they fall to their earth againe Here you must teach your children that whē all we euen al the nations of the world were in the hole of Adams side and as yet vncut out God gaue vnto Adam and so vnto vs being in his loines a law with two conditions the lawe was this that wee should not eate of the tree of knowledge of good and euill standing in the middest of the garden of Eden as we may read Gen. 2. The conditions of this law were these the one life euerlasting if we would keepe this law figured out vnto vs by the tree of life of which it was lawfull for vs to eate euery hower the second was that in the same daye wherein wee shoulde breake this law we should dye the death It was not long after this lawe was made but Adam broke it as we may read in 3. chapter of Genesis and so death presently seazed vpon Adam and al vs his posteritie being yet in his loynes according vnto Gods word who said in the same day that thou shalt eate of it thou shalt dye the death and as it is saide 1. Cor. 15. In Adam all di and as it is said Rom. 5. By one man sinne entered into the world and death by sin and so death went ouer all in whom all men haue sinned So that now if wee would looke vnto our fountaine and to our original pit from which we were first digged we should soone see our miserable estate which is nothing els but deadly And now that we might come to the bottom of this pit that so wee might the more fully and cleerely see all our miserie to humble vs vnder the mightie hand of God I must shewe you howe death hath entred vpon vs and howe it hath killed vs and giuen vs the deadly wounde euen while wee liue and yet wee perceiue it not This death hath first seazed vpon our reason and vnderstanding and put out the light of it so that nowe wee bee as blinde as a stocke to beholde anie heauenly thing For Saint Iohn sayth in his first chapter of the Gospell The light shineth in the darkenesse and the darkenesse comprehended it not that is Gods word shineth into our minds and yet wee cannot see it so blinde are wee of our selues Now if we cannot see the light it selfe though it shineth into vs which light is the cause why all other things are seene as the Apostle sheweth Ephesi 5. For it is light that maketh all thinges manifest then much lesse can wee truely beholde any other thing else And whereas the Apostle here calleth our reason and vnderstanding darknes which is all the light of our soules if it were light then howe great is our darkenesse Our Sauiour sayth in the fift of Matthew The light of the bodie is the eye wherefore if the light that is in thee be darkenesse how great is that darkenesse so wee may here say if our reason and vnderstanding which is the eye of the soule bee darkenes how great is this darkenes oh death hath killed vs it hath put out all our light in heauenly things Secondly our miserie which hath fallen vpon vs through this death is so much the greater for that though all our light be put out yet we thinke we see and therefore we doe not with the two blind men in the gospell crie out vnto our Sauiour O Lord the sonne of Dauid haue mercie vpon vs. For the whole hath no need of the phisition and so we walke in blindnes all our dayes to our destruction and goe on without anie mistrust euen as the sheep that are driuen vnto the slaughter vntill we fall from the darknes of this life vnto that vtter darknes in the life to come where is nothing but weeping and gnashing of teeth Oh great misery A demonstration of this doctrine wee haue in the ninth chapter of the gospell after Saint Iohn where our Sauiour saith I am come vnto iudgment into this worlde that they which see not might see and that they which see might bee made blind Then some of the Pharisies saide are we blind also They could not beleeue that they were blinde and therefore our Sauiour there telleth them that their sinne remained And thus much to shew you how death hath taken the possession of the minde and reason of man in so much that it hath spoyled it of al light in heauenly vnderstanding Secondly this death hath passed from the vnderstanding and reason and hath entred vpon the will and affections and giuen them also the deadly blow so that now we cannot will or affect any thing that good is and profitable to life eternall no more then a stone that is without life vntill such time as Gods preuenting grace repaireth vs and giueth vs a new power from heauen And therefore our Sauiour saith in the sixt of Iohn No man can come to me except the father which hath sent mee drawe him And Saint Augustine vpon these words saith Non trahimus nisi nolentem Wee doe not drawe any thing but that which is vnwilling So that now we hauing lost the life of our will we must be haled and drawen by Gods grace euen as men hale and drawe a logge that hath no moouing in it or else we can neuer come to heauen This doctrine is confirmed by the saying of the Apostle Rom. 7. where hee speaketh of the same thing Who shall deliuer me from the body of this death as if hee should haue saide all is dead euerie part and member of it Moreouer this death hath not onely made the will vncapable of all good things but also it hath so disturbed it that it is become like a furious or mad man repugning and striuing against all reason and therefore the Apostle sayth Gal. 5. The flesh lusteth against the spirit and the spirite against the flesh and these are contrarie one to another so that yee cannot doe the same things that ye would And againe Rom. 8. The wisedome of the flesh is enimitie against God for it is not subiect to the law of God neither in deed cā be 3. This death hath not rested in the reason will but it hath gone further takē hold on the body also euery member of the body and strooken them all out of frame so that now our eares are the eares of folly our eies are the eies of vanity our hands are the hands of strife our mouth is a mouth of cursing our lippes are full of poyson our throate is an open Sepulchre and our feete are swift to shed bloud and generallie al our members are the instruments and weapons of vnrighteousnesse as the Apostle speaketh Roman 6. euery one being captiues to sinne and standing fighting against God and our owne saluation so that now if the Lord shold streightly marke what were amisse in vs Oh Lorde who shall stande 4. This death hath not onlie
as occupie not their owne place but are in Christ stead vnto vs 2. Cor. 5. in terming our parents fathers after his own name therfore now we will reuerence thē not sleightly or for fashiō sake but for Gods sake for his holy ordinance sake though they be not worthy of it And this is taught in many places of S. Pauls Epistles Submit your selues one to another in the feare of God Eph. 5.2.1 in singlenes of your hearts as vnto Christ. Eph. 6.5 with good will seruing the Lord and not men vers 7. And whatsoeuer yee doe doe it heartily as to the Lord and not to men Oh if all our duties were done as vnto the Lord what lights should we bee vnto the world shining in all honest and godly conuersation but now we looke only vpon men and therefore Gods ordinance is neglected and our dueties peruerted Thus haue I drawne before your eyes as in a faire table the liuely picture of good maners the which if we would imitate we shold lead such a comely life before others as that euery man would be glad of our cōpany we should then bee looking glasses for the ruder sort to dresse themselues by and we should beautifie Gods Church euen to the eye of the world For as y e material sanctuary had his outward ornaments as gold siluer pretious stones silke purple fine linnen and such like so the spiritual sanctuary which now consisteth not of wood and stone but of the soules of christiās besides religion which is the inward beautie it must haue also the outward ornaments which are good manners and comely behauiour that nothing may be wanting vnto the due honour and dignitie thereof Now by Gods blessing we are come to the third and last part of the childs way which is the chiefest and highest of all the rest wherein that I might instruct parents with more facilitie profitable application I haue made choise of this text Psal. 130.3.4 If thou O Lorde streightly markest iniquities O Lord who shall stand But mercie is with thee that thou maist be feared THe partes of this text are three and so y e summe of al diuinity is threefold too The first is to teach vs our miserie in our selues contained in these wordes If thou O Lorde streightly markest iniquities O Lord who shall stand The second is to shew vs a meane how wee may escape out of this miserie and this meane is the only mercie of God in his sonne Christ Iesus expressed in these wordes But mercie is with thee The third part is to teach vs what wee ought to doe when we are deliuered frō our miserie that is to feare God vnder which word is cōprehended the whole seruice of God and all that thankefulnesse which is required at our hands for our saluation redemption this is conteined in the last words of this text that thou maiest be feared For whom wee feare him wee would not offend and whom we would not offend his will we would obey and whose wil we obey him we honor serue and worship Now the literall plaine sense of the first part of this text is this O Lorde if thou shouldest deale with vs according to iustice and the streightnes of thy lawe no man that liueth were able to stand before thee but hee must needes fall vnder thy reuenging hand the tortures of thy iudgements This lesson euery parēt must teach his children to vnderstande and confesse For vntill they knowe howe much they are endangered to God and in what a fearefull estate they stand by reason of their sins and vntill they knowe what a great God the Lord is so mightie in power that he is able to cast all the world downe headlong into hell and that hee will doe so indeede except they craue mercie at his handes turne vnto him seeke his fauour and indeuour to please him before I say they knowe this and this knowledge be deeply setled in their harts they will neuer seek after god but dwel stil in their old estate because they thinke it is good enough vntill death set vpon thē vnawares they be cast away eternally Wherefore here the first thing that parents are to beate into the heads of their children is the greatnes of God his infinite power and fearefulnes insomuch that seeing hee hath made all mankinde of the claye of the earth as the potter doth his pottes and when hee hath done so hee may breake them all to peeces againe and who shall saye what doest thou euen so if God after he hath made vs shall condemne vs all to hell which hee may doe if it please him which of vs all dare open his mouth against him If thou O Lorde streightly markest iniquities O Lord who shall stand O Lord if wee had offended but an earthly maiestie or if we had transgressed but a temporall lawe or if wee were brought but before the barre of one of the monarches of the earth we would not so much tremble and quake though our cause were capitall for they can doe no more but kill the bodie but thou if thou wilt canst kill both soule and bodye in hell oh who would not feare thee If thou takest displeasure against vs who shal turne thee to mercy Yet he is of one mind saith Iob who can turne him yea he doeth what his minde desireth And againe in the ninth chapter hee saith If wee would dispute with him wee could not answere him one thing of a thousand For though I were iust yet could I not answere but I would make supplication to my iudge If we speake of strength behold he is strong if wee speake of iudgement who shall bring me in to pleade If I washe my selfe with snow water and purge mine handes most cleane yet shalt thou plunge mee in the pit and mine owne cloathes shall make mee filthie Wherefore here teach al your children to cry out when they make their humble prayers and supplications vnto God If thou O Lorde streightly markest iniquities O Lord who shall stand The second thing which the parent must teach his childe is to know his miserable estate in Adam The Lorde in the 51. chapter of the prophecie of Esay saith vnto the children of Israel Looke vnto the rocke whence yee are hewen and to the hole of the pit whence yee are digged so you must call vpon your children to looke vpon Adam their great grandfather out of whose loynes all nations and people of the earth are digged And here first in that the Lord vseth a metaphor of a rocke a pit and digging you must teach your children that they are no better then the dust of the earth as wee may reade in the creation of man Gen. 2.5 and that their hearts naturally are as hard as any flint to receiue grace and being but dust and voide of all goodnes so soone as euer the breath of the Lord bloweth vpon them
entercourse of gods mercy iudgement most healthfull to the soule of euery Christian. Mercie and trueth haue mette together righteousnes and peace haue kissed ech other Let all Christians reioyce at this happy meeting Let the sea make a noise and al that is therein let the flouds clappe their handes and reioyce their fill let the mountaines skip before the Lord like yong rammes and let euery mouth confesse vnto the Lord and sing mercy and iudgement Oh if Gods mercy had not met his iustice by the way and kissed and imbrased it wee had all of vs bin swept away with the whirlewinde of his wrath long ere this day but with thee is mercy saith the Prophet Gods mercy hath staied his iustice from dealing extremely with vs. Who can sufficiently praise this mercie of God The Lord is gratious righteous saith the prophet therfore will be teach sinners in the way Oh what a glory is it to the Lorde to saue poore soules that were wandring downe to hell and oh what cause haue we now aboue all creatures to sound out the praise of this mercifull God who were brought euen to deaths doore are nowe lifted vp againe by his grace this name gratious and mercifull is Gods sweete name and soundeth as much as Iesus whom y e church in the 1. of the Canticles describeth after this manner Thy name is as ointment poured out therefore the virgins loue thee because God hath mercie in store for poore sinfull creatures therefore wee will runne after him by the smell of his garments and remember his loue more then wine all our talking shal bee of him and his mercie and of his praise there shall be no ende Wherefore now you good parents you which are the Lords deputies sing mercie and iudgement to your families continually and sing not onely mercie but sing iudgement also and againe sing not iudgement alone but sing iudgement and mercie both together If you teach your children Gods iustice and iudgements only then they shal fall vpon the rockes of despaire and so goe mourning downe to hell Againe if you learne them onely Gods mercie then will they sinke in the sands of securitie and so bee cast away eternally Wherefore if your desire be to haue your children passe the dangerous sea of this world that so they may arriue in the quiet hauen of blessed rest you must teach them to saile both by Gods iustice and mercie And now hauing taught you out of the former verse the way by the streight line of Gods iustice now we are come to the calme and pleasant sea of his mercie But with thee is mercie Now then looke to your wounds for here is the baulme of Gilead whereby our soules are cured euen Gods mercie Is the candle of thy soule the light of thy mind put out through the darknes of sin so that thou canst not tel how to walke in the course of this life acceptably to God and inoffensiuely to thy neighbour here is Gods mercie in Christ Iesus readie to enlighten thee but with thee is mercie As if the Prophet should haue said with thee is Christ Iesus in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge With thee is mercie with thee is Christ Iesus who is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnes With thee is mercie with thee is that light that shineth in a darke place vntill the day dawne and the day starre ariseth in our hearts With thee is mercie that is thou art hee which commanded the light to shine out darknes and thou art hee which shineth in our hearts to giue the light of the knowledge of the glorie of God in the face of Christ Iesus And to conclude with thee is mercie that is thou art that louing God which doest counsell vs for our owne good to buy of thee eye salue and to annoynt our eyes therwith that the sight of our vnderstāding may recouer againe to beholde all thy wonderfull mysteries in thy sonne Christ Iesus the which the Angels desire to beholde And with thee is the well of life and in th light shall we see light 2. Secōdly are thy will affections out of frame so that thou hast no power of thy selfe to will desire any heauenly good behold Gods mercie is at hand againe to repaire thē and to put a new power and facultie in them as the Apostle teacheth Phil. 2. For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do euen of his owne good pleasure 3. Thirdly are all thy members distempred with sinne by reason of that law of sinne and bodie of death which hath setled it self in euery part member about thee so that thou criest out with the Apostle O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death Christ Iesus the son of this merciful God being sent down from heauen by his mercifull father hath taken vpon him our whole nature euery power of our nature and hath sanctified it all for vs as the Apostle teacheth vs Heb. 2. For he that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of one wherefore he is not ashamed to call them brethren And againe in the same chapter For as much as the children are partakers of flesh and bloud he also himselfe likewise tooke part with them that he might destroy through death him that had the power of death that is the diuell So that now if thou wile lay holde on Gods mercie and Christs merits which he once purchased for thee in thine owne nature the power of sinne shall euery day more and more dye in thee and thou shalt grow into the image of Christ thy Sauiour all thy members which before were the instruments and weapons of vnrighteousnes now they shall be chaunged into the instruments of righteousnes fight for God Now thine eyes shall beholde the thing which is right now thine eares shall be open to heare the word now thy hands shall make peace now thy lippes shall speak truth thy mouth shall blesse thy feete shall be swift to all goodnes and euery member shall bee sanctified vnto the Lord. Oh great is this mercie of God that hath giuen his son Christ Iesus to doe so great things for vs. 4. Fourthly doth the multitude of thy sins which thou hast brought forth out of this bodie of death lye boyling in thy conscience so that thou cāst take no rest neither night nor daye come againe hither to the mercie of God In that day saith the Prpohet Zachary there shall bee a fountaine opened to the house of Dauid and to the inhabitants of Ierusalem for sinne and for vncleannes That day is this blessed time of the Gospell in which wee now liue hauing his pretious word sounding vnto vs on both eares this fountaine is that pure righteousnes and merits of his sonne Christ Iesus which he wrought for vs while he
liued here vpon earth with vs. Here euery one may wash away all his sinnes bee they neuer so many and filthie This is that riuer of Iordan where Naaman may wash away all his leprosie and his flesh shall come vnto him againe like the flesh of a yong child And this is that poole of Bethesda where euery one may bee cured if hee wash lawfully of whatsoeuer disease hee hath Oh let vs blesse God for this fountaine of liuing waters 5. Fiftly if the law of God terrifie thee and threaten thee with the sentence of death and condemnation then appeale thou to the Gospel and to the law of faith this law is the law of life and is aboue the law of wrath and the law of death this law is like vnto the court of Chancerie which mitigateth the rigour of all other courts this is the law of mercie this is the new law which Christ brought with him from heauen and therfore he would not condemne the woman that was taken in adulterie here euen here thou maiest finde succour and reliefe whensoeuer thou art oppressed with the law of wrath if thou wilt appeale vnto it 6. Lastly whensoeuer the paines of hell catch hold vpon thee and the worme of conscience begin to gnaw within thee for some haue euen here in this life a taste of the torments of hell euen now I say after thou hast felt the sting if thou canst cast thine eyes vpō the brasen Serpent Christ Iesus and looke vpon Gods mercie all thy horrour and feare shall presently flye from thee For hee is our redemption as the Apostle sayth Ephes. 1. By whom we haue redemption through his bloud euen the forgiuenes of our sins and being redeemed ioy and peace of conscience must needes followe Wherefore sayth the Apostle being iustified by faith wee haue peace towardes God They therefore that being not content with a moderate and lawfull sorrow for sinne will by no meanes be brought to receiue the comforts that Christ hath purchased with his most pretious bloud are as much to be blamed as mad mē and contemners of this blessed work of our redemption For what man except hee were mad when hee is redeemed from his prison would goe and chaine vp himselfe againe and bight his owne flesh and so be a prison vnto himselfe I know beloued if God would and if hee were willing with it wee should bee tormented with the sight of our sinnes and with a guiltie conscience continually if hee should streightly marke what were amisse in vs euery moment O Lord who should stand wee should fall vpon our sinnes and our sins should fall vpon vs and wee should both fall vnder Gods reuenging hand and then all comfort should flye from vs but the Lord beloued hee is a God of mercie he would not the death of a sinner as the Prophet Ezechiel teacheth in his 18. chapter I desire not the death of him that dyeth sayth the Lord God With God is mercie with God is ioy with God is comfort with God is light oh who would not embrace this mercifull and sweete God And on the contrary if we fall away from him and if we now neglect his bountiful mercie in offering his grace so freely to redeeme vs from al our sinnes and miseries then it cannot be auoyded but we must needes be whurled into the pit of desolations and one destruction shal follow another Now beloued seeing that wee know our owne miserie and that there is nothing in vs which is found as I haue alreadie shewed vnto you from the sole of the foote vnto the head there is nothing whole therein but wounds and swellings and soresful of corruption they haue not beene wrapped nor bound vp nor mollified with oyle within are horrible desolatiōs without are terrors the sound of mightie iudgements and our destruction is like the ouerthrow of straungers oh why do we then sit still while we perish vtterly Is there no baulme at Gilead saith the Prophet Ieremy is there no mercie in God wherefore now beloued I witnes vnto you al here this day that the Lord is innocent from the death of you all and that if you will not lay hold vpon his mercie so freely proclaimed in your eares by the mouthes of his messengers your bloud shall bee vpon your owne heads for with God is mercie with God are all meanes of your saluation if you will sue vnto him for it Now you good fathers of families make these things knowne vnto your children that they may teach the same again vnto their children after them that God may haue the praise of his mercie through al ages and that all Israel may bee saued as it is written Make your houses little sanctuaries for Gods worship and bee telling of his louing kindnes from day to day let the mercie of God in Christ Iesus be as wel known to your familie as their meate and drinke be not ashamed to speake Christ Iesus because you cannot speake eloquētly the Gospel of Christ as the Apostle telleth you standeth not in words and wisedome of men but in power euidence of the spirite the Lord open your mouthes and fill your hearts with all heauenly wisedom that you may be helpers of Gods ministers to build vp his temple with spiritual stones and that you may lay your children and seruants the polished corners thereof Now after you haue taught your children the remedie against their own miserie which is Gods mercie for there is no other helpe besides this whether we looke to the East or to the West to the North or to the South thē you must shew them also the meane whereby they may come by this and how this mercie of GOD may bee profitable vnto their soules This meane is the hand of faith and without this hand of faith Gods mercie shall profite vs nothing at all God is mercifull in deede yea his mercies are infinite they are a multitude of mercies as the Prophet Dauid speaketh but if thou hast not a hand of faith to lay hold vpon them Gods mercies abide still in himselfe and they shall nothing auaile thee For all the benefit of Christs Gospell is in the vse and application of it Christ is called Emmanuel that is to say God with vs. Alas beloued though God be neuer so good yet without vs he doth vs no good Wherefore wee must get vs faith to draw him into our hearts and this is as the hand that layeth the playster vpon the wound and euen as it little profiteth the wounded man to haue the best medicine lying by him except he had a hand to lay the playster vpon the sore euen so the mercies of God can doe vs small good except wee had a faith to applie them vnto our sinfull soules This then you see is a speciall poynt and therefore most carefully to bee called vpon yea this is euen as necessarie for the life of the soule as
the wind pipe is for the life of the bodie For by this meane the breath of our new life is conueyed into vs as the Prophet Habacuck sayth chapter 2. The iust shall liue by faith And S. Paul in the 2. Corin. 1. sayth we stand by faith And againe in the fift chapter of the same Epistle we walke by faith so that now all is by faith all our life and all our actions and all our welfare and without faith there is no goodnes to be hoped for of vs because there is no other meane wherby Gods grace and mercie can bee conueyed into vs. And now next after this seeing our faith is such a speciall instrument for vs you must teach them the meanes how to preserue and maintaine it because all their life hangeth vpon this For our faith is to the soule euen as our hand is to the mouth and the mouth to the stomacke and the windpipe to the hart so that if thou hast not a hand to feed thy mouth and a mouth to feed thy stomacke thy bodie must needs soone perish and againe if thy windpipe should be cut asunder presently thy heart dyeth and all thy members fall downe because they want the breath of life euen so if thy faith which is the only meane whereby thou receiuest the breath of Christs spirit into thy soule and whereby thou liuest that new life in Christ Iesus of which the Prophet Habacucke speaketh The iust shal liue by his faith if this pipe and conduit I say be perished or broken in thee by thine owne negligence or cut off by thine aduersarie the diuell who seeketh nothing else night nor day but thy euerlasting spoyle then certainly both thy soule bodie must needs perish too Wherefore maintaine and vpholde your holy faith by all meanes And these meanes are sixe in number the first is the hearing of the word preached with all diligence the second is the reading of the word with vnderstanding and carefull meditation the third is the instruction in the catechisme the fourth are deuour and heartie prayers for the continuance of Gods fauour and loue vnto the ende the fift are often meditations of Gods goodnes towards vs the sixt and last are continuall watchings in our soules ouer all our waies and euery particular action if these things bee in you and abound your faith shall neuer faile but it shall be vnto you a fountaine of liuing waters and Gods mercie shal stand vnto you and to your children for euer which God graunt vnto you all for his sonne Christ Iesus sake Now after that you haue taught your children first their owne miserie in themselues and secondly the remedie against their miserie which is Gods mercie in Christ Iesus whereby they are saued and redeemed the third thing now to bee taught them is what they should doe after they are saued and redeemed and that is to feare God which is as much to say as to serue him But with thee is mercie that thou maiest bee feared And here first that I might proue vnto you that this phrase in our text to feare God signifieth to serue God I will bring two places of holie Scripture for confirmation The first is in the first chapter of Malachy vers 6. A sonne honoureth his father and a seruant his master If I bee a father where is my honour and if I bee a master where is my feare that is as much to say as where is my seruice for wee knowe that the dutie of seruants is to serue their maister and that their feare towardes them is required not simply for it selfe but for their seruice sake that so they might the more diligently seeke to please them whom they feare to offend The second is in the first chapter of the Gospell of Saint Luke and is an argument drawne from the end of our redemption in these words That wee being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies might serue him without feare all the daies of our life in holines and righteousnes before him In which words wee are to learne foure instructions The first is that when wee are redeemed from the burthen of our miseries and set in the state of saluation then consequently wee should giue our selues wholy to Gods seruice because then wee haue nothing els to doe The second doctrine teacheth vs how long this seruice should continue that is not for a day or two but for all the dayes of our life For seeing Christ hath redeemed vs not for a day or two but for euer therefore it is iust that we should serue him for euer and seeing Christ hath thought no paines too much to suffer for our sakes so we should thinke no labour too long or wearisome for his sake again Our Sauiour in the tenth chapter of Matthew teacheth vs that he only shal be saued which continueth vnto the ende The third instruction teacheth vs the summe or chiefe partes of this seruice of GOD which are holines and righteousnesse holines towards GOD and righteousnesse towards our neighbour vpon which two hang all the lawe and the Prophets The fourth teacheth vs first the true and onely manner of performing this holines and righteousnes which is spirituall sincere and which is done and taken in hand with an eye vnto GOD before him So that if thou takest good dueties in hande and doest not looke vp vnto God with the eyes of thy mind and with the zealous affections of thine heart say Lord this is for thee and for thy sake I doe it thy holines and righteousnes is not before God and so no part of his seruice hee accepteth it not Secondly this teacheth vs to distinguish betweene the true holines and righteousnes and that which is false and counterfeit which is no part of his seruice If thy holines righteousnes bee of thine owne making and the fancies of thine owne braine as the toyes of poperie are then it is not before God and so shall neuer please him Wherfore if thou wilt seeke to shew thy selfe thankfull to God for thy great deliuerance thou must serue him with such holines and righteousnes as is before him and that is such as his worde onely commandeth Now let no man thinke that this place is contrary to that which we labour to make plaine by conference and consent which is our text the one affirming to feare God the other to serue God without feare In a word this clause without feare in the 1. of Luke is not contrary to our text Psalm 130. because the one is vnderstood of the feare of God which is his seruice and the other of the feare of our enemies and so the allegation is contained in the word seruice and not in the worde feare that wee being deliuered out of the hands of our enemies might serue him that is feare him and feare him that we might serue him Now hauing layd out vnto you the vndoubted sense and meaning of
the olde man is manacled and it is the bridle wherwith our stubborne and effrenate affections are helde in and whereby we are gouerned and directed in the new and liuing way as the Apostle speaketh So excellent a thing is the feare of God that nothing may be compared vnto it Whereupon Ecclesiasticus saith well Chap. 40.26 Riches and strength lift vp the mind but the feare of the Lord is aboue them both there is no want in the feare of the Lord and it needeth no helpe 27. the feare of the Lord is a pleasant garden of blessing there is nothing so beautifull as it is Wherefore you good fathers which haue a desire to teach your children and seruants the true seruice of God in token of thankfulnes to their maker and redeemer Christ Iesus for so great benefits and graces receiued you must enter them with the feare of God and you must hold and continue thē in the same with the feare of God if you laye not this foundation all your labour is lost Gods seruice shall eftsoones slide away from them and then they might better neuer to haue knowen the way of righteousnes without this there is no stay or helpe from apostasie which state is most miserable of all other This maketh vs to tread surely in all the waies of the Lord whereas the forwarde children which haue no feare catch many a fall For Gods loue looke well to this point and euer carrye in your mind that most holesome saying of the Apostle in the second chapter of the Epistle to the Philipians Make an end of your saluation with feare trembling and Pro. 28.14 Blessed is the man that feareth alway Titus 2.11.12 For the grace of God that bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared and teacheth vs that wee should deny vngodlines and worldly lustes and that wee should liue soberly and righteously and godly in this present world HItherto I haue spoken of the beginning and true foundation of Gods seruice now it followeth in order that I should teach you the whole buildinge with all the partes thereof that so good parents might goe forward in their dutie vntill they haue brought their childrē to a comly frame in Gods house But here first before we come to these partes we must speake something of the connexion of this text with the former and of the words of the text as they lye in order This word the grace of God is al one in effect with that which is translated mercie in the 130. Psalme and they both tend to one end that is to stirre vp men to the seruice of God the one noting out vnto vs the relenting and pitifull affection in God vpon the sight of our miserable estate into which we had cast our selues helplesse the other the gladsomnes of our heauenly father in bestowing this his mercie vpon vs which is signified vnder the worde grace From the nature of which two words I gather this double fruitful exhortation First that seeing our God which was our iudge and not onely our iudge but also the partie grieued offended did notwithstanding yearne in compassion towards vs pitie our miserie and forgaue vs all our debt and trespasse so now wee in token of thankfulnesse to him againe should yearne and grieue within our selues to see his name dishonoured And secondly whereas God hath bestowed his grace so frankely and gladsomelie to saue vs so now we being saued by his grace it should bee our ioye to serue him for it in all obedience and in euerie good duetie And whereas the Apostle saith that this grace hath appeared or as the Greeke verbe saith shined hee noteth out vnto vs the magnificence thereof as if the Lorde had reared it vp in the middest of the firmament like the sunne to giue light vnto all the partes of the world Great is this grace of GOD in Christ Iesus which hath shined and appeared vnto all nations knreds and tongues and vnto all kindes of men honourable and inhonourable And teacheth vs that wee should denie vngodlines and worldly lustes In these words the holy Ghost layeth downe the true and onely methode of proceeding in this seruice of God which is that wee should first wash out of the heart all vngodlinesse and worldly lustes that so there may be a conuenient roome for his worship to come into For euen as a foule and stinking viall infecteth the pure good ointment which is put into it euen so the worship of God if it be placed in a foule heart it will soone corrupt and shortly turne into flat idolatrie impious dissembling Agreeable to this the holy Ghost teacheth 1. Cor. 5. Purge out therefore the olde leauen that yee may bee a newe lamp And againe in the sixt verse a little leauen leaueneth a whole lumpe so a little vngodlines and wordly affections sowreth the whole masse of Gods seruice and maketh it vnpleasant vnto him Wherefore all must bee cleansed out And againe in the fifteenth of the Actes the Apostle speaking of the working of the holy Ghost in gathering into his Church the polluted Gentiles saith hauing purified their harts by faith So that now we see he y t will keep his vessel holy vnto the Lorde and prepare his heart aright to serue God he must wash it and rince it and purifie it before hee cannot make it too cleane for the seruice of God is the purest thing in al the world And here that wee may the better stirre vp our selues vnto this diuine seruice of God let vs diligently obserue the phrase of the holy Ghost The grace of God teacheth vs that wee should denie vngodlines and worldly lustes This is a metaphoricall speech taken from militarie affaires and is answerable vnto the worde abandon For when the good Captaine findeth iust cause of disliking in his souldiers he is said to abandon them that is to thrust them out of his band and to put them from their pay and so turne them away Again on the other side when the good souldier shall see the misgouernment of his captaine and his bad cause in hand hee leaueth his captaine and turneth to the iust cause denying and defying by solemne sacramentall othe of warre his former colours Without this denying the souldier shall not bee receiued but shall be taken and held as a spie and a traytor and so reiected Euen so beloued when we haue once renounced the black colours of the diuell the world and the flesh and are turned to the Lord Iesus because we see his cause is iust and his pay best now this great captaine and Lorde generall of heauen and earth before hee will admit vs into his band he requireth of vs that we should deny and defie our former colours that is all vngodlines and worldly lustes vnto which wee haue hitherto borne weapons For no man can serue two masters as our Sauiour saith in the gospell And therefore thou whosoeuer thou