Christs Kingdom, Sermon 7
THE SEVENTH SERMON vponupon the ſecond Pſalme.
PSAL. 2. VER. 11. & 12.
Serue the Lord in feare, and reioyce in trembling.
Kiſſe the Sonne, leſt he be angry, and ye periſh in the way: when his wrath ſhall ſuddenly burne, Bleſſed are all that truſt in him.
THE Prophet hauing ſpoken in the former verſe, of the firſt part of repentance: he comes now in theſe verſes to ſpeake of the latter part thereof. As he would hauehave the Kings and Iudges in the firſt place to get vntounto themſelues wiſedome and learning: ſo he would hauehave them in the ſecond place to become ſubiect and obedient, and ſo to carry themſelues in the whole courſe of their liues, as they ought to do. Firſt towards God the Father in the eleuenth verſe; then towards God the Sonne in the twelth verſe. For ſeeing they had before rebelled againſt them both, he would hauehave them now returne in all ſubmiſſion vntounto them both. To the Father they muſt performe theſe duties. They muſt ſerue and worſhip him; and whereas without feare, they cannot but faile in many points, which do belong vntounto him; they muſt feare and reuerence him in their hearts, being moſt willing at all times to do his commandements, & moſt vnwilling to offend him in any thing whatſoeuer. Moreouer conſidering he is a God moſt louing and bountifull to all ſuch as are vnderunder him, and do truly belong vntounto him, they muſt reioyce and be glad in him, and triumph (as it were) againe in his praiſe and honour. Yet foraſmuch as he is one withall, full of Maieſtie, and hath iudgements enough in ſtore to powre downe vponupon them that are proud and arrogant, they muſt be humble and lowly, and euen tremble & quake before him. Now to the Son, this is that which they muſt do. They muſt in like manner adore and worſhip him, and in token of their true louelove and loyall ſubiection vntounto him, they muſt go vntounto him, and kiſſe him. And leſt they ſhould be ſlacke or backeward herein, the Prophet moues them vp to this their duty by ſtrong and forcible reaſons. For firſt he ſets down before their eyes the great inconueniences which otherwiſe will fall out vntounto them vponupon the neglect or contempt thereof. For thereby it will come to paſſe, that the Sonne will not onelyonly be angry, and much offended with them for it, but alſo in his anger and great diſpleaſure will bring great iudgements vponupon them; which ſhall conſume them, and that in the way, before they can bring their purpoſes to paſſe; yea though he burne but a little, and therefore much more will he …, when he ſhall throughly take on againſt them. Then ſecond, he ſhewes them what benefite they ſhall hauehave if they will performe it, and do as he would hauehave them do; for then they ſhall be bleſſed, and hauehave ioyes and happeneſſe for euermore, though others periſh and are deſtroyed. For Bleſſed (ſaith he) are all that truſt in him. And ſo with this Epiphoneme or graue ſentence, he ſhuts vp the whole Pſalme and ends it.
In ſumme, Summe. you hauehave nothing elſe to remember in theſe two verſes, but the ſubiection or obedience, which we owe vntounto the Lord our God. Wherein conſider firſt, Part. what we muſt do towards God the Father, ſet downe in the eleuenth verſe; then what we muſt do towards God the Sonne, ſet downe in the twelfth verſe. In regard of God the Father two things are required of vsus. The firſt is, that we ſerue him in feare; the ſecond is, that we reioyce before him in trembling: for thus we may deuide it if we will, according to that diuiſion which ſeemes to be made in the text it ſelfe; for there (you know) it lyeth thus: Serue the Lord in feare, and reioyce in trembling, as though there were but two brances included in it. But yet if you would go more plainly to worke, there are foure things exacted of vsus. The firſt is that we ſerue the Lord; the ſecond is, that we feare the Lord; the third is, that we reioyce in the Lord; and the fourth is, that we tremble before the Lord. The former of theſe ſeemes to import the worſhip and honour it ſelfe, which is due vntounto him; and the three latter the manner how it muſt be yeelded vntounto him. And that is firſt, in feare, as the fountaine from whence it muſt proceed; then ſecondly, in ioy and trembling, as the hands by which it muſt be preſented vntounto him. Of all theſe by Gods grace I will ſpeake ſomewhat, and that in order as they lie in our text.
Serue the Lord, ſaith the Prophet, that is, giuegive vntounto God the Father his due honour and worſhip, which hitherto you hauehave kept from him; diſobey him no longer, but ſubmit your ſelues vntounto him in all obedience to his will, and fulfill his commandements. For by the name of the Lord, here is vnderſtood God the Father, as it was in the fourth and ſeuenth verſes of this Pſalme before going: and vnderunder the word ſeruice, is compriſed all that honour and worſhip which doth belong vntounto him in the whole courſe of our liues, and which doth chiefly ſtand in the obeying of his voyce, and in the keeping of his commandements.
In this, Doct. that the Prophet doth exact this duty of them, we are taught this doctrine, that men muſt ſerue and worſhip the Lord, and be carefull euermore to obey his will, and to do whatſoeuer he ſhall command them. Our Sauiour in Mathew doth inſtruct vsus as much in the fourth chapter thereof, and tenth verſe, when repelling the temptation of the diuell, who ſought to be worſhipped of him, he ſaid vntounto him: Auoide Sathan, for it is written; Thou ſhalt worſhip the Lord thy God, and him onelyonly ſhalt thou ſerue. The Scripture is full of this matter, but one place more, as containing all the reſt vnderunder it, ſhall ſuffice vsus at this time. And that is in Reuel. 14.7. For there you ſhall find, that this is the very ſumme and principall matter, whereof the whole Scripture doth intreate, and which all the Preachers in the world from time to time do deliuer vntounto their people; when the Angell flying in the midſt of heauen, and hauing an euerlaſting Goſpell, to preach vntounto them, that dwell on the earth, doth cry out and ſay: Feare God, and giuegive glory to him, for the houre of his iudgement is come, and worſhip him that made heauen and earth, and the ſea, and the fountaines of waters. So that this is a point as cleare and manifeſt as the Sunne at noone dayes, when it ſhineth moſt brightly ouer all the word.
And the reaſons hereof are many, Reaſones but at this time I will onelyonly touch two. The one is in regard of his making and creating of all things. For ſeeing we are his workmanſhip, and hauehave our whole liues and being from him, he hauing created vsus and made vsus of nothing; it is good reaſon, that we apply our ſelues, and all that we hauehave to his worſhip and ſeruice alone; according to the iudgement of the Church triumphing in heauen, whereof mention is made in the Reuelations Chapter 4. verſes 10.11. For the 24. Elders (noting out the Saints in heauen) are there reported to fall downe before him that ſate on the throne, and to worſhip him that liueth for euermore, and to caſt their Crownes before his throne, vponupon this ground and conſideration, that he had made them, and all things elſe, ſaying: Thou ort worthy, O Lord, to receiue glory, and honour, and power. For thou haſt created all things, and for thy wils ſake they are and hauehave bene created. The other is in regard of his preſeruing, and keeping of all things. For conſidering that we hauehave our whole maintenance and ſtay from him, and he doth daily keepe vsus vponupon his owne coſt and charges (as we ſpeake:) it is our part and duty to honour him, and to do whatſoeuer we can for him in fulfilling any of his Commandements, according to Ioſuah his exhortation vntounto the children of Iſrael in the 23. & 24. chapters of Ioſuah. For in theſe places you may ſee, that he doth perſwade them to feare the Lord, and to ſerue him in vprightneſſe and in truth, and to put away all falſe gods from amongſt them, onelyonly vponupon this reaſon and foundation, that God was good and beneficiall vntounto them, deſtroying all their enimies before them, and placing them in a fruitfull country, where they had goodly cities, which they did neuer build; excellent vineyards and Oliue trees, which they did neuer plant; and other notable commodities, which they did daily enioy without any labour and toile of theirs. And ſurely when theſe things were thus lay de downe before their eyes, they alſo vponupon the due conſideration thereof, reſolued with themſelues, to ſerue the Lord and to worſhip him, and to do as Ioſuah had exhorted them for to do, as is apparant about the midſt of the 24. chapter before quoted. And you know, that equitie and conſcience doth require, that if a man hire a ſeruant, and giuegive him meate and drinke and wages, that he ſhould do his buſineſſe, and be obedient vntounto him, and his commandements. And ſo ſhould it be betwixt God and vsus, ſeeing we are his ſeruants, and hauehave all that we hauehave from him, euen eueryevery morſell of meate that we do eate, and eueryevery peece of cloth that we do put about vsus, as all other things beſides; we ſhould be tractaable to his voyce, and be alwayes ready preſt to do his commandements.
Wherefore as this may controll them, Vſe. who are ſtubburne and obſtinate, and do withdraw the ſhoulder from yeelding obedience vntounto the Almightie; whereof there are too many in our ſinfull dayes: So it may teach vsus, what we our ſelues ought to do, and be as a ſpurre in our ſides to pricke vsus forward to all ſuch matters, as may bring honor and glory vntounto him that is aboue all. Beware you, beware you of ſinfull wayes, and be you ſure to do nothing, but what you know will be well pleaſing vntounto your God. Though others lie, and ſweare, and ſteale, and kill, and commit adulterie, and do other things that are moſt vile and abhominable; yet be you holy & righteous in your wayes, auoiding theſe ſinnes, and all others whatſoeuer; and performing ſuch duties only as the Lord will be ſerued and worſhipped by. For you muſt alwayes remember with your ſelues, that it is not enough to know the will of your God, and to vnderſtand what he doth require at your hands, but you muſt withall ſerue him and worſhip him aright, & do according to his commandements. The hearers of the law (ſaith Paul in Rom. 2.13.) are not righteous before God, but the doers of the law ſhall be iuſtified. And our Sauiour doth teach vsus, in Luk. 12.47. that the ſeruant who knoweth his maiſters will, and prepareth not himſelfe, neither doth according to his will, ſhall be beaten with many ſtripes. Yea, you your ſelues do know, that as the ignorant, who know not the Lord, muſt be caſt into hell, and there lie boyling in torments for euermore; ſo muſt the diſobedient alſo, and all ſuch who obey not vntounto the Goſpell of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt, according to Pauls words in 2. Theſ. 1.8. And therfore, you ſee, the Prophet here doth not onelyonly call for wiſedome, and learning, but alſo for worſhip & ſeruice. Content not then your ſelues with your knowledge and vnderſtanding, but go on forward, and become faithfull ſeruants vntounto the Lord in doing his will. And looke what you do require of your ſeruants that are vnderunder you, do you your ſelues performe vntounto your God that is aboue you, and whoſe ſeruants you are: heare his voyce and obey it. For what? ſhall he make you, and place you here in this world, and that in a fruitfull ſoile, & in the dayes of much peace and plentie? and yet will you not ſerue him? What? Shall he nouriſh you daily, giuegive you light to ſee, aire to breathe in, food to eate, liquor to drinke, garments to weare, houſes to dwell in, and lade you with other infinite bleſſings, both for this life, and the life to come? and yet will you not honour him, and walke according to his commandements? Doubtleſſe, if your ſeruants ſhould refuſe to do your buſineſſe and worke, you would turne them out of doores, and not feed them vponupon your owne coſt and charges, and in the end pay them their wages; and will God then take it well at your hands, if you ſhall refuſe to do his buſineſſe and worke? will he alwayes then nouriſh you, and giuegive you a good recompence at the laſt? No, no: but he will turne you out of houſe and home, and pay you your wages (according to your euill deſerts) in that lake that burneth with brimſtone and fire, where you ſhall be tormented for euermore. For you know, that eueryevery tree which bringeth not forth good fruit, muſt be hewen downe, and caſt into the fire, according to Iohn the Baptiſts words in the third of Mathew, and the tenth verſe thereof. For as you your ſelues, after you hauehave taken ſome paines, and beſtowed ſome coſt in the planting of an orchard, do looke that the ſame orchard ſhould bring forth fruit, not for other men, but for your ſelues, & your owne vſes; and if it happen, that any trees therein do waxe barren and fruitleſſe, you will cut them downe, and not ſuffer them there to remaine: So you muſt thinke, that the Lord will deale with you. Behold, you are his orchard and vineyard, he hath taken great paines with you, and hath bene as it were at great coſt and charges to plant you (as he ſpeakes of Iſrael in the fifth of Eſay, and the beginning thereof;) and he lookes that you ſhould bring forth fruit, not to your ſelues, or to the world, or to the diuell, but to the honour and praiſe of his name. Now then, if you ſhall be barren, or bring forth wild fruit much diſpleaſing vntounto his Maieſtie, aſſure your owne ſoules, that he will not ſpare you, but cut you downe, and not ſuffer you to grow in his orchard ſtill; as our Sauiour doth moſt excellently declare, by the parable of the figge-tree, in the 13. chapter of the Goſpel according to Saint Luke, and about the beginning thereof. Wherefore, I beſeech you, ſerue ye the Lord your God, and worſhip him; be obedient vntounto his voyce, and let no commandement of his ſeeme grieuous or irkeſome vntounto you, but endeuor you to obſerue and keepe them all. And as he that hath called you out of darkneſſe into his maruellous light, is holy, ſo be you holy in all manner of conuerſation, knowing that we are deliuered out of the hands of our enimies, to this end, that we ſhould ſerue the Lord without feare, all the dayes of our life, in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe before him. Luke 1.74.75. And therefore in one word, ſubmit your ſelues vntounto the Almightie at all times, and in all matters, and do as Iames doth will vsus for to do, when he ſaith, Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers onelyonly, deceiuing your owne ſelues. Iam. 1.22.
Thus farre ſhortly for the worſhip or ſeruice it ſelfe, which doth belong to God the Father: now followeth the maner how it muſt be yeelded vntounto him. For as God doth reſpect the matter of eueryevery worke, ſo he hath an eye alſo vntounto the maner of the ſame, as you may ſee moſt euidently by the ſtory of the Scriptures, and namely by the firſt chapter of Eſay, and the ſixth chapter of Mathew: where you may finde, that he doth euen loathe and reiect almes, faſtings, prayers, ſacrifices, and other holy duties, which are commanded by his owne Maieſtie; for that they are not done in the ſame manner, as they ought to be. Note it (I pray) well by the way, and make vſe thereof to your ſelues, that in all your wayes you may not onelyonly looke, that the worke it ſelfe, which you go about, be correſpondent to the will of your God; but alſo beſure, that you do it with that holy mind and affection in euerie reſpect, as it ought to be done both by you and others. And ſeeing that here are three things required of vsus by name in the ſeruice of the Lord, as noting out the right manner how it muſt be exhibited vntounto him, namely feare, ioy and trembling; labour you to hauehave them all eſtabliſhed within your owne ſoules, and reſt not till they be rooted there within you. For they will do you exceeding much good, and fit you eueryevery way vntounto your duties. The firſt of them, which is feare, will make you carefull of all the commandements of God, and cauſe you to faile in none of them. The ſecond of them, which is ioy, will make you conſtant and ſtable, and cauſe you neuer to be weary of well doing. For the more delight that a man doth take in a thing, the more willing is he for to do it, and it is a kind of death vntounto him to be abridged from it. The third and laſt of them, which is trembling, will make you humble and lowly, and cauſe you neuer to ſwell for any good which you ſhall euer do. For he that doth tremble doth ſuſpect his owne workes, and dare not truſt in them, but doth ſeare leſt ſome iudgment will fall vponupon him for ſome defects therein. Thus in a word or two I paſſe ouer the manner of Gods worſhip, as being a thing not ſo cleare in it ſelfe, but ſomewhat queſtionable, whether, to wit, it be agreeable to the ſpirit of God in the text or no; for ſome may doubt thereof. But yet on the points themſelues I will ſtand more largely vponupon, as on matters which are moſt euident, and beyond all queſtion and doubt whatſoeuer.
The firſt of them is feare. In feare, ſaith the text, or after ſome, with reuerence; both come almoſt to one end, but the former word is the better of the two: and he meanes the feare of his children, who are loath to offend him, not ſo much for feare of puniſhment, as for loathſomneſſe on their part of louelove to diſpleaſe his Maieſtie, or to cauſe him to be angry with them for any thing. There is a two-fold feare, the one is holy and good, called filiall or childiſh; the other is bad and naught, termed ſeruile or ſlauiſh. The filiall or childiſh feare is ſuch an one, as is in children towards their parents, who do reuerence and feare them, as being vnwilling to offend them any way, whether by words, or deeds, through the tender louelove and affection, which they do beare towards them. The ſeruile or ſlauiſh feare is ſuch an one as is in bond-ſlaues towards their maiſters, who do reuerence and feare them, and are loath to diſpleaſe them whether one way or other, through the dread and feare of puniſhment, which otherwiſe they are ſure to hauehave, if they offend and do contrary to their duties. So that ſome do feare the Lord through louelove, and care to offend him; and others againe do feare him through dread of puniſhment, and power to torment them. Of the former of theſe is mention here made, & not of the latter. It may be defined thus: It is a reuerence of Gods Maieſtie in our hearts, whereby we are made vnwilling to offend him in any thing, and moſt willing to pleaſe him in all things, through the louelove which we beare towards him, and the great excellency of ſuperioritie, dignity, power, and goodneſſe, which we ſee in him, farre aboue our ſelues, and all other creatures beſides. This is a vertue moſt neceſſary, and requiſite for all Chriſtians whatſoeuer. For hereupon hang the whole ſeruice of God, and all graces that belong to man, as might at large be ſhewed, if it were needfull. But let the Example of Abraham ſuffiſe, who thinking that the feare of God was not in Gerar, vtterly deſpaired of any other vertue; and therefore moued his wife to ſay, that ſhe was his ſiſter. Gen. 20.11. In this reſpect the feare of God is both by Dauid in Pſal. 111.10. and alſo by Salomon in Pro. 1.7. called the beginning of wiſedome, that is, the roote and fountaine of all goodneſſe, and therefore of the whole worſhip and ſeruice of God ſpoken of here in this place. So that there is good cauſe, why the Prophet ſhould require of vsus, to ſerue the Lord with feare. Where-hence let vsus collect this doctrine, Doct. that as we muſt ſerue the Lord, ſo we muſt feare the Lord, and ſtand in great awe and reuerence of him. Thou ſhalt feare (ſaith Moſes to Iſrael in Deut. 6.13.) the Lord thy God, and ſerue him, and ſhalt ſweare by his name. Eſay doth require the ſame duty of his people in chapter 8.13. when he ſaith vntounto them: Sanctifie the Lord of hoaſts, and let him be your feare, and let him be your dread. But to paſſe other places, marke what Salomon doth ſay of this in Eccleſ. 12.13. Let vsus heare (ſaith he) the end of all, feare God, and keepe his Commandements; for this is the whole duty of man.
There are diuerſe reaſons to moue vsus hereunto. Reaſons. As firſt the greatneſſe of his power and might aboue vsus. Secondly, his authority and iuriſdiction, which he hath ouer vsus. Thirdly, his goodneſſe and mercy which he doth ſhew vntounto vsus. Fourthly, his Maieſtie and glory, which doth ſhine and gliſter round about vsus. Fifthly, his puritie and holineſſe, that is in his eyes beholding vsus. And laſtly, the great bleſſings, which the feare it ſelfe being had, will bring vntounto vsus. For all theſe things may iuſtly worke a feare in men. Meane men (we find by experience) do feare great men, & thoſe that are too mighty for them, and they dare not in any caſe diſpleaſe them. Children feare their parents, and ſuch as hauehave a ruling tuition ouer them. Workemen feare their maiſters by whom they liue and are maintained; and looke who are moſt bountifull and prodigall vntounto them, to them againe do they become moſt obſeruant and obſequious, as being afraid to offend them in any thing. Simple perſons feare great ſtates, & ſuch as excel in glory & maieſtie aboue thēfelues, though other wiſe they owe no homage or ſubiection vntounto them. Looſe liuers and wantons feare graue & religious perſons, and ſuch as are zealous for Gods glory, & earneſt for the ſaluation of mans ſoule, as being aſhamed to powre out their euil words, or to cōmit their wicked facts before them & in their preſence. Laſtly, eueryevery one by nature is forward to apply himſelfe to thoſe things, which he doth know will bring great profit, and benefit vntounto himſelfe, as being deſirous to be out of miſery, and to liue in happineſſe and proſperity all the dayes of his life. Now to apply this to God & to our ſelues; firſt, he is of power and might, we are no body vntounto him in that reſpect; he is able to pay vsus home, if we do diſpleaſe him. This reaſon our Sauiour doth vrge in Math. 10.28. when he wils his Apoſtles not to feare men, who can kil but the body, but to feare the Lord, who is able to deſtroy both body and ſoule in hell. Secondly, he hath authority & iuriſdiction ouer vsus, we are his, he hath made vsus, and he may do with vsus what he will, as the potter doth with his veſſell, or as the maſter doth with his ſeruant. This reaſon the Lord himſelfe doth preſſe in Malach. 1.6. ſaying, A ſon honoreth his father, and aſeruant his maiſter. If then I be a father, where is mine honor? & if I be a maſter, where is my feare? ſaith the Lord of hoſts vntounto you, ô Prieſts, that deſpiſe my name. Thirdly, he is good and kind to vsus, his benefites which we do enioy from him, are infinite, we hauehave all that we hauehave from him, euen our liues and all the reſt. This reaſon Dauid doth touch in Pſal. 130.4. when he ſaith vntounto the Lord, But mercy is with thee, that thou mayeſt be feared. Fourthly, he is a God of infinite Maieſty, and we are but poore ſimple creatures, made of the duſt and clay of the ground; the heauen of heauens cannot containe him, neither can the Angels themſelues ſtand before him for his brightneſſe, vnleſſe they couer their faces with two of their wings. This reaſon doth Moſes glance at in Exodus 20.20. when he ſhewes the end, wherefore the Lord did publiſh his law in that glorious and maieſticall maner as he did, in thunders, lightnings, and the like, ſaying: For God is come to proue you, and that his feare may be before you, that ye ſinne not. Fifthly, he is holy and righteous, his eyes are pure eyes, and cannot abide to behold ſinne and iniquity. This reaſon is laid downe before the eyes of the Iſraelites oftentimes in the old Teſtament by the Spirit of God, when he would draw them to the true feare and ſeruice of the Almighty, from all ſuch manners as were found among the Gentiles. For then ſtill his holineſſe and puritie was enforced vponupon them. Finally, the cōmodities, which the feare of the Lord being once had, wil bring vntounto vsus, are exceeding large and great. For firſt, it will make vsus holy and frameable vntounto Gods will, in auoiding thoſe things which he hath condemned, and in performing thoſe things, which he hath commanded. The feare of the Lord (ſaith Salomon in Prou. 8.13.) is to hate euill, as pride and arrogancie, and the euill way. Where he ſheweth, that in what meaſure any one feareth God, in the ſame meaſure, he doth loath and deteſt all euill; yea not onelyonly the open & abhominable ſinnes, which the world doth condemne, but the moſt ſecret and hidden. For he ſaith not, to hate euill, as murther and adultery, but pride & arrogancy, which lie in the heart, and do not ſhew themſelues to the world, yet he that feareth God, will hate them. Secondly, it wil make vsus bleſſed and happy in all our wayes. Bleſſed (ſaith Dauid in Pſal. 128.1.) is eueryevery one, that feareth the Lord, and walketh in his wayes. This reaſon the ſweet Singer of Iſrael hath alleaged in Pſal. 34.9. when he ſaith, Feare the Lord, ye his Saints, for nothing wanteth in them that feare him: nothing he meanes, which is good and wholeſome for them, as he ſpeakes elſewhere, ſaying: The Lord will giuegive grace and glorie, and no good thing will he with-hold from them that walke vprightly. Pſal. 84.17. So that the feare of the Lord brings with it alwayes a plentie of all good things, & comes laden with the bleſſings of God, wherſoeuer it comes. For all theſe cauſes now rehearſed ſhould we feare the Lord, and in reuerence endeuor to pleaſe him.
The vſe that we muſt make of this, Vſe. is firſt, to condemne thoſe that hauehave not the true feare of the Lord before their eies. Alas their caſe is miſerable. For they ſerue not the true and liuing God, what ſhew of religion ſoeuer they do make, or what brags ſoeuer they do giuegive forth concerning the ſame. For ſeeing the feare of God is the very beginning of wiſedome, and the ſoundation or groundſill of Gods worſhip (as hath bene proued vntounto you already,) it is vnpoſſible, that either they ſhould hauehave any true wiſedome in them, or elſe religiouſly ſhould ſerue the Lord, when they want this feare, the only cauſe and fountaine thereof.
Secondly, this may ſerue to ſtirre vsus vp to get the feare of the Lord vntounto our ſelues, and to labor by all meanes poſſible to bring our hearts thereunto, that ſo we may truly ſay of our ſelues, that the Lord is our feare and our dread. But againſt this it may be obiected: Obiect. firſt, that perfect louelove doth caſt out feare, according to Iohns words, in 1. Iohn 4.18. Secondly, that we are deliuered from our enimies, that we ſhould ſerue the Lord without feare, as it is in Luk. 1.74. To this I anſwer, Anſ. that perfect louelove doth caſt out helliſh feare, and that ſlauiſh or ſeruile one, whereof we ſpake before, that makes man to tremble before God for feare of puniſhment, and to flie from him, as from a terrible Iudge; but on the contrary ſide it cauſeth that holy and childiſh feare (mentioned alſo before) that makes man more carefull to come vntounto him, and to worſhip him as he ought to do. From the former of theſe we are deliuered, but not from the latter. We hauehave not receiued the ſpirit of bondage (ſaith Paul in Rom. 8.15.) to feare againe, but the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry Abbah, Father. So that true louelove is ſo farre off from caſting out this holy feare of adoption, or reuerence, whereby we are drawne to hate ſinne in louelove towards God, and not for puniſhments ſake; that it doth bring it in, and eſtabliſh it within vsus. Yet this is to be noted by the way, that ſeruile feare is a good meanes at the firſt to bring vsus vntounto God. For it prepareth a place for the holy Ghoſt to bring him into our ſoules, as the briſtle bringeth in the thrid: but when he is once entred into vsus, and hath taken vp the poſſeſſion of our ſoules within vsus; then this feare is gone, as the briſtle is when the thrid is entred into the hole. Beſides this you muſt marke, that as the children of God are not by and by perfect, ſo a peece of this feare may ſtill remaine in them: wherupon ſome make a feare, which is in the midſt of theſe two feares, the filiall and ſeruile, calling it timor initialis, an entring feare, reaching out her right hand vntounto the one, and her left hand vntounto the other, being found euen in men renued by the Spirit of louelove, whoſe ſanctification is but begun; and therefore as they feare ſeparation from God by offence, which belongeth vntounto filiall feare, and proceedeth from louelove: ſo they feare puniſhments and euils, which God hath prepared for the offendors; which belongeth to ſeruile feare, and proceedeth from the ſame. But to proceed on, the feare that is here required of vsus, and which is to laſt for euer, is that feare of reuerence, whereby we beholding on the one ſide our owne paruitie and ſmalneſſe, and the excellency of our God, and his incomprehenſible Maieſtie on the other ſide, dare not lift vp our ſelues againſt him, but do ſtand in awe of him with all reuerence, being loath to offend him in any thing, and moſt carefull to pleaſe him in all things. It is ſuch a feare as is in louing children towards their parents, in dutifull wiues towards their husbands, and in faithful ſubiects towards their Princes. The fountaine whereof is louelove, and a due conſideration of his excellency eueryevery way aboue vsus. To this feare muſt we ſtirre vp our ſoules eueryevery day. And ſo farre as we would either worſhip God aright, or hauehave his bleſſings powred downe vponupon vsus (whether for this life, or the life to come) we muſt ſtriue and contend with our ſoules and hearts to bring them hereunto, that ſo we may alwayes reuerence and dread the great name of the Lord of hoſts. Doubtleſſe we ſhall nener ſerue the Lord aright, or become happie and bleſſed, vntill this be brought to paſſe. Well we may performe ſome duties in outward appearance, but we ſhal neuer looke to all with a good heart and conſcience within: and howſoeuer we proſper and flouriſh for a while, yet woe and deſtruction will ouertake vsus at the laſt. But let his feare be once planted within vsus, then ſhall we inwardly and from the heart, hauehave a reſpect vntounto all his commandements, and be moſt carefull to pleaſe him in all things. And then againe ſhall we proſper and flouriſh for euer, not only in this world, but much more in the world to come. If any then ſhall come vntounto vsus, to entice vsus vntounto any wickedneſle whatſoeuer, as Potiphars wife came vntounto Ioſeph, & enticed him vntounto vncleannes; we ſhall not conſent vntounto him therein, no more then he did vntounto her, who was kept therefrom by the feare of his God. And if any croſſe then ſhall begin to aſſault vsus, and to lie heauie vponupon vsus, the Lord will be ready to remoue it from vsus, & to ſupply on the other ſide all our defects & wants whatſoeuer. For he is alwaies preſent with them that feare him, & there is no good thing, but they ſhall hauehave the ſame ſtom him, as you hauehave heard already. Wherefore looke you to this your duty, and feare ye the Lord your God. Remember, that he is your Father, your Maſter, your Sauiour, your Benefactor, your King, and one that is full of power and maieſtie, and of ſuch pure eies, that he cannot endure any corruption whatſoeuer. For ſhall the child feare his father, the ſeruant his maiſter, the ſubiect his king, the poore his benefactor, the redeemed his ſauiour, the weaker his ſtronger, the baſer his more honorable, and the looſe perſons ſuch as are ſtayd and graue for religion? And yet will not you feare the Lord your God, who is all theſe vntounto you? Yes, yes, we would do it, may you ſay, but what courſe ſhall we take to attaine thereunto? You muſt do theſe things. Firſt, you muſt deny your ſelues quite, and renounce vtterly all the carnall wiſedome, that is in you. As Salomon ſaith in Prou. 3.7. Be not wiſe in thine owne eies, but feare God, and depart from euill. As though a man could neuer feare God, ſo long as he is well conceited of his owne wiſdome. And indeed no more cā he; For the wiſdome of the fleſh is enmitie to God, and will not be ſubiect in any ſort vntounto his law. Rom. 8.7. Secondly, you muſt pray heartily vntounto the Lord for his heauenly grace to helpe you in this reſpect. For it is he alone, that muſt beſtow this feare vponupon you: for otherwiſe you can neuer hauehave it, who of your ſelues can do nothing, no not ſo much as think one good thought, as Paul doth confeſſe of himſelfe in 2. Cor. 3.5. Laſtly, you muſt often and ſeriouſly thinke on all the reaſons before going, as alſo deeply meditate with your ſelues vponupon Gods fearefull iudgements, which he hath executed vponupon ſinners from time to time. For this will breed in your hearts a ſenſe & awe of his Maieſtie, as we may ſee by many ſtories in the Bible, and namely by that which is written in the Acts of the Apoſtles, chap. 5. verſe 11. where you find, that feare came on all the Church, and on as many as heard what iudgement fell vponupon Ananias and Sapphira his wife, when both of them fell downe at Peters feete, and yeelded vp the ghoſt before him. Wherefore performe theſe things with care and conſcience, and no doubt, but you ſhall hauehave the true feare of the Lord at the laſt within you.
Hitherto of the firſt point, now followeth the ſecond, which is ioy. Andreioyce, ſaith the Prophet. In the entrance of the Pſalme it is euident, that they were grieued againſt the Lord, and that they did, as it were, loathe and abhorre him; but now on the contrary ſide they are willed to reioyce in him, and to be glad in his behalfe: and there is good reaſon for it too, not onelyonly becauſe he hath ſet ſuch a good and bountifull king ouer them, as his Sonne is; but alſo becauſe he himſelfe is ſo ſweete a God, and his ſeruice ſo pleaſant and beneficial as it is. Then as men do deſire to hauehave their ſeruants to reioyce in them, and in their ſeruice, and to doe whatſoeuer they doe with chearefull hearts: ſo the Lord would hauehave them his ſeruants to reioyce in him & in his ſeruice, and not to go about his buſines with murmuring and repining ſoules, but with cheerfulneſſe and alacritie of ſpirit. Learne we then from hence this doctrine: Doct. that we muſt reioyce and be glad in the Lord our God, and in all that ſeruice, which we do performe vntounto him. To this we are exhorted in many places of the word. Be glad ye righteous (ſaith Dauid in Pſal. 32.11.) and reioyce in the Lord, and be ioyfull all ye that are vpright in heart. Likewiſe Paul writing vntounto the Philippians in the 4. Chap. and 4. verſe thereof, he doth ſtirre them vp vntounto the ſame duty, ſaying: Reioyce in the Lord alway, againe I ſay, reioyce. But thoſe places, which are in Eſay 54.1. and in Zophonie 3.14. &c. are excellent for this purpoſe, if they be well conſidered of, and therefore (I pray) reade them at your leiſure, and marke them well.
But to leaue the doctrine, Reaſons. which is cleare and cuident of it ſelfe, and to come to the reaſons of it, to conſider with our ſelues, why we ſhould do it, they are in number theſe two. Firſt, becauſe he doth excell and paſſe all the creatures in the whole world for all good things whatſoeuer. For we are wont to reioyce in ſuch things as are ſingular, and do go beyond others for goodneſſe. As for example, if a man hath a faire beautifull woman to his wife, paſſing other women for beautie or pulchritude: Or if he hath a goodly child of admirable parts to his ſonne, excelling other children for learning, and other rich endowments: Or laſtly, if he hath a ſtately commodious houſe for his dwelling, ouer-matching all other houſes in the country about him, for pompe and neceſſary vſes; how much doth he reioyce in theſe? daily experience doth teach vsus, that they are the only ioy and delight of his ſoule. And euen ſo ſhould it be with vsus in regard of our God: for he doth paſſe and excell all others whatſoeuer, as in wiſedome, in mercy, in iuſtice, in power, in louelove, in goodneſſe, in glory, and the reſt. And therefore we ſhould reioyce in him, and make him our ſole delight and pleaſure.
The other reaſon is this, becauſe he doth, and alſo is moſt able to do vsus moſt good, and to bleſſe vsus both here in this world, and alſo in the world to come. For it is an vſuall thing with vsus euermore to reioyce in thoſe things, which are good and profitable vntounto vsus, and the more commodious and beneficiall any thing is vntounto vsus, the more commonly do we reioyce and delight therein. I need not demonſtrate this vntounto you by any examples. For you know it too well your ſelues. Doubtleſſe, if any of vsus hauehave but a friend, who is alwayes kind and louing vntounto vsus, as being ready ſtill with his horſe to lend it vsus, with his plough to labour for vsus, with his money to lay it out vponupon vsus, and with his body to go and come at our deſire for our profite and emolument, we cannot but greatly reioyce in him, and be exceeding glad, that euer we met with ſuch a good and faithfull friend. But behold (dearely beloued) the Lord our God doth paſſe him by many and infinite degrees: for all that we hauehave we hauehave from him, he doth neuer faile vsus, but he doth helpe vsus eueryevery day and night, and he is able to do vsus good for euermore; to bleſſe vsus here, and all that we hauehave, and to crowne vsus with glory hereafter in the heauens aboue, where ſhall be ioy, and no ſorrow; health and no ſickneſſe; holineſſe and no wickedneſſe; glory and no ſhame; riches and no pouerty; life and no death; and in one word, happineſſe, and no miſery. And therefore there is great cauſe why we ſhould reioyce and be glad in him.
Vſe. This then plainly reproueth ſuch as take their delight and pleaſure in worldly matters, and in the vanities of this life, but not in the Lord, nor his wayes. Some you ſhall find reioycing in their wiſdome; ſome in their riches; ſome in their ſtrength; ſome in their parentage; ſome in their honors; ſome in their ſports; ſome in one thing and ſome in another: but few in the Lord and his ſeruice. But this is condemned you may ſee in Ieremy 9.23.24. where the Lord doth forbid the wiſe man to glory in his wiſedome, and the ſtrong man to glory in his ſtrength, and the rich man to glory in his riches; and doth command all to glory in him, and his knowledge. And therefore Paul doth ſay, Let him that reioyceth, reioyce in the Lord. 1. Cor. 1.31. & 2. Cor. 10.17.
Secondly, as this doth controlle them, who take no pleaſure in the Lord, but do go about his ſeruice with vnwilling and heauie hearts, like vntounto the Beare, that is drawne to the ſtake: ſo it doth teach vsus, that that is but a ſlaunder, which is caſt out againſt vsus, when men ſay, that Religion breeds melancholy, and cuts off all mirth and ioy. For here you ſee, we are called vponupon to reioyce: and this ioy alſo that is in vsus, is exceeding large and great. For Peter doth ſhew, that it is vnſpeakable and glorious in 1. Pet. 1.8. when he ſaith, that we do beleeue in Chriſt, though we ſee him not, and do reioyce in him with ioy vnſpeakable and glorious. And Eſay alſo doth ſhew (in chap. 9.3.) that it is like the ioy in harueſt, and as men reioyce, when they diuide a ſpoyle. True it is, that religion doth cut off all wicked and prophane mirth and ioy; but as for that, which is holy and good, conſiſting in the Lord and vpright waies, it doth bring that in, and daily increaſe it in our ſoules. For as Paule doth teach vsus in Rom. 14.17. The kingdome of God ſtandeth not in meate and drinke, but in righteouſneſſe, and peace, and ioy in the holy Ghoſt. As here is righteouſneſſe in the Church or Kingdome of God, ſo here is peace and ioy, which the holy Ghoſt doth worke in the hearts of men. You may ſee in Pſal. 68.3. & Pſal. 106.5. that reioycing doth belong to the people of God. But the righteous (ſaith the Prophet in the former of theſe two places) ſhall be glad and reioyce before God, yea they ſhall leape for ioy. And againe he ſaith in the latter of them: Remember me, ô Lord, with the fauour of thy people, viſit me with thy ſaluation, that I may ſee the felicity of thy choſen, and reioyce in the ioy of thy people, and glory with thine inheritance. The muſicke that was vſed vnderunder the Law in the Temple may well declare this thing: for that was typicall, and figured out the true ioy and mirth, which ſhould be in the Chriſtian Church, where is the aſſurance of the remiſſion of ſinnes, and life eternall. Surely to ſpeake all in one word, Gods children hauehave more ioy of heart then the wicked hauehave, as Dauid doth declare in Pſal. 4.6. and this their ioy alſo is of longer continuance: for it ſhall neuer be taken from them, as our Sauiors words do import, in Ioh. 16.22.
Finally, out of this we may learne, to ſtzine againſt our ſorrow and penſiueneſſe, that ſo we may reioyce ſtill in the Lord and his wayes. For ſeeing we are called vponupon for this duty, we muſt performe it. We muſt reioyce and be glad in the Lord, as the Church doth ſpeake of her ſelfe in the Canticles, Chap. 1. ver. 3. Howſoeuer we may mourne ſometimes for our ſinnes, and be penſiue for our tranſgreſſions: yet we muſt not ſuffer our ſorrow to ouercome vsus, but we muſt ouercome it, and breake out into ioy and mirth before the Lord. And this our ioy and mirth muſt not be in feaſting, in playing, and in wickedneſſe, according to the courſe of this world, but it muſt be in ſpirituall matters, and in the holy exerciſes of religion, which do belong vntounto the Lord. We muſt go about the buſineſſe of our God, and his holy ſeruice, as chearfully, and as willingly as if we went vntounto a feaſt; and take as great delight and pleaſure therein, as we do in any banquet whatſoeuer; according vntounto the example of Dauid, and others, ſpoken of in Pſalm. 42.4. who are ſaid there to go into the houſe of God with the voyce of ſinging and praiſe, as a multitude that keepeth a feaſt. And that this may the better be performed of vsus, we muſt firſt labour to be fully reconciled vntounto God, & to be aſſured that he is become our God and Sauiour. For otherwiſe we ſhall neuer reioyce in him aright, but rather deteſt and abhorre him. Secondly, we muſt know and remember, that the ſeruice which he doth require of vsus, is a reaſonable ſernice; and that there is a great reward layd vp for them which ſhall do the ſame. For otherwiſe it will be grieuous and irkſome vntounto vsus; but this will make it eaſie and pleaſant, and as ſweet to vsus, as the hony, or hony combe; as Dauid doth ſpeake of it in regard of himſelfe, in Pſ. 19.10. Wherefore looke (I pray) vntounto both theſe things, that ſo the Lord and his ſeruice may be vntounto you, the very ioy, and reioycing of your hearts. And in any caſe be neuer quiet or at reſt, vntill you hauehave brought your hearts to this, euen to reioyce in the Lord your God, as it is here in our text required of you. For this ioy being once had, will be maruellous commodious and beneficiall vntounto you. For firſt, it will bring comfort vntounto you in the midſt of all your troubles, and take away the ſharpneſſe thereof from your ſoules. Secondly, it will helpe the good eſtate of your bodies, and make them the more ſtrong and healthfull. For a ioyfull heart (ſaith Salomon in Prou. 17.22.) cauſeth good health, but aſorrowfull minde drieth the bones. Thirdly, it will fit you for the ſeruice and worſhip of the Almighty, and cauſe you to be very prompt & expert in doing the ſame. For the heart is fitteſt for holy duties, when it doth reioyce, as Eliſha was to propheſie when the muſitian plaied. 2. King. 3.15. Finally, it will confirme you in your holy religion, and ſo eſtabliſh you in the ſame, that you ſhall neuer ſhrinke away from it while you liue. For we are neuer weary of that, wherein we do reioyce, but the more we do the ſame, the more greedy ſtill are we for to do it, and it is a kinde of death vntounto vsus for to leaue it. And yet wil you not for all this reioyce in the Lord? Remember your ſelues, and labour for to do it, and giuegive no reſt (I ſay) vntounto your ſoules, vntill you can bring it to paſſe. And ſo I come vntounto the laſt poynt, which is Trembling.
As we muſt reioyce in the Lord, nothing doubting of his louelove and good will towards vsus, ſo we muſt tremble before him, carrying our ſelues with all reuerence and lowlineſſe towards him, as it doth be come vsus. And therefore the Prophet doth adde, in trembling. Reioyce (ſaith he) intrembling. It is manifeſt in the former part of the Pſalme, that they were high-minded, and ſtout againſt the Lord, in that they did take vp weapons and armes againſt him: but now the Prophet would hauehave them to tremble and quake before him, and to do all ſeruice vntounto him with humbleneſſe and lowlineſſe of minde. Where there is ioy and gladneſſe of heart, there oftentimes do men forget themſelues, and become too bold and malapert. Now, leſt they ſhould do the like, they are commanded here not onelyonly to reioyce in the Lord, but alſo to tremble before him, that ſo there might be found in them no lightneſſe or wanton behauiour, but all reuerence and graue carriage whatſoeuer, with an humble ſoule, not lifting vp themſelues in any of their workes, but euen trembling before him, that is the Iudge of the world. Whence we collect this doctrine, Doct. that eueryevery perſon muſt quake and tremble before the Almightie. Paul ſhewes in Philipp. 2.12. that we muſt worke out our ſaluation with feare and trembling. There are two great euils which do hinder mans ſaluation. The one is carnall ſecuritie: the other is the pride of the minde. Carnall ſecuritie makes a man too negligent in the doing of good workes, and doth cauſe him oftentimes to fall into many offences, and ſinnes. And pride doth make him too arrogant in his good workes, when he hath done them, and cauſeth him often to attribute that vntounto himſelfe, which doth belong onelyonly vntounto the Lord and his grace. Herein the diuell hath a great ſtroake, and skill. Firſt, he laboureth to keepe vsus from good workes, by making vsus ſecure and careleſſe. Then ſecondly, if he cannot preuaile therein, he endeuoureth to make vsus proud of our good workes, by lifting vp our ſoules with an high conceipt therein. Againſt both theſe doth the Apoſtle here go about to arme the Philippians. Firſt, ſetting feare againſt carnall ſecuritie: then, trembling againſt the pride of minde. And as there the Apoſtle dealeth, ſo doth the Prophet here in our text. He would not hauehave vsus onelyonly to feare the Lord, but alſo to tremble before him. The like in effect we hauehave in Hebrewes 12.38. Where the Apoſtle ſheweth, that ſeeing we doe receiue a kingdome, which cannot be ſhaken, it is our part to hauehave grace, whereby we may ſo ſerue God, that we may pleaſe him with reuerence and feare. So that nothing muſt bee done in the ſeruice of God lightly or arrogantly, but all with great reuerence, and humbleneſſe of minde, whereby we tremble before him and feare his iudgements.
The reaſons hereof are two. The one is, Reaſons. becauſe the Lord doth delight in ſuch, and regard them much, as we may ſee by his words in Eſay 66.2. when he ſaith: And to him will I looke, euen to him that is poore, and of a contrite ſpirit, and trembleth at my words. For we muſt alwaies do that, which will be well pleaſing vntounto God, & cauſe him to take a delight and pleaſure in vsus, conſidering that his louelove is better then life it ſelfe. Pſal. 63.3. The other is, becauſe the Lord doth reſiſt the proud, and ſuch as be arrogant, and cannot in any caſe endure them; as may be ſeene by our Sauiours words, when he made mention of the bragging Phariſie, & poore Publican, in Luk. 18.9. &c. For after he had ſhewed what both of them had done, and how the latter of them was more iuſtified in the ſight of God then the former, he gaue this reaſon of it, ſaying: For eueryevery man that exalteth himſelfe ſhal be brought low, & he that hū bleth himſelfe ſhall be exalted. For we muſt euermore auoyde that which will caſt vsus out of the fauour of God, and bring his iudgements vponupon vsus.
This then may ſerue to pull them downe who are proud and hautie. Vſe. Behold (ſaith Habakuk in chap. 2.4.) he that lifteth vp himſelfe, his minde is not vpright in him. There is no goodneſſe in ſuch. They can neuer ſerue the Lord aright, but they will alwaies marre eueryevery good thing which they take in hand. Looke vponupon thē euen in holy aſſemblies; if they tremble not before the Lord, nor quake at his iudgements, you ſhall finde them enermore vnreuerent therein. They will neither be attentiue, neither yet will they bow and becke, as they ought to do: either they will talke, or ſleepe, or gaze about, or reade of ſome other matter in a booke, then of that which is in hand; or thinke on things at home or abrode, or go out before all is ended; or laugh and grin when they ſhould rather mourne and weepe, or do the like; yea when they ſhould kneele lowly vponupon their knees, they either fit or ſtand, or bow their bodies but a little. Such vnreuerence and ſtoutneſſe is found amongſt them from time to time.
But here for our ſelues, we muſt learne to be humble and lowly, as Chriſt our Sauiour was. And as we looke to be reſpected by God, and not to be plagued by him, we muſt labour to draw our hearts vntounto a trembling and a quaking before him, that ſo we may carry our ſelues reuerently in his worſhip at all times: and when we hauehave done all that we can doe, not truſt in any thing, but think our ſelues to be vnprofitable ſeruants, and to come too ſhort of our duties by many degrees. But what ſhall we do, will you ſay, to attaine to this? We muſt performe theſe things. Firſt, we muſt pray to God, that hee would humble vsus, and beſtow vponupon vsus meeke and lowly hearts. For by nature all of vsus are proud and arrogant, like to Euah our firſt mother, who would not be ſubiect to God, but be as God herſelfe: and of our ſelues we cannot be humble and lowly when we would be, but God muſt humble vsus and make vsus lowly; who ſaid in Zophonio 3.12. Then will I leaue in the mids of thee an humble and poore people, and they ſhall truſt in the name of the Lord. Secondly, we muſt conſider often with our ſelues, how baſe and vile we our ſelues are, and how glorious and full of Maieſtie the Lord is. For by this conſideration it may come to paſſe, that we ſhall caſt our ſelues downe before him in moſt humble & ſubmiſſiue maner, as Abraham did, when he acknowledged, that he was not worthy to ſpeake vntounto the Lord, becauſe he was but duſt and aſhes. Gen. 18.27. And as Eſay did, when he cried out and ſaid: Woe is me, for I am vndone; becauſe I am a man of polluted lips, and I dwell in the mids of a people of polluted lips. For mine eyes hauehave ſeene the King and Lord of hoſts. Eſay 6.5. Thirdly, we muſt alwayes remember, that all the ſeruice which we can do vntounto the Lord, is due vntounto him; that our beſt righteouſnes is as a polluted garment; & that if the Lord ſhould enter into iudgement with vsus, to reward vsus according to our wayes, we could not anſwer him one for a thouſand, or be able to ſtand before him, or appeare iuſt in his ſight. Laſtly, we muſt ſet before our eyes all the iudgements of the Lord, which he hath executed vponupon men for their tranſgreſſions, and which he hath in great ſtore for all ſuch, as ſhall ſtand ſtoutly out againſt him, and breake his commandements. For they may quaile vsus, and breake the ſtony rocke of our ſoules to peeces, and make vsus cry out with Habakuk, ſaying: When I heard, my belly trembled, my lips ſhooke at the voyce, rottenneſſe entred into my bones; and I trembled in myſelfe, that I might reſt in the day of trouble. For when he commeth vp vntounto the people, he ſhall destroy them. Hab. 3.16. Remember theſe things, and performe them.
Thus farre for the duty belonging vntounto God the Father: now followeth the duty, which belongeth vntounto God the Sonne. Wherin conſider firſt, what muſt be done vntounto him, then the Reaſons to moue vntounto the ſame. The duty to be performed is this; they muſt Kiſſe the Sonne. The vſe of a leiſſe in the holy Scripture is twoſold, one of ſubiection, as in 1. Sam. 10.1. where it is ſayd that Samuel did kiſſe Saul, when he annointed him to be king of Iſrael: for this was in token of his ſubiection vntounto him. And in this ſence alſo is it taken in 1. Kings 19.18. where the Lord told the Prophet Elijah, that he had left 7000 in Iſrael, whoſe knees had not bowed vntounto Baal, and whoſe mouth had not kiſſed him. Another of louelove and kindneſſe, as in Geneſ. 45.15. where you find Ioſeph kiſſing all his brethren, and weeping vponupon them: for this was in token of his louelove and good will, which he did beare towards them. And ſo alſo is it taken in Rom. 16.16. where the Apoſtle doth will the Saints to ſalute one the other with an holy kiſſe. Here in this place it may be taken in both the ſignifications: for it was their part both to louelove Chriſt, and alſo to be ſubiect and obedient vntounto him. And therefore they muſt kiſſe him, not onelyonly in ſigne of homage and ſubiection, but alſo as a ſure pledge of their louelove and faithful truſt, which they will performe towards him. Yet chiefly the former of theſe is meant, and not the latter. Howſoeuer, from hence we gather this doctrine, Doct. that as we muſt honour and ſerue the Father, as we were taught in the former verſe, ſo we muſt honor and ſerue the Sonne, as you ſee here plainely in this verſe. The ſame doctrine doth our Sauiour himſelfe beate into mens heads in the firſt chapter according to S. Iohns Goſpel, and the 23. verſe thereof, where he doth ſet downe a reaſon, why the Father iudgeth no man, but hath cōmitted all iudgement vntounto the Sonne: Becauſe (ſaith he) that all men ſhould honor the Sonne, as they honor the Father: and thereupon doth conclude, that he that honoreth not the Sonne, the ſame honoreth not the Father, which hath ſent him.
Now the reaſons for this doctrine are two. Reaſons. One becauſe he hath redeemed vsus, and ſet vsus free by a deare ranſome from all our enimies. As the men of Iſrael ſaid to Gideon, Reigne thou ouer vsus, both thou and thy ſonne, and thy ſonnes ſonne; for thou hast deliuered vsus out of the hands of Midian. Iudges 8.22. So wee may ſay to him in this reſpect, Reigne thou ouer vsus, both thou and thy Spirit, and thy Spirits holy word; for thou haſt deliuered vsus out of the hand of the diuell. And this is the reaſon that is preſſed in the fift chapter of the Reuelations, by all the Saints and Angels that are in heauen, why Chriſt is worthy of honour and glory, euen becauſe he was killed, and by his bloud hath redeemed vsus to God, and made vsus Kings and Prieſts vntounto him. Likewiſe Paul doth ſhew, that this was the end wherefore he died for vsus and roſe againe, namely, that he might be Lord both of the dead and quicke, as it is in Rom. 14.9. The other reaſon is this, becauſe he will hereafter glorifie vsus, and take vsus to himſelfe vp into the heauens, where he is, according to his promiſe in the bebeginning of the 14 chapter of Saint Iohns Goſpell. For this is the reaſon, which he vſed vntounto his Apoſtles, to encourage them on vntounto all dutifull ſeruice vntounto himſelfe, in the latter end of the 19. chapter of Mathew. For when they did aske him, what they ſhould hauehave, which had forſaken all to follow him, he anſwered them and ſaid: Ʋerily, I ſay vntounto you, that when the Son of man ſhall ſit in the throne of his Maieſtie, yee which followed me in the regeneration, ſhal alſo ſit vponupon twelue thrones, & iudge the twelue tribes of Iſrael. And whoſoeuer ſhall forſake houſes, or brethren, or fisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my names ſake, he ſhall receiue an hundred fold more, and ſhall inherite euerlasting life.
The vſe hereof is firſt, Vſe. to teach vsus the woefull eſtate of all Iewes, Turkes, and others who know not Chriſtaright, nor yeeld any reuerence or worſhip vntounto him, as vntounto God the Father. For, as after it doth follow, they muſt needs periſh and be deſtroyed for euer. There is no ſaluation or life eternall to be had of them, but they ſhall be ſure to be damned in hell for euermore. For as it is in Iohn 3.18. EueryEvery one that doth not beleeue in him, is condemned already. And as it is in 1. Ioh. 5.12. he that hath not the Sonne of God, hath not life: he meanes eternall life, for of that did he ſpeake in the former verſe.
Secondly, this muſt awaken vsus vp all, and ſtirre vsus to the execution of all ſuch duties, as we do owe vntounto the Son: we muſt not onelyonly know what he is aright, either in regard of his perſon, or of his office, but we muſt withall performe all loyall and faithfull ſeruice vntounto him. We muſt kiſſe him, that is, ſoundly louelove him, and carefully obey him in all his commandements. Learne we then his ſtatutes, and let vsus euermore obſerue and keepe them. Whereas he hath a yoke, & hath commanded vsus to take the ſame vponupon vsus, Math. 11.29. let vsus not fling it away, or withdraw our neckes therefrom, but with patient ſoules let vsus ſubmit our ſelues vntounto it, knowing that we muſt obſerue and keepe whatſoeuer he hath commanded vsus, as it is in Math. 28.20. Happy were we if we could once ſay to Chriſt, as the children of Iſrael did to Ioſuah ſaying: All that thou haſt commanded vsus, we will do; and whitherſoeuer thou ſendeſt vsus, we will go; whoſoeuer ſhall rebell againſt thy commandement, and will not obey thy words, in all that thou commandeſt, him, let him be put to death. Ioſuah 1.16 17.18. Cauſe there is great wherefore we ſhould do this. For what? Shall he die a curſed and ſhamefull death for vsus, to deliuer vsus from hell and damnation? and yet ſhall not we obey him? and through louelove do his commandements? Againe, doth he daily beſtow vponupon vsus great benefites? and do we looke to be glorified by him at the laſt? and to hauehave glory and honour, and immortality through his meanes? And yet ſhall not we louelove him? and be well content to take vp his yoake, and to do whatſoeuer he ſhall command vsus? But yet alas we do diſhonour him continually; we can blaſpheme his name and ſweare by his wounds and blood, and vſe his titles of Chriſt and Ieſus vnreuerently: but where is a man almoſt that doth worſhip him aright, and louelove him as he ought to doe? What? Could Nebuchadnezzar and all the States men of his Prouinces make a law, that whoſoeuer would not fall downe before the golden image which they had made, and worſhip the ſame, ſhould be caſt into an hot fiery furnace, and there be conſumed to death? And ſhall not we ſo much as diſlike with our ſelues, and inflict ſome puniſhmēt vponupon our owne perſons, when we cannot bring our ſoules to fall downe before Ieſus Chriſt, the moſt glorious image of God the Father, and worſhip him? For as for that image, it was nothing elſe but a dead peece of gold, and a matter of deteſtable idolatry, to be abhorred of eueryevery one. But as for this image, it is a liuing and a mighty God, and a thing of great ioy to all the world, to be embraced of all perſons, as bringing life & bleſſedneſſe vntounto all. To conclude this point, I beſeech you deare brethren, euen as you regard your owne ſaluation, and happineſſe for euermore, louelove him, and do whatſoeuer you can for him; and call him not onelyonly your Lord, as many do, but honour him alſo as your Lord, as few do; and fulfill all his commandements from time to time, as you ought to do.
And ſo I come to the reaſons, which may moue you hereunto. In number they are two. Reaſons. The one is taken from the euill or inconueniences, which otherwiſe will happen vntounto vsus, if we doe neglect this our duty towards Chriſt. The other is drawne from the benefite or commodity, which we ſhall enioy, if we do performe it, as we ought to do. The former of theſe is ſet downe in theſe words, Leſt he be angry, and ye periſh in the way, when his anger ſhall ſuddenly burne. The latter in theſe words, Bleſſed are all that truſt in him. Both theſe do yeeld vsus a large field to walke in, but I will be very ſuccinct and briefe in handling them.
Leſt he be angry (ſaith the text) that is, leſt he be offended and diſpleaſed with you for it. Here is the firſt euill or inconuenience that will fall out vponupon the neglect of our duty vntounto Chriſt. It will cauſe him to be angry, and much offended with vsus for it. (And ye periſh) that is, leſt you your ſelues be deſtroyed, and come to perdition. Here is the ſecond euill or inconuenience that will fall out vponupon the paſſing ouer of our obedience vntounto him. He will not ſpare vsus, but he will puniſh vsus and deſtroy vsus for the ſame. And this deſtruction of ours is amplified by two things. The firſt is by the circumſtance of the time: for as we ſhall periſh, ſo ſhall we periſh in the way, that is, before that we can come to our iourneyes end, and fully accompliſh ſuch things as we go about, and do intend to performe; which no doubt will be a great griefe vntounto vsus. For it is a griefe vntounto a man to periſh at any time, but a greater griefe by farre is it vntounto him, to periſh in the midſts of his buſines, and to be cut off by death, or any other iudgement of God, before he can diſpatch ſuch matters as he is moſt deſirous for to do. The other is by the ſuddenneſſe of it, or rather by the certaintie of it, touched in theſe words, When his wrath ſhall ſuddenly burne, or as others reade it, If his wrath ſhall burne though neuer ſo little. Of theſe two readings the latter is the beſt, as moſt agreeing with the circumſtance of the place, and the words in the Hebrew text: for they are theſe, Chi ijbegar chimengat, that is in our Engliſh tongue word for word, when he ſhall burne, though but a little; or thus: though he ſhall be wrathfull, albeit neuer ſo little. The laſt word of all called chimengat doth not ſignifie ſuddenly, as it is tranſlated in our Bibles, but it doth ſignifie though neuer ſo little or but a little; for it is compounded of chi and of mengat, the which mengat doth come of the verbe Mangat, that importeth to diminiſh, or to make ſmall. And hereby I ſay, the certainty of their perdition is noted out: for if they ſhall periſh when he is but a little angry, they muſt neuer looke to eſcape that do anger him greatly, and prouoke him datly to wrath by their ſins and diſobedience,; but be aſſured of deſtruction as the coate that is vponupon their backe: as it is in our Prouerbe. Thus in a few words you ſee, that there are two euils or inconueniences, which fal out vntounto all ſuch as wil not louelove Chriſt, & obey him. The one is the anger of Chriſt againſt ſuch; & the other is his iudgments proceeding from that anger, which he wil powre downe vponupon thē to their vtter ouerthrow & deſtruction. And both theſe are vrged by the Prophet, to draw vsus to all dutifull ſeruice & ſubiection vntounto him. Wherfore let vsus conſider here firſt, what is noted of Chriſt & of thoſe that wil not ſubmit thēſelues vntounto him, as they ought to do: then ſecondly, what vſe we muſt make therof.
Touching the former of theſe, there are foure things noted and ſet downe. The firſt is, that Chriſt will be angry with men, that do diſobey him. Looke how we are offended and diſpleaſed with our children and ſeruants, and ſuch others as are vnderunder vsus, when they are ſtubburne and wilfull, refuſing to do our commandements, and to ſubmit themſelues vntounto vsus: So is Chriſt Ieſus our Sauiour offended and diſpleaſed with all ſuch, as will not do homage vntounto him, and walke according to his commandements, but will do whatſoeuer ſeeme good in their owne eyes, & follow the pleaſures of their owne hearts. The ſecond is, that he will not ſpare ſuch, but deſtroy them, and bring moſt heauy plagues and iudgements vponupon them. For howſoeuer they may flouriſh and proſper for a time, yet in the end they muſt come to perdition. As we, when we are angry & wrathfull with our people for their tranſgreſſions and offences againſt vsus, do beate them and lay them on, according to the qualitie and quantitie of their deſerts: So will Chriſt deale with them, that breake out daily againſt his Maieſtie, and will not ſubmit themſelues vntounto his gouernment; he will take them and beate them, and lay them on ſtroke vponupon ſtroke, vntill he hath cruſht them all to peeces. The third is, that the wicked ſhall neuer accompliſh their purpoſes to the full, but in the very way, as they are going about their practiſes, they ſhal be arreſted, & be brought to perdition, like the fiſhes, that are taken ſuddenly in the net, and the birds that are caught in the ſnare, euen while they hunt after their prey, and do ſeeke for food to nouriſh themſelues withall. The fourth and laſt is, that though Chriſt be mercifull, and the ſweet Sauiour of the world, and ſo full of louelove and compaſſion, that he was content to lay downe his life for his enimies; yet when he is once angry, albeit but a little, there is nothing but death & deſtruction with him. His wrath is like the roaring of a Lyon, howſoeuer his fauour be like the dew vponupon the graſſe; and he that prouoketh him to anger ſinneth againſt his owne ſoule. This, euen this, all ſhall confeſſe at the laſt, when the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chiefe Captaines, and the mightie men, as well as others, ſhall hide themſelues in dens and among the rockes of the mountaines, and ſay to the mountaines & rocks: Fall on vsus, & hide vsus from the preſence of him, that ſitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lambe. For the great day of his wrath is come, and who can ſtand? as it is in the latter end of the ſixth chapter of the booke, called the Reuelations.
All theſe points are worthy to be ſtood vponupon, but I will referre them to your owne meditations. Vſe. The vſe that we muſt make of them is this, that we ſtire vp our ſoules by the due conſideration thereof, to the true ſeruice and worſhip of Chriſt, that ſo we may honour and kiſſe him, as it doth become vsus. For they are alledged (you ſee) for this end and purpoſe. Wherefore let them awaken and rouze vp your ſoules vntounto this your duty. For why ſhould you anger your ſweet Sauiour! or procure death and damnation to your ſelues! You will do many things to pleaſe your friends, & runne (as we ſay) through thicke and thin, to auoide their wrath and anger, who are in authority ouer you, and may worke you a diſpleaſure at their wils: and will you not then labour to pleaſe Chriſt, who is your deareſt friend in all the world? and to do any thing to eſcape his wrath and anger, who hath all ſupreme authority ouer you, and who may plague you eueryevery houre at his pleaſure? Againe, you will abſtaine from many things for feare of puniſhment, and do ſundry matters, which are euen contrary to your nature and likings, to auoide ſhame and deſtruction: and will you not then become obedient vntounto Chriſt, abſtaining from ſuch ſins, as he hath condemned, & performing ſuch duties as he hath commanded, that he may not puniſh you and bring ſhame and deſtruction vponupon you for euermore? I pray, thinke on theſe things moſt throughly, & let them hauehave a moſt deepe & ſerious meditation in your ſoules, to do them good. And ſay not with your ſelues, that Chriſt is mercifull, and that therefore we ſhall do well, and ſee no euill, howſoeuer we do offend; for he will forgiue vsus all, and receiue vsus to fauour againe. But remember alwayes what is in our text, namely, that he will be angry with vsus, vnleſſe we do kiſſe him, & that if his wrath burne neuer ſo litle, we muſt needs periſh, and that in the way, before we can bring our worke to an end. Oh deceiue nor your owne ſoules, he is euen a conſuming fire to burne vp all thoſe that do diſobey him. Thoſe mine enimies (ſaith he in Luke 19.27.) which would not that I ſhould reigne ouer them, bring them hither, and ſlay them before me. He will take then no pitty or compaſſion vponupon any, but he will breake and bruiſe all to peeces, who ſhall lift vp themſelues againſt him, be they, whatſoeuer they be; and therefore ſubmit you yourſelues vntounto him, if not for louelove, yet for feare of his iudgements, which are moſt intollerable; ſome in this world, and others in the world to come.
Hauing thus touched the reaſon, which is drawne from the dammages which will come to men, that will not obey Chriſt: let vsus now deſcend vntounto that reaſon, which is deriued from the commodity which they ſhall receiue, that will obey him. Bleſſed (ſaith the Prophet) are all that truſt in him. Though others do periſh, & are deſtroyed, who do withdraw their hearts from him: yet bleſſed and happy are thoſe, that do depend vponupon him, and make him their only truſt and confidence, they ſeruing him aright, as it doth become them. For here it ſhould ſeeme that the word truſt, which is a principall part of that worſhip and ſeruice, which man doth owe to Chriſt, is put for the whole worſhip and ſeruice it ſelfe, by the figure Synecdoche, when one part is put for all. And well might the Prophet vſe this word before all others, in regard of the iudgments, which he ſpake of before, to note, that the godly, who hauehave a care to obey Chriſt, hauehave good hope and truſt in him, euen in the midſt of dangers; that howſoeuer he be angry, and in his anger doth deſtroy all others round about thē, yet he will ſpare them, & do thē good. And indeed, Chriſt is not as ſome cholericke men are, who in their rage oftentimes will lay on thoſe that are cleare and innocent, as well as ſuch as are guilty, and hauehave committed the faults: but he is one that will put a difference betwixt men, and do good to thoſe, that do depend vponupon him, and are obedient to his will, though he doth in his rage deſtroy the wicked, and all ſuch as do rebell againſt him. Howſoeuer, here we learne this doctrine, Doct. that they are bleſſed and happy, that do relie vponupon Chriſt, & make him their ſtay and refuge. Bleſſed is the man (ſaith Ieremy in chap. 17.7.) that truſteth in the Lord, and whoſe hope the Lord is. And bleſſed is he (ſaith Dauid in Pſal. 146.5.) that hath the God of Iacob for his helpe, whoſe hope is in the Lord his God. But more particularly concerning Chriſt (whereas theſe places ſpeake in generall of the whole Godhead) marke what the Church doth confeſſe of him in the ſecond chapter of the Canticles, and the third verſe thereof. Like the apple tree (ſaith ſhe) among the trees of the forreſt ſo is my welbeloued among the ſonnes of men: vnderunder his ſhadow had I delight, and ſate downe, and his fruit was ſweet vntounto my mouth. Behold, ſhe notes hereout, by a notable compariſon, the excellent commodities that ſhe doth receiue by Chriſt her husband, and the happy eſtate, that ſhe doth enioy through his meanes. Adde hereunto alſo, that which the Lord himſelfe hath deliuered touching thoſe that are vnderunder him, and do liue obediently vntounto his gouernment, in Ier. chap. 23. ver. 6. ſaying: In his dayes Iudah ſhall be ſaued, and Iſrael ſhall dwell ſafely. So that all that do truſt in Chriſt, are happy and bleſſed.
And the reaſon thereof is this, becauſe they ſhall neuer periſh, Reaſon. but hauehave euerlaſting life, as it is oftentimes repeated in the new Teſtament, and namely in the third of Iohn, and the 16. ver. thereof; where God the Father is ſaid to hauehave loued the world ſo, that he gaue his onelyonly begotten Sonne for it, that whoſoeuer did beleeue in him, ſhould not periſh, but hauehave euerlaſting life. For in theſe two things all bleſſedneſſe and happineſſe doth ſtand: firſt, in a freedome from all miſery and deſtruction; then, in a poſſeſſion of all ioyes, and life euerlaſting.
Vſe. Wherefore let eueryevery one of vsus labour ſoundly and truly to beleeue in Chriſt, and to depend vponupon him, as vponupon a ſure rocke, that will neuer deceiue vsus. For then you ſee, we ſhall be bleſſed. A man will do much to hauehave happineſſe here in this world, & eueryevery one by nature doth deſire the ſame. And ſhall not we then truſt in Chriſt to attaine vntounto it? Withdraw we our hearts from the world, and let vsus place them wholly vponupon him. As they are curſed that do make fleſh their arme, and truſt in man: ſo they are bleſſed that do make Chriſt their arme, and truſt in him. Remember what Dauid ſayd touching this matter. Loe (ſaith he to God, in Pſal. 73.27.28.) they that withdraw themſelues from thee, ſhall periſh, thou deſtroyeſt all them, that go a whoring from thee. As for me, it is good for me to draw neare to God; therefore I hauehave put my truſt in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy workes. Let theſe things moue vp our harts to cleaue faſt vntounto Chriſt. Doubtleſſe there is nothing wanting in him, which is fit to be in one, on whom we are to place our truſt. There are ſixe things required of ſuch an one. Firſt, power, that he may be able to helpe vsus. Secondly, will, that he may be ready to do it. Thirdly, skill, that he may know how to do it. Fourthly, remembrance, that he may mind vsus for the doing of it. Fifthly, carefulneſſe, that he may not poſt it off, or neglect it from time to time. Laſtly, boldneſſe, that he may feare no inconuenience to enſue vponupon it, to hinder him from the doing of it. But all theſe are in Chriſt. He is able to helpe vsus, becauſe he is omnipotent, and can do all things. He is willing, becauſe he loues vsus to the death. He is skilfull, becauſe all the treaſures of knowledge and wiſedome are hid in him. He is mindfull, becauſe his eyes are alwayes open vponupon vsus; as who doth neither ſlumber nor ſleepe, but ſtand alwayes girded in the mids of the ſeuen golden candleſtickes to do them good. He is carefull, becauſe he is touched with our wants and infirmities. Laſtly, he is bold, becauſe he is Lord and King ouer all, and that Lyon of Iudah, that feares nothing. Withdraw not then your hearts from him, but truſt in him moſt conſtantly for euermore.
Secondly, by this we ſee, that godlineſſe is great gaine or riches, as the Apoſtle doth ſpeake: for truſt, here you ſee, brings with it bleſſedneſſe. It is not a barren thing, but fruitfull, it comes laden with all the bleſſings of the Lord vntounto vsus. Curſed man will ſay, that it is in vaine to ſerue God, and that there is no profit in keeping his Commandements, and in walking humbly before him, as it is in Mal. 3.14. But here we are taught the contrary. The wicked that do rebell, they are caſt downe and do periſh; but as for thoſe which do ſerue Chriſt, and truſt in him, they ſtand vp, and are bleſſed. Then for as much as your labour is not in vaine in the Lord (that I may vſe the phraſe of the Apoſtle) be ye ſtedfaſt, vnmoueable, abundant alway in the worke of the Lord; and truſt you in Chriſt for euermore, which will thus bring bleſſedneſſe vntounto you.
Finally, ſeeing they are bleſſed that do truſt in Chriſt, euen then, when others periſh and are deſtroyed; we ſhould not feare at any time, but be of a good hope and comfort in the midſt of all our calamities, as knowing that then we are bleſſed and in happy eſtate, as well as at other times. For Chriſt doth know how to make a ſeparation betwixt vsus that are his friends, and others that are his enimies. Queſtionleſſe, as God did put a difference betwixt the Iſraelites and the Aegyptians, in all ſuch plagues as he ſent amongſt them, ſparing ſtill the Iſraelites, and puniſhing the Aegyptians: And as he did put a difference betwixt his ſeruant Noah and the old world, ſauing Noah, and drowning the world: And as he did put a difference betwixt holy Lot and wicked Sodome, deliuering Lot and burning Sodome with brimſtone and fire from heauen: So will Chriſt put a difference betwixt vsus and others, to ſaue vsus, and to deſtroy them; as we may ſee moſt apparently in Math. 25.32. &c. where it is ſaid, that he will gather all nations before him, and that he will ſeparate them one from another, as a ſheepheard ſeparateth the ſheepe from the goates, ſending ſome to hell, and carying others with him to heauen. Let vsus then neuer feare in any perill or danger whatſoeuer, whether of warre, famine, plague, or the like, leſt we ſhould periſh with the wicked hand ouer head. We ſee he hath a care of his owne, and what he will do, he can do. If it be good for vsus to eſcape theſe worldly woes, we are aſſured we ſhall, as we are ſure we liue. And if otherwiſe it pleaſe him to wrap vsus with others in the outward puniſhment, yet ſhall we euer be ſure to be diſtinguiſhed from them in the eternall paine; and theſe outward griefes ſhall be but meanes to leade vsus to euerlaſting ioyes.
Wherefore cleaue ye faſt vntounto him, and feare not: be of good comfort: though others be curſed, yet you ſhall be bleſſed. For you ſee the difference of being religious, and being prophane; of louing Chriſt, and of loathing him. And this difference here will page missing
End of the text · Richard Webb, Christs Kingdom (1611)