I am fully assured that neither life nor death principalities nor powers neither things present nor things to come neither height nor depth nor any other creature can separate vs from the loue of God vvhich is in Christ Iesus our Lorde And for the confirmation of this in vs be the Sacraments ordained to be applyed to euery one particularly not only to be deliuered to others but also to euery one of vs to be partakers of thē that we might be more certenly perswaded that the benefits of Christs passion wrought for the saluatiō of his flock in common pertaineth euen to euery one of vs particularly as certenly as we be partakers of the outward seales pledges of them This is then the chiefest point in a sound beliefe wherein it differeth from the deuils beliefe to applie whatsoeuer Christ hath done to our selues not onely to other men this is a speciall point and pertaineth to the true faith of the children of God The deuils can not beleeue that Christ is theirs peraduenture they may say Christ Christ and Lord Lord but they can not beleeue in their heart that Iesus Christ is theirs with his death and passion and that is also another point in true and sound faith that is not onely to say with the tongue notably and finely that I beleeue that Christ is mine and dyed for me c. for so can the deuils and damned creatures say and yet lye impudently but it is to beleeue and inwardly to be perswaded thereof in the heart which no diuell nor damned creature can doe but rather they feele the horror of Gods iudgements in full measure in their hearts and consciences True and sound faith of Gods children is not then a whirling knowledge and speculation of the braine but it is an inward feeling of the heart for a great number haue a knowledge what they should beleeue and yet not an heart to beleeue yea further not onely a knowledge what they ought to beleeue but also be able notably to set out the matter to teach others how they should truly and rightly beleeue and yet they themselues damned creatures members of Satan and firebrands of hell as the miserable caytiffe Iudas who with the rest of the twelue went and preached the Gospel of the kingdome and sealed it with miracles in Christ name and as Christ Iesus testifieth of many that not onely know to say Lord Lord but also had knowledge to teach others and prophesie and preach in his name and yet Iesus Christ refuseth them to be his Let vs then good brethren looke well to our selues and content not our selues with a vaine babbling tongue-faith that will not serue in the day of the Lord it must be an heart-faith let vs looke whether we feele Iesus Christ there or not Therefore saith the holy Ghost that this true faith maketh Christ Iesus dwell not in worldly brauerie in our tongues but in our hearts in our hearts in our hearts good brethren in our hearts It is too too lamentable to see how the world is bewitched with this tongue faith with this carnal gospelling-faith it is an horrible abuse of Iesus Christs gospell we shall dearely abide at his hands vnles we speedily repēt it is euident ynough that Iesus Christ dwelleth not in that inward heart where the deuill apparantly sheweth his hornes as they say in the outward deeds there is not Iesus Christ in that heart but the whol power of Satan and therefore no children of Gods faith in that heart but a deuils faith Let vs not deceiue our selues good brethren a true and a sound faith admitteth Christ with further entrance into vs then our tōgues lodgeth him into our hearts I can not enter into your consciences but there is a Lord Iesus that seeth them onely I desire you in the name of God to enter euery man into his owne heart and examine himselfe diligently whether he beleeueth that Christ hath redeemed him ransomed or not whether he beleeue that Christ Iesus hath purchased euerlasting life for him or not Let him examine him selfe throughly whether he beleeue it in his heart now while it is the time of mercie for once we must come to iudgement and so let him rest himselfe in the Lord Iesus with full assurance of euerlasting life not mistrusting our good and gracious God nor doubting of his good will towards him for he that doubteth is like the waues of the sea that be tossed to and fro such wauering is farre from the certentie that true faith bringeth vnto our consciences whereby beeing iustified by faith we haue peace with god For this true sincere faith maketh vs to haue entrance vnto our God with boldnes so that it is far from the wauering vncertenty of the wicked vnbeleeuers yet the dearest children of God euen the most faithfull haue often maruelous assaults to shake their faith oftentimes feele thēselues almost deadly woūded as though they were almost past al hope but yet their faith getteth the victorie in the ende At that stay was the Prophet when he said to himselfe Hath the Lord forgotten to be mercifull is his mercie cleane gone but yet they vse to striue and stirre vp themselues by calling vpon God and tarying Gods leasure Why art thou vexed o my soule saith Dauid why art thou so troubled within me c. So that although the children of God be oftentimes maruelously assaulted with distrust and doubtings of their saluation yet they striue against them at Gods appointed time leasure they feele the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding Thus farre ye see then the full answer of our cause and matter of our saluation before the iudgement seat of God against Satan sinne deuill death and hell that we that be the people of God doe fully beleeue not onely say with our tongue but beleeue assuredly in our heart that Iesus Christ hath satisfied whatsoeuer Gods iustice doth require for our sinnes not onely for other mens sinnes but euen for our sinnes whereby we feele our selues at peace with God reconciled by the death of his Sonne brought into an assured hope of euerlasting life thus far haue we heard taught and now yet further least any carnall wretch should thereby take libertie to sin saying within his heart If there be nothing but this that whosoeuer beleeueth shalbe saued then I care not what I doe I wil continue in my sinne then I wil beleeue to be saued I shalbe saued I can beleeue when I list the word of God to answer all such filthie sinne doth testifie vnto vs that this true liuely faith of Gods people to saluation is not in the power of man to beleeue when he list but it is onely the worke of God Flesh and bloode saith Iesus Christ hath not reuealed this vnto thee but euen my heauenly father which is in heauen it was the Lord which touched the
that which wee can not greatly conceiue of our selues and euery thing shall be unspeakeable For no doubt those men that we spake of before euen at those times when they could not tell what and hovv to pray as of them-selues yet the spirite helping them they did pray and there were at least vnspeakeable sighes and grones stirred up in them For it is said of Hezekiah that hee then turned his face to the wall and prayed to the Lorde and wept sore 2. Kings 20. 2 3. and Dauid vvhen as in his owne feeling hee did but roare and sigh euen then he poured out that very plentifully his whole desire before the Lord Psal 38. and when he did but mourne and make a noise it was counted a prayer before the Lord Psal 55. 2. and when as he saith that his grouings were like the Pelicans the sparrows or the shriekings of an owle yet to shew that in them there was a worke of Gods spirite that made them acceptable to him he beginneth the Psalme thus O Lorde heare my prayers and let my cry come unto thee So it is saide of the whole Church of God in Egypt Exod 2. 23. 24. that vvhen for the extremitie of their bondage they could not pray unto God yet they cryed and sighed and mourned unto him This then is a most notable cōfort in all afflictions that beleeuing in Christ and pertaking of his spirit it shall helpe vs in all our infirmities so that when we can not tell what or how to pray as we ought it shall teach us so to doe it as wee may haue hope and comfort of being heard For this is that which he addeth that the Lord which searcheth the heart knoweth the meaning of his owne spirit for it maketh request to him for the Saintes according to his will for by knowing he doth not only meane that he understandeth it as he doth all other things but he accepteth and alloweth it and doeth most willingly graunt such requestes as though they were made in farre better liking to our selues and so is the word taken Psalm 1. 6. The Lord knoweth the way of the righteous For he heard the crie of the Israelites when they did but sigh moane deliuered them from the bondage he heard Hezekiah chattering in his prayer raised him vp from death added 15. yeres more to his life he heard David roaring for the extremitie of his paine and forgaue the punishment of his sinne and he hath heard us many times in our greatest need when wee haue howled and cried rather then haue made any setled and well ordered prayer yea when we haue rather sighed then spoken For the Lord in this case regardeth not so much the multitude of wordes as hee looketh to the meaning of his spirite and graunteth that though we speake neuer a worde For euen as a father hauing a yong Infant sicke of some sore disease though the child can speak neuer a worde is ready to helpe it and if it can speake yet being full of paine can not call for things as it ought yet if the mother can but by any signes gesse at the meaning of it shee will accept as much of it as if it had spoken very plentifully yea though it should say one thing and meane another she would giue it according to the meaning of it So the Lord that is filled with the bowels of compassion towardes us in Christ farre aboue any father or mother though he delighteth to heare vs pray unto him yet when as by the extremitie of our miseries we are oppressed or distracted so that we can not in any orderly maner pray unto him as we ought he alloweth of the sighes and sobbes that wee offer vp unto him and graunteth not so much our words which are none or fewe as the meaning of his spirite which is plentifull in vs. Hereupon it commeth to passe that the Lord in his rich mercy imputeth not unto his servants the manifold rebellions of the flesh or great complaints in their prayers as not unto Iob or to David who vvere full of them because he hath respect vnto the meaning of his spirite in them euen as the father is not so much greeued or offended with the murmurings impatience and outcries of his poore sicke childe as he by the least token gesseth at the meaning of him and taketh that in good part What shall we then say to these things is it true indeed that the Lord wil vouchsafe to looke vpon the lowe degree of his servants and haue respect unto poore sinnefull creatures who when they are in their iust deserued miserie and euen then cannot pray vnto him one worde aright and when they beginne to speake and their tongue cleaueth unto the roofe of their mouth that he vvill then heare their sighes and their cries yea undoubtedly he that of his great mercie will not quench the smoaking flaxe nor breake in sunder the bruised reede will of the like mercie heare not only the well ordered prayers of his Church but euen the very cryings and roarings of his seruants though they be like the Pellicanes and the Owles yea their mournings though they be like unto the Doues yea when they say nothing neither indeede can their verie lobbes and sighes which come from the aboundance of a troubled Spirite and can not be expressed for he alloweth of the meaning of his spirit which worketh those things in them and if they could are willing thereby to perfourme better seruice unto him What can be more comfortable vnto vs then this In all our necessities let us then with great boldnesse goe vnto the Lord by Christ and though we cannot utter many wordes yet 〈◊〉 vs speake vnto him for surely the acceptation of our praiers consisteth not in the multitude or well placing of our wordes but in the request of our hearts and therefore if we can pray but two wordes and say with the Publicane Lorde be mercifull vnto me a sinner with the Apostles Lord increase my faith or with the blind man O sonne of David haue mercie upon me or with the Theefe on the crosse Lorde remember me this shorte thing proceeding from the spirite in vs and offered up in the mediation of Christ Iesus and in the vertue of his praiers shall be as well receiued of him when we can doe no otherwise as if we had spent an whole houre in praier and if we can not doe this yet if we lift up our mindes unto God as Hannah did who spake neuer a worde and as Nehemiah did yea if we doe but sigh after an unspeakeable manner the Lorde will not refuse that Vers 28. Also we know that all things worke together c. Wherein the Apostle proceeding to comfort us in afflictions ministreth this soueraigne medecine against the contagion thereof namely that all affliction come to the beleeuers not for their hurt but for their singular good seeing that they doe befall them not
is an horrible abuse of Gods worde yea of God him selfe whē we so dally with God ye if I that preach the word should thinke it sufficient for me when I haue told you Gods will out of his word and yet not applie it to my selfe to reforme my life after the same assuredly I should answer that horrible contēpt of Gods maiestie before his eternall throne of iustice if ye shall then good brethren harden your faces against this worde of God and shake it off and say still in your hearts For all this I will continue in my sinne a while and for all his threatning I trust I am not so neare death but I may amend before that day come let him say what he will I vvill not yet begin then I testifie vnto you before the eternall God that the master of the house vvill come in an houre vvhen ye least thinke and giue you your portion vvith hypocrites vvhere shal be vveping and vvayling and gnashing of teeth and then vvhen ye vvould it is too late alas ye can not If ye shall novve abuse this day of mercie and Gods long suffering that dravveth you to repentance and like carnall beasts fling abroad and kicke vp your heeles against the Lord violently throvving from you all godly admonitions vvhereby he goeth about to pul you vnto him he shal come vpon you like a fierce lyon vtterly consume you in your greatest pride vvhen ye least think but I hope better of you brethren and good cause I haue so to doe I thank God for it I trust the Lord vvill vvorke in your heart that ye vvill not deferre the time but euen novv beginne to turne to him vvhile he offereth you mercie and presume not of hereafter Remember the fiue foolish virgins that had no oyle in their lamps and yet for all that tooke no thought but snorted and slumbred vvithout all care thinking they should haue time enough to prepare but alas they vvere deceiued for the bridegrome came sodainly and those that vvere found readie entred in and those iolly fooles that deferred so long vvere shut out and shall neuer enter in for Gods sake brethren let these things enter deep into our head heart let vs haue these things so deeply imprinted in our hearts that vve may think vpon them continually say alvvay vvith that holy man vvhether I sleepe or vvake me think I heare continually sounding in mine eares the trump of the Lord that saith Arise ye dead come to iudgement let vs alvvay be prepared against that day alvvaies say in our heart vvith the saints in the Apocalyps Come Lord Iesu come quickly I am ready for thee come vvhen thou vvilt that our hearts may still long after it say vvith the Apostle I desire to be dissolued to be with thee ô Christ othervvise if we shall deferre it and take our pleasures in this vvorld then alas euen the remembrance of death Oh how bitter wil it be to him that hath his heart vpō the things of this world it will nippe our heart a sunder to part with our goods to part with our pleasures and all because we haue so long abused Gods long sufferance and prolonged the day of our repentance till suddenly we are taken then we could with the wicked contemners of God wish the very hils and mountaines to couer vs and hide vs from the presence of the fierce iudge whom we haue so stubbornly contemned but alas it will not preuaile we must euen be hayled before his iudgement seat in spite of our teeth wherefore good brethrē let vs thinke vpon it and thinke vpon it againe that it neuer part from vs these be waightie matters to be thought vpon these be things that must alwaies keepe vs occupied and not heard with the eare for the space of an houre but they must be our continual meditation our whole life I trust by Gods grace ye wil think vpon it that you may profit by it I hope well of you as good cause I haue especially because I see the Lord hath mooued you to this good work whereunto you are assēbled that you think not much neither of cost nor trauail for the benefit of the common-wealth and ease of your brethren continue and goe on forward be not wearie of well doing seeing the Lord is with you in blessing your labours remember the time we haue is short let vs be doing good while we haue time remember that your callings require the same beeing magistrates of peace to be carefull of peace remember that ye must once be called to account before the iudge for your calling then though all the men in the earth would cleare you if God doe condemne you there is nothing but destruction let the vprightnes then of your consciences be in these your meetings that ye may be void of vaine glorie before men and be simple before God to doe good and then the Lord will blesse your labours in this life and in the life to come ye shall receiue full ioy both of soule and bodie for euer Ye see then the meaning of this sentence and how the Apostle takes it to his vse to take his profite by it in setting it alwaies before his eies to keepe him thereby in a continuall awe of God while he skanneth his doings not onely by man but especially by God who hath his iudgement to call vs vnto to answer the matter when we least think herin how we are admonished to do the like and to take our profite by it in like manner thus much I say hath bene declared out of this place in that sence and manner that it is vsed by the Apostle There is yet further doctrine in particular to be delivered out of the same very profitable for vs for our instruction of which we must in like maner gather our profit for whereas it delivered vnto vs that we must once appeare before the iudgement seate of God we are not onely thereby taught to be raised vp to a more diligent vew of our doings that they be sincere before God which the Apostle doth here but further having entred into our selves and found in vs many imperfections yea and horrible sinnes which the Lord hateth and which he hath pronounced to be punished with his heavie curse and eternall condemnation knowing that he is both a iust God and a true which hath set this punishment downe and hath already summoned vs to his iudgement seate we are hereby I say admonished carefully to consider how we may be discharged in that iudgement day delivered from that same punishment which our sinnes haue deserved This is a speciall point to be considered and deeply to be waighed of every one of vs and not slightly to be passed over it is our chiefest ioy in our life our only comfort in our death and our true happinesse after death Without this wee are most miserable of all
most senseles securitie and wilfull wretchednes and blockishnes VVe flatter and soothe vp your selues with the mercies of God and because we heare that the Lord God is mercifull we sleepe in the matter neuer go about to see his iustice answered but content our selues with these vaine gloses that he is a merciful God and therefore we will neuer trouble our selues about the matter to see our sinne answered for why God is mercifull we shal do wel ynough with him Yea but is not God also a iust God is he not also a true God is he not an hater of sinne is he not a sincere and grieuous punisher of sinne VVilt thou make the Lord so mercifull a God that he shall not be also iust wilt thou make him so mercifull that he shall not be also true shall God become so mercifull to forgiue thy sinnes that he shall not be also iust to punnish thy sinnes wilt thou haue him so merciful to passe ouer thy sinnes that he shall not be also true to execute to execute that which he hath appointed for the rewarde of thy sinnes The Lorde hath appointed for all sinnes yea for the least breach of his commaundements as hath beene prooued before eternall death Is God false and vntrue when he saith Cursed is euery one which doth not abide and fulfill all that is written in the booke of the Lawe is not this sentence true wilt thou haue God in forgiuing thy sinnes goe backe with his worde here and play as men play say and vnsay one thing to day and an other thing to morrow and wilt thou haue the Lorde of truth in forgiuing thy sinnes to forget all truth as he shall not looke vnto the execution of the curse vpon thy sinnes appointed by the euerlasting truth It will not auaile thee to alledge Gods mercie to forgiue thy sinnes vnlesse thou seeke also the satisfying of Gods truth and iustice which punisheth thy sinnes The Lord God can not of his iustice and truth but he must needes punish all sinnes of all men with his heauie curse which he hath appointed for all sinne in all men as he is also a mercifull God notwithstanding when he hath appointed a meane to saue from this curse all those that be his God cannot then goe backe with that which he hath spoken because he is the truth that can not lie he must therefore needes vnlesse he should denie him selfe punish thy sinne with euerlasting curse because he hath so spoken that both meant it and can not goe from it but must needes execute it If thou say yea but he is mercifull and therefore I trust he will not it is answered he is iust and true and therefore hee must and will Let vs see now vvhat all the vvranglers vpon the earth can say to it in bringing in all their brabbles against God to impeach Gods cleare iustice and truth to establish their fleshly mercie such a mercy in God as they dreame that doeth uphold their carnall securitie and beastly pleasures Nay nay they shall finde him a God of iustice a severe reuenger of all such contempt a sharpe iudge against all such worldly heartes that vnder pretence of Gods mercy set them dovvne in all sinne and filthinesse never seeking for the remedie hereof in this time of mercie they shall finde it I warrant you too true The Lorde God giue vs hearts and mindes to thinke upon it while we are here for all such gloses can not prevaile against God in the day of the Lord. True it is that the Lord is a mercifull God a God of all mercies yea so mercifull that all his vvorkes are iudged with his mercies yea even unto those that he doth of his iustice condemne They can not deny euen the damned caytiffes can not denie but that the mercies of God haue bene powred upon them aboundantly yea a thousand thousand fold it is Gods mercie that maketh the comfortable sunne to shine vpon them that maketh his sweete showres to water their groundes that maketh their land fruitfull that giueth them eyes to looke vpon the light eares to heare feete to walke to take the profite and benefite of all Gods blessings these singular mercies and a thousand more it can not be denyed but God shevveth vpon the vvicked and damned creatures as vvell as vpon his ovvne children but they like carnall svvine doe abuse them every one of them they vvill not giue their eares to heare the vvorde of life they vvill not giue their heartes to take pleasure in it they vvill not vse their feete to seeke after life they cast of all these heauenly mercies of God and abuse Gods benefites to deuilish uses there eares are open to heare vvickednesse vanitie and filthinesse their tongue loose to speake lyes abomination and naughtinesse their feete svvift to shedde innocent blood and all other the great mercies of God doe they horribly abuse to their utter condemnation so that they can haue no iust cause to wrangle against God but must needes acknowledge their condemnation to be most iust hauing tasted so many of Gods mercies and utterly abused them So then this their wrangling shifte of Gods mercie will helpe them not a vvhit in that day of iudgement but rather increase their damnation and let vs that be the children of God here also be admonished that it will not availe vs to alledge Gods mercy for vs unlesse we can also as vvell alledge hovv his iustice and trueth is satisfied And this must now be looked for vvhile vvee are here God giveth vs our life to this ende vvee must seeke for it more earnestly a thousand folde then for our bodily life as ye often haue heard Let vs not flatter our selues with these speeches God is mercifull God is mercifull and therefore vvill forgiue vs our sinnes but also let vs acknowledge that God is iust and true and therefore must punish our sinne euen vvith that same punishment that hee him-selfe hath appointed and let vs be carefull novv to seeke out how and by what meanes this same iustice and truth of God in punishing our sinne may be answered that vve may be saved Well then because God is true which hath appointed euery of our sinnes to be punished with damnation and therefore vvill haue it so vve must therfore seeke hovv this same may be vndergone and ouercome Are vvee able to take this heavie curse vpon vs and make an ende of it It is endlesse the vvorme that never dieth the fire that can not be quenched The most highest that euer were are or euer shall be of the posteritie of old Adam must needs shrink vnder this burden no flesh is able to sustaine and ouercome it the damned soules indeede doe feele the waight of it shall both in soule and body feele the full measure of it after the last iudgement but they shall neuer be able to ouercome it they shall alwaies be dying and neuer
before he told them he was going from them These words were vttered then by our Sauiour Christ when he was going to his death as a thing specially to be marked of vs which he knew to be most needefull for vs and therefore of vs more to be considered and marked yea and neuer to be forgotten but alwaies deepely imprinted in our minde You know those things that are spoken of men lying vpon their death bedde vse to pearse much that commonly the words be neuer forgotten but still almost as fresh in memorie as when they were newe spoken those words which be spoken by a louing father vpon his death bed vnto his childe take great effect in a good childe if a tender father at the point of death doth call his sonne vnto him and vttereth these or such like words Oh sonne thou seeest in what case I am I am euen now readie to goe from thee these be the last words that I shall speake vnto thee remember them well thou shalt neuer heare me more speake I must goe from thee yet for a remembrance that thou maist thinke vpon me when I am gone I will giue thee one lesson from my mouth while I liue that thou maist remember me when I am dead as long as thou liuest I charge thee therefore as thou louest me doe this or that c. thou knowest I haue had many troublesome daies for thee much cost and paines I bestowed vpon thee nowe I must goe from thee thinke vpon this that I charge thee euen as thou louest me if a tender hearted father giue this or such charge vnto his sonne vpon his death bed will it not make the heart of any naturall childe to bleede in his bodie to heare such tender wordes of his louing father alas those louing wordes neuer be forgotten of any naturall childe and good sonne vnlesse he be an vnthrift and past all grace which careth neither for father nor friend liuing nor deade Euen so in like manner will these words of our Sauiour Christ spoken at his death pearce the hearts of any of the children of God vnlesse they be bastards and no sonnes we can not if we loue the Lord Iesus but remember this his last lesson which he giueth vs for his farewell And I am sure vnto the children of God it pearceth a thousand times more their tender hearts to heare them so louingly taught of their louing Lord then any other rough manner of dealing because they be children and not slaues and therefore serue of loue and not of slauish feare although it be sometime needefull for the best of them to feele of the louing correction of their louing father for the taming of their wilde flesh But because in the house of God all be not children which haue the outward coūtenance of children but there be a great companie of dissembling hypocrites which take the libertie of the Gospell to liue after the flesh doe nothing but only make a mock of all louing kind of dealing laugh in their sleeues when they heare any such exhortations because they wil not be taught by faire meanes and as ye would say by maner of intreatie therfore the Lord Iesus for their cause especially dealeth after an other sort here in this sentence and calleth this same his admonition to loue not onely a friendly exhortation as by way of request but also a commandement Not onely a matter of intreatie forsooth to doe or not to doe as best liketh vs but a speciall commaundement to be done whether we will or no whether we like it or not like it vnlesse we will abide the penaltie of disobedience And herein then he dealeth with us not only as a louing friend to exhort but also as a prince of authoritie to command that if we should violently cast off from vs all kinde of friendly admonitions here and thinke we haue escaped wel because we haue broken in sunder all the fast bonds of louing exhortations we should yet vnderstand he is our Prince that hath his iudgement seat to arrayne vs there to answer the breach of his blessed commandement and that we should not thinke or say Oh I will indeede loue my brethren but it shalbe at leisure when I see my time and when I thinke best but rather thinke because it is commanded vs we must doe it whether we will or no not at our pleasure but at the pleasure of the commander vnlesse we wilbe guiltie of his curse in his iudgement seat So then ye see what we haue to marke in this where the Lord Iesus doth not onely exhort but commaund vs to loue one an other that is that we not only haue a cold affectiō thereunto but that we be liuely touched with the authoritie of the commander setting before our eyes his princely iudgemēt seat where he will bring in triall all stubborne breaches of his blessed commandements although they be neuer so smoothly passed ouer in this life Ye see then this hath or at least vvise ought to haue a vvonderfull vvaightie force vvith it vvhere the Lord Iesus falleth a commanding and therefore ought of vs deepely to be considered and not coldly for fashion imbraced because it is the Lord Iesus that not onely vvilleth but commaundeth it But alas it is a vvonderfull thing to see the authoritie of the Lord Iesus so smally regarded among vs if once the vvill of a prince be but knovvne it is a vvonder to see hovv readie vve are to frame our selues thereunto but if he fall a commanding vvho doe not then tremble at his displeasure But the Lord Iesus may intreat pray and beseech nay straightly charge and command and for all that not regarded of a straw It declareth certenly good brethren that there is no feare of God among vs but onely a certaine worldly feare of man and yet the one killeth the bodie alone the other throweth both soule and bodie into hell fire eternall Oh good brethren let vs not deceiue our selues it is the Lord Iesus that commaundeth vs let vs obey he chargeth vs to loue one an other let it be done not onely said but done done done Let vs earnestly repent that we haue beene so slacke in doing this commandement for our Sauiour hetherto that we haue done nothing but onely make a mocke of it oh it is his mercie that hath saued vs hetherto and hath not throwne vs downe to hell as we haue deserued but in mercie hath kept vs till this day let vs nowe from henceforth thinke earnestly vpon this commandement of our Lord Iesus Christ and now begin to practise it that there may be loue among vs and not such brabbling brawling and contention as we see daily and is too lamentable but like to good schollers in the schoole of the Lord Iesus let vs haue loue and peace among vs and surely then he will dwell among vs and protect vs for euer Nowe it is said in the text that this commaundement
THREE GODLY AND FRVITFVLL SERMONS DECLARING FIRST HOW WE MAY BE SAVED in the day of iudgement and so come to life everlasting secondly how we ought to liue according to Gods will during our life which are the two things that every one ought to he most carefull of as long as they liue * ⎠* Preached and written by the reverend godly learned M. IOHN MORE late Preacher in the Citie of Norwitch And now first published by M. NICHOLAS BOVVNDE whereunto he hath adioyned of his owne A Sermon of comfort for the afflicted and A short treatise of a contented mind 1. Thessal 5. 21. Try all things and keepe that which is good Seene and allowed Printed by Iohn Legatt Printer to the Vniversitie of Cambridge 1594. And are to be solde at the signe of the Sunne in Pauls Church-yard in London TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVLL AND SVCH AS FEARE GOD THE Knights and Esquires Iustices for the preseruation of her Maiesties peace in the Countie of Norffolke and to euery one of them Grace mercie and peace from God the Father and from Iesus Christ our Lorde WHereas among the many hundred Sermons or rather certaine thousandes preached by this graue and learned father by the space of more then twentie yeares in which hee was licensed thereunto by the Vniversitie of Cambridge he left no such notes at large whereby the principall heades or chiefe matter of any of them almost might be well collected for the better vnderstanding of others sauing onely of these which he wrote out worde for worde as you haue them It seemed vnto me that his meaning and purpose was thereby to commende the most necessarie doctrine in them cōtained to as many as he mought and that it should not be proper to them onely to whome it was first vttered but stretch out it selfe further neither that the fruit of it should perish with the sound thereof but remaine afterwards yea liue when himselfe should be dead Which moued me thus to publish them that so they might more speedily be caried farre and nere and more easily be in the hands and eyes of all them to whome they were meant And as they intreat of that matter principally which was most common in all his preachings as being most necessary namely how we may be saued in death and how we ought to lead our life which can neuer be too much preached of or too often heard of any and therefore if he had still liued he would still haue preached of this so nowe because he is fallen asleepe in the Lord and can speake no more vnto vs and these points are but shortly set downe of him in the beginning of his Catechisme which yet with great fruite these many yeares hath beene often printed this larger discourse of his might be in steade of a continuall preaching vnto all those that are desirous still to be confirmed in them In which besides the matter whole and intire without any alteration you haue his owne very wordes also as they were penned by himselfe that so by the graue simplicitie or simple grauitie appearing in them all that were acquainted with his preaching might thereby as it were by the colour lineaments of it easily discerne that it is altogether his owne doing in deede especially so many as then hearde him might therby as it were by his footing trase out the author himselfe Seeing then vpon this occasion these sermons come abroad I thought it expedient or rather necessarie to commend them to your Worships godly consideration Christian protection because that being first preached in a Right worshipfull assembly and meeting of yours helde at Ocle for the quarter Sessions then and afterwards the Lord so effectually blessing him and mouing some of you with his holy spirit beeing written at the earnest request as it seemeth of your Worships him selfe in his life time dedicated them after a sort vnto you so that I could not now after his death haue alienated them from you vnlesse I would of purpose haue violated the will and made frustrate the good intent of the deade which yet if I had inconsiderately done your Worships might haue chalenged them and recouered them into your handes Hoping therefore that your Worships will fauourably interpret my boldnes who beeing vnknowne euen in the face vnto the greatest part yea almost all of you haue presumed thus farre seeing that therein I haue not so much disorderly intruded any thing vpō you against your wils as dutifully tēdered deliuered vp vnto you your own as herafter you may for my credit herein heare in this treatise the author him selfe speaking vnto you by name I humbly beseech you to receiue it as your own I count it altogether needlesse to write in the commendations of it neither are my praises any thing if they were needfull the name of the preacher and writer of them commends them sufficiently especially vnto so many of you as knew his great learning both in all the liberall arts and almost all languages and also in other studies meete for so great a Divine with his great godlines and continuall graue cariage of himselfe in the whole course of his life which worthily did purchase him great reuerence amongst all besides his feruent zeale for the house of God which at the last did eat him vp his endlesse paines in preaching the Gospell in season and out of season sometimes almost euery day in the weeke for the space of certain yeres and euery Lords day three or fowre times and when he did least so often as ordinarily the strength of man will permit as many of your Worships are credible and eie-witnesses of it besides many hundreds more By all which it may seeme he vntimely shortned his daies yet seeing the ende of our life is to doe good and he by making hast did in so short a time as much good as if by sparing him selfe he had drawne out the same in length if he could possibly so haue liued an hundred or two hundred yeares what cause had he in his death thereof to repent or we now in that behalfe to be sorie for him But I will keepe your Worships no longer from him you shall heare him selfe speaking vnto you or rather the Lord by him vnto whose gratious blessing for the fruit of this and all other his good ordinances towards vs for our direction in this life and saluation in the life to come commending all your Worships I humbly take my leaue praying you to thinke on these things which ye haue both learned and receiued and heard and seene in him those things doe and the God of peace shalbe with you Norton in Suffolke 26 August 1594. Your Worships in all Christian duties for the Lords sake Nicholas Bownde THE FIRST Sermon 2. Cor. 5. 10. For we must all appeare before the iudgement seate of Christ that euery one may receiue the things which are done in his bodie according to that he hath done
haue receiued any good grace we might be thankefull to God for it if not we might labour for it Thus speaketh the Apostle Peter 1. Epist 1. 6 7. Now for a season if neede require ye are in heauines through manifold tentations that the triall of your faith beeing much more precious then gold that perisheth though it be tried with fire might be found vnto your praise honour and glorie at the appearing of Iesus Christ Where the Apostle saith that if men by the fire will trie the gold to the ende that they might certenly know what is the value of it and yet it is but a thing that perisheth and therefore in no wise to be compared to faith and other graces of Gods spirite then the Lord much more by affliction may make triall of them to the ende that all men may see them to be so precious as they be Thus was Abraham prooued Gen. 22. 1. when the Lord commaunded him to offer vp his onely sonne Isaak whome he loued which he willingly obeyed and by faith offered him vp Hebr. 11. 17. so that the Lord saith now it was knowne by good proofe that he feared the Lord when for his sake he had not spared his onely sonne Thus is it knowne who are they that haue receiued the seede of Gods word into good ground and who into stonie ground euen such as goe away in tentation and so though they beleeued for a time yet then shew that the word was not rooted in them Luk. 8. 13. and thus it is knowne who haue builded there houses vpon the rocke and who vpon the sands who haue beene onely hearers of the word and who doers of the same Euen such as when the rayne fals the floode comes and the winde blowes there houses stand or fal that is they that in affliction and tentation continue the same that they were before or are vnlike vnto themselues to be short thus were the Israelites tried in the wildernes where it appeared many waies what was in euery man where some were murmurers some fornicatours some idolatours some disobedient and some faithfull and all this by the seuerall afflictions and crosses that did befall them Thus by the great afflictions that came vpon Iob at once appeared what was in him when in all that he sinned not with his mouth but saide The Lorde gaue and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. And thus lastly by triall appeared the weakenes of Peter who though he had made so large a confession of his faith before yet at the voyce of a mayde when he saw greater danger sware and foresware with cursing and banning denying Christ euen that he neuer knew the man therefore if it be good for vs not to be ignorant of our selues and so not to be deceiued with an ouerweening of our selues if it be good for any man to see his wants and weaknes that he may be humbled and seeke to haue them healed if it be good to know certenly that we haue receiued such and such graces euen in that measure that we haue that we might be thankefull to God and comforted in our selues then seeing that affliction and the crosse bringeth forth all this at once and by trial we finde what faith hope loue patience obedience c. is in vs and what not that whatsoeuer we seemed to be before to our selues and others yet now we know certenly that we are thus and thus it can not be denied but that affliction worketh much good vnto vs and we ought to say with the Apostle that we knowe it to be so VVhich we may much more confidently when we shall see omitting to speake of many moe vses that the crosse hath that last and greatest of all that is spoken of vers 29. Hetherto we haue seene that there is great vse of affliction and that it worketh much good and that in euery crosse besides the present bearing of it the Lord offereth great commoditie vnto vs and worketh it in vs thereby so that as in all other thinges there is the present possession of them and the vse of them in so much that many haue great goods and yet not know howe to vse them so many haue great and long crosses vpon them yet labour not after the fruit of them Thus seeing afflictions are common to the good and the bad and both doe beare them whether they will or no yet the one must labour for the good which the Lord offereth to them thereby which the other not once so much as looketh after which no doubt when Gods children are some thing carelesse in then he continueth his roddes vpon them nay increaseth them because his purpose is to doe them good and so herein dealeth with them as a father euen as he is who spareth not the rodde till his childe be thereby humbled to the confession and amendment of his fault because his purpose is to doe him good when as notwithstanding he letteth his seruant goe when he seeth that he will not profit by wordes or a fewe stripes as not caring for him so the Lord when he spareth the wicked in their sinnes and reserueth them to further iudgement correcting his owne children againe and againe sheweth that his purpose is to doe them good Therefore let no man in the continuance of afflictions be too much discouraged as though the Lord were continually angrie with him or had a purpose to destroy him thereby which he could doe in a moment at once but let him thus reason with himselfe out of the word Nowe I know assuredly that the Lord loueth me in deede because he purposeth to doe me good by all things euen by affliction and therfore whereas I through the vntowardnes of my nature haue not profited sufficiently by his former chastisments he sendeth a new fatherly correction thereby to worke my further good and whereas I through my crookednes and stubbornnes doe not yet profit by them as he would haue me therefore I see that in much mercie he continueth it that so I might get good by it at the last and herein the Lord dealeth like a wise carefull Physitian who purposing not so much to giue Physick vnto the sicke patient as to cure him thereby if the first medicine will doe it there he leaues them if not he applieth one medicine after an other because he hath a diligent care of him and if at any time he maketh any intermission it is because of the patients weaknes whome he would by that meanes to gather some strength not that he meaneth to leaue him so the Lord purposing according to his word by affliction to doe vs good when by the first crosse we profit not as we ought then either he letteth it lie the longer vpon vs or remoouing it sendeth an other in steade of it though not presently because we could not beare it yet afterwardes when it seemeth best vnto him Therefore the best thing for euery man is
the more grieuously against vs. The chiefest cause of all this was their incredulitie Psal 78. 22. they did not beleeue that the Lord had a fatherly care of them sought in all things to do them good euen as he knew what was commodious for them which was so much the greater a sinne in them by how much the Lord had so many waies testified his great loue to them not onely by his word but by his workes v. 23. where he beginneth to reckon vp so many benefits of his bestowed vpon them Therefore that we might auoide all these sinnes we must labour first of all to beleeue the forgiuenes of our sinnes by Christ Iesus and that we are receiued into Gods fauour by the imputation of his righteousnes then we must be perswaded of his fatherly prouidence watching ouer vs for good and that he hauing giuen his sonne Christ Iesus vnto vs will with him giue vs all things needefull for vs and that there beeing a kingdome prouided for vs in heauen much more are wee heyres of this worlde which faith that wee might be confirmed and strengthened in we must not onely barely acquaint our selues with the promises of the worde wherein hee testified and shewed all these thinges vnto vs but also marke his fatherly dealing with vs from time to time wherein he hath confirmed the truth of these promises vnto vs. Moreouer concerning this matter this is an especiall meanes to bring vs to a contented minde if in worldly things we neuer propound too high an estate to our selues neither looke for great matters of this life but set a meane condition before our eyes as Iacob did Gen. chap. 28. 20. If God will be with me and keepe me in this iourney which I goe and will giue me bread to eate and clothes to put on so that I come againe to my fathers house in safetie c. with words proceeding from the trueth of his heart not purposing to dissemble with God did declare a maruelous contented minde if we consider who it was that spake it First of all the graundchilde of that mightie Abraham who was able to reske we his kinsman Lot with three hundred and eighteene souldiers borne and brought vp in his house Gen. chap. 14. vers 14. and who was so rich that the land in which he soiourned was not able to beare them cap. 13. 6. Then he was the onely heyre of that rich Isaak who dwelling in Gerar sowed and found by estimation an hundred fold and was exceeding rich cap. 26. 12 13. and was so blessed that the king of the land was afraid of him v. 28. Thirdly it was he who was so blessed in all earthly and heauenly things by his father in the chap. going before and was confirmed in the same againe in this very chap. v. 1. 3. and last of all was established in the faith of it by the Lord himselfe v. 17. After all so many and great things which might haue made him looke a loft what a minde had he that desireth 〈◊〉 meate and drinke and clothes especially in so long a time of absence from his friends for he knewe well the cause of his owne departure euen the cruel rage of his brother which could not be appeased but in a long time And this is so much the more worthie to be considered if we reade the text as some of the learned translatours doe namely when the Lorde shall haue bene with me shall haue kept me in this way by the which I am to goe and shall haue giuen me bread to eate and clothes to put on and to be short when the Lord shall haue bin my God then this heape of stones which I haue set up for a pillar shalbe Gods house c. wherein as hee doth not tie Gods favour to the aboundance of these outward things but confesseth that he may be mercifull unto him yea in a meane estate so this mercie of God he desiring aboue all is contented that the Lord should shew it unto him which way it pleaseth him if it be but in meate and drinke and clothes So our Sauiour Christ hath taught us to pray for our daily bread by which though he meane all things needefull for this life yet in naming bread he sheweth us what meane things we should looke for whereunto agreeth the prayer of the wise man Proverb 30. 9. Giue me not pouertie nor riches feed me with food conuenient for me and the exhortation of the Apostle 1. Timoth. 6. 8. When we haue foode and raiment let us be contented therewith which that we might so much the more earnestly labour to attaine unto let us consider how God hath alvvaies blessed them that haue looked for small matters and punished them that haue had aspiring mindes resisting the proud and giuing grace to the humble Dauid when hee was accused of treason against the king truly protesteth of himselfe Psalme 131. Lorde mine heart is not havvtie neither are mine eyes loftie neither haue I walked in great matters which are to high for me And when Saul in pollicie offered his daughter unto him to be his wife that by that meanes he might be destroyed of the Philistines he answered VVhat am I that I should be sonne in law to the king 1. Sam. 18. 18. and when it was further urged upon him he said Seemeth it a small thing unto you to be the kings son in law v. 23. yet afterwards God made him King But Adoniah Absolon both of them afterwards aspiring unto the kingdom by the punishments which God brought upon thē were made spectacles of so great ambition to the posteritie Mordecai in time of the captivitie having well deserued of the king Hest 2. 22. sought not ambitiously to preferre himselfe but serving still faithfully in his former estate was highly aduanced at the last cap. 6. Contrariwise Haman swelling with pride like a toade as it appeareth in many places of that story was at the last brought to that great shame confusion which deseruedly fell upon him And that we might in all persons consider the truth of this we shall find that if they haue no other punishment of God upō them yet they haue this which is no small one restles minds unquiet spirits For besides that the mind of man is insatiable there is no worldly thing so great but mans desire is greater therfore when he hath this that still he desires more is not satisfied we must remember that great things are very rare hard to be attained unto therfore we like to misse of them and so the mind must needs still be unquiet So the other if they haue no other blessing yet they shall haue this quiet spirits contented minds which is an especiall grace For besides that smal meane things are especially promised of God and are most common in the world therefore most like to be attained unto and so the desire soonest satisfied the