our aduersaries do slaunder vs therefore herein they fight with their owne shadow B. l. 3. de Verbo Cap. 1. We confesse that the Lord in the Scriptures hath tempered hard things and easie together that wee might be exercised in the Scriptures might knock by prayer and study for the opening of the sence and that there might be order kept in the Church some to be teachers and expoūders and some to be hearers by which teachers and expounders through their diligent search and trauell the harder places may be opened to the people But this wee affirme against our aduersaries First that al points of faith necessary to saluation are plainly setforth in the holy Scriptures Secondly that they may with great profite be read of the simple and vnlearned notwithstanding the hardnesse of some places which in time also vsing the meanes they come to the vnderstanding thereof Arg. 1 1. Arg. First our iudgements are euidently approued by the Scriptures Deut. 30.11 For this commaundement which I commaund thee is not hid from thee neither is it farre of verse 12. It is not in heauen that thou shouldest say Who shall goe vp for vs to heauen and bring it vs and cause vs to heare it that we may do it verse 13. Neither is it beyond the sea that thou shouldest say Who shall goe ouer the sea for vs and bring it vs and cause vs to heare it that we may do it verse 14. But the word is very neree vnto thee euen in thy mouth and in thine hart to do it Therefore the Scriptures are plaine Vnto this Argument first it is aunswered that it is meant onely of the Decalogue or 10. Commaundements that they are easie not of the whole Scriptures Answer Replication As though if the Commaundements be easie the rest of the Scriptures be not likewise as the Prophets and historicall Bookes being but Commentaries and expositions of the Decalogue S. Paul Rom. 10.6 vnderstandeth this place of the whole doctrine of faith Againe the prophet Dauid saith Ps 119.105 Thy word is a lanterne to my feete a light to my path Which is not to bée vnderstood onely of the commaundements and precepts in the Scriptures but of the whole word of GOD as Augustine expoundeth it Quod ait Lucernae pedibus verbum tuum verbum est quod Scripturis omnibus sanctis continetur Where hée saith Thy word is a lanterne to my féete hée vnderstandeth the word of God which is contained in all the holy Scriptures Arg. 2 The 2. Argument 2. Cor. 4.3 If our Gospell be then hidde it is hidden to thē that are lost Therefore the Scriptures are plaine to the faithful Bellar. answereth S. Paul speaketh of the knowledge of Christ not of the Scriptures Replie First it is manifest out of the next verse being the 4. whereas the Apostle saith In whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes that is of the Infidels that the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ which is the image of God should not shine vnto them that S. Paul speaketh of that Gospell which he preached to the Corinthians which is the same he wrote vnto them Wherfore if the Gospel preached were easie and plaine why is not the Gospell written by him I meane the doctrine of faith beyng the same which hee preached Secondly if they graunt as by this answere it appeareth they do wee aske no more for this is that which wee say that the Doctrine of faith saluation is plainly expressed in the sacred scripture Arg. 3 3. Arg. This is the differēce betwéene the new testament the old The old is compared to a clasped booke Is 29.11 The new to a booke opened Apoc. 5.1 6.1 The knowledge of Christiās far exceedeth the knowledge of the Iewes it was lawfull for them to read the Scriptures much more for vs Christians Bellar. answereth that our knowledge is greater then theirs not in all Scriptures but in the mysteries of our Redemption onely Our Replie is This is all wée desire for if the mystery of saluation redemption be plainly opened in the Scripture why should not the people be admitted to the reading of the word to be confirmed in the knowledge of their redemption I conclude therefore this point with the sayings of our sauiour Christ Iohn 5. Search the Scriptures for in them you thinke to haue eternall life and they do testifie of mee Likewise S. Paul to the Colossians 3.16 Let the woord of Christ dwell in you plenteously in all wisedome The seuenth Sermon vpon the 25. Psalme the 15 and 16. verses 15 Mine eyes are euer towardes the Lord for he will bring my feete out of the net The sence thereof is FOrasmuch as the Lord of his great mercy hath promised neuer to leaue them destitute of his assistance which fearing alwaies trusting in him are in great afflictions perils and daungers I therfore not in prosperitie onely but in aduersitie also euen at all times lift vp the eies of mine heart and affections by faith sure confidence towards him seing it is he onely and none other that either can or wil deliuer mée out of the net of troubles Doct. 1 1. Doct. Afflictions and troubles are alwaies incident to the deare Saints Church of Christ 2. Tim. 3.12 All that will liue godly in Christ must suffer persecution Examples Abel Ioseph the Israelites in Egipt and in the captiuity seuentie yéeres the Prophets Christ his Apostles Christians and Martyrs in the Primitiue time and also of late yéeres The causes therof mouing God thereunto are First that he might daily declare himself the disposer gouernour of al things 1. Sam. 2 7. The Lord maketh poore and maketh rich bringeth low and exalteth Secōdly to take from vs that do naturally settle our affections on the earth all occasion of promising our selues prosperity in this life Vse The vse is First to prepare our selues to all conditions whether the Lord send prosperitie or aduersitie health or sicknesse according to the example of the Apostle Paul Phil. 4.11 12. who saith I haue learned in whatsoeuer state I am to bee content verse 12. And I can be abased I can abound euery where in all things I am instructed both to be ful and to be hungry and to abound and to haue want For otherwise it is certaine that affliction comming vpon vs wil be most gréeuous and intolerable Secondly to teach vs to settle our affections vpon heauen the thinges that lead thither which is a most certain anchor-hold and wil neuer faile vs as this world will doe in the most excellent things thereof And forasmuch as no Doctrine in the sacred Scriptures is in my iudgement more necessary then this concerning the vse and benefites of afflictions I purpose by Gods assistance the longer to persist herein Euen as the man that hath a sonne A similitude which is in good and perfect health and a seruant that is
great miserie and affliction for thou hast promised to saue all them that call vpon thy name for the remission of their sins Remember not the sinnes Doct. 1 1. Doct. In vaine doe wee pray to God to be deliuered from our afflictiōs except we pray for the remission of our sinnes both of our youth and all other afterward committed by vs. The 1. Reason is There is no hope for vs to obtaine grace except the Lord be mercifull vnto vs and how doth he loue vs except we be first reconciled to him and that by our Sauiour Christ Iesus and our confession and repentaunce of our sinnes Vse The Vse is therefore to teach vs in all our afflictions to acknowledge our sinnes to GOD onely séeing hee is gracious and fauourable to all his Doct. 2 2. Doct. It is necessarie for Gods people in their praiers to God to make vnto him onely a frée confession of their sinnes Psal 32.5 Then I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee neither hidde I mine iniquities for I thought I will confesse against my selfe my wickednes vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sinne Selah Dan. 9.5 We haue sinned and haue committed iniquitie and haue done wickedly yea we haue rebelled and haue departed from thy preceptes and from thy iudgements Nehem. 1.6 I pray thee let thine eares bee attent and thine eyes open to heare the praier of thy seruant which I pray before thee day and night for the children of Israel thy seruants and confesse the sinnes of the children of Israel which wee haue sinned against thee The 1. Reason is Els we obtaine no forgiuenesse Secondly Els we haue no assurance that we haue repented séeing confession doth alwaies accompany repentance Thirdly Otherwise wée cannot rightly and throughly condemne our selues and cleare the Lord for punishing vs. Fourthly By the confession of our sinnes we are the more humbled and the better prepared to praier The Vse is First to reprooue all them that iustifie themselues like the proud Pharise and offer vp their owne workes as the Papistes doe Secondly to reprooue them that will not beare sharpe rebuke for their sinnes nor bee contented to be censured by those meanes that God hath prescribed by his word for the same purpose Thirdly it teacheth vs to loue them that admonish vs often and reprooue vs sharpely when wee haue offended estéeming them our déerest friends and auoiding them that flatter vs Leuit. 19.17 Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart but thou shalt plainely rebuke thy neighbour and suffer him not to sinne Math. 18.18 Whatsoeuer you binde in earth c. seeing it is the meanes to bring vs to this confession which is so necessarie Text. Remember not the transgressions of my youth nor my rebellions Doct. 3 3. Doct. True repentance worketh in vs earnest and heartie praier The Reason is First In it we see our miseries in our selues and what néede wee haue to séeke to GOD for helpe Secondly It assureth vs of Gods loue to vs and readinesse to heare vs. Thirdly It encourageth vs to call on the name of the Lord who in our conuersion hath giuen vs experience of his vnspeakeable mercies The Vse is to teach vs to bee as diligent to performe this praier aright as wee are desirous to prooue to our owne hearts that our repentance is vnfained Doct. 4 4. Doct. All our praiers are to bee made to God alone Psa 50.15 Call vpon me c. Rom. 10.14 How shall they call vpon him of whome they haue not heard The 1. Reason It is he onely that can graunt vs our request Secondly We are not commaunded in the holy Scripture to call vpon any other and therefore if we doe it is not of faith and consequently it is sinne The Vse is First to reprooue the dotage of the heathen that praied to the Sunne Moone and Starres and of the Papistes that pray to Angels and Saints Secondly to teach vs to make all our praiers to GOD alone in the name of his Sonne Christ for such things as he hath promised in his word and in such maner as hee hath prescribed Nor my rebellions Text. Doct. 5 5. Doct. It is rebellion against the Lord to despise any of his lawes although all humane lawes should approoue vs therein The 1. Reason Reu. 19.16 God is King of Kings and will bee serued without exception Secondly Els God should yéeld vnto men Thirdly Wee are to obey men onely in the Lord and no further The Vse is First to reproue rulers that require obedience of their subiects to all their owne decrees not regarding whether God be disobeyed therby or no. Secondly to reprooue them that pretend mans lawes to excuse themselues in their sinnes as in the breach of the Sabboth contentednesse with the dumbe Ministerie putting of money to vsurie Thirdly it teacheth vs alwaies to hold this both in iudgement and practise It is better to obey God then man Act. 5.29 Doct. 6 6. Doct. It is our dutie so often as the Lord shal terrifie vs with his iudgements not onely to mourne sigh and lament but to repent vs not onely for our former sinnes committed in our youth but all other sinnes since which we can either call to mind hidden or vnknowne The Reason is The Lord may laye them all to our charge The Vse is that wee neuer flatter or stroke our selues in our vices but narrowly prye into them not into others as hypocrites doe but into our owne not to espie a moate in our brothers eye to cloke our hypocrisie but to pull out of our owne eyes not onely the beames but euen the verie moates therein But according to thy kindnesse remember me euen for thy goodnes sake Text. O Lord. Doct. 7 7. Doct. The children of God expect remission of their sinnes from none but from the mercy of God onely The Reason Sinne prouoketh Gods anger which is infinite and cannot be satisfied by any that is no more then a creature Secondly The Scriptures make the Lords mercie the first part of our righteousnesse Psal 32.1 Blessed is he whose wickednes is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered The Vse is To confute them that thinke they haue it in their owne fréewil to be saued Secondly To confute them that thinke to obtaine heauen by their merites Thirdly To reprooue them that seeke for the Popes pardons and Indulgences seeing it is the Lord of his méere mercie that doth pardon vs our sinnes Psal 25.8 Gracious and righteous is the Lord therefore will he teach sinners in the way The sence is The 2. part of the 3. Sermon I Doubt not at all of the remission of my sinnes neither yet heereafter to leade an holy and innocent life séeing I consider and weigh the great goodnesse and gracious bountie of the liuing Lord as also his righteousnes in performing his promises which among others are that he will pardon the sinnes of the penitent and direct the way
vs his deare children that it might to our comfort abide within vs. True it is that wee must alwaies séeke the meanes that God offereth vs to keepe vs to it and to endeuour to attaine it but howsoeuer it be let vs be fully resolued of this that it is God onely that giueth it and deliuereth vs from all vnquietnesse Therefore let vs not storme nor frette against the Lord although it please him to turmoile vs For we are not taught in the word that God will so handle vs in this world that wée shall not be tossed to and fro wée haue no such promise yet let vs cleaue vnto God and cast our anchor on him so shall wée not bée ouercome of temptations although they be many and greeuous Text. And his seede shall inherite the land Doct. 2 2. Doct. Gods fauour and mercy extend vnto the children of the faithfull both while they liue and after their decease The reason is If the wicked fare the better for the godlies sake how much more shall the children of the godly walking in their fathers steppes fare the better in inheriting the land And there is no certainer inheritance wherin our children may succéed vs then when GOD with vs receyuing them into his fatherly fauour doth make them partakers with vs of his blessings Vse The vse of this Doctrine is That as wée tender our ofspring so to be the more carefull to walke in the feare of the Lord. Psal 25.14 The secrete of the Lord is reuealed to them that feare him his couenant to giue them vnderstanding The 2. part of the sixth Sermon The sence thereof is ALthough secrete hidde vnknowen The sēce and Doctrine aboue the reach capacity of mans braine is the holy couenant of the most high and mighty God yet whosoeuer in the feare of the Lord that is in humble sort by prayer to his Maiestie séeke to know it shal by the directiō of Gods holy Spirite attaine to that high heauēly wisdome which for their saluation in the sacred Scriptures is there recorded The reason is God hath disappointed no man of the knowledge thereof that hath sincerely sought it By the word Secrete the Prophet vnderstādeth the excellency of Doctrine which is contained in the holy law of God Howsoeuer prophane mē by their lofty pride despise Moses the prophets yet the faithfull acknowledge that in the Doctrine therof the secrets of the kingdome of heauen are therby opened which farre excéedingly excell mans wisedome Vse 1 The first vse is That in reading the Law of God and the sacred Scriptures we be of a modest and humble Spirite that in trusting to our weake wits and diligence we take héed we attempt not to breake in the secrete mysteries thereof the knowledge whereof is the singular gift of God as Dauid in the 111. Ps verse 10. saith The beginning of wisedome is the feare of the Lord all they that obserue them haue good vnderstanding his prayse endureth for euer Vse 2 The second vse is That forasmuch as the Lord our God of his great mercy not of merite giueth his Spirite to many that are not teachers as to them that instruct the Church that therefore being endued with the Spirite of truth hauing the feare of God humility the desire to beléeue and to liue according to the prescript rules which in the sacred scriptures are cōtained he will giue vnderstanding to them and open the secrete mysteries thereof vnto them And therefore most iniurious to the common people is the Edict of the Pope and his followers which prohibite the reading of them vnto the people They hold that the Scriptures are most hard difficult obscure They do not onely affirme that some things are so but that all are hard doubtfull and vncertaine and compare thē therfore to a leaden rule which may be turned euery way Petrus a Soto And to a nose of waxe Lindan a Papist ex Tilmanno de verbo Dei error 5. Our Rhemistes affirme that it is all one to affirme in a writer some things to be hard the writer to bee hard So they conclude that the sacred Scriptures are both in respect of the matter manner very hard and therfore daungerous for the ignorant to read them Rhe. obiectiō 2. Pet. 3.16 A Dicto secūdum quod ad dictum simpl Answer Rhem annot 2. Pet. 3. verse 16. they obiect that place whereas the Apostle saith speaking of S. Pauls Epistles that many things therein cōteined are hard Therfore the Epistles of S. Paul are hard so the Scriptures B. R. We answere First he saith not that Pauls Epistles are hard but many things he entreateth of Secondly they are hard not to all but to the vnstable who do peruert them Thirdly we denie not but that some places in the Scriptures are obscure haue néede of interpretation but it followeth not that therefore the whole Scriptures are obscure and because of some hard places that the people should be forbidden the reading of all Obie ∣ ction of the Pa ∣ pists 2 2. Obiect The scriptures are obscure both in respect of matter and manner First the matter is high mysticall as of the Trinity of the incarnation of the word of the nature of Angels such like Answer We answere These mysteries may be said to be obscure two waies First in their own nature so are they hard in deed for by humane reason wee cannot attaine to the depth of them Secondly in respect of vs so must they needs be obscure if men be not contented with the knowledge in the word but curiously search further Luther therefore doth aptly distinguish Res Dei saith hee the thinges of GOD are obscure the depth of his mysteries cannot bee comprehended of vs but Res Scripturae the things that are opened in the Scriptures are plaine if wee will content our selues with that knowledge Obie ∣ ction 2 Secondly Bellar. saith The maner of handling is hard and obscure there are many Tropes Metaphors Allegories Hebraismes which cānot easily be vnderstood Answer We answer First many of these are rather ornaments of the Scriptures as Tropes and Metaphores then impedimentes to the Reader Secondly although the phrase of the Scripture may séeme hard at the first yet by further traueile therein it may become easie and plaine for all thinges are not at the first vnderstood Thirdly wée denie not but that some places are obscure and had néed to be opened Obie ∣ ction 3 3. Obiection If the Scriptures were not hard what néed so many Commentaries and expositions R. B. Answer We answer First so many Commētaries as are extant are not requisite some may be spared Secondly Expositions are néedfull for the vnderstanding of darke places but many thinges are playne enough without expositions and may be vnderstood of the simple We hold not that the Scripture is euery where so plaine and euident that it néed no Interpretation as
excéeding sicke dealeth more roughly and seuerely with his Sonne then with his seruant not because hée loueth his seruant more then his Sonne but because hee would restore his sicke seruaunt to his former health but his Sonne whom hee loueth most déerely hée reprooueth checketh taunteth and correcteth Euen so our good gracious GOD and louing father sometimes afflicteth his deere children whom he tenderly loueth and suffereth thē to be exercised with wéepings wailings and want with sighes and sorowfull sobbes with hunger and cold with nakednes and want of harbor with heauinesse of heart and vexation of spirite with sicknes of body and restraint of liberty and with a thousand other calamities and cares and in the meane time suffereth the wicked and vngodly ones of the world to want nothing he giueth them health wealth and libertie worldly honour and dignitie and what not meaning and purposing by these means if the fault bee not in themselues to bring them to know feare honor and serue him by whose prouidence and appointment they haue and do enioy all those good blessings and so be cured and healed of the sores and sicknesse of their soules A similitude As the skilfull Gemmarie and cunning Lapidarie doth willingly suffer the Indian Diamond or Adamant to be smitten with great and waighty blowes because he knoweth well that the hammer and Anuile will sooner be brused then the Diamond or Adamant will be broken so our most wise God yea wisedome it selfe suffereth men of excellent vertues of vnquenchable charity and inuincible constancy as Dauid to fall into diuers temptations to be plunged deepe into manifold miseries because he will haue their inward graces to shewe foorth and so shine before men that they seing the constancy of his Saincts may glorifie God which is in heauen For he is sure that they are cōstant that nothing can separate them from the loue of God Ioseph was imprisoned in Egypt Ieremy in Iudea Ezechiel in Chaldea and Iohn Baptist in Israel by wicked Herode and yet all these infinite others did neuer shrinke from God but as they liued in him so they died in him and are exalted vp on high and shall dwell in his tabernacle rest in the hill of his holines for euer And euen so if wee wil be as they were we shall be as they are True it is that God being iust doth neuer afflict vs vniustly which thing we ought alwaies to thinke confesse to humble our selues and glorifie God Neuerthelesse God doth not alwaies take occasion of our sinnes to punish vs but oftentimes he sheweth this fauour to his children to dispose it for their benefite Text. Mine eies are euer towards the Lord for hee will bring my feete out of the nette Doct. 2 2. Doct. The continuall lifting vp of Dauids eies to the Lord teacheth this Doctrine whosoeuer will pray aright that the Lord might accept them must lift vp continually their affections to the Lord for by the eye which of the sences is the sharpest and draweth the whole man to himselfe he meaneth all the affections of man The Prophet no doubt also by the eyes meaneth his corporall eies which as by an instrument did draw vp his affections to the Lord. The reason is All good things whatsoeuer wée haue GOD is the author thereof of whom in lifting vp our harts we desire the same Example of lifting vp of the eies in prayer is our Lord and sauiour Iesus Christ both whē he prayed with thanksgiuing to his Father when hée raised vp Lazarus from death who foure daies lay buried in his graue as also when he prayed to his father not onely for his Disciples but for all that shall beleeue in him Iohn 11.41 and Iohn 17.1 Therefore they tooke away the stone where he was laid that was dead and Iesus lifted vp his eies and said Father I thanke thee that thou hast heard mee This is a token of a mind well framed to praier for to the end a mā may rightly call vpon GOD he must be ioyned with him which cannot bée vnlesse being lifted vp aboue the earth he ascend vp aboue the heauens This is not done with the eye onely seeing that hypocrites who are drowned in the déepe filth and dregges of their flesh séeme with their sterne countenance to draw heauen vnto them but the children of GOD must sincerely perfourme that which hypocrites do but faine Neyther yet must hee that lifteth vp his eyes towardes Heauen there include GOD in his cogitation who is euery where and filleth heauen and earth But because mens mindes can neither escape from nor acquit themselues of grosse inuentions but when they be lifted vp aboue the world the sacred Scripture called vs thither and testifieth that heauen is Gods seat As touching the lifting vp of eies it is no continuall ceremonie which lawfull Praier cannot want For the Publican that praieth with his countenance towardes the earth doth neuerthelesse pearce the heauens with his faith Yet that is a profitable exercise whereby men awake and stirre vp themselues to séeke the Lord yea the feruentnesse of prayer doth so affect and moue the body sometimes that besides meditation it doth willingly folow the mind Certainly it is without all doubt that when Christ and Dauid lifted vp their eyes towards heauen they were caried thither with singular vehemency Vse The vse is that in our prayer we lifting vp our eies to the Lord should not doe it as the hypocrites without the affections of our minds but that both the eyes and the affections of our minds being lifted vp to him together we may be assured that he will heare vs. If we bée in daungers he will deliuer vs if in pouerty he will relieue vs if in sicknes he will cure vs if in sorow he will solace vs. Iohn 17.1 These things spake Iesus and he lifted vp his eies towardes heauen In that Iohn said that Christ lifted vp his eyes towards heauen it was no small signe of zeale and feruentnes For Christ testified in déed by this gesture that he was rather in heauen by the affection of his mind then in earth that he might talke familiarly with God He looked vp towards heauen not that God is shut vp there who doth also fill the earth Ierem. 23. but because his maiestie appeareth there chiefly and secondly because the beholding of heauen doth admonish vs that the power of GOD farre passeth all creatures To the same purpose serued the lifting vp of his hāds when he praied for seing that men are slacke and slow by nature and their earthly nature doth bend them downeward they haue néed to bee stirred vp thus yea they haue néed of chariots to carrie them vp to God But if wee desire to imitate Christ and Dauid truly we must take diligent héed that our ceremonies expresse no more then is in the mind but let the inward affection mooue both handes eies tongue féet and whatsoeuer we haue
Whereas the Publican Luk. 18.13 did rightly pray vnto God casting down his eies it is not contrary to this both of Dauid Christ For although being cōfoūded with his sinnes he did cast downe himself yet did not that humility hinder him but that hee craued pardon with boldnes It was meet for Christ to pray after another sort who had nothing whereof he néeded to be ashamed For he will bring my feete out of the nette Text. Doct. 3 3. Doct. In that Dauid saith God wil plucke his féete c. wee haue to learne this doctrine That when we pray to the Lord in our miseries wée must without all doubting be fully assured that the Lord doth heare vs and at his good time he will surely deliuer vs. Ergo wee need none other Mediators then Christ The reason is He hath so promised to vs Psal 50.15 Call vpon me in the day of thy trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalt glorifie mee Secondly who doth not so shal be frustrated of his desire Iam. 1.6 But let him aske in faith and wauer not Faith without doubting for he that wauereth is like a waue of the sea tost of the wind and caried away verse 7. Neither let that man thinke that he shall receiue any thing of the Lord. Obie ∣ ction Obiection The Apostle meaneth nothing els but that the asker of lawfull thinges may not either distrust Gods power ability or be in diffidence or despaire of his mercy but that our doubt be onely in our owne vnworthines or vndue asking Solutiō Solution Wee proue that men must pray for nothing but according to Gods wil promise and not to doubt of Gods truth in performing his promise But in respect of our owne worthines whereof al mē are void we oght to aske nothing Oecumenius vpon this text saith If hée hath faith let him aske but if he doubt let him not aske for he shall not receyue which distrusteth that he shal receiue Whē thou askest any thing of God dout not at al saying with thy selfe How can I aske receiue of the Lord anything which haue sinned so often against him Thinke not of these things but be conuerted vnto the Lord with thy whole hart aske of him without all doubting and thou shalt know the multitude of his mercies Vse The vse is That wee detest the doctrine of the Papists That in respect of our vnworthines wee should doubt of our prayers to be heard of the Lord but let vs beleeue the sacred Scriptures that teach vs If wee pray vnto God according to his holy will hee will surely heare vs if we pray in faith without all wauering and doubting Let vs put the case that a man had al things els that could be imagined and yet wanted this trust and faith in his praier surely all the rest were nothing woorth but shall bee turned into his bane What if a man laugh what if he liue in ioy pleasure what if he haue goods enough and too much what if all men honour him and to be short what if he séeme to be a pety-God here below as in a Paradise Yet if hee haue not this priuiledge of resorting vnto God with constant and full beliefe that his comming to him shall not be in vaine but that his requests shal be graunted all that euer he can haue besides shal be but a curse vnto him and an increase of his decay Then let vs marke well that it is not without fruite that Dauid bringeth vs here to the principall point of our whole life in the respect of the weale that we can wish which is that God should be at hand with vs and that wee should resort vnto him that he should heare vs and that wee should obtayne our requestes and bée helped and ayded at his hand according to our necessitie and as hee knoweth to bee conuenient for our welfare And this is not taught here onely but if wée looke vpon the whole doctrine of the holy Scriptures we shal see that men are alwaies vnhappy if GOD looke not vpon them and be ready to heare them True it is that by reason of our great dulnesse wee conceyue not so much but without all doubt if wee had but one sparke of sound vnderstanding there is none of vs but should comfortably perceyue that this Doctrine is very true So then let vs open our eies learne to enioy this happinesse know whereupon the same is chiefly grounded so as we may vnderstand that if we haue not God so fauourable to vs as we may resort vnto him with sure trust certainty that in necessity he wil be ready to help vs we be too too wretched and miserable And furthermore if wée be qualified with so excellent a gift grace of Gods holy Spirite as to pray vnto him neither sicknes pouerty imprisonment banishment persecution reproches slaunders no not death it selfe can hinder our happines For behold the remedy that sufficeth for all our miseries is that God promiseth to hold vs vp when wée are beaten downe to deliuer vs when wée are in prison to loose our feete out of the net when our enemies haue caught vs to deliuer vs in time conuenient yea and to turne all our miseries to our welfare saluatiō so as they shal be as many furtherances to helpe vs forward to euerlasting life and he will make vs perceyue that he sent not vs any thing which is not conuenient and profitable for vs. Such promises serue to asswage our sorrowes and euery one of vs may glory in thē as S. Paul saith Rom. 5.1 Then being iustified by faith wee haue peace towardes God through our Lord Iesus Christ verse 2. By whom we haue also accesse through faith vnto this grace wherein we stand and reioyce vnder the hope of the glory of God verse 3. Neither do we so onely but we reioice in tribulations knowing c. We can haue no peace with God except we be assured of his loue so as the gate by it be opened for vs to haue accesse to him When we haue that once saith S. Paul wee be sure fully perswaded that we are the children of God whereby we may glory of that eternall inheritance which he hath promised vs. Obie ∣ ction But here it may be demaūded Iob 27.9 Will God heare the crie of the hypocrite whē trouble commeth vpō him how it cōmeth to passe that God refuseth a mā that calleth vpon him seing he hath promised that he wil be alwaies enclined to succour vs yea that he will not tarrie vntill he be entreated but will preuent our sute or at the least we are sure that assoone as we opē our mouth God will be ready to help vs as by the prophet Esai he promiseth vs. But in Iobs words wee sée a threat altogether contrary which is that although the wicked haue their recourse vnto God desire him to haue pity vpon them