the same God with his scepter of yron shall b Psal 2.9 crush and breake in peeces like potters vessels And so I come to the second thing considered in my text Such is the condition for which this doctrine is delivered that thereby every one that will be Christs Disciple is assigned to the necessary observance thereof If he bee a c Rom. 9.21 vessell of honour hauing his name written in heaven exempted from the power of Sathan as deare to God as is the apple of his eie yet in comming after Christ he must bee directed by Christ his doctrine he must deny himselfe he must take vp his Crosse daily and must follow him It is not then put to our choice to doe or not to doe after this rule prescribed vnto vs by our Saviour but we must doe after it otherwise a heavie dome is pronounced against vs d Mat. 7.23 I knowe you not you cannot come after me Then shall we bee e Esai 1.30.31 as okes with fading leaues and as gardens that haue no water Our selues how well soever we think of our selues shall bee as towe and our pleasures as sparkes we shall both burne together How much better is it for vs to harkeÌ„ vnto the voice of our Lord and to be ruled by him He teacheth vs that we must deny our selues and take vp our crosses dayly and follow him if wee will be his disciples A hard doctrine indeed for flesh bloud to consent vnto yet a necessary one and therefore not to be refused You will count him a bad servant vnworthy his masters favour that will not do or grieue to doe that which his master shall command The wise man saith that howsoever the pleasure of a king is in a wise servant yet his wrath shal be towards him that is lewd Pro. 14.35 Gehazi offends his master Elisha because he takes mony and rayment of Naaman the Syrian but how shall Gehazi be rewarded for it The leprosie of Naaman shall cleaue vnto him to his seed for ever himselfe shal be a leaper as white as snow 2. King 5.27 The king of Egypts chiefe baker must not offend his master without losse of his head Gen. 40.22 If we be Christs servants why do we not or why grieue wee to do that which he enioineth vs If he be f Malac. 1.6 our master where is his feare Surely he is not a king in vaine his lewde servants shall smart for their lewdnesse Why do we grieue him If we would giue him leaue if we would but sweepe our house and make it cleane for him he would come downe vnto vs and would dwell in vs. Why do we offend him Whosoever shal offend one of these little ones which beleeue in me saith Christ it were better for him that a milstone were hanged about his necke that he were drowned in the depth of the sea Mat. 18.6 What! shall the offenders of the little ones that beleeue in Christ bee so hardly entreated and shall we that offend Christ himselfe looke to escape blamelesse S. Chrysostome is of opinion that there cannot be a more grievous sore to a mans conscience then to offend Christ for in his 37. homil out of the 11. Chap. of Mat. he saith * Et simulti Gehennam omnium malorum supremum atque vltimum puâ—aÌ„tâ— ego tamen sic censeo sic assiduè praedicabo multo acerbiùs esse Christum offendere quaÌ„ Gehenne malis vexari Howsoever men iudge of hell as of a place of the most bitter and the extreamest torture that may be yet I thinke and will alwaies teach that it is a more bitter and an extreamer torture to offend Christ by living ill then to be tormented in hell fire Yet assure your selues that they which goe downe to hell for their transgressions against the LORD haue not very easie and pleasing punishments for their worme shall never die their fire shall never be quenched and themselues shall be an abhorring to all flesh Esa 56.24 Since then it is so daÌ„gerous a thing to offend our Christ let vs indeavour to offend him no more The displeasure of an earthly king bringeth many enimies with it and shall the King of all kings moued to wrath and displeasure by our wanton and vitious liues not be able to set his creatures against vs yes For his hand is stretched out still For him the * Iosh 10.13 Sunne abode in Gibeon and the Moone stood still in the vally of Aialon and there rained * Iosh 10.11 haylstones from heaven to take part in the discomfiting of the fiue kings of the Amorites Iosh 10.5 For him fire and brimstone fought against Sodome and Gomorah Gen. 19.24 For him the water returned covered the chariots and horsemen even all the host of Pharaoh Exod. 14.27 For him the earth opened her mouth and swallowed vp the murmurers Dathan and Abiram with their families and all the men that appertained to Korah all their goods Numb 16.32 For him the Lyons spoiled the Idolaters their wiues and their children and brake all their bones in peeces Dan. 6 24. For him two Beares came out of the forrest and tore in peeces two and fortie of them which mocked Elisha in his way to Bethel 2. King 2.24 Thus hath God dealt with them with whom he hath beene displeased and yet his hand is stretched out still O that the wicked would consider this and at last forsake their wickednesse But I feare me their blindnesse is so great that they wil not see g Esai 5.18 they draw iniquitie with cords of vanitie and sinne as with cartropes h Vers 20. they speake good of evill and evill of good i V. 21. they are wise in their owne conceits many of them are k V. 22. mightie to drinke wine and among them they are greatest who are strongest to powre in strong drinke I could wish that such would read over the 22. verse of the 5. Chapter of the Prophecie of Esay it is but short and happely it may yeeld them a soveraigne salue for their sore without doubt if they haue any feeling of God they will stand in awe of him when hee denounceth a woe against them and if they will passe but the next verse and come to the 24. they shall there find that as the flame of fire devoureth the stubble and as the chaffe is consumed of the flame so their root shall be as rottennesse and their budde shall rise vp like dust the reason is added because they haue cast off the law of the Lord of hosts and haue contemned the word of the holy one of Israel It may be they are the loather to leaue their pleasures and to part with their sinnes because they haue some perswasion that God hideth his face from them and seeth them not Let them not deceaue themselues a godly preacher assureth them that their pleasures are spurres their sinnes very hypocrits
But how is that Consider with mee but 5. things and you may learne how The first is the cause which moved Christ to loue vs. Wee haue beene o Ephes 1.4 chosen in him by the Father that we might be saved by him and therefore hath Christ loved vs with a peculiar loue aboue other men Galat. 2.20 Therfore must we also loue our brethrē peculiarly in the Lord for that very cause because for ought we know they are the elect and chosen of the Father in Christ that they may be saved by Christ 2 The time when Christ loved vs. He loved vs first 1. Ioh. 4.19 Therefore must we also prevent one another in loue wee must not looke that they loue vs first for the heathens can bee content to yeeld loue for loue Mat. 5.46 But we must loue thē first and by so loving them stirre them vp to loue vs againe 3 The quality of the persons whom Christ hath loved He hath loved vs Ioan. 15.9 vs that is all all the elect Iewes and Gentiles Graecians barbarians bond and free men women the base and poore as well as the noble and rich for all which and therfore for all vs he dyed when as yet we were his enemies when as yet we were sinners Rom. 5.8 Therfore must we also loue all men be they sinners or seeme they iust seeme they our friends or be they our foes bee they of what estate and condition soever 4 The end for which Christ hath loued vs. He loued vs for no profit of his owne but for our soules health Therfore must we also loue our neighbours not for our owne gaine but for their good and thereto doth St Paul counsell vs Let every man be carefull for the things of his neighbour Phil. 2.4 5 The measure of Christs loue to vs ward It is a true loue for Christ is truth it selfe Iohn 14.6 It is an ardent loue◠for Christ laid downe his life he shed his blood for his sheepe Iohn 10.15 It is a never dying loue for Christ loues his vnto the end Ioh. 13.1 And therefore must wee also loue our neighbours truly earnestly constantly We must abandon al false feigned and vaine loue all corrupt loue all gainefull loue al tongue-loue and the like as Christ hath loued vs even so must we loue one another How this loue hath beene written in the hearts of the godly which long since haue slept in peace their practises are sufficient to declare Could any thing else haue made Moses pray to haue his name raced out of Gods booke rather then that the sinnes of the people vnder his government should not bee forgiuen Exod. 32.32 Could any thing else haue caused David to make his petitions to God for to lay the pestilence vpon him and his fathers house and to spare the people committed to his charge 2. Sam. 24.17 Could any thing else haue moved Paule to wish with his owne damnation to redeeme the reiection of the Iewes Rom. 9.3 What shal I tell you of Elizeus who took order for the safe returne of his enimies the king of Arams servants to their Lord and master 2. Kings 6.22 or of Ieremie who stood before the Lord to speak good for such as had digged a pit for his soule Ierem. 18.20 or of Steven who then prayed for the people when they stoned him Act. 7.60 Naomi might haue done her kinseman all the disgrace set downe in the law she might haue pulled of his p Ruth 4 7. shee she might haue spit in his face and so haue defamed him and his house for ever yet would she not Ioseph when he might haue disclosed the lust of his mistris and haue saued his owne q Gen. 39.19 imprisonment did choose rather to conceale it The supposed father of Christ that iust one perceauing that his betrothed spouse was with child before ever they came together was minded to put her away r Mat. 1.19 secretly for hee would not make her a publike example But all these are dead and gone and I feare me I may to truely say it their loue is also dead and gone with them For if not so could deceit could bribery could oppression could rapine could vsury could many more such adversaries of true loue bee so common among vs as they are Whence is it that the hand of Caine is so ready at the throat of Abel Gen. 4.8 Whence is it that the shepheards of Gerar and the shepheards of Isaac cannot agree Gen. 26.20 Whence is it that Esau hateth Iacob Gen. 27.41 that Ioseph is ready to be sold for 20 peeces of silver Gen. 37.28 That Saul seeketh David to slay him 1. Sam. 20.33 that a man lieth wounded by the high way neither Priest nor Levite will helpe him Luk. 10.31 32. Is it not from our want of true loue Now haue we many of Haman his spirit who did malitiously informe Assuerus against the Iewes that so he might vtterly destroy them Hest 3.8 9. and many of Doeg his spirit who by his false accusatiō murdered 85 Priests and smote the city Nob with all the men women and childrē in it 1. Sam. 22.9 18. and many of Ziba his spirite who did wrongfully slander Mephibosheth his Lord vnto the King 2. Sam. 16.3 Now the great man curseth the poore the poore man complaineth of the rich the seeming godly man hateth his neighbour for he is wicked the wicked man flyeth from the pure in heart he is not for his purpose Knowe wee any thing wherein our brother hath offended wee will ring it presently in the eares of his dearest friends But know we no ill by him A smal matter we can and will forge enough only must we haue one condition yeelded vnto namely that we shall not be reveiled then our brasen faces will beare vs out without blushing to report of any mā that there is neither honesty learning nor religion in him or that he is good for nothing but to be factious or the like Thus doe the wicked ſ Ps 11.2 bend their bow and make ready their arrowes vpon the string that they may secretly shoote at them which are vpright in heart And can wee much blame them for so doing since their nature is so to doe Vilium est hominum alios viles facere qui suo merito placere non possunt placere velle aliorum comparatione You may hold it for a truth St Ierome hath spoken it It is the property of a vile nature to seeke by tales to make others vile or by comparison with others to come to he accounted of Dead soules I haue no hope to moue to feeling hearts which God vouchsafeth to touch with his powerfull word as with a sharpe t Heb. 4.12 sword is my speech made Read and remember what is written in the law Thou shalt not walke about with tales among thy brethren Lev. 19.16 Learne and forget not why Ierusalem was reproued it was because
bee pleased with thousands of rammes or with ten thousand rivers of oile Wil you giue your first borne for your transgressiō Wil you giue the fruit of your body for the sinne of your soule The Lord hath shewed thee o man what is good and what hee requireth of thee surely to doe iustly and to loue mercy and to humble thy selfe to walke with thy God Micah 6.8 to bee of a contrite heart to be poore in spirit and to tremble at Gods word Esay 66.2 And this is it which in the Lord I wish may bee printed in our hearts by this caveat Cast downe your selues not before men What then may we not fast or pray or giue almes may we not doe good workes in the sight of men Yes wee may must doe our good workes even before men And therefore are wee counselled to haue our lights burning Luk. 12.35 to let our light shine before men Mat. 5.16 and to make our faith knowne by our good workes Iam. 2.18 Whereas then wee haue beene counselled to beware how we doe any good thing in the sight of men we haue beene counselled onely to beware of Hypocrisie to beware of vaine glory to be warie that wee neither giue almes nor doe any other good thing before men with a purpose to gaine vnto our selues praise and commendation of men And therefore when our Lord forbids vs to doe good in the sight of men he adds that which makes it vnlawfull Wee must take heed that we do it not to be seene of men or to be praised of men As also when he chargeth vs to let our light shine before men that they may see our goodworkes he adds that which makes it lawfull we must doe our good workes before men that by thē our heavenly father may be glorified So then to doe good workes before men in it selfe is not evill yea it is commendable it is necessary but to doe them to this end that wee may be well spoken of that makes it faulty In like sort to doe no wicked thing before men in it selfe is not evil yea it is commendable it is necessary but to abstaine from doing wickedly for feare of mans censure rather then of Gods displeasure that makes it faulty To doe good workes to abstaine from doing wickedly before men both are such I cannot but commend them but so to doe good workes but so to abstaine from doing wickedly as if we regarded man more then God both are such as Christ vtterly detesteth them Would you now knowe for those good workes which you are to doe in the sight of men how to present them before your God pure and spotlesse Heare what our Saviour saith Make cleane within and all will be cleane Mat. 23.26 It was the Lords commandement to Noah to pitch the Arke with pitch as well within as without Gen. 6.14 Without only was not sufficient it was to be pitched with pitch as well within as without It is the Lords commandement to you to sanctifie your selues and to be holy for the Lord is holy Levit. 20.26 to be holy outwardly only will not serue your turnes you must bee holy as well within as without Your hearts are within they must be holy Let your u Psal 45.1 hearts indite good matters and your tongues must needes be the pennes of ready writers Decke your hearts with faith repentance and then shall your prayers your almes your fastings all your good workes be acceptable in the Lords sight There is a melodie may bee made in your heartes to which only the Lord will listen and therefore Paule adviseth you to make melody to the Lord in your hearts Eph. 5.19 So Christ did who said it was meat drink to him to doe his fathers will Ioh. 4.34 so did David when with all his might he danced before the Arke 2. Sam. 6.14 so did the Israelits when they offered willingly vnto the Lord with a perfit heart 2. Chron. 19.9 But where this melody is wanting the Lords delight also will bee wanting and therefore the Pharisees prayer the harlots vow the traitours kisse are nothing to him and therefore he respecteth not the sacrifice of Cain nor the fast of Iezabel and therefore let Ananiah bring his oblation and Esau his teares they will be abhominable in his sight There is a melody may bee made in your hearts to which only the Lord will listen this is that melody to cast downe your selues not before men but before the Lord. Now therefore spare a little more time to be remembred how you may Cast downe your selues before the Lord which is my second part This our Lord may and ought in reverence to be considered of vs as our Creator as our King as our teacher as our father as our spouse and as our Master In all which respects diverse duties without excuse must by vs bee discharged if wee will aright Cast downe our selues before the Lord. Therefore as he is our creator it is required of vs 1. That we glorifie him 2 That we be wholy moved in him and by him 3 That we rest contented in his holy will As he is our king so must we feare him 1 Because of the power and authority which hee hath over vs. 2 In regard of his Maiestie compared with our meane condition 3 In regard of the infirmity of our owne nature And this feare of God hath three notable vses For it serveth as a bridle 1 To restraine vs from falling from God by our disobedience 2 To keepe vs from all presumptuous bold and vndecent behaviour in respect of God 3 To put vs in minde to make vs acknowledge as the basenesse infirmity and mutability of our own nature so also the infinite power authority maiesty of God As he is our teacher so two duties are enioined vs. 1 We must be ready to learne whatsoever it shall please him to teach 2 We must beleeue it all As he is our father so must we yeeld him sonne-like subiection for we must reverence him we must imitate him we must seeke vnto him for those things we stand in need of and lastly we must haue patience in regard of those manifold bee they never so grievous afflictions wherewith it shall please God to chastice trie and nurture vs his children As he is our spouse hee looketh that we endeavour withall our might to please him and that we renounce al other things in the world to cleaue fast vnto him without separation As hee is our Master so we owe him three duties 1 Wee must obey him 2 Wee must minister vnto him 3 Wee must profit him O that our heads were full of x Ierem. 9.1 water and our eies fountaine◠of teares that wee might weepe day and night for daie and night had wee need to weepe for our continual backslidings from the observance of such duties as by our Creator by our King by our teacher by our Father by our spouse and
ioyned with faith in Christ for perfect obedience yet he requireth the perfect obedience both of body and soule Now let vs lay these things to our owne hearts and consciences and see whether we haue conformed our wils to the will of God with a resolution to doe it whether wee haue performed our obedience to our great Master To iudge of your heartes is not within the compasse of my commission yet if it bee true that a f Luk. 6.43 good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit if it bee true that g Mat. 7.16 grapes growe not of thornes nor figges of thistles then may I boldly say that your wils are not conformed to the will of God that you haue much failed of that obedience which your Lord and Master hath enioyned you The Prophet Hoseah 4.1.2 told the Iewes that the LORD had a controversie with them because there was no truth nor mercy nor knowledge of God in their land because by swearing and lying and killing and stealing and whoring they breake out and blood touched blood Whether this same complaint may iustly be made of you I appeale to yourselues as iudges It may be your cheekes will bee redd to talke of Christ as theirs were who went to h Luk. 23.13 Emaus and you will blush apace to seeme so holy but say will not the black-moore blush faster then you when fearefully and fowly you sinne against the Lord Is there any delight more wicked then other we are by and by desirous to wallow in it to tumble in it to ioy in it to liue and growe old in it So bath we in all pleasure and ease this mater of earth and wormes meat wherewith we are clogged as if there were neither corruption to rot it nor Heaven to receaue it nor Hell to burne it Hence is it that we are dead in sleepe and watch not at all over the soules of our children our servants and all others committed to our goverments who were they rightly trained vp by vs in the grounds of Christian religion might happely grow vp like to glorious oliues for the Church Commōwealth We read Gen. 31.53 that when Laban swore by his false Gods then Iacob swore by the feare of his father Isaac so excellent was the instruction given him by his father that in the presence of Idolatrous Laban neither for feare nor favour would he alter his religion yea it was so fastned in him that having been 20. years among the Idolatrous Syrians he chāged not the maner of the oath which hee learned of his father Are our fathers so carefull to teach their children in religiō Indeed if to bee skilfull in oathes be to be religious I cannot finde fault with their nurturing But so they should not learne Christ The time was when servants prayed to the God of their Masters Gen. 24.42 But in these daies if they should doe so some must pray vnto pride some to coveteousnesse some to gluttony most to ignorance Now may we say as commonly is said like servant like Master if one loue the wicked the other will loth the godly like father like sonne if one sell vertue the other will buy sinne like Priest like people if one freeze in loue the other will boyle in malice as the governour is so are they that are ruled if one refuse Christ the other will choose Barabbas such as the seed is such is the harvest every one layeth away life and playeth with death Yet let the children of Abraham doe like Abraham let them teach their sonnes their daughters their servants their people and al that are ruled by them the covenants of the Lord let them teach them to conforme their wils to the will of God let them teach them to doe his will let them teach them perfect obedience both of body and soule So they with all their seed and posteritie shal be blessed not only in this life with a temporall promise but also in the life to come with that ever during promise that they shall bee inheritours of the kingdome of God Of which promise vouchsafe good Lord to make vs all partakers through faith in Christ Iesus to whom with thee and the holy Ghost three persons and one God be rendred all praise power maiestie and dominion for evermore Amen THE FOVRTH SERMON ON THE EPISTLE OF SAINT IAMES CHAP. 4. VERS 10. Cast downe your selues before the Lord and he will lift you vp WEE are come to the promise of the blessing made vnto vs Hee will lift you vp Wherein let vs consider 1 The person who it is that may fulfill this promise it is HEE the Lord none but he vaine is the helpe of man HE the Lord will lift you vp 2 The certaintie of his promise for it is not said hee will assay hee will trie he will doe his best to lift you vp but simply it is said he WILL lift you vp 3 The time when this promise shall bee fulfilled which note we must borrow out of 1. Pet. 5.6 where the matter of my text is thus repeated Humble your selues vnder the Almightie hand of God that he may lift you vp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in opportunitie of time in due time in a time when himselfe shall thinke it most meet He will lift you vp in due time 4 What it is that is promised vnto you even your exaltatiō your lifting vp He wil lift you vp Of these few notes at this time as God shall assist me with his holy-spirit The first is the person who may performe so sweete a promise it is HE the Lord none but HEE vaine is the helpe of man HE the Lord will lift you vp The word of God worthely tearmed the shoote-anker of an vpright conscience teacheth that every plant how gallant or how faire soever yea though for beautie it may bee compared to the tree which springing vp in the midst of the garden was exceeding pleasant in the sight of man yet if it be not planted by our heavenly Father shall be rooted out It teacheth that all coynes be they never so currant among men yet if they cannot abide this sacred touch shall be counted of a base mettall as of tinne or altogether counterfeit and so shall be burnt like drosse It teacheth that the great ones of this world how mightie soever they are yea though their heads reach vnto the cloudes though they bee to all others as the tallest Cedars of Libanus are to the low and little shrubs of the wildernesse of Cades yet if they build their hope vpon any thing besides the Lord they shall perish for ever a Iob. 20.7 8. like their dung and you which haue seene them shall say where are they they shall flie away as a dreame and you shall not find them they shall passe away as a vision of the night And because you haue so good a teacher well may you bee perswaded that a horse his helpe is vaine Ps 33.17 that mans
116 God deferreth his Helpe till greatest necessity 149. 150 withdraweth his helpe 148 Herod 50 71 Hezechiah 112. 138. 142. 143 his zeale 25 his Honour 65 Honor not to be trusted to 120 Humility 67. 71. 120 motiues to Humility 71. 74 Hypocrisie 98 99 Hypocrisy spuÌ„ with a fine thread 98 An Hypocrit will ever be bewraied 98 The portion of Hypocrites 100 I. IAbin 35 Iacob 29 56 Idolaters 13 Iehoram 23 Iericho 89 Ieremie 81 Iezabell her fast 103 Imitation 41 The patterne of our Imitation 51 English infamous for Imitation 42 Christian Imitation 45 Iob. 33 Ionas his fish 32 Ionathan 61. 91 Ioseph 54. 81 his chastity 53 Ioseph sold 32 Ioshuah 25 Iosiah 112 Iudah 42 85. 86 The sinnes of Iudah 35 Iudas 99 Iudge not the person of sinners 84 K. KEepe the right way 46. 50 L. LAbour 21 Lazarus 142 The Life of man short 72. 73 The Liberality of God 129 Stay the Lords leasure 146 The Lord our creator 103 our Father 103. 104 our King 103 our Master 103. 104 our Spowse 103 â—04 our Teacher 103 Lot 87 Lots incest 53. 56. 110 Lotterie 33 Loue. 79. 81 Loue one another how 79. 80 the measure of our Loue. 79 want of true Loue. 81. 82 M. MAn wherof he is made 71. his life short 72. 118. subiect to miseries 20. 73. 74. sinfull â—3 84. his helpe is vaine 35. his fraile â— state 69. 116. how compared 120 Manasseh 31 Manna 62 Marchasite 31 Marculus 26 A Martyr 25 The wicked may die as Martyrs 26 How a man may bee a Martyr at his death 26 The cause maketh a Martyr 26 27 Martyrdome 25 Masters followed 8 God is Mercifull 12 Gods Mercies 36 Make Melodie in your hearts 102 Micaiah 21 Ministers admonished 16 Miriam 11 23 61 Moses his loue 54. 81. his incredulity 53. his zeale 25 Moses 14. 15. 25 N. NAaman 86 The Name of God to bee cald vpon 37 Naomi 16. 81 Nebuchadnezzar 69 Our Neighbours life 88 Nineveh 138 142 143 The Ninevits 12 Noahs drunkennesse 87. 110 O. OBadiah 91 Obedience begun 112. perfect 113 Our Obedience to Christ as our Master 105 Out obedience to the will of God 111 Og. 118 An Old man described 49 Onesimus 87 110 P. PAndora 17 Patience in afflictions 30 Paul 16 59. his loue 54 Pecocke 60 Persecution personall or generall 28. 29 Whether a Minister may fly in time of Persecution 27. 29 Persians 30 Peter 25. 87. his deniall 53 56 87 110. his fish 32 The Pharisees praier 103 Pharaoh 69. 143 Pharaohs daughter 22 Philistins 18 Phinehas 25 We bath in Pleasure 114 Polycarpus 26 Pomgranats of Palestina 121 Poore 70 The Poore to be releeved 22 Pride 69 Pride of gifts and graces 68. 69 The Prowd God resisteth 71 Preferment from the Lord. 74 129 151 Promises of God of two sorts 135 God true in his Promises 136. the certainty of his Promises 136 137. 143 150. how we must be affected to his Promises 145 Condemne not the whole ProfessioÌ„ for the faults of some 89 Prosperity 34 Prosperity dangerous 34 Gods providence 31 The Publican 85 The Publicans praier 85 Many Punished for the fault of one 47 Purposes of God haue two parts 141 Q. QVestions curious 58 R. REbecca 87. 110 Rehoboam 12 49 Rent your hearts 36. â—7 Repent 37 49 Repent betime 48 An exhortation to Repentance 36 Whether God Repenteth 137 138 Rich. 65 Riches not to be trusted to 121 Rose Laurel 13 Rue 25 Runne in the way to Heaven 55 S. SAcrifice blind and halting 55 Salomon 16 32 his Idolatry 56 37 110 The Samaritan 22 Saul 25 54 Sarah 11. her lie 87 110 The Sentence of God 141 142 Shebna 70 Shimei 33 Simonie 64 Silvester 63 Our Sinnes 35 36 43 The Sinnes of great men 44 Sleepe not 54 The Sleeper 44 The Slips of others 87 The holy Spirit 138 Sorrowes in mans life 21 Speculations vaine 58 Spices 31 Falling Starres 99 Stephen 54. 81 Iacob Sware 114 T. TAles against hearers 83 84 Against Tale tellers 83 Tares with wheat 54 90 The Thiefe 12 The Lords Threatnings haue a coÌ„dition annexed 142 143 A warning to Tradesmen 121 The Traitors kisse 103 Troubles in mans life 20 Truth ever opposed 6 V. VNiversall grace refuted 3. c. The Voice of the Lorde to bee heard 38 W. WAntons 13 Keepe the right Way 50 One Way to Heaven 50 Wheat and tares togither 54 The Wicked God avengeth 10. they are rebellious 10. they may die like Martyrs 26 The will of God 105. secret 105. why so cald 106. hidden 106. revealed 106 To doe the Will of God 105. 110 Our Wils must be conformed to the will of God 107 how 108. 109. Outward obedience to the Will of God 110. 111. the fulfilling of his will wherein it coÌ„sisteth 110. 112 Gods willingnes to help 135. Witches 122 123 124 Seeke not to witches 37 Wolfe signifieth three things 28 Women painted 38 70 The Word of God 116 Worldly helpe 116 Z. ZEale 25. ioyned with a good cause 25 Evill Zeale 25 Ziba 82 Zimrie 25 FINIS
heare them Num. 12.2 And if Sarah laugh but within her selfe God will see her Gen. 18.13 Hell and destruction are before the Lord saith Solomon Prov. 15.11 how much more the heart of the sonnes of men Ad to this what the Prophet Esai hath chap. 40. vers 12. God hath measured the waters in his fist he hath counted heaven with his spanne hee hath comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure hee hath weighed the mountains in a weight and the hils in a balance Can their deeds then yea can their thoughts be hid from so powerfull a God Is it not because man of whose censure they stand more in awe theÌ„ of Gods wrath is not able to discrie their wickednesse which they haue so secretly wrought O! then they are deceaued For towne couÌ„try howleth and cryeth out too much overladen and wearied with adulterous Shichemites tyranous Sauls negligent Elies cruell Ahabs proud Herods incredulous Pharaohs here ambition there covetousnesse every where glutony and excesse One mole or freckle in the face offends more then many and great spots and scarres in the other parts of the body Men in authoritie all I meane that are better then others either for birth or calling are as the face of the commoÌ„wealth One small escape in them hurts more then many great grievous faults in the inferiours and therefore one was bold to compare theÌ„ to a booke after whose patterne others are printed if the first draught haue faults all the books printed thereby must needs be faulty but if there bee no fault in the first all the rest will haue the fewer Whosoever openeth a well or diggeth a pit and covereth it not and an oxe or an asse fall therein l Exod. 21.34 the owner of the pit shal make it good saith God by his servant Exod. 21.33 Hath anie of vs by bad living caused his inferiour his weake brother to sin O! let vs not be deafe beloved in the Lord. That maÌ„ whosoever he be hath opened a well and digged a pit which he hath not covered into which because his neighbour hath fallen and so perished he must look to make answer for it his blood shal be required at his hands Thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed it is the Lordes commandement Levit. 19.19 What is this militant church wherein we liue but Gods field whose husbandry yea are 1. Cor. 3.9 Whosoever in this field sitting either in Aarons seat or Moses chaire shall say but not doe shall say good things but doe the contrary shall in word sow wheat but in example cast abroad the troublesome seed of cockle and darnell hee it is that soweth mingled seed in Gods field and such are they whom the author of the booke of wisedome aimeth at chap. 6.6 When hee saith that mighty men shall be mightily tormented In the second place instruction is here to be had for such as are either by birth or calling worse then other men They seeing themselues so addicted by nature to follow others in duety ought to take speciall heed whom they follow For all may not be followed Aske counsaile of the wise man he will perswade with you by no meanes to follow gâ—uttons sleepers and drunkards for the glutton shall be poore and the sleeper shal be cloathed with ragges Prov. 23.21 As for the drunkard he shal haue no want of m Prov. 23.29 wo sorrow strife murmuring wouÌ„ds without cause and rednesse of the eies he shall be bitten as with a n Vers 32. serpent and hurt as with a cockatrice he shall be as one that sleepeth in the middest of the sea or on the toppe of the mast Prov. 23.34 Aske counsell of S. Paule and hee will perswade with you by no meanes to follow fornicators idolaters adulterers covetous persons and the like for such shall not inherit the kingdome of God 1. Cor. 6.10 Aske counsell of the LORD himselfe and he will perswade with you by no meanes to follow the o Levit. 18.3 doings of the land of Egypt or the manners of the land of Canaan For if you commit such abominations the land shall spue you out Levit. 18.28 O p Psal 1.1 walke not in the counsell of the wicked nor stand yee in the way of sinners nor sit yee in the seate of the scornfull for such may not be blessed You know who hath said it Assured I am that in Noahs arke among his three sonnes there was one cursed Ham that in Isaac's house of 2. sonnes one Esau was reiected that in Iacobs house among twelue brethren one only Ioseph was innocent that in Christs house among twelue Apostles there was a treacherous Iudas neither may I deny but that at this day among many Magistrates Preachers and Masters there are some licentious Magistrates some bad living Preachers some too too wicked Masters But what is that to vs We must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ to receiue according to our own deeds For so may we read 2. Cor. 5.10 The licentious life of the Magistrate shall not quite the subiect if he disobey the lawes the wickednesse of the Master may not excuse the servant if he be vngracious the bad living preacher is no cause to saue my soule if I be vngodly For God himselfe telleth vs that that soule that sinneth shal die the death Ezech. 18.4 And thus from the generall imitation I come to that which best beseemeth Christians Follow me The Lyon hath roared who will not be afraid The LORD God hath spoken who can but prophecie Amos 3.8 Ever worthy is his Maiestie to be revereÌ„ced whose voice nothing be it aboue or beneath in heaven or in earth sensible or insensible ought to disobey q Esai 1.2 Heare then ô heavens and hearken ô earth and therefore heare and harken both men women for the LORD hath said follow me Else whom will ye follow Is not he the way to guide you Follow him and he wil leade you in the pathes of righteousnesse Pro. 4.11 Is not he the truth to giue you light Follow him and the sunne of iustice shall arise vnto you Malac. 4.2 Is not he the life to feede you Follow him and you shall go in and out and finde pasture Iohn 10.9 He is the way in example for he hath given an example that wee should do even as he hath done Iohn 13.15 He is the truth in promises for his covenant he will not breake nor alter the thing that is gone out of his lips Psal 89.34 He is the life in rewarde for howsoever the wages of sinne is death yet the gift of God is eternall life through Iesus Christ our LORD Rom. 6.23 This our LORD the way the truth and the life in his iourney towardes heaven began betime for at r Luk. 2.42 twelue yeares of age he went about his Å¿ Vers 49. fathers businesse and he kept the right way for he boldly said who can
by our Master haue beene enioined vs. Shall I need to tell you as the prophet Ieremie told the Iewes Ier. 9.2 that in heart you are all adulterers and an assembly of rebels You know it as well as I. Shal I remember you how you as they did do y Vers 3. bend your tongues like bowes for lies to belie and slander your neighbours how there is no courage for truth vpon the earth how every one proceedeth from evill to worse Would to God remembring it would amend it And may it not so be amended Is z Ierem. 8.22 there no balme in Gilead Is there no Physician there Why then is not your health recovered The reason is plaine the balme of Gilead is not soveraigne for you the Physicians there can little profit you vaine is the helpe of man if you will recover your soules health Cast downe your selues before the LORD The time will not suffer me neither hath it ben my purpose to enter the particular examination of those our duties before specified and in diverse respects laid vpoâ— vs. Sith the performance of al the rest consisteth in obedience that first duty which the LORD as our Master requireth at your hands I haue chosen to speake therof aboue the rest as most befitting the times wherein we liue Concerning therefore our first duty to our chiefest Master our obedience consisteth in this that we conforme our will to Gods will with a resolution to doe his will Many are of Israel which are not Israel many are of the seed of AbrahaÌ„ which may not be called the children of Abraham So S. Paule told the Romanes chap. 9. ver 6.7 So may I say here many do will that which God willeth who notwithstanding conforme not their wils to Gods wil neither can be said to do his will Where it shal not be much amisse for vs to examine what it is to frame our wils to Gods will and what it is to do his will both which if wee will learne with a purpose to performe them we shall in some good sort discharge our first duty we shall obey our Master God hath a will which is holy is pure is perfect eternall everlasting from all beginning according to which his doings are incomprehensible his iudgements secret his waies past finding out by which he ruleth all he governeth all he guideth and protecteth all in which all things are as they are This will of God is alwaies fulfilled no man hindreth it no man stoppeth it The Lord hath his decree aboue all the inhabitants of the earth of the Sea and whether they will or no they must be obedient If he call a bird from the East that bird must come if he speake he will bring it to passe if he purpose he will doe it his counsell shall stand he will doe whatsoever he will Esay 46.20 According to his will he worketh in the armie of Heaven and in the inhabitants of the earth none can stay his hand nor say vnto him what dost thou Dan. 4.35 It was Iehoshaphats acknowledgment In thine hand O LORD is power and might none is able to withstand thee 2. Chro. 20.6 No Annas no Caiaphas no Herod no Pilate no Iew no Devill could haue wrought the death of our Saviour Christ if the Lords secret will and counsell had not before determined that it should be done There are two causes why this wil of God is called secret or hiddeÌ„ 1 Because it is so indeed to aâ—â—â—â—en til such time as God manifesteth by events what hee hath appointed to every one In respect whereof St a Chap. 4.15 Iames willeth every one to put in this condition if the Lord will and if wee liue to doe this or that 2. Because the reason of the Lords will thus or thus when it is manifested for the most part is not comprehended of man but is hiddeÌ„ in himselfe as why he chose Iacob refused Esau why he put Saule away from the kingdome for one offence and not David for many no man knoweth it is hidden in the Lord. Onely this we knowe that he b Rom. 9.18 hath mercy on whom he will haue mercy and whom he will he hardneth Now your dutie in regard of this will is as hath beene said Non est curiosè investiganda sed adoranda you must not sift it but highly reverence it so that whatsoever this hidden will be concerning you whether to liue or die to bee rich or poore to be high or low in this world you must rest in the same and bee contented and giue leaue to the Lord that made you to doe with you and dispose of you at his pleasure then afterward when the Lord reveal it by effects much more must yee rest in it giue him thankes howsoever it is Good c Chap. 2.10 Iob took at the Lords hand evill things as well as good sower as well as sweet the losse of all as well as the possession of al so must you do say with him The d Iob. 1.21 Lord hath giuen the Lord hath takeÌ„ it blessed be the name of the Lord. But what Are we able to know how the Lord e Iob. 38.41 feedeth the young ravens how the Phenix is hatched how the Storke is kept Doe we waver do we faile in things that be common among vs Since then this will of God this absolute this secreat this hidden will of God is such as our wils may in no wise be conformed to it let vs lay our hands vp on our mouths and stop the course of our lips lest medling with such secrets we falter in our speeches before the Lord. God hath another will which is manifested vnto vs which I call another will not as if it differed from the former in nature for Gods will is one and the same but because it remaines no longer hidden as the former doth For Gods will as yet it is partly vnrevealed is commonly called his hidden or his secret will but as it is made knowne to vs by the written word and continuall successe of things so is it called the revealed will of God And this is that will of God to which wee must make like fashion and frame our wills And so shall we doe if first we will nothing but what God willeth then if will it in such a sort as God would haue vs will it and lastly if for such ends What God willeth you cannot well at lest you should not be ignorant The Scriptures teaching that the best of you is borne in iniquitie and conceaved in sinne and feedeth vpon transgressians doe they not tell you that God willeth the amendment of your liues The not long since pretended invasion which made the stoutest to feare the late and long and yet during famine which hath made most to faint This Sermon was preached Sept. 15. 1597. the now raigning sicknesse among vs which hath taken away diverse of our