contraries This argument is often vsed in the Scriptures as Psalm 145. Doe not I hate them c. Zachar 2. Tit. 2. 1. and most plainly 1. Cor. 6 What fellowship is betweene light and darkenes c. This is needfull for men to knowe that they learne to hate superstition and heresie and to roote it out least whilest with Saul they spare wicked Agag they persecute righteous Dauid If a man hate false religion hee shall neuer be infected with it for if they be perswaded that it will hurt them then they will keepe themselues far from it A man when hee seeth a toade or any other hurtfull beast he will be sure to keepe him farre from it neither will we euer receiue for meate that we know to be poyson so if wee beleeue that Poperie and Heresie are poyson then we will not receiue them But if men thinke fauorably of Heretikes and call them honest men and well dealing men then it is very easie to intangle such a one Herein doth the coldnes of the loue of Gods law in vs appeare in that we doé so coldly hate the false Because loue setteth the price on things and hatred maketh vs far from them therfore if we will continue in the truth we must loue it and if we wil auoide the false we must hate it And we must not be deceiued by the outward shew of an honest life for if comparison be made betweene Gods children Heretikes when they are both in prosperity or both in aduersitie then we shall see the difference betweene them for otherwise there is no comparison to be made when they are one in prosperitie and another vnder the crosse When the children of God are in trouble and in affliction the graces of God doe manifestly appeare in them for first they haue such spirituall wisedome vnderstanding that euen poore simple soules in the countrie are able to answere the great and learned men of the Vniuersitie so that they be not able to withstand the Spirit that speaketh in them Againe their boldnes and courage in the truth is such as that they be not ashamed to speak euen before Kings the mightiest of their enemies But Heretikes how far are they from this wisedom when they come to answere they either say nothing at all or else their reasons are so blockish and without sense that a childe would marueile at their folly and though they set some face and shew vpon them yet if they be vnripped and then referred to their heads they are but vanitie As for their boldnes and courage it is nothing for if they speake to some simple man or in some secret place then will they be bold to speake their pleasure but call thē to the place of iudgement or before them that are able to call them to accounts then their answeres are to seeke And here of it commeth that they are periured vnfaithfull not men of their word but dastards and cowards and such as will not stand to the truth In suffering there is a great diuersitie betweene them for if the childe of God come to suffer he is neither effeminate to account the paine too painfull neither yet blockish without sense and feeling in suffering but he feeleth the smart and bitternes of it and yet feeling Gods fauour he ouercommeth it And this is true patience indeed when men feele the paine to be grieuous and yet through the hope and feeling of Gods fauour doe ouercome it and in suffering they can pray for their persecutors and can be contented to shed their blood for the conuersion of those that seeke their subuersion and ouerthrow Deale Heretikes thus or doe they not cleane contrarie Yes for in their suffering they are either as men without sense bereaued of their wits so they are rather blockes and stones than men and their suffering is blockishnes and not patience or else they are effeminate and womanish to howle and crie out in their paines and to die with cursing and banning and all kinde of railing Thus they deale This experience haue we seene of both euen within our daies If you compare them together when they are both of them in prosperitie and if you then consider their liues you shall also see that there is great difference For the children of God whilest they loue the word the Sacraments and discipline they cannot long lie and continue in any sin for the word will rebuke them the Sacraments will admonish them and discipline will also helpe to bring them from it but the wicked liue and lie as in a dead sleepe in sinne in prosperitie and will not be wakened He doth not onely speake of corruption in doctrine but also in manners as in euery commandement we cannot loue the good but we must also hate the contrarie as in lust adulterie c. as Ioseph hated his Mistresse when he once perceiued that she was vncleane Then whilest men are giuen to vanitie on the Sabbath they loue not the Sabbath for if they did they would either take heede of such or if they fell into them they would recouer themselues Then we cannot loue the Sabbath vnlesse we delight in it and hate the contrarie Then if we will trie whether we loue the word let vs trie it by the hatred of naughtines in vs and this if we feele we may be comforted for God will worke by this The word thoughts is a metaphor from the crooked boughs of a tree and signifieth that as the trees haue their boughs spread abroad crookedly so doe thoughts grow out of men And his meaning is that he hated these ouerthwart thoughts Therefore he laboured not onely for the outward hatred but euen the imaginations that are contrary thereto as the thoughts of idolatrie vncleannes c. and to these all he biddeth battell that he may loue the law This is a good thing for vs for though we come not to idolatrie murder adulterie c. yet the euill thoughts come into our mindes and these we must not suffer to be setled but at the first we must hate them and driue them out Thoughts are not free therefore neither it is enough to loue in shew but we must also loue in thought for if we fauour them wee may by little and little bee carryed away For hereof it commeth that men are brought to reuenge and other euils because they make not cōscience of the thoughts Thus we see that men haue thoughts of herefie anger c. and yet they are not at defiance with them therefore they fall into the sin Hereof men fall into adulterie become enemies to God his Ministers and religion for whilest they make no conscience of thoughts they fall into the sinnes It is true then that we must first fight against reason when wee will fight against sinne as a man fighteth not against swearing because not against anger and not against anger because not against reason Vers. 114. Thou art my refuge and
farre on the other hand doe we vtterly and simply refuse all orders of the Church although sometime there be no expresse word but if by consequence if by cause or effect wee can finde it agreeable or not repugnant to the word after triall had with the holy scriptures wee will receiue it thus to make the word the touchstone the heretikes will not agree Besides as in all other artes it is requisite that whosoeuer will attaine sound knowledge of them hee must credit their principles for otherwise as the verie heathen saw there is no farther dealing in the learning of them so we haue certaine generall truthes and rudiments whereby we traine vp new commers to Christ and trie both old and yong by them which thing our heretikes will not admit We hold then certaine generall rules of the power prouidence and wisedome of God of our redemption and saluation by Iesus Christ of our effectuall sanctification of the forgiuenes of our sinnes of the hope of the glorious resurrection and of a better life of obedience prayer discipline and holy conuersation in despite of all heretikes against which though they dispute declame raile and write wee will neuer leese the hold Secondly which is a thing vnto these men vnacquainted we vse to marke the scope and drift of the writer we compare the things that goe before with the things that follow after wee conferre one place with another the olde Testament with the new the allegories with the plaine speeches we see a perfit harmonie in the scriptures wee refuse all dissenting and disagreeing doctrine to the scriptures all which neither Turke Papist nor Familist will doe and therefore we haue the trueth in these last dayes which neither Mahomet Bishop of Rome nor H. N haue and therefore we will not be iudged by their reuelations traditions and dreames but by the scriptures whereby we iudge them and in this sense we say the last dayes or fulnes of time because we haue the trueth But yet the villanoust wretches which heape vp to the brimme the measure of their sins will not also stick to say with vs that these are the last dayes that is as they interpret it who so cōmeth into the house of loue and is illuminated is now risen againe and hath heard the last trumpe and is become of an Angelicall nature needing no eating drinking or marrying after the manner of men and these are our ranging rogues who will tye themselues to no calling but liue as they thinke in the resurrection See how needefull it is to vnderstand this phrase aright of the last dayes We call not them the last dayes in respect that no further time shall be but in respect hereof that these dayes shall not be ended vntill Christ come and giue vp the kingdome to God the Father and as these last dayes were begun at his first comming in humilitie in the fleshe so they shall ende at his last comming in glorie to iudgement It followeth in our text In the last dayes saith God All the Scriptures are worthie to bee heard because they proceed from God and not from man although man may be the pen of the holy Ghost Wherefore it is said 2. Pet. 1. 20. 21. First knowe this that no prophecie in Scripture is of priuate motion For the prophecie came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy Ghost The Prophets wholy to disauthorise themselues in all their waightie embassages vse to say Thus saith the Lord of hosts Thus saith the Lord the holy one and such like whereby they would purchase the greater credit whilest they remoue the imagination of men from all dreaming of mans doing and set their faith a worke in acknowledging it to proceede from God Wherefore wee must so heare the word as though we heard God himselfe speaking to vs yea as though we either went vp to heauen or God came downe to vs. Likewise whether we reade heare or meditate priuately we must still thinke our selues in the presence of God who narrowly watcheth ouer the pure vse of his holy word remembring that holy speech of Cornelius Act. 10. vers 33. vnto Peter the Apostle Now are we all here present before God to heare all things commanded thee of God It is also said in that exhortation to the Church to praise God Psal. 95. vers 2. Let vs come before his face with praise c. This is that which will humble vs when we know that we come before God and his Angels whose presence is described Ezek. 1. and therefore the Apostle 1. Cor. 11. 10. to moue the womē of Cor. the more telleth thē that they are in the presence of the Angels This meditation breedeth religion in hearing without which whilest we behold a man speaking as of himselfe and by himselfe alone we are neuer moued threatē he promise he menace he comfort he exhort he reproue he neuer so much No we cānot throughly be wrought vpon vntil we can say Surely it is the Lord speaketh to vs it is the word of the most high God vttered by man wee will not receiue it as the doctrine of men but of God either as the doctrine to saue our soules or to cōfound vs it is the mightie power of saluation if wee beleeue it is a mightie power to cast vs downe to the hels if we doe not beleeue It is the word of God that moueth not the word of man For if a man were a Turke how should he moue a Papist or how should a Papist moue a Turke If he take away Mahomets dreames from the Turke or the Fathers traditions from the Papist or the eight man his reuelations from the Familist and vrgethem with the word they are gone so that it is the onely word of God maugre the head of the deuill that vnblindfoldeth all their errors and is able to moue them and conuert so many of them to the trueth as God will haue saued Thus we see what the perswasion of God his presence and the authoritie of his word worketh in vs. Now before we goe into the other particulars let vs by the way consider somewhat of the reason here vsed Before he vsed a reason of probabilitie from the circumstance of the time now he commeth to a reason of necessitie because neuer drunken men could speake the wonderfull things of the Spirit This argument is drawne from contraries men full of drinke cannot so shew foorth the workes of God men thus endued with God his spirit cannot bee drunken On this manner Paul thus reasoneth Ephes. 5. 18. Be not drunke with wine wherein is excesse but be filled with the Spirit As if hee should say if ye be filled with wine there is excesse if ye labour of excesse of wine surely you cānot haue the Spirit Christ also vseth this argument No man can serue two masters c. If a man wholy giue ouer himselfe to God he cannot
persons loth for to pray know that prayer is not a thing of the mouth but of the minde not a sounding of the voyce but a yerning of the spirit not a labour of the lips but a trauailing of the heart and therefore will confesse giuing God the glorie to their owne shame that they had rather heare the word two houres than thus seriously striue in prayer one quarter of an houre And why It is a small thing to lend the eares in hearing it is easie to feede our delight with hearing a man renewing our knowledge but to set on worke the eye the eare the hands to trauell with the heart to set the whole bodie in a frame of subiection as becommeth them that pray to the Lord which sheweth that prayer is a thing both painfull and laborious we shall proue it to be a very hard thing Prayer bringeth the experience of the things which wee know and without it we haue as little proofe of our knowledge as they haue vse of an hidden treasure which neuer are the better for it The word maketh knowne to vs the treasures of God his wisedome but faith bringeth the experience of them by applying and appropriating these mercies of God to our selues prayer is the instrument whereby this faith is continued in vs. The word telleth vs that God will plague sinners prayer brings an experience of this The word telleth vs that God careth for vs prayer proueth this the word sheweth that the Lord hath both power and mercie to shew to his people prayer obtaineth the triall of this the word reuealeth to vs the wisedome prouidence maiestie and goodnes of God prayer conueieth the certaintie of these things into vs. God will bee glorified wholy and onely and cannot abide that wee should be fellow-partners with him therein If a man come by knowledge faith and repentance by hearing it is rather an infusion into a man than an action from a man and it is the great mercie of God but when the Lord brings a man on his knees and humbles him in prayer and constraineth him to aske all of God that wee might heare rightly and so vse the things heard this breaketh the heart of a man and makes him to say Great is the Lord. This I say humbles a man to acknowledge his wants this calleth downe many blessings both spirituall and corporall from the Lord. We know that though a father is readie and fully hath purposed to leaue an inheritance vnto his children yet to acquaint them with obedience he will haue them aske things of farre lesse value at his hands so God notwithstanding he hath purposed to giue vnto vs an heauenly inheritāce which in Christ is purchased yet to continue vs in faith and obedience he will haue vs to aske it of him If mans wisedome can come thus farre shall we not hereby gather the wisedome of God If man hath this pitie shall we doubt of mercie in God and as prayer bringeth experience of God his loue so also it proueth our knowledge faith and repentance For if we will be suiters at God his hand wee must not willingly displease him For we see that when we would obtaine a suite of a man we will be carefull not to offend him least we should suffer repulse and likewise when we pray we must addresse our hearts to obedience and therefore the Scripture speaketh of clensing our hearts of hypocrisie and vnfaithfulnes If this care be had in suites for things corruptible that willingly we will not offend him to whom we sue then must wee know that God is Lord of the spirits and therefore to pray vnto him without auoyding things displeasing him and doing things pleasing him is but grosse by pocrisie Hee must needes be a godly man then that prayes often and if wee be so bold to pray nourishing some sinne in vs besides that we are dull in prayer wee are inwardly both accused and accursed Hereof comes such plentifull acknowledging of our sinnes in prayer with a purpose to auoide them hereof come such vowes and protestations of obedience so that prayer doth not onely continue repentance but also breedeth thankfulnes For it is our corruption when we know that we obtaiened a thing any other waies than by prayer that then we ascribe it to the meanes but when we see God hath heard our prayers it sealeth our faith it confirmeth our thankfulnes True it is that God giueth many mercies without praying yet this must the more make vs thankfull and nothing slacke vs in vsing the meanes which God hath appointed That prayer further confirmeth loue to God it is manifest alreadie now we must shew how it worketh loue euen to our brethren When a man comes to pray and hath this choake-peare that he must forgiue or else not be forgiuen he must needs be either an hypocrite in his prayer or cease from prayer or forgiue his enemies It is palpable hypocrisie to desire God to forgiue vs many and great sinnes and we will not pardon our brother a few and light offences If we will take a view of the weight height length depth and breadth of our sins we will confesse it hypocrisie to craue pardon for so many sinnes being hardly brought to forgiue others a fewe trespasses And for this cause the Scripture saith If yee forgiue not others yee cannot be forgiuen If then Prayer be such a thing as nature doth least entertaine if it brings such experience of God his loue towards vs if it so confirmeth Faith continueth repentance and causeth loue both to God and man it is good cause that this is set to inferre the other and to make all other parts of God his worship the more effectuall Hee shall be saued That is in the midst of diseases he shall not be taken away in the time of iniquitie he shall not be ouertaken but in all these he shall suffer with Faith and a good conscience Besides by the word of sauing is meant the obtaining of all graces as pledges of our saluation and gages of our inheritance so that it doth not barely betoken an exempting of vs from the former iudgements threatned Will a man then escape the wrath menaced and enioy the grace promised let him vse true and heartie prayer which hath it fruite commended vnto vs both in the chapter going before in the election of an Apostle and also in the beginning of this chapter in that being gathered together in prayer the holy Ghost was sent downe Now let vs speake a little of the circumstances First of the persons it is said Whosoeuer Secondly for the extremitie of the time it is said shall be saued that is from those iudgements and endued with those graces that euen then when there shall be so many opinions that we shall not bee able well to discerne the truth when wickednes shall abound euery where examples of godlinesse be no where when wee shall be able to finde no comfort either in our selues
wife goods lands friends parents children yea and peraduenture also it will cost thee the losse of thine owne heart blood It is more chargeable than some thinke it is and that it is the cause why they make so little account of it Now there are some which care not what it costeth them so that it may be had with ease but such must know that it is as laborious as costly For before thou canst attaine vnto it thou must trauaile in heart and in soule with weeping with sighing with much fasting with prayer with watching with meditation of the word of God and in practising of all the commandements of God Thou must trauaile in compassion towards all men thou must take paines in doing thy dutie towards thy superiours and in relieuing the needie and such as are in distresse Finally it is a most painfull way to passe and many there be which deceiue themselues entring into it without preconsideration either of cost or paines I tell you in the houre of death in the day of iudgement in persecutions in trials in banishments many shall see and know that they haue deceiued themselues for that they haue not duly thought of these said charges neither is it onely chargeable and troublesome but also there are in it many and great perils and dangers many battailes must be fought before thou canst come vnto the end thereof Now for a man not onely to be greatly chargeable but also to haue great troubles many battels betwixt the flesh and the spirit this is a sore and a great temptation thou must fight with all thy affections with thine owne reason thou must be prepared to fight with fleshly ioy Loue Feare sorrow Anger Meekenesse Softnesse neither is this conflict as the passion of anger which endureth but for a moment but this combat against affections is to be taken in hand diuers and sundrie times and continueth a long time euen during the whole life And though we receiue many blowes and are sometimes as it were drawne backe yet we must to it againe Those I say which meane to inherit the kingdome of heauen must renounce their owne reason and fight against their owne iudgement As for example in anger many will burst out to fighting and why because that their owne reason teacheth them that they are abused contemned and despised and this is it which deceiueth many because they doe not striue and contend with their owne reason but rather doe thus thinke with themselues according to the manner of men what is the reason why we should doe this or why we should doe that why we should lose our wiues children goods and lands this reason then of ours must be fought against and ouercome But when a man hath ouercome his reason and knoweth what things to be angrie for and what things to be patient in what to loue and what to hate then shall he the better walke rightly but for as much as a man must fight both with his reason and his affections this is a hard battell For though a man haue ouercome his reason yet his affections may still â—e head strong in him yea so strong as they shall carrie his reason iudgement headlong Here then ariseth a greater fight than before before the affections can be ouercome but when reason affections ioyne together that a man hath to deale with them both then ariseth a most deadly fight insomuch that a man shall very hardly ouercome them and yet wee haue more enemies to fight withall than these Wee must fight on the right hand and on the left on the right hand with fame and glorie and on the left hand we are to fight with wealth and riches and with credit and all things in the world If God shall vouchsafe to giue thee riches take heede that thy heart be not set vpon them wherfore when thou whosoeuer thou art art blessed with a good report or with the riches of this world take heede and beware of pride vaine glorie and ambition for if the childe of God doe not forecast these things he may easily be ouertaken and wee see many who when they are in lower estate behaue themselues like honest men and as becommeth the children of God but when they come to any preferment and promotion then they are altogether carried away with the vaine glorie of this world Thou must not onely fight with faire and good reports but thou must also fight with reproches and this is no small combate for hauing riches and glorie thou maist escape pride and ambition but if indeed thou professe the truth thou canst not escape reproches Wherefore if this be not foretâ— ought and looked vnto betimes if a man â—e not well armed against this he cannot be able to withstand it but it will make him goe backe from the truth which he hath professed alas will he say I labour to doe good I endeauour my selfe to keepe a good conference in all my dealings yet loe how I am contemned and how I am accounted a Precâ—sian and an Hypocrite We must also figâ—t with losses and want of liuing and in this point we see many to be ouercome when as therefore the Lord hath brought vs vnto a low â—bbe we must take heede that we be â—o shifters For when by a simple and godly liuing many cannot thriue and prosper in this world then fall they to vnlawfull meanes and now adaies rather than a man will be in want hee will take two or three liuings wherefore this temptation of want is very great and therefore so much the more to be looked vnto Likewise when a man must fight with banishment losse of friends or such like then the anguish which ariâ—eth thereof it draweth from him many bitter sighes and deepe groanes and through sorrow of heart he is brought vnto strange thoughts wherefore except a man doe acquit himselfe with these and the rest it will goe hard but Sathan will haue the victorie for it is a very hard matter to endure them There is another thing to be taken heede of and that is this when Sathan shall behold the corruption of a man either which is within him or which is outward for whether it be inward or outward it will serue his turne as it is in Ephes the 6. He is spirituall wickâ—dnesses in heauenly things he is a spirituall enemie and in this world he is Principalities and Powers Therefore I say when he beholdeth thy corruptions he commeth to worke vpon thee and stirreth vp thine owne conscience and thine owne reason to accuse thee and to condemne thee then like a spirituall enemie he commeth to intoxicate thine affections and moueth thee sometimes with losses sometimes with profit sometimes with pleasures sometimes with ioy sometimes with sorrow when I say he doth thus bewitch thy reason and affections and doth thus infatuate thy wits and intoxicate thy braines here is a very dangerous fight And herein may a man
kingdome Preach the word be instant in season and out of season c. It is no small matter to haue such a charge laid vpon him as is here set downe and is giuen to all Ministers as well as to Timotheus that euen as they will answere before the iudgement seate of God when the secrets of all hearts shall be opened so they will preach the word instantly purely and continually both in season and out of season omitting no occasion that may be profitable It is the manner of men to count it out of season if it be not the Lords day and therefore they will not let a little businesse of other daies to heare the word of God preached which tendeth to their welfare The Ministers must labour for their sakes both out of season and in season but if they be more mindfull of their worldly pleasures or businesse than of the saluation of their soules their blood shall be vpon their owne head But when the Minister hath thus studied the word diligently preached the word purely declaring the counsell of God exhorted both gently and sharply laboured to win mens soules both openly and priuately and that very carefully as well out of season as in season to what end will all this come Paul may plant Apollo also water but it is God that must giue the increase Though the Minister laboureth neuer so earnestly doing his dutie absolutely yet if God doth not blesse and increase the same all is in vaine As therefore the Minister is the mouth of God to speake vnto the people so must he be the peoples mouth and pray vnto the Lord both for himselfe and for them that the Lord will blesse him and them and graunt that the ministery of his word may be profitable both to himselfe and to them and that the glory of God may be increased by the same Thus we reade our Sauiour did who being very God as well as man and had power of himselfe to sanctifie the eares and hearts of them which heard him and to make his preaching profitable in such measure as himselfe listed yet for an example to all other which should come after he prayed to his father both for himselfe and vs. S. Paul also in all his Epistles testifieth how continually he maketh mention of them in his prayers The Ministers therefore must pray and that without ceasing as well priuately by himselfe as openly in the congregation and this promise hath our Sauiour made that whatsoeuer we shall aske the father in his name shall be graunted vnto vs. In administring the Sacraments he must also be very circumspect and although children are to be receiued into the Church by Baptisme and not to be denied because the promises do as well pertaine vnto them as vnto the aged yet are they to be baptized in the faith of the pareÌ„ts for there is no promise made to the infidels The Minister therfore must require an account of this faith of such as bring children to be baptized least otherwise he seale to a blancke and so prophane the SacrameÌ„t which appertaineth to none but to the faithfull Furthermore he must not admit all men that come rashly to eate the flesh and drinke the blood of Christ for it is no small matter but first they must eate it by faith out of the word of God and when hee hath so done the Minister shall administer to him the outward seales of bread and wine to confirme and strengthen his faith The third point of the Ministers is He must liue a godly life shewing himselfe an example to all his flock least the word of God bee slandered through his euill behauiour for although he preach neuer so good doctrine yet if his life be wicked and contrarie to his doctrine such is the sabtiltie of Sathan who thereby will bring the Gospell into contempt and be counted a vaine thing of men because the Minister teacheth one thing and doth another this were a grieuous and intolerable matter that the Minister should open the mouthes of the wicked to blaspheme the Lord God and his most holy word which is the power of God vnto saluation Therefore S. Paul together with pure doctrine giueth it in charge to Titus in all things shewe thy selfe an ensample of good workes with vncorrupt doctrine with grauitie integritie and with the wholsome word which cannot bee condemned that hee which withstandeth may bee ashamed hauing nothing of you to speake euill of The Apostle law no small occasion to vse so waightie an admonition that aboue all other things ioyne to pure doctrine a godly life yea such an ensample of grauitie integritie and all other good works agreeable to the most wholesome word which no man is able in any respect to reproue that the contemptuous and despitefull aduersarie against the truth may be ashamed to open their mouthes when as they are not able to accuse the Minister of any vngodlines for the word it selfe is so perfect and absolute in all respects that no man can finde fault thereat but if the Minister contrary to the word doth liue wickedly vngodly he doth not only purchase euill report vnto himselfe but also giueth occasion vnto the enemies and despisers of the truth most wickedly to slâ—nder the most precious Gospell of Iesus Christ. The Minister must therefore liue a godly and vnblameable life euen for an example of well doing to all his flocke Againe the spirit of God in that he saith they must watch ouer mens soules declareth a wonderfull care that the Minister ought to haue ouer his own soule for if he be bound to watch ouer other mens soules to the ende he may be saued and not perish if in the meane time he letteth his owne perish what shall hee get truly it will no whit profit him though all his flock be saued if he himselfe be condemned It is manifest in the first Epistle to the Corinths and 6. Chapter that no vnrighteous person she ll inherit the kingdome of heauen Therefore the Minister must of necessitie according to the admonition of S. Peter giue diligence to make his calling and election sure by his godly life and good workes as well as other if he will approue himselfe the child of God and heire of euerlasting life It were a vaine thing to flatter himselfe in sinne because of his office and thinke that God will deale the more mercifully with him therefore when as it is most certaine that as the saluation of mankinde commeth by the merits of one which is Iesus Christ so is there but one meane for man to attaine thereunto that is by a true and liuely faith in Iesus Christ and whosoeuer cannot assure himselfe in this life by the triall of his faith that hee is the child of God although hee can perswade and flatter himselfe neuer so much with other vaine hope all is to no purpose for hee may be assured whatsoeuer hee be either Minister
but in the qualitie of them that all bee done and spoken soundly and sincerely this is required Psalme 15. that he that will be a member of the Church militant on earth and of the Church triumphant in heauen must walke vprightly and speake the truth from his heart And againe in another Psalme a question is made to the same effect Who shall dwell in the mountaine of the Lord and who shall stand in his holy place and the answere is Hee that hath innocent hands and a pure heart which hath not lift vp his minde to vanitie nor sworne deceitfully In which wordes we haue a description of a sound hearted man 1 By his actions that he dealeth vprightly and so hath innocent handes 2 By his affection that he lifteth not vp his minde to vanitie that is setteth not his heart on any earthly thing in which sense that phrase is vsed in the originall Ier. 22. 27. 3 By his speeches that he hath not sworne nor any way spoken deceitfully The reasons to confirme this point are drawne from the great inconueniences that will follow on the contrary for if there be in any a fraudulent and deceitfull heart 1 First there is a deadly quarrell and mortall enmitie betweene God and him for who are they that are reconciled to the Lord whose sinnes are couered by the righteousnesse of his sonne so that they shall not be imputed vnto them euen they In whose spirit there is no guile And what will follow then for those whose hearts are full of fraude and deceite but that they must needs be destitute of all hope of the pardon of their sinnes and so consequently lye open to the strokes of Gods vengeance due vnto the same 2 And as their persons are hatefull to the Lord so are their seruices abhorred of him for indeed they are not the seruices of God but of Sathan and of their owne flesh and therefore be they neuer so glorious in outward shew and let them pretend neuer so much zeale in the performance of them yet the Lord hath them in vtter detestation As we may plainly see in the hypocriticall Pharisies they would be euery where praying with great deuotion and very often fasting with great austeritie and blowing a trumpet to giue notice vnto men of their almesdeeds and liberalitie and striuing with all their might by externall obseruations to winne themselues the praise of holy zealous men yet for all this our Sauiour sharpely rebuketh them saying Yee are they which iustifie your selues before men but God knoweth your hearts for that which is highly esteemed before men is an abomination in the sight of God It is as loathsome vnto him as carions or toads or any such creatures as mans nature doth most abhorre can be vnto vs. Thirdly this is another miserie of hypocrites that they liue in continuall feare and danger there are holes in their maskes at least there will be and their double dealing shal be seene into it shall sometime or other come to light how they haue abused Gods presence and dissembled with their brethren by making faire shewes and pretences of that which they neuer meant their sinnes shall not alwaies lie hid but either they will giue ouer all in time of persecution as the stony ground did or in hope of promotion as Iudas and Achitophel did and so discouer their false-heartednes or else it shall be drawne forth by their speeches in their merriments or in their distempers or else Gods spirit in godly men shall descrie it by working in their hearts a vehement suspition of them and causing them with a iudicious eye more narrowly to pry into their workes and waies By one such meanes or other God will lay them open to the view of the world so that being in such perill they cannot but haue a fearefull heart and a restlesse conscience And to this purpose notable is that saying of Salomon He that walketh vprightly walketh boldly or surely but he that peruerteth his waies shall be knowne Whence it is apparant that the vpright man needeth not to feare any thing he needeth not to be afraide of ill men for though they may disgrace him they cannot shame him he needeth not to be afraide of good men for the oftner he speaketh vnto them and conuerseth with them the more he is approued by them neither needeth he to be afraide of God for he that searcheth the heart and the reines knoweth and alloweth of the integritie of their soules They haue no cause of feare for the present because all things goe well with them neither is there any for afterwards because all things shall goe well with them for they shall neuer fall away from God None can plucke them out of his hand Sathan cannot because hee that is in vs is stronger then he that is in the world sinne cannot because grace will preuaile against it the world cannot because this is our victorie whereby we ouercome the world euen our faith And the Apostle concludeth generally for all other matters that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. What followeth now on the contrarie part for hypocrites but hee that peruerteth his way that is alloweth himselfe in any ill course though neuer so secretly shall be knowne that is his vile and wretched dissembling shall bee detected if not in this world yet when the thoughts of all hearts shall bee made manifest they shall be found out first or last and therefore they cannot but walke fearefully in their ill courses wherein they walke and giue libertie vnto themselues This should make vs exceeding carefull and warie when wee offer our selues to Gods seruices to search and dig deepe into our hearts that we may cast out all the loose earth that is there and so our building may be on a rocke and not on the sand Wee must purge away that leauē of hypocrisie that hath wholy infected our nature that so we be not found to halt in our worshipping of God least he take vs with the manner as hee did him that came without a wedding garment whom he singled out from all the guests that were present and that not only to ignominie reproch but to euerlasting punishment and torment in hel fire It is very dangerous then we see to deale hypocritically with God it is not safe with men to pretend and say one thing before their faces and to speake and doe another behind their backes because they may peraduenture discerne it but it is more dangerous to dissemble with God for he doth certainly discerne it and will as certainly punish it Many when they are reproued or admonished will snuffe at it and say What need you be so hot in the
vsâ—st to doe to them that loue thy name c. The words in their proper tongue signifie thus much According to thy in lgements which thou doâ—st execute to them that loue thy name according to that in the fourth verse of the seuenth portion I remember thy iudgements of old o Lord and haue bene comforted His meaning therefore in these former words is not fully expressed Here we may learne the necessarie vse of this word and how needfuâ—l a thing it is and how speciall a gift it is of God his wisedome rightly to discerne and distinguish the words Iudgements as we haue often fore shewed is taken either for executing the threatnings of the Lord denounced in wrath and in desert or else for the performance of his promises made in compassion and of mercie His meaning briefly is be mercifull in iudging me as thou art wont to iudge thy seruants let me haue iudgement in mercie and enter not into the iudgement of my sinnes for no flesh then shall be saued and deale with me as with thy deare seruant If we be guiltie of our owne crosses we must acknowledge our sinnes as the iust causes thereof for neuer any of the children of God obtained mercie without this We are then in trouble to looke to the promises of God if we by faith can finde the like testimonie of a good conscience but when we see our sinnes to be the cause of our troubles or that it is the Lord his hand of iustice vpon vs we cannot in truth vse this prayer of the Prophet There is a iudgement in righteousnesse and there is a iudgement in mercy Of the first the man of God speaketh when he saith Enter not into iudgement c. the iudgement in righteousnesse of the second the Prophet Ieremie speaketh Correct me O Lord yet in iudgement that is in the iudgement of mercy and fatherly correction And because we faile for the most part either in our outward actions or inward affections we had neede to pray that the Lord would deale with vs according to his mercifull iudgement True it is that the Saints of God doe say O God of my righteousnesse O God of my saluation but that is to be vnderstood in respect of men and not in respect of God but they that come with their case to be iudged and pleaded before God must needes say Lord be mercifull to thy seruants We must neuer draw neere then in prayer before the Lord without this clause that the Lord would accept vs in Christ hiâ— obedience and that we doubt not of mercy when the Lord iudgeth vs in his Christ. Here we are to obserue how the Prophet maketh an experience of the Lord his dealing and thus reasoneth with him I see thou Lord dealest mercifully with them that loue thee but I loue thee therefore Lord deale mercifully with me This deceiueth many we reade not the word of God for imitation or as thinking that those affections which we reade to haue been in the children of God are to be required in and of vs also but let vs know that whatsoeuer haue been the strangest and rarest affections of God his children they are for vs to follow For though we cannot attaine to them in the like measure that this man of God because we will not deny that he had a greater measure of Gods spirit than we haue yet we must by vsing the like meanes attaine to some measure if not an hundred fold yet threescore and thirtie fold Now we see that he hauing obtained the like graces with God his people craueth here the like mercies with theÌ„ For his sense is euident as thou diddest not make a couenant with thy seruants after their sinnes but according to thy mercy euen so Lord deale with me Here is no speciall thing mentioned but he setteth downe that which hath been and may be in the children of God He prayeth noâ— for any speciall mercie then but for that mercy which by experience he hath seene ratified in others likewise he speaketh not here of any extraordinary graces of God his holy spirit but of theÌ„ which are ordinarie and incident to any one of God his children as to another although not in like measure And surely we haue not the like mercies with them because we haue not the like graces that they had To loue the word of God as gold to gape after it to breath and â—â—nt for it are singular gifts of God but giuen to none in that time with such speciall prerogatiue as they may not in some measure be giuen to the Saints of God in our time if we soloued the Lord. For that which the Apostle Peter said of them that feared the Lord to wit the Lord hath no respect of persons but they that feared the Lord are accepted the same the Prophet speaketh here in effect of them that loue the Lord. For when the promises are generall in pronouncing we must make them particular by a seuerall applying of theÌ„ to our sâ—lues Let vs then be ashamed of our selues for our wants of loue The Lord hath not graunted vnto others nor denied vnto vs any speciall priuiledges as they thought among the Papists who in their readings had wont to admire much at the Saints of God and to follow them but little The Lords hand is not shortened that he can lesse helpe vs than he hath in times past our forefathers neither is his mercy lesse that he will not helpe vs for his is the kingdome his is the power his is the glorie for euer but our sinnes as saith the Prophet haue made a partition and a diuorcement betweene the Lord and vs our loue is lesse our sinnes are greater than they were in our forefathers Let this comfort vs the man of God here prayeth not for any extraordinarie mercy For as the loue of God to vs ward is common with other of his children in like manner our loue to Gods word must be common with them and if we haue the like graces with them we shall obtaine the like mercies with them For in the substance of saluation if we haue faith the Lord will deale with vs according as he dealt with Abraham Isaac and Iacob with the Prophets and Apostles Wherefore the Lord as we said a little before hath set downe his promises iâ— generall words which we must deriue by faith as particular and proper to our selues Now if we had this sealed in our hearts that they were neuer confounded nor deceiued which put their trust in the Lord we should be assured that his arme is not shortned he is as able to reach it out vnto vs as euer he was before if onely we will beleeue and say with the Prophet of God Amen We must take â—eede that we suffer not as ill doers and that the Lord finde vs not lying in some sins for then we cannot in truth vse the Prophets prayer for the like mercies in that we
let vs bee afraide to tell a lye in the very lightest and most secret causes But if this will not at all moue vs yet let vs bee ouercome with the consideration of those fruites which will come of true speaking specially let vs consider of these two First the loue of the Trueth doth breede and beget in vs a great and singular comfort when wee see that herein wee resemble our heauenly Father who is the God and author of Trueth Secondly the loue of the trueth is a speciall helpe to reuoke vs from sinne For as the lyer can so cloake his sinne and set such a colour vpon it that no man can accuse him no admonition or rebuke can take hold vpon him no threatning feare him So the sillie soule that in simple truth doth confesse his sinne is open vnto rebukes and holy censures his heart lieth naked before the word which doubtles will worke effectually to reclaime him from sinne The second thing which we must learne out of these words is this that albeit we must speake the trueth at all times and in all places yet must we be especially carefull so to doe when we be called as witnesses before the iudgement seate For the whole state and order of iudgement doth depend vpon the witnesse so that the Questmen the Iudge and all doe proceed either falsly or truly according as the testimonie of the witnesse is either false or true Last of all we learne that good care must be vsed in chusing of witnesses so that we may not take periured persons or common liers no not such as doe often lie though it be but in light matters but if there be any one man that of conscience speaketh truth in all things he is worthie and fit to be a witnesse This condemneth the practise of the receiuing all indifferently to be witnesses in court and specially such as be knowne to be common liers Thus much for this verse Vers. 6. The skorner seeketh wisedome and findeth it not but knowledge is easâ— for him that will vnderstand BY the skorner is here meant the proud contemptuous man who in the pride of his wit will compasse any thing neglecting yea contemning those holy meanes which God hath ordained This proude and contemptuous skorner shall not finde knowledge By knowledge we may vnderstand not the knowledge of the letter floting in the braine and flowing euen at the tongues end which indeed is not worthie the name of knowledge but the true vnderstanding of the word taught by the spirit which entreth into the heart and worketh on the affections frameth to obedience and assureth of euerlasting life This indeed is healthfull knowledge which the skorners though they seeke shall neuer obtaine And hereunto doth our Sauiour Christ giue witnesse when he saith Many shall seeke to enter in and canâ—ot Now if we would see the cause hereof it is this they doe refuse the right and direct meanes whereby to come to knowledge or else vse the meanes with corrupted hearts For if they seeke and search in the prophane writings of Heathen men or in the corrupted writings of hellish heretikes no marueile if they neuer finde this knowledge For how can they finde trueth in falsehood How can they finde the true knowledge of God in the fained deuises and inuentions of men Againe though they cast off all these and come to the holy word of God yet if their hearts be not sound and right if they seeke profit preferment and vaine pleasure doubtlesse they shall neuer attaine to this holy knowledge For sure if the heart be corrupted when they come to studie vpon the word they shall be made worse and not better by it The experience of this doe we see in many who seeking and searching after knowledge either to get liuings or to gaine credit or to some such like euill and corrupt end they haue beene disappoynted of their hope and haue failed of that which they sought after By the example of others then let vs beware and learne to seeke after the knowledge of God and of godlinesse in the written word of God which onely is able to make vs godly Againe aboue all things let vs take heede vnto our hearts that they be vpright and sound in seeking for it Now for the triall hereof let vs examine whether we seeke knowledge that we might be better able to glorifie God and to profit our brethren let vs examine whether we seeke Christ for Christ whether in Christ we seeke nothing but Christ and this if we can truely see and feele euen in the truth of our hearts then our heart is vpright then haue we before vs a right end then doe we rightly seeke God and he whom he hath sent Iesus Christ euen to the saluation of our soules True it is that the Lord may and doth often bestow liuings riches and such other outward helpes and benefites on his children but they doe not chiefly seeke these They take these as an handfull yea as an ouerplus of his fauour but their hearts are not set vpon them Their loue is set vpon God and vpon his glorie that they especially labour for that they doe toyle and trauell about and that is the ende of all their labours in what measure they obtaine that in that measure they be quiet though they want other things but in what measure they doe not finde that in that measure are they grieued though they abound in outward things WheÌ„ a man is of this mind when he hath this heart when he hath this good will to learne then among many other blessings he shall be sure to finde that which followeth in this verse Knowledge shall be easie to him that will vnderstand There be two things whereat many men are much offended and whereby they are driuen from that due care which they ought to haue of the word The first is because they see that great and wealthie men of this world little esteeme it and make light account of it But men should know that the affections of such are for the most part weaned from the word their loue is set vpon their profit vpon their pleasure and vpon such other things below Now the minde and heart being forestalled yea and surcharged with the liking of these things they cannot with desire receiue the word into their soules and seeing that they haue little liking of it and lesse will and desire to learne it no maruâ—ile though it be as vnsauourie salt vnto them The second thing which feareth and offendeth many is the hardnes of the word Oh say they we would gladly learne indeed but the word is so obscure and hard that indeed it cannot be learned See the shamelesse vngratiousnesse of some men who to cleere themselues will lay a fault vpon the holy and pure word of God But know this O man that the word is hard because thy heart is hard through sinne Couetousnesse anger
pay him truth The third respect why the Lord will haue truth is because it is a thing most concerning vs and comforteth vs in the agonie of a distressed cōscience For in this case mercie cannot so comfort vs for God hath iustice as well as mercie and hee is iust as well as he is mercifull and for Christ he cannot comfort vs for he is not giuen to all and it may be not to thee and therefore in these two onely there is no comfort But to challenge the Lord his truth is best and his faithfulnes in giuing Christ whom he hath promised is our chiefest hold and nothing can put vs beside it This is the surest tenour of our saluation because by this we hold whatsoeuer we hold and howsoeuer we are defectiue in other things yet in respect of truth we must make much of it Thus in these respects that truth is the diadem of the Lord in respect that Sathan doth so assault it it is the tenour of our saluation it is sure that it is a pension to bee paid But to come neerer whether this truth be in vs or no we see the earth it selfe is not only true but liberall to vs. And as it hath truth and mercie so knowledge is in it too for it knoweth al times and seasons When to receiue when to returne it shewes it selfe a cunning Scholler and it keepes such a comely course in all seasons as if it had perfect knowledge and this is another reason why wee must labour for truth We may well be compared to a land For though there be a soule in vs of the substance of heauen and comming into our bodies made of earth should make them like to heauen and so heauen should lift vs vp to heauen from the earth yet our bodies which by the soule should be more heauenly haue so weighed down heauen as it were to the earth pressed downe the soule to things below That we haue set earth as it were aboue heauen in all our attempts and imaginations and so our soules are become a very ground and land for all our intent being earthly we are iustly called earth 3 There are found out three truths First The truth of life which euery man must labour for The second is The truth of Iustice which is in Common-wealths The third is Truth in doctrine and religion which is in the Church For that truth of life which ought to be among men that we may better vnderstand it wee will shew it in measures and weights In a measure there is a Standard and in weight there is a Seale and if our measure be equall with the standard and if our weights be iust with the seale so as they be neither lighter nor heauier than the standard weight our measures and weights are true Now to applie these things the maine and standard truth is set downe Ioh. 17. Thy word is the truth Then here is the point the word is trueth If our thoughts bee agreeable to this standard and then our tongues be agreeable to our harts well agreeing to the standard if our doings agree with our tongues then comes sinceritie of heart simplicitie of speech and constancie of life Now here is the question then whether the conclusion wee make in our braine be equall with the standard or else our hearts are false and they being false our tongues are out of rule and our outward life can neuer be true For surely if the word haue not taught vs our truth wee haue no truth in the world and then wee truly measure all things according to the truth when we esteeme all things as the word doth esteeme them looke what conclusions the word hath set downe of the world and of other things that must be our conclusion and principle in euery thing Phil. 3. Paul who doubtlesse knew the truth and deliuered nothing but measured by the standard of the truth hath this conclusion that to winne Christ he would lose all there was nothing so glorious in the world but he counted it riffe raffe for the attaining of Christ. This is then the first thing to doe al things by the analogy of the word and then we shall haue but one heart not a heart and an heart Otherwise wee shall be as deceiueable as the vineyard that Esay speakes of whereof grapes were looked for but it brought foorth wilde grapes And because men haue worldly conclusions and the world not the word is their standard so that they are resolued of their principles speaking thus secretly in their hearts We will keepe this gaine and profite they haue lost the truth So must it be in the simplicitie of our speech for vnlesse our words bee according to our hearts we delude our selues For if in the Church we shall haue an Amen a great praising of heauen and a large cursing of sinne and yet no regard of this simplicitie all is but an illusion When men shall publikely sing out of the Psalmes that nothing is more precious than the word of God and yet wee set by nothing lesse this is plaine mockerie to beare the world in hand that we loue the word and yet our thoughts are more large and deepe and attentiue to the world So that wee haue false hearts and dissembling words and truly though we dare not shew this to the world and though in our hearts wee care not for a Sermon once in seuen yeeres yet if wee were asked how wee stood affected to the word what great credit and commendations would flie out of our mouthes But now let vs come to the truth of our actions in stedfastnesse of life that a man may bind on our word the ouerthrowing of our liues doe so much drowne the voice of our mouthes that whatsoeuer we protest in word wee spoyle in our workes The blood of Habel was an action and it cried vp to heauen our Amen in our mouthes is drowned by the blood of our actions crying so loude before the Lord. For our actions bewray men for there is such wringing going ouergoing and incroching that there is no Truth in our liues in respect of the concordance of the tongue And whatsoeuer their bonds are we must haue other forfeiture vpon forfeitures to proclaime their falsehood to the world Now come to the Truth of the Common-wealth wee see as the Prophet saith Iudgement is turned in to Worme-wood that is a man had as good eate a hand-full of Worme-wood as haue our cause pleaded in the Courte Let Noble-men be neuer so wise to open the Truth yet the Diuell hath made many wiser in breaking of the Truth then any can be wise in setting it downe It is knowne too well that many grieuances haue beene for that men haue growne more cunning in ouerthrowing of Iustice then manie haue bene able to establish Iustice. But euery man would be content to beare this burthen because it concernes another Courte But
what say you to the Truth of Religion that is among vs why our Doctrine is sound enough that needes not to be spoken of No Yes surely very needfull it is to speake of it Truth indeede runnes about the Church-walles for eares and goeth about the Pillars but it findeth no nearers and as the wise man saith he that hath a Treasure in store and not in vse is as though he had it not so we may say of our Age men haue a little knowledge but for want of vsing it they are as though they had no knowledge and seeing wee hide our knowledge if wee haue it and we cannot speake the truth at our going in and our going out as men are charged by Moses wee cannot be said to haue the truth So in a second degree Paul would haue vs vse the world as though we vsed it not surely had hee made his wish of the Truth as hee did of the world hee had surely had it All our knowledge is a knowledge of the braine it is not a knowledge of the hart for it neuer makes vs set lesse on the score of sinne yee shall see this plaine wee know that fire will burne and because wee know it indeede by no paine almost can wee be brought to put our finger in the fire and doubtles if wee were perswaded that sinne would burne vs as a fire wee would not so easily put our hands vnto it And I would know if a man had a rule or gold-weight whereby he might measure his timber weigh his mettals and yet he neuer vseth either his rule or his weights what good it would doe him Talke of religion and begin to speake of the word and you shall haue manie that will holde you talke a whole dinner time or halfe a day and looke into their liues and common course of their conuersation and they wil falsifie whatsoeuer they haue said so they haue a thing but without all vse of it There is yet another thing mentioned Ephes 6. and that is a gyrdle of Truth it must be tyed to vs but our truth is not gyrt to vs it sitteth not close to vs it will easilie be shaken off from vs if the Crosse come and persecution shake vs a little wee can easily shift it off 4 A man would not willingly dwell by an euill nature and hatred will driue any man a way Truth is hated among vs and no maruell though it delight not to be among vs. If a man should take vpon him to plucke vp an olde-hedge and to admonish one of sinne straight way one Snake or other will bee ready to hisse at him and to sting him for his labour They that should looke to vs are hated and if a man be so bold as to tell a man of his fault he shall haue a rebuke for his paines with this scoffe or the like this is one of the wise generation which can telll the truth so cold an occupation is it to tell the truth So that we are not onely culpable for not hauing Truth but because we haue driuen Truth out of the Land It would grieue me to name mens sinnes herein but yet your selues know that a man will sell credite Faith and all that he hath to set Truth out of the way and shall wee thinke then that Truth hath any heart to dwell among vs seeing wee sell it for two-pence or a groate nay for a paire of old-shooes But let vs know seeing that CHRIST hath pronounced himselfe to be the TRVTH hee hath made these men that sell the Truth guiltie of the sinne of Iudas they sell Christ not for so much but for halfe so much nay for a quarter so much as Iudas sold him For CHRIST is TRVTH and CHRIST is solde 5 Contempt and hatred ouerthroweth all estates if either the Law be contemned or the Law-giuer hated And as in Kingdomes so it fareth for this point in the Church if the law of God be not esteemed then the iealousie of the Lord of Hostes will surely either take away his Law or punish the abusers of it The cause of contempt commonly as they say is familiaritie Familiarity breedeth contempt Indeed the wise men of the world noted that there were three excellent mothers which brought forth three very euill daughters The mothers are these first Familiaritie which is the high pitch of friendship brings vp contempt so the more we enioy the thing loued the viler it growes in our eyes Secondly truth breeds hatred The third is peace and that is the mother of idlenesse and securitie So that whatsoeuer is free in vâ—e once that growes vile as Manna though it were a verie precious thing did in the eyes of the Israelites Yet we must know that albeit somtime these issue from these mothers yet they be not their natural daughters The naturall child of familiaritie is not contempt but it commeth of our corrupt nature which is cleane opposite to the nature of God For as the nature of God is so perfectly good that he doth turne euen very euill things to very good things as the malice of the Iewes in putting his Sonne to death to be a meane of our saluation so our nature is so absolutely euill that it turnes very good things into euill Wherfore retaining this foolish axiome of vanitie that nothing is precious but rare strange things it commeth not of the nature of the thing which is still good but of our nature which no more esteemes it In the first of Samuel it is said the word was precious in those daies which was because it was rare for they accounted highly of Samuel because they had no Prophet long before but we must not doe so neither in other things doe we so Doe we in naturall things contemne the sunne the water and the fire because they be vsuall we doe not Then surely naturally we contemne not a thing for familiaritie but the cause of contempt is the ignorance of the vse of the thing and therefore no doubt as we doe not contemne the sunne the water the fire because we know and are perswaded of the true vse of them so therefore we doe in long vse contemne the word and prayer and sacraments because we know not the necessitie and the vse of them Whensoeuer then we begin to be cloyed let vs know the nature of a sinne doth begin to grow in vs not that in the long vse of the word we are so full of knowledge but for that we know not the vse of it and therefore like swine we leaue the pearle and goe to the shels Greatly therefore are we to pray against this Concerning hatred when the pearles are contemned the Ieweller is wrathfull and when the word is despised the Lord is surely displeased for which cause good men feeling their spirits to grow hot at the sight of such contempt and the contemners seeing themselues to be drawen out