For looke as the loue of God is the fountaine of all his benefits extended vnto man so is loue in man the cause of his obedience and seruice to his God God hath loued vs first to doe vs good and we loue him next that wee may doe him seruice And thus wee haue done with the markes of triall whereby if wee take any tolerable paines in the examination of our selues it would soone be seene what loue to God we beare and as I feare it would appeare that albeit the greatest number professe they loue the Lord yet the fewest number would bee found to loue him in sincerity And Lord thou seest and knowest it For how little art thou desired or sought for How small is that Ioy which men take in thee or thine Who sets thy feare before their eyes and when thou hidest thy face what man is troubled Where is our patience in suffring for thy sake when one houre in thy house of praise cannot be endured without an ache in our bones and of what are we so soone weary as of well-doing As for our zeale where is it while we sit still and see thee dishonoured hauing no courage for thy truth And doe not our tongues condâ—mne vs while they are for all purposes except thy glory If they should iustifie vs would not our workes and actions testifie against vs We call thee Lord but where 's thine honour The title onely and no more thou gettest of vs. Or if thou doest it is but the dregs and offall the very worst of all and yet we grudge when wee haue not the best from thee O blessed Sauiour shed abroad thy loue in our hearts that we may loue thee better And this is the first vse which I would haue made of this let our second be for Exhortation that we would Vse 2 loue the Lord yea preferre him in our loue aboue all other welbeloueds Let our Affections be set vpon him and be enflamed towards him Let our tongues be mute to all vanities and eloquent only vnto him and for him who gaue man his tongue and speech and whilest other mens discourses are taken vp about trifles let ours be spent in setting forth his praises Let our Actions bee such as may be pleasing to him and let vs not dare to venture vpon any thing that may offend him And how euer we cannot perfectly yet let vs all pray for grace that we may loue him yet more feruently and lesse fainedly only for himselfe and his mercy For this end vse these helpes Helpes to attaine to the loue of God Get a true knowledge of him and of his name n Psal 9.16 Ignoti nulla cupido For they that know him loue him and as our knowledge is such is our loue The Heathen man obserued that vnknowne things were not desired though in themselues they were neuer so excellent or desirable And what a helpe this is for the attainment of this grace appeares by that speech of the Church vnto her Spouse o Cant. 1.2 Thy name is as ointment powred forth therefore doe the Virgins loue thee His name fame glory and renowne was by many meanes made knowne especially by his Word vnto the world and hence it was the Church did carry such an inward affection and hearty desire to him which she testified by an outward approuing and liking of him Thou then that desirest to loue God see thou get the true and sound knowledge of God labour first for that by vsing all good meanes tending thereunto especially diligent reading and conscionable attending to the preaching of the Word p Iohn 5.39 Search the Scriptures saith our Sauiour for in them ye thinke to haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of me Seriously meditate of Gods loue to thee in Christ before all worlds were and of his rich mercy which he offers thee through Christ Consider what a difference hee hath made betweene thee and many other that are reprobates which onely came from the riches of his loue for by nature thou wert as vile as they as miserable as they a childe of wrath as well as any of them not a haire to choose betweene them and thee Consider of it likewise in other particulars as thou shalt haue occasion and it will worke thy heart to loue him Loue is loues load-stone so sheweth the Apostle q 2 Cor. 5.14 The loue of Christ constraineth vs. Labour then to loue God a little who hath loued vs exceeding much and indeed as r Ser. 83. in Cant. Bernard speaketh we cannot answer God well in any thing but in loue For if he be angry with vs wee may not answer him againe in anger if he iudge vs we may not againe iudge him if he chide vs we must be patient if he command we must obey But in that he loueth we may yea must returne loue for loue for he loueth to be loued Remember often his holy presence and doe not dare to goe whole weekes nor daies nor houres without thinking of him for that will estrange our Affections more and more from him We see how it often happens with new maried couples who though at first they seeme somewhat strange and hardly can affect each one the other yet through daily familiarity and communion they come at length entirely to loue Withdraw your hearts from the loue of the world if you would loue the Lord For the loue of God and it cannot stand together so witnesseth S. Iohn Å¿ 1 Ioh. 2.15 If any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him And so S. Iames t Iam. 4.4 The friendship of the world is enmity with God whosoeuer therefore will be the friend of the world is the enemy of God And thus our blessed Sauiour u Matt. 6.24 Yee cannot serue God and Mammon We must therefore either renounce the world or our part in Christ for worldlines and Christianity as we see are two such ends as will neuer meet Thy loue to the world must abate if thou wouldest haue thy loue to Christ encrease See thou frequent the company of the godly Thou must * Cant. 1.8 walke in the steps of the flocke and feed thy kids neere the tents of the shepheards Thou must conuerse with holy Christians who are x Cap. 2.5 sicke of loue and abound in holy affections When those daughters of Ierusalem who at first despised Christ and wondered why the Church should make so much adoe for him had a while conuersed with the Church about him and heard her speake with such affection admiring and extolling him then they also fall in loue with that beloued and offer their seruice to the Church in ioyning with her to seeke him out y Cant. 6.1 Whither is thy beloued gone say they O thou fairest amongst women whither is thy beloued turned aside that we may seeke him with thee Thus holy conference with such as loue Christ is
by his welbeloued together with the Reasons By welbeloued God is meant One Reason for that Appellation was because he is the Churches well-beloued shee being his spouse and he her husband In which respect as he was a member of the Church and in the behalfe of the Church he so termeth him for he did loue him well So then Doctr. Euery one ought to loue the Lord. The Church and euery true member of the Church doth and so ought to loue the Lord entirely This we finde commanded m Deut. 6.5 10.12 Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy might n Psal 31.13 Loue yee the Lord all his Saints for the Lord preserueth the faithfull and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer If any man loue not the Lord Iesus o 1 Cor. 16.22 let him be Anathema Maranatha had in execration or excommunicated to death This we shall likewise finde practised by Gods Saints p Psal 18.1 I will loue thee O Lord my strength saith Dauid And againe q 16.1 I loue the Lord because he hath heard my voyce Thus S. Peter r Iohn 21.25 Lord thou knowest that I loue thee And Mary had many sinnes forgiuen her Å¿ Luke 7.47 for shee loued much The Church in the Canticles likewise plentifully t Cani 1.7 Tell me ô thou whom my soule loueth saith shee to Christ And againe u â— 1.3 By night on my bed I sought him whom my soule loueth And what word more common in that song than Loue and welbeloued I must bring Ignatius also to be of the Quorum * Epist 12. quae est ad Romanos My Loue Christ saith he was crucified And thus hath this truth beene proued That the Church and euery true member thereof both doth and ought to loue the Lord entirely Reason Dilexit enim non â—xistentes iâ—o â—â—sistentes Bernard And Reason good For first he loued vs not existing yea resisting For x Rom. 5.8 1 Iohn 4.19 while we were yet sinners he loued vs. This Reason is giuen by S. Iohn We loue him because he loued vs first And surely if God preuent vs with loue we can doe no lesse than answer him in the same nature though not for that is impossible in the same measure Doe not Publicanes y Mat. 5.46 Luke 6.32 Si taerdi sumus ad amandum non tardi simus ad redamandum loue those that loue them Sinners doe the same Though then we haue not beene forward to loue first yet let vs not be backward to returne loue at last Againe we are tyed to him by all the bonds of loue and duty we are his creatures z Psal 100.3 he our maker we his Reas 2 Seruants he a Mal. 1.6 our Lord we his Children b 2 Cor. 6.18 he our Father we his c Hos 2.19 Spouse he our Husband Yea so strait is the vnion betwixt him and vs as that he is said to bee the Foundation d Ephes 2.20 we the building He the e Iohn 15.1 root we the branches He the f Ephes 5.23 Head we the body c. Being bound by so many and so neere bonds how can wee but acknowledge it is our duty intirely to loue him Besides he only is loue-worthy being g Cant. 5.10 Splendor summi illius boni pulchria Coelnin pulchra terra fed pulchrior quifecit illa the chiefest amongst Reas 3 ten thousands What is there to be compared with him The most excellentest creatures are but as the beames of his beauty That glory or goodnesse which is in any of them is but as a shadow in respect of that infinite good which is in him who is the maker of them Thus this threefold cord may hold vs h Eccles 4.12 it will not easily bee broken as speakes wise King Solomon And now Triplex ex arbore fructus A three-fold vse this point affords For triall And indeed what better vse can we make Vse 1 of it There was neuer any Senacherib nor Iesabel but said they loued God and who boasts more they loue him than the prophanest wretch that daily doth contemne him It is a thing counted both common and easie to performe this duty and no man doubts hee is herein to seeke when notwithstanding this is as true as God is true who is Truth it selfe that no more doe truly loue God than are from all eternity elected by God to saluation And wee know or may know for Scripture saies it that the number of them is small i Esay 1.9 Luke 12.32 yea very small comparatiuely considered their account will soone be made k Rom. 9.28 it is but a short worke into a short summe shall they be gathered Rules of triall for the discouery of our loue to God Seeing then it is as narrow as Gods election and that is very narrow let each one search narrowly his bosome for this grace A rule of three 1. our Affections 2. our Words 3. our Actions will sufficiently discouer it By our Affections By our affections will it soone bee seene what loue we beare to God For Loue as the greatest wheele sets all the rest a worke Desire It is the strongest affection and to it doe all the rest giue place where that goes before Desire followes after What I loue I desire to enioy and it is not where it begets not a desire of society l 2 Sam. 13.2 Ammon was very sicke through loue his flesh did pine and waste away because he could not enioy his sister Thamar Dauid and Ionathan did loue intirely m 1 Sam. 18.1 and as the Text saith their soules were knit together whence it was that they tooke such pleasure and contentment each in other n Cap. 20.18 19 41 42. the story shewes what shifts they made to meet what weeping and heart-sorrow there was when they were to part and all because they loued Thus hee that loues the Lord must needs desire to haue society with the Lord A ioy it is to his soule to meet him and nothing doth he desire so much as to enioy him And so Dauid was affected as appeares by those many patheticall desires of his o Psal 73.25 Whom haue I in Heauen but thee and there is none vpon the earth that I desire besides thee p Psal 42.1 As the Hart panteth after the water-brookes so panteth my soule after thee O God q Psal 146.6 My soule thirsteth after thee as a thirsty land r Psal 130.6 My soule waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning These and many other such like sayings shew the affection of his soule And whereas in some places God is pleased graciously to manifest his presence after a speciall manner and in some exercises there is an
absence of their children In humane loue amongst friends it fareth after the same manner as it doth in naturall what a heauy parting was there betweene Ionathan and Dauid u 1 Sam. 20.41 And is not this the nature of religious loue The Spouse hauing lost her welbeloued inquires through the streets as vndone without him * Cant. 5.6 Cap. 3.2.3 Saw yee him whom my soule loueth And so doth euery faithfull soule when through their misbehauiour they cause the Lord for a while to leaue them and withdraw his fauourable presence from them In case of wrong we haue an excellent example in Ionathan how grieuously did he take it that his beloued friend Dauid should be iniured though it were his owne father who offered it For so saith the text x 1 Sam. 20.34 He was grieued for Dauid because his father had done him shame So loue to God causeth a man to take to heart things done against his name and honour be it done either by himselfe or other If by himselfe he goeth out y Matth. 26.75 with Peter and weepeth bitterly and as it is said of the people of God in the day of their repentance drawes water z 1 Sam. 7.6 to powre it out before the Lord. And so was Dauid affected as appeares in that a Psal 51. poenitentiall Psalme which he made vpon occasion of his soule fall into adulterie and murther If by others he laments it heartily with Lot b 2 Pet. 2.8 who dwelling amongst the wicked in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their vnlawfull deeds And thus did Dauid c Psal 119.158 I beheld the transgressors and was grieued because they kept not thy word d Vers 136. Riuers of teares runne downe mine eyes because they keepe not thy law So Ezra who when he heard how the people had sinned and dishonoured God by taking strange wiues vnto them e Ezra 9.3 He rent his garment and his mantle and pluckt the haire from off his head and beard and sate downe astonied Ieremiah likewise when he saw the people would not giue glory to the Lord neither would heare he telleth them f Ier. 13.17 his soule should weepe in secret for their pride and his eye should weepe sore and runne downe with teares for their disobedience And thus did those mourners marked with Gods owne marke for his g Ezek. 9.4 mourne for the abominations committed in Ierusalem whereby they testified the soundnesse of this grace of Loue. As Griefe so Patience Patience in suffering and vndergoing of trouble labour paine will manifest how great our loue is which we beare to God What infinite paines will men that loue the world take for a handfull of it Hunters Hawkers how doe they toyle and moyle yet neuer complaine And why They loue the sport Vbi amor est non est labor sed sapor Bernard ser 85. in Cant. Hard things loue makes easie great paines to it seemes pleasure no taske so hard which loue refuses to gratifie the beloued partie For the loue that Iacob did beare to Rachel h Gen. 29.20 he was content to vndergoe seuen yeares hard seruice and they seemed vnto him but as a few dayes the reason is giuen in the text For the loue he had to her If Shechem will marry Dinah it must be on condition of Circumcision he must first suffer the cutting of his tender flesh though it be as questionlesse it would be very painfull i Gen. 34.19 Now the young man deferred not to doe the thing because he had delight in Iacobs daughter The like patience will be found in vndergoing any paine or trouble for Gods cause if we truly loue him The Apostles depart from the presence of the Councell k Acts 5.40 reioycing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Christ Ignatius that blessed Martyr of Christ Iesus thus testified his loue as appeareth l Eccles Hist Euseb li. 3. ca. 36. by his Epistle which he wrote vnto the Church of Rome where he professeth that the more he was exercised with the iniuries of his oppressors the more he was instructed and that he weighed neither visible nor inuisible things for the loue of Christ And addeth further Come fire crosse wilde beasts slaughter tearing of bones dismembring of the parts of my bodie yea let all the torments of the deuill rush vpon me so I may enioy Christ better for me to be a Martyr than a Monarch Ex narratione historica de condem Ioh. Hussi in Concil Const. my Loue is crucified c. And so Iohn Hus who being led forth to the place of execution after he was condemned in the Councell of Constance to be burned hauing a cap of paper set vpon his head in which were painted three deuils of an vgly shape and this inscription added This is an Arch-heretique when he beheld it said very mildly My Lord Iesus Christ who was innocent vouchsafed to weare a sharpe crowne of thornes for me wretched sinner and therefore I will beare this though imposed as a scorne for his names sake And in that truly named Golden Legend m Heb. 11.36 of how many doe we reade who were tryed by mockings scourgings bonds imprisonments who were stoned sawen asunder tempted slaine with the sword who wandered about in sheeps skins and goat skins being destitute afflicted tormented c. Thus Gods seruants whose hearts haue beene inflamed with a loue vnto him haue reioyced in their sufferings and patiently vnderwent the heauiest trials especially when it hath beene for their Sauiours sake taking greater pleasure in their iron fetters than the proudest Courtier doth of his golden chaine It was Hardings inuectiue against our reuerend and pretious Iewell that we Protestants were worse than the very deuils For whereas bread and water and the Crosse could scar them away Princes could be rid of vs by no meanes but fire To whom that excellent Bishop answered that though it pleased his malitious humour to make but a iest of the bloud of Gods Saints yet it was no more ignominie for Lambes to suffer what Christ suffered than it was praise and credit for Wolues to betray him as Iudas did Zeale By our Zeale lastly may our loue be tried For whether it be an intention of loue as some would haue it or a compound of loue and anger as other describe it Certainly it is a spirituall heat wrought in the heart of man by the Holy Ghost improuing this good affection of loue as one of late hath well defined it By this Moses discouered his loue for though hee were the meekest man vpon the earth yet he was not only grieued but wonderfully angry n Exod. 32.19 when he saw God to be dishonoured So Elijah Phineas Samuel Dauid Nehemiah and many others did the like as largely appeareth in their stories And surely if we loued the Lord it could
not bee but wee would be zealous for the Lord. It is a cold loue that is not heated with this fire When men can disgest oathes and blasphemies as easie as the Ostridge iron and see God to be dishonoured without indignation let them conclude loue is wanting That same Spirit that descended first vpon the Lord Iesus o Matth. 3.16 in the similitude of a Doue descended afterwards vpon his Apostles p Acts 2.3 in the similitude of fire As in some things we should be meeke and patient so in other things hot and earnest Meeknesse in our owne causes but in Gods zeale and feruencie doth well And thus wee haue seene the first rule of triall wherein I haue beene somewhat large though I hope not ouer-large forgiue all good faults breuity in the next shall make amends The second way for the discouery of our loue is by our Speeches 2. By our speeches For q Mat. 12.34 out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Experience makes this good r Isay 32.6 The niggard will be talking of his niggardnesse the worldling of his wealth the voluptuous of his pleasures the ambitious one of his honours and preferments And whatsoeuer a man loueth most that will hee take his greatest ioy in talking of Nauita de ventis de tauris narrat arator c. What commendation shall you heare the Huntsman giue of his Dogge The Faulkner of his Hawke How large are these in praising of their sport Thus is the tongue the Interpreter of the mind Lingua est animi Mercurius and by its language you may easily ghesse at the hearts meaning If the loue of God be there thy tongue will be the tell-tale and bewray it either in speaking of the Lord or for the Lord. Of him in commending or admiring him It was the loue of God Å¿ Psal 119.164 in Dauids heart that fild his mouth with often praises The Spouse in the Canticles she loued much and praised much t Cant. 5.10 My welbeloued is white and ruddy the chiefest often thousands his head is as the most fine gold his lockes are bushie and blacke as a Rauen his eyes are as the eyes of Doues c. So shee goes on her tongue being u Psal 45.1 as the Pen of a ready Writer hauing words at will to praise and admire euery thing that was in him So likewise for him the tongue will be imployed if loue bee in the heart Dauid will speake for God and for his truth * Psal 119.46 euen before Kings and will not be ashamed To heare God to bee dishonoured his Word blasphemed his Gospell scorned his Children reuiled Loue cannot brooke It will worke within vs as Nature wrought in the sonne of Craessus of whom it is recorded x Herodotus that though he had beene alwaies dumbe yet seeing one come to kill his father the impediments and strings of his tongue were violently broken through the force of naturall affection so that he cried out Oh man kill not Craessus And surely wee may in this case say as that heroicall Luther said in the like Maledictum silentium quod hic conniuet Cursed be that silence that here forbeareth Thus may we make our tongues the touchstone of our hearts For as the doore-keeper said to Peter so say I y Mat. 26.73 Thy speech bewraieth thee 3. By our Actions The third and last way is by our workes and actions Loue is full of operation so shewes Saint Paul z 1 Cor. 13. and hardly can it deny any worke which the party beloued doth enioyne Hence said Daelilah to Sampson a Iudg. 16.15 How canst thou say I loue thee when thy heart is not with mee Thou hast mocked me these three times hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth Our blessed Sauiour makes this a rule of triall b Iohn 14.15 If you loue mee saith hee keepe my Commandements And againe thus c â—ers 21. Hee that hath my Commandements and keepeth them hee it is that loueth me And elsewhere thus d Cap. 15.14 You are my friends if you doe whatsoeuer I command you Thus Abraham made good his loue e Gen. 12. 22. by his ready obedience to Gods command in offring vp his sonne and in leauing his owne Country to goe to that place whither God should send him And as loue maketh vs thus obedient and dutifull so it causeth vs to be bountifull and liberall f 1 Cor. 13.4 as the Apostle speaketh For where the heart is inlarged the hand cannot bee straightned where the bowels are open the purse is neuer shut So that Herod may haue his pleasure which hee affects g Marke 6.23 what cares hee though hee part with halfe his Kingdome What will a man spare from his speciall friend that may bee for his good All I haue is at his command to whom I haue giuen my selfe So said Iehosaphat to Ahab h 2. Chron. 18.3 I am as thou art and my people are as thy people Ionathan loues Dauid as his soule and he will shew it i 1 Sam. 18.3.4 by stripping himselfe euen to his sword and to his bow for the supporting and helping of his dearest Dauid Of so franke a disposition is loue that it will bee prodigall of its neerest and dearest things If Maries teares will wash her Sauiours feet k Luke â— 38 she will powre them out and not thinke her haire too good to bee the towell No Spikenard l Iohn 12.3 shall bee too costly for his head whom her soule affects what though that vnguent might haue beene sold for some great summe of mony wherewith shee might haue done her selfe much good Yet shee had rather bestow it on her Sauiour than on her selfe because shee loued her Sauiour more than her selfe Thus loue will bee content to bee at cost for Christ and thinkes nothing too much that is done to him or for him As that renowned Master Fox of whom it is reported that hee would neuer deny Beggar that asked in Gods name Thus by our obeying of him and cost for him our loue may soone be seene our workes indeed doe not iustifie yet they testifie As in a clocke though the finger of the Dyall makes not the clocke to goe but the clocke it yet the finger without shewes how the clocke within doth stirre so here And therefore what Saint Iames speakes of Faith m Iames 2.18 Shew mee thy Faith by thy workes for that Faith that is without workes is dead So say I by loue Shew mee thy loue by thy workes for that loue that is without workes is dead Ye loue your backes and spare not to cloathe them you loue your children and therefore doe much for them you loue your beasts and therefore bestow largely on them and can you say you loue the Lord and deale so pinchingly and illiberally with him It cannot be
especiall kinde of fellowship had with him we shall finde what a great desire the godly haue had to such places and what great loue they haue borne to those duties Å¿ Psal 26.8 I haue loued saith Dauid the habitation of thy house and the place where thine honour dwelleth And else-where thus t Psal 27.4 One thing haue I desired of the Lord that I will seeke after that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life to behold the beauty of the Lord and to enquire in his Temple And againe u Psal 84.1 2. How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts my soule longeth yea euen fainteth for the Courts of the Lord. vers 4. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house A day in thy Courts is better than a thousand vers 10. I had rather be a doore-keeper in the house of my God than to dwell in the Tents of wickednesse The like is his desire after the meanes and exercises of Religion * Psal 119.97 Oh how loue I thy Law it is my meditation all the day x verse 127. I loue thy Commandements aboue gold yea aboue fine gold y Psal 55.17 Euening and morning and at noone will I pray and cry aloud z Psal 119.164 Yea seuen times a day doe I praise thee because of thy righteous iudgements This hath beene the desire of such whose hearts haue beene enflamed with the loue of God after his presence of grace here and as desirous haue they bin after Gods presence of glory hereafter with Paul desiring to bee loosed that hee might bee with Christ a Phil. 1.15 which they count best of all and with the Bride and Spirit in the Reuelation say Come b Reu. 22.17 vers 20. Amer euen so come Lord Iesus Againe out Ioy will make knowne our loue Ioy. For where loue is there ioy will shew it selfe 1. In the Presence or enioyment of the party beloued 2. In his Image or picture 3. In such things as tend to the setting forth of his Honour As loue causeth vs to desire society with the beloued party so it maketh vs to reioyce in it greatly when it is obtained and had euen as a louing wife reioyceth in the company of her Husband aboue the company of any other whatsoeuer so saith the Church c Isay 61.10 I will greatly reioyce in the Lord my soule shall be ioyfull in my God The Apostle Paul calleth Christ his reioycing d 1 Cor. 15.31 By our reioycing which I haue in Christ Iesus Thus do Gods children reioyce in Gods presence yea e Isay 9.3 their ioy before him is according to the ioy in haruest and as men reioyce when they diuide the spoyle As they ioy in his Presence so doe they reioyce in his Image The very picture of a friend whom we entirely loue we esteeme highly of and often solace our selues in the beholding it So f 1 Iohn 5.1 If we loue him that begat we loue him also that is begotten If we loue God it cannot be but we must needs reioyce in the Image of God which appeares in his children consisting in g Ephes 4.24 righteousnesse and true holinesse And thus did Dauid h Psal 16.2 3. My goodnesse extendeth not to thee but to the Saints that are in the earth and to the excellent in whom is all my delight Where marke 1. His delight was In the Saints 2. In all the Saints 3. All his delight was in them The mother of Darius as I haue read saluting Hephestion in stead of Alexander who was but Alexanders fauourite blushed and was much ashamed vpon notice of her mistake which Alexander perceiuing bid her not be troubled for said he he is also Alexander Doest thou reioyce in Christ thou must then reioyce in the godly for they also are i 1 Cor. 12.12 Christ And as in the Image so Loue causeth vs to reioyce in euery thing that serueth to the praise or profit of the beloued party So here As 1. generally in the Churches welfare Ierusalem k Psal 137.6 shall be preferred to our chiefest ioy thus the godly in Isayes dayes l Isay 66.10 Reioyce yee with Ierusalem and be glad with her all yee that loue her reioyce for ioy with her all you that mourne for her 2. More particularly The readinesse of the people to doe God seruice will stirre vp Ioy as in Dauids time m 1 Chro. 29.9 The people reioyced for that they offered willingly And in Asa's time n 2 Chro. 15.15 All Iudah reioyced at the oath of the couenant which they had made vnto the Lord for they had sworne saith the text with all their heart So likewise will the conuersion of sinners Thus when the Iewes heard of the conuersion of the Gentiles and that the Holy Ghost was fallen vpon them as vpon themselues at the beginning they glorified God saying o Acts 11.18 Then hath God also vnto the Gentiles granted repentance vnto life It maketh vs likewise to reioyce at our owne well-doing because honour thereby redounds to the name of God so saith Solomon p Pro. 21.15 It is ioy to the iust to doe iudgement And lastly in our owne saluation q Luke 10.20 that our names are written in the booke of life Thus in these and in all things else which tend and so farre forth as they tend to the setting forth of the Almighties praise doth Loue cause vs to reioyce Further Feare our Loue if sound will be discerned by our Feare How afraid are we to offend or any way displease those whom we entirely affect And therefore these two are ioyned together by r Deut. 10.12 Moses as sisters for where one is there is the other True it is that perfect Loue casteth out Feare Å¿ 1 Iohn 4.18 as S. Iohn speaketh but that is meant of a slauish and seruile feare not of this sonne-like and filiall feare for it doth establish it Moses in one verse sheweth both these kindes of feares t Exod. 20.20 Feare not saith he to Israel for God is come to proue you and that his feare may be before your faces that you sinne not He bids them not to feare viz. with that slauish feare and yet chargeth them to feare viz. with this godly and child-like feare By this latter feare then we need not feare to try our loue For without question he that truly loues God is afraid to displease God by committing of the least sinne for feare lest it should make a diuorce betweene him and his God whom his soule loueth Moreouer Loue causeth Sorrow and Griefe Griefe 1. For our beloueds absence 2. For any wrong or iniurie offered vnto him Doe we not see what discontentment beasts which out of naturall instinct loue their young doe shew when they haue lost them And how grieuously doe Parents take the death or
an excellent meanes to enflame our hearts also with a loue to him The last helpe is Praier For z Iam. 1.17 Euery good and perfect gift commeth from aboue Aske it therefore at Gods hands for a Vers 5. he giueth liberally to all men and vpbraideth no man These are some helps for the attainment of this grace which if we conscionably practise I doubt not but we shall soone finde kindled in our bosomes to our endlesse comfort And that is our second vse A third we now inferre but briefly and that for Vse 3 Consolation of such as loue the Lord esteeming him as their best beloued setting their whole hearts and soules vpon him In so doing they haue performed a worthy worke and such a worke as in the end brings peace Oh the priuileges the superexcellent priuileges that belong to such a one b Iob. 14.21 He that loueth me shall be loued of my Father and I will loue him and manifest my selfe vnto him saith our Sauiour So that we see here is no loue lost Christ will respect them most graciously for euermore and alwaies doe them good Yea euery thing shall further their good and welfare and so saith the Apostle c Rom. 8.28 All things worke together for good to them that loue God Euery thing the least ens and being any thing that can be named or conceiued shall worke thy good thy good of grace here and glory hereafter so that the Deuill in the end shall get nothing by tempting thee to sinne but the greater ouerthrow of his owne kingdome and thou thereby shalt grow the better it shall make thee more humble lowly watchfull carefull c. Thus blow what winde can blow the illest winde shall blow thee good hap what happen may it cannot make thee miserable Thou standest in a Center the Circumference is mercie whatsoeuer commeth to thee be it losse crosse paine sicknesse death it must first come through the circumference of mercy and so taste and relish of mercy before it come at thee or touch thee Oh! what a priuilege is this how excellent how admirable This is thy priuilege who louest God for to thee it is made and to none else besides Can we maruell now at the Apostles words e 1 Cor. 2.9 Eie hath not seene nor eare heard neither hath entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that loue him Many excellent and beautifull obiects hath the eie beheld and the eare hath heard relation made of things farre surpassing those which the eie hath seene but the heart is able to conceiue of things more excellent than either eie hath seene or eare hath heard yet neither eie hath seene nor eare heard nor yet can the heart conceiue saith he the things that God hath prepared for such as are louers of him He hath promised saith S. Iames f Iam. 2.5 a kingdome vnto such and g Cap. 1.12 a crowne of life which they shall receiue Let then the loue-sicke hearts of the godly be cheared vp for God doth not forget their labour and loue but he will recompence it with an euerlasting loue Let it serue likewise to enkindle our loue so that where it is now but in the sparke it may breake out into the flame louing him with all our soule strength and might desiring nothing aboue him equally with him or without him louing him for himselfe and all things else for him And so to end the point and vse with that sweet meditation of Austine h August 4. Confess Blessed is he O Lord who thus loueth thee and his friend in thee and his enemie for thee for onely that man cannot lose any thing which he loueth who loueth nothing but in thee who cannot be lost And thus much for the first reason that is giuen for this Title or Appellation come we now to the second and see whether we can be briefer there In a more particular respect also might the Prophet call the Lord his welbeloued viz. in respect of his office and calling as he was a Prophet to whom the charge of Christs Queene the Church was committed And in regard of this Ministers are called Christs friends according to that saying of S. Iohn i John 3.29 He that hath the Bride is the Bridegroome but the friend of the Bridegroome which standeth and heareth him reioyceth greatly because of the Bridegroomes voyce where by friend he vnderstands himselfe and in himselfe all other Ministers both Prophets and Apostles and that both because they labour to make the mariage betweene the Church and Christ as also endeuour to hold fast the Church vnto Christ being iealous ouer her for his sake lest shee should be seduced Calu. Vrsin Moller Trem. Iun. Taking this as a reason which indeed is the vsuall reason rendred by our Expositors for this Appellation by good consequence it will follow that Ministers are Christs Paranymphs Doctr. Ministers are Christs Paranymphs In a speciall manner they are his friends to wooe the Church and winne the Church vnto himselfe to fit it and prepare it for himselfe So witnesseth the Apostle when he saith k Coloss 1.28 29. We warne euery man and teach euery man in all wisdome that we may present euery man perfect in Christ Iesus whereunto faith he I also labour And writing to the Corinthians he thus speaketh l 2 Cor. 11.2 3. I am iealous ouer you with a godly iealousie for I haue espoused you to one husband that I may present you as a chaste virgin vnto Christ By whose practise we see the Ministers dutie dignitie and office both to fit and prepare the Church for Christ as also to hold fast the Church vnto Christ that shee breake not her mariage-couenant with him I hasten to the Vses for in this I haue promised breuitie Vse 1 Let vs Ministers hence learne our duties And seeing we haue the Church committed to our care and are so farre honoured as to be betrusted with Christs Queene let vs vse all possible meanes that we may deliuer vnto the Bridegroome a pure and chaste virgin When m Gen. 24. Abraham sent his seruant to fetch a wife for his sonne Isaac he brought him godly and beautifull Rebeccah We are the Lords seruants sent to fetch a wife for Iesus Christ the Sonne of God O let vs be as faithfull to God the Father and to Iesus Christ his Sonne as that good seruant was to Abraham and Isaac Let vs doe our message with diligence and execute our charge with faithfulnesse and prayer Let vs speake of Christ and only of Christ making him the scope and subiect of all our preaching And as is the old Embleme of S. Christopher vnder which our ancient Mythologists haue described the good Pastor wade through the sea of this world staying on the staffe of faith and lifting vp Christ aloft to be seene of men n Iohn 3.14 as the brazen
serpent was on a pole to be seene of the Israelites who were stung Let vs so speake of him as that the daughters of Ierusalem may fall in loue with him working first vpon the vnderstanding of our people bringing them to a through knowledge of this Christ whom we tender vnto them as an husband for this is requisite in mariage Error personae makes a nullitie And then secondly vpon their affections that they may take liking of him To further which we must speake earnestly and seriously not coldly carelesly vsing the best of our skill with arguments and motiues to winne them to his loue What a shame then is it for a Minister either to be ignorant of this Christ whom he should commend for a husband to the Church for what wise man will speake for a stranger of whom he hath no knowledge Or knowing him yet be dumbe or silent neuer speaking to the Church in his praise and commendations Or if he doth yet then to speake either idly and foolishly as alas too many doe whereby many are discouraged and driuen further off from Christ or else vnfaithfully speaking two words for themselues and one for him desiring o Acts 20.30 to draw disciples rather after them than winne soules to God Oh let not these things my brethren be found in any of vs but seeing we are called to such honour let vs be instant in preaching holy in liuing earnest in perswading carefull in admonishing giuing to Gods people the golden bracelets of Gods truth that so as p Gen. 32.10 Iacob returned with many more soules out of Syria into Canaan than he brought so we may goe out of this world with many soules conuerted and wonne by vs to Christs loue into the world to come Let Hearers hence also be exhorted For seeing Ministers Vse 2 are Christs seruants to offer and perswade mariage betwixt the Church and him let them be bid welcome and harkned vnto What maid will not marke and giue good attention when matter of mariage is broken to her especially if the offer be of some great heire nobly borne well descended c. and shee her selfe but meane and of low degree Should shee turne away her eare from harkning to such a motion and say nay to such a personage seeking and suing to her would shee not be iudged and that iustly to be a foolish woman And yet thus it is with vs the Sonne and heire of the great King of heauen sends his Embassadors to treat with vs poore beggars yea worse than beggars concerning mariage and yet good Lord how coy are we we cannot be spoken withall forsooth we be not at leisure And when our leisure serues vs what a deale of wooing needs there A man indeed would thinke it would be but an easie suit and that Gods Ministers should not need to spend much breath before they haue obtained and yet they with all their perswasions and intreaties cannot so farre preuaile with vs as to make vs hearken to it Euery suitor shall haue hearing yea and speeding too before Christ Iesus The Deuill though he comes euer masqu'd and neuer dares shew his face as well knowing if he did appeare in his owne colours no soule could then affect him yet because his promises are great and large as q Matth. 4.9 they were to our blessed Sauiour when he offered to ioynture him in many kingdomes if he would loue him and fall downe and worship him is soone heard and answered The World though it be a warped aged and decrepit suitor exceeding old blinde and lame hauing sore eyes bleare and raw with cares swolne leggs diseased with surfets and but a few minutes more to liue all as bad qualities in a suitor as may be yet promising large ioynture good maintenance wealth at will honours and preferments with the like this old dotard speeds And for the Flesh though as r Iude 23. S. Iude speaketh it be spotted all ouer like an vncleane Leper or vlcerous Moore yet because it is as it were a homebred childe and pleads more than familiaritie with vs promising all pleasure and content vnto vs as soone speeds as either of the former But as for Christ who is best worthy he hath but a cold suit of it But beloued be more wise giue not oh giue not thy consent to any other saue Christ alone if thou dost thou art vndone for euer The deuill he is large in promises his words drop Nectar but he is Å¿ Iohn 8. a lyer and a murderer and so thou wilt finde him in the end if thou dost trust him And for the world it hath but a weake tenure of all that it possesseth and can assure thee of no other dowry than vanitie and vexation as t Eccles 1. Solomon witnesseth who proued it if then thou bestowest thy selfe on it be thou assured that in the end thou must be left without being satisfied As for that other suiter the Flesh he is least worthy the hearkning to of any Remember he is an ill wooer that wanteth words they are the cheapest chaffer a man can part withall and therefore no wonder if he doth seeke to insinuate himselfe by promises but passe not for them nay stop your eares against them and in this point be like the Adder u Psal 58.4 5. which will not heare the charmer charme he neuer so sweetly For be you well assured if you make him your head and lord of all he will soone consume all to your finall vndoing Giue entertainment therefore I beseech you to the Lord of glory For him I am a deputed wooer at this time my suit vnto you is for your loues for Christ my Master For * 2 Cor. 5.20 as though God did beseech you through vs we pray you in Christs stead that yee be reconciled vnto God Were he euill-fauoured or deformed then you might haue some cause to refuse to loue him but he is not x Cant. 5.9 He is white and ruddie the chiefest amongst ten thousands infinitely fairer than all the sons of men y Heb. 1.3 being the brightnesse of the glory of his Father and the expresse image of his person Or were he poore like Lazarus you might haue some reason to dis-affect him but he is not for he is rich and wealthy being the greatest heire that euer was euen z Heb. 1.2 heire of all things Or could you alledge that his stocke is meane his birth ignoble it were somewhat but that you cannot for he is a Reuel 19.16 17.14 King of Kings and Lord of Lords which dignitie is his by birth Or could you obiect against his wisdome it might be some excuse for your refusall but neither can you here except b Coloss 2.3 For in him are hid all the treasures of wisdome and of knowledge Seeing then he is the fairest wealthiest noblest and wisest of any other whatsoeuer set thy heart vpon him and loue him vntill thou be
the necessity and vtility of the same The h 1 Cor. 15.37 Corne dying and fructifying preacheth to vs that Article of our faith The resurrection of the body The beholding of i Mat. 13.25 tares and weeds in the field may instruct vs of the state and condition of the Church militant Vers 45. The Merchant searching for pearles and paying dearely for that of price should remember vs of a farre more precious pearle The Gospell of the Kingdome which we should highly rate and sell all to buy k Mat. 7.9 10. Childrens asking for bread or meat at their fathers hands and the Fathers readinesse to giue them what they aske may teach vs our duties towards God and set forth the readinesse of Gods loue to vs. l Psal 123.2 Seruants waiting vpon their Masters and Maids attending vpon their Mistresses should teach vs to wait vpon the Lord our God vntill he haue mercy on vs. Thus Gods wisdome is in this kinde remarkable directing vs by all things that may runne into our senses to raise vs furtherances in spirituall things Yea not only things lawfull but we shall finde likewise that things sinfull and vnlawfull afford resemblances to admonish of dutie The employment of our gifts to the glory of the bestower we haue pressed by resemblance of the m Matth. 25.27 Vsurers cursed courses Wisdome to prouide for euerlasting Tabernacles by liberalitie to the poore Saints is taught vs n Luk. 16.8 9. by the vniust policie of the deceitfull Steward o Matth. 24.43 Watchfulnesse for the sudden comming of Christ by the vnexpected comming of a theefe to his prey In a word there was nothing which our Sauiour could heare or see or doe but he made spirituall vse of it and tooke occasion thereby to administer heauenly instructions vnto his followers Thus we haue seene this truth proued now let vs heare it further applied This may serue for our Humiliation seeing that by Vse 1 our sinne and apostasie wee are degraded beneath the beasts and become their schollers Our father Adam was made Lord of the creatures and by the knowledge wherewith God endued him he knew the Lord and the creature also Gen. 2.19 20. At one Court he imposed names to them all according to their kindes as knowing them better in their nature and vertue than they did themselues The knowledge which he had of God led him to this knowledge of the creature and it was not by the creature that hee learned the knowledge of the Creator But by sinne man falling away from God he hath so far degenerated from his owne kinde as that he is now become inferiour vnto them and they as Balaams Asse can teach their master Numb 22.28 To the schoole of the creature is man now sent and put backe like an idle truant to his A.B.C. to learne the glory goodnesse and prouidence of the Creator by looking vpon it neither are we able to learne so much as the creature can teach vs when we ply our lesson hardest Consider we how farre the creature doth excell man Nos aper auditu praecellit aranea tactu Vultur odoratu lynx visu simia gustu and that not only in naturall faculties as the Ape in tasting the Spider in touching the Lynx in seeing the Boare in hearing the Vulture in smelling c. wherein we come not nigh them nor yet only in naturall gifts and qualities of the body as the Horse in strength the Roe in swiftnesse the Lion in courage c. wherein wee are not able to compare with them but also they farre excell vs in many vertues as the Doue in simplicitie the Storke in kindnesse the Dog in fidelitie the Oxe and the Asse in thankefulnesse and obedience in all which we come farre short and wherein they may become our Tutors Not to speake of the Spider which say some taught man first to weaue nor of the Eagle which say others taught man first to build nor of that same Aegyptian bird Ibis which as others hold gaue knowledge to Physitians how to vse the glister for these are but coniectures We haue seene enough to humble vs yea euen the proudest of vs seeing in many good things they now excell vs though indeed in vice and euill wee excell them all being by our sinne become more cruell than the Wolfe more craftie than the Fox more enuious than the Serpent more venomous than the Adder more proud than the Peacocke yea all vices which are but seuerall in beasts are mustered and troopt together in vs. And this is our naturall condition Vse 2 It may serue likewise for reprehension in that wee haue such emptie hearts and heads when in euery corner we haue so many teachers to informe vs and instruct vs. The plea of ignorance is a common plea and goeth for currant Alas Sir we are ignorant and not booke-learned we want teachers c. And this is the strongest pillar and prop that many haue But how is this possible Du Bartas 1. Day 1. Weeke Hab. 2.2 Doth not the great booke of the creatures tearmed aptly by some the Shepeards Kalender and Ploughmans Alphabet lie open in which euen the most ignorant may runne and reade Doe not the Heauens and those celestiall Orbs that are placed therein plainly catechize thee in the first elements of religion and teach thee that there is a God Rom. 1.20 and that this God is but one and that this one God excelleth all other things both in might and maiestie and that hee will be worshipped c. And indeed Vniuersus mundus nihil aliud est quà m Deus explicatus Cusan Iob 12.7 8. the whole world is nothing else but God exprest Can men then plead ignorance Aske now the beasts saith Iob and they shall teach thee and the fowles of the aire and they shall tell thee Or speake to the earth and it shall teach thee and the fishes of the Sea shall declare vnto thee Looke aboue thy head below thy feet on thy right hand and on thy left hand all thou seest would enforce thee if thou hadst a heart to learne The rudest rusticke hath his horse and plow his earth and seed to instruct him in his duty All which leaue not God without witnesse leaue men without excuse Rom. 1.20 -28. as they did the Gentiles who because they knew not God according to those meanes neither honoured they him according to that naturall knowledge gotten by those meanes were giuen vp to vile sinnes and grieuous punishments Oh then that we were as ready to learne good lessons Isay 1.5 Oneramus Asinum non curat quia Asinus est At si in ignem impellere si in foucam praecipitare velis cauet quantum potest quia vitam amat mortem timet Bern. de diuers 12. as these kinde of tutors are to teach vs them how much better should wee be than now wee are They will leaue when they
vp to ripenesse and become as a mighty tree so that the birds of the aire shall come and lodge in the branches of it And forasmuch as thy heart is as apt to bring forth sinne vpon the least temptation as the best and fattest ground is to bring forth weeds vpon the sweetest Aprill showre God will daily looke vnto thee and no sooner shall a weed peepe out but he will with his weeding hooke haue it vp nor a superfluous twig sprout forth but he will with his pruning knife cut it off according to that which our Sauiour teacheth p Iohn 15.2 Euery branch that bringeth forth fruit he purgeth that it may bring forth more fruit And therefore discourage not thy selfe for thy soule is the field not of the sluggard but of a carefull husbandman who will so follow thee as that thou shalt euery day grow more fruitfull in grace and goodnesse And lastly hence let good Ministers who are Gods Vse 4 Deputies to husband this his Vineyard learne diligently to follow their vocation omitting no manner of paines that may tend to the fructifying of the Church seeing God himselfe omits none Let vs obserue our times and seasons and sometimes plant and at other times water with exhortations perswasions and the like and as occasion serues let vs sometimes prune with reprehensions obiurgations and if need require with the knife of discipline euermore being occupied about some thing that may make for the good thereof remembring that it is Gods Vineyard wee labour in and not mans and he is able to recompence the faithfull and punish the vnfaithfull which should make vs to be the more circumspect and laborious in our calling taking heed to what seed wee sow and to what plants we set Alas for such as are idle negligent and regardlesse of the Vineyard of the Lord Damasc Papa epist 4. Dist 78. who like Harlots so soone as they be brought to bed put forth their children to other nurses that themselues might haue the better leisure to take their pleasure and satisfie their lust how will God alledge his owne example against such for their conuiction and strike their eares with that chiding and vnpleasant voice Away thou disloyall and vnprofitable seruant into vtter darknssse This in generall Come we now to the particulars wherein this good Husbandman shewed his great care for his Vineyards good In handling of which I would be loth to be found too curious I confesse I am of their iudgement q Caluin Vrsin in loc Theologia symbolica non est argumentatiua who thinke it not so fit to sift euery branch too exquisitely or exactly for euery string of a Parable is not to be strained nor too curiously to be pressed lest in stead of milke we fetch bloud The principall scope is especially to be regarded beyond which nothing is to be vrged I intend therefore to gather from these branches such fruit as hang lowest for my reach and as will readily and naturally and as it were of it owne accord fall into our hands I hope I shall offend no reasonable hearer nor reader in so doing The first particular wherein God commends his loue and care to this his Vineyard is in the situation of it He chose for it such a place and plat as was First commodious for it was a Hill which place vines loue well and best prosper on Secondly fertile and plenteous for it was A very fruitfull Hill Bacchus amat colles Aquilonem frigora sylua or the horne of the son of oyle by which Hebraisme the fatnesse and fruitfulnesse of the place is set forth as wee haue seene before Put both together and thence we learne Doctr. God often giueth the fat of the earth to his Church for a possession The fat of the earth is often giuen by God to his Church and people for their possession God often giues abundance of temporall good things and earthly blessings to his owne people as well as to the wicked and as Dauid sheweth r Psal 23.5 hee prepareth a table for them euen in the presence of their enemies and doth anoint their heads with oyle and so fill their cup as that it runneth ouer A cloud of witnesses might be brought to iustifie as much both out of the old Testament and new Out of the old these Å¿ Gen. 13.7 24.35 Iob 1.1 2 3. 31.24 25. Abraham Lot Isaak Iacob Iob Dauid Solomon Hezekiah Iehoshaphat Iosiah besides others All good and rich Out of the new Testament these t Matth. 27.57 Marke 15.43 Luke 23.50 Luke 8.3 Ioseph of Arimathea a rich man an honourable Councellor and he was a good man and iust Ioanna the wife of Chuza Herods Steward and Susanna both the disciples and followers of Christ with many other of all estates u 1 Cor. 1.26 Some rich some noble some wise some mightie and of great account as the Apostle sheweth Agreeable hereunto is that promise that * Psal 112.1.3 Riches and treasures shall be in his house that feareth the Lord And that Prophesie that the x Esay 60.11 Rich should come to the people of God and ioyne with the Church Reasons may be rendred as these First that the Reas 1 wicked might not altogether trample on them Or secondly Reas 2 say God could not inrich them And therefore God will giue to some that they may see he could inrich all the rest if hee saw good and that it would make for their good Or thirdly that neither they nor theirs Reas 3 may stand to the wickeds finding who are hard hearted and would giue them but short allowance if they were at their prouiding This may serue first to restraine men from rash censuring Vse 1 of the rich as if wickednesse were of necessitie bound to wealthinesse as heat is to the fire when wee see A rich man may be a good man Wealth and wisdome may dwell together righteousnesse and riches may kisse each other y Matth. 6.24 Chrysost Aret. in loc Yee cannot serue God and Mammon saith our Sauiour he doth not say as it is well obserued Yee cannot haue God and Mammon but Yee cannot serue God and Mammon for he that is the seruant of God must be the master of his money And so he may haue both the one and the other z Aug. in Psal 9. Ser. 1. tom 10. Poore Lazarus indeed attained vnto euerlasting life and the rich Glutton was tormented but yet it was rich Abraham which did hold poore Lazarus in his bosome And therefore conclude we It is not wealth but vice that excludes out of Gods kingdome A man may be wealthy and wise great and gratious In heauen you may finde such though they be rarities there Vse 2 Secondly this may teach vs not to contemne these outward things but to esteeme of them as good blessings in themselues and be thankfull for them when we haue them giuen vs. a
was speechlesse x Matth. 22.12 Herein let vs be followers of God as deare children Vse 1 in manifesting this notable fruit of the Spirit when we haue to deale with sinners which hath in it the very pith of loue which when it accompanieth a reprehension or obiurgation it is as that same pretious oile y Psal 141.5 which shall not breake the head Let Ministers here learne how to deale with their hearers intreating exhorting beseeching euen then when they may lawfully command In things of this life see how men are faine to intreat and sue hard for that which is their owne and heart-glad they are if by any such course they can gather vp their debts How glad then may we be if by any earnest perswasion or faire intreatie we can gather vp the debt of obedience which our people owe vnto the Lord I will neuer thinke much to speake faire and friendly so that may follow thereupon And thus the Apostle Paul doth come vnto his hearers with z Rom. 12.1 I beseech you brethren by the mercies of God And a 2 Cor. 5.20 We beseech you that you would be reconciled vnto God And againe b 2 Cor. 10.1 I Paul my selfe beseech you by the meeknesse and gentlenesse of Christ These are his vsuall exhortations And surely when Ministers speake thus to sinfull men and proceed after this manner with them I beseech thee by the mercies of God I pray thee that thou wouldest leaue thy drunkennesse profanation of Gods Sabbaths swearing c. and be reconciled vnto God it must needs strike deep into their hearts if they be not sealed vp with hardnesse vnbeleefe Let Magistrates hence learne to shew mercy compassion and all tokens testimonies of loue towards malefactors euen then when Iustice is to be executed and punishment inflicted that offenders may see it is not malice but Iustice that inflicteth that punishment vpon them and that it is not their bloud but their good and the good of others which is sought And thus dealt Ioshua with Achan after he was apprehended for that execrable wickednesse which he had committed and whereby all Israel was troubled c Iosu 7.19 My sonne saith he I beseech thee giue glory vnto the Lord God of Israel and make confession vnto him and tell me now what thou hast done hide it not from me For want of this Iehu the king of Israel is threatned to be punished For albeit he executed the iudgements of the Lord against the house of Ahab according to Gods command yet doing it with a cruell and reuengefull minde without all pittie and compassion God was displeased and saith he will reuenge the d Hos 1.4 bloud of Iezreel vpon the house of Iehu Let all Christians in generall take out this lesson which the Lord himselfe doth here and elswhere teach vs by his practice and in informing or reforming offending persons let vs vse all moderation and meeknesse endeuouring in the quietest mildest manner to conuince them of their sins In so doing we shall first tread in the steps of God himselfe Secondly giue obedience to Gods commands which require vs e Gal. 6.1 to Restore such as are fallen with the Spirit of meeknesse Thirdly manifest we haue the Spirit of God in vs by the fruits whereof this is one f Cap. 5.23 Fourthly haue some hope that our reproofes admonitions exhortations c. shall be profitable for if euer we doe good it must be by weight of good Arguments pressed in meeknesse of wisdome with mildnesse of spirit that must be as sugar without which the bitter pils of reproofe will not be swallowed But alas we cannot hit of those steps which our heauenly Father hath trodden in and wherein our blessed Sauiour hath gone before vs. How doth that hastinesse in many of vs Ministers who because we see not present successe of our labours are ready to surcease our pains forgoe all sort with this truth or that Iniunction which S. Paul giueth to Timothie and in him to all other Ministers g 2 Tim. 2.29 In meekenesse instruct those that oppose themselues if God peraduenture will giue them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth How doe those bitter iests taunts and reproches cast out against such as are in miserie what though they be euill doers standing at the bar to be iudged and arraigned vsually to be heard in the places of Iustice Iudgement by such as are in place of authoritie come nigh this copy which God hath set How can we see we imitate God like good childrē when hauing to deale with friend or foe we grow hot and boisterous if we be a little moued Alas for vs oh that we could but remember Gods peaceable proceeding euen with the vessels of his wrath learne more mildnesse But are we to deale thus mildly with all Quest may some demand is there no time when nor no person to whom rigour and seueritie must be shewed Surely much patience and lenitie must be vsed euen vnto the very worst Answ vntill it be despised and wilfully contemned and then if it be cleare no meeknesse will serue to winne men it is high time to vse seueritie toward such who by milde intreaties will not be perswaded And thus our blessed Sauiour though in his first Sermon he pronounceth h Matth. 5. Blessings yet in his other he denounceth i Matth. 23. Woes curses against the Scribes and Pharisees when as the former did not worke vpon them Let this teach vs likewise to admire the great goodnesse Vse 2 and vnspeakable mercy of the Lord. Men commonly are intreaters for those things which are profitable to themselues but who is he that is earnest with another to doe that which tends only to the profit of him with whom he dealeth If a man of himselfe cannot see what maketh for his owne good and doe it of his owne accord we thinke him well worthy to smart for his owne folly But here see Gods dealing with vs the sons of men who desireth and intreateth vs to sit in iudgement against our selues and why surely for this end that he might not iudge vs for as the Apostle speaketh k 1 Cor. 11.31 If we would iudge our selues we should not be iudged of the Lord so that the profit hereof would be our owne How should our hearts relent how should we be ouercome with this kindnesse of the Lord who so graciously mercifully requesteth intreateth vs for our own welfare Vse 3 And lastly is God so milde euen when he hath to deale with sinners and doth he proceed in such quiet and peaceable termes euen with wicked and vngodly ones then let this stay the hearts of Gods people for assuredly with them he will not be rigorous nor extreme If these fare so well certainly Gods children shall fare farre better Lift vp then thy deiected spirit and cheare vp thy disquieted and
suffering Thus then we see that our enemies could not so farre preuaile did not God permit them neither would he suffer them so farre to preuaile did it any way tend to his dishonour or our dammage Our God is omnipotent doing what he will and suffering no resistance in that he will not Nemo nos laedit nisi qui Deum vincit so that only he which can ouercome him can hurt vs. That godly gloriation then which the Apostle vseth against the enemies of our soules may fitly be vsed by vs against the enemies of our bodies c Rom. 8.31 What shall we then say to these things If God be for vs who can be against vs And then a little after d Vers 35 37. Who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ Shall tribulation or distresse or persecution or famine or nakednesse or perill or sword Nay in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loued vs. Thus as if all these had been but flea-bitings he doth triumph ouer them And then in a straine beyond all admiration hee goeth on thus e Vers 38 39. For I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. If then we be Gods though Satan and sinners would yet they can doe nothing against vs that shall be for our hurt and though God himselfe can yet he will doe nothing to vs that shall not turne to our endlesse and euerlasting good Further in that it is said The wall shall not only be broken but that it shall likewise be trodden downe we may see as in a glasse the beastly and brutish disposition of the enemies of the Church Doct. No beast is more sauage than the enemies of Gods Church No beast of the field doth shew it selfe more raging or rauenous than doe the wicked when God suffers them to breake into his Vineyard for the afflicting of it Looke as it is with beasts who doe not only eat and deuoure but tread downe and spoile when they come into good pastures more than they eat so is it with them and therefore Scripture giues them names agreeing with their natures they are called f Psal 124.7 Fowlers g Mic. 7.2 Hunters h Psal 53.4 Canibals and men-eaters They are also named i 2 Tim. 4.17 Psal 58.6 Lions and this was Neroes stile who was the first that stained his sword with the bloud of Christians as Eusebius sheweth in his Ecclesiasticall Historie They are likewise called k Psal 80.13 Boares The Boare out of the wood doth waste it and Buls yea strong l Psal 22.12 buls of Bashan They are also compared to m 21. Vnicornes n Psal 58.4 Beares Leopards o Psal 74.13 14. Prou. 17.12 Psal 3.7 Dragons Serpents Aspes Adders and they haue their hornes tusks teeth talants mouthes iawes pawes checkbones giuen to them These names they haue made good in all ages If we should view the Scriptures or reade ouer the Histories of the Primitiue Church we should finde plenty of examples for the confirming hereof Such and so great cruelty hath beene practised by them towards Gods people that as Euschius affirmeth p Eccles Hist lib. 8. cap. 3.10.11 it farre exceedeth the credit of any relation If we come to our owne times we shall not want examples of their cruelty for the prouing this truth What vnnaturall cruelty was it to take the infant q Acts and Mon. pag. 1864. issuing out of the mothers wombe in the midst of the flame and cast it in againe with their forkes that as the off-spring of an heretike it might burne together with her O blessed babe to be no sooner borne but as soone baptized with fire before thou art lapped in swadling clothes to be crowned with martyrdome and before thou fully breathest in the breath of life thou happily breathest out thine owne innocent soule to God But out vpon such cruelty such transcendent outragious cruelty Are these Catholikes Are these they that hold it for an article of their faith that all children dying vnbaptized are damned and yet would wittingly put this innocent childe to death before it had receiued baptisme Can any iudge otherwise but that they purposed to haue flung this infant both bodie and soule into a fire on earth and the fire in hell both at once Cursed be their wrath for it was cruell And is it not yet fresh in the memorie of our fathers how cruelly they dealt not only with the quicke in burying them aliue as Marion at Burges r Pag. 816. but also with the dead in vnburying them as they dealt by Wickliffe Å¿ Pag. 1780. digging vp his bones one and forty yeeres after his death and burning them and so by Peter Martyrs wife at Oxford t Pag. 1785. and Mr. Bucer and Phagius at Cambridge besides others And herein their cruelty exceeds that which is in some beasts Vrsi non sauiunt in cadauera which extends it selfe only to the liuing and not vnto the dead But the rage and cruelty of Sions enemies extendeth it selfe euen as the kindnesse of her friends doth u Ruth 2.20 both to the liuing and the dead to the one as well as to the other We finde in Historie that the first founders of Rome were nourished by a Wolfe certaine it is that the off-spring of that people haue the hearts of Wolues being sauage and cruell Their Citie it was first founded in bloud * Aug. de Ciu. Dei lib. 15. cap. 5. the bloud of a naturall germane brother Romulus slaying his brother Rhemus to settle the kingdome in his owne person And as it was with the Citie so was it with the Papacie for the foundation of that See was laid in bloud Suffocaâ— Phoca imperium stabilisque papatum Guil. Stamph when Phocas slew his liege Lord and Emperour And cruelty and bloudshed is at this day the ensigne and badge of that Church The habit of that harlot is according to her heart x Reu. 17.6 purple and scarlet and her diet is the diet of the Canibals I saw her drunken with the bloud of the Saints Can we thinke this to be the religion that God doth take delight in which vpsetteth and vpholdeth it selfe by such cruelty Reason But what 's the reason why the enemies of the Church are so outragious Surely it may soone be giuen they are led by the spirit of the deuill and he doth participate of his nature vnto them he is y 1 Pet. 5.8 a roaring lion a z Reuel 12. cruell dragon a subtle serpent a false accuser of the brethren and he labours to haue his like him in cruelty and mischiefe We hasten to the Vses Vse 1 And first let vs all
liuing what credit is it for him to brag that such an estate was left him nay is it not a shame So if the vertues of thy parents liue in thee it is then a grace vnto thee that thou descendedst from their loynes otherwise the contrary The very Heathen x Ouid. Metam lib. 13. Juuenal Sat. 8. haue rather choose to descend of vnnoble parents so themselues were noble and renowned through vertue than to come of worthy parents and progenitors and themselues to grow base and degenerate out of kinde So it is better to be religious and the sonne of wicked parents than being the sonne of godly parents to be wicked Cain Cham Ismael and Esau might boast of Adam Noah Abraham Isaac the noblest parents who on the other side might blush and grieue at such degenerate issues Walke then in the steps of thy godly parents and speake not of thy bloud Non genus sed genius non gens sed mens but of thy good not of thy parents vertues but of thy owne for what hath a coward to doe to glorie in the valour of his father And I would that Papists would consider of this who brag that their Pope and Bishops are the Successours of Peter and the rest of the Apostles Well admit this to be true yet can they shew vs how they succeed them in their gifts and graces If they cannot as all the world may see they cannot their personall succession is nothing worth and they brag of an emptie title without honour It remaines now that we come to taka a view of the fruits which this Vineyard brought forth which is the third and last thing I propounded to be considered Text. Hee looked for iudgement but behold oppression for righteousnesse but behold a crie Here we see first what fruits they were which God especially expected and they were fruits of the second Table Iudgement Righteousnesse And secondly what were the fruits which they returned namely Oppression A crie I might obserue hence from the Prophets elegancie adorning of his speech Rhetorically by a figure thus much that Doctr. Rhetorick may lawfully be vsed in the handling of Gods word Vse Rhetoricke is an Art sanctified by Gods Spirit and may lawfully be vsed in handling of Gods word There might be brought diuers instances out of holy Scripture wherein all the parts of Rhetoricke are vsed and euery approued rule of it practised yea euen in this very Prophesie But I hasten towards a conclusion and therefore passe from this with a word of admonition to all that we beware how we condemne the lawfull vse with the abuse For the Art it selfe is to be approued and onely the abuse thereof to be condemned But I come to the particulars in my Text. He looked for iudgement righteousnesse He doth not say he expected Oblations and Sacrifices which this people were abundant in as Chap. 1.11 but he expected that Iudgement and Iustice should be administred the cause of the poore pleaded and all good duties and offices of loue should be shewed towards our brethren and those who were in need Sundrie points might hence be raised but I will only obserue this one which is as the summe of all The works and duties of the second Table are in speciall manner expected and respected by God Doctr. The duties of the second Table God especially respects In the first Chapter of this Prophesie wee may reade how forward this people were in the outward duties of the first Table y Isay 1.11 offering multitude of sacrifices and burnt offerings of Rammes and the fat of fed beasts c. But God he cals them off and tels them he would none because they had no regard of the duties of the second Table z Verse 15.16 for their hands were full of bloud Then exhorting them to repentance hee wils them to testifie the truth thereof by bringing forth fruits meet for repentance And for their better direction he instanceth in some particulars making choice not of such duties as immediately concerne himselfe but of such as especially concerne our neighbour a Verse 17. Seeke iudgement releeue the oppressed iudge the fatherlesse pleade for the widow As if he had said vnto them You offer multitudes of sacrifices and obserue solemne daies and Feasts the new Moones and Sabbaths and the like and are not wanting in the outward duties of the first Table But I especially respect the duties of the second wherein you haue beene wanting and therefore labour to finde out what is right and seeke after that iustice that God requires in his Law dealing with others as you would be dealt withall giue ouer your crueltie exercise mercie and stretch forth your helping hand for the releeuing and defending of such as are in need And in the 58. of this Prophesie we may reade how God reiects their b Isay 58.6 7. prayers and fastings because they regarded not to shew mercy and kindnesse vnto the poore and needie and withall shewes them what manner of Fast it was that he required namely to loose the bands of wickednesse to vndoe the heauie burdens and to let the oppressed goe free To deale bread vnto the hungrie to bring the poore that are cast out vnto their houses to cloath the naked and the like This was the Fast that God did especially respect In the Prophesie of Micah we may reade what large proffers the wicked make c Micah 6.6 7. They will come with burnt offerings and calues of a yeere old they will offer thousands of Rammes and ten thousand riuers of oile they would giue their first borne for their transgression the fruit of their bodie for the sinne of their soule so that God would be pleased herewith But yet all this would not please him d Verse 8. He hath shewed thee O man what is good and what doth the Lord require of thee but to doe iustly and to loue mercy and to walke humbly with thy God without this all the former is nothing worth Thus we see verified what we finde recorded by the Prophet Hosea I desire Mercie and not Sacrifice e Hos 6.6 It is better pleasing vnto God to see the duties of Iustice and Righteousnesse of Mercie and louing kindnesse performed to our neighbour than to haue Sacrifices neuer so many or great seuered from these done vnto himselfe The workes and duties that the second Table requires to be performed of vs are most expected and respected by him Reas For the touchstone of piety and true religion towards God is our iust and righteous dealing with our brethren f 1 Ioh. 3.10 Herein are the children of God knowne and the children of the Deuill whosoeuer doth not righteousnesse is not of God neither hee that loueth not his brother True faith is operatiue g Iam. 2.18 26. and worketh by loue and is to be manifested by our workes without which it is to be iudged dead as S.