word of God were we pricked by it then haue we profited Haue wee not bin pricked thereby then as yet are we not a sacrifice for the Lord. For as was said before Christ comforteth them that are troubled hee helpeth them that doubt he easeth them which are in distresse hee setteth their feete in the way of peace and gladnesse that haue long been in darknes and sorrow Haue ye not been sorrowfull and will ye learne a salue for this sore be sorrowfull that ye were not sorrowfull be pricked in your hearts because you were not pricked Haue wee heard the word let vs examine our selues if our knowledge be the better if our affections be the holier As hauing heard the exposition of the law of God doe we feare God doe we know how to loue God doe we pray to God doe we worship God in our soules and in our bodies more carefully and in greater conscience than we haue done heretofore Are we not now as prophane and carelesse still in giuing the right worship to the true God as before wee were too superstitious in seruing Angels Saints and other false gods neither sorrowing for our Idolatrie nor caring for true religion Haue wee not blasphemed and prophaned the name of God in vnreuerent hearing his word in vnprofitable talking of his workes and abusing his owne maiestie with swearing and cursing as much as euer wee did before we heard his word Haue wee kept holy the Sabbath or haue we not prophaned it by open neglect of the word by playing sporting drinking and other vanities Doe wee not still send forth our seruants to dispatch our busines on that day as if it were the market day when they may doe such things most lawfully Are not parents householders and gouernours as slacke in prouoking obedience and children seruants and subiects as slow in yeelding obedience as euer they were parents in the meane time not seeing that children therefore rebell against them because they rebell against God nor householders perceiue that seruants doe not their duties to them because they doe not their dutie to God Are we lesse wrathfull and more mercifull Are we lesse riotous and filthie defilers of our flesh and are wee more sober chast and holie Are we lesse giuen to oppression to hard dealing one with another and more iust righteous and carefull to maintaine the good estate of our brethren Are wee not backbiters slanderers or sowers of discord causers of contention among our neighbours being farre off from maintaining loue vnitie and the good name of our brethren The cause why wee cannot see further into these things is because wee flatter our selues and because we compare our selues with our selues and with others but not with the rule of Gods word Let vs then learne to accuse our selues and to iudge our owne consciences For if God see vs condemne our selues hee will not condemne vs if we accuse our selues God will not suffer Satan to accuse vs if wee iudge our selues God will acquite vs from the fearefull iudgement to come if wee bee displeased for our sinnes God will be pleased with vs in Christ his righteousnesse On the contrarie whilest we lie in our sinnes we lie in our owne blood if wee iudge not our selues God will both iudge vs and bee reuenged of our sinne he will set our house on fire he will send enemies hee will send earthquakes he will send famines to consume our goods he wil make friends foes he wil send sicknes and sorenesse vpon our bodies a troubled spirit into our soules he will send vs an ill name thus will he bring plague vpon plague vntill we repent and come to a feeling of our sins And why doth God all this because we will not come to iudge our selues For this cause saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 11. 30. that is because wee iudge not our selues many are weake and sicke among you and many sleepe 31. For if wee would iudge our selues wee should not be iudged 32. But when we are iudged we are chastened of the Lord that wee should not be condemned with the world Likewise the Prophet Psal. 89. and 30 31. 32. 33. But if his children for sake my law and walke not in my iudgements if they breake my statutes and keepe not my commandements then will I visit their transgression with the sword and their iniquitie with strokes yet my louing kindnesse will I not take from him neither will I falsifie my truth For as a father withdraweth from his childe sometimes his loue and whippeth him with the rod of correction so the Lord dealeth often with his children and scourgeth their naked conscience God doth iudge his heere but his enemies will hee iudge in the world to come if we bee not punished here the punishment will be as thunderbolts in the day of iudgement Hast thou been afflicted and not profited Will not a little crosse serue thee a greater shal come to thee Will not a few troubles turne thee to God then many shall come vpon thee If a man be not troubled for sinne here it is the way to hell if hee bee troubled here it is the way to heauen And as they which haue not bin troubled hauing had a little ioy shall haue eternall paine so they which here haue had a little paine shall after haue euerlasting ioy They that are corrected and haue profited by it are afflicted of the Lord in mercie but they that bee vexed and amend not receiue a token of Gods further wrath Wherefore we must not looke to feele comfort in the remission of sinnes vnlesse wee also haue sorrow for committing our sinnes For neuer any of Gods children were comforted throughly but they were first humbled for their sinnes To the working of which humiliation wee must remember Gods iudgements shewed on others Hath God destroyed the whole world for sinne and can hee not or will hee not destroy thee for sinne Hath hee ouerthrowne whole nations and will hee suffer thee to lie still in thy sinnes See how full hell is alreadie and yet daily wee runne headlong thither Consider also how great thy sinne was that could not be cleansed but by the blood of Iesus Christ Oh how foule was that sinne that nothing else could wash it but Christ his heart blood Oh how great was our guiltinesse that was raunsomed by such a price How great was the sore that needeth such a salue how deepe was the wound that needed such a medicine O louing kindnes and vnspeakable loue towards vs Shall Christ â—ee slaine for our sinnes and wee not labour to slay sinne in our selues Shall Christ dye for our sinnes and sinne as yet is not dead in vs Shall Christ bee crucified for vs and will wee not crucifie sinne in our selues Shall Christ haue his heart pricked with a speare and shall not wee haue our hearts pricked with sorrow This is the true vse and meditation of Christ his passion
the steadinesse stilnesse and mildnesse of our minde in that wee will not dispute with reason against any thing in our regeneration I see that many that wil not deliuer themselues and their reasons to be captiuated vnto the truth and refuse to beleeue the mysticall power of the Gospel are in time carried away by foule and effectuall illusions For there are many who hearing in the word of the wonderful creation redemption and preseruation of man and of the matter of the Sacramēts cannot beleeue them yet afterwards goe to witches and to be caught of the diuell which they cannot vnlesse they professe and practise an euill faith so that they which will no profit by the truth will suffer themselues to be deluded The other kinde of euill in my diuision was of things not apparantly euill As in times past we were carefull for nothing more then with libertie of minde to vse the creatures of God so now adayes nothing is lesse to be taught because loose libertie and licentiousnes serue so for the flesh and we do not by our libertie serue one another in loue We can say outward things are lawful euery man obiecteth outward things cannot desile a man I answere that when outward liberty bringeth inward bondage and the pretence of outward things lawfull hinder the necessary inward things they be made vnlawfull All things are vnlawfull saith Paul but I will not be brought vnder the bondage of any thing Well howsoeuer wee pretend this lawfull vse of outward things which in their owne natures are the good creatures to cloake our wantonnesse withal let vs know that the wickednesse beginneth in wantonnesse and wantonnesse endeth in wickednesse because it is the way of a dangerous downfall of our soules For either the Lord will punish it with present and temporall punishment or else will cast vs into some great sinnes hereafter And though I will not affirme that euery wanton young man is a meere wicked man yet I dare affirme that wantonnesse is the way to further euill Besides this am I sure of wantonnesse maketh vs vnapt to good workes it takes away the comfort of Gods spirit the ioye of the word the sweetnesse of prayer and of the Sacraments Againe as it is certaine that wantons pray not meditate not nor doe any good thing aright because that sinne desireth all euill and hindereth all good things so if the word would teach vs sinne we would learne it if it make for our good wee cannot learne it And that wee may see to how many euils youth and wantonnesse be subiect reade Galath 6. 1. Cor. 6. Eccl. 11. Psal. 25. Iob. 14. Ierem. 21. So now we know what is the meaning of the man of God in this word euill way that is that which is occasion of euill We can say in worldly things because the way is dangerous through ditches theeues pits or such like Oh that the same minde were in vs to preuent the perils of our soules Our Sauiour Christ taught vs that if our eye offend vs we should pull it out if our hand or foote offend vs we should cut them off the meaning whereof is that we should not indeed shred them off but resraine from the corrupt vsing of them and turne them to a better vse We haue shewed hitherto how carefully the man of God vsed the meanes to godlines and also how carefull hee was to auoide all occasions of euill Wee must not then thinke christianity to bee so small a thing if as lingerers wee make such friuolous excuses that it is hard to be a good man we shall surely neuer come to so high a dignitie We haue also shewed that vnles we labour to deny our selues we shall neuer buckle our selues after the graces of God Vers. 102. I haue not declined from thy iudgements for thou diddest teach me AS if he should say I haue seene and obserued that whosoeuer did resraine from euill they were wiser than their enemies they became more learned than their teachers and proued grauer than the ancient and that they which did not resraine were greatly punished plagued and trodden downe and as thou hast punished some so wilt thou also punish others wherefore I haue not declined from thy iudgements Was there euer towne people or person which truly beleeued in Iesus Christ in whose life and death did not appeare plentifully Gods mercy And contrarily how haue the vnbeleeuers bin giuen ouer to hardnes of heart and a reprobate minde many plagues wars and other iudgements of God to them incident Old Protestants are now become rustie because they made no account of Gods word in their youth Esau lost his Birth-right for a messe of pottage hee sought it afterwards with teares but could not haue it whose prophanesse grew by pleasures We see many wanton men to come to fearefull ends and silthie adulteries who beginning to condemne the word fell to spending from spending to rioting from riot to adulterie from that to theft and from stealing to death If we will obserue godly discipline we must first learne Gods doctrine if wee will learne his iudgements we must learne his mercie We attribute too much to fortune to fatall destinies to charmings and such like but no man doth looke vp to the hand of God wherein we take his name in vaine in not vsing aright his iudgements Thou hast taught me that is thou hast besides the ministeriall preaching giuen me an extraordinarie knowledge of thy iudgements Many knowe much who notwithstanding cannot profit by Gods iudgements So that the briefe and plaine meaning of the Prophet is thus much in effect O Lord I haue not had this knowledge in and of my selfe but I receiued it of thy Holy spirite it was thy mercie and thy grace that made mee knowe thy iudgements The man of God then sheweth vs in this verse that hee did alwayes set the iudgements of God before him what made him then so carefull to doe them the considering of them in his mind the occupying his eies to marke them the vsing of his eares to heare how God performed his promises to the obedient executed his fearefull threatnings on the wicked A thing than which nothing is worthie of greater meditation We heare often with our eares but with little profit the glorious promises and wonderfull vengeance of the Lord what is commaunded and what is forbidden but when we consider and see before our eyes how the Lord hath performed these things we are humbled from sinne comforted to obedience This is it that breeds triall proofe experience to see how the Lord hath in his mercy dealt with Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph Dauid his faithful seruants and how he hath plagued the Egyptians the Sodomites the olde world and other of his enemies Thy iudgements of old O Lord saith Dauid haue I considered Wee shall neuer effectually obserue the iudgements of old vnlesse we obserue the iudgements of God of late For
Sathan went about to leade him 9 Hee had often in his publike ministerie and priuate conference a sudden failing in memorie so as by no meanes hee could recouer himselfe in those things hee purposed to speake in which case he vsed this remedie presently to groane in his hart and to humble his soule vnderneath the holy hand of God not busilie to stand troubling and tossing his memorie because he knew and had often prooued that this was the best way to turne away this euill 10 To reade and not to meditate is vnfruitfull to meditate and not to reade is dangerous for errours to reade and meditate without prayer is hurtfull 11 The cause why our meditations and prayers are no stronger in the night is because we ioyne not with meditation the examination of our hearts vpon our beds which if we did in some truth it would keepe vs from drowsinesse and want of reuerence in our prayers as well as worldly men are kept waking by thinking on worldly matters Here we are taught by Dauids example when we want the more solemne and best meanes to make a supplie by often and sincere vsing of such priuate meanes as we can Ministerie Ministers 1 WE must neuer be so moued at the reproches of enemies as at the not profiting of friends that is such as be or ought to be the ioy crowne and glorie of our ministerie for whom wee haue prayed and with whom we haue trauailed for their saluation For as these men alone giue all the credite to our ministerie in well-doing so they doe farre more discredite it by euill doing then all others at whose hands we looke for no such things And for this cause wee may not be so moued to see the common sort of people offend because what maruaile is it if they faile in duties when others which are continually taught doe so often slip and fall 2 Ministers should most frequent those places where God hath made their Ministerie most fruitfull they should heerein be like the couetous man that where they haue once found the sweetnes of gaining of soules thither they should be most desirous to resort 3 Hee feared much the preposterous zeale and hastie running of young men into the Ministerie because as iudgement so also stayednesse and moderation vse experience grauitie in ordering affections and the hauing some masterie ouer corruption was needefull in him that should teach others And hee obserued the extreame in our age to be contrarie to that in the first age wherein men being but slenderly brought vp it was very long ere they were vsed in the Church but now education being bettered they are too soone imployed Too hastie a triall must not be made of mens giftes to their hurt that vse them and that haue the vse of them 4 If we aske whether a man may not lawfully desire to be in the Ministerie or no I answere that in the Ministerie are two things a worke and a worship a dutie and a dignitie The worke and dutie to the glory of God and the good of his Church a man may desire The worship or dignity to serue our couetous mind is not to be desired It is good before we come to the complete function of the Ministery there should be some training vp by degrees in the schooles of the Prophets Acts 20. Wee reade of the training vp of certaine Disciples at Corinth and at Antioch Paul was first a Disciple then an Apostle Ioshua vnder Moses Samuel vnder Ely Elisha vnder Elias Salomon vnder Nathan Baruch vnder Ieremie Timothie vnder Paul were trained vp And surely it is a diuine policie first to be of the childreÌ„ of the Prophets then a Prophet theÌ„ a Pastor First Christ calleth some to be domesticall Disciples Luk 6. After he sendeth them forth Luk 10. And then they preach most fully wheÌ„ after his Ascension they had receiued the holy Ghost Now if this order were in the Prophets times why should it not be much more in ours In the common-weale there is a training vp of the Gentrie before they be installed into Magistracie In the Court no man at the first is admitted to the highest titles and functions but according to their gifts practise In naturall things wee will not commit our bodies to euery Physitian professor but make enquiry after him who hath had the longest experience Then it is good first with Ioshua Samuel Elisha Salomon Baruch and Timothie to be humbled then with Moses Ely Elias Nathan Paul to be honored For what age requireth this more then our headie olde age of the world Wherein young men are some what forward and young men haue younger iudgemeÌ„ts younger affections vnseasoned speeches and vnseasoned speeches bring retractions and retractions bring their discredit Mirth 1 WHen a Gentlewoman asked him if he were not sometime merrie Yes saith he we are often merrie and sometimes we are afraid of our mirth Mercies 1 THe way to see the length depth breadth and heigth of Gods mercies is first with shame and sorrow to see the length c. of our owne sinnes Memorie 1 THe best arte of Memorie is to be humbled at Gods threatnings and comforted at his promises for sure it is that exceeding griefes or exceeding ioyes leaue great impressions in vs. 2 The best arte of Logicke is to reason E conuerso out of that saying of Paul There is no temptation hath ouertaken you but it hath ouertaken others And to say thus There hath no temptation ouertaken others but the same may ouertake vs. This will teach vs to speake charitably and profitably of other mens infirmities Markes of the children of God 1 THere be some notable markes to know whether our iourney be to heauen or to hell first if a man be so close that he will not open his way whither he purposeth to goe yet you shall spâ—e out his intent by obseruing which way his carriage is sent if our carriage goe after the flesh to the flesh we shall come if after the spirit to the spirit we shall come Secondly if a man conceale his voyage yet you shall discerne him by his inquirie this way or that way if he aske which is the way to Canaan and where the way lieth in the wildernesse it is an argument he is going to the promised land Thirdly albeit he would keepe his iourney neuer so priuie yet he is bewrayed if when in hearing a man speake against his countrey and dispraise his Prince and people his blood beginneth to rise he findeth himselfe grieued and standeth in defence of his countrey So if when men disgrace Gods word speake euil of his Ministers or reproch his Saints we finde our selues moued and not able to containe our selues from reprehension that is a token we are trauailing towards heauen Occasions of euill 1 GOdly men are not in danger of grosse wicked women wherefore we must haue a greater carefulnes of our selues when we are in companie
serue the world if all our minde heart and affections bee giuen to the world wee cannot serue God They then that are filled with wine are drunken cannot haue the holy Ghost I say drunken because otherwise there were no reason For one may drinke wine moderatly and yet speake wonderfully of the workes of God and a man may after eating and drinking vtter the graces and praises of God to shewe that he hath not immoderatly abused God his creatures For it is a flat argument whereby we may proue our selues that if after our repast receiued wee can discreetly reuerently and humbly speake of things to God his praise and glorie we haue not been immoderate or intemperate deuourers of his gifts This is a profitable argument and worthie our meditation In what worldly thing soeuer we exceede we cannot applie our selues to God his kingdome For if the kingdom of God be our chiefest delight we shall vse this world as though wee vsed it not Wee are wont to marueile much that after the word preached our prayers made the Sacraments receiued there yet appeareth no change nor alteratiō in vs our affections are as they were our life is the same that it was before but we doe not consider that before we came to the word prayer and Sacraments our hearts were fraught and ballaced with worldly cares so that there was no place left voide in our affections for the word and that our hearts were so pestred and thronged with vaine pleasures that there was no roome for God his spirit to keepe residence in and for religion to dwell among vs. The due consideration whereof must waine vs from the world and surfeting pleasures which locke vp our hearts that the Lord cannot enter in We cannot well runne with the Hare and hold with the Hound wee cannot hold fire and water together we cannot reconcile Christ and Belial light darkenesse God and the diuell If one be vp the other must downe if one be downe the other will vp Againe we marueile that after the word preached we are so ouertaken with our accustomed pleasures and profits seeing that whilest we did heare we had a secret and sweete disliking of sinne and an irking of our selues for the same so long as these after-thoughts correct the former Surely I answere out of Paul 2. Cor. 3. 3. because we are yet carnall we are more carnall than spirituall we are babes in Christ we haue but young beginnings in Christ but old proceedings in the world Why then doe we come to God so halting and limping euen because we are not come to any good growth in new birth Howbeit let vs beware that we continue not still to be staruelings least it breedeth in vs a sickne vnto death both of body and soule If we were more spirituall than carnall had the Spirit powred vpon vs in some plentifull measure were fully perswaded of God his prouidēce watching ouer vs of the ministerie of his holy Angels waiting vpon vs assured of the glorie of the life to come feeling the mightie power of the word of the law to humble vs of the Gospell to breede faith in vs of the Sacraments to seale vs of Christ to liue in vs oh how should we liue in this world Whilest Christ liued in Paul he vsed this world as though he vsed it not he felt such ioy in the fruites of the Spirit that all other things were vile vnto him So the cause why good motions die in vs so soone and the suggestions of the flesh preuaile so strongly against vs is because we are more carnall than spirituall Many rules may be giuen how a man may vse himselfe but to set downe all either we shall come short or else in reaching some good measure of them we may swell in priuie pride but learne this well and learne all which after a long part of a sermon our Sauiour Christ concludeth with Matth. 6 33. First seeke ye the kingdome of God and his righteousnes c. This is hard but if we come to any meane growth in holines and taste how sweete the Lord is to vs then we shall surely feele our flesh not to be so masterfull neither shall it be so laborious to doe the good we desire to doe The argument of the Apostle we see is this It is so farre from these men that they are drunken that it is God his spirit in them than which two what can be more contrarie and it is written euen by one of your owne Prophets In the last daies I will powre out my Spirit vpon all flesh c. This is now come to passe and therefore Christ his kingdome is now For whensoeuer God his Spirit shall come vpon all then is the kingdome of Christ come but now God his Spirit is come vpon all therefore now is the kingdome of Christ come Thus the Apostle reacheth vs how we may know when and where Christ his kingdome is euen where as well the young as the old the women as the men the seruants as the maisters can shew forth the workes of the Lord. In Poperie men and women old and young maisters and seruants could not talke of the mysteries of God therefore in Poperie there is not Christ his kingdome And though our compound Anabaptists haue great things in their mouthes yet because their men and women speake nothing but dreames forsaking the word of God they haue not the kingdome of Christ. In many places in the daies of Queene Mary both old and yong were not afraid to shew the praise of God as well women as men boldly professed the truth not only maisters but seruants gaue testimonie to the Gospell with their bloud and therefore then in such places appeared this kingdome And we may safely at this day reason so in euery congregation where old and young men and women can speake the praise of God there is the Spirit of God there is the kingdome of Christ otherwise if these things are not there there is not his kingdome what meanes so euer are vsed And now to braunch out these words more particularly first we are to note that God bestoweth such an excellent thing as his Spirit secondly that so excellent a thing is sent to so vile a thing as flesh thirdly this grace is not leased out to a few here and there but is freely offered to all sorts ages sexes and conditions of men fourthly it is not distilled by thinne drops but powred out in full measure and plentifull abundance What more vile than flesh what more pretious than the Spirit of God the excellencie whereof we shall see more euidently Ioel. 2. where after the Prophet had seuerely threatned the Iewes and exhorted them to conuert he comforteth them againe by promising vnto them the renewing of God his mercies and not staying in telling them how the Lord would send them againe corne wine and oyle he commeth at the last and putteth them in minde of that which
from them be glad of such excuse Surely this estate bewraieth a proud heart blessing it selfe with a fulnes and cloyedenes of the meanes and either sheweth vs to lie in some sinne presently or that we are like to fall into some sinne hereafter and that shortly Howbeit being absent iâ— hauing these or like affections wee can mourne beate our owne hearts and iudge our selues enquiring of the things spoken at their hands that haue been at the congregation if being absent in bodie with an humble sight of our want wee are as present in spirit if euen in time of exercises we bestow the time in prayer in reading or in meditation the Lord will shield vs from sinne and the shame of sinne Againe if wee shall finde our selues subiect to peeuishnes concupiscence or couetousnesse with lesse power to preuaile against them that wee haue had let vs feare least some pride hath gone before If wee cannot recouer our selues out of these euils by prayer or mourning let vs suspect our owne hearts that some securitie in the meanes hath ouertaken vs the Lord for a time hath left vs the diuell hath foyled vs. It is a blessed thing to get the victory of our faults before they be ioyned with the offences of the world with the griefe of the godly with the reproch of our aduersaries with the trouble of our owne consciences with the hazard of Gods glorie And therefore if it be so the good will of God let vs earnestly desire him that our trials and temptations may bee inward that they may bee stayed and stenched when they beginne that they breake not out abroade to the greater dishonour of the Lord and our further discomfort which surely they will doe if by cherishing them and not checking them wee striue not for some safetie against them Let vs humblie therefore long before feare this reproch to come and pray with the Prophet Lorde keepe mee from the reproch which I feare least otherwise the Lord seeing vs make no conscience in these cases bee auenged of vs who surely will dishonour them that sticke not to dishonour him Cease then to gaze at the worke of God and labour to gage the pride of your owne hearts in affection which the Lorde is contrained to shame vs with for the abuse of his graces for the discredit of his word the contempt of his glorie and for the neglect of our owne saluation which being before purposed rather then it should bee vnaccomplished wee shall haue shamefull Sergeants sent vnto vs as fire on our houses warres to spoyle our goods sicknes to weaken our bodies and torment of minde to scourge our consciences which will draw vs out by the eares from the heauie slumber of sinne wherein wee snorted And thus fitlie though suddenly we are slipt into the second point and obseruation of this doctrine which is that wee should not be too hie to enter into the gates of aduersitie nor being entred to behaue our selues vnpatiently as though it would vndoe vs to sit in the house of mourning a while rather wee must reioyce in it and be thankfull for it saying with the Prophet It is good for mee ô Lord that thou hast afflicted me c. because the holy Ghost here telleth vs that lowlinesse goeth before honour and in the schoole of humilitie wee shall learne the way to true glorie and Nobilitie Neither doe I here meane that affliction in it selfe hath of it selfe such vertue as to humble vs truly vnder the hand of God but when the spirit of God worketh with it that then it will breede in vs the fruites of righteousnesse repentance faith and holinesse it will driue vs to seeke comfort in the world to aske comfort by praier to yeeld comfort by compassion on other mens euils And therefore it is necessarie against the policie of Sathan who would discourage the Saints of God in their profession by dressing them with afflictions to stay our selues in this testimonie of the holy Ghost that before glorie goeth affliction and after lowlinesse commeth honor either in this life or in the life to come or in both This must further teach vs to profit by the threatnings of God publikely preached not to threaten them or to murmure against them that lay the iudgemeÌ„ts of God against vs in the law this must cause vs to make much of them that by sharpe censuring of vs will soonest draw vs out of sinne This must worke in vs a desire to reape some fruite by priuate admonitions yea and to call on others to admonish vs that we may still be kept in some good course of humilitie Further and besides this it is profitable for vs to frequent them that are sicke ready to diâ— perplexed in spirit imprisoned in chaines and oppressed with miserie that in them we may see our selues as in a mirrour and so with Moses to chuse rather to suffer afflictions then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a time This acquainting our selues with the iudgements of God will both rubbe off securitie and stirre vs vp to greater thankfulnes for our selues and pitie towardes others Wherefore they are not in the way of humilitie to obtaine glorie who are so tender sighted that they cannot abide to see the iudgements of God they are too daintie eared that cannot or that will not heare the threatnings of the Lawe saying oh I cannot abide to heare one in desperation I cannot away to heare such fearfull speeches to heare the diuell speake in one I loue not to see one lie gasping and panting in death These things would depriue me of all mirth breede melancholy and stirre me vp to mâ—â—â—es Nay this delicatenes to flye from the Lord thus drawing neere vs will hasten these things vpon vs which we will not profit by in others Such eyes to see such eares to heare such hearts to be humbled it becommeth Gods people to haue that as they loue nothing more than glorie so they labour for nothing more than humilitie as they shun nothing more than coÌ„fusion so they auoid nothing more than pride of heart Which that we may doe let vs cast down our selues before the throne of mercie in the name and mediation of Iesus Christour Sauiour O eternall God and our most louing father behold vs in thine owne couenant c. FINIS OF THE GOOD EDVCATION OF CHILDREN THE SIXTH SERMON Prouerbs 17. 21. Hee that begetteth a foole getteth himselfe sorrowe and the father of a foole can haue no ioy THE holie Ghost speaking in the Scripture of foolish sonnes as that he that beâ—etteth such a one getteth himselfe sorrowe and that the father of a foole hath no ioy meaneth it not so much of naturall idiots and such as are destitute of common reason although it is true that this is a lamentable iudgement of God and a heauines to the parents of such a childe as of wicked children such as
of Gods children are not so sirme as that it is neuer shaken they are not alwaies in the tenour and as the Lord giueth them of his grace in measure so hee giueth them at sometimes more at sometimes lesse he often humbleth them with incredulitie to exercise them in prayer and to confirme them the more by his Spirit whereof they haue had a pledge in his word Wee haue learned that the Prophet thought himselfe to haue no life but as he had the feeling of the life of the Sonne of God to be conueyed to him by the spirit of God through the working of the word of God and that as we breathe eate playe and labour wee haue nothing differing from bruite beasts as we haue fiue wits to discourse of things we haue nothing more than the heathen than the Turkes than the vngodly infidels The Scriptures shew that all that liue in ignorance and sinne are dead for they that liue in ignorance sit in darkenes and in the shadow of death as it is in the song of Zacharie and if we liue in sinne the Apostle witnesseth we are but dead Ephes 2.1 The death of sinne is the life of a man and the life of sinne is the death of a man sinne then I meane to liue in vs when wee giue ouer our selues to sin with pleasure and lye in our sinne with delight And yet here is a further thing for the man of God speaketh of the experience of Gods children who when they feele delight in prayer and their inward man delighted with the word of God they thinke they are aliue and that so long they walke in the land of the liuing but when they fal into some sinne and become vnthankfull or pensiue there comes a dulnes and deadnes of heart they are not able to see any difference betweene themselues and the reprobates and finding in themselues such an heape of ill inclinations they think themselues to be dead It followeth in the verse And disappoint me not of mine hope As if he should say O Lord euen as I trust in thy word so my hope is that thy word shall be accomplished As faith is the mother of hope so hope is the daughter and nurse of faith for faith breedeth hope and hope nourisheth faith faith assureth vs of the trueth of Gods word hope waiteth for the accomplishment of it His meaning then is Lord as I trust in thy word so strengthen my faith and disappoint mee not of my hope for howsoeuer the wicked continue for a while I beleeue that I shall haue a glorious end I beleeue it is not lost labour to serue the Lord O Lord I hope to see them troden downe that breake thy statutes Thus we see how Gods children feare their vnbeliefe and nourish their faith with prayer so the true Minister of God cannot but be zealous to stirre vp his people to feruent and frequent prayer We see the one halfe of this Psalme to bee prayer and that in euery portion two or three or foure verses be prayers And the man of God being willing to bring his knowledge to feeling hath still this prayer Stay mâ—e in thy word teach mee thy statutes disappoint me not of my hope establish thy promises to thy seruant For as reading hearing and conferring doe more increase knowledge than feeling so meditating praying and singing doe more nourish feeling than knowledge Had he that had such a faith in Gods word such ioy such delight such life in the spirit neede so often and feruently to pray then I beseech you let vs pray pray pray Vers. 117. Stay thou me and I shall be safe and I will delight continually in thy statutes THis agreeth with that in the verse going before stablish mee according to thy promise Hadst thou need Dauid to be staied didst thou wauer oh how need we to be stayed and to pray against our wauering he meaneth here thus much although I am well minded and delight in thy law yet I am so brittle and so slipperie that if thou stay mee not I shall sall I am gone Oh man of God feeling his owne wants and infirmities I shall be safe that is If I be not stayed by thine hand I shall be at the last cast Psal. 30. 6 he said hee should neuer be remoued here is another spirit where he saith he should be safe But here wofull experience taught him that he durst not be stayed on himselfe whereby he declareth that as without Gods word he could not be safe so come what come would befall what danger could befall in the Lords word he was staied sufficiently Then we are to learne that the promises of God must engender in vs a care and feare of our selues for if we begin once to be quiet with our selues when wee begin to be secure and presumptuous let vs assure our selues that we are not farre from sinne But if we feare that wee are staggering and reeling persons and that we are very slipperie is there not cause of humbling that this humblenes should breed carefulnesse carefulnesse should cause watchfulnesse watchfulnesse should vse the meanes and the meanes should be sanctified by prayer Then come hell come the diuell come the world come the flesh if the Lord stay vs we shall liue and not die we shall surely not miscarie And I will delight continually in thy statutes Wee see here that there is no free will for he prayeth likewise Port. 5. 1. Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes Neither did he promise of himselfe before but did hope in the Lord. Such brittlenes is in the world such sleights in the flesh such slinesse in SathaÌ„ such corrupt examples in the world that vnlesse the Lord stay vs we are so farre off from delight in good that we are ready to fall into great sinnes Euery man therefore is to search his owne heart and by the cause we may come to the effects and by the tree may coniecture of the fruite so by the effects we may iudge of the cause and by the fruite we may iudge of the tree Where is now this delight when we heare the word we heare it with such coldnesse therefore it is a manifest proofe we are not staâ—ed in the Lord. For whosoeuer doth not delight in the word he may deceiue his owne soule but surely as yet he is not staied on God If we are not delighted then are we stâ—ied on our own selues but if the Lord work in vs then shal we feele delight This is a griefe of my soule that I see no delight in the Lords day all things are done for fashion but the power of godlinesse is not among vs. The cause is the want of priuate exercises the want of priuate reading and praying and this bringeth a secret curse of publike exercises and therefore I cannot but so often vâ—ge priuate prayer and meditation Vers. 118. Thou hast troden downe all them that depart from
mercy and there is a iudgement of seueritie the first whereof is vnderstood in this place as we may gather by the wordes going before Heare my voyce O Lord according to thy louing kindnes of which couenant of mercy hee also maketh mention in the next portion vers 7. Consider O Lord how I loue thy precepts quicken me according to thy louing kindnes This is that couenant of grace wherein the Lord hath promised to pardon our sinnes and to heare our prayers wherefore though in respect of Gods wrath and our sinnes we dare not appeare before his Maiestie yet in comparing our cause which is the Lords cause with the cause of our aduersaries who are also the aduersaries of God and in respect of his mercy in defending his owne cause and in preseruing them that maintaine a good cause we may come with boldnes vnto him and with an assured hope that our prayers shall be heard Thus wee may call to minde how God is accustomed to deale with his people fearing before him in respect of our selues but recouering our selues through hope in his sweete promises whereon wee must â—o stay our selues as the remembrance of them may support vs and to doe this the better we must obserue the accomplishment of them both in our selues and in others Thus we may see what a great stay it is in trouble to know that no other trouble ouertaketh vs none other temptation hath inuaded vs than such as haue ouertaken and inuaded other of Gods children wherein they haue found deliuerance Further wee may herein desire the Lord to affoord sentence with vs when our cause is good though we be not so vpright in defending it as wee ought to be or when our good cause is well handled and that not for our selues but in respect of our aduersaries ill cause he would deliuer vs. Wherefore when we will obtaine our requests we must endeuour as much as in vs lieth to offer a good cause vnto the Lord and well handled Vers. 150. They drawe neere that followe after malice and are farre from thy law Vers. 151. Thou art neere O Lord for all thy commaundements are true WE shewed before that the man of God to the obtaining of his request vseth three especiall arguments the one drawne from his person in the first foure verses the other from the person of God in the fift verse the third and last from the person of his aduersaries contained in these two verses The plaine sense whereof briefly is thus much They O Lord that haue an ill cause are readie to bring their wickednes to an end and as they are readie to hurt me so they are farre from thy law wilt thou then maintaine such they being so neere my necke No they are no more neere to hurt than thou art neere to deliuer me they are not neerer with malice than thou art with deliuerance Thus hee draweth away his consideration from the iudgemeÌ„t of flesh and blood and looketh down to his watch-tower and to the Lord his sanctuarie O Lord saith he I haue cried I haue called vpon thee and that with mine whole heart I preuented the morning light and the night-watches I waited on thy word I mediated on thy word I haue obserued thy iudgements of old when I am thus neere wilt thou forsake me They are farre from thy word canst thou leaue them vnpunished no thou art neere their punishment and my deliuerance I know as they depart from thee so they shall not escape vnpunished in the end because their sinne is come to such ripenes as thy iustice can no longer suffer them It is a great temptation to Gods children which haue walked vprightly and kept a good conscience that the wicked should still be neere their neckes Wherefore if any such thing hereafter happen to vs we must not be discomforted or thinke it very strange seeing wee see this man of God was not without it it is no new thing wee must bee content seeing God hath so dealt aforetimes with many of his children On what great cause of thanksgiuing now haue we that hauing much more deserued to haue our enemies tramble vpon vs than others of Gods Saints haue notwithstanding so long time beene deliuered And if it come to passe that in time we come to the like temptation let vs labour to be profitable in the like meditation For flesh and blood thinke it strange that wicked meÌ„ should flourish in the defending an ill cause and that good men should be troden downe for maintaining a good cause This troubled Iob Dauid Ieremie and Habacuk to see that Gods people should be so tempted Wherefore when we see the generation of Gods children condemned and the generation of the wicked iustified we must call to minde this or such like meditations Seeing thou hast borne with mine enemies so long it is now the day time to punish The cause now why the wicked flourish so long and why the Lord deferreth to helpe his childreÌ„ is that the wicked may either by his long suffering come to repentance or else be left excuselesse Yea after he often stayeth to powre forth his vengeance because their sinnes are not accomplished and their iniquitie is not come to the full height measure and number and that his children might haue their secret sinnes punished here that is to humble them to allure them to obedience to trie their faith to proue their patience to worke in them a contempt of this world and a desire of the world to come so that that which they suffer vniustly of men iustly they suffer of God And when Gods children doe not thus profit the Lord in mercie will let the rod still tarrie vpon them vntill they haue profited in some good measure Thus wee see the iustice of God wil not suffer him to punish vntill sinne be come to the full and the loue of God will not leaue to correct his vntill there grow some profit and yet so as in the meane time the chilren of God sustaine no losse because whatsoeuer they outwardly lose they inwardly gaine Wherefore seeing the Lord hath promised that the rod of the wicked shall not fall on the lot of the righteous and that our temptation shall not bee greater than wee shall bee able to beare we must knowe that when the godly once begin to faint and the wicked thinke they are come to their height euen then it is due time with the Lord to send happie deliuerance to the one and a speedy ouerthrow of all the counâ—â—ls of the other The man of God then hauing these effects in him was neere his deliuerance but the wicked being in their pride were neere Gods vengeance How necessarie this doctrine is common practise may admonish vs for thus reasoneth flesh and blood in time of aduersitie We haue thus long kept a good conscience neither haue wee done against the will of God we haue serued the Lord this while yet this is our gaine our
vnthankfulnes by remaining still in our corruption to let him loose his labour in all his sufferings wherein as we haue no care of our saluation so we manifest an open contempt of his most pretious Passion well worthie are we to die and vnworthie are we to liue in that the choise being set before vs we chuse rather to be murdered with our sinnes than to be rescued to life by Iesus Christ. For iustly is the reward promised to such as ouercome Reuel 3. 15. 12. 22. that is to such as will not onely strangle presse out the breath of sin and close vp the eyes of it at the fall and death of it but also follow it to the graue and couer it with moules so as it neuer rise againe Not that we thinke that sinne in this life is so wholy martyred but that the life of sinne may well be weakened counting it a rebell to regeneration not a Prince ouer the spirit of sanctification And as a Serpent cut in diuers peeces hath but certaine relicks of poyson and remnants of fiercenes in the maimed members and mangled parts thereof and is not able to exercise the like violence to a man as when it was whole and perfectly membred so howsoeuer some relicks of sins remaine in our old but in our martyred Adam yet it hath no such force or fiercenes to preuaile against vs as when it was in it perfect age like rather a mightie Monarch than a poore prisoner 22 It is vsuall either in deliuering or hearing doctrine to seuer disioyne those things which in their owne nature are conioyned by the holy Ghost Thus some deale in the doctrine of faith For when it is said The iust shall liue by faith they forget the former proposition that is the iust shall liue For here are two doctrines first he that is iust must liue by faith then that he must not liue by faith except he be iust Here must be no seuering of things because they may well be coupled together CHAP. XXVIII Of Feare MAny causes we haue to feare first for want of perseuerance we should leaue our estate in so great a danger that being swept and garnished yet the diuell at his comming should be accepted and make his reenter into vs againe There is another feare the feare of offence least by our halting we should draw others after vs and so weaken their hands and their knees The third feare is of comforting our enemies and of grieuing others that haue beene our defence I meane the Angels who as they are comforted in the perseuerance of the iust so they mourne at the falles of the righteous 2 True feare hath many properties as first it breeds in vs a maruellous humilitie as wee see in Iacob who was much afraid of his brother Esau therefore comming towards him he falles down seuen times There is a feare humbling and it is the worke of God to bring vs to himselfe And surely the Lord takes great delight in it and what is the reason of it because the Sonne of God in his humilitie hath done greater things for vs than euer hee did in his glorie for being God and vouchsafing to bee humbled euen to a worme hee hath done vs more good and more glorious things than euer hee did whiles hee was among the Angels Now the world is full of such proud spirits that nothing can qualifie them A second qualitie of feare is that it is very credulous This againe wee see in Iacob for when one told him his brother came against him so well furnished he feared greatly yet disputed not long in the matter It is the glorie of our age to dispute and gaine say a man and to say surely though you be of such an opinion I am not thinke as you will I thinke thus So that our dealings are so full of doubts and so ambiguous as though there neuer had been world before vs or as though now it were high midnight in Poperie The third qualitie in feare is diligence This also we see in Iacobs example who was marueilously studious to salute his brother disposing wisely of his children and cattell in the best order he could to preuent his brothers furie 3 It is a kindly thing to feare at Gods threatnings therefore when the iudgements of God were denounced it was noted as a signe of great deadnesse of heart if the most wretched sinner were not smitten with terrour hee that was in the highest degree of reprobation as Pharaoh feared for it is the nature of an iron rod easily to breake an earthen pot But for promises to bring vs to feare it is as strange a thing as it is in nature that thin water should breake a bodie and yet some bodies there be of so weake substance that any thing wil dissolue them Such is the nature of them who seeing and finding in themselues a great vnworthinesse to inherite such gracious promises of God are euer readie to melt away and to breake in sunder as beaten with an iron rod. Wherefore if wee can thus feare in loue and loue in feare we may haue a good testimony to our owne consciences that we haue a good feare because tasting how gracious and marueilous the Lord is in all his Saints we feare least we should lose so good and so gracious a Lord. 4 It is good to be stricken with feare so that we lie not in it willingly but being humbled therewith search our owne corruption and so to bee moued to enquire further after God and his word 5 The wicked feare not before affliction commeth and then they feare too much the godly feare before it comes and then their feare ceaseth For impietie triumpheth in prosperitie and trembleth in aduersitie but pietie trembleth in prosperitie and triumpheth in aduersitie 6 If Moses and the deare seruants of God were afraid when hee did appeare in mercie to them what shall the confusion of the wicked be when hee commeth to iudgement Wee cannot be prepared to receiue God his mercie vnlesse wee be striken with a reuerent feare both because we are his creatures and also sinfull God is alwayes God and is to bee feared 7 Many men maruell how men bee so smitten with such feares and so despaire that they cannot beleeue but these neuer consider the iudgement of God in hardning them and thus by a carnall admiration are depriued of all profiting by such examples In all things we should turne our eyes from man and onely behold God and know that it is hee which maketh our enemies to loue vs our inferiours to obey vs our friends to hate vs our superiours to loth vs. If we had this in our hearts we would surely cast off the feare of man and flatterie and striue to feare God in all sinceritie and to knowe that if the feare of God preuaile with vs we shal preuaile with men and haue
also in doing of good otherwise than we ought to doe To leaue sinne in it owne nature is a commendable thing but if we doe it for feare of punishment or for shame of the world rather than for conscience of sin it is not at all praise worthie The adulterer may restraine his loathsome and sinfull action not for that he feareth to defile himselfe with sinne in the sight of God but because he would not be knowne to haue sinned in the sight of the world the theefe may surcease from actuall theft for feare of the law and to auoide the gallowes but neither of these haue repented of their sin though after a sort they haue left their sin This is manifest in that they leaue not euery sinne as true repentance doth without all exception or dispensation but onely those bloodie faced sinnes which ciuill discipline censureth with shame and suffrings as murther treason adulterie and theft making no bones to commit sins as grieuous before God though not so punishable before men as are swearing prophaning of the Sabbath lying drunkennes such like which sinnes if they were worthy of imprisonment by law either men must change their accustomed course or all the prisons in the realme would not be able to receiue the offendaÌ„ts Such men learne the common statutes and penall lawes of the land the lawes of the Lord the statutes of the highest they will learne hereafter If they had a conscience of sin then it should be in vniuersall not in particular because one sinne is as grieuous to the Lord as another and no sin must haue a placard before his presence Other will leaue sinne because they haue beene in seruice so long and spent their body so much in sinne that now not that their action is lamed but because their abilitie is gone they for feare of some sickenesse will leaue it but if they might runne through a new body they would runne through their old course againe Others haue consumed all to feede and cloath sinne and therefore now because their purse constraineth them not because the law commaundeth them or the curse feareth them they count it for husbandrie to staie a while Others being somewhat politike thinking it good to get some profit that may giue longer life to pleasure hereafter for a while bridle in their wantonnesse whiles they haue gotten some sure hold of their inheritance and after so soone as they haue brought with sorrow their fathers olde age to the graue recompence the diuell with their hote pursuite of sin much more than they lost in their former sparing of sin Others when either for deadnes of nature or want of abilitie or feare of man they dare not or cannot commit sinne in their owne persons yet they drawe ouer as much pleasure as men in their case may doe by commending and chronicling of their owne sins past or by laughing in their sleeues at the artificiall sinning of some other present They can laugh at sinne hartily whereby they shew they cannot mourne for sinne hartily they make a mocke of it therefore bewray they haue little conscience of it and therefore they die in their sinnes howsoeuer they haue left their sinnes To deale carefully in Gods worship and faithfully with man are things both commaunded and commended and yet to doe them without zeale of Gods glory and with a care or our vaine glory rather to win credit to our selues than to gaine credit to the Gospell is neither commended nor commaunded And yet how many beguile their owne soules hreein it may appeare by so many frequenters of the word and so few fruitfull hearers of the word if they profit not it grieues them not if they remember it not they â—est at it if they cannot speake of it they scoffe at it and yet they thinke they be great protestants Many goodly and godly things we may seeme to doe before men and be thought to be petty Angels come out of the cloudes and yet being impoisoned at the hart with vaine glory the Lord hath no delight in vs our owne hearts euen in these glorious workes doe accuse vs our consciences doe controll vs and without repentance God that is greater than our conscience will in the end condemne vs Contrariwise be our action neuer so beggerly for want of abilitie neuer so deformed for want of beautie in the eyes of man yet if it commeth from a sincere heart sound and sincere in the eyes of the Lord it is acceptable and through Christ accounted righteousnes vnto vs. If then for sins sake we leaue sin and leauing sinne repent of sinne repenting of sin leaue sinne though the lees of it remaine in vs if for righteousnesse sake we labour for righteousnesse â—hough an essentiall righteousnesse be not inherent in vs though we do not all good we loue but in loue desire to doe it though we leaue not all sinne we hate but in hatred of it labour to resist it the good we do is accepted the good we desire to do is imputed the euill we leaue is discharged the euill we desire to leaue shal not be imputed True it is indeed no maÌ„ can say my hart is vpright I am pure if he measure himselfe by the rule of the law which thing whosoeuer seeth not by his manifold corruptions as yet he seeth nothing as he should see yet the children of God may say their hearts are right within them when by faith in Christ and a pure purpose to approue themselues vnto God their hearts are purified so as they labour for the death of sinne though the whole body of sinne be not slaine in them and labour for true righteousnesse though the man of righteousnesse be not fully fashioned in theÌ„ This doctrine then hath two especial vses the one to humble vs the other to comfort vs. Good cause we haue to be humbled by it seeing it teacheth vs that the cause of sinne is stil in our selues and cannot be charged vpon any other as the cause thereof For if our corruption were not neither Satan by feare and tyranny neither the world by preferment and glory neither the fleshly delights by subtiltie neither our enemies by their feares and tyrannie could euer preuaile against vs Christ Iesus was thrise vehemently assaulted yet because the Princes of this world could find nothing in him and all his temptations were as a little arrow shot at a brazen wall no corruption being in his heart no guile being found in his lips they nothing preuailed against him Adams heart was corrupted before Adams hand had sinned Sathan doth offer we doe yeeld vnto our temptations he is the occasion but we are the cause of our owne woe The fond sophistry and lying logicke of theeues is here to be withstood who thinke they wash their hands from all sinne by crying woe worth such a man that euer I knew him for had not he constrained me and
serue to nouzell vs in our sinnes because the childe of GOD may come to this through often infirmitie but when hee seeth it it is time to bestirre himselfe and to feare least those fearefull beginnings doe bring him at the last vtterly to fall away 16 The first meanes to keepe vs from hardnes of heart is to feare it long before for if wee once be fallen into this then are wee past all sense and feeling and cannot perceiue it and therefore our case is more fearefull and dangerous as those are which fall into some great disease of the body and know it not Againe if we be not of hardned hearts then the word may worke with vs and all other afflictions may haue their effect and so haue a good end but if our hearts bee once hardened then all our plagues are vnfruitfull vnto vs yea they are nothing else but euen a taste of hell and of those punishments which are and abide for euer So had Pharaoh many and great plagues yet because his heart was hardened he profited not but ranne on forward till he was vtterly destroyed But Iob whom the Lord had not yet forsaken profited by all his miseries had a good and ioyful issue and escaped from them Therefore the children of God doe feare it more than all other punishments and had rather bee plagued with all the miseries of Iob and the botches of Aegypt than with an heart that is hardened It goeth not well with vs then when we feare wordly and bodily punishments more than wee doe hardnes of heart and other spirituall punishments for euen here is a difference betweene the wicked and the children of God for the wicked are euer greatly troubled for feare of outward afflictions but the spirituall punishments of the soule doe neuer a whit affect them Contrariwise the children of God doe aboue all things dread spirituall punishments as for outward troubles they are content to beare them and are grieued no otherwise for them than as they are signes of Gods displeasure this is a good note to trie our selues by The second is a true desire and loue to haue a melting heart to be often touched with the word and with Dauid to desire the vnderstanding of the word aboue all worldly treasures and the light of his louing countenance aboue all earthly helpe or treasure for the worldly men doe greedily hunt after worldly things and thinke themselues best at ease when they enioy them we must then not be like minded to these men but earnestly desire the former and then it will be an vndoubted signe of the spirit of God The third remedie against hardnes of heart is to ioyne to the feare aboue named and continually to labour and striue against it in vsing carefully all those meanes which may serue thereunto and as in our nature there is a continuall desire of earthly things so should wee continually bee moued to pray that in spirit we may daily labour and striue against it and as the husbandman fearing pouertie because his goods decay or his ground bringeth not foorth his fruite doth labour more carefully to lay vp against the time of neede like vnto Ioseph when hee was in Aegypt and as the maâ—â— fearing sicknesse because his naturall powers are weakened or his stomack waxeth weake will by Physicke and other meanes labour to preuent it so wee must doe against hardnes of heart for so long as wee feele taste in Gods word to bee humbled by his threatnings and comforted by his promises if wee striue and contend to growe in grace the Lord no doubt is with vs. But if wee waxe wearie of the world and can feele not taste in it if wee cannot bee terrified by his threatnings nor affected by his promises then is our case dangerous and we haue good cause to feare least the Lord will harden vs therefore must wee in daily hearing and reading of the word labour to come to some feeling of it and in our quiet state whiles the world is with vs lay vp such things in store as may bee able to comfort vs when our ministers are remoued and the world taken from vs. But many will bee like Ioseph to prouide for the dearth but they will not store themselues with spirituall food against the time when the word shall be taken away Now if through infirmitie wee doe fall and the light of the spirit be darkened and our hearts begin to bee hardened then let vs call to minde our former practise which we haue had in the word and remember the care wee had to keepe it and it will be a great helpe to recouer vs againe For Dauid no doubt was very well helped in his greatest conflicts by the remembrance of those places which aforetime he had read 17 When as in receiuing of meate the meate that nourisheth is changed into vs it is far otherwise in the chirurgerie of our soules For in receiuing of the word of the SacrameÌ„ts which feed the soule they are not changed into the qualities of vs but we are chaÌ„ged into them It is the folly of the world now adaies and the euill that troubles not onely the base people but the great also and the wise that they thinke they must giue sap iuice to nourish the word rather thaÌ„ that they should suffer their wisdome to be maintained by the sap of the word and they will set the Lord to learne of them Wel in applying there is a great reason we applie to the heart It is the principall place for God to worke on it is the vsuall place that Sathan most inueâ—gleth and therefore it must needes haue a plaster And here wee inquire not onely Esaus heart who saide in his heart the dayes of mourning for my Father will come shortly then I will slay my brother Iacob Genes 27. 42. but Sarahs heart too who hearing she should conceiue in her olde age laughed in her heart c. So that they must come to this cure Esaus mourning heart and Sarahs vnbeleeuing heart â—ea and with them all hearts Applie the plaster to any place saue to the heart and it will doe no good If the disease come from the heart as all sicknesse of sinne doth lay to the hand the plaster or to the foote or to the face though it heale in one place it will breake foorth in another because vnlesse the heart be well purged and cured it will still minister new matter of corruption into euery part of the body We are not then to be healed at the eare as wee thinke wee may and yet many will not so much as be eare-wise wee must not bee healed in the braine for many will goe so farre in hearing that they may bee braine-wise but wee must be cured at the heart for it is required wee should be heart-wise Well many will come so far too as they will conceiue and iudge well of things so that they growe tongue-wise
must haue it fresh 5 It is our fault too much to commend euery trifle our tongues are our owne we call euill good if one bee not an open offender so that hee drawe not his sinne after him with cart-roapes though we see neither zeale nor feare of God in all his wayes wee tremble not to call him a good man In our flattering lippes we speake nothing but superlatiues and thinke otherwise we commend not a thing to any purpose But in the Dialect of the holie Ghost it is not so he is no giuer of titles and yet this much of his mouth is more then seuen swelling hyperboles from a vaine man This word good is his emphasis and in this word he expresseth matter of most high commendation If we should take vpon vs to speake of the workmanship of the Lord in the creation of heauen and earth and the Hosts of them both would we not vse the statelyest words in all our store Nay could we find any words stately enough to expresse them I tell you nay but they are able to swallow vp our vnderstanding and to make our tongues cleaue to the roofe of our mouth And yet the holie Ghost reporting the creation of them all as of Light which is saith Iob the Lords rose of estate of darknes which is the swadling bands of the Day the out-going of the Euening and Morning and declaring how he powred out the Heauens like molten glasse and set vp the firmament as a water ouer vs how he laid the beams of his chamber in the waters how he railed in the proud Seas with barres and doores and planted plaines in the midst of it how he lighted those euerlasting Cressets the Sunne and the Moone and gaue charge to the Starres not to faile in their watch telling how he created the clowds to be the bottles of heauen and diuided spouts in them for the raine how he laid vp his treasures of Snow and of haile and prepared the Forge for his Lightnings and Thunder describing the creation of Plants from the Cedar of Libanus to the hysop that groweth by the wall of birds from the Ostrich to the flie of beasts from Behemoth and Leuiathan to the little Emeâ— And last of all Man the Countie Palatine of the whole world and of the passing Wisedome in his reynes these workes be highly to be commended if any thing be to be highly commended to be magnified if any thing be to be magnified in all these the holy Ghost neither riseth nor falleth but this word serueth him throughout and God saw it was good and why not excellent good but that we might know his word is mightie in the simplicitie thereof and that what he calleth good is excellent good Yea heauen and earth may be glad of it seeing the word of God whereof one iote is of more price then they both that the word Hebr. 6. is called the good word of God and to stoppe the mouthes of them that will teach the holy Ghost Rhetoricke Christ himselfe Iohn 10. entituleth himselfe no otherwise but the good Shepheard And good was thought good enough for him and doe we yet require a more stately commendation 6 The Calling of the Ministerie is an alluring Calling and as I may say a Calling that calleth men vnto it a louely Calling such a Calling as the beames of it are able to rauish an eye yet some being to marrie this Virgin thinke her but hard fauoured and therefore before hand will be sure of a good portion with her or els they will none of her but she is full of grace euen downe to the feete in their eyes that loue her and full of Maiesty terrour euen to the dust of her feete vnto al them that despise her which more respect the reward than the worke but this I confesse withall that our eyes are so dazled with the golden stone and the horsseaches daughter Giue Giue cries so in our eares and euer since Adam did eate the apple all the mouthes of his posteritie are so out of taste that we can neither heare nor see nor taste any thing that good is True it is that if we looke vpon this calling with an eye of flesh it lookes euen like Christ for all the world Esay chap. 53. like a withered branch and like a roote in the drie ground and there is neither beautie nor fauour in it that we should desire it I am sure the eye of a carnall man can see no good in it vnlesse it be good to cleane vnto the Lord or it is good for me that I haue beene afflicted and such like which are like pilles and will not to die for it downe with a carnall man Well Christ saith this Calling is good We see what is thought in heauen of this Calling Howsoeuer it be shut vp in contempt of the men of this generation that though they say not it is not good yet by shrinking from it they proclayme so louder than a trumpet that they thinke it is not good Let them laugh we know that euen an Asse if she could laugh would laugh at any whosoeuer he were that eateth not thistles Let them iudge when mans iudgement is done we shall receiue the fruite of a better Fountaine Let them spoyle Church-liuings and deuoure the Lords portion let them swell with disdaine and burst with contempt against vs a blessed contempt it is that fashioneth these dayes of my vanitie into the similitude of the age of Christ. Christ doth not onely say this Calling is good but he hath magnified this Calling in his own Person He himselfe saith Paul Roman chapter 15. verse 8. was a Minister of the Circumcision with vs. The Princes themselues haue no greater honour than to ouersee the Church The best day that euer Dauid liued was when in a linnen Ephod he daunced before the Arke and that was the day that he weepeth and panteth to remember Psalme 42. Salomon the wisest richest mightiest and most glorious among the sonnes of men Ecclesiastes or Preacher was the crowne and beautie of his honour and aboue all titles of kingdomes and countries this was most honourable Salomon the Preacher But what are men or what are Kings or Princes in respect of Angels Yet euen these glorious Spirits the whole host of Angels whether they be Dominions Principalities or Powers the highest Honours they haue the proudest Title they boast of is to be Ministring Spirits If he be an Angell he hath no greater glory And who art thou and what is thy fathers house that canst farme vnto thy selfe greater Honour than to serue the Lord in this busines These arguments might moue vs but aboue all arguments take this The Sonne of God before whom euen the very Cherubins couer their faces spent his life in this Calling and shall a peece of clay a man a stinking worme so farre exalt himselfe in his birth in his riches in his