beginning they glorified God saying 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 It is ioy to the iust to doe iudgement And lastly in our owne saluation 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 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 Moses as sisters for where one is there is the other True it is that perfect Loue casteth out Feare 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 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 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 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 And is not this the nature of religious loue The Spouse hauing lost her welbeloued inquires through the streets as vndone without him 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 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 with Peter and weepeth bitterly and as it is said of the people of God in the day of their repentance drawes water to powre it out before the Lord. And so was Dauid affected as appeares in that poenitentiall Psalme which he made vpon occasion of his foule fall into adulterie and murther If by others he laments it heartily with Lot 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 I beheld the transgressors and was grieued because they kept not thy word 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 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 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 mourne for the abominations committed in Ierusalem whereby they testified the soundnesse of this grace of Loue. As Griefe so 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 destiture 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 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 Moyses discouered his loue for though hee were the meekest man vpon the earth yet he was not only grieued but wonderfully angry 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 in the similitude of a Doue descended afterwards vpon his Apostles in the similitude of fire As in somethings 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 For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh Experience makes this good 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 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 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 in Dauids heart that fild his mouth with often praises The Spouse in the Canticles she loued much and praised much My welbeloued is white and ruddy the chiefest of ten thousands his head is as the most sine 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 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 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 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 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 Thy speech bewraieth thee The third and last way is by our workes and actions Loue is full of operation so shewes Saint Paul and hardly can it deny any worke which the party beloued doth enioyne Hence said Dalilah to Sampson 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 If you loue mee saith hee keepe my Commandements And againe thus Hee that hath my Commandements and keepeth them hee it is that loueth me And elsewhere thus You are my friends if you doe whatsoeuer I command you Thus Abraham made good his loue 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 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 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 I am as thou art and my people are as thy people Ionathan loues Dauid as his soule and he will shew it 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 she will powre them out and not thinke her haire too good to bee the towell No Spikenard 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 singer 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 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 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 condemne 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 off all 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 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 Get a true knowledge of him and of his name 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 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 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 The loue of Christ constraineth vs. Labour then to loue God a little who hath loued vs exceeding much and indeed as 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 If any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him And so S. Iames 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 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 would est haue thy loue to Christ encrease See thou frequent the company of the godly Thou must 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 sicke of loue and abound in holy affections When those daughters of Ierusalem who at first
them said Iulius Caesar to his son when he saw him to be amongst them that murdered him this pierced deeper into his soule than the swords of all his enemies did or could So the sinnes of such as come neere vnto the Lord in a holy profession of whom he looketh to be sanctified is more grieuous to him than the grosser sinnes of other men To such he will one day say as Caesar to his sonne Art thou one of them What in the habit of a professor and liue like a beast One in shew that loues me and yet a worldling a drunkard or the like Oh how wilt thou answer it Thou that gloriest in the name of a Professor and yet liuest like a Pagan can God endure it Surely no. See then thou so liuest as that none may speake euill of thee but that all the world may see he lieth Yet further this would be pressed to all callings and conditions Let Magistrates minde this and doe what lyes in them to establish the Churches peace and continuance of the Gospell let godlinesse be countenanced sinne punished and the faithfull be by them incouraged It shall be their wisdome and glory in the sight of the people thus to doe Let Ministers be carefull in a speciall manner of this Oh! how difficult a thing is it for vs not to lurch away some part of our Masters praise A glorious and comfortable thing it is indeed for a Minister to be able to say that he hath beene Gods instrument to bring one soule to the obedience of Christ yet for him to ayme at his owne vaine-glory euen in gaining of soules to Gods kingdome suits not with that sincere affection which ought to be in him to promote not his owne but the praise glory of him that sent him Let vs then not suffer any part of the repute or honour of any of our labors to rest vpon our own heads but repell it forcibly frō our selues and reflect it carefully vpon the Lord Iesus saying with S. Paul Not I not I but the grace of God in me Yea let euery one of what calling or condition soeuer so carry his course of life as that God may be honoured in all things And here let me bring to minde Ioabs commendable cariage in taking of the Citie Rabbah with which I will conclude the point for when he had fought against it and tooke the Citie of waters that is the waters of the Citie so called by a figure and cut off the conduits by which his policie he brought the people into such distresse as that they could no way escape he sends this message vnto Dauid Gather the rest of the people together and encampe against the Citie and take it lest I take the Citie and it be called by my name i. lest it redound to my honour and that victorie be ascribed vnto me Doubtlesse this was his great praise so to order the battell as that his Lord and King might haue the glory of the day and not himselfe Should not we doe thus Are not we more bound to God than Ioab was to Dauid Ought not we more to respect our God than he his King What good thing therefore soeuer we doe or haue giue him the glory of it saying with the Psalmist Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but vnto thy name be the praise Welbeloued We haue before seene whom the Prophet meaneth by his welbeloued together with the Reasons By welbeloued God is meant One Reason for that Appellation was because he is the Churches wellbeloud 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 The Church and euery true member of the Church doth and so ought to loue the Lord entirely This we finde commanded Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy might 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 let him be Anathema Maranatha had in execration or excommunicated to death This we shall likewise finde practised by Gods Saints I will loue thee O Lord my strength saith Dauid And againe I loue the Lord because he hath heard my voyce Thus S. Peter Lord thou knowest that I loue thee And Mary had many sinnes forgiuen her for shee loued much The Church in the Canticles likewise plentifully Tell me ô thou whom my soule loueth saith shee to Christ And againe 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 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 And Reason good For first he loued vs not existing yea resisting For 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 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 he our maker we his Seruants he our Lord we his Children he our Father we his Spouse he our Husband Yea so strait is the vnion betwixt him and vs and that he is said to bee the Foundation we the building He the root we the branches He the 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 the chiefest amongst ten thousands What it 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 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 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 yea very small comparatiuely considered their account will soone be made it is but a short worke into a short summe shall they be gathered 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 will it soone bee seene what loue we beare to God For Loue as the greatest wheele sets all the rest a worke 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 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 and as the Text saith their soules were knit together whence it was that they tooke such pleasure and contentment each in other 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 Whom haue I in Heauen but thee and there is none vpon the earth that I desire besides thee As the Hart panteth after the water-brookes so panteth my soule after thee O God My soule thirsteth after thee as a thirsty land 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 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 I haue loued saith Dauid the habitation of thy house and the place where thine honour dwelleth And else-where thus 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 How amiable are thy Tabernacles O Lord of Hosts my soule longeth yea euen fainteth for the Courts of the Lord. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house A day in thy Courts is better than a thousand 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 Oh how loue I thy Law it is my meditation all the day I loue thy Commandements aboue gold yea aboue fine gold Euening and morning and at noone will I pray and cry aloud 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 which they count best of all and with the Bride and Spirit in the Reuelation say Come Amen euen so come Lord Iesus Againe our Ioy will make knowne our loue 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 I will greatly reioyce in the Lord my soule shall be ioyfull in my God The Apostle Paul calleth Christ his reioycing By our reioycing which I haue in Christ Iesus Thus do Gods children reioyce in Gods presence yea 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 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 righteousnesse and true holinesse And thus did Dauid 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 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 shall be preferred to our chiefest ioy thus the godly in Isayes dayes 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 The people reioyced for that they offered willingly And in Asa's time 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
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 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 an excellent meanes to enflame our hearts also with a loue to him The last helpe is Praier For Euery good and perfect gift commeth from aboue Aske it therefore at Gods hands for 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 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 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 euerything shall further their good and welfare and so saith the Apostle 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 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 a kingdome vnto such and 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 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 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 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 Christ 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 We warne euery man and teach euery man in all wisdome that we may present euery man perfect in Christ Iesus whereunto saith he I also labour And writing to the Corinthians he thus speaketh 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 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 Abraham sent his seruant to setch 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 He is white and ruddie the chiefest amongst ten thousands infinitely fairer than all the sons of men 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 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 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 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 sicke of loue for him We see how
speaketh chose rather to speake barbarously than finely and to vse the barbarous word ossum in his exposition rather than the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though he allow it in the text and so reads it because though it were not so Grammaticall yet it was the more intelligible word and he desired his peoples profit aboue his owne credit holding it better that the learned should reproue him than that the ignorant should not vnderstand him So then let vs preach not as we are able to speake but as our people are able to heare and as they can beare remembring still that we must rather seeke to make our people schollers than to shew our selues schollers vnto our people Now in vsing of Parables Similitudes Allegories c. these rules as I haue else-where shewed are to be followed 1. That they be not farre fetcht but sitting for the matter in hand 2. That they be borrowed from things well knowne and easie to be conceiued 3. That we still haue a care of the maiestie of Scripture auoiding all ridiculous and base stuffe 4. That we vse them rather for instructing of life than for prouing any point of faith 5. That we turne not all into Allegories to the destroying of the letter which was Origens fault 6. That they be quickly dispatched and not too much insisted on Let Hearers learne not to despise their Ministers for their plainnesse but if any themselues for their childishnesse who must be thus lisped to Seeke not so much to haue thy eare tickled as thy vnderstanding enlightned The painfull Bee passeth by Roses and Violets and sits vpon Time so shouldst thou rather chuse to feed on plaine and wholsome doctrine though hot and biting than on the quirkes and flowers of mans inuention In a word learne euermore to iudge that Sermon best though plaine whereby thou vnderstandest most And so much for this first point Now heare a second There is no earthly thing which may not be applied to some speciall vse for our edification in grace Things earthly may put vs in minde of things heauenly things naturall of spirituall What is there in this world that hath any being but may reade to man a Diuinity Lecture From the highest Angell to the lowest worme all teach vs somewhat The Sun Moone Starres are good Schoolemasters When I behold thy Heauens the workes of thy fingers the Moone and the Starres which thou hast ordained What is man say I then that thou art mindfull of him or the sonne of man that thou so viâ—â—test him Thus the Heauens preach the glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy worke So the Fowles of the Heauens The Storke knoweth her appointed times the Turtle and the Crane and the Swallow obserue the time of their comming These may teach vs to know the day of our visitation and the iudgement of the Lord. The beasts of the field likewise may instruct vs The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his masters Crib By them may Israel be schooled and learne obedience Yea of the little Ant or Emmet may man be taught prouidence Goe to the Ant thou sluggard consider her wayes and bee wise which hauing no guide ouersoer or ruler prouideth her meat in the Summer gathereth her food in the haruest And as the creatures so may euery action and ordinary occasion bee applied to good purpose The Husbandman breaking vp his ground theacheth vs the necessity of Repentance calleth vpon vs for the breaking vp the faâ—low 〈◊〉 our hearts His casting in his seed and sowing of his field sheweth vs the nature of the wâ—â—d the necessity and vtility of the same The Corne dying and fructifying preacheth to vs that Article of our faith The resurrection of the body The beholding of â—aâ—es and weeds in the field may instruct vs of the state and condition of the Church militant 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 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. 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 Vsurers cursed courses Wisdome to prouide for euerlasting Tabernacles by liberalitie to the poore Saints is taught vs by the vniust policie of the deceitfull Steward 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 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 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 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 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
he had cast them off but it is for no other end but to mellow their hard hearts by humiliation and godly sorrow and to teach them to distaste their pride and not to trust to their owne strength hereafter But notwithstanding in due season he doth returne restore and lift them vp againe And therefore wait thou a while Is thy heart hard and stonie why in his due time he will mollifie and mellow it and make it fit for the seed of grace by bringing downe all high hils of presumption and making deepe and long furrowes of mortification in it Hath he begun to scatter the seeds of grace within thy soule Why then he will follow thee and so husband the least dram thereof be it but a graine of mustard seed as that it shall shoot 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 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 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 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 darknesse 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 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 or the horne of the son of oyle by which Hebraisime the fatnesse and fruitfulnesse of the place is set forth as wee haue seene before Put both together and thence we learne 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 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 Abraham Lot Isaak Iacob Iob Dauid Solomon Hezekiah Iehoshaphat Iosiah besides others All good and rich Out of the new Testament these 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 Some rich some noble some wise some mightie and of great account as the Apostle sheweth Agreeable hereunto is that promise that Riches and treasures shall be in his house that feareth the Lord And that Prophesie that the Rich should come to the people of God and ioyne with the Church Reasons may be rendred as these First that the wicked might not altogether trample on them Or secondly 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 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 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 Weâ—lth and wisdome may dwell together righteousnesse and riches may kisse each other 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 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
the Deuils sake but the Deuill for sinnes sake And therefore to shut vp all with that exhortation of the Apostle Dearely beloued let vs cleanse our selues from all filthinesse of the flesh and spirit perfecting holinesse in the feare of God Hitherto we haue intreated of the Vineyards plantation The supplantation of it followes next to be handled which is contained in the 3 4 5 6 verses wherein we haue First the Lords Plea with them vers 3 4. Secondly the Verdict or Iudgement past vpon them vers 5 6. In the Plea we haue first an Appeale made to them vers 3. And secondly an Inditement against them vers 4. In the Appeale diuers circumstances are considerable As 1. The Manner of it which is not in commanding-wise as it might haue beene but by way of intreaty and request I pray you 2. The Matter requested and for which this Appeale was made and that is that they would discerne wisely of the matter and accordingly passe sentence Iudge 3. Who they be which are made Iudges of the cause and they are the men of Iudah and inhabitants of Ierusalem euen the whole multitude 4. The Parties betweene whom the controuersie and variance is and they are God and his Vineyard God being the Plaintiffe and Israel the Defendant And now ô inhabitants of Ierusalem iudge I pray you betwixt me and my Vineyard c. And now or Now therefore These are the words of God himselfe q d. Seeing it is thus that my Vineyard hath so frustrated my hopes therefore now c. O inhabitants And men The words are in the Originall read in the singular not in the plurall number O inhabitant and man By whom some would haue the Lord Iesus to be meant as before was shewed but it is euident that here the Lord appealeth to the Iewes themselues and makes them Iudges in their owne cause referring the matter betweene him and them to their owne consciences And we know it is no rare thing in Scripture to finde one number put for another the plurall for the singular and the singular for the plurall Now the reason why the Lord speaketh to one man as it were rather than to all or to them all as if they were but one may be this because he would haue iudgement not as simply of them all together but particularly of euery one willing euery singular person of Iudah and Ierusalem to commune with their owne hearts and accordingly giue sentence And therefore Tremillius and Iunius with diuers others reade as the Originall hath it Ierusalem Iudah Iudah was the Country Ierusalem was the chiefe Citie in that Country and indeed one of the most famous Cities of the world full of people great amongst the Nations Princesse amongst the Prouinces and in one respect exceeded all other Cities in the world besides for therin was Mount Zion the place of Gods seruice and worship and therefore it was called the Citie of the Lord of Hoasts The Citie of God Iudge To iudge sometimes signifieth to passe an vpright or vnpartiall sentence against any true or false so Christ willeth the Iewes to iudge righteous iudgement and sometimes it is only taken for the vnderstanding and discerning of all things so meaneth the Apostle when he saith Let two or three speake and let the other iudge i. discerne what is spoken This latter some would haue only here meant as if the Lord did not require sentence but only an inspection into the cause But it may rather seeme the Lord requires not only that they should consider and discerne but also that they should speake their minde and giue sentence against such a Vineyard We shall not need to stand longer vpon Interpretation the other words are cleare we come now to Doctrine with the Vses and duties which we are to learne from each of the particulars And first from the Manner of this Appeale I pray you learne that With much meeknesse and mildnesse doth God proceed against sinners When he hath to deale with them he doth not come in furie and rage but in milde and peaceable termes with kinde intreaties He doth not as we see imperiously command them with Sic volo sic jubeo c. but vouchsafeth kindly to request them Iudicate quaeso I pray yee iudge The like was Gods manner of proceeding with Adam after his transgression Adam where art thou Who told thee thou wert naked Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I told thee thou shouldst not eat In the like manner he comes to Cain Where is thy brother Abel What hast thou done And so our blessed Sauiour how mildly did he deale with him that smote him vniustly If I haue spoken euill beare witnesse of the euill but if well why smitest thou me And what mildnesse and meeknesse did he shew to Iudas when he came to betray him euen at that time calling him friend Friend betrayest thou the Sonne of man with a kisse In that parable of the mariage of the Kings sonne wherein Gods proceeding against wicked and vngodly professors who repent not of sinne neither doe beleeue in Christ is set forth this point may haue further confirmation for to him that hath not on a wedding garment the King saith thus Friend how camest thou in hither c. quietly and peaceably examining and conuincing him And this the Lord doth that he may the sooner and the better bring the sinner to a sight and sense of his sinne and fault and that he might if it were possible be pricked in his heart and be brought to see that it is out of loue which the Lord beareth to him as he is his creature and that he desireth not his death but his repentance that he might liue And certainly this milde and gentle kinde of dealing doth much sooner cause the offender to see his fault than a hastie and passionate proceeding doth or can So that vnworthy guest when he was so friendly dealt withall had nothing to answer but was speechlesse Herein let vs be followers of God as deare children 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 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
waking spying Antipater by him he vsed these words as the story saith No maruell I slept so soundly seeing Antipater was by and watched It would not haue fallen out so well with this Land in generall and many no nor any of vs in particular had not this Ante-pater our gracious Father who was before all worlds beene our mercifull keeper In 88. fierce enemies intended the inuasion of this Land but they were foiled and England triumphed for the Lord of Hoasts was our defender Many enterprises haue beene vndertaken against our most gracious Soueraigne especially that hellish attempt of popish monsters in that infernall Powder-plot yet King Iames is waked and long may he wake for Ante-pater stood by and watched O still stand by and watch but as for his enemies they are executed as traitors and haue slept their last And so lot them perish oh Lord. But doe wee not see how the godly are wronged spoiled yea and sometimes killed by their aduersaries True yet this commeth not to passe through the force of their aduersaries might but by the will and permission of the Lord neither doth hee suffer it to satisfie their foes but to increase their felicity and for their good For it is with the godly as with the beast in the field which is safer in a storme than in the fairest seasons the storme driueth him to his den and harbour but when it is ouer hee commeth forth and is in danger to bee taken of the hunter Thus in trouble the godly flie vnto the clefts of their Rocke and get vnder the wing of their Protector but when troubles are ouer they are in greater danger to be ensnared Wee know raine and thunder are many times better for corne and grasse than faire sunne-shine so here Againe God hath promised not to defend vs from troubles but preserue vs in troubles Our Feare shall be taken away not our Fight And so though we be persecuted yet we be not forsaken though slaine yet not ouercome nay when we seeme to be ouercome then doe we ouercome our enemies Though we beare away the blowes and are slaine by them yet God still preserues vs and we obtaine a noble victorie Excellent was that speech which sometimes Anaxarchus vsed when as Nicocreon the tyrant commanded he should be beaten to death in a morter Beat and bray said he to the executioner as long as thou wilt Anaxarchus his sachell meaning his body but Anaxarchus thou canst not touch Thus are the godly preserued by God who putteth his right hand vnder their heads and giues them grace sufficient proportioning their strength to the burden mitigating their sorrowes making them possesse their soules in patience yea to reioyce in their tribulation as appeareth not only in the examples of the Apostles in the Acts but also by the practise of some in our owne Nation in the time of persecution as Glouer Farrar Hawkes with diuers other the later of which three being desired by some of his godly friends to giue some token when hee was in the flames whether the paine were tolerable or no for their further confirmation after his eies were started out of his head his fingers consumed with the fire and when euery one thought him dead and did expect the fall of his body suddenly lifts vp his stumps and thrice as a famous conquerer claps them ouer his head in token of victory Thus the faithfull famously conquer when they seeme to be conquered by their enemies I remember what one saith of S. Laurence his patience and constancy when hee was broiled on the gridiron That God was more glorified by it than if hee had saued his body from burning by a miracle So vndoubtedly it is as much for Gods glory to preserue vs in our suffering as to preserue vs altogether from 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 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 What shall we then say to these things If God be for vs who can be against vs And then a little after 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 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 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 natues they are called Fowlers Hunters Canibals and men-eaters They are also named 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 Boares The Boare out of the wood doth waste it and Buls yea strong buls of Bashan They are also compared to Vnicornes Beares Leopards 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 Eusebius affirmeth it farre exceedeth the credit of any relation If we come to our owne times we shall not want
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 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 In the first Chapter of this Prophesie wee may reade how forward this people were in the outward duties of the first Table 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 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 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 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 ppressed 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 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 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 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 For the touchstone of piety and true religion towards God is our iust and righteous dealing with our brethren 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 and worketh by loue and is to be manifested by our workes without which it is to be iudged dead as S. Iames speaketh No maruell then if God doe so much set by the practise of these duties Which serueth to reproue such as bring forth faire leaues of profession in the first Table but are little or nothing at all in the duties of the second Table In the outward and publike exercises of religion they are very diligent as in repairing to the Congregation hearing the Word receiuing of the Sacraments and the like But looke on them in those things which concerne men and there you shall finde them exceedingly faulty being vnmercifull vniust and vnrighteous in their dealings Certainly the religion of these men is in vaine their best seruices doe stinke in Gods nostrils when righteousnesse towards man is wanting Let all such as are in the place of iustice for to them this is especially intended aduisedly consider of this and beware how they turne iudgement into gall and wormewood as Amos speakes and the fruit of righteousnesse into hemlocke I would such would often put Iobs question to their soule What shall I doe when God riseth vp and when he visiteth what shall I answer him It would be a good meanes to make them take vp his practise Not to with-hold from the poore his desire nor cause the eies of the widow to faile not to lift vp their hand against the fatherlesse though they saw their helpe in the gate and might doe it vndiscerned Yea let vs all consider this and endeuour to bee conscionably iust and vpright in our dealings betweene man and man When the question is made to God what manner of men should dwell in his Tabernacle and rest in his holy Mountaine i. which should haue a good estate here and an habitation in heauen for euermore he describeth them by their innocent and harmlesse behauiour towards their brethren He that walketh vprightly and worketh righteousnesse and speaketh the truth in his heart Certainly hee regardeth that worke very much which hee rewardeth with such and so great wages And hee is well pleased with that