owne and welbeloued Sonne Iesus Christ What mercy goodnesse and loue shineth in this redemption That he so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne to the end that all that beleeue in him might not perish Ioh. 3.16 1. Ioh. 4.9 but haue life euerlasting What a seale of his truth in that notwithstanding the ingratitude and vnworthinesse of the world he yet in his appointed time sent the seed of the woman promised to our forefathers Gen. 3.15 to breake the Serpents head To be briefe what power shewed he in this redemption wrought by Iesus Christ Gal. 4.4 wherein he surmounted and ouercame the deuill sinne death and hell But what doth such an image of God so expressely represented before our eyes in the person of our Lord Iesus Christ accomplishing our redemption shoot at but to giue vs to vnderstand and earnestly to feele the wisedome holinesse righteousnesse mercy truth goodnesse loue and power of God the father of Iesus Christ That we might loue him put our trust in him cleane vnto him call vpon him acknowledging him to be the inexpuiseable fountaine of al goodnesse and so glorifie him And the rather because by this meanes we are reclaimed from death and euerlasting damnation we bee made the children of God through the same Iesus Christ and inheritors of his kingdome and glory Rightly therefore doe we say that the ende of our redemption shoulde tend to encrease our knowledge of God that we may glorifie him That it is the dutie whereto Saint Paul exhorteth vs saying You are bought for a price 1. Cor. 6.20 therfore glorifie God in your body in your spirit for they are Gods Also in another place Eph. 1.6 God hath chosē vs to him throgh Iesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace 8 Ther is yet another consideration When Christ gaue sight to the blind raised the dead healed the sicke wrought other like miracles Mat. 9.8 Luk. 13.13 the same were so many testimonies seales of his diuinitie consequently arguments to induce men to glorifie him As he himselfe saith speaking of the sicknes of Lazarus This sicknes is not vnto death but for the glory of God Ioh. 11.4 that the sonne might be glorified therby For his raising frō death was a testimony of his diuine power But we al are naturally as concerning the soul dead in sin blind sicke of a hūdred diseases And as the soule is more excellēt thē the body so the illuminating restoring to life curing of the diseases of the soule are miracles more excellētly representing the deuine power grace then those of the body Of necessity therefore these miracles being performed in vs through faith in Iesus Christ do bind vs to glorifie him And how By effectual demonstration that where we were blind sicke dead in spirit we are now illuminated cured raised againe to life And indeed the motions affections holy works of Gods children being assured testimonies that in soule they be illuminated risen againe are the true meanes to glorifie God Contrariwise if we walk as men yet blind in the darknes of ignorance as men sicke polluted in vice corruption as men yet dead in sin We doo so much as in vs lieth abolish the miracles of Iesus Christ consequently his glory In this respect Saint Peter saith Haue your conuersation honest among the Gentiles 1. Pet. 2 1◠that they which speake euill of you as of euill doers may by your good works which they shall see glorifie God in the day of the visitation Mat. 5.16 And in the same sence saith Iesus Christ Let your light so shine before men that seing your good works they may glorify God your father 9 But what argument is this to glorifie God in our holy conuersation good works Because as we haue before said shewed the same be testimonies effects of our spiritual resurrection consequently of Gods power goodnes mercy toward vs. Wherupon the ignorant seing that we who in the time of our ignorāce were dead in sin giuen ouer to all vice corruption since we were illuminated in the truth of the Gospell haue by this spiritual resurrection declared such an alteration in vs that now we are contrariwise become as it were new creatures walking in purenes holines loue may also glorifie God in two sorts First in this miraculous alteration that they see in vs as being a worke truely proceeding of the power and goodnes of God Secondly in this that by such miracles they be moued to allowe and embrace the same religion which we professe as being conuict that it is truely of God not of man Psal 65.1 To conclude where Dauid crieth out O God praise waiteth for thee in Sion He manifestly declareth vnto vs that they which be regenerate through the redemption in Iesus Christ are burgeses of Sion and members of the Church bound to praise God And also that we frustrate God of his dutie and expectation Psal 119 175 if we refer not out whole liues to his glory saying with Dauid O Lord let my soule liue that I may praise thee 10 The secōd principal end of our life should tend to attaine to life euer lasting John 3.16.17 And indeed In as much as God hath sent his Son into the world that the world through him might be saued that he so loued the world that he hath giuē his only begottē son to the end that al that beleue in him might not perish but haue life euerlasting It thereby appeareth that as the end of our redemption accomplished in Iesus Christ is the sauing of the elect so we that beleeue in him shoulde in all the course of our liues aime at this To bee saued by him Otherwyse wee doo so much as in vs lieth reuerse that excellent and wonderfull work of our redemption God hath created man without comparison more excellent than beasts yet if man be not saued nor attaineth to life euerlasting hee is much more miserable than the brute beast which passing ouer this life a great deale more easilye than man after death feeleth no euill and contrariwise the man which aimeth not at this lyfe euerlasting after all his calamities both bodily and ghostly tribulations in this life at his death entereth into incomprehensible and eternall torments If man who naturally desireth felicitie could comprehend the felicitie of such as attaine to the kingdom of heauen likewise the miserie and woe of those who at their decease doo passe into euerlasting death the very horror of the death of these wretches together with the soueraigne felicitie of the blessed would make him earnestly to couet after life euerlasting to esteeme this incomprehensible felicitie to be one of the principall endes of his lyfe Such therefore as doo neuer propound the kingdome of
is eyther naught or tendeth to euyll The reason to beguile and deceiue the lybertie to riotous licentiousnesse and other wantonnesse the eyes to see and beholde vanitie the heart to couet and thirst thereafter the handes to beate to strike and oppresse the feete to runne after sinne and wickednesse the tongue to backbite lie and blaspheme to bee short all the members are instrumentes of iniquitie Rom. 6.19 as Saint Paul tearmeth them 3 Heereby maye euerie man whatsoeuer hee bee perceiue and knowe that Christes exhortation saying Amend your liues stretcheth verie farre Also that manye are the vices that we are to amende especiallye considering howe Saint Paul admonisheth vs Rom. 8.13 Ehe 4.22 Col. 3.9 Math. 16.24 not to mortifie two or three members of this bodie of sin but the whole body as also to put of the olde man and as Iesus Christ saith to denie our selues In the deduction of this matter we will therefore deale somtimes with the names of the vertues which we are to put in practise and sometimes of the vices that wee are to shunne according as the names doo import some generalitie or do best fit our intent So shall euerie one vnderstand that the amenment of lyfe consisteth in the deniall of vice and contrariwise in the aduancement of vertue Of Loue and Charitie in generall Chap. 9. WE will begin with loue which hath two respects The first is to God Math. 22. 1. Iohn 4.19 Ephe. 2.4 Rom. 5.8 Iohn 3.16 as it is commanded that wee shoulde loue him with all our heart with all our strength and with all our mind The second to our neighbour whome wee ought to loue as our selues As for our loue to God the same as Saint Iohn saith proceedeth of his loue to vs We loue him because he first loued vs. He loued vs euen when we were dead in sinne when we were his enemies yea hee so loued vs that he gaue his onely begotten and welbeloued sonne to die for vs. This his incomprehensible loue toward vs doth therefore bind vs most feruently to loue him And in deed as a colde stone by liyng three or foure houres in the warme Sunne gathereth heate so this loue of God shining vpon our soules should kindle them in his loue 1. Ioh. 4.16 1. Ioh. 4.7 Iohn 13.33 August vpon Iohns gospel 1. Cor. 13 As for loue toward our neighbor we are the rather to desire it and to put it in practise because it is the marke of Gods children the disciples of Iesus Christ And therefore sayth Saint Iohn God is loue and he that loueth is borne of God and knoweth God And as all Gods children are the disciples of Christ Heereby also sayth Iesus Christ shall men know that ye are my disciples if ye loue one another as I haue loued you They that are not my disciples saith Saint Augustine in the person of Christ doo notwithstanding participate in many other my benefites They haue not only nature life sense reason and common preseruation among al mankind but also the gift of tongues the sacramentes prophesie knowledge faith to worke miracles distribution of their goods to the poore yea euen the giuing of their bodies to fire but because they haue no loue they are as sounding brasse and tinkling cimbals they are nothing It is not therefore by these my benefits Augustine in praise of charitie which euen they that are not my Disciples may also haue that men shall know you to be my Disciples but onely in this that ye loue one another Likewise a man may receiue the sacraments and yet be wicked but no man can haue loue and be wicked Not without reason therefore doth Saint Paul writing to the Galathians say Neither circumcision auaileth anything neither vncircumcision Cal 5.6 but faith which worketh by loue In which sentence the Apostle sheweth that in the kingdome of Christ the matter wherein we doe most testifie our faith which is of greatest accompt and whereto wee are especially to apply and giue our selues is loue Augustine in praise of charitie which also Saint Augustine calleth the fountaine of all goodnesse as couetousnesse is the roote of all euill 2 That this loue may be pure and true Augustine in his confessions Prosper in his sentences of Augustine it must so proceed from our loue of God that we may loue our neighbour in respect of that loue which we beare to God For as Saint Augustine saith we loue not God so much as we should if we loue any thing but him which we loue not for the loue of him and therefore in another place he saith Blessed is he that loueth God and his friend in God and his enemie for the loue of God Hereby are we to gather three points First that albeit some heathen may seeme to haue done workes of great charitie and loue yet was the same no true or liuely charitie which is proper and peculier to the children of God for they only doe know and loue God and their neighbours for Gods sake And indeed loue ought to proceed from a pure hart as both Paul and Peter doth teach By faith our harts are purified 1. Tim. 1.5 1. Pet. 1.22 Act. 15.9 None therefore but the faithfull haue true loue which proceedeth not from the loue of themselues but from their loue to God Secondly it appeareth in this that in vaine we boast that we loue God if wee loue not our neighbour for his sake This is it that Saint Iohn noteth saying If any man say I loue God and yet hate his brother the same is a lier For he that loueth not his brother whom he seeth 1. Ioh. 4.20 Rom 13 10 how can he loue God whom he seeth not And this commandement haue wee of him that he which loueth God loueth his brother also Thirdly hereby we vnderstand the truth of the saying of Saint Paul that Loue is the fulfilling of the law For if we cannot loue God vnlesse wee loue our neighbour neither our neighbour vnlesse our loue to him proceed of our loue towards God It must needes follow that louing our neighbour we also loue God and so fulfill the law which is comprehended in this That wee loue both God and our neighbour 3 The better that we may yet vnderstand what our loue ought to be we are diligently to note the commandement of God that we should loue our neighbor as our selfe and explane this duty by two very naturall and iust rules which necessarily doe ensue The first by this auncient prouerbe common euen among the heathen Lampridius in the life of Alexander Seuerus Do no otherwise by another then we would be done vnto Alexander Seuerus an Emperour endued with many excellent vertues had this sentence ordinarily in his mouth thereby reprouing such as wronged or iniuried others Yea in publishing any sentence of condemnation against transgressors he caused the same to be added as the ground thereof Doe no
otherwise to another then thou wouldest be done vnto To be short he had such a liking and so hartely embraced this sentence that he caused the same to be written and engrauen in his imperial pallace and in many publique works The other rule resteth in this which Iesus Christ commaundeth saying Mat. 7.21 Whatsoeuer yee would that men should doe to you euen so doe yee to them Now the loue of our selues importeth that men shoulde not only forbeare doing of vs hurt but also that they should do vs good Draco Licurgus Solon and other lawgiuers haue written and set foorth many good lawes whereby to maintaine man in equitie and vpright dealing many Philosophers haue written good bookes for the framing of the manners of men Yet all their great volumes their long discourses and the multitude of their lawes haue alwaies had great imperfections and tended as it were to the ordering but of the outward man and so in parte to make men hypocrites because they could neuer attaine to the knowledge of true Christian loue But God in one onely short sentence saying Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe hath comprehended the whole dutie of man one towarde another that they may liue together in al equitie peace loue and felicitie And thus may these two naturall rules Doe no otherwise to another then thou wouldest be doone vnto and Doe as yee woulde be doone vnto be sufficient commentaries vpon all Christian pollicie In this sence did Saint Paule iustly call this loue Col 3.14 the bond of all perfection And indeed if we would loue one another as our selues and declare our loue by these two naturall rules then should there bee among vs neither fraud iniurie wrong nor deceitfull dealing Then should all ambition pride couetousnesse enuie hatred euill speaking and other like passions cease We should see nothing but equitie peace concord 1. Cor. 13.4 loue reliefe and mutuall assistance And these fruites of loue doth Saint Paul note saying Loue suffereth long it is bountifull loue enuieth not loue doth not boast it selfe it is not puffed vp It disdaineth not it seeketh not her owne thinges it is not prouoked to anger it thinketh none euill It reioyceth not in iniquitie but reioyceth in the truth It suffereth all thinges it beleeueth all thinges It hopeth all thinges it endureth all things To be short if wee practise this loue we shall euen in this life beginne to tast the blessed estate of the kingdome of heauen whereto being lifted vp wee shall loue one another as our selues and reioyce at our neighbours good as at our owne Let vs alwaies therefore remember this commaundement that we loue our neighbour as our selues and hartely let vs endeuour to shew it by the practise of these two rules still harkening to nature who crieth saying Doe no otherwise to another then thou wouldest bee doone vnto And Doe as thou wouldest be done by 4 We are also farther to consider 1 Pet. 1.22 1 Pet. 4 8. that this loue must not bee colde but seruent not slacke but earnest and vehement as Saint Peter admonisheth vs. And that it may bee such it is requisite first that we hold nothing so deare or so precious as to bee alwayes readie to employ our selues for our neighbour yea euen to the spending of our liues Iohn 3.16 after the example of the loue that Iesus Christ shewed vnto vs as Saint Iohn sayth Hereby haue we knowen his loue that he gaue his life for vs. So are wee also to giue our liues for our brethren Secondly the heate and seruencie of our loue and charitie ought to bee such as might suâ—mount any thinge that shoulde quaile it as ingratitude hatred iniurie or vnworthienesse of our neighbours And indeede if wee must loue our neighbour for the loue of God If the Image God in him doth thereto binde vs. If being parcell of our flesh wee ought thereto to bee affected then notwithstanding whatsoeuer vnworthienesse bee in him yet God must not loose his right his image is not vtterly defaced Neither is that coniunction wherewith God bindeth vs together taken away Luk. 10.29 Therefore doth Iesus Christ by the parable of the Samaritan teach vs that euery one knowen vnknowen straunger yea euen an enemie as were the Samaritans to the Iewes is our neighbour whome wee must loue as our selues And so did Iesus Christ Mat. 5.43 correcting the false glose of the Pharisies expound it saying You haue heard that it hath beene saide Thou shalt loue thy neighbour and hate thine enemie But I saye vnto you loue your enemies And which is more hee willeth that wee shoulde testifie this loue not with our lippes only but also in deedes and workes by blessing those that curse vs by doing well to those that hate vs and by praying for those that molest and persecute vs. Exod. 23.4.5 5 This did Moses in his daies teach saying If thou meetest thy enemies Oxe or his Asse going astray thou shalt bring him to him againe Againe If thou see thy enemies Asse lying vnder his burden leaue thy busines that he may not rise alone yea leaue thy busines help him vp 1. Cor. 9.9 Or as others doe expound it See thou dost not forsake him vntill his master hath first forsaken him Careth God for beastes saith S. Paul That he should thus commend them to vs. Is it not rather hereby to shew vs what we are to doe to the person of our enemie sith we are bound to such a dutie to his Oxe or his Asse Rom. 12 20. as Saint Paul teacheth vs saying If thy enemie hungereth giue him meate If he thirst giue him drinke And because the practise hereof is very difficult Iesus Christ himselfe Mat. 5.45 the rather to induce vs to this dutie protesteth that In so doing we shall be the Children of his heauenly father who maketh his sunne to shine vpon both good and bad Mat. 5 46. and causeth his raine to fall vpon the righteous and the vnrighteous Hereby we gather that if our charitie be boundâ—d onely to our friendes and that we extend not the same euen to our enemies it is not the charitie of the children of God but as Iesus Christ addeth of publicans and infidels Also in workes and deedes if we shew not the loue that wee beare to our enemies it is in vaine for vs to protest that wee wish them no more hurt then to our selues or that wee loue them or wish as well to them as to our selues The holy historie expressely noteth that Absalom vsed no hard words to his brother Ammon who had defouled Thamar the said Absalons sister Yet loued he him not neither wished his good but in his hart nourished cruell hatred against him which hee finally declared by proâ—â—â—â—â—g him trayterously to bee murthered And thus it appeareth that speaking neither well nor ill betokeneth hatred and mallice For loue can not but both speake wel and do well euen to
If God sayth hee spared not the Angels that had sinned but cast them downe into hell 2. Pet. 2.4 and deliuered them into the chaines of darknes to be kept vnto iudgement Neither spared the olde worlde but saued Noah the eight person a preacher of righteousnes and brought in the floud vpon the world of the vngodly And turned the cities of Sodome and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them ouerthrewe them and made them an example vnto them that afterward should liue vngodly and deliuered the iust Loth The Lord knoweth to deliuer the godly that honor him out of temptation and to reserue the vngodly vnto the daie of iudgement to be punished Saint Iude in stead of the example of the floud propoundeth the vengeance of God poured vpon the vnbeleeuing Israelites in the wildernesse Also Iude vers 5 making mention of the horrible punishment fallen vpon Sodome and Gomorrha sayth that they were set forth for an example and suffered the vengeance of eternall fire When therefore wee heare the threatnings of the liuing God by the mouth of his seruants let vs make hast to conuert to the Lord in amendement of lyfe lest by our obstinacie as Saint Paul sayth and our hearts not knowing howe to repent we heape vp wrath for the day of wrath Rom. 2.5 and of the manifestation of the iust iudgement of God who shall render to euerie man according to his workes 10 Inasmuch therefore as through our infirmitie albeit wee bee taught the waie to heauen and that we bee put in minde to walke in the same by representation of benefits receiued of promises of blessings to come yea euen of threatninges with the examples of vengeance we neuertheles cannot desist from offending of God and so from turning out of the waie of saluation and lyfe euerlasting The ministers of the word doo moreouer vse reprehensions reprouing our sinnes and offences thereby to reduce vs into the right waie and in respect of our slownesse to doo good and to amend our liues they also vse vehement exhortations yea they do euen praie adiure and intreate vs in the name of God to amend and to walke in the feare of God And where wee haue many noâ—some hinderances that trouble vs and quaile our courages 2. Thes 2.11 they do likewise propound vnto vs mightie consolations in the woorde of God to the end wee may cheerefully and constantly proceede in the waie of saluation What man therefore inioying the holy ministerie can excuse himselfe in the sight of God in case hee doo not constantly resolue to amend his lyfe and dayly to put the same in practise How horrible a iudgement shall he deserue that is so hardened in wickednesse and so tied in the chaines of Sathan that there is no light before his eyes no path to the waie of saluation no feeling of Gods benefites no remembrance of his promises no feare of his threatninges no apprehension of the examples of his vengeance no reprehension no exhortation no consolation that can bee of strength and sufficient to moue his heart to amend Be not these men then that remaine thus obstinate without amendement euen monsters in nature 11 Now as the administration of the Sacraments is one part of the holy ministery let vs first see how forcibly our Baptisme shuld moue vs to amend our liues Baptisme is the seale of the couenant of God comprehending especially two graces namely remission of sinnes our regeneration or spirituall renuing When the children of Christians therfore are baptised the same is as if God speaking by the mouthes of his ministers shoulde saie O my people acknowledge my great mercie and goodnesse towards these little babes they are conceiued in sinne borne in iniquity by nature the children of wrath yet doo I aduow them for mine their sinne a d corruption is washed awaie in the bloud of Iesus Christ I doâ—â—nite and ioyne them vnto him to the end that being grafted into his death and resurrection they may bee regenerated theyr olde man bee mortified and themselues become newe creatures in my sight In them do I seale these graces whilest they be yet babes before they know me euen before they haue done anie good that so they may be acknowledged to bee meerely free to my glorie Is not this a great bond vnto children to binde them as they come to age to loue God who loued them before they knew him and to doo the dutie of children because hee aduowed them to be his children euen before they hadde done anie good Surelye loue should beget loue and loue feare to offend and feare to offend amendement of lyfe If by Baptisme wee bee regenerate and made the children of God are wee not bound to liue as the children of God and as it may beseem the holynes of such a father The kings children doo not apply theyr minds to handle crafts but to works fitting their greatnes much lesse then should the children of God applie themselues to the works of the darke Such as by Baptisme are recalled from death should doo no deadly works they that by Baptisme are incorporated into Iesus Christ ought so to be guided by his spirit that as it is the soule that worketh all the workes of the bodie so the spirit of Christ as it were the soule of this new man Iesus Christ being considered as vnited with his bodie there should be no motion thought worde or worke but such as should proceed from the spirite of Iesus Christ in all fulnesse dwelling in him and in vs his members according to the measure limited to euery one of vs. 12 Moreouer if by Baptisme we be grafted into Iesus Christ we must bring forth fruit worthie of Iesus Christ Iohn 15 5. Hee that dwelleth in me sayth he and I in him beareth much fruit If wee speake of trees experience teacheth vs that the signe that is thereinto grafted doth in such wise drawe awaie thâ— sappe and force thereof that it bringeth forth fruit according to it selfe kinde not after the kinde of the tree whereinto it is grafted but wyth Iesus Christe it is contrarie for they that are grafted in him doo in deede gather strength from him yet so that they alter their nature bring forth fruit not after the kinde of Adams children but of Iesus Christe into whom they are grafted And therefore as it were a monstrous matter to see an apple tree whereupon nothing had beene grafted beare acornes so is it as straunge and repugnaunt to reason that they who by Baptisme are ingrafted into Iesus Christ should not bring foorth the fruites of righteousnesse according to his kinde Lykewise if Baptisme bee a pledge of our regeneration of necessitie the workes and affections of our first generation according to the which we are full of corruption and wickednesse must cease and be mortified and now we must shew forth the fruits and effects of our regeneration in newnes of life sith by our baptisme our olde
vicious thou puttest him in danger of losse both of body and soule 16 Some doo respect their friendship with some masters rather than their vertue and so doo commit to them their children least they should be angrie for putting them to another These men do resemble him who being daungerously sick vseth the aduise of an ignorant phisition that is his kinseman or familiar friend for feare he should take offence if he shuld cal another albeit without comparison more learned skilfull If thou shouldest haue any waightie matter in law wouldest thou rather commit thy cause to an igâ—anâ— and negligent atturney because he is thy friende than to him that were both diligent and learned Making a voiage through some daungerous sea wouldest thou in a tempest commit thy ship to a yong pilot vnskilful or dronke because he is thy friend what a foole art thou that wilt not take the like care of the profit honor and saluation of thy child 17 Others commit their children either to him that is best cheap or by whome they may growe into greatest aduancement in the world but neuer respect the hazard of their child so they may either spare or get worldly goods When one shewed the Orator Lycurgus Eras Apo. li. 8 that hee had offered great wages to a philosopher to teach his children he vertuously answered If anie man will assure me to restore me my children endued with more vertue I will giue him not onely that some but euen halfe my goods The vertuous and wise Emperor Marcus Aurelius writeth that in the Annals of the Tarentine warre he found that the renowmed Purlius did weare a ring wherein was ingrauen this sentence The dominion of the whole earth is a small reward to him that is vertuous but to the vicious the losse of life is a simple punishment Heereby may fathers learne how carefully they ought to restraine their children froÌ„ vice to inure theÌ„ to vertue As in deede the fathers that instruct or cause their children to be instructed do far excel such as onely do beget them for of these they receiue life only of the other good and vertuous life 18 Moreouer parents ought not so much to relie vpon the diligence of childrens masters as neuer to care to vnderstaÌ„d how they profite and proceed in vertue for the regarde of such diligence would make the masters more carefully to discarge their dueties And thereof came the prouerbe The masters eie fatteth the horse this The masters eie is the fruitfulnes of the garden Parents ought not too much to hearken or credite children when they complaine of their masters rigor and seueritie Among the Lacedemonians if the children vpon the reproofe or chastisement of any whosoeuer Plutar. in his Lacon Instit for anie man was at libertie to vse correction euen to other mens children did complaine to their parents the same was a great reproch to them because themselues corrected not their children Not that we are not in discretion to inquire or take notice whether the master vseth crueltie or inhumanitie towarde them least through too much rigor hard vsage they shuld grow desperate 19 Howbeit such is the inclination of many euen from theyr youth to wickednesse that instruction by words either of parents or masters will not suffice without the rodde and correction And this doth God command and experience sheweth it to bee most necessarie He that spareth the rod sayth Salomon hateth the childe Prou. 13.24 Prou. 19.18 Pro. 29.15 17. Prou. 23.13 but he that loueth him basteth to correction Againe Correct thy childe while there is hope and regard not his crying Againe The rod and correction minister wisedome but the child lefte at libertie shameth his mother Correct thy sonne he will giue thee rest and pleasure to thy soule Withdrawe not correction from thy child if thou smite him with the rod hee shall not die Thou shalt smite him with the rod and deliuer his soule from hell The booke of Ecclesiasticus intreateth heereof more at large saying He that loueth his sonne causeth him oft to feele the rod Eccle. 30 1â— â— that he may haue ioy of him in the end Hee that chastiseth his son shall haue ioy in him and shall reioyce of him among his acquaintance An vntamed horse will be stubborne and a wanton child will be wilfull 8.9.10.11.12 13. If thou bring vp thy sonne delicatly he shal make thee afraid if thou play with him he shall bring thee to heauines Laugh not with him least thou be sorie with him and least thou gnash thy teeth in the end Giue him no libertie in his youth and winke not at his folly Bow downe his necke while he is young and beat him on the sides least he waxe stubborne and be disobedient to thee and so bring sorrow to thy heart Chastise thy child be diligent therein least his shame grieue thee In this sense do we say that many times the rod is better for children than bread And in deed as Phisitions surgeons Apothecaries are necessarie in a town for the cure of sicknes and bodily wounds so are rods chastisement for the correction of the corruptions of the soule 20 Herein is God so resolute that in the dutie of the father to chastise his child he willeth vs to learn that he doth the office of a father when he chastiseth vs with afflictions And as a father by correction declareth a true loue to his child with a desire of his good and saluation Heb. 12 so is it the will of God that wee should receiue such afflictions as he laieth vpoÌ„ vs as effects of his loue towards vs as testimonies that he accepteth vs as his lawfull children and no bastardes Likewise if seeing many children fighting together wee also see a man come and correct onely one of them wee presently thinke that to bee his childe because hee performeth the dutie of a father and so sheweth that hee loueth him better than the rest whome hee letteth goe without correction Therefore as wee saie that the pittiful and gentle Surgion empaireth the wounds so doth too much gentlenesse toward children and winking at their faults without correction breed theyr disobedience vnthriftinesse and miserie Likewise as God is thereby greatly dishonoured so doeth hee not suffer the parents that are slacke in theyr duetie to their children to escape scot free And to this purpose haue we a notable example in Holy the high priest for when he heard of the wickednesse and offensiue dealings of his sons Ophny Phinces he vsed some verball reprehensions yet because he neither reproued nor chastised theÌ„ more sharply God obiecteth to him their iniquities saying Wherefore haue you kicked against my sacrifice and hast honored thy children more than me 1. Sam. 2 Then doth hee pronounce also this horrible sentence That the priesthoode should be taken from his house that both his sonnes should die in one
as God hath chosen vs from among so many others like vnto vs euen before the foundation of the worlde to an incomprehensible and eternall glory and felicitie Eph. 1.5 what might be the orignall and foundation that his free loue Eph. 1.5 his mercye his incomprehensible goodnes and the onely good pleasure of his will as S. Paul also saith That euen God himselfe hath chosen vs and predestinated to adopt vs to himselfe through Iesus Christ according to the good pleasure of his will If therfore we would diligently meditate and ponder that the cause that we are preserued from the horrible condemnation of the reprobate which dayly by our sinnes we doe deserue and assured of the possession of life and euerlasting glory without any our desert proceedeth of the only election of God grounded vpon his goodnes loue grace mercy and good pleasure how should it possibly be but that the remēbrance of our election should induce vs first to humble our selues in the sight of God Eph. 2. 3. and acknowledge that by nature we were the children of wrath as well as others as also that in vs there was neither worthinesse or merit that might moue God to elect vs but that only of his meer goodnes mercy loue he elected vs to life euerlasting Secondly this feeling of his loue and mercy toward vs shining in our election ought to kindle our harts and soules in the loue of God that they might euen burne in feruent loue toward him We loue God saith S. Iohn because hee firste loued vs. 1. Iohn 4.19 If the Sunne in his force shining vpon a stone can so heate the said stone that a man shal not be able to touch it with his hād how much rather shal we if we meditate vpon this loue toward vs in our election albeit we were as colde as marble be warmed and kindled to loue him with all our harts with all our strength and with all our mindes as himselfe hath also commaunded vs. Bernard in a tract of the loue of God 10 The cause saith S Bernard why we should loue him is God himselfe and the measure is to loue him beyond measure hee declareth that the diuinity in it selfe considered is worthye that we should loue it beyond measure how much then must we loue God when he communicateth to vs his loue goodnes mercy in electing vs to life euerlasting but if we loue God in such maner as our election that leadeth vs to his loue toward vs doth binde and admonishe vs we ought to studye to amend our liues in keeping his commandements as Iesus Christ requireth at our hands saying If ye loue me Luke 14.15 keepe my commaundements As also it is our duety to loue that which he loueth and willeth vs to loue and to hate that which he hateth and willeth vs to hate and this is the root of our bond to loue our neighbour for the loue of God and contrariwise not to loue the world Iames 4.4 because as the Apostle saith The loue of the world is enmity with God And for this cause must we also denye our selues and the flesh Rom. 8.7 because the affections thereof are repugnant to God yea euen for this must we be ready to forsake father mother Luke 14 26. goods and life it selfe for the loue of God for otherwise we are not worthy to be his 11 As in this loue to God and in all that we haue shewed to depend thereof the true amendment of life doth consist so doth it sufficiently appeare that there is not any more liuely or vehement argument to induce vs to amendment then the meditation and remembrance of our election and consequentlye of the loue of God towards vs which shineth in the same and this doth the Apostle Saint Paul writing to the Romains expressely confirme for in the 9.10 and 11. Chapters hauing at large entreated vpon predestination hee thereof doth in the beginning of the twelfth gather this vehement exhortation to amendment of life Rom. 12.1 I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God that ye giue vp your bodyes a liuing sacrifice holy acceptable to God which is your reasonable seruing of God And fashion not your selues like vnto this worlde but be ye changed by the renewing of your minde that ye may proue what is the good will of God acceptable and perfect He heere raiseth them vp to the consideration of the great mercies of God shining in their election to saluation thereby to giue them to vnderstand how deepelye it bindeth and should induce them to amendment of life So often therefore as we finde our selues slacke in the seruice of God or attempted to offend him let vs thinke vpon our election and the loue and mercye of God the spring and originall of the same that so we may be moued to loue God and to shew forth this loue by a carefull and continuall amendment of our liues 12 Moreouer the remembrance of our election ought to stirre vs vp incessantly to praise God First for the incomprehensible riches of the life and glory wherto we are elected Secondly by the apprehension of the horrible and eternall damnation of the reprobate wherefro election onely hath saued and preserued vs. The remembrance therfore of so great so wonderfull and meere incomprehensible a benefite thus doubly considered ought to rauish our soules and open our mouthes night day infinitly and vncessantly to praise God Besides if we consider the cursed state of the reprobate and meditate vpon the fire alwaies burning the woorme perpetually gnawing the darknes that shal be without end to be short the lamentations and gnashing of teeth proceeding of their anguish that shal be the wofull fruit of their sins the iust reward of their iniquities who can but detest the offending of God Men vse openly to execute the guiltye to the ende that others by the apprehension of their punishment may feare to commit the like transgressions let then the representation of the so wofull estate of the vessels of wrath burning in hell fire make vs to feare to commit any thing wherby to deserue like punishment 13 Again the knowledge of our election ought in vs to engender a stedfast assurance that we cannot perish My sheepe saith Iesus Christ Iohn 10.27 heare my voice and follow me and I giue vnto them life uerlasting None shall take them from me My father who hath giuen them vnto me is greater then them all and none is able to take them out of my Fathers hand Iohn 6.37 I and my Father are one Againe All that the father giueth me shal come vnto me and him that commeth to me I cast not away And this assurance is grounded first vpon the foreknowledge of God for he cannot be deceaued in the foreknowledge of that that is to come As indeed all is present in his sight yea euen more assuredly then are to vs those things that we