themselues redeemed but those who are cleansed from sinne and haue a care to forsake sinne so it is as true that none doe more keepe themselues from sinne then those that doe dayly meditate of and remember their Redemption it being the speciall end of our Redemption to cease from sinne and to serue God in righteousnesse and true holynesse all the dayes of our liues Lu. 1.74 75. As our Sauiour Christ when hee had cured him that had beene sicke thirtie eight yeeres meeting him in the Temple hee like a good Physician giueth him wholesome counsell and bids him Sinne no more But first prepares him to this dutie by calling to remembrance his mercie and fauour towards him in healing of him Iohn 5.14 Behold sayth Christ thou art made whole Sinne no more So if we would seriously remember the loue and mercy that God hath shewed in redeeming vs by his Sonne and the vnspeakable loue and care that Christ had on vs to die such a cursed Death for vs it would make vs breake forth with a full resolution of heart and say by our selues Behold I am made whole I am redeemed I will therefore defile my selfe no more I will leaue all sinne I will sinne no more lest a worse thing happen to me and it would make vs practise the contrary vertues When Paul would haue the Ephesians not to haue any fellowship with vnfruitfull works of darknesse but to walk as children of the light he doth first put them in mind of their new estate and makes them to consider of it seriously as being a notable means against sinne saying Ephes 5.8 9 10 11. Yee were once darkenesse but now are light in the Lord walke as children of the Light approouing what is pleasing to the Lord and haue no fellowship with vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse but rather reprooue them It is a manifest note of one redeemed Rom. 6.2 to be dead to sinne and if we are dead to sinne how shall wee any longer liue therein Forget not therefore this wonderfull benefit of Redemption Psal 103.2 3 4. sayth Dauid to his Soule And surely if this loue of Christ were truly remembred it could not be that we should sinne so commonly against him and so cruelly handle him by our sinnes euen by crucifying him afresh againe as wee doe First this Meditation as it is a notable meanes to preserue vs from all sinne so especially it keepeth vs from these and stirreth vs vp to the practise of the contrary vertues First it banisheth all vnthankfulnesse and stirreth vs vp to blesse and praise Gods Name who hath done so great things for vs. This was Dauids Meditation and practise Psal 103.4 Luke 1.68 1. Cor. 15.57 My soule praise thou the Lord and all within mee shall praise his holy Name and forget not all his benefites who redeemeth thy soule from destruction c. This did Zacharias thus did Paul and so will all doe that do finde and feele their part in this redemption Secondly this Meditation will keepe vs from fainting vnder the Crosse and make vs constant to vndergoe affliction and without this we cannot doe either Consider and remember therfore Christ Heb. 12.3 which endured such contradictions of sinners against himselfe lest yee bee wearied and faint in your minds Verse 1.2 and that we may cast aside euery sinne that hangeth on so fast and runne with patience the race set before vs let vs looke vnto Iesus the authour and finisher of our Faith Heere we see this is a great meanes against any sinne as well as impatiency inconstancy and the like and holds vs in a continuall course of doing well and walking aright in our Christian race Thirdly this is a speciall dutie enioyned vs in the right participation of the Sacrament of the Lords Supper without which wee cannot receiue as fit guests but vnworthily eating and drinking our owne damnation And therefore Christ himselfe in his first Institution gaue vs this in speciall charge saying 1. Cor. 11.24.25 Doe this as oft as ye doe it in remembrance of mee repeating the same to shew vs the necessitie of it Fourthly this giueth vs comfort in sicknesse and at our death and stayeth vs against despaire of Gods mercy and at our death assure vs of endlesse mercy in the world to come besides al Gods blessings in this life temporally For if we remember that he dyed for vs and rose againe for vs Some shall also rise with him from the death of sinne vnto newnesse of life here and to immortall glory hereafter For where our head and member Christ is there also must we his members redeemed bee also And if when wee were enemies to him Christ died for vs Rom. 5.10 much more being now reconciled Rom. 8.1 shall we bee saued by him as Paul saith Now there is no condemnation to vs. Fiftly it maketh vs constant in all good duties stedfast and vnmoueable it maketh vs rich in all good workes when with Iob we can say I know that my Redeemer liueth Iob 19.25 This is that which Paul remembred with thankfulnesse and remembring it did stirre vp himselfe and others to abound in good workes which none can doe but those that cease from sinne 1. Cor. 15.57.58 Thankes bee vnto God who hath giuen vs victorie through our Lord Iesus Christ therefore bee yee stedfast and vnmoueable alwaies abounding in the worke of the Lord. For as much as ye know that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. Sixtly in way of thankfulnesse beware of turning backe to the seruice of sinne and obey the precept giuen to the blinde man as hath bene shewed before Luke 7.47 Thou art made whole sinne no more Seuenthly loue him much who hath forgiuen so much Eightly studie to please him in all things Psal 116.8 Because thou hast deliuered my soule from death mine eyes from teares and my feet from falling I will walke before the Lord in the land of the liuing Lastly magnifie and speake of this great deliuerance and saluation as the Church did Psal 126.1 Luke 1.49 The Lord hath done great things for vs whereof we reioyce and say with Marie He that is mightie hath done great things for me and holy is his Name Verse 2. Then was our mouth filled with laughter and our tongue with ioy THis Psalme hath in it a singular Maiestie and therefore the Prophet vseth here many figuratiue or borrowed speeches By laughter he signifieth the voyce of the Gospel for the Gospel should be to vs nothing else but ioy and gladnesse especially if we compare it with the Law for the Law terrifieth and killeth whose vse and office is to breake and mollifie the hard and stonie hearts of the impenitent as Ezechiel saith for they must bee broken with this iron Scepter as it were and beaten downe to hell as the Psalmist prayeth Let the wicked be turned into hell Psal 9.17 and all
vnto euery one who doth with patience waite for the appearing of our Lord Iesus and loue the same and therefore feare not be not any whit discouraged hold out vnto the end certaine it is thou shalt be blessed and in so doing thou shalt haue a Crowne of Life If the Lord himselfe had not beene on our side the waters had drowned vs and the streame had gone ouer our soules This serues to comfort the godly in that the Lord sits vpon the flouds and that to this purpose to performe this gracious promise Whē thou passest thorough the waters Esay 42 3 I will bee with thee and through the flouds that they shall not ouerflow thee So Eliphaz telleth Iob In sixe troubles hee will deliuer thee Iob 5.19 and in the seuenth euill shall not come neere thee As if hee had sayd Though sixe and seuen troubles beset thee yet the euil of them shal not come neere thee This presence of God with his children makes them glory in their troubles as in a Crowne vpon their heads and the Apostle Paul gloried 2. Cor. 11. that he was more in affliction then all the false teachers Heb. 11.35 The Saints were in most deadly tryalls and would not bee deliuered namely vpon vnlawfull conditions because they found God as good as his word Therefore miserable men are they that withdraw their hearts from the Lord and seeke him not in his promises not in their prayers but trust to winde out themselues by other meanes some make falsehood their refuge and some embrace the world carnall meanes and leane vpon the arme of flesh these flye from their defence Ionas 2.8 wait vpon lying vanities forsake their owne mercy 'T is as if Noah for feare of the inundation should haue left the Arke and fled to the Mountaynes which had beene to haue throwne himselfe into the midst of the waters and thus doe they that to auoyd troubles feare and flye their Profession and so Apostasie and Idolatrie and corruption drownes them We must rather with the Church flye to the Rocke Psal 69.2 Saue me O God the waters are vpon me yea I am come to the deepe waters And then being deliuered wee must goe backe vnto him Psal 124 saying Saluation is the Lords if the Lord had not beene with vs Verse 3 the waters must needes haue drowned vs when they roared vpon vs. This serues to perswade euery man to become godly seeing this priuiledge belongs onely to such there is no man but desires safety in danger and yet no man but the godly man can assure himselfe of safetie therein If then thou wouldest haue assurance of this promise thou must practise pietie in these seueralls First Become an humble person How to bee safe in dangers repent and turne to God cry out of sinne sue daily for pardon as for life and death and then let all the miseries and calamities in the world come vpon thee thou shalt be safe onely sinne is as poyson cast into the Lords Cuppe GOD giues thee no poyson to drinke but that is of thy owne tempering pull the sting out of these Scorpions and the fight onely will be dreadfull but the danger is past 2. Pet. 2.7 Secondly As thou mournest for thine owne so for other mens sinnes God deliuered iust Lot vexed with the vncleane conuersation of the wicked Thirdly Get thy heart washed with the bloud of Christ be a true Israelite a true beleeuer for God is good to Israel euen to the pure of heart Psal 73.1 and deliuer Israel O Lord. Fourthly Get innocencie and vprightnesse into thy life to bee able to say with Dauid Psal 18.24 Deliuer mee according to mine vprightnesse Fifthly Drawe dayly neerer vnto God and if God be with thee or thou with him thou needest not feare Psal 23.4 though thou walkest in the shaddow of death and doe this three wayes first get neere him by thy affection loue him in his Word and Image because hee hath loued mee Psal 91.14 I will deliuer him and exalt him that is set him out of the reach of trouble Secondly In obedience I am thine saith Dauid O saue thy seruant Thirdly Psal 91.9 In thy confident prayer for hee sayd to the Lord Thou art my refuge Verse 4. The deepe waters of the proud had gone ouer our soule HEe Incists still in his complaint against his enemies and describes them from the qualitie of their persons Enemies of Dauid described they were proud This is a stile commonly giuen to the wicked because as it is our eldest euill so is it the strongest and first that striues in our corruption to carry men to a transgression of the bounds appointed of the Lord. From the time that pride entred into Adams heart that he would be higher then God had made him hee spared not to eate of the forbidden tree and what else is the cause of all transgression but that a man in his ignorant pride will haue his will preferred to the will of God Neither is it without cause that wicked men are so commonly called proud men for pride is the mother of rebellion against God and man By pride Sathan and his confederate Apostates vsurped to bee like vnto God Pride an horrible euill and by the same sinne he drew man into the similitude of his owne condemnation so that now euery man by nature is a proud man which makes him shake off the yoke of God and without regard transgresse the limits of obedience appointed vnto him by God as Pharaoh would not let Israel goe till the Lord slew his first-borne so our nature now corrupted shall neuer render obedience to God nor loue to man till the first borne sinne that is pride be subdued by grace For grace on the contrary Grace worketh humilitie in the godly euer workes humilitie so soone as the eyes of Gods children are opened to see their sinnes they abhorre themselues the combe of their naturall pride is pulled downe and they abase themselues before God and man It was the humble speech of Abraham the father of the Faithfull Gen. 18.27 I am but dust and ashes It was the voyce of Iacob I am not worthie of the least of Gods mercies Dauid hath the like Who am I Lord c. Gedions voyce My fathers house is the least in all Israel And Iohn Baptist who receiued prayse that a greater Prophet was not among the children of women acknowledged in humilitie Ioh. 1.27 that he was not worthie to loose the latchet of Christs shooe The Centurian confessed hee was not worthy that Christ should come vnder his roofe Peters voice was Depart from me for I am a sinfull man Saint Paul I am not worthy to be called an Apostle yea he confessed plainely hee was the least of all the Apostles and the chiefe of all sinners Thus all the Children of GOD giue glorie to GOD by downe casting themselues
compelled them to sigh and cry vnto God but the seruice which the regenerate man giues to the Lord is voluntarie done as vnto his most lawfull Superiour with gladnesse ioy and contentment of mind Happie is that man who can make this reply to his spirituall Aduersarie when hee is challenged of his sinnes Augustine It is true O enemie that I haue done many things by thy inticement yet herein I reioyce whatsoeuer seruice I haue done to thee it is now through the grace of God the matter of my griefe but the weake seruice I haue giuen vnto God is the matter of my ioy The comfort of a Christian militant in this body of sinne is rather in sinceritie and feruencie of his affections then in the absolute perfection of his actions Hee fayles many times in his obedience to Gods Precepts in regard of his action but loue in his affection still remaynes So that both before the Tentation to sinne and after it there is a Griefe in his Soule that hee should finde in himselfe any corrupt will or desire contrarie to the holy Will of the Lord his God The Snare is broken and we are deliuered Wicked men are subtill in inuenting wayes to hurt and craftily lay manie Snares wherein to trap me but my defence is in thee onely Dauid was in many most desperate dangers yet still hee found the Lord prouiding vnlooked for Deliuerances The strong Citie of Keilah could not defend him the Lord warned him to come out of it and hee was a shield vnto him The solitarie Wildernesse of Maon could not secure him for euen there Saul and his souldiers had compassed him but God had a care of him and turned his pursuers another way These the fore-passed experiences of Gods louing care and fauour towards him doe now confirme him to rest in God how many wayes soeuer his enemies pursue him Hee will still make the Lord his refuge Psal 119. and shield and trust in his word c. Therefore Dauid sayth in the Psalmes Psal 4. Thou hast set me at libertie when I was in distresse implying that hee was in a strait and as it were strongly besieged with enemies or dangers but the Lord inlarged him and so preserued him Psal 25.15 He will bring my feet out of the Net The godly may be in as great danger as a silly Bird in a Net but the Lord will breake the Net that the Bird may escape who deliuered vs from so great a death and doth deliuer vs 2. Cor. 1.10 in whom wee trust that hee will hereafter deliuer vs. First Gods care of his Children though it free them not from the exercise of Troubles yet it leaueth them not till hee haue deliuered them Can a Mother forget her Child shee may let it get a knocke and feare it with the sense of some danger but leaue it in danger shee cannot And who be they towards whom the Lord thinketh thoughts of peace or to whom he will remember mercy but Vessels of mercy Once haue I heard sayth Dauid yea twice Psal 72.11 that mercy belongs to God and therefore it is so true as it can neuer bee false once yea twice that is once by the Scriptures and another time by the Holy Ghost Secondly Gods promise is that he will not suffer his to be tempted aboue that they are able to beare and therefore at length they finde him Psal 73.2 As Dauid saith My feet were almost gone but not altogether The man of God may slip and slide and much adoe to keepe his feet but at worst his feete are but almost gone and this comes from Gods promise Thirdly Gods prouidence limiteth the times in which his Church shall suffer no longer sometimes a longer time as Israel in Egypt 400-yeares sometimes shorter seuentie yeares in the Babylonish captiuitie Reu 2.10 sometimes shorter then so ye shall suffer tribulation for ten dayes Sometimes three dayes as Ionas in the Whales belly and Christ in the graue sometimes but one night Sorrow may endure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning And sometimes there is but an houre for the power of darkenesse then Gods time is come and the godly see the saluation of the Lord. Lastly he deliuers them in their troubles by his presence First of power And so a 4. like the Son of God was in the furnace with the three children And it is sayd I will be with thee in sixe troubles and in seuen in fire and water Secondly of grace his right hand is vnder their heads he giues thē grace sufficient proportions their strength to the burthen mitigates their sorrow makes them possesse their soules in patience yea reioyce in sorrow which else would sinke them and at length recompenseth their light affliction with an eternall weight of glory Verse 7. Our helpe standeth in the name of the Lord who hath made both heauen and earth THis is the conclusion of thankes-giuing containing a worthy Sentence of great comfort that against sinne The name of the Lord is our onely sanctuary and succour in all afflictions the horror of death and other dangers their is no other helpe or safetie but onely the name of the Lord if that were not sayth he wee should fall into all manner of sinne blasphemy errors and into all kinde of calamities but our helpe is in the name of the Lord which preserueth our faith and our life against the diuell and the world And as ye heare in the other verses before so he sheweth in this verse also that God suffereth his Saints to be tempted and in their temptaion to fal into great distresse onely the word of the Lord sustaines vs and assureth vs that our light and momentary afflictions shall cause to vs at the length an infinite weight of glory These prayers of Dauid are penned with such heauenly wisedome that they are conuenient for the state of the whole Church and euery member thereof The Church is the bush that burnes with fire but cannot bee consumed euery member thereof beareth a part of the crosse of Christ neuer without some affliction we know that in afflictions it is some comfort to vs to haue our crosses knowne to such How God is a spectator and partaker with in all our afflictions as of whom we are assured that they loue vs it mitigates our dolour when they mourne with vs albeit they bee not able to helpe vs but the Christian hath more solid comfort to wit that in all his troubles the Lord beholds him like a king reioycing to see his owne seruant wrastle with the enemy he looks with a mercifull eye pittying the infirmity of his owne when he sees it and with a powerfull hand ready to helpe but because many a time the cloud of our corruption commeth betweene the Lord and vs lets vs not see his helping hand nor his louing face looking vpon vs wee haue neede to pray at such times with Dauid
Spirit of Grace the Spirit of Prayer that is with the redemption which was wrought by Christ the prayer of the faithfull and of the redeemed for although our redemption be fully wrought and we redeemed by the bloud of the Sonne of God yet it is necessarie that we should pray for this redemption as Christ also in his Prayer commands vs to doe that Gods Name may be sanctified Mat. 6. Which notwithstanding we know to be holy and sanctified alreadie That the Kingdome of God may come which is come and is within vs alreadie Also Christ sayth Father glorifie thy Name and the Father answered I haue glorified it and I will glorifie it againe Also Saint Paul sayth I count not my selfe to haue attained vnto it c. hee meaneth the fulnesse of the knowledge of Christ and perfect taste of the power of his Resurrection This is it which I touched before that this benefit of the Gospell this inestimable gift of our Redemption and Life euerlasting is easie to be vttered with words but most hard to be beleeued with the heart For wee haue in this life not the Tenths Rom. 8.23 but the first fruits of the Spirit but the flesh liueth fully and wholly in a manner strong and lustie True it is that wee haue entred one foot into the Kingdome of God and haue thereby obtayned the assurance of the Promise Thess 4.1 but wee must not there rest wee must draw the other foot after that is wee must continually encrease and goe forward in the knowledge of Grace and of Faith And for this cause the Prophet Zacharie sayth That the Spirit of Prayer is powred forth vpon vs which Spirit requireth this encrease in vs. And S. Paul sayth Rom. 8.22 That the Spirit sigheth with sighes that cannot be expressed yea and that euery creature also groaneth for the deliuerance of the Children of God Wherefore whilest wee are in this Body which presseth vs downe as a heauie Burthen and hindereth vs that wee cannot fully apprehend these things wee haue not onely the Spirit of Grace but the Spirit of Prayer also that we might be assured of the grace and good will of God towards vs for Christs sake in whom we beleeue and yet should not cease to pray that God would make perfect in vs that hee hath begun Sathan neuer ceaseth to assayle our Faith Hope and other Vertues which God hath planted in vs. Sathans prerogatiue And this prerogatiue hath Sathan because the Grace which is begun in vs is not yet perfect therefore he fighteth so busily against these beginnings fearing lest they should come to perfection Such is the life of Christians which haue already receiued the first fruits of the Spirit who by experience doe learne that these things cannot be fully apprehended but that in the meane while they shall oftentimes slip yea and sometimes dangerously fall so that the sparke of Faith and of the Spirit may seeme in them to be vtterly quenched As it happened to Dauid in his Adulterie 2. Sam. 11. wherein they haue need of helpe to rayse them vp againe as Christ answered to Paul My power is made perfect in infirmitie The infirmitie is theirs and remayneth theirs whilest they liue but the power and strength is Christs alone one dramme of the grace of Christ in the soule of a Christian makes him more precious in the eyes of God then any remnant-corruption in him can make him odious Therefore is it that the Lord giues vnto them the Names of his Beloued his Seruants his Sonnes his Saints who are so onely in part Both these are true Those that are borne of God sinneth not and againe If wee say wee haue no sinne wee deceiue our selues the one wee haue of the fruits of the New Man the other of the remnants of the Old Man Let vs therefore be continually displeased with our inhabitant Corruption that wee despaire not nor be discouraged neither let vs so complaine of our Sinnes that we become false witnesses against the grace of God which is in vs. If there were nothing in vs but that we haue by nature our state were most miserable but seeing besides nature there is in vs a new workemanship of grace frō which the Lord accoūts vs new and spirituall men we haue God be thanked matter of cōfort Let vs yet further consider This testimonie of the Spirit is not alwayes perceiued in a like measure of them that haue it that this testimonie of the Spirit is not all times enioyed in a like measure for that were to enioy Heauen vpon Earth The Lord doth therfore in such sort suspence it that sometimes he lets his children feele it for their consolation and againe withdrawes it from them for their humiliation When they feele it they so abound in ioy that all the terror and threatnings of Sathan all his promises and allurements are despised of them and trodden vnder their feet they sing within themselues that glorious Triumph of the Apostle Rom. 8.32 Who shall seperate vs from the loue of God But this ioy proceeding from the fulnesse of Faith continueth not the voyce of the Spirit of Adoption waxing somewhat more silent feares and doubts succeeds in that same heart which before abounded in ioy And if hereby the weake Conscience be cast downe remember that the more thou art displeased with thy selfe the more thy Lord is pleased with thee for thy dayly pollutions hee hath appointed daily washings in that fountaine which he hath opened to the house of Dauid for sinne and for vncleannesse sweepe out thy sinnes euery day by the beesome of holy anger and reuenge Cyprian and water the house of thy heart with the teares of contrition seeing we cannot be without some wounds of Conscience let vs daily goe to the next remedie that with spirituall medicines wee may cure them Chastising our selues euery morning and examining our selues vpon our bed in the euening The first fruits of our heart and tongue euery morning should be offered to God And remember O man that thou owest euery day the first fruits of thy heart and tongue to the Lord our God shouldst thou thinke of any thing before that first thou remember him in the morning or should thy tongue speake of any thing before the first fruits of thy speech be offered vnto him by Prayer and praysing of his holy Name Thus we see the great necessitie of prayse and how it ought to be continually vsed among the faithfull if not with the mouth yet with the heart and heartie sighes vnto God according to the words of S. Paul Colo. 3.16 Let the word of God dwell in you plentiously Signifying that they ought to be continually exercised therein not onely by teaching the same to others publikely and priuatly but also by earnest Meditation and Prayer when they sit at home in their houses when they walke by the way when they lye downe and when they
in that which is worse In the first entrie hee presents the delightfull pleasures of Sinne but dolefull and lamentable is their End Gods dearest seruants hardly entreated in this life Thirdly wee may marke here Gods wonderfull dispensation in his working in that he entreats those men most hardly in this life who are most dearely beloued of him euen his Sonnes and his excellent Ones If ye goe vp to Abel Gen. 4.8 yee shall see the first sincere worshipper of God mercilessely murthered by his Brother Cain Come downe to Abraham named by the Apostle the Father of the Faithfull and yee shall see albeit the Lord blessed him yet hee wanted not some to curse him Moses although hee was faithfull in all the House of God and receiued this prayse That such a Prophet rose not before him yet how often was his Soule vexed with the vniust murmurings of his people against him If yee looke to the Prophets our Sauiour sets downe a compendious description of their Sufferings in that rebuke of the Iewes Acts 5.52 Of whom the Prophets speaketh haue not your Fathers killed And againe when he calls Ierusalem a Citie which killeth the Prophets and stoneth them who are sent vnto her And as for the Apostles And in the martyrdome of the Apostles Like as they were the Witnesses of Christ by Preaching so also by Suffering It is recorded by many that Peter was beheaded by Nero at Rome and that his brother Andrew was crucified with his head downeward by Agens in Patris where hee hung for the space of three dayes conuerting many to the Faith of Iesus S. Luke testifies that Iames was beheaded by Herod and Iohn was banished by Domitian into the Isle Pathmos c. Afflictions are no testimonies of Gods anger Of all these first we learne that wee are not to take Afflictions as testimonies of Gods anger against vs seeing we see that by them the Lord hath exercised his best beloued Seruants euer from the beginning Wherefore shall wee thinke strange concerning the firie Tryall if the Lord should send it among vs to proue vs as if some strange thing were come vnto vs seeing Affliction now is a trodden path by all the godly that haue gone before vs 1. Pet. 4.12 and therefore let vs not refuse the chastising of the Almighty Let vs then consider that wee are afflicted no otherwise then the rest of Gods people are or haue beene and when wee consider that all this comes from God as a most louing and mercifull Father for our good thus we shal be stayed from impatiencie murmuring repining grudging discontentment raging wearinesse fainting and the like And this meditation must be both of Gods punishments which we haue felt from time to time in our owne persons and his punishments of other of his children Heb. 10.32.33 Call to remembrance the former dayes in which after yee were illuminated yee endured a great fight of Afflictions partly whilest yee were made a gazing stocke both by Reproches and Afflictions and partly whilest yee became companions of them which were so vsed Take my Brethren the Prophets who haue spoken in the Name of the Lord for an example of suffering Affliction and of Patience Ye haue heard of the patience of Iob and what end the Lord made c. Ia. 5.10.11 Remember them that are in Bonds as bound with them and them which suffer Aduersitie as being your selues also in the Body Heb. 13.3 Remember saith Christ the word that I said vnto you That the Seruant is not greater then his Master Ioh. 15.20 If they haue persecuted me they will persecute you Wee must remember 2. Tim. 3.12 that all that will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution And these things sayth Christ speaking of Troubles and Afflictions haue I told you before Iohn 16.4 that when they come to passe yee may remember that I told you of them Let vs remember that saying of the Apostle Whom the Lord loueth he chasteneth Heb. 12.78 and scourgeth euery Sonne whom he receiueth For what Sonne is he whom the Father chasteneth not but if yee be without chastisements whereof all are partakers then are yee Bastards and not Sonnes This did Dauid often as wee read in the Psalmes this did Ieremiah Lament 3.19 20 21. I remember mine affliction my miserie the Wormewood and the Gall My Soule hath them still in remembrance and is humbled in me this I recall to minde therefore I haue hope Thus we see it is an especiall dutie often enioyned vs which will keepe vs from despaire and other sinnes and will teach vs humilitie in aduersitie patience in trouble hope in affliction constancie in persecution and make vs say with Dauid It is good for me that I was afflicted Psal 119.71 and with Ieremiah It is good for a man to beare the yoke in his youth Lament 3.27 Out of this wee learne not to be dismayed at our trouble What though Sathan rage and his Instruments trouble vs and that one tryall comes like Iobs Messengers vpon the necke of another as though some strange thing had happened vnto vs. According to that of Peter 1. Pet. 12.13 Dearely beloued thinke it not strange concerning the fierie Tryall which is amongst you to trye you as though some strange thing were come vnto you but reioyce in as much as yee are partakers of Christs Sufferings that when his glory shall appeare yee may be glad and reioyce Temptations and Afflictions are no new thing We beare not our burthen alone by our selues the deare Saints and Seruants of God are our Companions herein And therefore let vs comfort our selues in these things And heere for our comfort if any man be desirous to know whether his Sufferings be sufferings with Christ Three things required to make our Sufferings suffering with Christ or not let him consider these three things First how Iesus receiued the Crosse as a Cup giuen to him out of his Fathers hand neyther looking to Iudas that betrayed him nor to the Iewes that pursued him Secondly he receiued it not grudgingly but patiently with an humble submission of his will to the will of his Father Thirdly hee suffered for this end that he might abolish Sinne and destroy him who had the power of Death If these three concurre in thy Sufferings thou mayest be sure they are sufferings with Christ first if passing by the instrument of thy Trouble thou looke to the hand of God tempering and giuing it vnto thee secondly if thou receiue it with an humble submission of thy Spirit to him who is the Father of Spirits and thirdly if it worke in thee a mortification of thy sinfull Lusts and Affections Comfort against inward afflictions And of this wee haue to make our vse in all our Afflictions inward or outward and first concerning inward Afflictions if at any time it please the Lord to exercise vs
vexation of spirite there is a short abridgement of our life Iob 6.4 Man commeth into vanitie and goeth into darkenesse it is no better if wee do no more but follow the course of nature Let vs therefore goe aboue the Sunne seeke rest ioy and contentment in our God in whom onely it is to be found As for such as turne backe vnto their owne wickednesse the Lord shall leade them forth with the euill doers but peace shall be vpon Israel There hath beene of this sort of men euer since the Apostles time which hath corrupted the Church and with a shew of holynesse deceiued the simple which because God punisheth them not but spareth them and suffereth them to prosper in this world become so proud that they will be counted amongst the holiest and of the world are so commonly taken Wee see that not onely the godly are mixed with the wicked in this world but in the Lords floore also the wheat lyeth hidden vnder the chaffe Wee must pray therefore that God would bring these Hypocrites to light and giue vnto them their iust punishment with the workers of iniquitie then shall peace ensue to the Church of God for whiles the Lord powreth forth his iust vengeance vpon the wicked which vex and persecute his true members he gathereth together the good and vpright of heart and openly declareth his fatherly good will and tender loue towards them This doctrine serues to let many men see their folly they hope to be saued and make full account when they die to goe to God but yet shall neuer come there because they are not in the wayes of God If a man should say he would goe from Yorke to London yet shall hold the direct way to Barwicke would not euery man laugh at him so is it with him that walkes in the path of perdition and yet saith he will come to Heauen Aske them what way they walke in and they must needs giue themselues the lye if they say it is Gods way And in this conceit thousands are deceiued and slip into their place before they would or be aware First Many by-wayes beaten by many some walke in the blind way of Ignorance a darke and vncomfortable Way as Men walking in the night in which is no safetie nor direction numbers care not for the Lanthorne of the Word and walking in the night know not whither they goe nor where they shall lodge Aske Papists what way they are in Oh they are in the way of Catholikes in the way wherein the Martyrs and Confessors died in the way of their Fore-fathers what way soeuer it be And I would this Ignorance were among them onely but alas it is the way of too many who professe the Light Secondly some walke in the crosse wayes of Superstition and mens Deuices as many of our people who thinke Common prayers better in Lent then all the yeere after and some can be deuout on high dayes and come to Church but other dayes Gods Seruice is not so effected And some receiue the Sacrament at Easter and they were damned if they did not but all the yeere besides the Sacrament hath no sweetnesse These are superstitious wayes whereas Gods wayes are the same and to be walked in with the same affection Thirdly some goe in the crooked wayes of Humane Reason Will Policie and Affections and cannot yeeld to the Wisdome of God their owne Lusts are their Lawes who should controll them Here is an infinite number of Rodes all of them full of wanderers from God whereas Gods way is but one and of Gods describing cleane contrary to mans corrupt Reason Will Affections and Conuersation Fourthly some goe in the detestable and damnable wayes of wilfull spurning against the truth 2. Pet. 2.2 Many shall follow their damnable wayes by whom the way of truth shall be euill spoken of Is it not damnable ynough for men to walke on in the wayes of damnation themselues vnlesse they rayle at the way of truth and life Fiftly some walke in the filthie myrie wayes of voluptuousnesse profanenesse as foule Fornicators Drunkards Gamesters Gluttons Epicures daintie and delicate persons who seeme to be made for nothing but idlenes effeminate care of their skin fruition of their owne sensuality appetite to such Salomon speaketh in the person of the yong man Walke in the sight of thine eyes and in the lusts of thine heart but know that for all this thou must come to Iudgement Lastly numbers walke in the rugged stonie thornie and clayie wayes of Earthlinesse Couetousnesse Vsurie and Oppression setting themselues fast in the gall and guile of earthly-mindednesse not hauing power ouer themselues to stirre hand or foot to Heauen-ward Where their Treasure is there haue they locked vp their hearts too or rather burying them for so they may being dead in the earth and earthly desires the Heauen that they wish for they haue what then care they for any way that leads to another First wee learne hence that in our Christian conuersation there should be a continuall progresse in godlinesse For as in walking saith Basil the steppes of the feet by a mutuall strife among themselues are changed in such sort that the foot which now is hindmost is formost next continuing alway this motion till we come to the place of our rest so should there be in the Christian such a continuall promoouing of his heart toward God that thâ— affection which this day is behind coldest in the loue of God slowest to obey him should the next day be made formost Bern. For in this life nothing standeth in one state it is most certaine that hee that goes not forward goes backward Yet I would not so be vnderstood as if the Christian had not his owne fainting and falling in the way of godlinesse yet blessed be God who keepes our Soules in life wee so faint that wee reviue we so fall that wee rise againe of our former Follies wee learne to bee wise of the experience of our weakenesse wee gather strength we walke then more warily because so oft we haue stumbled and fallen of our sinnes we make vantage he who is truly penitent walkes alway in sorrow and feare because hee hath fallen so oft in feare least hee should fall againe Secondly What to be done in our fals let vs be circumspect both to preuent and recouer our selues out of our fals in this way by reason of Sathans fierce temptations the weaknesse of grace the frailtie of the flesh Many are the fals and knocks of the best Psal 19.12 In many things we sinne all saith S. Iames and who knoweth his errors Now if we will preuent these we must beware of occasions of sinne as a traueller steps ouer stones rubs in his way Eue preuented not the occasion of her fall when shee entred talke with the Serpent Wee must make a couenant with our eies not to looke vpon a Woman nor on
with fearefull Agonies of Conscience let vs looke vnto God who kills and makes aliue who casteth downe and rayseth vp Let vs for a while beare his indignation he abides but a moment in his anger if we find that by them wee are more humbled wakened out of securitie and stirred vp more feruently to pray and that the life of Sinne is weakened in vs let vs be out of all doubt that these inward Troubles are Sufferings with Christ Luk. 22.44 whose Soule for our sinnes was heauie vnto the death and his Body did sweat bloud through the vehement anguish of his Spirit And as for outward Sufferings Comfort against outward afflictions which we suffer they are either such as concernes our Name our Goods or our Persons As for those which concerne our Name it is a singular pollicie of Sathan to beare downe the children of God in the estimation of others that they who are glorious in the light of their owne Conscience may be made filthie by the false reports of others and so made vnprofitable to doe others the good that they would But let vs in such tentations learne from Dauid to looke vnto God 2. Sam. 16.1 and not to Shimei vsing the vndeserued Contumelies of Men as profitable meanes to worke in vs that inward humiliation which our manifold sinnes though not against Man yet against God requireth of vs. So shall we suffer with him who being the innocent Lambe of God sustained neuerthelesse great contradiction of Sinners reproched to be one possessed with a Deuill notwithstanding that hee was the very Sonne of God filled in his Manhood with the Holy-Ghost For sometime they accuse them publikely and in Iudgement Laban searched narrowly Iacobs Stuffe to see if he could get any thing wherewith to charge him but more narrowly doe Worldlings search the words and deeds of the Christian seeking whereupon to accuse them and where they can find none yet vpon shadowes of euill they seeke to disgrace them Moses a man approued of God yet accused as an Vsurper Ieremy the Prophet albeit he so loued his Countrey people that in secret his Soule mourned for their desolation yet did they accuse him of Treason alledging that he had made defection to the King of Babel Daniel a man beloued of God accused and condemned of Darius his Councellors as a Rebell to the King The Israelites who returned from Captiuity accused by Toby Sanballat of Sedition The Christians of the primitiue Church oppressed with horrible Slanders The first Weapon wherwith Sathan fights against the godly is the tongues of the wicked for hee looseth their tongues to speake euill before hee loose their hands to doe euill to thē Therfore said Augustine Augustine The tongue of the wicked is a dayly Furnace wherein the godly are tryed Let no man thinke to serue God in a good conscience but he must be purged in this Ouē Ye are not of the world saith our Sauiour therefore it is that the world doth hate you and speake euill of you Ioh. 15 19. And as for their priuate Surmisings Sometime they speake euill of thē priuately and that either maliciously charging them with sinnes they haue done but haue repented they are of two sorts sometime they charge Gods children with euil which they haue done indeede but whereof they haue repented them And herein they are malicious that the sinnes which God hath forgiuen they will not forget But this should not prouoke vs to impatience seeing they blame vs for nothing for which we blame not our selues Why shall wee be commoued Let vs not thinke shame to say with the Apostle It is true I was such a one but now I am receiued to mercy Augustine I will not so loue my selfe that I will hate him that reprooues me for that which I haue reprooued in my selfe of whatsoeuer mind hee doe it but looke how farre he accuseth my fault so farre will I prayse my Physician who healed me Sometimes againe their surmisings are most false Or else falsly charging them with things they neuer did they charge vs with things which wee neuer did but these backe-bitings should bee disdained of vs like the barking of beasts Who knowes with Iob that his witnesse is in heauen and can say with the Apostle that he hath a good conscience within him what needs he to care for the iudgement of men without him for God will not faile in due time to cleere their innocency according to his promise in the Psalmes saying Commit thy way vnto the Lord trust in him and hee shall bring it to passe he shall bring forth thy righteousnesse as the light and thy iust dealing as the noone day Iudge therefore of thy selfe and others with a righteous iudgement if heauen approue thee care not if earth cast thee out if God iustifie who can condemne if Christ will confesse thee let thy friends deny thee thou hast a sure word and promise of God by which thou mayest apprehend in sorrow ioy in trouble peace in nothing all things in death it selfe life eternall Get faith and thou shalt clearely behold thy happinesse if all the world should set it selfe to make thee miserable get faith and thou shalt thinke him onely happy whom God so esteemes although the world do disesteeme thee Let not therefore the detracting speeches of men interrupt our peace No speech of man can make vs any other thing then that which we are Mat. 5.11 remembring their tongues can make vs no other thing then we are it is the fanne of the floore of the Lord that can separate the chaffe from the Corne. Secondly their euill speaking commends vs to God blessed are yee when men reuile you and speake all manner of euill of you for my sake be glad and reioyce for great is your reward in heauen Augustine Wtih this meditation did Augustine confirme himselfe against the detractions of his aduersarie who sought to empaire the credite of his name hee that willingly would empaire my name against his will encreaseth my reward And Dauid gloryeth in this that the rebukes of them who rebuked the Lord had fallen vpon him I haue spoken the more of this purposely partly because it is a common craft of Sathan to oppresse good men with misse reports and partly because our weakenesse is easily ouercome with this temptation seeing the Lord wil◠haue vs to sustaine the strife of tongues let vs then strengthen our selues Let vs so walke through good report that we be not puft vp and through euill report that we be not cast downe but that by weapons of righteousnesse on the right hand and on the left wee may ouercome Miserable are those who band their tongs to speake against the godly Miserable therefore must they be who bend their tongs to speake against the godly and them whom the Lord approues of That rebuke which the Prophet gaue to Iehosaphat when hee went out to helpe
vndefiled as the Temple of the Holy Ghost and that our Soules may be defended cherished and tendered as the apple of thine Eye Keepe vs Lord this Night from all euill which may happen eyther to our Bodyes or our Soules extend thy Goodnesse toward all those that depend vpon vs or wee on them Giue vs quiet sleepe and rest and when wee shall awake let all our thoughts and cogitations be holy Meditations on thee and thy Law Blesse vs O Lord all the Nights and Dayes of our Life and at the end thereof send vs a blessed departure and afterward a ioyfull resurrection vnto Life eternall Graunt vs these good things most mercifull Father and all other needfull Graces not onely vnto vs but vnto all thy deare Children throughout the whole World euen for Iesus Christ his sake in whose Name we further call vpon thee as hee hath taught vs in his Gospell saying Our Father which art in Heauen c. ¶ A priuate Morning Prayer O Blessed Lord God great in Power fearefull in Iudgement and rich in Mercy which bindest and no man looseth and looseth and no man bindeth I yeeld thee most humble and heartie thankes for that of thy fatherly Goodnesse thou hast vouchsafed me this last Nights sleepe in peace and rest and againe loosing the bands wherewith I was tyed hast giuen me power to see this Morning Light Now O Lord I beseech thee powre vpon me this Day the Dew of thy Blessing that through the operation of thy gracious Beames I may bud forth and beare the fruits of true Faith in my life and conuersation Continue this goodnesse and mercie towards me and by thy power rayse me from the deepe sleepe of all vnrighteousnesse Discharge me from the works of Darknesse and cloath me with the armour of Light that I may walke honestly as in the Day and liue soberly righteously and godlily in this present World Mortifie O my God all corrupt affections in me pardon my innumerable sinnes Fill mee this day with thy grace that I may spend it to the honour of thy Name Set a watch before my mouth and order my lips that I may vtter nothing vnaduisedly eyther before thee or men Keepe my senses within their limits direct my will to that which is good and order my iudgement for the accomplishing of those things that appertaine to my Vocation O Lord I beseech thee preserue and keepe my senses safe and sound that I be neyther corrupted by prosperitie nor cast downe by aduersitie nor be too fearefull of thy Iudgements or too bold vpon thy mercy but graunt me grace O mercifull Lord that I may apprehend all things that come from thee with a Religious contented Minde and in the end of my dayes by a liuely Faith may ioyfully arriue in the Land of Promise the Kingdome of Heauen through the merites of Iesus Christ my onely Sauiour and Redeemer Amen Amen ¶ A priuate Euening Prayer O Most holy Father and my gracious God which giuest vnto all sorts of men the chearefull light of the Day that in thine assistance they may follow their honest Vocations and likewise sendest the silent Night that then they may rest their wearied Limbes and busied Mindes and so returne their due thankes for thy Goodnesse I sinfull Creature adore and prayse thee for the totall summe of all thy Mercies whereof I haue beene this Day partaker O Lord I am vile looke not vpon mine vnworthynesse folly and wickednesse but appease thy anger iustly conceiued against me and forgiue what hath beene amisse in me this day or at any other time euen for his sake who is thy welbeloued Sonne and my deare Aduocate Pardon the sinnes and offences which I haue committed this Day in thought word and deede eyther against thee or my Neighbour Giue me grace to water my Couch with Teares in vnfayned Repentance for all my former sinnes and grant that I may so passe the residue of my life as that in regard of thy Iustice I may retaine a holy feare to stand alwayes in awe of thee and in regard of thy Mercy conceiue sure hope neuer to despayre or distrust in thee O Lord keepe me this Night both in Soule and Body that I may with the next Light ioyfully rise againe bee thankefull vnto thee and carefully walke in my Vocation and Calling to the glory of thy holy Name and the good of my Brethren amongst whom I liue for Iesus Christ his sake in whose Name I further pray vnto thee saying Our Father which art in Heauen c. FINIS A TABLE DIRECTING where to finde the chiefe Matters contayned in this Booke A. ACcesse The godly haue free accesse to the King of Heauen when they please Pag. 322 Accomplishment Wee must looke as well to the accomplishment and end as the beginning of Gods workes 392 Aduersarie See Enemie Aduersitie See Trouble Afflictions Turne to the good of the godly 97. They humble vs for Sinne 99. Gods Name a Sanctuarie for vs in them 115. The fruits of them 122. They are but short 190 196 355. God hath set a time how long they shal last 192. which should worke patience in vs 193. Impatience in them dangerous 198. We must endure them constantly 199. Our Nature abhorreth them 326. They are no testimonies of Gods anger 334. Comfort against inward affliction 340. and outward 341 Amendment The amending of our liues brings endlesse comfort 131 Apparrell The vanitie of Brauerie gay Attyre and Apparrell 78. Fashion followers therein taxed 80 B. BAckward It is dangerous to goe backward in matters of Religion 204 Baptisme What a solemne Vow we haue made in it 10. wherein wee are made sworne Seruants of God 10 11. And haue receiued Wages aforehand of seruices to bee done 12. which God will require at our hand 14 Beginning A godly beginning without going forward auayles vs nothing 202. The end of a Christian better then his beginning 330 Beleeue The endlesse comfort of those that beleeue in Christ 131. The separation Christ will make betweene Beleeuers and Vnbeleeuers 143. Where a few true Beleeuers are for their sake all the multitude are called Gods people 155 Blessing The way to true blessednesse 152. They are blessed that keepe Gods Commandements 224. The godly make least esteeme of outward Blessings 170 Body See Preseruation Brauerie See Apparrell C. CHild of God neuer at one stay 210 Christ a powerfull Sauiour 56 Christian Different courses of the Christian and Worldling worth noting 329 Church The Rage of the Churches Enemies described 45. To what the Church may be compared 46. Gods prouidence limitteth the time in which it shal suffer and no longer 113. None can hurt it 159. What the state thereof is 161. since the Apostles time there haue been deceiuers in it 241. The troublesome estate of the Church causeth mourning in the godly 370 Cittie See Beleeue Commandements They are blest that keepe Gods Commandements 224 Come The wicked come farre different from the godly