Works, Part 4 · Religious tract 1

Works · Part 4 · Religious tract 1

p. 832GODLY OBSERVATIONS, CONCERNING DIVERS ARGVMENTS AND COMmon places in Religion.

CHAP. I.

COnscience is a sensible feeling of Gods iudgements grounded vponupon the word, nourished by the consideration of the latter day, stirring vp our hearts to the approouing of our doings both before God and men. It is an effect of faith, faith therefore as the cause must goe before; where no faith is, there is no knowledge; where there is no knowledge, there is no conscience. Many men say, this is my cōscience; they might better say, this is mine opinion, this is my fancie. Knowledge is lesse than faith, and opinion lesse than knowledge. Againe, it is placed in the heart, to the stirring vp of vsus, and summoning of vsus to approoue those things which we knowe before God. We must not make our conscience like a cheuerel purse, stretch it too farre, or too narrow, that is, bee not too righteous, as the Anabaptists, and the Familie of louelove. Saul in sparing Agag would be too mercifull, and afterwards waxed cruell, by killing the Prophets. Those that are true **The old heretik…s.Puritanes are such. We must not let our conscience looser than the Scriptures be, for then wee fall to be prophane. Take heede of extreames, for vertue is a meane betweene two extreames, taking something of one, and something of theVirtus est medium vtrinque reductum. other; knowledge of generals, and conscience of particulars. Papists, and Iusticiaries, because they hauehave no knowledge, but rest vponupon their doings, they can hauehave no conscience.2

2 In our cōscience we must begin with the weightiest matters, as that our sins are remittedPsal. 32. 1. Psal. 103.Ps 32:1Ps 103 by Christ, that our infirmities are couered, &c: but, to begin at small matters, and passe ouer great, is to swallow vp a Camel, and to straine at a gnat, to tithe Mint, Anise and Commine it is Pharisaicall. Keepe the foundation; if wee erre in inferiours, Gods spirite will in time reueale it, and the fire will consume it.

3 Conscience approoueth our doings to God, that is, the thing that is done, albeit there be infirmity in the action, that is, either the manner of doing, or the affection of our doing is not good. A thing is named of the greater part: Wine a little mixed with waterSimile. is wine, Aqua vitae is so called, because it is the principall: so it is called a good conscience, though some infirmitie be in it.

4 Conscience is good, or euill, naturall, and good; an erroneous conscience is where is no knowledge, but ignorance, or doubting, as to doubt in Gods prouidence, Mat. 4. Commaund that these stones may be bread, &c.

p. 833CHAP. II. Of order, and how necessarie it is in all things.

BEtweene Maries part, and Marthaes part, wee must take Maries part first, for it is the best. And when wee come to euill things, wee must make a better difference than Saul did, who spared the Amalekites whom hee should not spare, but dealt more cruelly with the Gibeonites: but wee must prouide that the Amalekites bee more grieuously punished, than the Gibeonites. This doctrine standeth against two sorts of men: the first is of them that cleane peruert all, and can away with no order: the other is of them that make a mixture of many things. It hath beene an old complaint of the world, that in the webbe of the law the poore flie is taken, but the hornet escapes,Order. the poore man is intangled, the mightie personage is deliuered, for they keepe much adoe about a little. But if we keepe a blowing & a raking so all day long in the motes, and neuer can stumble vponupon the beame, wee peruert order: As for them that are shufflers of all together, who can finde no degree in things, but they doe first whatsoeuer comes first to hand; let them knowe, that as the Lord will not hauehave things done confusedly, no more will hee hauehave things done preposterously.

2 Order must be had in all things, especially in heauenly things: for if in all Arts there be an order, it were ill to thinke that in the science of sciences there should bee confusion. We shall see an order euen in God himselfe: in the Trinitie, though all the persons bee equall, yet there is an established order of the second person, of the third person, though not for essence, which is indiuisible, yet for better order, of teaching of vsus to come to the knowledge of God. And as God is an order in himselfe, so he requireth and commandeth an order to bee vsed. 1. Cor. 14. 40. It is the decree of the Apostle as a generall rule, Let all things be done in order. Coloss. 2. 5. Paul reioyceth that they had order among them: but 1. Thess. 4. he describing notable wicked fellowes, notes them by this, that they walked inordinately, nothing was first or last with them, they did all with disorder. Lastly, Iob. 10. Hell it selfe is noted to bee a place, where there is no order, and therefore inordinate walkers doe well belong to that place. So that generally we see by the Lord, by his workes, by the godly, by the wicked, that order is good: much more is order requisit in action. ThePraeposteratio annihilat actum. wise men saw that the deede done in such a preposterous & confused manner, is as good as not done. Now if this be so in all actions, much more must it be in the commandements of the Lord. 1. Sam. 2. there is mention made, how the children of Heli whilest the meate was yet a seething, they fetched it foorth of the pot with flesh-hookes, and though they did afterward burne the fat for sacrifice, which should bee the speciall thing to bee done in order, though (I say) they did not omit to sacrifice; yet for that they serued themselues first, who should hauehave beene last, and so serued the Lord at last, who should hauehave been first, it is noted as a special sinne prouoking the wrath of God. A plainer case than this is in the new Testament, Matth. 6. where an order is in seeking: First seeke the kingdome of God, then, &c. Here is first. and then a plaine order. Hee that was called in the Gospell to follow Christ, though he denied not absolutely to follow, but would follow somewhat preposterously, though he desired but first to take his leaue of his friends, and then would be a follower; he had a repulse, hee had a checke for it; not for not following, but because hee would make that first, that should be second, and the second first, and so the order was chaunged. And this is for order in generall: in particular wee must obserue order in refusing the euill, and chusing the good: the greatest euil is most to be eschewed, the best good most to be chosē. That which is most good, must hauehave the first reward; that which is the greatest euill, must first be punished Frist we must forsake the euill, then chuse the good; first gather the tares (saith Christ) then take vp the good corne also: so that we must not onelyonly doe good, but doe it in order.

p. 834CHAP. III. Of hearing the word of God.

WE must heare the word attentiuely and fruitfully, and not with the eares of the world, which are deafe eares. As the Apostle saide, it is al one to bee a child in discretion, and a child in yeeres: so it is all one to be deafe by nature, and to make our selues deafe. The Adder is called deafe, for that she maketh her selfe so, she is saide not to hauehave eares when she hath eares, but not to heare the charmer, least shee should lose her poyson: such hearers are Deut. 29 19. such hearers had Steuen, Act. 7. 57. such hearers are Ierem. 7. 10. Another kinde of hearing there is, when one doth heare a voyce, but a greater noise is in his head, excellentius sensibile, as Aristotle calleth it, so that hee cannot heare the lesse. It is the voyce of the Estrich, Bring, bring; Emolumentum is excellens sensibile, it is the finest word that euer was inuented, it maketh that nothing else can be heard for it. There is a third kinde of hearing, the most vsual of all, and yet hainous enough: They hauehave eares to sleepe. A very vnproper speech, that is they cannot heare for sleepe, as Eutychus had in the Acts at Pauls sermon, where Eutychus fell downe, and had almost broke his necke for it. See the iudgement of God vponupon the first euill hearer of the Gospell. Well, heare thou the word of God preached diligently: Potest enim tibi id in animo conting…re, quoa Eutycho in corpore.

2 There bee some of this sect that will yeeld vntounto men their bodies to doe with them what they will, but their soules they say are for the Lord. And why not their bodies for him also? they hauehave an inward and a darke kinde of godlines, that so thinke it enough to make the night, or a corner of their chamber a witnesse of their religion; which kinde of men are to giuegive an account for detracting from the Lord his worship. Others there are, and they will goe to the congregation, but it is when the chaine of idlenes & other busines is growne so long that they may goe with some case. Some will come to the Church more often: but when the iudgements of God are denounced, they say they shal not come neere them, Deut. 29. 19. we are deliuered though wee hauehave committed all these abominations. We hauehave al vncircumcised eares, and naturally we hauehave a praeputium before our …ares, and they that are skilfull in Anatomie knowe that there is as it were a hammer at the …are, which will open wide when wee heare vanitie, but it is fast shut when the Lord speaketh vntounto vsus. It is a common disease in others to seeke after varietie, and so after vanitie, and so nature desireth an infinitum. And these mē either hunt after words, which may cause them to erre from the word of truth, or else they say they heare such cold & vncomfortable sermons, as they cannot away with. If good gifts bee ioyned with the preaching of the word, and we heare the word with the gifts, it is a question whether we heare for the words sake, or for the gifts sake: but if the word come without such glorious gifts, a man may stirre vp himselfe sufficiently thereby. And when it doth come to passe, that such vnsauory liquors be drawne out of mustie vessels, we must be driuen to this consideration, that God for our dulnes hath shut vp the mouthes of his Preachers, and hath denied the power and puritie of preaching vntounto vsus, and that our dead and deafe eares are the cause that the Lord tieth vp the strings of our Preachers tongues▪ Neither is this to smooth or sooth vp any one in negligent vsing of their gifts, for the Lord will hauehave his gifts vsed; and a candle put vnderunder a bushell is not of the Lord his setting, it is the diuels doing when our gifts are suppressed. Well, if we hauehave eares and heare not the word, then is no difference betweene a mans eares and an Asses, and it is rather a propertie of Idols which hauehave eares and heare not, hauehave eies and see not. And as they that hauehave mouthes and speake not, are rather Idoll shepheards, than true Pastors: so they that hauehave eares and heare not, are rather Idoll gazers, than true hearers of the word. Againe, for this cause we must heare, because we heare the most excellent obiect; the obiect of the eare is a sound or voyce, now the most excellent sound is the sound of the Gospell, the most excellent voyce is the voyce of the Preacher. Another reason may be, that our members are put to their best vse, when they serue most for the glory of God▪ as our feete are put to the best vse, when they carrie vsus to the congregation, our p. 835hands when they are lift vp in prayer, our eares when they be hearkening to the word of God: and therefore they prouide well for themselues, that early in the morning before they doe any thing else, doe put out their members to the best vse in the worship of God. And surely if there were nothing but the bare word of God deliuered vntounto vsus, as it is a thing containing the will of God, it were worthy the reading, hearing, and meditating: but when it openeth to vsus the treasures of saluation, when it teacheth vsus wisedome, and equitie, so as we may be able to discerne eueryevery affection, it is a thing much more worthie our trauell. We think that we may flie vp to heauen by the wings of profound knowledge: but, saith the Scripture that learned preaching shall saue vsus? No, the foolishnes of preaching must saue vsus, all our saluation must be fetched from hence, & therefore it is worth the hearing, this is Ioels trumpet, and of great force. We must learne therefore to vse a preparation, without which all our seruice stinketh before the Lord. When thou enterest into the house of the Lord, looke vntounto thy feete, Eccles. 4. 17. Stand in awe (saith the Prophet) commune with your owne hearts▪ Psal. 4. And Iob. 1. 6. Iob is said to sanctifie his sonnes. 2. Chro. 30. 18. 19. though many of the people had not cleansed themselues, yet Ezechtas prayed for them, that prepared their whole hearts to seeke the Lord. But all we rush to the congregation as a foxe out of his forme. And though we hauehave knowledge enough, yet we had need to be straighted, because we are as a broken bow, and in seeking of knowledge we must seeke it fruitfully: scire, vt scias, audire vt audias, is meere vanitie. EueryEvery one would be a patient in the word of God, but there be many pragmaticall things: Beatiqui audiunt. What is that enough? Beati qui ambulant, qui custodiunt;▪ eati qui perseuerant. If we will not heare, the time will come when we shall be constrained to heare: if we will not heare when the Lord speaketh, we shall crie but not be heard: if we heare it as a bond to tie the Lord to heare vsus againe according to his promise.

3 Looke how neere we come vntounto the practise of Dauid, so neere are we to the liuely members of God; and looke how farre we are from that, so farre are we from the image of God. Men rather seeke for profound knowledge, than for faith that worketh by louelove, and couet more the ministeriall doctrine, than after the power of the Spirit. Therefore God, who is as able to send a lying spirit into the mouthes of 400. Prophets, as into any of the meanest Israelites, doth punish them commonly with strange doctrine, & giuegive them vp to strong illusions. We ought to hauehave such a burning affection in vsus, that we should not be able to expresse it, as Dauid had, who because he could not expresse it, vseth an exclamation, Psal. 119. 97. O how louelove I thy law! but mens hearts are dull, and their spirits heauie, they are farre from this affection that was in Dauid.

4 Our louelove to Gods word is a triall of our louelove to God; he that trembleth at Gods word, and is obedient vntounto his voyce, doth better than he that offereth sacrifice, and he that loues Gods word, doth louelove God, and else not.

Where the louelove of a man is, the practise will be there; Matth 6. where the treasure is, there will be the heart. As the couetous are bent vponupon their riches, as the adulterer is bent vponupon his lust, and the gamester on his pastime, is not wearie in sitting vp whole nights and daies: so the godly on Gods law, they studie in it night and day, they studie not by fits and starts, as some doe, but continually. Dauid prooueth his louelove to Gods word, because he placed his whole delight and felicitie in it, as appeareth by the griefe he had in the want of it.

5 When many meanes are vsed men stand more excuselesse, that in so often repeated and reiterated mercies and methode of teaching, will neuerthelesse buy out their condemnation, by a willing ignorance, and will not be taught. Againe, we are fitter one time than another to make our profit. Tell men of their sinnes to day, and they may fleare at it; tell them to morrow of it, and the teares may trickle down their cheekes: and Elihu saith, God speaketh once or twice, and yet man heareth not, till a third time come. And shall we thinke our fathers needed this rather than we? Surely there cannot be a more sure token that God his spirit is our teacher, than that we finde a desire still to more and often hearing: and who seeth not that we are subiect to spirituall transmutations, and how easily p. 836fierie inflamations raised betwixt God and vsus doe die, if God be silent yea but a little? Therefore let vsus say with the Church in the song of Salomon, chap. 8. vers. 13. Cause vsus still to heare it. Some think to stand in some sort, though the Lord build thē not, although as the Psalmist saith, Except the Lord build, all is in vaine: so there is a learning of things without the Lord, yet the profitable building and learning is onelyonly of the Lord. We are therefore to be deliuered of this common errour, which makes vsus, when we do not profit, to accuse our Teachers, and to carpe at his matter, or to quarrell at his manner of deliuerie: wherein as we do not free and excuse all Teachers as faultlesse, so it is a certaine truth, that teach he neuer so well, soundly, and orderly, yet that will not serue, we must hauehave a greater thing. Christ we know made many sermons, yet there were many so farre from profiting by him, that all that he gained in his life, and in his death, were not aboue sixe score persons: and therefore no marueile though at our preaching some profit not.

It may be some thinke, that if they should heare Christ speake personally to them, they should profit, and be made by and by perfect good Christians: but it is not so. Though Dauid was taught by Nathan and Gad, two excellent men, yet how oft doth he pray after they had taught him, that the Lord would teach him? To this purpose therefore we must learne two things, the Minister teacheth but the eare, he that teacheth the heart, his chaire and his pulpit is in heauen: so that at one time we must attend as it were on two Preachers. Now if we thinke all to be one labour, perswading our selues that it is enough to listen to men, we deceiue our selues; and this deceit hath wrought that either we bring no hearts at all, but onelyonly our eares, and so though the Minister hauehave some part, yet God hath nothing to worke on; or else we bring such worldly hearts, that there is no roome left within to any further teaching than the eare. Hitherto come then the short and the long. If we will be taught of God, though Christ come to teach vsus in his owne person, yet we must labour for a double hearing, that is, both of the eare, and of the heart, both inward and outward, else it shall fall out with vsus, as with sundrie other things: there are some fruites both of corne and plants, which come vp, but not of any sound seede, which commeth to a blade or so, but it neuer yeeldeth a ripe substance: so there is a momentanie springing vp of some knowledge, from some corrupt seede, as of eloquence, of pleasing words; but these men hauehave nothing, but as it were a wilde egge ingendred in them, and the fruite of it will neuer last long, be the Preacher neuer so forcible in his speech. But when God teacheth, Amos the heardsman from his cattell, Peter taken from his nets and fishing boate, doe much profit vsus. Many of the Saints of God before vsus to this end hauehave shewed how they hauehave beene taught. Augustine after he had nine yeeres studied Diuinitie, in which time no doubt he oft read ouer the Bible, yet at the length was much mooued with a place in the 13. of the Romanes, Put on the Lord Iesus: and this was the place that after often reading, he was nothing but ordinarily touched with; and yet after, Gods spirit laying it to his heart, is was the meanes whereby he confesseth himselfe to be conuerted.

p. 837CHAP. IIII. Who be swine, and who be dogges.

BY nature we are all swine, and dogges, for that wee folllow our owne vncleannesse, but especially, wee that were Gentiles: for in that respect Christ calleth so the Cananitish woman, making the Iewes whom hee called children in a priuiledge aboue vsus: but since the wall is pulled downe. Beside our naturall condition we are all vessels of wrath, followers of our own gorge, vntill that strōg & strange change be come vpō vsus, Esay 11. when of dogs we become lambs, of vncleanenes we become cleane. Howbeit, the Scripture doth not so vnderstand vsus to be dogges; but such are meant by our Sauiour Christ to be dogges and hogges, who hauing the continuall meanes either breake into the contempt of the things themselues, or fall to an open despite and violence against the Ministers that bring them. Whether it be then that wee turne againe to our owne righteousnes, and to seeke iustification by the lawe, in which respect Paul calleth them dogges, and concision; or whether being raised in the blood of Christ, we do not onelyonly slip, but plunge our selues into the gulfe of sinne againe; in this respect wee may bee called swine and dogges. For we see this is the estate of the dogge, that continuing and carying in himselfe the torment of his owne body, and bearing the burden of paine in his bowels, he for a while casteth it out, and being discharged of it, he after chargeth himselfe with it againe; so they that carie a fire of griefe in their owne bosomes, euen a confidence of their owne righteousnes, if hauing for their comfort cast it off, resume it, are well compared to dogs. Such are our papists, heretikes, and familists. The nature of the swine is, that being cleane, she retireth to her filthines: so they on the other side who by the water and fire of the spirit hauehave beene so cleansed, that there hath appeared an open and a sensible change among them, if after they fall greedily to their former vanitie, they are as swine. And so both the falling away from true religion, and the reuolting to the former corruptions of life, the malitious refusing, or brutish persecuting of the word, or Ministers thereof, come within the compasse of these creatures. And so long as such sinnes be vsed, so long must we cease giuing pretious things, vntill place againe be giuē for the footing of the Lord. The reasons are, for that in that estate they will either tread vnderunder foote, that is, contemne such good things, or they will turne againe and wound a man, that is, persecute, or else deale ill with hand, or tongue, issuing from such persecutions. To such we must not cast pearles: for to them we shall doe no good, but to our selues we shall doe harme.

CHAP. V. Of Vnmercifulnes.

THe Sier of such vnmercifulnesse is the diuell: which if it bee so, good Lord how many legions of diuels bee in some then? Por quae quis peccat, per eadem punitur: If we offend by vnmercifulnesse, God will punish vsus by vnmercifulnesse. Our curtesie is like Iudas his curtesie, to kisse, & say, Hold him: It is Ioabs curtesie to say, Art thou in health my brother? and to stab in with a knife: it is the Diuels curtesie to Esau to seeme to bewaile Gods hard dealing with them, the easier to intrap her: it is the curtesie of the Pharisies to Christ, to say, Maister, we know thou art no man pleaser, and to get an enditement of treason against him. The lesse indeede of this curtesie, the better. Well, many times the beautifullest things hauehave not the necessariest vse, nor the richest men doe the most good, and in common vse, the gold doth nothing so much seruice, as iron. Wee see that in the armie many beare a better and a bigger shew, but when ought is to be done, all lieth on the poore Pioner; and there is none of vsus but well hee woteth, that in the most gorgeous house, that is, though all the other parts be more sightly to see to, yet the principall part of all the foundation is nothing but a few oystershels, and potsherds, and rubbish, and p. 838such like baggage. And whē as the best of vsus al is no better but esca vermiū, wormes meate, for nothing but the very dunghil, though he bee couered with purple cloth, yet notwithstanding the worst of vsus all is proud enough, and thinketh as well of himselfe as the best deserueth: yet as riseth our good, so rifeth our blood, qui velit ingenio cedere, rarus erit, hee that will thinke of himselfe lesse than of another, hee is an odde fellow, shew me him, giuegive me such a fellow.

CHAP. VI. Of Workes.

TO except, or to prophecie against the promises of God, is not good, because it is1 sufficient for vsus to doe the thing warranted by God his mouth. If in offering our seruice to Christ wee lose twentie and winne one, it is gaine enough: and it is better to doe a thing in vaine, than not at all. Moses went to Pharaoh, though he knew before he should not profit him. If wee doe well, the good thing persheth in another, and not in vsus, but if we doe not the good we may, then the good thing perisheth in vsus. Againe, wee shall not receiue a reward according to our successe, but according to our labour. The Lord doth esteeme a barren dutie, and no man doth (as it were) cast away, and spend inSterile officium. vaine so much as he doth. How many sermons spendeth hee in vaine? how many threatnings in vaine? how many promises in vaine? how many things commaundeth and forbiddeth he in vaine? men nothing esteeming them, & yet he ceaseth not. Therefore herein we must not fare better than the Lord, and yet as good children of so good a father, wee must still labour to do good, though we reape small fruite.

2 May we follow a rabble to do good? this is a question: I answere, wee must not followNon faciendū quia multifaciunt, sed quia bonum. Vt bonum faciā, an bene, satis mihi sūt pau…i, satis vnus, satis nullus. a multitude to doe good, for by following them to do good, we learne to follow them to doe euill. This is my meaning, wee may not doe it, because many doe it; but because it is good: for if the other be his reasons, surely he will …ollow in euill also by the same motiue. It was well saide of a learned father taken out of a Philosopher, a goodly speech: To doe good, or to doe well, fewe shall suffice, yea one, yea none. I hauehave laide the best medicine I can to this sore, yet it will itch still, it hath many allures, and will continue still, for it is one of those sweete euils, Iob. 10. It may be effectuall to some, yet if none followe it; I hauehave done my dutie, Cantaui canticum dilecto meo, I hauehave sung a song to my beloued, and so an end.

Election is a great spurre to good workes. It is not as men say, if I am elected I cannotAugustine. Si potētiores faciunt, non faciam quia faciunt, sed gaudeo quia faciunt. perish, I may liue as I list: but if thou art elected, thou art also elected to the meanes to faith, and the fruites of it, else thou art not elected.

CHAP. VII. Against Policie.

THE godly hauehave euer beene wiser than the politicke of the world. Ioseph was wiser than the Aegyptians, yea than his brethren, and yet they were wiser than the rest. Daniel, Moses, Paul, wiser than their enemies. The Gallathians mingled the Lawe, the Corinthians preached gloriously, yet Paul was wiser than they all. The politicke were ouerthrowne at building of the Tower. Pharaoh in Egypt his policie was, first in killing the males, 2. by his setting of Coniurers against Moses: so men beleeued: and some men do write, that Moses was but a Coniurer. 3. in letting them goe, and following them: now saith he they are intangled in the rocks; but what was his ende? he sunke downe like a piece of lead in the red sea. Balack sent for Baalam to curse the Israelites: his most diuellish policie that could be was this his counsell, Thou canst not, saith hee, bring them to open idolatrie, send for them, bid them to banquets of meates offered to Idols, make them drunke; so doing they fell; first, to adulterie, secondly, to idolatrie: p. 839but this wretch Balaam perished with so many thousands of them. Saul to hold in the people; 1. would sacrifice before Samuel came. 2. gaue Michol to Dauid for so many foreskins of the Philistines; not that he loued him, but that the Philistines hands might be vponupon him, and not his owne: 3. when that way preuailed not, he by force would destroy him: 4. he goeth to the Diuell, for this is the end of all policie when it cannot preuaile, that they aske counsell of the Diuell. The Diuell after he had deluded him long, now tels him the truth, and after he kils himselfe. Looke the policie of Abimelech; and Achitophell, who being crossed in his counsel, went and hanged himselfe. This may terrifie all Machiauellists, and craftie politicians, and 2. encourage all to rest on Gods word, which maketh vsus wiser than all foes and wicked of the world.

CHAP. 8. Three speciall notes of a man truly righteous and religious.

THere be three things whereby we may know whether we be in the right way or no, and they be precious and deare in the sight of them that hauehave a care to please God. The first is our grosse temptations: for many trusting to good talke, good education, good companie, and thinking themselues well setled, are content to rest in these meanes, and trauell not to see their inward corruptions, and priuie temptations, which if they be but burthensome vntounto vsus, and make vsus as it were sicke to carrie them, it is a good token. The second thing is by marking our affections, if we louelove nothing so much as the fauour of God, feare nothing so much as the losse of it, hauing found it if we carefully keepe it, and hauing lost it, if we neuer be quiet till we recouer it, being content to want all things to hauehave it, not staying in the possession of all things if we want it; this is a good signe. Thirdly, we may comfort our selues if we feare God as well in prosperitie as in aduersitie, and louelove God as well in aduersitie as in prosperitie. For eueryevery man can feare him vnderunder the crosse, as Pharaoh, Saul, and Balaam, and eueryevery man can praise God in abundance, as who praised him more than Iobs wife being in prosperitie.

CHAP. 9. Of the Sabbath.

BY nature all daies are like, as are all men, water, bread, wine, vntil God sanctifie them, that is, put them a part to a seuerall vse. As amongst men, the Magistrate, the water in Baptisme, bread and wine in the Supper: so among daies the Sabbath, Gen. 2. 3. (because of Gods appointment) are not to be accounted common. Acts. 10. 15. What God hath made cleane, pollute thou H… ô theò… ekathárise, su mè koinou.not: Pollute thou not, that is, imploy thou not, as thou doest other things, to common vses, but let it serue to holy vses only. For nothing consecrate was euer put to prophane or ordinary vses. Exod. 30. 38. To sanctifie is to make holy: It is said, God hath made holy the Sabbath. For himselfe it is superfluous, to whom all things are holy; for vsus and for our selues therfore is the sanctification thereof. For, 1. Thess. 4. 3. the Apostle saith, This is the will of God euen your sanctification: therefore he sanctified it for vsus, that is, heTouto gar esti to thélema tou theou ho agiasmos humôn. blesseth the word which we heare vponupon that day, after a more effectuall manner, and with a more speciall blessing to beget in vsus holinesse, that we may by it become holy, as he is holy. God then by his blessing hath sanctified it, we by our obedience must sanctifie it, that is, be occupied in all those exercises of religion, whereunto God hath annexed a promise of working in vsus true holinesse. To doe otherwise is to oppose our selues to the ordinance of God: yet though we doe prophane it as much as in vsus lieth, the day doth remaineMeanes for the sanctification of the Sabbath. holy, as Christ witnesseth. A man may commit adulterie with a woman, and yet she remaine chast, Matth. 28. Now I doe say, we doe sanctifie the Sabbath day, by vsing the meanes, by which sanctificatiō is wrought in vsus, as by prayer, Act. 16. 13. priuately or publikely p. 840vsed, Psal. 122. 1. and secretly among the faithful to be vsed before all other meanes, Psal▪ 95. 6. after all other meanes, Numb. 6. 24 or by reading the word, or hearing it read, Nehem. 8. 8. in the assemblie, Act. 13. 13. or reading it priuately our selues, Dan 9. 2. both to the triall of that which we hauehave heard, Act. 17. 11. and for our owne priuate meditation. If reading we doe not vnderstand, we must prouide vsus a guide, either by word, Act. 8. 19. or2 writing, that is, by Analogie, or by hearing the word Preached, which is the chief means ofGuides. 1 al the rest, Luk. 4. 16. Rom. 10. 14. By singing of Psalms, Psal. 92. 1. generally containing the2. 3. praises of God, or more particular, as present occasion shall serue. By meditation, Psal. 92. 2.3 vponupon the word preached, or read: vponupon the creatures, Psal. 143. 5. vponupon Gods iudgements,4 and mercy towards our selues, our fathers house, the places wherein we liue, and the1 Church of God elsewhere: by conference, Malach. 3. 16. of that which hath done vsus good,2 or the wants we feele in our selues: by vsing practise, that is, by doing those things which3 may testifie vntounto our conscience, and before men that sanctification is wrought in vsus, and4 that the meanes hauehave done vsus good, Matth. 12. 12. 2. Cor. 16. 1. 2. and that in things corporall, which some hauehave set downe in a Latin **Visito, poto, cibo, redimo, lego, rolligo, condo.verse: or in things spiritual, vttered in another Latin **Corrige, fuade, doce, sola…e, remitte, fer, o….verse. Without bodily rest we cannot thorowly sanctifie this day: For Adam in Paradise, and in the estate of innocencie could not doe it, much lesse we as we are. Therefore euen before the fall he had a Sabbath, Gen. 2. 3. giuing him therein to intend the seruice of God wholy and only, for the other sixe daies he was to dresse the garden, Gen. 2. 15. The equitie of this commandement is the rule of nature; whatsoeuer must be thorowlyThe Sabbaths vse. done, must be wholy done. We are to rest from the labour of the sixe daies, that is, from whatsoeuer might hauehave beene done, or may be done after. For which cause we are commanded to remember the Sabbath before it come. We must abstaine from bearing of burthens, Ierem. 17. 22. from buying and selling euen victuals, Nehem. 13. 15. from necessarie labour, in necessarie, and at necessarie times, that is, both in seed time, and haruest, Exod. 34. 2. yea euen from whatsoeuer may seeme to hauehave a shew of holines, in the very building of the Lords sanctuarie, Exod. 31. 13. generally, whosoeuer doth any worke on the Sabbath defileth it, and committeth a sinne worthie of death.

The punishment which God threatneth to that countrey where this precept is neglected, is the plague of fire, Iere. 17. 27. And to keepe the Sabbath, buying, and selling therein,Punishment for the breach of the Sabbath. is the Sabbath of the men of Ashdod, and Tyrus. Nehe. 13. If we must cease from our vocation wherein God hath placed vsus, and the workes thereof, then must we cease from feasting, games, faires, and such like of lesse necessitie, of greater impediment for the Sabbath: such is the Sabbath of the golden calfe, Exod. 32. 6. And if we must abstaine fromRecreations. those things which in themselues are not euill, then from surfetting, idlenes, doing of our owne wils, and which at no times are lawful: otherwise it is the diuels Sabbath, & not the Lords, Es. 58. 13. Neither must we thinke if we precisely keepe the bodily rest, and put on our best apparell, that we hauehave satisfied our dutie: for as bodily labour, so bodily rest profiteth nothing, 1. Tim. 4 8. Therefore we must take heed that our rest end in sanctification, or else our Oxe and our Ass… keepe as good a Sabbath as we.

No commandement is both affirmatiue and negatiue but this, to meete eueryevery way with vsus: eueryevery precept else runnes in this tenour, Thou shalt not: this requests vsus mildly, and saith Remember, nay, it not onelyonly desireth vsus, but it perswades vsus, and giues vsus a reason, whereas the Lord might absolutely command vsus, yea he affoords not onelyonly a reason, but many reasons, as foure in number, which is to none else, that eueryevery way we might be perswaded. Now he vseth the word of remembring for a speciall watchword of watchfulnes, which importeth thus much. Whatsoeuer ye do, do this, and do it with care, hauehave a speciall regard to this, in any case forget it not, that so we might thinke the breaking of this day to be no trifle: & it is taken carefully frō vsus when we giuegive a special charge, Deut. 5. Take heed to this day, remember it, ere it come, ye may be ouertaken. By the Sabbath is meant the holy rest, so the land hath a Sabbath: and this day is exempted by God from the rest to this end. Indeed by nature all daies were alike and common, till God seuered one; which for his sake, and the ends sake must be distinguished from the ordinarie daies: so all men and creatures were common, vntill the Lord set them apart to speciall vses.

p. 841The Sabbath is wholy morall tows, and to our Fathers; partly morall, and partly ceremoniall to the Iewes, vntounto whome eueryevery commaundement had a ceremonie; first, by reason of their weaknes; secondly, because they were vnderunder the clowde. Now they are cut off. But before them was the morall vse of this precept, euen from the beginning, Exod. 16. nay Gen. 2. and no tradition quenched it. So our Sabbath continues, and takes hold on the conscience. True it is, eueryevery day we are bound to sacrifice, and not to forget our dutie, Psal. 1. 2. we must pray continually, and Dauid sacrificed thrise a day, Psalm. 55. but this day must be wholly sanctified, no part of it must be giuen to other things, to look to our selues in, So Adam had a vocation, and a rest in part, and wholy: for nature distract, can doe nothing well. As for the cremonie of the day, it was in the seuenth day, but that is altered into the day wherein our Redemption was finished, and the world renewed: and therefore by the Apostles themselues this day was instituted. 1. Cor. 16. Actes. 20. 7. For the name it is plaine, Apoc. 1. 10. The rest of it, in regard of the straight-yoke, was from gathering sticks,Sabbaths rest Numb. 13. 32. from kindling a fire, Exod. 35. 3. and the sanctifying of it, was in killing of Lambs, and offering flowers.

The Sabbath is a signe, but not a ceremonie, as the tree in Paradise, it doth admonish ofSabbath, a signe. the true Rest, & is a pledge of the euerlasting Rest. It is the agreement betweene the Lord and vsus, Exod. 31. 17. Ezech. 20. 12. It is the Market-day of the soule to gather Manna, which is the bread of life. Well, we must first rest; from what? frō our owne worke, works, words, and delights: for the Law is spirituall, Esai. 58. 15. First, we must rest from the works and labours of the sixe dayes, which are heere opposed to rest; from bearing burthens, Iere. 17. from gathering Manna, Exod. 16. which was their foode; from treading the winepresses, and making bargaines, Nehem. 13. from bringing sheaues, Ibidem, both in Earing time, and Haruest, Exod. 34. 21. To worke on the Sabbath is to defile it, Exod. 3. The plague of fire, is God his iudgement of it, Ierem. 17. 27. Gods seueritie by death, Exod. 35. As for the sanctifying of it, GOD hath made it holie, Gene. 2. 3. By his blessing he associateth vsus to make it holy, as well as himselfe, & that is by our obedience. He hath done what he can to make it holie, let not vsus prophane it, & he will not account it holy, vnles we so vse it. We must therefore separate it from the comon vses, as the Church, the font, the cup, which are pu to holy vses, to the worship of GOD, & the furthering of religion. First, we must seperate into Gods worke, as preaching, Luc. 4. 16. Reading, Acts. 13. 13. Prayer, 16. 13 conference, Mala. 3. Meditation. Psalm. 92. or any good worke, Matth. 12. 12. whatsoeuer sheweth in vsus the power of Christ his Resurrection. Now to the reasons. It were a great sinne not to yeeld to his Commaundement, a greater, not to yeelde to his perswasionss. His first eason is, Sixe dayes shalt thou labour, &c. This is rather a permission than a commandement, as was that of eating of the Trees in Paradice. If GOD had giuen vsus one for our selues, and kept sixe for himselfe, it had bene equitie in him to command, and dutie in vsus to obey: now he hath kept but one for himselfe, and that for profite too. To breake the commaundement in respect of such liberalitie, were great sinne, as we may see in Nathans conference, in Aeuaes reasoning, and in Iosephs argument with his Mistris, as also in Io…s speach to his wife. And doe all that thou hast to doe: That is; Finish all ere this day come: Reserue this wholy to GOD, vse not this to performe any part of thy busines: For therefore hauehave I parted the sixe dayes, and giuen thee them, that this (one) may be wholy mine. Secondly, the Lord saith, it is his Sabbath; therfore not ours, neither to vse it in our Fayres, our Haruest, or our plaies. So that the offence reboundeth vp to heauen, Rom. 13. 2. In it thou shalt doe no manner of worke. Here is the negatiue part, worke sixe dayes [Rest the seuenth] in them doe all, in this doe none: a flat antithesis. GOD hath dealt prodigally with vsus, let vsus not deale sparingly with him. Thou & thy sonne. We see he begins with the superiour; ergò, he ought to be so far from hindering, that he must looke to the sanctifying of this day, and prouide that his inferiours, and they in his gouernement rest as well as hee, both from their owne, and from their Maisters busines. The practise whereof we may reade. Nehem. 13. And the reason is good, because in respect of God and his seruice, there is no respect of Master and seruant; so that though the superiour rest himselfe, if he prouide that all his house doe rest as well as himselfe, hee violateth the Lords rest. Deut. 6. 7. Thy cattell, for bodily rest. This sheweth p. 842Gods merciemercy to be great, which prouideth for man and beast, and this hee doth, that too much might not be exacted of the creature, but that they might hauehave a breathing time: And secondly, that wee seeing them rest, might the more effectually be moued to rest our selues, as the King of Niniuie. Thy stranger; We must hauehave Lots care ouer the bodie of our strangers, they are of our iurisdiction whiles they are vnderunder our roofe, and wee must sanctifie our house, much more eueryevery man must be sanctified. GOD, thus in setting downeNostri iuris. eueryevery particular, takes away all occasion of quarrelling in the breach of this law. For in sixe dayes. This is set downe, that in the Lords method wee might consider of his workes, as Dauid, Psalm. 139. and Iob, chapt. 10. Wee hauehave the example and practise of it in GOD himselfe, who being aboue all Lawes obserued this, to make vsus more willing. Let vsus be like to him, for by hauing notable exāples, we are more effectually stirred vp toe do any thing. It is the vse of the Scriptures after reasons to exemplifie, as CHRIST, Ioh. 15. in teaching humility, & Paul 1. Cor. 11. Therefore we are to follow God, if we be his childrē, who hath for our example vouchsafed this day this great dignitie. He blessed it, and the works of it, making them effectually to worke in vsus regeneration, and fitting vsus for eternall life. Hee hallowed it to the ease of seruants, and beasts, so bridling our worldlines to the Meditation of his creatures, to the worke of Faith and charitie. Wherefore what God hath hallowed, let no man prophane.

CHAP. X. Of Discipline, and Excommunication.

WHen men are neither profitable for the land, nor good for the dunghill they must he cast out. This casting out hath a necessary vse in the bodie naturall, as where nature cannot doe it of her selfe, there she doth itExcommunication. by art; in the body ciuill as by exile; in the body ecclesiasticall, as by excōmunication; in the body oeconomicall, by suspension or expulsion. God cast out Adam from paradise, the Angels from heauen, Abraham cast out the bondmaide with her sonne, Moses separated the leprous persons from the cleane; CHRIST cast out buyers and sellers out of the Temple.

2 The rulers of the Church are called the Church, to whom Discipline appertaineth, euen as Mark. 3. not the whole companie of the Iewes, but the rulers of the Synagogue are called the Church of the Iews. Therfore as we call the Court of Parliament the Realme gathered together, although it be but an Epitome to sit, and compromise of things: so these fewe being a Compendium of the Church, hauehave all things committed vntounto them. And God himselfe in the Parable doth not bewray this, but doth in wisedome conceale it: saying, They will without peraduenture reuerence my Sonne: So without controuersie, one would thinke they would heare the Church. But as the Iewes made a way with him that was the heire, so we say now adayes with the Edomites, Psal. 137. down with the Church, that there bee no feare of yoake, nor the print of the yoake vponupon our necke. Well, how grieuous a thing it is to despise the Church, wee will see by the dignitie appointed to the Church in the word of God. Tit. 2. it is called a peculiar people, and in an ancient tongue, The Lords Iewel, 2. Cor. 4. All the world was made for the Church, & for the Churches sake, CHRIST was a Christ, Heb. 11. Hee that despiseth the Church, the world is not worthie to giuegive him breath, Hebr. 1. The Angels of God are seruants to it. Cor. 6. the Church shall iudge theHow dangerous to despise the censures of the Church. whole world, and the Angels 2. Pet. 1. 3. 4. The Church is partaker euen of God his owne nature▪ Ephes. 4. The Church is the fulfilling of Christ, so that Christ is as it were maimed without it, and what can be said more of it?

3 An excommunicated person was so odious among the Iewes, that besides that they did excōmunicate him, and shut him out of their Synagogues, if they met such a one, they thought it a speciall token of some fortune as they tearme it. So that among the Iewes excommunication was worse then fiue deaths: so much was reuerenced the censures of the Church. This did the Church, but when men began to be idle they put off this dutie. But p. 843what is this excommunication? A giuing vp to Satan. There was a great partition wall between God and vsus, vntil Christ came and made a breach, & entered into the place wherein God was shut vp from vsus. Christ himselfe became the dore, but the keye of the dore hath he committed to his faithful Minister. They that are without this wall, they are among the Ziims, and Iims, among the Owles, and Dragons, they are as in hell, and in exile from the congregation of Christ. Eliah made the heauens brasse three yeere, so as they gaue no raine: but what a thing is it to make God as brasse, so that all the spoutes of his mercy be stopped, and all conduites of compassion should be dammed vp against vsus?

4 In the case of discipline we hauehave to deale with the Lord of heauen and earth: It is to good purpose to know with whom we hauehave to deale, for it causeth vsus to bestirre our selues in dealing with worldly men: then how much more now must it cause vsus so to doe? This discipline did Christ himselfe put in practise, who oft taketh the trouble of his members to himselfe, as appeareth in his speech to Paul; Paul why persecutest thou me? and in the saying of Peter to Ananias, Thou hast lied against the holy Ghost. And surely at the last day, the contempt of the Ministers shall be counted as deepe a sinne, as if we had contemned God himselfe: which may appeare in Dathan, Corah and Abiram. And surely God thinketh wee should honour his Church aboue all: and yet men say, Come l…t vsus kill the heire. Wherefore the Lord will come and note out these husbandmen. Howsoeuer men please themselues in doing thus, yet God that sitteth in heauen shall laugh them to scorne, and vexe them with his sore displeasure in the end.

5 The discipline which Christ hath instituted is cōmitted to the Church. Behold, and heare a miracle, heauen placed vnderunder the earth: where as in all other things heauen is aboue earth, God made heauen and earth; Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heauen: so now with Dauid we must say, What is man that thou art so mindfull of him? not onelyonly to giuegive him the rule of earth, but euen of heauen, yea of Angels, yea of God himselfe: so that now God cannot loose them whom the Church hath bound: so that although he doth many things without vsus, yet when we hauehave done this, he doth not otherwise, &c. Else there are many bound in heauen, which are not bound in earth, especially in these daies when the leaues are fallen from the tree, the beautie is gone, and the discipline is taken away: yet the Angels hauehave chaines though we cannot see them: so that they watch ouer the wicked to bind them, and to cast them into hell. Thus we see the high dignitie of the Church, and yet this is not giuen to eueryevery one, but to the Church, who though they be base, and contemptible, yet the Lord cōmitted vntounto them the apple of his eye. In the Epistle to the Hebr. he saith, That the earth the ayre, & the heauen are not worthie to giuegive them breath, he hath made the Angels to be their seruants, to them he hath giuen such authoritie. And no marueile, for he hath made them more excellent than the Angels, he hath made them the bodie of his Sonne, yea and the friends of his owne selfe. To them he committed his treasures. And what be his treasures? Surely when Dauid commeth to value it, he saith, that it is better than gold, yea than much gold, than much finde gold, than all pretious stones. Yea and thatPsal. 19.Ps 19 he might leaue nothing out, he saith, it is better than all things else. Yea the Kings of the earth doe, and ought to fetch the law at the hands of the Leuites, although they now being corrupted, seeke counsellers like vntounto Achitophel. Thus we see how the Lord esteemed his Church, whom he maketh thus his treasurer. We know that Kings make great account of those men, whom they make their Lord Chancellers.

The second note of the dignitie of the Church is, in that the Lord hath committed his broad Seales vntounto them. What, hath the Lord seales? Yea, and therefore the Lord said to Ieconiah▪ though he were the signet of his hand, yet he would put him off. And what seales be these? Surely it is the Sacrament of Baptisme, and of the Supper, and these are the seales which the Lord hath giuen to his Church.

The third note of this dignitie of the Church is, that the execution of iudgemēt is giuen vntounto them: and this maketh men esteemed when they are put in such high places. Well then, the Lord hath committed into the hands of the Ministers the execution of life & of death, and therefore they are said to iudge the world; and if they be Iudges of the world, they will not reuerse their sentence: and therefore they shall surely be condemned whom p. 844the Church bindeth. And though that they may not boast of their power to destroy but to edificate (for al venemous beasts can they destroy, &c. and so can the halter) yet they hauehave great glorie thereby: for the censure of the Church (as one saith) was, and is the day of iudgement, before the great day of iudgement come. So that by this we see to what dignitie the Lord hath in all points aduanced his Church.

6 It is said that the Diuels dispossessed thought not so highly of themselues, but theyDiscretion necessarie in discipline. could be content, and desired to be cast into a heard of swine: so that this is the estate of this vile fiend, that so he may be in some, neither dogge nor hogge is misliked of him, he refuseth not the very she, but he will hauehave it. It is farre otherwise with our Sauiour Christ, he will not communicate, nor hauehave communicated his holinesse and his sacrifice to such soules, as hauehave not clensed themselues from the corruptiō of nature as swine, or from corruption of custome as dogges: hee himselfe denies his pretious things to such vile creatures, Matth 7. 5. Therefore if Christ denie these things, who dares graunt them? For as in the beginning of his workes, he separated the light from darknes, and in the end shall separate the sheepe from the goates; so will hee hauehave vsus to make a separation betweene his Saints, and swine: and therefore he hath not onelyonly charged his Ministers, who are in office next to him, to take order for the separation of the pretious from the vile, but also eueryevery particular man, according to the measure of his calling. But in our common course we offend, as not giuing where wee should giuegive, so by giuing where wee should not giuegive; as by not casting where wee should cast, so by not casting to them wee should cast. Indeede in particular to iudge of a man to be a swine, or a dogge, as Paul did Hymeneus, Philetus, and the Copper-smith, we cannot. If we see euident signes of a scorner, of a foole, that is, of one vtterly destitute of the grace of God, of a reuiler of the word, of one couered with the leprosie of sinne, and pleasing himselfe in the wallow of his filth: when hee is thus, that is, while he is such a one, that whatsoeuer is bestowed on him is lost, we must stay the casting of pearles, or giuing of pretious things to such, vntill the Lord by the touch of his finger hath turned him, vntill (I say) the Lord hath taken order for a way to bee made for the applying of that which wisely is to be administred. But if we neglect to giuegive pretious things, when and where we should giuegive them, and then after giuegive when & where wee should not, by rebuking a man in his rage, wee should rather driue into a further blaspheming, than take away his former sinne.

CHAP. XI. Of Meanes.

ALthough God hauehave appointed ordinarie causes, yet hee hath reserued in his owne soueraigntie and iurisdiction the staffe of them, and the vertue, infusion and heate of them. For as the Physition prescribing a medicine made with wine, it is not the bare wine that nourisheth, but it is the thing steeped in the wine that worketh: so although wee hauehave things ministred vntounto vsus by the best meanes, vnlesse the Lord put to his staffe all is but in vaine. For as wee may see some continually fedde with cordiall and nutritiue meates, notwithstanding labour of a consumption▪ so we shall see others fedde with water-gruell, and yet to be very well nourished. On this manner GOD can worke with meanes, and this he can worke without the meanes, because the Lord would shewe that he reserueth a power beyond meanes: although hee established all things in a naturall course, yet he brought foorth eueryevery thing without meanes: so the light was created the first day, the Sunne the foorth day. Men seeing their corne not to grow, crie for raine: but her bes and fruits grew before raine. True it is that we looke for things ordinarily now by meanes, but they began without meanes: as God making man at first without seede, now will increase them with seede, his blessing being with his ordinance, and not else. But behold a further thing, God worketh not onelyonly by meanes, and without meanes, but contrarie to meanes also. Christ when hee would restore sight to the blinde man, doth it with that meanes which wee thinke would put out a mans eyes, and p. 845blinde the sight of him that can see; whereby he sheweth that euen contrary things obey him. Eliah, 2. King. 4. to make salt waters sweete, putteth salt in them: such is the power of our God which bringeth light out of darknes, which is the destruction of light.

The meanes to reape profit by the word of God, are 1. reading, 2. hearing, 3. praying, 4. conference, 5. meditation, 6. practising. By meditation we disgest things, & meditation maketh vsus hauehave vse of that we reade or heare. Knowledge is gotten first by hearing, else one may go mumbling a long time, vnlesse he hauehave one to direct him: and it is a prouerbe among men, that the doctrine of the Maister is the learning of the scholler. Secondly, because it is not good to hang our knowledge on other mēs sleeues, therfore we must reade. Thirdly, many reade bookes, but they are but book-learned, as we say such a man is book-learned: these hauehave nothing else of their owne, therefore is meditation necessarie, it maketh learning our owne. Fourthly, we may be deceiued, we may thinke we hauehave knowledge when we hauehave none, there it is good to make many doubts, and hence commeth conference: all these meanes are to be vsed, for God sometime blesseth one, and not another, we must vse all least we should tempt God: some heare, and not reade; some reade, and not meditate; some keepe their studie, and neuer conferre. Faith is a knowledge, it is called a demonstration, it hath alwaies relation vntounto the word, as the schollers learning is the Maisters doctrine. Wicked men know the Scriptures as it is a knowledge, but they cannot applie it, and hauehave the true vse, men of God speake as if they were moued, therfore the interpretation of the scripture must be of the same spirit, no man knoweth the minde of God but Gods spirit.

CHAP. XII. Daemonis appellationes, or the diuers names giuen to the Diuell in scripture.

THE Diuell is called Daimôn of his great knowledge, and great experience, Diábolos of his slaundering, and false accusing: peir ázan of sifting, boring, and broching the faithfull to see what is in them: skoloposarkòs of making vsus subiect to the rebellion of the flesh, the Diuell of doing euill, or à diuellendo, or else as in the old english monuments, the diuels fetched from the Greeke Diábolos, for his authoritie the Prince of this world, that is, of the corrupt estate of the world; for his forme and vgly shape, the Prince of darkenes; for his vntruth, a lying spirit; for his filthines, an vncleane spirit: for his hurting, a serpent: for his experience in hurting, an old serpent: for his strength, a Lion: for his greedines, a ramping, or roaring Lion: for his poyson, a Dragon: for his alluring, a tempter: for his constraining, an armed man, hauing store of darts: sometimes he ramps and roares in one sharpe, with hornes and clawes full of terrour in a Lions skinne, which is especially in the euill day at the houre of death. Sometimes he transformes himselfe into an Angels shape, in bright apparell, full of compassion in the mantle of Samuel; in a religious habit, full of scripture, eueryevery other word is scriptum est, setting an ambush of Diuels to inuade vsus; holding the crosse, and this is his craft: If he be able to change himselfe into an Angell of light, much more is he into a shadow of the night, for he setteth his nets, and diggeth his pits in eueryevery thing to take vsus in our flesh by ease, or pleasure, or pride of the eyes, suis mimis, by death, and the feare of it. In our soule he hath his forge, and bellowes, euill motions, lusts, suggestions to kindle the fire of concupiscence, in our affections bending our feare, and our louelove, and such like to that which they should not be imployed vntounto, in our reason by casting doubts, and planting the roote of bitternes in vsus, which is infidelitie: in the creatures by abusing of them, or by vnthankfull receiuing of them: in the world by hauing his nets in riches, preferments, euill examples, customes, and euill companie: in melancholie humors, perswading despaire to be true sorrow; in cholericke bodies, perswading wrath to be good zeale; in ciuill wisedome, by mingling policie with Christianitie; in our best motions, by mingling with repentance distrust in Gods mercies, with faith securitie; in making vsus measure Gods louelove or hatred by blessings, or afflictions, of this life; in preuenting vsus of good by breeding p. 846in our hearts a loathsomnes of the word, and wearines in the meaner; in stripping Christ of his high Priests garments, and true office of mediatorship; vrging sometime these sayings, Except ye also repent, ye shall all likewise perish: which kinde of sentences are not so properly his, as belonging to his office, which is a Mediator and true Sauiour.

2 Sathan is inuisible, changeth himselfe into an Angell of light, that he cannot be discerned by the eye, no nor by reason, he windeth himselfe into our reason. Peter thought Christ should not dye, what reason was it that the sonne of man should dye?

CHAP. XIII. Of the contempt of the Ministerie.

1 IEhu being threatned, called the Prophet a madbraine, (for so they iudged of them1. King. 9.1 Kgs 9 that digressed any whit from the set composition of words, and orderly precepts of their arte) which no doubt therefore hath, and will come to passe, because men can no longer either lend eye, or eare, than either they can see by reason, or discerne by arte,Oratorious periods in preaching. or whiles the speaker keepeth himselfe within this ordinarie course of stile, or carieth himselfe euen in an orderly and oratorious period, so long as wittie inuention, comely compassing of matter, proportionable measure of words are afforded: but if a man come to cut vp the conscience, and in some vehemencie of spirit dealeth more roughly, and lesse orderly with their speciall sinnes, then he is brainesicke, and runneth, as they say, besides the text. Neither are these complainers sillie soules, but learned Parthians, and wise Arabians, men elaborate in arte, skilfull in precepts, and proud Babylonians, who cannot discerne betweene a godly vehemencie of spirit for the Lord of hosts sake, and a rayling austeritie of speech for malice, or vaine glorie sake. If then Paul be misconstrued wrongfully, he must recompence such sinnes with meekenes patiently, whereby often the Lord hath brought to passe, that the proudest heart of most obstinate gainesayers hauehave beene more broken, seeing the mild sufferance of the Ministers of Christ, than if they had beene pursued with most hote reuengement; which then especially experience hath proued true, when the Lord with some crosse and humilation sealing the truth of his faithfull and zealous seruants, hath caused many to thinke themselues to hauehave resisted the graces of God, and persecuted the gifts of God in them, whom they thought before to be curious, precise, and seekers of singularitie.

2 Grieuous enough it is when our corne, our cattell, our goods and treasure shall come to the tables of our enemies, but what though we be yet freed from such Chaldaeans, yet is there a great famine in the land, which they little thinke of that are the Church-robbers, whom we falsely call Patrons of the Church. Little thinke they of it, who in stead of feedingPatrones of Churches falsely so called. to saluation, starue many thousands to destruction, in whom if there were any louelove of God from their hearts, I dare say, and say it boldly, that for all the promotions vnderunder heauen, they would not offer that iniurie to one soule, that now they offer to many hundred soules. But Lord how do they thinke to giuegive vp their reckning to thee, who in most strict account wilt take the answere of eueryevery soule committed vntounto them one by one?Negligent Pastors. Or with what eares doe they often heare that vehement speech of our Sauiour Christ feede, feede, feede? With what eyes doe they so often reade that pearcing speech of the Apostles feede the flocke, whereof you are ouerseers, looke vntounto the flock committed vntounto you? But if none of this will mooue them, then the Lord open their eares to heare the grieuous grones of many soules lying vnderunder the grislie altars of destruction, and complaining against them: O Lord the reuenger of bloud, behold these men whom thou hast set ouer vsus to giuegive vsus the bread of life, but they hauehave not giuen it vsus, our tongues, and the tongues of our children hauehave sticken to the roofe of our mouthes, for calling, and crying, and they would not take pitie on vsus: we hauehave giuen them the tenths which thou hast appointed vsus, but they hauehave not giuen vsus thy truth which thou hast commanded them: reward them ô Lord as they hauehave rewarded vsus, let the bread betweene their teeth turne vntounto rottennes in their bowels, let them be clothed with shame, and confusion of face p. 847as with a garment, let their wealth as the dung from the Earth, bee swept away by their executors, and vponupon their golde and siluer which they hauehave falsely treasured vp, let continually be written, The price of bloud, The price of bloud; For it is the value of our bloud: O LORD, if thou didst heare the bloud of Abell (being but one man) forget not the bloud of manie, when thou goest into iudgement.

CHAP. XIIII. Of shame, and shamefastnes. Rom. 6. 12. 21. 22.

THere is is a shame that is two-fold: First, naturall, as in Paradice, (that is) an affectionShame, how to discerne it. of Nature, and this was good: Secondly, after the fall was shame; but that was euill: but that shame is of the beginning of that godly shame, as temporall losse, & worldly sorrowe, oft brings a partie to that godly sorrowe: of which is spoken, 2. Cor. 7. So this shame brings men often to that godly shame.

2 Wee say in a Prouerbe, hee is not past grace, he blusheth: that is true partly, for some good and conscience remaineth in such. A heathen Philosopher seeing a yong man come by him blushing, saide vntounto him, Young man be not dismayed, be of good comfort, there is hope in thee, this is the very colour of vertue; meaning that blushing is a good signe. It is an euill signe, when men are past shame. As in this Age of ours, young men are bold, andImpudencie of our times. not afraid of anie. Iob chapter 28. saith, that young men ran from him for shame; ours are impudent, of fore-heads of steele, out-facing matters with swearing, &c. I care not say they for them all, let them speake what they will, it is the saying of the heathen Orator, to neglect what eueryevery man saith of him. This a point not onelyonly of one that is negligent, but of such a one as is altogether dissolute.

3 There be manie other fruites of sinne, beside shame, Gen. 1. at the Creation all wasObiection. good, GOD saw it so, therefore all the euill which we see, is of sinne, as confusion in the World, distemperature in the Bodie, maladics in the Soule; all disorders of the House, Towne, Common-wealth, come hence: why then doth not the Apostle say, sinne bringeth these?

The reason is, for that these doe not follow the sinner euer presently: the Lord doth notAnswere. euer cast the sinner into prison, exile, sicknes, &c. yet this shame euer followeth him, if hee run beyond the Seas, saile, ride, goe into darknes, yet the Lord is there, and thy shame pursues thee. Here note the goodnes of GOD, and his wisdome, after sinne he only giues this1 shame to vsus, that we should enter into our selues. This, first is a most mercifull way for vsus:Two notes of Gods anger, in exercising vsus after sinne with shame. if he should either prison vsus, plague vsus with sicknes, &c. when we sinne, it would consume vsus, we were neuer able to abide it; so that this monitor is best. Secondly, it is a most wise way: all hauehave this in them, shame, a conscience at all times, and places: but not so of other punishments, we hauehave them not. Againe, many a man in prison, exile, and other plagues hauehave a stout heart and stomacke, but shame makes him hang downe his head and repent,2 none of the other doe so.

4 There is a shame of the world, such as are ashamed of men, not of God: in godly shame men are not ashamed of men, but of God, they cast down their heads, goe from chamber to chamber and mourne, &c. They are ashamed to come before God, yet they come vntounto him, and pray vntounto him, as Luc. 25. the prodigall sonne. Luc. 7. Magdalen, that came behinde Christ. Ierem. 13. Ephraims repentance is set downe, hee saith, I smote on my thigh as one in griefe, I was ashamed. Dauid, Psalm. 51. shames himselfe.

5 There is a secret hiding of sinne, that argues shame in men, as in Adam, Gen. 3. Dauid, A secret hiding of sinne.2. Sam. 11. colours his sinne. So we finde many excuses and clokes, but the fruite of an euill life is shame: and this must be voluntarie in Gods children ere they die. What fruite hast thou had of a wicked life, when as of foure and twenty houres in a day, thou hast notSabbath. bestowed two of them in the Lords seruice? Of two and fiftie Sabbaths in the yeare, thou hast spent these worse then anie day in the yeare? what will become of it? ere thou dye, shame. Sixe dayes the Lord giues to worke in, yet serue him on those dayes, begin with p. 848prayer, and end with it. Worldly busines distracts men, therefore the Lords day is giuen to recouer vsus from distraction, and wholy on that day to serue the Lord.

CHAP. XV. Of Iustification.

WHen wee speake of growing vp in the feare of God, the word so translated seemeth to bee a word of quarrell and controuersie, betweene the maintainers of mans iustification by workes and vsus, who either doe, or would seeme to emptie men of all opinion of inherent righteousnesse, that there might be nothing left in vsus, but the glory wholy be giuen to God. For they would hauehave it, that we should perfect our holines,Rom. 3. 28.Rom 3:28 and so they ground, that wee by holines might come to perfection. Now concerningPopish perfection. this their perfection, which like proctours they so patronage, if wee aske any of them, if he be that perfect man or no, there hath not been any found that would take it vponupon him, they cannot finde vsus among their manifold orders; one that is so perfect, nay they denie them this perfection: which thing if they doe in ciuill modestie, thinking they can doe it, and will not acknowledge it, they lye both to God and the world. All the quarrell is this, I doe not dispute saith the defendant, whether I bee perfit or not perfit, but I affirme that some hauehave attained this perfection: who be they? Here they bring especially their two old fathers, Zacharie and Simeon, who were men fearing God, holy, and iust, and therefore perfit: and thus they thinke men are not so much to be abased as we thinke they are. Now to beare out this point, if we might stand in it, I meane of growing vp to perfection, the very opinion of the Catharoi (such as were indeede the Puritanes in the Primitiue Church)Puritans be the old Catharoi, and the Paepists. would not challenge this so arrogantly as they doe. Many reasons may be made against them, but we will vse that one of the holy Ghost himselfe, euen in that place, where they stand vponupon their guarde, 2. Cor. 7. 1. where we be taught that such men as they would hauehave perfit, must hauehave also promises: wee knowe to whom a promise doth appertaine, being of free grace, not to men of perfection, for grace is not needfull to such. I would know therefore what perfit man needeth promises, for a promise is of free grace. This seemeth to bee enough to ouerthrow this perfection of holines, for euen such men, saith Paul, neede promises. We will come to their owne example, take Zacharie and marke his song, Blessed bee the Lord God of Israel, not because hee hath inabled vsus to perfection, but because hee hath redeemed vsus being vnperfit, for his mercy promised, and his oath sworne, and that hee would send vsus deliuerance. So that their very perfit man is glad to be redeemed, and to be deliuered. Now come to Simeon his song, Lord let thy seruant depart in peace: Why? because thou hast made vsus perfit? Nay because mine eyes hauehave seene thy saluation: so that this man also needeth saluation. If then these holy paterns of perfection needed the promises of God, and saluation by Christ, wee dare conclude against them, that they were not perfit as Papists teach they were.

CHAP. XVI. Of Parables, and Similitudes.

Apt similitudes in scrip ture sorting and fitting all callings to instruct all degrees concerning Gods kingdome.IT pleaseth God in speaking to men of their saluation, to vse the tearmes of their vocation, to whom he speaketh. And there is no sort of men, but God speaketh vntounto them on manner. Therefore to Kings he speaketh, likening the kingdome of heauen to a King, making a mariage: to Merchants, likening the kingdome of heauen to a Pearle: and euen to the baser sort, and them that are in the kitchin, when he likeneth it to Leauen, and Mustard seede: and when hee speaketh to Husbandmen, he frameth his parable of the Sower; as Ierem. 4. when the Lord might hauehave said plainly, Prepare your hearts, yee men of Iudah and Ierusalem: but hee rather speaketh vntounto them in the tearmes of their calling, that as p. 849they are diligent and painfull in matters of this life, so they might be painfull in matters of their saluation, and that men might trie themselues, whether their care of eternall life bee answerable to their care of things concerning this life. And wee must thinke that of what vocation he vseth the termes to men, vntounto that vocation he specially speaketh. For example in many places of the Scripture, he speaketh of husbandrie, that men by it might bee drawne to thinke of better things. For when wee goe into our fielde, and behold our grounds, and finde them that they are fruitfull, and plentifull, and that euen the vallyes doe so exceed with corne, that men sing for mirth, then eueryevery man must think thus with himselfe:To stirre vp our owne drie and barren hearts, considering and viewing the fruitfulnes of the ground. Surely my Haruest is very plentifull, and my corne which I hauehave sowne yeeldeth her increase with very great measure; Now am I as plentifull & fruitfull an haruest vntounto God? Am not I rather a barren and drie ground, yeelding no fruite? Surely, if our Haruest be fruitfull vntounto vsus, and we which are Gods Haruest are not fruitful vntounto him, then our haruest shall condemne vsus. For the meanes of Husbandrie, as Plough, Cart, &c. we are carefull to hauehave them, wee bestow cost to repaire them, and then must we thus thinke: See, I hauehave all the instruments of my Haruest in very good order, hauehave I the meanes of my saluation as well? If I hauehave not, the very Harrowe, and horses harnesse will accuse mee. Thirdly, if we hauehave a Tree, whereas we bestow cost to cut it, and to prune it, and because it bringeth forth no fruite, we say, if thou wilt not serue me for my taste, thou shalt serue me for building: or if thou wilt not answere me for building, thou shalt serue me for the fire. Let vsus remember that seeing GOD hath beene at great cost and charge to dresse vsus, and wee bring forth noIoh. 15. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.John 15:3John 15:4John 15:5John 15:6John 15:7 fruit, God shall not neede to condemne vsus, wee our selues, and our owne iudgement of our tree will condeme vsus: and cetainely, if wee be not good for fruite, wee shall bee put to theMatth. 3.Matt 3 fire. Now as there is fruitfulnes of the ground, so there is fruitfulnes of the soule, and as there is fallownes of the land, so there is a fallownes of the heart. But how shall we knoweTo trie the hart whether it be barren▪ Foure signes. whether we be fallow or no? For this is a point worthie to be stood vponupon, considering the direct exhortation of the Prophet Ieremie, chapt. 4. Among many signes, I will content my selfe with foure. First, we know that all fallow grounds be common, and eueryevery thing hath free passage thorow them, without any stop or let: so if our eares be common, that we can1 heare any talke, be it neuer so prophane, without any chill colde, as it were comming vponupon1. If our eares & hearts lie common for passengers. vsus, then doubtlesse our eares are fallow, and we had neede to be broken vp: and so of other parts. Secondly, in Fallow-grounds there is great quietnes; in grounds broken vp to be sowne, there are many fowles busie, ready to picke vp the good graine being sowne; but in the Fallow men neede take no care nor thought to driue them away. Now if wee finde all2 husht and quiet in our hearts, if wee doe not busie our selues with driuing away corrupt affections,2. If we be not busie to driue away bad and corrupt affections. it is a token wee lie fallow, and had neede of breaking vp. Thirdly, the showers falling vponupon Tilled ground make it fertill, and fruitfull: but all the raine comming on Fallow ground is lost, in respect of any fruite, vnles it be for increase of weeds, and of thistles: Then if the blessing of GOD dropping as fast as raine on vsus, raise vp no fruite in vsus, vnles it be that we are made more proude and vaine; we are yet fallow, and the Lord must breake3 vsus vp. Fourthly, common passengers going by good corne bestow a prayer to blesse it,3. No blessings better vsus. which none doe to the drie fallow, being fitter for children to play vponupon, than for men to reape fruite on: so whosoeuer taketh such a course of life, that no man will vouchsafe to say of him, The Lord continue him; and yet some worldly men will peraduenture say of4 him, He is a quiet man, and doth no man harme: yet if the skilfull plowman passing by (I4. The preaching of Gods worde, discernes it to be fallow. meane the Prophet, or Preacher of God, which can discerne better of the soile) say not so much as we wish you prosperitie in the name of the Lord; no doubt that man is fallow. But besides this, the diuell the enuious man & sower of Tares, vseth many policies that we may not be broken vp. Against whose wisedome, because I would hauehave you wise, I will bewray his wisedome. One point of his policie is this, he would keepe vsus from the plow, and the plow from vsus, and therefore when we should goe to heare the word, he casteth beforeSathās policy vsus other businesses, perswading vsus that we may leaue the word, & meete the plow some other1 time; whē it may be that iourney might hauehave turned vsus vp, that time might hauehave bin the acceptable time of our calling. If pretence of businesse will not keepe vsus away, but we will needes be plowed, he tries another point, and prooueth vsus by pastime, by playes, by p. 850drowsinesse, and brings a great vnlustines vponupon vsus, that we hauehave no stomacke in the world to heare the Lord. Well, if so be that he cannot fadge, but wee will spite of his teeth come3 vntounto the plough, then hee will labour to make the plow passe ouer vsus, and so it shall not breake vp, that is, he will so deceiue vsus with vaine and wandring conceits, that we shal onelyonly heare, and hearing wee shall be as though wee did not heare, and so Pauls doctrine is inuerted by Sathan. Paul bids vsus vse the world, as though we vsed it not; the diuell bids vsus vse1. Cor. 7.1 Cor 7 the world, as though we vsed it not: which if wee doe, wee shall deale prouidently for the diuell, but vnwisely for the Lord, and for our owne saluation. If neither of these hauehave that4 successe that he looketh for, but we come vnderunder the hand of the Sower, and somewhat fallethLuk. 8. Mark. 4. Matth. 13.Luke 8Mark 4Matt 13 on vsus, then he goeth about to plucke out that which is sowne from vsus, and so will bee sure to hinder the taking of roote in vsus, and by this hee preuaileth mightily in many. And because not onelyonly fallow ground, but sandie and stonie be vnfruitful, if he cannot hauehave vsus5 fallow, he will hauehave vsus sandie, or stonie. Wee knowe if seede be cast into sandie ground, it is easie to bee carried away with eueryevery winde, and if the plow goe on stones, it will not profit the stones, but the stones wil hurt it. Christ biddeth vsus not to giuegive holy things to dogs, andMatth. 7.Matt 7 not to cast pearles before swine, least these tread them vnderunder their feete, and the other returne and al… to rent vsus. Wherein wee vnderstand, that if the word of God be spoken vntounto them; they blow it from them like swine, and they receiue no more good than sandie ground. And another sort there is worse than this, who hearing the word, resist, and become enemies to the Preachers, as did that wicked man Ieroboam, who being reproued of his Idolatry, 1. King▪ …. 34 stretched out his hands to hauehave striken the Prophet, wherin they are like to dogges, and these are the stonie gounds. But to come to breaking of fallow grounds▪ eueryevery man must be carefull, first to vse the plow, which is the word of God, which he must come to heare; then he must heare it as he ought, that is he must pray before hee come.

CHAP. XVII. Of Gods prouidence.

GOD his prouidence is great towards man, Psalm. 8. when as men see the Lord passing by the Sunne, the Moone, and Starres which are very beautifull, and fasting his louelove in a lumpe of clay, wherein hee putteth a soule, which afterward hee purposeth to glorifie: hee passeth by creatures ingendring Muske, to vsus which ingender lice, and stinch; yea the Lord hath hid the gifts of creatures from themselues, and made them to feare vsus, whereas if they knew the things wherin they excel vsus, they would not bee so obedient, and yet the very life of all those thing are giuen vsus to our comfort. God hath yet a more particular care of vsus: for whereas all things naturally are delightedRegeneration with their like, the Lord being delighted euen with his first worke in vsus, much more is delighted with the second worke in vsus by regeneration; as when hee seeth we hate our selues to louelove him, wee heare not our selues, but heare him. But most wonderfull is it, that God careth for eueryevery particular, & singular persō yea for eueryevery haire of eueryevery person. He called and knew the Saints by their names, as Abel, Abraham, Moses, Samuel, Paul, Christ did not onelyonly know Nathaniel, but a little accident about him, that he was vnderunder the figge tree. By this care the Lord knew to draw Lot out of Sodome, he singled out Caleb and Iosuah, yea he knoweth vsus among twentie thousand.

p. 851CHAP. XVIII. Of seeking of God.

THere are none almost but at one time or at another they seeke God, though the common sort doe it at the last cast in their extreame agonies, and when health and friends faile, they goe to him. But Malachy saith, God is a King, and will hauehave his senioritie, and in this order of seeking, many good men are deceiued: for so they cousin not, nor deale falsely, they thinke they may scratch worldly riches; but the Lord will not hauehave vsus to take the siluer of worldly things, before the gold of godlines, neither must the seruant first waite some houres on himselfe, and then on his maister, but contrarie. As there is a seeking, so in seeking there is an order. This is Gods prerogatiue to be sought first, Matth. 29. He is a foole that thinketh that the gold of the Temple, that is riches, is better than the pietie in the Temple, which sanctifieth the gold. Salomons choise must be our direction. Abraham sought obedience before his owne countrie: Ioseph and Moses sought God rather than Pharaoh. But we seeke preposterously, giuing youth to pleasure, old age to God, wee make our eldest children Lawyers, the second or yongest Diuines, where as our fathers made the first borne to serue the Priesthood. In our contracts we first seeke wealth, and then religion, a cursed match. Well, because we can see no impietie, but a contrarietie, wee may so seeke God, that wee shall not finde God. Wherefore let vsus seeke God in his word, and that not in a piece of the word, but in all the word, not making a conscience of some sinne, and yet retaining some other sinne. God will not be halfed, and quartered in quantitie, because he is indiuisible in substance. Many will vse a restrained obedience, and the world would hauehave a placard still for some sinne. Such a one was he that would hauehave a dispensation for kneeling in the house of R…mmon with his maister. Ananias would keep some part to himselfe. God will be sought totally in respect of his word, as also he requireth an vniuersalitie in seeking of himselfe. Wee must not seeke God and the world together, wee must not hauehave two strings to our bow, hauing one eye on the word, and an other on the world. Wee must not thinke if wee hauehave God it is well, if wee hauehave him not it is no great harme, proposing pietie to our selues so long as wee be in the Church, and promising immunitie to our selues being out of the Church.

CHAP. XIX. Of sinne.

VIolent good things and constrained deserue no prayse, and therefore the Lord suffered Adam to bee able to sinne, that not sinning when hee might hauehave sinned, hee might truly bee rewarded; and not to hauehave sinned when there was in him none abilitie to sinne, was worth no commendation. And therefore the Papists doe euill in charging God, that he might hauehave giuen him such gifts, and right vse of his gifts as he should not hauehave sinned, as also that hee might hauehave hindred this euill. But the Lord was no more the cause of sinning, than the soule is the cause of halting in a man. For as in a lame man the soule is onelyonly the cause of mouing, and the shrinking of some veine, or crookednes of the legge is the cause of vnperfect mouing; likewise God is the cause of eueryevery action in man, but our owne corruption is the cause of the sinne of the action: and yet for all this the Lord draweth out good euen from the vilest actions. Wherfore neither doth the Lord euill himselfe, nor suffereth euill to be done, but as hee driueth out a more good than there is ill in the action it selfe.

2 Some men leaue sinne, as adultery, theft, or murther, for open shame, or for punishment; but in other cases which offend God as much, as negligence in their calling, prophanation of the Sabbath, neglect of hearing the word, they make no conscience at all. p. 852Therefore we must hauehave a labouring against all sinne. Others leaue sinne, but it is for age, or fayling in pleasure, or some such thing which hindreth them, of which diuers will tellTo leaue sin, & to repent of sin differ. of their sinnes with such mirth, and make much of them that fall into the same, when as the mention of them should be odious. It is not all one to leaue sinne, and to repent of sinne. Others hauehave a purpose to do good, and are attentiue in hearing of the word, but to winne credit by it, but not to credit it: whereupon it is that many doe not profit by hearing,Opus operatum. nay they doe not desire to profit, nor are not sorie when they doe not profit. This is plaine poperie, they get the worke done they care not how. Some others hauehave done good, but their doing of good doth work in them such a pride that they take some glory of it to themselues, they are made more carelesse, which is abhomination before God. Sinne, shame, and death, came in together, liue together, and shall dye together: as in Adam he was naked and had no shame; so in Christ, and in the godly at the last day no sin shall be in them, nor shame; as in the Angels, now they are not.

CHAP. XX. Of profit and pleasure.

PAul diuiding the times, 1. Tim. 4 and 2. Tim. 3. into the latter dayes, and the last dayes, telleth in the spirit of prophecie of them both, that in the one there should bee much superstition, which are gone; and in the other, into which wee are fallen, and they are fallen on vsus, that men shall bee louers of pleasures more than of God, and account gaine godlinesse: so the one esteeme our life as a pastime, the other thinke of it as of a market, to be getting at all hands. Although Marthaes part be the worse, and Christ hath saide so, because it shall bee taken away from her, yet all choose her part, and yet this otherwise hath often a great scourge of God ioyned vntounto it. It is the errour of the world in these dayes to thinke all is well, so we get not our riches by euill meanes: but I say, though wee vse no euill meanes at all to get them, euen in louing the bare things themselues too much wee offend: For not onelyonly things corrupt are impure, but also things mingled with such things as are corrupt, are made vnpure: so things impure mingled with the soule corrupt it, because the soule is onelyonly for the Lord.

CHAP. XXI. Of Christs power.

THe Sonne of God taketh care of that thing which wee thinke no pitle needes to be bee taken of, that is, of the peace of conscience. When men heare of their neighbours to come vnderunder this new Lord, they thanke GOD they are not so, and when they themselues are a little waked out of sleepe, and feele their head not well, but thinke the chamber goeth round about, they quietly can lye downe and fall to sleepe againe. Well then, seeing Christ taketh care of vsus, wee must not feare a strong enemie, because wee hauehave a more valiant Captaine. The Diuell indeede is a Lion, but so is Christ a Lion, & that of the tribe of Iudah; there is a Lion for a Lion, courage for courage. The Diuell is a Serpent, so Christ calleth himselfe a brasen Serpent; there is a Serpent for a Serpent, and wisedome for wisedome; yea a Serpent of brasse, to sting all the fierie Serpents of the wildernes. But thou saiest, Christ is called a Lambe, and a worme. Be not discouraged, that is in respect of his Father, who found him as meeke as a Lambe, who might hauehave troden on him as on a worme; but the Diuell neuer found him a Lambe▪ but a Lion. So that though before God hee was as a Lambe or a worme, yet before the Diuell, p. 853a Lion for a Lion, a Serpent for a Serpent. The weakenes of Christ is stronger than all the power of hell, Iohn. 18. when the Diuell seemed to be in his ruffe, when hee had a proud shew, he sends a great crue to take a sillie man; when hee told them it was hee whom they sought, this little word cast them downe; a word of a man, humbled and readie to be iudged, by the breath of his mouth, cast downe legions. What shall this Christ doe now in glorie! nay what shall he doe when it commeth with thousands of Angels? This then is the estimation, the Diuell is strong, but Christ stronger; the Diuell is wise, but Christ is wiser.

CHAP. XXII. Of Temptation.

OF all punishments this is the sorest, to be suffered to walke as we list. Ps 78. the people would needes hauehave Quailes: Almightie God saith, Let them hauehave Quailes: but he destroyed them euen when the meate was in their …outhes, for with their morsels they swallowed wrath. Oh, saith the Lord, that the people would walke in my way, and Israel obey me: but because …hey would not, God gaue them ouer to their hearts lust. Rom. 1. 24. Idol…trie the greatest sinne that can be, God punished with this: whereby we see how heauie a sinne it is in God his sight, how light soeuer wee make of it, to be giuen ouer to our owne hearts lust. In the booke of Numbers there is mention made of a place where the children of Israel were plagued, called the graues of lust, wherof a learned Father saith: In these daies there are many graues of lust, for his bodie that liues in pleasure is a graue of lust. And this is that which I desire we may see, that we might once hauehave a feeling of thornes in pleasure, and that God punish vsus not by suffering vsus still to goe on. I reade in the Scriptures of deliuering a man to Sathan, and of deliuering a man to himselfe: the first there may follow saluation, as wee see to the man in the Epistle to the Corinthians: but if wee fall into the second, it is dangerous. For it were better to be deliuered ouer to the diuell, than to his owne lust: for thither it will bring him, and that so, as he shall not see it nor respect it.

FINIS.