Davids Evidence, Sermon 1
THE FIRST SERMON OF THE ASSVRAVNCE OF GODS LOVE Nouember. 19.
Psal. 41.11.12.13.
By this I know that thou fauourest me, because my enemy doth not triumph against me. 12. And as for me thou vpholdest me in mine integritie, and doest set me before thy face for euer. 31. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, without end. So be it, euen so be it.
COncerning the author of this Psalme, it was the Prophet Dauid, who was both moued thereunto, and guided therein by the holy Ghost: and therfore we néed not doubt to receiue the doctrine thereof,Iohn. ….13. because he which is the spirite of truth neuer led any but to the truth.
The time when he made it, was (as it séemeth in ye 9. verse) whē Absalom (aspiring to the kingdome) like a monster in nature, sought (by the wicked counsell of that faithlesse counseller & fained friend Achitophel) to pull from his owne father the crowne vponupon his head,2. Sam. 16.21. to lay his honour in the dust, and his life in the graue. No small tēptation, either to blaspheme, or to dispaire, & yet he did neither of both: because God kept him from both: but then, euē in that hard time of winter (as we may call it) bethought with him selfe how he might make his affliction an occasion of further profit to himselfe and the whole Church of God, whereby it appeareth that no affliction is able to quaile the spirite of God in the godly, but as oyle maketh the fire to flame out, which before did but onelyonly burne,2. Cor. 4.16. so with the godly, when the outward man doth perish the inward man is renued, and their afflictions doe make the spirite to flame out of thē to the good of others, which before did but burne within them to their owne comfort.
Now for the matter of the Psalme. In generall he sheweth. 1. How great his afflictiō was. 2. How greatly he profited by it. But more particularly, he recordeth. 1. The blessed estate of such as did wisely consider of his distressed estate, verses. 1.2.3. 2. He sheweth ye cause of his affliction to be his sinne. ver. 4.3. He setteth downe the greatnesse of his affliction, and the daunger that he stoode i…, for his enemies looked eueryevery day for his death and destruction.
And of those his enemies he nameth thrée sortes. The. 1. sort were flatterers, of whom he complaineth and saith that they would come to sée him, but they would speake lyes, horde vp wickednesse in their hart, as in a vessell, and when they could get fit oportunitie they would emptie it vponupon him. vers. 6. The 2. sorte were malitious whisperers, which did nothing but priuily contriue his ouerthrow, of whom he complaineth in the 7. & 8. verses thus. All that hate me whisper together against me, euen against me do they▪ imagine my hurt. A mischief is light vponupon him, and he that is downe shall no more arise: The 3. sort were a more trecherous brood, who while they pretended kindnesse intended his subuersion, like Iudas, who couered his treason with a kisse. Of these traitero…s companions he complaineth in the 9. verse after this manner. Yea my familiar frend whom I trusted, which did eate of my bread, hath lifted vp the heele against me.
And therefore being thus beset with open enemies on one side, with flattering clawbackes on the other side, with whisperers behinde, & traitors before his daunger must needes be great, and his case (in mans sight) very desperate.4. 4. He sheweth what meanes he vsed to preuent them all, and that was prayer to God, as appeareth in the 10. verse. Therefore O lord, raise me vp, so shall I reward them.
But least Sathan might perswade him to doubt of Gods fauour towardes him in his affliction, as he would hauehave done with Iob in his temptation, and so make him either cold in prayer, or distrufull in prayer, that so he might also hauehave lost the fruite of his prayer, therefore in the 5. place,5. he proueth by two arguments yt all this notwithstanding, God doth still fauour him. The 1. is drawē frō his enemies person in the 11. verse. The 2. is taken from the consideration of his owne person in the 12. verse.6. Last of all, because God had geuen him such tokens of his louelove, therfore he concludeth his Psalme with thankesgeuing vntounto God in this sort, Blessed be the Lord God of Israell, world without end. &c.
This Psalme was left vntounto the Church of God, & doth teach vsus. 1. To take héede how we do rashly cōdemne those that be in trouble, and affliction, and are beset with diuers sorts of enemies, but wisely to consider, and charitably to iudge of their cause, if we looke for the Lordes helpe when we are in trouble our selues, and not to measure Gods fauour by outward prosperitie, nor his anger by outward aduersitie, as blind worldlings commonly vse to do. 2. That the vse of affliction is to worke in vsus repentaunce for our sinnes, & to make vsus flye to Gods mercy for succour, as Dauid did. 3. That Gods childrē while they liue, shall liue in daūger of open enemies, of malitious whisperers, and false brethren, though they be as godly as Dauid was. 4. That if we thē go to God by prayer, we shall preuent all our enemies, if they were as many as Dauids were. 5. That in our prayers we must be assured of Gods louelove in Christ to vsus ward, least otherwise we loose the fruite of our prayer. 6. That when God hath heard vsus we must with hartie consent prayse vntounto him for it as Dauid did. So much of ye Psal. in generall, now to the text.
By this I know. &c. In this text we sée two things. 1. How Dauid assureth himselfe of Gods louelove towardes him. 2. How thankefull he is to God for assuring him of his louelove. The .1. he doth by two arguments. One takē frō his enemies, they were preuēted of their expectation, therefore thou louest me. The other is taken from his owne estate, which was no whit hurt, or impaired, but bettered by them. In his thankesgiuing we may note two things. 1. To whom he giueth thankes, namely, to the Lord God of Israell. 2. In what manner he geueth thankes: with doubling of his speach, in tokē of his harty & vnfained cōsent to that which he spake, & as one afrayed that it was not wel inough, when it was at the best, he saith. So be it, euen so be it▪ So much for ye methode now to the matter.
By this I know that thou fauorest me. &c.
First here, the Prophet speaketh of his knowledge, and telleth vsus that though he knew not all things, yet he knew that God loued him, and so long as he knoweth that, he passeth not greatly for other matters, how the world goeth with him. &c. And to say the truth he néede not, for he that is sure of that, is sure of all. God loueth all his creatures as a good God, and hateth nothing that he made, but he loueth his elect children with a more special louelove then ye rest, as a father in Christ Iesus, & he that is sure that God doth so fauour him, is sure I say of al. For to him whō God loueth, he wil denie no good thing, no, not his owne sonne, and if he gaue vsus his sonne because he loued vsus,Iohn. 3.16 Rom. 8.32 how shall he not with him giuegive vsus all things els?
When the child is perswaded that his father loueth him, he is bold to aske this & that of his father: so may we be bold to aske any thing of God our heauēly father that is good for vsus, when we be sure that he loueth vsus. As Mary and Martha put Christ in minde but of two things, the first was that Christ loued their brother Lazarus, the second was that Lazarus was sicke,Iohn. 11.3 He whō thou louest is sicke, it was no néede to tell him what he should do, for they knew he would do what might be done for him, because he loued him. So we may say to the Lord, when we are sure that he loueth vsus, Lord he whō thou louest wanteth this or that for his body or his soule, we néede not then appoint him what to do, or whē, or how, for looke what he séeth most conuenient for vsus, & for his owne glory, he wil surely do it. Therfore whatsoeuer Dauid knoweth, he will be sure to know this: & whatsoeuer he be ignoraūt of, yet of this he will not be ignoraūt. To teach vsus, yt whatsoeuer we séeke to make sure, this must first be made sure, or els nothing is sure. Peter bids vsus make our election sure. Iob when he saith, I am sure that my redeemer liueth, teacheth vsus to make our redēption sure. And here Dauid teacheth vsus to make Gods fauour sure: now if we make that sure, thē our election is sure, our redemption is sure, our vocatiō is sure, and our saluation is sure.
The suter desireth but the fauour of his beloued, what doth the child desire of his father, but fauour? what doth the subiect séeke for of his Prince but fauour? as Hester desired nothing but that the king would hold out his golden scepter to her in token of fauour: what doth the prisoner craue but fauour? And all these thinke thē selues in good estate if they may know that they be in fauour. And shall not we thinke our selues sure, whē we are sure that God doth fauour vsus, whose louelove is aboue the louelove of Princes, aboue the louelove of fathers and mothers, yea aboue all loues? Yea no doubt of it, for if we make that sure, then our Prince is sure, our kingdome is sure, our Cities are sure, our bodies are sure, our soules are sure, and all is sure, for who dare hurt, or who can touch him whom God fauoreth? they touch the very aple of his eye. Shall we labour, and trauaile to be sure of louelove, which is mutable, & not of that louelove which is vnchaungeable? mans louelove is mixt with hatred, and is commonly more like hatred then louelove, but Gods louelove is perfect without any mixture: whom men fauour,Rom. 11.29. they fauour for a while, but whom God loueth he loueth to the end, euen for euer. Shal we then séeke for the scraps, & let the feast go? shall we go the crickes, whē we may go to the sea? nay to filthy puddles, when pure fountaines are by? so we may soone proue as wise as Esaw, that chaunged his birth right for right naught, nay so we proue as foolish as Iudas, that valued ye goodwill of the Iewes aboue the louelove of Christ, but he gat nothing by it, by that time he and the gallowes had reckned together. Dauid makes more accompt of Gods fauour then of his kingdome, yea then of victorie against his enemies, as if he should say, my foes do not triumph against me, that is well for me, but by this I know that thou louest me, that is better.
We hauehave markes to know eueryevery thing by, sauing the louelove of God, but of that we thinke we are sure, for we thinke so well of our selues that God must néedes louelove vsus whether we will or no, as yt Papistes which set their good workes vponupon the score, & make God indebted to them for their workes, and therefore we regard neither the time when, nor the place where, nor the persons by whō, nor the tokens by which the Lord doth offer to make his louelove knowen vntounto vsus.
When the seruaūts of Benhadad king of Aram, went with ropes about their neckes to Achab king of Israel, to entreat for their maisters life, they gaue diligēt héede if they could catch any thing of Achabs mouth that might be a signe of fauour,1. King. 20 33. and when they heard him call Benhadad his brother, oh how glad were they? How did they play vponupon that word? how did they féede their hope vponupon it? they made hast and said, Thy brother liueth. The Lord hath greater aduantage against vsus thē euer Achab had against Benhadad, for he did flye from Achab, so can not we from the Lord, he did hide himselfe from Achab, so can not we from the Lord, Bēhadad had seruāts to send to king Achab, but what spokesmen shall we send to the Lord? we must come forth our selues. Achab had power but against the body of Benhadad, the Lord hath power against both our bodies and soules, king Achabs power was subiect to the Lordes power, but who shall withstand the Lordes power, for his counsel shall stand? If Achab had exercised his power vpō Benhadad it had bene but for a time, but if the Lord should execute his wrath vponupon vsus, if it were kindled yea but litle, it would flame for euer, now if we did consider these things well, & if we were asmuch afrayde of the king of heauen, as they were of the king of Israell, and if our miserable daungers, and daungerous miseries did as nearely touch vsus, as theirs did touch them, we would take as diligent héede to ye words of God as they did to the wordes of king Achab, and we would be as glad to heare a word that might be as a token of fauour, as they were, but alas we do not consider, we are not touched, nor moued, & therfore when ye Lord doth by his messengers entreat vsus to be saued, & wooe vsus by all the names & tokēs of louelove, we regarde not, the Lord open our eyes to see in what a desperate case we stand and let vsus make more reckening of Gods louelove tokens then we do, if not, shall not the Aramites rise vp in iudgement against vsus?
When the Angell came downe to stirre vp the poolé of Bethesda, (wherein lay many sicke and diseased) there was wayting on eueryevery side,Iohn. 5.2.3 4.5. and happy was he that could step in first, for he that stept in first after the stirring of the water was healed, of what disease soeuer he had. We hauehave a better poole thē the poole of Bethesda, for the word of God is water of life, and able to cleanse the soule & body too, if we step into it whē it is stirred by the Angell of the Lord, how often hath ye Lord by his Ministers, stirred vp this water, that we might be healed by it? no small fauour no doubt. But who waiteth for it? who steppeth into it? Nay who steppeth not from it rather? who is cleansed by it? and yet who hath not néede of it? For none cā say his hart is cleane. Now if we make no more reckoning of Gods louelove, and his louelove tokens then thus, shall not those sicke and diseased men of Bethesda rise vp in iudgement against vsus? no doubt they shall.
We thinke that whatsoeuer we want, yet we are sure that God doth louelove vsus, & neuer make any reckoning of his louelove tokens, but we may be deceiued. Dauid was not alwayes so sure, for sometime he thought that the Lord had forgotten him, sometime he thought that God had geuē him ouer to him selfe, hereupon he cried out at one time,Psal. 89.46 Psal. 51.11.12. how long shall thy wrath burne like fire? for euer? at another time he prayeth, O take not thy spirite from me, restore vntounto me the ioy of my saluation, by which pitifull cries it may appeare that he was halfe afrayde. Therefore he was glad to take a louelove token when it was offred him, for when he was not sure of Gods louelove towardes him, he thought that God was angry with him, and that was of all things most terrible vntounto him and intollerable. So must we, if we wilbe sure that God is not angry with vsus, we must be sure that he fauoureth vsus.
If Gods people must be sure of Gods fauour towards them in Christ, as Dauid teacheth, then we must not stand in doubt of it as Papists do teach, we hauehave no reason so to do. For doth he call vsus his sonnes, and we call him our father, that we should doubt of his louelove? Doth he call vsus his friends, his brethren, his spouse, his louelove, his doue, and by all the names of louelove, that we should doubt of his louelove? Hath he kissed vsus with so many kisses of his mouth? hath he sent vsus so many pledges of his louelove? hath he renewed his couenant so often? hath he sealed it with the Sacraments, and bound it with an oth? and al this that we might doubt whether he doth louelove vsus or no? Thus you sée one point of poperie ready to soune at the hearing of this doctrine. If there be any Papist here that hath a mind to it, let him take it vp, & make much of it, for Gods people (you sée) care not for it, they had rather know for a certaintie that God doth fauour them, then to stand in doubt thereof.
To louelove God, and to be loued of God, is all that God requireth of vsus, and all that we desire of God. For if we louelove him, then we feare him, we worship him, we trust in him, we heare him, we obey him, &c. If he louelove vsus, then he prouideth for vsus all good things, and preserueth vsus from all that may hurt vsus, &c. Our louelove to him hath marks, and so hath his to vsus. God doth not louelove vsus and kéepe it from vsus, but he maketh it knowen that he loueth vsus, as Ionathan made his louelove knowen to Dauid, and as the father of the prodigal child made his louelove manifest to his sonne when his affection was towards him.
By this I know that thou fauorest me (saith Dauid) because mine enemie hath …ot triumphed against me.
When God doth deliuer vsus from the hāds of our enemies, or any trouble else, we may perswade our selues thereby, that he hath a fauour vntounto vsus, as Dauid did.
But then it may be demaunded, If God doth louelove his Church, why doth he suffer his Church to be troubled and molested with enemies? The reason is this, because by this meanes his louelove may be made more manifest, in sauing and deliuering them. For as a sure friend is not knowen but in time of néede: so Gods goodnesse and louelove is neuer so well perceiued, as it is in helping of vsus whē we cannot helpe our selues. As Adams fall did serue to manifest Gods iustice & merciemercy,Rom. 9.22 23. the one in punishing, the other in pardoning of sinne, which otherwise we had neuer knowne: so the troubles of the Church serue to manifest 1. our desertes by reason of our sinnes. 2. our weakenes and inabilitie to helpe our selues, and 3. the louing kindnes of the Lord our God, in sauing and defending, that so we might be truly thankfull, & returne all the praise and glorie to God, and none to our selues. So that the Church of God may hauehave enemies, and yet be still the beloued of God, as Lazarus was beloued of Christ although he was sicke: for whom the Lord loueth he correcteth, and therefore he correctech them, because he loueth them.
Now, some men will say, Oh I thank… God I am in prosperitie, and I liue well, out of all danger, and trouble, and I want nothing, therfore I am sure God loueth me. Againe, such a one serueth God well I warrant you, for you sée how he doth thriue and prosper in the world, he is come vp of no…thing, &c. therefore no doubt God doth lou… him: this is the corrupt iudgement of blind worldlings, which take all for gold that gli…stereth, and thinke there is no other hea…uen but earth: but these men deceiue them…selues, and so many as listen vntounto them, for when God shall neuer visite vsus with anie crosse, but shall giuegive vsus all things at our pleasure, and let vsus hauehave what we lust for, it is a signe that he is angrie with vsus, & then we are nearest to our destruction. For as the oxe that is stall fed, waxeth fat, and the fatter he is, the fitter he is for the butcher, and the nearer he is to the day of slaughter: so it …areth with the wicked worldlings, which neuer come vnderunder the crosse, & whose necks …ould neuer abide the yoke of the word of God,Psal. 2.3. they are set vp a fatting for the but…her of hell, and made ready against the day …f slaughter, which is the day of Iudgement, when all these outward, commō, and gene…all blessings shall tend to their greater cō …emnatiō. They liue at ease in this life, that …hey may feele payne in the world to come, …hey hauehave their heauen here, that they may …aue hell hereafter. The greatest iudgemēt …f God that can be in this world, is to let vsus …iue in securitie, and to geue vsus ouer to our …wne harts lust. And this is witnessed by many places of Scripture. Aske Iob, and he will iustifie this to be true, for these are his wordes.
Wherefore doe the wicked liue, Iob. 21.7.and waxe old, and grow in wealth? to shew that a man may be a wicked man though he be a wealthy man, and that honestie goeth not by riches, he goeth on & saith,8. Their seede is established in their sight with thē, and their generation before their eyes. 9.Their houses are peaceable, without feare, the rod of God is not vponupon them. 10.Their bullocke gendreth and faileth not, their cow calueth and casteth not her calfe. 11.They send forth their children like sheepe, 12.and their sonnes daūce. They take the tabret & harpe, and reioyce in the sounde of the Organes. 13.They spēd their dayes in welth, & sodenly they dye, or go down to the graue. That is, they lye not lōg sicke Now sée thei… Religion.14. They say vntounto God, depart from vsus, for we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes: 15.Who is the almightie, that we should serue him? and what profit should we hauehave i… we should pray vntounto him? Now sée their end… They shalbe as stubble before the wind, 18.and as chaffe that the storme carrieth away, God will lay vp the sorrow of the father for hi… children, 19.when he rewardeth him he shall know it: 20.his eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drinke of the wrath of the almighty. Aske the Prophet Dauid, and he will iustifie as much, for thus he speaketh of the wicked, They are not in troubles as other men, Psal. 73.5.neither are they plagued with other men. 7.Their eyes stand out for fatnesse, they hauehave more then hart can wish. 9.They set their mouth against heauen, and their toung walketh thorough the earth. Now sée their blasphemy against God.11. And they say, how doth God know it? or, is there knowledge in the most high? Lo, these are the wicked, yet prosper they alwayes, and increase in riches. Now sée their end.18. Surely thou (O Lord) hast set them in slippery places, and cast them downe into desolation. 19.How sodenly are they destroyed, perished and horribly consumed?
If this be not sufficient▪ he can proue it by an example of the Israelites, of whom he maketh this report. They lusted with concupiscence in the wildernesse, meaning, whē they desired the flesh pots of Egypt againe.Psal. 106. And (saith he) The Lord gaue them their desire [for he sent them quayles] but he sent14. leannesse into their soules [for he cursed it,15. & it did them no good,16. but they dyed with the meate in their mouthes] & what became of17. the rest that had their desire, 18.they rebelled against Moses & Aaron, whereupon ye earth swallowed vp some, and fire from heauen deuoured other some. If you aske the Prophet Esay, he will auouch this to be true, for (speaking in the person of God to the stubburne Iewes) he saith thus,Esay. 1. Wherefore should you be smitten any more? 5.for you fall away more and more, the whole head is sicke and the whole hart is heauie. Meaning that he would correct them no more, séeing they were neuer the better for correction, but to let them do as they listed, that his indgemē … might be excéeding great, and iust vponupon thē ▪ For the followeth in the 7. verse.7. Your land is wast, your Cities are burnt with fire, straū …gers deuour your land in your presence, an… it is desolate like the ouerthrow of straūgers▪ And the daughter of Zion, 8.shall remaine lik… a cottage in a vineyard, like a lodge in a gar…den of cucumbers, and like a besieged Citie▪ And all this came vponupon them, whē the Lor… left them to themselues, to do what they li…sted. All which places doe shew and prou… how mad, & foolish they are, which measur… Gods louelove and fauour towardes them, b… outward prosperitie, and his anger by ou…ward aduersitie.
On the contrary, his children he puts th… alwayes in minde of their duetie by whipping them with his fatherly rod, they do not so soone step awrie, but by and by he fetcheth them home againe. What is Diues the better for all his wealth, being now in hell torments?
Lazarus a poore man, yet a godly man, was kept vnderunder in this life, but now is exal…ed. And God indéede doth many times kéepe …is children vnderunder, and geueth them but srō …and to mouth, and yet loueth them neuer…helesse. As a father kéepeth his sonne & heire …hort, without any money in his purse, or any thing els at his owne will, till the time come that he shall inherite: & in great wisedome he doth it, for if his sonne should hauehave …he inheritaunce presently, he would wast …t, & spend it vaynely, so God dealeth with his children, and for no other cause, both in singular wisedome and louelove, that they may say afterward, By this I know that thou …ouest me. &c.
So that this is not the thing that can assure vsus of Gods fauour to hauehave no enemies, and no troubles, for if we be Gods children we must looke for both. Therefore is the Church called militāt, alwayes in battaile, alwayes beset with enemies.1. Cor. 1.18. Therefore is ye Gospell called ye word of the Crosse. Therefore S. Paule describing the way to heauen saith,Act. 14.22 we must passe through many tribulalations. Therefore Esaw and Iacob shall no sooner hauehave life, but they shall striue together in their mothers belly. Therfore Abraham shall no sooner receiue the promise, but he must looke to be banished, and therefore Abell shalbe enuied of his owne brother, so soone as the Lord regardes his sacrifice. Th… righteous man is like Lot amōgest the So…domits▪ and like Sampson amongst the Phi…listins. This is the state of the Church calle… militant, it is like a ship tossed with the wa…ues, driuen with the winds, beset with Pi…rates, on the one side, with rockes, & sande… on the other side, alwayes vponupon the sea, an… when it is safest, there is but a bord between life and death. Their peace is persecution their rest is labour, their riches is pouertie… their glory is reproch, their libertie is im…prisonment And yet by this they know that God doth fauour them, because he doth so t…per these cuppes vntounto them, with his grace… holy spirite, that in persecution they fin… peace, in labour they finde rest, in pouert… they finde contentement, therefore great riches: in reproches they finde glory, in imprisonment they finde libertie, and in death they finde life.
It is no new thing you sée, for good men to hauehave enemies, nay the better men the more enemies,Luk. 22.32 as Peter the more faithfull to Christ the more sifted by Sathan, but as Christ then prayed for Peter, that his faith might not fayle, so he prayeth still for the faithfull that their faith may not fayle, so that still they may say with Dauid. By this I know that thou louest me, because my enemies do not triumph against me.
But what? did not Dauids enemies triūph against him when they said, A mischief is …ight vponupon him, and he that lyeth shall rise no more. As appeareth in the 8. verse of this Psalme. Why did Dauid then so gréeuously complaine? The aunswere is at hand, they spake euill indéede of Dauid, and as they would hauehave had it, yea, and as they thought to hauehave had it too, but the Lord deliuered him, so that they triumphed before the victorie. When they saw that the Lord did a litle visite him, they cried out: now he is met withall, now he is downe. &c. And thus rashly they iudged of the Lordes annointed, and triumphed ouer him, whom the Lord raised vp again▪ So played the Popes Catholikes, when they would hauehave come vponupon vsus, like the fat Bulles of Basan, gaping vponupon vsus, as though they would hauehave eaten vsus vp, when they saw some of our men ouercome in battaile, or when the Lord did a litle frowne vponupon vsus, they began straightway to triumph ouer vsus, & marching into Irelād, as though all had bene cocke sure for thē: but ye Lord put a bridle into their mouthes, & so caried thē backe again by Senacheribs way. So likewise before they came last with their inuincible Nauy, they deuided our kingdome, and prouided owners for eueryevery country, Citie, Bishopricke, Lordship, and whippes for eueryevery body. Indéede they troubled vsus, & put many in great feare, but through Gods goodnesse the feare was greater then the hurt, by which the Lord would geue vsus to vnderstād, that he had a fauour towardes vsus. And that we might know it indeede, he would not suffer vsus to destroy them, least we should say that through our owne power we gaue thē the ouerthrow, and gat our selues the victorie, but with his owne hand, and with his holy arme he gat himselfe the victorie, that the whole prayse might returne to himself, & by this we might be assured of his louelove, and fauour towardes vsus, blessed be his name for it. Surely this was one of the greatest louelove tokens that euer he bestowed vponupon vsus (of tē porall benefites) the greatnesse whereof shal appeare, when we consider how they would hauehave handled vsus, if they had triumphed against vsus. For this purpose let vsus take but a litle view. First of their exactiōs in Naples, secondly of their sauage cruelties vponupon the poore Indians, and thē shall we sée what miseries and mischiefs such a triumph and such triumphers would hauehave brought vponupon vsus. And first of their exactions in Naples, when they triumphed there. To passe ouer their trecherous entraunce, it is reported by one of their owne Bishops (in a booke that he wrote to the king of Spaine,Exactions of Spaniardes in Naples. for the redresse of these things) yt eueryevery foure or fiue yeares they receiued 200000. or 400000. and a Million of gold. Their landed men were defeated of their landes and houses, if they had not their euidence to shew (which perhaps might be lost) although they could make iust proofe of their lawfull possessiō and right for a 100. yeares before. The farmer of their butcherie, and powltrie receiueth 300. Duckets daily for his fee EueryEvery chimney payeth 6.…. EueryEvery strumpet iij.…. what should I say? if all the payments were layed together, that all the kings had before, they were not comparable to the extraordinarie exactions of the Spaniards in Naples.
As for their cruelties on the poore Indiās they are not to be spokē, for they dispeopled more then 10. Realmes greater then all Spaine, Aragō and Portugall. Within 40. yeares they butchered aboue 12. Millions of men,The crueltie of Spaniards in India. women, and infants. They would set vp men and women naked against trées or walles. &c. and would lay wagers, who should shoote or throw their dartes nearest the hart, and made a sport of murther, as ordinarily as we do of shooting, or bowling &c. They would vse to broyle men to death vponupon gridirons, especially great men: whereupon it fell out, that certaine Lordes being broyled, foure or fiue, through their pitifull roaring and crying (which they were enforced to make through extremitie of torment) disquieted ye Captaine that lay not far of, & to make them hold their peace they had their mouthes stopped with bullets, vntill they were rosted to death. Their cruelties were so great that a certaine Lord, for feare fled to the Ile of Cuba, where he was taken and burned, and being exhorted by a Frier to dye a Catholique, that he might go to heauen, he asked the Frier whither the Spaniards wēt when they dyed, to heauen quoth the Frier. Then I will not goe to heauen said the Indian Lord, because the Spaniardes (as you say) goe thither, for it is better to go to hell (said he) thē to come where any Spaniards hauehave any thing to do.
Another time, a certaine Spanish gouernour entring the firme land, a Lord of the countrey to gaine his goodwill, and to auoid torture, met him, and presented him with nine thousand duckets, in recompēce wherof they bound him to a stake, and set fire to his féete, whereupon he brought thrée thousand Castillans more, with which summe this tyrant not satisfied, put fire againe to his féet, vntill the sinewes burst, and the marrowe sprung out of the bones, and so he died. The king of Mexico sent a thousand presents to welcome him, besides that: him selfe in his owne person met him with an honourable troupe of Lords and Gentlemen, he was laden with bolts for his labour, and being in prison, ye rest came to solace their King with some pleasant sports and shewes, wherupon they were apprehended by the Spaniards: a solemne day of slaughter was proclaimed, and at the day appointed two thousand yong Gentlemen were put to death for a terror to all the countrey.
The same tyrant going to warre against any Citie, or prouince, would yoke many together by the neckes, allowing no sustenāce to twentie thousand, but the flesh of so many Indians as they could kill. They had as ordinarie a shambles of mans flesh as we hauehave of beasts:Reade more of these things in a booke called A complaint of England, and the Spanish … …ties. they kept mastifes, & other great dogs to hunt men and women, from which a woman séeing she could by no meanes escape, she went and hanged her selfe vponupon a trée with her babe tyed to her féete, and yet before the babe was dead, the dogges came and deuoured it. Another, hunting venison, could find no game, and comming homward he met a woman with a child in her armes, he tooke her infant, and cut it in péeces, and threw it to his dogges for liuerie. It is not possible (as one saith) to vtter in words the mercilesse dealing of Spaniards in India, the gastly remēbrance whereof is able to daunt the stoutest courage. Yet these are the men which pretend supporting of the Catholique faith. Now, by this …ast we may giuegive a gesse how our cup should hauehave bene tempered, if the Lord had suffered them to triumph ouer vsus, for if they handled these poore soules after this maner, which neuer did hurt them, nor their religion, how wold they hauehave handled vsus, which alwayes hauehave bene enemies to their irreligious procéedings? surely their hatred against vsus, would hauehave proued like Nebuchadnezzars fornace,Dan. 3.19. seuen times hotter then it was before: yea they would hauehave sent vsus Rehoboams message, and his measure, vz. that their litle finger should hauehave bene greater vponupon vsus then their loines were vponupon them. 1. King. 12.10.11.And whereas they did burthen them with a grieuous yoke, they would hauehave made our yoke heauier: and whereas they chastised them with rods, they would hauehave corrected vsus with scorpions, if they had triumphed ouer vsus as they made full accompt. By this then we may know that the Lord loueth vsus, (alas a nation not worthie to be loued) because our enemies did not triumph against vsus. Blessed be his name for euer.
But doth God louelove none but those whom he deliuereth out of their enemies handes? Yes surely, that he doth: for it is no matter how we be ouercome of our bodily enimies, so that our spirituall enemies do not ouercome vsus. For euerie Christian hath two sorts of enemies as Dauid had, bodily, and spirituall: our spirituall enemies be our sinnes, and the temptations of the world, the flesh and the deuill which fight against the soule (as S. Peter saith).1. Pet. 2.11 Now these do often trouble the children of God, rebelling against them,Rom. 7.23 and many times leading thē captiues to the law of sinne, yet finally they do not triumph against them, because they do not willingly yéeld them selues to sinne, with delight in sinne, as the wicked do: but they do cōtinually striue against them by earnest prayer vntounto God, by hearing the word of God,Rom. 8.37 and by faith in Iesus Christ, they are made more then conquerours in the end, as S. Paule teacheth in his doctrine to the Rom.
By this I knowe that thou fauourest me. &c. Without doubt the Prophet Dauid had néede of many blessings moe, which the Lord did not bestow vpō him, but kept them back from him, and all to humble him: and yet he did not murmure against God, for the want of them, but gaue him thanks for those which he had alreadie receiued. Although the Lord did not suffer him to take any rest, because of his enemies, yet he praiseth God, because they did not triumph against him, a good lesson for vsus to learne. Whē ye Lord shal afflict vsus with any maner of affliction: as, losse of goods, losse of friends, losse of health, or whatsoeuer else, we should remēber then what benefites we hauehave still, which we are vnworthie of. Then thus may Gods childrē say to God: Though the Papists do molest vsus, and speake all euill of vsus, though our enemies séeke and sift vsus, yet they misse of their purpose, and thou doest raise vp friends vntounto vsus. Though Athiests, scoffers, & worldly beasts do …out at thy preachers, yet thou doest not let them discourage them, whereby we know that thou louest vsus. And hath the Lord taken away thy goods, &c. yet remember that he hath g…uen thée leaue to enioy thy sight, thy spéech, th… hearing, thy vnderstanding, thy wits, his spirite, &c. all wich are more then thou deser…est, and more then he doth for euerie one. So we may say for matters of reformation, although eueryevery thing be not in all respectes as it should be, and as if were to be wished, yet let vsus thāke the Lord for these good things we hauehave. Though the growth of the Church be yet hindred by many ignoraunt Ministers and idle nonresidents, yet hath the Church many good Pastours, and teachers to whom the porter Iesus Christ hath opened the doore, and furnished with singular graces, for the good of his Church. Let vsus thanke his Maiestie for them, and not as some do, which for the want of some things, condemne all the things which we hauehave, because the Church (forsooth) is not so purely purged as it ought to be, therefore we hauehave no Church no Ministers, no Sacraments. &c. as it please our schismatiques to affirme, and therefore in a ma… rage being carried with pride and tempestuous spirites, whose glorie is altogether i… condemning their brethren, they cry, separate your selues, come out from amongest thē, as though we had nothing left amōg…t vsus, which might be a token of Gods fauo…r, & louelove towardes vsus. Ah my good brethre…: is this to shew our selues thākefull for that we hauehave receaued? shall we acknowledge nothing good, because all is not perfect? we ought to striue orderly, and lawfully (I confesse) vntounto perfection if it may be, that Zion may shine in perfect beautie. But in ye meane while let vsus feare, that the Lord for our vnthankefulnesse, and scornefull contempt will take away those good things which we hauehave, before he giuegive vsus any more. If we should want nothing, we should waxe wātō, & forget the Lord, as Dauid did,Psal. 30.6. who thought whē God had made him strong, he should neuer be moued, and therefore to humble vsus, and kéepe vsus vnderunder, the Lord still kéepeth somewhat from vsus.
But now let vsus sée what vse we may make of all yt hath bene said: we hauehave heard that ye Lord doth not onelyonly louelove vsus, but also that he maketh his louelove knowen vntounto vsus, by sauing vsus from the cruell hands of our enemies: this is no small matter, for the Lord to bestow such louelove vponupon his enemies, which deserue nothing but his hatred and heauie displeasure, should not this make vsus louelove the Lord againe? That we do, will eueryevery one be ready to say,Ioh. 14.1… but if you louelove me (saith our Sauiour Christ) kéepe my commaūdements, how is it now that we say we louelove God, and yet for the louelove that he beareth to vsus and we to him, many will not leaue one iote o… their pleasure, nor any vnlawfull gaine? no nor a haire of their head? by this we may be sure that we hate the Lord. The vsurer, & whoremonger will say they louelove God: so will the swearer, and the drunkard say, whē their whole life is nothing, but a warre against God. You prophane ye Lords Sabboth, and refuse to heare his word whē it is preached, and yet you will say you louelove God, a spitefull louelove. The scoffer at Religion, and eueryevery hypocrite will tell vsus that he louelove…h God, or els it were hard, when yet they will do nothing that God commaundeth them.
Ioh. 21.15If you louelove me (saith Christ to Peter) feede my flocke, to shew, that if Ministers féede not ye flocke of Christ, with the foode of their soules, the liuely preaching of the word, they louelove not Christ: and yet both ignoraunt Ministers, negligent Pastors, & carelesse non-residents, will beare men in hand they louelove▪ God, O cruell louelove that suffreth mēs soules to sinke downe to hell with their owne, for whō the Lord Iesus hath shed his bloud. You Magistrats will say you louelove God, if you do so indéede, let it appeare in coūtenaūcing his word when it is preached, and encouraging his Ministers, in reforming his Sabboth, in suppressing of lewdnesse, in vpholding of goodnesse, and iudging iustly, which if you do not, by this you may be sure you louelove not God.Ioh. 13.34. If you louelove me, saith Christ, louelove one another, to teach vsus, that if we louelove not one another professing all the same Gospell, w… louelove not Christ, for he yt loueth him which begat, loueth him also which is begottē,1. Ioh. 5.1. and he that loueth the head, must néedes louelove the mēbers. Now if we delight still in quarrelling, and contending one with another, in censuring, and iudging one of an other for toyes and trifles, in spiting, and vexing, in mistaking, and misconstruing, in racking and rending, of wordes and halfe wordes, if we continue still in bitternesse and wrath, in mallice an enuie, and will not be contēt to be curteous and louing, and in the bowels of tender cōpassion fréely to forgeue as God for Christ his sake forgaue vsus,Ephe. 4.31.32. we may be sure we louelove not God. Againe, if you louelove me (saith Christ) doe good to the poore, which you shall alwayes hauehave with you, and looke what you do to them, I will take it as if it were done to my selfe: now if we be so straight laced against the poore, as we hauehave bene, and do not exercise the workes of mercy towardes them, according to our abilitie, how can we say that we louelove God? I meane not to be a proctour for the idle, and slouthfull, which can worke and will not, for they ought not to eate, and in Gods name let thē be driuen to worke or be seuerely punished: for if you shall maintaine such: when time shall serue, they will cut your throats for that you hauehave, to make you amends, like Hanun who cruelly,2. Sam. 10.4. and shamefully entreated Dauids messengers, when of curtesie, and goodwill, they were sent to visite him, but reléeue while you may those that are impotent, aged, sickly, diseased, and labour hard for their liuing, & would worke if they had it, sée to such I beséech you on Christs behalf, and encourage the vertuous and godly amongst you, you vse to say, God helpe you, I hauehave not for you, a cold almes God knoweth, but if God had suffred our enemies to triumph ouer vsus, thē we should hauehave said: God helpe vsus, we hauehave neither for you, nor for our selues, therefore while you hauehave wealth and are able, doe good withall, do not be-lye the Lord that hath giuen you both for your selues, & for them too, for in such time you may speake it, that your wordes may proue truer then you wot of▪ as it did with Ananias & his wife,Actes. 5.3. who said they had no more left, when they had as much more as they sold. Furthermore, if we be assured that ye Lord doth louelove vsus in Iesus Christ, we may be bold to pray without feare, and not doubting that he will heare vsus.
Last of all this assurance of Gods fauour, should bréed in vsus a resolution to leaue all our odd shifts, and deuises which we vse to liue by, and to rely wholy vponupon his prouidence, vsing no meanes but good, knowing that he which loueth vsus, will not see vsus want any thing that he séeth good for vsus. These things may trouble vsus, but if they do not triumph ouer vsus, by ouerruling vsus, thē we are beloued of God: striue we then by faith and repentaunce against our affections, and in the end we shall surely triumph in heauen, for the Church can not be triumphant in heauen, vntill it be militant on earth: Now let vsus pray.