Works, Part 4 · Biblical exegesis 1 · Portion 21

Works · Part 4 · Biblical exegesis 1 · Portion 21

p. 576PORTION. 21. SHIN.

Vers. 161.

Princes hauehave persecuted me without cause: but mine heart stood in awe of thy word.

AS the man of God not long before shewed, that he had many persecutors: so here she sheweth they were no meane men, nor of the inferiour sort, but mightie Princes; neither Princes of a prophane people, but rulers of the chosen of God the Iewes; and that he did not suffer for deserts as an ill doer, but innocently p. 577as one that had …ther presu… transgre…s…d against the Maiestie of God, neither disobediently done against th….

… this was no … temptation, in that Princes (who should hauehave taken …is part against his ene…, … whom he should hauehave received countenance in his cause, being good.) should … and goe against him. For what … …t to hauehave the … to be our …, who should …ee the gouernou… of Gods Church, in that hee should be… … to thinke, that … the gou…rnours of the people we…e …, or that his … one … of your head; …f no… one …, … lesse your bodie; i… …pp…ly …, yet not the soule. You s… …e …l… bodies of feathered fowles, without God …s permission, f…ll not into the hands of men, which are so little in value, that two of them are sold for a penie; how then can they hauehave power vponupon your bodies, without leaue of the Lord, seeing ye are far more pretious in his sight, and hee taketh a further care of your bodies? But if for my glorie yee shall lay downe your liues, they can reuenge themselues but of your bodies, as for your soule they cannot touch it.

But m…ne heart …we of thy word, &c. Here wee see the greater feare ouercame the l…s…. If the faces of Princes be terrible, because their angrie lookes threaten euill, & their wrathfull words …enace death, because whatsoeuer they will doe, they can doe, and whatsoeuer they can doe, they dare doe; yet f…are them not (…aith Christ) but feare him who in his wrath … …ule into hell. They can take and attach the bodie, but the good e…t … of the soule can they not …: but rather feare him who can arrest the bodie, and afterward can …lso atta…h the soule.

The …het may be this: I was afraide to displease thee, O Lord, and … no… to please m… enemies, although they were mightier then I. Thus … h…w he w… … …, and that hee perseuered in the feare of God, without …. For (…th h…) though the feare of my mightie aduersaries was great; …et, … … the fe…re of thee had …asoned mine heart, and had left suc… a deep impression in to … th… by infidelitie I should mistrust thee, or by disobedienceFeare. I …. Wherefore the spirituall feare of thee ouercame …ll corporall feare of ….

The r… corporall feare are which so much d…unteth the heart, is, to craue a greater feare of Gods Maiestie…, the strength whereof may ouermatch the … feare. When the Kings of … had conspired against the people of God, the Prophet of God said vntounto them▪ Esay 8. 12. Say …ee …, A confed…racie to all them to wh…me this people …ith, a confedera… neither … ▪, nor be afraid of them▪ 13. Sanctifie the Lord of Hostes, and let him be … your dr…. And least we should think that this appertaineth not as well to all Christians as to the Iewes; Let vsus heare what the Apost… Peter …aith▪ 1. Per… 3. 14▪ Blessed are y…e if we suffer for righteousnes sake: yea, feare not …e, neither be troubled 15. But … the Lord in your hearts: & be ready … were to eueryevery sin …n that … you a reason, of the …o…e that is in you. Were the blessed Apostle sheweth, that wee are not readie to make Confession of our hope, vntill wee put away this feare, and sanctifie the Lord in our harts, glorifying his truth in promising, and his … p. 578in performing. And to applie this to our selues: if the Magistrate should bring v…to the Racke or torture, to betray the good cause of God, or innocencie of our brethren, let vsus rather feare to displease God for his threatnings, then man for his punishment.

And in particular example to applie this doctrine, we heare (Ierem. 1. 17.) what the Lord saith to the Prophet: Say not, I am a childe, &c. Be not afraide of their faces: for I am with thee to deliuer thee, saith the Lord. Here the Lord addeth, ver. 17. Thou therfore … vp thy loynes, and arise, and speake vntounto all that I commaund thee; be not afraide of their faces, least I destroy thee before them. In which place the Lord setteth downe a promise to assist him, and a threatning to punish him: both which did so preuaile, that he durst speake boldly, and prouoke the King to wrath. Acts 5. wee reade, that when the Priests and Sadduces, being full of indignation, laide hands on the Apostles, and put them in the common prison, Peter & the rest of the Apostles answered: We ought rather to obey God then men. Menace vsus (say they) as much as yee will, we care not for it, we feare to discredit the blessed promise, and lightly to passe ouer the heauie threatnings of our God, and wee feare you not. Againe, this feare was written in the heart of Paul, 1. Cor 9. 16. Though I preach the Gospell, I hauehave nothing to reioyce of: for necessitie is laid vponupon me, and woe to vntounto me if I preach not the Gospell, &c. Howsoeuer we thinke this easie to be learned, it is doubtlesse most hard to be practised. For, though Princes doe not their duties, yet wee must not therefore rebell against them: and though we be persecuted of rulers without a cause, yet we must stand in awe of Gods word: and our Sauiour CHRIST hath pronounced, that whosoeuer striketh with the sword shall perish with the sworde.

If then either our Princes shall be vngodly, or their vnderunder officers vnfaithfull, we must not therevpon grudge to pay tribute, to giuegive taske, and to yeeld subsidie: but we must doe them euen with conscience, as to the ordinance appointed of God, knowing and acknowledging, that the hand of Gods wrath in their corrupt Gouernment, is iustly layd vponupon vsus for some sinne. Wherefore the holy Ghost saith, Eccl. 10. 20. Curse not the King, no not in thy thought: neither curse the Rich in thy bed-chamber: for the fowle of the heauen shall carrie the voyce, & that which hath wings shall declare the matter. If then our Princes should vse all their tribute to sensualitie, or take vp all their taxes for pleasure, withour either feare of God, or louelove of their Common-wealth; yet curse not the King, saith the Wiseman, no not in thy bed-chamber. So that if flesh and blood should moue vsus to murmure, that wee should be readie to thinke euill of them that are in authoritie, the holy Ghost here warneth vsus that wee vse no such speeches, and put away such thoughts, because, both our speeches and thoughts stand at the controlling of God his iudgements: but we must humbly ascribe it to our sinne, that hee withdraweth his grace from them, and pulleth his wrath vponupon vsus. Wherefore if we thinke, as many worldly men doe, that thoughts are free, and are not called into the Court, and that eueryevery man is a King in his priuie chamber: the spirite of God chargeth our conscience here before the Court of heauen, and telleth vsus, that our chambers are the Lords chambers also; and therefore as true Israelites, euen in secret we should thinke no guile, for the Lord will reueale it, and punish it openly: yea, euen the fowles of the ayre shall bewray our vnfaithfulnes.

To come lower to our selues, because we must not thinke, that this affection must be in Dauid and not in vsus, for so shall we make vnprofitable whatsoeuer is taught: whereas the man of God did feare to offend, euen when Princes are against him; we not onelyonly cannot sustaine so great a triall in the feare of our God, but if the losse of any worldly pelfe come to vsus, we are straight voyde of all feare, and cannot abide to be taught any good thought; we are vnquiet vntill we hauehave consulted with wizards & witches, not withstanding in awe ofConsulting with witches Gods threatnings against that sinne. Deu. 18. 10 Let none be found among you that vseth witchcraft. 11. Or that is a charmer, or that counselleth with spirits, or a southsayer, or that asketh counsell at the dead. 12. For all that doe such things are abomination to the Lord, &c. where the Lord counteth no otherwise of these things, then of the vp-heape of sinne. Againe, 1. Chron. 10. 13. it is said, that Saul died for his transgression that hee committed against the Lorde, euen against the word of the Lord, which hee kept not, in that hee sought and asked counsell of a Familiar spirit, 14. And asked not of the Lord, &c. where we see, that in reckoning Saul his sinne, this p. 579is the la…, and wrappeth vp all the rest, in that hee asked not counsell of the Lord, but went to a witch. So this was the heape of his sinne, this filled the iust measure of his iniquities, because when he should hauehave repented of all other sinnes, hee made this the full heape of his sinnes, and pulled consequently vponupon him the height of Gods iudgements, for he was cut off from the kingdome, and desperately ended his life, Esay …8. when the Lord reckoned vp the sinnes of the people, as their infidelity, their obstinacie, he commeth at the last to their sorceries, saying, 19. When such shall say vntounto you, enquire of them that hauehave a spirite of diu…ation, and at the south sayers, which whisper & murmure: should not a people enquire at their God? from the liuing to the dead, &c. Therefore the Lord denounceth plagues and punishments on eueryevery side to fall vponupon them.

Looke into the destruction of the old cities, namely of the Egyptians, of the Moabites, of the Assyrians, and of the Philistines, and yee shall see how witcherie was the most especiall cause of their destruction. So shall we thinke now, that the feare of God doth touchIs Gods feare be wanting, there is no temptation so great, but we fa… in…o it their hearts, who for losse of so small pelfe runne to wizards? Well, we are here to learne, that as where the Lords feare doth so rule our hearts, that we sanctifie the Lord therein, we are free from the greatest temptations; So, where this reuerent feare of God is wanting, there is no temptation, though neuer so vile and grosse, but we will yeeld vntounto it.

The prouidence of the Lord being so rich, and his hand so wide and large, we must not be afraide of so small a losse of worldly goods. Wee know that Zedechiah being a Prince, Iere. 37. when the feare of God was gone from him, feared that the very common people would mocke him, so that he could not obey the Prophet. Againe, we know that Ieremiah being the Prophet, hauing this reuerent feare of God seasoning his heart, was nothing dismaid, with all that either Zedechiah or any other of the kings could do vntounto him. Among many places, excellent is that, Iob. 31. where the man of God, partly to stop the mouths of his aduersaries, partly to comfort his own soule, with the record of a good conscience, and partly to shew the secret iudgements of God, and that he did not suffer for his sinnes, as he was accused, but for som secret cause best known to the Lord; he testifieth how free he was from fornication, from adulterie, from iniuries, from vnmercifulnes, from crueltie with his seruants, and from oppression; and sheweth the cause why all these things were in him, because the Lord beheld all his wayes, and told all his steps. First, for fornication, he made a couenant with his eyes, because there is no portion, no inheritance, from the Almightie, to the wicked, but destruction, and strange punishments to the workers of iniquitie: and as of fornication, so also he speaketh, how he was preserued by the feare of Gods iudgements from adulterie; 'and afterward comming to shewe his innocencie in not cruelly dealing with his seruants, he saith, If I should contemne the iudgement of my seruant, &c …hat then shall I doe, when God standeth vp! and when he shall visite mee, what shall I answere?

Againe, he professeth, that the cause why he did not oppresse nor iniurie others, was, not that hee refrained for feare of men, but for feare of God. For saith he, If I hauehave lift vp mine head against the fatherlesse, &c. I thinke my shoulder bones would goe out of their sockets, Gods iudgements were fearfull vntounto me, & I could not be deliuered from his Highnes, &c. And though he might by his great countenance which he did beare, hauehave dealt roughly with men, and might hauehave made afraide a great multitude; Yet (saith he) the most contemptible of the families did not feare me. Yea, though the men were farre lesse then hee, yet hee could not hide his sinne as Adam, he could not conceale his iniquitie in his bosome.

Whosoeuer then wilbe trulie religious, and make a conscience of sinne in sinceritie, he must thus walke in the feare of God; and though he might so doe, as no man could euer touch him for his outward conuersation; though he did not run into the hand of the Magistrate; and no man thogh he would, could say, Black is his eye: he must submit himselfe to what perill soeuer, and ouercome all feare of mans power, with feare of Gods punishments. And we must know, that if there be some sin in vsus, on which the ciuill law can take no hold; yet the fear of the law of God must be in stead vntounto vsus of all lawes; knowing that though we escape the court of men, we cannot escape the iudgements of God; who will iudge vsus, not according to the law of man, but according to his own law. So that the children of God are so far off frō flattering themselues in these sinnes, where mans lawes faile, p. 580and which they doe not punish, that they labour the more against them, fearing that God will punish those sins more grieuously in the world to come, which by the law of man in this world he doth not correct: And because by mans punishing we are oft brought to repent of those sinnes, wherein now oft times we die without any repentance. So that we see how effectuall an instrument of God this feare of his law is, against all kinds of sinne whatsoeuer. For though in politike lawes, there be no lawes against swearing, breaking of the Sabbath, or filthie speaking; yet Gods children are not for that cause such as cast off all feare; but such, as by so much the rather feare and suspect such sinnes.

Now in that the man of God saith, in awe of thy word: see, the man of God performeth that feare to Gods word, which he oweth to God himselfe. This is profitably to be considered of vsus. If any deale now adaies with a prophane worldling, in things concerning the true knowledge of God, and the way of saluation, he will answere: What tell yee me of these things? tell me what you can; I am sure of this, you can tell me no more than this: LoueLove God aboue all, and thy neighbour as thy selfe, and I trust I shall louelove God as well as you, or the best learned. But here is their hypocrisie descried, in that they hauehave so small louelove to the word. For our Sauiour Christ witnesseth, Iohn 8. He that is of God heareth Gods word: if ye were of God, ye would louelove his word: so one may say to this effect; if we feare God, we stand in awe of his word. Wherefore the man of God saith, Oh, how louelove I thy law▪ protesting that louelove to the law: which he had to God. And as he saith, O Lord thou art my portion: so he saith also, thy testimonies hauehave I taken as an heritage. Thus we must honour God in Christ, and Christ in his word. For looke what honour God would hauehave, he would hauehave vsus shew vntounto Christ, and looke what honour Christ would hauehave, he would hauehave it done to his word. Wherefore the Apostles not reuerencing our Sauiour Christ onelyonly for his person, but also for his word, said: Maister, whither shall we goe from thee, thou hast the word of spirit and life?

As this corrupt opinion of the feare of God is in the worldlings, so also is it in heretikes, and in the familie of louelove, who perswade themselues to louelove God, when they louelove heresies more than the word: but herein are those hypocrites and heretikes descried, they will generally confesse they louelove and feare God: but examine them in any particular, either of doctrine or of life, and they will bewray their want of louelove by heresie, and their want of feare by lying in some grosse sinne.

Here is then a touch stone for them that can say: I trust I feare God, if I feared not God, how should I hope to prosper, or how should I liue? for if their feare be tried by the word, and their feare of the word be tried by particular sins, they will soone bewray themselues.Triall of our feare of God. Againe, many there be, who will say they feare God, whilest sicknesse, pouertie, or some crosse lieth vponupon them: but when affliction is past ouer, and prosperitie commeth, let the Lord strike vponupon their hearts neuer so hardly, and they will not feare. Wherefore the Prophet Esay saith, chap. 28. 15. Because ye hauehave said, we hauehave made a couenant with death, and with hell we are at agreement, though a scourge runne ouer vsus, and passe thorow, it shall not come at vsus. And 18. The couenant with death shall be disanulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand, when a scourge shall runne ouer you, and passe thorow, then shall you be troden vnderunder by it. And though sometimes we feare with Pharaoh the present tokens of Gods wrath, as the thunder, the lightning, the earthquake, and such like: yet we make them scarsely as the wonders that last nine da…es, neither feare we the word of God. In stead of all the plagues whereof we reade in the old Testament, as of the opening of the earth, of the ouerflowing with waters, of fire comming down from heauen, we heare but one named in the new Testament, namely, that they that doe such things, for which those plagues did come, shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen; which one doth so terrifie Gods children, that they had leauer beare all the afflictions of Iob, and all the plagues of Egypt than that one; for all those are but forerunners of this one iudgement, and this is the full heape of all other threatnings. In that he saith, my heart standeth in awe: he sheweth his feare was not couertly as in the vngodly. For at one time or other the Lord may shake the vilest villaine in the world with feare of his iudgements, and sometimes to feele terrour: but this kinde of feare soone vanisheth away, and sinketh not into the heart, how much soeuer it be striken into the p. 581head. For we see whilest God lyeth …ore vponupon vsus by some terrible iudgement of thunder, lightnings, or earthquakes, how eueryevery prophane man can be content to pray, and for the time will be very godly and religious, so long as the plague lasteth; but when that is once ouer, their feare is also ouer. The most desperate feare; but it sitteth not, it dwelleth notFalse feare. Simile. long vponupon their hearts; but as a flash of Lightning suddenly striketh the face, and suddenly is gone: So a flashing sight of Gods Maiestie striketh their hearts, and suddenly is departed.

Wee must not then hauehave an ouer-hearing of Gods threatnings, nor an ouer-fearing of his iudgements. For many will like the word, because they like it in iudgement, or for that it increaseth their knowledge, but few louelove it in heart; because it renueth their affections. For though our iudgement hee wrought vponupon, yet the heart is not wrought on, which is Gods place: wherin if he by y^e ministerie of his word once take sure hold, it wil forthwith go to the eye, eare, and hand, & the whole body, and wilbe effectuall. Now what is a more effectuall bridle against sinne, then still to thinke that we are in the presence of God? For if all men in the world should bid a man do any thing contrary to the will of God, though in doing he might be next the King, or in not doing with Daniel hauehave his bodie giuen to the Lyons, yet would he not doe any thing against Gods lawes. Neither did Daniel suffer all this, because hee would not be an Idolater, but for that he would not denie the worship to the true God, but professed the same openly, in setting open his windowes, and manifesting his true religion for the space of three dayes. And why did he thus? euen because the feare of God did so touch his heart, that the feare of man did nothing dismay him: so that neither the gaine nor promotion which hee might hauehave had, by the King on the one side, nor the danger and losse which was layd vntounto him on the other side, could make him at all to displease God. And as the feare of God hath these effects in God his children, that the poorest creature shall stand in great courage before the face of a King: so where this feare of God is wanting, the mightie Prince shall stand in awe of his poorest subiect. 1. Sam. 15. When Saul had a flat commaundement from the Lord, who from a meane stocke and base parentage was aduanced to the kingdome to destroy the King, he contrarie to the Lords commaundement, saueth Agag, yea, and a great while stoutly iustifieth his sinne before Samuel: but when he had streightly charged his conscience, hee added, the feare of the people moued me to doe it: as if he should hauehave said; I was afraid that the people in …o doing would hauehave gone from me, and hauehave denied me the honour which they were wont to yeeld vntounto me. Thus we see a poore soule, and with Gods feare, feareth not a Prince, and a mightie King without this feare feared the poore people.

This feare of God also keepeth the godly; that in all their distresses they dare not open their mouthes to any foule speech, or corrupt language. When Iob was spoyled of all hee had, and wicked men had taken it from him, he saith in the humblenes of spirit, and feare of his God, the Lord giueth, and the Lorde taketh blessed be the name of the Lord He durst not chase against the Chaldeans, although he was in this miserable perplexitie: for the feare of God so gaged his heart, that he durst not nourish any euill thoughts, or breake out into euill words to displease the Lorde; Contrariwise, where this feare is not, wee shall see great murmuring and grudging, because Leuit. 20. the Lord saith: If any man turne after such, as worke with spirits, and after southsayers, then will I set my face against that person. Let him keepe his sinne as close as he will, and hide it as much as he can, yet I the Lord wil finde it out. In vaine then wee see doe words fl…e out brutishly from wordly men, who say they feare and louelove God, when they neither belieue his promises, nor feare his threatnings, nor louelove that which he commandeth, no… hate that which he forbiddeth. Well, runne they in the last day, whither they will, yell they neuer so much, to hauehave the rockes to couer them, and the hills to hide them, the word will iudge those worldlings, heretikes, and scorners.

But they will thus say: wee aske not counsell of the diuell as you charge vsus: yea, butWitchcraft. God his word so saith, that hee that goeth to witches and wizards, goes to aske counsell of the diuell. Againe as wee said before, for want of this feare, we see, how impudent sinners are in those things, which ciuill Lawes doe not restraine, fearing euen punishment more then Gods iudgement. He that feareth God is no theefe; why? because mans lawe saith, p. 582that he that stealeth shall be hanged? no but because Gods Law saith, Thou shalt not steale. Though the place be neuer so secret where he may sinne, although i… bee no manifest vnrighteousnesse, and grosse iniurie, yet if it were but to denie the last thing, which were right and due, the childe of God both feareth punishment of God, if hee had done it, or if he hauehave not done it, he trembleth to doe it. And Saint Iames hee reasoneth thus: that hee that hath commanded one thing hath also commaunded another: and hee that forbiddeth one thing, hath forbidden another. And surely howsoeuer mans law punisheth one, and dispenseth with another sinne, yet the word of God rewardeth all obedience, and punisheth all disobedience. So that he that hath saide as well, Thou shalt not commit adulterie, as, Thou shalt not doe murder, hath as well pronounced the shutting of the kingdome of heauen against adulterers, as against murderers, 1. Cor. 6. which thing Gods childrē knowing, make as great a conscience of swearing, banning, cursing, breaking of the Sabbath, drunkennesse, adulterie and lying, which in mans law escape scotfree; as of theft, which by Ciuill law is adiudged worthie of death: because that God that saith, Thou shalt not steale; hee also saith, Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord in vaine: thou shalt keepe holy the Sabbath, &c. Suppose they that those things are not forbidden by the law of God, which are not prohibited by the law of man? Then no maruaile though there bee so fewe theeues, and so many Sabbath breakers; why there bee so fewe murtherers, and so many swearers: because men abstaine from theft and murther, for feare of temporal punishment, and men hauehave no care to eschue swearing & prophaning of God his Sabbath; because they feare no externall punishment. See here is mens conscience, here is their religion, this is their deuotion. Well, haddest thou neuer su…n gifts outwardly, without this reuerent feare of God, thou shalt neuer enter into God his kingdome. But peraduenture, when thou shalt come to answere before the tribunall of God, thou wilt say, O Lord, I knewe not by mans lawe that breach of thy Sabbath, or swearing were such great sinnes: heare what the Lord will answere: I gaue thee my law, whereby thou shouldest bee gouerned, neither did I giuegive any commandement in more ample and flat words, than the lawe of my Sabbath; wherefore seeing thou hast manifestly cast my law behinde thee, and made lesse account of my commandements, and iudgements, than of mans law and threatnings, I adiudge thee to eternall damnation.

Great indeede is the benefit of mans lawes, to restraine sin, and to bring to repentance, yea often the punishment of man, and shame thereof preuenteth the iudgement of God, and shame of hell fire: because wee see many hauehave been more ashamed of sinne at the gallowes, than others that hauehave died vponupon their beds. Howbeit where this law is not executed, and sinne seuerely punished; or where there be any sinnes, which come not within the precincts of mans iurisdiction, it is most certaine, they shall not escape the punishment of God. Wherefore we must otherwise stand in awe of Gods law, than mans law doth punish, if we will with the man of God from our heart stand in feare of his word.

This feare maketh seruants as faithfull in their maisters absence, as in their presence, because it keepeth vnderunder the most secret sinnes. For hypocrites flie sinne before men, but sinne greedily behind their backs; and they sinne not because mans law will punish them, not because Gods law doth forbid them. But God his children abhorre sinne, as wel priuie as manifest, and that because sinne is sinne, and not in that it is punishable by mans law. For they considering that Adam, H…siah, Ezechiah and others were punished for small things, dare account no sin to be small in the eyes of God. It is the whip, the rod, and the scourge, that causeth the hypocrite, as an asse, a foole, and a slaue, to leaue sinne: but it is louelove, conscience, and obedience, that moueth Gods children willingly to abhorre it.

Vers. 162.

I reioyce at thy word, as one that findeth great spoyles.

AS he hath spoken of his feare, so now he speaketh of his ioy. Great is the ioy of them that finde spoyles: for spoyles bring victorie, and victorie makes the triumph: so that spoyle brings profit, and the victorie pleasure, both then must needes cause great ioy. His meaning then is: that what battaile soeuer he did fight, what towne soeuer he spoiled, p. 583his ioy was nothing so great, as it was in taking pleasure in God his word. Heere then is a true note to discerne vsus from hypocrites, when we take comfort in nothing so much as inA true note of Gods child the word of God.

But some will say, that this extraordinarie ioy appertaineth to the Prophet, rather than to vsus: wherfore let vsus heare what the holy Ghost speaketh hereof in the Gospel, as Rom. 5. We hauehave peace towards God, and reioyce vnderunder the hope of the glorie of God. And Philip 4 he calleth it, The peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding: and the Apostle 1. Pet. 1. shewing how in the merciemercy of God wee are begotten againe vntounto a liuely hope by the resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance immortall and vndefiled, reserued in heauen for vsus, biddeth vsus to reioyce with ioy vnspeakable and glorious. And Paul 1. Cor. 2. 9. sheweth what cause we hauehave to reioyce, because the things which eye hath not seene, neither eare hath heard, neither came into mans heart, are, which God hath prepared for them that louelove him. These things we see are such as are common to all: why then doe Gods children so much reioyce in the word? First, in consideration of their owne vile and miserable estates; then in consideration of God his louelove and Christ his merits for them. For they considering with themselues, that by nature they are nothing but vassal of sinne, the bondslaues of the diuel, the enemies of God, and fire-brands of hell, and that by Christ they are freed from their sins, set at libertie from Sathan, ransomed from hell, and reconciled vntounto God, and that he will bring vntounto them the fruite of his death, and benefit of his resurrection, by killing sin in them, and quickning them vntounto righteousnes, & remembring (Colos. 2. 14.) that Christ hath taken away the hand-writing, and fastened it vntounto his crosse, and that eueryevery member, through him, hath spoiled the principalities and powers, and led captiue the world, the flesh and the diuel, and hath made a shew of them openly, and hath triumphed ouer them in the same crosse, feele such a ioy as neuer any earthly conquerors felt the like. For looke how farre greater the victory of sinne and Sathan is, aboue the victorie of men: so farre greater is the ioy,The true ioy of the faithfull, howfor it ex…des all carnall ioy. and more glorious is the triumph of Christians, than of earthly Captaines. And as farre as the robes of Christ his righteousnes are richer than the royall armes of Princes: so farre doth the ioy of Gods children exceed all the ioy of the Princes of this world. Whosoeuer then hauehave not this ioy, by so much they shew themselues as yet to be more carnall, more worldly, and more subiect to Sathan.

At thy word. Still we must obserue this, that what affections soeuer we pretend to God, they must be tried by his blessed word, whether it be of louelove, or of fear, or of ioy. Whosoeuer then will say, they are merie in God, as they hope, when their mirth is not in the word,Triall of our ioy. and they can reioyce in Christ as well as others, and yet they reioyce in vanitie and worldly things, they deceiue thēselues: yea, although they did not reioyce in ill things, yet they cannot reioyce in prayer, they cannot reioyce in the word, they hauehave no ioy in the Sacraments, whereby notwithstanding they attain all precious things, and an inheritance which fadeth not away. But alas, how can men ioy? how can they sp…rt? how can they laugh so earnestly at vaine things, and take so little comfort and solace in Gods worde? and why doth the word of God make vsus so dull? why doth prayer make vsus so heauie? why doth meditation cause vsus to be so sad? Euen because wee are so carnall and earthly minded. Well, the Prophet Esay sheweth, chap 58. what is the ioy of Gods children: 13. …hou turne away thy foote from the Sabbath▪ from do… thy will in mine holie day … …ll the ab… a delight, to consecrate it as glorious to the Lord, &c. And the Prophet Dauid, Psalm 63. Thy louing kindnesse is better then life, therefore my lips shall praise thee. And Psalm. 84. 4. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house they will euer praise thee. 10. A day in thy Court is better then a thousand other where: I had rather bee a doore-keeper in the house of m… God th…n to dwell in the tabernacle of wickednes. Psal. 42 4. I went with the multitude, and led them into the house of God, with the voyce of singing and praise, as a multitude that keepeth a Feast. This is the ioy of God his children, this ioy will neuer leaue vsus, no not in the graue, it will accompany vsus to the iudgement seate of God.

If wee will reioyce in GOD his word, God will reioyce in vsus. But alas! doe not all men reioyce in vanities? and yet they shall perish with men, and men shall perish with the abuse of them Whereas that ioy so farre excelleth this; how is it that this is so farre preferred p. 584before that? Doe wee not thinke him to be a foolish man, who will make the day ofSimile. his pleasure in playing and sporting, whereas hee should make it the day of his profit in buying and selling? Would we not account him a mad man, who might be encouraged to goe into the field, with a promise to carrie away the victorie, and to triumph ouer his enemies, if he linger the time vntill the occasion be past, by the incurse of his enemies, and so he willingly leese the victorie, and make his aduersaries to triumph ouer him? How foolish then are they to passe the Sabbath, which is the market day of the soule, and wherein the Lord calleth vsus to come buy honey, wine, milke and oyle, and that without peny or penyworth, in vaine pleasures willingly, to leese such spirituall and heauenly profits? And how mad are they that on this day may receiue both counsell for policie, and furniture for strength, to encounter against the world, the flesh and the diuell, and runne rather to … thie pleasures, suffering themselues willingly to be a pray for the diuell, to bee seduced by sinne, to be ouercome of the flesh, and troden downe of the world? True it is, that we hauehaveSabbath. many bickerings, and fight many skirmishes in the weeke dayes: but on the Lords Sabbath especially wee fall to the maine battaile, and we come as it were to hand-strokes, and buckle with our enemies hand to hand. Doe wee not thinke this a daungerous thing then, when the Lord doth offer as it were into our hands the spoyle of sinne, Sathan, the world, and the flesh, and wee willingly and vnthankfully will suffer our selues, and offer our selues to be spoyled of them? Where is now our ioy in the word? where is our spoyle wherein we should triumph? Well, if men reioyce so much when they giuegive the foyle to their enemies, and pray vponupon the spoyles, wee may easily coniecture how greatly they sorrow, that take the foyle at their aduersaries hand, and are become a pray and a spoyle before them. For the same is the reason of contraries. And to applie this same to vsus: if we truly reioyce, when we hauehave subdued our affections, murdered our temptations, and put to flight the world, the flesh and the diuell, making a shew of them through Christ; how much must wee be grieued, when our affections hauehave carried vsus captiue, our temptations hauehave slaine the soule, and our enemies hauehave taken the spoyle of all those spirituall graces which before wee possessed. This then must trie our repentance whether wee hauehave this sorrow or no, when the rage of sin hath spoiled vsus of God his grace. This affection wee see was in the Prophet Dauid, Psal. 51. who crieth, HaueHave merciemercy vponupon me, according to thy louing kindnesse, make me heare ioy and gladnes, that the bones which thou hast broken may reioyce: Create in mee a cleane heart, O God, renue a right spirit within me: Cast me not away from thy presence, and take not thine holy spirit from me. Where Dauid complaineth, that his heart was hardened, blind was his vnderstanding, troubled was his minde, and his soule in bondage of sinne, and in danger to lose Gods spirit. Thus wee see how hee felt himselfe spoyled of all the graces of God.

When then we shal see the flesh or the world hath taken from vsus all comfort in the wordDulnesse in prayer and other holy exercises. and in prayer, and that wee begin to be dull in good things, we must know for a truth, that either Sathan, the flesh or the world hauehave giuen vsus some …oyle, and that they hauehave taken rich spoyles from vsus. Wherefore wee are not after sinne to be too quiet with our selues, as wee vse to bee, if wee truly consider of this: for our ioy should not bee so great in one, but our sorrowe should be as great in the other: and as wee reioyce when wee hauehave gotten the victorie; so must wee sorrow when wee hauehave lost, and they hauehave gotten the spoyles. For if wee find ioy of conscience, to make a shew of our enemies, because we hauehave spoyled them▪ euen so when they shall spoyle vsus, that our vnderstanding be blinde, our hearts made dull, when wee cannot with comfort call God our Father; when wee can get no power of our sinnes; when we are wauering in our perseuerance; if there be in vsus any regard of our glorie, or any respect of our dignity and our kingdome, when Sathan hath so spoiled vsus, great should be our sorrow.

But this is the cause, why we doe not sooner recouer our selues in fighting, because wee feele not the losse of our spoyles, and therefore no maruaile if in Christ we feele not our strength renewed It is no smal dignitie, to be a companion with the Angels, to be the children of God, fellow heires with God; it is no little prerogatiue, to be royall Priests before the Lord; it is no smal honour to be counted Prophets; it is no little preheminence, to wait p. 585for a kingdome: but shall we looke to be the members of Christ, and fellow heires with him, and shall we not seuer our selues from the world, the flesh and the diuell? nay, as he offereth to vsus the one, so he forbiddeth to vsus the other. If we were redeemed, not with gold and siluer, but with the most pretious blood of the immaculate Lambe, how thankfull should we be in all manner of obedience? If we were called to an holy conuersation, and not to the lusts of the flesh, how holily should we walke? Wherefore if the Lord so call vsus to the banquet, and allure vsus to such rich spoyles on the Sabbath day, if any shall say, I cannot come, I must marrie a wife; I must goe see my farme; I must goe about my businesse: Oh how vnworthie guests shall we be! and how worthie to be trampled vnderunder the feete of our aduersaries? But here may arise a question: how can feare and ioy dwell in a man at once? that he should truly feare Gods word, and heartily reioyce in the same, when as notwithstanding in the holy Scriptures, we may often obserue this thing, as Psal. 5. 7. I will Feare and ioy tempered together.come into thine house in the multitude of thy mercies, and in thy feare will I worship toward thy holy Temple. And in Psal. 2. 11. Serue the Lord in feare, and reioyce in trembling: and in this Octonarie which we here hauehave in hand, I stood in awe at thy word: and I reioyced at thy word. We answere, we must know what kinde of feare this is, it is not that feare which is of the iudgements of God alone, but a feare ioyned with his mercies. For there is a feare of his iudgements alone, which hindreth the certaintie of faith: and there is a feare of his iudgements, tempered with a feare of his mercies, which beateth downe the securitie of the flesh; of which the man of God speaketh, Psal. 130 4. MercieMercy is with thee, therefore thou shalt be feared: that is, Therefore are thine afraide to displease thee, because they hauehave tasted of thy goodnesse, and because thou of nature art mercifull. He speaketh then of that feare, which is assured of Gods mercies, as of his iudgements. Wherefore as there is a difference betweene the feare of seruants and the feare of sonnes; because seruants doe their businesse more vnwillingly; and sonnes doe their duties more cheerefully: so there is a difference betweene the obedience of the godly, proceeding from a childish feare to obey their Father, and the grudging obeying of the wicked, in a seruile and slauish feare of punishment.

Vers. 163.

I hate falsehood and abhorre it, but thy law doe I louelove.

THe meane, how the man of God came to this ioy of the word, was, in that his hart was wel purged of the things contrary vntounto it, wherin he sheweth, that it is not possible for vsus truly to reioice in the word, vntil we be brought to the perfit hatred of the corruptions.

By falsehood, he meaneth not that breach of charitie, which is forbidden in the ninth Commandement, but whatsoeuer is opposite to the true word of God. In this sense we did also take it, Port. 4. and 5. Take from me the way of lying, and graunt me gratiously thy law. Where lying is nothing else, but that which is contrarie to the word, either in doctrine or in life. Likewise Port. 15. 2. I hate vaine inuentions, but thy law doe I louelove: In this meaning, Sathan is said to be the father of lies, and we vse to say, God onelyonly is true, and man is a liar: that is, as God is good, so is he true; as man is euill of himselfe, so is he false. His meaning then is, that he hated that, which was contrarie to the word.

I hate and abhorre, &c This sheweth that he had no light hatred, but a thorow hatred of it, which is also shewed, Psal. 139. 21. Doe I not hate them O Lord that hate thee? And doe not I earnestly contend with those that rise vp against thee? I hate them with an vnfained hatred, as they were mine vtter enemies. Prou. 29. 27. A wicked man is an abomination to the iust, and he that is vpright in his cause, is an abomination to the wicked. True hatred hath this nature, to abhorre the thing hated, as a daintie woman abhorreth to touch a toad. And we expresse this thing in our affections, breaking oft into these speeches: I abhorre it, I cannot abide to heare of it, I quake, I shake, I am the worse when I heare it.

We are here taught then, that as louelove being cold will soone faile, so our hatred beingLoueLove to good things and hatred of euill things may not slak… in vsus. cold, will soone slake; and as louelove must be hot, if wee will hauehave it continuall, so hatred must be with abhorring, if we will hauehave it permanent. Wherefore we see, where our first louelove waxeth cold to prayer, and the not abhorring of the want of prayer is, there we fall into a carelesnesse of prayer: and where our zeale is not hot against sinne, and sinners, and we p. 586make but a …est of it, when we should make warre against them, to the spending of the heartPrayer. blood, we are often ready to fall into sinne. And although we be not maintainers of sinne, (for that were the highest degree of sinne) yet if we be not abhor…ers of sinne, we may for a time keepe in, yet in the e…d we shall bewray our selues And thus when we are too smooth and too gentle (although I reprchend not that louing rebuking and admonishing ofAdmonitiō. Christians) we shall be taught to be zealous. We see, that we cannot say, that we truely reioyce in the word, vntill we hauehave a perfit hatred of falsehood.

No maruell then, though we reioyce no more in God, seeing we doe not so abhorre our sinne as we should doe. Neither doe we throughly abhorre sinne, because we neuer felt the inestimable and vnspeakable treasures of the peace of conscience. Wherefore as we must not onelyonly louelove God, but louelove exceedingly; so we must not onelyonly hate ill, but abhorre itRelapse. zealously. For when abhorring of sinne falleth …o hating; and hating of sinne falleth to misliking, and misliking commeth little to esteeme of sin, we are in a relapse. We cannot then louelove God too much, nor hate ill too much. We must also labour to hauehave our louelove and hatred proportionable to the things loued and hated, and our affections must be answerable, either in liking the things which are commaunded, or in misliking the things which are forbidden.

If our first louelove decay, it will first come to be cold, and then to be none. Wherefore the holy Ghost doth exhort men in the booke of the Prouerbs, that their louelove should be wholy set on their wiues, and so they should not couet any other. And Isaac, who is said to louelove his wife Rebecca deerely, neuer fell into the sin of Polygamie or concubines: So our louelovePolygamie. to the word, must be so through a louelove, that it take vp all our affections, and so may shut out all that comes in the way, which either might empaire part of our louelove, or spoyle vsus of the whole. We see in them, that are irreconciliable, what hatred is in them. We may see, how many hauing found sometimes terrour of conscience, hauehave fallen from the hatred of sinne to the like of it, and so hauehave made relapse either into old sins, from which they were deliuered, or else into some new sins, where with before they were not acquainted. Wherefore we must pray, that our louelove to good things, and hatred to euill, may daily be growing. For if we stand at a stay we shall come to lesse and lesse, yea in the end we shall shake handsHeresie or prof…nesse like to follow our securitie. with sinne againe. For many are so cold in the pursuite of sinne, that it is to be feared, that the Lord will plague vsus, either with heresie or with profanenesse. For whereof commeth our commending of Papists and heretikes, that we can say, Surely he is an honest man, it is pitie he is a Papist, I knew neuer any ill by him; it is to be feared, we shall come to be such Papists, for want of more feruent hatred against them.

Vers. 164.

Seuen times a day doe I praise thee, because of thy righteous iudgements.

AS before the man of God spake of his ioy, feare, and hatred; so now he sheweth his louelove, which therefore seemeth to be no colde louelove, because it made him seuen times a day to praise the Lord. As the children of God cannot satisfie themselues in the hatred of sinne, no more can they satisfie themselues in the louelove of the Lord. And as for their true hatred of sinne, they abhor it not onelyonly in themselues but in others; so for the true louelove of the Lord, they louelove it not only in themselues but in others, wheresoeuer they finde it. The meaning of the man of God briefely is thus much: because I see, O Lord, that thou performest thy promise vntounto thy children, and executest thy threatnings on the wicked, I praise thee, and when I consider the examples of thy iudgements and see thy truth so iust, I delight in praising thee.

The cause then why we hauehave no more pleasure in praising God, is because we obserue no more diligently Gods mercy, and truth fulfilled and executed in our selues, or in others.

Seuen times a day. If this be vsed on any day, doubtlesse on the Sabbath day, because in respect of our callings, other dayes are full of distractions, neither are the mindes at such libertie as they are at other times. The Apostle Ephes. 5. 16. saith, Be not drunke with wine, wherein is excesse, but be ye fulfilled in the spirit; 29. speaking vntounto your selues in psalmes, hymnes, and spirituall songs, &c: as if he should say, whereas other men cannot be merie, vnlesse they p. 587be mad, and they can finde no solace, without their own conceits; yet it is good for you in your most mirth to be plentiful in the spirit & in good affections. The same thing is vrged Colos. 3. 16 Let the word of God dwell plentifully in you in all wisedome, teaching and admonishing your owne selues in Psalmes, &c. What shall now become of them? who thinke they doe God great good seruice, to come twise on the Lord his day to the Church, and thinke it a sufficient discharge for them, seeing the Prophet protesteth, that hee came seuen times a day to praise God: that is, Often he resorted to this sacrifice: for this phrase of speech is vsuall in the word to set down a certaine number to expresse an vncertaine thing. These remember not the often frequenting of priuate praier, thanksgiuing, conference, admonitiō, preparation, visiting of the sicke, almes giuing, which be duties of louelove, annexed with the former publike duties of religion, and as wel to be vsed in the Lords day as the other. If this then be not to be done on the Sabbath day, when should we do it? True it is, that with the good seruants of God Dauid and Daniel, wee take vp eueryevery day at morning, noonetide and euening to praise the Lord, but especially wee must remember to speake of these wonderfull workes of the Lord in the Sabbath: as that 92 Psalme, which is a Psalme of the Sabbath, doth teach vsus. Thus see, how the Sabbath should wholy from morning to night be spent in these exercises, and therefore is it set apart from all other dayes, because that worship of God which we doe but in part on other dayes, may now wholy be spent on the Lord.

We see in time of Poperie, how holy men would be at their solemne feasts, as at Christ his tide, Easter, Candlemasse as they call it, Holy thursday and Al-saints day. Were they so superstitious in ill, and shall we be cold in good things? were they so feruent in idolatrie? and shall we be so zealeles in the Lord his dayes, wherein we hauehave all things? doth not this day teach vsus the benefits of Christs birth, the profit of his Passion, the fruite of his Resurrection, the glorie of his Ascension, the ioy of the comming of the holy Ghost? doth it not teach vsus, how in this world, we may praise God with his Angels, and how hereafter we shall be occupied in heauen? Wherefore let vsus pray often in that day, let vsus examine our hearts what sinnes we hauehave done, what benefits we hauehave receiued; let vsus prepare our selues before the congregation is gathered, when they are assembled let vsus so pray and heare, that after the departure we may examine our hearing by meditating, applying, and conferring the prayers by the effects of them. Thus in priuate and publike exercises in matters of religion and practises of louelove, we are to spend the whole Sabbath. Alas, how far are they now from praising God, now seuen times in the day, who passe it ouer in pleasures, and so end it in their owne delights? who no maruell must needes slip in common life, who fall so deepely into God his course.

Doe I praise thee? By naming one part of the exercise of God his worship, hee comprehendeth many: for it is not like that he contented himselfe with praising of God; but that he also prayed, heard, meditated, and conferred of the word, and setting downe by name that, whereunto we are most vnapt, and most hardly drawne; he includeth those things, which more willingly, and easily we are brought vntounto. If any hauehave occasion seuen times and often to praise the Lord; it is our age, who from the abundance of God his blessings, should not onelyonly hauehave our hearts enlarged: but also from our aboundance of the heart, our mouthes with praises should be filled.

Because of thy righteous iudgements: This is not the onelyonly thing in the word; but there are promises and threatnings: but the iudgements of God comprehend all, in that they are seene as we hauehave shewed, in fulfilling his promises, and executing his threatnings. True it is, we must praise him for the creation of the world, for his louing promises made vntounto vsus: but we can neuer see truly the …rration, vntill wee obserue his prouidence, neither can we effectually praise him for his promises, vntil we diligently obserue his iudgements. For then we truely praise God for his promises and threatnings, when wee praise him for his executing of them. This therefore requireth an experimentall faith, and therefore we shal see in all the Psalmes of Moses, Deborah, Ezechiah, Dauid, and Esay, that it was vsuall to them then to make them, whē either they had receiued some notable deliuerance, or their enemies had some notable ouerthrow, or the Church obtained some speciall benefit: As after the deliuerāce by the read sea, after they had safely passed through the wildernes, and p. 588had put to flight the armie of the al…s. … what els doth the History, which is … ▪ of things p…t, …ach vsus; but to praise God by …eing God to be such … … he is in his p…is…s?

Looke what the law generally speaketh of, … concerning these … to be done, or l…f vndone; either of p…es or … of the Prophets, the things done which were com…unded▪ … to them, which did according to Gods …, the … forbidden, or else the threatnings executed on them which did …o … mandemēt This we shall see wonderfully to increase our faith if we … of the Prophets with the time of the law. If we compare our … our Sauiour Christ, Matth 24. 24. that there … Christs▪ & … to feare, that they which would not learne of the truth▪ shall learne of …. We may call to mind, how many earnest professors in king Edward … papists in Queene Maries dayes, and how many heretofore christians … Queene Maries dayes, are now become zealelesse worldlings, and they that were …en …, … …t height they are growne, and wee shall see sufficient matter to praise God his righteous iudgements. Againe if we consider the great mercy of God, … our country men, who were in banishment, we shall hauehave great cause to be thankefull.

Vers. 165

They that …e thy law shall hauehave a gre…t p…ritie: or rather, shall hauehave no m…r of offence, or occasion of st…mbl…g, and they shall hauehave no hurt.

TH…se in se…se agree with that which the man of God s…i…l, Port 65. I … libertie for I seeke thy …. In which places the Prophet sheweth, … they … …aue peace in minde▪ and shall walke at libertie, & not be entangled, they … …ue no manner of offence, neither shall any stumbling blockes be l… in their waies, which carefully seeke to obey the will of God.

This is the benefit of them, that know & receiue the word in louelove, that they shall escape dangers, doubtes, in streights and plagues: so that in all th…se they shall finde happie issues, and wholsome out g…e in what streights or troubles they a… …. They then …t walke in this knowledge and louelove of God his law▪ shall …u… this grace▪ and no man shal be able to take it from them: seeing then it is … in vsus…l, to be careful of nothing more then to be directed in our plagues, …et most of vsus fa…l… in … … to …, by following too much their owne deuises, and not the prescript rule of the wor…. Here … is described the happie estate of God his children, that by faith and louelove shall … ▪ and continually hauehave the blessing of God, watching ouer them in all … …o…gs, & whatsoeuer tumult come on them, yet they shall possesse their soules in patience▪ and not be plunged and ouerwhelmed in these miseries as other men are. O most sin…ul…r commendation of the word in working such peace, in promising such successe, in our affaires, and in deliuering vsus from all ill things?

That louelove thy …. Wee see here is required that faith which worketh by louelove: for manyThe true faith worketh by louelove will say that they beleeue who bewray their want of faith, by want of louelove▪ It is then, that saith which worketh by louelove, that maketh vsus so to delight in the law of the Lord. Herehence commeth so much disquietnes, and so many crosse blowes in our at…mp…s▪ because our faith is so small, & our louelove to the word …o little. When we sh…l … then the destruction of our mindes, so many ditches, hedges, walles, g…ins & snares, we must consider the chiefe cause, to be our want of louelove to the word, not that it alwayes so appeareth … fleshe and blood, but that to faith it is apparant, which learneth out of the word, Iohn 17 In the world Iohn. 17.John 17… shall hauehave troubl… ▪ but … me they shall hauehave p…ace: as if our Sauiour should hauehave saide: howsoeuer fl…sh and blood thinke▪ & others iudge ouer vsus, heauen and earth shall passe; but his pro…le. Yee shall hauehave peace in trouble: for God that hath …oken it is no more liberall in promising, than faithfull in performing▪ if thē we hauehave trou…les, it is for want of faith & louelove of the word. And as here is a plentiful comfort for them who louelove the word: so is there a fearful threatning to the wicked, which the Prophet Esay in his 47 & 48. p. 589chapters speaketh: there is no peace saith the Lord) vntounto the wicked, but the wicked are like the raging sea that cannot rest, whose waters cast vp mire and durt. In which place after the Prophet had promised this good successe to God his people, hee addeth, that the wicked shall not bee partakers of it. For as the Sea hoysteth vp, and is stirred more vehemently with the tempest and winde, and being once moued, one waue fighteth with another: so that in that continuall conflict, much froth and filthie scumme is cast and spued out: so, so soone as any tempest of temptation hath stirred vp a wicked mans minde, and one temptation beginneth to fight with another, many foming and corrupt affections are spued out which disturbe the peace of the minde and offend all the beholders.

God his children seeing those troubles to helpe them, which hurt the world, finde only the truth of this doctrine, howsoeuer in time of prosperitie the wicked would seeme to be in as great quietnes as the other. But as the deepe sea in a calme day seemeth to be as still as other waters, vntill by the tempest of windes the raging of the one make a plaine difference from the other: so the wicked doe seeme to hauehave as great peace as the godly, whilest no trouble bloweth vponupon them: but so soone as the storme of temptation ariseth, then the hellish waues of their fearefull torments yeeld a manifest distinction betweene their rage and the estate of the godly.

The very Heathen had a taste of these vnquiet brunts & anguishes of spirit, which they tearmed Furies, which tosse a mans conscience with such continual accusations, as neitherFuries. eating nor drinking, nor sleeping nor waking, nor speaking, nor keeping silence they can finde any quiet. Neither is there any greater plague than this, as testifieth the Wiseman in the booke of the Prouerbs: GiueGive mee any plague, sauing the plague of the heart, &c. No maruaile: for when our reason and appetite fight one with another, and there is an hurly burly within vsus, wee shall finde nothing to be more pretious than the peace of conscience, which so commendeth vsus to God, that we shall finde in trouble peace, in banishment our countrie, in imprisonment libertie, in death life. What madnesse then is it to put this peace from vsus, and to hale towards vsus as with cart ropes these direful plagues of the spirit, which so torment vsus in this life, & without repentance in death wil bring vsus to hell. If then by the grace of God his spirit, wee would oft set before vsus some serious meditation of death, and thinke earnestly of our departure from hence, euen as our deliuerāce out of the flesh were then at hand, doubtlesse we should finde by that an approued triall of the image of that estate which we should hauehave, if death indeede were present. And if in the quietnes of our mindes on our beds at midnight, we would without hypocrisie present our selues before God his iudgement seate, as if Christ in that instance did appeare in the cloudes, we would redeeme this benefit and peace of conscience with all the goods in the world. Wherefore as the Prophet exhorteth vsus, it is good thus to examine our selues, and not to tarrie the triall of our hearts, vntil affliction commeth vponupon vsus, but in the calme of our minds to vse this practise in trembling. Let vsus pray then that this may still sound in our eares, that vntounto them that louelove God, all things shall turne to the best, as wee may see Iosh. 1. Psalm. 1. Rom. 8. And as to them that louelove, all things counted ill, doe turne to the best: so to the wicked all things that are counted good doe turne to the worst: so that when a mans conscience doth boyle with finne, all his pleasures, profits and glory will the further feede on him to his griefe, and awake the more the troubles of his minde. Contrariwise, the godly in the death of Christ shall hauehave all their troubles so sanctified, that reason would wonder to see their happie issues out of so fearfull dangers. Yet we see God his promise will bring it to passe.

Well, we see how this verse followeth of experience the verse going before, as if the Prophet had said: I see, O Lord, that they that louelove the law hauehave good successe, and whatsoeuer befalleth to flesh and blood most contrarie, it is turned to their saluation: contrariwise in them that feare thee not, I obserue thus much, how they are plagued here and there, and how in their chiefe felicitie they are subiect to thy curse. For as for thē that are delighted with thy law, if they be rich, they swell not; if they abound, they are not puffed vp; if they prosper in name, bodie and goods, they are not proud, but vse this world as though they vsed it not: if thou callest them to a contrarie estate, they are thankfull; and if they want, p. 590or fall into sicknes, or infamie, they fret not, they despaire not; they are not so appalled in their spirits, but still they beleeue on thee, they call on thee, they glorifie thee, euen vntill their deaths.

Wee shall not onelyonly see the truth of this in the Patriarches and Prophets, and Apostles, and in the Primitiue Church, but also in the Saints of God of late memorie in King Edward his daies, who vsed their time as though they vsed it not, when affliction came, they neither feared, nor forswore themselues, but quietly suffered imprisonment, banishment, torment and martyrdome, as the deare children of God. We may call now to minde how the blessed man Dauid behaued himselfe in all his miseries, and how Saul plunged himselfe in disobedience, who thinking in time of God his iudgement to followe his owne wi…, fell from sinne to sinne, vntill he fell into a furie, when hee began to aske counsaile of the diuell, and afterward by the iustice of God had a miserable death. The like we may see in the Egyptians, Babylonians, Caldeans and Israelites, when they forsooke the Lord. In comparing these things together, wee shall marke the workes of God, and how they that louelove not the truth in louelove, are plagued of the Lord with anguish, distractions, and terrors of minde, some ending their liues in treasons, some in prophanenes, some in heresies, some in shame, and some otherwise.

They that louelove thy law, &c Rom. 8. 28▪ We know that all things worke together for the best vntounto them that louelove God, &c. This is a thing worthie of obseruation, that he saith, Th…y that louelove thy law. For it is an easie matter to say, that wee louelove God, as Heretikes, Atheists, and the Familie of louelove will bragge, but they louelove not with the man of God the word, which is the true and onelyonly touch stone to t…ie vsus, whether wee louelove God or no. Wherefore the Apostle Iohn saith▪ 1 Ioh. 5 3 This is the louelove of God if we keepe his commandements. This then must be remembred, whatsoeuer louelove we pretend to God, we must beare it to his word; and looke how little our louelove is to the word, so little in trueth is our louelove to God. And this is that which discerneth the feruent louelove of the godly, from the cold louelove of the wicked. Wherefore as the Prophet saith, Psalm. 16. 5. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance: so hee saith Psal 119. 111. Thy test montes hauehave I taken as mine heritage for euer. We must thinke then that this doctrine standeth in neede of our meditation and prayer, to trie ourselues, if wee f…re the Lord, how we feare his threatnings; if we louelove the Lord, how wee are affected to his promises, and to that which he commandeth. So shall wee see that the godly hauehave the Angels of God continually waiting on them, least they should hurt their foote against a stone; and though they hauehave many troubles, yet they take no offence at them. If we diligently consider how Dauid prospered, whilest he continued in the louelove of God, what distresse in his affaires disquietnes of mind, streights in his kingdome▪ & punishments in his children be felt, when he began to louelove carnally, we shall hauehave a sufficient truth of this doctrine. And for our example wee hauehave seene, how they that loued God, either died well, as they liued well; or else by their martyrdome glorified God, and edified others, who neuer sought great things in prosperitie, nor were impatient in aduersitie. If wee feare with Baruch, Iere. 45. the wofull troubles at hand, wee are vnfit to purchase glorie to the Lord: but if wee be of Ieremiah his minde, as considering how God hath alwaies assisted his, and that if we beare the crosse patiently with his children, who were iustified, sanctified and blessed, wee also shall be iustified, sanctified, and blessed, and shall hauehave our faith strengthened, whereby we may the better glorifie him. For as the curse causelesse shall flie away, and doe no harme: so heauen and earth shall passe, but not one word of the Lord shall faile.

Vers. 166

Lord, I hauehave trusted in thy saluation, and hauehave done thy testimonies.

HEre the man of God particularly applieth that to himselfe, which generally before he had spoken: whose meaning is thus much: I hauehave seene that they that labour to keepe a good conscience, shall hauehave peace: therefore I labour to keepe a good conscience, in hope that the same will come to me.

Now let vsus first carrie away the lesson, namely, to apply that particularly to ourselues,Application. which wee heare, reade, or receiud of others generally. And as he seeing the peace of the p. 591godly generally, laboured to feele the same in himselfe particularly: euen so we are not to satisfie our selues with the generall threatnings of the law, and promises of the Gospell, but to make them seuerall and particular to our selues. We see whatsoeuer the law teacheth generally; the prophecies inculcate particularly, whether it be in threatnings or promises, in things commanded or forbidden. Wherefore let eueryevery man desire of God that he may be a Prophet to himselfe, by laying the line of the word to his owne conscience, in this or such like manner: This thing the Lord commanded, therefore I must doe it, for he commandeth me; this thing the word forbiddeth, therefore I must auoide it, for it is forbidden me: this the Lord threatneth to such a sinner, if I lie in that sin, I am to feare it: this the Gospell promiseth to them that repent; then I hope vponupon repentance to feele the comfort of it. For this is the true vse of hearing, when by this meane we are either comforted and incouraged to doe well, or terrified and dismaied to doe ill.

The words in their originall tongue signifie thus much: I hauehave waited for thy saluation. Wherein is commended vntounto vsus a speciall effect of faith, which must be seene in waitingWaiting an effect of faith Asoūd faith breedeth a good conscience. for that which is promised. The first generall truth that we must here take profit by, is, that if we will keep a good conscience, we must hauehave a sound faith, which breedeth a good conscience, and without which it is impossible to please God. If we then will doe good things, we must beleeue in God, as the author of all goodnes, wisedome, and eternitie, and that he hath made a sweete couenant with vsus, and beleeuing this to be true, we must labour to keepe his commandements. For without this faith, we doe good or auoide ill, either for hope of reward, or for feare of ill: so that our obedience is violent, constrained, and not free. He beleeued not onelyonly, but also looked patiently for those promises, which is here shewed by waiting. For many say, they louelove the word who doe not in truth beleeue it; or if they beleeue it, as they wil say, they doe not patiently waite for it, and many thinke they feare God, who worship rather an Idoll, and stay not themselues on God his promises. Many so perswade themselues to hauehave faith, who will make haste that God should presently helpe: which if it come not, they withdraw themselues, & seeke meanes to serue themselues. These declare themselues not to hauehave this waiting faith. Faith (saith the holy Ghost, Heb. 11. 1.) is the ground of things which are hoped for, and the euidence of things which are not seene. So that it is a thing which bringeth vsus to the hope of that, which afterward we shall possesse. As he that beleeueth shall liue by faith: so he that waiteth not on the Lord, hath no true faith, because he will not tarrie for the Lords appointed time, but will prouide for himselfe. The Prophet saith, Esay. 30. 18. Blessed are all they that waite for the Lord. And Habac. 2. 3. Though the vision tarrie, (saith the Lord) w…ite: for it shall surely come and not stay. Againe, it is said Psal. 147. 11. The Lord delighteth in them that feare him, and attend vponupon his merciemercy. A doctrine worthie to be written with the Diamond of God his Spirit in our hearts. This then is one of the chiefest effects of faith, when we waite on the Lords leisure, and make a distinction of the time of making and accomplishing Gods promises vntounto vsus. For betweene the one and the other, God sendeth often crosse things in the way to trie vsus, whether we will waite or no. Indeed at the first, whilest our faith is but tender, it pleaseth him to feede vsus as it were with pap, and to performe his promises plentifully vntounto vsus: but when we are growne to some strength, he will not still deale with vsus as with children, but will often proue vsus by suspending for a while his promises. If we consider how Abraham waited tenne yeeres, vntill the promise was accomplished, and how Iacob staied himselfe one and twentie yeeres, vntill he also obtained: and if we call to minde how long the Lord proued Ioseph, after he had dreamed, and how he tried Dauid with many troubles, and yet notwithstanding after so many temptations and dangers they beleeued, we shall see approued witnesses of this true effectuall faith. And as it is the nature ofIncredulitie hastie. true faith to waite; so it is the nature of incredulitie to be hastie, so that if we hauehave not things presently to helpe vsus, we cannot be merrie, we must make some shifts to helpe our selues. For how cōmon a fruit of our vnbeleefe is it, that we so often hauehave in our troubles, and bring forth of the rotten stocke of our corrupt nature, when helpe is a little deferred, to say, I hauehave prayed, I hauehave asked counsell of Physitions, I hauehave vsed all the meanes I can, I hauehave staied thus long, I may waite indeede vntill my heart breake, I hauehave made hue and p. 592crie, I can finde no release, I am neuer the better, I must needes goe seeke out, I must aske counsell abroad, I must needes goe to some wiseman, I thinke now the Lord would hauehave me to vse some meanes for my reliefe. Thus Sathan, after our Sauiour Christ had long fasted, thinking that after so long waiting, his temptation should come in some good season moued our Sauiour Christ to seeke out, and to make some shift to helpe himselfe, and as he was the Sonne of God, so he might the better and more easily prouide for himselfe.

Thus we see the man of God speaketh not onelyonly of a small faith, but of a patient faith,A patient faith. Impatience. and the cause of impatiencie is want of faith. Of this faith speaketh the Prophet Esai. 28 16. Behold, I will lay in Sion a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation. He that beleeueth shall not make haste, to wit, to by-waies and indirect meanes, as casting off his hope of God his promises. Of the contrarie the want of faith speaketh our Sauiour Christ, Luke 18. 8. When the Sonne of man commeth, shall he finde faith on the earth? Likewise Heb. 10. when the Apostle had said, The iust shall liue by faith, If any withdraw himselfe, (his minde is not vpright in him) my soule shall hauehave no pleasure in him. Againe, Habac. 2. when the Lord had commanded the Prophet to waite, he saith, He that lifteth vp himselfe, his minde is not vpright in him, that is, he hath a troubled minde, and vnquiet spirit. Wherefore let vsus attend vponupon that exhortation of the Apostle, Iam. 5. 11. Ye hauehave heard of the patience of Iob, & hauehave knowne what end the Lord made: As if he should say, ye are not ignorant of that my errour of patiēce, who, when the Lord suspended his iudgements, still waited for the accomplishments of his promises. Whosoeuer then thinketh himselfe to hauehave faith, and by patience cannot waite for the Lord his leisure, and due time of helpe, but withdraweth himselfe, and maketh haste to other meanes, and not staying himselfe on God his word and promises, but hastneth, and cannot be quiet in his minde, vntill presently he hauehave gotten some helpe, he is as yet an vnbeleeuer.

And I hauehave done thy Commandements. Euen as without faith it is impossible to please God, so is it impossible truly to trust in God his saluation, vnlesse we labour by faith toTrue faith not without good workes. serue him in louelove, and to please him with good workes. Wherefore as the Apostle hath taken vp the truth of this rule, so he sheweth Heb. 11. how all the Fathers by their faith did trauell in good workes: By faith (saith he) Abel offered vntounto God, a greater sacrifice than Cain; by faith was Enoch taken away; by faith Noah prepared the Arke; by faith Abraham obeyed God; through faith Sarah receiued strength to conceiue, &c.

A contrarie argument to that which we hauehave in our times, where our faith and profession is so barren of good workes. True it is, that when we will glorie before God, all boasting in good workes is shut out, in that, if he entreth into iudgement with the best of our actions, he shal find them polluted with many imperfections, so that we can by no meanes stand before him, but in faith: but, Iam. 2. 20. Wilt thou vnderstand, O thou vaine man, that the faith which is without workes, is dead? was not Abraham our father iustified through workes? To iustifie diuersly taken.&c. where we must note the diuers significations of the word (iustifie) if we will shew these two propositions to be true, and how they may be reconciled, we are iustified by faith, we are iustified by workes. For as God sanctifieth vsus, when he maketh vsus partakers of his holinesse; and we sanctifie him, when we shew him to be holie: so God is said to iustifie vsus, when we are approued iust before God; and we iustifie God, when we testifie that he is iust. In like maner faith iustifieth vsus, in that it acquiteth vsus before God from our sinnes for Christ his sake, in whom we beleeue: workes iustifie vsus, in as much as they witnesse to vsus, and to men, that we are iustified by faith before God, whereof our sanctification is a pledge.

So that we meane nothing else, when we say, we are iustified by works, than if we shouldHow we are iustified by workes. say, We declare and make knowne, that we are iustified by these works. For when eueryevery good worke is of the spirit of God, and the spirit of God is giuen to none, but to the children of God; when we faile in doing many things, whereunto we are by Gods spirit moued; and in those things which we doe, we corrupt those motions, so that our best actions stand in neede of faith, to hauehave them purged in Christ his perfit obedience: it is manifest, that our workes onelyonly giuegive a testimonie to our selues, and others, that we are iustified.

If then we hauehave true faith, it must worke by louelove, that as faith doth acquite vsus from sinne before God; so good workes may giuegive euidence thereof before men. When then we are p. 593carried away with dulnesse in good things, and with deadnesse in weldoing, we are to trie our hearts, if we want, God is not pleased with vsus, if we hauehave saith without workes, we deceiue our selues.

The meaning then of the man of God in this place, is thus much: Because I know, that they hauehave happie successe, that louelove thee and obey thy word; this moueth me to keepe a good conscience. So we hauehave learned thus much, that it is but follie to boast of faith withoutSimile. good workes. For as we iudge a man to be aliue, so long as we perceiue his vitall spirits, his animall powers, and naturall operations to exercise themselues, and thinke that he is not dead, whilest the faculties of the minde are exercised in the senses, mēbers & powers of the body; but notwithstanding that life it selfe is a thing most secret, yet by a mans seeing, hearing, tasting, touching, going and working we discerne the same; euen so, so long as we perceiue the fruits of God his spirit, and new birth, and the effects of grace, and fruites of sanctification in the soule, we thinke him not spiritually dead, in whom these things are: And notwithstanding saith, which is the life of Gods children, be a most secret thing; yet when we can open our eyes, to see the wonderfull word of God to his praise, and shut them from seeing vanities; when our eares are open to the works of God, and closed, and dull to heare worldly vanities; when our mouthes can speak of Gods iudgements, and are dumbe in leasings: we may iudge by these and the like effects, that there is the life of Christ in vsus. And herewithall we must obserue, as these naturall workings are not the cause of life, but that rather insomuch as we liue, these things do exercise themselues in vsus: euen so the good workes are no cause why we are good or liue by faith, but because by faith in Christ we are accounted good and iust before the Lord, therefore we are good. For as the tree hath not his goodnes of the fruits, but the fruits hauehave their goodnes, becauseSimile. first the tree was good, so we cannot be said to be good in respect of our workes, but our workes are good in respect of vsus iustified before by faith. And although the sap, life andSimile. nourishment of the tree, be a thing most secret and hidden from common sense; yet by the leaues, buds, greenes and fruits thereof we draw knowledge of the life in it: so though our life which is hidden in Christ, be hidden from flesh and blood, yet by the holy practises of good workes, we easily discerne the same.

Now for want of this, we may see the great iudgement of God in suffering the Papists, heretikes, & familie of louelove to spoile vsus of this peace of conscience, by teaching their false opinions of iustification by workes. Which thing seeing they hold the rather, with seeing the cold profession of worldly Protestants, it must needs humble vsus. For thus reason they, that are vnstable in the truth, Surely their profession is not according to the truth, it is so barren of good works, and they maintaine not the true doctrine, whose liues are so contrary to their professions. Woe be to them, by whom these offences do iustly come, and woe be to them that take such offences, and that shut wilfully their eyes, and will not see the truth. Howbeit we are to profit hereby, and to trauell in a greater care of good workes, whereby we may stop these blasphemous mouthes of the aduersaries.

Vers. 167.

My soule hath kept thy testimonies: for I louelove them exceedingly.

HEre he confirmeth the same doctrine which he vsed before, for in saying my soule hath kept thy testimonies, is all one as if he should hauehave said, I hauehave looked (or waited) on thy saluation. For as we often obserued, the man of God meaneth the couenant which engendreth faith, as the records and testimonials of Gods fauour towards vsus. So that the effect of these words is thus much: I hauehave an entire care in sinceritie of faith, to encrease the blessed witnesses of thy louelove toward me. It is an vsuall phrase among the Hebrues, when they would expresse their vehement affection to any thing to say, My soule: as Psal. 103. 1. and 104. 1. My soule praise thou the Lord, and Luk. 1. My soule doth magnifie the Lord. So that here the Prophet doth not only outwardly cōmend the law, but saith, that he hath sworne and will performe the keeping of God his testimonies▪ With the heart, saith the Apostle, we beleeue, shewing that the heart is the proper place of faith, and not the braine, and that we must as wel be touched in affection, as in outward bettering of our iudgement. They must p. 594be vehement passions of the minde wherewith we must let the testimonies of God sinke down into the depth of our hearts. Wherefore we are here to learne that our ouer profession of the Gospell will not acquite vsus before God his iudgement seate.

For I louelove them exceedingly: that is, They are not of small value with me, I louelove them entirely, because they are things most precious vntounto me. This is the high dignitie & estimation which we owe and should performe to the sweet testimonies of our saluation. Wherefore our Sauiour Christ saith: the kingdome of heauen is like vntounto a treasure which is hidden, which when a man findeth, for ioy he selleth all that he hath, to purchase that. Thus we see the man of God hauing made mention of faith, maketh mention also of louelove, teaching vsus, that true faith worketh by louelove.

Also he sheweth vsus, that the cause why the comfortable promises of the Gospell so soone slip from vsus, and our comforts are so momentany, and griefes so sore charge vsus and ouerwhelme vsus, is, euen because we hauehave laid vp these promises rather in the braine, than in the heart. This is too short, cold and small a louelove for the profession of the Gospell, and bewrayeth the want of faith; & the want of faith declareth a want of louelove. For if we know aright, what an inestimable treasure the promises of God were, in that in them we hauehave the assurance of all our sinnes pardoned, of God his prouidence watching ouer vsus, his Angels ministring to vsus, his creatures wayting on vsus, that we shall be companions not onelyonly with his Saints and Angels, but heires and fellow heires with Christ, and that after this life a happie crowne of glorie is laid vp for vsus, we should more highly esteeme of them, then we doe, and more heartily louelove them. For what maketh worldlings so to louelove golde, but that they thinke it the most precious mettal? what causeth ambitious men so to set by prefermēt, but that they thinke it the best thing for them? what causeth the man so to louelove or like his wife, or the woman her husband, but that they are perswaded, that none in the world were fitter each for other? When our Sauiour Christ would hauehave Peter to be carefull in ouerseeing his flocke, he vseth this triall, louest thou me Peter? And the Apostle said, how through louelove he was inforced to preach Christ to the Church. This thē must not be faint and feeble louelove, but a streightned and …aborsome affection, which is stil occupied in adorning the thing loued, and cannot satisfie it selfe in thinking of it, and in speaking of it, and in doing it, so that the greatnes of the perswasiō draweth out the greatnes of the affection.

It is then a drowsie dreame which some hold for a setled opinion, who thinke that louelove goeth before faith, when the very heathen saw by the light of nature, that a man could not louelove, that which he knew not. And we know that faith is a knowledge with a ful perswasion; so that if we louelove the word exceedingly, we are perswaded by an exceeding faith of the word which we louelove, and this faith shewing it selfe in louelove, is fruitful in good workes. Look in what measure we are perswaded of the goodnes of the thing, in that measure we louelove it.

Vers. 168.

I hauehave kept thy precepts and thy testimonies: for all my wayes are before thee.

WE hauehave heard the man of God speaking of his faith and louelove, whereunto now he ioyneth his feare, which moued him to keepe both the testimonies of the Lord and his precepts. So that if we will grow to this measure of obedience, we must first labour for faith to beleeue, faith must worke by louelove, & louelove breede in vsus a reuerent feare of God his maiesty, which feare must engender in vsus a care to please God, and a griefe to displease him: so that we may thus shew the prophet his meaning. Lord, I set all my doings open in thy sight, wherefore I am carefull to doe any thing which thou commaundest, and afraide to do any thing thou forbiddest. So that we learne for our instruction, that as the very motions of his heart were laide open before the Lord, whereby he was armed with this care and feare; so if we will be beautified with the like affections we must vse the like meanes. True it is that God seeth all mens wayes, and gageth the hearts of al, as well of the wicked, as of his children, howbeit all beleeue not, all see not this in themselues▪ The wicked may confesse it so to be in outward things, but doubtles they are not in truth perswaded that God doth see their hearts. For if they were, how durst they do that in the sight of God and his Angels▪ which they dare not doe in the sight of the day-light and of a little childe? Bu… p. 595let them couer their sins in the depth of their hearts, let thē hide them with darkenes, surely the Lord will keepe them in a register, and in time will lay all their sinnes before them, that all the world may knowe how they hauehave buried the long suffering of the Lord in the hollow graues of their hypocrisie. Wherefore eueryevery man, that wil shew himselfe thus to be perswaded of Gods al-seeing presence, must shew it by an earnest care of obedience, and a reuerent feare of disobedience, whereof the one, that is the feare of disobedience is shewed in the first verse of this octonarie, the other is shewed in the last.

Shall we then assure our selues, that wee bee perswaded indeede that God doth beholde vsus, let vsus search our hearts whether we hauehave these or the like affections. For dare a subiect in the presence of his prince commit any thing against the lawes for feare of a checke, or rather will he not be carefull in the eyes of his soueraigne to do all things to his liking and contentation? Dare a good childe in the presence of his father willingly breake his commaundement for feare of controlment, or will he not rather endeuour to bee very dutiful for hope of commendation? Then doubtlesse without this care and feare wee receiue our soules with this drowsie dreame and vaine perswasion of Gods beholding vsus. Wherefore how dare …h… heretikes, papists and family of louelove, perswade thēselues to walke before the Lord, seeing they hauehave not submitted themselues to his word, which is the onelyonly instrume… that maketh naked the conscience of man, as it is Heb. 4. 12. The word of God is liuely and … operation, &c. and it is added in the verse following; Neither is there any creatur… ▪ which is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and open vntounto his eyes. So that they wh… are not truely instructed in the word, cannot truely hauehave their sins laide naked▪ and they which hauehave not their sins laid open, cannot in the feare of God forsal…e their corruptions. Wherefore in like manner all ignorant persons may perswade themselues, that they please God and walke before him in care and feare, but they doe but deceiue their owne soules. But if wee can truly say this, with pure triall of it in our hearts, it is most certaine, it will serue in steade of an hundreth rules besides for the right direction and holy gouernment of our liues.

In that the man of God saith, that he kept both the precepts and the testimonies, he giueth vsus to vnderstand, that if we will in truth be perswaded that God seeth vsus in all things▪ we must beleeue his testimonies, and obserue his statutes because we can neither beleeue aright, vnlesse our faith worketh by louelove, neither be our workes acceptable, but as they be the fruites of faith.

There is indeede a feare without this faith, but it is a seruile and slauish, farre differing from that childish and filiall feare which is here vnderstood. For as a seruant may obey and doe his outward taske rather for feare of stripes of his master, if hee should not doe it, then for any pure louelove; and the childe is in all things obedient, not so much that hee is afraide of the rod, as he is loth to hauehave the least displeasure of his louing father: so wee may vse the outward obedience in a carnall feare, trembling at the seuere threatnings of God, as of a iudge, but without this, wee shall leese the care to please him, as loth to be depriued of his fatherly countenance and affection towards vsus. So that without this faith we are in danger to walke either in secret pride, or else in slauish feare. But faith maketh vsus come liberally and cheerefully …o obedience, when wee shall see, that hee will not deale roughly with vsus, as iudging vsus according to our deserts, but as bearing with our infirmities, and sparing vsus as a mercifull father. Neither, as dare I affirme, did euer any truely obey God, which in some measure had not this feare of God before his eyes, where by they feared him as a God, and loued him as a father.

Gods children dare not dally with their most priuie thoughts, for they know that God seeth in darknes as wel as in delight: he is the God of the night as of the day, & to him they are both as one; hee beholdeth their thoughts a farre off, and there is no word in their tongu: which he knoweth not: they know he is priuy to their down lyings, and vprisings; to their goings out, and their commings in; neither can they in any place, high or low, far or neare, early or late flie from his al-seeing presence. If they doe ill, they tarry not long to seeke reconcilement, because they knowe that his iudgements are according to truth: if they doe well, they are not proude of it. This worketh in them a wonderfull boldnesse in p. 596Gods causes, and bringeth them to feare, when their cause is not good. Againe, it breedeth patience in trouble, profit in slaunders, meeknes, when the world contemneth them, sene in secret sinnes, knowing that when the world hath passed in iudgement on them▪ there …ll iudgement in greater truth be giuen of them by Christ. And againe, though they escape the iudgements of man; yet they shall not escape the iudgements of God. But as the Lord throweth the wicked with their hypocrisi…s to hell: So hee will humble and punish his children with sore corrections. So that this is the way of them that walke before the Lord, they know in time the Lord will reward, and make knowne their secret godlines, and in time punish and make knowne their secret sinnes.

If it come to passe that Gods children forget themselues sometimes to be in their Fathers presence, as earthly children reioyce sometimes to be from their Fathers, that they might play the more: neuertheles after they come to be ashamed and grieued, when they consider that all that time their Father espied & marked them: and though they did forget that their Father saw them, being carried away with some strong lust, the best they know is to returne in time. For then they begin to reason on this mannner: Oh what a wretch was I, to doe this in the eyes of my God, and in the presence of my Father: so that as we see this consideration of Gods presence bringeth griefe for sinnes present; so it maketh after the examinations of our selues ashamed of sinnes past.

Wee heard before how it also worketh patience in vsus, when our good causes, hauehave not good successe, because we remember that Psalm: 34. The eyes of the Lorde art ouer the iust, and his eares are open to their prayers: Whereupon we recouer our selues, with this and such like meditations: Well I am misdeemed, I am suspected, I see I am ill thought of, I know in the end, that the Lord seeing my cause to be good, & to be vsed with a good heart, will defend me; and he seeing their cause to be ill, and how they maintaine it with an ill heart, will in time giuegive them the ouerthrow: and I holding a generall good thing, though in particulars I faile, yet merciemercy being with the Lord, that he might be feared, know that he will looke vponupon me.

And as God his children are afraid of their secret corruptions: so in their troubles they dare appeare to the Lord, who seeth all things. We further are here to learne, if we looke on the law, and on the gospell, without any consideration of the presence of GOD, it will worke in vsus a mercenarie feare, and will breede a care to doe well in hope of commoditie, and a feare to displease for feare of punishment. True it is, as we be carnall, we neede such second helps of promises and threatnings: yet wee must know that to be true faith in the promises of GOD, which is mixed with faith in his threatnings; and that is true feare of his threatnings, which is tempered with feare of his mercies. For thus we shall walke in a feare of his Maiestie, as he is a God, and in feare of losing his fatherly merciemercy & countenance as he is our Father; and so shall we not commit grosse sinnes, for feare of his iudgements, nor feare too much when we cōmit secret sinnes, because we know him to be mercifull, in that he will not sooth nor cocker vsus in any sinne, as wanton mothers do their children, nor alwayes be checking & taunting vsus as a seuere and austere father, to dull vsus for our secret sins.