consonantia voluntatū quà m vocum Bernard Dauid before thou speakest For when the mouth singeth man hath musicke but when the heart sings we make God melodie that is the best Organ tune that and all is well God heares not words without it Non vox sed votum non Chordula Musica sed cor Non cantans sed amans cantat in aure Dei Not voice but will he brings no Harp but Heart prepares No songs but Loue he sings whom the Almighty heares As it must be with the heart so secondly with grace in the heart i. we must exercise the graces of Gods holy spirit in singing as well as in praying or in performing any other of Gods ordinances The disposition of the heart must be suited to the nature and qualitie of the song If it be a Psalme of praise then are our affections to be sutable our spirits must be cheerefull If of promises then must we stirre vp our faith and trust in Gods mercies If of threatnings then must our hearts be strucke with an awe and feare of Gods greatnesse If of petition then must our affections be feruent If of confession then the Soule must be humbled And this doth the Apostle meane by Grace in the heart Thus for the Manner The End is now to be considered which is 1. Gods glory 2. The edification of our selues and others First we must direct our Songs to God for singing Psalmes is a part of his worship and his glory he will not giue vnto another The Papists then are much to blame who rob God of this his right and giue it to the Virgin Mary in singing songs of praise to her And as much to blame are they who sing to their owne glory delighting most in sweet voyce cleare throat c. This is singing to our owne selues and senses not to our Makers praise Secondly in our singing our owne and others edification and profit is to be respected r 2 Tim. 3.16 All Scripture is profitable for our instruction and whatsoeuer is written is written for our learning The booke of Psalmes then must needs be profitable for this purpose Thus edifie thy selfe by applying the matter sung to thy owne heart and examine thy selfe after the Psalme is ended what thou hast thereby profited as well as after thy hearing of the word preached Here likewise that manner of singing vsed amongst the Papists in a strange and vnknowne tongue as also that kinde of singing Psalmes wherein the words and sentences are broken and diuided which hinders the edification of the hearers is not iustifiable Thus we haue seene the rules propounded to vs What now remaines but that a watchfull care be had that they be put in practise by vs and the rather for that amongst all the exercises belonging to a Christian God is most dishonoured by this For few sing but as it may well be feared take Gods name in vaine in singing because they doe not so performe it as Gods word enioynes The more subiect then this dutie is to be performed amisse the more cause haue we of care for the right performance of it when euer we set vpon this holy exercise Text. To my well-beloued Here is the Dedication of the Prophets Poem From whose practise learne we our dutie Doctr. All our labours are to be dedicated to the Lord. viz. To consecrate all our labours vnto God Thus Moses and the children of Israel write a song and sing it ſ Exod. 15.1 vnto the Lord. And in that sweet Swan-like song which that man of God sang a little before his death t Deut. 32.3 He will publish the name of the Lord So Dauid spake vnto the Lord in that same Psalme of Thanks-giuing u 2 Sam. 22.1 which he made for Gods powerfull deliuerance of him out of the hands of all his enemies The like did Solomon Hannah Hezekiah Mary Zachary Simeon with other of Gods Saints dedicate their labours in this kinde to Gods eternall praise And so the Apostles as euidently appeares by that doxologie or forme of praise which they continually vse in their Epistles * Rom. 16.27 Ephes 3.21 1 Tim. 1.17 6.16 Iude 25. To God only wise be glory c. Vnto him be glory in the Church by Christ Iesus Vnto the King immortall inuisible the only wise God be honour and glory To God only wise our Sauiour be all glory c. And hereunto tend those generall exhortations x 1 Cor. 10.31 Whether you eat or drinke or whatsoeuer you doe doe all to the glory of God And againe y Coloss 3.17 Whatsoeuer you doe in word or deed doe all in the name of the Lord Iesus And thus this truth is strengthned Reason Besides there is good Reason for it For the first thing in Gods intention should be the first in ours But this is the first in his He predestinated vs saith the z Ephes 1.5 6. Apostle to the praise of the glory of his grace a Prou. 16.4 He hath made all things for himselfe saith the Wise-man yea euen the wicked for the day of iudgement b Isay 43.6 7. Bring my sonnes from farre and my daughters from the ends of the earth euen euery one that is called by my name for I haue created him for my glory And againe we reade c Coloss 1.16 All things were created by him and for him Seeing then God himselfe proposeth his owne glory to himselfe for the end of all his works man should make the glory of God the end of all he doth But ah Lord God how little is thy glory thought Vse vpon How few make it the supreme end of all their labours Shouldst thou d Psal 14.2 looke downe from heauen vpon the sonnes of men to see if there were any that would vnderstand and seeke after thee to honour thee wouldst thou finde one amongst a thousand that did truly doe it We all can say with Saul e 1 Sam. 15.30 Honour me I pray thee before the Elders of my people when notwithstanding we turne thy glory into shame f Psal 4. louing vanitie seeking after lyes Oh that we could once be brought to learne this Vse 2. lesson That we would not suffer any part of the repute or honour of any of our acts or labours to rest vpon our owne heads but repell it forcibly from our selues and reflect it carefully vpon our Lord and Master It is the g Matth. 6.9 first grace which Christ teacheth vs to begge of God and it ought to be the chiefest ayme of our whole liues yea we should prefer it before our liues or the saluation of our soules wherefore it is made the first petition and set before the desire of daily bread and the petition that is made for remission of our sinnes Now at length then learne to prefer it before all the world and promote it by our best meanes Consider we for this end
by his welbeloued together with the Reasons By welbeloued God is meant One Reason for that Appellation was because he is the Churches well-beloued shee being his spouse and he her husband In which respect as he was a member of the Church and in the behalfe of the Church he so termeth him for he did loue him well So then Doctr. Euery one ought to loue the Lord. The Church and euery true member of the Church doth and so ought to loue the Lord entirely This we finde commanded m Deut. 6.5 10.12 Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy soule and with all thy might n Psal 31.13 Loue yee the Lord all his Saints for the Lord preserueth the faithfull and plentifully rewardeth the proud doer If any man loue not the Lord Iesus o 1 Cor. 16.22 let him be Anathema Maranatha had in execration or excommunicated to death This we shall likewise finde practised by Gods Saints p Psal 18.1 I will loue thee O Lord my strength saith Dauid And againe q 16.1 I loue the Lord because he hath heard my voyce Thus S. Peter r Iohn 21.25 Lord thou knowest that I loue thee And Mary had many sinnes forgiuen her Å¿ Luke 7.47 for shee loued much The Church in the Canticles likewise plentifully t Cani 1.7 Tell me ô thou whom my soule loueth saith shee to Christ And againe u â— 1.3 By night on my bed I sought him whom my soule loueth And what word more common in that song than Loue and welbeloued I must bring Ignatius also to be of the Quorum * Epist 12. quae est ad Romanos My Loue Christ saith he was crucified And thus hath this truth beene proued That the Church and euery true member thereof both doth and ought to loue the Lord entirely Reason Dilexit enim non â—xistentes iâ—o â—â—sistentes Bernard And Reason good For first he loued vs not existing yea resisting For x Rom. 5.8 1 Iohn 4.19 while we were yet sinners he loued vs. This Reason is giuen by S. Iohn We loue him because he loued vs first And surely if God preuent vs with loue we can doe no lesse than answer him in the same nature though not for that is impossible in the same measure Doe not Publicanes y Mat. 5.46 Luke 6.32 Si taerdi sumus ad amandum non tardi simus ad redamandum loue those that loue them Sinners doe the same Though then we haue not beene forward to loue first yet let vs not be backward to returne loue at last Againe we are tyed to him by all the bonds of loue and duty we are his creatures z Psal 100.3 he our maker we his Reas 2 Seruants he a Mal. 1.6 our Lord we his Children b 2 Cor. 6.18 he our Father we his c Hos 2.19 Spouse he our Husband Yea so strait is the vnion betwixt him and vs as that he is said to bee the Foundation d Ephes 2.20 we the building He the e Iohn 15.1 root we the branches He the f Ephes 5.23 Head we the body c. Being bound by so many and so neere bonds how can wee but acknowledge it is our duty intirely to loue him Besides he only is loue-worthy being g Cant. 5.10 Splendor summi illius boni pulchria Coelnin pulchra terra fed pulchrior quifecit illa the chiefest amongst Reas 3 ten thousands What is there to be compared with him The most excellentest creatures are but as the beames of his beauty That glory or goodnesse which is in any of them is but as a shadow in respect of that infinite good which is in him who is the maker of them Thus this threefold cord may hold vs h Eccles 4.12 it will not easily bee broken as speakes wise King Solomon And now Triplex ex arbore fructus A three-fold vse this point affords For triall And indeed what better vse can we make Vse 1 of it There was neuer any Senacherib nor Iesabel but said they loued God and who boasts more they loue him than the prophanest wretch that daily doth contemne him It is a thing counted both common and easie to performe this duty and no man doubts hee is herein to seeke when notwithstanding this is as true as God is true who is Truth it selfe that no more doe truly loue God than are from all eternity elected by God to saluation And wee know or may know for Scripture saies it that the number of them is small i Esay 1.9 Luke 12.32 yea very small comparatiuely considered their account will soone be made k Rom. 9.28 it is but a short worke into a short summe shall they be gathered Rules of triall for the discouery of our loue to God Seeing then it is as narrow as Gods election and that is very narrow let each one search narrowly his bosome for this grace A rule of three 1. our Affections 2. our Words 3. our Actions will sufficiently discouer it By our Affections By our affections will it soone bee seene what loue we beare to God For Loue as the greatest wheele sets all the rest a worke Desire It is the strongest affection and to it doe all the rest giue place where that goes before Desire followes after What I loue I desire to enioy and it is not where it begets not a desire of society l 2 Sam. 13.2 Ammon was very sicke through loue his flesh did pine and waste away because he could not enioy his sister Thamar Dauid and Ionathan did loue intirely m 1 Sam. 18.1 and as the Text saith their soules were knit together whence it was that they tooke such pleasure and contentment each in other n Cap. 20.18 19 41 42. the story shewes what shifts they made to meet what weeping and heart-sorrow there was when they were to part and all because they loued Thus hee that loues the Lord must needs desire to haue society with the Lord A ioy it is to his soule to meet him and nothing doth he desire so much as to enioy him And so Dauid was affected as appeares by those many patheticall desires of his o Psal 73.25 Whom haue I in Heauen but thee and there is none vpon the earth that I desire besides thee p Psal 42.1 As the Hart panteth after the water-brookes so panteth my soule after thee O God q Psal 146.6 My soule thirsteth after thee as a thirsty land r Psal 130.6 My soule waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning I say more than they that watch for the morning These and many other such like sayings shew the affection of his soule And whereas in some places God is pleased graciously to manifest his presence after a speciall manner and in some exercises there is an
For looke as the loue of God is the fountaine of all his benefits extended vnto man so is loue in man the cause of his obedience and seruice to his God God hath loued vs first to doe vs good and we loue him next that wee may doe him seruice And thus wee haue done with the markes of triall whereby if wee take any tolerable paines in the examination of our selues it would soone be seene what loue to God we beare and as I feare it would appeare that albeit the greatest number professe they loue the Lord yet the fewest number would bee found to loue him in sincerity And Lord thou seest and knowest it For how little art thou desired or sought for How small is that Ioy which men take in thee or thine Who sets thy feare before their eyes and when thou hidest thy face what man is troubled Where is our patience in suffring for thy sake when one houre in thy house of praise cannot be endured without an ache in our bones and of what are we so soone weary as of well-doing As for our zeale where is it while we sit still and see thee dishonoured hauing no courage for thy truth And doe not our tongues condâ—mne vs while they are for all purposes except thy glory If they should iustifie vs would not our workes and actions testifie against vs We call thee Lord but where 's thine honour The title onely and no more thou gettest of vs. Or if thou doest it is but the dregs and offall the very worst of all and yet we grudge when wee haue not the best from thee O blessed Sauiour shed abroad thy loue in our hearts that we may loue thee better And this is the first vse which I would haue made of this let our second be for Exhortation that we would Vse 2 loue the Lord yea preferre him in our loue aboue all other welbeloueds Let our Affections be set vpon him and be enflamed towards him Let our tongues be mute to all vanities and eloquent only vnto him and for him who gaue man his tongue and speech and whilest other mens discourses are taken vp about trifles let ours be spent in setting forth his praises Let our Actions bee such as may be pleasing to him and let vs not dare to venture vpon any thing that may offend him And how euer we cannot perfectly yet let vs all pray for grace that we may loue him yet more feruently and lesse fainedly only for himselfe and his mercy For this end vse these helpes Helpes to attaine to the loue of God Get a true knowledge of him and of his name n Psal 9.16 Ignoti nulla cupido For they that know him loue him and as our knowledge is such is our loue The Heathen man obserued that vnknowne things were not desired though in themselues they were neuer so excellent or desirable And what a helpe this is for the attainment of this grace appeares by that speech of the Church vnto her Spouse o Cant. 1.2 Thy name is as ointment powred forth therefore doe the Virgins loue thee His name fame glory and renowne was by many meanes made knowne especially by his Word vnto the world and hence it was the Church did carry such an inward affection and hearty desire to him which she testified by an outward approuing and liking of him Thou then that desirest to loue God see thou get the true and sound knowledge of God labour first for that by vsing all good meanes tending thereunto especially diligent reading and conscionable attending to the preaching of the Word p Iohn 5.39 Search the Scriptures saith our Sauiour for in them ye thinke to haue eternall life and they are they which testifie of me Seriously meditate of Gods loue to thee in Christ before all worlds were and of his rich mercy which he offers thee through Christ Consider what a difference hee hath made betweene thee and many other that are reprobates which onely came from the riches of his loue for by nature thou wert as vile as they as miserable as they a childe of wrath as well as any of them not a haire to choose betweene them and thee Consider of it likewise in other particulars as thou shalt haue occasion and it will worke thy heart to loue him Loue is loues load-stone so sheweth the Apostle q 2 Cor. 5.14 The loue of Christ constraineth vs. Labour then to loue God a little who hath loued vs exceeding much and indeed as r Ser. 83. in Cant. Bernard speaketh we cannot answer God well in any thing but in loue For if he be angry with vs wee may not answer him againe in anger if he iudge vs we may not againe iudge him if he chide vs we must be patient if he command we must obey But in that he loueth we may yea must returne loue for loue for he loueth to be loued Remember often his holy presence and doe not dare to goe whole weekes nor daies nor houres without thinking of him for that will estrange our Affections more and more from him We see how it often happens with new maried couples who though at first they seeme somewhat strange and hardly can affect each one the other yet through daily familiarity and communion they come at length entirely to loue Withdraw your hearts from the loue of the world if you would loue the Lord For the loue of God and it cannot stand together so witnesseth S. Iohn Å¿ 1 Ioh. 2.15 If any man loue the world the loue of the Father is not in him And so S. Iames t Iam. 4.4 The friendship of the world is enmity with God whosoeuer therefore will be the friend of the world is the enemy of God And thus our blessed Sauiour u Matt. 6.24 Yee cannot serue God and Mammon We must therefore either renounce the world or our part in Christ for worldlines and Christianity as we see are two such ends as will neuer meet Thy loue to the world must abate if thou wouldest haue thy loue to Christ encrease See thou frequent the company of the godly Thou must * Cant. 1.8 walke in the steps of the flocke and feed thy kids neere the tents of the shepheards Thou must conuerse with holy Christians who are x Cap. 2.5 sicke of loue and abound in holy affections When those daughters of Ierusalem who at first despised Christ and wondered why the Church should make so much adoe for him had a while conuersed with the Church about him and heard her speake with such affection admiring and extolling him then they also fall in loue with that beloued and offer their seruice to the Church in ioyning with her to seeke him out y Cant. 6.1 Whither is thy beloued gone say they O thou fairest amongst women whither is thy beloued turned aside that we may seeke him with thee Thus holy conference with such as loue Christ is
the necessity and vtility of the same The h 1 Cor. 15.37 Corne dying and fructifying preacheth to vs that Article of our faith The resurrection of the body The beholding of i Mat. 13.25 tares and weeds in the field may instruct vs of the state and condition of the Church militant Vers 45. The Merchant searching for pearles and paying dearely for that of price should remember vs of a farre more precious pearle The Gospell of the Kingdome which we should highly rate and sell all to buy k Mat. 7.9 10. Childrens asking for bread or meat at their fathers hands and the Fathers readinesse to giue them what they aske may teach vs our duties towards God and set forth the readinesse of Gods loue to vs. l Psal 123.2 Seruants waiting vpon their Masters and Maids attending vpon their Mistresses should teach vs to wait vpon the Lord our God vntill he haue mercy on vs. Thus Gods wisdome is in this kinde remarkable directing vs by all things that may runne into our senses to raise vs furtherances in spirituall things Yea not only things lawfull but we shall finde likewise that things sinfull and vnlawfull afford resemblances to admonish of dutie The employment of our gifts to the glory of the bestower we haue pressed by resemblance of the m Matth. 25.27 Vsurers cursed courses Wisdome to prouide for euerlasting Tabernacles by liberalitie to the poore Saints is taught vs n Luk. 16.8 9. by the vniust policie of the deceitfull Steward o Matth. 24.43 Watchfulnesse for the sudden comming of Christ by the vnexpected comming of a theefe to his prey In a word there was nothing which our Sauiour could heare or see or doe but he made spirituall vse of it and tooke occasion thereby to administer heauenly instructions vnto his followers Thus we haue seene this truth proued now let vs heare it further applied This may serue for our Humiliation seeing that by Vse 1 our sinne and apostasie wee are degraded beneath the beasts and become their schollers Our father Adam was made Lord of the creatures and by the knowledge wherewith God endued him he knew the Lord and the creature also Gen. 2.19 20. At one Court he imposed names to them all according to their kindes as knowing them better in their nature and vertue than they did themselues The knowledge which he had of God led him to this knowledge of the creature and it was not by the creature that hee learned the knowledge of the Creator But by sinne man falling away from God he hath so far degenerated from his owne kinde as that he is now become inferiour vnto them and they as Balaams Asse can teach their master Numb 22.28 To the schoole of the creature is man now sent and put backe like an idle truant to his A.B.C. to learne the glory goodnesse and prouidence of the Creator by looking vpon it neither are we able to learne so much as the creature can teach vs when we ply our lesson hardest Consider we how farre the creature doth excell man Nos aper auditu praecellit aranea tactu Vultur odoratu lynx visu simia gustu and that not only in naturall faculties as the Ape in tasting the Spider in touching the Lynx in seeing the Boare in hearing the Vulture in smelling c. wherein we come not nigh them nor yet only in naturall gifts and qualities of the body as the Horse in strength the Roe in swiftnesse the Lion in courage c. wherein wee are not able to compare with them but also they farre excell vs in many vertues as the Doue in simplicitie the Storke in kindnesse the Dog in fidelitie the Oxe and the Asse in thankefulnesse and obedience in all which we come farre short and wherein they may become our Tutors Not to speake of the Spider which say some taught man first to weaue nor of the Eagle which say others taught man first to build nor of that same Aegyptian bird Ibis which as others hold gaue knowledge to Physitians how to vse the glister for these are but coniectures We haue seene enough to humble vs yea euen the proudest of vs seeing in many good things they now excell vs though indeed in vice and euill wee excell them all being by our sinne become more cruell than the Wolfe more craftie than the Fox more enuious than the Serpent more venomous than the Adder more proud than the Peacocke yea all vices which are but seuerall in beasts are mustered and troopt together in vs. And this is our naturall condition Vse 2 It may serue likewise for reprehension in that wee haue such emptie hearts and heads when in euery corner we haue so many teachers to informe vs and instruct vs. The plea of ignorance is a common plea and goeth for currant Alas Sir we are ignorant and not booke-learned we want teachers c. And this is the strongest pillar and prop that many haue But how is this possible Du Bartas 1. Day 1. Weeke Hab. 2.2 Doth not the great booke of the creatures tearmed aptly by some the Shepeards Kalender and Ploughmans Alphabet lie open in which euen the most ignorant may runne and reade Doe not the Heauens and those celestiall Orbs that are placed therein plainly catechize thee in the first elements of religion and teach thee that there is a God Rom. 1.20 and that this God is but one and that this one God excelleth all other things both in might and maiestie and that hee will be worshipped c. And indeed Vniuersus mundus nihil aliud est quà m Deus explicatus Cusan Iob 12.7 8. the whole world is nothing else but God exprest Can men then plead ignorance Aske now the beasts saith Iob and they shall teach thee and the fowles of the aire and they shall tell thee Or speake to the earth and it shall teach thee and the fishes of the Sea shall declare vnto thee Looke aboue thy head below thy feet on thy right hand and on thy left hand all thou seest would enforce thee if thou hadst a heart to learne The rudest rusticke hath his horse and plow his earth and seed to instruct him in his duty All which leaue not God without witnesse leaue men without excuse Rom. 1.20 -28. as they did the Gentiles who because they knew not God according to those meanes neither honoured they him according to that naturall knowledge gotten by those meanes were giuen vp to vile sinnes and grieuous punishments Oh then that we were as ready to learne good lessons Isay 1.5 Oneramus Asinum non curat quia Asinus est At si in ignem impellere si in foucam praecipitare velis cauet quantum potest quia vitam amat mortem timet Bern. de diuers 12. as these kinde of tutors are to teach vs them how much better should wee be than now wee are They will leaue when they
take it yet this will follow The godly and their seed are the noblest plants and choisest persons Such as are godly Doctr. The godly are the choisest chiefest such are most excellent n Psal 16.2 3. My goodnesse saith Dauid extendeth not to thee but to the Saints that are in the earth and to the excellent in whom is all my delight Where see how that Kingly Prophet honoureth such as are Saints with the name of Excellent and Worthies of the earth And Solomon his sonne affirmeth as much when he telleth vs o Prou. 12.26 The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour i. he is better beloued and graced of God and hath that in him which maketh him more honourable than any other who is vnrighteous and sinfull And our Prophet Isaiah calleth the godly in plaine termes p Isay 4.5 The glory Vpon all the glory saith he shall be a defence Thus as the godly goe before all other in virtue so they goe before them in honour and as they exceed others in pietie so they surmount them in excellencie Reason And that this is truth viz. That the godly are the noblest and choisest persons may appeare further if we consider 1. Their Race and Pedigree for they are descended q 1 Pet. 2.9 of the bloud royall they r 1 Iohn 3.9 are borne of God being Å¿ 2 Cor. 6.18 sonnes and daughters of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords And whereas other men are called children of the earth or t Colloss 3.6 children of disobedience or u Hos 10.9 children of iniquitie or * Ephes 2.3 children of wrath or x 1 Sam. 26.16 children of death or y Iohn 8.44 children of the Deuill or z 17.2 children of perdition or a Matth. 23.15 children of Hell we shall finde that all the godly are called either b Iohn 12.36 children of light or c Acts 3.25 children of the Prophets or d Rom. 9.8 children of the Promise or e Mark 2.19 children of the wedding chamber or f Matth. 8.12 children of the Kingdome Thus for birth and bloud they exceed all other of the earth besides 2. Their kindred are vere rich and noble For their Father they haue him g Psal 95.3 in whose hands are all the corners of the earth and the strength of all hills is his also h 4.5 The Sea is his for he made it and his hands prepared the dry land A great God is he and a great King aboue all gods For their Mother they haue a great i Psal 45.9 Queene who hath Kings daughters and honourable women for her attendants k vers 13. being clothed in rayment of gold and needle worke For their Brethren they haue Christ the great heire of the world l Heb. 2.11 who is not ashamed to call them Brethren and all Saints vpon the earth besides Now m 1 Sam. 18.23 seemeth this a light thing vnto you 3. Their Place and Dignitie is very great they are in high place and office being made by Christ n Reuel 1.6 Kings and Priests vnto God his Father They are in high authoritie to command and rule like Kings and Priests who haue the chiefest roomes of all 4. Their Attendants are honourable The o Psal 34.7 91.11 glorious Angels that are aboue and which excell in strength doe euermore wait vpon them and are become p Heb. 1.14 ministring spirits sent forth to minister for those who are heires of saluation Yea Kings and Queenes q Isay 49.23 are but as nurses to them and they must doe them homage worshipping with their faces towards the earth and licking vp the dust vnder their feet What shall we need to speake of other things wherein one man is wont to excell another and thereby wax glorious and become renowned Who are wise besides these Are not these only r Deut. 4.6 A wise prudent and vnderstanding people Who are valiant but these Are not these the Å¿ 2 King 2.12 13.14 Chariots and horsemen of Israel Who goe fine but these Are not these they t Reuel 3.5 19.8 who are arrayed with pure fine linnen and shining Doe not these goe clothed with the golden and silken robes of Iesus Christ and of his Spirit Who fare so well as these Are not these fed u Iohn 6.33 with Manna the bread of life Haue not these prepared for them * Isay 25.6 A feast of fat things euen a feast of fined wines of fat things full of marrow of wines fined and purified Who are out of debt but these Hath not Christ discharged them of all their x Matth. 6.12 sinnes which are called debts and y Coloss 2.14 cancelled the bonds Who haue peace within and without but these z Rom. 5.1 â—hil 4.7 2 Cor. 5.19 God is now reconciled with them so that they haue peace not only with God himselfe and his creatures but also with themselues in their owne soules and consciences Who enioy health but these Their soules are sound and well and daily they goe on a Psal 84.7 from strength to strength till they appeare perfect in Sion Who speakes so pure a language as these Their language is the b Isay language of Canaan out of their mouths c Coloss 4.6 no filthy vnsauourie nor rotten communication doth proceed What shall I say more Who can compare with these who haue the heauens for their d 1 Pet. 1.4 inheritance the Scriptures for their euidences the Sacraments for their seales and the Holy Ghost for their assurer e 1 Cor. 3.22 23. Who haue all things theirs and they are Christs and Christ is Gods Vse 1 Now if this be so that The godly are the choisest plants and chiefest personages why then are such most contemned and accounted according to S. Pauls saying f 1 Cor. 4.13 as the filth of the world and off-scowring of all things But let me say to worldlings as the Apostle of those great ones who put the Lord of life to death g 1 Cor. 2.8 If they had knowne they would not haue crucified the Lord of life and glory So didst thou but know who these are and what manner of persons they are whom thou thus despisest thou wouldst more respect them yea loue and reuerence them nay kisse the very ground they goe vpon Indeed they seeme outwardly blacke and weather-beaten but what then Yet vnder that basenesse and blacknesse is hid great honour and beauty Within that leather purse is a pretious pearle In those earthen pots is abundance of golden treasure As meane and base as they seeme in thy eyes they are children of God great Heites and Princes and shall one day reigne with Christ in glory Be therefore well aduised and disdaine them not Had h 2 Sam. 16. Shemei euer thought that Dauid should euer haue recouered
21.24 Ierusalem shall be trodden downe of the Gentiles vntill the time of the Gentiles be fulfilled But we may better vnderstand thereby Idolatry and superstition with other errors and abominations that for want of Gods husbandry should as afterwards there did grow vp amongst them And thus sinnes and transgressions are compared to thornes and briers b Heb. 6.8 elsewhere in Scripture And that fitly 1. For their wounding and pricking those that handle them for whom doth not sinne wound whom hath it not stung that euer dealt with it 2. For their holding together and twining one within another Sinnes grow in heapes and where you finde any you may finde many And therefore when the Apostle speakes of them hee couples them c Rom. 13.13 Chambering and wantonnesse gluttonie and drunkennesse strife and enuying thus they grow like thornes in hedges by companies 3. Because they choake the plants and hinder them from the Sunnes heat and influence of heauen thus the seed is choaked by these thornes d Matth. 13. as our Sauiour teacheth And therefore S. Peter willeth to e 1 Pet. 1.1 lay aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisie and enuies and euill speakings those cursed thornes and briers and then As new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word to grow thereby Vers 2. Cald. Paraph. Hect. Pint. I will also command the clouds that they raine no raine vpon it By clouds vnderstand we the Prophets and by raine the Word The Metaphor is vsuall Moses thus begins his Song f Deut. 32.2 My doctrine shall drop as the raine my speech shall distill as the dew as the small raine vpon the tender herbe and as the showres vpon the grasse And so the word of the Lord came to Ezechiel and said g Ezek. 21.2 Sonne of man set thy face towards Ierusalem and drop thy word towards the holy places and prophesie against the land of Israel And thus Amos speaketh to Amaziah h Amos 7.16 Thou saiest Prophesie not against Israel and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac In which places it is apparant that Gods Prophets are as clouds and their words or prophesies like drops of raine Now in comparing the raine and the word we shall finde good resemblance in sundry particulars as 1. In regard of cooling heat 2. quenching thirst 3. cleansing the aire 4. allaying the windes 5. mollifying and mellowing the parched and heat-hardned earth In each one of which if wee should spend time we should finde an excellent agreement but especially in a sixth respect It is a principall meanes and subordinate cause that all things fructifie and grow And therefore this must needs be a heauy iudgement and argue Gods hot displeasure against his Vineyard in commanding the clouds to raine no more raine vpon it according to that charge giuen to Micah i Mic. 2.6 Prophesie ye not vnto them seeing that without it it was impossible the Vine should grow or flourish Thus we see that as by briers and thornes the Plants should be choaked so for want of raine their very roots should wither And thus much for the literall exposition Now to come to some particular obseruation And now goe to Text. Doct. God doth warne before he smite I will tell you This is the vsuall manner of Gods dealing To warne before he strikes and foretell the iudgement before he inflicteth it He punisheth none before he hath admonished them smiteth none before he hath forewarned them That of the Prophet Amos makes this good k Amos 3.7 Surely the Lord God will doe nothing but he reuealeth his secrets vnto his seruants the Prophets He sendeth his Heralds to proclaime warre before he makes it and foretels them of such iudgements as he is purposed to inflict that they may forewarne others Take the old world my brethren for an ensample did hee not foretell the destruction of it vnto l Heb. 11.7 Noah before he brought that great Deluge vpon the earth And was not Noah m 2 Pet. 2.5 a Preacher of righteousnesse vnto them whose hand taught them as much as his tongue His businesse in building the Arke was a reall Sermon to the world wherein at once were taught mercy and life to the beleeuer and to the rebellious destruction And did he not the like by Sodome and Gomorrah vnto whom hee sent his seruant Lot n 2 Pet. 2.8 whose righteous soule was vexed from day to day with their vnlawfull deeds Was not this likewise his dealing with Pharaoh and his people did he not o Exod. 8.2.21 9.3.14.19 10.4 againe and againe admonish them and threaten them by his seruants Moses and Aaron that if they would not let his people goe he would doe thus and thus vnto them And so with the Niniuites vnto whom he sent Ionah with this crie p Ionah 3.4 Yet fortie daies and Niniuie shall be ouerthrowne And with Ierusalem q Matth. 23.37 which was often forewarned by his Prophets and by our Lord himselfe of her destruction before it fell Reason 1 Two reasons may be rendered for this truth the one is in regard of the godly and such as feare the Lord that they may not be taken at vnawares but may be awakened out of their securitie and timely preuent those iudgements threatned as those did who vpon the hearing of that plague of haile which Moses foretold would fall on Egypt r Exod 9.20 sent their seruants to fetch their cattell into their houses Reason 2 The other is that the wicked may be left without excuse in the day of wrath Å¿ Iohn 15.22 If I had not come and spoken vnto them they had had no sinne but now they haue no cloake for their sinne saith our blessed Sauiour These may be some reasons why God giues a Caueat before his Capias and doth warne before he wound And is this Gods vsuall dealing why then are wee Vse 1 smitten plagued punished Were we not forewarned of iudgement Oh our wilfulnesse and folly On whom oh man canst thou lay the fault whom wilt thou charge with thy smart Canst thou iustly say Gods silence was any cause thereof Hath not he shot off many a warning peece and sounded many an alarum before he set himselfe in battell-array against thee In the secret of thy soule thou knowest he hath done thus Often and often he hath by his seruants the Ministers warned thee of danger at the doore and by thy owne conscience many a time reproued thee and premonished thee of future vengeance He hath not played the part of a subtill enemie and stollen vpon thee at vnawares but as Tamberlane that warlike Scythian displayed first a white Flagge in token of mercie and then a red menacing and threatning bloud before that blacke Flagge the messenger and ensigne of death was hung abroad Accuse not the Lord then of any hard dealing but the hardnesse of thy owne heart which
a smaller one would doe Let the wicked storme and fret and breathe out threatnings against Gods Church and people this we know assuredly they may doe what they can but they cannot doe what they would And thus much for the first circumstance which concerneth the Author or inflicter of the iudgement Now followeth the second which concernes the punished or the parties on whom it is inflicted and they are Gods owne people a people whom hee chose for his peculiar before any other people in the world beside it was his Vineyard his owne enclosure as these words thereof and it doe note vnto vs. Let this then be our obseruation hence Doct. God will not spare his owne people if they sinne against him That God will not spare his owne people if they sinne against him but will visit their transgressions with the rod and their iniquities with strokes The Scriptures propose many examples our eares haue heard many reports our eyes behold daily many presidents which may confirme this Doctrine What dolefull complaints doe we reade that the Church maketh euery where in the Lamentations x Lament 1.18.20 2.1 c. Behold oh Lord how I am troubled my bowels swell my heart is turned within me for I am full of heauinesse The sword spoileth abroad as death doth as home c. How lamentably doe the godly bemoane themselues and the estate of the Church in the Prophesie of Isay y Isay 64.9 10 11. Be not angry O Lord aboue measure neither remember iniquitie for euer behold see we beseeth thee we are thy people Thy holy cities are a wildernesse Zion is a wildernesse Ierusalem a desolation Our holy and our beautifull house where our Fathers praised thee is burnt vp with fire and all our pleasant things are laid waste And how doth the Prophet Dauid expresse the burden of his afflictions wherewith he was afflicted in the z Psal 6.3 32.4 Booke of the Psalmes a Psal 38.2 3. Thine arrowes saith he sticke fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore There is no soundnesse in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sinne And againe thus b Psal 116.3 The sorrowes of death compassed mee and the paines of hell gat hold vpon me I found trouble and sorrow and many such like patheticall complaints he makes The whole Booke of the Iudges may be a proofe for this truth wherein wee see how the people of Israel proceeding to doe euill in the sight of the Lord he sold them into the hand of his and their enemies We might further instance in Solomon Asa Iehoshaphat Iosiah Hezekiah and others all which make this good that God spareth not his owne people when they sinne against him Reason 1 Two Reasons may be giuen hereof First That the Lord might declare himselfe to be an aduersary to sinne in all men c Psal 51.4 and that the wicked may see he is not partiall to any when his commandements are not regarded Reason 2 Secondly That he may reduce his seruants from running on headlong with the wicked to perdition For were wee altogether exempted from the rod how wanton and froward would we grow and into how many perils would wee cast our selues And so saith Saint Paul d 1 Cor. 11.32 When we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord that we might not be condemned with the world Obiect But did not Christ giue himselfe for his Church and shed his bloud for their redemption was not their sins punished in him How comes it then to passe they are still subiect to Gods heauie vâ—sitations Resp. True it is that Christ did beare away all our punishments but he hath not freed vs from fatherly corrections Now when God afflâ—cteth his in this world it is more for medicine than for punishment more for a correction than for a penaltie Losses crosses pouertie imprisonmeent sicknesse yea death it selfe are not to vs punishments nor curses properly but fatherly chastisements being inflicted as furtherances of sanctification not as meanes of satisfaction And thus you haue this obiection answered and my doctrine confirmed viz. God will not spare any no not his owne people when they sin against him Vse 1 Which being so this may terrifie wicked and vngodly ones who make a trade of sinne driuing after it as it was said of Iehu in another case as if they were mad and yet imagine because God for a time e Psal 50.21 holdeth his peace and keepes silence that hee is such a one as themselues a louer and approuer of their wicked waies But oh you fooles how long will you loue folly and when will you grow wise Doth God correct the flock of his owne pasture the children of his owne houshold and shall you goe scot-free Doth the Lord chastise them so heauily the burden of whose sins Christ hath borne in his bodie on the crosse and shall such as Christ neuer died for no nor yet f Iohn 17.9 prayed for escape shall not many prayers and teares sighes and groanes petitions of Gods Saints requests of the Spirit together with the daily intercession of Iesus Christ Gods only and welbeloued in whom he is well pleased keepe off such bitter things from them who but now and then breake out Woe and alas then what shall become of you who neuer pray sigh nor shed teare for sinne for whom Gods blessed Spirit makes no request and who haue no interest in the mediation and intercession of that iust and righteous Aduocate who sinne not of infirmitie and weaknesse but boldly and presumptuously with a high hand against the Lord Thinke of an answer to those interrogatories which the Spirit of God propoundeth to thee in holy Writ g Ier. 25.29 Loe I beginne to bring euill on the Citie which is called by my name and shal you goe vtterly vnpunished And againe h Cap. 49.12 Behold they whose iudgement was not to drinke of the cup haue assuredly drunken and art thou he that shalt escape And againe i Luke 23.31 If these things be done to the greene tree to them who haue in them the sap of grace what shall be done to the drie to them who haue no moisture of goodnesse And againe k 1 Pet. 4.17 18 If iudgement first beginne at vs who are the house of God what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospell of God And if the righteous scarcely be saued where shall the vngodly and sinner appeare What answerest thou to these why speakest thou not And now O my God behold how I am troubled my bowels swell my heart is turned within me for I heare an answer true but terrible l Psal 11.5 6. The Lord indeed will trie the righteous in his furnace but the wicked and such as loue iniquitie doth his soule hate vpon the wicked shall he raine snares fire and brimstone and stormie tempest
Reason And no wonder for God respecteth truth in the inward parts and not outward titles he regardeth substance more than shadowes Vse This being so let none content themselues with their good names or outward titles of honour that are giuen them but let them vse them as a spurre to stirre them vp to imitate such good men as haue beene before so named and surely this was one reason why this people were thus called by the name of Israel that they might hereby be put in minde of their pedegree and so of their predecessors pietie and consequently to make them ashamed of their owne apostacie who were so far degenerated from those religious men of whom they were descended Neither content thy selfe with that honorable title of a Christian or of a Professor or of a Protestant vnlesse thou makest good those names by a holy and godly life Tell me then thou that art thus called hast thou those gifts and graces which those names import hast thou receiued an ointment from that holy one hath he opened thy eies quickened thy dead heart sanctified thy vncleane affections If it be thus then indeed these names and titles are well befitting thee but if it be otherwise with thee if thou liuest loosely and prophanely thou maist blush so often as thou hearest thy selfe called Christian or Professor or the like for thou art nick-named and miscalled It is as if a Cobler should be called worshipfull or a Carr-man honourable and who could away with that Nay more it is a kinde of sacriledge vnder those holy names to liue an vnholy life Belshazzar sinned against God by excesse and intemperancie in his eating and drinking but in that he abused the holy vessels of the house of God to serue him to such prophane and vnholy vses was a sinne more fearefull and sacriledge most horrible Thus for thee as thou art a man to sinne prouokes Gods wrath and deserues damnation but to sinne vnder the Christian name and commit wickednesse as thou art a Gospeller it is with Belshazzar to abuse and prophane the holy vessels of Gods house and this must needs plunge thee into the hottest fire of hell Mountaignes Essaies To conclude this vse let me tell you what I haue read of a libidinous Gentleman who sporting with a Curtezan in a house of sinne happened to aske her name which she said was Mary whereat he was stricken with such a remorse and reuerence that he instantly not only cast off the harlot but amended his future life Art thou called a Christian and yet followest drunkennesse swearing c. let that very name cause thee to be ashamed of thy folly Let all apply what I forbeare to amplifie Further in that these people haue these titles Israel Iudah the names of their forefathers giuen them as titles of honour and names of excellency we learne a third lesson And obserue another note viz. Good Parents and Progenitors are great ornaments to their posteritie Doctr. Good Parents are ornaments to their posteritie Parents that are godly and religious doe no whit at all disgrace their children by their pietie and godlinesse but much countenance and grace them by it insomuch that it is an honour for posteritie to descend from such worthie Ancestors Solomons Prouerbe may be a sufficient proofe hereof r Pro. 17.6 Childrens children are the crowne of the elders and the glory of the children are their fathers to wit if they be godly and pious Besides sundrie instances and examples that might be brought for the confirming of this truth as of Abraham what an honourable title was it accounted to be called the son of Abraham and childe of Abraham The Iewes brag and boast therefore Å¿ Iohn 8.33 Matth. 3.9 They were Abrahams seed and they had Abraham to their Father And so it was indeed to them that walked in his steps and were like him in grace And so afterwards in Dauid what an excellent prerogatiue was it accounted to be to descend from him and be of his Family Reas For such are the seed of Princes and linage of Kings for thus hath God aduanced the godly to be t Reuel 1.6 Kings Priests and Prophets vnto himselfe they come of the noblest House and Family that is whose originall commeth not out of some corner of the earth but they spring of Christ of whom all the Families in heauen and earth are called And this is right and proper Nobilitie indeed Vse 1 This being so it first reproueth such Parents as hope to bring credit and renowne to their posterities by their lewd and sinfull courses they liue miserably and deale vniustly and open the mouths of all to crie out vpon their falshood and deceit their couetousnesse and extortion and yet thinke to raise vp their houses and aduance their names and adorne their children with glorie and estimation But this truth may discouer vnto such parents their folly and great madnesse for this is not the way to bring credit but disgrace to their posterities yea when they are dead and rotten their euill courses will be cast as dung in the faces of such as they leaue behinde as experience makes good Such a man saith one was this childes father What that Vsurer that Worldling that Extortioner that Drunkard that Whore-master saith another How can thy childe stand by and heare this without red cheekes it must needs be matter of shame and griefe vnto him First step to Heauen 42. Wouldst thou indeed be an ornament to thy childe and childs childe after thee then see thou be righteous and religious and so thy name shal be remembred in them when thou art dead Oh what a credit is it now accounted to be of the posteritie of Latimer Bradford Ridley and other of those men of God who suffered for the truth How are such esteemed and accounted of amongst all Let experience make thee wise and so liue thou that thy children also may account it their honour not their shame to name thee when thou art raked vp in the dust Secondly let Children who haue had or haue godly Vse 2 and religious parents be thankfull for them and repose their Gentry more in their forefathers vertues that they had than in their great lands and reuenewes that they possessed esteeming them the worthiest of all their Ancestors who were the godliest rather than they who were the wealthiest And withall let such be stirred vp to tread in their fathers steps for all that hath beene said is with this prouiso that we their children be adorned with their gifts and vertues For though wee descend from godly and worthy Ancestors yet if wee u Ezek. 18.10.13 degenerate from them as a base and bastard brood it can be no honour credit comfort nor commendation to vs. Put case a man haue a thousand pound land a yeere left him by his friends and he spend it all like the Prodigall * Luke 15. in riotous and voluptuous