in the sweate of his browes â—or they shall then rest from all their labours Reuel 14. 13. There shall be no calamitie no oppression sorrow or griefe Isa 60. 18. Violence shall be no more heard in the land Reuel 21. 4. Neither sorrow neither crying neither paine shall be any more There shall be no mortalitie or mutabilitie death or sicknesse Reuel 21. 8. there shall be no more death Thus we reade of Lazarus that being in Abrahams bosome that is in the place of euerlasting rest refreshing whether his saith being the child of faithfull AbrahaÌ„ brought him Lazarus was there comforted from all the paines sorrowes which he before in his life endured Lake 16. 25. Againe Mat. 17. 2. we haue an excellent representation of the blessed estate of the Saints after this life there our Sauior was transfigured in the presence of his Apostles and his face did shine as the Sunne Moses also and Elias talked with him who were now deliuered from this vale of miserie and were entred into glorie for if Moses face did so shine when he was yet mortall that the Isaelites were not able to behold him 2. Cor. 3. 7. how much more glorious was he now This celestiall place is that mountaine of mirth and hill of incense spoken of in the Canticles 4. 5. and Mons aromatum the mountaine of spices Cantic 8. 14. This is indeed that land of Canaan that sloweth with milke and honie this is our fathers house where is bread inough where with the lost child now returned we shall haue the best robes giuen vs and rings put vpoÌ„ our singers Luke 15. 22. This is the hauen and rest where the soules of the righteous after the tempests and stormes of the sea of this world do happily arriue as it is said in the Psalme He bringeth them to the hauen where they would be Psal. 107. 30. The reasons why God prouideth for his eternall life out of the Scripture are these first from Gods iustice 2. Thess. 1. 6. it is a iust thing with God to recompence tribulation to those that trouble you and to you that are troubled rest Secondly from Gods honour Mat. 22. 32. he is not the God of the dead but of the liuing seeing then that God is God of the faithful departed they therefore are aliue vnto him for it were not for the liuing Gods honour to be the God of the dead Thirdly from the state and condition of the faithfull which were of all other most miserable if in this life onely we haue hope 1. Corint 15. 19. Fourthly from the priuiledge of our profession we are the holy temples of God which shall not be destroyed 1. Cor. 3. 17. Wherefore first we reproue the vaine opinioÌ„ of the heathen who were grossely deceiued concerning the state of the soule after this life The Epicures beleeued no immortalitie nor yet any being of the soule after death Of like opinioÌ„ were the Sadduces among the Iewes and the Atheists among vs. The Pithagoreans did thinke that the soules did passe out of one bodie into another yea into the bodies of bruite beastes such as they were like vnto in condition of life and manners The Platonists did hold the immortalitie of the soule but not of the bodie The Peripatetickes and Poets imagined the soules of good men to become starres None of them beleeued aright concerning the immortalitie both of soule and body and of eternall life with God This knowledge we haue from the scriptures and God reuealed these things to vs by his spirit 1. Corin. 2. 10. that both our bodies and soules shall be made inheritors of life through Christ as the Apostle sheweth We shall be eaught vp with him in the clouds to meete the Lord in the aire 1. Thess. 4. 17. Bâ—rnard doth very well describe the happy state both of our bodies and soules in the kingdome of God agreeable to this doctrin of Paul first for the soule he saith whereas there are three faculties thereof rationalis concupiscibilis irascibilis the reasonable part the election or will the affection Implebit Deus rationale nostrum luce sapientiae implebit concupiscibile nostrum fonte iustitiae implebit irascibile nostruÌ„ summa pace tranquillitate He will replenish our reason with the light of wisedome and knowledge our electiue facultie with iustice that it shall desire nothing but what is to be desired our wrathfull and boyling affection with peace and tranquilitie Concerning the bodie whereas it consisteth of foure elements Habebit terra nostra immortalitem Our earthly part shal haue immortality Habebit aqueum nostrum impassibilitatem Our watrie part shâ—l be without passion Habebit aereum leuitatem Our airie part shall haue agilitie or lightnesse Habebit igneum nostrum perfectam pulâ—hriâ—udinem Our fiery part shall haue most perfect beautie or glory Secondly the dulnesse of our affections is here to be quickned and our desire to be inflamed toward the attaining of this happie estate we should be still groueling vpon the earth but eleuate our hearts to heauen and to haue our conuersation in heauen from whence we looke for our Sauiour Phil. 3. 20. It is recorded by the heathen that one Cleombrotus reading Plato his booke of the immortality of the soule was so rauished with the desire thereof that presently â—e cast himselfe into the sea like master like scholer like teaching like following But it may be a shame to vs that hauing so pure doctrine reuealed concerning true eternitie which they but dreamed of are not touched with an earnest desire thereof as S. Paul was who desired to be dissolued to be with Christ Phil. 1. 23. Wherefore the assurance and hope of euerlasting life ought to be the chiefe scope of all our studies the drift of our desires the marke to aime at the race to run at the prise to striue for the hauen to saile vnto the pearle to be purchased the inheritance to be desired the country to be trauelled vnto this is that wherein we ought chiefly to reioyce that our names are written in heauen Luke 10. 20. thy riches honour strength beautie wisedome wife children ease prosperitie are not to be ioyed in in comparison of this blessed estate the which if we earnestly desire now we shall vndoubtedly possesse then through Iesus Christ to whom be praise for euer That they know thee to be the onely very God Our Sauiour saith not to know thee only to be very God for if the father only were God then the Sonne and the holy Ghost should be excluded but the Father is that onely God and so is the sonne and the holy Ghost they all three are but only one very God as where the Apostle calleth Iesus Christ the onely Lord Iude 4. neither the Father nor the holy Ghost are excluded for they are all the onely Lord though they be deuided in person yet the vnity and essence of the diuine nature and power is not deuided
the next place the necessitie of prayer is to be considered which our Sau◠our sheweth where hee saith Matth. 6. 33. Seeke first the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and all things else shall bee ministred vnto you our principall seeking whereof is 1. by prayer as Mat. 7. 7. Aske and it shall be giuen you seeke and ye shal find seeking there is asking this is that vnum necessariū that one necessary thing which Christ commended in Mary Luke 10 42. for she was occupied in hearing Christ in attending vpon him for what in the world can bee more necessarie then to heare God speaking to vs in his word and to speake to him in prayer 2 Dauid held this exercise so necessarie that in the morning before all other things he preferred prayer Psal. 5. 3. in the morning I will direct mee vnto thee and I will wait hee preferred it before his sleepe Psalme 119. 148. Mine eies preuent the night watches Dauid holdeth prayer and praysing of God so necessary that he will not intermit it though it cost him his life Daniel 6. 10. 3 What is more necessarie for the day of battell then armour so is prayer a principall part of our spirituall armour as the Apostle saith Ephes. 6. 13. Put on the whole armour of God that ye may be able to resist in the euill day and hauing set foorth the diuers parcels of this armor he addeth this v. 18. and pray alwayes with all manner prayer and supplications what more requisite for the sicke man then medicine but the prayer of faithfull saue the sicke Iames 5. 15. prayer it is the hauen of the soule Psal. 116. 7. Returne vnto thy rest O my soule it is the food of the soule as Christ said to his disciples Iohn 4. 32. I haue meate to eate that ye know not of 4 The reason of this necessitie our Sauiour Christ sheweth Matth. 26. 41. Watch and pray that yee enter not into temptation because wee are continually assaulted and tempted of Sathan wee haue neede also continually to arme our selues with prayer an other reason Saint Paul giueth 1. Tim. 4. 5. all things are sanctified by the word of God and praier thy meate drink labour riches marriage are polluted vnholy defiled without prayer 5 Wherefore the negligence of this Age is to bee condemned that so seldome vse prayer either priuately or in their families together with their wiues children seruants when they sit downe at meate they giue no thankes being worse in this respect then the oxe and asse which know their masters cribbe Esay chap. 1. ve 3. When they goe to bed they do not commend themselues vnto God neither at their rising praise him for their rest but they rouze themselues as swine out of the strawe when they goe foorth to labour they call not vpon God for his blessing but as it is in the psalme the voyce of ioy and mirth is in the habitation of the righteous Psalme 118. It is knowne where faithfull men dwell by their praying and singing of Psalmes together they that do not so shew that their heart is empty of heauenly thoughts they make not their treasury in heauen seeing their heart is not there they which hope to go to heauen yet send their praiers as their agents and forerunners before them But as Bernard saith Oratio est hominis Deo adhaerentis affectio Prayer is the affection or desire of a man that cleaueth vnto God Hierome thus testifieeth of himselfe Post multas lacrymas caelo inhaerentes oculos mihi deus testis est interesse videbar agminibus angelorum after many teares fastening mine eies in heauen I seemed to be present among the companies of Angels The second Lecture THese things spake Iesus and lift vp his eies to heauē c. this gesture of lifting vp the eies in praier was often vsed by our Sauiour as Marke 7. 34. when hee healed the deafe man he looking vp to heauen sighed Iohn 11. 41. at the raising vp of Lazarus Iesus lift vp his eies and saide Father I thanke thee By this holy gesture of our Sauiour we are taught as to lift vp the eies of our bodie so to fasten the eies of our soule vpon God and to eleuate the meditations of our hearts that they wander not neither bee vainely occupied while we pray This is that which Saint Paul saith hee would haue men lift vp pure or holie hands 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Tim. 2. 8. that is being holily and purely affected to lift vp their handes as also their eies and Saint Iames requireth that the praier of a righteous man should bee feruent Iames 5 16. the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 effectuall that the feare thereof bee not abated or slaked with earthly and worldly thoughts Thus praied Dauid Psalme 121. I will lift vp my eies vnto the hilles from whence commeth my helpe and not his eies onelie were lift vp but his heart as hee saith Psalme 57. 7. My heart is fixed my heart is fixed I will sing and giue praise Thus praied Stephen when he looked stedfastly into heauen and saw Iesus standing at the right hand of God Acts 7. 56. Thus were Saint Peters affections rauished when in his praier hee fell into a traunce and saw that vision of the foure cornerd vessell c. Act. 10. 10. 3 For looke as the eyes of seruants looke to the hand of their masters so should our eyes wait vpon God Psalme 123. 2. as Peter biddeth the lame man looke vpon him Acts 3. 5. and he gaue heede vnto them trusting to receiue somthing of them verse 6. so we must looke and waite vpon GOD in our prayer from whom wee expect a blessing our eyes must be as Doues eyes Cantic 4. 1. that is not vnconstant wandering vnstedfast but simple sober chaste staid 4 For the Preacher saith Ecclesiast 9. 10. Whatsoeuer thou doest pro omni facultate fac Do it with all thy power therefore when we pray our eyes our hands our tongue our heart must all be occupied and attent vpon God and this it is to loue God with all our strength Luke 10. 27. when we pray vnto him and worship him with all our inward and outward powers 5 Wherfore they which pray with wandering eyes and wauering thoughts are not herein like vnto our Sauiour the wise man saith that the eyes of the foole are in the corners of the world Prou. 17. 24. but the eyes of the wise are in his head Eccles. 2. 14. that is fixed and setled to looke vp vnto God the wandring of the eyes shew an vnstedfast heart and running thoughts for death first entreth in by the windowes Ioel 9. 9. And the eyes which are as the windowes of the bodie do first minister occasion of euill But like as in other things the husband is a veile of the eyes to the wife as it was said to Sara Gen. 20. 16. that is
he did He will call for the robe for the ring and shoes Luk. 15. 22. No good thing will he withhold The houre is come Wherby we learne that before God euery thing is determined he hath appointed times for euery purpose and as the glorification of Christ that is the manifestation of his glorie was assigned to this houre and time which Christ here speaketh which followed immediatly vpon his passion so times are limited of God for the comfort and deliuerance of his Church So the Preacher saith that there is a time to euery purpose Eccles. 3. 1. and that God hath made euery thing beautifull in his time vers 11. and God hath put times and seasons in his owne power Act. 1. 7. Thus our Sauiour aunswered his mother Ioh. 2. 4. Mine houre is not yet come the same answer he maketh to his kinred Ioh. 7. 6. My time is not yet come and affirmatiuely Mat. 26. 45. Behold the houre is at hand and the sonne of man is giuen into the hand of sinners This is signified by that vision of Ezechiel 1. 18. he saw wheeles full of eyesâ— shewing thereby that the motion and gouernment of the world and the course of times runneth not by chaunce but is ordered and directed by Gods al-seeing prouidence S. Iohn also saw a mightie Angell which had a rainebow about his head which is Iesus Christ the Angell of the couenant who sware by him that liueth for euermore that there should be no more time Reuel 10. 6. Who then hath the ordering of times but he that gaue a beginning and setteth an end of time The reason the Psalmist sheweth Psa. 104. 24. O Lord how manifold are thy workes in wisedome hast thou made them all wherfore because all wisdome is in God and no man hath instructed him or was his counseller Isa. 41. 13. all things must be referred to the prouidence of God vnlesse then that men could find out a wiser then God or would take vpon them to teach and instruct him his counsell and aduice must stand his rule and gouernement setting and ordering of times must take place First both the Stoickes and Epicures which were two of the most famous sects of Philosophers amongst the Gentiles as we may reade Act. 17. 18. are confuted The first whereof did bring in a fatall necessitie making all things to depend not vpon the will and prouidence of God but vpon a certain connexion of causes to the which the diuine power it selfe should be subiect like as vaine Astrologers and star-gazers do attribute all to their constellations and aspects of starres But the Scripture teacheth vs that the Lord doth in heauen and earth whatsoeuer it pleaseth him Psal. 135. 6. he is not forced by or tyed to any such fatall coniunction of causes The Epicures imputed all to Fortune so do many carnall men that cannot look into Gods prouidence as the Preacher speaketh in the person of such Eccle. 9. 10. Time and chance commeth to all Ambrose hereof writeth well Epicurei putabant nihil Deum curare de nobis Aristoteles vsque ad lunam tantum Dei descendere prouidentiam sed quis operator negliget operis sui curam c. The Epicures thinke that God taketh no care of vs and Aristotle that Gods prouidence descendeth no lower then the Moone but what workeman doth cast off the care of his worke If it be a wrong to rule them it was a greater to work them for not to haue made them nulla iniustitia was no iniustice Non curare quod feceris summa inclementia Not to care for that thou hasi made is great inclemencie Secondly this doctrine hath a speciall comfort both to Christs Church in generall and to euery member thereof in particular that when the time of mercie and deliuerance is fulfilled they shal surely see the Lords sauing health Thus the Church of the Iewes did find refreshing Psal. 102 13. Thou wilt arise and haue mercie vpon Sion for the appointed time is come thus Ioseph with patience endured his affliction vntill his appointed time came and the counsell of the Lord had tried him Psal. 10â— 18. Thus euery one whether afflicted in mind or humbled in bodie ought patiently to expect the Lords appointed time to visite them in mercie How was our Sauiour Christ himselfe turmoyled tossed in this world he endured hunger thirst wearinesse he was mocked whipped tormented tasted of bitter sorrowes of his soule and grieuous paines in his bodie till his time came that God manifested his kingdome and glorie Glorifie thy sonne that thy sonne also may glorifiâ— thee The glorie of the Sonne redoundeth to the glorie of the Father Ioh. 5. 23. He that honoureth not the Sonne honoureth not the Father We learne hereby that whatsoeuer gifts we aske of God or he in his mercie vouchsafeth to vs we should vse them to the honor and glorie of God Therefore our Sauiour teacheth vs to conclude our petitions thus For thine is the glorie Mat. 6. 13. for we are assured to be heard when we make the glorie of God the end of that which we ask Pro. 3. 9. Honor the Lord with thy riches so euery gift beside either inward or outward must be referred to the praise of God Thus Dauid sheweth how he would behaue himselfe in his kingdome Psal. 101. 2. I will walke in the vprightnesse of my heart in the midst of my house I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes as he receiued his authoritie from God so he vseth it to his glorie Achitophels counsell and wit was turned to foolishnesse because he imployed it euill in vpholding rebellious Absalom against his father Like as Manna that angelicall food wheÌ„ the people did abuse it to couetousnesse keeping it till the morning contrary to the commaundement of God â—tunke and was full of wormes Exod. 16. 20. so God depriueth them of their gifts that do not vse them well as the talent was taken from the vnthriftie and vnprofitable seruant that did not imploy it to his maisters aduantage Mat. 25. v 26. 4. For the Lord will not giue his glory to another Isay 42. 8. he wil not suffer that the praise of his giftes should be ascribed to any beside himselfe and therefore was Herode stroken with wormes because he gaue not the glorie to God Act. 12. 5. By this doctrine they are reproued which hauing receiued any grace or gift from God as knowledge wit strength of bodie riches honor do not vse them soberly and vertuously to Gods glorie as rich men become proud of their riches they that haue knowledge are puffed vp they which haue abundance offend in riot and excesse and this is the next way to depriue them of that they haue As also wheÌ„ men aske any thing of God to a wrong end they misse of their desires as S. Iames saith Ye aske and haue not because ye aske amisse that you might consume it on your lustes
they also may be one in vs Our Sauior prayeth here for the vnion and communion of Saints their vnion with God their cōmunion among themselues Whereby this is gathered that we cannot be one among our selues vnlesse we be one with God they cannot haue peace in the world that are not at peace with God 1 Therefore the Angels thus sing in that their heauenly song Glorie to God on high peace in earth Luk. 2. 14. The way to obtaine peace in earth is to giue glory to God in heauen 2 Dauid first reconciled himselfe to God I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee then he is assured of the loue and fauour of his Church therefore shall euery one that is godly make his prayer vnto thee Psal. 32. 5. 6. then the faithfull will be readie for their parts to giue thankes vnto God for him The contrarie appeareth in Cham who first being cast off from God and separated by his sins which he felt heauier then he could beare findeth no comfort in earth he was afraid lest euery one that met him should kill him Gen. 4. 3 Christ saith Haue salt in your selues haue peace one with another Mark 9. 50. We must first be inwardly seasoned with the salt of Gods grace before we can haue peace without Gods grace is the salt peace is the sweet rellish or sauour that followeth vpon this seasoning The Prophet Dauid saith They came about me like Bees and are quenched as a fire of thornes but in the name of God I will destroy them Psal. 118. 12. Faith and confidence in the name of God doth allay strife and contention as when the sting of the Bee is doubled or pulled foorth or as the crackling fire of thornes is extinct and put out 4 Our Sauiour mooueth vs to vnitie by his example because he and his Father are one where he speaketh not of the essentiall vnion and consociation which he hath with God but of his dispensation mediation who as he was man cohered and cōsented with his Father in all things We therefore should be in vnitie consent and agree together because Christ our Lord euen as man is of one accord and consent with his Father and the like mind should be in vs that was in Christ Phil. 2. 5 If then the vnion with God and cōmunion with the Saints do concurre together for peace with the world followeth not peace with God but the more we are loued of God the more the world hateth vs. But our Sauiour speaketh of that vnion and society which the Church hath with it selfe they then do deceiue themselues which thinke they are at peace with God and are not in loue and fellowship with the Church of Christ whether Schismatickes that deuide themselues from the peace of the Church or prophane persons that regard not the fellowship of the Saints against whom the Apostle speaketh Not forsaking the fellowship that we haue among our selues as the manner of some is Heb. 10. 25. Like vnto Ismael whose hand was against euery man and euery mans against him So some there are that think wel of none nor none thinke wel of them but it is a true saying No◠habet Deum patrem qui non habet Ecclesiam matrem He cannot haue God to his father that hath not the Church for his mother He cannot haue vnitie with God that regardeth not the societie of his Church nor seeketh the loue thereof That the world may beleeue that thou hast sent me The first reason of this petition for vnitie is taken from the fruites or effects that the world and worldly men may be drawne to confesse seeing the concord vnitie sanctity of the seruants of Christ that he is the true Messiah whom they worship 1. So our Sauiour saith Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen Mat. 5. 15. 2. By this reason Moses perswadeth God not to destroy Israel Wherefore shall the Egyptians say he hath brought them out maliciously for to slay them in the wildernes Exod. 32. 12. He feared lest the heathen might haue taken occasiō hereby to blaspheme God for this S. Paul reproueth the Iewes because the name of God was blasphemed of the Gentiles through thē Rom 2. 24. They by their euil conuersatiō made the Gentiles more obstinate 3. Like as then the outward deliuerance of the Israelites was famous among the heathen and made them stand in awe as the idolatrous Priests said to the Philistims Wherfore should ye harden your hearts as the Egyptians and Pharao hardened their hearts 1. Sam. 6. 7. and as the heathen praised God for the returne of the people from captiuitie Psa. 126. 2. So much more occasion of praise is raised among the nations for the spirituall deliuerance of his Church and redemption from sinne 4. Two reasons may be yeelded hereof why God would haue made knowne to the world the godly conuersation of his Church one for their conuersion that they which obey not the word may be wonne without the word by the conuersation of your wiues 1. Pet. 3. 1. The other for their confusion to be a iudgement vnto them that they may be left without excuse if by the contemplation of the creatures much more by the conuersation of the faithfull Rom. 1. 20. 5. They therefore are to be reproued which by their vngodly life do hinder the beleefe of the Gentiles what will Iewes and Turkes say when they see or heare of the malice drunkennesse extortion vncleannesse that raigneth among Christians Can they thinke that we worship the true God or that we are true worshippers being giuē ouer to such great enormities If a man did but sinne against his brother or do him wrong it would aske recompence but now such sinne against God causing his name to be euill spoken of If a man did by his owne sinne but slay his owne soule it were an heauy case but now drawing other after them by their euil example or causing them to start aside and go backe greater must needs be their condemnation Our Sauiour saith It were better a milstone were hanged about his neck and he drowned in the sea then he should offend the litle ones the poore seruants of Christ. It were better for thē to be drowned without recouerie because it is but the death of the bodie whereas now by offences they indanger their soule it were better for other because they should haue no rub in their way or blocke to stumble at Origene hereunto agreeably saith Qui scandali conscius est animam dabit pro anima eius quem scandalizauit He that is guiltie of offence shall giue his soule for his soule whom he hath offended It is good therefore for euery man to take heede of offences The fifteenth Lecture Verse 22. The glorie which thou gauest me haue I giuen them that they may be one as we are one HEre is another
Ieremie Before I formed thee in the wombe I knew thee Ier. 1. 5. God had knowne approued and chosen the Prophet euen before he was borne 3. For like as Dauid was annointed and appointed to be King long before he entred to his kingdom and Moses was dessigned to be deliuerer of Israel forty yeares before he exercised his office so the elect of God were long ago ordained to saluation though the accomplishment thereof they must expect with patience 4. And this God did to the praise of the glorie of his name Ephes. 1. 6. 6. â—or herein appeared loue not that we loued God but that he loued vs â— Iohn 4. 10. This is Gods great goodnesse that hath prepared for vs an euerlasting kingdome before as yet we were 5. Seeing then that God in his gracious decree of electioÌ„ hath sorted out some to euerlasting saluation we must take heed of 2 gulfs that we fal not into them the one is of superstition not to thinke with the Papistes that it is presumption to be sure of that which God hath most surely and certainly decreed the other is of presumption that men without good ground be not too confident in their hope thinking to be saued whatsoeuer they do but that as the Apostle saith We worke out our saluation with feare and trembling and labour to adde dayly somewhat to our assurance that as saint Peter saith We giue diliâ—ence to make our calling and electioÌ„ sure and seale the same vnto our soules by the fruits thereof This assurance of saluation is neither impossible to be had as the Papist thinketh nor yet easie to be had as the carnal Protestant thinketh It may be had but with much study and faithfull endeuor and godly care by feare and trembling Happie are they which by Gods grace haue attained to this gift and heauenly worke as all wee which beleeue in Christ shall in good time before we go hence by Gods grace attaine vnto it then shall we with patience runne out our course and nothing can happen so grieuous which this happie assurance of heauen will not make easie vnto vs. That we may say with Prophet Dauid I had fainted if I had not beleeued to see the goodnesse of the Lord in the land of the liuing Psal. 27. 13. Ambrose saith well Manipulis beatae vitae si quid accidit aduersi tanquam sterilis auena alâ—sconditur c. By this bundle of our hope of eternal life if any thing fall out crossely it is hid as wild oates or weedes in an handful of corne that like as in a peece of good wheate a few weeds are not seene no more is aduersitie felt where heauen is hoped for The seuenteenth Lecture Verse 25. O righteous father the world also hath not knowne thee IN these verses following the meanes are expressed whereby we may attaine vnto euerlasting glory described in the former verse and they are two the knowledge of God vers 25. and the liuely sense and feeling of Gods loue verse 26. First in this verse our Sauior sheweth that the world is vtterly ignorant of God and void of true knowledge 1. As the Euangelist testifieth He was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not Iohn 1. 10. So the Apostle rehearseth out of the Psalme There is none that vnderstandeth none that seeketh after God Rom 3. 11. 2. Such a worldly man was Pharao who prophanely said I know not the Lord neither wil I let Israel go Exod. 5. 2. Such an ignorant person and blasphemous wretch was the messenger of the King sent for Elisha Behold this euil saith he commeth of the Lord why should I waite on the Lord any longer 2. Kin. 6. 33. 3. Like as a foole or ideot knoweth not the way into the citie such fooles are all wordly men that know not the way which leadeth to the celestiall Ierusalem Eccles. 10. 15. who are herein worse then the oxe or asse which know their owner and their masters crib Isay 13. but these haue no knowledge of God who made them and dayly feedeth them 4. The cause of this ignorance of the world is the hardnes of their heart Eph. 4 18 because through their corrupt and froward affections they corrupt that light of nature which they haue Because when they knew God they glorified him not as God neither were thankefull but became vaine in their imaginations and their foolish hart was full of darknesse Rom. 1. 21. 5. We see then what a dangerous thing it is not to haue the knowledge of God and to be ignorant of his wayes all such are as yet of the world and being of the world are vnder the regiment and kingdome of Satan vnder Christs protection they are not for he prayeth not for the world Iohn 17. 9. This should be a caueat to all those who some of contempt some of negligence care not for the knowledge of God or his word Ambrose well saith Leprae medicina verbuÌ„ est contemptus vtique verbi lepra mentis est The word is the medicine for the leprosie of the soule the contempt then of the word maketh the soule leprous Though a man had no other sins to condeÌ„ne him yet ignoraÌ„ce caÌ„not be alone but hath other sinnes following it it were a sufficient cause of condemnation that he regardeth not to know God as the Prophet saith My people go into captiuitie because they haue no knowledge Isay 5. 13. But I know him and these haue known that thou hast sent me We know God because Christ first knoweth and by him and from him his members also know so that Christ to his church is the fountaine and author of all spirituall knowledge 1. No man hath seene God at any time the onely begotten sonne which is in the bosome of the father he hath declared him Iohn 1. 18. 2. Nicodemus til he came to Christ was ignorant of the first principles of Christian religioÌ„ he knew not what it was to be born again Iohn 3. The holy Apostle could not find out true knowledge at the feete of Gamaliel nor in the sect of the Pharises he was taught the Gospell by no other meanes but by the reuelation of Iesus Christ Galat. 1. 12. neither had Zacheus euer be come the child of Abraham if he had not come downe from the figge tree and followed Christ Luke 19. 3. So that as the Israelites could neuer haue found out the way to the promised land through the vast and vnknowne wildernesse vnlesse Christ had gone before them in a cloudie piller by day and a fiery piller by night and like as Moses could neuer haue described the forme and fashion of the tabernacle if the Lord had not first shewed it him in the mount so as impossible it is without Christs direction in his word to find out the way to eternal life He is therefore that oliue tree that doth conuey into the candlesticke