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
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
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
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
permission 246 How he is the God of this world 282 Authors of Diuision in the Church sinne fearefully 102 We must receiue nothing for Doctrine but what is grounded on Scripture 165 Dowry great giuen by Christ to his Spouse 62 Diuersity of gifts giuen by God for the good of the Church 16 E EArthly things afford heauenly instructions 83 Wee may make resemblances betwixt things Earthly and heauenly 82 What Errors make a Church to bee no Church 98 Enuy a sinne vnnaturall 101 The way how to become Excellent 125 The wicked Excuselesse 194 Excommunication a grieuous censure 115 Not to passe for small trifles 116 F FAith is the root of other graces 147 Personality of Faith needfull 149 Families to be purged of prophane persons 119 Famine how grieuous at the destruction of Ierusalem 259 Our owne Faults propounded in anothers person soone espied 6 Nothing to be attributed vnto Fortune 227 Fruit bring forth to God 94 By bearing Fruit we glorifie God 104 142 Such as are Fruitfull shall grow more fruitfull 106 Gods cost on vs should moue to Fruitfulnesse 136 Euery creature is in it kind Fruitfull 138 Fruitfulnesse of a Christian the ground-worke of prosperity 139 If we be Fruitfull there is no Law against vs. 140 It is high time we should bring forth Fruit. 141 We must first be transplanted and set into Christ before we can beare Fruit. 143 Such as are in Christ bring forth Fruit incontinent 144 The properties of good Fruit. 149 G GArison strong about the godly 112 The Godly are runne to in the day of trouble 80 God is the Protector of his people 111 He is the husbandman of his Church 89 God is not the Author of sinne 194 The Godly to bee esteemed aboue others 124 They exceed all others in growth in grace 77 God hath little Glory in the world 34 Gods Glory should be our aime in all our actions 32 The Godly preferre it before their owne saluation 35 By Glorifying God we bring glory to our selues 36 Iudgements fearefull on such as rob God of his Glory 36 We ought to Grow in grace 105 H HOw God Hardens 194 The godly Hated and why 93 Hearers must be carefull what they receiue for Gospell 65 They may not rashly censure their Teachers for some disabilities 271 They must pray for them 272 Hearers must suffer the word of application as well as of doctrine 280 They may not finde fault with their teachers for their plainnesse 83 Heauens are diligent learned and Catholike Pastors 34 Humane testimonies may lawfully be alledged in Sermons 14 God Husbands his people 89 Husbandry a commendable vocation ibid. Submit our selues to Gods Husbandry 91 How to know whether God hath Husbanded the heart 90 Hypocrisie in the end shal be discouered 133 Humility and tendernesse of heart to bee laboured for 145 I IDolaters not to be familiar withall 118 Ignorance no good plea. 86 Impropriations held by an improper title where some obiections answered 304 Ingrossers are oppressors 311 Irreligious persons enemies to King and State 128 Isaiah a noble Prophet and eloquent together with his death 2 He fainted not in his function 3 He was of Christs kindred 9 Iudgements of God diuers waies foretold 212 The way to preuent Gods Iudgements is to Iudge our selues 184 Iustice in our dealings the touchstone of true Religion 298 K KIndred of the godly noble 120 Kingdome weakned by sinne 242 Knowledge of God a meanes to loue God 53 Sinnes against Knowledge fearefull 199 L LAndlords many are oppressors 310 Law-suits are durable 309 No Law against the godly 140 Leaues of profession not enough 146 Loue God before all 53 Christ only deserues our Loue. 61 How our Loue to God may be discouered 42 The way to bring our hearts to Loue the Lord. 53 We may not answer God in any thing except in Loue. 54 Lewd Life of a Professor dishonours God 37 Sinfull Lusts ouershadow the soule 146 God is the absolute Lord ouer all 282 M MAgistrates as the head should gouerne wisely 100 Priuate persons may not meddle with the office of Magistrates 101 Magistrates should back the Ministers of the Word with the vse of the temporall sword 116 Meeknesse to be shewed in our dealing with sinners 175 Sinnes against the Meanes fearefull 197 The more Meanes the more obedience doth God expect 270 To contemne the Meanes grieues the Lord. 200 No Meanes can reclaime the wicked 201 Meanes contemned causeth the Lord to depriue vs of them 267 Meanes to bring our hearts to loue God 53 Meanes to make vs fruitfull 143 It is fearefull to make our selues Merry with others sinnes 202 Ministers are builders stewards 279 Wherein they must shew themselues faithfull ibid. They must bee painfull in their function 109 They must wooe for Christ 58 They must deliuer nothing but by warrant from God 64 They must attend their callings 67 They should be well prouided for 68 They are the subordinate Husbandmen of the Church 89 Idle Ministers like Harlots 108 Ministers must seeke to God for ability to discharge their function 273 They may not be discouraged so as to surcease their paines 11 Their life is a spirituall piscation 11 They are not to bee blamed though they sometimes alter their method 13 They serue the greatest Master and are imploied in the greatest worke and shall haue the greatest wages 18 Motiues to fruitfulnesse 138 Motiues to singing 28 Motiues to seeke after Gods glory 33 N A Good Name how to get 125 Good Names profit not without grace 292 They should be a spur to goodnesse ibid. Vnder a holy Name to lead an vnholy life is a kind of sacriledge 293 Negatiue diuinitie not enough 159 No goodnesse comes from Nature 289 O OBedience is to be giuen to all Gods precepts 156 Particulars wherein wee are to shew our Obedience vnto God 284 Omission of good duties damnable 159 Oppression a sinne against Race Grace and Place 301 Oppressors how heretofore punished 314 God heares the grones of the Oppressed 315 P PArents to giue thankes at meat and not their children for them 151 Good Parents may haue lewd children 288 Their duties towards their children 290 Parents are not too rashly to be censured for the loose cariage of children 291 Wicked Parents disgrace their children 294 Papists their positions dissolue all bands of humane fellowship 117 Their practises agreeable to their positions 118 Their bloudy crueltie 255 A fearefull sinne to abuse Gods Patience 220 Gods Patience should teach vs Patience 222 Our Peace so long enioyed a great blessing 262 Our workes are to be brought to Perfection 154 Perseuerance in good needfull 157 Presence of God still to be remembred 54 Gods Proceedings are all iust 180 No Priuiledge will be are vs out if we take libertie to sinne 189 235 Priuiledges of those who loue God 56 Poesie is a commendable Art 23 Professors outward cariage if holy doth much good 80 The lewd life of a Professor doth highly dishonour
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
Philippians Å¿ Iohn 15.5 bringing forth much fruit as our Sauiour testifieth of his Disciples Full of mercy and good workes t Iam. 3.17 18. without partiality and without hypocrisie as Saint Iames saith which fruit of righteousnesse as he further speaketh is sowne in peace of them that make peace Thus they bring forth Grapes in clusters vnited in the bond of peace and loue 2. The Vine beareth Pleasant fruit no fruit more delectable to the taste than is the Grape nor more comfortable to the heart than is the Wine made of the Grape u Iudg. 9.13 Should I leaue my Wine which cheereth God and man saith the Vine to other trees in the Parable And so the fruit of Christians How doe their workes of loue and mercy refresh the bowels of the Saints distressed brethren afflicted How doe their fruits of iustice and equity ease and releeue the oppressed soule How is God glorified * Iohn 15.8 Angels and men reioyced by the fruitfulnesse of these trees of righteousnesse when as the fruit of other trees and plants is but bitter fruit fruit vnto death x Rom. 7.21 as the Apostle speaketh In diuers othet particulars the comparison might be followed but I desire not to be more curious than profitable By this that hath beene said wee cannot but see the aptnesse of the similitude Now to some profitable obseruations And first something may be noted in generall in that the Prophet vseth a Parable or Similitude and that from a Vine or Vineyard a thing earthly and temporall whereby he doth set out the estate and nature of the Church together with Gods care and cost for the welfare of the Church things heauenly and spirituall Doctr. It is lawfull to make resemblances betweene things earthly and heauenly As first It is lawfull to make resemblances and likenesses between corporall and spirituall earthly and heauenly things for our better instruction The Prophets and Apostles and Christ himselfe that chiefe Shepheard of the Sheepe haue vsed thus to teach For proofe reade these places amongst multitudes that might be brought Psal 92.12 Mat. 13.3.24.31.33.44.45.47 Luke 13.6 15. 18. Vse Let Ministers wisely and soberly vse this their libertie in teaching for the edification of their hearers whom if they be of the weaker sort let them not trouble with profound matters which they are not able to vnderstand but let vs be content to vse plaine similitudes and home-bred comparisons fetcht from leauen from the meale-tub or other domesticall businesse knowing therein wee doe no other than Iesus Christ our great Doctor and Master himselfe did We are called Nurses y 1 Thess 2. Now nurses are not ashamed nay they rather delight in it to condescend to the balbutient infancie of their nurcelings And so let vs becomming in this sense Barbarians vnto Barbarians Habeo in abscondito quoddam ossum Sic enim pâ—tuis lequamâ—er Melius est vt reprehendâ—nt nos Grammatici quam non intelligant populi Aug. in Ps 138. Thus learned Austin as himselfe speaketh chose rather to speake barbarously than finely and to vse the barbarous word ossum in his exposition rather than the word os 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 z Mark 4.33 Iohn 16.12 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. See my exposition on the Parable of the Prodigall pag. 13 14. these rules as I haue else-where shewed are to be followed 1. That they be not farre fetcht but fitting 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 Vse 2 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 apllied to some speciall vse for our edification in grace Doct. Things earthly should teach vs things heauenly 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 a Psal 8.3 4. 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 visitest him Thus b Psal 19.1 the Heauens preach the glory of God and the Firmament sheweth his handy worke So the Fowles of the Heauens c Ier. 8.7 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 d Isay 1.2 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 e Pro. 6.6 Goe to the Ant thou sluggard consider her wayes and bee wise which hauing no guide ouerseer 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 teacheth vs the necessity of Repentance calleth vpon vs for the f Ier. 14.4 breaking vp the fallow ground of our hearts His g Mat. 13.3 casting in his seed and sowing of his field sheweth vs the nature of the word
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
thus shew ourselues to be members one of another And therefore as God hath called vs so let vs walke whether we be Magistrates Ministers or others Art thou a Magistrate Then thou as the head shouldst rule and gouerne wisely woe be to the bodie when the head is pâ—â—â—nzie drunken idle or the like see thou be not so but as the head doth heare and see taste and smell for the good of the inferiour members so shouldst thou in that place wherein God hath set thee Art thou a Minister Then as the Heart thou shouldst be the fountaine of life and vitall spirits doctrine like dew should distill from thy lips Little ioy haue the other members when the heart is sicke or heauy Art thou in meaner place a Tradesman Husbandman or the like then as the foot see thou be sound and seruiceable being ready to goe or runne for the least good that may betide the bodie And that vnitie and loue may the better be continued and maintained let these euils be auoided First Enuie or repining at the gifts of others a sinne too common and yet vnnaturall for doth the foot enuie at the head because it is preferd before it as more honourable Or is it discontented because it is clad in leather when it may be there is a chaine of gold about the necke or a pretious stone vpon the finger Each member is apparelled and decked with such ornaments and vestures as are most seemely for it A garter is vnseemely about the necke and so is a chaine about the leg A foule fault then it must needs be to enuie any in higher place for that credit honour and respect which they haue aboue vs. Secondly arrogancie and highmindednesse for any gift that is in vs aboue our brethren The eie is honoured with that necessary and noble sense of seeing and so is the eare with that worthy and needfull sense of hearing and the nose is preferred before them both in that profitable and vsefull sense of smelling Thus he that taketh place before all in some things must be content to giue place and come behinde others in some things else Let this cause thee to contemne none that are inferiour to thy selfe in shew Thirdly curiosity or busie medling with things belonging not vnto vs. The eie meddles not with hearing nor the eare with seeing nor the foot with either of them both but each member knowes its owne office and that it lookes to So arrogate not to thy selfe any thing out of thy owne calling but containe thy selfe within thy owne bounds and limits If a mote should fall into the eie were the foot a fit member to be thrust into the eie to plucke it out No for though the foot be sensible of the trouble yet it leaues the helping of it to the hand It is neither fit nor comely for the people to meddle with the office of Magistrates directing them how to gouerne nor with the calling of Ministers teaching them how to preach And therefore let all take the Apostles counsell and b 1 Thess 4.11 study to be quiet medling with our owne businesse leauing other things to whom they doe concerne Vse 2 For a second vse Is the Church but one Then woe to such as are authors or fautors of any diuision or separation and so breake the vnity of the Church Such sinne grieuously as S. Paul sheweth c 1 Cor. 3.3 writing to the Corinthians and auoucheth that such are carnall and walke as men What answer will Brownists and Separatists make to God at the last day Oh they were wicked Magistrates vngodly Ministers c. But if the head ake doth the foot refuse to beare it Or if the eie be blemished doth the rest of the members disdaine it or contemne it or whilest it remaineth in the body refuse to haue fellowship with it and renounce their owne part in the body because of it Me thinks this being well considered must needs conuince them But of these before Hitherto I haue beene in the Proposition of the Parable The prosequution explication or narration of it followeth now to be handled which beginneth at the latter end of the first verse and continueth to the end of the sixth Wherein we haue laid downe to be considered first the Vineyards Plantation in the latter part of the first and in the second verses secondly the Supplantation thereof in the foure next In the first of these we haue two things to intreat of as first of the Vinitors great paines and cost which he bestowed vpon it and secondly of his iust expectation which he made to receiue fruit from it His paines cost and care for this his Vineyards good appeares in six sundry particulars First in the situation of it for it grew 1. vpon a Hill 2. vpon a very fruitfull Hill In an horne of the sonne of oile for so the words are by which Hebraisme is set forth the fatnesse and fruitfulnesse of the place For by an horne is noted d 2 Sam. 22 3. Psal 75.4 5. Luk. 1.69 strength power and height vsually in Scripture and by oile e Iob 29.6 fatnesse and plenty and by the sonne of oile is meant that which commeth of the oile and is of it A phrase vsuall amongst the Hebrewes And so wee reade of the sonne of daies of the sonne of death of the sonne of plenty and the like By this phrase then is noted thus much that they were excellently seated both for pleasure and profit Muscul in loc and in so fruitfull a place as if it had beene the sonne of oile and borne of it Secondly in the Protection of it for hee fenced and enclosed it in strongly that it might not be wasted nor any way annoied Thirdly in the Elapidation or Cleansing of it casting out the stones and preparing of the soile by purging it from all noisome things Fourthly in the Election or Chusing of choice and noblest Plants such as were of the best kinde to set it with Fiftly in the Fortification and further strengthening it for he built a Tower in the midst thereof for the preseruation of it Sixtly and lastly in the erection and setting vp a Wine-presse in it as being desirous to supply all things that might be vsefull for it So that by all these he testified that his care for its good was very great Before I come to speake of these particulars in generall obserue we God is no way wanting or defectiue in any one point of good husbandry towards his Church and Vineyard Doctr. God is no way wanting in any point of good husbandrie for his Churches good Is any thing wanting in it that he supplies Is any thing hurtfull in it that he remoues Is any violence offered to it that he withstands No husbandman shall so labour his ground as God will doe it And thus doth God speake of himselfe professing his prouident care for the good of it f Isay 27.2 3. In that day
man to heauen Baalam and many other wicked wretches who are now in torments would haue gotten thither long agoe The fiue foolish Virgins intended to goe in with the bridegroome but before the time their lights dropt out If a bare Intention would serue the turne Gods Church on earth would be fuller of Saints and his Court in heauen fuller of Soules Good motions and resolutions are to be respected but thou must vp and be doing else God distasts them A fift property of good fruit is vniuersalitie It must be c Esay 27.9 All fruit as Isaiah speaketh fruits of the first and second table of holinesse towards God and righteousnesse towards man for what God hath ioyned may not be diuorced Particulars were infinite Fruits inward as good Thoughts motions purposes good Desires longings faintings after God and his graces good Affections as Loue Ioy Feare Sorrow Patience Compassion c. Fruits outward as Good words sauourie speech pure and wholesome language And good workes such as we are bound to performe within the compasse of our calling whether Generall or Speciall In a word d Phil. 4.8 Whatsoeuer things are honest whatsoeuer things are true whatsoeuer things are iust whatsoeuer things are pure whatsoeuer things are louely whatsoeuer things are of good report those things must we thinke on to doe and as Mary said to the seruants e John 2.5 Whatsoeuer hee saith doe it so say I Whatsoeuer the Lord commands that must be done wee may not picke and chuse and doe what best likes vs but as once Israel said so must we alwaies f Exod. 19.8 24.3.7 Whatsoeuer the Lord commandeth that will we doe True it is many points of our Masters will wee know not but our desire must be to know And many things we doe not but our desire must bee to doe for our obedience must reach to Gods whole reuealed will Euery Christian duty thou must make account belongs to thee as well as to any other and therefore as a man that is to plant an Orchard will be sure to get of euery good fruit some so doe not heare of any fruit that good is but carry it home and set thy heart therewith Memorable was the practise of blessed Bradford who was content to sacrifice his life in Gods cause g See Master Sampsons Preface to Bradfords Sermon of repentance He vsed to make vnto himselfe a Iournall or day-booke wherein he vsed to set downe all such notable things as either hee did see or heare each day that passed If he did heare or see any good in any man by that sight he found and noted the want thereof in himselfe and added a short prayer wherein hee craued grace and mercy that hee might amend If he did heare or see any plague or misery hee noted it as a thing procured by his owne sinnes and still added Lord haue mercie vpon me Oh that wee would tread in this Saints steps how much more fruitfull should we then bee than now wee are Lastly our fruit must bee constant fruit Constancy crownes all Thus it is said of the blessed ground h Luke 8 15. It bringeth forth fruit with patience And herein wee may not bee like to other trees wihch grow barren with their age but we must bring forth fruit in our old age i Psal 92.14 and continue fat and flourishing nay not so much as a leafe must fade or faile k Psal 1.3 there must not be any appearance of being out of the state of grace l Heb. 4.1 none of vs must seeme to be depriued or come short of entering into Gods rest Alas for such who haue left bearing yea lost their very leaues and shewes of profession which formerly they haue made being now worse than that cursed fig-tree which was greene what hope haue these who come short of those that come short of heauen Shall the former fruitfulnesse of such professors be regarded or rewarded Surely no m Ezek. 18.24 All their righteousnesse which they haue done shall neuer be mentioned but in their trespasse that they haue trespassed and in their sinne that they haue sinned in them they shall die And if euery man shall receiue according to his fruits then such shall one day feed vpon the bitter fruit of their Apostacie and Back-sliding and finde how bitter a thing it is to forsake the Lord and feele what they will not now be brought to beleeue n 2 Pet. 2.21 That it had beene better for them neuer to haue knowne the way of truth than thus to haue departed from the holy commandement Looke then thou walke not in a good course for a fit but bee constant to the death o Reuel 2.10 and so receiue the crowne of life For p Rom. 2.7 glory and immortalitie is the part and portion only of such as by constancie in well-doing seeke it To you q Luke 22.24 saith our Sauiour which haue continued with mee in tentations haue I appointed a kingdome as my Father hath appointed me a kingdome And thus we haue seene what is necessarily required that our fruit may be acceptable and pleasing vnto God Now then thou that braggest of thy faithfulnesse and fruitfulnesse tell me darest thou abide the triall Why then answer me to these Interrogatories which I propound vnto thee Is thy fruit thy owne Is it done by thy owne selfe and in thy owne person Dost thou rest and rely vpon thy owne faith and liue by it and by no mans else Againe tell me is thy fruit kindly answerable to the good seed that hath oftentimes beene cast into thy heart and beseeming the stocke wherein thou saist thou art engrafted Is not swearing lying cogging and dissembling and such stinking fruit as this the fruit thou bearest I demand againe dost thou obserue the time and season not contenting thy selfe in doing good for matter vnlesse also thou doe it then when God may haue most glory by the doing of it Answer me yet further Dost thou labour that thy fruit may come to some perfection Not resting thy selfe in this that thou bloomest blossommest but still art striuing that euery bud may bee brought to maturity and ripenesse Besides all this dost thou truly and vnfainedly desire and endeuour to bee fruitfull in all good workes making no exceptions like a lazie seruant at any of Gods Commands seeme they neuer so hard or harsh so meane or base And lastly tell mee dost thou continue constant in bearing fruit not giuing ouer in the yeere of drought but euen then continuest fresh and flourishing What answerest thou Canst thou stand out this triall And doth thy conscience witnesse that these things are so Why then indeed thou art a fruitfull branch and hast whereof to reioice in as much as thou bearest fruit to God who doth so accept it that he will reward it r Hebr. 6.7 For the earth that drinketh in the raine that commeth oft vpon it and bringeth
yet let vs not lie still and wallow in vncleannesse For casuall defilements there is hope but for wilfull pollutions there is little How can God dwell or abide with vs if we be swearers drunkards vsurers oppressors or the like Assuredly he neither can nor will for these impieties and such like are more odious to him than any carion is or can be to vs nay the Deuill himselfe is not so hatefull to him as sinne is Non odit peccatū diaboli causa sed diabolum peccati causa for he hates not sinne for the Deuils sake but the Deuill for sinnes sake And therefore to shut vp all with that exhortation of the Apostle n 2 Cor. 7.1 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 Text. Vers 3. betwixt me and my Vineyard c. And now or Now therefore Expos 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 Singulariter loquitur postulans non simpliciter omnes sed vnumquemque Muscul 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 Tremellius and Iunius with diuers others Imò viri Ichudae singuli 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 therein was Mount Zion the place of Gods seruice and worship and therefore it was called the o Psal 48.1 8. 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 p Iohn 7.24 iudge righteous iudgement and sometimes it is only taken for the vnderstanding and discerning of all things so meaneth the Apostle when he saith q 1 Cor. 14.29 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 Doctr. Gods proceedings against sinners is with meeknesse and much mildnesse 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 r Gen. 3.9 11. 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 ſ Gen. 4.9 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 t Iohn 18.23 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 u Matth. 26.50 Friend betrayest thou the Sonne of man with a kisse In that parable of the mariage of the Kings sonne * Matth. 22.11 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 Reason 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
doe what they list but what God will they cannot execute what they please but what pleaseth him Let Atheists Papists and all other prophane persons desist from deuising euill against Gods Sion A p Numb 23.8 Prophet of their owne side will teach them it is in vaine to curse whom God hath blessed Vse 4 Lastly as Noahs q Gen. 8.11 Doue brought in her mouth an oliue leafe so doth this doctrine bring with it tidings of peace and comfort to such as are in Christ For if it be so that man cannot hurt vntill God giue way then r Psalm 5.11 12. Let all those that put their trust in thee reioice let them euer shout for ioy because thou defendest them let them also that loue thy name bee ioyfull in thee For thou Lord wilt blesse the righteous with fauour wilt thou compasse him as with a shield What the Apostle speakes in case of damnation may bee spoken also in case of â—â—nger Å¿ Rom. 8.1 There is none vnto them They are alike safe in euery place euen in the midst of their mortall enemies as amongst their kindest friends and so likewise at all seasons for whereas the wicked who are without God are like a bird without a nest or a beast without a den liable to any storme that ariseth and danger that befals yet it is otherwise with the godly they know whither to goe to bee hid from the strife of tongues and violence of Tyrants Gods fauour ioyned with his mighty power and faithfulnesse is a t Prou. 18.10 strong tower thither the righteous runne and are exalted which fort and castle of defence is euery where and no time is vnseasonable to repaire vnto it no place an impediment to hinder them from it no bodily weaknesse can disable them of it their iourney may be vndertaken at midnight as well as at mid-day and they may runne apace as they sit in their houses or lie in their beds and the feeblest creeple may make as good speed as the swiftest footman the wals thereof can no enemy scale the forts thereof can no aduersary batter well may our enemies assault vs but no multitude nor power can preuaile against vs because u 2 King 6.16 he that is with vs is stronger than they that are against vs * Psalm 32.6 so that the flouds of great waters can neuer come nigh vs. Oh the security and felicity of the faithfull maruellous great it is who haue such a tower to flie vnto and such a shield to couer and compasse them round about as is impenetrable no sword no dart nor shot can possibly strike them vntill it pierce him so fenced are they in their goods in their cattell and in all that belongs vnto them that no wicked spirit by any art can come neere to touch them without a speciall commission from the Almighty When Philip King of Macedon had slept a sound sleepe and at length waking spying Antipater by him he vsed these words as the story saith x Plutarch 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 let them perish oh Lord. Obiect But doe wee not see how the godly are wronged spoiled yea and sometimes killed by their aduersaries Resp. 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 y Formido sublata est non pugna Leo. 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 z Rom. 8.37 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 a Acts 5.41 Cap. 16. 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 Reade their stories in the Act. and Mon. 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 b Rupertus 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
b Matth. 6.13 that kingdome power and glory is Gods Reason And no maruell seeing he alone made all c Coloss 1.16 without any helpe Yea he it is that doth preserue and vphold d Acts 17.24 Reuel 4.11 all things that are made and therefore he must needs haue absolute soueraigntie and authoritie ouer all Obiect But Sathan is called e 2 Cor. 4.4 Resp. 1. the God of this world and most obey him How then is God so absolute a Lord Sathan is so called First because he challengeth it to himselfe and not that he is so for f Psal 24.1 The earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof the world and they that dwell therein He only vsurps it as he did when he told our blessed Sauiour g Matth. 4.8 All the kingdomes of the world he would giue him if he would fall downe and worship him And thus the Deuill is called the God of this world as Absolom was called King by vsurpation Secondly and especially he is called a God because the wicked make him so suffering him to rule ouer them and reigne in them giuing him that honour and worship which indeed belongs to God It is not then Satans power that makes him a God but mans weaknesse in yeelding to his suggestions Neither doth this obedience which most giue him make against what is now taught for we may not measure and esteeme of soueraigntie and authoritie by the obedience or disobedience of subiects but by the right of authoritie which any hath ouer a land or people What if most men should not obey their Prince but his enemie would it follow hereupon that he should not be their Lord but that other whom they serue Nothing lesse So here And againe Satan himselfe is but Gods slaue seruing as an executioner or tormenter of the wicked now we know Princes are as well Lords ouer such as they are ouer the very best Now we come to see what Vses will follow hereupon And first seeing God is absolute Lord ouer all that is Vse 1 or euer was let wicked men be admonished aduisedly to consider from whom they haue had what now they doe enioy and whether they hold their lands and their possessions as we say in Capite All as we see is Gods if wee hold not what we haue from him we are but as theeues robbers vsurpers Tell me then thou worldly wealthy wise one canst thou say of thy lands possessions leases moneys as Iacob did h Gen. 32.10 that God hath giuen them thee I feare me nay the bad meanes thou vsedst for the attainment of them will gainsay it God giues what hee giues by lawfull meanes thy courses were sinfull and vnlawfull as lying couzenage oppression vsury extortion or the like whereby these were gotten Whence is it that Trades are called crafts and mysteries but from hence in that more liue by the craft and sinne of their Trades than by the Trade it selfe Hence also is it that men are faine to bee as warie in buying and bargaining with most Tradesmen in these sinfull daies as if they were fallen into the hands of theeues and cut-purses Will not these things witnesse against many at the last day that they haue not lawfully what they haue Will not these sinfull courses conuict thousands of theft before the Lord Yes questionlesse Happy were it for these if they could in time see it and repent thereof and make restitution of what they haue thus vniustly gotten while there is helpe and hope otherwise let such be assured a day will come when as they shall be compelled to restore and say to Satan and the world as Iudas did to the High Priests Take your siluer your gold your wealth againe i Math. 27.3 4. It is the price of bloud but shall finde no better answer than that they gaue him What is that to vs thou shouldst haue looked to it Vse 2 Secondly is God such an absolute Lord hauing power and dominion ouer all Particulars wherein we are to shew our obedience to the Lord. let this serue for our Instruction and teach vs all to shew our alleageance to him in the practise of these duties First in carrying in our hearts a feare and reuerence of his maiestie euen such a feare as doth proceed from loue this God requireth k Mal. 1.6 A sonne honoureth his father and a seruant his master If then I be a father where is my honour and if I be a master where is my feare saith the Lord Almighty Secondly by an open profession and acknowledgement that he is our Lord. Euen as seruants by their liuerie make knowne to all men whose they are and whom they serue So doe thou both by words and deeds make knowne to whom thou dost belong and be not ashamed of thy master thou hast no cause He is farre from being a faithfull seruant that can stand by and be dumbe in case his master be dishonoured Thirdly in giuing him absolute and vniuersall obedience cheerefully subiecting our selues in all things and at all times to his commands Here must be no reasoning about no inquiring into his commandements as may be into mens for they must be obeyed in him yea disobeyed for him if they command any thing contrary to his will but he must be obeyed absolutely in all the parts of his will reuealed His sayings must be our doings Ipse dixit must be sufficient Fourthly by acknowledging our selues to be accountable vnto him for all our waies and workes Still remembring the goods we vse are none of ours they are our Lords and we are but stewards l Luke 16.2 who must shortly be called to a reckoning He that spendeth his owne need care the lesse but he that hath a matter of trust committed into his hands and cannot spend but out of anothers stocke had need to looke about him because he must be countable and so enforced to make good whatsoeuer he commeth short in in his reckonings Aske then thy selfe what haue I that I haue not receiued of my Lord and Master Whence had I these gifts of bodie minde health wealth c. but of him And so carry thy selfe in the vsing of these as that thou maist be able to hold vp thy head before the Lord in that day of reckoning And thus we see some particulars wherein we are to testifie our loyalty and obedience Lastly this may be a ground of moderation and meeknesse Vse 3 for all superiours in their dealings with their inferiours and such as are vnder their gouernment seeing as they are Lords ouer others so they haue a Lord aboue them This the Apostle putteth Masters in minde of and on this very ground stirres them vp to iust and equall dealing with their seruants because they also m Ephes 6.9 Coloss 4.1 haue a master in heauen As if he should say Beware that you abuse not your authoriâ—ie for know that you haue a supreme Lord and
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.
to my well-beloued a song of my beloued touching his vineyard c. q. d. I see indeed they lightly set by my ordinary Sermons and therefore I purpose to leaue my accustomed manner of prophesying and fall to singing being vnto them rather as a Poet k Ezek. 33.32 than as a Prophet that so by their owne delights they may be allured Obser Thus God seekes to draw vs to himselfe with those baits which are somewhat agreeable to our pallat he doth compose himselfe to our disposition and euen as face answereth face in a glasse so doth he apply himselfe to fit the humors of mortall men Doe the Sages loue starres and dreames l Matth. 2. a bright shining starre and a dreame shall instruct them in the truth of God and direct them vnto Christ Doth Saint Peter loue fishing m Luke 5. he shall be wonne by a great draught of fishes Doth Augustine loue eloquence Ambrose by his eloquence shall catch him at a Sermon What is it that can win vs which way soeuer our desires stand that is not sinfull God doth in his word allure vs The best things in earth and heauen are made our bait Let vs yeeld our selues therefore to be caught for with these doth the Lord seeke vs not for any need that he hath of vs but for our owne saluation In which Song we haue a Parable proposed of a fruitlesse Vineyard which after great care and cost of the painfull Husbandman bestowed on it is left desolate and forsaken for its barrennesse The Argument of it seemeth not to differ from that of the fore-going Chapters here being nothing said Argument of the Song that for substance was not before taught Luther The difference that is is only in circumstance the stile and method only being altered and changed The Scope and drift of the Prophet is The scope is three-fold first to get audience and attention And therefore he chooseth to deliuer his message in the sweetnesse of verse rather than in prose that so the eare hauing that which delighted it might without tediousnesse listen to that which was taught which being listened vnto might the better and more kindlier worke vpon them And questionlesse by this course he got him hearers for many would flocke to heare him sing who would not step ouer the threshold to heare him in his wonted veine Secondly that they might the sooner learne and better retaine what he did teach them For Verse being composed of certaine Musicall proportions both in the number and measure of feet and syllables are sooner and with greater delight learned and once being learned are longer retained as by experience we finde that our common people haue many vnwritten songs which are older than their great Grand-fathers Father those they learnt being children and neuer forget againe vntill their death yea by this meanes the remembrance of some things haue beene kept from many ages past which both Historie and Tradition had else for euer left neglected and forgotten Thirdly that he might bring them to a sight of their ingratitude and draw from them an impartiall sentence against themselues For looke as it is with the eie which both seeth and correcteth all other things saue it selfe so is it with the sinner when his owne case is proposed to him not as his owne but in the person of another he will soone see the fault and passe a iust sentence on it but else it cannot be espied Whiles n 2 Sam. 12. wise Nathan was querulously discoursing of the cruell rich man that had forcibly taken away the only Lambe of his poore neighbour how willingly doth Dauid listen to the storie and how sharply euen aboue law doth he censure the fact o Vers 5. As the Lord liueth the man that hath done this thing shall surely die See how seuere Iusticers we can be to our very owne crimes in others persons Had he knowne on whom the sentence would haue light it should not haue beene so heauie but now he is selfe-condemned The like was our Sauiours practise with the Scribes and Pharises in propounding p Matth. 21. that Parable of perfidious Husbandmen who beat the Seruants that were sent to receiue the fruits of the Vineyard and slew the heire and not without the like successe For being q Vers 40. asked what the Lord of the Vineyard would doe to such they answer 41. He will cruelly destroy them and let out the Vineyard to others 43. Then Christ infers Therefore I say vnto you the Kingdome of God shall be taken from you and giuen to a Nation that will bring forth the fruits thereof And this is the reason why our Prophet doth not only sing but sings a Parabolicall song propounding the truth in such an obscure manner vnder a continued similitude or allegorie like some expert Physitian who so cunningly wraps vp his pils and conueyes his dose that it begins to worke ere it be tasted And surely there is no one thing wherein is more vse of wisdome than in the due contriuing of a reprehension which in a discreet deliuery helps the disease in an vnwise destroies nature Diuision In which Song consider we First the Prooem or Preface to it verse 1. Secondly the Poem it selfe or body of it verse 1.8 The Prooem in these words Now will I sing to my well-beloued a song of my beloued touching his Vineyard wherein these particulars are obseruable First the Inditer or Author Instrumentall intimated in this particle I. Secondly the kinde of Treatise indited A Song Thirdly the manner of the Prophets publishing and deliuering it Will sing Fourthly the Dedication of it To his well-beloued Fifthly the warrant and authoritie for the publishing of it Of my well-beloued Sixtly the Subiect matter thereof Touching his Vineyard These in the Prooem As for the Poem we will then limb and branch it forth when we come to the handling of it Let vs now goe to the sickle of the Sanctuary and there weigh those words which we haue already numbred Now Some reade it Goe to or Goe to yet Exposition Muscul Moller As if the Prophet should stirre vp himselfe to sing and like the watchfull Cocke first clap his wings to awake himselfe before he crowes to awaken others Others reade it as we haue it Now or Now I pray hereby stirring vp his people to attention which reading is the best for the Hebrew particle Na noteth the motion of the minde to perswade or intreat Will I sing id est I will lift vp my voice and make a melodious sound modulating and singing the Song I haue composed To my well-beloued id est To the grace or praise of his well-beloued or as some in his defence Calu. Vrsin in loc Well-beloued Some there are who would haue Gods Israel to be meant hereby He so terming them in regard of the great loue he bare towards them and great care he had ouer
them they being dearely beloued of him But the Prophet explaineth his owne meaning when he saith My well-beloued hath a Vineyard Now the Vineyard of the Lord of Hoasts is the house of Israel vers 7. By well-beloued then he vnderstandeth not the people of God but God himselfe And he cals him so in a two-fold respect More Generally as he himselfe was a member of the Church and in the behalfe of it and thus said Solomon r Cant. 2.13 6.3 7.10 My well-beloued is mine and I am his Or more Specially as he was a Prophet and so one of the Bridegroomes friends to whom the charge of the Church was committed according to that of Saint Iohn Å¿ Iohn 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 voice A Song Three kindes of Songs were in vse especially amongst the Iewes Mizmor Tehillah Shir. Some they called Psalmes othersome Hymnes and another sort they had which they called Songs or Odes All which kindes Saint Paul mentioneth when he willeth vs to speake to our selues with Psalmes and Hymnes and Spirituall Songs t Ephes 5.19 Coloss 3.16 The first of these were such as were artificially framed in a certaine full number of words and measure as the originall word noteth it comming of a word u Zamar which signifieth to prune or cut off superfluous twigs and containeth in it holy matter of what argument soeuer whether Precatorie Praiers for benefits to be receiued or Deprecatorie Petitions against aduersities or Consolatorie Matter of comfort and consolation These were wont to be sung both with Instrument and voice The second sort were speciall songs of praise and thanksgiuing and come of a word * Halal which signifieth the lifting vp or exaltation of the voice in extolling and magnifying either the worthy person or his noble action and these are properly those that set forth the Almighties praise Hymnus Psalmo sanctior Chrys in Colos 4. Hom. 9. therefore saith Chrysostome A Hymne is more diuine than a Psalme These were wont to be sung either with the Instrument or without The third kinde contained in them doctrine of the chiefe good or mans eternall felicitie with other such like Spirituall matter and were artificially made and after a more maiesticall forme than ordinary These were sung only with the voice without any Instrument A learned writer x Zanch. in Colos cap. 3. vers 16. sheweth diuers other differences and distinctions giuen of these by diuers of the Ancients but that I haue named is the most receiued Let this suffice there were and are varietie and all allowable by the Lord. As for this Song of our Prophet y Calu. in loc it is of this latter kinde and was most artificially composed and set out with the most exquisite skill that might be It is of the like nature and kinde with that of Solomons Oecolamp which is called the Song of Songs For here the great loue of God towards his Church with the fruit of that his loue is set forth vnto vs. In this indeed they differ as some haue well obserued that is Comicall but this is Tragicall for though our Prophet beginneth merrily yet he endeth heauily Of my beloued Dâ—dho Here the Prophet vseth the same word that he did before though with some little alteration and some z Moller Hector Pint. in loc translate it Vncle others Couzen For so it signifieth as well as friend or beloued and would by it note out the Messiah and his humanitie in a speciall manner For Isaiah descended from Dauid and so was of Christs kindred in which regard say they he calleth him his Vncle or his Couzen. But this exposition is reiected by other of the learned a Caluin Vrsin as constrained And they take the word here vsed to be the same in signification with the former holding the addition to be but a garnishing of the Prophets speech which liberty Poets haue aboue other writers to the end that by the rime and running of the verse the Memorie might be the better helped and the Vnderstanding quickned Now in that he saith it was Of his beloued he hereby noteth out his Warrant and Authoritie It was the Song which his Beloued put into his mouth and which he had in charge from him to publish It was of him and from him as well as for him Touching his Vineyard Some reade it to his Vineyard others for his Vineyard The word may be read both waies both in the Genitiue and Datiue case as b Muscul one obserues By this Vineyard we are to vnderstand the Church as appeareth vers 7. The reasons why it is compared to a Vineyard we shall hereafter see And thus much for Explanation Come we now to matter of Obseruation And first in generall from the Prophets method and manner of proceeding which we see was not as vsually it was Doct. Ministers both for matter and method to fit themselues to their hearers note we What wisdome is requisite for Gods Ministers that they may be able to apply themselues to the seuerall affections if not sinfull of their hearers becomming all things to all men seeking by all possible meanes to winne or gaine any vnto Christ To the Iew c 1 Cor. 9.19 20 21 22. saith Saint Paul I became as a Iew that I might gaine the Iewes to them that are vnder the Law as vnder the Law that I might gaine them which are vnder the Law To the weake became I as weake that I might gaine the weake I am made all things to all men that I might by all meanes saue some Then followes that generall exhortation d Vers 24. So run that you may obtaine This course likewise tooke our blessed Sauiour sometimes he taught by Explication otherwhiles by Application sometimes Propounding doctrines othertimes Expounding them sometimes he deliuereth plaine Principles at other times Parables and darke sentences and not seldome by exemplarie similitudes The rich man he teacheth by the rich mans care and greedy gathering The Vine-dresser by the Vinitors digging and hedging The Labourer by the Labourers hire and working The Builder by the builders laying of a good foundation The Husband-man by the Husbandmans sowing and reaping The Fisher-man by the Fishermans casting in nets and drawing By all which the Ministers of the Gospell are admonished to become all vnto all that they may winne the more Muscul in Matth. 4. according to our propounded point Let vs not then be discouraged though we haue to Vse 1 deale with a stubborne and refractarie people so as to surcease our paines The Physitian omits no point of his Art though the recouerie of his Patient seeme desperate he will vse his best skill before he giues him ouer What is this diuine trade of ours but a spirituall Piscation Now how much skill and toyle