the land of promise this to that part of the land that is beyond Iorden and the other to that on this side where Ierusalem and Sion stood And for amor gratuitus the love that aimes not at reward as Bernard saith though it be gratuitus yet Deus nunquam sine praemio diligitur tametsi sit sine intuitu praemii diligendus Our love to God shal not be unrewarded though we should love withoutâ— respect to the reward and so they beginne I love because I have received But Rom. 9.3 there is a strange end of it where the Apostle respected his owne commodity so little that he wished himselfe accursed that the glory of God might shine to the salvation of Israel This distinction is profitable that we may know we are not in the state of reprobates though we love not God propter se meerely for himselfe Vsius ameris the use of this love Now we come to the use of this love there is a chap. 1 Cor. 13. to end where he plainely sheweth the necessity of it he setteth it down thus If a man for his knowledge were an Angel and for his Faith were able to remove mountaines and for his liberality had given away all that he had and had left himselfe nothing and for his constancie had endured Martyrdom yet they should not prevaile they should bee nothing except he had the love of God with him and in the end of the same chap. there is a singular commendation of it though not to shew the necessity of it yet it may be a great motive to love Faith hope and love it is the greatest of the three if we take it in quantity it is the greatest both for the breadth and for the length for whereas faith and hope consist in the bounds of mans person and in singular men this spreadeth abroad and reacheth to God and man and in man to our selves and to others and in others to our friends and even to our enemies Austin Beaâ—us qui te amat amicum in te inimicum properte Blessed is he that loveth thee O Lord and his friend in thee and his enemy for thee And this for the breadth Now for the length whereas the other are in us but in the forme of a lease but for the term of our life the gift of charity shall be even as a freehold and continue for ever in Heaven In these respects and of that honourable place that Christ and God vouchsafe it is that of our Saviour Matth. 22.40 saying all the Law and the Prophets make two heads and both these are love and Saint Paul Rom. 13.9 11. maketh but one head of all and calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the fulfilling and abtidgment of all and that in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou shalt love thy neighbour c. Iohn 13.34 it is called mandatum novum a new Commandement admitting that though all the old Commandements were cancelled yet we have it in the new Commandement and 1 Iohn 2.7 it is but the old Commandement for both the old and the new are all one there is in the old and the new Diliges thou shalt love But that which goeth beyond these and which imposeth a necessity in this that whereas all other before spoken as faith hope c. or that shall be spoken as patience c. none of them are mutuall nay they are not in God at all and when as he dealeth in them we are not to answer him as hee dealeth with us if he promise or threaten we must not likewise promise or threaten but here in this there is muâ—ua vicissitudo a mutuall vicissitude if God love us we must love him againe and therefore most necessary Gregory saith Magnum est vinculum charitatis que ipse Deus ligari se voluit strong is the bond of love seeing God himselfe will be bound with it this affection saith Bernard Solus triumphat de Deo doth onely get the victory over God and as he also saith Nescio quid magis dici debeat in laude tua O charitas I know not what can be spoken more in thy praise divine love then that thou hast brought God out of heaven into earth and hast lift up man from earth into heaven hominem Deo reconciliasti Deum homini pacasti Therefore as on this side we are to consider how willing God is that this should grow in us so now we must consider what is on Gods behalfe performed to stirre us up unto it The Heathen say magnes amorisamor nothing is more effectual to move love then to love and therfore that is it that continually is first set down on Gods part i. where the love of God is beaten on that on Gods part is set first which how great it is it appeareth by nothing more then that of Bernard he in his booke de diligendo Deo sets it down in these six quod nos 1. prius dilexit 2. tantus 3. tantillos 4. tales 5. tantum 6. gratis For the first the Priority 1 Iohn 4.10 herein is that love Prior. Prius not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Sonne to be a reconciliation for our sinnes and vers 19. We love him because he lved us first for our prior it was his love because he loved us first Aug. Nulla est major ad amorem invitatiâ— quam praevenire amando nimis enim est darus animus qui etsi noluit impendere noluit rependere no more kindly atractive in love then in loving to prevent for exceeding stony is that heart which though it like not to love first will not love againe neither neither first nor second For the second â— Tantus tantus the greatnesse of his love and the consideration thereof Aug. saith in the same place tantus ut non liceat conaridicere quantus it is so great that it is not possible to say how great For the third 3. Tantillos tantillos for our estate he loved us when wee were wormes our smalnesse is set downe Rom. 9.11 applied to Iacob and Esan and to all that are elect Cum nondum essemus when as yet we were not we cannot be smaller then so not to be at all and yet he loved us even before we were For the fourth 4. Tales Tales what we were Rom. 5.10 he loved us when we were his enemies we estranged our selves so farre from him that we served his very enemy For the fifth 5. Tantum Tantum i. for the exceedingnesse of it we may say as we said before but yet we have great light in the Scriptures God being not willing that it should be buried The Fathers upon Iohn 3.13 Sic Deus dilexit mundum c. So God loved the world to that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 So saith Chrysostome a man may put all the adverbs that will set up a comparison in the highest degree Patru
conclusion to set downe that when all the world have forsaken God therefore to love God the more this is the nature of the worldly man while there is a liking his liking goeth with other mens liking but when a man can continue his affection so that his love is when others mislike and the more a thing is hated the more he will love it this is a good signe 6 If we can say as the Church saâ—â—h Câ—nt 8 7. Mâ—ch water cannot quench love neither can the flouds drowne it if a man should give al the substance of his hâ—use for love they would greatly contemne it that it is strâ—nger then death i. when any affliction commeth it is stronger then it He that loveth for his owne commodity feareth â—est the quantity of that he loveth be diminâ—shed In concuâ—iscence quo quis vult lâ—men suuâ—n there the fewer the better but in bâ—no â—â—â—â—â—lâ—niiae in quo vult vâ—lle attâ—â—tus there we wish that all had him Deus omnibus eo inunis cuique tâ—tus 6. The last signe is out of Cant. 8.7.8 that the true love can abide triall and false love cannot abide it the Heathen man saith falsus amor inde fugit unde probatur false love will not stand the triall but when water cannot quench it nor fire consume it and we can bee contented to foregoe all and our jealousie can wrestle with death and the grave and overcommeth them then we may say as Christ saith Iohn 15.13 greater love then this cannot be The sixth precept As we must our selves love God so likewise we must be desirous to bring others to his love and here appeareth the difference betweene amor mercenarius gratuitus that love which is mercenary and that which is free for in the former because a man seeketh his own profit he is loth that another should love that that he loveth and have any part with him lest by the communicating of that thing to other it should be restrained to himselfe thereof commeth jealousie but in the other where our owne commodity is not sought where we wish not our owne good but good to him whom we love for himselfe there is a desire to communicate all the good things we have so as that all men may have them in commune so they that love God would bring all men to love that they love for it selfe and yet all in whole Ps 31.24 the Prophet shewing his good mind in this point i. he desired to draw all to the love of God Ps 31.26 O love the Lord all ye his Saints c. As on the contrary Psal 139.21 that is also a signe of love Lord doe not I haue them that hate thee Yea I hate them with a perfect haired as though they were mine enemies and had done me injury Psal 94.16 he to draw all men into the hatred of the Lords enemies there his challenge is Who will rise up with me against the wicked or who will take my part against the evill doers and as he would take part himselfe against them so he laboured that others would joyne with him The second principall signes as proper effects of love are obedienâ—â— patience Obedientia Obedience there is no saying of all the Fathers of greater use then that of Gregory Probatio dâ—lectionis exhibitio est operis and that indeede is a true signe of love when it worketh for the Will being inflamed with this affection and having the government of all the parts and powers of the body and minde necessary it is that wheresoever desire in the Will taketh hold it must elicere motum cause motion as if a man be given to the love of wine that love kindleth in him a desire to have it and that desire doth elicere motum that he may work and earne so much money and after still he worketh to get a vessell or bottle till he may have that too This active part doth depend thus of love Iohn 14.15 If you love me as Christ said to Peter Lovest thou me Feede my sheepe shew it by your obedience keepe my Commandements 1 Iohn 2.3 if a man obey not he is so farre from love that he doth not know God Obedience the proper effect of love among them that are unequall but not equall We must understand that where the parties are equall betweene whom love is that mutuall affection is called amicitia friendship but where one party is superiour there they are not called friends though the Prince on her part and good will call other so but they properly call it observantiam observance the very naturall actus wherof is obedience Iohn 15.15 Christ calleth us his friends and by the nearest names of consanguinity Matth. 12.49 yet Paul and the rest of the Apostles presumed not upon those titles but acknowledged this observantia and in the beginning of their Epistles and writings entitled themselves the servants of God and of Jesus Christ Rom. 6.16 Paul saith Looke whom ye obey his servants ye are so of this duty this is the perfect signe of obedience The order of the petitions sheweth the end of the Commandements and so consequently in regard of this glory that God hath by our obedience Now the applying of obedience to the end of the Commandement in our petitions that is first that Gods name may be hallowed and glorified How if he be a King and if he beare rule over us how shall this Kingdome and rule be established if we fulfill his will here in Earth as his Angels doe in Heaven and so is his name glorified And it is so necessary as that Gen. 2.17 God for his glory appointed in Paradise the obedience of Adam when he was in that state and therefore ordained a Commandement that he should not eate of the tree of knowledge that in the obedience of that prescript his glory might be shewed The manners of the gâ—ory of God two The glory of God commeth either directly from us to him or by others from us Psal 50.15 Call upon me in the time of trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie me this is for every one that is for the first glorifying But being not content with this Matth. 5.16 God will have glory of us both mediately and immediatly Jam. 2. So let your light shine that other men seeing your good workes may glorifie your Father for your sakes there is that by other he may be glorified for us which is the second justification the first is to him by faith alone but the other before men by such workes as God may be glorified by them and so other by them reconciled to God this glory commeth to God Now for manners Augustin Si mores Christianorum sint amabiles neque quicquam facit bonos vel malos mores nisi boni vel mali amores for amor male inflammans timor male humilians If the manners of Christians be any way amiable we must
masters but that they should serve The former two and indeed the third they all pertaine to us For though it be true that Non obligamur legi propter Sinai sed propter Paradisum We are not tied to the law for Sinai but for Paradise and so to all the sonnes of Adam And though God gave Rom. 11.11 to one Nation his law to provoke all other Nations to emulate them as also the Jewes themselves to emulation yet this also is true that there is not one of these titles but in farre more deepe title pertaineth to us which have a better performance Tituli in prâ—â—â—io legis ad nos pertinent The titles in the Preface of the Law belong to us and therefore are grounded on a better promise First Iehovah As the excellency of his Name is in respect of the performance of a new covenant So Heb. 8.6 The Gospell i. the new covenant saith Paul is the better covenant because it hath better promises and it is better to say In semine tuo benedicentur omnes gentes in thy seed all Nations shall be blessed then to say semini tuo dabo omnem terram Canaan unto thy seed will I give all the Land of Canaan Ours is farre better then theirs namely the covenant of obedience sanctification and glory For the second Thy God We are included with them in the first and in the second also we have a part but the third perfecter the Covenant in mercy and redemption They had but two creation and obedience Thirdly for the deliverance How many more dangers we are delivered from then they from the sting of conscience from sinne from death how much more the divell and all his Angels passe Pharaoh and his Taâ—k-masters Hell and Gehenna the Lime-kils the torments without number passe the tale of Brickes with number so much our deliverance passeth theirs Colos 1.13 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Who hath delivered us from the power of darknesse and hath translated us into the Kingdome of the sonne of his love 2 Tim. 1.10 In this world from errours that most part of the world fall into in the world to come 1. 1. Thou Iehovah we vile creatures From the justice of God 2. From the law 3. From the sting of conscience 4. From sinne 5. From death 6. From Hell 7 From the divell and his angels 2. I thy God we thy servants 8. From the spirituall Egypt 9. From the Egypt of the world i. Antichrist Now as God hath his titles so are we to have ours 3. Which have delivered thee we delivered c. 1. We most vile creatures 2. We thy miserable servants 3. We that have beene delivered from sinne c. from a thousand dangers Audi Israel Heare Israel Speake Lord thy servants heare thee Let us therefore heare him and be his servants least we be hiâ— servants that are spoken of 2 Chron. 12.8 Servants to our worldly desires Neverthelesse they shall be his servants so shall they know my service and the service of the Kingdomes of the earth The law being divided into the stile in Exod. 20.2 that hath been handled and into the charge Now of the charge which is nothing else but the ten words commonly called the ten Commandements The number is set downe Deut. 10.4 as well to take away mans presumption of adding any thing in which respect Exod. 32.15 God wrote both the sides of the Tables full that nothing might be added to them 2. As also to take away excuse from man for that they may be easily kept in memory because they are so few whereas those of the heathen are infinite These for better order and memory receive a division from the subject First Deut. 6.4 divided according to the two Tables which Christ Matth. 22.40 Marke 12.30 warranteth speaking to a Scribe he divideth them according to two objects 1. God 2. Man And this is not his owne but it is warranted in the Scriptures of the law The duty toward God Deut. 6.5 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart soule might Duty to man Love thy Neighbour as thy selfe Levit. 19.18 from whence Christ hath it So that this division according to the tables and contents of them is Christs division 1 Tim. 1.5 because 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 love is so often repeated in the Law Paul maketh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the summe and end of the Law to be love Ro. 13.9 The whole law is recapitulated into this summe Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy selfe For our love proceeding and ascending up to God when we descend and come to our neighbour it is but a reverberation of the love we have towards God and every reverberation praesupposeth a direct beame so that every man hath God first in his direct motion The division of the ten Commandements into two Tables NOw these ten precepts must be sorted into these two Tables of God and in the sorting of them there may arise some doubt The first is betweene the Jewes and the Christians the second betweene the Christians themselves 1. Doubt The Jewes make an even division five in one Table and five in the other Their warrant as they thinke is Psal 82.6 I have said ye are Gods therefore the fifth Commandement to be referred to the first Table Answer Solution But because in the Commandement are also included inferiours and they are no Gods we must seclude it out of the first Table because it pertaineth not to God directly but to man Secondly betweene the Christians themselves The Church of Rome they make the two first one and the last Commandement they stretch and make two of it Wherein they follow not the greatest number of Fathers as they say they doe in their interpretations but divide this Commandement into non concupisces vitam non concupisces famam Thou shalt not covet the life thou shalt not covet the name That it cannot be theirs 1. The desire Non concupisces vitam proximi tui thou shalt not covet the life of thy neighbour which is the desire of the 6. Commandement and non concupises famam proximi tui thou shalt not covet the name of thy neighbour which is the desire of the ninth might as well make two Commandements as these two and better too But common sense telleth us that to make lawes of particulars is the greatest folly that may be Much lesse Gods law which is exceedingly generall And we see that of concupiscence set downe here in generall there are two branches of it and when they interpret of it in their comments they say they finde some little difference betweene them and indeed they finde such inconvenience that commonly they include them both into one 2. No wise man would imagine that a Law-giver that would give ten Commandements could give two of them at one breath at one period yea in one verse and the other in distinct periods 3. A greater
forcible enough to perswade them to take it that if they take it not their fit will be sharp or their life shorter so feare workes in them in whom love prevaileth not In the same state are naturall men spirituall joyes if they could be tasted We have such a disease of sin that let one talk of the joyes of the Saints that they have in heaven an evill tast cannot taâ—â— it and consequently cannot love it feare were superfluous but we with vaine delights of earthly pleasures and ease and evill company have cloyed our selves and brought our soules to an evill taste so that we are come to that that we cannot desire that which is to be desired and that which is not to be desired we desire onely now because we see that course that we have taken it wil bring us into sharper fits or bereave us of our spirituall life the feare of losing this that may prevaile with us therefore necessary it is that feare should be Yet we may adde this that to this love we are brought by feare An Heathen man saith odium peccandi oportet facias non metum man should hate By feare we abstaine from evill not feare sinne and this odium peccandi hatred of sinne commeth from feare For feare maketh us to abstaine from sinne abstinence from sinne bringeth a good life having a good life we beginne to have a good conscience beginning to have a good conscience we shall be without feare and have peace of conscience and then it beginneth to love and to taste of God and godlinesse A timore bona vita a bona vita bona conscientia a bona conscientia amor therefore love and feare in this respect are compared to a needle and a thread the needle that is not to tarry but to bring the thread through so feare comes not to stay in the heart but to bring mutuall love therefore we must feare first before we can come to love Discat timere qui non vult timere discat ad tempus esse solicitus Finis usus timeris the end and use of fear Time ne timeas feare that thou mayst not fear qui vult esse securus Let him learne to feare that would live without feare let him learne to be solicitous for a time here that would be secure for ever hereafter So the use of feare is restraint of evill and causing of love Now to the Objection The common definition of feare is Expectatio mali an expectation of evill Quomodo Deus summe bonus timeri potest how can God be said to be feared which is the chiefest good here now may be some doubt to them that have not the deeper skill in Divinity how one can be said to feare God seeing in him there is no evill for he is wholly goodnesse it selfe and the Fountaine of all goodnesse and consequently there is no evill in him and therefore cannot be said to be feared To this we say that God is not first and principally to be feared but as before hath beene said his judgements Deus ut objectum timoris How God is the object of feare that is the effect of Gods justice that is first feared and God secundarily the reason why it is principally feared because in it concurre all the affections and qualities that can by any meanes move feare which the Philosopher calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 things full of feare and that is indeed objectum formidabile an object altogether fearfull in three respects malum futurum propinquum vires excedens First it is an evill which is not yet past Secondly it is nigh at hand Thirdly it is unsupportable 1. It is to come malum futurum therefore Christ Matth. 24.6 after he had reckoned up many calamities that should happen he addeth But the end commeth not yet the greatest is behinde Whatsoever we shall suffer in this world yet the end is to come Nearenesse in two respects 1. in respect that all things are his 2. wheresoever we come there he is also Deus ubique God is every where 2. It is propinquum neare at hand the armies of God are alwayes round about us wheresoever we are God is with us and we are in the middest of his hoste as was said before all his creatures be armed to the destruction of the wicked 3. It must be a matter of great difficulty that it may exceede our power which is the naturall course of feare that there be defectus potentiae a defect of power to resist this also is necessarily included in Gods judgements Psal 130.3 If thou wilt be extreme O Lord to marke what is done amisse O Lord who may abide it 1 Cor. 10.22 Doe we provoke the Lord to anger are we stronger then he i. our strength is as stubble before him nothing to resist and we are not as Job saith of brasse or stone In this arduum or difficulty are comprehended foure degrees of encrease 1. that it be a punishment malum poenae there is a barre erected and an arraignment 2 Cor. 5.10 for we must all appeare before the tribunall c. Abel is elected and Caine rejected 2. It must be insolitum strange without example Heb. 10.31 horrendum est incidere in manus Dei it is a horrible thing to fall into the hands of God 3. It must be malum subitum or repentinum 1 Thes 5.3 it shall come alway suddenly upon them that feare not Prov. 29.1 A man that hardneth his necke when he is rebuked shall suddenly be destroyed and cannot be cured 4. If it be without remedy incurable and that is in two respects as before was shewed so is the judgement of God especially in the life to come for as God will shew the uttermost of his power in providing rewards for his chosen When God comes to bee considered sub ratione personae as a person he comes to bee considered under those person that arâ— most â—crâ—ible to us God compareth himselfe to a King and therfore hee challengeth this fear to him In eo qui timetur tria consideranda consider there are three things considerable in him whom we fear 1. Authoritas his authority so he will surely shew it to the uttermost in providing punishments for them that will not feare and the wicked So this is the object of feare and this is it that faith must looke for Now secondly as it is said in Philosophy etiam timetur ille qui potest malum infligere we are said to feare him properly who is able to punish us and so come to say God is feared In the party that is to be feared there are three things to be considered 1. Authority though a child be a King and a woman beare rule over us which of themselves are weake yet in regard of their authority they become very terrible unto us Mal. 1.6 A sonne honoureth his father c. If I be a father where is mine honour if I be your
creature of them all but if it breath it hath cause enough to praise him Amor Dei the love of God OF the love of God Amor Dei that that 's said Gal. 3.17 we see it verisied as the Law is said to have beene added for a time till the Seed came so here may likewise be affirmed that the other affections and actions were onely till our nature received triall till the love of God come Of which love the Fathers say that the having of that occupare amorem the being possessed of love drowneth all other affections For therefore we feare for a time that being delivered we may love and being humbled we may hope and pray that we may say Psalme 116.1 Dilexi quia audivit Dominus vocem orationis meae the coherence of prayer and love I have loved because the Lord hath heard the voyce of my prayer From the beginning it was said 1. that having of God is in knowing him albeit we have him naturally yet if we know him not we have him not 2. in esteeming of him this estimation is properly in this affection of love and those that went before feare and hope are for no other end but for this that when God hath bestowed it on us it may the better be esteemed of us when we have beene in feare and for this end it commeth that as cito data vilesount we commonly sleight that which we can but aske and have so these things that we have felt the want of so long having beene humbled when they come we may have more regard of them 〈…〉 Concerning the object thereof it is bonum good wherein the very naturall reason of man hath found two properties 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a communicative and an atractive property whatsoever is good it is such a thing as is desire us to communicate it selse to as many as will taâ—e it and are meete to take it as we see in the Sunne and other celestiall creatures and in the naturall elements and consequently there being a quality of desiring to communicate good in God which is his goodnesse no doubt it is in greater and excellenter manner and that was the cause in deed of the creation of all things that he might have a Church and shew his glory and mercie on it So the minde of man seeing this nature in good consequently desireth it and that desire goeth thus farre till it come to a conjunction and that conjunction to an union ita conjuagi ut uniamur Ratio because by the union of two good things there shall come good to the desirer that he had not before and so he is made better It hath bin said that the inferiour things if they be coupled united with things of more excellent nature they are made more noble as for a potsherd to be covered with gold as on the other side things excellent being joyned with viler things are made more abject as the minde of man with inferiour creatures and there can be no greater excellencie of it then by the conjunction of it with that that is all good and containeth in it all good things and so as it containeth them for evermore And so of this commeth the 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 the attractive force In every good there is a force and that allureth and therefore it is that faith and knowledge must necessarily goe before so when a good thing because we cannot take from it his good if that the force be not then as the Schoolemen say Bonum quod non amatur the good we love not it is a signe quod non cognoscitur that we know not for if it were the naturall desire of all being that it is to better us 〈…〉 we should love it to be bettered by it therefore it is well said that to good things there is no greater enemy then ignorance therefore it is the part of knowledge and faith to show us this good and that will stirre up love in us and so having stirred up that in us there will follow here unio affectus unio aâ—us and for sides visio This love is of two sorts 1. mercenarius 2. gratuitus that love that beginneth and that that is free not respecting reward they are distinguished When a man saith he loveth his meate and drinke and his friend and brother it is certaine that these are not all one the one is a desire to have it to turne it to his owne benefit for the present time not caring what become of it after but he loveth his friend to do him good and to wish him well so in the one he secketh his own good in the other to doe good to other and to him cui bene volumus whom we wish well unto The Philosopher distinguisheth them by unde quo whence and whither In the first love the question is made by quo in the other unde what good it hath in it though it be no benefit to us So the one hath the eye inward in it selfe the other outward to other for as we see sundry times the one is the beginning of the other and after those that have beene beneficiall to us wee fall to love them for themselves and not for their benefits The first love ariseth out of hope because the soule of man by feare being brought low to the ground then conceiving hope and consequently sending forth prayer and then receiving the fruit of it saith as it is Psal 116.1 I am well pleased or I have loved that the Lord hath heard the voyce of my prayer so Psal 20.7 Now I know that God hath heard his anoynied when he had received the fruit of it and so was stirred up to this first love so the first love of God is because he receiveth from him that which the Apostle applieth to that which he had in hand That which is spirituall is not first but that which is naturall or carnall August Basil Ambrose Bernard refeâ—re to saith and love shewing plainely that Caesars vertues were in greater account then and Catoes Caesars being curtesie affability clemencie liberality c. Catoes conscience and faithfulnesse and justice c. which were not to others commodity yet because in the other there was sui suum they were of better account for that which is naturall will be first i. to love that by which we receive commodity concupiscentia before cupiditas this love is the inchoation of the other for nemo repente fit summus no man comes to the height at first God hath taken order for it Chrysostome he marvelleth how men can slip themselves out of this love of God for if they will have amorem mercenarium that love which is mercenary he offereth more for it then any man for he biddeth the Kingdome of heaven but this is the state of this love as before in feare So the Fathers they have compared this love and the other to
Now for the third when a man hath neither deep nor long thoughts yet if those that he hath may be crebrae often repeated if any man is thus affected to God Crebra it is a good signe that the love of God hath taken deepe roote in him though they are not extaticall nor continuall yet at times with some intermission 2. The second signe of love is this if we esteeme the pledges of that party to whom we beare love 2 Looke what estimation wee give to them we give to God if wee account of those earnests which he hath left us as David Psal 119 97. saith he loveth the Law of the Lord. Looke what estimation a man beareth to his word and Sacraments and outward meanes of prayer the same he beareth to God if he love him as on the contrary Gen. 25.30 and it is afterward urged Heb. 12.16 that whereas the primogenitura the birth-right was a pledge of Gods favour Esau is called a prophane man and one that loved not God and his reason is because hee did forgoe that pledge 3 If wee forgoe that that is most deare unto us it is a signe of love We have the picture of God in his creatures Vbi amor ibi oculus 3. So out of Gen. 25.30 that forasmuch as we cannot see him and as the Heathen saith ubi amor ibi oculus we love the party that if wee have his picture our eye will not be off it yet so if we have an eye to his creatures So this third also was in that profane Esau we see his love to his brothers pottage was so great as that hee cared not what he did forgoe for that which he liked the best thing that hee had scil the title of the eldership among his brethren the pledge of God it was not deere unto him so great a care had he of his belly This may be for an instruction to us when we can accept of any condition though it be never so hard that may set us into Gods favour that may be to us a good and perfect signe 4 Desiderium an earnest desire that thinks the time thing till it come to the fruition of that it loveth 4. Psal 12.5 all these fall indesiderium if as we have a desire so if we can have a griefe for the absence of God as for the deferring of that we love and for not being able to enjoy it such is the saying of David Psal 42.2 When shall I come to appeare before the presence of the Lord Gregory saith inaudituâ— est hic amor an unheard of love that a man should love one and not desire his presence so he that desireth to live here and never to be dissolved hath no love These are signes of that part of love that is called desiderium or desire Now follow the signes of the second part Joy A generall rule for those things that we love if we be greatly joyful when we have obtained when we feese in our selves that which the Prophet Psal 4.7 protesteth 1 When a mans affection is occupied in that thing that hee loves he thinks the time short so long as he is occupied about it The second part is joy an especiall effect and part of love and a signe of it as Gal. 5.22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace- c as Psal 4.8 when a man hath no lesse joy for the increase of spirituall things then the worldly man hath that he hath a good seede time or a good harvest Of this love there are sundry signes 1. Gen. 29.20 To thinke the time that we spend in his affaires that we love a short time though it be many yeeres as Iacob served Laban seven yeeres for Rachel yet because he loved her they seemed to him but a few dayes this if we can doe in Gods affaires it is a signe we love him as on the contrary if a man thinke one houre three in doing good surely he hath no joy no delight and so his love is not stable 2. Againe in the the true affection of love when there is joy it is shewed thus the Philosopher saith Quicquid cupis habere times perdere cuicunnque cupis conjungi ab eo times separari 2 In regard of feare whatsoever a man loveth he is afraid to lose Whatsoever a man desireth to keepe he feareth to lose and to whomsoever we desire to be united from them we feare to be separated Now if any mans heart can beare him witnesse that he can tremble at sin and those operations are marvellous fearfull to him that he should be separated by from God it is a good signe All affections discover love as on the other side feare umor occupat omnes affectiones Iobn 19.3 Pilat had a good minde to Christ but his love came to be touched when notwithstanding all the innocencie he found in him he would deliver him up to the people to be crucified and all was by reason of the feare he had of forgoing that that he best esteemed namely Caesars favour and so that feare was a signe that he loved that best So Acts 19.25 the Silver Smith being afraid that his Craft whereunto his love was should downe he stirres up sedition preferring his owne gaine before the disquietnesse of all the people 3 That that we love most we will forgoe any thing for it so if we be overtaken that we have lost it to be in continuall griefe til we recover it 3. And as for feare so griefe when we have lost it for if we bee grieved when we feele not the ancient comfort and vigor of the spirit that we were wont to have it is a signe that we loved it as Luke 18.23 there was a good minde in that young man that came to Christ and our Saviour Christ was well affected towards him but when he came to be touched in his love he was grieved more to part from his possessions then from Christ so griefe will be a way to love 4 If wee take great care for the recovery of what we lost it is a signe that we tooke joy in it 4. Againe the care that we take for the recovery to be marvellous carefull to recover it Psal 132.4 When a man will not suffer his eyes to sleep nor his eye-lids to slumber nor the temples of his head to take any rest untill he had recovered it and in the songs of Solomon This care is in worldly men Numb 23. the care of Balaam loving the wages of unrighteousnesse though God said he should not goe and albeit he himselfe had said vers 19. God would not lie as a man nor change as the sonne of man yet he would trie againe whether God would change his minde so carefull was he to obtaine it 5 If we stiâ—k last to God when all â—lse forsake him 〈◊〉 a signe of love 5. Againe in Psal 119. vers 127. a certaine signe it is a
that Saul is heterogeneum amongst the Prophets it will fall against order for a Ceremoniall precept to stand in the middest amongst morall commandements For every Ceremonie or Type because it was a foretelling of the Gospell therefore must bee referred to the Gospell as the shadow to the bodie for indeed Ceremonies are Evangelicall So there is not onely this but also a Confession of the Law and the Gospell in the Decalogue Againe this being helde as a principle that the Law of Moses is nothing else but the Law of Nature revived and that a resemblance of GODs Image if that wee say that this Precept is Ceremoniall then must wee say that in the Image of GOD some thing is Ceremoniall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to abide but for a time But all things in him and in his image are eternall according to his nature And so consequently in the Law of Grace Againe when CHRIST delivereth to the Scribes the summe of the ten Commandements Thou shalt love the LORD c. It is no question but it is a summe of the Commandements Then in that part of the summe Thou shalt love the LORD c. Wee must finde the religious observation of the Sabbath and so Morall the love of GOD in which it is contained else our Saviour had delivered an imperfect summe Lastly a dangerous way is taken for bringing in one Ceremonie and the Papists as Parosius and Politian◠they will bring in another for they will have the second Commandement also to bee ceremoniall and there is no reason why there may not bee as well three as two and so foure and five and so all Therefore the best institution the best way for upholding the duties Eternall and to keepe them without blemish is to hold that part of the ten Commandements to deny all Ceremonies in the law as comming of the nature of the Commandement but they are plainly Morall 6. To come to the time of the Gospel Eph. 2.15 wee hold that all ceremonies are ended and abrogated by CHRISTS death but the Sabbath is not which is plaine by Matth. 24.20 for there CHRIST denouncing the overthrow of Jerusalem bids them pray that their calamitie befall not in the winter or on the Sabbath day Wee know this destruction fell out long and many years after CHRISTS death when all ceremonies were ended the Vaile rent c. Now then if hee should have prayed that their flight might not bee on the Sabbath and that were abrogated as a Ceremonie hee should have prayed that it might not have beene on that day which indeed should have beene no day Therefore it is necessarie that it bee counted no Ceremonie 7. Another is that to chop and change one day for another is not abrogatio but commutatio Judaismi 2. So the Seales of the Covenant of their owne nature are thinges morall though in regard of some other respect they bee ceremoniall Yet in the other that are meere typicall there is no manner of commutation but they are cleane taken away for if wee grant that the waxe candles the copes c. are not the Jewes but changed where as Judaisme is not to bee but as it is Eph. 2.15 Hee hath broken downe the wall hee hath taken away c. It is manifest that in stead of the Jewes seventh day in the Apostles dayes another seventh day was ordained Therefore it was not as the Ceremonies but as the Ministerie of the Covenant and Seales of the Covenant and the Day of the Covenant For wee see Act. 20.7 where as the Apostles called together the Disciples in the first day of the weeke which is our Sabbath now to heare the Word and breake bread And 1. Cor. 16.2 hee willeth them in their meetinges they should every one in the first day of the weeke put aside by him and lay up as GOD had prospered him that there might not bee gatheringes when hee came And Revel 1.10 it is plainelie called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The LORDS Day So then we see plainly in the whole time the Apostles lived it being changed by them and not taken away Therefore not of the nature of the Types of the Law But when the old Covenant ceased then ceased the Ministerie of the old Covenant The Priesthood of Levi was changed and given to all Tribes and in stead of it is our Ministerie And as the Seales of the Covenant ceased the Ceremonies of the Covenant as Circumcision and the Paschall Lambe and in their place our Sacraments Baptisme and the LORDS Supper so the Day of the Covenant is taken away and in place of it is put the LORDS Day None of them being in his first end ceremoniall but as having a continuall use the Sabbath lasteth as long as the Church militant The reason which might seeme to have moved the Apostles to change this day De ratioue mutationis Sabbath may bee fitly taken from the institution of the Sabbath in the time of the Law For as then nothing was more memorable then the day of his Creation so when it pleased GOD that old thinges should cease there was a benefit that did overshadow the former Therefore from that day wee now celebrate the memoriall of CHRISTS Resurrection and became of the other worke also concurring fifty dayes after the great and inestimable benefit of Sanctification and the people by speaking with strange tongues and the memorie of the benefit of creation being as well shewed in the first day of the weeke as in the last and so have wee it by great reason established of the Creation Redemption Sanctification of the three speciall benefites wrought by the three Persons And so much for the clearing of that place The three Verses that follow 9.10.11 they are thus divided First they give light to the Commandement thus the 9. and 10. is nothing els but an expounding what the LORD meaneth And secondly at the eleventh Verse There is a reason yeelded why they should yeeld obedience to this And in the first there is an order taken as well concerning Works as concerning Persons For works sixe dayes shalt thou labour and doe all thou hast to doe For persons thou thy sonne c. Againe in the first part there is an affirmative six dayes shalt thou labour c. and a negative In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke c. 2. There is a permission sixe dayes thou shalt worke and doe all c. Sixe dayes hath GOD bestowed on thee but the seventh day hee hath kept to himselfe hee hath bestowed sixe dayes on thee the seventh is GODS Now in these two oppositions there are two by-reasons included for the maine reason is in the 11. Verse 1. By right of Creation we are GODS and all ours for he made us of nothing and so might challenge us and our dayes so that standing in this case we could not challenge one day to our selves insomuch as if it had pleased GOD but to give us but one
will turne to you we must pray Convert thou us O Lord and we shall be converted Lam. 4. If he say to us Make you cleane hearts Ezek. 18 Because that is not in us we must pray Create in me a cleane heart and renew a right spirit in mee Psal 51.10 When Christ saith Beleevest thou this Joh. 11. for as much as Faith is the gift of God Eph. 2. we are to pray with the Disciples Domine adde nobis fidem Luk. 17.5 When the Apostle exhorteth Perfecte sperate 1 Pet. 1.13 we should say with the Prophet Lord my hope is even in thee Psal 39. And where our duty is to love with all our hearts because we cannot performe this without the assistance of Gods Spirit we are to pray that the love of God may be shed in our hearts by the holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 THE SECOND SERMON JAMES 1.16 17. Erre not my deare brethren Every good giving and every perfect gift is from above and commeth downe from the Father of lights with whom is no variablenesse neither shadow of turning AS Saint Paul 2 Cor. 3.5 tels us that we are not sufficient to thinke a good thought but our sufficiencie is of God So the Apostle saith â—t is God onely from whom every good giving and every perfect gift commeth And that we shall erre if we either thinke that any good thing which we enjoy commeth from any other but from God or that any thing else but good proceedeth from him so that as well the ability which man had by nature as our enabling in the state of grace is from God He is the Fountaine out of whom as the Wiseman saith we must draw grace by prayer which is Situla gratiae the conduit or bucket of grace Therefore he promiseth in the old Testament To poure upon his Church both the Spirit of grace and of prayer that as they sue for grace by the one so they may receive it in by the other Zach. 12.10 Unto this doctrine of the Apostle in this place even those that otherwise have no care of grace doe subscribe when they confesse themselves to be destitute of the good things of this life and therefore cry Quis oftendit nobis bona Psal 4. As before the Apostle shewed that God is not the cause of any evill so in this verse he teacheth there is no good thing but God is the author of it If he be the Fountaine of every good thing then he cannot be the cause of evill for no one Fountaine doth out of the same hole yeeld sweet and bitter water Iam. 3.11 Secondly if every good thing be of God onely then have we neede to sue to him by prayer that from him we may receive that which we have not of our selves Wherefore as this Scripture serves to kindle in us the love of God for as much as he containes all good things that we can desire so it is a speciall meanes to provoke us to the duty of prayer This proposition hath two parts first an Vniversall affirmative in these words Every good giving secondly a prevention for where it may be objected that howsoever some good things come of God yet evill things also may successively come from him even as the Heathens say that Iupiter hath divers boxes out of which hee doth powre both good and evill the Apostle preventeth that objection and saith that with God there is no variablenesse nor shadow of changing So that as the meaning of these words in the Prophet Hosea 13.9 Salus tua taniummodo ex me is both that salvation is onely of God and that nothing else but salvation commeth from him so the Apostles meaning in these words is both that God is onely the cause of good and that he is the cause of nothing else but good lest when we are tempted unto evill we should make God the Author of all such temptations The former part of the proposition called subjectum is Every good giving c. The latter part called praedicatum is descendeth from above Where the heathen call all vertues and good qualities which they have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of having the Apostle calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of giving to teach us that whatsoever good quality is in any man he hath it not as a quality within himselfe but he receiveth it from without as it is a gift Esau speaking of the blessings bestowed upon him saith I have enough Gen. 3.3 And the rich man Luke 12. Anima soule thou hast much good as though they had not received them from God but the Saints of God spake otherwise Iacob saith These are the children which God hath given me Gen. 33.5 Againe when Pilate without all respect of God of whom the Apostle saith There is no power but of God Rom. 13. said Knowest thou not that I have power to crucifie and to loose thee our Saviour said againe Thou shouldest not have any power over me except it were given thee from above Iohn 19.10 The consideration hereof serveth to exclude our boasting Rom. 3. That the Wise man boast not of his wisdome Ier. 9. seeing wisdome strength and whatsoever good things we have it is the good gift of God as the Apostle tels us Quid habes quod non accepisti 1 Cor. 4. Secondly this division is to be marked that of the good things which come from God some are called Donationes others Dona and to these two substantives are added two adjectives whereof one doth answer to the givings of Gods goodnesse the other to the gifts of God ascribeth perfection The first errour the Apostle willeth them to beware is that they thinke not that God is the cause of any evill because every good thing commeth from him the second errour is that they should not conceive this opinion that the maine benefits are from God and the lesser benefits are from our selves not so for the Apostle tels us that as well every good giving as every perfect gift is from above That which the Apostle cals Donatio is a transitory thing but by gift he meaneth that which is permanent and lasting Ioseph is recorded to have given to his brethren not onely corne but victuals to spend â—y the way Gen. 45.21 So by giving the Apostle here understandeth such things as we neede in this life while wee travell towards our heavenly Countrey but that which he calleth gifts are the treasures which are laid up for us in the life to come and thus the words are used in these severall senses Of things transitory the Apostle saith No Church dealt with me in the matter of giving Phil. 4.15 there the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but speaking of the good things that come to us by Christ he saith The gift is not as the fault Rom. 5.16 where the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By Givings he understandeth beauty strength riches and every transitory thing whereof we stand in neede while we are yet in our journey
individuorum providentiam that there is a providence of individuals Yet that its such that if any one should looke upon a stage play 3. That there hath alwaies beene a providence but a generall providence not medling with rewarding or punishing when any thing is ill meant to laugh at it when well to praise but not to meddle with rewarding or punishing 4. As he hath a providence in generall and particular things and causes so doth he not onely behold but also reward and punish and this is true for we must joyne his essence and providence together Concerning the former i. his essence little glory returneth to him and lesse profit to us but we must know what he is to us therefore this is to be joyned that he will and ought to be sought and though ut quidam scitè we are Domini vernae the Lords bondmen and bound to seeke him yet is there a reward quaerentibus ipsum to them that seeke him The reasons of the first opinion that there is no providence For the first the especiall reasons why they altogether excluded the providencâ— of God 1. The adversity of the good men and the prosperitie of the wicked For say they if there were any providence Bonis bene esset malis malè it would be well for good men and ill for bad men but sense teacheth plainely the contrary 2. When he alledged that though divers abuse the gifts of God yet he dealeth unto all so that he is not to be blamed They say that he might as well have given the use of the gift as the gift Ergo verisimile nullam esse providentiam it would therefore seeme that there is no providence 3. The manifold defects in naturall and morall things exclude his providence For the first if any man be perfectly good Sol. no adversity can bend him if perfectly evill no prosperity but none in the world is either perfectly good or evill But it standeth with the justice of God that evill that is in the good to punish it in this life that good that is in the evill to reward it in this life ut eorum malum puniat in vita futura that he may punish their evill in the life to come And the punishment in this life is a great benefit Hence Aug. Domine hîc seca hîc ure modò ibi paâ—cas O Lord here in this life cut me burne me Sol. 2. so that in the life to come thou spare me 2. Con. We know what the divell said concerning Iob Doth Iob serve God for nought God to stop the mouthes of the wicked and Satan punisheth the godly Hence the divell if good men live in prosperity is ready to object They live in hypocrisie that they serve God because God serves them Therefore God to make manifest Vertue is not mercenary but free that the godly serve him not for temporall commodities and that vertue is not mercenary but gratuita free he often layeth afflictions upon his and this affliction his children willingly embrace 2. Con. The same with the former The divell Iob can doe no other but serve God Conclus 2. he is not left to his owne choice Sol. There is no commendation and therefore no reward if a man doe that which he must needs doe Sol. Now if God shall have left men in this cause he could not have rewarded them and what commendation is it for the fire to burne Cum ejus sic ferat natura since that is its nature For the three first its necessary that God hath no part in the evill doing or with the doer Sol. 3. A good thing will not permit evill God no cause of evill Omnis actio omnisque motio a Deo actionis imperfectio non a Deo sed a malè se habente instrumento Every action and every motion is from God but the obliquity or imperfection of the action is not from God but froÌ„ the perversenesse or weaknes of the instrument In the creeples the motion is from the soule the deformitie of the motion a distortione membri from the crookednesse of the member moving and halâ—ing unum per accidens alterum per se the one by accident the other by it selfe therefore the action whatsoever it is from God but if it halt the deformity is of the crookednesse of the instrument Secondly he permitteth evill The Lords will is to make a Theater of his goodnesse non nisi per privationem gratiae suae not but by privation of his grace For the permission the reasons first being granted that the defect of every thing from his goodnesse is his evill evill hath no part with God If there had beene no defect in the variety and multitude of things in the world Gods goodnesse could not so fully have beene expressed neither should there have beene any resemblance of God Where is no defect there is no meane There is a like affection in none therefore much lesse in the Lords creatures But God willing to shew his goodnesse in all degrees and to have a resemblance of himselfe in things hath made a defect in things 2. If no defect there had beene but one good thing Excellency is a property of God if there were no defect in things there could be no excellence the resemblance of God but in some creature there is some resemblance of the Creator 3. No order for unlesse there be a prior and posterior there can be no order Againe sundry vertues had beene superfluous justice temperance c. Thirdly because it is necessary that good should be loved in the highest degree and we cannot be brought to love good more then by the want of it The Lord drew the greatest benefit that ever we had our redemption out of the greatest evil and suffering the evill and defect being the way to the want of it therefore this permission would he never have granted unlesse more good might be had by the permission of it then by the not having of it The greatest evill that ever was was the betraying of Christ out of this the Lord drew the greatest benefit that ever was our redemption That there is a providence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly is that affection of love which the parents beare to their children and the children to their parents 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the want of it Now that there is providence 1. generall 2. in singular things not onely by the ordinary course of second causes but also by the direction of God himselfe For the first It s naturall to every thing to be carefull to preserve that which he hath brought forth and and that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 naturall affection And as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 naturall affection is a great vertue and the having of it is Gods gift so is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the want of naturall affection a great infamy and vice If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the want of
Master where is my feare and he may by best right challenge it for his authority is highest and above all Esa 49.24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty or the lawfull captive be delivered but thus saith the Lord even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away and the prey of the tyrant shall be delivered c. And not onely a King but as it is Revel 4.10 such a one as all the celestiall powers and principalities shall fall on their faces before him and cast their Crownes at his feete and say Thou O Lord art onely worthy to receive all power glory honour and authority 2. Potestas puâ—uendâ— his power to punish The course and nature of might 2. Though he have no authority yet if he have power if he be a mighty enemy and not onely that but a furious person hee is to be feared might is fearfull but especially the might of God which as it exceedeth the course and nature of all other might so it hath provoked them that were farthest of to feare as Dan. 3.26 Nebuchadnezzar when he saw that by Gods power working above nature the three men walked in the fiery Oven without any him either to their body or garments it so terrified him that he made a contrary Decree to his former and caused it to be published throughout all his Countries and Regions that whosoever blasphemed the God of Sidrach c. should be drawne in peeces with horses and his house made a jakes Dan. 6.26 When King Darius saw how wonderfully Daniel was delivered from the Lions he was stricken with such a feare that he caused his accusers to bee cast into the Denne and to make a Decree throughout all his Dominions that they should feare and tremble before the God of Daniel So we read often in the Gospel obstupuerunt they were astonied at his power 3. Fault 1. Conscientientia in paâ—iente delictorum nostroâ—um In that he is privie to the offences wee commit against him 3. That we leane upon him in respect of some sinne wee have done to which he is privie Exod. 2.14 Moses when he saw no man nigh was bold enough to kill the Egyptian but when he perceived that some were privie to his fact he fell into a feare and fled Heb. 4.13 There is no creature but is bare in Gods sight all our transgressions are naked before him therefore to be feared as privie to our transgressions therefore our feare must be fixed on him also Differentia inter timorem Dei hommum The difference betweene the feare of God the fear of men And this puts a difference betweene the feare of God and the feare of men which they call malum diuturnitatis custodem an ill preserver of diuturnity for the feare of God is bonus custos diuturnitatis the best preserver of it because there may be no meanes used to put away Gods wrath or to escape his jurisdiction whereas there may be meanes devised that man power might be resisted or at the least to avoid his jurisdiction therefore Ierome saith Rule 1. Quid hic praecipitur What is here commanded Timor seâ—â—orum initialis filiorum gratuitus A feare of servants at their entring of children free Timor servilis non proâ—sus rejiciendus A servile seare is not altogether to be rejected Ubi timor Domini est possessor animae where the feare of the Lord possesseth the soule there no hope to escape and no feare but it shall be with diuturnity Now to our Rules what is commanded and forbidden 1. what is commanded 1. here is commanded both feares The Schoolmen they divide it into two other kinds which is not so necessary the 1. they call timorem servorum a feare of slaves which is a good feare though some unskilfull men condemne it now adayes yet is the one better then the other It is true Rom. 8.15 to them that are come to a grouth in Christ that they have not received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the spirit of bondage to feare againe therefore it is a thing to be received It is inferior to the spirit of adoption but yet this spirit is better then the spirit of Belial and that of slumber Esa 29.10 which is either a dissolutenesse of life and contempt of God which possesseth the most part of the world or a blockishnesse in sinne which is more diffused then the other Actio perfecta non accipitur nisi imperfecte primo perfect Actions are at the first received with some imperfection It is a good thing to bee a sonne but yet it is better to be a servant and as it is Psal 84.11 to be a doore-keeper in the house of God then to dwell in the tents of ungodlinesse and to be with Gods enemies and to say with the prodigall sonne Luke 15.19 I am no more worthy to be called thy son make me as one of thy hired servants It is good being in Canaan the land of promise but yet it is better to be in the Wildernesse then in Egypt Aug. writing on Luke 12.4 hath this saying You will say Timeo gehennam quid dicam ego male times vane times video Dominum sustulisse unum timorem posuisse alterum porsus time I am afraid of Hell what shall I say that thy feare is nought and vaine No I see the Lord hath denied thee one kind of feare and left thee the other feare and spare not And in another place he saith fac si nondum potes amore justitiae at timore poenae If thou canst not doe it for the love of righteousnesse yet doe it for the feare of punishment and his ground is out of Deut. 5.29 nothing brought the Jewes to the Law of God but the terror they conceived of the strange sights they saw and yet God wished that his people might have such an heart alwayes yet that was but a servile feare for it came of these fearfull sights and noyses that did concurre at the delivery of the Law * * * The Clouds Earthquake Thunder nothing else but to worke feare It pleased God to annex to his Law the Proclamation of his justice to the end it might stirre up feare in the hearers which is the proper effect of the Law Timor filiorum Filiall feare The former feare is of a defect of our selves the latter of love The other they call timor filiorum a filiall feare they use to make example of this in the sonne of the poore man that hath a reverend feare to offend his Father though he know that he will doe him no good nor can doe him any hurt this is not that that was before it may be called reverence the other commeth of the feare of the Law this of love This is that feare Psal 19.9 that endureth for ever and Phil. 2.12 he chargeth them to make an end of their salvation with feare and trembling Cum Dewn amamus timere debemus ratio
good soever we have it comes from him Visible beauty 〈…〉 1. Beauty there is a visible and invisible beauty The visible is such as our eyes are drawne to one of the Heathen calleth it radium divinae essentiae a beame of the divine essence another florem divini seminis a flower sprung up of a divine seede This visible beauty is not such as should move us much One of the Heathen saith Damihi solem aestâ—vum bring it but into the summers sun it is done da mihi ventum vernum or to the March winde it will marre it duc unguem transversum scratch it but with thy naile it is clean spoyled or let all alone yet it is soloccidens a declining sun it will set of it selfe yeeres and sicknesse will abridge it The beauty of God if a man had a glorified eye farre passeth all these streames Psal 16. last v. the Prophet saith that hee saw the likenesse of God but in a vision and it filled him continually For the invisible beauty Augustin sheweth a good way to finde it It may happily be that thou lovest a man because he is thy friend may it not also be that he is an old man and what lovest thou then in him his head is white his body is crooked his face wrinkled O thou wilt say fidelis homo est he is a faithfull honest man Well saith he quibus oculis videtur fides iisdem videtur Deus God is seene by those eyes by which thou discernest thy friends fidelity This motive is no where greater in God we shall have most perfect rest otherwise set thine eye or heart on any countenance or pleasure in the earth thou shalt finde no rest But quicquid est per quod satigationi occurritur whatsoever we take paines about that same thing in fatigationem vertitur it wearieth us if it be but awhile 2. For the other i. for neerenesse propinquitas name any name of neerenesse not the mention of Dominus servus of Lord and servant but there it is and that is a great priviledge that we have that the Angels are not our Lords but our fellow-servants but the name of a friend is greater nearenesse Iohn 15.15 I will call you my friends and that such a friend as we see that his glorious estate made him not thinke scorne of us and in the pitch of our adversity he did most love us Brother Iohn 20.17 Goe tell my brethren c. and whereas in a naturall thing it is that if there be many it diminisheth as the affection of Parents when they have many children Gen. 37.3 this otherwise Luke 12.13 Brethren according to the flesh they are a meanes that the inheritance commeth not whole but this brother is so farre from keeping any portion of the inheritance from us as that having two rights he was content to part with one right and to entitle us wholly with it Father Deut. 32.6 Dealest thou so with the Lord is not he thy Father that bought thee c. not as thy father after the flesh that hath begot thee happily to a benefit peradventure to a curse if thy other Father take no better order for thee then thy father after the flesh especially the Spouse through the whole booke of the Cantic Deus zelotypus he is jealous over us And that that goeth beyond all these because hee was not neere enough Heb. 2.17 that in all things he might be like unto us he tooke upon him our nature and made himselfe like unto us in all things only sin excepted which made us unlike him that there might be perfectus amor ubi perfecta similitudo perfect love where there was perfect likenesse 3. Benefits that motive is used Esa 1.3 hang up a crib and see thou put provender into it and the Oxe and the Asse will know you for it So is the state of benefits among men Luke 7.47 he to whom is more forgiven or given to loveth more and his love it waxeth and waneth according to the benefit For benefits that we are facti refecti our owne particular Table will instruct us how bountifull he is in serving up all the creatures to our use so promotion riches and honour they come not from men but God ipse est qui inclinavit corda corum what benefit soever we receive of men we are accountable to him for all and then considering that dedit filium he hath given us his sonne Deus Filius pretium Spiritus pignus Pater praemium for a price Spiritum Sanctum the holy Ghost for a pledge and earnest servat se tantum in praemium and hath reserv'd himselfe for a crowne and reward of that love that we shall afford him therefore if we know not his crib then let the Oxe teach us to know our Masters crib and he is nothing comparable to God The signes of love The proper signes are obedience and patience which are the proper effects of love but others are to be recounted Signa amoris the signes of love and they are particularly to be handled 1. The first is in Matth. 6.21 Christ saith wee shall know where our treasure is i. our love by the heart i. by the thoughts of our heart The bending of a mans thoughts upon any thing so that a man may know that which he loveth most if he can know the thing that he doth oftenest thinke of we have example of it Mar. 8.14 if there be any thing that a man setteth his minde upon he thinketh it is mentioned when ought is spoken that may be taken that way as it is said that when our Saviour Christ beganne to teach them to beware of the leaven of the Pharisces and of Herod their minde was on bread and they thought Christ spake to them to warne them of bread when he spake the Parable of Leaven so then that is a signe of the love of God if our thoughts be upon him Thoughts are of three sorts either a thought Deepe Long Often repeated Cogitatio Profunda Prolixa Crebra The deepe thought is that which in the Saints of God is especially to shew forth it self Cogitatio profunda so that sundry seemed to be in an exiasie in recounting the mercie of God the matter of their love and it is a signe of great love in them The other a long continued thought continuae cogitationes though not profundae * * * When the minde runneth upon a thing continually though it cannot thinke of it seriously Prolixa Ezek. 33.31 their minde ranne so much upon worldly affaires as it is the manner of age to thinke of wealth and covetousnesse so of youth to thinke of pastime that in the meane while they thought not of the word of God So these continued thoughts shewed what they loved so then if our thoughts upon God may be continued though they be not very deepe yet they are a good signe of love
is plaine enmity with God and as he is a carnall man Ezek. 13.3 there is a desire in him to follow his owne spirit and Prov. 21.2 omnis via viri recta sibi every way of man is right in his owne eyes if he follow that then he thinketh he hath followed a right way And as we have this liking in us so there is another liking in God there is no such way in God Ier. 18.11 revertatur quisque à via sua returne every man from his owne way they must come backe therefore they were in a wrong way Gen. 6.5 Gods owne testimony that mans thoughts are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rak rang col hajom naught and exceeding naught c. therefore there is like to come but little fruit of this oblocutor 1 Pet. 2.11 his fruit that doth follow them that they doe militare 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 warre against the soule above all this is that that sheweth us that it is the punishment of God Psal 78.29 they had their desire he let fall Quailes round about their Tents but lost his favour i. with their desire they had the wrath of God Psal 81.12 he would have had no strange God to be amongst them nor any other God worshipped but they refused to heare his voyce and to obey him therefore he gave them over and let them fall away What is the reward Such as Rom. 1.24 it is the punishment of the greatest offences of Idolatry and yet 1 Cor. 5.5 there is a delivering of one to the Devill a good effect commeth of it 2 Cor. 2.8 there is a delivering to a mans selfe and it is better to be delivered to Satan then to our owne desires And it is the course of Moses Exod. 4.14 whereas God required him a very plausible thing to man to be a Magistrate he being suspitious lest his will should beguile him because he felt no oblocutions so he made foure denials before he would take it till God was very wrath with him The iudgments of the Fathâ—â—â—â—â—vellous for true obedience it hath nothing de suo of its owne but totum de alieno all from another it is a continuall gainesayer of it selfe 3. A third thing and that is a joyning of these two together for there are some that will heare God and because they will have no gainesaying they will heare the gainesayer too This we are commanded from for when they have heard what God can say then Gal. 1.16 they call a conference and heare what flesh and bloud can say and they themselves will sit Judges Paul saith when I was to preach Christ to the Gentiles I never consulted with flesh and bloud As one saith very well of our affections that they are like Lime which where it should be coldest as in water it is there hottest and there coldest where it should be hottest so a mans reason is never so suspitious and wary as when it commeth to deale with God and never so carelesse as when we are farthest from him as if he were persona malae fidei They doe transigâ—e tanqâ—â—m â—uâ— homine pessimae fidei one not to be trusted where they neede least to feare If they heard the Minister of the word there they are most afraid and are marvellous carefull for examining all circumstances lest happily they should be seduced whereas in worldly matters where most perill is there they are most secure Of this proceedeth a partiall obedience the Fathers call it delicatam obedientiam for certaine things to sit and heare an houre and receive the Cup the Sacrament the flesh seeth no harme in it but as 2 Sam. 16.18 Chusai then ready for another this is specially to be taken heed of we must be content to hear God and so that we be willing to gainesay his gainesayers and never make a mixture of them The last thing commanded for the measure or qualtity of it that it be ready and willing as Bernard saith though contra voluntatem yet ex voluntate cheerefully Rom. 6.17 he commends them that from the heart they obeyed for there is an obedience that is coacta constrained Ier. 23.33 there the people they were content to heare but their account was What is the burthen of the Lord and God saith I will even forsake them for this saying I will visit every such one c. the burthen of the Lord shall ye mention no more thus shall ye say c. Amor erubescit nomen difficultatis Love scornes the name of difficulty it counteth it a light yoke and very easie against them that doe unwillingly Iohn 6.60 their opinion of the Sacrament durus eâ— hic sermo this is a hard saying Matth. 8.29 there is obedience in the Devill he came out but with great grudging and renting and casting him downe and he made much adoe before he came out those that cannot doe cheerefully shew their measure to be with the Devill Psal 19.10 this durus sermo to him was as sweete as an honycoâ—be whereas the Jewes counted it a burden The last part that we have relation to that in obedience that God especially aimeth at and will have done The intent of the precept is the object of this precept of obedience yea though they bee harder then Saul for of Saul 1 Sam. 15.20 the leanest he could have offered and in killing of the poore multitude he could have obeyed God but Agag and certaine of the Nobility and the fattest of the sheepe and cattell he spared whereas Gods intent was rather to have had his obedience in them but because there was a greater difficulty and a better estimation he heard the oblocution The end is to be delivered at the third rule of things forbidden Nâ—g what is forbidden it is called disobedience the state whereof may be conjectured if we compare it with that that it is resembled to of the Teraphim and see the effects of it in our nature 1 Sam. 15.23 it is said that rebellion or disobedience is as the sinne of witchcraft and the abomination of the Teraphim The reason of the resemblance as in witchcraft we will yeeld obedience so long as God will answer us in any evill thing we will obey him and again because it was noted in the law that the Witches and Sorcerers they should give false answers so we see here in this place his disobedience answered him like a Witch for he disobeyed for fear of the people lest he should be put out of the Kingdome he did disobey and yet the Kingdome was translated 2. To the abomination of the Teraphim Gen. 31.30 they had their dâ—i penates their houshold Gods about the corners of their houses and in their high wayes and such is the sinne of disobedience for in the Temple all held obedience outward to the meanes but abroad our Teraphim and our Gods We see by punishing for it what account he makes ofâ—â— 2. In the effect Deut. 27.26 we see that the
visitation is for justice so here should have beene merces and not misericordia not Mercy but wages but our reward doth argue non mercedem but gratuitum amorem not wages but mercy Now that it is called a work operans misericordiam and the other i.e. his justice but a visitation i. e. a thing intermitted that is also a speciall thing to bee observed the nature of his justice is restrayned to the fourth generation and his mercy is extended to thousands so here is a proportion the one containing the other two hundred and fifty times not that the mercy of God is greater then his justice but because he is more delighted in the action of the one then of the other The reward is promised to them that love him the manner of love is according to the love of God because he is jealous for us that wee might bee jealous for him that wee may say as 1 King 19.20 Elias zelo zelatus sum I have beene very jealous for the Lord God of hosts sake zelantes potiùs quà m amantes The triall of this love consisteth in keeping the commandements i. e. that if it be not a commandement it is not from him and therefore whatsoever was without them was not from love Another it is very certaine that the righteousnesse of speech and the true signe of loving him had beene the keeping of him but he saith not so but the keeping of my commandements the reason is because he is able to keepe himselfe and needeth not our keeping therefore he hath set our love to bee tryed by two things First by mandata or praecepta mea his commandements Secondly minimos istos his little ones for the commandements it is said Wee keepe him in his parâ—â—â—â—â— and his love in mandata Hosea 4.10 that they kept them not 2. for the other Mat. 25.45 quandiu uni ex istis minimis non fecistis neque mihi c. in as much as yee did it not to one of the least of these yee did it not to mee And the third thing is this that our estimation of them must be such that wee thinke them worth the keeping as Psal 19.10 David accounteth of them as dearly as of much fine Gold of Ophir and Psal 119.72 Thy law is dearer to mee then thousands of gold and silver For keeping by this word Keeper wee must understand that God hath made us keepers of his commandement Now the property and charge of a Keeper is to preserve that thing that he keepeth as from himselfe so from others and to see and have regard that it be neither lost by negligence nor cast away nor broken nor hurt but kept sound till his comming that gave them to him in charge For the losse of Gods commandements 1. King 20.40 For the breaking of them Mat. 5.19 Whosoever shall breake the least of these commandements c. shall be called the least in the kingdome of God but a contemptuous threatning is Psal 50.17 Now that they may be safely kept and as it is Prov. 4.21 it is best to lay them up in that place that is surest even in the middest of our heart For the keeping in regard of others wee must not say as Cain of Abel sumne ego custos c. am I my brothers keeper for as Caine should have beene keeper of his Brother that others kill him not so wee should be keepers of Gods commandements that others breake them not Wee must have the commandements of God not only observanda but also consenvanda not only observe but conserve them And if wee performe this duty wee shall doe as they doe Prov. 16.17 he that keepeth them keepeth his owne soule by them So much of the 2d Commandement The III. Commandement Thou shalt not take the c. THe object of this commandement is the Name of god or his glory The thing commanded is a reverent taking of his Name comprehended in this word praise And the proper place of Gods glory is in this commandement by reason of the object which is his name by the which he is glorified And this his glory is such as for it Esa 43.7 he created all things For mine owne glory I created them and for this that which was before his Creation his predestination Ephes 1.6 unto which wee must joyne our praise Now if they must be made like to their creator if the worke must be according to the minde of the maker it is well therefore that end which moved him to make us must be our end and therefore all our actions and thoughts must come to this to be as it is 2. Thes 1.12 That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you In the second Commandement be these two respects First that the honour exhibited in outward behaviour is exhibited to one that is present Secondly that the honour exhibited is given to the party himselfe for to him alone it must be done Now the worship of the Tongue which wee call Praise goeth beyond these and is most excellent for it is of him that is absent and to others and not to himselfe Though God be present every where yet when wee in our actions and speeches speake of him to others there is praise and so it goeth to him And yet there commeth a further portion of glory So that it is not only true Luk. 14.8 that honour is given to the person but also to his Name Psal 29.2 Give to God the glory due unto his name which giving of glory is properly called praise for the worship of God is made an especiall glorification of God Psal 50. vers last he that offereth me praise glorifieth mee which sheweth that it is allone to give glory to God and to give him praise Now this praise hath his proper place in our mouth Psal 34.1 With my mouth will I praise thee the instrument chiefe in this office is the Tongue and by performance of this our tongues are made glorious Psal 37.30 The mouth of the righteous will be talking of wisdome and his tongue will speake of judgment The manner how this praysing is to be performed is set downe in Moses Deut. 32.3 I will publish with my mouth give yee glory to God i. e. one must report and they that heare must give glory to God Now as was said before in the word Glory accordingly as it is taken both in divinity and out of divinity there is more then either in honour praise or worship because all these are directed that the party on whom they are bestowed might be glorified And the matter of glory hath proportion to Claritas the brightnesse in glasse and in other such visible things that as they are seene a farre off so that party to whom such honour is given it is in such sort that he might have a name a farre off and knowne Therefore for this cause in Psal 66.2 the Prophet having exhorted men to praise he goeth further and
reasons and witnesses c. so that we count it as Prov. 18.10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower the righteous runneth to it and is exalted And the Heathen man saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all things men set most by their faith When all faile we may take Sanctuary here This is the first part of the honour of God 2. In regard of the cause as before his greatest honour the ground of all honours Faith that this proceedeth from a great Faith In regard of the former part of an oath that is Contestation that we beare witnesse with tongue that are present that we beleeve as 1 Cor. 4.5 that God will lighten all things that are in darknesse that God will make all manifest He seeth all things even the very secrets of the heart And secondly in regard of the execution as Rom. 12.19 that he will punish mihi ultio ego retribuam Vengeance is mine and I will repay it Herein we beleeve that God hath power to bring his judgements upon us This beleife that he hath vengeance to execute turneth greatly to Gods glory and therefore was it that God was contented as it were to lend his name to sweare by it to make an end of their questions Thus we see how God hath his glory hence The next thing is to see what we are commanded and forbidden 1. The affirmative part that we shall take his Name to end our quarrells his name shall come as a sanctuary to quit or condemne in which we shall enclose our selves and satisfie our Law The first is jurare to sweare that is commanded flatly Deut. 6.13 set close to that which was the affirmative part of the last Commandement but more effectually and vehemently Esay 45.23 I live and have sworne by my selfe that every knee shall bowe to me and every tongue sweare by me For this cause there cometh another division of Oathes he hath not onely taken order that we should be willing that the oath should passe Exod. 22.11 which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a voluntary Oath but also 2 Chron. 6.22 that if they still not be willing there shall be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an oath of imposition conrstictè jurare to make him sweare precisely and punctually And Levit. 5.1 if any man heare an Oath that should returne to Gods glory and doe not utter it but hold his peace it shall be accounted to him as sinne So we see what Gods will is herein what he commandeth and then the great end of Gods glory and necessity of men Now for examples of these David Psal 63.12 Laudabuntur omnes laetabuntur qui jurabunt per eum every one that sweareth by him shall glory and rejoyce Therefore we see this commendation All the Saints have passed under it 1. God himselfe Gen. 22.16 I have sworne by my selfe saith the Lord because thou hast done this thing c. vers 17. therefore I will surely blesse thee 2. After God the caelestiall spirits Revel 10.6 The Angell lifted up his hand to Heaven and swore by him that liveth for ever more So the division concerning the case first of Gods glory to be confirmed and secondly the benefit of our brethren For the glory of God a famous Oath 2 Chron. 15.14 of Asa and the people They sweare to the Lord with a loud voyce for the observation of Dauids Religion 4. Likewise Nehem. 10.29 The chiefe of them received it for their brethren and they came to the curse and to the oath to walke in Gods Law c. For the other part in regard of mans benefit the wealth of mankind First we see it in mutuall leagues and confae deracies the example of Abraham Gen. 21.24 betwixt Abimelech and him Secondly likewise for a conspiracy publike Judg. 21.1 Moreover the men of Israel swore saying None of us shall give his daughter to the Benjamites to wise Thirdly for the receiving or uniting of Nation to Nation Ioshua 9.19 To the Gibeonites Ioshuah made peace and league with them that he would suffer them to live and they sware and the breach of it was punished 2 Sam. 21.2 2. For obedience and reciprocall duties betweene the Prince and Subjects we have examples and commandements First of the Prince 2 Kings 11.12 of Ioash Secondly of the Subjects 1 Kings 1.29 For the succession of Salomon Davids oath And the King swore as the Lord liveth c. For Subjects to him 1 Sam. 24.23 David swore to Saul And all the Subjects tooke an oath for the preserving of Davids life 2 Sam. 21.17 And the men of David swore to him c. Thirdly in a case of safegard of a mans life Ioshuah 2.12 And in regard of Marriage Abrahams example Gen. 24.2 therefore Abraham said to the eldest servant c. Put thy hand under my thigh and sweare by the Lord c. Fourthly in Litigious Suits and Causes Exod. 22.8 11. And as these come under the forme of a Publique oath so for Private oathes in the New Testament in remembrance in prayers and in love Paul seareth not in Rom. 1.9 and Phil. 1.8 to call God to witnesse for a matter of suspition 2 Cor. 1.23 Now I call God to record unto my soule c. all this tendeth to this end that we seeing the two maine reasons the exact Commandement of God his owne example and the Fathers in the Old Testament and the Apostles in the New We might be farre from the vaine opinion of the Anabaptists that are gain sayers of this first part and hold that we may not sweare at all grounding on Christs words Sweare not at all For Mat. 5.17 wee know that Christ came not to breake the Law nor to undoe the least jot of the Law and if it had beene his meaning to have had us not to sweare at all he would have said Non assumes nomen Dei omnino thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God at all For Christs words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they should not sweare at all Sure it is that you must marke the scope for it must bee referred to the scope of the place which is to reconcile the Law from the Pharisees corrupt interpretation for they thought if any man swore by any other name so that he sware not by the name of Iehovah sumere nomen Iehovae and onely frustra in vaine that hee might sweare by any other name Some take also jurare to be put for pejurare Augustine in his 27. Homilie and 30. de verbis Apostoli handleth it sufficiently and largely To sweare is commanded and to consent to Anabaptisme is forbidden The second point Affirmative the word added here Thou shalt take the name of God that is our swearing must be by the name of God and by no other Esay 48.1 There are they that will sweare by the name of the Lord but not in truth and righteousnesse They that sweare not by his name take away his praerogative
allure us Wâ—nton songs as Esa 53.15 Hariots songs and a worse abuse Amos 6.5 a conforming of such songs as they desire to heare for their wantonnesse to the instruments and tunes of Davids songs So by what meanes soever the spirit of fornication is watered all is unlawfull whether it be by songs or by sights by the eyes or by the eares All these Gal. 5.19 are called generally the fruits of the flesh as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wantonnesse Hose 14.16 being faclum lasciviemium and the second redundantium Amos 6.7 Concerning wantonnesse both that in redundantia and in waxing wanton the casting off of the cords of discipline 1 Tim. 5.11 vers 6. by young widowes they are the beginning of what wickednesse soever The vertue of modesty is to restraine these 1 Tim. 2.9 with shamefacednesse and modesty that is properly under the name of honestum Inward beauty and an inward eye and that maketh the Saints to love even as the outward beauty doth the adulterous eye Ephes 5.3 and in divers other places he sendeth this point 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus it becommeth us and as it becommeth the Saints speaking of these he harpeth alwayes on that Two sorts of likers For there are two sorts of likers for 1 Pet. 4.4 5. a kinde of men to whom if we conforme not our selves in the same excesse of riot they thinke it strange And they that are used to them thinke it becomes them well But these shall give account to him that judgeth quick and dead But Psal 52. last there is another sort that shall judge quid deceat nos quid offendat sanctos It is meete that the Saints account meete Sirach 19.27 When a man seeth a man he may know him the apparell laughter gesture and gate will declare what is in him And Hose 5.5 there is an outward pride that will testifie to the face of Israel and Ephraim Signes be either in the eye or in the speech Adulterour eyes In the eye by Christ Matth. 5.28 a glancing eye adultery is in the heart and Marke 7.22 adultery comes from the heart and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an eye of fornication thence also and 2 Pet. 2.14 such as have their eyes full of adultery passively Now of sending forth our lookes exempla the sonnes of God on the daughters of men Gen. 6.2 and the Egyptians on Abrahams wife and fell into this sinne Gen. 12.14 Gen. 34.1 Dinah Gen. 39.7 Potiphars wife on Ioseph So David 2 Sam. 11.2 Prov. 6.25 in the eyes and eye-lids 2. The froth or fome of this sinne forbidden under 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Spuma Ephes 4.29 rotten speech and Col. 3.8 Ephes 5.4 it must not be once named because Prov. 12.14 men shall eate the fruit of their lips and Matth. 12.36 de omni verbo otioso c. of every idle word c. therefore much more of those broad speeches The H. G. that way seekes the best names and hath choice of words for it Gen. 4.8 cognovit uxorem suam he knew his wife And it was not with Sarah after the manner of women and 1 Cor. 7.3 he calleth it due benevolence whereby it is very sure that as impudicus oculus is nuncius impudici animi a wanton eye is the messenger of an unchast heart so impudicum labium an unchast lip is the signe of an unchast heart These are either the vice of inverecundia want of shame Heb. 12.28 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with reverence and godly feare and 1 Tim. 2.9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with shamefastnesse and sobriety or the meanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 filthinesse filthie communication and then inferreth an objection and answereth it Some will happily call it stollen water But let no man seduce himselfe for for such things commeth the wrath of God though the deed be away Now in the outward act the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the foregoing symptomes it is either in conatu to compasse it Iob 31.9 by lying in wait at our neighbours dore 31.10 by alluring speeches Exod. 17.18 by sorcery by the example of Iezabell 2 King 9.22 Iezabels whoredomes and witchcrafts when they are past the flowers of their yeares then with sorceries and much more horrible if it be with murther Prov. 7.26 are these praeludia which are actions c. Prov. 5 20. he forbids complexus impudicos to embrace the bosome of a stranger forbidden Prov. 7.13 the Harlot had a strong face and she caught him and kist him incestum osculum an unchast kisse Deut. 25.12 he forbids the touch of the hand the woman that helpeth her husband c. shall have her hand cut off Habak 2.15 A woe to him that giveth his neighbour drinke to see his nakednesse But beyond these the Apostle maketh a period There are many moe then these but it is a shame to name them therefore it is a shame to doe them Against these stands the vertue pudicina chastity 1 Thes 4.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in sanctification and honour and Phil. 4.8 and Iames 3.4.17 that is that part of vertue that procureth the taking away of these Deut. 22.12 he taketh order so that that sight might not be seene that Cham saw and not abhorring the sight had a curse for it 〈…〉 Now of the act it selfe In the actuall sinne of incontinencie in the first place was that which the Apostle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 3.5 Gal. 4.19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 uncleannesse for the affirmative of this Commandement before 1 Thes 4.4 Every man must possesse his owne vessell in holinesse and honour Opposite to sanctification 2 Cor. 7.1 to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holinesse hee setteth there 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the defiling of the flesh so likewise 1 Thes 4.5 for there he opposeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For the actuall sinne is nothing else but the bringing forth of the passion of concupiscence of that the concupiscence longeth after So the carnall passage of the seede But 2 Pet. 2.10 he goeth plainely to it and calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. a desire of polluting With which pollution Iude vers 8. speaking of wicked men saith sopiti inquinant carnem these filthy dreamers defile the flesh and vers 23. not onely their flesh but their garments also are defiled with their flesh which he would have a man to hate that his hatred should stretch forth it self to the coate or garment that was defiled with the flesh it was one of the members and not all For this Numb 5.27 bringeth in diseases and weakning of our bodies and the pollution of it which standeth against Baptisme which hath an outward action and an inward Now because Iude vers 8. speakes of such as sopiti inquinant carnem therefore there falleth into this member nocturna pollutio nocturnall pollution which if it be by reason of infirmity or secondly ex plenitudâ—ne vasorum from
the poore Psal 41.1 he saith Blessed is the man that judgeth wisely of the poore Our common fancie is that they concerne us not that judgement must be as God judgeth and that shall never be reversed How is that even as he saith Deut. 15.11 God saith there that he hath taken this order that there shall be ever some poore in the land and therefore I command thee it is strange thou shall open thy hand to the needy and to the poore so some poore are appropriated unto us they are made nostri ours we cannot shake off this affixum hanger on us and so consequently vers 3. we shall be bound to doe this Non obfirmabis cor heard heart neque claudes manum close hand and vers 9. he saith Take heede there be not a wicked thought in thy heart that it grieve thee to looke on him And if he crie out unto the Lord against thee it will be sinne unto thee And the reward of sinne is death therefore he sheweth what he ought not to doe therefore vers 8. he saith if his hand be but weakned open thy hand and lend him and vers 10. if lending will doe no good thou shalt give him For there is a double estate of the poore some if it be lent them cannot employ it so that they can live and pay it againe other be so impotent that lending cannot helpe them therefore God hath taken order for a free gift for them Matth. 5.43 they are both joyned together by Christ Now this is a second thing August counsell is not to let thornes grow among seed but to compasse the seed with an hedge of thornes that is the proper use of them or else if that will not be then we must inserere verbum spinis as to graft on thorne stickes here is a science Thou shalt open thy hand and lend him and if that will not serve thou shalt give him graft that and it shall bring forth fruits of mercie therefore this we must doe Christ Luke 19.13 as before he saith there that he hath given us our talents with this condition Negotiamini dum venio trade till I come for his advantage and he saith Matth. 25.24 that this occupying if we will deale with him for a reward must be by improving our talent and then laying it out to the use of the hungry naked and sick this is the best way of increase and the surest to binde him to reward us yet is he not content to goe thus farre only but he hath made a new promise in the Gospel that that which is done to the least of them he will account it as done to him Those that the wise man Prov. 20.10 speaketh of viscera impiorum crudelia cruell bowels or else as the Apostle saith Phil. 2.1 nulla viscera no bowels or 1 Iohn 3.17 clauserit viscera close bowels shut up and no fruit of mercie commeth from them the law of God abideth not in them In Exod. 23.11 to meete with this vice there is a peculiar order taken sixe yeares the land shall be ploughed and sowen and whatsoever commeth of it those sixe yeares thou shalt gather in for thy selfe but in the seventh yeare thou shalt let it lie and let the poore gather of it so likewise shalt thou doe in thy Vine-yards and Olive-trees Levit. 19.9.10 When a man reapeth his field whatsoever he leaveth unreaped he shall not goe over the field twice and he shall have a corner that is for the poore and Deut. 25.19 if a man have left sheaves in the field he shall not returne to take them but let the poore stranger have them And by an argument a comparatis Deut. 22.1 he saith If any see the Asse of his brother goe astray or any harme befall him thou shalt not passe by but help the Asse therefore much more thy brother if any weaknesse befall him thou shalt help him Now for the point it selfe necessitas uiplex there is a three-fold necessity in Divinity 1. Necessitas naturae the necessity of nature every man is to provide for inward food meat drinke tegumenium apparell house-roome 2. Necessitas personae personall necessity 1 Tim. 5.8 he is bound to provide for them of his owne house Luke 11.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they likewise give almes of what they have 3. Necessitas status conditionis to have wherewith to live according to our state and condition This last commeth not unto this neither doth respect it Aug. if a man have three hundred pounds hee hath no more then will serve him and if a man have three thousand pounds he hath no more then will serve him But Christ saith after the two first be served then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but rather give almes of such things as you have give almes for during particular necessities to our selves of nature or person a man is not bound to give except 2 Cor. 8.3 it be for the common helpe and good of the Church but if there be any surplus he is bound also even those that were in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 otherwise The reason of this Châ—ysostome giveth for saith he if you doe not this you love not your money and yet covetousnesse is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the love of money The covetâ—u loveth not his money and yet they which are covetous have most close bowels he proveth that they love it not very soundly for saith he that true love is not amor concupiscentiae to desire meate to eate but the other velle ejus bonum quod quem amamus to wish the good of that thing and of that person whom we love If we love our money we wish ut bene fit ei good to it now of all things in the world here bene esse is iâ—a esse ut Deus ordinavu the welbeing of a thing is so to be as God hath appointed it Now then if any man doe ordaine an esse to his money in that order that God hath ordained it then he wisheth the good of it and consequently he loveth it else he wisheth the evill of it and so loveth it not if we speake of the right love Gods ordinance is as we see in every thing that is good that it should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sociable or willing to communicate and to make it an infallible signe of the Church that there is communicatio Sanctorum the communion of the Saints Rom. 12.13 communicantes Sanctorum necessitatibus communicating to others necessities Now we become liberales liberall and free that is liberare animam à vitiis to free our soules from vices this is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellowship 2 Cor. 9.13 and there likewise to shew that we are to account of it it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 distribution 2 Cor. 9.1 it is a service or ministery a rent to be paid This is that men must thinke of it and he
unloose Christs shooe Mat. 3. he might have tooke it in scorne that the Disciples of John should teach him his duty after the example of John but Christ to commend his humility is content both in his preaching and praying to follow John John said Every tree that brings not forth good fruit Matth. 3. And Christ though he were the wisedome of God and furnished with all manner of doctrine yet was content to borrow that sentence from John Baptist as appeareth in his Sermon Matth. 7. So he was content to follow him in prayer So that the example of Johns diligence in teaching his Disciples that duty was a motive to him to do the like unto him Whereas the Disciples of Christ tell him that John was wont to teach his Disciples to pray they speake by experience for divers of them were before-time Disciples unto John as appears Joh. 1.37 The ordinary prayer that was used in the Synagogue among the Jewes was that prayer which is intituled the prayer of Moses Psal 90. and as Christ saith The Law and the Prophets were untill John Luk. 16. So that prayer of Moses continued in the Church of the Jewes untill Johns time when he was come he used another forme of prayer which endured to the comming of Christ who having taught his Disciples a third forme of prayer Johns prayer ceased the reason was because as the Apostle speaketh of Moses Heb. 3. Albeit both Moses the Prophets and John were faithfull in the house of God yet they were but servants but Christ was that Sunne of righteousnesse and the day-starre that was long before promised and therefore seeing he being come hath taught a more perfect forme of prayer hee beeing onely wise all other formes ought to give place to his Secondly according to the rule of John Baptist a man can receive nothing except it be given him from above Joh. 3.2 Then if wee will obtaine any thing we must put up our supplications to God for it but in making our prayers we may offend for he that is of the earth is earthly and speakes earthly things Therefore John according to his owne confession may mingle some corruption with his prayer But Christ that is from heaven is above all Joh. 3. and therefore if he teach us to pray it shall be in such sort as God shall accept it and for this cause Christs prayer doth excell the prayers both of Moses and John and all the Prophets Touching which forme of prayer as before he had given them an abridgement of that obedience which the law requireth Luk. 16. So here he doth briefly set downe a forme of prayer As it is said of him that grace and truth is by Jesus Christ Joh. 1. so when in the other Chapter he had shewed them the truth of the Law so now he tels them that grace must be sought for of God by prayer whereby wee may be able to obey that Law The suit of the Disciples being both profitable to themselves and no subtile question Christ is content presently to grant their request and therefore his answer is When yee pray say c. Wherein we are to observe two things first whereas there are certaine practicke spirits that crosse that saying of our Saviour and tell us we may not use this prayer which Christ gave saying Our Father but that we are to frame our prayers of our owne as our state shall require these words are a contradiction to their ne dicite Christ himselfe hath commanded us to use this forme of prayer and therefore we may be bold to say Our Father whatsoever prayers we make of our selves they have some earth because wee our selves are of the earth but the prayer instituted by Christ is free from all imperfection because it was penned from him that was from above Joh. 3. In this prayer there is not one word wanting that should be put in nor any word more then ought to be Therefore both in regard of the Author of it and the Matter we may safely use this forme of Prayer Secondly these words are an opposition betwixt Cogitate and Dicite It is not enough to thinke in our minds this prayer but our prayers must be Vocal so that as in this Christ casteth out the dumbe devill so here he casteth out the dumbe prayer It is true that the life of prayer and thanksgiving standeth herein That we sing praises with under standing Psal 47. that we do or are mente spiritu 1 Cor. 14. Herein stands the soule of prayer but as we our selves have not onely a soule but a body also so our prayer must have a body Our tongue must be the penne of a ready writer Psalm 45. We must at the time of prayer bow our knees as our Saviour Christ did Luk. 22.41 We must lift up our hearts with our hands Lam. 3. Our eyes must be lift up to God that dwelleth in the heaven Ps 123. And as David sayes Psal 135. All our bones must be exercised in prayer The reason why we must use this forme of prayer is taken from the skill of him that hath penned it and from his favour with God We are not acquainted with the phrases of the Court and we know not what sure to make unto God But Christ who is our Advocate in whom all treasures of wisedome and knowledge are hid Col. 2. He can forme us a bill and make such a petition for us as shall be acceptable at the hands of God None knowes the things of God but the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. So none knowes what pleaseth God but Christ who hath received the Spirit from God and in this regard as he knowes Gods will best so he is best able to frame a forme of prayer so as it may be agreeable to Gods will Secondly touching the Authority which Christ hath with God his Father it was such as God proclamed from Heaven This is my beloved Sonne and Christ saith Thou hearest mee alwayes Joh. 11. So greatly was he respected with God In both these respects we may be bold to say Our Father c. We have the promise that if we aske any thing in the name of Christ he gives it us Joh. 16.17 Much more may we have confidene to be heard Si non modo in nomine ejus sed verbis ejus The Apostle saith If I had the tongue of Men and Angels 1 Cor. 13. His meaning is that the tongues of Angels were more glorious then the tongues of men and therefore that song of the Angels Holy Holy Holy Esay 6. is magnified in the Church But this prayer was formed by the tongue of Christ who is the Lord of Angels The Cherubims hid their faces before th◠Lord of Hosts Esay 6. And he that made this prayer was the Lord of Hosts of whom it is said Os Domini exercituum locutum est This prayer as one said is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ingaging of our charity and love for we
Iohn 1.18 that is borne againe of the Water and of the Spirit without which Regeneration no entrance is into the Kingdome of God And our dignity in being the sonnes of God in these three sorts is to be considered First in that we are the price of Christs bloâ—d 1 Cor. 6. Secondly we have Characterem that is the stampe of the sonnes of God when we are called Christians Acts 11. Thirdly we are the Temples of the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 3. By meanes whereof he giveth us holy desires and maketh us sorry that we have offended his Majesty the assurance of this is that which the Apostle caâ—s the Spirit of Adoption which hee sends into the hearts of Christians to certifie them both that they are the sonnes of God and may call him Father Rom. 8. in a double sense both in respect of nature and grace not onely by generation but by Regeneration In the naturall affection that God beareth us we have two things 1. the immutability of it 2. the excellencie God doth teach us that his love to us is unchangeable in this that he expresseth it by the name of Father nam pater eâ—tansi offersâ—s est pater filius etiamsi nequam tamen filius A father though offended is a father and a sonne though naught yet is a sonne The Master may cease to be a Master so may a servant The husband may cease to be a husband so may the wife by meanes of divorce but God can never cease to be our Father though he be never so much offended and we cannot cease to bee his sonnes how wicked soever wee bee and therefore God doth by an immutable terme signifie unto us the immutability of his affection Heb. 6. And indeed whether hee doe bestow good things on us or chasten us his love is still unchangeable for both are to bee performed of a father toward his children and therefore whether hee afflict us or bestow his blessings on us we are in both to acknowledge his fatherly care howsoever To flesh and bloud no affliction seemeth good for the present Heb. 12. This immutability of his love as it ministreth comfort in time of affliction so doth it comfort and raise us up in sinne and transgression so that notwithstanding the greatnesse of our sinnes wee may bee bold to seeke to God for favour and say Etsi amisi ingenuitatem filii tamen tu non amisisti pietatem patris Although Lord I have lost the duty of a sonne yet thou hast not lost the affection of a father The excellencie of Gods love appeareth herein that he is not described to be God under the name of a King or great Lord as Mat. 18. There we have an example of great goodnesse in pardoning tenne thousand Talents but yet a doubt will arise in our mindes except we know him to be good otherwise then as he is a King for so looke what mercie he sheweth to us the like he will have us shew to others but we come short of this But this is it that contents us that he describes his goodnesse under the terme of Father in which regard how wickedly soever we deale yet still wee may say with the evill child I will goe to my Father Luke 15. He had cast off his father he had spent all his patrimony yet for all that he resolveth to goe backe and his father is glad to receive him he went and met and entertained him joyfully such affection doth God beare to his children The benefits that we have by the fatherly love of God is of two sorts First Fructus indulgentiae paternae Secondly Fructus liberalitatis paternae that is the fruit of fatherly compassion and the fruit of fatherly bounty Fathers stand thus affected towards their children that they are hardly brought to chasten them and if there be no remedy yet they are ready to forgive or soone cease punishing Pro peccato magno panlulum supplicii satis est Patri for a great offence a small punishment is enough to a father And for their bountifulnesse the Apostle saith that there is naturally planted in fathers a care to lay up for their children 2 Cor. 12. they are both in God for facility ad veniam to pardon and readinesse to forgive makes him Patrem misericordiarum 2 Cor. 3. not of one for he hath a multitude of mercies great mercie and little mercie Psal 51. The affection of David toward Absolon a wicked sonne was such that he forgave him though he sought to deprive his father of his Kingdome 2 Sam. 12. and though wee offend the Majesty of God yet hee assureth us that hee will be no lesse gracious to our offences then David was For David was a man after Gods owne heart 1 Sam. 13. Touching the care which God hath to provide for us the Prophet saith and also the Apostle Cast your care upon the Lord for hee careth for you 1 Pet. 5. He careth for us not as he hath care of Oxen 1 Cor. 9. but such a tender care as he hath for the Apple of his eye Zach. 2. He provideth for us not lands and goods as earthly fathers but an inheritance immortall incorruptible and that fadeth not reserved in Heaven for us 1 Pet. 1. and hath prepared for us an heavenly Kingdome whereof we are made co-heires with his Sonne Christ Rom. 8.17 and this is the fruit of his fatherly bountifulnesse towards us Out of these two the immutability and excellencie of Gods love shewed both in forgiving sinnes and providing good things ariseth a duty to be performed on our parts for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in all comfort nomen patris ut explicat sic excitat charitatem the name of a father as it sheweth so it stirreth up love as it sheweth quid sperandum sic quid sit prastandum what is to be performed of us the name of a father doth promise unto us forgivenesse of sinnes and the blessings not of this life onely but especially of that that is to come and this duty lieth upon us that we so live as becommeth children wee may not continue in sinne but at the least must have virtutem redeundi the vertue of returning Isa 63. Why hast thou caused us to goe out of the way A child though he have wandred never so farre yet at length will come to that resolution I will returne to my father Luke 15. But if we consider the dignity whereunto we are exalted wee shall see on earth Si filii Dei quodammodo Dii simus if we be sonnes we are after a sort Gods Divinae participes naturae 2 Pet. 1. partakers of the divine nature as the sonnes of men are men But the Apostle sets down this plainely Behold what great love he hath shewed us That we should be called the sonnes of God 1 Iohn 3. This dignity requireth this duty at our hands that we reverence our Father Mal. 1.6 If I be your Father where is my love If
Naaman the Syrian had received a benefit by the Prophet he would be thankfull but you must pardon him in this when the King his Master should come into the house of Rymmon c. he will not hazard his place in Court nor the Kings disfavour a cold thanksgiving that a man should sacrifice to his net for God 1 Chron. 21.4 and that of Ioah in a case of numbring the people yet must be thankfull and fals to it 1 Chron. 10.5.6 When his Armour-bearer saw that Saul was dead he fell likewise upon the swordand died The meanes Prayer it selfe is a meanes and the meanes of all means therefore it hath meanes The Meanes i. helpes none to beginne it but to helpe it and they are these 1. Psal 42.14 A consideration of the state of our soule as of our body and so he hath a table before him wherein he seeth what those evill things be that he is most inclinable to and what those good things are that he wants his soule brought a thirst upon him it grew into heavinesse Nothing more fit then to have a perfect and true sense of our wants 2. And on the other side to have a Register of the benefits of God David received great benefits and there is not one of them but wee have a Psalme for it This is his course Psal 40.3 Now when hee had a new benefit he would have a new song many times he wanted some singular benefit and then he comes to reck on up meane benefits for his new house he wrote the 30. Psal for his deliverance from the hands of Achish the 34. Psal Augustin calleth it colligere fragmenta the collecting of fragments When he came colligere fragmenta and make great account of them and as Matth. 15.27 the woman of Canaan counteth of the crummes so to be thankfull for a small benefit is meanes sometimes when he had no new benefits then 38. and 70. Psal he takes an old benefit and makes of it a new song for the remembrance of it and rather then hee would bee idle hee maketh Psalmes and especially the 139. Psal to give God thankes that he had framed him in his mothers womb and when he wanteth all these occasions then he hath meditations of the whole world Psal 8. 19. 104. he is thankfull for all the earth and for the wilde Asses that they have water in the wildernesse to quench their thirst 2. The second meanes is that which the Fathers call alae orationis the wings of prayer that is 1. fasting as 1 Cor. 7.5 Defraud not each other unlesse it be for a time with mutuall consent that you may give your selves to fasting and prayer and August upon that place Iejunium orationis robur oratio jejunium sanctificat fasting strengthneth prayer and prayer sanctifieth fasting 2. The second is almes whereof Daniel was a Preacher cap. 4. v. 24. to Nabuchadonoser 3. The third is out of Matth. 18.20 and Lames 5.15 Si oratio tua fulminet that it may come up into Heaven then ora solus pray apart by thy selfe otherwise esto gutia in imbre grandinis thy prayer is but as a single drop in a shower when our owne prayer is weake then we are to desire the prayer of more and the prayer of the Church 4. Last if none of all these helpe yet there is oratio fidei as oratio sensus though I cannot have the prayer of feeling yet I may have the prayer of faith for these spirituall duties are likened to the seed there commeth not harvest at the first but they being laid up in the bosome of the Lord will in time fructifie Now for the signes of Prayer 1. The earnestnesse of the soule The signes of Prayer Rom. 8.26 when it sendeth forth groans and sighes that cannot be expressed by the tongue plus gemitibus plerunque constat hoc negotium quam sermonibus prayer is often better exprest by groanes then words 2. The second is that in Psal 6.9 where David being before cast downe presently after saith that God heard his prayer and hee answereth habuit aliquem gustum divinorum that he had some taste that God lâ—vd forgiven him his sinnes so if we feele a detestation of our sinnes it is a good signe 3. The third signe is for the fourth meanes it is a patient waiting upon God as the Psalmist saith Psal 101.2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 till thou comest yet will I walke in no evill thing The signes of thanksgiving 1. Psal 63.5 he saith he feeleth his soule filled with marrow and satnesse the children of God have beene rapt when they have fallen into the consideration of Gods benefits 2. The second signe Psal 66.18 when it breedeth in us a jealeusie that if I walke in sinne hereafter God will heare me no more 3. The third signe Psal 58.5 beneficia be veneficia enchanters when his benefits charme us like a strong charmer as in Gen. 39.9 Iosesh answereth his Masters wife My Master hath bestowed these and these things upon mee and how then can I doe him this dishonesty so it is a signe that we are rightly thankfull to God if we can say God hath bestowed these and thus great benefits upon us how then can wee breake his Law 4. The fourth Levit. 7.15 is not to deferre thanksgiving which is gathered out of the type of thanksgiving where the people were commanded that the flesh of the peace-offerings for thanksgiving should be eaten the same day and nothing left till the morning Nihil citius senescit gratia we must not deferre thanksgiving Rule 6. Now for the sixth Rule the procuring of it in others 1 Sam. 14.19 Saul when he should fall to prayer thought the enemies came too fast and laid away the Ephâ—d and wilied the Priest to withdraw his hand and we see what a censure the holy Ghost giveth of him for it therefore we are to see that as we are not impediments to our selves so not to other Iob 21.15 not of those that discourage others and say Who is the Almighty that we should serve him and what profit should wee have if we had prayed to him One of the Fathers maketh this answer that whereas a benefit projicitur ingrato collecatur grato is cast away upon the unthankfull and evill as well as conferd upon the thankfull and good God doth hereby provoke us to the like to be beneficiall unto all by his example and so to be made sonnes of the Highest Luke 6.35 And for the affirmative part 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the invitation of others to the same Psal 95.1 the beginning of our Liturgy O come let us sing unto the Lord let us c. and Psal 34.3 Come let us pray let us magnifie his name together but especially Psal 148. he is not content to have men onely for company but Dragons Snow and all creatures not that they could praise the Lord but this that there is not the basest