yet he will not heare them Solutiō The Solution is very easie if wee waigh wel what is said in the Psal 145.18 The Lord is neere to all that call vpon him yea to al that call vpō him in truth There the Prophet sheweth that many seeke God howbeit fainedly By reason whereof wee be conuinced that there is none other meanes to rid vs of our miseries but onely that God should take vs to his mercy and be pitiful vnto vs. The very infidels call vpon him without regard of him notwithstāding that they scorne at religion and at all things that are spoken to vs in the sacred Scriptures concerning Gods prouidēce his mercy and grace which wee must looke for at his hands Therefore if they be pinched with aduersity they cry Alas my God And what compelleth them thereunto Euen their mother wit So the hypocrites and despisers of God may haue some forme or likenes of praying not onely to speake but to speake properly they cānot pray in déed for they are destitute of the Spirite therof frō their teeth outward whiles their minds are otherwise busied but oftentimes as men may perceyue euen with some harty affection for they are forced thereunto but yet is it not in truth For they haue not the knowledge to say My God calleth and allureth mée vnto him I shall not therefore lose my labour in comming to him Seing it is his good pleasure to reckon and accompt mee in the number of his deerly beloued children I will go to him not on a foolish rashnes and presumption but with obedience vnto the voice of my GOD trusting to his promise The hypocrites cannot speake this language therefore they haue no truth in them For they must haue faith and faith dependeth on the promises of God which the wicked haue not yea neuer tasted of Againe wee must haue a féeling of our miseries so that when we approch vnto God we must be abashed of our selues we must be sory for our sinnes we must hate our selues and wee must acknowledge our selues to be excéeding miserable But the wicked and hypocrites haue none of all these Although then their mouths are open to call vpon God yet do they but blaspheme and vnhallow his holy name because their mindes are not sound and vpright Herba solaris A similitude Heliotropium the herbe of the Sunne so called because it windeth it self about with the Sunne in the morning very early it doth as it were behold the rising therof and all the day it followeth the course of the Sunne euer turning the leaues towards the same but the roote it neuer chaungeth stirreth nor mooueth but hath that stil fast fixed in the earth Euen so many will turne vp their eyes and handes to the sonne of righteousnes but it is onely in ceremonie and outward gestures for their rootes their hearts are farre and fast within the earth how can they then bée lifted vp to heauen where in déede their treasure is according to the words of our sauiour Christ Math. 6. Where your treasure is there will your hearts be also Such men will lift vp their handes eyes and voices towardes heauen to GOD and with such goodly gréene leaues will make a faire florish and beautifull shewe but their hearts and affections are surely sette vpon earthly vaine vile and transitorie thinges and are as farre from GOD as heauen and earth are distant the one from the other How then can they possibly in faith cal vpon the Lord that theyr prayers should bee heard And therefore they fulfill the saying of the Prophet Esay chap. 29.13 This people draweth neere to mee with their lippes but their heartes are farre from mee So then lette vs marke well that when God saith that hee will heare the prayers of all them that call vpon him hee meaneth that their prayers must procéede from faith and wée must bethinke our selues well beforehand of his promises thereby to bée encouraged to come vnto him yet wée must also acknowledge our selues to be as we surely are of our selues forlorne damnable and destitute of all goodnes and this we must be throughly perswaded of to the end that wée may resort to the fountaine of his goodnes and grace Now we sée there is no cause why we should thinke it strāge that God putteth hypocrits wicked men back whē they come to him For they come not with a willing mind nor a pure affection but they would willingly shunne and auoid his hand if it were possible Howbeit seing that they by no means possible that they can deuise can shift themselues from him they come to him by compulsion A similitude For euen as a theefe a murtherer or any other great malefactor being shut vp in prison would not willingly appeare before the Iudge but would wish in his heart that rather there were none at all but seing they are and must bee full sore against their willes that sinne might be punished and vertue rewarded they then humbly entreat him to shew mercie to them Euen so the wicked and hypocrites wish in their heart there were no God but seing he is and wil be they repayre to him not as being perswaded of him as of a louing and mercifull father but as a seuere Iudge but what profiteth that Therefore when we pray vnto God let vs offer vnto him free harted sacrifices let vs haue accesse to him with willing mindes assuring our selues that without him we are destitute of al things we want of all that appertaine to our good Moreouer let vs not doubt of his fauour towards vs seing hée hath promised it vnto vs but let vs alwaies beleeue that he is ready to receiue vs and wil not be deafe to our desires when we come to craue them at his hands True it is that God euery minute sheweth his goodnes towards vs and although wée presently perceiue it not yet doth he preserue vs from the miseries that hang ouer our head and putteth his louing hand betwéene vs and them So then wée cannot but be experienced of his grace in the time of prosperity know that wée are maintayned by the same but yet haue wée not so certaine and manifest experience of his fauour and helpe in prosperity as in aduersity For whensoeuer misery pincheth vs and death threateneth vs wée can discerne that we are wretched forlorne creatures if God should not step before vs to rescue vs. And to speake the truth more largely How great and grieuous were the sorrowes troubles anguish and griefe of our soules if wée had not this swéete consideration Yée sée then an euident Demonstration that God hath had and now hath mercy and compassion vpon vs. We sée therefore that affliction is that wherein God chiefly sheweth himself to be our sauiour Here we sée wherefore God saith in the Psalm 50.15 Call vpon mee in the day of thy trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie mee But shall we therefore inferre
THE Care of a Christian Conscience Ten Sermons on the 25. Psalme preached in Tewkesburie in the Countie of Gloucester By Richard Curtis NVNC AVT NVNQVAM Imprinted at London by Simon Stafford dwelling on Adling hill neere Carter lane 1600. TO THE HONORABLE AND VERtuous Lady the Lady Dorothee Stafford widdow one of the Ladies of her Maiesties bed-chamber Simon Stafford wisheth all honor and happinesse in this life and in the life to come perpetuall glorie and rest THE straight and dutifull consideration of so many great fauors with which your Honorable disposition hath vouchsafed to grace me vnworthie the least of them hath compelled me thus presumptuously to dedicate these Christian models albeit the talent of another mans zealous inuention yet as the tithe of my poore Printing-presse vnto your honourable patronage hoping that in regard of their worth and not of my deserts you will likewise peruse them at conuenient seasons The vtilitie of them I neede not rippe vp seeing that your owne deepe-grounded wisedome wil hereafter by experienced perusall find out the same far better then either my simple mind can imagine or my pen lay down Onely this I humbly craue of your Honour that my good deuotion herein bee acceptable vnto you for our Sauior Christ preferred the poore widdowes mite before the golden offerings of the rich And is it not written that Artaxerxes a Pagan King daigned to receiue a cup-full of cold water at the hand of poore Synetes Whose president I imitating am emboldened to register your Heroicall name in the forefront of this booke intituled The Care of a Christian Conscience nothing doubting at all but that your Honours name is registred in the Booke of life for the Christian Care which you haue extēded to many of the poore distressed members of Iesus Christ Thus ceasing I beseech the Lord to cōtinue you in your godly course endue you with all blessings which eyther this earth affords or heauen contains From London Aprill 20. 1600. Your Honours most bounden Simon Stafford The first Sermon vpon the 25. Psalme 1.2 3. verses 1 Vnto thee O Lord lift I vp my soule THe sence is Many are the slaunders great are the iniuries which the wicked O Lord my God the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost thrée persons and one eternall God do raise vp against me thy humble and obedient seruant being vpright as thou knowest and innocent of that great offence to séeke the destruction of thine anointed Saul which whosoeuer doth shall neuer be guiltlesse in thy sight as I now am and for as much as thou knowest that to be deliuered from lying lippes flaunderous toungs I earnestly desire that mine integritie and vprightnes being knowen vnto thy maiestie may also vnto mē appeare I put not my trust as worldlings do in any worldly thing but my trust being fully fixed in the only one God I humbly and hartily in the name and by the mediation of thy dearly beloued sonne Iesus Christ the Messias which is to come beséech thée to deliuer me so shall I praise thy name all the daies of my life Doct. 1 1. Doct. In all our afflictions we must lift vp our hearts to God only by Praier The reason is It is the hand wherwith the Lord from heauen reacheth his benefits vnto vs. Vse Vse Let vs exercise it at all times For euen as the birdes and fowles of the aire that they may escape the nettes and snares of the fowlers flie vp on high so we to auoid the infinit snares of our enemies and innumerable temptations must lift vp our selues from the corruptions lying vanities and deceitful sleights of the world by earnest and harty praier When the sacred Scriptures mention the honoring of God the chiefest point which it setteth downe to vs is prayer and had this bene obserued as it ought to be the manner thereof had bene much more estéemed among men so as they would not haue so swarued one way nor other but haue folowed that which the holy Scripture teacheth But now men regard not profitably to pray they respect not in what maner they pray that their praier might be accepted of God but most men rush in and steppe to it like blind Bayard and come not dutifully and reuerently as they ought to the Lord. From whence procéedeth this vnreuerent behauior Euen from hence Because men accompt not of it to be of so great importance as it is for if we tooke it for the chiefe point of the seruice of God as it is it is certaine wée would more hartily zealously and reuerently take it in hand 2. Doct. 1. verse Vnto thee O Lord. Doct. 2 Praier must be made to God only in the name of Iesus Christ For he onely heareth vs he onely euen Iesus Christ praieth for vs he onely vnderstandeth our praiers he onely is more ready to help thē we to aske Vse Vse Let vs therfore not pray vnto Sainctes departed for we ought not to pray to thē 2. They pray not for vs. 3. They vnderstand not our Prayers The Papists assertiō is that Saincts departed are with great profit and piety called vpon and praied vnto R. 1. Tim 2. sect 4. B. cap. 19 lib. 1. De sanctorū beatit and that it is not onely lawful but godly so to do Arg. 1. They say they pray not to Saincts as authors of any benefit or grace but as Intercessors only neither doe they make them immediate intercessors but onely through Christ concluding all their praiers Per Christum Dominum nostrum Ans 1. It is false that they pray vnto them as intercessors onely for they desire them not onely to praie for them but to haue mercie vpon them For thus they praie O blessed Ladie haue mercy vpon vs preserue thy seruants let the merites of S. Mary bring vs to the kingdome of heauen Answ 2. It is also false that they make them not immediat intercessors but conclude their praiers Per Christum Dominum nostrum for in that blasphemous praier Tu per Thomae sanguinem quem pro nobis impendit fac nos Christe scandere quo Christus ascendit By the blood of Thomas O Christ which hée shed for vs make vs to clime whither he ascended There they aske life eternal of Christ by the blood of Thomas of Canterbury How then is it true which the Rhemists affirme the Christ alone by his merites procureth all grace and mercy towards mankind Praiers are made to S. Mary S. Osmōd S. Anne S. Katherine and none of them concludeth Per Christum Dominum nostrum Likewise An. 1551. in Scotland it was as good doctrine amongst the Papists that it was lawful to say the Pater noster to Saincts that we may call them our fathers say Hallowed be your names because God hath made their names holy and that their kingdome may come because the kingdome of heauē is theirs by possession and further that their will may be done seing their
although being in the Sea the waues beate against it yet after a certain maner it is brought to land against windes and tempestes euen so against the temptations of this our pilgrimage our hope being fownded in that celestiall Ierusalem maketh vs as it were to be turned into stones Laur. Iustinianus Patriarcha Sim. Hope is as it were a piller which holdeth vp the spiritual building which fayling the building ruineth and into the pit of despaire falleth Heb. 6.19 Which hope we haue as an anchor of the soule both sure and it entreth into that which is within the vayle Psalm 52.2 My God I trust in thee let me not be confounded Doct. 1 1. Doct. Whosoeuer haue a strong coÌ„fidence in God will also ioyne prayer to God onely with their trust in him that their enemies may not preuaile against them to their confusion 1. Reason is Prayer is a strengthning of our hope in God and a meanes whereby we are deliuered from coÌ„fusion Psal 50.15 Call vpon me saith God in the day of thy trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie me Whoso praieth not to God to be deliuered from confusion which his enemies would bring him vnto doth not onely oftentimes fall into it as many exaÌ„ples in the holy word are shewed but is destitute of the hope of a Christian and so by consequence is voide from all comfort in his affliction seing in trouble nothing comforteth the afflicted but his hope and confidence in God â—â—w for his deliuery Let not mine enemies reioyce ouer me Doct. 1 1. Doct. The property of the wicked is to reioyce at the confusion of the godly Reason Because they hate nothing neither any persons somuch as the truth and the professors thereof Vse The vse is first to teach vs that the greatest part of men shall alwaies be against the godly Secondly not to trust the friendship of the wicked Lam. 2.16 All thine enemies do open their mouth against thee they hisse and gnash their teeth saying Wee haue deuoured it certainly this is the day wee looked for we haue found and seene it Hee saith not enemy but enemies Doct. 2 2. Doct. The wicked will ioyne together to vexe the godly although otherwise they agrée not among themselues Psal 2.2 The kings of the earth band themselues and the Princes are assembled together against the Lord and against his Christ Example Luk 23.12 And the same day Pilate and Herode were made friends together for before they were enemies one to another Vse The Vse is that we beware lest we be spotted with that fault Doct. 3 3. Doct. The wicked be often so enflamed with malice against the godly that nothing will satisfie them but their life Prou. 1.11 If they say Come we will lay waite for bloud and lie priuily for the innocent without a cause 12. wee will swallow them vp aliue like a graue euen whole as those that go downe into the pittes 13. wee shall find all precious riches and fill our houses with spoile 14. Cast in thy lot among vs we wil haue but one purse Ps 79.2 The dead bodies of thy Sainctes haue they giuen to the fowles of the heauen and the flesh of thy Sainctes vnto the beasts of the earth vers 3. Their bloud haue they shed like water round about Ierusalem there is none to bury them vers 4. Wee are a reproch to our neighbors eueÌ„ a scorne and derision to them that are round about vs. The Reason is They thinke to florish without controlment and to be reuerenced and to haue rest when they are dead which during their life they thinke and know that they shal not haue as they expected Esth 3.5 And when Haman sawe that Mordecai bowed not the knee vnto him nor did reuerence vnto him then he was full of wrath Vse 1 The Vse is First that bloudy cruelty being the property of the wicked that we labour with our selues that it be farre from vs. Vse 2 2. Vse To looke for all mischiefe from the wicked that they can accomplish against vs. Psalm 25.2 Let not mine enemies reioice Doct. 4 4. Doct. Though the wicked do alwaies hate the godly yet they wil ofteÌ„ dissemble friendship shew forth their malice only wheÌ„ they haue oportunity thereunto Psalm 5.9 For there is no constancy in their mouthes within they are vaine corruption their throte is an open sepulchre and they flatter with their tongue Amos 1.9 Thus saith the Lord For three transgressions of Tyrus and for foure I will not turne to it because they haue shut vp the whole captiuitie in Edom and haue not remembred the brotherly couenant The Reason is Because they are wise in their owne generation Luk. 16. and can waite their best aduantage Vse The vse is To teach vs First neuer to trust the faire wordes of a prophane man but so to behaue our selues that we shall beware of him Text. Let not mine enemies reioyce ouer mee Doct. 5 5. Doct. If we fall and our enemies reioyce ouer vs it is the Lords doing The 1. Reason He is almighty and doth all thinges although euill bée of Sathan and man The 2. Reason He hath the dominion of all creatures Vse The Vse is to teach vs First to learne to feare him and obay him especially in whose fauour nothing can hurt vs. Secondly that in all afflictions we looke vp and lift our soules to him that striketh and examine our selues what cause we haue giuen him Thirdly to séeke reconciliation with him by praier and repentance so shall the meanes that are against vs be employed for vs as Hamans galowes for Mordecai which God chaunged that hée himselfe was hanged thereon and his 10. Sonnes Esth 10. Goliahs sword cut off his owne head 1. Sam. 17. Text vers 3. So all that hope in thee shall not be ashamed but let them be confounded that transgresse without cause Paraphr And surely thou wilt not suffer them that depend vpoÌ„ thée to be put to shame but rather must these faithlesse persons that persecute the innocent be brought thereunto Doct. 1 1. Doct. An assured hope of deliuerance grounded vpon Gods promise is the onely cause of the patience and humility of Gods childreÌ„ in their troubles The Reason is First because the corruptioÌ„ of mans nature being of it self wayward cannot take afflictions patiently without supernaturall helpe therefore we say Without Hope the heart would breake Secondly where there is no hope there is no faith where there is no faith there is no patience Thirdly else the damned might haue patience which they haue not as appeareth by their gnashing of téeth Vse The Vse is To teach vs to be careful to vse the meanes of obtaining hope and growing in it praising God for such meanes we haue and mourning for that we want Psal 25.3 So all that hope in thee shall not be ashamed but let them be part of confounded that transgresse without a cause The 3.
part of the first Sermon TWo branches a Consolation an Imprecation Doct. 1 1. Doct. God preserueth from shame al that hope in him The Reason is Because he hath promised so to do Psal 91.14 Because he hath loued me therefore will I deliuer him Secondly he hath alwaies in greatest extremities deliuered his people Psal 22.4 Our father 's trusted in thee they trusted and thou diddest deliuer them verse 5. They called vpon thee and were deliuered they trusted in thee and were not confounded The vse is That as wée beléeue the promises of God in generall so we must beléeue them to appertaine to our selues especially otherwise our hope and faith differeth not from the hope and faith of the Diuels for they beléeue and tremble Doct. 2 2. Doct. God confoundeth often in this life Cain Babilo Philistiās Egiptiās Haman Daniels Sydracs Misachs and Abednagoes enemies alwaies without true conuersion to God in the life to come all those that by persecuting the godly without cause do transgresse his lawes The Reason is That by persecuting them they persecute Christ himselfe Act. 9.4 And Saul fell to the earth and heard a voyce saying vnto him Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee verse 5. And hee said Who art thou Lorde And the Lord said I am Iesus whom thou persecutest it is hard for thee to kicke against prickes Zachar. 2.8 Hee that toucheth them toucheth the apple of his eye Vse The vse is First to walke in the feare of God and as members of the body of Christ séeing he hath so great care of vs. Vse The 2. vse Not to be discouraged although our afflictions by the wicked are long in the end hée will burne the rodde Vse The 3. vse is Let vs pray to God to endue vs with his spirite rather to be persecuted then to persecute the mēbers of Christ séeing their end is so miserable Iob 5.3 I haue seene the foolish wel rooted and sodainly I cursed his habitation saying vers 4. His children shal be farre from saluation and they shal be destroied in the gate and none shal deliuer them vers 5. The hungry shall eate vp his haruest yea they shall take it from among the thornes and the thirsty shall drinke vp their substance * Simil. Like as a tree thoroughly well setled and deepely rooted standeth fast although it be shaken with wind euē so it seemeth that after God hath once planted the wicked their raigne is for euer But forasmuch as oftentimes the kickers against GOD do prosper and are well at their ease here is mention made of their estate notwithstanding that men estéeme them happy to the worldward Eliphas saith that when hée saw a foolish man in prosperity he iudged not as men commonly doe which is This man is happy he is blessed of GOD but knew by and by that the end of him shal be euill and that hée shall be punished euen in his ofspring God doth oftentimes vtter such kind of sayings to turne vs frō the false opinion which we may conceyue when we see them not punished out of hand that runne into such excesse of wickednes but rather to our séeming are fauoured of God I know what the common opinion is for we estéeme of things as they may be séene by the eye our mind wadeth no further If God lift vp his hand and execute any Iustice that may be séene scarcely will men vouchsafe to regard it But if he winke at thinges and tarry patiently for the sinners wée thinke him to be asléepe and that he gouerneth not the world but letteth all thinges goe at randome without any minde to remedy them Sée how blockish we be But God sheweth vs that the wicked persecutors cease not to bée cursed euen in the middest of their prosperity that we néed not to spite them for their happy successe as they terme it For they must be doubly punished so that it were farre better for them that they were miserable because they shall pay ouer-déere for their pleasures And behold also why I said that it behoueth vs to marke well these sentēces both of my text which is They shal be confoūded that without cause persecute the Saincts of God as also I haue seene the foolish well rooted and immediatly or sodainly I cursed his habitation Because both containe a profitable lesson and because the Prophet Dauid in this his prayer to God saith Let them be confounded that transgresse without a cause In which wordes he cursed his persecutors not so much for that they were his enemies but in persecuting him they foolishly kicked against the prickes that is against Christ himselfe And Eliphaz calleth thē Fooles that are wicked though they haue taken roote and presently He hath cursed his habitation which both are to be vnderstood in one sence I purpose God willing the longer to persist in this necessarie point both to consider in what sence the wicked persecutours although flourishing in this world for a time may be said to be fooles as also how cursing of them may not disagrée to the commaundement of our Sauiour Christ Blesse Math. 5. I say and curse not For the first That we may the better profite our selues by the doctrine herein contayned First it behooueth vs to note that this word Foole is here Iere. 5. Mat. 23. Gal. 3.1 and in diuers other places of the sacred Scriptures put for those that in their prosperity and persecuting regard not GOD. For although the world accompteth them wise mē which can skill well to deale for their owne profite and can shift their matters cunningly as they say the holy Scriptures tell vs there is none other wisdome then the feare of the Lord. Then if wée lift vp our soules and cast vp our eyes fast fixed on GOD in the heauens so as wée direct our lyfe according to his will and put our whole trust in him as Dauid in this and diuers other Psalmes diuersly protested hée did to haue by Prayer recourse to him for succour behold the same is our true wisedome And here wée sée why Saint Paul saith that such as are learned in the Gospell are perfectly wise Col. 1.28 Whome that is Christ Iesus wee preach admonishing euery man and teaching euery man in all wisedome that wee may present euery man perfect in Christ Iesus Therefore the glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ our Sauiour is called wisedome for that there we find how to order our whole lyfe without missing or erring Although then that men bée full of subtilty and fine conueyance and suppose themselues to be very wise yet must wée holde vs to that which the Scriptures teach vs how it is in euery whit of it but folly and vanity for for their folly in persecuting the Saincts without cause they shal be confounded séeing that the feare of GOD is not in them I haue saith Eliphaz seene the Foole taking roote and immediatly I haue cursed his house Whereas hée speaketh of taking
thou appointest mee to treade Doct. 1 1. Doct. The Saints of God hauing most knowledge of the will of God and of his lawes yet haue most desire to bée instructed therein The first reason is They onely sée their owne wantes and ignorance The second Reason is They onely long for the performance thereof The third Reason is Vnto them it is sweeter then the honey Psal 19. yea then the honey combe for they onely haue by the spirite of GOD the taste of the swéetnesse thereof As for the wicked no maruell though they desire not the knowledge of the waies of God for vnto them it is a burthen heauy to beare For as a burden laid vpon the shoulders of an vnwilling man Simil. is therefore gréeuous vnto him because he with an vnwilling mind beareth the same yet the same burden laid vpon the shoulders of a willing man is to him not heauy but light euen so the Lawes waies and pathes of GOD are to the children of God easie but to the wicked heauy for they bridle the lustes of the flesh they teache mortification Gods anger against sinne and whatsoeuer is contrary to the corrupt will of flesh and bloud Vse The Vse is that wée vse all the meanes which GOD affordeth vs for the attainment of the knowledge thereof as the hearing reading and meditating therein day and night The cause that moued the good Prophet and king Dauid Psal 1.2 thus to pray to God To teach him his pathes waies that he might walke in thē may be gathered to procéed from a desire that he had to expostulate with God why he seruing God day and night and that not without cares should be in such great miseries as persecutions by outward enemies sicknes inward temptations and such like whereas the wicked were freed from these miseries oftentimes although not alwaies He vpon better consideration perceyued that it procéeded from ignoraunce of Gods lawes pathes and will and therefore he prayeth for vnderstanding of his way Then do we lacke wisedome Iam. 1. Let vs craue it of him which is the welspring of it and giueth it without vpbraiding For God dealeth not nigardly with vs as men do who when their goods are diminished are gréeued if they be much called vpon It is not so with GOD for hée neuer ceaseth to do vs good Therfore let vs learne to offer our selues to him whē we want wisdome and let vs not doubt but he will giue vs as much as is necessary for vs if wée heare read meditate and practise his holy word And this doctrine is exceeding necessary for our behoofe For what hath béene the cause of so much corruptions in Christendome but for that the waies pathes lawes will word of our good God haue béene peruerted and embased wrested and mingled with the filthy dung of mans wisedome but because men haue béene desirous to be ouerwise as though God had not bene well aduised but they must set him to schoole to them When mē presume to put foorth their owne inuentions to say in the seruice of God This must bee good and That must be done Such a thing must be remedied After what sort After their owne fācy And had not GOD foreséene it How commeth it to passe that he did it not before We sée what God saith and thereunto must wée hold vs. He will haue vs to hold all thinges for good and holy which he speaketh And marke men will steppe in And why They could not find in their harts to do him so much wrong as to say hée is scarce well aduised and that they themselues are wiser then he But wée shall know this matter by taking of a matter that is easie to be vnderstood which is that the Pope hath gone about to diuide those things which GOD hath ioyned together that is to wit he hath hereft the people of the Cup in the Lords Supper and taught them that they must content themselues with one kind namely with the host as they call it and that the Cup serued but for the Priests to sing Masse withall And what are his allegations Oh there would be many inconueniences True it is that all those inconueniences are grounded vpon beastly superstitions to make men beléeue that wine is no more wine but that it is turned into the blood of our Lord Iesus Christ Then marke here his allegatiō O saith he there would be many incōueniēces if the Cup should be giuen to al the people it were better that the Priest should drinke in the behalfe of all the whole company To be short it is all one as if he said We be wiser thē God we sée things that he saw not therfore we must prouide for thē After what maner By putting away the ordinance of Iesus Christ Behold our Lord Iesus Christ saith Mat. 26.27 Mar. 14 13. Drinke ye all of this Cup. He saith expresly Drinke ye all Behold the Pope cōmeth cutteth of that word saying It is true that that was the ordināce of Iesus Christ But we haue not takē away the wine without great reason it is to prouide for inconueniences I haue thought it good to haue it so And what shall we say of the Sonne of God who is the infinite wisedome it selfe and the light of the world Did he sée nothing in making this institution We sée then that mē ouershoot them without al measure when they consider not that the works of God are brought about by infinite righteousnes and wisedome Then let vs hold vs there and follow the way and pathes he sheweth vs appointeth vs to walke in and not feare that wée shall erre if he once shew vs his will and wée suffer our selues to be gouerned quietly by it Psal 25.5 Lead me forth in thy truth and teach me for thou art the God of my saluation in thee do I trust all the day The 2. part of the second Sermon The Paraphrase THe sēce is Guide my steps O Lord in the truth of thy promises which neuer faile teach me patience in this all other mine afflictions Guide mée that I desire no reuenge that I practise no vnlawfull meanes to escape out of daunger for thou art he alone O my God of whome I daily and continually looke for my deliuerance Doct. 1 The 1. Doctrine It is the property of the godly in their afflictions to pray to God to guide them in the truth of his promises The Reason is Without the assurāce of them they murmure nay vse sinister practises to escape out of daunger The 2. Reason is By them they are stayed and comforted patiently to beare the rodde of Gods correction Vse The Vse is That wée alwaies call the promises of GOD to mind which are taught vs in the word so shall wée be quiet when others rage so shall wée not reuenge when others séeke reuengement so shall wée with patience possesse our soules when others shall despaire so shall
honors and reputations among men which all are vaine We sée after what sort men comfort themselues namely by forgetting God For it séemeth to them to be a melancholy matter to think vpon him And in sooth how many are there that wil say stoutly enough We are good Christians and yet notwithstanding when they entend to be merrie they driue away all thought of God and eternal life and not onely so but also offend God of set purpose After what maner They cannot be merry dut in doing euil Seing then that the nature of men is such that wée be attainted with that disease let vs looke well to our selues and be sure that our mirth shall not be blessed from aboue except we be assured of the remissiō of our sins Therfore if we haue Gods fauour and pray to him therein consisteth true gladnes which is approued of God is eternal will bring vs to euerlasting saluation But so long as we know not in what case we are in with our God nor seeke to be reconciled to him but lie rowting still in our owne filthines the more we desire to be merry the more we kindle Gods vēgeance against vs the more we encrease still the fire of his wrath we plunge our selues the déeper into his bottomles pittes We see then that it is more thē néedfull that it should be shewed vs how much it standeth vs in hand to be well assured of Gods mercifulnesse towards vs. And that also is the cause why the holy Scripture when it treateth of giuing ioy and comfort to vs doth alwaies set before vs the fauour of God Isa 49.13 Reioyce O heauens and be ioyful O earth brast forth into praise O moūtaines for God hath comforted his people and will haue mercy vpon his afflicted Isa 44.23 Reioyce ye heauens for the Lord hath done it showte yee lower parts of the earth brast forth into praises ye mountaines O forest euery tree therein for the Lord hath redeemed Iaakob and wil be glorified in Israel Isa 52.1 Arise arise put on thy strength O Sion put on the garments of thy beauty O Ierusalem the holy one for hēceforth there shall no more come into thee the vncircūcised the vncleane Isa 60.1.2 3. c. thoroughout Luc. 2.10 11. to the end of the Chapt. Zach. 9.9 Reioice greatly O daughter Siō showt for ioy O daughter Ierusalem behold thy King cōmeth to thee he is iust and saueth himselfe poore and riding on an Asse and vpon a colt the foale of an Asse Hereby we are taught that we must néeds be in trouble vnquietnes so long as we know not whether we be in Gods fauour True it is that the wicked will séeke meanes enough to make thēselues merry they ruffle it out you sée in despising God but howsoeuer the world goe with them yet he sendeth them such prickings and torments of mindes so as they be grieuously distressed and if they daūce it is as Moses saith namely that yet neuertheles sinne lieth at the doore that is tormenteth their consciences there waiteth for them like a dogge that waiteth for his master Yée sée then that the wicked may ruffle it out but yet can they not goe out of their doores without gnawing of their consciences and GOD must still hold them at that bay Therefore so much the more ought wee to thinke vpon this doctrine that we turne not our backe vnto God nor burie our sinnes when wée would haue peace but that wée alwaies haue some promise of GOD to comfort vs. And when wée sée that GOD allureth vs to saluation let vs be glad thereof for then shall our gladnesse be blessed And if wée haue the taste that GOD is our louing Father it will swéeten yea it will sanctifie all our ioyes but without it wée must néeds quayle and there is no other meanes for vs truely and in deed to reioice Marke this Also let vs consider that the onely grace of God ought to suffice vs although we haue neuer so many sorrowes mixt with it according as God will exercise vs. For he in this our fraile life will not send vs full ioy so as we may laugh with open mouth as they say yet not withstanding it behoueth vs to reioyce in this certainty that we haue him to our good and louing father and that we shal find mercy with him Then if we haue this grace to call vpon God and can assure our selues that the gate is open to vs and that we in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ shall haue accesse vnto him I say if wée can haue that boldnesse not through our owne rashnesse but that he hath vouchsafed to open his holy mouth to witnesse his loue to vs which thing he doth when to vs his holy Gospell is preached then notwithstanding that many and infinite were our temptations and afflictions yet he will comfort vs and she we himselfe as a kind comfortable and louing father vnto vs. Psal 25.10 All the pathes of the Lord are mercy and truth vnto such as keepe his couenaunt and his testimonies The 2. part of the 4. Sermon The sence is THe faithfull the children of GOD which onely kéepe his couenaunt and testimonies shall surely taste and féele in this life and in that to come both his eternall and swéete mercy and his perpetuall and constant truth of his promises Doct. 1 1. Doct. They onely which remaine in and obserue the couenants and testimonies of God shal taste and féele that all the pathes of the Lord are mercy and truth to them The Reason is God hath so promised Psal 50.23 To him that disposeth his way will I shew the saluation of God Vse The Vse is That we neuer can assure our selues of Gods mercie and his promises of fauour except we endeuour to kéepe his couenant and testimonies which his law containeth consisting of two tables The first concerning our dutie towards GOD immediately which I haue oftentimes heretofore handled and the second concerning our neighbours And that I may the better comfort you with assuraunce of Gods mercy and truth which GOD graunteth to none but to them that leade a godly and charitable life and that except you doe good workes you cannot assure your selues of Gods mercy I purpose the rather to insist vpon this necessarie vse of the doctrine that I might thereby exhort you to good workes that you may féele the fauour and goodnesse of GOD thereby towards you Our Sauiour Christ in the 25. of S. Math setteth down a Catalogue of good workes among which hee accompteth To féede the hungrie To giue drinke to the thirstie To cloth the naked To visite the sicke and prisoners To lodge the barbourlesse Gen. 18.1 2 3. To entertaine straungers and waifaring men not the least This did good Abraham wel vnderstand and practise who sate in his tent doore in the heate of the day of purpose to inuite and call in straungers and wayfaring
our aduersaries do slaunder vs therefore herein they fight with their owne shadow B. l. 3. de Verbo Cap. 1. We confesse that the Lord in the Scriptures hath tempered hard things and easie together that wee might be exercised in the Scriptures might knock by prayer and study for the opening of the sence and that there might be order kept in the Church some to be teachers and expoūders and some to be hearers by which teachers and expounders through their diligent search and trauell the harder places may be opened to the people But this wee affirme against our aduersaries First that al points of faith necessary to saluation are plainly setforth in the holy Scriptures Secondly that they may with great profite be read of the simple and vnlearned notwithstanding the hardnesse of some places which in time also vsing the meanes they come to the vnderstanding thereof Arg. 1 1. Arg. First our iudgements are euidently approued by the Scriptures Deut. 30.11 For this commaundement which I commaund thee is not hid from thee neither is it farre of verse 12. It is not in heauen that thou shouldest say Who shall goe vp for vs to heauen and bring it vs and cause vs to heare it that we may do it verse 13. Neither is it beyond the sea that thou shouldest say Who shall goe ouer the sea for vs and bring it vs and cause vs to heare it that we may do it verse 14. But the word is very neree vnto thee euen in thy mouth and in thine hart to do it Therefore the Scriptures are plaine Vnto this Argument first it is aunswered that it is meant onely of the Decalogue or 10. Commaundements that they are easie not of the whole Scriptures Answer Replication As though if the Commaundements be easie the rest of the Scriptures be not likewise as the Prophets and historicall Bookes being but Commentaries and expositions of the Decalogue S. Paul Rom. 10.6 vnderstandeth this place of the whole doctrine of faith Againe the prophet Dauid saith Ps 119.105 Thy word is a lanterne to my feete a light to my path Which is not to bée vnderstood onely of the commaundements and precepts in the Scriptures but of the whole word of GOD as Augustine expoundeth it Quod ait Lucernae pedibus verbum tuum verbum est quod Scripturis omnibus sanctis continetur Where hée saith Thy word is a lanterne to my féete hée vnderstandeth the word of God which is contained in all the holy Scriptures Arg. 2 The 2. Argument 2. Cor. 4.3 If our Gospell be then hidde it is hidden to thē that are lost Therefore the Scriptures are plaine to the faithful Bellar. answereth S. Paul speaketh of the knowledge of Christ not of the Scriptures Replie First it is manifest out of the next verse being the 4. whereas the Apostle saith In whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes that is of the Infidels that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ which is the image of God should not shine vnto them that S. Paul speaketh of that Gospell which he preached to the Corinthians which is the same he wrote vnto them Wherfore if the Gospel preached were easie and plaine why is not the Gospell written by him I meane the doctrine of faith beyng the same which hee preached Secondly if they graunt as by this answere it appeareth they do wee aske no more for this is that which wee say that the Doctrine of faith saluation is plainly expressed in the sacred scripture Arg. 3 3. Arg. This is the differēce betwéene the new testament the old The old is compared to a clasped booke Is 29.11 The new to a booke opened Apoc. 5.1 6.1 The knowledge of Christiās far exceedeth the knowledge of the Iewes it was lawfull for them to read the Scriptures much more for vs Christians Bellar. answereth that our knowledge is greater then theirs not in all Scriptures but in the mysteries of our Redemption onely Our Replie is This is all wée desire for if the mystery of saluation redemption be plainly opened in the Scripture why should not the people be admitted to the reading of the word to be confirmed in the knowledge of their redemption I conclude therefore this point with the sayings of our sauiour Christ Iohn 5. Search the Scriptures for in them you thinke to haue eternall life and they do testifie of mee Likewise S. Paul to the Colossians 3.16 Let the woord of Christ dwell in you plenteously in all wisedome The seuenth Sermon vpon the 25. Psalme the 15 and 16. verses 15 Mine eyes are euer towardes the Lord for he will bring my feete out of the net The sence thereof is FOrasmuch as the Lord of his great mercy hath promised neuer to leaue them destitute of his assistance which fearing alwaies trusting in him are in great afflictions perils and daungers I therfore not in prosperitie onely but in aduersitie also euen at all times lift vp the eies of mine heart and affections by faith sure confidence towards him seing it is he onely and none other that either can or wil deliuer mée out of the net of troubles Doct. 1 1. Doct. Afflictions and troubles are alwaies incident to the deare Saints Church of Christ 2. Tim. 3.12 All that will liue godly in Christ must suffer persecution Examples Abel Ioseph the Israelites in Egipt and in the captiuity seuentie yéeres the Prophets Christ his Apostles Christians and Martyrs in the Primitiue time and also of late yéeres The causes therof mouing God thereunto are First that he might daily declare himself the disposer gouernour of al things 1. Sam. 2 7. The Lord maketh poore and maketh rich bringeth low and exalteth Secōdly to take from vs that do naturally settle our affections on the earth all occasion of promising our selues prosperity in this life Vse The vse is First to prepare our selues to all conditions whether the Lord send prosperitie or aduersitie health or sicknesse according to the example of the Apostle Paul Phil. 4.11 12. who saith I haue learned in whatsoeuer state I am to bee content verse 12. And I can be abased I can abound euery where in all things I am instructed both to be ful and to be hungry and to abound and to haue want For otherwise it is certaine that affliction comming vpon vs wil be most gréeuous and intolerable Secondly to teach vs to settle our affections vpon heauen the thinges that lead thither which is a most certain anchor-hold and wil neuer faile vs as this world will doe in the most excellent things thereof And forasmuch as no Doctrine in the sacred Scriptures is in my iudgement more necessary then this concerning the vse and benefites of afflictions I purpose by Gods assistance the longer to persist herein Euen as the man that hath a sonne A similitude which is in good and perfect health and a seruant that is
excéeding sicke dealeth more roughly and seuerely with his Sonne then with his seruant not because hée loueth his seruant more then his Sonne but because hee would restore his sicke seruaunt to his former health but his Sonne whom hee loueth most déerely hée reprooueth checketh taunteth and correcteth Euen so our good gracious GOD and louing father sometimes afflicteth his deere children whom he tenderly loueth and suffereth thē to be exercised with wéepings wailings and want with sighes and sorowfull sobbes with hunger and cold with nakednes and want of harbor with heauinesse of heart and vexation of spirite with sicknes of body and restraint of liberty and with a thousand other calamities and cares and in the meane time suffereth the wicked and vngodly ones of the world to want nothing he giueth them health wealth and libertie worldly honour and dignitie and what not meaning and purposing by these means if the fault bee not in themselues to bring them to know feare honor and serue him by whose prouidence and appointment they haue and do enioy all those good blessings and so be cured and healed of the sores and sicknesse of their soules A similitude As the skilfull Gemmarie and cunning Lapidarie doth willingly suffer the Indian Diamond or Adamant to be smitten with great and waighty blowes because he knoweth well that the hammer and Anuile will sooner be brused then the Diamond or Adamant will be broken so our most wise God yea wisedome it selfe suffereth men of excellent vertues of vnquenchable charity and inuincible constancy as Dauid to fall into diuers temptations to be plunged deepe into manifold miseries because he will haue their inward graces to shewe foorth and so shine before men that they seing the constancy of his Saincts may glorifie God which is in heauen For he is sure that they are cōstant that nothing can separate them from the loue of God Ioseph was imprisoned in Egypt Ieremy in Iudea Ezechiel in Chaldea and Iohn Baptist in Israel by wicked Herode and yet all these infinite others did neuer shrinke from God but as they liued in him so they died in him and are exalted vp on high and shall dwell in his tabernacle rest in the hill of his holines for euer And euen so if wee wil be as they were we shall be as they are True it is that God being iust doth neuer afflict vs vniustly which thing we ought alwaies to thinke confesse to humble our selues and glorifie God Neuerthelesse God doth not alwaies take occasion of our sinnes to punish vs but oftentimes he sheweth this fauour to his children to dispose it for their benefite Text. Mine eies are euer towards the Lord for hee will bring my feete out of the nette Doct. 2 2. Doct. The continuall lifting vp of Dauids eies to the Lord teacheth this Doctrine whosoeuer will pray aright that the Lord might accept them must lift vp continually their affections to the Lord for by the eye which of the sences is the sharpest and draweth the whole man to himselfe he meaneth all the affections of man The Prophet no doubt also by the eyes meaneth his corporall eies which as by an instrument did draw vp his affections to the Lord. The reason is All good things whatsoeuer wée haue GOD is the author thereof of whom in lifting vp our harts we desire the same Example of lifting vp of the eies in prayer is our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ both whē he prayed with thanksgiuing to his Father when hée raised vp Lazarus from death who foure daies lay buried in his graue as also when he prayed to his father not onely for his Disciples but for all that shall beleeue in him Iohn 11.41 and Iohn 17.1 Therefore they tooke away the stone where he was laid that was dead and Iesus lifted vp his eies and said Father I thanke thee that thou hast heard mee This is a token of a mind well framed to praier for to the end a mā may rightly call vpon GOD he must be ioyned with him which cannot bée vnlesse being lifted vp aboue the earth he ascend vp aboue the heauens This is not done with the eye onely seeing that hypocrites who are drowned in the déepe filth and dregges of their flesh séeme with their sterne countenance to draw heauen vnto them but the children of GOD must sincerely perfourme that which hypocrites do but faine Neyther yet must hee that lifteth vp his eyes towardes Heauen there include GOD in his cogitation who is euery where and filleth heauen and earth But because mens mindes can neither escape from nor acquit themselues of grosse inuentions but when they be lifted vp aboue the world the sacred Scripture called vs thither and testifieth that heauen is Gods seat As touching the lifting vp of eies it is no continuall ceremonie which lawfull Praier cannot want For the Publican that praieth with his countenance towardes the earth doth neuerthelesse pearce the heauens with his faith Yet that is a profitable exercise whereby men awake and stirre vp themselues to séeke the Lord yea the feruentnesse of prayer doth so affect and moue the body sometimes that besides meditation it doth willingly folow the mind Certainly it is without all doubt that when Christ and Dauid lifted vp their eyes towards heauen they were caried thither with singular vehemency Vse The vse is that in our prayer we lifting vp our eies to the Lord should not doe it as the hypocrites without the affections of our minds but that both the eyes and the affections of our minds being lifted vp to him together we may be assured that he will heare vs. If we bée in daungers he will deliuer vs if in pouerty he will relieue vs if in sicknes he will cure vs if in sorow he will solace vs. Iohn 17.1 These things spake Iesus and he lifted vp his eies towardes heauen In that Iohn said that Christ lifted vp his eyes towards heauen it was no small signe of zeale and feruentnes For Christ testified in déed by this gesture that he was rather in heauen by the affection of his mind then in earth that he might talke familiarly with God He looked vp towards heauen not that God is shut vp there who doth also fill the earth Ierem. 23. but because his maiestie appeareth there chiefly and secondly because the beholding of heauen doth admonish vs that the power of GOD farre passeth all creatures To the same purpose serued the lifting vp of his hāds when he praied for seing that men are slacke and slow by nature and their earthly nature doth bend them downeward they haue néed to bee stirred vp thus yea they haue néed of chariots to carrie them vp to God But if wee desire to imitate Christ and Dauid truly we must take diligent héed that our ceremonies expresse no more then is in the mind but let the inward affection mooue both handes eies tongue féet and whatsoeuer we haue
preferment as it is probable did allure and tempt him If Iob the iust abstained from euill If Ioshua whatsoeuer others would yet hée and his houshold would serue the Lord ought not wee then in these daungerous dayes to doe the like especially séeing the Lord giueth vs warning that we cannot liue holy without great battailes The Lord of his vnspeakeable goodnesse giueth vs power and grace to ouercome all Sathans assaults in such sort as there is none excuse for vs if wee doe not as they did For they liued not in times when all things were well ordered or when men were as Angelles No they liued among Idolaters aboundance of wickednesse raigned in their time there was as great store of vice that raigned in the world then as there is at this day Yet notwithstanding they followed not the bent of other mens bowes as the Prouerbe is but they retired to them selues being well assured that they ought to serue God So then let none of vs in these daies wherein wickednesse hath gotten the vpper hand alleadge the corruption of the time in that all goodnesse is turned topsi-turuy but rather let vs consider that God by the meanes thereof prouoketh vs to bee so much the more careful by all possible meanes to shunne and auoyd those things that may any way infect vs. For seeing that wee plainely perceiue that vices are as it were an euill aire we must flie from them as if a man should tell me if I trauell such a way théeues lie in wait for me I shall be robbed my meat is poisoned I shall be slaine if I escape not another way Wherefore then are we not carefull séeing that the Lorde himselfe sheweth vs that all the vices in the world are as badde as deadly plagues And séeing that the Lord of his great mercy had giuen them his spirite to abstaine euen from not onely euill but from the appearance of euill let vs not doubt but if we by feruent and deuout prayer repaire vnto him that at this day he will assist vs with like power The second part of the eight Sermon Psal 25.18 Looke vpon mine affliction and my trauaile and forgiue me all my sinne The sense thereof is MAny and grieuous are the trauailes troubles and afflictions which I thy dutiful seruant and obedient sonne doe suffer in such sort as though thou haddest no regard thereof I most humbly beséech thée O Lord my God for the Messiahs thy dearely beloued sonnes sake to behold and looke vpon thē that thou mightest powre forth thy bowels of mercie and compassion vpon me in ridding and deliuering me out of them and because I am not O Lord onely outwardly afflicted but inwardly tormented the cause of all I most humbly and sorrowfully confesse vnto thine vnspeakeable goodnesse to be the huge and odious multitude of my sins which for filthines do stincke in thy nostrils for whose sake thou layest this heauie burthen both of outward and inward griefes vpon me I humbly beseech thee to burie them in the pit of obliuion that they neuer come into thy remembrance to cast them into the bottome of the sea that thou neuer sée them and to remitte and forgiue them al through the meanes and mediation of the Messiah thy dearly beloued sonne Christ Iesus who shal when the fulnesse of time is come take vpon him our nature and suffer the most bitter death and passion on the crosse for the redemption of all that beléeue in him both of them that liued before his incarnation in whose number and in which time I am one as also after his incarnation to the worlds end Text. Looke vpon mine affliction Doct. 1 1. Doctr. Generally out of the whole verse The principall desire of the godly is that the Lord would weigh their wofull estate The reason is Because first they know him to be a righteous iudge euer dealing fauourably with his people Secondly their consciēces do tel thē that notwithstanding they are gréeuous sinners against the Lord yet their enemies abuse them for the truthes sake Vse The Vse is to teach vs in all our miseries vnfainedly to repent vs of all our sinnes against the Lord so may wée with good consciences come vnto him with complaints in all our miseries Chastisemēts we sée are profitable for they cause the godly afflicted to come to God by praier to confesse and craue pardon for their iniquities transgressions and sinnes But yet notwithstanding we daily and hourely see that these said chastisements profite not all men also that hée giueth not all men the grace to returne vnto him For it is not enough for God to strike vs with his hand except hée touch vs within also by his holy spirit If God soften not the hardnes of our hearts it wil be with vs as it was with Pharaoh Similitude For men are like vnto stithies or Anuiles the beating vpon them is not able to change their nature for we sée how they beat backe the blowes againe Euen so then vntill God haue touched vs to the quick within it is certaine we shal in our afflictions do nothing but kicke against him and gather rancour more and more whensoeuer hée chastiseth vs we shall gnash our teeth at him and vntill regeneration alwaies storme at him And without all doubt the wickednes of men is so mischéeuous so head-strong and so desperate that the more that God chastiseth them the more do they vomit vp their blasphemies shew themselues to be vtterly past amendment so that there is no way to bring them vnto reason Let vs learne then vntill God hath touched vs with his holy spirite that it is vnpossible that his chastisements should serue to bring vs to repentance but rather to make vs worse and worse yet can it not be said that God is not righteous in so doing for thereby men are conuinced euen so much as if God held them not at a bay in such sort by punishing their sinnes they might pleade ignorance that they neuer knew of it and that they had ouer-shot themselues because God had not prouoked them to acknowledge their faults but when they haue felt the hand of God so as they haue béene faine to perceiue his iudgements in despight of their téeth and haue bene as it were summoned yet notwithstanding haue not onely gone forward from euill to worse but also bin puffed vp with open rebellion against God Héereby wee sée they haue their mouthes stopped and that they haue not any more to say for themselues You see then how God sheweth his iustice as often as he punisheth men notwithstanding it be not a correction for their amendment Obiecti ∣ on Furthermore when God chastiseth the reprobate it is all one as if he should out of hand begin to shew his wrath vpon them and that the fire of it were alreadie kindled Soluti ∣ on True it is that they are not vtterly consumed for the present time howbeit they are
For they cast downe euery man his rodde they were turned into serpents but Aarons rodde deuoured their rodde Exod. 8.7 And the sorcerers also did likewise with their sorceries and brought frogs vpon the land of Egypt And of this sort was Simon Magus of Samaria of whome Luke in the 8. chapter of the Acts recordeth And of this sort are all Enchanters Coniurers which vse the seruice and worke of the Deuil to bring their matters to passe and as many as vnder the pretence of Religiō with false doctrine deceyue the mindes of men that the truth they cannot sée nor discerne or that by vnlawfull meanes apply and minister their medicines and Phisicke whyle they vse Exorcismes or do hang about the necks of the sicke enchaunted hearbes or rootes or any other thing of the like sort August de Doctrina Christiana lib. 2. cap. 20. This beastly superstition the wisest of the heathen did as it appéereth greatly dislike and abhorre Theophrastus as Plutarch writeth noted Pericles who being sicke shewed vnto a friend of his who came to visite him certaine enchantments which by certaine women were tied about his necke and by that he iudged him to be of as badde a mind as a man could be seing that such madnesse he regarded Yet at this day such as vse manifest impiety and such as abuse the sacred name of God in their deuilish sorceries among Christians O lamentable are suffered vnpunished The other sort are called Megnonenim whom we call Diuiners The Etimon of the word is of diuers significations among the Hebrues Some deriue the word of Gnanah to answere to speake to testifie Isa 3.9.26.5 Deuter. 19.18 And this they thinke they are called because beyng asked they giue answeres as Apollos Interpreters vsed to do Some deduce the roote thereof of Gnanan a clowde Ezech. 1.4 who are so called because they prophesie of things to come by the celestiall influences or by the positions or situations of the Starres Some called them so of the roote Gnanah which signifieth a determinate appointed time Wherupon they are called Gnonemin which make computations of tymes and houres and of certaine signes do gather what at sometime can be begunne when euent of things as they say shall be Notwithstanding herein they all agrée that the Prophet speaketh of Diuiners which curiously enquire to know things both secret and to come by exercising curious and vnlawfull Artes. Vayne curiositie and heady rashnesse haue found out many artes of prophecyings whose names argue the vanity and incredible boldnesse of mans witte Of which sort are Necromātia Necromantia which is Diuination by calling of Spirites Hydromantia Hydromantia Diuination by calling Spirites out of the waters Pyromāiia Pyromantia Diuination by fire Coscinomantia Coscinomantia Diuination made by a siue Geomantia Geomantia working in sorcery by circles and prickes in the earth Cataptromantia Cataptromantia Diuination which is made by a glasse and diuers others which are so called by the instruments that they vse Aruspices Of this sort are Bowelgazers to foretell things to come Exorcists whom the Deuill doth easily draw to be ministers of his impiety whereby he may the more easily draw men away from God and his holy word And although these Artes were in a manner odious among the wise and studious yet they gaue themselues many of them to the studie of Astrologie whereby they by the starres foretelling things to come got vnto themselues a great name to be accompted wisemen But let vs obserue and marke that these artes are of that sort that if wée vse them they will hinder vs for entering into the kingdome of heauen Leuiticus 20.6 If any turne after such as worke with Spirites and after soothsayers to goe a whoring after them then will I set my face against that person and will cut him off from among his people Leuit. 19.26 You shall not vse witchcraft nor obserue times Leuit. 19.31 Yee shall not regard them that worke with Spirites neyther Soothsayers yee shall not seeke to them to be defiled by thē I am the Lord your God Deut. 18.9 When thou shalt come into the land which the Lord thy GOD giueth thee thou shalt not learne to do after the abominations of those nations verse 10. Let none bee found among you that maketh his sonne or his daughters to goe through the fire or that vseth witchcraft or a regarder of times or a marker of the flying of fowles or a Sorcerer verse 11. Or a charmer or that counselleth with spirits or a soothsayer or that asketh counsell at the dead verse 12. For all that doe such things are abomination to the Lord and because of these abominations the Lord thy God doth cast them out before thee The causes of Gods seuerity against such great and gréeuous sinners are waighty For first it is an inexcusable rashnes and presumption to search out the knowledge of those things which the Lord will not haue to be knowen This rash presumption is condemned by our Sauiour Christ himselfe in the Acts 1.7 when he answered to his Disciples asking him Lord wilt thou at this time restore the kingdome to Israel And hee said vnto them It is not for you to know the time or the seasons which the Father hath put in his owne power Secondly it derogateth from the goodnesse and glorie of God as though that the Lord had not faithfully taught all things in the sacred Scriptures which were necessarie to be knowne of vs. Thirdly it taketh from Christ that honour which is due to him which of God is giuen a Doctor and teacher vnto vs and in whome all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge are hidde as Paul teacheth To conclude therefore this poynt let vs not séeke vnto them but vnto our God in our afflictions then will he help vs and deliuer vs out of our miseries for hee is a God of power and therefore is able a God of mercie and therefore is willing to deliuer vs out of trouble for as a father hath pitie vpon his children so is the Lord merciful to those that trust in him The ninth Sermon vpon the 25. Psalme verses 19 20. 19. Behold mine enemies for they are many and they hate mee with cruell hatred The sence is O Lord my God although I haue bin thy seruant yet sathan hath raised vp many aduersaries mortall enemies against mee who deadly cruelly and most tyrannously detest and hate mee so that except thou be good and gratious vnto mee to protect and defend me I shall surely perish Doct. 1 1. Doct. God is accustomed to whip his childrē for their sinnes by the multitude of Infidels that hate the truth Isai 10.5 O Asshur saith the Lord by the Prophet the rod of my wrath and the staffe in their hands is mine indignation verse 6. I will send him to a dissembling nation and I will giue him a charge against
the people of my wrath to take the spoyle and to take the pray and to treade them vnder feet like the mire in the streetes Ieremie 25.9 Beholde I will send and take to mee all the families of the North sayth the Lord Nabuchadnezzar the king of Babel my seruant and will bring them against this land and against the inhabitants thereof and against all these Nations round about and will destroy them and make them an astonishment and an hissing and a continuall desolation Exodus 1.13 Wherefore the Egyptians by crueltie caused the children of Israel to serue verse 14. Thus they made them wearie of their liues by sore labour in clay and in bricke and in all works in the fielde with all manner of bondage which they layde vpon them most cruelly Examples of their cruelties are many in all ages The Reason is because first they wil not do that worke of God negligently and so shall wee bee the more afflicted with it and the better humbled Secondly God wil thereby kéepe his people from familiaritie with the wicked Thirdly that his loue to vs may the better appeare in burning the rod vpon our repentance Vse The vse is to teach vs first that it is the lot of the godly to be punished by the wicked so was Christ so were the Apostles and Prophets then let vs looke for it and not murmur at it nor shrinke from the truth of it Secondly that sinne is a most vglie thing in Gods sight that causeth him to deale so seuerely with his dearest children Thirdly that we take héede of béeing in league with the wicked for they are our enemies and must scourge vs. If men do hate vs and despise vs let it put vs in mind that wée haue not loued our GOD and therefore it is good reason that wee should receiue such reward of hatred vpon our heads God then entendeth to trie our lowlinesse and patience in this behalfe by our méeke receiuing of the iniuries that men do to vs without stomaking thē For this delicate bringing vs vp in ease without enemies at our pleasures causeth vs to bee impatient so as wee cannot beare any thing so as if a man do but passe by vs with a frowning countenance it gréeueth vs yea it is such a corosiue vnto vs that wee know not which way to turne vs. Then if the Lord our God inure vs to the suffering of enmities wrongs and reproches let vs learne that therein hee procureth our welfare and profite to the intent that wee should be all whole and sound as they say And this is the cause that S. Paul saith 2. Cor. 6.7 that it behooueth vs to bee armed on both sides that wee may passe through enmitie shame and reproch as through amitie glorie and honour If men hate and detest vs let vs neuerthelesse take all patiently considering that we haue heretofore not walked in the wayes of God although that now wee doe For this is a most true saying and worthie of al men to bee receiued and learned that no affliction commeth vpon vs but for our sinnes and if he now afflict vs and we walke in his wayes hee doth it that wee may not bee ouercome of the same séeing hee nowe giueth vs power to beare it And thereupon it behooueth euerie one of vs to bethinke himselfe aduisedly and as soone as any man shall hate and persecute any of vs we must learn to acknowledge that God putteth vs in minde to make our owne accusation Euen the heathē Philosophers would say that our deadly enemies doe many times profite vs more then our friends Wherefore Our friendes beare with vs oftentimes which causeth vs to féed our owne vices For although their intent bée not to flatter vs yet notwithstanding the gentlenesse or rather the crueltie that they vse in bearing with vs is a cause that wée thinke not vpon our imperfections to amende them But our enemies doe praye vpon vs and séeke all the meanes that may bee to lay open all the faults that are in vs. Therefore when any man hateth or findeth fault with vs it behooueth vs to thinke thus I sée that God here citeth mée to make mine owne proces and to accuse my selfe that I may bee mine owne Iudge to condemne my selfe that by so doing my shame may be couered and buried And if wee know that such as hate vs haue cause so to doe although they doe it of malice yet notwithstanding lette vs not replie to say that this man is ledde by Sathan to reuenge although it bee true lette vs not looke on any such things but let vs pleade guiltie and pray vnto GOD in the name of Iesus Christ to blot out all our offences to the end wée may bee quitte both before GOD and the world Yea although wee know not any reason why our enemies should hate vs in that behalfe yet let vs acknowledge that although we bee not guiltie in that poynt whereof wee are blamed yet haue wee many other vices whereof wee are guiltie but our good God spareth vs and will not haue them come to the knowledge of men If it pleased him to stirre abroad all our filthinesse what a stinke would there be Let vs consider that by that meanes God intēdeth to set secretly before our eies the sinne which wee would haue cast behind our backs and that is to make vs to hate the euill that is in vs without any flattering of our selues If men do blame vs for executing of our offices and duties faithfully for following Gods word zealously and sincerely lette vs assure our selues that Gods will is that our receiuing of such a reward shall bee to the end that wee should looke for a better at his hand And if wee sée no cause at all but are vtterly abashed in our selues let vs not therefore cease to say O Lord thou art righteous whatsoeuer come of it And herewithall let vs endeuour to profite our selues by all the chastisements which God sendeth vs from day to day and let vs vnderstand that therby God intendeth to fashiō vs to praise and glorifie him euen when wee sée good men hated and persecuted For as euerie one of vs ought to bee patient and by his patience to praise God for all things that hee suffereth so also must we not blame him but rather as Dauid here doth pray vnto him when we sée him suffer good men to bee hated and persecuted wherefore lette vs not bée too much grieued when wee sée them so hardly vsed Wée sée Dauids estate he was a patterne of al holinesse a man after Gods owne heart and yet notwithstanding we sée him in such misery by the hatred of his enemies that he seemeth to bee vtterly past recouerie Can we blame God in this behalfe Nay rather when wée sée such afflictions come vpon others or our selues lette vs humble our selues And although the reason why God doth so be not apparant vnto vs yet notwithstanding let vs assure