Works

T HE righteous man knowing that his tongue was given to him speak the truth, will make conscience of a lie even in the least things. But if the matter be of more weight, or if it come into the place of judgment, then he will much more heartily abhor all lying and deceitfulness: yea, then he will not be brought to speak anything whereof he hath not a certain ground. As for the ungodly, it is not so with them: for they having no care of truth in light and common matters▪ do soon cast off all care & conscience even in greatest and most weighty causes. This agreeth with the saying of our Savior Christ, Luke 16. 10. He that is faithful in the least, he is faithful also in much. Which may be thus particularly applied: he that for conscience sake doth speak the truth in common and small matters, he will also speak the truth in matters of great importance: and he that is not ashamed of a lie in his private dealing, he will also without shame bear false witness before the Judge. Here then we be taught in the least things, to inure our tongues to speak the Truth: So shall we be better preserved from false witness bearing: for the Lord would not have us to dally with sin. Therefore in his righteous judgment, he doth leave men that make no conscience of a lie, and suffereth them to fall, and to offend in some open and known truth. Again, whereas men take great liberty in lying, if the matter be secret and unknown; the Lord doth hate this hollownes and hypocrisy of men, and doth often bring it to light, that by the sorrow for, and shame of that sin, (if it be possible) they may be caused to make greater conscience of a lie forever after. Therefore if we would not have the Lord to punish our lesser frailties with greater sins: if we would not have him to punish our secret sins and faults, with open and notorious offenses, then let us be afraid to tell a lie in the very lightest and most secret causes. But if this will not at all move us, yet let us be overcome with the consideration of those fruits which will come of true speaking, specially let us consider of these two. First, the love of the Truth doth breed and beget in us a great and singular comfort, when we see that herein we resemble our heavenly Father, who is the God and author of Truth. Secondly, the love of the truth is a special help to revoke us from sin. For as the liar can so cloak his sin, and set such a color upon it that no man can accuse him; no admonition or rebuke can take hold upon him, no threatening fear him: So the silly soul that in simple truth doth confess his sin, is open unto rebukes and holy censures, his heart lieth naked before the word, which doubtless will work effectually to reclaim him from sin.

The second thing which we must learn out of these words is this: that albeit we must speak the truth at all times, and in all places: yet must we be especially careful so to do when we be called as witnesses before the judgment seat. For the whole state and order of judgment doth depend upon the witness: so that the Questmen, the Judge, and all, do proceed either falsely or truly, according as the testimony of the witness is either false or true. Last of all, we learn that good care must be used in choosing of witnesses: so that we may not take perjured persons, or common liars, no not such as do often lie, though it be but in light matters: but if there be any one man that of conscience speaketh truth in all things, he is worthy and fit to be a witness. This condemneth the practice of the receiving all indifferently to be witnesses in court, and specially such as be known to be common liars. Thus much for this verse.

BY the skorner is here meant the proud & contemptuous man, who in the pride of his wit will compass anything, neglecting, yea contemning those holy means which God hath ordained. This proud and contemptuous skorner shall not find knowledge. By knowledge we may understand, not the knowledge of the letter floating in the brain, and flowing even at the tongues end (which indeed is not worthy the name of knowledge:) but the true understanding of the word taught by the spirit, which entereth into the heart, and worketh on the affections, frameth to obedience, and assureth of everlasting life. This indeed is healthful knowledge, which the skorners though they seek, shall never obtain. And hereunto doth our Savior Christ give witness when he saith: Many shall seek to enter in, and can • ot. Now if we would see the cause hereof, it is this, they do refuse the right and direct means whereby to come to knowledge, or else use the means with corrupted hearts. For if they seek and search in the profane writings of Heathen men, or in the corrupted writings of hellish heretics, no marvel if they never find this knowledge. For how can they find truth in falsehood? How can they find the true knowledge of God in the feigned devises and inventions of men? Again, though they cast off all these, and come to the holy word of God: yet if their hearts be not sound and right; if they seek profit, preferment, and vain pleasure, doubtless they shall never attain to this holy knowledge. For sure if the heart be corrupted when they come to study upon the word, they shall be made worse and not better by it. The experience of this do we see in many, who seeking and searching after knowledge, either to get livings, or to gain credit, or to some such like evil and corrupt end; they have been disappointed of their hope, and have failed of that which they sought after. By the example of others then let us beware and learn to seek after the knowledge of God and of godliness in the written word of God, which only is able to make us godly. Again, above all things let us take heed unto our hearts, that they be upright and sound in seeking for it. Now for the trial hereof, let us examine whether we seek knowledge, that we might be better able to glorify God, and to profit our brethren: let us examine whether we seek Christ for Christ: whether in Christ we seek nothing but Christ: and this if we can truly see and feel even in the truth of our hearts, then our▪ heart is upright, then have we before us a right end, then do we rightly seek God, and he whom he hath sent Jesus Christ, even to the salvation of our souls. True it is, that the Lord may and doth often bestow livings, riches, and such other outward helps and benefits on his children: but they do not chiefly seek these. They take these as an handful, yea as an overplus of his favor: but their hearts are not set upon them. Their love is set upon God and upon his glory, & that they especially labor for, that they do toil and travel about, and that is the ende of all their labors, in what measure they obtain that, in that measure they be quiet, though they want other things: but in what measure they do not find that, in that measure are they grieved, though they abound in outward things. Whē a man is of this mind, when he hath this heart, when he hath this good will to learn; then among many other blessings he shall be sure to find that which followeth in this verse: Knowledge shall be easy to him that will understand.

There be two things whereat many men are much offended, and whereby they are driven from that due care which they ought to have of the word. The first is because they see that great and wealthy men of this world little esteem it, and make light account of it. But men should know that the affections of such are for the most part weaned from the word; their love is set upon their profit, upon their pleasure, and upon such other things below. Now the mind and heart being forestalled, yea and surcharged with the liking of these things, they cannot with desire receive the word into their souls: and seeing that they have little liking of it, and less will and desire to learn it, no maru • ile though it be as unsavory salt unto them.

The second thing which feareth and offendeth many, is the hardness of the word. Oh (say they) we would gladly learn indeed, but the word is so obscure and hard, that indeed it cannot be learned. See the shameless vngratiousnesse of some men, who to clear themselves, will lay a fault upon the holy and pure word of God. But know this O man that the word is hard, because thy heart is hard through sin. Covetousness, anger, uncleanness, security, and such like sins, have so beaten and trampled upon thy heart, that it is even hardened through the deceitfulness of sin: but repent thee of thy former sin, and put away the evil of thy works, and then come to the word with a holy heart, and then thou shalt see and feel thy understanding enlightened, thy judgment reformed, and all the words of wisdom plain and easy unto thee. All this is confirmed unto us by plain and daily experience: for when a man hath been buffeted with some sin; when he hath yielded too much to pride, worldliness, anger, and such like; when he hath fallen into some misliking of the word, or of the preacher, then in hearing he heareth not, and the word is a sealed book unto him. Contrariwise, when men do most mislike themselves for their sins, when they be most grieved for their dullness, when they think themselves most unapt and most unworthy of knowledge, and yet desire to find comfort in the word, wish to be enlightened and led into the true knowledge of it: then doth the Lord very often give them the deepest insight into his heavenly mysteries; then doth he work in them a most comfortable feeling, & then doth he also put and stir up most heavenly and holy motions in their minds. By all this must we learn many things: first when we hear the word without fruit, then we must return into our selves, and know that our sins are the cause of blockish dullness which is come upon us. Anger hath troubled our affections, and pleasure hath stolen away our hearts: profit hath corrupted our judgments: therefore our judgments do not yield unto the word, it cannot enter into our hearts, neither can it work upon our affections. We are then in this case to bewail our sins, to labor for repentance, to pray for the spirit of sanctification, whereby these sins may be consumed, and then return unto the word with prayer, and the Lord will bless our understanding. Again, when we see our judgments reformed, and our hearts touched, so that the word worketh upon our affections, then we must know that the good work of God hath gone before: his mercy hath disburdened us of the heavy burden of sin, his goodness hath emptied our hearts of unprofitable thoughts, and his good spirit hath wrought all in all in us. Then to shut up this verse let us know, that as sin doth hinder and hold the word out of our hearts: so doth the love of the word as it were open the door of our hearts, and make a broad and large passage for the word to enter into us, and to work that good work for which it was sent. It followeth in the next verse.

GOD hath ordained that men should live together, that one might be helpful to another. But there is a nearer bond of friendship, when one entereth into league with another, or when one maketh choice of another, for some nearer bond of friendship, affinity, or such like. And because this bond cannot stand, but where there is a great likeness of conditions and qualities, and it is commonly seen that the party better affected is sooner changed: therefore in this place we be admonished to beware, least at any time we join our selves to those that are foolish and ungodly. Not that it is altogether unlawful to have any dealing with them: but that we may not come too near unto them. For to eat and drink with them, to dwell in the same town by them, and such other common duties, be not unlawful. But to join in marriage with them, to make them privy to to our counsels, or to use them as more near and special friends, this is unlawful, and this is here forbidden. For little or no good at all can be gotten by them, they will hardly or not at all be brought to goodness, and such is their subtlety, that one of them is able to pervert the faith, or at least to corrupt the manners of very many. Good cause therefore there is why we should depart and get our selves from them: on the contrary side we be taught to seek out good company, and to join our selves to them as nearly as may be, yet with this full purpose of heart, that we may receive fruit and profit by them. Nature doth call upon us to do this; the communion of Saints requires it at our hands, our own profit should compel us, the examples of every mā in each calling may move us thereunto. For men do desire to be in company of their betters: the scholar would be in company of him that is better learned: the worshipful man desireth the company of the noble man, and the honorable delighteth much in the favor of the Prince. Yea in the basest occupations and handicrafts, men do still desire to be in the company of them that are most skillful. And all this is to obtain the knowledge of earthly things, and the favor of them that can help them; how much more then should we desire the company one of another, that we might be helpful one to another in heavenly things? Nay, how entirely should we be joined one to another, and receive good one by another in all kind of goodness? And yet must this be done in great discretion: for the best men have their faults. Therefore we must be most careful, as to receive what good we can by any, so to receive hurt or hindrance by none at all It followeth.

THat is true wisdom indeed, which beginning at knowledge doth go forward unto practice, and beginning at faith doth further proceed unto the fruits of faith. For unless there be profitable use of knowledge, both in our general and particular callings, it hath neither the sense nor the savor of heavenly wisdom. Then we be here admonished to labor that our knowledge may grow unto faith, and that we build a godly life upon faith. And that we may thus do, we must especially travel that our hearts may stand in awe of God's word, and that we may have a charitable and loving heart unto men. This if we can obtain, then shall we in fear and love do the good duties which may glorify God, profit men, and have sure arguments that we have true wisdom. But the foolishness of fools is deceit. That is, they do either take a wrong course of life, or else if they take a right course, yet their hearts are not aright: and therefore they deceive both themselves and others. All this cometh to pass, because with conscience they do not apply every general point of doctrine to their particular estate, and labor not to make practice of it. We give titles unto men, & count them wise and politic men that can foresee and prevent worldly displeasure. But the holy Ghost hath given sentence upon such, that if they labor not to live godly, they be but fools: yea & the more knowledge they have, so much the greater fools they be, if they do not for conscience sake practice the same. We see then what we must do if we will not be counted fools. Now all of us, be we never so simple witted, would be loath to be counted fools, and indeed the name is most reproachful, and will grieve a man at the very heart. Therefore our Savior Christ doth recite it among those words that kill and murder, saying: Whosoever saith unto his brother thou fool, shall be guilty of hell fire. But howsoever grievous it is, yet in truth we are such, if having knowledge we do not bring it into practice. This then must be forcible to make us to join a godly life with good knowledge, and good works with a lively faith, if before the Lord we will not be accounted fools.

THe heart of man is fraught and filled with much gross and filthy corruption: but none is worse than that which is here spoken of, that a man should make a light matter of sin. It is strange and very monstrous that it should be so, and yet by this place we see it doth often so fall out. Yea in another place the holy Ghost doth testify, (and we know that his testimony is true) that the fool doth make even a sport and a pastime of sin. Our own days will confirm the same. For come unto an adulterer, to a false witness bearer, and to such gross sinners, tell them that God is angry with them, that he will be avenged on them, as he hath been upon others for such sins, and what I pray you, will they do? Surely he that is filthy will be more filthy, and the false witness will mock at judgment. And what is this but to make a mock and a • est at sin? • ay, what is it but to make a God of sin, and to serve it in stead of God? and how do they grow unto this height and excess of sin? Surely one chief cause is, because they be not plagued like other men, because the mercy of God doth hedge them in on every side, and because they pass their time in prosperity and pleasure. O what a monstrous thing is this that a man should be made worse by the goodness of God? how miserable is that man that will make the mercy of God an occasion of his own misery? & how unthankful is he, that the more benefits the Lord doth bestow upon him, the more he will heap sin upon sin? nay how worthily is he destroyed that will abuse the unspeakable loving kindness of the Lord to his own destruction? And that there should be such, the Apostle Peter foretold us, In the latter times (saith he) shall come mockers, which shall ask for the coming of the Lord, as though he would not come at all. But these abuse the goodness and bounty of the Lord, who would that all should be brought to repentance. They therefore do treasure up wrath for thenselves against the day of wrath, wherein the Son of GOD shall come in judgment and fierce wrath, against them that have made a mock of sin, & have not been led to repentance through his long patience and loving kindness.

Now seeing the judgment of God will lay hold of all those that lie in sin, and seeing we can never come • out of sin so long as we make such light account of it; let us know that although one sin is less than another, and although a sinner in thought may be counted a little sin, in respect o • a sin in outward act: yet in very deed and before the Lord no sin will be counted little For the infinite justice and mercy of God is violate even by the least sin, and therefore no sin can be counted little; for even the least sin is sufficiently able to condemn and confound us from the presence of God. Again, if the Lord should set the least sin upon our consciences, and suffer our consciences to check us for it, and Satan himself to burden us with it: doubtless it would be so heavy and grievous, that we should not be able to abide it. How then can we make light account even of that sin, which of all other seemeth least?

Moreover, the Lord will not only condemn the wicked as for their great, so for their lesser sins: but he will very sharply correct, yea and severely punish even his dearest children for those sins, which in our eyes do seem most small. Thus was Adam thrown out of Paradise for eating of the forbidden fruit. Moses for speaking of an angry word died in the wilderness, and could not be suffered to come into the promised land. Hezekiah did but show his treasures to the Ambassadors of Babel, and for that sin they were all carried into Babel: yea the holy temple was spoiled, the holy vessels were profaned, and their glory was given into the enemies hand. Josiah did go to war against his enemy and the enemies of God, and that only to keep them out of his own land: yet because he did not ask counsel at the Lord, therefore he was slain in the battle. What sins are less than these? and yet see how sharply the Lord did punish them in his own children: and can it be then that any sin should be counted light? Besides, though it were granted that some sin in it self were but little, yet for this cause could it not be counted little, because in time it will draw us and drive us into gross offenses. But seeing that in truth the least sin is too great, then how much the greater must we think every sin to be, considering that it cometh not alone, but either presently or shortly after bringeth in great transgressions? Last of all, seeing that the least sin could not be forgiven but by the death of the Son of God, so that he must suffer the very pangs and pains of hell for the least sin that ever man committed: seeing that even our least transgressions caused him to be accursed, and in the extremity of grief to cry, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Where have we the face, or how can we find in our hearts to make a mock of the least sin? Well then, let us know sin to be sin, and labor to be sorrowful for every sin: so that although we be not in like measure sorrowful for all, yet let us take heed that no sin escape us without some true and godly sorrow: then shall we find favor among the righteous, yea then shall we obtain mercy from the Lord. For the less we favor sin, the nearer we be to the favor of God: and the more we hate sin, the more we shall be sure to enjoy the loving kindness of the Lord: yea, joy and peace and comfort in the holy Ghost is oftentimes bestowed upon men in greatest measure, when they feel the greatest measure of unfeigned repentance, and godly sorrow for sin, and have conceived the greatest hatred against the same. The Lord in mercy therefore increase this sorrow and hatred in us ever more and more, that our joy and comfort may be the more increased, through Jesus Christ our Lord: to whom with the holy Ghost, one true and everliving God, be all praise, power, dominion and principality, now and ever.

CHAP. 1. Of Christian Admonition.

W Orldly wise men cal admonition meddling, & that they that look not to other men's matters are thought to be peaceable, and learned sober wise men, & they that practice admonitiō are thought to be unsociable. Cain himself was of this judgment, he was one that looked not after his brothers life, but soberly (as he thought) respected his own: by this one example we may see what spirit they have, who say, I have nothing to do with him. We, having learned not the practice of the world, but the practice of the word, look for another judgment, and breaking through all such shadows, we dare and must be busy with our brother, Levite, 19. 17, And if need be, we will sharply deal with him, as plucking him out of the fire, Jude verse. 23, We may not under the color of peaceablenes, muzzle our mouths: if I have an eye in the Church, I must point at sin; if I be an hand in the Church▪ I must pluck it out: for every sin not admonished, when, and where we may, is enrolled among our sins, because how many sins we have willingly seen or heard, and not rebuked nor lamented, we have committed them. They object, our corrupt nature is disposed to wink at the offenses of our brethren. I answer, howsoever corruption may be intermingled, yet the first motion of rebuking sin is of God. A good Father said, I was never acquainted well with any, but first I displeased him by admonishing him of some sin. And like as the children of Israel were going but eleven days journey in thirty years: so we might go by admonition as far in eleven days, as some without it can do in many years▪ And as in a lethargy we have need of a purgation: so when the grace of God freezeth in us, we have need of admonition.

2 As he that admonisheth another of sin, and is not grieved, profiteth another, but not himself: so he that seems grieved, not admonishing his brother when time serves, is not truly grieved.

3 In admonishing it is good to observe the rule of our Savior Christ, Matth. 18. before we proceed either to Minister or Magistrate: than so doing all things with love, lenity and prayer, we may not doubt but the Lord will bless his appointed means, and so in faith and meekness offer our selves to him: if it be so that we see no fruit, yet we shall possess our souls in peace, with the conscience of our simple obedience.

4 A godly man doubting whether (being moved in heart to admonish an unruly party by writing, and fearing that it would not be profitable (he should continue in his purpose or no; he was answered: it was a great sin then not to do it, and also a great great judgment of God came on that sin often, which was, that we should forget the good motion: or having the good motion, we should want opportunity to do it: wherefore let us do the thing, and leave the success to God, after we have prayed for it. And if it so come to pass (as often it doth) that though the action be good, our hearts upright in the doing of it, our affection loving, considering the thing right and good, yet our labors and our prayers be unfruitful: let us remember that in all these were secret imperfections and sins, for the which the Lord might hinder the success, which by deferring he doth scour away, that afterwards in fuller measure of his mercy, when we shall be the better prepared by humility to be thankful, he pour out a more rich measure of granting our requests upon us.

5 The children of God become better, and profit more when they are rebuked; and a rebuke is not without effect in any, but in the wicked. They that harden their hearts and necks when they are admonished, & think that sharp handling doth make them worse, had need to take great heed to themselves: for if the Lord cannot prevail by great admonitions, nor sharp rebuking, he will certainly punish: for though he did bear with the often murmurings and many sins of the Israelites, yet at the last he sware in his wrath they should not enter into his rest.

6 Jethro doth not rashly reprehend Moses, Exod. 18. 14. but he first cometh to the knowledge of the cause: and when he saw clearly that there was an oversight in his son, then doth he admonish him, & give him such counsel as is agreeable to the word of God. The want of this wisdom doth often make our admonitions unprofitable, because we take not advisement how the case standeth, then for that we do not labor to have a sure ground for our counsel out of the word of God. If then we will that our admonitions take place, let us first duly consider of the thing it self, and by the word try it to be a fault; then let us also labor to have a way out of the Word, whereby the matter may be better handled. If this were an oversight in Moses that he had need of an admonition, who can exempt himself from it? None at all, but every man must be content to be admonished, yea though it be of his inferiors: for so Moses, far excelling his father in graces, yet is profitably admonished by him, and willingly receiveth it. So was Naaman the Syrian admonished by his servant, and Abigail by her servants, and she did also admonish David the King and Prophet of God. We must then admonish, and be admonished, even by them that have received lesser graces then we, and with all modesty and love, and thanks-giving, as Moses and David.

7 The nature of the wicked soon appeareth in admonition, who will at no hand be admonished by the godly, albeit the cause be never so just. The wicked Israelite could be content to suffer the wicked Egyptians to whip him, but not godly Moses to admonish him. The world will be subject to the world, but not to God,

8 We must learn to admonish speedily after the offense is committed, because our nature in good duties, and in them especially which have offense with them, is ready to put off, we must not-tarry until we meet the offender; but go to him, whilst the brunt is upon us: for our nature is given to cool too fast, if we plie it not whiles it is hot. So our modo and modo, never have a modum, when we post it off from time to time, and our anger against sin is quickly shaken: while we are hot then, and our brother is sick, the equity of the thing requireth, that we should go to him, though otherwise he should come to us: The reason is, because after sin is once committed, there is a darkness, a dimnes, or a myst brought on our souls, whereby howsoever in judgment we receive somewhat of other men's sins, (as David did of his offense, that took the poor man's sheep) yet we cannot see our own. Besides, there is cast a deformed blemish on the glass, showing us our sin, and the devil so providing, that sin never dieth, we abhor those means which should recover us; we on our parts receive our standing to this end, to admonish. Wherefore, Peter not being able to requite Christ for praying for him, that Satan might not overcome him, is commanded by the confirmation of his Faith, to remember to confirm the faith of others. And Psal. 26 the Lord is content to set over the debt due to himself to others. And John makes this a special note, that we are not dying, if we love the brethren. The third reason that should move us to make haste, is this: whilst sin is yet tender, green headed, and shamefast, whilst it hath blood with blushing in the face, whilst it is like a little asp, or like a small cord, it is wisdom to admonish the party of it: otherwise it will fall out with us, as with the practice of an ancient Father, who planting one year, plucked up the plant with one hand, who suffering it two years, was fain to pull it up with both his hands: but planting three years, he used both hands and breast; at the length when it was a plant of four years old, he was constrained to let it alone. So God would have us pull up the sin whilst with one hand we may do it, not to tarry, whilst two hands, breasts, and all will not do it: for fear of negligence we are to admonish in respect of our selves, because the sin is on our score, that we admonish not. The same God that saith, forgive thy brother if he offend, saith also, if thy brother offend, admonish him, Many would have their faults forgiven, but not reproved: but he sinneth as deeply that reproveth not, as he that forgiveth not: so fearful a thing it is not to admonish.

9 It is a good thing when we so take an admonition, as the admonition take us. Paul reproves Peter openly, and records this fault in his epistle: and yet Peter for all this calleth him his brother Paul, commending his wisdom, his gifts and graces, accepting his admonition not as a blow with a staff, but as a most precions balm. But we when a spot is shown to be in our garment, are ready to take up mire, and to cast it on his coat, that pointed at our spot: or seeing something in our face by a glass, we be ready to break the glass that shown us our blemish. Again, when we admonish, we shall meet with some that will flatly deny the fact: some will grant the offense, but in part: some will confess the whole, but they do extenuate it. For all which maladies, as good Physicians, we must not at the first urge the most forcible medicines, but use them in their degree and place, that is, when more favorable means prevail not: we must not with Rehoboam use too strong a purgation at the first, least our patients be not able to bear it, but we rather cause them to be more crazy, than rid them of any part of their disease.

CHAP. II. Of the form and rules of Christian admonition.

T Here are two sorts of sins, some greater, some less: for Christians are neither Stoics nor Epicures, for Paul opposeth himself to thē both▪ Act. 17 18. they esteem not all sins alike: Neither are they all one with those which have a bottomless charity, who can count all evils infirmities. And there is a third sort worst of all, and they will make every sin a mote, & a beam when they list: the earth is a beam in it self, but a mote in the sky. But we know that all sins are not of one last, Gen. 15. I will not bring in the Israelites till the measure of the sins of the Amorites be full: So there is a full measure, and a wanting measure, all have not one measure. When Paul speaketh of a gangrene, and Job of a sin, which he calleth the rottenness of bones, they mean there are diverse degrees of sins spreading in our flesh. A Father saith, some sins were scoured by the blood of his hands, but others required his heart-blood, John. 19.

2 Now, for that in admonition this distinction of sin is not known, some do trouble the eye, some put out the eye. Some sins there be that our brethren may pluck out, some that are left to our selves to pluck out. Truth it is, if we consider every sin as it is against the majesty of God, we shall see it is no mote or light matter, Matth. 5. God esteemeth one • ot of his law more than heaven and earth. Doth every sin require the blood of Christ? how then can they be motes, unless we think his blood to be a mote also? As it is said of Baltashar in Daniel, so it may be said of everyone that sinneth, if thy sins be weighed, it is the loss of thy kingdom, even of the kingdom of heaven.

3 The better to examine sins, let us not weigh them by themselves: for a sin seeming by it self to be but a grain weight, yet by reason of some circumstances, may counterpoise a heavy beam. For example, consider the sin of Judas, you shall see it by all the six circumstances: First, of his person, in that he was a Disciple put in trust with the temporal things that belonged to Christ. 2. Of the object, for that he had confessed Christ before. 3. Of the time, when he received the Sacrament. 4. Of the place where Chri • t went out to pray and to teach his Disciples. 5. Of the manner which was in hypocrisite to say, Hayle master, 6. Of the cause; for such a small value. So in like manner the sins are greater in public persons, than in private, and that first for the offense, which Christ counteth a beam. There was as much sacrifice offered for the sin of the Priest, as of all the people besides: for surely as the measures of the Sanctuary were double, so their sins were double. Adn as this is said of the person, so now of the place. Public sins are greater than private, in that they have impudency joined with them, in that they be committed with an high hand. In respect of the time, a sin of long continuance is greater than a sin that began but yesterday▪

4 There are six notes to know a beam by. The first is taken out of that place where Christ saith, it is impossible for a ca • nell to go through a needles eye: and this is to express the absurdirie of those which say, as Absalom said, every man's cause was good: these foam out sin without shame The second is ser down, Rom 7. where the Apostle speaks of a sin, that by the light of the law he saw to be great and fearful, which before he counted as a shadow, or a mote only. The third note is Revel. 17. a sin of many heads, able to be divided, to be quartered, must be a beam: but a mote cannot, being almost as little as the Geometrical punctum. It is a compound sin. The fourth Dauia speaks of, Psal. 118 22. making relation of certain stones which the builders refused, such as we use to serve at turns, to build the kingdom of ignorance: Thsi must be a beam, & not a mote. A more may be blown out, but a beam can searse be hailed out with horses. The sixth is drawn out of that saying of Christ, Hypocrite, pluck the beam out of thine iowne eye, then thou shalt see: so that is a beam whichmakes us blind. This is that which Solomon saith, All the workers of in • quitie go astray, knowledge first decayeth. These sins we have, and feel them not; and the greater they be the less grief. These malladies of the soul are contrary to those of the body; for these the greater they be, the more we feel thē, the other the less. Those were but small in comparison, and mystical sins, which Paul was so grieved with, Rom. 7. yet he displeased himself in them, and sought the remedy; and when he found it, he esteemed it much. The use of all this is, that we know, when we have motes in our eyes, and that we take heed they grow not to be beams: for there is one will take order they shall not fall out. And to this end, we must labor to have a good judgment, at the first to esteem all sins as beams in our selves.

5 To recover brethren from their faults, belongeth to private and public, to Minister and Magistrate. David Psal. 101 saith, it was his mornings work, to cast out the workers of wickedness: what case are they in then, whose morning and evening work it is to keep them in. This is now the first sin of the Magistrate, to leave beams as motes unpunished; as I • roboam would let them commit idolatry, so he might have his kingdom. Secondly, it is their fault to punish motes, and to let beams pass; as Saul put the holy Priest to death for David's cause; but Abner for whoredom was not punished, because he was a beam of his kingdom. Thirdly, they offend in punishing beams as motes, and motes as beams; as David in dividing the in heritance between Mephibosheth and Ziba. For the Minister, he must reprove in the light before all men: and if they be slow-bellies he must reprove them sharply. Private men must also admonish. There is not only a healing of eyes in the Chirurgians shops, but every man msut have a care of his brothers eye. If we look for a commandment, Levite. 19. 17. Thou shalt reprove him plainly, is as vehement a speech as God could use. Now they say, if a manreprehend, he is an hypocrite: but assuredly, he that performeth not this duty when, and where he may; let him know his silence is a servile hypocrisy.

6 The holy men of elder ages have been in the duty of reprehension and admonition most careful. Isaiah for this cause was counted a man, in his time, so contentious, as that nothing in the land could please him. I • remie saith, he was borne a man of contention: Eze • hiel was called a find-sault: Christ himself both commanded, Matth. 18. and practiced this duty, he is often curning the eyes of the Pharisees, Sadducees, high Priests, Matth. 23. Herod, Luk. 4. his own countrymen: his own disciples, most sharply; calling Peter Satan, and saying to James and John, ye know not what ye ask, and his own mother he reproves roundly, John, 2. The holy Ghost is a reprover also, John. 16 and this he pr • ctiseth even at his first coming, Acts. 2. 22. Ye have sl • ine the Lord of life, Paul reproved Peter, and Peter James. All their Epistles command this duty. 1. Thes. 4. 15. Ephes. 5. 11. They which will not perform this duty, to reprehend the wicked, fall often to • euile good men. When there was but one Miohaiah to perform this duty, there were 400. Prophets which stood by to preach peace to the people. As often we read in the book of Kings, There came one of the Prophets: there came not many to perform this duty, and so it is to this day, and this maketh this duty as bitter as wormwood, for that it is so little put in practice.

7 That we may suffer rebuke, these three things must we do. First, as Psalm 141. we must esteem it as a balm, and make profession that we do so Secondly men must fear themselves more: now every man presupposeth himself innocent, when as we should be fearful to have offended, when we have not offended, 1. Sam. 22. I am thy fathers death, s ••• h David, when he was not indeed. Job was afraid of his children, when he knew not they had sinned. Thirdly, though the accusation be false, we must perform thankfulness, Josh. 22. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16 But contrary ways, if one espy a mote in our eyes, we straightway look into his, and then ours is whole.

8 If yet we desire more reasons to persuade us to the practice of this most Christian duty: let us remember we are to admonish, because they are our brethren. If two strangers walk together, and a mote fall into one of their eyes, the other will blow it out, or wipe it out: this nature teacheth us. Paul goeth a note higher: If there be a thorn in the foot, the head stoopeth; but if anything be in the tender eye, it laboreth to ease it much more. But we reprove commonly when we fall out with our brethren: and therefore in verity we be enemies and not brethren: for this is a good argument wi • h • s, he is thine enemy, therefore reprove him. And this is an Egyptians trick, to reject a just reproof and to say who made thee a ruler? who made you a Preacher? Augustine faith, if thou dost not help his eye, God will plague thine eye and his too. And again, though thou sayest not euge, yet because thou sayest not apage: there is (saith he) a mutual approbation, as well as a mute commendation.

9 Three things ought to move us to this duty. First, least men think it an indifferent thing to offend, and so we nourish him in his sin, and thereby his eye will gather more filth and scales, and in time go clean out. Secondly, if thou pity not him that offendeth, yet pity him that standeth by, least he be offended, or any way endangered by thy silence, or by the sin past, or both: as we see in Barnabas by Peter, Gal. 2. 13. Thirdly pity thyself, and deliver thyself from the guilt of this sin: for if thou be pr • sent, & be est not grieved for the offense, it is in account laid upon thy score. Neither let that hinder us that we shall not prevail: for Nicodemus also performed this duty when he had no hope to be heard, John 7. 50. Again, by rebuking thou shalt deliver thyself from cotempt, for by thy silence the wicked will give thee the same reward they give unto God, Psalm 50. 21. They will conclude, that thou art in the s • me league of imp •• tie with them. Finally, so doing thou shalt free thyself from the punishment of sin. Eli for not reproving his sons, perished with them in the same calamity: but L • t escaped in the destruction of Sodom, Saint Peter rendereth this reason, because he was v • xed with the vncleanly conversation of the wicked, continually preaching righteousness and reclayming them from their sins.

10 This duty of reprehension is only to be done to a brother, of whom there be two sorts: the natural, and the believing brother; for the faithful have one spiritual Father, and one Holy mother, even the heavenly Jerusalem, the mother of us all. As there be beams so great that we cā • ot move them at all, so th • re be some men whom we must not touch with any reproof. We must not reprehend thē whom the Church acknowledgeth not for childrē, for they be not our brethrē: Such a • deserve to • e rejected by the Church, I am not bound to perform this duty unto them, for holy things must not be given to dogs Again, the scorner must be smitten and cast forth, as Ishmael was, he is not worthy a Christian reprehension, nor a barker or biter of the religious & godly, as profane Esau: for these cast off all our admonition with a jest. Some thought Paul should have reproved Nero, but it was a rule in the Primitive Church, and the School men have observed, that furious Tyrants may not be reproved, least they disturb the peace of the Church. Elias was more plain with the Kings in his time, albeit he was left alone. If thou hast authority, thou mayest reprove all that are under thee. Reproue strangers only of open and known sins: no Samaritan at all, unless he be wounded. Let us in performing this duty observe divine rules well, for some are as unfit to reprehend and to be reprehended, as Esau's Plow •• are was to make a sword.

11 Though good duties are to be done, yet every man is not fit to do every good duty, therefore let us see who is fit to execute this work of reprehension. The eye is a tender part, every finger must not be taking in it: for of an action without skil cometh an end without fruit. This duty doth not consist in readiness of utterance, nor in bitterness & stinging words, but in good sound judgment, which maketh a man fit. And to this are required three things, which answer to those in the bodily sight: first the cleerenes of the eye: secondly, the right situation of it: thirdly, not to be hindered without. By the eye, the mind, the seat of knowledge is understood: & here in they must be rich. It is promised, Esa. 64. that the people under the Gospel should excel in knowledge the Levites under the Law: and it may appear it was so in the Primitive Church, for they became most ready and familiar in the holy Scriptures: in so much that womē began to grow so cunning, that there was a general prohibition that they should not speak in the Church. Daniel's prophesy was, that in the later times men should run over books: and if we cannot so abound, yet must we get a through knowledge of things, against which we deal by reprehension. Christ finds the Pharisees often short, and blind, albeit they gloried of great knowledge, though the Phylacteries were broad, yet their heads were shallow. So it is also with us: there are many dim eyes which have need of that eye salve, Revel. 3. If anything be ambiguous we cannot hit the joint to restore the member that is loosened, Gal. 6. 1. And so in our building, all will down in the tempest that we build with untempered mortar. Nothing can abide soundly in affection, that is not surely grounded in the judgment. That which Philip said to the Eunuch may here well be used, a little changing the word in the original: Doest thou know what thou doest condemn? And it is said well of Peter, that many speak evil of those things they know not: but they do as Balaam, fetch their diuinations from others, and so cannot speak according to time, place & persons, but as they are then provided. Secondly, the eye must stand rightly in his proper seat, for if it stand awry we cannot see well, how clear soever the eye be, This site and right place of the eye, the old writers call intentio vitae, and that is that which even their own consciences know, and other men often see, they level at in their whole life. The right situation of the eye is this, if we set before us this scope to please God, without any sinister respect: albeit some can look awry and that seldom, and that shortly, and wax not worse and worse, but more zealous. He looks not aright that hath a worldly end, as Balaam would now & then look to God's commandment, but because his heart and mind was fixed on the wages of iniquity, his eye was ever over his shoulder, and in the end shown he was blind indeed. Thirdly, the outward hindrances are the beams that are in the eye, and they are those sins that are past shame and sorrow, and such as may be felt at midnight. They receive many divisions: they uphold wicked practices; they be such as the Disciples cannot cast out, they are directly opposite to the calling of a Christian. They that work this trad, are workers of iniquity, of whose eye and judgment mark David's question, the answer whereof is soon made. Are they not all without understanding that work wickedness ▪ And this is the reason why the Fathers having less means of knowledge than we, yet saw more concerning heavenly things then we. Albeit Christ saith of this eye, thou seest a mote, yet he speaketh but of his false imagination, for it is hard for him to see a mote, that hath a beam in his own eye▪ he may only think there is a mote where there is none, and therefore no man is to believe him. And yet this man challengeth to himself authority not only to dispute, but also to reprove, yet little reason is there of the first, but none of the second. Besides, whereas the end of reprehension is amendment, he is like to make him worse: for seeing how little he accounteth of the beam that is in his own eye, he may gather, if that hurt not him, his mote will hurt him less: nay he is more like to pluck out the eye, than the mote out of the eye. It is a general rule, that he that doth willingly reprehend, and feels not a mixed affection of sorrow and fear, is not fit for it. Our own love is the measure of our love to others: he cannot then be good to others, that is not first good to himself. Chrysostom saith, Canst thou know another better than thyself? He that loveth another more than himself in spiritual things, he is void of charity. We must therefore ever take heed of these beams in our own eyes, for if we so cast aside our eye after preferment, we set the fist commandment above the first, and make our selves unfit for the practice of the duty of Christian admonition.

12 The people so profited by Moses sharp rebuke, that they after came to ask him counsel, as loath to displease him, when they saw that he was angry for God's cause, and their sins. Where we see how needful it is for a man to have his conscience ripped up, and to take heed when the Minister of God doth with anger rebuke, that then we do rightly interpret his anger, for the devil will be too busy to persuade, that he doth it for his own pleasure. And the Ministers of Christ must take heed to rule their anger, ever intending principally God's glory, and the profit of their brethren.

13 In admonition, when we love too much the person, we slack our zeal against the sin: when we are too zealous against the sin, we forget meekness and love to the person. It is the greatest judgment of God, upon the corrupt judgment of the world, that until sin be prodigious, and monstrous, such as goeth round about the world, we are not moved with it. When we admonish others of sins, as of jesting, and such like: forsooth we must smile, when we do so, and we must laugh upon them, least we move choler, and give offense. Well, for all sin in equal measure, and for the least of all sins, Christ Jesus the Son of God was fain to shed his precious blood; howsoever this seemeth little to us in committing, it was very great to Christ in suffering for it. They be small sins to us, which are usual to all; but if they were not usual, they would seem prodigious.

CHAP. III. Of Adultery and youthful Affections.

I F that after often falls in the sin of Adultery, the Lord give a man the sight of the grievousness and greatness of this sin, and fill a man with the fears of his judgments, and then this fear cause the power of this sin to abate in him, and cause him to fear all occasions, and to love chaste persons, then such a man may be well comforted, the Lord will give him the victory of that sin. But yet remember to proceed, & in affectiō let that unclean life be as loath some unto thee as it hath been pleasant, & to the end that thou mayest know how to keep and possess thy vessel in holiness and honor, begin to delight in the Lord Christ, & to use with fear & reverence the means of thy saluatiō, the Word, Prayer and Sacraments; & then the Lord will seal unto thine heart the pardon of this sin: for this is not obtained before we have thus repented. And when thou hast found these effects of God's grace in thee, thou mayest reasō thus against Sathā: If the Lord would have destroyed me for this sin, he would not have given me a sorrow or ha • red of this sin, therefore I am now well assured he doth, and will accept me for his adopted son, in his true son Jesus Christ. That a man may do this, and learn this sin with repentance, he is first to consider, I say, the mercy of God, which striveth with us till we be brought so far as is aforesaid. Secondly, we must consider the justice of God, which will confound those that will resist. The mercy of God appears in fearing thee, and punishing others, in giving thee the means, and not others, in punishing thee lightly, and confounding others. This will greatly commend the greatness of God's mercies, especially, seeing he giveth mercy when he might punish, and doth as it were hire thee from thy sins. Thus will the spiritual man gather of the great mercy of God: Shall then provoke him, & add rebellion unto sin? Shall I utterly deny him, and become the slave of Satan? So then, thus the meditation of the mercies of God in Jesus Christ leads us to the hatred of this & all other sins, Luk. 16. But contrariwise, Satan, and the flesh conclude: If the Lord had hated this sin, he would have punished it before this time in me. In old time he destroyed many for sin, but now under grace he is more merciful. O cursed flesh that doth reason so much against reason and grace: for there is now a secret curse of GOD upon every sinner, which will consume a man if it be not prevented; for the word gone out of God's mouth, will have his effect, and shall not be changed because God cannot be changed.

2 Manie think youth as the flower of our age, to have a privilege above other ages. But alas, it is an age of great confidence; All this have I done, saith the young man in the Gospel. So dangerous is their case, that they must not do things indifferent, for fear they make them sad; and we know, that ordinary things denied, argue an extraordinary peril. The prodigal son did walk his four stations, and as Ambrose saith, he had four provocations: first, his portion; secondly, his fathers indulgency; thirdly, ill company, but youth more than all; Psalm 119. 19. David abruptly with an Apostrophe breaketh off his meditation into this: Wherewithall shall a young man cleanse his ways? Upon which place all the Fathers agree, that the accent is upon a young man; for he hath fewest means. The word which David useth for cleansing, is very effectual; by cleansing, signifying the cleansing of glass, and therefore compareth he young men to glass, which though it be very clean, yet it will gather filth, even in the Sun-beams, and of it self, which noteth the great corruption of this age: Prov. 22. 13. he hath a būdle of folly bound close in his heart, Eccles. 11. Children and youth are vanity: vanity is not in them, but the age it self is vanity. Such is the stream of affections in them, as the heathen thought it best policy to let them have their course a little. But let us consider their corruption in one measure further. Not only the common sort, but the best wit, who is thought to be of an excellent disposition. 2. King. 22. And not only the best in civil gifts, but those that are best in spiritual graces, find it hard, as Timothy, who brought down his body, that Paul was fain to write to him to drink wine, and for all that he wrote Flee new-fangled lusts. This Timothy was such a one, as that saith Bernard, Give me one Timothy in these days, and if he will eat gold he shall have it. This maketh me that I cannot subscribe to that saying: Whom God loveth, he taketh away in tender years. For I tell you it is a dangerous thing to die in youth: and surely, except the Lord work marvelously it is dangerous. And why? Surely in young men there is a double proneness: First, their natural corruption: and then their age in which their affections be grounded, but their reasons be raw. Besides these, the devil hath a special affection to this age. And it is a Proverb, chapt. 22. Set a young man in his way, and he will not depart from it when he is old. If you stamp garlike in a new mortar, it will always smell of it.

CHRIST saith, Suffer little ones to come unto me: If they can sing but Hosannah, and know not the meaning. It is a good thing to do as Marie did, betimes to lay up in our hearts such things out of the word, as we do not know, while as yet thou art • ude (saith Hillary ) least then, thou begin, when thou shouldest ende.

The service of youth how greatly it pleaseth GOD, may appear. Moses and Aaron's rod was of an Almond tree: what this figure meant, is taught, Ierem. 1. I am but a child: It is no matter saith God: What seest thou? an Almond tree, which in those countries (where it groweth) is the first that doth blossom. Him that God will have his rod, must be a branch of the trees that first blossom. The first fruits, and the first borne are due unto GOD. And this is the difference between the sacrifice of Cain and of Abel▪ Cain offered he cared not what, but Abel offered the first fruits, and the best: and this is the best note to know a Cain's heart from an Abel's.

5 Consider God's liking of Timothy, David, Samuel, the Prophet of Prophets, who served God when he was a child, and so the good King Josiah. These were not trees which blossom when others have done. Let men be never so soundly come home, it were better they had never been so, both for the Churches and themselves, for they carry the smell of the garlike mortar still where ever they go.

6 Old men which have lived loosely in youth, have great diffidence in themselves, for they dare not reprehend so sharply, as others; nor punish so severely as they should, for that the sins of their youth are so in their foreheads, and all men see them. Many of these are rocks of offense. They make David and Solomon proctors of their sins, which I am persuaded grieveth those souls at this day, if there be any sorrow in heaven, to hear men allege them for their sins.

7 We be taught Isaiah. 9. 17. that when the Lord intendeth to destroy a Common-wealth, a special note thereof is this: He taketh no delight in their youth: therefore where young men be dissolute, it is a heavy note of God's wrath to fall upon his people.

8 Such as do take liberty by Solomon's example, let them consider it well. He was in the prime of his youth well disposed and wise, but having past to riper years, he grew vain and dissolute Then by God's free mercy, he became a sorrowful man in his age. And he made himself a public penitentarie, leaving his Ecclesiastes as a monument of his folly: and it may well be called his book of Retractations. This is Solomon's experimental conclusion: All is vanity and vexation of mind. This he tried, when he had gone through all things he was fame to return to that wherewith he began. His book confuteth all Pagans best moral wisdom. He wanted nothing, he had experience of all kinds of blessings that may be found on earth. Yet after long experience he found no true joy in anything on earth. The wise men of this age would say: he was too sad, or of a melancholic humor, and could not use things well. But himself answereth the folly of such, chap 6 None could have more joy, nor so much pleasure in them, as he had: yet he found in conclusion nothing in them but vanity and vexation of mind.

9 Job was never adulterer, yet made he a covenant with his eyes, because he being clean in heart, would give no occasion outwardly. When Putiphers wife could not prevail because of Joseph's constancy, she was not moved to repentance as she ought, considering that her servant was so faithful to her husband, much more she ought to have been: but contrarily s • e useth a desperate remedy, worse than the fault it self: namely, to seek his life. And this is the end of all unbridled and carnal love, that in the end it turneth to extreme hatred: yea and that more bitter than of them, who never bare them good will: as appeared in that incestuous love of Ammon to his sister Tamar, who afterward hated her exceedingly. Let us learn to fear these unbridled affections; and if we will not have this issue to come of them, let us make our bond in the Lord, that one may draw another nearer to him thereby. And this is not only in this lusting love, but in all other familiarities of men whatsoever, without the Lord, whether it be for gain or favor, &c, for when they cannot enjoy the things they look for, their love is turned to hatred.

10 Joseph in his prosperity would not forsake the Lord to cleave to his Mistress, and now in that he seeth present danger, yet he standeth fast: Thus on every side the Lord trieth his children, and giveth grace withal to persevere. Out of this we may learn, that we never know whether we love righteousness and holiness for God's cause, so well as when we endure some trouble for it. Joseph might have done this secretly that it should not have been known, yet the love of God constrained him, and the fear of the Lord caused him to refrain from evil. Albeit he saw present danger of his life and good name: yet because he knew that the Lord which seeth secrets he rewardeth openly, therefore he committeth himself to the Lord, and had rather hazard his good name before men, than keep an evil conscience before God. And he believed withal, that the Lord at the last would make his righteousness as clear as the noon day.

11 Many will not fight or murder openly; but if their enemies were secretly delivered into their hands, they would be far from David, who would not hurt the Lord's annointed: in the mean time they devise evil amongst themselves, and when they come abroad they utter it. Many do abstain from fornication for fear of laws and such like; but they consider not that the Lord seeth their unchaste minds, and will recompense them. Many would be religious, but yet unlike to Sidrach, Misac, and Abednago, who would not for fear of the King so much as consult of the worshipping of the Image. But they would seem to be more than they are, as Ananias and Sap • ira: therefore they shall have the same reward with them for their tempting of God. So long then as our hearts do deceive us; and these evil desires overcome us, and we use vn • oddly means, we shall never stand to suffer any trial. We may learn also by Joseph's example, even for the least part of godly life, or good religion to suffer persecution: and not only for the chief points and parts thereof. And as great a sign of a good heart is it: for if we should deny the faith, or God, or Christ; all the world would cry out, whereas in lesser matters they would hold their peace: and therefore so much the greater trial is it, if we stand.

12 The end of adultery is beggary: besides that, oft such can have no children, by lawful and chaste wives. Hence it is often, that even great men want children, and their houses decay: again the wife requireth it with like whoredom. This sin of all others leaves a brand in men's consciences: as thieves at Sizes convicted of theft, and confessing it, yet doth it not oft so much trouble them, as this of adultery. They cry out of this, O adultery brought me to this misery.

CHAP. IIII. Of Affection.

IT is a great mercy of God to have a large affection of well doing, when we have good occasion thereof. The Lord ceaseth not to offer occasions, but we often cease to have good affections.

2 We must as well see what is against us, as those things that our affections lead us to: therefore must we pray, that our hearts may be upright, that we be not like • alaam, and the Elders that ask counsel of Jeremiah. So long as we have to deal with men, we set a gloss upon the matter, but when we know that we have to deal with God, before whom no wickedness will stand, this will humble us.

3 The people of Israel would not hear Moses, though he did sharply rebuke them: wherein we learn to pray that our affections be mas • red betime, for many are so heady in their affections, that they will give no ear to admonitions: and as it is said of the belly to have no ears, so it is of such headstrong affections. Some give so much place to their grief, that they will not receive comfort of the promises, no • be rebuked by the threatenings of God in his word. This grief is carnal and dangerous, and therefore every man is to search his heart to see how such corruption is settled in him, & let him in time st • iue against it, suffering himself to be rebuked by the word, and so grace assisting him, he shall overcome it.

4 Many see God's works with Moses, but cannot profit by them, because the Lord hath not given them the affections of Moses. According to our affections so we profit both by works and word of God: let us therefore ever pray unto God to fill our hearts with good affections.

CHAP. V. Of Affliction.

WHen we are in affliction we are not so wise of our selves, as to see the cause of it: or if we see the cause, we cannot see the mercy of God, that his hand which is upon us, is not a destroying hand, but a delivering hand.

2 Afflictions work much in men, but most when they come with the word of God, to give us a more lively sight of sin, and to manifest the rich mercies of God in Jesus Christ to deliver us from sin. Jehoshaphat was more humbled by the speech of Jehu the Seer, than he was being compassed with an host of enemies round about.

3 When affliction cometh to God's children, not so much the sins themselves, as the not avoiding of the means which procured their sins, and not the using of the means which might have preserved them from sin, will torment their consciences: for as a man falling into some sickness, if it come whilst he is walking in his calling, is then less grieved, than if through surfeiting he had procured and ha • ched the disease in himself, even so it cometh to pa ••• m in the other. By using the means of godliness in simplicity of heart, we shall be either freed from sin, wherein we have lain, or else be confirmed in some good things begun in us.

4 Although the godly sha • l escape hell in the world to come, yet they shall be punished in this world: and though the wicked be not punished in this world, yet shall they not escape hell in the world to come.

5 When Satan doth desca • t upon our afflictions, we must be comforted being God's children, because we suffer no more than God's childrē before have suffered, and the Lord himself doth suffer with us.

6 It is the Lord which sendeth crosses to his children to save them, that they freeze not with the wicked world in their dregs.

7 When Moses was rebuked of the Lord for the not circumcising his son, his faith was weak, and his wife in performing that duty, was almost without faith, yet the Lord saith, and that if any affliction lie upon us, it is for want of faith: and if it depart without effect in us, then a sorer punishment is like to light upon us, because we have not profited by the cross of Christ: but if we effectually profit by it, and still it lie upon us, let us then patiently abide, for it is to try our faith.

8 If we would so provide for our selves, that no afflictions make us quail, let us in the time of prosperity and quietness, cut off all heady affections, as grief, sorrow, and such like; and then shall they not in our trouble prevail against us.

9 When our afflictions do not drive us to God, nor cause us more humbly to hear and seek his word, but rather to stop our • a • es▪ and to run from it, and to seek unlawful means, let us then mourn secretly and heartily unto God, for the direction of God's spirit: for that case is dangerous.

10 It is the Lord's mercy that we are not destroyed, Lamenta. Chap. 3. But when we are freed from punishments, and others are afflicted, it is either to show his further mercy, or his further judgment: if we wax better, and be more thankful, then it is of mercy; but if we wax proud, and think our selves better then others, then is it assuredly to confound us: And hereby we may gather comfort or grief, when we escape punishments. If he pu • ish not in this world, either GOD is unjust, or else there is a hell to punish them euerl • stingly. But his children, if they profit not by one, he sends another to condemn them in this world, that they may escape in the world to come.

11 We must deny our selves and our own reason; that we may continue with Christ, we must take up our cross and follow him, and if we will be glorified with him, we must also suffer with him; and if we will rise again with him, we must first die with him, and if we will partake of his benefits, we must also drink of his cup. But many would willingly have in Christ forgiveness of sin, yet would they not bear his cross.

12 We must faithfully remember God's corrections, and though our trouble be past, yet still with fear to remember the hand of the Lord, not to attribute our cross • s to Fortune, complexions, or humors, nor health to Physic; but only to God, glorifying him continually, and making our daily profit by all his loving chastisements upon us.

13 The deliverance of the people of Israel is often repeated in the Scripture. And it is not without great cause, for it serves notably for the comfort of the godly, and the terror of the wicked: for if we would think that he were not able to help us; we see that he divided the mighty Seas: If we should think our selves unworthy of help, he then did mi • htily deliver the unworthy. So that if we being in any danger can be persuaded, that the Lord is able to help us, and that he will help them that are unworthy, it will be a notab • e stay unto us, that we fall not away under the cross by the vehemency of temptations.

14 Curses are turned into blessings through Christ, as by sin blessings are turned into curses. The benefices of God being in themselves good, yet by our corruption we make our table a snare unto our selves, and so in other of his mercies.

15 Job served God in truth, and yet punished, and so Lazarus: but this was not so much for their own sin, as for the trial of their faith and that after them the Church might receive great comfort by their examples. For as it hurts not the gold to be put into the fire, both because it is thereby tried, and also made more pure: so is it not evil for the children of God to have their faith tried: if it be a strong faith it will bear the fire, if it be weak, it will yet shine brighter: if there appear no faith, but all dross, then the party tried must more seriously seek after Christ and the means of salvation, that he may attain that faith that may go through the fire of affliction.

16 It is the great goodness of God to curb us by affliction, & not to let us go forward in sin: as to diminish the health of our bodies, because we are careless of our souls; and to pull away outward things, that we may learn to seek heavenly things: And contrarily, it is his great punishment to leave us to our selves. Let us mark this, that the crosses of God may be sweet unto us, & that we may the sooner profit by them: For it is certain, God scoureth away the infirmities of his Saints by many afflictions, yet never breaketh his holy covenant with them, albeit they have many tribulations which they deserve and pul upon themselves.

17 The service and worship of God in affliction is patience. Of God's doings we are not to inquire a reason: yet he hath revealed to us many causes wherefor he chasteneth his elect in this life. First to declare his justice and anger against sin: therefore the waters of strife cost Moses his life. Secondly, to win us to repentance, who in prosperity are vn •• med, and will not hear him, for vexation will teach us understanding. Thirdly, to know and try us whether we will bear his loving correction: and whether we love him so, that we can endure our service unto blood for his sake, Gen. 22. Now I know thou lovest me. 1. Pet. 1. 7. which trial is more precious in his sight than gold, and the way to purify gold is to make it pass through the fire. Fourthly, Satan will say, Doth Job fear God for naught? Therefore to triumph over him in our obedience the Lord doth it. And saith the more it is sifted the cleaner it is; the more it is cut, the more it groweth; the more it is trodden the thicker it comes up. Fifthly, to separate us from the wicked, for which cause it is compared to a fan, and the devil is said to winnowe us, and he will not use a course sieue in doing of it. Lastly, to conform us unto Christ, Rom. 8▪ 25. that we may have the sympathy of his affections, 2. Tim. 3. 12 all that will live godly must bear his cross, and in his time and measure drink of the cup.

18 It is not to be doubted that Christ is in the kingdom of heavē, but how came he to it? Luk. 24. He suffered all things, & so entered into glory. No man then must look to be Di • es all his life time, and Lazarus after death too. Christ himself entered not on this condition, the Apostles entered not on this condition, for Act. 14. they knew that through many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God. The estate of the Church is as of a tree, we see that some blossoms the cold nippeth, and some the worm eateth, and some continue fruitful. For some men are n • pped by reproaches, others eaten away by corrupt example, and some continue fruitful. If a man have an heritage in the world either by gift or purchase, if it have a fine, or service joined with it, surely he that will look to have the one, must look to do the other, else not. Now the kingdom of God is the heritage we look for, and therefore we must have the burthē of it. The burden Christ himself suffered, and we must suffer it, even the persecution both of S • em, & Cain. The Lord hath annexed the burden & the heritage, and he will not separate them. Nebuchadnezzar his image, Dan. 2. had an head of gold, breast, and arms of silver, and the nearer the feet the baser it was, we must not be so: we must set our selves against all troubles, that if God will have us to go •• to heaven in a chariot of fire, we may not refuse it.

CHAP. VI. Of Anger.

I T is a good trial whether we be carnally angry or no, if we try our selves whether it kindleth to good works or no, if it cause us to pray with liberty of mind, if it hindereth not our meditations, if we can do well to the party offending us, if we can deal with others without all peevishness, though all the world accuse us, it is a sign that our heart is not evil.

2 Moses is said, Numb. 12. to be a me • ke man above all that were on the earth, and so it appeareth by his patience in bearing the reviling speeches of his brother and sister: but Exod. 11. 8. and 32. chap. of the same book he is said to be very angry, and in that his fierce anger causeth many to be slain, yet his anger is commended as good, for that the cause thereof was good. So Elihu is said to be very angry, Job. 32. 2. not only against the wicked but against godly men. Christ also is said to be angry, Mark. 6. and to call Peter Satan, Matth. 16▪ And Paul calleth the Galatians fools, Gal. 3. verse 1. And to the Ephes. 4 28. he forbiddeth and warneth us only of that anger which is of sin or mixed with sin. Now then to discern this evil anger note these marks following. First, if we be angry in our own cause, that is, for those things which might either pleasure us, or hurt us, and not for the glory of God, our anger is carnal and evil. Secondly, again, it is true that we shall never be angry for God's cause, until we can leave all care of our own causes, and not become angry for them, further than they are joined with God's cause. Those then that in their own cause will be as hot as may be, and in God's cause will be as cold as ice, do offend much in anger. 3. Every trifle must not move anger, but a great and weighty matter, therefore we must be ready to bear with, and to pardon many offenses, so they be not great: but when they greatly concern the glory of God, and are very weighty, then are we justly angry. 4. We may not be more angry with the person than with the sin, for godly anger is only moved against the sin, and nothing against the person: and this may be tried two ways: first, if we mislike that sin wheresoever we find it, whether it be in our selves, or in our dearest friends, then is the anger good. Secondly, when our anger hindereth us not from doing our duties to the person offending us, or to any other.

CHAP. VII. Of Angels.

A S God and his good Angels are about us, so the devil and evil angels: and as the good Angels have not been seen, but extraordinarily, so are the evil angels; and he that depriveth himself of this meditation, weakeneth his faith: For it is to our comfort and humbling: To our comfort, that albeit we be in danger, and no man with us; yet God and his Angels be with us. To humble us, that in evil doing, they both see us and can hurt us; as also the evil angels which still hover over us. And therefore we must know, that as the good Angels have appeared to good men for special defense, so the foul spirits do appear also to some men for special sins. And when evil spirits so appear, we may not with the Papists and the Jews believe they be souls departed, but the evil spirits in the air about us, Epes. 6. 11. 12. 13.

CHAP. VIII. Of Baptism.

B Aptisme is a pledge of our washing in Christ's blood, Act. 2. 30. of our justification, Gal. 3. 27. of our ingrafting into Christ's body, Ephe. 4. 16. of our dying to sin, Rom. 6. 3. of our resurrection, 1. Cor. 15. 26. of our unity of spirit with our brethren, Ephe. 44. of not seeking our own, 1. Cor. 10. 1. 2. 24.

2 Of Baptism in Papistry this we may say, for as much as they ever kept the foundation, & the substance of the institution of Christ, that Sacrament was effectual: for more prevaileth the institution of Christ unto good, than the corruption of man unto evil.

3 The example of Zipphorah cannot be followed amongst us, that women should baptize; though Papists abuse that example to prove it: for the ministration of the Sacrament is joined to the ministry of the word, which office none can take, except he be called as Aaron was: and it is a most weighty and most honorable office, to have the word and seals of our reconciliation committed unto us.

4 It is objected, that it is a dangerous matter to want Baptism, it causeth death. I answer: The child (saith the story) was not punished, but Moses, through whom that contempt came: for when as it is said, Gen. 17. that the man not circumcised shall be cut off, the reason is this, because he despiseth the covenant of the Lord. Now a child cannot so do, therefore the negligent father is punished: and if the child come to years, & continue in his fathers steps, he is in the same state of rebellion & contempt against God; and so it is in our Baptism. Again, this popish opinion of the necessity of Baptism, is confuted by the Lord's institution of Circumcision the eight day; for if this necessity had been in Circumcision, which they affirm to be in Baptism, all that died before the eight day were condemned. The Lord's meaning was in appointing this convenient time, to provide that the child might have more strength to bear the wound: and this regard of time is fit to be observed also with us, that this holy work might be done on the Sabbath day in the congregation, because it is a public action by divine institution.

5 Concerning promises in Baptism, and the office of the witnesses, which be called Godfathers and Godmothers, look in what things the Scripture giveth general rules, the Church may use the particulars, so all be done decently and to edification: the law giveth this general instruction to a man in authority, to defend the good, and to offend the evil: he may to this end take some godly man to him for an assistant. The law commanding generally to distribute to the poor, a man is not able to help all particularly, therefore he endevoreth the relieving of some special persons. The law commanding generally to help one another with godly instructions, and no greater need to any, than to a father, in helping him for the education of children, surely this duty of love to be an assistant in Baptism may not be denied. Again, to profess ourselves enemies. to Arianism, we use, Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, &c. all one with that so often in the Psalms, Praise ye the Lord: So may we in like manner to avoid Anabaptism, have witnesses to testify to the Church that we are Christianly baptized. And as we are to renounce all frivolous ceremonies, so to keep the peace of the Church, we may not refuse such orders as tend to edification, to love, and comeliness in the Church.

6 It is good to teach children while they be young, that whereas they have been baptized, and blessed in the name of the Trinity, they should be taught forthwith some questions concerning their creation, redemption and sanctification.

CHAP. IX. Of Covetousness, and the desire of Riches.

T Here are many which can be content to make Jacob's vow, that is, if they have meat, drink, and clothing, they will serve God, but they go upwards still in their worldlike accounts, and downwards in heavenly things, they rise from tens to scores, from scores to hundreds: they will not go downward with Abraham, they will have thousands of sheep, else they be but poor: they will have Nab • oths vineyard with Ahab, and dwell alone, else they be sick. Thou hast set up the heavens high, saith the Prophet, else surely rich men would have all the use of them, & leese them too. So nothing can satisfy man's desire which is infinite, but God, who infinite. And if he have all the riches in the world, he will desire more. A very unnatural desire is this (as the dropsy in desiring drink) when the desire proceeds from fullness, for a man should desire that which he wanteth. The mind of a man is not filled with corporal things, no more then a chest can be filled with wisdom or spiritual things. But presuppose that riches could fill a man: if we had all wealth, all riches, all apparel; we put not our wealth in our minds, our clothes do us no good, but whē they are upon us. The possessing of riches doth not so fully possess the heart, but that it can desire a thousand things more.

2 Riches are in question whether they be good or no; When the Scripture speaks of riches, they join always somewhat to them: to take away our hearts from them, as the deceitfulness of riches, the uncertainty of riches, the riches of this world, and therefore like the world; now here, & now gone, they either have their own end, or our end. They make no man good, but they are even like a penny purse, which is worth as much as the money that is in it: but the money taken out, it is nothing worth: even so is the man that hath his good in his riches. When they are takē from him, he is worth nothing, he hath no good in him. God hath them not, and yet he wanteth no good thing. It is the common complaint, that the worst men do most abound with them. David was fain to go to Nabal for them. Esau had four hundred men; when Jacob lay down at his feet with a few. Sometimes indeed they do good, but that is not sufficient to ground a Maxim; they are good: for that which is good doth always good. They have a mixte nature retaining some use as a blessing of their creation, and much evil by the fall of Adam. And they have been ever greater causes of harm then of good by occasion. And therefore saith a Father on the Prayer, Prov. 30. Lord give me neither riches nor poverty. Poverty (saith he) hath been the decay of many a man, but riches of a far greater number.

3 Many desire that, which when they have gotten, their conscience is afraid to use.

4 Nothing is ours, but as we feel our title in Christ, and as it is sanctified by prayer and by the word.

5 Manie are outwardly well and rich in this world, which are inwardly ill and poor in godliness, and many hate outward evil things, which for want of spiritual knowledge fee not the corruptions of the heart.

6 Though the hawthorns in spring-time have a fair white flower, pleasant to the sense; yet indeed, it is but a pricking thorn: so riches, glorious to the eye, by Christ's own mouth are called thorns. They prick both hand & heart. CHRIST hath spoken it in his time, and it is not to be thoght that they have changed their own nature since. And though we feel not these pricks in the beginning, yet we shall find this true in the end. Though some die as swine in a ditch, as benumbed, as men already plunged in the pit of hell; yet have others wished on their death-bed that they had never gone further then the shouell & spade.

7 There are two kinds of love among us, as may be gathered by our common talk: First, we say we love our friends, that is, we would have them do well: Next, when we be said to love money, the meaning is, we wish to have it. But let us observe, that whatsoever we love, we wish the good of it. And the good of everything is the end. For which God hath created it to serve his glory. For this cause the Prophets tell us, that the wood and stones of our houses shall come and give witness against us at the great day, for turning them violently to another use than God hath ordained them. Now the use of riches is to be communicated: else God might have made all rich. If we wisely note this▪ we love not riches, when we desire so greedily to have and keep them. None would be so loved of his friends as he loves his meat, that is to be eaten and devoured, as great men devour the poor and riches.

8 And to show that God is highly displeased with this immoderate love of riches, he punisheth it with itself; he doth punish a desire with a desire: As the Prophet Nathan saith. Thorns are folded one within another: So it is in the desire of riches, one desire followeth another. Such men are well compared to great Mastiues, who having received one morsel, swallow it up greedily, and wait for another. The holy Ghost compareth them to horsleaches, who suck blood till they burst their skins. When men begin to be rich, their desire is infinite, and they like not their substance when it may be numbered or manifested. But we see Luk. 12▪ there is no other speech used of the rich man, then of most poor men: What shall I do? There is mention made of a beast in Daniel, (and in that he was a beast indeed) which wept because there were no more worlds for him to overcome: So is it with the covetous rich men.

9 It is no marvel if riches fill not the soul, for they were all made for man, his soul for GOD. Whatsoever is capable of God, that can never be satisfied with anything else: all riches, all preferments cannot satisfy one soul, but when God is come it is full; and whatsoever is added more it runneth over. Mans desire is like a burning fire, and riches are the wood and fuel, which may seem to slake the fire for a time, but it will burn more vehemently afterward. The wise Preacher concludeth this, saying: He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with it, and he that lovethriches shall be without the fruit thereof. Eccle. 5. 9.

CHAP. X. Of Care, Covetousness, and Contentation.

IT is no great thing for a man living on another man's charges, not to be covetous: but for one that hath wife and children, &c. for to rest upon God's providence, and to use only lawful means with patience, this is an argument of Faith. So if death or age make us carefully covetous and unfit for heavenly exercises, we may soon see what faith is in us. This trial must be diligently taken in prosperity, least if we neglect it, our Faith do fail us in adversity. For if we do not in the good day store up our selves with comforts, we shall be empty in the evil day when it cometh. If in prosperity we set our delight on heavenly things, we shall easily want earthly things, because we never set our hearts on them. But if our delight be in riches • , then assuredly when they are taken from us, our Faith must fail us, because our joy is taken away with our riches. Beware then of covetousness, which is a sin when all other sins wax old, this waxeth young in thee: for we see daily many freed from other vices, yet foully spotted with this.

2 We must take heed that we indent not with the Lord, but simply give up our selves to him, and seek the grace of God at all times, & with all our hearts, and let us ask other things as it pleaseth him. For when we give these outward things to the Lord, then will he soonest give them us again. Solomon desired Wisdom, and God gave him wisdom which his heart desired, and riches which his heart desired not. O happy man, if withal he desired the fear of the Lord. Abraham gave the Lord his son Isaac; the Lord then gave Isaac to Abraham again: So the readyest way to obtain outward things at God's hand, is to give them up to the hands of the Lord, not that we must commit them to the Lord with this condition, for that were to mock the Lord, but with Abraham we ought to give them to him freely, without hope to receive them again; and yet being content in respect of the Lord's glory and will, with the want of them: and then if they be good for us we shall have them, or else some spiritual grace, which with the better shall supply the want. Therefore the carking and greedy care of these things, is left to the godless which are ignorant of the forgiveness of sins, and of God's providence.

3. We may not ask earthly blessings as signs of God's favor: neither must we esteem the wants of these things as tokens of his displeasure. Again, the Lord often keepeth these things from us, for that we would abuse them, and set more by them than by spiritual things: yea the Lord holdeth us without these, that we might esteem his spirtuall graces the more, that so in his good time we may have both together.

4 We must use and not love, that is, we may not set our hearts on the creatures of God, 1. Cor. 7. 31.

5 Seeing salvation is our ende, all that hinders salvation, must be cast off, whether it be marriage, farming, trying of oxen, or any other thing lawful in it self, if ever it press us down, Heb. 12. 1. 2. The soul is made for God, and therefore considering the very nature of the object, we had need have a special vigilancy of our love to any other thing. It is like a purgation which must be taken in quantity, & in a certain measure, that it purge not out as well good humors as bad, and as there was first a covering of gold in the Ark, and then of Badgers skins; so our more precious love must be bestowed on God, his love must chiefly possess our heart. It is said, in the first Epistle to the Corinthians. Doth God care for oxen? Nay this is written for our instruction: and yet it is certain that God doth care for oxen, but in respect of that care which he hath for man it is no care. So are we to take no care of oxen in respect of him.

CHAP. IX. Of our general and special calling.

C Hrist doth pass by us, see us, and call us, when we little respect him. In law cases, and pointes of Physic we go with our best feet, we will do all our selves, or else sue by some special friend to them, who can far less profit us than Christ can: but in Christianity, unless Christ himself come and ring a loud peal in our ears, we never vouchsafe to be Christians. It is therefore well with us that Christ so comes to call sinners to repentance: for he may come from heaven and return again often̄, before we seek him or cal upon him. It is well therefore that Christ would come to cal sinners to repentance, for he may come from heaven, and go to heaven again, ere we will call h •• . Indeed we read of certain poor diseased men in their bodies constrained by outward pain, and some hypocrites, who rather to boast than beg holiness, came to Christ But who else would? Surely one that said he would follow Christ wheresoever he went, but when he said so, he had thought he would not have gone far: he looked for better lodging than Christ was able to afford him. And when he saw that, he could give him leave to walk alone, and when he saw Christ to have none of the great buildings in Jerusalem, he would go no further with him than the towns end.

2 It is certain▪ Paradise is our native Country, and we in this world be as exiles and as strangers: we dwell here as in Meshech, and as in the tents of Kedar, and therefore we be glad to be at home. The path and high way to our country is the path of God's commandment: We stray when we bend to superstition or profaneness. The Lord hath appointed his word our load-star and cloudy pillar to conduct us to the land of promise, and hath instituted faith to attend upon the word; but the devil hath substituted carnal reason, but if we deliberate long with carnal reason, we shall hardly or never come to Paradise.

3 If we must have reason to hearken and to obey the calling of Christ, let us remember and consider: Christ hath followed us, and therefore we ought to follow him. Christ hath gone far out of the way to make pursuit after us (for what need had he to stir out of heaven) and therefore we must go after him. The Son of man came to seek that which was lost, and therefore by good proportion we that are lost should seek him. The analogy is good, for seeking requires seeking. Elizabeth said to Mary the mother of Christ, coming to ••• e • er. Whereof cometh it that the mother of my Lord should come to me? If Elizabeth esteemed so reverently the coming of Mary unto her, much more may we say, whereof cometh it that my Lord the redeemer of the world should come unto me?

4. The Lord doth often cast out men, by decay of gifts: as they pray, Psal. 137. If I forget thee O Jerusalem, then let my right hand forget her cunning. We see this daily: So long as men serve God in their callings; and apply their gifts to his glory, so long their gifts are good and receive an increase; but they are soon washed away, when we use them not, or if we use them not aright.

5 When Moses was in his calling, the Lord called him again. So David, and the shepherds to whom Christ's birth was revealed. Our calling makes us fit for the Lord, & helps against the Devil and his temptations: and idleness yields occasion and matter for sin and Satan to surprise us. So long as we walk in our ways, the Angels have charge over us, Psal. 91. but if we go astray they forsake us.

6 Many are hasty to undertake a matter, but afterwards faint in following it. We may not be rash to enter into any calling if we will discharge it with conscience. Examples for this are, Moses Jeremiah, &c. They can teach us that we take no calling vpō us without commandment, that we think nor too well of ourselves, that we attend the Lord's calling, and when he calleth us, and hath given us gifts to testify his calling, let us trust in his power and fear no danger, for he is all in all in us.

7 Moses had infirmities of speech, and yet the Lord used his ministry: wherefore we may not for every infirmity be drawn from our callings; neither if we mind to take a calling upon us must we refuse it, though all things do not answer our desires. How be it if we want that which is most essential and pertinent; as in a minister learning, and the wisdom of the Spirit, we must be wary how we enter in. Our infirmities are left in us for our further humiliation, and that God's holy work may the better appear.

8 We must be well persuaded of the truth of our calling, as well to Christianity as to any other particular calling: so troubles shall not move us, nor fears disquiet us. If we doubt, we soon faint, but then let us behold him that is invisible, as Moses Heb. 11. 26▪ and then no sight nor evil shall dismay us.

9 It were to be wished that every man would search his own heart whereunto in affection and action he is most serviceable to God, and profitable to his brethren, and to pursue specially this gift most carefully and continually, yet without pride in all humility.

10 The Lord loveth our obedience, but so that it be in our callings.

11 When Christ calleth us to heaven, we must follow him through the wilderness of this world He must be our guide and go before, and we must follow after. Many make strange to follow his call, they will not give up their names, they will (it may be) go before him, or even by him, or cheek by cheek, but they will not follow after. And wherefore? Surely they will do all with reason. But Christ requireth faith; and reason to Christ, is a very evil seruingman. A great number already taught in the word, will not follow it, but if anything proceed from the forge of their own reason, that they magnify, that they will follow. So Ezech. 20. certain prophets would not follow God and his word, but their own spirits; and yet there is no greater ods in the world than between our own reason and God's wisdom, as Esa. 55. My thoughts (saith the Lord) are not as your thoughts. Well, if we will follow Christ, we must follow him, not as a great Lord, to grant us great leases, fat farms, or high towers, but as a man contemned, as the reproach of the world, as a man full of sorrows: Christ hath two crowns, the one of thorns, the other of glory, he that will be honored with the last, must be humbled with the first.

CHAP. XII. Of Conference, and Godly wisdom in the government of the tongue.

A S we often speak of things lawful, but yet for want of wisdom to examine the time, place and persons, when, where, and with whom we talk, Satan laboreth to make us strict & silent in our speech, when often we might speak to God's glory, to the avoiding of which temptation, we must endeavor to speak when God giveth occasion, and that with thankful acknowledging of God's spiritual grace, by the motion whereof we speak: as also with humble acknowledgement of our weakness, who being measured with God's justice, we should be found to have stained our speeches and God's graces with great corruptions, and to fail in many circumstances. How be it, if we do it in a single heart, and even because we love God's word, and in zeal of God's glory: we may boldly speak, committing the success which on us (if we observed all circumstances) did not depend, to the omnipotency of God, to the blessing of Christ, and to the working of the holy spirit; for we being neither God, nor Christ, nor Angels, must not think to prevail of our selves, by our speeches, nor stay until we think our selves most fit, but commend our hearts to the Lord, who undoubtedly spareth weaklings.

2 Being Christians, we must not stay our selves in our meetings for others to begin good speeches, but if God give us any good thing in our minds, let us with all humbleness put it forth to be examined; if we feel nothing, let us complain of our dullness and deadness: even thereby we shall give occasion of good conference. For as in silence among evil men one evil word setteth abroch many, so in deadness among good men, one good word may quicken many.

3 It were to be wished, that godly men in their meetings would first by prayer offer up their speeches to God to use them advisedly, reverently, and not passing their bounds of knowledge: and if they could not speak of anything, yet they should ask something: if they could not ask, yet they might speak of the communion of Saints: if they could say nothing, yet at the least they should complain of the dullness of their mind; so that of their dullness and deadness should arise quickness and life of speech again.

4 We must be careful in using, and watchful in restraining the tongue. David prayed for a watch before his tongue, and for a porter at the door of his lips, he would keep his mouth with a bridle, that it should not go riot nor open oft without a cause. The eye glaunceth, our hands slip, our foot treads awry; yet if we hold our tongue qualified, we shall do the better. It is a little piece of flesh, small in quantity but mighty in quality; it is soft, but slippery; it goeth lightly, but falleth heavily; it striketh soft, but woundeth sore; it goeth out quickly but burneth vehemently; it pierceth deep, and therefore not healed speedily; it hath liberty granted easily to go forth, but it will find no means easily to return home. It is compared with perilous things, to a sharp two edged sword, to a razor, to sharp arrows, to an Adders sting, to the poison of an Asp, to fiery coals, and being once enflamed by Satan's bellows, to the fire of hell.

CHAP. XIII. Of the Church.

THe Papist of pride, the Family of love of hypocrisy, and many of singularity have singled themselves from us, as Hymenaeus did. But we are little discouraged, and less follow it. For if they separate themselves as stones from the building, and as members from the body, what hope is there of them? The Papists will say, we forsake them, and not they us. We forsake them in the wall, they us in the foundation. For our faith was before their opinion, though their persons were before ours. As Noah forsook the world, as Lot forsook Sodom, as Abraham forsook Egypt, as our Savior Christ forsook the Pharisees: so we for sake them, and Christ shall be the judge, who hath been the runagate, who hath been the Apostate.

2 Behold a miracle, heaven made subject to the earth! O what is man that thou art so mindful of him, not only to give him the rule of the earth, but even of heaven? Whom the Church doth loose on earth, the Lord doth loose in heaven; and whom the Church hath bound on earth, he also hath bound in heaven. He doth many things without us, yet when we have done this, he will not alter it, nor do otherwise.

3 Albeit the Church be base and contemptible in the world, yet he counteth it as the apple of his eye. The earth, the air, and the heavens attended on it, and he hath made the Angels to serve it. He hath committed his treasures to it. And what be his treasures? Surely, when David cometh to value it, he saith that it is better than gold, than much gold, than much fine gold, than all precious stones. The word of reconciliation, the covenant of grace, the broad seals of his kingdom, Baptism and the Lord's Supper, binding and loosing, life and death are left and committed to the Church and her holy Ministers.

4 The Church is even the quintessence of the world, such as Satan hath sifted to the proof: it is even washed and made clean with the blood and water which issued out of Christ's side. It seemeth he forgot to love himself that he might love us; yea if that one death and suffering had not been sufficient, he would yet once more come again for us.

5 It is one thing to live where means of pure worship are wanting; another to be where false worship is erected: for the first we are not to fly the Church, but by prayer and patience to stay the Lord's mercy: for the other, we must depart because of that abomination.

6 The world is as the Lord's great chamber, whereunto all are admitted: the Church is as the chamber of presence. The nativity of the Church is a greater work then the creation of the world. The world was finished with a Word, but many days and many years did the Lord travel, before the Church could be brought forth to his good liking. He shook the earth, darkened the heavens, turned the whole course of nature, before he had framed and set up the little Church of the Jews. But in gathering the Church of the Gentiles, the Sun became black as a pot, the Heavens were covered as with a hair-cloth, the veil of the temple rent, the earth treēbled, the graves opened, & above all, the GOD of nature suffered. But of all, the third gathering shall be fearful: when heaven and earth shall not abide to see, but shall melte and consume away at the glorifying of that Church, which the world so contemneth: & yet on this Church hangeth the continuance of the world. For certain it is the world standeth, and all the four winds are stopped till all be sealed; and in that moment that this number is filled, this world shall out of hand vanish away.

7 In the world we do (as it were) but see the Lord's back parts: we see him, as a thing in a troubled well, dwelling but in the nether and outward courts of the Temple, but in the Church we see him almost face to face.

8 That mighty Sampson suffered himself to be shaven, and his strength to be as another man's for the great love of his Church: he shed his precious blood from all parts of his body for it: and that no blood might be too dear for us, with his heart blood he hath testified, how much he doth love us, his love and spouse the Church of the faithful.

9 It is true that the Psalmist saith, Psal. 16. the Lord hath no need of our service, and therefore he hath set over his love to the Church, there to be answered unto her in obedience, & furtherance of his members; there he would have it seen, how we value his benefits. All blessings are continued on this earth for the Church sake. The Sun doth shine upon the earth, upon the just and unjust; but upon the unjust for the just man's sake.

10 The Church is the household of faith, the city of the living GOD, the spouse of the Lamb CHRIST, the kings daughter, the childrē of light, & of the living God, the children of promise, & of the freewoman, a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, people gotten by purchase, the mystical body of Christ, the sold of the Prince of Pastors, the virgin Israel, the children of Abraham, the elect seed of God, heirs of grace, joint heirs with Christ, the Sanctuary of the Lord, the daughter of Zion: the Lord's heritage, the people of his pasture, the sheep of his hands, the temple of the holy Ghost, the price of his blood, the Lord's Eden. Thrice blessed and happy are all the living stones of the most beautiful building. Confer Psal. 147. 2. 3. 1. Pet. 2. 9. 10. Phil. 3. 8. Ephes. 2. 19. 20. 1. Thes. 2. 19. 20. 2. Cor. 3. 2. 2. Cor. 6. 11. 12. 1. Thes. 2. 8. Rom. 9. 3. Revel. 21. 10.

CHAP. XIIII. Of the Confession of sin.

T His is a good affection of Christianity, to conceal a fault; and this also is a good affection of men regenerate, to testify their faults to all men, whereby they make known their thankfulness, in that whereas by nature they were thus, by grace they are so and so. Again, men use it to comfort others, that though they be in their old estate, yet they may receive grace, if they hinder not themselves, and shut out the grace of God from them. Thus the children of God are wont to aggravate their sins, that others might have comfort in the like case. Matthew in the ninth chapter and the ninth verse, shameth himself by the name of a Publican: and yet if we look to his sin, it was not like the sin of Peter against the ninth commandment: nor like the sin of David against the six and seventh commandments, the sin of Paul against the first, as of them that crucified Christ himself. But that which he concealeth, the other Evangelists blase abroad; that which they conceal he blaseth abroad. And this is one argument of the truth of the word: for whereas other Chronicles do ever commend themselves and their own native countries best (as if you read the Chronicles of England, you will think it the hest nation) it is contrary in the word: the denial of Peter is more expressly set down of Mark, than of any other, yet did he write the Gospel out of his mouth. Paul setteth out his own faults in more sharp measure and manner, than any other can do, Act. 26. Moses, Gen. 49. seemeth to discredit his own birth: We see all these were of God, who is then most glorified when we are most cast down.

2 As the hiding of our sin with Adam hindereth mercy; so to testify our sin to be greater than it is, (with Cain ) displeaseth God highly.

3 Confession without yielding and feeling is nothing but a testimony against our selves: let us then so confess, that it may move us to love the truth.

4 Pharaohs confession is rather in judgment than in affection, in respect of the punishment, not of his sin, ergo it is not enough: & yet he hath profited further than many of us, which will not confess our sins at all.

5 Whensoever we have sinned, it is good to have this or the like meditation: good Lord, wilt thou call me to judgment and enter thine action with me? How shall I do then? I will take this order; I will disagree and fall out with myself. But is there any hope that God will then show mercy? Yea no doubt, for if the Lord were minded presently to imprison us, he would never by his prophets forewarn us by a writ, he might use the whole host of the creatures, to execute his vengeance every hour, but he deals more mercifully with us if we confess our sins.

6 Naturally we be all slow to confess our sins: we cast short reckoning on our own faults, Adam said, I have not sinned Lord: he lesseneth his sin in conceit, saying: The woman gave it me, and I did eat: Job seemeth to make an apology, as being unworthy of such a punishment. But we must learn that a sinner the more he doth extenuate and hide sin, the more he doth aggravate sin, and hasten judgment: the more freely he doth confess and judge himself, the more he is freed from God's seat of justice. Pro. 28. 13. 2. Cor. 11. 31. 32.

CHAP. XV. Of Conscience.

L Ooke how is our Conscience, so is our confidence: it is a tender piece, we must beware how we offer any violence to it. For the veriest reprobate hath his reprehender, which if he doth not satisfy, it will deliver him to the Jailor. From this evil conscience we must be sprinkled in our hearts, first with faith in the blood of the Lamb, determining that we will never defile the house of God again: and though we cannot do all good, yet let us desire all good, for the Lord judgeth according to the purpose; not according to the performance; according to the affect, not by the effect. And yet we must not stay in this It stāds us upon to use the means, that we may be masters of virtues: Hell is full of purposes, but not of performances Look therefore to thy conscience, for it is a brazen wall, and as a thousand witnesses often to urge this particular syllogism: Who so sinneth must die: thou hast sinned: ergo, &c. Adam having eaten of the forbidden fruit, was in paradise still, but all the joys therein were notable to comfort his conscience, until being found gasping and panting, he was comforted of the Lord.

2 We must ever desire the light of God's loving countenance, which we may be assured of, if we keep faith and a good conscience; but if we make shipwreck of these, the least thing shall greatly amaze us, yea the shaking of a leaf: but if we have this, nothing shall dismay us. Wherefore let others put their trust in chariots, yet if we trust in the Lord. we shall not fear what man can do unto us. This will take away confidence in the flesh, and make us trust only in God.

3 For examining a man's conscience; the best way is by the law to try whether he hath a knowledge, feeling, and misliking of his sins or no: whether he hath any fear of God's judgments for sin, or faith in his promises: and whether by particular applying of these things to himself, he can show any effects of prayer, Sacraments, new birth & repentance.

4 We must especially beware of smothering the watchword of our conscience, when we are bent to sin. Care of a good conscience, breedeth comfort in holiness; and pleasure in holiness breeds assurance of blessedness.

5 We have great peace, but no true peace, until we turn to God: until the Israelites would serve God, Pharaoh let them alone, but afterward he prepares for them, brick, lime, and a furnace: so long as we are quiet in sin, all is well; but if once we defy sin, then the devil will heat a furnace for us: yea he will rather than he would leese us, give wages to us, as he did to Judas. Hereof it is, that so long as we have no sense of sin, we can eat, drink, and sleep quietly, but when once we make conscience of sin, then comes trouble and vexation of mind, which worldly minded men would marvel at: But they are at peace with the devil; for were they not at peace, they should be put out of his service. But doth not the Lord say, The wicked have no peace? Isaiah. 57. True it is, they have no peace with God and with their own consciences, albeit they have great peace with the flesh, and world, and the devil. The peace of the wicked is like an harness unoccupied, to a vineyard never stirred, to a ground never ploughed: they are never surbushed with crosses, but rust upon the walls; yet far better were it for them to be disquieted, and have their fallow hearts broken and rent up. The holy Ghost saith, that the just man shall have peace at the last: So that there is a first peace, and that is a truce for a few days: and there is another peace at the last, which followeth our war, and this brings glory and immortality. Saul would needs have peace with men, and therefore brake peace with God; but afterward he lost his peace with God and men. The Jews refused peace with Christ, to have peace with the Romans; but when they had slain Christ, they lost their peace with God and the Romans also. Wherefore let us labor for that peace which passeth understanding, and for that everlasting peace.

6 We cannot suddenly and effectually work upon a man's conscience, unless God permit us sometime to dwell upon his conscience.

7 A man shall never be brought to be jealous over his own corrupt affection, until the Lord hath stricken his conscience with some fear of his majesty, which dispelleth all wicked imaginations.

8 We must specially beware of sins against knowledge and conscience: for as of all the parts of the body nothing is so subject to hurt as the eye: so nothing is sooner wounded than the conscience: it will not abide any pricking, the least thrust or violence will impair it; it is a tender place, and is very tenderness it self. The learned Physicians say there is a thing that is hard like a web in the eye, wherewith the eye being affected, even it of all parts being most sensible, is made most insensible. Such a thing may be in the conscience, so if that once this hard skin be overspread the conscience, that place which of all other in it own nature is most tender, groweth to be most hard; & that hardness proveth to be more hard than the hardness of Pharaoh; and their estate is worse than if they had never known God, I mean if they have once had a possession of good things, and after loose it, they have a • inde on their eye, and of all men they see the least: for if they loose their tenderness and hard • themselves, then God hardeneth them too, and that it is a fearful obduration.

9 〈…〉 d doth not so severely punish particular deserts, but a general falling into s 〈…〉 smaller infirmities, but grosser presumptions: for the particular sin bringeth not wrath, but the lying in the sin, and not repenting of it, bringeth wrath: which drawing in other sins, withal draweth also God's displeasure. So that one sin may be said to be spared and also punished: spared, if being admonished we be humbled, as David by Nathan. 2. Sam. 12. Jehoshaphat by Jehu 2. Chron. 19. 2. because in this we seek not to draw in other sins, but to be rid of this one punishment: where notwithstanding all merciful admonitions, and sower threatenings, we still lie in sin, and tie sin to sin, and so make away to God's judgment to fall on us: Wherefore we may comfort our selves for particular sins, so that in the general course of our life we labor truly to please God. For as a loving husband doth not take away his love from his wife, though in some particulars of her obedience and duty she faileth, so long as she keepeth her love chaste and true to him: so the loving kindness of the Lord will not cast off his children for some particular weakness or frailty in special commandments, so long as in sincere love to his majesty, we seek to obey him.

CHAP. XVI. Of Censure and Correction.

M Any think to privilege themselves from the name of Sinners, by reading largely and reprehending plentifully the sins of other men, counting it a compendious way to credit by building gorgeously on another man's discredit and ruin.

2 Flesh and blood will ease it self; superiors look to inferiors, and inferiors to superiors, but every man must look to himself.

3 As an house being on fire, if it may be quenched, it is best to use water only; but if it be like to endanger and set on fire the houses round about, it is best to pull down the house quickly: so if offense being raised, it may be quenched with water, use water, and let the house stand still; but if fire burst out on every side, then pull it down. When the Viper will still be a Viper, and retain his poison, though the charmer charm never so wisely, the Apothecary takes him, and makes a Triacle of him, to expel poison out of others: so if a brother will not be admonished, if he will not leave his poison, make triacle of him; that he that would not take heed of others, should be made a preservative for other to beware by him: if evil will not be taken from one in Israel, then take away the evil out of whole Israel, If we must needs see somewhat dead, it is better to see a dead arm than a dead corpse. When men will harden themselves, God in his judgment makes them as an adamant: and when they grow so hard, it is good to cast them out.

4 We are given to display every sin, yea the least in others, and to conceal and bury many graces, yea the best in others.

5 Such as be fallen must be restored with the spirit of wisdom and lenity: Such as be falling must be upholden by all good means speedily, least they fall so dangerously as that then cannot be recovered.

6 In an evil report or unjust censures of men, it is not good straightway to be angry, but to fly to God's providence, and to desire to profit by them.

7 Because we do not to men that good which we should do, God often suffereth them to report and speak evil of us.

8 Though we may be discouraged to deal in exhorting or dehorting, admonishing or reproving, or any ecclesiastical and Christian duty; yet being called of God, we must ask wisdom of him, who will send wisdom to bless his own ordinance.

9 It is a dangerous thing to have a proud spirit with a vain mind.

10 The drunken peace of hypocrites, must not be suppled with oil, but pierced with a spear.

11 If we be reproved for sin of man, let us fear the reproof of God. It is our great corruption, that we are sooner brought to leave a sin when man doth rebuke us once, than when God doth threaten us often.

12 It is a good thing sometime to have enemies. For we often are more afraid to sin, least our enemies should reprove us, than we make conscience of sin, least God should condemn us.

13 Although the wicked speak evil of us, let us be content: indeed a good name is better than a precious ointment, but remember that the Lord had made us all priests, and therefore let us offer up our good name to his glory, and if the wicked will bring coals of iuniper, let us sacrifice up our good names, and with Paul let us say, I esteem it the least thing in the world to be judged of you: it is the Lord that judgeth, and there is a blessing propounded for them that are so evil spokē of. But there are four hundred Prophets that speak against you, are they all deceived? Many eyes see more than one. True, if it be spoken of the like: for one Eagles eye seeth more than a thousand owls eyes: and as Solomon saith, One man that feareth God, is better than a thousand sinners. And Paul saith, what have I to do with them that are without? God shall judge them. Upon which words a learned man biddeth us observe, how the Apostle accounts evil men as nothing: wherefore seeing the wicked are so vile and so vain, one is better then many of them, therefore their censures and calumniations not to be regarded.

CHAP. XVII. Of Ceremonies, things indifferent, and of turning Christian liberty into unchristian licentiousness.

A S it is a fault to use unnecessary ceremonies which with the peace of the Church may be left: so it is faulty to leave a good ceremony, which hath a good use and no superstition with it.

2 The Lord commanded, Exod. 16. 33. an Homer full of Manna to be reserved as a monument for posterity. And so it was kept by the Lord's commandment, and therefore not abused to superstition, as the brazen Serpent and Gideon's Ephod: which because they were without God's commandment reserved, therefore they were quickly abused. But this Manna and the Alter which the Rubenites made, having a warrant of God's commandment, were not abused. Where we learn, that in bringing in ceremonies and rites into the Church, we ought to think, that if they have not their warrant from the word of the Lord they are like to be used without fruit; and in danger to be turned to hurtful superstition: but if they have their warrant from the word of God, that the Lord hath commanded them, then may they have very profitable uses in God's Church. And they shall never be so much abused to do hurt, as they shall be profitable in the right use of them. And therefore in bringing in ceremonies and orders we must ask counsel of the Lord, that his word may be our warrant.

3 The more ceremonies the less truth.

4 This is a general rule, whatsoever separateth man from God, or man from man, is abrogated: but whatsoever conioyneth man to God, or man to man, is left still. In this respect the whole Law is abrogated, according to the rigor of the curse, for otherwise we could not stand before God: So in Christ now having found reconciliation we are more bound to keep the law moral then the Jews, because God's commandments are more clearly revealed, and greater strength is now given against sin, therefore nothing is taken from the law that we should be careless: but the curse and condemnation of the law is done away, that we may have an entrance to God with boldness. Whatsoever separateth man from man, is abrogated; and so the ceremonial law is abrogated: that which is merely ceremonial, is merely abrogated: and that which is in part ceremonial, is in part only abrogated, as the Sabbath.

5 The Apostle, 1. Tim 4. 1. prophecieth of certain spirits of error, which should superstitiously forbid the use of Christian liberty: but 2. Tim. 3. he speaketh of another sort, who among many other properties should be lovers of pleasures more then lovers of God. The former are said to be in the last times, but these in the last days, one degree further thē the other, And such be we and our times, long rid from that superstitious generation: but ready now (as it is said, Deut. 29. 19.) to add drunkenness to thirst, which cometh to pass for want of circumspectnes in delivering the doctrine of liberty. And so we fall to make Paul, Galat. 5. and Peter a cloak of our licentious life. We turn the grace of God into wantonness, (as Jude speaketh.) This then being as it were the common disease of these last and perilous days: the ministers of the Gospel must stand up as in a gap, and everyone is to be watchful over himself, that he sink not away in these pleasures, which seem to cheer & bring good to the heart; but such a good as maketh the graces of God in some to come to nothing, and withdraweth many away from Paradise, a place of pleasure, to hell a place of torments. You know who it was, that seeing so many young Gentlemen follow Epicurus at his first setting up, said the cause was, it was young men's philosophy that was professed in that school. For this cause Satan laboreth especially to poison this age, because he knoweth if this be barren of good, that which followeth is like to be thereafter. Satan and his ministers have for every age, estate, and condition, a sundry bait; laying for Youth the bait of pleasure, for Age the bait of couetonsnes, &c. Every man is eat̄ up with one zeal or other: there is a zeal of old age, middle age, & of youth. Every man may try his zeal by the ninth of Esa. ver. 7. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this. It was the zeal of God, that he gave his son for us, his most dearly beloved son: it is then one argument of our zeal to anything, when we will forgo a precious thing, for the thing we profess to love indeed. Esau was zealous for his meat, when he would lose his blessing for it: and such is our zeal of pleasure, that we will forgo learning, time, the favor of the godly, health of body, yea, sometimes our own souls for it.

6. It hath been always the note of false prophets to preach pleasant things, and for outward matters, as the Priests of Jezebel. And Micah. chap. 2 speaketh of false Prophets, that prophesied of meat and strong drink. Peter saith, they praise liberty: and Paul, They can reason for the belly: All thing • (say they) are lawful: but on the other side, God's children have been always in the way of restraining. 1. King 19. Elijah ate, and gave over▪ and fell asleep, so that the Angel was sent to bid him eat more. It is not the f • ult of many. For we have need of an Angel to keep us from eating. Timothy abstained from wine, and Paul biddeth him to use it for the weakness of his stomach. Solomon reclaimeth young men, Eccle. 11. When Job's children mean to banquet in course, he feareth least they curse God. The austerity of the Fathers was very great concerning meats, as of Basil, & Jerome▪ that it gave occasion to the superstitious abstinence which followed. But now the latter times are gone and the last days are come. Superstition is past, but men glut themselves with all Epicureanism and pleasures of this life.

7 Christians are neither Stoics nor Epicures: Paul disputeth against both, Act. 17. The Stoic condemns all pleasure, the Epicure commends all pleasures. Pleasure is not good according to our election, but in respect of the object: if the object or matter wherein our pleasure consisteth be simply good, then the pleasure is simply good: if the object be simply evil, our pleasure is simply evil. But pleasures by nature being good, and bad by circumstance; they are not left as things indifferent to our election.

CHAP. XVIII. Godly meditations concerning Christ's power against Satan, love to the faithful: and how he is our wisdom, righteousness, holiness: and of our communion with him.

C Hrist careth for us, we must not fear a strong enemy, because we have a stronger Captain. The Devil indeed is a Lion, but so is Christ a Lion, and that of the tribe of Judah: There is a Lion for a Lion; courage for courage. The devil is a Serpent, so Christ calleth himself the brazen Serpent: there is a Serpent for a Serpent; wisdom for wisdom; yea a Serpent of brass, to sting all the fiery Serpents of the wilderness. But thou sayest, that Christ is called a Lamb and a worm. B • not discouraged, that is in respect of his Father, who found him as meek as a Lamb, who might have trodden on him as on a worm: but the devil never found him a Lamb, but a Lion. The meekness of Christ is stronger than all the power of hell, John. 18. When the devil seemed to be in his ruffe, he sends a great crew to take a silly man: when he told them it was he whom he sought; this little word cast them down. What shall he do then in glory, when he cometh with thousands of Angels? This then is the conclusion: the devil is strong, but Christ is stronger, and chaineth him at his pleasure: The devil is wise, but Christ is wiser, and preventeth him in all his practices.

2 They that will have a true faith in Christ, must believe in the ends, and in the mercies of our salvation. The ends are, that Christ is made of God unto us, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, & redemption. Art thou afraid that thou shalt go out of thy wits, because thou fearest sin? Are thy cogitations confounded? Seest thou no knowledge, no not so much as a literal knowledge of thy salvation, but all is doubtfulness, all is dullness, all is deadness within thee, as though thou never knewest, heardest, or learnedst anything? Now know, now is the time to believe, that whatsoever knowledge, experience & power of understanding was in Christ Jesus, the same is made thine; he is the annointing that will teach thee, he is the Fathers counselor, he is wonderful, he hath the knowledge of all mysteries, he is the spiritual interpreter of the law, unto whom as the Fathers did approach more nearly, so they did see the power of the law more clearly. He is our wisdom: both the teacher and the thing taught. Hast thou some good measure of knowledge, and yet thy life in no part being agreeable, nor proportionable to thy knowledge; thou art sore troubled for not walking in the ways of righteousness, thou feelest no goodness, thou thinkest thyself as a Sere tree without all fruit? Now remember that Christ Jesus who had no holiness by the flesh, by being borne of his mother, who saved great sinners, and made of persecutors preachers, would not have thee to seek for great things in the flesh, seeing himself got so little thereby, but would have thee seek thy righteousness out of thyself in him: who being no sinner indeed was an accounted sinner, and punished as a sinner for thee; that thou having no righteousness, mightest be accounted righteous, and rewarded as righteous through him. Well it may be, God hath given thee to walk so uprightly, as the world can in nothing charge thee: but thou fearest thy natural corruption, that thou shalt not persevere, thou tremblest to remember how many excelling thee in gifts and graces of the Spirit, have fallen away from the truth, and thinkest all is but hypocrisy, and that thy hypocrisy will one day beguile thee, now call to mind that CHRIST is made to thee holiness, not as new Moses to follow, but as a true Messiah to believe in, the worker, author, and finisher of thy holiness: So that albeit in respect of thyself to persevere, it seems impossible, yet with him it is both possible and easy. What if thou hadst a multitude of sins, that thy corruption did swell till it burst? Mary Magdalene had seven Spirits, and yet of all women she was most devout, most loving, most honourd to have the first sight of Christ's resurrection. What if thou hast been a brawned and infamous sinner, so that the name of sin hath been notoriously written in thy forehead? the Lord Jesus called and crowned Matthew the Publican with the dignity of an Evangelist. What if thy sin had taken a purple die and crimson color in the blood of the Saints? Paul of a most grieuour persecutor of Christ, was made a most glorious preacher of Christ. It may be thou fearest the corruption drawn from thy native country, the Cretans were converts, and the Corinthians became Christians. It may be yet thine hereditary, and natural corruptions cause thee to despair of comfort: consider the Lord can change the nature of a Wolf into the nature of a Lamb, & the course of a corrupt nature in thee to the power of a supernatural grace. Oh there is one thing that troubles thee, many promises, few performed. Thou lookest for peace of mind, and behold a wound of the Spirit; thou art the Lord of the whole earth, and the heir of heaven, and yet hast not wherewith to help thy necessity: thou art a Lord of liberty, and yet put in prison. All this I grant, & yet in all this Christ is thy redemption; not suffering thee to be overcome of any of these in thy life, and who lie freeing thee from them in the life to come. Admit that thou werst cruelly persecuted, cannot he, that made the fire not to burn at all the children in the furnace, make the fire so easily to consume thee, as thou shalt comfortably bear it? Will not he that made the Lions being hungry, not once to open their mouths on Daniel, to crush thee so gently, that thou shalt willingly sustain it? Now the means are the Word, Prayer, the Sacraments, and discipline of the Church. The Word even crucifieth Christ a new in thine heart, Prayer giveth thee a feeling of thy faith, the Sacraments confirm both thy faith and feeling; and discipline continueth us in the obedience, both of the Word, and of Prayer, and of the Sacraments, and consequently, is a means to continue us in all those comforts, which by the other means are to be found in Christ.

3 Thou must ever beware of two extremities: The one, that thou labor not so for righteousness, that thou forget CHRIST to be thy holiness; the other, that thou so travel not for holiness, as that thou shouldest not remember him also to be thy righteousness. And so behave thyself in both, that thou beest most righteous in Christ, & yet thou must endeavor also to be holy, and though thou beest never so holy, yet know thou standest in need of the righteousness of Christ. Now to come to these things, thou must diligently attend on the word, whereby Christ Jesus is crucified a fresh in thine heart, on prayer, which worketh a feeling of thy Faith, on the Saints, which confirm thy Faith, and increase thy feeling.

4 CHRIST hath made us inheritors of his kingdom, which he holdeth by two titles, first by inheritance, then by purchase. As he obtained by inheritance, he reserveth that title to himself alone, but whatsoever he hath had by purchase, he hath given us the title of it. And not only this doth he give us, but also the graces of the spirit, though not to one all, nor to all in one measure. An afflicted mind seeing one of the children of God, have this, another that gift, is grieved that he hath not all. It is an error, Christ giveth not to one all, but divideth all among many. But there is one special grace which I cannot have, and that is feeling. Hast thou faith? blessed art thou that belieuest, and that without feeling. Do you believe? you have a rich gift, you must not have all. If you have any gifts, it is well, the gifts are divided. Be content with thy portion, and I say unto thee, that thy Faith without feeling, is more precious to God, thē thy faith with feeling. If by thy faith thou hast made the devil a drone, that he cannot sting, and a toothles dog that he cannot bite, it is sufficient. Content thyself with thy portion, until the Lord come from heaven, until he be all in all, and then thou shalt have all joy in all perfection.

5 Two things are necessary, truly to espouse us to CHRIST; the one is to use the pure means: the other, to use those means with a pure heart.

CHAP. XIX. of Death and Judgment.

MAnie make no account of the death of the soul, because they feel it not as they do the death of the body. Every man feareth a Palsy, an Epilepsie, and an Apoplexy, because they strike dead: but if a man be in a consumption, where he shall be decaying seven years, he thinks nothing of it. Likewise if an house fall suddenly, we say it perisheth, but if it molder away we little regard it. In Hosh. 5, verse 7. 12. The Lord threateneth to be a Lyon to Israel, and a mouth to Judah. Surely, when the wrath of God, as a moathe hath secretly fed on us ere we know it, our souls do as it were bleed to death. For as he that bleedeth to death feeleth little, until suddenly his strength faileth; so in the death of the soul, a man doth not perceive how his strength is gone, or ever he be aware. It may be the Lord will not be unto us as a Lyon, but as a mouth, we shall not happily die of an Apoplexy, but of a consumption, and CHRIST the Savior shall laugh at our destruction.

2 We can better away to meditate on Death which Satan covereth with eternity following, then on the day of Judgment, where we must all make our account.

3 The bare meditation of Death doth so far move us from suffering our delights to dwell on earthly things, as that Reason dissuadeth us not to make any cost about a Tenement where we know we shall dwell but a while. Yet such bare imaginations of Death may build up in the mean time the kingdom of pride in us. Wherefore it shall be more available, if with our meditation of putting off this earthly tabernacle, we think also of putting on the heavenly Tabernacle, and of putting on the royal robe of Christ's righteousness, without which we shall never stand with comfort before the great Throne of God's Judgment.

4 The cause why we beso loath to die is, because we cannot find in our conscience that we have done that good thing for which we came into this life.

5 If there be a desire in thee to die in respect of some injury, shake it off; it is better to be a living dog, than a dead Lion: for so long as thou livest, there is time to repent, but after death there is none. Therefore labor for to feel his favor in Christ, which if thou do, thou shalt never fail till thou come to him.

6 God dealeth contrary to the course of our common Physicians, which first give one medicine, and then if that will not serve, a stronger: but God giveth the strongest first. The argument of judgment is the last that can move us. That argument moveth most in Logic which hath the best reason and most sense: howsoever it seemeth to some, yet sure I am the argument of judgment hath the most sense, or shall have, and may best serve to move all sensual men. There be three things to move even evil disposed men in that great judgment, shame, grief, and fear. Let it move us for shame; and if this will not, let us remember the fear which then shall possess us; if we want this, our state is lamentable, for then neither Prophets, nor Apostles, nor the holy Ghost can tell what to say unto us.

7 Many are of opinion (that teach without discretion) that it is evil to do anything for fear of judgment, but all for love: and if we abstain from any evil for fear, that we are in a wrong course. I have been of this error myself, but the holy Ghost is content to use this as a good reason, and will be beholding to us, if we fear to do evil for judgments sake. Hear what Augustine saith: Do this for fear of punishment, if thou ca • st not as yet obey for the love of justice. Bernard likens the fear of God to a needle, and the love of God to a thread: first the needle entereth, and then followeth the thread: First, fear keepeth us from doing, next, love causeth that we do not, even then, when we can do. This is t •• means as Augustine saith, A timore bonavita, à bona vita bona conscientia: inde nullus timor, at{que} ita dulcescit Deus peccanti, &c. First we are God's enemies, then his servants, & if we behave our selves well in his service we shall be made his adopted children.

8 This word judgment I would no man would let it pass without judgment, and yet there is no word read with less judgment. In the law the title de iudicio is best studied: and it is a great title. Chrysostom saith, if we had that care which they have that be arraigned before an earthly judge, we should do well. Though his judgments be as the great deep, as the Psalmist saith; yet they may be brought to four heads, and first into two, the judgment of man, and the judgment of God: the judgment of man, either when another gives judgment of us, or we give judgment of our selves: the judgment of God, either in this life, or eternal. Job, chap. 29 speaketh of some young men in his days, that feared his judgment. This fear is to be seen in heathen men, as in him that ran further into the Tavern to avoid the sight of the Philosopher. The boys of Bethel, that wanted this fear, and reverenced not Elisha the Prophet, were so far gone, that it was time to cut them off. He cursed them, and two she-bears came out of the wood and slew them. But as Lucina saith of the consistory of Christians, this is a miserable Consitory, a poor judgment: every man will plead with the friar, We are exempted Lord: yet true it is. they that shall judge the world, can best judge, but they shall be judged also. The second is the judgment seat within us, which God hath made to make us esteem his the more. It is counted an absurd thing for a man to be his own judge. This is our own conscience. This is God's register that registreth all things which we do or speak, and it is also our remembrancer, when we are alone. Blessed is the man that despiseth not this judge: no man can have a more severe judge than himself, albeit a man do acquit himself: the wicked is sometimes secure, but never in safety. This is that, whereby God would call us home. Every sinner is his own tormentor: Here be surdo verbera, strokes that cannot be heard, and yet strokes indeed. Then if there be within them such torments, why are wicked men so merry? Surely I must answer them thus: Peccator est sui carnifex: but these are removed from the way of sinners to the seat of scorners: and then all is quiet. Every sinner is condemned in himself, or by himself, if he become not brutish, & his conscience feared and hardened. And as for young men's consciences, Augustine compareth them to water in a bason, the water is stirred, and there is no face seen: but so soon as maturity of years come, then it will stand still, and we shall see our faces, and cry with David and Job, Lord wipe away the sins of my youth. The third judgment may be compared to a quarter sessions, that doth consist in depriving of commodities, the mulcte is the loss of God's grace, an insensible punishment, but so great, that if all the creatures should mourn, saith Chrysostom, it were not sufficient, when grace is taken away from one man. If we will not be moved with the loss of that, which God makes account of, he will take away that which we make account of, as by taking away our preferment, wit, &c. for I account that man to have lost his wit, which is turned into a Fox, which hath nothing but craft and subtlety. Then he sendeth sickness, reproaches and hearts grief to humble us, or some singular sharp judgment on some, of very good hope, and love, and taketh them out of this life, to warn us that are a great deal worse, to the terror of the wicked, and that they might not see the punishments he is to bring upon the ungodly for sin. Now for as much as a man in the first judgment is condemned, in the second quited, in the third repriued: Therefore the Lord hath appointed a fourth judgment, which shall pay them home: and that may be compared, if I may so say, to the jail delivery, and this is called the day of judgment. In comparison whereof other judgments are as nothing. Then God will take the matter into his own hand, then shall there be a new Quest, thē all th • se matters that are shuffled up, and evil judged, shall be judged again. Now is the day of affections, but then the day of judgment: in it we shall lose all that is to be lost. Now for this day & this judgment, that we may have somewhat to move us, being of our selves Very dull, let us see, how fearful and dreadful it is. In a judgment there are three things, the action, the sentence, and the execution. For we see the prisoners, first how they plead for themselves. Secondly, being found guilty, the sentence is pronounced by the Judge: and after, they are executed. In earth there are means to acquit for a season, as delusiō of the Judge or of the witnesses, persuasion, corruption, favor. For the first, they be apicesiuris, points in law, they undo all justice, a cau • lling justice: but apices iuris in calo non excusant. And for the witnesses they shall not deliver him, for they shall be true witnesses, the book shall then be opened. No persuasion shall then serve, because God is not subject to any affection. Thirdly, there shall be no corruption, for though the Judge could be corrupted, what could we give him, when the whole world shall be destroyed? Lastly, we must look for no favor, for it is the day of judgment and not of mercy. The night before the blowing of the Trumpet, there shall be preached mercy, but then there shall be none: let no man flatter himself, for so he shall find it. To escape a sentence here on earth is either by appeal to an higher court, or by re • racting: but there can be no appeal, for who is higher than God: neither shall there be any reversion of the sentence, for there shall be no more sitting, because there is no second judgment. Thirdly, there is an execution, which is most fearful. And execution there shall be, well, let it come, will we say, for a punishment must be ours: & then what is there to help us to escape punishment, but either resistance, or if that will not serve, flight; if we cannot fly, patience, or mitigation, or our comfort is hope: but there is none of all these can stand us in any stead: for the first, if we were, as Job saith, hard rocks, as we are potshards, we were not able to resist, for if the Lord did but touch us, we would smoke. But his wrath shall be poured upon us, and who is able to abide it? Secondly, it bootes us not to fly, for the Lord is everywhere round about us, we are as it were in a circumferēce, the further we are from one part, the nearer we are to the other. We fly from the God of peace to the God of wrath, there is no escaping: Christ saith, Take the unprofitable servant, bind him hand and foot, so that he cannot fly; and Jude addeth, with everlasting chains, and that in darkness; so that if he could break his chains, yet he could not see whither to fly in the dark. Thirdly, there is no patience; which ye shall see, if ye consider the example of the rich man in Luke, who required one drop of water to cool his tongue, of a person, whom he hated deadly; and no doubt they do hate the godly there as much as ever they did in this life. Last of all let us look for no mitigation: If there were any mitigation, it should be either in respect of the weariness of the tormentors, but they are spirits; or by consuming of our bodies, but we shall continue forever: or by diminishing of the instruments, but the fire shall never go out: & that it may not so do, there is a lake of brimstone prepared to run into it, and the worm never dieth. Neither shall there be any comfort, the remembrance even of that they enjoyed shall torment them.

9 There is a people in Amos and Zephaniah, that put the day of the Lord far off, but it shall be unto them a day of terror and trembling. On the other side, let us consider how the world waxing old as a garment, and all creatures become mouth-eaten and worm-eaten: the fruits, stones, and herbs decaying in their virtues. Against worldly Atheists the Prophet Zephaniah saith: The Lord will seek them, and rather than he will lose them for finding, he will seek them with a lantern, and search them with a candle. When we know the time must come, we inquire of it: and beholding God drawing some presently into the stage, and knowing that others are reserved for the last judgment, the faithful inquire for their hope, the wicked for their fear. Well, as I would not have men too curious, Mat. 24 so could I wish them not to be too careless: the first is ill, the second is worse. The day shall come suddenly, and therefore neither curiousnesse nor carelessness is good: only thus much is sure, it is at hand, but no man could never show the fingers of his hand. Peter showeth, that we must not measure the time after man, but after God. Some reason this, some that; but let us remember that, Deuterono. 29. 29. The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong unto us. Let no man think by an allegory to reach to that, which the Angels themselves cannot comprehend. For if one should say, that as there were four thousand years before Christ his coming in the flesh, so there should be four thousand before he came to judgment, were it not as like a quidditie as they harp on, and yet both untrue? If we look on Cyprian and Tertullian, we shall see them to have thought the day to come in their times. Here the Fathers have roued much, but all like to miss the mark. Let us know, that th • nearness is not in respect of us, but of the speaker, who only knoweth what is near; and let us content our selves with this, that in respect of eternity nothing is long, that shall have an ende. When the Apostles then say, it is near, so we may say, it is near, and no difference: But as the Day was then near, so the Houre is now near; near, I say in respect of God and of eternity. And as the promise accomplished was near to God 4000. years before it came, so it is not in the fathom of man's brain to tell, how many days or years, wherewith God is not governed, is far or near unto us. The Apostle Heb. 10. 25. showeth the time to be near, and that it is within the view of the eye, because the sacrifices of the Jews are abolished, the true sacrifices are offered, and the Gospel more or less is universally preached. But among all reasons this moveth me, & may move all, that now Christ is ready to come, because we see small faith on the earth For if ever this was, it is now, wherein is not only a defect of faith, which ever was, but because now men go clean against faith: for now not only the principles of the faith are not observed, but they are thought absurd, and things clean contrary are prescribed. Is it not monstrous, that now some teach for doctrine, that a man may lie and forswear without sin or shame? Seeing that sin is now in it ripeness, which was before but in the ear, could the devil from hell broch more profound blasphemies? If the regions begin to grow white, and sin groweth ripe and yellow, we must look for the Angel shortly to thrust in his sickle. Well, whensoever the dave of judgment is, I fear the day of the departure of the Gospel is at hand. Our security is such, that we may rather say, the Lord hath suffered us too long, then that we can accuse God for seuerenesse in striking us too soon. Be it then, that as yet the day is not come, wherein the world shall crackle about our ears; or though we see not our Jerusalem destroyed: yet we know our day of death cannot be far off, and quickly we shall come to our doom.

CHAP. XX. Of the shortness of our life, and the meditation of Death how profitable.

IT is the usual manner of the Holy Ghost, 1. Pet. 4. I am. 2. John, 12. to persuade men to godliness, because they have but a quantity of days. This is such an ordinary Argument, that use hath taken away the force of it, yet David saith, that even ordinary things by grace move us, and where grace works not, even extraordinary things move us not. Concerning shortness of life, the heathen could say, that a man is but a man of a day old, and the Philosophers teach that his life cannot be long. But we will leave all them without the Church, and come to them within: David said it was a span long Moses and Solomon say, it is a life of days: and I will observe withal, that Moses, John, David, Solomon, when they describe the life of man, they can find nothing to rest on as vain enough, whereunto they might compare it: so base a thing is this life, that it may abide any extenuation in the world. In regard whereof they have compared it to a bubble, a sleep, a vapor, and they cume so far at the length, that they compared it to a thought, whereof we know there may be no fewer then a thousand in one day. Isaiah 38 it is said, it may be spent before night. And 2. Cor. 5. it is compared to a booth or a shepherds tent, which we see doth last but a while. In our daily and ordinary prayer Christ admonisheth us of this point, when he teacheth us to pray, that we may have a portion for a day, as though our life were shut up, or may be shut up in one day. There are long spaces, which by a speedy course are quickly ended; and there be short spaces, which having a slow mover, are long in going, but if the space be short, and the motion swift, there is no hope of continuance; and such a one is our life. The Israelites went no further in thirty years, by their slow motion, than by a swift passage they might have gone in eleven days: So that one may be going a long journey in a little time, and a little journey a long time. Our way is short, and for the manner of our motion in this short way, it is compared to a Weavers shuttle, and to a Poste, and to a shadow: to a Poste, Nay, it is not of so long continuance, for a Poste leaves a print of his steppes behind him, but a man doth leave no impression, he is still going, & the motion never ceaseth. The swiftest thing in nature for motion may stay, but man's life doth not stay: For though at the prayer of Joshua the Sun stood still, which is wonderful swift; yet the time of man's life stood not still, but even then a d • ies journey went forward. Solomon considering of man's life, called it vain, and then as not thinking that a sufficient word, he corrected himself, & called it Vanity it self. But David going further, Psal. 62. saith, man is lighter than vanity too. If we add this, that nothing befalls us all our life long, but it may befall us any day, or every day, we shall confess this life is vain. The calculating of this time is good, but the increasing of our account is the cause of all evil. Matt. 25. the envious servant was overtaken in his account, be thought he had many days to come, which he had not, before his Lord appeared. The Virgins were truly foolish, that dreamed of a day, which was denied them. Luk. 12. the rich man ouershot himself, and was prevented contrary to his account: It is the usual complaint of the Prophets, that men say, The prophecy is deferred, the plague shall not come yet; and we say in our hearts, the Bridegroom will not come yet, our Lord will be long in coming, the burden of the Lord shall overpass us, & so forth. It is good reason to remember the prayer of Moses, Psal. 90. 12. that we beguile not our selves in the computation, who crieth, Lord teach us to number our days. For numbering of people David is an example: for numbering our money, our sheep, our lands, and our frames, every man can be an example: But to number our days is a rare kind of numbering, it is a strange Arithmetic, what rearages we are fallen into with the Lord, for our time not spent to his glory▪ this is a numbering, wherewith we are unacquainted. Oh that we knew what it were to account of time, surely this I will say, if there were many worlds in the possession of some that are departed, they would give them us for one day or hour, which we have in such plenty, and so little esteem of. Well, in the numbering of our years we need take no great pain, for Moses hath set it down to be 70. years. If our life last but so long, a little Arithmetic will cypher it out, and we know it is a matter of no great art to number our years, even from our first father to this age. A worldly man in this business would begin to add and to multiply, putting still to the times past that which is to come, and withdrawing from time to come, times past: But we must know that all that is past, is to be substracted, and to be counted nothing, and the days to come are not to be added, for an addition must be of a thing existent, but the time to come is not. But let us make a supposition of that to be which is not, that a man may write of 70 years, let us, I say, set that down as the gross sum. Halfe that time is spent they say in sleep, which thē we may well detract from the great number, & then there remains but 35. years. From these we may deduct 14. years in our youth, wherein we are unfit to glorify God, or do good to man, and so there remains sixteen years; and of these sixteen, to set down the days of sickness, or those times which we sinfully spend in yielding to anger, to our lusts, or to worldliness, wherein we are as unprofitably occupied, as though we were not, half of the number would be cut off, and so we should leave but seven or eight years. But now we have the sum, from whence we might take out, but not that time out, which is past we know, seeing now it is nothing; what is to come, we know not, and it cannot be added, time is but short, and therefore great need we have of God his spirit to teach us. To this we know, how suddenly death doth take from us time to come, Job's children in the midst of their banket were stricken dead; Ishbosheth died before night could come upon him, neither hath the strongest liver any surer charter of his life. The best way then to reckon aright, is to make the number, which we may take out, and that which we would subtract, all one, and that is none. If in the way we haply find something, we may take it for our advantage, and see that we use it to God his glory. For this being set down, that our days past are none, and the days to come none neither: so that no days past or to come can be counted part of our life, and consequently have none but the present time, which is very little, and as little as a thought, unless we could have a lease of our life, as Hezekiah in some so • t had of his by Isaiah, wherein he had very ill success. And so finding our time to be none, we shall be most bent to labor to attain to wisdom. And here we must understand, what manner of wisdom this skill of counting brings us: there is wisdom of health, and there is wisdom of sickness, and this is it, which we shall learn. And what is that wisdom? surely by a continual thinking, that death is nigh, and persuading our selves that death is within a minute, what no law, prince, parents or punishment could do, that death will easily dispatch. By this they that before had no delight in the word if once they take this account, that every day they think they draw their last breath, the word will be full of comfort to them. And then the meditation of death working above the hope of long life, the wisdom of sickness will be found to be above the wisdom of health. In this case men will give counsel, that before could take none, and this is that wisdom of the point of death, & nothing can teach us better. We see the effect of this in Hezekiah, when the talie of his days was left him, we see his meditation, which was such as the holy Ghost hath put it in perpetual record, we see his behavior most worthy our meditations. Neither is this in Hezekiah only a well disposed man, but even in the wicked, as Baltashashar, who seeing the number of his days, and that he was found too light, begun to quake, and his knees did shake presently, and so began to be wise. Thus we see an effect both in the wicked and in the godly, of this meditation most necessary.

2 The readiest way to obtain life is to be content, either to live or die, and to commit our selves to the Lord, knowing that nothing ever perished, which was committed to him. Let us be content with the use of life, which the Lord giveth us to repent in, and account it a great benefit, that the Lord granteth us a great time of repentance, knowing that it is a greater benefit, to be a living dog, than a dead lion: for while we live, there is a place for repentance, but after death there is none: And therefore those that account it not a benefit to live, are unworthy of life, or any benefit therein: all these things must serve to teach us patience, and to refrain our murmuring nature, whensoever by any temptation our flesh is provoked thereunto.

3 As it is a main point of wisdom to learn to die, so there be many under rules proceeding from this. First, it helpeth our procrastinating and putting off of the evil day, and our kind of repentance, which is ever in purposes and promises, & never in practice & performance. We see that men in their journey, if they think they have day enough they are sl • ck enough: but if they see they have but little day, so that they begin to mumber, they ply themselves. Wherefore seeing time goeth away, when we lay no hold on it, yea when most sure hold that can be is laid on, we must labor for heavenly wisdom, and a compendious rule thereunto is to number our days. There is another thing, and it is like the great Dragon in the Revelation, it hath drawn away and deceived the third part of the world, and that is want of wind and fainting of heart in affliction, to the remedying whereof it is good to consider, that as we suffer daily, so we are dying daily, & that which the world afflicteth, is drawing to corruption, which shall exempt us from their tyranny. And here in we take our mortality for an advantage against them, that seeing we are subject to so many evils we are also mortal, and after death we shall be immortal, when nothing shall hurt us. For as we would not be immortal now being subject to sin and misery, so we shall then not be mortal, when we shall be recompensed with righteousness and felicity. Now by considering of this short time of mortality, and of the glory of our immortality we suffer without fainting, we fancy not many days here, which might discourage us, but we think our year may want months, our month days, our days hours, and so we are encouraged. Another thing is this. It is sure we love this life by a rule of folly, in trusting to this life, that it will be long (for our estimation of a thing grows by the continuance of it) and therefore if we could be persuaded of the shortness of this life, it would draw us to the contrary rule of wisdom. But we are all Damas his disciples, we commend things present howbeit, it were better to have Moses our Master, who in his time began to number, and yet we know that he might have been sure that the day of judgment would not be in his time, for that the promised Messiah was not yet come: we fear it less, & number nothing so fast, upon whom the day it self may as suddenly come, as upon them, who tarie for nothing to it, but for the fulfilling of the elect, & the accomplishment of the number of them that shall be saved. So that we both by death and in respect of the last day, are not to count of any long abode. But above all there is one principal rule which Christ allowed as an high point of wisdom in Marie, in that she made so fit a choice of her times in bestowing them in such a thing, as should not be taken from her, as no time should bereave her of it, wherein we are taught to think, that those times which we bestow on God his worship, shall not end within the number of our days, but they shall have their abiding fruit forever, and this will comfort us afterwards. But when we are occupied in Marthaes business, we may say, and what is this? what profit will this afford in death, shall not my days be cut off, & what will this avail me? So that it is good to be exercised in things which concern the time which runs beyond the number of our days, & shall last as long as God himself shall endure.

CHAP. XXI. Dulnes of spirit and of feeling.

Such is the corruption of our nature, that albeit we have been wonderfully delighted with God's graces, yet when we abound with them, we less esteem them, than when we began to enjoy them.

2 We must desire and endeavor to keep our selves from deadness and dullness, and to tie our hearts ever in thankfulness unto God After our meats received it is good to speak something to the glory of God: If God give any good matter, to take it as offered unto us of God: If nothing were done or spoken but all silent, it were good to seek some good occasion of speech, by reading, singing or speaking. And we may not tie our selves much to any other means, for accustomable use of any one thing, bringeth less reverence. And then must we endeavor specially to stir up one another in good speeches, when such be present as God makes instruments to teach the same more effectually unto others: and this the Apostle by his example teacheth us, 2. Tim 2. 2.

3 There is a secret, inward, and spiritual blessing, which the elect feel, when to the world they seem accursed: and there is a secret curse to the wicked, when apparently they seem to be blessed.

4 As it is no small benefit though we have not the bright Sun-shining, yet to have the light of it to govern the day, the heat of it to turn away the cold, the effects of it in other works of nature: so it is no small mercy, though we have not the shining countenance of the Lord, yet to have the guiding of our affections by the light of it, the possessing of our souls in patience by some feeling of it, and the fruits thereof in the peace of our minds: although we feel not the present beams, yet we shall see them shine hereafter; If we have not this joy of our mind as we would in the day of our vocation, the Lord will plentifully give it us in the day of our coronation.

5 They may be truly said to have profited well, which believe the word before they feel the effect of it, as the threatenings before they feel the smart, the promises before they feel the comfort. And such as do not thus believe do highly displease God. This was the sin of Thomas, which would feel ere he believed, and this sin is in us all, therefore all must learn to correct it in themselves. And if we were free from this, we should be free from many evils.

6 Although a man do not feel his faith sometimes under the cross, as indeed it falleth out often in the best children of God, yet when it shall please the Lord to send feeling and deliverance, that man shall see that his faith was great, and that the Lord did mightily preserve him from falling; yea he shall then perceive that his faith was stronger, when he had not the feeling of God's favor, than it had been at sometimes, when he had great feelings.

CHAP. XXII. Of Catechizing and instruction of Youth.

THere hath been a sect both among the heathen, and also in our age, that thinks that religion is not to come so low as children; but that they are to be nourished up boldly, and when they come to riper years, then to be instructed in religion, and not before. So the neathē tell us as we see in the beginning of the Philosophers morals as also in the opinion of the Orator, in the defense of Caelius: It is wisdom to let youth have his course till his heat be abated. But if there were any moment in the authority of the heathen, the whole practice of them were to be preferred before one man's opinion. And for their practice, certain it is, that the exercise of catechizing was used among the Gentiles: for we find it in Porphyries time: It was usual in Athens for youth to be taught: as also the histories of the heathen do declare, that the children were instructed: for it was a custom among them not to powle their children's heads, until they were taught, & then to burn their hair as a sacrifice to Apollo, who from thenceforth in regard of their skill, were allowed to carry tabers in their pomps and solemnities. Aristotle's meaning in that place is, de facto, non de eo, quod fieri debet. Else he is to be called back to his seventh book de Repub. chap. 17. It is expedient for children to be withdrawn from evil speeches▪ Against the Orator standing at the bar to plead for a lewd young man, his own saying is to be alleged: Offic. lib. 1. That this age must chiefly be reclaimed from pleasures and lust. Exod. 10. 11. Pharaoh being requested of the Israelites, that they might go with their children into the wilderness for to worship, maketh a scoff that their children should go, as though religion pertained not to them. Matth. 19. 13. When children were brought unto Christ, that he might bless them, his disciples forbad them, that brought them; as if Christ and children had nothing to do one with another. For the first I answer, Moses standeth with Pharaoh in that point, and will not take so much, as he would grant for the old, except the young may go too. And for the second, Christ opposeth himself to his disciples, granting childrē safe conduct to come unto him, pronouncing those accursed, that keep them from him. Matth. 18. 6 Psal. 119. 9. The law is not only given for those of ripe years, but even for young men to cleanse their ways. The Jews note, there is mention made of children three times in the Decalogue. And though the rest may seem to admit some doubt, yet in catechizing, which is comprehended in the Sabbath days exercise, our sons and our daughters are bound to less than we. Exod. 12. 6. If children be so busy as to ask, what is meant by the Passover, the Lord is so far from keeping it back from them, that he commands their parents to acquaint them with that Sacrament: and albeit they do not ask. Deut. 6. 7. he layeth a charge on their parents to see thē instructed in his laws.

2 And whereas many hold that it is not material, nor to be regarded, what children do, and that they are not to be examined nor censured by their doings, though they be wantō and childish, they be confuted, Pro. 20. 11. They shall be judged by their steps▪ As the blessing of God's is upon them, that give themselves to wisdom, Psalm. 127 & 128. whom David compareth to a quiver full of arrows, & to olive branches: so doth he not spare those that do evil, although they be children. 2. Reg. 2. 24. The boys that scoffed Elisha were torn in pieces with two bears. To this the Hebrew proverb may be added, in Golgotha are to be seen souls of all sizes, that is, death the reward of sin cometh on the young as well as upon the old. I saw little and great saith John, Apoc 20. 12. waiting for their judgment. Christ who hath said of himself, I have given you an example. John, 13. 13. and of whom the Divines rule is, Every action of Christ serves for our instruction, hath given our children an example of his youth, that is, that at twelve years he was grown as much in wisdom, namely in the fear of God and in the favor of God as in years. He alloweth of the children's singing Hosanna. Mat. 21. 16. when the Pharisees thought it a foolish thing to regard the children's cry. He shows, that his father maketh an account of children, and hath no desire that they should be lost for teaching, & lost must they be, except they come to the Church. Therefore he giveth commandment, that they be suffered, and not forbidden, if they have any desire unto him, and therefore he pronounceth a woe upon any, that when such would come to Christ, do scandalize them either by word, counsel or example, or any other undue means keep them from coming to him. John. 21. 15. Christ his charge to Peter is not to feed his sheep only, but his lambes also, and first his lambes, for the increase of the whole flock dependeth on the towardness of the lambes, and the lambes being well fed, less pains need to be taken with the sheep. All solemn promises we must perform as sure as we can. But in our Baptism we made a solemn promise of learning the fear of God. The aptness in children to vice, as we may see by their tractableness in any profane or scurrile jests must make us take advantage, and exercise this aptness in such things that are good, for no doubt, if children can say bald-head to Elisha, they can say Hosanna to Christ.

3 The office of the Catechist is to make his doctrine easy to enter by giving it an edge in perspecuity, method, &c. and of the catechised often to go over the same thing, as a knife doth the whetstone, and to repeat and iterate it, till he have made it his own. This we see in the original words: specially the Greek 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 frō the which we have our English word Echo, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is indeed to sound the last fillable, and such sounders happily there be enough, but it is to sound the whole after one: and such a repetition is required of the right Catecumenoi. Catechizing is thus distinguished from preaching. Preaching is the dilating of one member of religion into a just treatise: Catechizing is a contracting of the whole into a sum. Preaching is to all sorts: catechizing to the younger and rude. Preaching is not exacted to be repeated: catechizing is exacted. We consider here in these three things. An argument or sum, the genus, the delivery of it to children: the first part of catechizing, the redeliuerie of catechumenoi, which is the second part of the catechism. For warrant in making sums we have Christ, who Math. 22. 37. brought all the whole law into two heads John. 3▪ 16. an abridgement of the Gospel is set down, Cod so loveth the world, &c. Eccles. 12 • 3. Solomon draws all that, that he had said in his whole book of the Preacher, to these two heads. Fear God, and keep his commandments. The Apostle Heb. 6. 1. reduceth all the principles of Christian religion to these two, Repentance and Faith. As also the learned think, that this form of teaching is meant by Paul, in his pattern or form of wholesome words▪ which he willeth Timothy to have, 2. Tim. 1. 13. as also by form of doctrine, Rom 6 17. and analogy of faith. And if we demand a reason hereof, we may have a Dependance, that we may refer all our reading and learning to certain principal heads, and so inclose our studies in short epitomes. So likewise say the Rabbins, that it is as it were a hedge to the general doctrine, least we be ever in an endless maze. So do the Fathers call it too. Clemens calleth it Crepis▪ a base or ground plot. Athanasius, Synopsis, the first draught of a picture. The second reason is the facility, because we may in shorter time, learn and comprehend them, and such were the Sermons of the Apostles, when they baptized so many hundreds in one day.

4 And here we must take with us a double proviso, that we shall remain before God his judgment seat without excuse, if that we seek not the knowledge of God, being brought into so short a compendium, in such and so perspicuous a method delivered. Secondly, we must know, that our sins are not to make us careless or vnregarding of any more perfect instructiō, seeing this catechizing was instituted but for an easy entrance only, and not to perfect us in knowledge. 2. Pet. 3. 18. 1. Cor. 14. 20. Ephe. 4. 13. Heb. 5. 1 • . 13. Catechizing is milk, more exact knowledge is strong meat. Catechizing is the foorde wherein a lamb may wade; more exact knowledge is the gulf, wherein an Elephant may swim. Both these are in the Scriptures, concerning which Christ hath said, Search the Scriptures. As for evidence in catechizing before the flood, Cain and Abel's sacrificing is a sign, which seeing there was no word written, is judged of their father to be taught them: and therefore they reason probably, that say, without this catechizing, the word of God could not have continued. After the flood some say, they had the like exercise, which afterwards, as the learned think, was put in writing, and called the books of Sybille▪ which were nothing else but traditions. i. things by word of mouth delivered and taught. In Abraham's time, Gen. 18 God saith, he knoweth that Abraham will be careful to teach his family, and for that cause will vouchsafe him extraordinary favor. If it be demanded, what he taught, Gen. 17. 2. there is the sum of the law: Gen. 18▪ 18. there is also the abridgement of the Gospel? In thy seed shall all nations be blessed. The fruit of Abraham's catechizing, his son went out to pray, Gen. 24. 37. his servant prayeth before his business, verse 12. and giveth thanks after, verse. 26 he refuseth to eat, till he had discharged himself of his masters message. In the time of the law, Deut. 6. 7. so soon as the law was given, the Lord commanded them to teach their children. The practice of this we may see in Hanna, delivering Samuel to Hesi his instructor, so soon as he was weaned, 1. Sam. 1. in David, as Solomon testifieth of him, Pro 4. 4. Iehoida taught the young King Jehoash, 2. King. 12. 2. After the captivity, because there the Bible endeth, we must give credit to other histories.

5 If we believe the Rabbins, there were never in Jerusalem from Christ to Antioch •• , under 400. houses of catechizing, what time also they made their decree, that their children at thirteen years should be put to catechizing▪ And to this order among them may Paul seem to have relation, Rom. 2. 18. where he affirmeth the Jews are catechized in the law. Ephes 6 4▪ they are willed to bring them up in instruction. Paul as some think, sometime bearing this office saith, 1. Cor • 14 that I may catechize. For catechized we have, Luk. 14. Theophilus: Act. 18. 25 Apollos: 2 Tim 3. 15. Timothy. Mark catechizing at Alexandria with great profit was commended by Philo Judaeus, as Eusebius maketh mentiō. After Clemens: next Origen▪ We have also the catechism of Cyril: Gregory Nis • n: the books of Augustine, of catechizing the ignorant: and four books de symbolo ad catechumenos. Also Athanasius his Synopsis of sacred Scripture: and Fulgentius de Fide ad Petrum Diaconum. In the Fathers time it may be seen by the sixth canō of the council hold̄ at Neocaesaria: By the six & seven canons of the council holden at Iberis in Spain: 2 council of Bra • caria, 1. Can. 4. Tolet. Can. 24. After that, is there no mention made, till the time of Luther. Touching the great good, that the frequenting of this exercise hath done, this may be added, that Aegesippus saith, that by the virtue of catechizing, there was never a kingdom, but received alteration in their heathenish Religion within 40▪ years after Christ his passion. Julian the Apostate, that was thought to be the wisest enemy that ever the Church had, when he went about to suppress Religion, did not use torments, but put down schools and all catechizing. Again, when catechizing was put down, ignorance began to grow. The Papists acknowledge, that all the ground we have got of them, is by catechizing, as it appeareth by the Popes Bull, de motu propri • , before the catechism of the council of Trident, & it is thought, if ever they get ground of us again, it will be by their more diligent exacting of their catechizing. Now, why we may exact the catechism again, these reasons may serve. Christ his reason to move me to carefulness in this: Thou shalt render an account, whereon we ground this rule, that everyone will hear more attentively, that which he must repeat again; then that whereof he must give no account. Besides, we are all bound to give an account of our faith, 1. Pet. 3. 15. And if we do it before our catechist, we shall be able the better to do it before a stranger. Thirdly, because Christ is become not only our Priest and King, but also our Prophet, and that all this is to this ende, that we also may become Prophets to him (our prophesy consisting in examining the doctrine we have heard, 1 John. 4. 1. in examining of our selves, 2. Cor. 13 5. in admonishing our brethrē, Rom. 13. 14.) it is expedient specially in such an exercise to witness the same. This also is to be exacted, in regard of our Pastor or Catechist, for that it is requisite the Minister should have an assurance of his hearers profiting in particular. Forasmuch as then we see by the practice of the whole Church, that catechizing is a thing commanded by God, we must know, that whiles we shall be in this holy action, we are doing a thing well pleasing unto God.

6 Children must be taught precept by precept, line by line, sometime in the catechism to inform them, sometime in histories to refresh them.

7 We must not always measure a man by his present affection, but by his persevering action, for many more profit in the ende which angerly receive the doctrine, than they which receive it cheerfully at the first.

8 It is a foul sin, and worthy of public reprehension, publicly to reverence the doctrine willingly, and privately to gain say it, because it bewrayeth us rather of solemnity than of good conscience to receive it.

9 Many reject doctrine presently, as though they made no account of it, who afterward will embrace it willingly, and after advisement, and the working of God's spirit receive it thankfully.

10 Moses being well brought up, could not be well drawn away, neither by Egypt, nor when he went thence: which appeareth also in Joseph, Daniel, and his brethren. This ought to move us to teach our children in word and action, and afterward they may have God's blessing upon that good beginning, the want whereof causeth many men to be punished in their children.

11 We must prevent hardness of heart betimes in children, by godly and discreet correction & instruction. Children have oftentimes the sins of their parents, and therefore when they chasten them, they should in wisdom first consider, if that it were not a sin which they gave them, as it were, which now they are about to correct, and finding it so, they should first be humbled in themselves, and so proceed to correction with prayer, in the fear of God, in wisdom, in love, and desire of their conversion, and with that measure as correcting their own sins after a sort in their children. For men begetting their children without regeneration, give a natural propagation of their sins, without some special blessing of God preventing it; and none in regeneration begetteth any with such gifts of nature as they have by grace.

CHAP. XXIII. Of Examples, and how we must not sin upon example, and of diverse occasions of sin.

Our plain excuses nowadays are mosest, it is a custom, sic vinitur, there be many others that live so. Are not our arguments nowadays such, as the Eunuchs, 1. King. 22. unto Micheah. See all the Prophets which are four hundred speak good to the king. i. as the king would have them, therefore I pray thee, say thou so too. This is one argument, and how do ye answer it? Even as Chusa said to Absalom, that he went not with his friend, because the multitude was not with him, for where the multitude is, even there will I be. Here is the practice, but where is a precept for it? I will show you where ye shall have a precept for it. There is a fellow, a controller of Moses, the child of Belial, that hath a precept. Deny nothing that you may win the multitude. But, if he had stayed there, he had not been clean contrary to Moses. Exo. 23. 2. but he goeth further & saith; Though they go wrong, thou must go with them, and do as they do. Oh that this lead not to perdition: We are naturally inclined to this; every man is first evil, everyone by nature is a Papist, a Machiuelist, everyone is given to follow a multitude. Of this doctrine some may have use now, & some hereafter. And seeing, as Aeschines saith, we must learn that now whilst we be young, which we must practice when we be old: I shall think the word of God hath it fruit, if any shall beware by it, & practice it hereafter. First, I note, where the holy Ghost flatly forbiddeth the following of a multitude, that it is a thing that cometh to pass daily: we must not think the holy Ghost giveth precepts of those things, that come not to use in 7. years, this is one chief point in all offices. Plato in his Alcibiades had persuaded Alcibiades to live justly all his life time: he promiseth that he will do so. I pray God, saith Socrates, you may begin, and also continue, but I fear least the sway of the multitude carry you away: and to an Elder he writeth, though the multitude do not change you, yet it may be as rubs in your way. I will show you a reason hereof, Rom. 7. Paul saith, there be many good things that I would do, and cannot, and many evil things, which I would not do, and yet do them. And why? because there is a law in my members rebelling against the law of the Spirit. But when there is a law of company coming to, then the case is dangerous, and in a double peril.

2 There is an use of following, and this word follow is often in the Scriptures. We must follow with choice, judgment and limitation. The wise man saith, it is the property of a fool to follow universally, that, whatsoever he seeth others do, he must needs do the same That eye is very weak that cannot look on a blear eye, but it must be bleared; and Seneca saith in his book of the blessed life: We follow the drove like the beasts of the field; when we think we go to the pasture, it is very like we should go to the shambles. S. James vouchsafeth not to compare us to living creatures, but to the froth of the sea, which is carried up and down with the water; so we be carried and go not. The reason why we do thus is, because it is an hard matter to judge, but an easy matter to give credit. We believe, how we should live we judge not. We may see what their judgment is by the Logic, which they use: they rest only in examples and similes, which how weak arguments they be, every man knoweth, no man will admit them in disputation. Yet when we come to examples, see what judgment we show, we take them by tale and number them not, we never weigh them, as he said. No man would so receive his groats, as we do examples, we ought not therefore to follow without choice. We must not plead simplicity, and say we came but behind: for if we consent, it is enough, though we be not the foremen, Rom. 1. 31. we must not only eschew those that do evil, but those also, that consent to evil, and Ephes 5. 7. we are charged not to be companions with them. And how is that? David telleth you, Psal 50. 18. thou seest a thief, and dostrun with him. 1. Tim. 5. 2 • . Lay hands suddenly o • no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins, Act. 7. Saul threw never a • one at Stephen, but kept the clothes of them, that stoned him: and yet the holy Ghost bringeth him within the compass of murder. And so because the Jews chose not Christ rather than Barabbas, the spirit of God saith, They killed the Lord of life, wherefore with Augustine I say▪ it is evil enough to follow and consent to evil.

3 Many and few be respective words, for so it is said in one place, that David had many sons. How many? seven: and in another place David is said to have a few soldiers. How few? seven hundred. So in that respect seven are a great many, and seven hundred a few. Again least we should think a multitude to consist only of rude and unlearned, and poor people, we must know, that by vulgus is ment not only those that have chl • mydes, but those that have coronas also, not only those, that go in round caps, but them that go in square caps also, & we may hear as vulgar speeches of the learned, as of the unlearned. The 400. Prophets although they were learned, yet they were a multitude, and had a lying spirit in them. And certain it is, they never prove truly learned, that lack religion, and the true fear of God, their wits serve them but to vulgar uses, and to discover themselves.

4 The best things have not commonly most voices, and it is a great presumption that the things are the worse, if they have a common consent. This part is great, therefore the worse, saith Seneca. So Aristotle, great and good is not all one: the first finder out of man's wisdom found out this, and always after made it his poesie; The most the worse. He found it by the earth, seeing much pot-earth, and little to make gold; so there is much pot-reason. And Aristotle giving a reason of the hardest & fairest, saith, first that they be so by nature: and secondly, because of the multitude of them, that resist it. This is a common proverb with Lawyers, such as be overcome appeal to the people. This is espied out of the heathen, and ye • our Christians cannot see. But let us come to the scripture, Gal 1. 10. If I should please men, I should not be the servant of God, i. the most men. The Angels come by two or three at the most, but the devils are said in the scripture to come by legiōs, the scripture willing us to fly the wicked, saith fly the world, because they are the most. Hosea compareth the good to gleaning after the harvest, then the great harvest is the devils, & a small number the Lord's. Again, seeing they are so great a number, they must have a broad way, but it leadeth to destruction. Indeed it must be a great way, in the which most must travel; and the godly have a narrow way, and therefore David saith, Lord show me thy paths, and he looks at the journeys end. In heaven there is room enough, but hell, as Ezekiel saith, must be enlarged; so dangerous it is to follow a multitude which is always like it self, & ye may see how judgment passeth on their behalf, when it is put to them. There was a voice put up for making a golden Calf, and there was not one against it. There was a voice what should be done with Jesus, and all cried, crucify him. Another was, whether God should be God, or B • all should be God, and none held with God but Elijah. Also whether Christ or Barabbas should be loosed, and all chose Barabbas. And in a good matter, whether Joseph should go into the pit or no, and all but Reuben consented he should. In religion we can grant, that universality is no note of the truth: and if any object unto us, what, so many Princes, so many Nobles, and yet have they not the true religion? we can answer out of Paul: not many noble, not many mighty hath the Lord chosen, but in our life we cannot be drawn to confess the same. Wherefore let us beware of following the multitude.

5 Particular examples may be made general instructions, when the cause of them is general. When an example is grounded upon a general equity, then may it be followed, but when it hath some particular respect and contrary to the general equity, it may not be followed, though it were well done. Yet that was not well done of Zipporah, because it was the office of a man to do that she did, as appeareth, Gen. 17. for, in that the Lord departed, it was rather for the faith of Moses, than that the thing was right. So was it in the example of Simeon and Levi, who sinned: yet had the Lord more respect of their fathers faith to crown it, than of their sin to punish it; yet was it still sin. Therefore when we cannot do well, as we think, because of others, as wife, friend, husband, &c: let us know that the fault is in our selves: for if we were faithful, they should be so far from hindering us, that even by us perhaps they might be saved. 1. Cor. 7.

6 It were a good thing to make other men our looking glass, and in their falls and infirmities either to behold ours present, or to suspect them to come.

7 It is not good to bind any to our examples.

8 It is evermore a safer thing to insist in the general rules than in the particular examples.

9 We may not follow every good example in Scripture, and when we follow any, we must look we have the same spirit and the like affection.

10 Many call evil good, by speaking for it, by not speaking against it, by defending it in themselves, defending it in others, who are worse than Saul, 1. Sam. 15. for after a while