THERE is a time (saith Salomon) for all things vnder the Sunne, in Eccle. 3.1. And againe he saith in Prou. 25.11. that a word spoken in his place, is like apples of gold, with pictures of siluer. In consideration where­of, I haue elected this portion of sacred Writ, to handle here amongst you, on these holy daies, as most fitting the time, and per­son, for whose sake they are obserued; and so I hope, will be most acceptable vnto you. For the time, (you know) is a time, that is celebrated for the honour of Christ our Sauiour, who was borne as vpon this day. And as for this portion of holy Scripture, it is a Psalme that doth intreate of Christ, and of his heauenly kingdome; who though he hath many enimies to withstand him, yet he shall remaine King and Lord for euer.

The Author principall of this Psalme was God, as he is of all the rest of the Scripture, according to Paules testimony in 2. Tim. 3.16. But the Author ministeriall, or instrumentall penman there­of, was the sweete singer of Israel, blessed Dauid the king; as we may see by the prayer of the faithfull, in Acts 4.25. For there in plaine termes Dauid is named, when they say vnto God. Which by the mouth of thy seruant Dauid hast said, Why did the Gen­tles rage, and the people imagine vaine things? &c.

The chiefe matter herein handled, is the gracious king dome of our best beloued bridegroome, the sweete Sauiour of the world. In letter and type it speakes of Dauid, and his kingdome; but in spirit and truth of Christ and his kingdome. For that which was figuratiue in Dauid (who represented the person of Christ) was all of it most liuely accomplished in Christ, who was represented by him. And therefore you shall finde, that those things which are here deliuered by the Prophet Dauid, are applied by the Spi­rit of God (the best interpreter of all) vnto Christ in particular, and that in three places of the new Testament. The first is in that 4. chapter of the Acts, which was quoted before. The second is in the thirteenth chapter of the same Booke, and the thirtieth three verse. And the third and last is in Heb. 1.5. So that by the war­rant of these places of diuine Oracle, this Psalme and the things therein contained, are truely and properly to be referred vnto Christ our King. Wherefore in the handling of it, we wil stand chiefly vpon him, and his kingdome, and speake but a little of Dauid and his kingdome; onely shewing the verity of it in him, & pressing it as it were, by the way of an allusion, and in the matter of amplification.

The parts of this Psalme are two, Doctrine (which some hap­ly would call, a Narratiue proposition) and Exhortation, (which they would peraduenture stile, an Admonitorie Conclusion.) Of these two, Doctrine goes foremost, and Exhortation comes after­ward, according to all good Methodicall instruction. For as in the architecture of an house, the foundation must first be well laid, and then afterward the whole building must be framed vpon it, and fastened to it with strong bands and ioints: So in euery order­ly and sound Instruction, the Doctrine must be first, (like the foundation) plainely setting downe the truth of matters, touching faith or manners; and the Exhortation must follow vpon it (like the frame of the house) fitting euery thing to the best edification of the hearer, and pressing it closely vpon his soule, with pitthy perswa­sions to worke vpon it, that so it may be framed, according to the image of his creator in that respect. The Doctrine begins at the first verse, and reacheth vnto the end of the nineth verse; at which place begins the Exhortation, and continues to the end of the Psalme.

In the Doctrine two principall things (as the seuerall members thereof) are laid downe. The one is an Opposition that is made a­gainst the kingdome of Christ, in the three first verses. The other is the vanity of that Opposition, and the woefull estate, where­in they stand, that make the same, in the six verses next following. If you would know the persons, that doe oppose themselues a­gainst Christ and his kingdome, they are of all sorts: some that are base and meane ones, that do rage and murmure against him, spoken of in the first verse: & others, that are noble and great ones, that do ioine hand & head together to ouerthrow him, mentioned in the second and third verses. If you would know againe, how all these doe speede, they haue ill successe, and misse of their purpose, and runne by this meanes into most woefull, and ineuitable dan­gers. For as they shall neuer preuaile, but all their endeauours shall come to nought, so they themselues (like rebels and traitours) shall be executed, and come to most fearfull and shamefull ends. And this is set out two waies. The one is in regard of God the Fa­ther and his Maiesty, against whom they haue lifted vp thēselues, and who doth take his Sons part, and will defend him in his king­dome; in the fourth, fift, and sixt verses. For as they can doe him no hurt, not onely in regard of his place, he being in heauen, far out of their reach who are vpon the earth; but also of his power, he being strong and mighty, whereas they are but weake & feeble; & one that makes no more account of their conspiracies, thē a man doth of his aduersaries forces, whom he hath in meere contempt and derision: so he is exceeding angry and wrathfull with them, for their rebellion and treason; and in this anger and wrath of his he will take reuenge vpon them for it, and make them know and vnderstand, to their shame and griefe, that he himselfe, and none other, had placed Christ in his kingdome, and established him in the throne of Israel, & that he did not vsurpe this authority to him­selfe. The other way is in respect of Christ himselfe, who is able to right his owne cause, & not onely to defend himselfe in his king­dome, but also to ouerthrow al his aduersaries, & to bring a perpe­tual & vnrecouerable destruction vpon thē; in the seuenth, eight, and ninth verses. Where you haue two things set downe before your eyes to contemplate vpon. The one is a promise which hee [Page 4]doth make, to publish his Fathers decree touching himselfe, and his kingdome; that so his enimies might be daunted the more, and by the due consideration thereof, might be brought (if it were possible) to leaue off their rebellion against him. The other is an opening of this decree by the parts thereof, which are in num­ber two; the one respecting his person, the other his office or go­uernment. For his person, he is not onely man, but also God, euen the naturall Sonne of the almighty Ichouah, which was, is, and which is to come: and this was proued to be so, as by his miracles, so chiefly by his resurrection from the dead, the Lord shewing by that, that he had begotten him from all eternity. For his office or gouernment, he is our king, and the head of the Church. And tou­ching it two things are recorded. First, the largenesse of it in the eight verse: wherein you may see, how it doth reach from one end of the world vnto the other. Then secondly the power and strength of it in the ninth verse, which is innincible, and bruy­sing downe all his aduersaries before him. And this his power he must vse and exercise, as for the defence of his owne faithfull and loyall subiects; so also for the destruction of the forenamed rebels, and of all such as shall at any time conspire against him. And this he is to doe by the vertue of his commission from his Father the Almighty, who did set him vpon his throne, and bestowed this vniuersall and catholicke kingdome vpon him. For he doth in plaine termes enioyne him to this dutie, saying, Thou shalt crush them with a scepter of yron, and breake them in peeces, like a potters vessell.

Vpon this stablenesse of Christs kingdome, wherein the ad­uersaries cannot preuaile, and vpon the inuincible, and reuenging power, wherewith he is armed, able to crush all his enemies in peeces, as the potter doth his earthen vessels, a sweete exhorta­tion is raised vp, wherein all the offenders are aduised to submit themselues to the Lord and his Annointed, whom before they did resist, and withstand: and that betimes without any further delay, that so they may not perish, but be saued; in the three last verses. Wherein remember you, what is required of them. In summe, it is nothing else, but a present repentance, or amendment of life; but the parts of it are two, as the chiefe points, wherein this re­pentance [Page 5]or amendment of life must stand. The first is an heauen­ly wisedome and holy learning, in verse 10. For whereas hereto­fore they had bene foolish and ignorant of their duties, now he would haue them to be wise and learned, knowing all such mat­ters as doe belong vnto them, and keeping themselues within the compasse of heauenly direction. The second is a loyall subiecti­on, and a seruiceable obedience, both towardes the Father, and also towards the Sonne. Towards the Father in verse 11. whom they must serue in feare, and before whom they must reioyce in trembling. And towards the Sonne in verse 12. whom they must kisse in token of their loue and homage to him; and that for two causes, one, that they may not offend him any more, and so bring fearefull and suddaine destruction vpon themselues; another, that they may please him, and so through his fauour and kindnesse to­wards them, receiue daily and plentifull blessings from his hands, both for this world and the world to come.

Thus you may see in a generall view, as in a christall glasse, what this whole Psalme is, and how correspondently one thing doth depend vpon the other therein. But if your memories bee fraile, and not stable enough to retaine the stampe of all these a­boue recited points within them; yet at the least remember three of them, which are (Instar omnium) in the place or stead of all. The first is the resistance that is made against the Lord and his Annoin­ted: wherein you shall finde all forts of persons rebelling against the gracious and sweete gouernment of our blessed Sauiour Christ Iesus. The second is the ouerthrow of that resistance, and the fearefull estate, wherein those that made the resistance doe stand, through the powerfull and reuenging Maiesty of God the Father, and of God the Sonne, against whom this treason is committed; both which are armed with intollerable and vnresistable plagues to consume them. The third and last is a kinde and louing ex­hortation, stirring vp, and calling vpon these traitours and rebels to leaue their treason and rebellion, and to become faithfull and trustie subiects vnto the Lord their king; with an insinuated pro­mise, that they shall be pardoned for that which they had done al­ready amisse, and be rewarded for all their good seruice, which they shall doe for the time to come.

These are the three maine points, on which the whole Psalme doth spend it selfe. Wherfore let vs also stand a little while, & spend some time in the due consideration thereof, before we come vnto the seuerall branches that are included in either of them.

THE Prophet intending to speake of Christ, and of his blessed and gracious gouern­ment, he doth begin with the conspiracy and opposition, that is made against the same. And whereas there are two sorts of persons that doe rebell, the Commons, and the Nobles; he makes his entrance with the Commons, and afterwards he comes to the Nobles. The Commons, though all of them did conspire and agree in the maine point of rebellion, yet they were diuided amongst themselues. Some of them were open enimies, and such as did breake out by violence and outrage into tumults and vnlawfull insurrections. Others were more close and secret, murmuring in their hearts against his gouernement, and grudging to doe seruice vnto him, as vnto their Lord and King. And though all of them did thus band themselues against him, and vse meanes, as it were, to be rid from his subiection; yet all was in vaine, they could not accomplish their purpose, but their indea­uours came to nought. In regard wherof the Prophet doth wonder, that euer they should be so mad and foolish, as thus to attempt such vnpossible things, and such matters too, that if they were brought to passe, yet would not be commodious or beneficiall vn­to them. For what commodity or benefit should they get, by being loosed frō the kingdom of Christ? Surely, as much as an horse doth by an heauy burden, as it is in our prouerbe. For this cause the Pro­phet speaking of their conspiracy, he doth not note it out simply in a plaine narration, but he doth declare it by way of admiration, [Page 30]in a demanded question, saying: Why doe the heathen rage, and the people murmure in vaine?

The summe then of this verse is the conspiracy or rebellion of the Commons or meaner sort of people, Summe. who rise vp against the Lord & his Annointed. Vnlesse a man would hold, that here is a descrip­tion of all their enimies in generall, and in the two next verses, of the chiefe and capitall heads of them in particular: but because that would include a repetition needlesse of one and the same mat­ter (for then the great ones should twise be set downe) I would ra­ther take it in the former acception, then in this latter. For the parts of it, Parts. they are in number two. The first sets downe what they doe, the other the Prophets wondring at them for their so doing. Their deedes are noted out two waies. First, by the parts or kinds of them; then by the effect ensuing vpon them. The parts and kinds of them are two; the one is raging, the other is murmuring. Why doe the heathen rage (saith the Prophet) and why doe the people murmure in vaine? By heathen, here some doe vnderstand the Gen­tles, and by people, the Iewes. But we may better take them for all the enimies (chiefly of the common and meaner sort) which either Dauid or Christ had, without any such distinction made be­twixt the words, or to be obserued in regard of them. First, be­cause the Hebrew words here vsed, called Goijm and Leummim, and the Greeke words, as they are translated in Acts 4.25. named Ethnê and Laoi, are promiscuously or indifferently vsed for any nation or people whatsoeuer, and the one of them is oftentimes put for the other. Secondly, because the deedes here ascribed vnto them in single and apart, were iointly and mixtly found in them both. For the Gentles did not onely rage, or the Iewes onely murmure, but both Gentles and Iewes did rage and murmure, as we haue heard al­ready in part, and may hereafter heare more. But to leaue this ob­seruation touching that conceipted distinction, marke you here a true distinction. The enimies of our Sauiour (as we may see here) were of two sorts. Some of them were violent and furious, brea­king out into outrages, and open sedition: and others of them were more secret and hidden, inwardly repining in their soules, & outwardly muttering or whispering against him by their words. The words which are vsed here in the Hebrew tongue, and those [Page 31]also, which are vsed of the Apostles in the Greek tongue, in Chap. 4.25. (where the same sentence is deliuered) doe make this most plaine and euident. For the first of the Hebrew words, called Ra­geshu, comming of Ragash, doth signifie to make a tumult, and to gather together an assembly; and the other of them named Iehegu, arising from the roote Hagah, doth import to meditate vpon, to mutter, and to speake tam ore quàm corde, as well by the mouth, as by the heart. So in like manner the former of the Greeke words, called, Ephruaxan, doth signifie to make a noise, or to rage, pro­perly as the horse doth, which doth rush violently with great bray­ing into the battell: and the latter of them, named Emeletêsan, doth import to meditate vpon, to care for, and to exercise ones selfe in a thing. So that they were tumultuous ragers, and plodding mur­murers.

Thus you see shortly what they did. The verity whereof may be seene in the story of the Euangelists. For they with one con­sent make mention of both these their facts: but let vs see it in a few examples. For the first, they raged against Christ, and met to­gether in a tumultuous manner, when they were filled with wrath, and rose vp, and thrust him out of Nazareth, and led him to the edge of the hill, whereon Nazareth was built, to cast him downe head-long, and there to breake his neck. Luk. 4.28.29. Likewise they raged against him, and met together in a tumultuous manner, when they came in a great multitude with swords and staues to apprehend him, and to cary him to the officers, such as the high Priest and others were. Math. 26.47. But to omit other times, they raged against him, and met together in a tumultuous manner, when they cryed out to Pilate saying. Crucifie him, crucifie him: and when they did spit in his face, strike him with their fists, set a crowne of thornes vpon his head, flowted him to his face, and offered other notori­ous villanies vnto him. Math. 27.22. &c. For the second, they murmured and muttered against Christ, when he sate at meate in Matthewes house, and did eate there with Publicanes and sinners. Math. 9.15. Also they murmured and muttered against him, when he healed the sicke man of the palsie, and said vnto him: Son be of good comfort, thy sinnes are forgiuen thee. Luke 5.21. Likewise they murmured and muttered against him, when he did heale and [Page 32]cure diseased people on the Sabboth day. Math. 12.14. Final­ly (to passe ouer other times) they murmured and muttered a­gainst him, when he said, that he was the bread that came downe from heauen, which if any did eate he should not perish, but haue life euerlasting. Ioh. 6.41.60.61.

As thus you haue heard, what they did, so now heare what was the euent of their doing. All was in vaine, but in vaine, saith the Prophet, by which word he doth signifie that all their indeauour was to no purpose. For a thing is said to be in vaine, which can­not be brought to passe, but shall lacke his effect. In Hebrew the word is in the singular number, called Rijk, and it doth import a vacuitie or emptinesse, and such a vanity of things as haue no sub­stance in them, no more then a dry pit hath water, or an empty house hath stuffe, But in Greeke the word is of the plurall number termed Kena, and in signification is all one with the former, sauing onely, that this doth shew more fully as it were by the plurality of it, that all the things which they did meditate vpon in their hearts, & murmuringly mutter forth with their tongues, were frustrated and brought to nothing, being in this respect like vnto sicke mens dreames, which haue no truth or verity in them. Here might ma­ny things be obserued. As first, that raging in a tumultuous man­ner, and murmuring (though) in a secret sort, are diseases and sores euermore to be found among the common people, and the mea­ner of the world. Secondly, that by raging and murmuring resi­stance is made against the Lord and his Annointed. Thirdly, that all attempts which are made against the Almighty, & those whom he doth set vp, whether by the one of these meanes, or by the o­ther, shall be broken and come to nought. Fourthly, that the multitude and vulgar sort, are alwaies enimies to the wise and gra­cious gouernement of our God. And lastly, that raging and mur­muring themselues are two notorious euils, which are alwaies to be abandoned by the holy and blessed Saints of the most High, who doe purpose truely to serue the Lord, and to go to heauen. But as a man entring into a shop, where is great variety of wares, will buy onely that, which is necessary for himselfe and his vses, & let the rest alone: Or as a man sitting at a table, where are sundry dishes, will in wisedome feede onely on them, which will agree [Page 33]with his body best, and doe him most good; and not meddle of the rest: So let vs stand vpon those points alone, which are most commodious for vs, and may turne to our greatest good; and let passe the rest. And they are in number the two last; which also are intended most (if not onely) by the Spirit of God in the text it selfe; vnlesse it be the third, respecting the vanitie of all such attempts, as shall be made against the Lord, whereof wee haue spoken already in the generall view of the whole Psalme, and so are not now againe to speake thereof at this time.

First then, in that the heathen do thus rage, & the people do thus murmure against Christ and his kingdome, as we haue heard, we gather this doctrine, Doct. that the multitude and the whole body of the Commons will euermore be enimies vnto the Lord and his truth: If we peruse the writings of the Prophets, or runne ouer the Acts of the Apostles, or cast our eies vpon the conuersation of the whole race of mankind, we shall easily finde this to be most true and certaine. Noah found it so, when for all his preaching in six­score yeares together, he could not conuert any vnto the Lord, but they would (notwithstanding his preaching) continue in their sinnes, till the floud came and drowned them all. 1 Pet. 3.20. Lot found it so, when he vexed his righteous soule from day to day, with the vnlawfull deedes and vncleane conuersation of the Sodomities. 2. Pet. 2.7.8. chiefly then, when they compassed his house about from all the quarters of the citty, both yong and old, with murthe­ring hearts, to kill those men (or rather Angels) that came to lodge with him. Gen. 19.4. &c. Aaron found it so, when all the Israelites fell to idolatry, and compelled him to make them a golden calfe, to worship it; or as they termed it, Gods, to goe before them. Exod. 32.1. Isay found it so, when he said of the whole people of Israel that they were a sinfull nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of the wicked, corrupt children; that they had forsaken the Lord, and pro­voked the Holy one of Israel against them, yea they were gone backe­ward, and that there was nothing found in them, from the sole of the foote vnto the top of the head, but wounds & swelling, & sores full of cor­ruption. Isay 1.4. &c. Ieremy found it so, when he said of the same people, that they were a wicked people, and that they did refuse to heare the word of God, but would walke after the stubbornnesse of [Page 34]their owne heart, and walke after other gods to serue them and to wor­ship them. Ier. 13.10. Dauid found it so, when he said of all man­kind, that they were all of them gone out of the way, that they were all corrupt, and that there was wone that did good, no not one. Psalme 14.3. Finally (to omit almost infinite examples) Paul and Silas found it so, when they were at Philippy a chiefe citty in Macedonia, where all were set against them both people and gouernours; and did not onely beate them sore with rods, but they cast them also into prison, and commanded the gaoler to keepe them surely there from all escaping away. Acts 16.22.23.

Hitherto you haue heard what the people do, Reason. euen rebell still against the Lord and his blessed word. Now heare what are the reasons of this their so doing, and marke what moues them there­unto. There are many reasons of it, but these foure are the chiefe and principall. The first is there foolishnesse or ignorance. For they not knowing the Lord, nor vnderstanding his waies aright, but being in this respect worser then the Oxe that knoweth his owner, and the Asse that knoweth his maisters crib, as the Lord doth complaine of them, in Isay 1.3. they cannot but doe as Paul did in the time of his ignorance, euen oppose themselues against the Almighty: or those of whom Christ doth say, that they shall thinke, they do God good seruice, in putting his Saints to death, Ioh. 16.2. For this cause the Lord doth make his moane for the foo­lishnesse and ignorance of his people, as of the wel-spring of all their rebellions against him, in Ier. 4.22. in these words. For my people is foolish, they haue not knowne me: they are foolish children, and haue none vnderstanding: they are wise to doe euill, but to do well they haue no knowledge. The second is their impatiency, or angry way­wardnesse, who cannot waite vpon the Lord with any patience, or beare any crosse quietly. For this doth cary them away to horrible rebellions, as we may see by daily experience, and by the exam­ple of the children of Israel in the wildernesse; who being angry for their crosses, and impatient of thirst, of hunger, and other calamities which fell vpon them, they broke out into murmuring, and blasphemous speeches against God, and into open rebellion and insurrection against Moses and Aaron their gouernours, inso­much as they had stoned them to death, had not God by an out­stretched [Page 35]arme preserued thē. Numb. 14.10. The third is their wil­fulnesse or obstinacie. For they being, with Narcissus, in loue with themselues, and doting vpon their owne waies, will not hearken vnto the charmer, charme he neuer so sweetly, as appeareth by Christs speech, in Math. 11.17.18.19. But as Ieremy doth well obserue of them, in Chap. 5.3. They make their faces har­der then a stone, and do refuse to returne. In regard whereof the Lord sending foorth his seruant Ezechiel to preach vnto his peo­ple, he tels him, that they will not heare him, and that because they are impudent children, and stiffe-hearted. Ezech. 2.4. The fourth and last, is their vnbeliefe or vnfaithfulnesse. For as Christ doth well obserue of his owne Disciples, that they were dull of heart and slow to beleeue, Luke 24.25: So they distrusting God, and not relying vpon him with a stedfast faith, do depart away from him, and commit grieuous abominations against him, according to that in Ier. 5.23. But this people hath an vnfaithfull and rebellious heart: they are departed and gone. So then these foure vices reigning a­mongst them do (like a violent streame) carry them to all kind of rebellions.

The causes of their rebellion being thus touched; Ʋse. now let vs come to the vses of the doctrine. They are in number foure. For first, here we may learne, in that all do thus rebell, that the grea­test number in the world is not the best, but the worst. The flocke of Christ is a little flocke, according to his owne words, in Luke 12.32. when he saith, Feare not, little flocke, for it is your Fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome. But the flocke of the diuell is a great flocke, according to that in Reuel. 20.8. Where his armie, that he gathered together against the Saints of God, out of the foure quarters of the earth, euen Gog and Magog, is compared to the sands of the sea for number. Oh weigh this well, and with a religious heart, and let neither Popery tell you of multitude, which they make to be a marke of Gods Church; nor the carnall Gospeller of the generality of the world, which they make to be the rule of their liues; but euer looke for truth and goodnesse in the smallest number. For many according to Christs words, do go in at the wide gate, and broad way, that leadeth to destruction; and but few at the straight gate, and narrow way, that leadeth vnto life. Math. 7.13.14.

Secondly, here we may learne, that we must not care for the loue & liking of the world, nor hang vpon the multitude for their applause & fauour; for they are against the Lord, & not for him. Surely as they are most vnconstant in their waies, turning vpon e­uery small occasion (like the weather-cocke at the blast of the wind) this day one being a man with them, to morrow a beast; this day none better with them, to morrow none worse; this day a god with them, to morrow a diuell; as we may see by their dea­ling towards Christ & Paul: So their loue and fauour must needes be bent towards the worst, seeing they themselues are bad, and do oppose thēselues against the Almighty. Remember alwaies what Christ said vnto his Disciples about this matter: If ye were of the world, (saith he, in Ioh. 15.19.) the world would loue his owne: but because ye are not of the world, but I haue chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Wherefore as they that runne at tilt looke to the iudges what they say, and not what the vulgar peo­ple say: so I beseech you, looke you euer what your iudge in hea­uen doth allow, or approue; and care not what the world, and the people thereof, do thinke or say.

Thirdly, here we may learne, that the multitude, and the com­mon people will be enimies vnto you, and labour to resist you, whensoeuer you shall go about to serue the Lord aright. If you shall once begin to seeke Christ, and to come vnto him, they shall stand in your way to hinder you, as they did stand in Zacheus way when he went foorth to see Christ. Luke 19.3. If you be once in his presence, & do begin to call vpon him for mercy & helpe, they wil rebuke you, as they did the poore blind man, who cryed vnto him, saying: Iesus the Son of Dauid, haue mercy on me Luke 18.39. If you be sicke or dead in your sins & trespasses, and Christ doth begin to come home to the houses of your soules, to heale you, and to raise you vp from the death of your sins; they will stop his passage and entrance in, if they can, as they did, when Christ came to the Ru­lers house to heale his daughter that was sicke, yea dead, when he came Math. 9.23. But as Christ turned them there out of dores, saying, Get you hence: so must you shake them all off, and not communicate with flesh & bloud in the matters of your God. But do as Abraham did: when he sacrificed to God, the fowles of [Page 37]the heauen fell on the carkeises, which he had prepared for the sacrifice, but he droue them away, Gen. 15.11. So if any do be­gin to molest you, whē you are going about any spirituall sacrifice, resist them, and driue them away, saying with Christ vnto Peter: Auoid satan. Math. 16.23.

Lastly, here we may learne, to take heede of the people, and in any case not to do as they do. For seeing that they do rebell a­gainst the Lord; and the whole world (as Iohn doth say 1. Ioh. 5.19.) doth lye in wickednesse: we must not follow them, nor go after their waies, to prouoke the holy one of Israel against vs, as they do. Fashion not your selues (saith Paul) like vnto this world, but bee yee changed by the renewing of your minds, that you may proue what is the good will of God, and acceptable, and perfect. Rom. 12.2. The num­ber and multitude must not mooue vs. For what saith the Lord? Thou shalt not follow a multitude to doe euill, neither agree in a contro­uersie to decline after many, and ouerthrow the truth. Exod. 23.2. Wherfore do, I beseech you, as Wisedome doth counsell vs for to do: If sinners do entice vs to go with them, let vs not walke in the way with them, but refraine our feete from their paths. Prou. 1.15. And, as Paul doth require of vs, let vs not be companions with them, nor haue any fellowship with the vnfruitfull workes of darkenesse, but let vs rather reprooue them. Ephes. 5.7.11.

HAuing spoken in the first verse of the Commons, and the meaner people of the world, he comes now in these two verses to speake of the Nobles, and the great States of the world. Though the former did rebell against Christ, and his kingdome, yet haply these (as a man might thinke) will not. For these are wise, and religious, and see what is good for themselues. But out alas! they do it as well as the former; they haue the like treacherous and rebellious hearts within them. For they band themselues together with all their power and strength. But yet there is some difference betwixt them. For these go (as it were) warily to worke, and are very circumspect in their wayes: they take deliberation and time, they haue their meetings and consultations, they lay their heads together, and take aduice what is best to be done. But in the end they conclude vpon this: That they will be subiect no longer to Christ, and his kingdome, nor suffer themselues to be bridled any more by his lawes; which they accounted to be an intollerable burthen, and such bands and cords as were not in any case to be endured, but to be broken a­sunder, and to be cast behind their backes, like dung and filthi­nesse, which they could not abide to looke on. And whereas good subiects should prouoke one the other vnto all dutifull obe­dience and loyall subiection vnto their dread Soueraigne, they (as [Page 50]apert and open enimies) do encourage one the other vnto plaine and manifest treason and rebellion, saying: Come, let vs breake their bands, and cast their cords behind vs.

In summe then you haue nothing else to remember, Summe. here in these two verses, but the rebellion or conspiracie, which the great men of the world do make against Christ Iesus our Lord & King. Wherein note first, what they do; then secondly, what they say. Their deedes are set out in the second verse, and that two wayes: first, by the thing it selfe, which they-do; then by the persons a­gainst whom they do the same. Their words in the third verse, containing an exhortation in them, and the matter whereunto they do exhort. Of these we will speake in order, and say somewhat of each of them by Gods good grace.

Touching the first of them, which doth concerne their deeds, we will obserue this methode in handling the same, that first we will see the meaning of the words, then the truth of the storie, and lastly the vse and benefit, that we may make thereof. The mea­ning of the words standeth thus. By Kings are vnderstood such as were in highest place and authoritie amongst men; and by Princes, such as were next them for rule and gouernment ouer the people: but by them both, are vnderstood all persons whatsoeuer of chiefe place and state for this world, by the figure called Synec­doche, when some sorts or kinds are put for all. Howsoeuer these are here sayd to band themselues, and to be assembled together, but in Acts chap. 4. vers. 26. they are sayd to assemble, and to come together; the reading is somewhat diuerse, but yet it is all one in sence. For the meaning is nothing else but this, that they ioyned hand and head together in power and counsell against the Lord and his Christ. Where by the name of the Lord, you must vnderstand the Almightie, euen the first person in the Trinitie, God the Father: and by the name of his Christ, first Dauid, whom God did annoint king of Israel. Then secondly, Iesus, the sonne of the Virgin Mary, whom the same God did annoint king ouer his Church. For against both of them was this conspiracie made. The word in the Hebrew tongue, called Meshihho coming of Mashahh to annoint; and the word in the Greeke tongue, called tou Christou autou, coming of chriô, to annoint, do signifie his Annointed. And seeing that both [Page 51] Dauid and Iesus were annointed by God the Father, either of them may be noted out by this word; and be called His Annointed, or his Christ, which is all one. For annointed or Christ is all one in sence, though not in sound of words in our English tongue.

Thus you see in few words the meaning of the place, how that the great states or chiefe men of the world bid band themselues wholy against Dauid, whom the Lord had chosen to be the King of Israel, and against our Sauiour Iesus Christ, whom he had cho­sen to be the gouernour of his Church, and the only ruler thereof. But yet before we come to see the veritie of this matter (which is to be touched in the next place) a question here may be moued, and a man may aske, how these men did ioyne hand and head to­gether against the Lord himselfe? For can any (like the Giants) make warre against the Almightie? Yes. Many haue done it, and do daily still do it. For all those are sayd to warre against the Lord himselfe, who do oppose themselues against his will and pleasure, and withstand such matters as do tend to his glorie, and the good of his Saints; but chiefly those, that do resist the higher powers, and rebell against such as the Almightie hath set ouer them, to be their rulers and gouernors, either in the Church or Common­wealth. As we may se by the words of the Lord to Samuel, when Israel would haue a king, in 1. Sam. 8.7. where the Lord doth say vnto him, Heare the voyce of the people in all that they shall say vnto thee: for they haue not cast thee away, but they haue cast me away, that I should not reigne ouer them. As we may see by the words of our Sauiour to his Apostles in Luke 10.16. when he saith vnto them, He that heareth you, heareth me; and he that despiseth you, despiseth me; and he that despiseth me, despiseth him that hath sent me. As lastly we may see by Pauls words to the Romanes, in Rom. 13.2. when he saith, Whosoeuer therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God; and they that resist, shall receiue to themselues iudgement. Where­fore in that they did resist Dauid and Christ, whom the Lord had set vp, it is apparant, that they did resist the Lord himselfe. Oh that all traytors and rebels did well consider of this point, and lay it neare vnto their soules. For our owne parts let vs looke vnto it: alwayes remembring what the Lord doth say, Touch not mine an­nointed, and do my Prophets no harme.

But to passe this matter, and to come to the truth of the story, that we may see how true euery thing is which is here reported; and not to stand vpon Dauid the figure, (whose storie you may reade at large in the first booke of Samuel, where you shall finde both Kings and Princes, as well domesticall as forreine, banding and assembling themselues against him,) it is apparant by the re­cord of all the Euangelists, that as the whole body and Com­mons of Israel were set against our Sauiour Iesus Christ; so were the States of the land, and the chiefe men of place therein, most deadly foes and enimies vnto him. As they banded themselues together, to make their faction and side strong against him: so they had their often assemblies, and meetings for counsell and ad­uice, which way to bring him vnto his death. Herod and Pontius Pilate (two kings as it were amongst them) though they did iarre and disagree betwixt themselues; yet now they could ioyne to­gether against Christ, and become friends: as we may see in Luk. 23.12. in these words: And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together, for before they were enimies one vnto the other. Here is the banding of the Kings of the earth together, when these two agree in one (like good friends) who were before at ods, and do assemble together at Ierusalem against our sweet Sa­uiour the Lords Annointed. For now at this time both of them were at Ierusalem, and so as well together in place, as in heart, as it is in the 7 verse of the same chapter of Luke. But for their con­sulting together, and the meeting of their Princes in assemblies for counsell and aduice against him, there are many places in the Euangelists declaring the same, but I will touch onely two at this time. The one of them is in Iohn, the 11 chapter, and 47 verse, with some others following. For there we find, that after Christ had raised vp Lazarus from the dead, the high Priests and Pha­risees (who were the chiefe rulers of the people, and as Princes a­mong them) gathered a Councell, and assembled as it were in a Parliament against him, plodding and deuising what were best to do vnto him; and, as it is in verse 53 of the same chapter, from that day forth consulting together, to put him to death. The other of them is in Math. 26.30. where we reade, that the chiefe Priests, and the Scribes, and the Elders of the people, assembled together [Page 53]into the hall of the high Priest, called Caiaphas, and consulted how they might take him by subtiltie and kill him. In regard of all which things now shortly touched, you see that this is most true, which is here recorded, namely, that the Kings of the earth banded themselues, and the Princes are assembled together against the Lord, and his Annointed. The which thing the faithfull (that liued after Christ was ascended into heauen, and were eye-witnesses of those things which were done vnto him) do in their prayer to God ac­knowledge and confesse, saying: For doubtlesse against thine holy Sonne Iesus, whom thou hast annointed, both Herod & Pontius Pilate, with the Gentles and the people of Israel, gathered themselues together, to do whatsoeuer thine hand and thy counsell had determined before to be done. Acts 4.27.28.

Hauing thus shewed the meaning of the text, and confirmed the truth thereof, let vs now come to the vse and benefit, which we may make of the same. Out of it we may gather two principall doctrines. One from the persons rebelling: the other from the manner of their rebellion. Out of the persons rebelling we col­lect this doctrine, Doctr. That great States & mighty men of this world, are oftentimes enimies vnto the truth, and deadly foes vnto holy and vpright courses. This the Prophet Esay doth shew, when he doth call the Princes of Iudah and of Ierusalem the Princes of So­dome. Esay 1.10. for Sodome was a city so wicked, and the Princes thereof so leude and filthie, that God could not spare them, but for their abhominations he brought downe fire and brimstone from heauen, and consumed them all, as we find in the 19 chapter of Genesis. This Ieremie doth shew, when he saith, I will get me to the great men, and will speake vnto them; for they haue knowne the way of the Lord, and the iudgement of their God: but these haue altogether broken the yoke, and burst the bonds. Ier. 5.5. This Hosea doth shew, when he saith, They are all hot as an ouen, and haue deuoured their Iudges, all their kings are fallen; there is none among them that calleth vnto me, saith the Lord. Hos. 7.7. This Amaziah (though a wicked man) doth shew, when he said to Amos the Lords Prophet: O thou Seer, go flye thou away into the land of Iudah, and there eate thy bread, and prophesie there, but prophesie no more at Bethel; for it is the kings Chappell, and it is the kings Court. Amos 7.11.12. This the [Page 54]story of the Acts of the Apostles doth shew, when they were ap­prehended, cast into prison, beaten, and put to death by Herod, by the high Priests, and other officers and states men for gouern­ment, as we may see in the 4.5.12. and other chapters of the same booke. This the complaint of the Church doth shew, when she doth say, The watchmen that went about the citie found me, they smote me and wounded me, the watchmen of the wals tooke away my veile from me. Cant. 5.7. for by watchmen here are meant the chiefe rulers of the Church, who should watch ouer her for her good, and not thus persecute her and wound her, as they did. This the storie of the ten persecutions doth shew, when Nero, Do­mitian, Traian, Antonie, Seuerus, Maximinus, Decius, Valerian, Au­relian and Dioclesian, most bloudy Emperours of Rome, did make hauocke of the Church of God, and persecute to the death such as did call vpon his holy name. This, lastly, the example of all a­ges doth shew, and daily experience with men of our time, when we with our owne eyes do see, and with our owne eares do heare, what bloudy things are decreed in the Church of Rome, in Spaine, and in other places, against true Protestants, and the sincere ser­uants of the Lord, euen by them that are in the highest roomes, and do beare the chiefest sway amongst men in those dominions.

But how may this come to passe, Reason. may some man say, that the highest persons, and the chiefest for wealth and authoritie, do thus oppose themselues against the Lord and his most holy and blessed wayes? For of all men in the word they are most behol­ding vnto God, and haue greater causes (as one should iudge) to loue him, and to worship him, then the meaner and poorer people haue. For first, they are daintily educated, and with great charges brought vp in all good literature and learning. Secondly, they haue abundance of riches and worldly wealth to supply their wants at all times. Thirdly, they haue great honor and reputation amongst the sonnes of men in all places, for gouernment and the matters of this world. Lastly, they excell all others (for the most part) in their persons both for wit, and other naturall qualities of the mind, and also for pulchritude, and other goodly properties of the body. Surely for all these causes; and many more, they are much bound vnto the Almightie; and in regard of them, it is their [Page 55]part and duty, to serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of their liues, they being euermore seruent in the spirit, and most zealous of all good workes. For the more kind and bountifull that any is vnto vs, the more louing and obedient should we be againe vnto him. But through their corruptions, it is farre other­wise with them. For these things make them the worse, and not the better, and (like a violent floud) they carrie them to all kind of abhominations.

First, because they make them proud and arrogant in their hearts; for pride is the roote of all euill: as it cast the Angels out of heauen, Adam out of paradise, Nabuchadnezzar out of his king­dome; so it doth still deceiue men and make them rebell against the Almightie. The wicked man (saith Dauid) is so proud, that he seeketh not for God, he thinketh alwayes, there is no God. Psal. 10.4. And the Lord saith to Edom (who was a bitter enimie to him and his people) The pride of thine heart hath deceiued thee, thou that dwellest in the clefts of the rockes, whose habitation is high, that saith in his heart, Who shall bring me downe to the ground? Obadiah verse 3.

Secondly, because they make them riotous and licentious in their liues. For intemperancy of body, and abundance of fleshly pleasures, do cause them to forget the Lord, and to spurne against him, that made them. But he (saith God) that should haue bene vpright, when he waxed fat, spurned with his heele: thou art fat (spea­king to Israel) thou art grosse, thou art laden with fatnesse: therefore he forsooke God, that made him, and regarded not the strong God of his saluation. Deut. 32.15. Againe you know, it is said of the volup­tuous man in the parable that though others made their excuses for not coming vnto the feast, whereunto they were bidden, yet he made none, but said peremptorily, I haue maried a wife, and therefore I cannot come. Luk. 14.20. declaring there by that the plea­sures of this life are most forcible meanes to withdraw vs from the Lord, and from all such duries as do belong vnto him; as also from our owne eternall happinesse, which is in the heauens aboue.

Thirdly, because they make them most stiffe and obstinate a­gainst the most holy, and powerfull ministery of the word. For the contempt of the word is the very leprosie of the soule, and the killing plague of the body. Wherewith (saith Dauid) shall a young [Page 56]man redresse his way? In taking heed thereto according to thy word. Psal. 119.9. And the wise men (as Ieremy saith) are ashamed, they are afraid, and taken. Loe, they haue reiected the word of the Lord, and what wisedome is in them? Ier. 8.9. So that without the word, there is no goodnesse in men. Yet they say, when faithfull messengers come to them, as Moses came vnto Pharaoh, Who is the Lord, that I should heare his voyce, and let Israel go? I know not the Lord, neither will I let Israel go. Exod. 5.2. What (say they) shall these command vs? and shall we do according to their sayings? No, no, but downe with them, downe with them, let them not liue, but die: or, as it is in Ieremy chap. 18.18. Come, and let vs imagine some deuice against them; for the law shall not perish from the Priest, nor counsell from the wise, nor the word from the Prophet: come, and let vs smite them with the tongue, and let vs not giue heed to any of their words.

Fourthly, because they make them to prosper, and to carry out all matters for this world, according to their owne hearts desire. For prosperitie and good successe in our wayes doth harden mans heart exceedingly against the Lord, and all holy proceedings. His wayes (saith Dauid, speaking of the wicked vnto God) alway prosper, thy iudgements are high ouer his sight, therefore defieth he all his enimies, Psal. 10.5. And we find in Mal. 3.14.15. that many did refuse to serue the Lord, and to keepe his commandements, and chose rather to be lewd and wicked; because (as they said) the proud were blessed, and they which wrought wickednesse were set vp, and such as tempted God were deliuered.

Fiftly, because they make them to haue a false opinion of them­selues, as if they were in good case, and were in the high fauour of God, when it is nothing so. For this false perswasion of theirs doth rocke them fast asleepe in their sinnes, & so bind the cords of their iniquity, that they can hardly euer be brokē againe. Surely as they say in their harts, they shal neuer be moued, nor be in danger, as it is in Ps. 10.6. or as it is in Ps. 49.11. They thinke their houses, and their habitations shall continue for euer, euen from generation to genera­tion, and call their lands by their names: So this doth cause them not to returne vnto the Lord, but to go on stil in their sinnes against him, as we may see in Ieremy, chap. 5.12. in these words: They haue de­nied the Lord, and said, It is not he, neither shall the plague come vpon [Page 57]vs, neither shall we see sword or famine, and as it may also be colle­cted out of Chapter 7. ver. 4. where the Lord saith vnto Israel, who thought themselues deare vnto the Almightie, and free from all plagues in that respect, Trust not in lying words, saying: The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, this is the temple of the Lord.

Lastly, because they make them to be attended vpon by many flatterers, who will smooth them on in their sinnes; and to be ac­companied by such, as will giue vnto them wicked counsell, as the young men did vnto Rehoboam, when he caused ten tribes to reuolt from him. For flattery and euill counsell are the bane of all good manners, and forcible spurres to driue men forward to all wickednesse. For, as Paul doth say, Euill words corrupt good man­ners 1. Cor. 15.33. so the Lord doth testifie, that flattering teachers, and euill counsellors, do strengthen the hands of the wicked, that they can­not returne from their wickednesse, in ser. 23.14.

Thus you haue sixe reasons in particular of their rebellion and conspiracie; The first is the pride of their hearts, who are puft vp with their estate, and swolne (like a blowne bladder) with the vaine wind of their outward pompe. The second, is the intempe­rancie of their liues, who liue in all kind of excesse for diet, appa­rell, and other worldly pleasures most sweete and delightfull vn­to the flesh. The third, is the contempt of the word, who medi­tate but seldome vpon the law of God, and come but now and then to the place, where it is soundly and vnpartially diuided. The fourth, is the prosperity of their wayes, who flourish like the Bay tree, and are not in trouble as other men, or plagued as they be, but do liue at ease, are strong and lustie, and haue more then heart can wish. The fift, is the false perswasion which they haue of themselues, who thinke that they shall continue still in their flou­rishing estate, and neuer see any woe or misery. The sixt and last, is the flattering and wicked counsell which they receiue from o­thers, who gladly accept of that which is spoken in their praise, or agrees well with the vile inclination of their hearts. But the gene­rall reason of all, is the corruption of their soules, and the depra­uitie of their crooked nature, who turne that into poyson vnto themselues, like the spider, which they should conuert into hony with the Bee.

But to leaue the reasons, Vse. and to come to the vses; here we may learne many things, but chiefly foure. The first is, that we must not depend vpon great men, or the higher powers of the world for their countenance; as we learned in the first verse, not to de­pend vpon the multitude for their number. For here we see, that they are against the Lord, and his Annointed. And therefore if we hang vpon them, & do as they do, iniquity will be our ouerthrow, and hell fire will be our portion at the last, when we shall dearly repent for it, but all too late. Some there are of them (I grant) who are most godly and vpright persons, walking sincerely in the paths of the Almightie; but they are exceeding few, here one, and there another: but for the greatest part of them, they are naught and wicked, as we may see by the Apostles words in 1. Cor. 1.26. when he saith: For brethren you see your calling, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mightie, not many noble are called. And therefore, I beseech you brethren, looke well to this point, conforme not your selues to the religion of great States, nor walk after the maners of the wealthy men of the world; but be you followers alone of Iesus Christ, & become holy, as God your Fa­ther is holy, in all maner of cōuersation; & so you shal not be figh­ters against the Almightie, as these Giants are, but be faithfull and obedient vnto him to your owne good, & euerlasting happinesse.

The second is this, that if we will ioyne with the Lord, & take part with him, we must looke for great enimies to arise vp against vs, as well as small ones. Ye shall be brought (saith our Sauiour Christ vnto his Disciples, in Matth. 10.18.) to the gouernours and kings for mysake, in witnesse to them and to the Gentles. So must we looke to be brought before such; and when such matters do fall out, we must not be discouraged, as though some new thing had happened vnto vs: but be well contented therewith, knowing that it hath bene so from the beginning, and shall be so still to the end of the world. As Ahab was set against Eliah, Saul against Da­uid, Haman against Mordecay, the Princes of Babel against Da­niel, Herod against Iohn the Baptist, the high Priests and Elders of the people against the Apostles, and Pharaoh with his Princes of Aegypt against Israel: so must Gods children thinke, that some great States, and mightie men of this world, will set themselues a­gainst [Page 59]them at all times, and that they shall neuer be free from their oppositions, but shall still be molested by them to the ende. Oh thinke vpon this well, and make a good vse of it for your selues. For praemoniti, praemuniti, fore-warned, fore-armed, accor­ding to Christs words in Ioh. 16.1. These things haue I sayd vnto you, that ye should not be offended.

The third is, that euery one of vs, who are more wealthy then others, and haue greater places of dignitie then they haue, should looke most warily to our selues, that our wealth and places do nor steale away our hearts from God, according to Pauls words in 1. Cor. 10.12. Let him that thinketh he standeth, take heed lest he fall. For you see, we stand in a slipperie place: and if others do fall round about vs, as we see and heare they do, pray we heartily to the Lord, that he would keepe vs; and let vs watch and be so­ber, alwayes walking faithfully in our callings, and humbling our selues to the very dust before the Lord our maker. Remember we stil, what Paul doth write vnto Timothy in 1. Tim. 6.17.18.19. and let vs follow the same. Charge them (saith he) that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded, and that they trust not in vncer­taine riches, but in the liuing God, (which giueth vs abundantly all things to enioy;) that they do good, and be rich in good workes, and ready to distribute and communicate, laying vp in store for themselues a good foundation against the time to come, that they may obtaine eternall life. If men trauell in those places where others before them haue suffe­red shipwracke, or do fight with those enimies, who haue alwaies conquered others, they are very fearefull, and circumspect, lest they should miscarry. So should it be with vs in this case. Be­cause we see others led away captiues to sinne by their outward pompe and state, and do behold but a few rich men truly fearing the Lord, we should vpon the due consideration thereof walke wisely and circumspectly, redeeming the time, and working out our saluation with feare and trembling.

The fourth and last is, that we should both pray and reioyce in the behalfe of our gouernours, and the highest powers of our land. For seeing all generally do fall, and become enimies to the Lord, that are in those places of eminency farre aboue others; and yet they do stand, and are faithfull embracers of the truth: we haue [Page 60]great cause to blesse the name of our God for it, and to pray vnto him for a continuance of the same; that so they may neuer shrinke backe, but grow better and better, vntill they come to the per­fection of all goodnesse in the heauens aboue, and there enioy all those beatitudes, which are prouided for them in that celestiall place. Doubtlesse there is no nation in the world so much behol­ding vnto God in this respect, as we of England are. As once we did say, We haue an excellent Queene, so we may now say, We haue an excellent King. His estate is most dangerous, yet (blessed be our God) he doth stand and maintaine the truth of the Gospel, as he ought to do. He is like a goodly blazing torch set vpon the top of a mountaine, which there doth giue light, and not go out, do all the winds of the heauen against it what they can. Strange would the spectacle be, if such a matter were visible to our eye. I doubt not, but all of vs would stand wondering, if we should see a candle burning on the top of our houses in a windy and tempe­stuous night, and yet neuer go out, before it be burnt to the very end of it. So may we wonder at his standing, and at the Lords mercy in vpholding him, he is so assaulted on euery side, and set vpon by the contrary blasts of sundrie oppositions. I pray you, let vs alwayes pray vnto the Lord for him, and beseech him most earnestly vpon the knees of our soules, that he would alwayes keepe him in his feare, that he may neuer fall, but abide euer­more in his holy integritie amongst vs: but beware we, that we neuer forget our dutie vnto him, but remaine alwayes faithfull and louing vnto him vnto the end. And so I passe from this first doctrine, and come vnto the second.

Out of the manner of their rebellion and conspiracie, in that they did band themselues, and sit in Councell against the Lord and his Annointed, Doctr. we collect this doctrine, that there are Coun­cels and Parliaments held as well against the Lord, as for the Lord, and cleane contrary vnto his truth, as for his truth. This we may see by those Councels, which were held in the time of the old Testament; as first in the dayes of Omri, when cruell and wic­ked statutes were made against the Lord and his people, as may be gathered out of Micha, chap. 6.16. Secondly, in the dayes of Ahab, when all the men of Izreel, euen the Elders and gouernors [Page 61]thereof, the Nobles and others did assemble together, and pro­nounce death against innocent Naboth for his vineyards sake, which he had before denied vnto the king. 1. King. 21.8. &c, Thirdly, in the dayes of Ieroboam, when he tooke counsell, and made two calues of gold for diuine worship, the one whereof he set in Bethel, and the other in Dan. 1. King 12.28.29. Lastly, in the dayes of Nabuchadnezzar (to passe ouer others) when a golden image was set vp in the plaine of Dura, in the prouince of Babel, for all men to worship, vnder paine of extreme punishment, euen to be cast into the midst of an hot firie furnace. Dan. 3.1, &c. This you may see by those Councels which were held in the time of the new Testament in the dayes of our Sauiour and his Apostles. For in them, the Iewes did not onely excommunicate all those that did confesse Christ, Ioh. 9.22. and forbid the Apostles to preach any more in his name, Act. 4.18. but they did also in their solemne Councels condemne him to death. Math. 26.66. and so caused the Lord of glorie to be crucified. Lastly, this you may see by those Councels which were held since that time vntill our dayes, as by the Councell which was held at Antioch, when Athanasius was condemned, and the Arrian heresie approued: by the Councell held at Ephesus when Eutyches heresie was allowed: by the Coun­cell held at Neocasarea, when second mariage was forbiddē: by the Councell held at Nice, when it was concluded, that in holy Chur­ches the images of Saints should be worshipped: by the Councell at Constance, when they were excommunicated that did receiue the Sacrament in both kinds: and (to let go others) by the Coun­cell held at London, when in the dayes of Queene Mary open ido­latry was commanded and established by law.

Well then, you see this is a matter most cleare and euident, that assemblies and Councels are as well against the Lord, as for the Lord. But what may the reasons thereof be, will you say? They are in number these two. The one is, Reason. because the wicked and vngodly haue their assemblies and councels, as well as the godly and holy ones, as all Chronicles do manifest vnto vs. For as no man doth gather grapes of thornes, or figges of thistles: so no good thing can proceed from them, but onely that which is naught and wicked, being enmitie to the Lord, and all holy [Page 62]wayes, according to the qualitie of their crooked and peruerse nature, from whence it doth proceed. The other is, because the godly themselues, who haue also their Councels and Assemblies, are not perfectly holy, but many imperfections do still remaine in them, while they are here in this world; according to the te­nor of the whole Scripture, and that saying of Paul to the Corin­thians, 1. Cor. 13.9. &c. For we know in part, and we prophesie in part, and so forth. For they failing through these their imperfections, sometimes in iudgement, for want of a discerning and vnderstan­ding spirit; and sometimes in affection, through the predominant passions of the soule, which are not yet rectified according to the word; it must needs be, that now and then they erre and misse, and establish such matters as haue no sanctitie or holinesse inhe­rent in them. For this is a most sure ground both in diuinitie, and in philosophie, that as the cause is, such is the effect; and therefore seeing the cause here is bad, the effect cannot be good, but be bad also.

It is good for vs to thinke on this point, Ʋse. and to fasten this do­ctrine deeply in our soules, which now we haue handled. For it will be seruiceable vnto vs many wayes. For out of it, first we may learne, contrary to the doctrine of Rome, that Councels may erre and be deceiued. They hold, they cannot; and for this wicked assertion of theirs, they abuse certaine places of holy Scripture, as that in Acts 15.28. It seemed good to vs and the holy Ghost; that in Math. 28.20. I am with you to the end of the world; and that in Luk. 10.16. He that heareth you, heareth me. So then thus they argue. Councels are neuer without the Spirit of God, therefore can they not erre. A silly argument, as though the Spirit of God were at their commandement, or were tied to places and persons; or be­ing present did leade men into all truth, as it did the Apostles, whose preachings and decrees are now, and were then, the rules of our faith and manners. Tush, Councels are now and then without the Spirit of God, as consisting either onely of wicked persons, or of a mixt number, both good and bad, whereof the greater part is the worse; as theirs also seemed to be at Rome vnder Iohn the 23, when there appeared a great Owle, which stared and out­faced the Pope; who blushed at the matter, and fuming rose vp, [Page 63]and departed; and when others whispered one in anothers eare, saying. That the spirit appeared in the likenesse of an Owle. And as Councels are without the Spirit oftē, so when they naue it, they haue it not in fulnesse or perfection, as we touched before, and therfore doth not keepe them from all error or mistaking, but they may erre notwithstanding the presence of the Spirit, which is within them. Let this suffice for the confutation of the Papists.

In the second place we may here learne, that seeing there are Councels and Parliaments held as well against the Lord as for the Lord, that we must not rashly approue of all things, which are established & decreed by Councels and Parliaments, but we must first examine them, whether they be agreeable to the word of God or no. Try all things (saith Paul in 1. Thes. 5.21.) and hold fast that which is good. The like counsell Iohn doth giue vs, saying: Beleeue not euery spirit, but try the spirits, whether they are of God, for many false Prophets are gone out into the world. 1. Ioh. 4.1. And thus the Beroeans did; for when Paul & Silas came, & preached amongst them, they receiued the word with all readinesse, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so or no, as they taught them. Acts 17.11. So also did the Ephesians. For when some came vnto them, and sayd that they were Apostles, who in­deed were not, they examined them, and found them liers. Reuel. 2.2. And so lastly must we our selues do; for we must not build our faith vpon men, who may deceiue vs, but vpon the word of God, which cannot deceiue vs. Any thing that is agreeable to the same, we must receiue; and whatsoeuer is contrary vnto it we must reiect and cast away, saying with the Apostles, We ought ra­ther to obey God then man. Acts 5.29.

In the third and last place, from this, that Councels and Assem­blies are as well against the Lord, as for the Lord, we may learne: that we must not be too rash either in iudgement or in speech a­gainst the gouernors of our land, for that they do condemne con­uenticles, and all other vnlawfull assemblies. It is a thing to be wished, that all meetings were for God, and the aduancement of his glorie: and it would be a thing very profitable, if Christians did come together (chiefly the Ministers of the word) for holy conference in good matters, that they might helpe one the other [Page 64]by their mutuall saith, and other blessed gifts, wherewith they do abound in great abundance. But yet seeing many inconueruen­ces oftentimes do come by Assemblies, and that there are mee­tings as well against the Lord, as for the Lord; by traytors, by Papists, by Anabaptists, by theeues, by other malefactors, who are enimtes both to God, and the good estate of our land: let vs not be discontented ouer-much, though our meetings be some­what restrained by law, neither let vs repine in our hearts against our gouernours for the same: but let vs know that they had some good reason for that which they haue done, and that we our selues (who are faithfull to God, and loyall to our King) may take libertie enough in the feare of God, to prouoke to loue and to good workes, and to be mutuall helpes one vnto the other in all duties of true Christianity, if we will our selues.

Their words do now follow to be handled, wherein consider first how they do stirre vp and prouoke one the other to their naughtinesse; then the thing it selfe, which they would do, and gladly bring to passe, as being the very issue of their whole coun­sell and consultation, and the maine point wherein their rebellion and treason stood. In the handling of these I will be succinct and short, but chiefly in the first. For that I will but onely touch, and away. It is expressed in this word, Come, come, say they, let vs breake their bands, and cast their cords behind vs. In which we see the guise and propertie of the world; the wicked haue a Come as well as the godly, but farre differing from theirs. For the godly haue their Come, as a word of encouragement to religion and the exer­cises thereof; as when they say: O come, and let vs sing vnto the Lord, let vs heartily reioyce in the strength of his saluation: or as it is in Esay 2.3. Come, and let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord, to the house of the God of Iacob, and he will teach vs his wayes, and we will walke in his pathes. For the law shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Ierusalem. But the wickeds Come, is to conspiracie and trea­son, as here we may see: in which they are more diligent, then the children of light are in their good: for their bodies meete, their heads meete, their hearts meete, and both outward and inward they are earnest in euill, the encourage one the other therein as much as may be, and they haue their come alwayes [Page 65]for all their plots. Such a come we reade of against blessed Ieremie: Come (said the wicked) and let vs. imagine a deuice against Ieremy, let vs smite him with the tongue, and not giue credit to any of his words. Ier. 18.18. Such another haue ruffians, and theeues, and swaggering fellowes in the booke of the Prouerbs: Come, and cast in thy lot with ours, for we will haue all but one purse, &c. Prou. 1.11. &c. Such another hath the harlot to the young man: Come, let vs take our fill of loue vntill the morning, let vs take our pleasure in dalliance; for mine husband is not at home, he is gone aiourney farre off, &c. Prou. 7.18. &c. But to such cursed comes let vs neuer hearken, according to the good counsell which Wisedome doth giue vs in the Prouerbes, and namely in the first chapter, & 15 verse thereof, saying, My sonne, walke not thou in the way with them, refraine thy foote from their path: and let vs euer remember what the Psalme saith, Blessed is the man, that doth not walke in the counsell of the wic­ked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seate of the scornefull; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in his law doth he meditate day and night. Psal. 1.1.2. And so I passe from this point of their wicked and diuellish exhortation, and come to the thing it selfe, whereunto it is bent; onely intreating you by the way, that you would learne by their example to be more zealous and earnest in your holy religion then now you are. For shall they exhort one the other, and whet on each man his brother to wicked abhomi­nations, and to dreadfull rebellion and treason? and shall not we much more prouoke one the other to loue, and to all good works, that we may be faithfull seruants vnto God, and loyall subiects vnto our King? Yes, yes, beloued, it is our duty so to do; other­wise these persons may rise vp in iudgement hereafter against vs. Wherefore let vs stirre vp one the other to goodnesse, and to all holy duties whatsoeuer, saying: Come, let vs honour all men, loue brotherly fellowship; feare God, honour the King, and doe in all points, as it doth become vs, &c.

The substance and matter of their exhortation, if you marke the text, is to cast off all obedience to the iust and holy lawes of the Lord and his Annointed. For their words are these: Let vs breake their bands, and cast their cords behind vs. A diuellish conclusion, and a wicked resolution, you see it is. What! could they in all [Page 66]their consultations find no better matter then this, to agree vpon? was this the only issue of all their labours? Alas, alas, wee see what man is: he is a very beast by his owne knowledge, as it is in Ieremy 10.14. and as Paul doth shew, he is an enimy vnto God his ma­ker. Rom. 5.10. But let vs examine this point a little. As all good rulers haue their lawes and statutes, for the better gouernment of their people; so God hath his lawes and his statutes, which he doth giue vnto his people for them to obserue and keepe, that so they might not liue according to their owne phansies and plea­sures, but according to his will and pleasure, they euermore auoi­ding those things which he hath condemned, and performing those things which he hath commanded.

But behold here, these men scorne those lawes and statutes, and refuse altogether to be obedient vnto them. They would cast them off for euer, and breake them all to peeces, if they could. And because they would make all things odious in respect of the Lord & his Annointed (whether Dauid or Christ,) and very plau­sible and colourable in regard of themselues, they forge a very grosse and palpable comparison; for they do compare themselues, as it were, to certaine beasts and vnreasonable creatures; and these lawes and statutes of the Lord published by Dauid and Christ, vnto certaine bands and cords; insinuating thereby, that they are no better vsed, then the very beasts of the field, or other vnreaso­nable creatures, that must be tied fast with bands and cords, for feare of hurting people, or wandring abroad, whither they should not. For as these beasts are bridled and restrained by their bonds and cords, so were they by these lawes and statutes, so that they could not do what they would do. In regard whereof they go now about to be loosed from this bondage and subiection, which was in their opinion altogether intollerable, and not to be borne or suffered any longer. Wherefore their meaning in these words, when they say, Let vs breake their bands, and cast their cords behind vs, is nothing else but this, Let vs obserue and keepe their lawes and statutes no more, nor be any longer subiect and obedient vnto them or their authoritie.

Out of this we may collect two doctrines, Doct. the one is, that mans nature is against the law of God, and vnwilling to be subiect or [Page 67]obedient thereunto, according to the example of these men. The other is, that when men do resist the law of God, & oppose them­selues against the same, then do they rebell against God himselfe, and become traytors vnto him, as these were; for this is noted as the maine point, wherein their treason stood, in that they did thus reiect the lawes and statutes of the Almightie, and withstand the same to the vttermost that they could. On these two, let vs stand a little.

The first is, Doct. that mans nature is against the law of God, and vn­willing to be subiect or obedient thereunto. The whole story of the Bible doth shew this, but one place at this time shall be allea­ged for all, as containing many ages vnder it, and that is in Iere­my 7.23. &c. when the Lord saith by his seruant there: But this thing commanded I them, saying: Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people; and walke yee in all the wayes which I cōmanded you, that it may be well vnto you. But they would not obey nor incline their eare, but went after the counsels and the stub­burnnesse of their wicked heart, and went backward, and not forward. Since the day that your fathers came vp out of the land of Aegypt, vnto this day, I haue euen sent vnto you all my seruants and Prophets, rising vp early euery day, and sending them; yet would they not heare me, nor incline their eare, but hardned the necke, and did worse then their fathers. As thus Israel dealt, so deale all men at all times, we find it so still by daily experience, as well as by andient records. So that a good man may cry out, and say, as it is in the same prophesie of Ieremy, Chap. 6. verse 10. Vnto whom shall I speake, and admonish, that they may heare? behold their eares are vncircumcised, and they cannot hearken; behold, the word of the Lord is vnto them as a reproch, they haue no delight in it.

But what is the reason of this? as God said to Israel, What ini­quitie haue your fathers found in me, that they are gone farre from me, and haue walked after vanitie, and are become vaine? Ieremie 2.5. so may we say to these men; What iniquity haue they found in the lawes and statutes of the Lord, that they do so spurne at them? or what euill is lurking in them, that they do so reiect them? What? are they not iust and vpright? Yes, as we may see by Deut. 4.8. where Moses saith: And what nation is so great, that hath ordinances [Page 68]and lawes so righteous, as all this law, which I set before you this day? What! are they not good and profitable? Yes, as we may see by sundry places of diuine Writ, & namely by the testimony of Da­uid in Psal. 19.11. when he saith, that in keeping of them there is great reward. What! are they not, lastly, easie and pleasant? Yes, as we may see by Christs owne words in Math. 11.30. when he saith, For my yoke is easie, and my burden light: and by the saying of Dauid, who reports them to be sweeter vnto him then the hony, or the hony combe. Psal. 19.10. How chance then are they reie­cted? and for what cause are they so cast off? The causes thereof are these. First, because they are contrary to their natures, and to all the affections of their soules, which are wholly bent against them; in so much as Wisedome her selfe is an enmitie vnto them, as Paul doth teach vs in Rom. 8.7. saying, Because the wisedome of the flesh is enmitie against God; for it is not subiect to the law of God, neither indeed can be. For they cannot loue or like that, by any meanes, which doth crosse their natures, and controll the affecti­ons of their hearts; that is euen death to them.

Secondly, because they condemne their sinnes, which are sweet, and profitable vnto them; and threaten eternall iudgements a­gainst them for them. For they cannot endure to heare of their faults, and of Gods curses belonging vnto them for the same.

Thirdly, because they are not accustomed to them. For we like not of things which we neuer vsed, and they are tedious and bur­then some vnto vs, as a new straite doublet is to a child which ne­uer wore any before; according to Dauids saying, when he had Sauls harnesse on his backe: I cannot go with these, for I am not ac­customed. 1. Sam. 17.39.

Lastly, because they are vnable for to obserue & to keepe them, as wanting Christ to helpe them, and the spirit of the Lord to as­sist them. For we grieue and murmure against all those, which re­quire vnpossible things at our hands, and we abhorre the burden which we cannot carry or safely vndergo.

The reasons of this doctrine thus touched, Vse. the vses of it are these. First hereby we may see what a downfall man did receiue by Adams fall. He is not a little maimed, or hurt in some parts of his soule or body alone, but he is wholly corrupted, and made a [Page 69]deadly enimie vnto his maker. Some there are, that do extoll man too highly: they say, that he is like a boy of a sprack wit, that wants but a good maister to instruct him; or a faire white paper, that needs nothing but a writing to be set in it. But here we see it is o­therwise: for as man is ignorant of the law of God, so he is a starke enimie vnto it; he will not be subiect to the commande­ments of God, nor be obedient vnto them. Surely euery man by nature is dead in his sinnes and trespasses, as Paul did obserue of the Ephesians, in Ephes. 2.1. and no man, vnlesse he be borne a­gaine, can thinke well of the law of the Lord, and yeeld vp chear­full obedience thereunto.

Secondly, here we may behold the great difference, that is be­tweene the wicked and the godly. For as the wicked do abhorre the lawes of God, saying: Come, let vs breake their bands, and cast their cords behind vs; so the godly do loue the lawes of God, saying: Come, and let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Iacob, and he will teach vs his wayes, and we will walke in his paths. Mica. 4.2. And the reasons thereof are these. First, because they see they come from God their sweet Sauiour, and do tend to their eternall good: for we cannot but loue that which doth come from him whom we loue best, and of whom we are loued most, especially, when we know, that he will send vs nothing, which is hurtfull, but good, as we iudge of God, and that accor­ding to his owne word in Rom. 8.29. Secondly, because they know, that the curse thereof shall neuer take hold of them, in as much as Christ was made a curse for them. Thirdly, because they are made easie, and pleasant vnto them, as by vse and custome (they exercising themselues therein day and night,) so chiefly by the regeneration of the holy spirit of God, who doth assist them, and make them powerfull vnto good workes. Lastly, because they bring with them great rewards, and honours at the last, euen ioyes that are vnspeakable, and riches without all end for number and continuance. For as this made Iacob to serue seuen yeares for Rahel, and Moses to leaue Pharaohs court, and to endure much trouble in the wildernesse, euen the reward, that they did looke for: so doth this excellent reward, which doth attend vpon the obseruers of Gods commandements, make vs euermore to regard them, and [Page 70]to haue a care to obserue and to keepe them. More might be spo­ken of this difference that is betwixt the godly and the wicked, but this is enough.

The other doctrine (collected out of the text) is this, Doct. that when men do resist the law of God, and oppose themselues a­gainst the same, then do they rebell against God himselfe, and become traytors vnto him. As he is a traytor to his Prince, who doth altogether set himselfe against the lawes of his Prince, and will be subiect to none of them, but breake them all, to disgrace him, and to bring an ouerthrow vnto his estate or kingdome. The reason is this (for I will but touch this point, and end) Reason. because his lawes are but the significations of his will, and the testimonies of his mind and pleasure vnto vs. And you know; that none can resist his will, mind or pleasure, but he must needs resist him him­selfe.

The vse hereof standeth chiefly in two things: Vse. For first it ser­ueth to detect the great sinnes and enormities that are amongst vs. There is a generation (saith Agur in Prou. 30.12.) that are pure in their owne conceipts, and yet are not washed from their filthinesse. We are of that number; for we thinke too well of our selues. Who is there almost that doth count himselfe a rebell and a tray tor against his God? yet all of vs are such; for we breake his commande­ments still, and will not be ruled by his statutes and ordinances, but we follow the imaginations of our owne hearts, and do what seeme good in our owne eyes. For these things we must strike vp­pon the thighs and repent, and learne to do so no more.

Secondly, it should awaken vs vp, and be a sharpe spurre in our sides to keepe vs alwayes running in the commandements of our God. Oh beloued brethren, how carefull should we be both to know the lawes of our God, and also to keepe them, considering that otherwise we do but rebell and commit treason against our sweet and louing God? Shall we rise vp against him that hath made vs? against him that hath redeemed vs? against him that hath sanctified vs? against him that doth daily prescrue vs? and against him in one word, that will glorifie vs hereafter in the hea­uens! No, no, farre be this from our soules; yet this we must needs do, vnlesse we endeuor carefully to keepe his commandements. [Page 71]And therfore, I beseech you, looke to them; Let them be a lanterne to your feete, and a light to your paths. Let them be your counsellors, and the men of your law; and whatsoeuer you thinke, desire, speake or do, thinke all, desire all, speake all, and do all accor­ding to the rule and direction thereof, that so you may not be re­bels and traytors vnto the Lord, but be his saithfull seruants and true subiects vnto your liues ende. Amen.

HItherto the Prophet hath shewed, who did rebell against the Lord, and his An­nointed. Now he doth begin to declare, what the Lord, and his Annointed are, against whom they do so rebell. The Lord is set out in these three verses, and his Annointed in the three next. The scope & drift in the description of them both, is one and the selfe same, and it stands in two points. The one is to shew, that all the opposition or resistance that is made against them is in vaine, and to no purpose. The other is to declare, that those that do make the opposition, or resistance, are in most wofull and wret­ched case, and such as cannot escape most fearefull and vnreco­uerable iudgements; vnlesse they do in time preuent the same, by true and hearty repentance or amendment of life, in turning vnto them, and in becoming faithfull and loyall subiects vnto them, as they ought to be. This is the summe of all these verses, but at this time we are to stand vpon the three former alone.

The Prophet going about to describe the Lord, euen the Fa­ther in the godhead, or the first Person in the Trinitie, notes him out first of all by his place or abode; which is not vpon the earth, where his enimies may come at him, but in the heauens, where they cannot come neare vnto him, so that all their power, [...] [Page 73]malice intended against him can do him no harme. The which thing the Almighty doth see full well; for he is not afraid of them, but as a man that is carelesse of his enimie, whom he knowes cannot hurt him, doth nothing but laugh and deride at him, so doth he laugh and deride at them: he hath them in derision, and so shall haue them still in derision. This were enough to dismay them, if there were any grace in them. But yet this is not all. For as man is offended with those that rise vp against him, and doth withall punish them according to their deserts, if it lie in his power to do it; so is the Lord offended with them, and in his ap­pointed time, he will plague them. His wrath is greatly kindled against them, and his hand shall be stretched out in a most wo­full manner to torment them. Then at that time shall they know with a seeling and tormenting soule, what he is, against whom they are risen vp; for God shall then disclose it vnto them, saying: I haue set my king vpon Zion mine holy mountaine. He tooke not this honour vnto himselfe, to be the head and ruler of my people, nei­ther was he aduanced to this throne of gouernment by any hu­mane authority, or created wight; but I, euen I that am the Lord, whom the heauen of heauens cannot containe, placed him in his roome, & made him to be the supreme gouernor of my people: how then durst you rebel against him? or lift vp either tongue or hand, to speak or do any thing which might be cōtrary vnto him?

The summe of these three verses is nothing else but a descrip­tion of the Lord (or the first person in the godhead) against whom the former treason or rebellion was wrought. Summe. Wherein (before we come to the parts of it) obserue (in a word or two) the elegant Antithesis that is made betwixt him and his aduersa­ries: First, they are many, but he is but one: Secondly, they are on the earth, but he is in heauen: Thirdly, they rage, murmure, band and consult; but he laughs and smiles. Fourthly, they in­tend an ouerthrow to him, but he prepares plagues for them. Lastly, they say, Come, let vs breake their bands, and cast their cords behind vs: but he saith, I haue set my king vpon Zion mine holy moun­taine. So here is God against man, and heauen against earth. Iudge you now, who shall haue the victorie. But to the parts, the Lord here is described out two manner of wayes. The one is in [Page 74]regard of that which his enimies do to him. The other is of that which he will do to them. In the former of these, consider the place where he is, then his deriding or laughing at his enimies: both which doe shew, that all their forces can do him no harme, but shall be frustrated and be brought to nought. First, because he is out of their reach, hee being in heauen, and they vpon the earth. Then secondly, because he doth not feare, as men do, who are in some perilous danger, and too weake for their aduersaries, but doth laugh and deride at them, as we are wont to do, when we are merrie and sure of safetie, and do see how to frustrate all such deuices as are intended against vs. This is set downe in the fourth verse, as the other part is in the two next verses following.

But he that is in heauen (saith the Prophet) doth laugh. Here I will stand a little vpon the seuerall members, and afterward con­ioyne them both together, in pressing the doctrine and vse of the place. God here (you see) is not plainely named, but he is see out by a certaine periphrasis, or circumlocution, euen by one that dwelleth, or as others reade it, by one that sitteth in heauen; the Hebrew word Iosheb affoordeth either of them; for it comes of Ia­shab, which signifieth indifferently to dwell, or to sit, as also to stay and to abide in a place. Howsoeuer, it is a notable description of God, whereby the Prophet meaneth to shew, that his enimies are not able to do him any hurt, or mightie enough to stand against him that is so farre aboue them. For as it is euermore a great ad­uantage in warre, to haue the vpper and higher place in fighting against the aduersarie (as to be on a hil, whē he is below on a val­ley) so is it vnpossible for those who are vpon the earth, to reach them with any blows or strokes, that are in heauen. For betwixt these 2 places (heauen & earth) as the Astronomers do cōiecture, there are seuen score & eighteene thousand, foure hundreth, and sixtie three miles. And what arrow or shot of gun can flie so farre?

But here it may be demanded, Obiect. whether God be onely in hea­uen, and not vpon the earth also? The answer is, Ans. that he is as well vpon the earth, as in the heauens, according to his owne words in Ieremy 23.24. where hee tells vs, that hee doth fill both the heauen and the earth. And this you must hold, as a ground infal­lible, that he is in all places; for as Salomon doth confesse of him [Page 75]in 1. King. 8.27. that the heauens, and the heauens of heauens are not able to conteine him: so Dauid doth teach vs in Psal. 139.7. &c. that he is euery where, as well in the sea and earth and other places, as in the heauens themselues. And the manner how he is thus in all places, is well expressed in an old verse, which is this, Est Deus essenter, praesenter, vbique potenter, That is: God is euery where by his essence, by his presēce, & by his power. By his essence or diuine being, because it is he that immediatly worketh al things, both in heauen & earth. For we liue & moue & haue our being in him, as it is in Acts. 17.28. By his presence, be­cause he seeth & beholdeth all things, & euery matter is naked & opē to his eies, as those are to ours, that stand in our presēce before vs, as it is in Heb. 4.13. By his power, because he doth sustaine and hold vp al the creatures in the whole world, their strēgth & vertue being nothing else but as a small portion, flowing from that wel­spring of all fulnesse, which is in him, as it is in Hebr. 1.3. and Math. 4.4. So that by this it is apparant, that God is not tied vp in the heauens, as hauing nothing to do here vpon the earth or sea, as Atheists and Epicures iudge, who thinke that all things do fall out by the course of nature, chance, fortune (as they call it) and the policy of man. You see that he is in all places; he is pre­sent with vs wheresoeuer we be: he doth consider of all our workes: he doth know our sitting downe, and our rising vp: he doth vnderstand our thoughts a farre off: he doth compasse our paths, and he is accustomed to all our wayes, as we may see most excellently in the beginning of that 139. Psalme, which was quo­ted before. And therefore euery man should take heed, how he doth conuerse and liue here in this pilgrimage before him. But yet he is sayd rather to be in heauen, then in the earth or in any other place many times in the word, and that for two causes. The one is, because he is most glorious there, and fullest of all honour and dignitie; that being the throne of his Maiestie, whereas the earth is but his footstoole, Esay 66.1. The other is, because there he doth manifest himselfe, as most of all, and in the greatest splen­dencie that may be, so immediatly, and not by meanes (whether ordinary, or extraordinary) as hee doth here in this world, as may be seene at large in the 21. Chapter of the Reuelations, and [Page 76]other places of the Scripture besides. But the chiefe end where­fore he is here sayd in our text which is in hand, to be in heauen, is to note the vnablenesse of his enimies to do him hurt, or to pre­uaile against him. Other ends there are of this saying elsewhere, but this is the onely and principall end of it here, and it is excel­lent for that purpose, as was obserued before.

But to come to the other member, as God is sayd to sit or dwell in heauen, so he is sayd withall, to laugh and to make a mocke or derision of them. But he that dwelleth in heauen shall laugh, the Lord shall haue them in derision. Some reade this in the present tense, saying, But he that dwelleth in heauen doth laugh, the Lord hath thē in derision; or doth deride thē. But we may take it as it is translated in the future tense; for so it is in the Hebrew text. A man may laugh at the first; but weepe after; & a man may make a derision of his enimie at the beginning, but come to ruine and de­struction himselfe at the ending. But it shall not be so with God: he shall laugh both at the first, and at the last, and make a mocke of his aduersaries as well at the ending as at the beginning. And therefore I thinke, the holy Ghost did of purpose rather expresse his mind in the future tense, then in the present tense: not to de­ny a present act, but to include the continuance of it, as though God did not onely do it now, but should do it still. His meaning is, that the Lord doth not feare the conspiracies and rebellion of his enimies, which were mentioned in the three first verses of this Psalme, & that he makes no account or reckning of them, but doth so lightly respect them, as matters that he both will and can dash all to peeces, when it pleaseth him. For here in this verse and the next verse following is a figure, called Anthropopatheia, which is, when things are spoken of God according to man, and as his capacity is able to comprehend. For we must not take the words literally, but figuratiuely; for to speake properly, God doth not laugh, nor make a derision of any; onely man doth this, but he doth it not. And therefore I say, the words are to be taken figu­ratiuely, as they also are which are ascribed vnto wisedome in the latter end of the first Chapter of the Prouerbes, when Salo­mon tels vs, that she will laugh at the destruction of the wicked, and mocke when their feare commeth. If some foolish hare-braind [Page 77]youth of no strength or skill, should send a challenge vnto some wise discreet captaine of great valour and experience in warfare; the captaine would but laugh at him, and make a game-stocke of him, as knowing that he can do him no harme, but will easily without any ado be ouerthrown by him. So after the same maner, that we might know that the Lord feares none of his enimies, as such as can do him no hurt, but that hee can easily at his pleasure bring all their deuices to nought, & ouercome them when he wil, he is said here (after the maner of men) to laugh at them, & to haue them in derision. God then laughes at his enemies, not because he doth like of them, or of their attempts against him, as we doe oftentimes laugh at such things as please vs well; but because hee cares not for them, and doth see that all their plots are in vaine which are intended against him.

But why is this doubled, may you say? for what cause doth the Prophet tell vs of one thing thing twise? First, he saith, that God shall laugh at them: then after that he saith againe, that he shall haue them in derision: For seeing to laugh at one, and to haue him in derision is all one, and the one of them doth not differ from the other in sense and meaning, the question may bee well moued, why the Prophet should vse them both, and not content himselfe with one of them alone? The answere is this, that he did it, the better to note out the certainty and assurednesse of the thing whereof he doth speake. For as Pharaohs dreames were doubled, the one of the kine, the other of the corne, because the thing which he saw in his dreames, was established by God, and God did ha­sten to performe it; as it is in Gen. 41.32. So the Prophet here doth double his words, because the matter whereof he maketh men­tion, is most certaine and sure, and such as he would haue no man to doubt thereof. And for this purpose (you know) doe we our selues oftentimes double our sayings, and therefore it is as much in effect, as if he had said: But hee that dwelleth in the heauen shall laugh, yea I say againe, the Lord shall laugh, and haue them in derision; doubt not of it, but beleeue it, for it is a thing most certaine and true, as heauen it selfe. The consideration whereof should make vs bee afraid to doe any thing against the Lord. For of all things we do abhorre this most, to be made a laughing stocke and a may-game [Page 78]to our aduersaries. The Saints do complaine of it in the 44. psalme. The Prophet Esay in the 8. chapter of his prophesie. Da­uid in the 22. psalme. And Paul in the 4 chapter of his 1. epistle to the Corinthians. And surely if this bee tart and irkesome vnto Gods owne children, how shall the wicked bee able to beare it? Yet here we see, that God doth make a sport at all his aduersaries, and doth laugh and deride at them. Oh let the due regard of this phrase or manner of speech, stay vs alwayes from all rebellion against him, and cause vs to bee vpright in our wayes. For shall we be a laughter and derision vnto the Almightie? No, no, beware we of that.

But to leaue the seuerall members (wheron many things might be obserued, if need did so require) & to conioyne them together as they ought to be, out of them we gather this doctrine: Doct. That no power or deuice of man shall bee able to stand against the Lord, but shal be ouerthrowne and be brought to nought. For this is the end (as you haue heard) why these two things are reported of God, the one of his being in heauen, the other of his laughing at his aduersaries, euen to shew that that conspiracy which was made against him & his annoynted, should not prosper or preuaile, but vanish & come to nothing. So that the doctrine is rightly collected out of the text; and it may be proued vnto vs out of sundry pla­ces of sacred Writ, but I wil touch some two or three onely at this time, and so passe it ouer. The first is out of the Prophet Isay in the 8 chapter of his prophesie, and the 9. and 10 verses thereof, when he saith; Gather together on heaps ô yee people, and yee shall bee broken to peeces, and hearken ye of farre countries: Gird your selues, & you shall bee broken in peeces: gird your selues, and you shall bee broken in peeces. Take counsell together, and it shall be brought to nought: pro­nounce a decree, yet shall it not stand: for God is with vs. The second is in the 33. Psalme, & the 10. & 11. verses thereof, where the Pro­phet Dauid saith: The Lord breaketh the counsell of the heathen, and bringeth to nought the deuices of the people. The counsell of the Lord shall stand for euer, and the thoughts of his heart throughout all ages. The third and last is the 12. chapter of the Reuelations, and the 7. and 8 verses thereof, where Iohn saith: And there was a battell in heauen, Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon, and the [Page 79]Dragon fought and his Angels. But they preuailed not, neither was their place found any more in heauen. Thus you see that nothing can stand against the Lord, but all doth come to nought that is raised vp against him.

And the reason thereof is this, partly because he is wiser then all, seeing which way to preuent his enemies, and to bring his owne purpose to passe; and partly because hee is stronger then all, being able to doe whatsoeuer hee will, both in heauen and earth, according to Pauls words in 1. Cor. 1.25. when hee saith: For the foolishnesse of God is wiser then men, and the weaknesse of God is stronger then men.

The vse of this doctrine is manifold, Vse. but yet it standeth chiefly in three things. The first is, to teach vs what shall bee the end of all the plots which the wicked haue in their soules against the Lord, and such as do cleaue vnto him. They shal vanish and come to nothing, being like in this respect as the child in the mothers wombe, that there doth perish, and neuer come aline into this world: or like vnto his dreame who is busie all the night in his sleepe about gold and rich preferments, and yet in the morning is as poore as when he went to bed. In a word, they do but lose their labour, as he doth who goeth about by washing to make a Black-moore-white: or by teaching to make an asse play vpon an harpe. Let this be a continuall meditation with vs euery day and night.

The second is, to pull vs backe from all such matters as doe tend any manner of way against the Lord. For let vs assure our owne soules, that if we attempt any such thing, wee shall haue no good successe therein, but our endeuours shall bee brought to nought. I beseech you remember what Gamaliel said, and follow his counsell which he gaue vnto the Iewes when they stroue a­gainst the Apostles, and went about to hinder all preaching in the name of Christ. Men of Israel (saith he) take heede to your selues, what you intend to do, touching these men: refraine your selues from them, and let them alone. For if this counsell, or this worke, be of men, it will come to nought; but if it be of God, ye cannot destroy it, lest ye bee found euen sighters against God, as it is in Acts 5, 35, &c.

But some may say: Obiect. None of vs are so beastly as to fight against [Page 80]the Lord himselfe. Ans. Ans. Let no man be deceiued. For we doe all of vs warre against him many wayes, and as in generall, when wee doe violate and breake his statutes, refusing to doe that which he hath commanded vs for to do: so in particular we doe it foure manner of waies, The one is when we oppose our selues a­gainst the Magistrates of the common wealth, whom hee hath set ouer vs for to rule & gouerne vs For to resist them is to resist God himselfe, as Paul doth shew in Rom. 13.1.2. Another is when we doe oppose our selues against the Ministers of the Church, whom he hath raised vp to teach and instruct vs. For to resist them is to resist God himselfe, as Christ hath taught vs in Luke 10.16. The third is whē we do oppose our selues against the word of God, and such heauenly ordinances of his as he hath bestowed vpon men for his owne worship, and the saluation of mans soule. For to resist them is to resist God himselfe, as Gamaliel doth insi­nuate in the place of the Acts. before quoted. The fourth and last is, when wee doe oppose our selues against the children of God, and the members of lesus Christ. For to resist them is to re­sist God himselfe, as Zecharie doth declare, in Zech. 2.8. All these wayes do men in euery place almost lift vp themselues against the Lord: but beware we that we ioyne not with them therein; but let vs cary our selues holy and reuerently in all these respects, as we ought to do: otherwise we shall be crost in our purposes, and pay most dearely for it at the last.

The third and last is to comfort vs, who haue such a strong and wise God on our side, that nothing can preuaile against him. It is a great comfort vnto a man to serue such a maister as will al­waies take his part, & see him wronged by no man: but then espe­cially is his heart exhilerated with much ioy & alacritie, when he doth vnderstand that none is able to make his part good with his maister, but he doth alwaies preuaile against all. What a consolati­on then and ioy of spirit ought it to be vnto vs, seeing our maister & Lord whom we serue, is not only omnipotēt in himselfe, being stronger then all, but also so louing to vs, that hee doth alwaies take our part, and so assist vs from time to time, that we shall still ouercome our foes, and not bee vanquished by them? Oh let vs ponder often on this poynt. For it will be a good cordial medicine [Page 81]vnto vs in all diseases whatsoeuer, and it will reuiue vs like Aqua vitae or rosa Solis when we are ready to faint or sinke.

Hitherto you haue heard a description of the Lord in regard of that which his enimies do to him. Now you must marke how he is described in respect of that which he will do to them. And that is also two manner of waies, the one is by his workes, the other is by his words: by his works in the first verse, and by his words in the fixth verse. His workes containe his anger against them, and the effects thereof, which are fearefull plagues tormenting them. The speech is allegoricall and drawne from man, as was touched before: for the Prophet doth speake of God according to man, and as hee is well able to conceiue of him: not that there is any passion of choler or anger in God, as there is in man (for he is free from all passions whatsoeuer;) but the meaning is, that God was much offended with them for their rebellion, and so are displeased with them for it. And whereas man is angry and wrathfull, he wil strike and lay on, and take reuenge vpon such as do offend him: so the Lord would be reuenged vpon them, and plague them ac­cording to their deserts, as being highly offended with them for their euill wayes and rebellion against him. Then shall hee speake vnto them in his wrath (saith the Prophet) and vexe them in his soare displeasure. That is, ouer & besides his former deriding of them, or laughing at them, he shal be exceeding much offended with them, & in his soare displeasure against them he shal confound them, & and bring such iudgements vpon them, that they shall bee vexed with the cruell paine and remedilesse griefe thereof. So then here is set downe how the Lord takes the matter at his enimies hands, and how they shall speede for the same; though he doth laugh, yet he is angry, and much offended with them for it; and though they be many & great ones, yet they shall not escape vnpunished, but be plagued according to their wretched waies. For Gods speaking here vnto them is not by word of mouth, but by stroake of hand. Sometimes he speakes by word of mouth vnto men, as he did heretofore by his Prophets and Apostles, and as hee doth still vnto vs by the holy Scriptures, and the faithfull expositors thereof. Otherwhiles againe he speakes to men by the stroakes of his hand, as euer he hath done, and daily doth, when he doth pu­nish [Page 82]them for their sinnes, and lay some iudgements vpon them for their iniquities. Of this manner of speaking doth Elihu make mention in Iob, cap. 33. vers. 14. and so forward, where hee doth shew, that God doth not onely speake to men by dreames and vi­sions of the night, pulling them as it were by the eares, and leauing euen in their minds an impression of those great punishments which hang ouer their heads, to this end, that he might warne and teach them, to lay aside those things which they were intended to do, and that he might for bid them to continue in their wicked enterprises: but also when man will not take heed by these war­nings, he goeth on the second time to speake vnto him by his stroakes and iudgements, in laying some grieuous sickenesse vpon his body, whereby he is brought as it were to deaths dore, being daily tormented with grieuous paine, euen as he lyeth on his bed, and being so changed through leannesse, and the rage of his di­sease, that he is rather like to them that lye in the graue, then to a­ny of the liuing.

Now after this manner is the word here to be taken, as the cir­cumstance of the place doth shew, and as the words following doe declare. And the word also here vsed in the Hebrew tongue, called Iedabber, comming of the root Dabar, doth signifie as well to destroy (as some iudge) as to speak. So that a man may translate it (if he will) after this sort: Then shall he destroy them in his wrath, and vexe them in his sore displeasure. But howsoeuer, you see the sense and meaning is all one, and that the Prophet doth intend no other thing hereby, but to shew, that they shall be ouerthrowne, and come to some fearefull ends, that did so rise vp against the Lord and his Annoynted, as you heard in the beginning of this Psalme. And that this also did fall out accordingly, and in the same manner, as the text doth here speake, was at large deliuered vnto you in my first lecture vpon this Psalme, when I did runne ouer the whole body thereof at once together: and therefore I will not now stand vpon it againe, but referre you onely vnto that which was then spoken, hoping that you haue it in good re­membrance still to your sweet comfort and holy instruction.

The doctrine of the place at this time to be considered, is this, Doct. That the enimies of Gods Church shall be ouerthrowne, and [Page 83]be confounded by the breath of the Almighty for their rebellion against him, euen as the enimies of Dauid and Christ here were for their resisting of him. Surely as they came to fearefull ends; so shall those that rise vp from time to time against Gods children, they, euen they also, shall come to fearefull ends. The Lord that is at their right hand, shall wound Kings in the day of his wrath, he shall be iudge among the heathen, he shall fill and with dead bodies, and smite the head ouer great countries, as it is in Psal. 110.5.6. You know what God doth saith to Edom. For thy cruelty (saith he) against thy brother Iacob, shame shall couer thee, and thou shalt be cut off for euer. Obadiah vers. 10. You know what God doth say of Moah, and of the children of Ammon. I haue heard (saith he) the reproach of Moab, and therebukes of the children of Ammon, whereby they vpbraided my people, and magnified themselues against their borders. Therefore as I liue, saith the Lord God of hoasts, the God of Israel, Surely Moab shall be as Sodom, and the children of Ammon as Gomorah: euen the bre­ding of nettles, and salt-pits, and a perpetuall desolation; the residue of my folke shall spoile them, & the remnant of my people shall possesse them. This shall they haue for their pride, because they haue reproached, and magnified themselues against the Lord of hoasts people, in Zeph. 2.8.9.10. You know what God doth say to Abraham. I will also (saith he) blesse them that blesse thee, and curse them that curse thee, in Gen. 12.3. And what he saith to his whole people of Israel. Behold (saith he) I will bruise all that afflict thee, so that none shall be spared, in Zeph. 3.19. Lastly you know (to pretermit other places) what God doth to that huge army of Gog and Magog, that compasseth the Saints and holy citty about, spoken of in Reuel. 20.9. But fire (saith the text there) came downe from God out of heauen, and deuou­red them. To this we might adde many examples, if neede did so require: as that of Aegypt, who were plagued with ten seuerall plagues from heauen, one comming after another, and in the end were drowned (the most of them) in the redde sea, for setting themselues against the Lords people the children of Israel. As that of Haman, who lost all his dignity, and the great honour which he had, & in the end was hanged vpon a gallowes, for seeking the ouerthrow of Mordecay, and those of the Iewes as did belong to the Lord. As lastly that (with diuers others) of the whole [Page 84]nation of the Iewes themselues, who were sundry times plagued by God from heauen, and by men from the earth, and in the end came to the woefullest calamitie, as euer pen did put to paper, for killing the Prophets from time to time, and for murdering Christ, and such as did appertaine vnto him. So that whereas they cryed out and said: His bloud be vpon vs and our children, as it is in Math. 27.25. his bloud indeed fell vpon them; for they were so punish­ed for it, that they were murdered most of them at the destructi­on of Ierusalem, their bloud running about the streets like a riuer of water; and they are now to this day in great contempt amongst all nations; as many thousands of them also do lye boyling in hell, and there shall remaine in their torments for it, for euermore. O misery of all miseries! Great was their calamitie, when their citty was besieged, at what time they were driuen to eate the lea­ther of their shooes, the leather of their girdles, the leather of their bucklers, and targets, the dung of their stables, and in the end their very children. Woefull was their case, when they began to issue out, compelled with famine, when they were still taken and crucified vpon crosses, and gibbets set vp before the wals, that they which were within might see them, and giue ouer, but yet they would not: fiue hundred a day were thus hanged vp, till there were neither trees to be gotten, nor any more space left to set them in. Fearefull was their estate, when certaine of them, getting meate for compassion sake in the campe of the enimes, were yet so persecuted with the anger of God, that when they hoped their liues were in some safety, suddēly in the night by the bloody souldiers (imagining that sure they had Gold and Iewels within them, which they had swallowed to conuey them for their vse) were miserably flaine, and slit vp, their bowels taked in for that which haply was not there, to the number of two thousand in one night. Pittifull was their condition, when there was a de­sire to know the number of dead carkasses carried out of the cit­ty, for want of buriall, to be throwne into the ditches, as dung vpon the earth; but the number was numberlesse, and no way to know it certainely, but out of one gate the keeper had no­ted to be carried out an hundred and fifty thousand dead bodies. Who can speake or heare of these matters, almost with dry eyes? [Page 85]But yet this is not the worst, for the damnation of their soules and bodies in hell doth go far beyond it, where is weeping and gnash­ing of teeth for euermore. Alas, alas, our hearts may breake out into drops of bloud, to thinke vpon that their misery. For first, their paine there is intollerable, farre worse then the burning of any fire with vs, let it be a thousand times hotter then it is. Se­condly it is eternall, and euerlasting, neuer to haue any end, like that fire which doth alwaies burne, and can neuer be quenched. And thirdly it is continuall without any intermission or ease com­ming betwixt it, they lying in torments euery day, and euery night, and not hauing so much as one minute of an houre in a million of yeares to rest in. Thus doth God speake to them in his wrath, and vexe them in his sore displeasure.

The reason hereof is this, Reason. because he is offended with them for their sinne which they doe commit herein against him, and hath the same in great hatred and detestation. For as Dauid doth tell vs in the 5. and 11. Psalmes, that the foolish shall not stand in the Lords sight, nor him that speaketh lies, but shall be destroyed; and that vpon the wicked he shall raine snares, fire, and brimstone, and stormy tempest, this is the portion of their cup: so he doth teach vs withall, what is the cause thereof, in the same places, namely this, because he is not a God that loueth wickednesse nor iniquitie, neither shall euill dwell with him; but he is one that loueth righteousnesse, and hateth iniquity, and such as worke the same. The places aboue quoted doe touch this matter, and shew the particular sinne, for which these iudge­ments come. But yet a man may aske & say: Why is God so much moued for the wrongs that are offered to his children: Wherefore doth the sinne committed against them, so stirre him to wrath, and indignation against the offenders therein? Cannot he be quiet whilst he himselfe is not touched? and so lightly passe ouer the matter? No, no, he cannot in any sort. For if you touch them once, you touch him. He that toucheth you (saith Zechariah to Gods children, in Zech. 2.8. toucheth the apple of his eye. I trow, if a man take in your eyes, you will set him further, if you can, and teach him what it is to medle with that tender member, that is so deare vnto you. So doth the Lord deale with these: because his children are deare and precious vnto him, he cannot see them [Page 86]wronged, but must needes take their parts, and be reuenged vp­on their aduersaries for such abuses as they do offer vnto them. Because thou wast precious in my sight (saith the Lord to Israel) and thou wast honorable, and I loued theee, therefore will I giue man for thee, and people for thy sake, as it is in Esay 43.4. And as though this were not enough, the Prophet Nahum doth tell vs, That he is iealous ouer his people, that he reserueth wrath for his enimies, that he will take vengeance on his aduersaries, and make an vtter destruction of them, comming like a fire vnto them, as vnto thornes folden one in an­other, and as vnto drunkards in their drunkennesse: so that they shall be deuoured as stubble fully dried. Nahum 1.2.9.10. This is the cause and reason, wherefore the Lord doth so take on; in regard whereof Christ said vnto Paul, when he did molest and trouble such as did beleeue in him, Saul, Saul, Why dost thou persecute me? as it is in Acts 9.4. taking that to be done to himselfe, which was done to them.

Wherefore out of this place we may learne, Vse. first to abstaine from all such things as are iniurious vnto Gods Saints, and hurt­full vnto such as do belong to him. What do you imagine (saith Na­hum the Prophet) against the Lord? he will make an vtter destruction, affliction shall not rise vp the second time. Chap. 1.9. Because the Lord will destroy those that imagine euill against his people, therefore the Prophet doth thinke it to be meere foolishnesse and madnesse to attempt any thing against them, and good wisedome to be qui­et, and to let them alone. One reason we had before for this, which is, our not preuailing against thē; but this is more strong & forcible then that. For all men by nature do desire most their ease and safety, but here is a thing which will bring woe and destructi­on vnto vs: it will take away our ease and safety cleane, & plunge vs into a sea of miseries, vexing our soules whiles we are here, and tormenting both body, and soule, when we are gone from hence. And therefore, I beseech you (brethren) in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ, who hath loued vs, and giuen his life for our sakes, let there be none amongst vs which do wish euill vnto Zion, but let vs loue all those which do feare the Lord: if no other thing can moue vs to it, yet let Gods iudgements which otherwise will fall vpon vs, bring vs vnto it. O remember, it is no sporting [Page 87]matter, to make a iest and sport of Gods child: neither is it a small matter to offer wrongs and iniuries vnto him, but thus to do is an hainous offence, & a very dāgerous matter to al those that do it. If Meroz must be cursed, & all the inhabitants thereof, because they came not foorth to helpe Gods people against their enimies (as indeed they must be cursed, according to the words of the Angell in Iudges, Chap. 5. vers. 23:) And if they must depart frō Christ, & be cast into euerlasting fire, prepared for the diuell and his An­gels, who do not feed the hungry, cloath the naked, visit the sicke, & do good to those that are his Disciples and do beleeue in him, (as they must indeed depart from him, and goe to that fearefull place, as we may see by Mathew, Chapter 25. verse 41, &c.) How much more shall they be cursed, that do resist the people of God? and how much more shall they depart from Christ, and be cast into euerlasting fire prepared for the deuill and his Angels, who do rob the faithfull Disciples of Christ, and offer violence and wrong vnto them? Oh thinke on this, ye that forget God, lest he come and teare you in peeces, before you be aware, and there be none to helpe you.

But to proceede on, here in the second place we may learne to be quiet and patient, when we are molested and troubled by the wicked; wee need not then to fret and chafe as many are wont to do, but to be mild, as Christ was, and to commit all vnto God, as he did; according to Peters words in his first Epistle, the 2, chap­ter and 23. verse thereof, with some others following; where he doth labour to draw men to the imitation of our Sauiour in his suffering, that as he, when hee was reuiled, reuiled not againe, and when hee suffered, hee threatned not, but committed all to him, that iudgeth righteously: so should they do, bearing euery thing patiently, and referring it vnto him that iudgeth iustly without any acceptation of persons. For seeing that God will reuenge our quarrels, and plague our enemies to the vttermost, we our selues may be silent and dumbe, and neither mooue hand or tongue a­gainst them. Wherefore let vs do as Paul doth aduise vs for to do, in Rom. 12.19. Dearely beloued (saith he) auenge not your selues, but giue place vnto wrath, for it is written, vengeance is mine: & I will repay, saith the Lord. If any do abuse vs, deride vs, or offer any wrong & [Page 88]iniurie vnto vs, let vs not storme and fret therat, but let vs possesse our soules with patience, remembring with our selues alwaies, that we haue a sweet and gratious God in heauen, who doth be­hold what is done vnto vs, and who will also in due time be auen­ged vpon our aduersaries for it, when they shall mourne and la­mēt, & we on the cōtrary side shall laugh & reioyce. That is a most comfortable saying which is in the 7 Chapter of the Prophecie of Micha, in the eigth, ninth, and tenth verses, when he saith, Reioyce not against me, ô mine enimy; though I fall, I shall arise, &c. I pray, read the place at your leasure, and peruse it well.

And so I come vnto the last vse, which we are to make of this place, and that is, a dutie which is to be performed of vs. For it doth become vs vpon this to reioyce and to breake out into prai­ses to extoll the Lord, who doth so fight our battels, and discom­fite the enimie before vs, in such a fearefull manner, that he is wholly ouerthrowne, and can haue no rest, but lies in continuall griefe, and vexation of minde. O Iudah (saith the Prophet Nahum, Chapter 1.15.) keepe thy solemne feastes, performe thy vowes, for the wicked shall no more passe through thee, he is vtterly cut off. And Ze­phany saith: Reioyce ô daughter Zion, be ye ioyfull ô Israel, be glad & reioyce with all thy heart, ô daughter Ierusalem. The Lord hath taken away thy iudgements, he hath cast out thine enimie, the King of Israel, euen the Lord is in the midst of thee, thou shalt see no more euill. Both which places (you see) do declare, that we must reioyce, and tri­umph in our songs of praise vnto the Lord, when he doth ouer­come our enimies, and beate them downe before vs: And hereof we haue many worthy examples in the holy Scriptures, I will touch onely a few of them. Moses and those which came out of Aegypt with him did the same, when the Lord had destroyed their enimies the Aegyptians, & had drowned thē all in the red sea, as we may see at large in Exod. 15.1. &c. Deborah and those which were with her & on her side, did the same, whē the Lord had ouer­throwne their aduersaries the Canaanites, & had destroyed Sisera their chiefe captaine, and all his chariots, and all his hoast with the edge of the sword, as it is in Iudges 5.1. &c. The good and holy women who liued in the daies of Saul and Dauid, did the same, when the Lord had confounded the Philistines their foes, and had [Page 89]brought an horrible slaughter vpon them, and vpon their chiefe champion, that great & blasphemous Goliah, that defied the hoast of Israel, and railed vpon the God thereof, as it is euident in 1. Sam. 18.6.7. Finally, Hester & Mordecay with their people, & such of the Iewes as liued in their times, did the same, when the Lord had strengthened them against their opposites, and had brought an vtter ruine vnto their chiefe aduersarie Haman the cursed A­malekite, as appeareth in Ester 9.17. &c. So, euen so, beloued, let vs deale from time to time, whensoeuer the Lord doth giue vs a vi­ctory ouer our aduersaries, and bring iust and deserued plagues vpon them, let vs blesse his holy name for the same, and reioyce greatly before him in that behalfe. And so farre of Gods workes. Now let vs come to his words.

These are not the words of the Prophet, but of God himselfe sitting in iudgement, and taking reuenge vpon his aduersaries, that rebel against him & his anoynted. Not that God shall whē he doth strike them, vtter these words in plaine termes, and sound of voyce vnto thē, as we do vtter words, when we beate such as haue offended vs; but the meaning is, that they shal by their plagues & sore iudgements executed vpon them, feele and perceiue this to be so, as plainly & as euidently, as if they heard the Lord speaking from heauen vnto thē by word of mouth. His destroying & con­foūding of them shal cry like a shril voice in their eares, that it was he himselfe & no created wight, euen he himselfe that is the God of Gods, & the Lord of hoasts, that did set vp Dauid to be King of Israel, & Christ his Son to be King of his Church, whom they had so rebelliously resisted, & laboured to haue displaced out of their thrones. Here is a great Emphasis, & it is as much as if he had said: What? shal I set vp a King? & will you, ô ye rebels go about to put him downe? How dare you do this? What? shall I place one ouer my people, & make him to be their Lord and chiefe gouer­nor, & will you, ye traytors, refuse to yeeld obedience vnto him, & ioine hand and head together to ouerthrow him, and to remoue him out of his kingdome? O impietie neuer heard of! O wicked­nesse most intollerable! Know you, know you, that for this cause I cannot beare with you, but I must needes speake to you in my [Page 90]wrath, and vexe you in my sore displeasure, as now I do.

By Zion here, his holy mountaine, the kingdome of Israel is vnderstood, if we referre it vnto Dauid; but if we referre it vnto Christ, the Church is meant thereby. Zion was the citie of Dauid, and the place where his Court was vsually held and kept, as it is in 2. Sam. 7.7. But here it is put figuratiuely for the whole king­dome of Israel, whereof that was a chiefe and principall part. And it is tearmed withall, the holy mountaine of God, because it stood on high vpon a mountaine or hill, where the Lord did ma­nifest his holinesse vnto his people, as by the presence of his arke which was there, so also by the exercises of pure religion which were held in the Tabernacle and Temple, that were built in that place, and feared vpon that mountaine or hill. Thus literally this place is to be referred vnto Dauid, and it is true of him, that God did set him vp as King ouer this kingdome of Israel, as we may see in 1. Sam. 16.12, 13. But sacramentally, and after a spirituall ma­ner these thing are to be referred vnto Christ and his Church. For Zion also was a type thereof, as we may see in Esay 2.3. and in Heb. 12.22. And Christ we know, was chosen of his Father to bee the head and King thereof, as anone, by Gods grace, shall more fully appeare. And as the earthly Zion was tearmed the mountaine of Gods holinesse, so may this heauenly. Zion well beare that appellation or name. For I. it is most like vnto a mountaine: then 2. the Lord doth manifest his holinesse more there then in any other place. It is most like a mountaine in 3. re­spects. First, for the exaltation and supereminencie of it: for as a mountaine is an high place aboue other places, so the Church of God is exalted aboue other congregations; and that for Gods de­light in it, and most excellent blessings vpon it, which are either present, or to come. Secondly, for the manifestation and aptnesse of it: for as a mountaine is in open sight & view of all men: so the Church of God stands in the eie-sight of all persōs, & euery mans eye is bent to mark diligently what they do, as his eare is open to listen to that which they speake. Thirdly, for the strength and sta­blenesse of it: for as a mountaine is a strong thing and vnmouea­ble: so the Church of God is so strong and inuincible, that all the powers of the world, and of hell below cannot ouerthrow it, but [Page 91]it shall remaine firme and stable (notwithstanding the same) for euermore. I beseech you by the way, make vse of all these things. By the first, looke vpon your honour and great aduancements, wherunto you are exalted aboue all others. As Salomon saith in the Prouerbs 31, 29: Many daughters haue done vertuously: but thou sur­mountest them all: so you may say, Many congregations in the world are exalted on high; but we (the true Church) are lifted vp aboue them all. By the second, be moued to haue an holy care of your liues, that you may walk circūspectly at all times in the waies of godlines, & that your light may so shine before men, that they may see your good workes, and glorifie your Father which is in heauen. And by the third and last, be secretly comforted, and grow to a full reso­lution, that nothing shall be able to separate you from the loue of your God, but that you shall remaine firme and stable in his fa­uour for euermore.

Now for the other poynt, as the Church is like to a mountaine, so it is holy, as the mountaine Zion was. First, for the Lords be­ing in it, who is holinesse it selfe: for though he be in all the world, yet hee is more especially in his Church then in any other place besides, according to that in Psal. 68.16. and 48.1.2. Secondly, for the holy exercises of religion, and the goodly works of Gods worship which are found therein: for there is prayer, singing of Psalmes, reading and preaching of the word, receiuing of the Sa­craments, and the like; all which are workes of holinesse and pu­rity. Lastly, for the sanctification of men and women, which are therein: for they are not prophane and licentious, as in other pla­ces, but they are sanctified & made holy by the bloud of Christ, & the working of the Spirit. Our of these things also, gather some short notes as we go along. Let the first of thē make you reioice & be glad, that you haue so good a God, that though he be full of maiesty & glory, yet he is content to come home to your houses, and to dwell in the chambers of your soules, and there to quiet himselfe in your loue and to reioyce ouer you with ioy, as Zepha­ny doth speake in Zeph. 3.17. As Elizabeth said, when the virgin Mary came to her: Whence commeth this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? Luke. 1.43. so may we say at the Lords comming to vs: What a fauour and dignitie is this, that the Lord [Page 92]of heauen and earth should thus come to vs? Let the second of them stirre you vp to frequēt holy exercises, and to throng to the house of praier, and to such places where the Lord is rightly wor­shipped. As the nations say in Mich. 4.2. Come, and let vs go vp to the moūtain of the Lord, & to the house of the God of Iacob: so let vs say, Come, & let vs go to the Church & congregatiō of God, to prai­er, to the preaching of the word, & to other holy exercises of pure & holy religion. Let the third and last of them admonish you of that purity & holinesse which ought to be in you, that so you may neuer giue rest vnto your eies vntil you see your selues washed frō your sins by the bloud of Christ, & made holy in some part by the sanctificatiō of Gods spirit, wherby you may be able to go boldly vnto the throne of grace to receiue mercy, & to find grace to helpe in time of need. That as Paul did say of the Corinthians when they were changed frō bad to good: And such were some of you; but ye are washed, but yee are sanctified, but ye are iustified in the name of the Lord Iesus, and by the spirit of God, as it is in 1. Cor. 6.11. so may you say of your selues: And such were we our selues once, euen bad and most wicked persons; but blessed be God we are now changed, and made better: our sinnes are washed away by the bloud of Christ, and the spirit of God hath begun to renew vs in some good part.

Leauing these things for the meaning of the words, and some short annotations vpon the same, let vs now come to the maine doctrine of the place, and in few words it is nothing else but this, Doct. that Christ our Sauiour did not take this office vpon him to be the King of the Church, but was lawfully called thereunto by God his Father, and not by any created power whatsoeuer. This he confesseth of himselfe in Iohn, Chapter 6. verse 27. Where he doth endeauour to draw men from a greedy hunting after the foode of the body, vnto a carefull seeking for the foode of their soules: say­ing, Labour not for the meate which perisheth, but for the meate that endureth vnto euerlasting life, which the Sonne of man shall giue you, for him hath God the Father sealed. He hath chosen him for this purpose, and set his marke and seale vpon him, as designing him ouer this worke and businesse, which is to be performed alone by him, and none else. And this also he doth proue in the fourth chap­ter of the Gospell according to Saint Luke, by a testimony out of Esay, chap. 61.1. &c. where the calling of the Messias is excellent­ly [Page 93]and at large set out vnto vs. But the Apostle Saint Paul (not to stand vpon other places) doth make this point most cleare and euident vnto all persons, in the first chapter of his Epistle to the E­phesians, beginning at the twentieth verse therof and so forward, & in the second chapter of his Epistle to the Philippians in the ninth verse thereof, with others following. For in both these places you shall finde, that as Christ is exalted aboue all the creatures in the world, and made the supreme head of the Church, both warring in earth, & triumphing in heauen; so he was raised vp hereunto by God his Father, he making him thus the vniuersall gouernour of all the world. So that looke what the Author to the Hebrewes said of Christ in regard of his Priest-hood, that he tooke not to himselfe that honour to be made the high Priest, but he that said vnto him, Thou art my Son, this day begat I thee, gaue it him. Heb. 5.5. So may we say here of him in regard of his kingdome, that he tooke not this ho­nour to himselfe, to be made the supreme King of the Church, but God that sitteth in the heauens, and hath his enimies in derision, gaue it vnto him: but somewhat more of this hereafter when we come vnto the 8. verse of this Psalme.

Reason. But why did God (may you say) set vp Christ and make him thus the King of his Church? Wherefore did he not make choise rather of some Angell or Arch-angell, or of some Emperour, or great state of this world? Because none of them were fit for this office. As no man was worthy to open the booke, and to loose the seales thereof, which Iohn saw in the right hand of him that sate vpon the throne, but onely the Lyon which is of the tribe of Iudah, the roote of Dauid, as it is in Reu. 5.1. &c. So no crea­ture was found fit for this office, whether in the heauen aboue, or in the earth beneath, saue Iesus Christ our sweete Sauiour, and the blessed Sonne of God; and therefore God his Father did make choise of him before all others. But why was he fittest for this office, may you further say? For two causes, the one is in regard of his Person; the other of his qualities belonging vnto his Per­son. For his Person, because he is not onely man, as many others are, but also God, as none else besides him is, and thereby is made able to weald such a great & mighty kingdome as he hath. Other­wise it is impossible that he should rule his people according to his [Page 94]will, and subdue his enimies, to make them his footstoole, consi­dering that they are Principallities and powers, and the greatest Potentates of this world. For what man or Angell is able to o­uercome all the diuels in hell rushing vpon him at once together? and to withstand the whole army of mankind, assaulting him to­gether with them, with their whole power and force? Surely none: he must be a God that must doe it. And therefore was Christ cho­sen for this purpose, who is a God, as well as man, for his qua­lities belonging vnto his Person, because he is indued with most singular giftes and graces fit for gouernement. Iethro in his coun­sell to Moses, required but foure things in a Gouernour, namely, courage, the feare of God, true dealing, and the hating of couetousnesse, as we may see in Exod. 1 S 21. But here in Christ (the chiefe gouernour of all) we shall finde as many more; for be­sides these foure, you shall haue in him foure more, namely, wise­dome, diligence, bounty, and loue. So that in number there are eight. The first is courage, for he feares no man, as being the Lord of Lords, & the God of Gods, according to his name, which is written on his garment and thighs, in Reu. 19.16. The second is the feare of God, for he reuerenced his Father, and was obedient vnto him, euen vnto the very death of the crosse, Phil. 2.8. The third is iustice or true dealing, for the Scepter of his kingdome, is a Scepter of righteousnesse, and he himselfe is one louing righteousnesse, and hating iniquity, Heb. 8.1.9. The fourth is, hating couetousnesse, for he neuer receiued any bribes or recompence for all the cures he did, but he became poore, that he might make vs rich. 2. Cor. 8.9. The fift is wisdome, for in him are hid all the trea­sures of wisedome and knowledge. Col. 2.3. The sixt is diligence, for he was so painefull, that he trauelled from place to place to doe good, and left his owne foode to go about his Fathers businesse, Ioh. 4.34 And he is brought in by Iohn in the Reuelations, Chapter 1.13 standing in the midst of the seuen Candlestickes (which are the seuen Churches) & there busily occupied in gouerning them, as a man is, when his garment is about him, and trust vp with some girdle, that it may not trouble or hinder him in the execution of his businesse. The seuenth is, bountifulnesse or liberality, for he doth not impouerish his subiects, by exacting of them grieuous [Page 95]subsidies and taxes, but he doth greatly enrich them, by bestowing large giftes and benefites vpon them. Ephe. 4.7.8. &c. The last is, loue or mercy, for he doth beare that kind affection towards his people, that all their miseries doe touch him, Heb. 4.15. and for to do thē good he was content to die for them, Ephe. 5.2.25. Where all these things do concurre & meet together, there is a party well qualified for gouernement. A man may be couragious, yet not fearing God; if fearing God, yet not dealing truely; if dealing truely, yet not hating couetousnesse; if hating couetousnesse, yet not wise; if wise, yet not diligent; if diligent, yet not boun­tifull; if bountifull, yet not louing; if louing, yet not couragi­ous. But where shall all these be found together? Surely in none, but in Christ Iesus: for in him they are in the highest degree of perfection, and therefore did the Lord make choice of him before all others to goe in and out before his people, and to be the Head or gouernour of his Church.

Here we must take heed of some abuses, Vse. we must not collect from hence, either that Christ is inferiour to his Father, or that he was made King as he was God; for he is equall with his Father in glory & Maiesty touching his diuine nature or God-head, as the Apostle doth shew in the beginning of his 2. chap. to the Philippi­ans. True it is, that he is inferiour to his Father in respect of his hu­mane nature, and as he is man; but not otherwise as he is God, & of the same substance or being, which he hath together with the Fa­ther frō all eternity. Againe, whereas he is made King, this is done in respect of both his natures together, as he is God-man, and Man-God; and not simply in respect of one of them alone; for so to affirme of either of them, were absurd, if not blasphe­mous.

But leauing the abuses, the true vses are these. First, here­by we may learne to reuerence Christ the more, because he is esta­blished in his throne by his Father, For if Dauid were pricked in heart onely for cutting of Sauls garment, who was a wicked man, and his deadly enimy too, because he was the Lords annoynted; with what reuerence and care should we carry our selues towards Christ Iesus our Sauiour, who is holinesse and righteousnesse it selfe, and one that loues vs well? seeing the Lord hath annoynted [Page 96]him, and made him to be our King. But alas, our carriage is such towards him, as if he had vsurped this place vnto himselfe by ty­ranny, or were set vp in his throne by some created authority: but let vs looke to ourselues, and amend this our fault.

In the second place here we may learne, that seeing God hath set vp his Sonne in his kingdome, he will still defend him and aide him in the same, as also bring fearefull iudgments vpon all such as shal go about to resist him. And this is the chiefest end wherefore this sentence is here alleadged, and therefore let all men take heed what they do; and let all those know also who are in lawfull autho­rity, that so long as they carry themselues worthy of their places, the Lord will alwaies stand about them for their defence and pro­tection, as here he did about his Sonne Christ, and blessed Dauid, the King.

Lastly, here we may learne by the example of Christ, that it is not good to run into a calling, but to stay vntill the Lord doth place vs in the same, A great complaint is made in Ieremy by the Lord against men in this respect, that they did run before that he did send them, as we may see at large in the 23. chapter of Ieremy. But beware we that we doe not the like. For shall Christ that had the Spirit of God without all measure, stay and waite his Fathers leasure? and shall we mortall and sinnefull creatures, who haue not the Spirit almost in any measure, yet runne and goe before our commission is drawne out and sealed by the Almighty? More things might be spoken vpon these matters, but let these short ob­seruations minister an occasion vnto you, to contemplate more at large vpon these points.

IN the former verses mention was made of God the Father, whose maiestie and power was excellently set out, for the confoun­ding of such wicked aduersaries, as did rise vp against him. But now these verses do intreate of God the Sonne, who is also most liuely described in the same, by a cer­taine inuincible power and maiestie, as be­ing one sufficient to ouerthrow all such re­sistance as is made against him. And that his enimies might be daunted the more, as his friends receiue the greater ioy and con­solation, he comes in himselfe speaking and vttering his voyce vnto them, declaring plainely amongst them all, what is the ve­ry decree and ordinance of God his Father concerning him and his kingdome; the summe and substance whereof he tels them is this: The Lord, the great God of heauen, who hath created all things, and who doth continually preserue the same, he, euen he, sayd to me, Thou art my sonne, yea my naturall and onely sonne, most deare and precious vnto me. Thy workes, which thou doest continually, in working strange and admirable miracles do shew, that I haue begotten thee: but chiefly that day is an argument [Page 98]thereof vnto all the world, wherein thou didst arise from the graue, and returne againe from death vnto life. And because thou art so neare vnto me, and one on whom I haue set my whole delight and pleasure, aske of me, what thou wilt, and thou shalt haue it, I will not say, to the halfe of my kingdome, but to all my kingdome: if thou shalt aske the whole, I will bestow it vpon thee; yea I will giue thee all power both in heauen and in earth, and thou shalt reigne, not in a small compasse alone, but in a most spacious and large circuite, euen throughout all the world from the one end thereof vnto the other. And whereas there are many rebels and traytors, that do daily rise vp against thee, thou shalt not take pity and compassion vpon them to forgiue them, but thou shalt punish them throughly according to their deserts; with thy scepter, or mace of iron, wherewith thou art armed, thou shalt destroy them. And herein deale thou with them, as the pot­ter doth with his vessell; as he doth dash that all to peeces, when it is once broken, and seruiceable for no vse; so do thou so con­found them, that they may lie still in their miseries, and neuer haue any hope to recouer themselues againe, or to repaire such ruinous breaches as thou dost bring vpon them. Thus runneth the paraphrase of this place. Wherein you haue nothing else to remember in summe, Summe. but a description of Iesus Christ, the second person in the Godhead, who is our sweet Sauiour, and blessed King. In which description obserue two things. The first is the person, that doth publish the description. The other is the parts, wherein this description doth stand.

The person that doth publish the description, is Christ him­selfe, expressed in these words, I will declare the decree, or rather, as it is in the Hebrew text, I will speake or declure according to the de­cree and ordinance, El hhok. There are certaine decrees and ordi­nances established by God touching the person of Christ and his gouernment: Now according to these will Christ speake, and not otherwise. You must not here conceiue that some other per­son is brought in speaking, but that it is Christ himselfe, and none else but he. True it is, that Dauid did vtter them as he was a type and figure of Christ, but Christ himselfe as he was the body and truth, and so the words are properly and in truth it selfe to be re­ferred [Page 99]vnto him. Behold, he takes vpon him (as it were) the part of a faithfull Prophet, to make knowne his Fathers will vnto man­kinde, in respect of himselfe, and his waies. I beseech you, marke diligently how he doth it. It is not according to his owne fansie (as we often speake,) but it is according to his Fathers owne de­cree and appointment, without all deceipt or fraudulent dealing whatsoeuer; there is no adding, nor detracting, no chopping or changing found in him, but all things are faithfully deliuered ac­cording to the truth it selfe. A worthy thing to be thought often on, and euermore to be had in good remembrance by all sorts of persons, but chiefly by the Ministers of the Word, who ought to be faithfull in their offices, as Christ was in his; and not to make merchandise of the word of God, but as of sinceritie, & as of God in the sight of God, to speake in Christ Iesus; as the Apostle Saint Paul doth speake in his second Epistle to the Corinthians, the se­cond chapter and the last verse thereof. At all times should men looke most carefully to this: but much more now in these corrupt and rotten dayes of ours, wherein the Lords ordinances are beazelled, and his most sacred Oracles turned vp and downe, like a nose made of waxe, as pleaseth the wicked humor of many a sinfull man: but beware we, beware we of such cursed and sata­nicall dealing. If we speake at any time, let vs speake with all re­uerence, as doth become them, who vtter the words of a mightie God, and according to the truth it selfe, and not otherwise. So shall health be vnto our nauell, and marrow vnto our bones, when others are perplexed with intollerable woe and paine. I might haue made a long discourse of this matter, as being a very fit subiect to be stood vpon in our licentious times; but thus short­ly I passe it ouer, as intending onely to stand most vpon those points, which are most intended by the Spirit of God himselfe, and not to do, as many are wont to do, vpon euery small occa­sion, to wander abroad from my text in hand.

Two questions here may be moued; the one is, whether Christ did thus publish the decree and appointment of his Father, tou­ching himselfe, and his kingdome, as here he doth say, he would do. The other is, for what causes he would do the same, and for what end and purpose. Touching the former of these two, we [Page 100]find in the story of the Euangelists, that he did do it, according to the tenor of the text here in hand. For they do shew, how he did consesse and declare abroad, that he was the Sonne of God, that all iudgement was committed vnto him by his Father, that he was a king, that all power was giuen vnto him in heauen and earth, that he was the Messiah or Annointed, whereof Esay did speake in the 61. chapter of his Prophesie, and the beginning thereof: that he was the bread that came downe from heauen, and the partie whom his Father had sealed, for the bringing of euer­lasting life vnto mankind. These and the like things do they re­port of him, as you may see by Iohn, the 5.6. and 18. chapters thereof. By Luke the 4. the 22. and 23. chapters: and by Math: 16.21.26. and 27. chapters thereof. Reade these places (I pray) at your ley sure, and acknowledge the truth of this point Now for the other, Christ might do it for many causes. First, that he might bring men into the greater and more willing subiection vnto him, according to the speech of the housholder in Math. 21.37. But last of all he sent vnto them his owne Sonne, saying: They will re­uerence my Sonne. Secondly, that he might leaue men without all excuse, and make them vnable to answer for themselues at the day of iudgement, if they did not obey him, and do according to his commandements: according to his owne saying in Iohn, chapter 15. and verse 22. If I had not come and spoken vnto them, they should not haue had sinne, but now haue they no cloake for their sinne. Lastly, that he might comfort and strengthen them that did relie vpon him, against the rage and surie of the world, as also a­gainst the malice and power of Sathan himselfe, according to that which is in Iohn, chapter 16. verse 33. These things haue I spoken vnto you, that in me ye might haue peace, in the world ye shall haue affli­ction, but be of a good comfort, I haue ouercome the world.

Hauing thus in few words answered these questions, which tend to the clearing of the text, and the confirmation of that truth, which is included therein; let vs now come to the maine doctrine of the place. And that in few words standeth thus, namely, that it is the part and duty of men in authority, to stand vpon such gifts and callings as God hath bestowed vpon them, according vnto the example of Christ here. For as he did the same, so must [Page 101]we do it, by vertue of his commandement in Math. 11.29. Take my yoke on you, and learne of me for I am meeke and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest vnto your soules. So did Moses, when he came vnto the children of Israel, to deliuer them out of their bondage, and stood before Pharaoh the King of Aegypt to craue leaue for a free passage for them. For he did not onely make it knowne vnto them all, how God had called him to this worke and businesse by word of mouth alone, declaring what matters had passed betwixt him and God; but also by workes and deeds, doing strange and admirable miracles daily in their sight, as we may see at large in Exodus from the latter end of the fourth chapter thereof, and so forward for many chapters together. So did Dauid, when Mi­chall his wife did mocke him, for dauncing in a linnen Ephod before the Arke of the Lord. It was (saith he in 2. Sam. 6.21. be­fore the Lord, which chose me rather then thy father (for she was Sauls daughter) and all his house, and commanded me to be ruler ouer the people of the Lord, euen ouer Israel, and therefore will I play before the Lord. So did Amos, when Amasiah the Priest of Bethell went a­bout to perswade him to flie away out of the land of Israel vnto the land of Iudah, and there to eate his bread, and to prophesie, but not to prophesie any more at Bethell, where was the kings chappell, and the kings court. Then answered Amos and sayd to Amasia, I was no Prophet, neither was I a Prophets sonne, but I was a heardman, and a gatherer of wild figges; and the Lord tooke me, as I followed the flocke, and the Lord said vnto me, God, prophesie vnto my people Israel, &c. Wherein you see he doth stand stoutly vpon his calling, and doth presse it well to stop such a caytifes mouth, as that Amaziah was. This is in the 7. chapter of Amos his Prophe­sie, and the 12. verse thereof, with some others following. So in a word did all the Prophets from time to time, as is apparant in their prophesies.

This was a common phrase or stile with them: The burden of the Lord, or, Thus saith the Lord of hoasts: or, The word of the Lord came to me. As Ieremy saith: The words of the Lord that came to Iere­my the Prophet, in Ieremy 47.1. As Hosea saith, The word of the Lord that came vnto Hosea the sonne of Beeri, Hos. 1.1. As Ioel saith, The word of the Lord that came to Ioel the sonne of Pethuel. Io. 1.1. [Page 102]As Ionah saith, The word of the Lord came also to Ionah the sonne of Amittai, Ionah 1.1. And as Micha saith (to omit the rest) The word of the Lord, that came to Micha the Morashite. But in the new Testament Paul is very frequent in this matter: he doth presse his calling oftentimes, and standeth very stoutly vpon the same, to the defiance of all his enimies, & to the cōfort of all such as did cleaue fast vnto Iesus Christ, & such doctrine, as he did de­liuer vnto them in his name. But amongst all other places I com­mend vnto you at this time onely three: the first is in the 26 Chap. of the Acts of the Apostles, where he did answere for himselfe before Agrippa the King. The second is in his second Epistle to the Corinthians and eleauenth Chapter, wherein he doth make a comparison betwixt himselfe and other Apostles, and doth pre­ferre himselfe before them all. The third is in his Epistle to the Galathians and the beginning thereof; where he proues, that his doctrine, which he had taught the Galathians, was not humane, but diuine, he being taught the same by the reuelation of Iesus Christ, who called him immediately from heauen to be an Apo­stle, and so had his office not from man, but from God, as also his Gospell, or the doctrine which he taught them. Thus you see good men from time to time, haue stood vpon their places and callings.

And the reasons also wherefore men should do it, are these. Reasons. First, that none through ignorance might contemne them, or set light by their callings, but haue them in good veneration according to their worth and excellency. A man may passe by a king without any reuerence done vnto him, if he know him not; & the country peasant (we know) doth trample many an wholesome herbe vn­der his feet, (which the skilfull Apothecary doth gather vp, and make good reckoning of) because he knowes not the vertues and medicinable vses thereof, as the Apothecary doth. And so may men be despised, and their callings be passed ouer without due reuerence and obedience yeelded vnto them by others, vnlesse they know what they be, and wherehence they haue their autho­rity; & therefore it is good that the same should be made knowne vnto them.

Secondly, that all persons may be left without excuse, and [Page 103]haue their mouths stopped, if they shall rebell and disobey; for then they cannot pleade ignorance, and say, We knew not that they came from God, or had lawfull authority committed vnto their charge, to doe those things which they tooke vpon them for to do. As God doth make himselfe knowne by the visible crea­tures of the world, to leaue all mankind without all excuse, which will not feare and worship him: so the same God will haue men to goe in his name vnto others, and to make knowne their authority and callings, that if they will not obey, they may be left tongue-tide (as we say) and without any answere for them­selues; as we may see in Ezechiel, Chapter 2. verses 4.5.6. Say vnto them: Thus saith the Lord God; but surely they will not heare, neither indeed will they ceasse, for they are a rebellious house; yet shall they know that there hath bene a Prophet among them.

Thirdly, that they might approue and iustifie themselues in their waies, and stoppe the malignant tongues of their aduersa­saries, who are ready wrongfully to accuse them, as if they vsur­ped their places, and did things without lawfull authority from a­boue. For as Zidikijah smote the Prophet Michaiah on the cheeke, and said, When went the Spirit of the Lord from me, to speake vnto thee? as it is in 1. Kings 22.24. so from time to time doe many arise vp to impeach the credit of those whom God hath raised vp, and to make the world beleeue, that the Lord did neuer bestow those places of dignity vpon thē, which they do challenge vnto them­selues. For as Paul and the rest of the Apostles together with the Prophets and others, found this oftentimes too true (as we say) in regard of themselues: so Iude doth shew in his Epistle and eighth verse thereof, that there are many wicked dreamers, that doe despise gouernment, and speake euill of them that are in au­thoritie.

Lastly, that they might put courage into their owne hearts, and with due care and conscience goe about the workes of their cal­lings, not fearing what man can do against them, but looking al­waies vpon God, who placed them in their roomes, and who will neuer faile them, vnlesse they be wanting vnto themselues therein. For as the Spirit of God came down vpon Cornelius & his friends whiles Peter was speaking vnto them, as it is in Acts 10.44. so [Page 104]whiles they doe meditate vpon their places, and are pressing the same vnto others in a zeale towards God, and in a care to do them good, a certaine heauenly courage, and boldnesse from aboue comes down into their soules, whereby they are made more stout and valiant, then euer they were before, and doe become in this respect like vnto the fire, when it is blowne with the bellowes, that doth burne more and more. So that here are foure reasons to mooue men to respect their callings, and to stand fast in the defense thereof, whereof two of them do concerne others, and the other two themselues.

By this we are taught, Vse. first, to examine our selues what giftes and callings we haue of God, that so we may be able to stand vpon them, when any iust occasion is offered vnto vs thereunto: for all men haue not their callings from God. The Lord (spea­king of the Ministers of the word) doth complaine in the 23. chapter of the Prophecy of Ieremy, that many did runne, whom he did neuer send; and making mention of Kings in some other place, he doth say, that they did reigne, but not by him. And sure­ly daily experience doth teach vs, that many of them do vsurpe that authority to themselues (as Athalia the Queene did, of whom you may reade in 2. Chron. 22. and 23. chapters thereof) whom the Lord did neuer establish in their throne by his kind & louing approbation. But here it may be demanded, how a man may know, whether his office or calling be from God or no, that so he may stand stoutly vpon the same, and labour with all care & con­science to discharge it in the feare of the Lord? The answere is, that ye may know it by foure things. The first is by his minde, with the which he did enter into it. The second is by his ability, where­by he is enabled to discharge it. The third is by the liking of the people, by whom he is approued for it. And the fourth and last is by his successe, whereby he doth prosper and do good in it. For if he shall finde these foure things in himselfe; first that he entred into his calling not with a corrupt minde, as for honour, praise, gaine, or the like; but with a single heart & desire to glorifie God and to doe good to his people. Secondly, that he hath graces and giftes sufficient for to discharge those duties which are required at his hands. Thirdly, that he be approued of the Church or com­mon [Page 105]wealth, wherein he doth liue, they outwardly bestowing this calling vpon him. And lastly, be assisted from time to time by the gracious hand of the Almighty, to haue good successe in his cal­ling, and to prosper therein; doubtlesse then he hath his calling & office from God himselfe, and not from man alone.

Secondly, by this, we are taught to iudge charitably of all such as do speake largely now and then of their owne gifts, and those places wherein the Lord hath set them. For here we may see, a man may doe it with a good soule, and discharge but an honest & godly dutie in so doing it. True it is as Salomon doth say in Prou. 27.2. Let another man praise thee, and not thine owne mouth, a stranger and not thine owne lippes. For is not seemely for a man to praise him­selfe; but yet a man may stand vpon his calling, and publish a­broad such gifts as the Lord hath bestowed vpon him. For this is not to praise himselfe, but rather to praise the Lord, and to bring honour vnto his name. Yea the case may so stand, as we may see by Pauls words in the 11. Chap. of his 2 Epistle to the Corinthi­ans, as in other places also, that a man may praise himselfe with his owne mouth, and set out his giftes and graces to the vttermost, and yet be no transgressor of Salomons precept therein. For Sa­lamon there doth meane such a praising of our selues, wherein we aime chiefly at our owne glory: but there is another praising of our selues, wherein we haue not so much an eye to our selues, as vnto the Lord and his honour, and the good of all such as do be­long vnto him. Now if any shall praise himselfe after this sort, we are to thinke reuerently of him, and not to censure him, as a proud and vaine glorious person for it, no more then we do humble and blessed Paul, who did the like.

Lastly, by this, we are taught, what we our selues should do, in these wicked and vnbridled daies of ours, wherein many vngod­ly persons do take vpon them, to condemne vs much, and to lay slanderous things to our charge, whereof we are cleare and inno­cent. The Brownists (or Separatists, as they call themselues) to make instance in one point alone, do accuse vs, as if we were no true Church of God here in England, and as if our Ministers were no Ministers of God, but rather the Ministers of Antichrist, the arch and chiefe enimy of God. But we must not let them goe on [Page 106]thus still, with their vile and slandering speeches against vs, but display vnto them their abhominations, who do so vnchristianly, & beyond all the bounds of holy charity, condemne vs: & proue, that we are the Lords owne inheritance, and the people whom he hath chosen vnto himselfe, to haue his holy name called vpon a­mongst vs, and that our Ministers are his true and faithfull ser­uants, and such whom he hath sent forth, and doth take his delight & pleasure in. Easily might these matters be confirmed, if we were to enter into any congresse with them about the same; but now at this time we haue other matters in hand: yet I will presse one argument, and so leaue them. It standeth thus: Wheresoeuer the word of God is so preached, and the Sacraments so celebra­ted, that by their meanes a true and sound conuersion is wrought in the hearts of men towards the Lord Almighty, that they do be­leeue in him aright, and walke with carefull soules in the paths of his commandements to bring honour vnto his name, & to attaine blessednesse for themselues, there (there I say) is the true Church of God, and there also are his faithfull and trusty Ministers. But here in England with vs, the word of God is so preached, and the Sacraments so celebrated, that by their meanes a true and sound conuersion is wrought in the hearts of men towards the Lord Al­mighty, that they do beleeue in him aright, and walke with care­full soules in the paths of his commandements to bring honour vnto his name, and to attaine blessednesse for themselues. There­fore here in England is the true Church of God, and here also are his faithfull and his trusty Ministers. When they shall answer this argument, I will frame some more for them to worke vpon: but I thinke that will neuer be; for they cannot answere, it is so strong & inuincible, and a knot so hard twisted, that they cannot by any meanes vnloose it.

Thus farre the publishing of Gods decree hath stretched it selfe. Now let vs come to the parts whereof it doth consist, and they are in number two; the one doth respect the person of Christ, the other his office or kingly power. His person in the seuenth verse, and his office or kingly power in the eighth and ninth. For his person remember two things; the first is, whose Son he is: the second, how it is proued, that he is his Sonne. He is the Sonne of [Page 107]God, this is set downe in these words; That is, the Lord hath said vnto me, Thou art my Sonne. For by the name Lord, here, God the Father, the first Person in the Trinity is vnderstood: he said vnto Christ, Thou art my Sonne. He said it also vnto Dauid, as vnto the type and figure, for he was also Gods Sonne by crea­tion, as also more chiefly by adoption. But yet this was chiefly spoken by God the Father vnto Christ, as vnto the body & truth it selfe. But how is Christ his Son, may you say? The answer is, not by creation, as all are, nor by adoption as many are; but by nature as none is: whereupon he is called his onely begotten Son oftentimes in the word, & namely in Ioh. 3.16. where our Sauiour doth tell vs, that God so loued the world, that he gaue his onely begotten Son, that whosoeuer beleeueth in him, should not perish, but haue euerla­sting life. So that thē out of this place we may learne this doctrine, Doct. that Iesus Christ our Sauiour and redeemer, is not a bare & meere man as we are, but he is also God, as being the true and naturall Sonne of the Almighty. This the Lord himselfe did confesse of him oftentimes: saying, This is my wel-beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased, as it is in Math. 3.17. and Math. 17.5. And Paul spea­king of him: doth say, That he is a God ouer all, to be blessed for euer, in Rom. 9.5. Iohn also writing his story, doth ascribe as much vn­to him in the entrance thereof: saying, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and that Word was God. The Scripture is full of many testimonies in this behalfe, but I wil passe them all ouer, as knowing that this is an article of your faith, and a matter nothing doubted of amongst you. For I do perswade my selfe, that all of vs doe hold and beleeue that Christ is God, and the naturall and onely begotten Sonne of the Almighty. But yet peraduenture you see not clearely the reasons, why he is such an one, & therfore I will shortly touch them, and lay them downe before your view and consideration. In number they are these.

First, Reasons. that he might be able to vndergoe the wrath of the eter­nall God, who was offended with man for his sin, & to beare that intollerable burthē, which he should lay vpō him for mans trans­gression; which would crush all the creatures in the world to pee­ces, it being infinite like vnto him, from whom it did proceede, who was infinitely offended with vs for our offences. For there [Page 108]must be alwaies a proportion betweene the sinne of man, and the punishment of his sinne, else iustice hath not her full stroake and working.

Secondly, that he might be able in mans nature and name to fulfill the whole law of God, and euery iot and point thereof, and not to faile in any; that so we thereby might liue, and haue a free passage into heauen, to reigne with God there in happinesse for euer, according to the tenor of the law, Do this, and thou shalt liue. For no mortall man is able to doe this. Surely (saith Salomon in Eccles. 7.22.) there is no iust man in the earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not. And as Iohn doth say: If we say, that we haue no sinne, we deceiue our selues, and there is no truth in vs. 1. Ioh. 1.8. So Iames doth say, that in many things we sinne all. Iam. 3.2. including him­selfe and all the faithfull whatsoeuer within the compasse of this his speech.

Thirdly, that he might be able to bestow vertue & worthinesse enough vpon his short sufferings and obedience, that they might be auaileable for the saluation of all the elect, and be as much in the acceptation of God, as if the elect themselues had suffered in their owne persons eternally, and had bene obedient vnto the Almighty in all points of his law for euermore.

Lastly, that he might be able to ouermatch the diuell and all o­ther aduersaries, that are against vs, to deliuer vs out of their hands, being deliuered to preserue vs from them, while we are here in this world; and being preserued to bestow vpon vs eternall life in the world to come, when we shall reigne with him in happinesse, for euermore. For no creature can doe these things but God himselfe alone. And therfore it was necessary, that the Sauiour of the world should be God, as well as man.

The consideration whereof may teach vs, Vse. first and foremost to condemne all such heretiques, as doe deny his God-head, and say, that he is not the eternall Sonne of the Lord, whether they be Samosatenians, affirming him to be a bare man alone; or Arrians and Seruetians, gainesaying his coessentiall and coeternall deity; or Lucians, Porphyrians, Atheists, or whatsoeuer else, that doe withstand his diuine nature, and will not haue him in any case to be a God.

Secondly, out of it we may learne, to haue Christ in great re­gard, and veneration, adoring and worshipping him, as well as the Father, and the holy Spirit; considering that he is God, as well as they. Though we must not worship him, in regard of his humane nature, yet we must do it in regard of his godhead, or diuine nature. For in that respect all reuerence and honour must be yeelded vnto him, and euery knee must bow vnto him in hea­uen and in earth. The very Angels themselues are not to be ex­empted from this seruice, but they must performe it vnto him, as well as others, according to that which is quoted by the Author to the Hebrewes in Chap. 1. ver. 6. when he saith, Let all the Angels of God worship him. Children of Noblemen and Princes heires here in this world are had in great account, and reputation with all men, they are the very speech and wonder of the world, and euery man must bow and becke to them. But yet alas, Christ Iesus our Sauiour, who is the Sonne of God, and the heire of all the world, yea God himselfe, is little regarded by most; for there are few that do talke of him, and fewer that do bow and becke to him, as they ought to do. The Lord be mercifull vnto vs in this respect, and make vs better, that so hereafter we may honour him, as it doth become vs, and serue him in holinesse and righteousnesse, all the dayes of our liues.

Lastly, out of it we may obserue, that seeing he is God, he is able to reuenge his quarrell vpon all those that do resist him, and not onely to defend those that do depend vpon him, but also to reward them with liberall gifts for their seruice, and to do them good for euermore, so that they need not to feare any thing for this world, or the world to come. A thing alwayes to be remem­bred by vs, lest either we lift vp our selues against him, or taking his part should faint, through the manifold afflictions, that do happen vnto vs for his sake.

As thus we haue heard whose sonne Christ is, namely Gods, so now we must marke, how it is proued, that he is Gods sonne: and that is included in these words, This day haue I begotten thee: that is, this day or time, wherein thou doest rise from the dead, and returne from death vnto life, haue I manifested and declared vnto the world all abroad, that thou art my Sonne, and that I haue [Page 110]begotten thee. For so is this place expounded by Paul, euen of the time of Christs resurrection, as we may see in Acts 13.30.33. So that then there must be a distinction made betweene genera­tion, or begetting it selfe, and the manifestation of it. The gene­ration or begetting it selfe was from all eternitie, but the manife­station of it was in time, and then chiefly, when Christ rose from the dead. For then was he mightily declared to be the Sonne of God, as the Scripture doth teach vs. But here before we stand vpon the proofe it selfe, a few things may be obserued touching the generation, or Gods begetting of his Sonne. For as we are to know, that Christ is the Sonne of God, so we are to vnderstand in some sort, how the Father did beget him, whose Sonne he is said to be.

The manner therefore of this generation in few words was this. The Sonne was begotten of the substance of the Father, not by any fluxe, as when water is deriued from the head of the spring to the channell: not by any decision, as when a thing is cut in peeces: nor by any propagation, as when a graft is transplanted into a new stocke: but by an vnspeakable communication of the whole essence or godhead from the Father to the Sonne; in recei­uing whereof the Sonne doth no more diminish the maiestie or godhead of the Father, then the light of one candle doth the light of another, from which it is taken. The time of this generation hath neither beginning, middle, nor end, and therefore it is eter­nall before all worlds. Wisedome in the Prouerbes (which with one consent of all Diuines is said to be Christ) affirmeth, that she was before the world was created, that is, from eternitie. For be­fore the world was made, there was nothing but eternity. Prou. 8.24. Here are many things to be wondred at in this generation of the Sonne, and we must be warned, not to conceiue it in any car­nall or humane manner. For there is a great difference betweene it, and those generations, which are found here in this world a­mongst vs that are men. For first, in our generations the father is in time before his son, and the son is after his father: but in this ge­neration God the Father and the Sonne are coeternall, and not one before or after the other for time. Secondly, in our genera­tions the father is forth of the sonne, and the sonne forth of the fa­ther, [Page 111]so that they are distant in place sometimes the one from the other many a mile: but in this generation God the Father is in the Sonne, and the Sonne is in the Father, so that they are in place al­wayes together. Thirdly, in our generations the sonne is from his father by propagation: but in this generation the Son is from the Father by communication of substance, and not by propaga­tion. Finally, in our generations the father doth beget the sonne by communicating onely his seed vnto him: but in this generation God the Father doth beget the Sonne by communicating his whole substance vnto him. So that here is a fourefold difference to be found betwixt our carnall and this spirituall generation, or begetting. And therefore (I beseech you) do none of you con­ceiue of it after a grosse manner, but pray you vnto God for spi­rituall eyes, that you may behold it. And if any of you cannot conceiue aright of it, wonder at it, as at a deepe mysterie; but be­ware, contemne it not, as a thing either false or vnfruitfull. And so I leaue it, and come to the proofe it selfe.

That is taken (you see) from Christs resurrection from the dead. All the miracles that Christ did frō time to time, going stil beyond the reach and power of man, did declare, that he was the Sonne of God: yet it hath pleased the holy Ghost, to apply this chiefly vn­to his resurrection, as being a most notable argument to proue the same. For being dead, if he had not bene the Sonne of God indeed, he had neuer risen againe, but had perished in death. And in that the Father raised him againe to life, he gaue euident wit­nesse and testimonie, that he was his owne naturall Sonne, and that he had begotten him from all eternitie. And therefore Paule doth say, that he was mightily declared to be the Sonne of God by the resurrection from the dead, in Rom. 1.4. So that those that doubt, whether Christ be the Sonne of God, or no, they may be resolued, if they will but throughly consider of his resurrection from the dead. For thus they may reason with themselues: No creature that is dead and buried, can of himselfe rise againe from the graue, and returne from death vnto life, but he that doth this must needs be the Sonne of God. But Christ Iesus was dead and buried, yet he rose againe from the graue, and returned from death vnto life. Therefore Christ Iesus is no bare creature, but he is a Creator, and the Sonne of the [Page 112]liuing God.

Many things might be here obserued, and stood vpon concer­ning this point, but because they are common matters, and are in­cluded in the Article of our faith, touching the resurrection of Christ from the dead, I will passe them ouer, and referre them to your owne priuate meditations. Onely noting here by the way, that as God did manifest the generation of his naturall Sonne vn­to the world, and did make men see, that he had begotten him, e­uen by his miracles, and chiefly by raising him from the dead: so he doth continually manifest the generation of his adopted sons, and make them knowne to themselues, and vnto others, by his holy working in them, and chiefly by his raising of them vp from the death of sinne vnto the life of righteousnesse; as we may plain­ly see by many places of the holy Scripture, but most excellently by that which Iohn hath written in the third chapter of his first E­pistle, the 8.9. and 10. verses thereof. For there he doth mani­festly teach vs, who they be that are borne of God, and how they may be knowne from the children of the Diuell, and that is, by their liues and conuersations. For as the one of them do commit sinne, who are of the Diuell, so the other of them do not sinne, who are of God, but they worke righteousnesse, and become ho­ly, as God their Father is holy: yea, as he doth further say, they cannot sinne, because they are borne of God. So that then, they are not leud and licentious, as others are, but they are sanctified persons, and such as do worke out their saluation with feare and trembling.

By this we may shortly learne two things; the one is whether we our selues be the children of God, or no: the other is, whom of others we are to account for such. For our selues, if we flie the corruption, which is in the world through lust, and giue all dili­gence thereunto, ioyning moreouer vertue with our faith, and with vertue knowledge, and with knowledge temperance, and with temperance patience, and with patience godlinesse, and with godlinesse brotherly kindnesse, and with brotherly kindnesse loue: we may assure our owne soules, that we are the children of God, and that he hath begotten vs vnto life eternall, as Peter doth well declare in the first chapter of his second Epistle, the 10. [Page 113]and 11. verses thereof. For others, we are to take them onely for the children of God, who walke not according to the flesh, but ac­cording to the Spirit, and do become new creatures, performing the same holy duties with vs, whereof mention was made (out of Peter) last of all. But if either we our selues or others faile herein, leading wicked or loose liues, we may tremble and feare; but we must not challenge this prerogatiue vnto our selues, to be called the sonnes of God; nor giue it vnto others, that are vnworthy of the same. For as God is holy, so are all those holy, who are borne of him; but as for the rest who are wicked and naught, they be­long to the Diuell, who was a sinner from the beginning, as Iohn doth teach vs in the place before alleaged. Wherefore looke to your selues, that you may be boly and righteous, rising from the death of sinne, vnto the life of righteousnesse, that thereby you may be assured, that God is your father, and that he hath begotten you: and beware also what title and appellation you giue vnto others, that none may be wronged, but euery one may haue that which doth of right belong vnto him.

Hauing thus spoken of the person of Christ, or his sonne-ship: now we are to speake of his office, or princely kingdome, where­in is set downe first the largenesse of it in the 8. verse; then se­condly, the inuincible power of it in the 9. verse. In handling these things I will be as briefe as I can. In describing the large­nesse of it, there is included a duty which he must performe, namely prayer; then the fruit of it, which is a great and large gift. I will ioyne both these together for breuities sake. Aske of me, saith the text; these are the words of God the Father, inuiting Dauid or Christ, to aske somewhat of him, and enioyning them a certaine duty to performe, if they would haue their kingdomes enlarged. The words following containe the gift it selfe, which God would bestow vpon them, vpon their prayer and petition, which they should make vnto him: And I will giue thee the hea­then for thine inheritance, and the ends of the earth for thy possession. A worthy reward of such a small duty as prayer is, and a gift (as we say) most worthy of a king. Surely as God is, such is his gift. For as he is great and mighty, so is his gift here great and mighty. It is obserued of Alexander the Great, that he gaue to one Perillus [Page 114]for the marriage of his daughter fiftie talents; and when Perillus told him, that it was too much by halfe, he answered him, and sayd, If halfe be enough for thee to take, yet it is not enough for me to giue. And in like manner, when he had giuen vnto a poore Aegyptian a rich and populous citie, and the Aegyptian stood all astonished at it, supposing that he had mocked him, Take (quoth he to him) that which I giue thee: for if thou art Bias that demandest, I am Alexander that giueth. Thus he would giue gifts according to his owne ability and power. So, euen so, doth the Lord our God deale here: he doth bestow his gifts according to his owne ability and power. Though halfe a kingdome be a great gift, yet a whole kingdome is but a small gift with him. Dauid and Christ must haue more of him then that. For Dauid (who was but the figure and type of Christ) had of him not onely the whole king­dome of Israel and Iudah, but all the heathen also, that were round about him, as the Ammonites, Moabites, Aramites, Phili­stims, Amalekites, and diuerse others; all which were in subiection, and became tributaries to him, as may be seene by the second booke of Samuel, and namely by the 8. chapter thereof. But as for Christ (who was the body and truth) he had spacious and large dominions of him indeed. For he bestowed vpon him not onely one kingdome or two alone, but all the kingdomes of the world from one end thereof vnto the other; as the Apostle doth at large declare in his 1. chap. to the Ephe. & in his 2. chap. to the Phil. Wherupon Christ himselfe spake vnto his Disciples, saying; All power is giuen vnto me in heauen & earth; Go therfore and teach all na­tions, baptizing thē in the name of the Father, the Son, & the holy Ghost, teaching them to obserue all things, whatsoeuer I haue commanded you, as it is in Math 28.18.19.20. Here I might stand vpon the large­nesse of Christs kingdome, and gather some good obseruations out of the vniuersality thereof; as to shew, that wheresoeuer we liue or be, yet we are vnder his dominion, and are there to wor­ship him; and that if we do once offend him, and play a treache­rous part with him, there is no place of safetie for vs to flie vnto, to escape his power and hand, as who doth reigne throughout all the world, and not in some places alone, as kings here vpon the earth do; amongst whom malefactors (yea most vile and noto­rious [Page 115]traytors) do escape oftentimes death and other punishments according to their just deserts, because they shift out of one mans kingdome into another. But I will passe them ouer to your owne considerations, & come to more neceslary points for our learning.

A duty, you see here, is enioyned vpon Christ, that he must pray to his Father for his kingdome, and aske the same of him. Againe a large promise is made vnto him, that if he shall so do, he shall haue an ample one indeed, euen such an one, as shall reach from one end of the world vnto the other. Vpon both these brances, a man might seuerally insist and stand, but (as I promi­sed before) I will conioyne them both together, that of two works I may (for shortnesse sake) make but one. Wherefore the do­ctrine (which is to be collected out of them both together) is this, Doct. that men must pray to God for benefits, and that by praying vn­to him, they shall obtaine them. Aske (saith our Sauiour Iesus Christ) and it shall be giuen you, seeke and ye shall find, knocke and it shall be opened vnto you. For whosoeuer asketh receiueth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened, as it is in Math. 7.7.8. Likewise Iames doth say (making instance in one particular, which is wisedome) If any of you lacke wisedome, let him aske of God, which giueth vnto all men liberally, and reproacheth no man; and it shall be giuen him, as you may see in Iames 1.5. And whereas man will not regard vs in the time of need, but then be­gin to forsake vs, when once we come into trouble and miserie, though in the time of our prosperitie he made much of vs, and was readie to do vs what good he could: it is not so with God. For if we shall pray vnto him in the midst of all our calamities, he will harken vnto vs, and become most gracious and fauourable vnto vs, to deliuer vs out of them all, as he himselfe doth teach vs in Psalme 50.15. saying, Call vpon me in the day of trouble, so will I deliuer thee, and thou shalt glorifie me. By all which places (you see) it is a most cleare and euident doctrine, that we must both pray to God, and that by our prayers vnto him, we shall receiue fauors at his hands.

And the reason hereof is this; we must pray to him, Reason. because by prayers we do honour him most, and bring great glory to his name, in that we do acknowledge him to be the giuer of all things, [Page 116]and one, on whom our whole life, and all that we haue, do depend. By prayers we shall receiue benefites of him, because he hath ap­pointed prayers as an ordinarie meanes and second cause to con­uey his benefites oner vnto vs. For as he hath appointed the end of all things, so he hath appointed also in the same decree of his, the meanes which are fit to bring them to the same end. And therefore seeing prayer is one of the chiefe and principall meanes, which he hath ordained for the powring downe of his gifts and graces vpon mankind, it is no maruell, though by praying vnto him, men do receiue from time to time most rare and excellent blessings from him.

Learne we then from hence these points. Vse. First, that they are worthy of blame, who do neglect prayer, and do not powre out their soules from time to time vnto the Almightie, as they ought to do. It is our part to pray continually, as the Apostle doth teach vs in 1. Thes. 5.17. and to watch thereunto with all perseuerance, and supplication for all Saints, as it is in Ephes. 6.18. But yet alas, we do it too seldome, and some almost neuer in all their liues. But let vs amend this our fault, and grow better in this respect.

Secondly, that the reason, why many do receiue few or no be­nefits at the hands of God, is this, not because his hand is shortned it and vnable to do them good, but because they do not pray vnto him, and aske for benefites of him. Ye lust (saith Iames) and haue not; ye enuie and haue indignation, and cannot obtaine; ye fight and warre and get nothing, because ye aske not. Iames 4.2. If you say, that you aske and receiue not, I will answer you with the same Apostle, and in the same place, that the cause thereof is, because ye aske a­misse, as doth follow there in the next verse. Either the thing which you craue is not lawfull and expedient, or your mind in crauing is not earnest, or Christ is not made the Mediator, or the end is not good, or the prayer is not continuall, or faith lastly is not there to present it. If these or any of these faile or be wanting, it is no maruell though our prayer receiue the repulse. But let them all concurre and meete together, as they ought to do, then shall we obtaine of God whatsoeuer we will ourselues.

Thirdly, that prayer is a most fruitfull thing, and such a meanes, as it brings with it vnto vs the great and wonderfull gifts of the [Page 117]Almightie. As it will stay the Lord from smiting, euen then, when his hand is vpto lay on, (as we may see at large in the beginning of the 32. chapter of Exodus, where Moses prayer pacified the Lord, and turned his wrath away from the Israelites, so that they were not consumed according to their desers:) so it doth pull downe his mercies and benefits in great abundance vpon vs. For looke what we do desire, the Lord is ready to graunt vnto vs, yea he doth grant more vnto vs oftentimes, then we do de­sire. As for example, Zaccheus desired onely to see Christ; but be­fides that, Christ called him by his name, and offered his owne selfe vnto him for his saluation, as it is in the beginning of the 19 chapter according to Saint Lukes Gospell The sicke of the palsie desired onely the health of his body, but he obtained also the for­giuenesse of his sinnes, as appeareth in the beginning of the ninth chapter according to S. Mathew. Salomon desired only wisedome, that he might know how to rule his people, and to go in and out before them, but as God did bestow that vpon him, so he did giue him also riches and honor, so that among the kings there was none like him all his daies, as it is euident in 1. Kin. 3 6. &c. Lastly, Iacob desired onely food and apparell, when he went from his parents to Padan Aram, to fetch him a wife amongst his owne kindred; but the Lord made him a great rich man, and caused him to re­turne home againe, with abundance of wealth and goods, as it is storied of him in the booke of Genesis, in chapter 28.30. and 33. Well therefore might Paul say, that he that is Lord ouer all, is rich vnto all that call on him. Rom. 10.12. And well also might Dauid say, that the Lord is neare vnto all that call vpon him, yea that call vpon him in truth. Psal. 145.18. And as for the Lords dealing towards himselfe, he doth vtter it in these words: Thou hast giuen him his hearts desire, and hast not denied him the request of his lippes. For thou didst preuent him with liberall blessings, and didst set a crowne of pure gold vpon his head; he asked life of thee, and thou gauest him a long life for euer and euer. Psal. 21.20. &c. I pray, thinke deeply on these things, and let them encourage our hearts to pray still. If we were sure, that the kings Maiestie would admit vs alwayes in­to his presence, and grant vnto vs whatsoeuer we should desire of him, I doubt not but that we should be forward, yea too forward, [Page 118]to go vnto him often with our suites, to haue benefits and high promotions from him. But such a king we haue here (who is the king of kings) and shall not we then commence our suites conti­nually vnto him? and waite at the gates of his grace with our sup­plications a ready drawne in our hands to deliuer them vnto him at his coming forth? Kingdomes (we say) go not a begging, yet the Catholicke and vninersall kingdome of Christ (which is the greatest of all) was obtained by begging. For he had it onely for the asking. If beggers speed so well (we say againe) we our selues will begge. To conclude therefore this point, let vs do it then, and runne still to God begging for benefits, and doubt we not, but we shall receiue them, and such large ones too, as none can be larger. For as God is greater then all, so are his gifes larger then all. Thinke on these things for your good; and so let vs passe from this first point, whereby Christs kingdome is set out, and come to the second, which is the inuincible power thereof. For as his kingdome is large reaching ouer all the world: so it is powerfull, being able to beate downe all opposition, that is made against it. This is set downe in the 9. verse in these words, Thou shalt crush them with a scepter of iron, and breake them in peeces like a potters vessell.

The speech is allegoricall, being drawne part of it from kings (as mention is made here of a king) who are armed with authori­tie and power to punish those that do offend, or rise vp in rebel­lion against them; in regard whereof some scepter (noting out the same) is wont to be carried before them: and here this scepter is sayd to be of iron, rather then of gold, siluer, brasse, wood, or the like; because iron is the strongest and fittest to beate downe all things before it: And part of it also from potters, who do many times so breake their earthen vessels into peeces, which they do dislike withall, that they can neuer be soudred fast together againe. By this then is meant, that the enimies must be destroyed, and that in such a fearefull manner, as that they may neuer be able to reco­uer their former estate againe, or haue any the least hope left vnto them for the same. And marke you here, how God doth enioyne this duty vpon Christ his sonne, and command him for to do it. There are other vses of the power of Christ. For this inuincible [Page 119]power is granted vnto him as well for the defence and good of his subiects, who are loyall and faithfull vnto him, as for the de­struction and ouerthrow of his aduersaries. But yet this latter is onely touched here, because mention was made before onely of his aduersaries, and nothing was spoken of his friends. So that when the Lord doth command him to crush and breake them in peeces, he doth not vnderstand by the word or name of them, all the heathen whatsoeuer, which he gaue vnto him for his inheri­tance, nor all the ends of the earth, which he bestowed vpon him for his possession; but he meanes onely such rebels as did rise vp against him, which were touched in the three first verses: those he must destroy, and bring to nothing, but the rest he was to fauour, and to do good vnto. Looke then how Dauid gaue his sonne Sa­lomon a charge (when he lay, as we say, vpon his death-bed, and was ready to depart out of this world) touching Ioab (that slue Abner and Amasa) and touching Shimei (that cursed him, and threw stones at him, when he fled from Absolom his sonne con­spiring against him) that he should not suffer their hoare heads to come to the graue in peace; as it is in the beginning of the second chapter of the first booke of the Kings: So doth the Lord here giue his sonne Christ Iesus a charge, touching those as did rebell against him, that he should not suffer them to liue, but vtter­ly to destroy them for euermore, accordingly as they had de­serued.

But here two questions may be moued, the one is, whether Christ did it; the other is, the manner how he did it. For the first, it is answered in a word, that He did it, as was shewed before, and therefore not now againe to be stood vpon. And as for the se­cond, the manner was manifold. For some of his enimies he doth destroy with some sudden and extraordinary death. Others he doth torment with griefes and wounds of soule, which are almost intollerable, and by the meanes whereof they haue no peace within themselues, but do lie in continuall despaire of their owne saluation. Not a few of them are tortured in their bodies by horrible diseases, and made also desolate and poore for wealth, hauing no maintenance to relieue them. Thousands, and ten thousands he giues ouer to hardnesse of heart, that they commit [Page 120]sinne with all greedinesse, and make themselues fat against the day of slaughter. But to passe all other wayes, whether of infa­mie or the like, which happen vnto them here in this world, that is the wofullest way of all, when he throwes them downe into hell, and there doth keepe them in flames of fire, that cannot be quenched, boyling and rosting for euermore. And this all of them shall be sure of, as we may see in Math. 25.41. when he saith vnto them, Depart from me ye cursed, into euerlasting fire, which is prepared for the Diuell and his angels. For as his kingdome is not of this world, so commonly are not his punishments in this world, but in the world to come, in that hideous, and euer-tormen­ting place.

As we stood not vpon the vniuersality and largenesse of Christs kingdome in the former verse: so will not we stand now vpon the inuincible power and might of his kingdome in this verse; neither yet presse any further the destroying of his enimies spo­ken of therein. First, because mention was made of them before; and secondly, because occasion will be offered to speake some­what of them againe hereafter in the end of this Psalme.

Here at this time, Doct. in that God the Father doth commaund his Sonne to destroy his enimies, we may obserue this doctrine, that malefactors and euill persons, that do offend, must not be spared, but must be punished, according to their deserts, and wretched wayes. Betimes (saith Dauid) will I destroy all the wicked of the land, that I may cut off all the workers of iniquity from the city of the Lord, as it is in Psal. 101.8. so that he would spare none, that were wicked and licentious, and did rebell with an high hand against the Lord. Phineas the sonne of Eleazar the sonne of Aaron, was greatly commended for his zeale towards the Lord, when he executed death vpon the adulterer Zimri the Israelite, and the a­dulteresse Cozbi the Midianite, and did runne them both through with a speare, euen through their belly, as they were in the tent, committing the act of their filthinesse together, as it is in Numb. 25.7. &c. The law of the Lord was amongst the Israelites, and in the policy of their gouernment (the equity whereof doth belong to all common wealth, and states of gouernement whatsoeuer, though the bodie of that people be dissolued, and their policie [Page 121]came to an end) that idolaters, blasphemers, disobedient children to their parents, murtherers, adulterers, witches, and other noto­rious sinners should be put to death, and be cut off from amongst men, as we may see at large in the booke of Moses, Exodus, Le­uiticus, Numbers and Deuteronomie: and as for other faults, there were other punishments appointed according to the qualitie of the offence, and the trespasse therein committed. By all which we may see, that God had a speciall care from time to time, that sinne should not go vncontrolled, but be iustly punished, accor­ding to the nature of it, either more or lesse, as it did deserue. In consideration whereof, you perceiue, malefactors must not be spared, but be duly punished for their faults and offences.

And the reasons hereof are foure. First, Reasons. that the malefactors themselues, who do offend, may be brought to the sight of their sinnes, and to the leauing of them, if it be possble: for (as Salomon doth say in Prou. 20.30.) The blewnesse of the woundserueth to purge the euill, and the stripes within the bowels of the belly: or else, if they will not amend, that they may be taken away by death, to sinne to more against their owne soules, or to pollute the land any lon­ger, wherein they dwell. And this was the cause, wherefore God would haue idolaters to be stoned to death, as we may gather from his words in Deut. 17.7. when he saith: So thou shalt take the wicked away from among you. Secondly, that others may learne by their examples, to take heed of the like offences, lest they be made partakers of the same punishments with them. For punishments executed vpon some are oftentimes great terrors vnto others, and do bridle them from their licentious wayes, as daily experience and all Chronicles of the world do shew. But at this time re­member one example alone, and that is of the third Captaine with his fiftie men, spoken of in the first Chapter of the second booke of the Kings; for he so profited by the iudgements that came vpon the two former Captaines with their fiftie men apeece, when fire came downe from heauen and consumed them all, that he submitted himselfe to the Prophet Elijah, and fell to intreate him for the safetie of his life, as it is in the 14. verse of the same Chapter.

And this was the cause, wherefore God would haue the Iudge [Page 122]to do vnto euery man, as euery man thought to do vnto his bro­ther, as we may see by his words in Deut. 19.20. when he saith, And the rest shall heare this, and feare, and shall henceforth commit no more any such wickednesse among you. Thirdly, that the good and innocent may not be corrupted by their company, and bad ex­ample. For as euill words do corrupt good manners, so much more do euill deeds, and bad conuersation. The life and example of one incestuous man was sufficient to corrupt all Corinth. And this was the cause, wherefore Paul would haue the Corinthians to excommunicate that incestuous person out of their holy fellow­ship, as we may well collect out of his words in 1. Corinth. 5.9. when he saith, Purge out therefore the old leauen, that ye may be a new lumpe, as ye are vnleauened. For Christ our passeouer is sacrificed for vs. Lastly, that the Lords anger, who is offended with their sinnes and transgressions, may be appeased, and not breake out a­gainst all for the same. For as the sinne of man doth pollute the whole land, as the story of the Cananites do shew, Leui. 18.24. &c. and set all things out of order, as we may see by the sinne of Ahab, that troubled Israel, 1. Kings 18.18. and by the sinne of false apo­stles that troubled the Galathians, Gal. 5.10. as also by the sinne of the prodigall sonne, which put him besides himselfe; for he repen­ting of his sinne, is sayd to haue come to himselfe. Luke 15.17: So it doth driue the Lord away from him, and from others for his sake, vntill he be duly punished for his sinne, as he ought to be; as we may see most excellently in the seuenth chapter of Iosuah. For there we find, that God did leaue Israel for a time for Achans sinne, but after he was put to death for the same, he did helpe them againe, and gaue them a notable victory ouer their enimies. And this is the cause, wherefore the Lord would haue Moses to put the adulterers to death, as we may perceiue by his words in Numb. 25.4. when he sayd vnto him, Take all the heads of the people, and hang them vp before the Lord against the Sunne, that the indignation of the Lords wrath may be turned from Israel.

Out of these things thus layd downe, Vse. we may obserue many profitable things for our instruction. For first thereby we may see, that seeing malefactors must be punished, that we must not storme nor chafe, if the Magistrate and superiour powers inflict [Page 123]vpon vs punishment, after that we haue sinned against the lawes of the Lord our God, and haue transgressed the good and lawfull statutes of the land. Then, then I say, we must take all things pa­tiently, and acknowledge that we haue but our due, and that our gouernours therein do but discharge an holy duty, which the Al­mightie doth require at their hands. Let children and seruants (amongst others) marke this well, that so when they are corre­cted and chastised by their parents and maisters for their faults, they may possesse their soules with patience, and learne thereby to amend, and not to fall to murmurings, and discontentments, as many vngracious children and seruants are wont to do. What praise (saith Peter to seruants in 1. Pet. 2.20.) is it, if when ye be buf­feted for your faults, ye take it patiently? but and if when ye do well, ye suffer wrong, and take it patiently, this is acceptable to God. Whereby he shewes vs, that this is a necessary duty belonging to all that haue offended, quietly and with patient soules to beare such pu­nishments, as are layd vpon them for their offences.

Secondly, by it we may see, what Magistrates and men of autho­rity ought to do, who beare the sword not in vaine (as Paul doth speake in Rom. 13.4) but to take vengeance on him that doth e­uill. They must not see offences committed in the land, but they must draw out their swords for the punishment thereof. A wise king (saith Salomon in Prou 20.26.) scattereth the wicked, and cau­seth the wheele to turne ouer them: His meaning is, that good Prin­ces, and godly Magistrates cannot away in any hand with wicked persons, but they must needs roote them out. For vnder the word wheele he alludeth to the manner of threshing vsed among the Iewes in those times. The saying is old and true, Non minor est virtus, quàm quaerere, parta tueri, It is as great a vertue to keepe what is gotten, as first to get it. And euen so it is as good a duty in a Ma­gistrate to see lawes executed and kept, as at the first to make them. And since they will not be kept of all without punishments, therefore punishments are most necessary. Ill then and wickedly deale they, that haue authority in their hands to cut downe sinne, and yet will let it grow and flourish still, and neuer punish the offenders thereof. The grieuousnesse of which sinne you may see notably in the examples of Ely the Prophet, and Saul the King. [Page 124]For the Lord had brought most terrible iudgmēts vpon thē both, and vpon their posterity after them for the saine sinne and offence of theirs: Vpon the one of them, because he spared his sonnes, and did not punish them according to their deserts, as the begin­ning of the first booke of Samuel doth shew: And vpon the other, of them, because he spared Agag the Amalekite, and did not kill him, according to Gods commandement, as it is in the 15. chap­ter of the same booke. Here, here, beloued, it may go neare vnto our hearts, and cause vs to sigh and sob within our selues, when we consider, how blasphemy, the contempt of the Word, the breach of the Sabboth, disobedience to gouernors, adulterie, drunkennesse, and other grieuous offences (which make the Sun as it were blush againe to behold them) do go vncontrolled and vncorrected in our times, and haue no seuere punishments infli­cted vpon them for the restraint thereof, as they do deserue. We haue as good lawes, as any nation in the world, but they want ex­ecution, which is the life of them: and those that should looke most vnto them, do neglect them commonly most, and not onely breake them themselues, but countenance others also that do it. But let superiors remember what the Lord doth say by Ieremy the Prophet in chapter 48.10. Cursed be he that doth the worke of the Lordnegligently, and cursed be he, that keepeth backe his sword from bloud. So that there must be no sparing of men, vnder a curse and damnation, when God will haue them killed. And let them al­wayes beare in their minds what God did say to Ahab the king, in 1. Kings 20.42. saying, Because thou hast let go out of thy hands a man whom I appointed to die, thy life shall go for his life, and thy people for his people. So that to spare a malefactor from death, is to bring death vnto themselues, and to such as do belong vnto them.

Obiect. Obiect. But this is cruelty, may some say, to kill and to destroy.

Ans. Answ. No, it is not cruelty but iustice, and the fulfilling of Gods commandement. He is not cruell (said an ancient Father) that killeth them which are cruell, although he seeme so to them that suffer; but who so striketh the euill for that they be euill (mea­ning by lawfull authority) he is the Minister of God. Others say, it is pitty, that such a man should be put to death, pointing at some proper and comely malefactor. Indeed the diuell for to hinder [Page 125]iustice, and to make his owne kingdome strong, though he were a murderer himselfe frō the beginning, yet will come in amongst vs, sometimes like a meeke lambe, to perswade vs to foolish pit­ty and compassion: but know you this, that we must not pitty where God himselfe doth not pitty, nor spare through compassi­on those whom he doth condemne; for that is to condemne him, and to exalt our selues aboue him in mercy and goodnesse, which is an horrible & vile thing in his eyes who is all mercy & goodnes it selfe. Moses you know was the meekest man vpon the earth, and he had a most pittifull heart, being contented to be razed out of the booke of life for the good of others; yet he caused to be slaine at one time three thousand persons, for the golden calse which they had erected vp in his absence, as it is in Exod. 32.27.28. And albeit Dauid and Salomon were very milde men, and mercifull, yet Ioab and Shemei must be slaine & put to death by them, as may be seene in the second chapter of the first booke of the Kings. And as one doth well obserue of them, either of them did sanctifie their hands by this seuerity, in executing iustice belonging to them; which otherwise they should haue defiled by vnlawfull lenity and sparing. You know it is no fault in a Chirurgion to cut off a corrupt member for the sauing of the whole bo­by. So in a Magistrate it is no cruelty but vertue, to preferre the safety of many before a few. Let not then a superstitious affecta­tion of clemency or pitty make a more cruell gentlenesse, with the perill and hurt of many. For vnder the gouerment of the Em­perour Nerua it was rightly said: It is ill dwelling vnder a king or Magistrate where nothing is lawfull, but it is far worse dwelling vnder one where all things are lawfull.

Lastly, here we may be put in mind, what we our selues ought to do, and that is this: we must neither spare sinnes in our selues, nor in others, but we must labour to bring all to repentance and amendment of life, by inflicting deserued punishments vpon both. First we must deale with our selues, and after we haue sor­rowed to repentance, wee must take an holy reuenge vpon our selues (as the Corinthians did, 2. Cor. 7.2.) in pinching our owne soules and bodies, in those things wherein we passed our bounds before, and in restraining our selues from some things, which are [Page 126]most lawfull in themselues. Then for others, as we must not coun­tenance any in their euil waies, nor become aduocates vnto others for them: so, if power and authority do rest in our owne hands, we must strike them, and see them iustly punished for their offen­ces. Herein let gouernours of families looke to themselues, as well as Constables & other officers. Beloued, you must know that, when enormities & grieuous sins are committed in your Parishes, or in your houses, you are not to winke at the same, but according to your places you are to see the same iustly punished. O remēber the reasons that were alleadged before, to awaken you vp to this duty, and let them sinke deepely into your hearts, to bring forth a notable effect with them within you. Haue a care (I beseech you) of the offenders, that they may be reclaimed: haue a care of others, that they may not be corrupted: haue a care of the whole land, that that may not be plagued: and haue a care, last­ly, of your owne persons, that they may not be destroyed. Let none of these euils fall out through your defaults, for want of pu­nishing such as doe offend. And herein you must spare none. Thine eye (saith the Lord, in Deut. 19.21) shall haue no compassion, but life for life, &c. And in the 13. chapter of the same booke, the sixth verse and so forward, he doth declare, that though they be most deare and neare vnto vs, as our owne children, brothers, wiues, and friends, that are to vs as our owne soules, that do offend, and go about to draw our heartes away from the true God; yet they must not be spared, but be stoned to death, and that our owne hands must be first vnto it: and therefore deale vnpartial­ly with all; fauour none before others (as the world doth) but deale with all according to their waies.

HItherto from the beginning of the Psalme to this place, all things haue passed along by way of doctrine, in a certaine continued narration of speech, after the manner of a story; but now commeth an exhortation to hand, wherein all the former rebels (standing in most woefull case, and dread­full perill of their liues) are graciously cal­led vpon, to returne and to submit them­selues vnto the Lord and his Annoynted, against whom they made their former rebellion and insurrection. Great was the sin, which they had committed; yet the Lord (whose mercy hath neither bottome nor measure) not willing the death of any sinner, much lesse of so many thousands together, but rather that by re­pentance pardon may be procured; in this place fauourably vseth the meanes, that their hearts may smite them with true feeling of their faults, and so they turne & be spared. He cals vpon them all for true repentance and amendment of life, shewing vnto them, both wherein it doth stand, and also when it must be yeelded vn­to him. It standeth in two things, the one is an heauenly wise­dome, and an holy knowledge of the Lords waies. The other is a loyall subiection, and a faithfull obedience vnto his commande­ments. Both these he doth require of them. First, that they be wise and learned, in his word or statutes; then secondly, that they be subiect and obedient vnto him and his Sonne, in performing such duties as do belong vnto them. And as for the time, when these things are to be done, it is straight, and out of hand; they [Page 128]must not deferre them, no not so much as one day, but presently they must goe about them whithout any delay, or procrastinati­on whatsoeuer. This is the summe of this verse with the two next following. But to leaue them at this time, and to stand one­ly vpon this, marke the paraphrase thereof, it runneth after this manner. Now therefore (saith the Prophet) while there is time, before the iudgement before spoken of do ouertake you, and con­sume you to nothing, labour you to get true wisdome and vnder­ding; plant you the word of the Lord in your soules, and be well seene and learned in his statutes, that you may know your selues, and vnderstand aright, what the Lord your God doth require at your hands, for all matters, which do respect his worship, and your owne peace. And here I speake not alone to the small ones, and the baser sort of the people, but I speake to you all, and chiefly to you, that are the great ones, and the states of the land, euen to you that are Princes, and haue the chiefe stroke in matters of gouernment, and to you that are Iudges and haue authority to sit vpon life and death, and to censure all matters and persons, that are brought before you: to you, I say, do I chiefly speake, and therefore looke to your selues, deferre not your repentance any longer, but presently while you haue time, be wise and lear­ned.

So that the summe of this verse is nothing else, Summe. but an exhor­tation vnto the first part of repentance, which standeth in the true knowledge of the Lord and his wayes, wherein remember two points. Part. First the persons to whom the exhortatiō is directed; then secondly the matter, to the which they are exhorted, contai­ning first the time, when the duty is to be done, which he doth re­quire of them; then the thing it selfe wherein it doth stand, or consist.

The persons to whom the exhortation is directed, are the kings, and iudges of the land. The Spirit of the Lord doth single them out by name from all the rest: not meaning thereby, that they a­lone were to do the things, that here and after he doth require of them; but his meaning is, by them to vnderstand all of what de­gree soeuer they were, by the figure Synecdoche, when some are put for all. For he would haue all to repent, and to submit themselues [Page 129]vnto the Lord, who before did rebell against him. But yet he nameth them onely, who were thus the Kings and Iudges of the land, for sundry causes. As first, because they were deepest in re­bellion, and had trespassed most therein, as being the ringleaders of all the rest. Secondly, because they bad more things to stay thē backe then others had, and a greater meanes to pull them from the performance of the exacted duties. And lastly, because they be­ing conuerted would easily draw all others after them, and cause them to do as they had done. For the multitude commonly doth depend vpon the higher powers, and looke what they do, the same doth content them well, according to that in 2. Sam. 3.36. And all the people knew it (speaking of Dauids mourning and fa­sting for Abner) and it pleased them, as whatsoeuer the king did, plea­seth all the people. For these causes and the like, the holy Ghost might well direct his speech by name vnto the Kings and Iudges, and not speake in generall vnto all, though he did meane all, and his purpose were to haue euery one to do the things here exacted of them, and not that the Kings and Iudges should doe them alone.

Here by the way, we may obserue a notable good instruction, which is this; namely, that Magistrates, and men in chiefe authori­ty should first of all turne vnto the Lord, and be as the captaines of all the rest in performing loyall and faithfull obedience vnto him, in all dutifull manner, as it doth become them. For first and foremost they are more bound (as we say) vnto God, then others are, as hauing larger benefites, and greater giftes bestowed vpon them then any besides them haue; for the more bountifull that a­ny is to vs, the more dutifull should we be to him a gaine. Second­ly, because they (for the most part) go beyond all others in sins and trespasses for number and greatnesse; for the more and grea­ter our sinnes and trespasses be, the more speed and hast should we make to leaue them, and to turne vnto the Lord from them, lest they bring destruction vpon vs before we are aware. Finally, because all others do hang vpon them, as the dore doth on the hinges, and turne as they doe turne; for whom also they must an­swere at the dreadfull day of iudgement, when all secrets of mens hearts shall be disclosed, and euery one shall receiue accor­ding [Page 130]to his waies. For the more that we may bring to God, and the heauier charge we haue to answere, the more forward should we be to do those holy duties which do belong to vs, that we might saue many, and not be damned our selues. Oh that gouer­nours would lay this neare vnto their hearts, and make a good vse thereof vnto themselues. Blessed, yea twise blessed then should both they and we be. Abraham, Iosuah, Samuel, Dauid, Asa, Iehosaphat, Hezechia, Iosiah, and others, that were men of great place and authority, haue done this long before our daies. The Lord grant for his mercies sake, that our rulers and chiefe men for gouernment may do it, & alwaies do it in our daies, & in the daies of our posterity after vs. But if they should faile herein (which God forbid) yet let vs who haue some authority ouer others, looke to our selues in this case, and performe that duty, which the Lord doth require of vs. We must not alone bring our chil­dren and seruants to the knowledge of their sins, and cause them to walke in the waies of the Lord: but we our selues must go be­fore them in these duties, and by our examples leade them on to a carefull performance thereof. First we our selues must turne to the Lord, and become most dutifull and loyall vnto him, and walke continually in his cōmandements. Then when this is done, we must be most earnest with thē, & see that they do the like: that so all of vs may ioyne together in turning vnto him, from whom we went astray, and redeeme (as it were) the time that is past, by an eager persuing after all those things, as do belong to vs, ac­cording to our roomes & callings. I pray thinke on these matters, and I beseech God, to giue a blessing vnto them, that they may do you good.

But to to come to the chiefe point, which is here to be stood vpon, marke diligently, vpon what consideration the Kings, and Iudges (and so all others in them) are called vpon to repentance and amendment of life. It is vpon the consideration of the great perill and danger, wherein they stood. For the exhortation which is here made, is deduced out of the former words, and the manner how it is drawne standeth thus. All those that are in a most dange­rous estate, and are likely to be ouerthrowne with a shameful and perpetuall destruction, they had neede to be wise and learned, [Page 131]and turne to the Lord, as it doth become them. But such is your case, o Kings and Iudges, your are in a most dange­rous estate, and you are likely euery one of you to be ouer­throwne with a shamefull and perpetuall destruction. Therefore it stands you vpon to be wise and learned, and to turne to the Lord as it doth become you. From hence we gather this doctrine, Doct. that where there is any perill or danger hanging ouer mens heads for their sinnes and trespasses, there they must repent and amend their liues, and turne to the Lord whom they haue offended. So did vncircumcised Nineueh, For when the Prophet Ionah had cryed in their citty: and said, Yet fourty daies, and Nineueh shall be ouerthrowne, they fasted and prayed, and did put on sacke­cloth from the greatest of them euen to the least of them, and did turne from their euill waies, and from the wickednesse that was in their hands, as we may see at large in the third chapter of the Prophecy of Ionah. So did wicked Ahab; for when the Pro­phet Elijah had told him of his sinne, and of Gods iudgements that did belong vnto him for the same, and had shewed him, how the Lord would bring euill vpon him, and his posterity, and make his house like the house of Iereboam the son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha the sonne of Ahijah for the prouocation wherewith he had prouoked and made Israel to sinne; euen then, when he heard those words: He rent his cloathes, and put sackecloth vpon him and fasted, and lay in sackecloth, and went softly, as it is in 1. Kings 21.27. So did stifnecked Israel. For when troubles did come vpon them, and miseries were likely to weare them out, and to consume them to nothing, they cryed from time to time vnto the Lord, and be­wailed their sinnes and transgressions before him, as may be seene at large in the bookes of Moses, the Iudges, the Kings, and the hundreth and seuen Psalme. So, lastly, did the prodigall sonne; for when he saw all was spent, and he was like to die for hunger, as hauing nothing to eate, no not so much as the huskes, which the swinne did feed vpon, he came to himselfe, and resolued to returne home vnto his father, and to confesse his fault vnto him, and to craue fauour at his hands, as it is in Luke 15.16 &c. that so he might be made as one of his hired seruants, if not to be accepted of him, as a deare sonne and child againe. Thus you see, how [Page 132]perils and dangers should moue vs to repentance and amendment of life.

The reason is this, Reason. because by repentance and amendment of life, all perils and dangers are preuented, and wholly remoued away from vs; as all the former recited examples do notably de­clare vnto vs. But to adde a testimony or two thereunto, consi­der what the Lord himselfe doth say, in Ieremy chapter 18. verse 8. touching this matter in these word. But if this nation (saith he) against whom I haue pronounced, turne from their wickednesse, I will repent of the plague that I thought to bring vpon them. And do you neuer forget what he also said to Iosiah the king in 2. Chron. 34.27.28. Because (saith he) thine heart did melt, and thou didst humble thy selfe before God, when thou heardest his word against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst thy selfe be­fore me, and tarest thy clothes, and weptest before me; I haue also heard it, saith the Lord. Behold I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be put in thy graue in peace, and thine eyes shall not se all the euill which I will bring vpon this place, and vpon the inhabitants of the same. Most acceptable therfore (you see) vnto the Lord is an hum­ble casting downe of our selues before him, and shall bring vnto our soules mercy and comfort, when proud rebellion and stiffe standing out with Pharaoh and others, shall procure plague vp­on plague, till we be destroyed out of the world. Seeing then, that repentance doth stay the iudgements of God from falling downe vpon vs, and remoue them cleane away from vs, that they may do vs no hurt, there is cause sufficient, why we should repent and amend, when his iudgements do hang ouer our heads, and are likely euery houre to fall downe vpon vs to our destruction, and vtter vndoing.

By this then we are taught first, Vse. that they deale very foolishly and fondly, who being in perill and danger, do yet still perseuere on in their sinnes and transgressions. Alas, it is like, as if a man should remaine in an house, when the house is all one a fire ouer his head, and likely euery minute of an houre to consume him, either by burning, or falling. Or else it is like, as if a man should be in the midst of a riuer, where he is ready continually to be drowned, and doth see no way to escape; yet will not stretch [Page 133]out his hand to lay hold of that which may saue his life, and mi­nister vnto him a present succour and aide.

Secondly, hereby we may learne, what we our selues ought to do in all manner of distresses and calamities whatsoeuer. Is the hand of the Lord already vpon vs? or do we feare some iudge­ments to come? Humble we our selues then before the Lord, be we sory for our sinnes, leaue we all our wicked wayes, and turne we soundly vnto the Almightie, and all shall be well with vs; both his hand that is vpon vs shall be remoued away, and those iudgements that do hang ouer vs, shall be staied, and neuer fall downe vpon vs. Neuer forget we that comfortable saying, which is in 2. Chro. 7.14 and is vttered by God himselfe in these words: If my people (saith he) among whom my name is called vpon, do humble themselues, and pray, and seeke my presence, and turne from their wicked wayes, then will I heare in heauen, and be mercifull to their sinne, and will heale their land. Downe then at night, and downe in the mor­ning before your God, send vp vnto him the true sighes of an humble heart, and of a broken soule for all your transgressions; and assure your selues (as you liue and breathe) he will respect them with a sauing grace. For he hath a most melting heart to­wards his poore people, that when the rod is euen vp, and he ready to smite, then, euen then, he stayeth his hand oftentimes of himselfe, and is loath to strike: yea he breaketh out into compas­sionate words, such as are in Hosea 11.8. when he saith, How shall I giue thee vp, O Ephraim? how shall I deliuer thee, O Israel? How shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim? My hart is turned within me: my repentings are rolled together, I will not exe­cute the fiercenesse of my wrath, &c. as it is there in that place. Could euer any father speake more compassionately ouer his child, when he were about to beate him? Surely no tongue can expresse the Lords goodnesse and pitty towards vs. And therefore settle with your selues this comfort, that if you returne from your sinnes, and once leaue your transgressions, he will not punish you, nor exe­cute those iudgements vpon you, which you haue deserued.

Obiect. But we are in no danger, may you say, Obiect. and so need not to repent for that cause. For we liue in the dayes of peace, and no peril doth hang ouer our heads. Ans. Ans. Let no man deceiue him­selfe. [Page 134]For we all haue sinned and trespassed against the Lord, and his Annointed, as well as these Kings and Iudges had done, who are here called vpon to repentance and amendment of life; and looke what danger they stood in through their sinnes and trespasses; the same do we now stand in through our sinnes and trespasses, and therefore we haue as great need to repent, as they had. Will you, that I speake all in one word? Then thus it is. Euery person of vs haue deserued to be cast into hell, forasmuch as we do daily breake the commandements of God, and all the iudgements that are there do of right belong vnto vs, and we are liable vnto them euery houre, yea euery minute of an houre; and therefore, I say, we haue great need to repent, to auoide them. Questionlesse, the more we stand out, the worse it will be for vs. We our selues dislike haughtie pride in others towards vs, but e­specially in such as owe vs duty and obedience; and humble and meeke spirits we take pleasure in. He that yeeldeth when we chide, and stoopeth to vs when we are angry, we quickly obserue, and readily receiue to fauour againe. How much more, thinke you, are these things due to God from dust and ashes? Follow then what to him, you know, is pleasing, and to your selues euer profitable. An army of souldiers shall not sooner repell our eni­mies from vs, then true repentance shall the Lords wrath, that hangeth ouer vs. That is the onely thing that can make vp the hedge, and stand in the gap before the Lord for vs, that he should not destroy vs. For the Lord cannot strike vs, when we hold vp our hands for mercy, and looke vpon him with watery eyes, humbled in the dust before him, and for Christ begging pardon at his hands. And therefore euer make vp this wall of defence by true prayer, and hearty repentance against him, and stand your selues in the gap, thus crying vnto him in his Sonne against your sinnes, and be assured you shall preuaile.

But alas, men do faile much in the performance of this dutie. It may grieue a good heart and soule to thinke, how wretchlesse and carelesse they are therein. Though iudgements lie heauy vp­on some of them already, yet they repent not, nor returne to the Lord. The sicknesse that is vpon them, the vexation of spirit that is within them, the vntowardnesse of their children and seruants [Page 135]that are neare vnto them, and the losse of their goods, which do decay each day more and more round about them, cannot rouze them vp from their sinnes, nor conuert them soundly vnto the Lood, but they continue still in their transgressions, and grow rather worse, then better therein, adding drunkennesse vnto thirst, and one sinne vnto another. God amend them, if it be his pleasure, and giue vnto them better hearts. Others there are a­mongst them, who yet are spared, ouer whom notwithstanding the iudgements of the Lord do hang in a most fearefull and cui­dent manner. For they are likely euery houre to haue some plague fall vpon them, and to be carried away body and soule to hell, their sinnes and abhominations are so vile and filthy before the Lord. But yet alas, they perseuere on still in their euill wayes, and take not this holy course of repentance, to stop the Lords iudgements from falling downe vpon them, and to saue them­selues from that sulphurian and euer-tormenting place.

It is noted of the wise man in the Prouerbes, chapter 23.3. that he seeth the plague, and hideth himselfe; but the foolish (on the the contrary side) goe on still, and are punished, Deale we, as this wise man, and not as the foole. Looke we vpon our dangers, and labour we by a sound conuersion vnto the Lord to preuent them: otherwise the Lord himselfe will say of vs, as he did of Ephraim, when he sayd, The sorrowes of a trauelling woman shall come vpon him, he is an vnwise sonne, else would he not stand still at the time, euen at the breaking forth of the children, Hosea 12.13. Great stirre doth euery man almost make, when his aduersarie commeth to take the possession of his house and liuing ouer his head, and that by force and violence: or when the Shrieffes men do approach neare to take him, and to carry him to the gaole, where he knowes he shall lie in wofull miserie some time, and in the end leese his life by a shamefull death. Oh what ado then is there? what shiftings then do enter into mans heart? No stone then (as we say) is left vnmo­ued, but euery course that may be thought vpon is taken, to pre­uent that perill and danger. And yet shall men lie still, and do no­thing to preuēt the danger of hel, which is 10000. times worse thē any prison or death in this world, & brings with it more troubles by millions, then euer the losse of any house or liuing can do [Page 136]here? Awake we, awake we; and if euer men will bestirre their stumpes, (as it is in our prouerbe) now let them bestirre them, and with all hast let them runne vnto the Lord for mercie and grace, before his wrath breake out and consume them.

Lastly, by this we may learne, what counsell and aduice to giue to others, when they are in some danger, and know not well what course to take to rid themselues there-from. If any of them shall come vnto vs, as the Iewes did to the Apostles, saying, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Acts 2.37. we may easily answer them, e­uen as it is here, Be wise and learned, &c. that is, repent you of your sinnes, and submit your selues vnto the Lord your God in all du­tifull obedience, as it doth become you. This, this is the onely course that you must take. Doubtlesse no other course in the world can do you any sound and perfect good; but if you shall once performe this, all shall be well with you quickly; as it was with Nebuchadnezzar, who vpon his submission vnto the Lord, was restored againe to his kingdome; or as it was with Manasses, who vpon his prayer vnto the Lord, and hearty sorrow for his sinne was deliuered out of his prison at Babylon, and reëstablished againe in the throne of his kingdome at Ierusalem: or lastly as it was with the Israelites, who vpon their crie vnto the Lord, and the confession of their sinne, were from time to time deliuered from their enimies, and blessed with peace, and abundance of good things.

Hitherto for the persons, to whom the exhortation is directed: now let vs come to the matter, whereof it doth consist. And that in a word is repentance and amendment of life, as I touched be­fore. Wherein is conteined first the time, when it must be had, then secondly the points, wherein it doth stand. The time is pre­sent, set downe in this word, Now. Because they were in a present danger, and were likely euery houre to be destroyed; therefore the Prophet would haue them to repent presently, and out of hand, euen before those iudgements of the Lord did fall vpon them, which were mentioned before in the 5. and 9. verses of this Psalme. Wherehence we are taught this doctrine, that men must out of hand repent and turne to the Lord, and not deferre their conuersion from time to time, but presently goe about the same. [Page 137] Seeke the Lord (saith the Prophet Esay in Chap. 55.6.7.) while he may be found, call ye vpon him, while he is neare. Let the wicked for­sake his wayes, and the vurighteous his owne imaginations, and returne vnto the Lord, and he will haue mercy vpon him, and to our God, for he is very ready to forgiue. While we haue time (saith Paule in Gal. 6.10.) let vs do good vnto all men, but specially vnto them that are of the houshold of faith. And to day (saith the holy Ghost in Heb. 3.7.) if ye shall heare his voyce, harden not your hearts, as in the prouocation, according to the day of the temptation in the wildernesse; but exhort one another daily, while it is called to day, lest any of you be hardned through the deceitfulnesse of sinne. Thus you see shortly the verity of the doctrine, and the confirmation thereof.

Now the reasons of it are many, but chiefly these foure. First, Reasons. because it is vncertaine, whether we shall liue any longer, or no. For the yong do die, as well as the aged, and men are oftentimes taken away on the sudden. Thou foole (saith God to the rich man in Luke 12.20.) this night will they fetch away thy soule from thee, then whose shall those things be, which thou hast prouided? And when men shall say (saith Paul in 1. Thes. 5.3.) peace and safety, then shall come vpon them sudden destruction, as the trauaile of a woman with child, and they shall not escape. Many examples we haue hereof in the Scriptures. The world thought themselues sure, when they were eating and drinking, but then came the floud, Luke 17.27. The morning was faire, when Lot went out of Sodom, and yet before night, were the Sodomites destroyed. Gen. 19.23. Nebuchadnez­zar thought himselfe neuer more sure, then when he had builded great Babell, but yet while the word was in his mouth, God hum­bled him downe vpon his knees. Dan. 4.12. And well was Herod when he began his Oration to the people, but before the end thereof, & his departure from them, the Angell of the Lord smote him, so that he was eaten of wormes, and gaue vp the ghost. Acts 12.23. So that if we do deferre our repentance but one day, yea but one houre, death may preuent vs, before that we can repent, and so we shall be damned.

Secondly, because the longer that a man doth post off his re­pentance, and amendment of life, the harder it will be for him to repent and amend at the last. Can the blacke Moore (saith Ieremy in [Page 138] Chap. 13.23.) change his skinne, or the Leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do euill. As though it were a thing vnpossible for a sinner, who hath continued long in his sinne, to leaue his sinne, and to forsake it, and so to become a good man at the last. And surely with man it is vnpossible, though it be other­wise with God, vnto whom all things are possible. For if we can­not ouercome a Lyon, when it is yong, and but a whelpe; how shall we be able to ouercome him, when he is old, and growne to his full power and strength? And if we be not able to bow a tree of sixe yeares growth, it is in vaine for vs to go about to bow it, when it is twentie yeares old or more. So, euen so, it is also with sinne; the longer that we shall nourish it in our bosomes, the har­der it will be for vs to ouer-maister it in the end, yea it will be vn­possible for vs to do it. For that will grow still stronger and stron­ger, and we our selues shall be weaker and weaker. And therefore it is good to go about the cure of it betimes, as we do about the cure of such wounds as are made in our bodies, knowing that the lōger that they be deferred, the harder is their recouery at the last.

Thirdly, because God is to be serued before all things (whether the world, the flesh, or the diuell) as Elijah the Prophet would be serued before the widow that fed him. 1. Kin. 17.13. Seeke first the kingdome of God (saith our Sauiour in Math. 6.33.) and his righte­ousnesse, and all these things shall be ministred vnto you. So soone as man was created, a law was giuen him; to shew, that he should liue vnder obedience from the day that he was borne in. So soone as he is borne, he is baptized in the name of God; to shew, that when we cannot runne to God, we should creepe as it were to him. So soone as he beginneth to pray, he saith, Hallowed be thy name, thy kingdome come, &c. before he aske his daily bread; to shew, that we should seeke the sanctification of Gods name, and the doing of his will before the food that we liue by, much more before the sins and pleasures which we perish by. And so soone, lastly, as he re­ceiueth any talent or gift from aboue, he is commanded to vse them; to shew, that we must go about the Lords businesse, and not our owne, & be occupied alone in such matters, as may bring glory and honour vnto his name. So that nothing is to be prefer­red before the Lord, but the Lord before all things: and there­fore [Page 139]repentance not to be deferred any time, but the workes there­of to be done out of hand, that so God may haue his due and right, in being serued and honored before all things, as he ought to be.

Finally, because all seruice whatsoeuer is onely due vnto the Lord, who may iustly challenge vnto himselfe (as his owne due and right) our selues, and all that we haue. Ye are bought for a price (saith Paul in 1. Cor. 6.20.) therefore glorifie God in your body, and in your spirit; for they are Gods. We must loue the Lord our God (you know) with all our hearts, with all our soules, and with all our strength. Deut. 6.5. And we are deliuered from our enimies (you know also) to this end, that we should serue the Lord in ho­linesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life. Luke 1.75. So that God must haue all, we may not take so much as an houre, no not so much as a minute of an houre, and bestow the same vpon the seruice of the world, the flesh, or the diuell, but he that hath made vs, must haue euery part and portion thereof. And therfore in all these respects, you see, we must immediatly without any further delay apply our hearts to wisedome, and seeke only those things, which do concerne the Lord and his worship, and take no more care for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.

The vse hereof standeth chiefly in three things. Vse. The first shew­eth the great folly and wickednesse that is in the world, whose propertie is euermore, to deferre their repentance till the last. If we should see a man wounded to death (as we speake,) that is sorely hurt, and mangled in his body, and yet would seeke for no remedy to cure himselfe, which might be had presently, but would post it off from day to day a long time together; we should thinke that he were desperate or foolish. Or if we should heare of a man, that hauing offended the kings Maiestie, and for the same were likely to be put to death, who yet would not seeke to paci­fie his wrath, and to stay the execution against himselfe, though he did know how to do it, but would deferre it from time to time, and say, that he would consult thereof hereafter; braine sicke and mad would we take him to be. So, euen so, doth the world deale. For though they know how to asswage Gods anger, that is kind­led against them for their sinnes, yet they will not take that course in hand, but they will post it off till the last, and so hazard their [Page 140]eternall saluation vpon an vncertaintie. Herein the diuell doth most bewitch them, and lull them fast asleepe in the bed of their securitie. Looke how racking vsurers are wont to giue day to yong heires from time to time, vntill at last they winde their inhe­ritance from them: So doth he deale with them; he doth harden them on still from day to day in their sinnes, vntill he hath got­ten them for his owne inheritance, and firme possession in hell for euer.

But to leaue the world, let vs come to our selues: out of this in the second place we may learne, that it is our part and dutie, not to runne on still in our transgressions, as the most do, but presently and out of hand to leaue them, and to turne vnto the Lord our God. As Abraham rose vp betimes in the morning, and deferred no time, to go to sacrifice his sonne Isaac, according to Gods commandement, as it is in Gen. 22.3: So we must make hast, and post off no day, to go to sacrifice our sinnes and trans­gressions, that do offend the Lord and displease him. All of vs do confesse that our sinnes must be left, and that God must be ser­ued, but we cannot accord of the time, when to begin. One saith, he will begin, when he is rich; another saith, he will begin when he is free; an other saith, he will begin, when he is settled; an o­ther saith, he will begin, when he is out of debt; an other saith, he will begin, when he is old, and so forward. We are like the Iewes in the first of Haggay, who said: The time was not yet come when they should build the Temple. But beloued the time is present, we must change our minds out of hand, and turne to the Lord. Did euer any whom we reade of in the Scriptures, feeling the piercing power of Gods Spirit, smitting vpon the rocks of their hidden hearts within, take time with the Lord and say. They would yeeld after two moneths, foure moneths, or the like? No, no, they did not couenāt with the Lord for any time, but presētly they were conuerted: they staied not an houre houering & ham­mering, looking backe to Sodom with Lots wife, or to Aegypt with the Iewes, but ioyfully embraced the truth without delay. To day, to day is the voice of God, as you haue heard, and to morrow, to morrow is the voyce of Satan Christ (you know) would not suffer one of his Disciples to go home, as it were to [Page 141]bury his father, but he must leaue that businesse to others, and come and follow him, as it is in Math. 8.22. So that no delay in the world must be made, but immeadiatly we must leaue our sinnes, and go about the Lords businesse. Many reasons there are (as you haue heard before) to moue vs vp thereunto: I pray, re­member them well, and let them stirre you vp to the discharge of your dutie, that this day wherein I do now speake vnto you, may be the day of your sound cōuersiō vnto the Lord, & for the which hereafter you may reioyce for euermore. Say not with your selues, that you will repent hereafter. For first, you are not sure that you shall liue till hereafter. As the Israelites died while the meate was in their mouthes, Numb. 11.33. And as Iobs children were killed as they were banquetting in their eldest brothers house. Iob 1.18. So may you die, or be killed on the suddaine before you are a­ware. Goe to now (saith Iames in Chap. 4.13.14.) ye that say, To day or to morrow we will goe into such a citty, and continue there a yeare, and buie and sell, and get gaine: and yet yee cannot tell what shall be to morrow. For what is your life? It is euen a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and afterward vanisheth away. Secondly, if you had a charter of your liues (as no man hath) and so were sure to liue till hereafter, yet you are not certaine, that then you shall re­pent. For repentance is not at your commandement, neither doth it lie in your power to take it, when you will: but it is the onely gift of God, and in his hands alone to bestow it vpon whom he will, as you may see plainly by Pauls words in the latter end of the 2. chapter of his 2. Epistle to Timothy. And the longer that you do continue in your sinnes (as you haue heard already) the harder it will be for you to leaue them in the end. For custome of sinning taketh away the sence of sinning, and long abode in darkenesse maketh starke blind. Lastly, if repentance were in your power (as it is not in the power of any mortall man whatsoeuer) and so you were certaine to turne at the last, if you would; yet you ought to repent presently, because your selues and all that you haue or can do, do belong to the Lord your God, who must be preferred before all things, as was shewed before vnto you. For God must haue a morning sacrifice, as well as an euening. And it is very absurd and wicked, for a man to offer the [Page 142]first of his vintage to the delights of sinne, and to serue God with the lees and dregs of his age: or to yeeld the flower and strength of his life vnto the foule affections of wretched nature, and to re­serue for God the very refuse and weaknesse of his time: where­fore turne, turne I beseech you, euen now presently, and make no longer delay. I speake to you young men and maides, because you must remember your Creator in the daies of your youth, be­fore old age doth come, as Salomon doth teach you in Eccles. 12.1: and because you are now aptest and fittest to do seruice vnto the Almighty, as hauing all the powers of the body and soule in the chiefest vigor and strength, for the exercises of pure and holy re­gion. You must not spend your time in vanity, or in the carnall pleasures of your flesh, after the manner of wicked yong men and maids; but in holinesse and righteousnesse, according to the vow and promise, which you haue made with your God in baptisme; after the manner of godly yong men and maides, who are regene­rated and adopted to life eternall. And to restraine your selues the better in, you must alwaies remember with your selues, that you shall be brought at the day of indgement, to answere for euery thing, which you shall do amisse in this time of your youth, be it great or smal, whether words or deeds, as you may see in the end of the eleuenth chapter of Eccles. I speake to you old men and women, because you haue lien too long in your sinnes, and are ready to droppe into the graue. For it is too much already, that you haue spent your former time, after the lusts of men, and not after the will of God, in much wickednesse and abhominations. As Paul saith in Ephe. 5.14. Awake thou that sleepest, and stand vp from the dead, and Christ shall giue thee light: so I say to you, A­wake all you that sleepe in your sinnes, and stand vp all you that are dead in your trespasses, and so the Lord shall giue you life, and not death. It was too late (you know) for the foolish vir­gins to knocke, when the gate was shut against them; and for the rich glutton to howle and cry to Abraham, when he was tormen­ted in hell. So before it be too late for you, remember your selues, and while you haue light walke in the light, and betake your selues soundly vnto the Lord, as it doth become you. In a word, I speake to you all without exception, because I loue you all, and [Page 143]would gladly haue you godly here, & vessels of glory hereafter; happy for this world, and happy for the world to come: make no couenant with your sinnes, but renounce them all from this day forward for euermore. And albeit they shall as it were; cry out and say, Why do you come to dismisse vs before the time? As the di­uels said to Christ, when he did cast them out, Why dost thou tor­ment vs before the time? yet hearken not vnto them, but giue them a deafe eare. For the time 1 ^e already come, if not past already. For we should haue repented long ago in sackecloth and ashes, if we had done as we ought to haue done; but yet now, now let vs turne, and deferre no day or houre longer, but while the word is soun­ding in our eares, let vs be conuerted vnto the Lord. He is the fondest fellow that euer was heard of, who falling into a deepe riuer, and hauing present helpe offered him, whilst he is yet swimming on the toppe of the water, maketh refusall of it, and answereth, that he will not be helped till another time, or before the next day; when as he is in danger to sinke presently, and to be drowned euery minute of an houre. Beware we that we deale not after the same manner; for if we shall deferre our repentance and conuersion to God, our case is no better then his. For euery minute of an houre we stand liable through our sins to be throwne into hell. What? shall we then stay and not turne? As God said to Israel, Turne you, turne you from your euill waies: for why will you die, ô house of Israel? so say I to you; Turne you, turne you from your cuill waies; for why will you die, ô people of En­gland?

Some (I grant) will out of hand repent in words, but not in deeds: they haue Iacobs smooth voyce, but Esaus rough hands. Their mouthes (as one saith) are greater then their hands, which is monstrous in nature: for they word it much, but they worke it little. As the figge tree (spoken of in the Gospell) had faire leaues, but no figges: so they haue goodly words, but no holy workes. They are deciptfull Gibeonites, and painted tombes, like the hy­pocriticall Scribes and Pharisies. But we must do otherwise, wee must be sound in heart as Nathaniel was, who was a true Israelite; and be plentifull in good deeds, as Iob was, who was a true child of God: we must repent both inwardly and outwardly, in word [Page 144]and in worke: and so I hope you will doe, as also make hast for to do it.

Obiect. But here some man may say, what a stirre is here about repentance? here is more hast required, then needs for: a soft fire makes sweet malt: we may repent at our ley sure. For first, nullum tempus est poenitentiae inidoneum, there is no time vnfit for repen­tance. Secondly, Deus est Deus misericordiae, God is a God of mer­cy, he will forgiue vs, whensoeuer we shall repent and turne to him. Ans. This, this hath alwayes bene the fashion of the world. Looke how indulgent mothers are wont to deale with their chil­dren going to schoole, that haue ouer-slept themselues, and do feare the correction of their maisters: euen so do carnall men and women deale with themselues, when they haue continued too long in their sinnes, and do heare the iudgements of the Lord sounded out of his word against them for the same. For as these mothers are wont commonly to comfort their children (thus fea­ring) with one of these two things, either that there is no time yet past, or else if the time be past, that their maister is a gentle man, and will forgiue them: So they do vsually heart on themselues a­gainst all feare & dread whatsoeuer, by the consideration of these two things; first, that there is no time vnfit or too late for repen­tance: secondly, that God is a mercifull God, and one most ready to forgiue them, though they haue posted off their repentance o­uer-long, and haue not turned vnto him in time, as they ought to hane done.

In this snare and cord of the diuell, lest you also should be led a­long to your destruction at the last, marke what answer may be giuen to these things. To the first it may be sayd, that though no time be vnfit or too late for repentance, while we are here in this world; yet oftentimes we are taken out of this world, before that we can thinke of repentance, and soundly turne vnto the Lord. For as many are taken away on the sudden, so it fals out by the iust iudgment of God most vsually (as an ancient Father doth wel ob­serue) vt moriens obliuiscatur sui, qui cum viueret oblitus est Dei, That he should forget himselfe in the time of his death, who did forget God in the time of his life. Againe you must know, that late re­pentance is seldome or neuer good and true, but alwaies for the [Page 145]most part feigned and dissembled, like to that which was in Pha­raoh, Ahab, Saul, and others, who seemed to be sorry for their sinnes, and desirous to haue the hand of the Lord remoued from them. For qualis vita, finis ita, such as the life is, such common­ly is the death. A good man hath a good end, and a bad man hath a bad end. Lastly, you must alwaies remember what was said be­fore; namely, that repentance is not in our power, and that we cannot turne to God, when we will. And therefore as a begger must take his almes, when it is offered vnto him, and not refuse it, because there is no time amisse to take an almes: so we must take repentance when the Lord doth offer it vnto vs, and not vpon such a foolish consideration cast it off, as now was touched. Now to the second it may be answered, that though God be a God of mercy, receiuing all sinners vnto himselfe vpon their repentance and amendment of life: yet he is withall a God of iustice, visiting the iniquities of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation of all such as do hate him, as you are taught in the end of the second commandement. Dauid tels vs in Psal. 18.26. that he will shew himselfe froward with the froward. Salomon sheweth in Prou. 3.34. that with the scornefull he scorneth. And in the first chapter of the same booke, Wisedome her selfe informeth vs, that she will not regard wilfull and obstinate sinners, turning vn­to her; in verse 28. saying: Then shall they call vpon me, but I will not answere, they shall seeke me early, but they shall not finde me; be­cause they hated knowledge, and did not choose the feare of the Lord. You know, how the Lord did sware in his wrath, that the Israe­lites that did prouoke him in the wildernes, should not enter into his rest. Heb. 3.8. So that God will be farre off at such a time to giue repentance, and vpon repentance to receiue to mercy. And therefore as the women sung concerning Saul and Dauid, saying: Saul hath slaine his thousand, and Dauid his ten thousand. 1. Sam. 18.7. so we may mournefully sing, that the despaire of Gods mercy hath slaine thousands, but the grosse presumption of his mercy, hath slaine ten thousands. Wherefore to conclude this point, let neither of these impediments, nor any other whatsoeuer, hinder you from a present conuersion vnto the Lord, but out of hand take him for your onely God, and serue him.

Lastly, here we may learne, what to do in regard of those, who are vnder vs. We must not suffer them to go on still in their sins, but breake them quickely to the Lords yoake and bow. He is a fond fellow, that will not breake his horse, while it is a colt, but let him runne on till he be old, and shall fling him into the ditch. And he deales very foolishly, that hauing a beautifull standing cuppe, and very precious balme giuen vnto him to put into the cuppe, will not yet put it in, before the cup hath stood long full of stinking liquor: So we our selues shall be no better, if we shall suffer our children, and others vnder our tuition, to go on in their childhood and youth vnnurtured in the waies of the Lord, and suffer them to liue after their owne will, and to drink in the dead­ly poyson of the world, whereby they shall be made vnable to be reclaimed at the last. But teach we them betimes, and labour we to bring them to the knowledge of the Lord, and obedience vnto his will: so shall not sinne be their destruction, nor rebellion be their ouerthrow. But more of this elsewhere.

As thus we haue heard when we must repent, so now let vs heare, wherin repentance doth stand. And that is in two points, the one is knowledge or vnderstanding; the other is obedience or sub­iection. Of the former of these mention is made in this verse; of the latter in the following.

Bewise (saith the Prophet) ye Kings, be learned ye Iudges of the earth. Here is that knowledge & vnderstanding expressed, which is required of vs in euery true & sound repentāce: but what means the Prophet hereby, may you say? were the Kings vnwise? and were the Iudges of the earth vnlearned? Yes surely, for otherwise they would neuer haue rebelled against the Lord and his annoyn­ted, as they did. Yet his meaning is not, that they were altogether without wisedome and learning: for they had wordly wise­dome and learning in great aboundance; but that they wanted the heauenly wisedome and learning, & therefore he doth exhort them to looke for that. Marke here, there is a two-fold wise­dome and learning; one that is earthly and from man: an other that is heauenly, and from God. The children of this world (saith our Sauiour, in Luk. 16.8.) are wiser in their generation, then the chil­dren of light. In which words he doth intimate, that as there are [Page 147]two sorts of men; the one wicked, called the children of this world; the other godly, termed the children of light: so there are two sorts of wisedome, the one for the body and this life; the other for the soule and the life to come. This latter wisedome the Kings and Iudges (here) wanted, but the former they had. For the body and this life they were wise and learned, they knew well enough how to rule and gouerne, and to turne all things to their greatest honour and profit, that might be. But for the soule and life to come they were vnwise, and vnlearned: they had no good experience in the word of God, nor any sound knowledge to do their soules good, but herein (I say) they were vnlearned, and no better then fooles before the Almighty. This the Apostle doth make most cleare and euident in his first Epistle to the Corinthians, the second chapter thereof, the sixth verse and so forward, when he saith: And we speake wisedome among them that are perfect, not the wisedome of this world, neither of the Princes of this world, which come to nought: but we speake the wisedome of God in a mysterie, euen the hid wisedome, which God had determined before the world vnto our glory, which none of the Princes of this world hath knowne. For had they knowne it, they would not haue crucified the Lord of glory. Loe, here you see, that the Apostle doth not onely say, that the Princes of this world (who are here in our text spoken vnto by the name of Kings and Iudges) are without the true and heauenly wise­dome of God, but also doth proue it to be so, euen because that they did oppose themselues against the Lord Iesus Christ, and did put him to death.

Wherefore here by the way we may obserue, that in truth, and before the Lord, all are fooles and vnlearned, who do withstand Iesus Christ, and his kingdome, and do liue wretchedly, and not according to the Lords commandements. Howsoeuer they be for this world, men of great reach and policie, and be well schooled in all kind of literature for the gouernment of humane life, and the procuring of much honour and wealth vnto themselues: yet being ignorant in the word of God, and not seasoned with an heauenly wisdom, which may sanctifie them in their waies, but do liue vngodly and vnholy liues: they, euen they, whatsoeuer they be, be vnwise and vnlearned, and no better then fooles & idiots [Page 148]before the Almighty. For so also it doth please his Maiesty for to style them in his holy word, as you may see in many places of the Prouerbes, and namely in the first chapter thereof; as also in the fourteenth Psalme, and sundry other places besides. Hereof is it, that that comparison is made by our Sauiour himselfe in the be­ginning of the 25. chapter of the Gospell according to Saint Matthew, wherein all wicked persons are compared to foolish virgins, as the godly on the other side are compared vnto the wise virgins. And hereof also is that saying of Paul, that the wisedome of this world is foolishnesse with God; and that the Lord knoweth, that the thoughts of the wise are vanity. 1. Cor. 3.19.20.

Obiect. Yea, but this shall neuer sinke into mine head, may some man say, that thus the chiefe men of the country, & those that do beare the greatest stroke and sway amongst men, and do know how to rule and gouerne themselues and others well, should after this sort be reputed and taken for fooles, and vnlearned persons, as you speake; I thinke rather, that the godly, and those that do resort vnto Sermons are such: for they are simple persons in my iudgement, and very idiotes indeed. Answ. It may be so indeed, for the naturall man perceiueth not the things of Gods Spirit: for they are foolishnesse to him, neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned, as it is in 1. Cor. 2.14. But consider of things well, thou that art of that minde and opinion, tell me, what is the property of a wise man, and of one well learned? Is it not to walke circumspectly, and to prouide best for himselfe, as well for the time to come, as for the time that is present? Yes, for so we are taught in Ephes. 5.15. & in Luk. 16. the beginning there­of, where the steward is commended for a wise man, for that he did prouide how to liue, when his maister should take away from him his stewardship.

Well then go on, tell me in the second place, do those walke cir­cumspectly & prouide best for thēselues, who do war against the Lord & his Annoynted, & not fore cast what shal become of them after this life, but do run on still in their sinnes, to be damned for euer? Answer me this point, if thou canst. Suppose thou didst see a man, who is but weake and feeble, taking vp weapons against his soueraigne Lord and King, who is most warlike and potent, and [Page 149]challenging him into the field; wouldst not thou take him for a foole, and one destitute of good sense and vnderstanding? But so deale all wicked persons (how politick or rich soeuer they be for this world.) For they are but weake and feeble persons, yet they warre against their dread soueraigne the Lord and King, euen the mightie God of heauen, who is able in the twinckling of an eye to destroy them all. And yet shall they bee wise and prudent with thee? Suppose againe, that thou didst behold one in a place, where is both gold and brasse in great abundance, and goodly garments together with much base attire, so that it should be lawfull for him to take of either of them most freely which he would himselfe; yet he would not meddle of the gold, & goodly garments, but would be exceeding busie still, in gathering vp the brasse and base attire, reaching after one peece here, and another peece there; what wouldst thou iudge of that partie? wouldst not thou take him for a simple fellow, and a meere idiote? Yes, I must needs do that, thou wilt say. So, euen so, is the case here with men of this world. For whereas they might gather vp gold and goodly garments, that is, prouide for themselues heauenly graces, and euerlasting happi­nesse in new Ierusalem aboue (where are more precious things, then euer the eye of man hath seene, or his eare hath heard of, or can enter into his heart) yet they leaue them, and occupy them­selues wholely in gathering vp the brasse and base attire; that is, they leaue the cate of heauen, and hunt after the world altogether, being very busie about the pleasures and commodities thereof, which are nothing in comparison of heauen. And shall not they then bee vnwise and vnlearned with thee? But if thou wilt not count them so, yet the Lord doth, as thou hast beard, and let this suffice vs. And by it let vs bee admonished to take heed of all re­bellion & wickednesse whatsoeuer, lest we our selues be styled af­ter this manner, and be registred in the booke of God, for fooles & vnlearned persons. And so much shortly of this point bythe way.

In that the Kings and Iudges are called vpon to be wise and lear­ned, we obserue this doctrine, that euery person must labour to get vnto themselues an heauenly wisedome and vnderstanding of the Lords will and word. Get wisedome (saith Salomon in Prou. 4.5.) get vnderstanding, forget not, neither decline from the words of my [Page 150]mouth; forsake her not, and she shall keepe thee, loue her and she shall pre­serue thee. Wisdome is the beginning, get wisdome therfore, and aboue all thy possessiōs get vnderstanding. He is very frequent with the like ex­hortations in many places also of the same booke. Reade them, I pray, at your leasure, and marke them well. Paul in like manner, writing vnto the Ephesians, doth stir them vp to the same duty, say­ing: Wherefor be yee not vnwise, but vnderstand what the will of the Lord is. Eph. 5.17. Dauid also inioined the same duty vpon his son Salomon, towards the end of his dayes, saying vnto him as follow­eth: My sonne, know thou the God of thy fathers, and serue him with an vpright heart and willing minde, as it is in 1. Cron. 28.9. Finally, the Lord himselfe doth oftentimes make his moane and complaint for the want of this wisdome and knowledge in his people, which is here required of vs all, teaching vs thereby how necessary it is for euery one, and how well pleasing to himselfe. But at this time two places alone (to shew the same) shall content vs. The one is in Esay. 1.3. when he saith: The Oxe knoweth his owner, and the Asse his maisters cribbe; but Israel hath not knowne, my people haue not vnderstood. The other is in Ieremy 4.22. where you haue these words: For my people is foolish, they haue not knowne me, they are foolish children, and haue no vnderstanding, they are wise to do euill, but to doe well they haue no knowledge. By all which places we may clearely see, what doth belong to vs, euen a sauing knowledge of Gods will, and an holy vnderstanding of his waies. Wee must not be like to the horse or mule that haue no vnderstanding (as Dauid saith in Psa. 32.9) but we must be changed by the renewing of our minds, that we may know what is the good, perfect and acceptable will of God, as Paul doth teach vs in Rom. 12.2.

And the reasons hereof are many. Reasons. First because euery man by his owne knowledge is a very beast before the Lord, as Ie­remy doth witnesse of vs, in Ieremy 10.14. and as Dauid doth con­fesse of himselfe, in Psalme 73.22. saying: So foolish was I, and igno­rant, I was a beast before thee.

Secondly, because we shall neuer obey the Lord aright, vntill we know him and vnderstand his will, nor yeeld any faithfull ser­uice vnto him, as it doth become vs. For the ground-worke of all religion, & the foundation of all true pietie, is the knowledge of [Page 151]the Lord and his wayes. As on the contrary side, the cause and fountaine of all disobedience against God, is the ignorance of his will, and the vnlearnednesse of the same, as we haue heard in this Psalme already: and as we may see by Hosea his complaint, in the beginning of the fourth chapter of his Prophesie, where hee doth make his moane, that men did lie, and steale, and commit adulte­ry, and that bloud did touch bloud, and assigneth this reason of it, euen because there was no knowledge of God in the land. And surely where men know not God, what can bee looked for else, but all impietie against God, and all vnrighteous dealing against men?

Lastly, because all such as are ignorant of the Lords will, doe not onely erre while they are here, committing grieuous sinnes a­gainst him, but shall be damned also hereafter for euer. My people (saith the Lord in Hosea 4.6.) are destroyed for lacke of knowledge. And Paul doth shew in 2. Thess 1.8. that when Christ shal come to iudgement, and shew himselfe from heauen with his mightie An­gels, in flaming fire, he shall render vengeance vnto them that doe not know God, which shall bee punished with euerlasting perdition from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power. So that if we ponder of all these reasons well, we shal easily grant, that there is cause sufficient, why euery man should labour and striue, to plant some heauenly knowledge within his soule, and to become wise and learned in the statutes of the Almightie.

In regard whereof we see first, in what great fault the world is in. For there is ignorance in euery place. Alas, alas, most men know not aright, either that God who hath made them, or them­selues, who are made by him. And as for the grounds of true reli­gion, and the rules of the Lords worship, they are as a sealed and clasped booke vnto them. We dwell in a nation and country, wherin the word of God hath bene freely read & preached many yeares together: yet it is pittifull to heare & vnderstand, what ig­norance is still amongst men, and how vnwise & vnlearned they be in the statutes of the Lord. God amend vs. But here some may say, that there was neuer more knowledge in this land, then now is at this present. To this I answer, first, that our knowledge is no­thing to our long and continued teaching. For in regard thereof, [Page 152]we ought to be teachers our selues, who yet are taught of others, and haue need also to be instructed in the very first principles of the word of God, and are become (many of vs at the least) such as haue neede of milke, and not of strong meate, as the Author to the Hebrews doth speake in the latter end of his fifth chapter. Second­ly, that our knowledge (for the most part) is not a sauing, or san­ctifying knowledge, but talkatiue and discoursing: It hangs vp­on our tongue, and swimmes about in the circumference of our braine; but it sinkes not downe into the bottome of the heart (as it ought to do) to bring forth a reformed life. For we haue many talkers, but few true walkers: and sundry there are, who can dis­course at large in matters of religion; but few there are, who feele the power and force thereof, being deaded by the meanes thereof vnto their sinnes, and quickened vp vnto all fruitfull workes of righteousnesse, whereby God may be honoured, and man edified.

Secondly, by this we may see, that that doctrine, which is most currant at Rome, & those places where Popery doth beare sway, to wit, that Ignorance is the mother of Deuotion, is most false and er­roneous, and to be abandoned by vs, that are true and holy Chri­stians. As Christ doth say to the Sadduces: Ye erre, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God, in Mat. 22.29. making there ig­norance the cause of error, which is cleane cōtrary to their doctrine: so he saith to the Iewes: Search the Scriptures, for in them yee thinke to haue eternall life, and they are they which testifie of me, in Iohn 5.39. imposing there this dutie vpō all that do intend to be saued at the last, to be conuersant in the Scriptures; which is dissonant altoge­ther to their practize and teaching. If I would stand vpon such a common place as this is, I could alledge both places and reasons enough to ouerthrow them in this respect, who are herein most like vnto those cursed and hypocriticall Scribes and Pharisies, who did shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men, neither go­ing in thēselues, nor suffering others that would enter, to come in. But let these things thus spoken suffice, and cause vs not onely to see their fault, and that woefull miserie wherein they liue, but al­so to behold the sweet and great blessing of knowledge, which God hath vouchsafed vnto vs, through the happy gouernment [Page 153]of his Annoynted ouer vs, who doth permit vs to enioy the Gos­pell freely for the good of our soules, and doth take a care al­so for the right publishing of the same; that so his subiects might not bee ignorant therein, but haue the sauing knowledge there­of established within them, to their eternall happinesse, and euer­lasting life.

Lastly, out of this we may obserue, what is our owne duty to do, and that is this: We must cast away our ignorance, and be­come learned in the Lords will; we must set his statutes before our eyes, and make them the men of our counsell; we must call after knowledge, and cry for vnderstanding. We must seeke after wise­dome, as after siluer, and search for her as for treasures. Let the word of Christ (saith Paul to the Colossians, chap. 3.16.) dwell in you plenteously in all wisedome, teaching and admonishing your selues in Psalmes, and Hymnes, and spirituall songs, singing with a grace in your hearts vnto the Lord. Here you see, hee would not haue them to content themselues with a little knowledge, but they must la­bour to be furnished with a great abundance thereof, that they might know how to carry themselues in all matters, as well for them of mirth and ioy, as for others that were more graue and weightie. And good reason too; for the word of Christ must bee the stone Ezell to vs, that we may know where to stay and re­maine (as Dauid did 1. Sam. 20.19.) It must be our tinne-stone, (spoken of in Zecharie 4.10.) that we may know the measure of the walles of new Ierusalem, our glorious and renowned Cit­tie, the foundation whereof is of pearle, and the streets of pure gold. In a word, it must be our starre, that we may know which way to go directly vnto all our duties, that are here below, and vnto all those sweete beatitudes that are aboue. Doubtlesse with­out the true knowledge thereof, we are all of vs like to Sampson without his eyes, or vnto an hawke that is hooded: we shall wan­der from the Lord we know not whither, and commit most grie­uous abhominations; but we shall neuer serue him aright, or doe any faithfull homage vnto him. For onely those that know his name do trust in him, but others do renounce him, as the Scrip­tures do teach vs. Knowledge (we finde by experience) doth helpe men exceeding much in the waies of eternall life. For it [Page 154]doth direct them aright both what to iudge, and what to do in all matters of saith and maners, and it is a good bridle vnto their lusts. It is most like vnto a clocke, whereby thou maiest know how thy life is spent; as also vnto a man, which striueth to beate the dust out of our cloathing.

Wherefore, I beseech you, and that in the bowels of the Lord Iesus Christ, haue a care of knowledge, and labour by all meanes possible to plant a sauing wisedome within your hearts. Remem­ber the reasons that were alledged before, to moue your selues to this, thinke oftentimes vpon them; and if neither your owne beastlinesse by nature, who haue grosse and thicke scales of blindnesse vpon the eies of your soules, as Paul had vpon the eyes of his body at the time of his conuersion, can stirre you; nor yet the commodities that comes by the knowledge of the Lords will, which are sweete and great, can awaken you; yet (yet I say) let the feare of your owne damnation rouze you vp hereun­to. For it is a most wofull thing to lye burning in hell, and yet (as it hath bene obserued) all ignorant persons do so. Suppose here were a fire prepared to burne you, and to morrow you must be cast into the same, and there lye burning, peece after peece, till all be consumed; would not you doe any thing which any man should command you to do, to auoyde this punishment? O yes, any thing I doubt not. And yet will you do nothing to auoyde hell fire, which is tenthousand times worse then this, where you shall lye burning body and soule for euermore? Shall not this moue you vp to get knowledge and vnderstanding? If you were blinde in body, you would giue great summes of money to haue your perfect sight againe. And yet will you doe nothing for the sight of the soule, which is blinde, and can see nothing at all? Will you take no paines to haue that couering that couereth all peo­ple, and that veile that is spred ouer all nations, to be remoued a­way from you, that you may be troubled no more with it? Darke­nesse was one of the greatest plagues which God brought vpon Aegypt. But as for the darknesse of the soule, that is worse then that by many degrees. For as this doth hinder the iudgement (which as an eye should guide our actions) from discerning things fit to be done, and fit to bee vndone; and as it doth let our hearts [Page 155]and minds from going and walking about our workes of godli­nesse, so that we cannot passe through the sweete fields of true comforts and heauenly meditations to life eternall: so it doth make vs fall oftentimes into most horrible sins while we are here, and it doth cast vs downe at the last into the bottomlesse pit of hell (wherehence we can neuer come out againe) so soone as we doe depart from hence. And will you then rest in it, and not seeke rather to come out of it? What? could Pharaoh (that wicked King) vse meanes to come out of that bodily darknesse wherein he was, by sending vnto Moses and Aaron for that end and purpose, & by offering vnto them a certaine kinde of libertie to depart out of his country? And will you sit still, and not vse meanes to come out of the spirituall darknesse wherein you are, which is farre worse then that of his was? Remember your selues, I pray, and do as you ought to do.

But here some man may say, Obiect. that it is better for vs to re­maine still in our ignorance, then to get knowledge vnto our selues, because ignorance doth excuse men before God; and the more knowledge that any man hath, the greater shall his iudge­ment be at the last, if he serue not God according to his know­ledge, as hee ought to do. For the seruant (saith our Sauiour in Luke 12.47.) that knoweth his maisters will, and doth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes, yea with more then he that knew it not, and did it not.

Here is a goodly shift for men to cosen their owne soules by. Ans. But know thou (ô sinfull man) first, that ignorance doth not ex­cuse men before God, but rather accuse them (as all other sinnes do) and lay matter of condemnation against them, to their eternall woe and death: for it is a grieuous transgression in his sight, and vnlesse it be pardoned by the sacrifice of his Sonne (which was figured out by those sacrifices which were offered vnder the Law for the sinnes of ignorance) it will damne them in hell for euer­more, and keepe them there in flames of fire that cannot be quen­ched, as thou heardst in effect before. Indeed in some cases igno­rance doth excuse men in part, from the greatnesse of the fault, but not in whole, from all the fault. Secondly, that though he shall be beaten with more stripes, that knoweth the Lords will, [Page 156]and doth it not yet the other which is ignorant of it, shall be bea­ten with stripes, and he also shall be cast into hell, as well as the former; howbeit his iudgement there shall not be altogether so se­uere as his. And wilt thou willingly be beaten with any stripes, and go to that fearefull and euer-tormenting place? Lastly, that some ignorance doth increase a mans fault, and make his iudge­ment to be the more cruell at the last, to wit, that ignorance, which is wilfull and affected: as when a man hath meanes to know the Lords will, and yet doth refuse it of wilfulnesse, or stubburnnesse, euen because he will be ignorant still, and not haue knowledge to controll him in his sinnes, or to stand vp as a Iudge against him in the end of the world, when the bookes of mens consciences shall be opened, and euery one iudged according to the things which are written therein; for this doth make him to be the more abho­minable before the Lord, and doth procure vnto him the heauier plagues to be executed vpon him. I will shew this vnto thee by a familiar example, taken euen from thy selfe. Thou hast two ser­uants, the one of them doth reuerently hearken vnto thee, to vn­derstand thy will, and pleasure; and he is content to learne it to the vttermost, but yet he will do nothing accordingly: the other doth so far scorne thee and thy worke, that as he will do nothing for thee, nor according to thy mind, so he will not come into thy presence to heare what thou wilt say vnto him, or standing be­fore thee, will giue no heede to thy words. Which of these two (I pray thee) is the worse, and the viler in thine eyes? and which of them wilt thou beate most? Is not the latter? Yes, I must needs confesse that, wilt thou say; for he doth commit a double fault, he will neither heare nor do; but the other doth commit but a single fault: though he will do nothing, yet he is content to heare. So, euen so, must thou iudge of most ignorant persons, who do liue now in our dayes. For they cōmit a double sin, in that they will neither learne the will of God, nor do it; wheras others cōmit but a single sin, in that they only neglect it, & not do it. And there­fore, I say, they are most abhominable before the Lord, and shall at the last be beaten of him with more stripes, then others shall be. Wherfore let this be no impedimēt to thee, but rather a spur in thy side, to prick thee forward, to get knowledge and vnderstanding.

But what course shall I take, maist thou say, to attaine vnto it? Thou must performe these things, First, thou must pray earnest­ly vnto the Lord, to intreate him to disclose his minde vnto thee, and so to circumcise thine eares and heart, that thou maist vnder­stand his will, and see the wonders of his law. For wisedome comes by prayer, as Iames doth shew, in chapter 1.5. saying: If any of you lacke wisedome, let him aske of God, which giueth to all men liberally, and reprocheth no man; and it shall be giuen him. Secondly thou must regard the Ministery of the word most reuerently, and frequent alwaies the holy exercises thereof, watching daily (as Sa­lomon doth speake, in Prouerbes 8.33.) at the gates of Wisedome, and giuing attendance at the postes of her doores. For this is an excel­lent meanes to beget, and to increase knowledge within vs; as Paul doth well obserue in many places of his Epistles, and name­ly in the fourth chapter of his Epistle to the Ephesians; & as we our selues do find to be most true by our daily experience, both in our selues and others. Thirdly, thou must meditate carefully with thy selfe both day and night in the law and word of thy God. For as the infant doth grow from strength to strength, to be able to go by it selfe, by sucking and plucking his mothers breasts: so doth the child of God grow from knowledge to knowledge, by han­ging continually vpon the two breasts of the Lords booke, the old and new Testament. Fourthly, thou must conferre and talke considerately with men of GOd, and with such as cary knowledge in their lippes, and are able to discouer vnto thee the secrets of the Almighty. For they shall make thee to vnderstand that, which thou couldst neuer attaine vnto by thy selfe, and cause thee to see those points after some cleare and euident manner, which were before vnto thee as dark as a riddle it selfe; as thou maist see by the example of Philip and the Eunuch spoken of in the eight chapter of the Acts of the Apostles. Fiftly, thou must teach o­thers circumspectly that which thou thy selfe dost know already, and rehearse the waies of the Lord euermore vnto them. For by teaching another, a man doth teach himselfe, and ripen his owne knowledge and iudgement exceeding much, as many by their owne practise haue found it to be most true, to the great ioy and comfort of their soules. Finally, thou must abstaine most proui­dently [Page 158]from all such things, as will hinder thy knowledge, and bring a spirituall darknesse vpon thee. For as he that would haue a perfect sight, to behold all things clearely, must beware of e­uery thing, which will blemish his eye: so all those that would haue a good vnderstanding in the coūsels of the most High, must take heed of all such matters, as are a stop and impediment there­vnto. Now these are in number chiefly three. The first is a lodg­ing of the affections of the heart, and the cogitations of the minde vpon this world: for as outward darknesse groweth some­times by two much gazing vpon bright and glistering things, as in experience we finde by white snow, white paper, and the like: so doth inward darkenesse grow also by fixing the minde too much vpon the glistering glory of this world, the pompes and pleasures that shine in it. Proofe hereof is that rich glutton, that wealthy Barne-builder in the Gospell, and that turne-coate De­mas, of whom Paul speaketh: who all were blind (you plainly see) with gazing too much vpon this tempting world. The second is a cōtinuing in euil, & a doing of things which are wicked & naught. For as outward darknesse groweth by long being in darkenesse, as in a prison or elsewhere; (for by experience it is found so often) so by long custome of walking & liuing in the outward works of darkenes, groweth a strong & thicke inward darkenes in the heart of man or woman, Confirmatiō hereof is Ahab, Cain, Herod, Iudas, and such like spoken of in the Scriptures, and too many in our daies, who hauing long vsed swearing, lying, vncleanenesse, and some other vices, are growne so blind in them, that they neither will leaue them, neither be perswaded, that they tend so to their destruction, as they do. The third and last is, greedinesse after the world, and the commodities thereof. For as outward darke­nesse groweth now and then by ouermuch heate, as we know, the hote dung falling into our eyes will hurt them, as it is said it did Tobies: so ouer-hote desire of gaine hurteth the inward light, as is apparent, both by that which hath bene said already touching the world, and by that also which Paul saith, that They that will be rich fall into temptations, and into many foolish and noisome lusts, which drowne men in perdition and destruction. 1. Tim. 6.9. For this is a kind of pestilent heat within, which as powerfully thrusteth out the in­ward [Page 159]eye and light of the minde, as euer any outward heate did the eye of the body. Now of all these must we take heede, and voide them. Thus thou hast shortly the things which thou must performe for the getting of knowledge. To conclude therefore, looke well vnto them, and with care and conscience do thou vse them: and no doubt but thou shalt become wise and learned, and do that which is here required at thine hands.

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 haue the Kings and Iudges in the first place to get vnto themselues wisedome and learning: so he would haue 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 haue them now re­turne in all submission vnto 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 vnto 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 vnder him, and do truly belong vnto 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 vpon them that are proud and arrogant, they must be humble and [Page 161]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 loue and loyall subiecti­on vnto him, they must go vnto 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 vnto them vpon the neglect or contempt thereof. For thereby it will come to passe, that the Sonne will not onely be angry, and much offended with them for it, but also in his anger and great displeasure will bring great iudgements vp­on 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 haue if they will performe it, and do as he would haue them do; for then they shall be blessed, and haue 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 haue nothing else to remember in these two ver­ses, but the subiection or obedience, which we owe vnto 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 vs. 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 vs. 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 [Page 162]honour it selfe, which is due vnto him; and the three latter the manner how it must be yeelded vnto 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 vnto 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, giue vnto God the Fa­ther his due honour and worship, which hitherto you haue kept from him; disobey him no longer, but submit your selues vnto 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 vnder the word seruice, is comprised all that honour and wor­ship which doth belong vnto 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 vs 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 vnto him: Auoide Sathan, for it is written; Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him onely shalt thou serue. The Scrip­ture is full of this matter, but one place more, as containing all the rest vnder it, shall suffice vs 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 vnto their people; when the Angell flying in the midst of heauen, and ha­uing an euerlasting Gospell, to preach vnto them, that dwell on the earth, doth cry out and say: Feare God, and giue 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 onely [Page 163]touch two. The one is in regard of his making and creating of all things. For seeing we are his workmanship, and haue our whole liues and being from him, he hauing created vs and made vs of no­thing; it is good reason, that we apply our selues, and all that we haue 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, vpon 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 haue bene created. 2 The other is in regard of his preseruing, and keeping of all things. For considering that we haue our whole maintenance and stay from him, and he doth daily keepe vs vpon 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 vnto 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, onely vpon this reason and foundation, that God was good and beneficiall vnto 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 vpon 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 giue him meate and drinke and wages, that he should do his businesse, and be obedient vnto him, and his com­mandements. [Page 164]And so should it be betwixt God and vs, seeing we are his seruants, and haue all that we haue from him, euen euery morsell of meate that we do eate, and euery peece of cloth that we do put about vs, 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 vnto the Almightie; whereof there are too many in our sin­full dayes: So it may teach vs, what we our selues ought to do, and be as a spurre in our sides to pricke vs forward to all such mat­ters, as may bring honor and glory vnto 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 vnto 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 vs, 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 vnto 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 onely 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 vnto the Lord in doing his will. And looke what you do require of your seruants that are vnder you, do you your selues performe [Page 165]vnto 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, giue 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 vpon 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 giue 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 euery 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 haue 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 vnto 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 [Page 166]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 vnto his voyce, and let no commandement of his seeme grieuous or irkesome vnto 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 vn­to the Almightie at all times, and in all matters, and do as Iames doth will vs for to do, when he saith, Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers onely, 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 vnto him. For as God doth respect the matter of euery worke, so he hath an eye also vnto 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 onely 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 vs by name in the ser­uice of the Lord, as noting out the right manner how it must be exhibited vnto him, namely feare, ioy and trembling; labour you to haue 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 euery way vnto 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 [Page 167]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 vnto 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 vpon 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 vpon, 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 loue 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 loue 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 haue, if they offend and do contrary to their duties. So that some do feare the Lord through loue, 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 [Page 168]in any thing, and most willing to please him in all things, through the loue 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 vs, to serue the Lord with feare. Where-hence let vs 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 vnto 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 vs 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 vs hereunto. Reasons. As first the greatnesse of his power and might aboue vs. Secondly, his autho­rity and iurisdiction, which he hath ouer vs. Thirdly, his good­nesse and mercy which he doth shew vnto vs. Fourthly, his Maie­stie and glory, which doth shine and glister round about vs. Fifth­ly, his puritie and holinesse, that is in his eyes beholding vs. And lastly, the great blessings, which the feare it selfe being had, will bring vnto vs. 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 haue a ru­ling tuition ouer them. Workemen feare their maisters by whom [Page 169]they liue and are maintained; and looke who are most bountifull and prodigall vnto 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 vnto 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, euery one by nature is forward to apply himselfe to those things, which he doth know will bring great profit, and benefit vnto 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 vnto him in that respect; he is able to pay vs 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 vs, we are his, he hath made vs, and he may do with vs 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 vnto you, ô Priests, that despise my name. Thirdly, he is good and kind to vs, his benefites which we do enioy from him, are infinite, we haue all that we haue from him, euen our liues and all the rest. This reason Dauid doth touch in Psal. 130.4. when he saith vnto 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: [Page 170] 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 vpon them. Finally, the cōmodities, which the feare of the Lord being once had, wil bring vnto vs, are excee­ding large and great. For first, it will make vs holy and frameable vnto 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 onely 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 vs blessed and happy in all our wayes. Blessed (saith Dauid in Psal. 128.1.) is euery 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 giue 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 haue 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 giue forth concerning the same. For seeing the feare of God is [Page 171]the very beginning of wisedome, and the soundation or ground­sill of Gods worship (as hath bene proued vnto you already,) it is vnpossible, that either they should haue 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 vs vp to get the feare of the Lord vnto 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 loue 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 loue 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 vnto him, and to worship him as he ought to do. From the former of these we are deliuered, but not from the latter. We haue 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 loue is so farre off from casting out this holy feare of adoption, or reuerence, whereby we are drawne to hate sinne in loue towards God, and not for punish­ments sake; that it doth bring it in, and establish it within vs. Yet this is to be noted by the way, that seruile feare is a good meanes at the first to bring vs vnto 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 vs, and hath taken vp the possession of our soules within vs; 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 vnto the one, and her left hand vnto the other, being found euen in men renued by the Spirit of [Page 172]loue, whose sanctification is but begun; and therefore as they feare separation from God by offence, which belongeth vnto filiall feare, and proceedeth from loue: 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 vs, 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 loue, and a due consideration of his excel­lency euery way aboue vs. To this feare must we stirre vp our soules euery day. And so farre as we would either worship God a­right, or haue his blessings powred downe vpon vs (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 vs at the last. But let his feare be once planted within vs, then shall we inwardly and from the heart, haue a respect vnto 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 vnto vs, to entice vs vnto any wickednesle whatsoeuer, as Potiphars wife came vnto Ioseph, & enticed him vnto vncleannes; we shall not consent vnto him therein, no more then he did vnto her, who was kept therefrom by the feare of his God. And if any crosse then shall begin to assault vs, and to lie heauie vpon vs, the Lord will be ready to remoue it from vs, & to supply on the other [Page 173]side all our defects & wants whatsoeuer. For he is alwaies present with them that feare him, & there is no good thing, but they shall haue the same stom him, as you haue 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 vnto 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 vnto his law. Rom. 8.7. Secondly, you must pray heartily vnto the Lord for his heauenly grace to helpe you in this respect. For it is he alone, that must bestow this feare vpon you: for otherwise you can neuer haue 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 vpon Gods feare­full iudgements, which he hath executed vpon 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 vpon 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 haue 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 onely 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 haue their ser­uants to reioyce in them, and in their seruice, and to doe whatsoe­uer they doe with chearefull hearts: so the Lord would haue 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 vnto 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 vnto the Phi­lippians in the 4. Chap. and 4. verse thereof, he doth stirre them vp vnto 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 [Page 175]vses; how much doth he reioyce in these? daily experience doth teach vs, that they are the only ioy and delight of his soule. And euen so should it be with vs in regard of our God: for he doth passe and excell all others whatsoeuer, as in wisedome, in mercy, in iustice, in power, in loue, 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 vs most good, and to blesse vs both here in this world, and also in the world to come. For it is an vsuall thing with vs euer­more to reioyce in those things, which are good and profitable vnto vs, and the more commodious and beneficiall any thing is vnto vs, the more commonly do we reioyce and delight therein. I need not demonstrate this vnto you by any examples. For you know it too well your selues. Doubtlesse, if any of vs haue but a friend, who is alwayes kind and louing vnto vs, as being ready still with his horse to lend it vs, with his plough to labour for vs, with his money to lay it out vpon vs, 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 haue we haue from him, he doth neuer faile vs, but he doth helpe vs euery day and night, and he is able to do vs good for euermore; to blesse vs here, and all that we haue, and to crowne vs 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. [Page 176]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 vnto the Beare, that is drawne to the stake: so it doth teach vs, that that is but a slaunder, which is cast out against vs, when men say, that Religion breeds melancholy, and cuts off all mirth and ioy. For here you see, we are called vpon to reioyce: and this ioy also that is in vs, 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 vs 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 vnder 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 haue more ioy of [Page 177]heart then the wicked haue, 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 vpon 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 vs, 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 vnto the Lord. We must go a­bout the businesse of our God, and his holy seruice, as chearfully, and as willingly as if we went vnto a feast; and take as great de­light and pleasure therein, as we do in any banquet whatsoeuer; according vnto 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 vs, we must first labour to be fully reconciled vnto 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 vs, 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 vnto vs; but this will make it easie and pleasant, and as sweet to vs, as the hony, or hony combe; as Dauid doth speake of it in regard of himselfe, in Ps. 19.10. Where­fore looke (I pray) vnto both these things, that so the Lord and his seruice may be vnto you, the very ioy, and reioycing of your hearts. And in any case be neuer quiet or at rest, vntill you haue 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 vnto [Page 178]you. For first, it will bring comfort vnto 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 vn­to vs 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 giue no rest (I say) vnto your soules, vntill you can bring it to passe. And so I come vnto the last poynt, which is Trembling.

As we must reioyce in the Lord, nothing doubting of his loue and good will towards vs, so we must tremble before him, car­rying our selues with all reuerence and lowlinesse towards him, as it doth be come vs. 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 haue them to tremble and quake before him, and to do all seruice vnto 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 onely 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 euery person must quake and tremble before the [Page 179]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 vnto himselfe, which doth belong onely vnto the Lord and his grace. Herein the diuell hath a great stroake, and skill. First, he laboureth to keepe vs from good workes, by making vs secure and carelesse. Then secondly, if he cannot preuaile therein, he endeuoureth to make vs 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 haue vs onely to feare the Lord, but also to tremble before him. The like in effect we haue in Hebrewes 12.38. Where the Apostle sheweth, that seeing we doe receiue a kingdome, which cannot be shaken, it is our part to haue 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 vnto God, & cause him to take a delight and pleasure in vs, considering that his loue 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 [Page 180]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 euery 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 vs out of the fauour of God, and bring his iudge­ments vpon vs.

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 euery good thing which they take in hand. Looke vpon 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 vpon 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 vnto a trembling and a quaking before him, that so we may carry our selues reuerently in his worship at all times: and when we haue 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 vs, and bestow vpon vs meeke and lowly hearts. For by nature all of vs 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 vs and make vs lowly; who said in Zophonio 3.12. Then will I leaue in [Page 181]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 vnto 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 haue seene the King and Lord of hosts. Esay 6.5. Thirdly, we must alwayes remember, that all the seruice which we can do vnto the Lord, is due vnto him; that our best righteousnes is as a polluted garment; & that if the Lord should enter into iudgement with vs, to reward vs 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 vpon 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 vs, and breake the stony rocke of our soules to peeces, and make vs 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 vnto the people, he shall destroy them. Hab. 3.16. Remem­ber these things, and performe them.

Thus farre for the duty belonging vnto God the Father: now followeth the duty, which belongeth vnto God the Sonne. Wher­in consider first, what must be done vnto him, then the Reasons to moue vnto 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 vnto 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 vnto Baal, and whose mouth had not kissed him. Another of loue and [Page 182]kindnesse, as in Genes. 45.15. where you find Ioseph kissing all his brethren, and weeping vpon them: for this was in token of his loue 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 loue Christ, and also to be subiect and obedient vnto him. And therefore they must kisse him, not onely in signe of homage and subiection, but also as a sure pledge of their loue 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 vnto 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 vs, and set vs free by a deare ransome from all our enimies. As the men of Israel said to Gideon, Reigne thou ouer vs, both thou and thy sonne, and thy sonnes sonne; for thou hast deliuered vs out of the hands of Midian. Iudges 8.22. So wee may say to him in this respect, Reigne thou ouer vs, both thou and thy Spirit, and thy Spirits holy word; for thou hast deliue­red vs 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 vs to God, and made vs Kings and Priests vnto him. Like­wise Paul doth shew, that this was the end wherefore he died for vs 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 vs, and take vs to himselfe vp [Page 183]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 vnto his Apostles, to encourage them on vnto all dutifull seruice vnto himselfe, in the latter end of the 19. chapter of Mathew. For when they did aske him, what they should haue, which had forsaken all to follow him, he answered them and said: Ʋerily, I say vnto 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 vpon 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 vs the woefull estate of all Iewes, Turkes, and others who know not Christaright, nor yeeld any reuerence or worship vnto him, as vnto 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. Euery 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 vs vp all, and stirre vs to the exe­cution of all such duties, as we do owe vnto the Son: we must not onely 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 vnto him. We must kisse him, that is, soundly loue him, and carefully obey him in all his commandements. Learne we then his statutes, and let vs euermore obserue and keepe them. Whereas he hath a yoke, & hath commanded vs to take the same vpon vs, Math. 11.29. let vs not fling it away, or withdraw our neckes therefrom, but with patient soules let vs submit our selues vnto it, knowing that we must obserue and keepe whatsoeuer he hath commanded vs, 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 vs, we will do; and whithersoe­uer [Page 184]thou sendest vs, 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 vs, to deliuer vs from hell and damnation? and yet shall not we obey him? and through loue do his comman­dements? Againe, doth he daily bestow vpon vs great benefites? and do we looke to be glorified by him at the last? and to haue glory and honour, and immortality through his meanes? And yet shall not we loue him? and be well content to take vp his yoake, and to do whatsoeuer he shall command vs? 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 loue 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 vpon 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 euery 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 vnto all. To conclude this point, I beseech you deare brethren, euen as you regard your owne saluation, and happinesse for euermore, loue him, and do whatsoeuer you can for him; and call him not onely 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 vnto vs, if we doe neglect this our duty towards Christ. The other is drawne from [Page 185]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 vs 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 vpon the neglect of our duty vnto Christ. It will cause him to be angry, and much offended with vs 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 vpon the passing ouer of our obedience vnto him. He will not spare vs, but he will punish vs and destroy vs 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 vnto vs. For it is a griefe vnto a man to perish at any time, but a greater griefe by farre is it vnto 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 [Page 186]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 vpon 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 vnto all such as wil not loue 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 vpon thē to their vtter ouerthrow & destruction. And both these are vrged by the Prophet, to draw vs to all dutifull seruice & subiection vnto him. Wherfore let vs consider here first, what is noted of Christ & of those that wil not submit thēselues vnto 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 vnder vs, when they are stubburne and wilfull, refusing to do our commande­ments, and to submit themselues vnto vs: So is Christ Iesus our Sa­uiour offended and displeased with all such, as will not do homage vnto 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 vpon 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 vs, 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 vnto his gouernment; he will take them and beate them, and lay them on stroke vpon 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. [Page 187]The fourth and last is, that though Christ be mercifull, and the sweet Sauiour of the world, and so full of loue 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 vpon 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 vs, & hide vs 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 vpon, 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 vs. For they are alledged (you see) for this end and purpose. Wherefore let them awaken and rouze vp your soules vnto 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 euery 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 vnto 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 vpon you for euermore? I pray, thinke on these things most [Page 188]throughly, & let them haue 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 vs all, and re­ceiue vs to fauour againe. But remember alwayes what is in our text, namely, that he will be angry with vs, 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 vpon 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 vnto him, if not for loue, 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 vs now descend vnto 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 vpon 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 haue a care to obey Christ, haue 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 haue committed the [Page 189]faults: but he is one that will put a difference betwixt men, and do good to those, that do depend vpon 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 vpon 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: vnder his shadow had I delight, and sate downe, and his fruit was sweet vnto 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 vnder him, and do liue obediently vnto 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 haue 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 haue loued the world so, that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne for it, that whosoeuer did be­leeue in him, should not perish, but haue 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 euery one of vs labour soundly and truly to be­leeue in Christ, and to depend vpon him, as vpon a sure rocke, that will neuer deceiue vs. For then you see, we shall be blessed. A man will do much to haue happinesse here in this world, & euery one by nature doth desire the same. And shall not we then trust in Christ to attaine vnto it? Withdraw we our hearts from the world, [Page 190]and let vs place them wholly vpon 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 haue put my trust in the Lord God, that I may declare all thy workes. Let these things moue vp our harts to cleaue fast vnto 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 vs. 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 vs 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 v­pon it, to hinder him from the doing of it. But all these are in Christ. He is able to helpe vs, because he is omnipotent, and can do all things. He is willing, because he loues vs 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 v­pon vs; 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 vnto vs. 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, [Page 191]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 vnto 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 vs 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 vs and others, to saue vs, 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 vs 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 vs to escape these worldly woes, we are assured we shall, as we are sure we liue. And if otherwise it please him to wrap vs 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 vs to euerlasting ioyes.

Wherefore cleaue ye fast vnto 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 [...]