Four Sermons, Sermon 2
THE SINFVLL MANS SEARCH.
Iob. 8. 5. 6. 7.
5 If thou wilt early seeke vntounto God, and pray vntounto the Almightie:
6 If thou be pure and vpright: then surely hee will awake vntounto thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousnesse prosperous.
7 And though thy beginning be but small: yet thy latter end shall greatly increase.
IN a sicke and euill affected bodie (dearelie beloued) wee vsuallie see preparatiues ministred, that the maladies maie bee made more fit and pliable to receiue wholsome medicines. The like, yea, and greater regard ought we to hauehave of our soules which being not crasie onlie, or light ly affected with sinne, but sicke euen vntounto death, had neede to be prepared with threats and exhortations, comforts and consolatiōs, one way or other, that they may be made fit, not to receiue the preparatiue, but the perfection of happie saluation. And for this cause hauehave I made choise of this part of Scripture, as of a light to shine vntounto vsus in darkenesse, a direction to our steps, and a lanthorne to our paths, while we wander through the boistrous waues of this wicked world. The text is playne, and obiect to euerie mans capacitie, naturally budding vntounto blossomes: The first contayning our duetie which we are to performe towards God. The second, Gods promises, if we performe this duty.
Our duetie towards God, is implied in these three conditions. First, If thou wilt early seeke vntounto God. Secondly, If thou wilt pray vntounto the Almighty. Thirdly, If thou bee pure and vpright: so that the whole consisteth on these three poynts. First, what it is that God requireth, namely a diligent Diuision.and speedy search, in these wordes. If thou wilt seeke early. Secondly, how thy search is to be made in prayer, in these wordes: If thou wilt pray to the Almighty. Thirdlie, what effect these thinges ought to worke in vsus, a puritie and sinceritie of life, in these words, If thou be pure and vpright.
As our duety towards God consisteth in three points: so Gods blessinge towards vsus, is also three-fold answerable to the same. First, for seeking, he promiseth, he will awake vntounto thee. Secondly, for praying vntounto him, he will make the habitations of thy righteousnesse prosperous. Thirdly, for being pure and vpright, he wil make thy latter end increase exceedingly: yea, though thy beginning be but small.
First therefore concerning the search, it is a worke both Cōcerning the search. Psal 107 Matth 6in desire and labour to be ioyned to God. In the Psalme this standeth for the burthen of the song: They called vponupon the Lord in the time of their trouble, and hee deliuered them. It is but, Aske and hauehave, seeke and find, knocke and it shall bee opened vntounto you. Sauing that here these thinges are to bee regarded, to wit, how, by whom, and when we must seeke the Lord. How? First, faithfully, for if yee hauehave but as much as a graine of mustard-seede, and say vntounto this mountaine, Remoue, Mat 17. 20 Eccle 35it shall remoue, and nothing shall be vnpossible vntounto you. Then next humbly, for it is the humble petition that pearceth the skies, & that shewed the Publican to depart home to his house more iustified then the boasting Pharisie: and they alone that be humble and meeke, finde rest for their soules. And last of all, continually, for wee must not faint in well doing because the reward is not promised to him that doth, but to him that contiuneth to doe.Gal. 6 1. Thes. 6
But wee may long seeke and neuer finde, except wee seeke the Father by the Sonne: For no man knoweth the Father, 1. Tim. 2but the sonne, and hee to whom the Sonne shall disclose him: he is the way, the trueth, and the life, and no man commeth to the Father but by him. There is one God and one mediatour betwixt God and man, the man Christ Iesus. So that if we sinne, wee hauehave an aduocate, Iesus Christ the just, and hee is the propitiation for our sinnes: onelyonly let vsus seeke the Lord while he may be found.
And to this ende the worde Seeking is vsed in this place, that we may learne, that as the heauens and the planets, and the whole frame of nature were ordayned to finish their course by motions and operation: so man, as hee was ordained to a most blessed and happie ende, should attaine thereunto, not by sloth and idlenesse, but by an earnest seeking of the same. The kingdome of heauen is like a treasure, Matt. 13. 14which cannot bee found without seeking and digging. It is like the precious pearle, for which the wise Merchant was content not onelyonly to seeke, but to sell all that he had, to buy it. God hath placed vsus here in this world as husbandmen, to plough vp the fallowe of our hearts: as labourers to worke in his vineyarde: as trauellers to seeke a countrey: as souldiers to fight the battell of the Lorde against the flesh, the world, and the diuell. And for this purpose hath hee proposed vntounto vsus an vntilled lande, a vineyarde, a triple enemie to fight against: that wee might remember, that wee must till the ground, if wee will reape the fruite: that wee must prune the vine, if wee will drinke of the grape: that wee must fight if we will ouercome. He that tilleth the land (sayth the wise man) shall bee satisfied with breade, but hee that followeth Prouer. 28idlenesse, shall be filled with pouerty, Idlenesse is a moath or canker of the mind, and the fruits thereof are wicked cogitations, euill affections, and worse actions: corrupt trees without fruit, twise dead, and plucked vp by the rootes, engendering Iudge. 1 Prou. 24.in the mind a loathing of God and godlines.
Eschue therefore idlenesse, I beseech ye, and by the want ye finde in others, learne instructions for your selues. Bee not forgetfull howe busie your enemy is, if he finde ye idle: first hee putteth yee in minde of some vanitie: then offereth opportunitie to practise: then hee craueth consent; and if yee grant him that, hee triumpheth by adding practise: hee leaueth no meanes vnattempted, whereby hee may subuert and bring ye to perdition. To one (as to Eua) hee promiseth the Gen. 3knowledge of good and euil. Another he seduceth with lying speeches, as he did Pharao the king, whom hee deceiued Exod. 7. 22 1. Kings 13 1 Cor. 2. 1by false Prophets. To the Iewes he pretended the temple of the Lord. To the heathen hee shewed vniuersalities and antiquities. And to omit particulars, hee leaueth no men vnattempted, whereby he may entangle the soules of the simple, and wrap them in the snares of death. Flie idlenesle therefore, and seeke vertue, and the way thereof: seeke learning, as for a iwell, make diligent search and inquisition after her: seeke earlie, and seeke late in the morning sow thy seed, and in the euening let not thy hande rest: seeke him in the day of trouble, and he wil deliuer thee, and thou shalt glorifie him. Seeke him, there is the commaundement: hee will deliuer thee, there is the promise: and thou shalt glorifie him, there is the condition. To disobey the commaundement is rebellion: to distrust the promise, is infidelitie: to refuse the condition, is vile ingratitude. Wherefore let vsus seeke, and seeke earnestly, with a feruent spirit, and humblenesse of heart, and let vsus perswade ourselues that there is no seeking without finding, no opening without knocking.
The second circumstance to bee considered in this point, is to whom wee must seeke for these thinges. Our direction 2.is made vntounto God, For eueryevery good and perfect gift is from aboue, descending from the father of lights. And as for many Iames. 1. 27causes we are to seeke God, and to God alone, so especiallie for these foure.
First, because we hauehave nothing of our selues, nor of anie other creature, but whatsoeuer we hauehave, wee hauehave it of God: for what hast thou that thou hast not receiued? in him wee liue, wee moue, and hauehave our being. Art thou wise in thine owne conceit? O remember that the wisedome of the world is foolishnesse with God. O consider that the naturall man vnderstandeth not the thinges of God. These things are hid 1. Cor. 2 Rom. 1from the wise and prudent, and are reuealed to babes and sucklings. Alas what were manif he were once left to himselfe? A map of misery, and a sinke of calamitie. Alas, how vvere he able to resist the fierie dartes of the aduersary, who 2. Pet. 2 Reue. 2cōtinually goeth about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may deuoure? Here ye may note first his malice, for he daily accuseth vsus before the chiefe Iudge of the kinges bench: when hee cannot preuaile in this court, but seeth his billes of accusation repelled, then hee remooueth the matter to the court of our owne consciences where on the one side hee laieth the bookes of the lawe, and statutes made against sin: on the other side the billes of accusation brought in against vsus out of the bookes of the Law, alleadging these strict places against vsus: The soule that sinneth shall die the death: Cursed is he that abideth not in eueryevery point of the lawe, to doe it. On the other side, hee bringeth in our consciences to witnesse against vsus, and then inferreth this harde conclusion: Therefore there is no hope in saluation.
Then if hee see that wee appeale from iustice to merciemercy, and say: At what time soeuer a sinner repenteth, the Iudge putteth all his wickednesse out of his remembrance, hee dealeth with vsus, as craftie worldlinges deale in matters of lawe, who when they see their matters passe against them in higher Courtes, bring downe their case into the countrie, to bee decided by the neighbours: who, either for their simplicitie cannot, or for their fauour dare not iudge of the truth of the matter.
So our aduersarie, though God himselfe do discharge vsus, though our conscience doth testifie our innocencie: yet hee accuseth in the third court before men, where he is bolde to powre out his vvhole venome and poison of his malice against vsus, and to forge what lies, and slaunders, and lybels hee list, because hee knoweth they shall bee receiued as true. Thus hee accused Christ Iesus our blessed Lorde and Sauiour before Pontius Pilate, and caused diuers false and vntrue witnesses to come in against him.
But if hee vvere malitious onelyonly to vvish our destruction, and not mightie to vvreake his malice, wee shoulde hauehave little cause to feare: but he is mightie, therefore hee is tearmed alyon, the power of darkenesse, a great dragon, which drewe to the earth the thirde part of the starres of heauen: Luke. 11. Ephe 6. Reu. 12.that is, with earthly temptation to hauehave ouerthrowne them, which seemed to shine in the church of God as Lamps, and Starres. O then how easie is our ouerthrow, if the Lord did not holde vsus vp, which shine not as starres in heauen, but creepe like wormes on earth?
3 Yet if he were but malicious and mightie, it were better with vsus; but he is fierce, and therefore called a roaring Lyon, who laying waite for the bloud of the godlie, stirreth vp bloud-thirstie persecutors, to make themselues drunke with the bloud of the saintes: as most grieuoussy he did from the time of Iohn Baptist, to the raigne of Maxentius, the space of 294. years, flaying some by the sworde, burning other with fire, hanging some on the gallowes, drowning some in riuers, stabbing some with forkes of yron, pressing others vntounto death with stones, deuouring many thousands of the tender lambs of Christs flocke.
4 To this malice, might and rage, is added his subtil policy, which he vseth in circumuenting the faithfull, hee doth not pitch his tentes in any one place, but walketh about from place to place to spie out his best aduauntage, in the night Iohn. 1hee soweth Tares, and in the daie hee hindereth the growth thereof.
5 He proceedeth after further, and addeth to his policie industrie, hee considereth our natures and dispositions, and to what sinnes wee doe most incline: and thereunto he applieth himselfe, sometimes by flatterie, sometimes by feare, sometimes by feeding our humours hee subtilly entiseth vsus, sometimes by violence he goeth about to enforce vsus, sometime by changing himselfe into an Angell of light, he endeuoureth to betray our soules into his hands, and in whatsoeuer estate he findeth vsus, hee thereby taketh occasion to lay siege to our soules.
Thus ye see noted in a word, the force of our aduersarie: examine nowe your selues, whether yee hauehave any thing in yourselues, and you shal finde nothing but weakenesse and corruption. It is God that giueth strength to the mightie, wisedome to the prudent, and knowledge to the vnderstanding: he teacheth Dauids hande to fight, and his fingers to Psal. 144.battaile hee giueth strength to his armes to breake a bowe, euen a bowe of steele: wherefore let neither the wise man glorie in his wisedome, nor the strong man in his strength: but let him that glorieth, glory only in the Lord.
Secondly, we are to seeke vntounto God alone, because none 2is so present as he for God, because he is almightie, and with his power filleth both heauen and earth, is present alwaies with them that feare him, and readie to succour them in distresse. The Lord is neere to all that call vponupon him in truth, he heareth our gronings & sighs, and knoweth what things are necessary for vsus before we aske.
The third reason vvhy vvee must seeke vntounto God is, none 3is so able to helpe vsus as he: but of this I shall hauehave particular occasion to speake when I come to this point, And pray to the Almighty.
The fourth reason vvhy vve must seeke Christ alone is, because there is none so willing to helpe vsus as hee. It is a great 4courage to vsus to make sute, vvhen we are perswaded of the willignesse of him to whom vve make sute: and I praie ye, vvho vvas euer more carefull for our saluation, and more vvatchfull ouer vsus than the Lorde? vvho euer put his trust in him, and vvas confounded? In this respect he is called a Father, because, as the father tendreth his sonne, so the Lorde doth al those that put their trust in him. Can there bee anie more willing to helpe vsus than Christ, vvhose vvhole heade vvas sicke, and whose hart was heauy for our sakes? yea, in whose bodie, from the sole of the foote to the crowne of the heade, was nothing but woundes and swellings, and sores? But alas, this was nothing to that hee suffered for our sakes. He was compassed about with feares and horrours, till his sweat was drops of bloud, and his bones bruised in the flesh, he was whipped and scourged, and chastised with sorrowes, till he cried out in the bitternes of his soule, O Lorde, if it bee possible, let this cup passe from me. The heauy hande of God was so grieuous vponupon him, that hee bruised his verie bones, and rent his raines asunder: hee could find no health in his flesh, but was wounded, yea wounded to the death, euen the most bitter death vppon the Crosse. His tender fingers were nailed to the crosse, his face was wrinkled with weeping and wailing, his sides imbrued and gored with his own bloud, spurting and gushing fresh from his ribs, the shadowe of death was vponupon his eies.
O what griefe could be like to this, or what condemnation could be so heauie, sith there was no wickednes in his handes? sith he was the brightnesse of his fathers glorie, and the sunne of righteousnes that shined in the worlde, as to see his daies at an end, to see such throbbing sighs and carefull thoughts without cause of his, so deeply ingrauen in the tables of his breast. But was this all? no, my brethren, sith his excellencie was such aboue al creatures, that the world was not worthy to giuegive him breath, it was a greater griefe vntounto him, to see himselfe made a worme, and not a man, a shame of men, and contempt of the people: to see his life shut vp in shame and reproches, howe could it but shake his bones out of ioynt, and make his heart melt in the middest of his bowels? who was euer so full of woe, and brought so low in the dust of death? vponupon whom did the malice of Sathan euer get so great a conquest?
This though it were exceeding, yet it was not all, no, it was but a taste of griefe in comparison of the rest: beholde therefore (if your wearie eyes will suffer you to behold) the depth of all miseries yet behind: the sinne that he hated, hee must take vponupon his owne bodie, and beare the wrath of his father powred out against it. This is the fulnesse of al paynes that compassed him rounde about, which no tongue is able to vtter, or heart conceiue: the anger of the father burneth in him, euen to the bottome of hel, and deepe sinke of confusion: it wrapped him in the chaines of eternall death: it crucified him, and threw him downe into the bottomlesse pit of calamity, and made his soule by weeping and vvailing to melt into these bitter teares trickling from his eyes: O God my God, why hast thou for saken me?
O that my head vvere a vvel of waters, and a fountaine of teares, that I might weep day & night at the remembrance hereof: but least I linger too long about one flowre, vvhile I hauehave many to gather, I vvill conclude this point thus in a worde: Sith Christ hath suffered these, and an infinite number such like torments for our sakes, it is blasphemous once to dreame or imagine anie to bee more willing to helpe vsus than hee: nay, he is more readie to heare our prayers, than we to offer them vntounto him, insomuch as he complayneth by the Prophet Esay: I hauehave beene found of them which sought Esay. 65.me not, al the day long hauehave I stretched out my hand vntounto a rebellious people, which walked in away that was not good euen after their own imaginations. And vntounto Ierusalem hee Math. 25saith, O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, how often would I hauehave gathered thee together, as the henne gathereth her chickens, but you would not. Wherefore to ende this pointe: Seeke for knowledge, as for a treasure, and for wisedome, as for the wedge of gold of Ophir: No mention shall be made in comparison of it, of Corall, Gabish, or that pretious Onix: For Iob. 28.wisedome is more precious then pearles. But aboue al things, seeke it where it may be found, and where is the place of vnderstanding? Surely, man knoweth not the path thereof: the deep saith, It is not in me: the sea saith, It is not in me: death and destruction say, We hauehave heard the same thereof with our eares: all creatures say, it is not with vsus: but God vnderstandeth the way thereof: and vntounto man he saith, The feare of the Lorde is the beginning of wisedome, and to depart Pro. 9.from euill is vnderstanding.
The thirde circumstance is, when wee must seeke vntounto God: and holy Dauid answereth, Early, euen in a time when Psal. 32hee may be founde. Let vsus redeeme the day, which we hauehave foreslowed so many dayes, wherein wee hauehave so long hardned our hearts: let vsus take vp this daie, and make it the daie of our repentance: let vsus make it a daie of newnes of life, as it is the first daie of the new yeere: let euen this moment be the last of a sinfull life, and the first daie to godlines. And as the wise man saith: Make no long tarrying to turne vntounto the Eccle. 5Lorde, and put not off from day to day, for suddainely shall the Lords wrath breake, and in thy security thou shalt be destroied, and shalt perish in the time of vengeance.
Art thou a Magistrate, placed in high roome and authoritie, and seated in the throne of dignitie? then vse not this thy might to wrong and oppression, grinde not the faces of the poore, swell not with pride, despising his lowe estate: Sel not thy righteousnesse for siluer, preferring the marchants of Babylon before the citizens of Ierusalem.Amos. 8
Art thou a priuate labouring man? Doe thy duetie trulie, 1. Pet. 3be subiect, and liue in dread to displease the good magistrate. Art thou olde, and hast consumed the flowre of thy youth in wantonnesse? breake off thy course, and frame thy selfe to sobrietie: giuegive the water no passage, no not a little: for if it hauehave neuer so little issue, it will ouerflowe thee: and if thou doe slacke the raines neuer so little, thy sinnes will carrie thee (like a wilde horse) thorow brambles and bushes, and will leaue no soundnes in thy flesh: worke this reformation in thy selfe betimes, euen to daie, euen this first daie of the newe yeere: If you wil heare my voice, harden not your hearts.
Art thou young, and doest begin to flourish like the yong palme tree? O consider, that the onelyonly way to retaine the blossoms of thy beautie, and to keepe thy flowre from withering, and thy leafe from fading away, is to seeke early vntounto God, and to apply thy minde to vnderstanding, to preuent the morning vvatches, and to giuegive thy bodie to bee moistened of the morning dew! For beside the good houres that are vvell imploied in some good studie and holie exercise, earlie rising bringeth health to thy body, and increaseth the number of thy daies.
Seeke therefore, and seeke earlie, consecrate your selues Nazarites vntounto the Lord, touch no vncleane thing, giuegive no prouocation to the flesh, Striue with the cocke in watchfulnesse, Eccle 12and rise with the chirping of the birdes: sacrifice your bodie a sweete smelling sacrifice vntounto the Lord. This sacrifice is like a sacrifice of fine flowre: it is like the fat taken from the peace offring: yea, it is better than any sacrifice, it is like the flowre of roses in the spring of the yeere, and as the lillies in the springs of water, and as the branches of Frankincense in the Eccle. 32 47. 50.time of Summer: and as a vessell of masty golde beset with rich stones, as a faire Oliue that is fruitfull, and as the tree that groweth vp to the cloudes. Hauing spoken of the Search, it followeth that I speake of the manner how it is to bee made. In prayer, by these wordes, If thou pray vntounto the Almightie.
I shewed yee before, the force of our aduersarie, receiue now a shield against his force, euen the shield of prayer. Hee is not to bee resisted by ringing an hallowed bell, nor by sprinkling of holy water, nor by the relikes of Sayntes, nor by our owne workes and merites, for these are weapons of his owne making, but by an earnest seeking to God, which search and seeking must be made by prayer, agaynst which his poysoned venome taketh no effect.
It is his malice that accuseth: prayer pleadeththy case before God, and repelleth all his accusations: for all the Prophets doe witnesse, that whatsoeuer wee aske in prayer, if Mat. 2.wee beleeue, wee shall receiue it. It is his rage and furie that should terrifie vsus; nay that prayer that strengthned Sampson to rent a young Lyon, as one should hauehave rent a kid, hauing nothing in his hand, shall smite and shut vp the mouth of this Lyon. As for his policie and walking vp and downe, seeking to deuoure vsus, it cannot preuaile; For the prayer of Iames 5. 15the faithfull shall saue them; and the Lord shall raise them vp, and if they hauehave committed sinne it shall bee forgiuen them, and after this conflict ended, they shall triumph for euer with Iesus Christ our Sauiour. But in any case see you vnite to your prayer knowledge, that you be not seduced to offer your petitions to strange gods, as Saints, stockes or stones. Then consent that we aske onlie in ye name of Christ Iohn 16Iesus, not for any desert of our owne: for whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ, shall hauehave remission of sinnes, he shall not perish, but hauehave life euerlasting, hee shall not come into iudgement, Act. 15, 10but shall passe from death to lyfe. Lastly, a confidence, which is a certayne perswasion of Gods merciemercy toward vsus: this is that prayer, of which the lambe testifieth, That whatsoeuer wee aske by prayer, it shall giuen vsus by God the father. A thing (dearly beloued) so precious, that nothing is more accepted in heauen, nothing more gratefull to God: a seruice commanded of God himselfe, taught by Christ our Sauiour, and frequented by the Angels: a thing of more force with God, than any oration of the eloquent.
Hast thou not heard how the Sunne stood still in the firmament, and was not suffered to run his course? Iosua and Iosh 6 2. King 20 Dan. 6.Ezechias prayed, and the Sunne stood still. Hast thou not heard of the stopping of the Lyons mouthes? Daniell prayed and his prayer stopped the Lyons greedie and deuouring throates. Hast thou not heard of the diuiding of the red sea? the Israelites prayed, and the waters of Iordan were dried vp: yea, the Israelites prayed, and the waters stoode about Exod. 14them like to a wall. Hast thou not heard howe the fierie furnace lost his heate? the three children prayed, and the fire Dan. 3lost his heate. Hast thou not heard howe the heauens were opened and shut? Elias prayed, and the heauens were shut vp three ye ares: Elias prayed, and the clouds powred downe 1 King. 8rayne from heauen.
O sure fortresse, more forcible than any engine, and stronger than the gates of hell, and to conclude, the summe and substance of all in few words: the onelyonly thing whereby mortall men hauehave the cloudes, and the stars, and the Angels, and all the powers of heauen at commandement. For as Deborah sung in her song: They fought from heauen, euen the Iudg. 4stars in their courses fought agaynst Sisera: for all creatures hauehave bene subiect to the prayers of the faythfull, to reuenge the Lordes quarrell, to helpe the Lord, to helpe the Lord agaynst the mighty. Prayer hath euer bin the cognisance, and the victorie, and the triumph of the faythfull: for as the soule giueth life to the bodie, so prayer giueth life to the soule.
O that I could engraue the louelove of it in your heartes, as with a Diamond, and so instill your mindes, that my wordes might bee prickes to your consciences, and thereby giuegive ye occasion to pray often. It is a wonderfull matter to bee able to perswade men, but if prayer be able to perswade the liuing God, ô how great is the force thereof! it goeth thorow the cloudes, and ceaseth not till it come neere, and will not depart till the most high hauehave respect thereunto. O that you would therefore pray often, and learne of Christ (the most absolute patterne of our lyfe) to pray continually. He prayed in Luke 6 Luke 6 Luke 6 Iohn 11 Math 26 Iohn 18 Luke 22 Luke 23 Math 19 Psal 40 Rom 8his baptisme, in the wildernes, in preaching, in working of miracles, in his passion, on the mount, in the garden, in his last supper, in commending his spirite to God at all times, and in all places, that he might leaue vntounto vsus an example of the same. It followeth. And pray to the Almightie, to those three former reasons which I brought, why wee must seeke and pray to God alone, I added this as a fourth: because there is none so able to helpe vsus as the Lord. He that trusteth in the Lorde shall bee as mount Sion. If God be on our side, who can be against vsus? It is God that iustifieth, who condemneth? The Lord destroyeth the counsell of the heathen, hee 2. Tim 4.maketh their deuises to bee of no effect. Christ is the Angell of great counsell, wisedome, and vnderstanding, and there is Psal 83 Esay 9 Prou 2.no deuise against the Lorde. The world notwithstanding is come to that frame, that eueryevery man hath got him a strange kinde of beliefe. Some beleeue not the Lawe, but the prophets: some bee perswaded in the supremacie, but not in the sacrament: some in free will, but not in merite: some in inuocation on saints, but not in purgatorie: some in pilgramages and pardons, but not in images: some like the doctrine well inough, but not the preachers: the most beleeue little, yet many beleeue somewhat, few beleeue all: therefore to deale plainely, because plaine dealing is best, you must not beleeue by the halfes: I meane you must not repose some trust in God, and some in Saintes, but all in the Lorde. The gods of the Gentiles they hauehave mouthes and speake not; eies & see not, Psal 105eares and heare not: then what can bee looked for at their handes? But the Lord is strong and mighty, a mercifull God: and therefore thorow the Scriptures, he is called a Rocke, a Psal 18Fortresse, a strong Tower, a Shielde, a horne of saluation, a refuge, the Lorde of hostes, with other such like appellations, that wee might bee assured, that our helpe and deliuerance commeth from the Lord.
Put test thou any trust in mā, whose breath is in his nostrils? Cursed is he that maketh man his strength & flesh his arme. Surely Pharaoh, and all princes are a broken staffe, on which Iere. 7. 7 1. King. 16if a man leane, it will strike into his hand and pearce it, & laie him groueling in the dust: It is better therefore to trust in the Psal. 18Lord, thā to put any confidēce in Princes. Thinkest thou that Angels, or Saints, or Images can helpe thee? O foolish and impious pietie, to at tribute more vntounto the Angels, than they dare arrogate vntounto themselues. The Angel in the reuelation, Reue. 19forbiddeth Iohn to worship him. As for the image, we reade that to turne the glorie of the incorruptible God, into the Rom 1similitude of a corruptible creature is idolatrie. Well may I then affirme with Moses, Cursed be the Image and the Image Deut. 27maker. The conclusion therefore of this poynt is this, that we seeke the Lord and his strength euermore, that wee pray vntounto God in humilitie & sinceritie, and in full assurance of faith continually, who without end is to be sought, because without end he is to be beloued.
The third thing contained in our duetie is, what effect this seeking and praying ought to worke in vsus, comprehended in these wordes: If thou be pure & vpright: if the cloudes be ful, they will powre forth raine vponupon the earth: & vnpossible it is, that a man that seeketh after God and prayeth vntounto the Almighty, should not bring forth the fruits of a godly life, for if the tree be good, the fruits cannot be bad: & if the head of ye water be pure, it wil send forth pure waters into the cesterns. Wherefore as good motions are stirred vp by praier, so must they bee fostred by practise of life, according to that of the Apostle: Quench not the spirit, nor grieue the holy one of God, 1. Thes. 6by whom ye are sealed to the day of redemption.
He quencheth, dearly beloued, the spirit, which being once Ephes. 4lightened with the sparkles of faith, & felte Gods motions in his hart, doth neglect to increase the one to a flame, & the other to good workes in his life, but with the dog turneth to his vomit & with the Sow that was washed, to her wallowing againe in the mire. Therefore (beloued) louelove and seeke the Lord, pray to the almightie, be pure and vpright in conuersation, fly from sinne as from a serpent; for if thou come neare, it will bite thee. The teeth thereof are as the teeth of a Lyon, to slay the soules of men, and all iniquitie is as a two edged sword, the woundes that it giues cannot bee healed. I dare not stand as I would vponupon these pointes, fearing tediousnes: wherefore let this suffice for the former general part, concerning the duty we owe vntounto God.
Now Gods promises for the performance herof, yeeld vntounto vsus most plentiful matter of doctrine & cōsolation. First, of his iustice, that as he will suffer no sin vnpunished: so he will leaue no good work vnrewarded, but giueth to eueryevery seueral actiō his seueral hire, & iust recompence of reward. Shall the howre come, in which al that are in their graues, shal heare a voice, & come forth, they that hauehave done vvel, to the resurrection of life, they that hauehave done euil, to the resurrection of condemnation? Shall the Lord search Ierusalem with Lanthornes? Shall all foule corners be swept, and all pleites and vvrinckles be vnfolded? Shall the sea, graue, death, and hell, giuegive vp al that is in them? and shal all the deade (both great and small) stand before God, vvhen the bookes are opened? and shall eueryevery man hauehave praise of God according vntounto his deseruing? Shall vvee then discerne betweene the vessels of honour and of vvrath, betweene sheepe and gotes, the iust and vniust? Finally, shall there be an infallible generall, and incorrupt iudgement, wherein the booke of all our offences shall be laide wide open? Now God bee mercifull vntounto vsus; 1. The. 5be fauorable O Lord, bee fauorable. But to proceede, it is thy nature O Lorde, to gather vp the wheate, and burne the tares, to cut down all fruitles trees, & cast them into the fire, Ephes. 4yea, into a fierie furnace, that neuer shall be quenched, into an vtter darknes, where is weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth; then be fauorable O Lord, be fauorable.
Doth not the Lord spare Dauid, a king and a Prophet for murther? doth he not spare the Sichemites for adulterie? nor Absalom for treason? nor Saul for tyrannie? nor Eli for negligence, nor Achab, Ieroboam, nor Iezabell for crueltie? nor Herod, Nabuchadnezzar, & Lucifer for pride; nor Pharaoh for incredulitie: then be fauorable O Lord, be fauorable to vsus, in whom almost eueryevery one of these sins doe dwell and remaine. Did the Lorde for corruption ouerflow the world with water? did hee burne Sodome for her villanie? did he cast Adam and Eue out of Paradise, for eating of the forbidden fruite? did hee stone a poore wretch to death, for gathering chips on the Sabboth day? then be fauorable O Lorde, be fauorable vntounto vsus. But dooth not the Lord spare the Cedar tree for his height? nor the Oke for his strength? nor the Poplar for his smoothnesse? nor the Lawrel for his greennes? No verely, from the Cedar that is in Lybanon, euen to ye hysop that groweth out of the wall, yea, eueryevery one that bringeth not forth good fruite, is hewne downe and cast into the fire: it is a righteous thing with God, to render vengeance to those that disobey him, and to destroy such as hauehave forsaken the law by euerlasting perdition.
Behold, the Lord shal come in the great and latter day of iudgement, when none shall escape his iudgment seat, with Reue. 1. 7 2. Cor. 5cloudes shall he come, and eueryevery eie shall see him, euen they which pierced him thorow, shall also waile before him, being sūmoned al to appeare most fearfully before his imperial throne of maiesty: thē be fauorable O Lord, be fauorable. A las, with what eies shall we miserable sinners behold him, so gloriously sitting in his roiall kingdome, with all his mightie and holy angels, and whole number of saints sounding with the voice of the archangell, and trumpet of God, causing the heauens to passe away with a noise, and the elements to melt like waxe, & the earth to burne with the works thereof? yea, with what eies shall wee behold him, when we see the Sun darkned, the Moone eclipsed, and the stars fall down from heauen? But alas, when he taketh the furbished blade into his hand, when he is ready to throw the fiery thunderbolts of his wrath, when hee summoneth before him the worme that neuer dieth, the fire that neuer shall bee quenched, to reuenge vppon the wicked: into what a plight are they then driuen? then leaue they off; be fauorable O Lorde, be fauorable, and say to the hils; O ye mountains, come and couer vsus, O yee waters come and ouerwhelme vsus: wo, wo, wo, how great is this darkenes? The godly on the other side are bathed in such streames of blisse, and aduanced to such happines, as neither tongue can vtter, nor heart conceiue.
The second thing wee hauehave to note in his promises is his mercy which exceedeth al his workes. For God, though hee hauehave giuē a curse of the law against sinners, yet seeing Christ for the penitent hath borne the curse, whereby his iustice is not impaired: he is content to accept our weaknesse as our strength, to recompence our imperfection with rewarde of greatest perfection, and that which we can performe but in small part hee is content to accept as whole, not for any desert of ours, but in the satisfaction of his son, who paid with the seale of his owne bloud, the ransome for our sins, he hath cancelled the hand writing that was against vsus. Wherefore we are to pray vntounto God, that whensoeuer our sinnes shall come in question before him, that hee would looke vponupon Christ Iesus the true looking glasse, in whom he shal find vsus most pure and innocent, and to shine most cleerely in the righteousnesse which he had giuen vsus by faith: so that wee appeare not in our own righteousnesse, but in the righteousnesse of the lambe, who hauing taken away the sins of the world, and hauing made vsus as white as snowe, though wee were as red as crimson, saith, he will be mercifull to our iniquities, and wil remember our sinnes no more. Of him do al the Prophets be are witnesse, that through his name all that beleeue shal receiue remissiō of their sins. Againe, Drinke ye all of this, for this is my bloud which is shed for the remission of sins. Christ gaue himself for our sins, that hee might deliuer vsus from the curse of the lawe, euen according to the will of the father. Christ bare our sinnes in his owne body on the tree, that wee being deliuered from sin, might liue in righteousnes, by whose stripes we are healed, for we were as sheep going astray, but are now returned to the shepheard and bishop of our soules. It is no more but beleeue, & be saued: beleeue, and receiue remission: beleeue, and lay off thine own righteousnes, and inuest thy selfe with the righteousnesse of the vnspotted lambe.
Dauid was yong, and after was old, yet in all his daies he neuer saw the righteous forsakē. Somtimes he scourgeth his childrē, but like a louing father he laieth no more vponupon them thā they are able to be are, for he afflicteth thē for his own iustice, because they are sinners: for his wisedome, to exercise their faith: for his mercy, to cause thē to repent, but this is the end of al, he helpeth thē in their distresses, he reuengeth himselfe vponupon his enemies, & giueth to his people rest and quietnesse. O that we would therefore praise the Lord, and forget not al other his singular benefits: O that we would confesse, that his mercy endureth for euer.
The third thing to note in his promises, is his boūtiful kindnes, in requiting so smal a thing, with so great & liberal blessings: and bindeth himselfe by obligation (as it were) that as sure as wee performe the one, so he will not faile to accomplish the other.
The fourth is his patience and long suffering, which is not slacknes, as some men account slacknes: but is patience, because willingly he would hauehave no man to pertsh, but gladly would hauehave all men to come to repentance. He is content to stay our leasure, till wee seeke and pray vntounto him: and neuer smiteth, til there be no hope of redresse.
The fift, is his louelove, in that he is content to stir vsus vp to holy exercises, & purity of life, & to allure vsus with faire promises of aid, & prosperous increase of al his blessings in this world. The particular examinatiō of these blessings would require a larger discourse, thā (fearing tediousnes) I dare presume to trouble ye withal: wherefore a word of each, and so I end.
Touching the first, where it is said, God will awake vp vntounto thee, it is a greater benefit than the words import: for it signifieth, not only that he will heare thee, but that hee will also do what thou desirest, and satisfie thy request. As long as the sinner sleepeth, the Lord is said to bee asleepe: but as soone as the sinner awaketh from sinne, God wil arise (saith Dauid) Psal. 78and his enemies shall bee scattered, and they that hate him, shal fly before him: as the smoak vanisheth before the wind, & as the wax melteth before the fire, euen so shall the wicked perish at the presence of God. Wherfore as Paul exhorted the Ephesians, so I exhort you, Awake thou that sleepest, Ephe. 5.stād vp frō the dead, & christ shal giuegive thee light: awake vntounto God, & God wil awake vntounto thee, & Christ euen the son of God, the bright morning star, shall giuegive thee the light of life.
In the second, hee promiseth abundance of worldlie blessings, in recōpence of praier, for it is said, He wil make the habitations Reu. 22. 2 Psal. 1. 12of thy righteousnes prosperous, that is, the Lord wil make peace within thy wals, & prosperity within thy palaces: he wil commād his blessings to be with thee in thy store Pro. 28house, and in al thou settest thy hand vntounto: he will open vntounto thee his good treasures, euen the heauens to giuegive raine on thy land in due season. Thou shalt lay vp gold, as the dust, & the gold of Ophir, as the flint of the riuer: thou shalt wash thy paths with butter, & thy rocks shall powre out riuers of Iob. 22oile: thou shalt cal saluation thy wal, & praise shall be in thy gates. Lo, thus shal the man be blessed that feareth God.Psal. 128.
Lastly, for being pure & vpright, he wil make thy latter end greatly increase, & that thou maist the lesse mistrust his promise, he wil do it, though thy beginning be but small.
Here (brethren) ye see what a sea of matter is offered me, whereunto if I would commit my selfe, I might discourse vntounto ye, what strange euents (by Gods prouidence) hauehave hapned in the world, what great kings and potentates hauehave bin plucked down from their thrones, and what contemptible persons in the eie of the world, hauehave been aduanced to their roomes How Mardocheus a stranger was exalted into Hamons place: how Ioseph and Daniel, the one a bond-man in Hest. 8. Gen. 30. Dan. 6Egypt, the other a captiue in Babylon, were made Princes in those kingdomes But because I will not ouermuch transgresse the bondes of modesty, or hold yee longer than in this place I hauehave beene accustomed: onelyonly remember what the Prophet saith; He raiseth the needy out of the dust, and lifteth the poore out of the mire that he might set him with the princes, euen with the princes of the world.Psal. 113.
Remember the example of Dauid, whom the Lord chose and tooke from the Ewes great with young: that hee might Psal. 78feed his people in Iacob, & his inheritance in Israel. Remē ber the example of Iob, how the Lord turned the captiuitie Iob. 42of Iob, as the riuers in the south, how he blessed the last daies of Iob more than the first, how he gaue him sheep & camels & oxen, & she asses, in more abundance than he had before, how he increased him with sons and daughters, euen to the fourth generatiō, so yt he died being old and full of daies. Remember euen our own estate, for whom the Lord hath don great things already: as created vsus, and redeemed vsus, & sanctified Psal. 126.vsus, and not long since deliuered vsus from the gaping iawes of those that sought to sucke our bloud. VponUpon some he Psal. 41hath bestowed humility, whereby their mindes are adorned with vertue: honor vponupon others, wherby their persons are inuested with maiesty: vponupon others comlines, whereby the other two are graced: vponupon others orchards, which they planted not, or at least vntounto which they gaue no increase: vponupon others increase of vertuous children, whereby their posteritie is preserued: vponupon others, the free passage of his word, which a long time had beene obscured by ignorance, the mother of deuotion, as the shauelings call it, but vnderunder a stepdame of destructiō, as we perceiue it: & though he bestow but som one or two of his blessings vponupon vsus, yet how much are wee bound for these blessings, to sing praise, & honor, and glory, vntounto him that sitteth vponupon the throne, and vntounto the Lambe for euer. But vponupon whom hee hath bestowed all these blessings, O how strictly by good cause are they bound to magnifie the Lorde, and to reioice in God their Sauiour. Examine then your owne consciences, I beseech yee, whether God hath bestowed all these blessings vponupon you or no: and if he hauehave, O what great cause hauehave yee to come before his face with praise, to sing lowde vntounto him with Psalmes, to Psalm. 99. Psalm. 96worship & to fal downe before him, to giuegive vntounto the Lorde the glory of his name, to bring an offering of thanksgiuing, and to enter into his courts with praise. And yet who knoweth whether the Lord hath greater blessings for ye in store? ye may bee sure hee will pul downe the mightie from their seate, and exalt the humble and meeke. Surely, the Lorde doth vse vertue as a meane to bring vsus to honor, and whosoeuer you shall see endued with the vertues of this texte, I meane, with seeking vntounto God, with praier and puritie of life: ye maybee sure there is a blessing reserued for him of the Lorde, yea, such a blessing, as though his beginning bee but small, yet his latter end shal greatly increase.
God increase the louelove of these thinges in our hearts, and make vsus worthy of Christs blessinges, which he hath plentifullie in store for vsus: that after hee hath heaped temporall blessings vponupon vsus, hee would giuegive vsus the blessing of all blessings, euen the life of the world to come.
FINIS.