 a bearing with their infirmities so that he covereth them a covering of an uncomlinesse Exod. 22.28 2 Pet. 2.10 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. they that despise government presumptuous are they and selfewilled c. And Jude vers 8. we are not to speake evill of them unlesse they be of that Quorum 1 Kings 18.18 I have not troubled Israel but it is thou and thy Fathers house in that ye have forsaken the commandements of the Lord c. or unlesse it be ob unum ex enormibus peccatis for some enormous offence Inferiour officers what they ought to be The under Officers what manner of men they ought to be and what is their duty Exod. 18.21 There be two properties of theirs first they must be men of courage and they must not be tossed with affections they must be constant to doe it and stand to it How is that If they feare God this taketh away all vaine feare and affection Secondly true men they must hate Bribes and not be perverted with consideration of them Thirdly besides these there is another Deut. 1.13 to be wise and not onely that but intelligens that is he must know whither he must goe and when he must goe from the generall rule And not onely that but he must be a man famously knowne to be such a one throughout the Tribes And Numb 11.25 that commeth by taking of Gods spirit and putting it upon him Where this is not but when a foole is preferred to beare rule it is even as if we should gild a Potsheard which is indecorum an unseemely thing and Pro. 26.8 there is no worse thing then to give honour and glory to a foole and so to close up a precious stone in an heap of stones The second inconvenience is Put a pellet into his Crossebow and he will say Have at you and let it flie And then by consequent a majore if the great King may not be an upbraider of his power much lesse doth it become them that be but Kings of little molehills the under Magistrates to be proud First Deut. 16.18 19. their office is set downe what they are not to doe And if he be not a man of courage this will move him Si non facias non
an inheritance with wisdome Eccl. 7.11.12.4 The shadow of wisdome is good but the shadow of money will doe well Then succeedeth the Act. Now to the act of thoft reducing all these uses that we said were lawfull to these that are common among Lawyers 1. The attaining and getting of riches 2. The use of them In attaining is respect to justice in the use is respect to justice and charity For as was said before we have them given us not onely for our selves but as the Apostle 2 Cor. 9.11 for liberality and so we see Deut. 16.11.12 God taketh order that out of the substance both the Levit stranger widow and poore should have their portions Of the getting justly and of theft in getting committed Things from the beginning by the law of nature were first common and in extreme necessity by that direction Prov. 6.30 of the fault and by the order that God taketh Deut. 23.24 If he be hungry he may eat of his neighbours Grapes so that he put none into his vessell to carry away with him And so likewise in the profane law whereby properties are distinguished further then extreme necessity it holdeth not So a second right in those things that yet remaine common as fowles fishes and those things that we commonly finde on the Sea-shore as pearles and further after the distribution in prima occupatione in the first seising on a Countrey there was a propriety to every man and a part of possession of every Countrey allotted to remaine common for the benefit of the poore in that measure After for the proprieties by publike right we laid foure 1. Seising on a Countrey 2. those things that were left and forsaken Res derelictae given over 3. Prescription 4. The right by the bow and the sword by warre For private use by liberality and justice Illiberalis alienatio in these alienations before mentioned Injury in getting is wrought three wayes so is theft The first two be in Levit. 19. Non extorquebis neque fraudabis Thou shalt not extort that is rapina Rapina robbery Thou shalt not deceive this is furium theft And a third to these may be added as we shall shew afterwards The genus to these Habak 2.6 calleth congregare non sua to increase that which is not his owne and Mar. 10.19 the desire to be rich 1 Tim. 6.9 They fall into temptations and many hurtfull desires and as the Heathen man saith qui vult dives fieri vult cito fieri he that would be rich would be rich suddenly and Prov. 28.22 Surely a man cannot be innocent if he make haste to be rich then his desire cannot so soone be accomplished but he must needs be intangled with some of these species kinds following 1. They beginne with rashnesse that by force and extortion take away Prov. 11.24 he saith semper erunt in egestate they shall still be in want many times God bringeth this most upon them that it stayeth not and 2. Prov. 25.7 he saith that he bringeth a sudden death so that of deceitfull men Prov. 12.27 it is said That they get in hunting they shall never rosteâ— and Haba 2.8 Vae tibi qui spolias nam ipse spoliaberis woe bee to thee that spoylest others for thou shalt be spoyled thy selfe They be as the Heathen man saith as sponges and some tyrannous Prince seiseth upon them but howsoever it falleth out with them 1 Cor. 5.11 they are not to be accounted as brethren in the Church and 6.10 certainely they shall never inherit the Kingdome of God This is for the fault in generall It receiveth this division for there are some that set themselves to spoyle their neighbours in suum commodum for their owne profit but sometimes it is in damnum detrimentum proximi to doe their neighbour a mischiefe onely in which respect wee may consider incendiarios â—nâ—endiaâ—â—â— Sorcerers and Witches such as will set houses and barnes on fire so likewise Sorcerers that wreake themselves on their neighbours goods Exod. 22.5.6 God taketh order for this If any man set fire on stacks of corne or standing corne he shall make it good Now of those that doe it for their owne profit we may consider them thus either as they doe it under colour of authority or without If under colour of authority either as in peace or warre In warre after he is a souldier he spoyleth whomsoever he meeteth withall Praedo Praedo That Iohn speakes against ravening Luke 3.14 and Ezek. 38.10 and so forward In peace we come to consider them that Esay speaketh of c. 1.23 Principes tui sunt socii furum thy Princes are companions of theeves and so Ezek. 22.27 Their Princes were like wolves ravening for their prey yea to destroy soules for their covetous lucre and that is done either by usurpation if to a private family and therefore the children of Dan were accursed Iudg. 18.25 to a family vers 27. to a whole City for whether it be for smaller matters Gen. 25.25 there is a reproofe and objection of injury of Abraham to Abimelech for a Well And a third also Esa 22.15 that extorting of offices that which was the vice of Shebnah or if they be rightly seized on their places and be no usurpers and they be called by authority yet then another way Esa 10.1 Psal 94.10 that they enact grievous Statutes and doe ponere molestiam praeter statutum vexe and oppresse beyond law which no Statute will warrant And besides that Nehem. 5.13 such as their rulers were before he came both themselves and their under-officers And we speake not heare of Princes onely and Magistrates but of pety-lords Aug. that Regna magna great Kingdomes are nothing but magna latrooinia remota justitia great spoylers if justice be not duely administred and the answer of the Pirate to Alexander that he with a great armie did rob great Countries and he did it but with one Ship onely and with a small company And the Lawyers make this difference betwixt great theeves and little theeves that the one weareth a coller of iron and the other a chaine of gold so great and noble men and gentlemen to tenants Esa 3.14.15 The spoyle of the poore is in their houses or as Micah setteth it out more terrible but yet truely cap. 3.2.3 that they plucked off their skinnes brake their bones and chopt their flesh as for the pot which Esa 58.6 plainely expoundeth he meaneth those that binde the people in hard covenants taking more of them then either justice requireth or their state can beare and consequently they are under those having superiority by debt as the servant Matth. 18.28 met with one of his fellow servants that ought him money and tooke him by the throat and said Pay me that thou owest me there condemned And so Deut. 24.10.11 when any thing is lent hee will not have him that lent goe into the house as Lord of the house but hee shall stay
created all things and for his wills sake they all were created Rev. 4.11 So we cannot pray to him aright except above all things and in the first place we seeke for the sanctification of his Name In respect of God himselfe there is no cause why we should make this petition on his behalfe for as the Prophet saith Thou hast no need of any goods Psal 16.1 So he stands not in need of any thing that can come to him by our meanes if we would wish him any profit the earth is his and all that is therein Psal 24. If pleasure there is with him torrens voluptatis a River of pleasure Psalm 16.11 Wherefore albeit that in his owne essence and nature he be perfect yet extrinsecus assumpsit sibi nomen he tooke himselfe a name from without he calls himselfe the Lord Almighty not that any terme can sufficiently expresse him and his essence but to the end that while wee have a reverend regard of his Name hee might receive some service at our hands The account that men do make of their name is such as Salomon saith A good name is more to be desired then great treasure it is more worth then pretious oyntment Eccles 7.1.5 God accounts that we do not onely greatly profit him but do procure great delight and pleasure to him when we reverence his holy name which how pretious it is it doth appeare hereby that he setteth the hallowing of his name before his kingdome Many of the Kings subjects that are in the farthest parts of the land never see his face all their life time and yet in reverence to his name are ready to make long journeyes to appeare when they are commanded in his name and so it fareth with us that live on earth for Deum nemo vidit unquam Joh. 18. Nay very few are admitted to see his back-parts Exod. 33. But though wee cannot see his face yet as those are counted dutifull subjects that do not onely reverence the Princes person but obey such commandements as come in his name so looke what duty wee do to Gods name here on earth he reckons it to be as good service as that which is performed by the Angels in heaven that alwaies behold his face Mat. 18. And reason it is that we should esteeme of Gods name for as in time of trouble Turris altissima nomen Domini the Name of the Lord is a strong Tower Prov. 18.10 So being delivered once of danger yet we are sure of the salvation of our soules and sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus 1 Cor. 6. Besides there is no other name given under heaven by which men can be saved Act. 4. And therefore ought by good right to receive sanctification of us Howbeit we may not hereupon ground that errour which some gather upon these words Ephes 1. where it is said That God hath thosen us in Christ to the praise of the glory of his grace not that God is desirous of vaine-glory he is not to receive any thing from us but contrary-wise as he is good so he is desirous to communicate his goodnesse to us but the care that he hath for the sanctifying of his name ariseth from the duty which man oweth unto him In which regard such as have beene most religious in all times have reared up Altars and set up Temples in honour of Gods Name The account of this Petition is that which maketh the difference betwixt the Papists and religious people betweene Heretickes and the true worshippers of God that the one esteemeth highly of the Name of God the other doth not We usually account of mens names according to the worth of their persons but God himselfe is holy therefore he tels us that his name also is holy as the Prophet saith Holy and reverent is his Name Psal 111.9 and Psal 9.9 and it is not onely holy in it selfe but it gives holinesse unto all things that are holy The word of God is holy because it is published in nomine Dei wherefore the name of God being holy in it selfe needs not be hallowed by us that can neither adde holinesse to it nor take any from it but when God willeth us to hallow his Name it is to prove us that by glorifying his Name we may shew how we glorifie God himselfe and what reckoning we make of him that God may have proofe how we do with the Virgin magnifie God our Saviour Luk. 2. and how we do glorifie God in our bodies and in our spirits 1 Cor. 6. The Name of God must be considered in two sorts either as it is expressed by the terme of Lord Father Lord Almighty or else as it is expressed in such things as beare his name as he speaketh of Moses Exod. 23. Behold I will send my Angel before thee beware of him and heare his voyce c. quia nomen meum est in eo Touching the expressed name of God whether it be Father which importeth his goodnesse or Lord which implyeth his power as we may not account basely of them so we must not use them lightly and negligently but upon just occasion The things that have the name of God impressed and imprinted in them are either those persons which have their denomination of God either joyntly as the Church which is called sancta Ecclesia Dei or severally as the Priest of whom Moses saith Let thy Urim and thy Thummim bee with thy holy one Deut. 33. The Priests are called holy because they are consecrated to the Lord In which respect as in the old Testament they are called viri Dei so in the New they are vasa nominis Dei vessels of the name of God as the Lord speakes in a vision touching Saul to Ananias That he was a chosen vessell to beare the Name of God among the Gentiles Act. 9.15 Secondly those places are said to be Gods which are consecrated to holy uses as the Sanctuary which is Domus Dei and all those places where he puts the remembrance of his Name and whither he promiseth that he will come to blesse his people that are assembled there for his worship Exod. 20. Thirdly those times which are kept holy to the Lord as the Sabbath which is dies Domini Rev. 1. Fourthly the Word of God preached in Gods name Fifthly the Element consecrated in the Sacrament for a holy use called therefore panis Dei Joh. 6. In all these there is an impression of Gods name and therefore we must not lightly account of them but shew great reverence to them that thereby we may testifie the high and reverent regard and estimation we have of God himselfe for sanctification is when God is said to magnifie or glorifie It signifies to make great and glorious so when sanctification is given to him it betokeneth to make holy but when we are said to sanctifie that is to account holy when we magnifie God that is magnifacere Deum to esteeme greatly of God and our glorifying
it were meeter that we should come toward it But hereby Christ giveth us to understand what our corruption is It is with us as with the Israelites that were so addicted to the flesh-pois of Egypt that they cared not to goe into the promised land likewise we are so in love with this present world as that we have no minde of Heaven Besides there are so many stumbling-blocks in our way as that the Kingdome of God must come unto us or else we shall never possibly come unto it Therefore as we pray that God would lighten our blind eyes and inflame our hard hearts with a love of his heavenly Kingdome so also that he would send his Angels to gather out of his Kingdome all things that offend Matth. 13.41 The things that we pray against are the Kingdome of Sathan darkenesse and sinne that they may depart from us and that the inward Kingdome of Grace may take place in our hearts but the principall Kingdome that we desire is the Kingdome of Glory whereof our Saviour said Behold I come quickly Revel 22.7 This is the Kingdome which the Saints desire saying Come quickly Lord Iesus Revel 22.20 and all creatures doe waite for this Kingdome looking when they shall be made free from the bondage of their corruption Rom. 8.20 For whereas now all things are subject unto vanity then there shall be a Kingdome that shall not perish It is not for the wicked to desire the comming of his Kingdome Woe be to you that desire the comming of the Lord it is darknesse and not light Amos 5.18 The wicked shall say to the Mountaines Fall upon us for the wrath of the Lord no man is able to abide it Revel 6.16 But to the godly it is a day of comfort Lift up your heads for the day of redemption drawes neare Luke 21.33 Howsoever hee will render vengeance to the ungodly that have not knowne nor obeyed the Gospel of God 2 Thes 1.8 Yet he comes to make a garland to crowne the godly and to set them in his throne they shall be received into his Kingdome of glory where they shall injoy the things which neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard nor hath ever entred into the heart of man which he hath prepared for them that love him 1 Cor. 1. Therefore Saint Paul saith I desire to be dissolved and to bee with Christ Phil. 3. Simeons desire is Lord now let thou thy servant depart in peace Luke 2.29 Thus the remembrance of the day of our redemption is a joyfull remembrance to them and the chiefe thing that they desire so that they are willing to depart in regard of their future hope rather then to tarry here and howbeit that Christ deferres his Kingdome and comming yet we are to be watchfull for it will come as a snare Luke 21. and 1 Thes 5. and when he commeth he will rather be for us then against us THE ELEVENTH SERMON Thy will be done THe summe of all our desires is set downe by those words of the Prophet Psal 84. where he saith The Lord shall give glory and peace and no good thing shall he with-hold from them that live uprightly And our Saviour doth excellently expresse the same Matth. 6. Seeke the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all other things shall be ministred The Petitions of glory and Gods Kingdome have already beene handled Now in this third which is the second of those which concerne our selves we are suiters for the grace of God in this life whereby we may be enabled to doe his will here that so we may obtaine the Kingdome of glory in the world to come for the Kingdome of God and of glory is the Heaven that we desire all to arrive at and grace and righteousnesse is the gale of wind that drives us forward thereunto and our suite to God in this petition is that by doing of his will here on earth Grace may raigne in our hearts by righteousnesse Rom. 5.21 that so hereafter we may raigne with him in glory He doth not onely will us to seeke Gods Kingdome Matth. 6. And tels us that there is one prepared for us before the foundation of the world Matth. 25.34 but also how we may finde it and attaine to it Matth. 7. Not every one that saith Lord Lord shalt enter into the Kingdome of God but he that shall doe the will of my Father which is in Heaven Therefore touching the order of this prayer as of those things which concerne our good the first is that Gods Kingdome may come to us so the doore whereby we must enter into the same is the doing of Gods will and therefore in the second place we are taught that the Kingdome of God shall come not by wishing or desiring but by doing of Gods will as Christ saith The Kingdome of God is come neare you So Christ tels us If we draw neare to God he will draw neare to us Iames 4. Touching the Will of God it may be demanded Why we should demand and aske this petition For as the Psalmist saith Our God is in Heaven he doth whatsoever he will Psal 115. Whatsoever the Lord willed that did he in Heaven in the earth and in all deepe places Psal 135.6 and who hath resisted his will Rom. 9.19 No counsell or wisedome can prevaile against the Lord Prov. 21.30 And if any doe oppose themselves against his will yet they doe but kicke against the prickes Acts 9. The answer to this objection is that we pray not so much that Gods will may be done but rather that what God willeth may bee our will for there is one will of God which we may resist another which we may not resist For the distinction of Gods will it is either hidden and secret or revealed and open the one is that which the Prophet cals the counsell or thought of his heart Psal 33.11 The other is that will of his word wherein the declareth and openeth to men what his will is His secret will is voluntas beneplaciti the good pleasure of his will his revealed will is voluntas signi which is disclosed to us Gods secret will is voluntas quam Deus vult that will which God willeth his revealed will is voluntas quam ipse nos velle vult that will which he willeth us to will the secret will of his heart is voluntas adoranda non scrutanda He that curiously searcheth the glory of Heavenly things shall not enter into glory Prov. 25.27 How unsearchable are his judgements Rom. 11. and who hath knowen the will of the Lord or who was his counsellour But the open and revealed will of God is voluntas scrutanda sacienda both to be searched out and to be done of us Be not unwise but understand what is the will of God Ephes 5.17 The knowledge of his will is not enough but as Christ saith If yee know these things blessed are ye if ye doe them Iohn 13.17 Of
the prayer that we make for outward things is not without respect to things spirituall and this Petition followeth upon the other by good consequent and order for as the Heathen man saith Haud facile emergunt quorum virtutibus obstat Res angusta domi So wee shall be unfit to seeke Gods Kingdome and to do his will unlesse we have the helps of this life Therefore we desire that God will give us the things of this life those things without which wee cannot serve him that as wee desire the glory of his Kingdome and the grace of his Spirit whereby we may be enabled to do his will so hee will minister to us all things for the supply of our outward wants in this life the want whereof hath beene so great a disturbance to the Saints of God in all times that they could not goe forward in godlinesse as they would Abraham by reason of the great famine that was in Canaan was faine to go downe into Egypt Gen. 12.7 The same occasion moved Isaac to goe downe to Abimelech at Gerar Gen. 26. and Jacob to relieve his family in the great dearth at this time was faine to send his sonnes the Patriarchs into Egypt to buy corne Gen. 42. The children of Israell when they wanted bread or water murmured against God and his servants Exod. 16. Numb 20. the Disciples of our Saviour were so troubled in mind because they had forgotten to take bread with them that they understood not their Master when he gave them warning to beware of the leven of the Scribes and Pharisees Matth. 8. So the want of outward things doth distract our Saviour were so troubled in mind because they had forgotten to take bread with them that they understood not their Master when he gave them warning to beware of the leven of the Scribes and Pharisees Matth. 8. So the want of outward things doth distract our minds and makes us unfit for Gods service Therefore that we may in quietnesse of mind intend those things that goe before in his prayer our Saviour hath indited us a forme of prayer to sue to God as well for things temporall as spirituall and eternall for it is lawfull for us to pray for them so that we do it in order The first Petition that the naturall man makes is for his daily bread but our care must be first for the Kingdome of God next for the fulfilling of Gods will and doing that righteousnesse which God requires at our hands and after wee may in the third place pray for such things as we stand in need of during our life This blessing the Fathers observe out of the blessings which Isaac pronounced upon his sonnes Jacobs blessing was first the dew of heaven and then the fat of the earth shewing that the godly do preferre heavenly comforts before earthly Esaus blessing was first the fatnesse of the earth and next the dew of heaven to teach us that prophane persons do make more reckoning of earthly commodities then of heavenly comforts Gen. 27.28 and 39. Therefore in regard of the Spirituall account we are to make of Gods Kingdome and the doing of his will we are to wish them in the first place and then Davids Unam petii à Domino One thing I have required of the Lord Psal 27. And that which Christ saith to Martha Unam est necessarium one thing is needfull Luk. 10. would bring us to Salomons two things Prov. 30. Give mee not poverty nor riches but feed mee with food convenient for mee lest being full I deny thee and say who is the Lord or beeing poore I steale and take the name of my God in vaine And that is it which wee are bold to do by Christs owne warrant for he hath taught us first to pray for his Kingdome then for the working of righteousnesse or for the doing of Gods will and lastly for daily bread If we do first pray for the two former then we may be bold in the third place to sue to God for the latter for he hath promised to with-hold no good thing from them that lead a godly life if the doing of Gods will be our meat then Requiem dedit timentibus se He hath given rest to them that feare him Psal 111. In the Petition we are to observe from sixe words sixe severall points first the thing that we desire that is bread secondly the attribute our bread thirdly daily bread fourthly wee desire that this bread may be given us fifthly not to mee but nobis to us sixthly hodie and as long as we say hodie to day Heb. 3. To beginne with giving hitherto the tenor of this prayer ran in the third person now we are to pray in the second saying Da tu whereupon the Church hath grounded a double dialect of prayer which comes all to one effect for that which the Church prayeth for Psal 67. God be mercifull unto us and blesse us is no lesse a prayer then if we should say in the second person Miserere nostri O Lord be mercifull to us and blesse us and that which is added and lift up his countenance is all one as if the Church speaking to God should say Lift up the light of thy countenance This change or alteration of person proceedeth from the confidence which the Saints are to gather to themselves in prayer for having prayed for the sanctifying of Gods name for the accomplishment of his Kingdome and for grace and ability to do his will Christ assureth us that we may be bold to speake to God for our owne wants Out of the word of Giving we are to note three things first our owne want for if we had it of our selves we would not crave it of God this confession of our want and indigence is a great glory to God that all the inhabitants of the earth usque ad Regem Davidem to professe to say Give us Psal 40. I am poore and needy but the Lord careth for mee they do professe themselves to be his beggers not onely by the voyce of nature which they utter for outward things as other unreasonable creatures do but by those prayers which they make for the supply of grace whereby they may be enabled to do Gods will so that not onely regnum tuum is Gods gift but also panem nostrum we acknowledge to be his gift It is from God from whom we receive all things as well the good givings as the perfect gifts Jam. 1.17 he is the author not onely of blessings spirituall but of benefits temporall he gives us not onely grace to obey his will but as the Prophet speakes dat escam Psal 104. The idolatrous people say of their Idols I will goe after my lovers that give mee my bread and my water my â—oyle and my wine but God saith after It is I that gave her corne and it is my wine and my flaxe and my oyle Hos 2.8 Ipse dat semen sementi panem
concerning whom Christ saith That wee shall bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equall or like to the Angels Luk. 20. ought while we live on earth not speake only with the tongue of men but of Angels not onely to confesse our owne wants and to crave a supply from God but to acknowledge Gods riches goodnesse and power Againe the Petitions that wee make for our selves is a taking and sanctification of his name by ascribing Kingdome power and glory unto God is a giving and therefore as the Apostle saith It is a more blessed thing to give then to receive Act. 29.35 So the confession of Gods goodnesse and power is a better confession then that which we make of our owne weaknesse and poverty and this is the onely thing which God receives from us for the manifold benefits that we receive from him Neither is this confession and acknowledgement left to our owne choice as a thing indifferent but we must account of it as of a necessary duty which may in no wise be omitted seeing God enters into covenant that he will heare us and deliver us out of trouble when we call upon him Psal 50. therefore God challengeth this a duty to himselfe by his servants Ascribe unto the Lord worship and strength give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name Psal 29. All Nations whom thou hast made shall come and worship thee and glorifie thy name Psal 86.9 Therefore our Saviour commends the Samaritan because he returned to give glory to God for the benefit received wherein he blames the other nine that being cleansed of their leprosie were not thankfull to God in that behalfe Luk. 17. For God for this cause doth heare our prayers and grant our Petitions that we should glorifie and honour his name But this is not all that we are to consider in these words for they are not onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely an astipulation but an allegation wherein as we acknowledge Gods goodnesse and power that hath heard and granted our requests so wee alledge reasons why he should not onely heare us but also relieve and helpe us with those things that wee crave for at his hands wee do not onely say heare our Petitions for so shalt thou shew thy selfe to be a King but a mighty and glorious King and we for our parts shall acknowledge the same but we use this confession as a reason why our former requests are to be granted for it is in effect as much as if we should say Forgive thou our sinnes deliver thou us from evill hallowed be thy Name thy Kingdome come for Kingdome power and glory is thine and not ours The reason why we would have our requests granted is drawne from God himselfe in two respects first that we may by this humble confession make our selves capable of the graces of God which do not descend to any but those that are of an humble spirit For he giveth grace to the humble 1 Pet. 5. If we would have our desires granted because it is the nature of God to be good and gracious to be of power to do what hee will for the good of his people we must desire him to be gracious propter semetipsum Esay 43.25 Our motive unto God must be For thy loving mercy and thy truths sake Psalm 115.1 Helpe us for the glory of thy Name deliver us be mercifull unto our sinnes for thy Names sake Psal 79.9 By these motives we must provoke and stirre vp God to heare us This is the difference that is betwixt the prayers of profane men and those that are sanctified Heathen and profane men referre all to their owne glory so saies Nabuchadnezzar Is not this great Babell which I have built by my great power and for the honour of my Majesty Dan. 4.30 Such a man thinkes himselfe to be absolute Lord and will say Who is the Lord over us Psal 12. Therefore are they called the sonnes of Beliall But the Patriarches that were sanctified frame their prayers otherwise Jacob acknowledged I am not worthy of the least of thy mercies Gen. 32. by which humility he made himselfe capable of mercy To us belongeth shame saith Daniel chap. 9. but to thee belongs compassion and forgivenesse though we have offended So Christ himselfe in this place doth teach his Disciples to pray that God will give them the things they desire not for any thing in themselves but for his names sake for thine is Kingdome Power and Glory whereby wee perceive that humility is the meanes to obtaine at Gods hands our suites The other respect is in regard of God for he makes his covenant with us that he will be our God and we his people And when the Prophet stirreth up the faithfull to worship the Lord and to fall downe before the Lord our maker hee addeth this as a reason For he is the Lord our God and we are his people and the sheepe of his pasture Psal 95. Wherefore one saith Commemoratio est quaedam necessitas exaudiendi nos quia nos ipsius sumus ipse noster est It is a necessary motive to God to heare us because we are his and he ours Therefore in all the Prayers and Psalmes which the Saints of God make they ground their Petitions upon this in regard of God the Father who is the Creator they say Wee are thy workmanship created by thee therefore despise not the workes of thy owne hands Psal 138. Besides wee are the likenesse of Gods Image Gen. 1. therefore suffer not thine owne Image to be defaced in us but repaire it Secondly in regard of Christ Wee are the price of Christs bloud Empti estis pretio 1 Cor. 6. Yee are bought with a price therefore suffer not so great a price to be lost but deliver us and save us Againe We carry his Name for as he is Christ so wee are of him called Christians seeing therefore that his name is called upon us Dan. 9.19 be gracious to us and grant our requests Thirdly in respect of the Holy Spirit the breath of his Spirit is in our nostrills which is the breath of life which God breathed in us at our creation Gen. 2.7 Againe the same Spirit is to us an Holy Spirit and sanctifieth us wee are not onely Vaginae Spiritus viventis the sheaths of the living Spirit but Templa Spiritus sancti The Temples of the holy Spirit 1 Corinth 6.19 And therefore for his sake wee are to intreat him to be gracious to us Wee are Gods Kingdome and therefore it belongeth to him to seeke our good all the world is his kingdome by right of inheritance but we that are his Church are his Kingdome by right of purchase wee are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 2.9 a people peculiar or gotten by purchase hee hath redeemed us to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 2.14 A peculiar people and the price whereby we are purchased is his owne blood 1 Pet. 1.
that he is now nothing so strong as he was to cast his darts Also the head of his darts are blunted 1 Cor. 15.55 Death where is thy sting Hell where is thy victory For as his death and resurrection had a mortifying force against the old man and a quickning force toward the new man so hath his temptation a dulling force to the devill and a strengthning force to us For our life and imitation there are also two First Compassion for Christ knowing in what sort we were tempted as having felt by experience both how strong the assaylant was Psal 118.13 who thrust sore at him that he might fall and how feeble our nature is to make resistance being nothing but dust Psal 103.14 He is moved thereby to lay away severity and to put on the bowels of compassion So that Now we have not a high Priest which cannot bee tempted with our infirmities but was tempted in like sort Heb. 4.15 So we which were before stony Judges and too rough for Physitians ought in like sort having beene tempted our selves to looke upon others defects with a more passionate regard The second thing we are to imitate Christ is our fellow-helper in all our necessities and temptations who as he sheweth us his sleights and darts Ephes 4.14 so he teacheth us how to avoyd them This is no small comfort to us when we consider that he is with us and will be till the end of the world Matth. 28.20 who hath overcome the world Joh. 16.33 and the devill if any temptation happen that he will beare us out we may be of good cheere This was it that did so animate Job Doe thou but take my part and who shall touch me Job 17.3 When as both Christ and we draw together in one yoke Matth. 11.29 what can hurt us Yet if we be afraid for that we see the enemy comming let us call for the helpe of our assistant and as it is said in Psal 68.1 we shall see God will arise and his enemies shall bee scattered they shall vanish like smoke and melt like waxe When they are ready to attache us let us say Save me O God for the waters are entred even into my soule Psal 69.1 When we are feeble then let us say with Ezekiel O Lord it hath oppressed me comfort me Ezek. 38.14 Or though they have wounded us let us say with David Bring out thy speare and stop the way against them that persecute me Psal 35.3 Say yet to my Soule I am thy Salvation So that we have not onely an example but a comfort too V. The fifth point is the day and time when this was done in which we are to note two things The word Then relateth as well to the end of the Chapter next going before as to the present instant First then when as Christ was but newly come out of the water of Baptisme and immediately after the heavens had opened unto him and the Holy Ghost descended upon him in the likenesse of a Dove and while he was yet full of the Holy Ghost did the devill set upon him When as the voyce from Heaven had pronounced This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased the devill straight addeth in whom I am ill pleased and so addresseth himselfe against him And it is Gods property to looke for much at his hands to whom he hath given much When he gives a man a large measure of grace he gives the devill withall a large patent Our Saviour had great gifts and the devill is like a theefe that will venter most for the greatest booty Secondly in regard of the present we are to note that in thirty yeares the devill did nothing to our Saviour but now when hee goes about to gird himselfe with our salvation according to Psal 45.3 then doth the devill gird on his sword also that is as much to say as the better the worke is the more resistance it shall have Ten repulses did the Israelites suffer before they could get possession of the promised Land of Canaan and as many did David endure before he was invested in the promised Kingdome Many lets came before the Temple was re-edifyed as is to be seene in Esdras and Nehemiah Yea saith the devill Hath God annoynted him with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes I will see if I can annoynt him with the oyle of sadnesse above his fellowes Hath he beene baptized of water and the Holy Ghost I will provide another Baptisme for him namely of fire Hath God sent downe the Holy Ghost upon him in likenesse of a Dove I will cause tribulation and a crowne of thornes to light upon his head Hath a voyce come downe from Heaven saying This is my beloved Sonne I will provide a voyce for him that shall ascend from the foote that shall say If thou be the Son of God come downe from the Crosse VI. The sixtâ—s the place the Lysts to wit the Wildernesse that so hee might be alone and that there might be no fellow-worker with him in the matter of our salvation that he alone might have the treading of the Wine-presse Esay 63.3 So in the Transfiguration in the Mount he was found alone Luke 9.36 So in the garden in his great agony he was in effect alone for his Disciples slept all the while Matth. 26.40 that unto him might be ascribed all the praise Secondly wee will note heare that there is no place priviledged from temptations As there be some that thinke there be certaine places to be exempt from Gods presence as was noted in the dreame of Jacob so the Monkes and Hermites thought that by avoyding company they should be free from temptations which is not so For although Christ were alone in the Wildernesse and fasting too yet was he tempted we see And yet it is true that hee that will live well must shunne the company of the wicked Gen. 19.7 When the Angels had brought Lot and his family out of the doores they charged them not to tarry nor to stand still nor once to looke backe So after the Cocke had crowed and put Peter in minde of his fall he went out of the doores and wept bitterly Matth. 26.75 his solitarinesse was a cause to make his repentance the more earnest and helped to increase his teares and company is commonly an hinderance to the receiving of any good grace and to the exercising and confirming us in any good purpose But as true it is that temptations are and may as well be in the deserts as in publique places not onely in the valleyes but in the mountaines ver 8. and not onely in the countrey but even in the holy City ver 5. yea and sometimes full and sometimes fasting yea in Paradise and in Heaven it selfe for thither doth the devill come and accuse us before God we are therefore alwayes to stand upon our guard For in Luk. 11.24 he is said to walke through dry places lest happily some
him Get thee hence behinde me Satan for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God him only shalt thou serve Then the devill leaveth him and behold the Angels came and ministred unto him THe answering of this Temptation if some had had the answering of it would have beene facto by the doing of the thing that the devill required and not in words standing upon termes in disputation Insomuch as they would never have cared for a cushion to kneele on but have fallen down straight on their very faces and have thanked him too If Balaak should say unto one of them I will promote thee to great honor Numb 22.17 an Angel standing in the way should not hinder him from going The manner of flesh and blood is in cases of preferment to respect nothing that may bring them out of their conceived hope or desire thereof and therefore whatsoever it is that stands in their way be it never so holy downe it shall for haste to make the way nearest In regard of this one brother respects not another When Joseph had had a dreame of his brethren and told it them all brotherly affection was laid aside Gen. 37.5 The sonne and subject Absolon forgetteth his duty as to his father and allegeance as to his Prince seeking his life 2 Sam. 16.11 The mother of Ahaziah Athalia when she saw her sonne dead makes no more adoe but destroyes all the Kings seed 2 King 11.1 Jehu makes no bones nor is abashed at the sight of heapes of dead mens heads of Kings sonnes that he had caused to be slaine but addes more murthers to them 2 Kin. 10.8 What 's a basketfull of heads to a Kingdome And Herod stacke not to kill all the male-borne children in Bethlem Matth. 2.16 So that Gregory might well say Ambitio est vita cui etiam innocentes nocent such is the vehement desire of a Kingdome So that a great many would have made no scruple at the matter neither would they have counted it a temptation but good counsell Neither would so have cut up Peter as Christ did to bid him goe behinde him and turne their backes on him but they would rather have turn'd their backes to God and their faces after Satan Jer. 2.27 1 Tim. 5.15 And indeed it must needs be that either our Saviour was unwise in refusing so good an offer or else the World in these dayes is in a wrong byas Our Saviour we see doth not onely refuse the thing but also gives him hard words for making the offer and motion For he doth not onely confute him here by saying Scriptum est but he addes words of bitter reprehension saying Avoid Satan He might have given faire words as he did before but here he seemeth to have left his patience The reason why he was more hot in this than in the former is for that this toucheth the glory of God and the redemption of mankinde the former Temptations touched but himselfe in particular as the turning of stones into bread but for miracle and the casting himselfe downe was but to try God what care he had of him But this so much toucheth the glory of God as he can hold no longer Also his longing to redeeme man caused the same Neither did he onely answer the devill so but when his blessed Apostle who meant friendly to him moved him to the like matter he rebuked him sharpely Two causes there are wherein Christ is very earnest one in counsell ministred to him tending to the impairing of Gods glory the other in practises tending to the impairing of Gods Church Joh. 2.15 there he was not onely vehement in words but made a whip to scourge them out And so in the Old Testament it is said of Moses Numb 12.3 That he was a meeke man above all the men of the earth yet when he came to a case of Idolatry Exod. 32.19 it is said Hee threw the Tables out of his hands and brake them And so farre did he lose his naturall affection to his people and Countrymen that he caused a great number of them to be slaine And so in a case of the Church when Corah rebelled Numb 16.15 then Moses waxed very angry for Glory be to God on high and peace on earth is the Angels song and joy and the devils griefe as on the other side the dishonour of God and dissention of the Church is the devils joy and griefe of the Angels Now besides that he doth in words rebuke him sharpely he doth no lesse in gesture also as by turning his backe upon him as it is most like he did in saying Avoid Satan which is such a despitefull disgrace as if that one should offer us the like we would take it in very great disdaine Which is to us an instruction that as there is a time when we are to keepe the devill before us and to have our eye still upon him and his weapon or temptation for feare lest unawares he might doe us some hurt so is there a place a time and a sinne that we are to turne our backes on and not once to looke at his temptation In affliction patience is to be tryed there resist the devill stand to him and he will flye from ye Jam. 4.7 Here we are to set the devill before us But in a case of lust or filthy desire then doe ye flye from him 1 Cor. 6.18 So in 2 Tim. 2.22 we are exhorted to flye from the lusts of youth and to follow justice there is no standing to gaze backe on the devill and his temptations Now to the answer Scriptum est The disputing or deciding of the Devils Title that is whether the Kingdomes of the earth were his to give or no Christ stands not upon nor upon this whether the devill were a man of his word or no. Indeed it might well have beene doubted whether the devill be as good as his word his promises are not Yea and Amen as the promises of God are We may take example by Eve to whom he promised that if they did eate of the forbidden fruite that they should be like Gods but were they so indeed after they had eaten No but like the beasts that perish And as true it is that the Kingdomes are his If the Kingdome of Israel had beene at his disposition we may be sure David should never have beene King as well appeareth by the troubles he raised against him No nor Hezechias neither of all other he would never choose such We may see his good will in Job Chap. 2.7 he could not onely be content to spoile him of all that he had but also he must afflict his body and so upon the Gergasens hogges Matth. 8.30 The Kingdomes are none of his but they are committed to him in some sort to dispose as himselfe saith Luk. 4.6 He hath as it were an Advowson of them to present unto them but yet not as he there saith to give to whom he list but to
whom he is permitted God must first put all that Job hath in his hands or else he can doe nothing Abimelech Judg. 9. and Herod Matth. 2. came to their Kingdomes by the devils Patent they be the devils Officers So we see daily in our dayes that he bestowes Offices and presents to Churches So that as Brentius saith Many have Panem quotidianum that cannot come by Da nobis they come not to it by Gods gift yet all the interest that the devill hath is but to present Pro hac vita tantum As therefore it may be true that in some sort they may be given him so yet not to dispose as he will It is God onely that can say so for his onely they are absolutely The earth is the Lords and all the fulnesse thereof the round world and all that dwell therein Psal 24.1 It is he the most high God that divided to the Nations their inheritance Deut. 32.8 By him Kings raigne and Princes have dominion Prov. 8.15 He brought Nebuchadnezzar to know That the most high God bare rule over the Kingdomes of men Dan. 5.21 He indeed may well say Cui voluero do ea and to whomsoever God giveth he giveth liberally and reproacheth no man Jam. 1.5 The devill we see exacteth more than the thing is worth and straineth the benefit of his grant with unjust convenants But Christ goes not about to answer the devill that way but by flying to the Scriptures as to his surest hold Therefore David prayes that his minde may be inclined to Gods Law and not to Covetousnesse Psal 119.36 For there is a medicine for every disease and power as well against this Temptation of Covetousnesse as against the former the Law of God can as well keepe a man from Covetousnesse as from Desperation Heaven and earth shall passe but no one jot of this Let therefore Haec omnia give place to Scriptum est marry Omnia illa which both we now enjoy and which are laid up for us hereafter are come to by Scriptum est So that Omnia haec is not all we must care for there be things to come besides these things which we lay hands on farre more precious Though here be all the Kingdomes of the earth yet they are said to be shewed in the twinckling of an eye so cannot the other Kingdome of exceeding glory All the power of all the Princes on the earth have not power over one silly soule to destroy it Matth. 10.28 All the glory of them is called but a great big fanne or pompe Act. 25.23 Solomon was the most glorious Prince that ever was yet he was not cloathed like a Lilly Matth. 6.29 Nor all the Lillies in the field nor Starres in heaven nor the Sunne and Moone it selfe are comparable to one soule The Scripture whereby Christ answereth the devill is in Deut. 16.13 Thou shalt feare the Lord thy God and serve him If any fantasticall spirit oppose it selfe against Moses let it be accursed There is in this answer two things set downe Worship and Service both which are due to God onely Covetousnesse endeth in Idolatry and fitly is so termed if Christ had beene covetously minded then he must needs have fallen downe and worshipped the devill for Covetousnesse and Idolatry being joyned together we would not have parted from so great a benefit Christ hath here changed a word which the Septuaginta Translator hath which signifyeth a service with an open testimony So that will ye know if a man doe beleeve He beleeveth unto righteousnesse with the heart that with the mouth confesseth to salvation Rom. 10.10 Such as glorifie God as well in their members as in their spirit 1 Cor. 6.20 As Saint James saith of Faith Shew me thy faith by thy workes so may it be said of feare You say you have feare can you shew me your feare If it be not a dead feare it is to be seene as Dan. 3.5 it must be shewed by falling downe and worshipping The servant that feared fell downe and besought his master Matth. 18.26 Doe you feare then where is the outward reverence The inward affection must appeare by the outward action Religion is outward as well as inward 1 King 19.18 There be two wayes whereby we may have traffique with the devill either of both will serve his turne first homage secondly service of the body and both these doth God require even when we are in the darke or in our chamber Ezech. 8.12 Indeed might the devill say this Mountaine is very open but how say ye will ye be content closely in a corner to worship me If ye will not weare my cognisance on your forehead yet ye may take my marke in your hand then shutting your hand no body can perceive it If ye will not take the marke yet take the number of the Beasts name that is six hundred threescore and six Apoc. 13.17 18. Will ye doe none of these What then will ye serve me Rom. 16.18 Thus ye see what glorious termes he useth but if one should seeme to doe one of these on courtesie he will not be content till he doe it of duty Now let us see first what it is to Worship It is that which Cornelius did to Peter he met him fell downe at his feet and worshipped him Act. 10.25 And that which John did to the Angell that is he fell downe before his feet to worship him Apoc. 19.10 It is when one on the knees doth a bodily worship I will shew it you in Davids words for I cannot tell it ye better When Michol scoffed at David for being bare-headed before the Arke he saith I will be more vile than thus and will be low in mine owne sight 2 Sam. 6.22 A man can never be too reverent to God we thinke it a great disgrace and debasing of our selves if we use any bodily worship to God It may be said to them as it was to him that feared to doe too much reverence to Caesar Hic homo timet timere Caesarem Our religion and Cultus must be uncovered and a bare-faced religion we would not use to come before a meane Prince as we doe before the King of Kings and Lord of Lords even the God of heaven and earth The foure and twenty Elders fell downe before him that sate on the Throne and worshipped him that liveth for ever and cast their crownes before his Throne The wandring eye must learne to be fastened on him Luke 4.20 and the worke of Justice and Peace Esa 32.17 The worship of the knees to bow Ephes 3.14 and kneele before the Lord their Maker Psal 95.6 Our feet are to come before his face For the Lord is a great God and a great King above all Gods Psa 95.2 3. Jacob though he were not able to stand or kneele yet because he would use some corporall service leaned upon his staffe and worshipped God as appeareth Gen. 49.33 and Heb. 11.21 This must be done as duty due unto