Works
Hitherto we have heard thus much, first we must provide that we fight in God's harness, not with Satan's weapons, whether they be wit, reason, policy, education or such like. We fight against a Prince and principality, who wants not wit, knowledge, civil gifts, or any such things, which things have been given even unto the heathen, for they were wise and learned men, yet many of them lay in great sins, in idolatry, some fearfully ended their lives. Let not Christians then say, have I not wit, reason, and education beseeming a man? Well, so did the Philosophers and Poets, and yet behold their fruits, behold their ends: but let us deny reason, and withstand wit, for it will surely fa • le in the hour of death, and in the hour of temptation. No gift of nature, no gift of bringing up can withstand Satan or sin, unless from heaven God change us Neither is this the sin only of the unregenerate, but in the regenerate, who still sliding to reason or ouerweying of God his power are foiled; and therefore we see many overcome, who purpose to withstand, yet striving in their own wisdom they are spoiled, be their purpose never so great. Many will say, why this is a monstrous temptation, I will never yield to this, yet they fall. This we shall see both in temptations and accusations, when •• en strive and dispute with reason with so subtle a sophister: so the more they strive, the more they are entangled, for they want strength to fight with the strong man, who will not be subdued unless we put on the armor of the stronger man, which is Christ Jesus; which armor is afterward set down. Neither is it enough to have a piece of harness, but we must have all the whole armor, for what is it to cover the head if the breast be bare? what if the arms be armed when the back is vnharnesse • ? we cannot avoid the darts which come against every place. So we must not have one grace and want another; for then Satan comes in the open place, who observes whether we want a head-piece, • gauntlet, a breast plate, or whatsoever: wherefore we must think that Satan as a politique soldier looks not so much to the armed part, as to the naked part. If he seeth us afraid of him, the •• will he tempt us to despair; if we will not be pierced with uncleanness, then he will shake 〈…〉 s with covetousness. If he sees us pettish and unarmed with love, then Satan will tempt v 〈…〉 o anger. Alas it is our weak nature to reserve one sin or other, & it gives Satan advantage; we • e Heroa • an courtiers and Christians, we are half persuaded with Agrippa to be Christians, but we must thoroughly be harnessed, least as a dead fly corrupteth much good oyn 〈…〉 h one sin we defile many graces. Everyone hath his familiar sin, which 〈…〉 ur to espy as an adversary, and to fight against as an enemy, whether it be pl 〈…〉 r, covetousness, or such like. Whereas then thou seest some graces, yet be hu 〈…〉 hose, which especially are wanting to thee; and wherein thou art most unarmed, then pray, & labor for more help by grace in Christ Jesus. But what if we have good armor and all armor? yet without use of it we may be strangled in our armor. What if we 〈…〉 good graces, and all graces? yet without experience and use of them our souls may 〈…〉 urthered in the midst of them. Many may come to the assemblies and hear, ye 〈…〉 ey either fail in knowledge, or in practice of it. And sure such is a man as he is in temptation. What is it to have many precepts against anger, & yet be overcome of anger▪ What is it to have rules against covetousness, & to see the issue of it, & yet to be a covetous man? Let us know, that it is one thing to learn to fight against Satan, and another to fight against men. In material cōflicts there is some time of truce, but with Satan there is no truce with us but for his advantage; for him we must be armed as well in the night as in the day: in outward battles winters make war to cease, we have no quietness neither in summer nor in winter.
That ye may be able to withstand. The Apostle describes our enemies. If we had to deal but with our selves, or with men like to our selves, or with the world, we had need of God his power; but seeing beside all these we are to deal with all the hellish army, much more we need this: we are not only to fight against the flesh and the world, but against the devils: neither must we think that Paul denieth in this place that we should fight with our own corruption, but he showeth we fight not only with ourselves and with the world, but with Satan too, and so that we need more armor. By two things he describes our enemies, by their might, and subtlety. For their might he calls them principalities and powers. This title is given to the devils, Rom. 8. Colloss. 1. Indeed these names are givē to the good Angels, as Ephes. 1. Hebr. 1. so that look what titles are givē to the good Angels, are given to the wicked spirits, which, except sanctification, are equal in gifts to the good Angels; for though these spirits have lost their goodness, yet have they not lost their strength and wisdom. They be worldly governors. God be blessed their government reacheth not to heaven, but to the world, yea of the darkness of the world. Thus he distinguisheth of the world as it is by creation, and so God is the prince of it, and as it is now by corruption, and so the Devil is the god of the world. This teacheth us, whē Satan shall prevail, even over men living in ignorance and ungodliness. The world was made good by creation, but degenerated to evil by corruption. Well we see the devil is called the prince of the world, and he saith of himself that all is his. It is not so by creation, but be the righteous judgment of God all is in his hands to punish our sins, or try our faith.
It follows to speak of his subtlety in these words, Against ambushments, &c. Even as ambushments are used privily to undermine the enemy, so by wiles Satan goeth about to trap us. But this is larger said, against spiritual wickednesses. If one could see the enemy, he might be prevented, but we cannot see the operations of the devil, because he is spiritual, and therefore we neither can by sense nor by reason discern him; so that he is not only a layer of ambushments, but of spiritual ambushment. Yet note, though they be spiritual, yet not in goodness but in wickedness. In heavenly things. Though Satan be the prince of the air, yet here it is meant that he fighteth against men in heavenly knowledge. By creation they had much good knowledge, their goodness they have lost, their knowledge is retained. Again Paul saith, there is a mystery of iniquity, showing, that as there is a mystery of godliness, so there is a mistery of wickedness; and therefore Satan is said to change himself into an Angel of light; which is, because he will come in good things, in knowledge, in spiritual exercises, and falsely and wickedly gloss on them by that great practice and experience, which from their first fall they have learned. Thus Satan comes even in good things. Worldly wise men distinguishing, whether the enemy by strength or by subtlety doth most •• rt, conclude, that the subtle enemy is most dangerous. Alas, we are in evil case then, h •• ing to do with enemies not only strong, but subtle: it were enough to deal with an enemy having but one of these qualities, but we fight with thē that have both, that is, both strength & subtlety; so that we know not whether they are more strong, or more subtle. • woe uses there are of this doctrine. One is, we must not make it a slight matter of the e ••• ie. The other is, that we be not too much afraid. Both these are dangerous extremity • ▪ Some vile heretics deny there is a God, or a devil, or that the devil is so strong and sub •• l as he is. Indeed men will not speak thus, but they show it by their peace in themselves in their lives, which showeth, that men do not believe there is a battle. For we see we are now at peace, and why? because there are no enemies. But were it so that the enemies were in the field, would we not fear? Did we believe that Satan could sit in our consciences, deluding judgment and understanding, and casting a myst on reason, would we ••• t be more jealous of reason? would we not be more fearful of our selves? yes surely. Let us then consider, that besides our selves which were enough, Satan adds both corruption to judgment and affection. And herein specially Satan shows himself a subtle Apostate, in that he cares not whether we be sound in judgment and corrupt in life, or careful in life, and corrupted in Religion, so we may be one. Hereof it comes, that heretics are precise in life, and good Christians are so careless in conversation: so either he gathers false conclusions on good principles, or else glorious sequeles of rottē premisses. To go back to the plain sense of these men, the meaning is not, that we fight not with flesh and blood at all, but we chiefly or only fight not with flesh and blood. The like speech is in the word, as, Thy name shall not be Jacob, but Israel, that is, Jacob only. Again, in the Epistle it is said, The word is not in word, but in power, that is, the Gospel is not chiefly in word, or only in the word. Again, Rom. 7. & Galat. 5. it is plain, we fight with flesh and blood. And John 15. we fight against the world. Wherefore seeing we fight not against our selves only, but against such adversaries as whet up our selves against our selves; and therefore we stand in need of all the armor that may be, which we shall see to be more requisite, if we consider that it were enough to fight with an adversary either strong or wise; but seeing we conflict with them, who for strength and subtlety too are equal with the good Angels. For their power these adversaries are called Powers, as Coloss. 2. Rom 8. So are the good Angels Powers, as Ephes. 2. Heb. 1. Herein the evil spirits differ from the heavenly spirits, in that these are from heaven, & for the good of the Church: those are governors of the world, that is, of the corrupt estate of the world; so that their whole power is against the children of the world. Satan may strike the children of the best, but slay them he cannot. CHRIST calleth Satan the Prince of the world, and Paul calleth him the god of the world; Christ calleth him a strong armed soldier or giant: yet God be blessed all his strength is in the world. Well then, be he more fearful to us then Goliath to the army of Israel; be it that he be as a roaring Lyon, at whose voice all the silly beasts stand trembling; be it that he so astonish & terrify our conscience, that we know not what to think or to speak: yet all is to the terror of the wicked. But behold, besides his strength, Satan is spiritual, invisible, not to be discerned, and therefore more dangerous, in that we cannot prevent him nor his temptations, being above nature and above reason, cannot be descried, unless above nature and reason we be either very well taught of the Devil, or of God. To this unsearchable nature he is occupied in heavenly things, but as a spiritual wickedness, not goodness. To show how he is spiritual, we see in this, in that he is an Angel of light, he tempted Christ with scripture, he set the Pharisees in devilish wisdom against Christ, he subornes false heretics; yea, his subtleties shall be such, by Christ his own testimony, that even the elect, if it were possible, should be deceived. And Paul speaking but of the child of Satan the Antichrist, reports, that he shall be mighty in power, in miracles, &c. Only this is our comfort, that this wisdom is but wickedness, which is the only thing wherein they be distinguished from the good Angels, with whom in wisdom and strength Satan is equal. Here ought we to blush, in that we desire rather learning, wisdom, and power, wherein Satan and wicked men have not only been equal to us, but above us, and we less desire goodness, wherein we are like to God, to good Angels, and the children of God. For this may be a special mark that we belong to God, when we rather desire goodness than those other qualities wherein we are equal but to the Devil. Be we never so learned, he is more learned, be we never so strong, he is stronger. For is not he mighty in power that can so trouble the air, as he did to Job, and as oft as he doth in that boisterous manner, that no natural Philosopher can give a reason of it? In Exodus we know that the Lord used evil Angels to trouble the Seas. Psal. 78. the Lord is said to send evil Angels to trouble thē. And as godliness is a mystery, so there is a mystery of iniquity, and the Lord sending an effectual illusion, (2. Thess. 1.) on thē that received not the word in love, is said to do it by the operation of Satan; so that though the Lord be the supreme worker, yet Satan is the instrument. What shall we say of the rage of sin in these days? what shall we say how Satan daily bewitcheth us in Paganism, Atheism, Macheuillisme, Anabaptism, &c? Is not all this sufficient to prove, that Satan taking up the wisest men of the world to his service is a spiritual wickedness? Whereof comes it that suddenly a poor man becomes a cunning Artist? or that an ignorant man presently should speak with diverse tongues? or that silly souls should be subtle disputers? What is it that sin is nowadays so subtly, so closely, so wittily dispatched? Why do men to maintain Papism forgo all their goods, suffer their bodies to be whipped? Do not all these prove, that Satan is a spiritual wickedness? Again, if we look to the height and shamelesnes of sin, to see how men prostitute thenselves to sin, we must say Satan hath been mighty, powerful in deluding men's minds, in hardening men's hearts, so that no word can pierce them: therefore it is, that Paul saith men are blinded in their minds; therefore Paul would have us to tolerate and suffer such as Satan doth hold in chains, 2. Tim. 2. Here let us see a difference of the sins of the godly and ungodly. The wicked rage and devise platforms; the godly for a time may be under Satan. 2. Timoth 2. but they sin of infirmity, not of willful selling themselves to sin. So great a cause of thankfulness we have, that we are not raging in hellish sins, in that we are simple, & bunger like sinners. Besides, the godly are silly, the wicked subtle in sin. So great a cause of thankfulness we have, that Christ the stronger man hath ouercommed. The Devil hath power, but by derination, he hath a strength, but by limitation, he hath force, but in darkness. So great a cause of thankfulness we have, seeing Christ hath wisdom enough in God to overcome the wisdom of Satan in evil. Thogh then Satan be strong, yet none is greater then the Father, none mightier then Christ, who hath captivated Satan under his feet. So great a cause have we to be thankful, that Christ will not only in his presence himself, but in us by his power also he overcometh. A further use of this is to try when our temptations come of the natural corruption, or of Satan's malice. To this we answer, that as our enemies are described by power & policy; so when temptations come so strongly and s • ily, that it is above reason, then the adversary abuseth our weakness, our own temptations come more remissly & easily: but whē these temptations hale us more violently, then we fight not with flesh alone, but with spiritual adversaries. In the book of Exod. mention is made of a spirit of jealozie, which is more then natural jealozie. In the book of Judges, an evil spirit was between Abimelech, & the Shechemites, which was more then frailty of the flesh. In the Gospel mention is made of an unclean spirit returning with 7. spirits more; so that the pulling of our affection is of Satan, as Christ said of Satan's operation to Peter, that Satan sought to sift him and to deal with him: and indeed Satan did so daunt and circumvent him, that he spake he knew not what; so that this fell not only on the wicked, but on the godly: as Satan so bewitched David in understanding, that he made him to number his people. Hereof it is that we pray not to be led into temptation, because though I am well purposed, yet so many vain reasons rage in us, and forcibly draw us another way, that we may see somewhat more than nature. Likewise when we shall without any object be carried away with some affection so strongly, that though our life lay on it, we cannot contain our selves. When Paul, Ephes 5 biddeth us be angry without sin, he showeth, that there is a natural affection without sin: but because our affections are without rule and mixed with sin, he saith, i • so doing we give place to the devil. So that there is a great difference between a natural anger, and a carnal sinful anger, which besides the instinct of nature is wrought by Satan. And therefore as it is good to stop the first breaches in banks for fear of further danger; so it is good to murder the first motions of sin by the word, prayer, fasting, and admoni • ion, least giving the sway to our affections they overrun and overflow us thoroughly, and so we are carried to strange and furious sins. Wherefore first we are to be thankful, that we may know how to prevent sin (for we may soon let in a guest which we cannot well let out again) and we must labor to repress such raging evils.
Yet another use of this doctrine is, that we must think, how oft we deal with more than with men, when we deal with heretics, or with angry bloody men, who often are stirred up by Satan, so that they spoil themselves and others. The ignorance of this doctrine breeds ielousies, repinings, and malice, that when we think to revenge others we revenge our selves This is now without cause: now if we have a just cause, yet for want of love, wisdom and humility, we spoil our good cause, harden our adversaries, and hurt our selves. We must not resist policy with policy, nor requite evil with evil, but in wisdom be long suffering, pardoning man, as we would be pardoned of God. For this cause fight. He bids us not to make truce with our enemy, though our enemy be strong and subtle, yet fighting under Christ we are to stand fast; Christ hath subdued for us, and he will subdue for us Still we must remember to resist with God's harness, which as surely exceed Satan's harness, as heaven excels earth or hell. For want of this armor we see wise and civil honest men fall into horrible sins. For want of this armor come such disputes with Satan, which simple souls use, not being able to discern which is the true armor. For want of this armor green Christians, and troubled consciences looking for their own armor rather than the armor of God, enwrap themselves in most dangerous labyrinths. Now our armor must be complete: some have a good heart but not a good life; some have a good life but not • uch; some faith in part: this comes of want of knowledge, if they know the word, they pray not; some pray, but not with continuance.
To come to the armor, mark, it was said, Put on; now it is said, Take the armor. We see that here is no truce with us and Satan, as in civil wars, but we must continually say as Jehu to I • sabel, What peace my soul with Satan? We must not be secure Laish, or careless Babylonians, least that we be prevented of the enemy. It is good to see sin rather by experience particular in our selves, than for general knowledge in others. Ask our judgment for a sin in another man, and we can point out every part of it; lay this sin to our selves, and we can say nothing. So that we see it is easy to know sin, but it is hard to feel the practice against it. Let us not then let the harness hang on the wall, but let us put it on. Here mark one thing, that it is a policy of the devil to persuade us there is no devil, as it is the policy of wizards to persuade us that there are no witches. And so as he comes at the first as a silly Serpent, whilst he would creep in, but after he proves a roaring Lion, when he is once entered: yet let us beware we fear not too much, for that emboldeneth the enemy. For as man feareth man keeping courage, and is pursued without courage, nay as brute beasts are bolder by seeing one which feareth them; so the devil is the bolder, if he seeth us afraid of them. And besides that fear drieth up the blood and weakeneth nature, it doth also deprive us of faith in God his providence, which doth assure us that Satan's power is all by de • iuation and limitation; it cannot touch the body without permission, much less the soul: which is manifest, for that witches though they prevail in petty and little things, yet when they come to great points, they can do nothing. So singular a presaruatiue to the godly is the providence of God, as the Vn • corns horn to the inferior beasts. But we will herein strength̄ our faith, that the cross of Christ hath triumphed against Satan for the godly, Coloss▪ 2. and therefore if he now a • sault us, he doth cure rather than slay us. For as an enemy oft by God's goodness thrusts his sword into an ulcer, rather to purge that which would have bred death, than to kill: so oft God purposeth to cure us of the impostumation of pride even by the malice of Satan, so wonderfully can he draw good out of evil. The devil brings unrighteousness, we allege righteousness; he brings terror of conscience, we meet him with peace; he offers vanity, we refuse it with truth; he comes roaring, we avoid it by praying. Wherefore that proclamation must be made here, that was in the Israelities army, that is, that those that are fearful, return home, and beware how they come into this conflict. And let us oppose to the strength of Satan the strength of Christ, who being our head shepherd will not suffer us to miscarry, though we seem to be in the wolves mouth, and that in the deep valley of death. But what of all this harness? It must be put on We shall see oft none so weak in affection, as they that have much knowledge. Who will better declaim against anger generally than the angry man? Who is more severe against wantonness in education than a most shameless harlot? Why do men think others blessed being troubled in mind, and count themselves cursed being in it? All this is because we have harness, but use it not.
In the evil day. The day of temptation is called an evil day, because the temptation is evil. James calleth it a good day, and that we must rejoice in it; and it is so in respect of God his wisdom turning it to good. So that this may be a good day and evil day in diverse respects.
Having finished all. Luk. 4. After Christ was tempted, the devil went away for a season, though that temptation ceased, yet he pursued him with afflictions. And though as children of the marriage the dint and edge of temptation be blunted to us, yet the enemy still envieth us. And therefore we had above all need of perseverance, no danger like to that which is in the ende. When thou hast overcome the popish devil, the worldly devil comes. Hast thou overcome the swearing devil, then the lying devil comes? Hast thou overcome the filthy devil, the worldly devil comes? Hast thou overcome all these devils, the proud devils come?
That thou mayest stand. This is a promise, and we shall not fail of this armor of proof, nor of the profit of it. And so as we are exhorted to put on the armor, so we shall have the fruit of it by standing, so we still pray, Da Domine, quod iubes, & iube, quod vis. Thus Christians by faith and standing fast in the evil day, must change the other evil nature of affliction into a good quality, still being mindful to comfort themselves in this, that the Evangelical exhortations give by promise through the holy Spirit a certain strength to do the thing commanded, the Law leaving us in our weakness. Again to the armor.
Stand. We must always be in a readiness, and at the first call, what time of year, month, day, or night soever the adversary provokes us. He begins with the girdle, because in former ages as there were diverse manners of eating, sitting, or warring, so Paul here speaks of such things as were used thē. The girdle is not now, which was thē used, as we have some armor familiar to us, unknown to them, as gunnes, &c. The use of the girlde was to gird fast the nether parts, this is Truth, which is not takē for the whole word, as John. 17. but for a sincere and upright heart, or for faithfulness. And as we take faith either for our faithfulness to God, or God's faithfulness to us; so truth meaneth sometime upright dealing either from God • o us, or from us to God. Truth is counted then for a true performance, as Roman. 2. The judgments of God are with truth, that is faithfulness. Al the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth, that is, a performance of his mercy. Well, here it is not spoken of that truth, which is the word, but of uprightness of heart and sincerity. Again, the truth of the word is after spoken of, and here can be no vain repetition. Well, as the girdle knits all together on the body; so the uprightness of heart is the band of all virtues, and hypocrisy is as a wide or loose sack, wherein nothing can tarry. This uprightness of mind is in diverse places, as Psalm. 32. Blessed is the man, who with comfort in his remission of sins without guile laboreth for a godly life. The same commendation is Psal. 15. and 24 and 119. This is a thing accompanied with blessedness by Christ his own words, Matth. 5. The Author of the Hebrews willeth him that comes to God, to come with a pure heart, the want of which integrity is reprehended in the Jews, I am. 4. But what of all these porches to such an house? Surely because a true heart • urseth all graces to the end, and the false heart dissipateth all gifts, and disgraceth such hypocrites. Psal. 125. uprightness of heart is such a thing, that the Prophet specially prays for such as have it, and leaves them in God his judgment that want it. Psal. 119. Then shall I not be confounded, when my heart is upright, Portion 10. verse. 80. We see true hearts shall be justified in the end, and hypocrisy shall blush in the issue. Thus we see the reward of a good heart, the revenge of an evil heart, when we know not how to do our duties simply. The honest heart still is struggling out of sin, & cometh; the hollow heart makes a show of mortification, &c. but God takes away his vizard in time. For some men's sins go before to judgment, and some follow after: some men's good deeds are cleared in this life, to show, that all well-doing shall be glorified. Iniquity may be coloured, but not ever covered; truth may be blamed, but not shamed. For exemplifying the Lord himself gives testimony to his uprightness. David was an upright hearted man, Saul an hypocrite; Nathaniel had a good heart, Judas was an hypocrite; Josiah, Hezekiah prepared their hearts to the worship of God, 2. Chron. 25. Amaziah did good, but not with a right heart. The people (2. Chron. 20.) are said not to prepare their hearts to seek the Lord their God: 2. Chron. 30. Hezekiah craveth mercy for them that came with an upright heart, and God heard him: so acceptable is an upright heart. But how shall we discern our hearts to be upright? It is not by nature, Gen. 6. Job saith, a cleanething cannot proceed from an unclean sin. David confesseth original hypocrisy, which is shown Prouerb. 12. and 20. We then (Act. 13.) must see that our hearts are made clean by faith. Of it self, above all, the heart of man is unsearchable, Ierem. 17. But how comes this? because there is a labyrinth of hypocrisy in it, there is a gulf, and depth, and privy discourse in it, that no man can gage but the Lord, who is said, Prouerb. 16. to be the searcher of the rains, howsoever our heart is hollow. This secret searching is by the Spirit of God, 2. Cor. 2. and by the word wrought upon by the Spirit, 1. Cor. 14. Heb. 4. 12. The Spirit rebukes us of sin, John. 13. but by the word searching the very hidden intents of the heart. Therefore as it is to no end to hide anything from the Lord, so it bootes us not to look for an hiding of thoughts. For be they in love of good, good; or for hate of sin, or sinful things, then God is pleased for it. If we do good for reward, or avoid evil for shame, &c. all is woeful in the fight of the Lord, seem men's goodness never to be so good in a man's eye.
A GODLY EXPOSITION OF THE XVI. PSALM.
THE TWELFTH SERMON.
PSAS. 16. verse. 1.
T His Psalm containeth the acknowledging of the Prophet his unworthiness, and showeth how all things are of God: it witnesseth the man of God his love to the Saints, his hatred of false religion, the assurance of God his providence, and his undoubted hope of life everlasting. All which things containing so many points of heavenly doctrine, ought much to provoke in us the love of the Psalm, and loving it to frequent the use of it. The Psalm seemeth to be general, and may be used at all seasons, and of all estates, as not being bound to any peculiar condition of men, or tied to any several circumstance, as are many other Psalms, containing particular matter: and therefore is it to be used as a notable meditation, which may be shown by this word Mitchtam. The first verse is the proposition of the whole, and the residue of the Psalm prosecuteth the same matter. Now to the words of the text.
Preserue me, O God. Here David desireth not deliverance from any special trouble, but generally prayeth to be fenced and defended continually by the providence of God: wishing that the Lord would continue his mercy towards him unto the end, and in the end: whereby he foresaw that it was as needful for him to be safegarded by God his protection in the end, as at the time present; as also how he made no less account of it in his prosperity, than in adversity. So that the man of God still feared his infirmity, and therefore acknowledgeth himself ever to stand in need of God his help. And here is a sure and undoubted mark of the child of God, when a man shall have as great a care to continue and grow in well doing, as to begin: and this praying for the gift of final perseverance, is a special note of the child of God. This holy ielouzie of the man of God made him so to desire to be preserved at all times, in all estates, both in soul and body. Every man will say, true it is, if God should not preserve us, how could we continue? But few there be who rightly and carefully use the means, as this man of God did, whereby they may attain this grace. And therefore howsoever they pretend a good affection, and well liking generally of the thing, yet they have no true faith, as the Prophet had: for faith would drive them carefully to use the means: how beit this general knowledge is left in many to take from them all excuse: but in the faithful it worketh an holy fear, and fear engendereth a conscience to use the means. I appeal to the conscience of a natural man: If a man being sick would cry, Lord help me, Lord restore me to my health, and yet in the mean time willfully refuseth the prescribed means for his recovery, tempted he not God? which if it be so, how much more dangerous is this in things concerning the soul, when a man either for want of hearing & reading the word feeleth not the diseases of the mind; or feeling them effectually▪ pineth and languisheth away under the burden of them, neglecting prayer, confessing of his sins, repentance, and such like means of his salvation? True it is that, man liveth not by bread only: and therefore the wicked are but stalled up and made fat against the day of slaughter. And the children of God know and acknowledge, that without the blessing and favor of God their meat may bring their bane: and therefore they crave that by the word and prayer the means may be sanctified unto them; much more in things concerning our salvation we must both carefully use the means, and in the using of them not to trust in the outward work wrought, but to crave the inward ministry of God his holy spirit, which worketh by them, not being ordained for God but for us.
For in thee do I trust. Here the Prophet setteth down the cause why he prayeth to God: whereby he declareth, that none can truly call upon God unless they believe: Rom. 10. 14. How shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? In regard whereof as he prayeth to God to be his Savior, so he is fully assured that God will be his Savior. If then without faith we cannot truly call upon God, the men of this world rather prate like Parats, than pray like Christians, at what time they utter these words. For y t they trust not in God, they declare both by neglecting the lawful means, and also in using unlawful means. Some we see trust in friends: some shoulder out (as they think) the cross with their goods: some fence themselves with authority: others bathe and • aste themselves in pleasures to put the evil day far from them: others make flesh their arm: and others make the • edge of gold their confidence: and these men when they seek for help at the Lord, mean in their hearts to find it in their friends, good authority and pleasure, howsoever for fear they dare not say this outwardly. Again, here we are to observe under what shelter we may harbor our selves in the showers of adversity, even under the protection of the Almighty. And why? Who so dwelleth in the secret of the most high, shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty. And here in effect is shown, that whosoever putteth his trust in God shall be preserved: otherwise the Prophet his reason here had not been good. Besides, we see he pleadeth not by merit, but sueth by faith, teaching us, that if we come with like faith, we may obtain the like deliverance.
It followeth in the Psalm, verse. 2. O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou art my Lord: my well-doing extendeth not to thee. In this conference with his soul, David setteth down the reason more at large, why he trusteth in God, that he will preserve him: first, he acknowledgeth his own unworthiness: secondly, he giveth himself to the Saints, Thou hast said unto the Lord. Here he confesseth that whatsoever good thing he had, he received it of the Lord. And this he doth not barely or barrenly with his lips from the teeth outward, but unfeignedly in his soul, also from the heart inward: and in that he passeth from the conference with his soul to speak unto the Lord, he showeth that God knoweth how his soul lieth not: and that he did behold the sincerity and simplicity of his heart herein. So that he dealeth not before men alone, or with his lips, but with God also, and travaileth with his own soul: wherein he cleereth himself of hypocrisy, and by his own practice convinceth and condemneth those kind of men, who say one thing with their lips, and mean another thing in their hearts. Wherefore we are to learn, that in our prayers we deal not with men, but with God. We must not so much labor for a set order of words as for a well ordered heart; and we must not use these words as before men alone with our lips, but in our souls and in the presence of God; to wit, Lord thou hast redeemed me, Lord thou hast saved me: and I say to my soul, that it should acknowledge thee to be my Lord, my Redeemer, and my Savior, and therefore should use all things to thy glory. Thou art my Lord, my soul, O Lord, hath tasted of thy goodness, and by good proof I find that thou doest govern me. My well-doing extendeth not to thee: oh what shall I render unto thee, my God, for all thy benefits towards me? what shall I repay? alas I can do thee no good, for mine imperfect goodness cannot pleasure thee, who art most perfect and goodness it self: my well-doing can do thee no good, my wickedness can do thee no harm: I receive all good from thee, but no good can I return to thee: wherefor I acknowledge thee to be most rich, and myself to be most beggarly in well-doing: so far off is it that thou standest in any need of me. Wherefore I will join myself to thy people, that whatsoever I have, they may profit by it, and whatsoever they have I may profit by it, seeing the things that I have received must be put out to loan, to gain some comfort to others: whatsoever others have, they have not for their private use, but that by them as by pipes and conduites they liberally should be conveyed unto me also. Wherefore in this strain we are taught, that if we be the children of God, we must join our selves in a holy league to his people, and by mutual participation of the gifts of God we must testify each to other, that we be of the number and communion of Saints: and this is an undoubted badge and cognizance of him that loveth God, if he also loveth them that are begotten of God. Wherefore if we do profess our selves to be of God, and to worship him, then must we join our selves to the Church of God, which with us doth worship God. And this must we do of necessity, for it is a branch of our belief, that there is a communion of Saints in the Church: and if we believe that there is a God, we must also believe that there is a remnant of people, unto whom God revealeth himself, and communicateth his mercies, in whom we must have all our delight, with whom we must communicate, according to the measure of grace given unto everyone of us.
But to the Saints that are in the earth, and to the excellent: all my delight is in them. The Papists could abide no Saints, but them which are in heaven; which argueth that they live in a kingdom of darkness, and err not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God: for if they were but meanly conversant in the Scriptures, in the holy Epistles, they should find almost in every Epistle mention made of the Saints, who are thereunto called in Jesus Christ, through whom they are sanctified by the holy Ghost. And mark, he calleth them excellent. Some think rich men to be excellent, some think learned men to be excellent, some count men in authority so to be: but here we are taught that those men are excellent, which are sanctified with God his graces. True it is, that learning, wisdom, authority, honor, gold and credit, are the excellent gifts of God in their kind, and yet have they not true excellency in themselves: for they make not the possessors of themselves excellent, because the wicked may have them as well as the good: and these things we see for the most part are as they are that have them. For if the good man have them, he useth them reuerentely, moderately & thankfully, he applieth them • o good uses, and so maketh them serve to the furtherance of good purposes. Again, if an evil man have them, he unreverantly usurpeth them, immoderately useth them, and unthankfully is puffed up with them, he turneth them to evil uses, and by them promoteth ill causes. Wherefore this excellency, which is the fruit of God his spirit, is in it self only good: and this indeed maketh men truly excellent. Some say the Prophet meaneth, that seeing he cannot do good to God, he will deserve well of his Saints: but this is but one part of his meaning: so that he meaneth this and somewhat more, that is, that he will delight in them and that not only to do them good, but also to receive good from them, as may appear by his terming of them excellent ones, such as are fit as well to do good, as to receive good from others. Wherefore the Apostle saith, Rom. 1. 12. that he desired to receive mutual comfort by thē. Secondly, this appeareth by the opposition of the verse following, which is of the worship of God: and therefore it cannot be restrained to outward things. Again, in that verse he maketh mention of false worshippers, as here he nameth excellent ones: meaning that he would use the benefit of them, to wane himself from false worshippers; as men will frequent the company of the learned that desire learning; and they that will have their lips schooled by the law of grace, will oft resort to the grave speeches of the wise. And surely it is a special help to further our selves in the pure worship of God, if we divorce our selves from the crew of false worshippers, and wholly espouse our selves to the fellowship of them that worship in spirit and in truth. This reason also may appear to be general, because it followeth in the order of our confession of our faith, that we believe the holy and universal congregation, the communion of Saints: and this communion is in receiving as well as in giving: and therefore being understood of such a mutual participation of gifts from one to another, it must follow as a particular part thereof, that we be ready to do good. And where he saith, All my delight is in them, that is in the Saints: we must not think that he meant to take away civil duty from them that were in authority, for that must be given to them in outward things, yet in our hearts and in our affections the graces of God his children must be most esteemed. In respect whereof when James saith, I am. 1. 2. that the Jews had their faith in respect of persons, when they were wont to say to the rich, Sit thou here in a good place; and to the poor, Stand there, his meaning was to rebuke them, for that they so highly despised the one and so vily esteemed the other. Wherefore we must learn always to give unto Caesar that which belongeth to Caesar, but God his children must always be nearest our heart. And this was it that our Savior Christ saith, that they which heard the word and did the same, were his mother, his brother, and his sister: not that he lightly regarded his mother, for he was a pattern of obedience to all children, yet he loved her more as she was the daughter of God, than as she was his mother. Likewise we read, that he answered the woman that cried unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps that gave thee suck. His mother no doubt had as singular blessings, as ever were given to woman, in outward things, in that she brought forth the Savior of all mankind: howbeit herein she was chiefly blessed, in that she believed in him to be her Redeemer.
That are in the earth. See he maketh mention of the Saints here on earth, and speaketh no of the Saints which are in heaven, from whom as we are severed in body, so are we also in the soul▪ and we have no dealing with them, either in soul or body. Wherefore it is ••• d of the Prophet, Abraham knoweth not us. True it is, that the Lord maketh his Angels ministers unto us, and therefore sending them to do anything, he maketh it known unto them. Howbeit we read no such thing of the Saints that are dead, who as they know nothing of us or our estate, which only is known to the Lord, and are not used as ministers of the Lord; so they cannot hear or help us, as some foolishly have imagined. The Saints which are dead may be in some respect remembered, but in no case worshipped: remembered, I say, not for their power to be prayed unto, but for their virtues to be imitated. Wherefore in Heb. 11 the holy Ghost setteth down a register & catalogue of the Saints, that seeing we are compassed with so great a cloud of witnesses, we must cast away everything that presseth down, and sin that hangeth so fast on, that we may run with patience the race that is set before us. Here we see these are set before, that we might so far follow them, as they follow Christ, and in this respect they are called witnesses: but to honor them as God, or to appoint holy days unto them, or for them, it is not lawful. But behold when it was painful to the belly gods of Rome to remember the good life of the Saints to follow them, than which nothing is more grievous to them, the devil to draw them from this, invented a more easy way for flesh and blood, and taught them an easier lesson, by appointing in the stead of this holy and painful imitation, a carnal and voluptuous rabble of holidaies unto the Saints, and that (as they said) for the better remembrance of them: and thus that transformed Angel of light knoweth how to transform pure religion. In like manner, whē it was an hard thing to preach Christ crucified, because it would call them to a sight, feeling and forsaking of their sins, and so they were made more unquiet; the devil found out an easier way, and for sooth would have Christ painted upon the cross in their Church windows: which was a thing more easy to behold, being pleasant to the eye, than it was to hear that sin should be crucified in them, if ever they would hope for the fruit of Christ his death. Again, when they could not away with bearing the cross, of loss of name, of friends, goods and life, for Christ's sake, they thought it was good to profess it by wearing some cross about them, or by erecting in every place a cross of wood, stone, or such like thing. But let us learn to be provoked by the graces of God in his Saints to follow them in goodness, and labor to have Christ crucified in our hearts, by the ministry of the word, ever preparing our selves in truth to bear the cross of Christ, by preferring the pure profession of his Gospel, before anything in the whole world dear unto us. Besides we are here to learn, that if our delight be in God his Saints on the earth, we must be far from using them maliciously, or speaking of them cruelly. This delight then must be to receive some profit and benefit by these graces which they have, also to use to the comfort of the childrē of God whatsoever good we have received. For as well the servant which puts not out his talent with gain was punished, as those that contemned the talent. Neither in truth have we any right use of the gifts which we have received of God, unless we put them out by imparting them to our brethren in love, and so the gain may return by holy revenues to the Lord himself; neither have we truly learned anything, unless we have in some measure communicated it with others; for whatsoever is ours by gift, it is the interest of others by necessity: whatsoever is proper to us by possession, is common to the Church by use and participation; and whatsoever we have, we have it for dispensation, as the stewards of God his gifts, and disposers of his graces. And therefore as at the audites and days of accounts such stewards are culpable and unworthy of their places, who having large sums of money for the liberal maintenance of the family, have appropriated all to themselves; so likewise in that great day of reckoning and audit of Angels, those stewards will be found damnable, and judged unworthy to have had access to the Lord his treasury, who having received of God singular graces, and plentiful gifts for the building up of his Church, and distributing things necessary to the Saints in due season, have notwithstanding enriched themselves alone, and impoverished their fellow servants, unto whose use, and for whose good such rich revenues of God his graces and gifts were committed to their fidelity.
It followeth in the Psalm, The sorrows of them that offer to another God shall be multiplied: their offering of blood I will not offer, neither make mention of their names with my lips. Here the man of God declareth himself to be no lukewarm professor, and therefore as in the third verse he showeth the profession of his faith concerning the communion of Saints, so in the fourth verse be protesteth his hatred to the false worshippers, and he teacheth that none can truly love the Saints, but he must also hate the wicked. God cannot abide to be worshipped in part, or by mixture of religion, as though the Ark and Dagon, God and Mammon, Christ and Belial should be joined in worship together. Many are not so fully contented with the Saints, as that they are thoroughly discontented with the wicked, who so long as they see matters of civil authority and good order have success, can love the word to serve time and season, whose liking of it is so small, that when other religion cometh, they find not themselves much discontented. But we must learn so to believe in the true religion, as our faith may draw out of us an unchangeable love, and this true love must be free from all appearance of idolatry, and contrary religion whatsoever. If ever this doctrine was necessary, it is now most needful, since true religion so decayeth, false religion so aboundeth, heathenish profaneness so groweth; all which no doubt arise o • so little esteeming, and small liking of the truth. For whereof first did spring heathenishnesse? Even from hence, men were contented that every nation should worship as they listed and liked whereupon they did grow to have both their country gods, and household gods; for we read that the Senate of the Romans would receive Christ as their God, yet so, as they would also maintain their own gods. Not much unlike is our family of love, and common sort of Protestants, both which can easily tolerate any kind of religion, come what profession come will. Wherefore we may see how this Psalm fitly may be used, when we will accuse our selves of want of love to the Saints, or when we will accuse our selves of wa • t of hatred to idolaters, seeing the spirit of the man of God so earnest, and our selves so cold herein.
In that he saith, he will not make mention of their names with his lips, he declareth his through hatred unto them, which the more evidently appeareth, in that he would not only not communicate with them in his goods, but also that he would not meddle with their ceremonies. Neither must we think that this was any peculiar thing unto David, but that it was common also to all the Israelites, as we may see Exod. 23. 13 ye shall make no mention of the name of other gods, neither shall it be heard out of thy mouth, and not to them alone, but to all Christians in like manner, as appeareth Zechar. 13. 2. And in that day, faith the Lord of hosts, I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, yea and they shall be no m • re remembered. Besides, the law commandeth all avoiding of occasions of idolatry, Deut. 7 25. where are set down two reasons; the one, that we should not be snared with such occasions; the other, because it is an abomination to the Lord, wherein although somewhat be political, yet because whatsoever is impure is abhominable to the Lord, and our nature is prone unto, and hardly kept from corrupt religion, we hating the impurity of the doctrine, must also hate the impurity of the ceremonies. To the Law agreeth also the Prophet, as Isaiah 30. 22. where the Lord not only commandeth them to avoid all idolatry, but even the appertinances thereof, Ye shall pollute the covering of the Images of silver, and the rich ornaments of the Images of gold, and cast them away as a menstruous cloth, and thou shalt say unto it get thee hence. This seemeth preciseness and puritanisme to the world, which can be content to use things for form and fashion; but if we urge upon purity, we are counted precisians. Well if it be so, then David was a precisian. The holy ghost also exhorteth us also to abstain from all apparance of evil, 1. Thess. 5 22. 1. John 5. 21. Babes keep yourselves from idols. And the Apostle Jude verse 23. willeth us even to hate the garment spotted by the flesh. True it is, that one may have a private use of the meat prepared for Images; but as it is an appertinance of idolatry, it is to be avoided. Wherefore we are to pray that we may so have our hearts rectified by the spirit of God, as not only the substance of false religion may be avoided, but also the appertinances thereof, whereby we may the better provide both for God his glory, and our own peace. Whereas he saith, the sorrows of them that offer to another God shall be multiplied, he showeth, how besides the comforts which he had in the Saints, he so much the more hated the idolaters, because he saw the more they inwrapped themselves, the more their spirits were troubled in them, and then they could find least rest whē they had most trouble. So that as the man of God commendeth true religion by this effect, that it yieldeth peace of mind, and comfort of conscience in trouble; so he discommendeth false religion by the contrary: because howsoever in prosperity it bringeth aswelling joy, yet in adversity it maketh men cry to the rocks to cover them, & to the mountains to fall upon them. This must cause us more narrowly to search our hearts whether we have this love of true religion or no, against the which neither the gates of hell, nor terrors of Satan, nor troubles of conscience can prevail; for this religion is no less comfortable than true, when we feel our selves assured thereby of our justification by Christ, of the ministry of God his Angels watching over us, and that we offering our selves to be governed by him, he will work in us heavenly things: and howsoever we are evil by nature or custom, yet by grace we are kept safe in him. This is that which helpeth in trouble of conscience, this comforteth in banishment, this relieueth us in poverty, this is the fruit of true religion. In false religion there appeareth not like effects, not being able to deliver us, much less to comfort us in time of trial, but it leaveth us in a mazed spirit, and troubled mind. Wherefore in respect of the issues of both these compared together, we see how dear true religion ought to be to us, and how we must abhor the contrary. The very heathen men by the instinct of nature did most labor for those things which would in death bring peace of mind, and asswage their inward troubles, who never had this remedy: how much more then ought we to embrace this pure religion, having such effects; and hate the contrary, which then yieldeth a swelling and plausible joy, when no heaviness is at hand, but is void of all substance of perfect consolation to ease a perplexed mind? Wherein it may well be compared to those water brooks, which in time of winter, when water in every place aboundeth, flow over; but in summer, when droughts bring the necessary use of water, are for the most part dried up.
It followeth now in the fifth verse, The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance, and of my cup: thou shalt maintain my lot. He prosecuteth the same matter which he handled before, showing a reason why he linked himself so to the Saints, and abhorred the wicked, to wit, because as the Lord defended his holy ones, so he defended him; as he was their inheritance, so he was his; as he was a portion unto them, so also he was a sufficient portion unto him: for so was he tied to the Lord, and to the love of his truth, that no corrupt religion could move him from it. And why? he saw in the word, that God provided on every side for him, both spiritually for his soul, and corporally for his body. Wherefore his meaning may thus briefly be gathered. I need not to seek for help in any false religion, although mine enemies would contstrain me, because I am persuaded sufficiently that God is my portion, he is mine inheritance, God filleth full my cup; and as his mercy hath chosen me, so his power maintaineth me, the sure persuasion whereof maketh me grow in the love of true religion, and in the hatred of false. Out of the scope then of the Prophet, we may draw thus much, that whosoever is grounded on pure knowledge, and a sure faith, shall never wander after idolatry, because the word of God will show them now all sufficiency both for their souls and bodies is in the Lord, who freely hath taken the whole charge thereof into his own hands. On the contrary it is apparent, how that from hence cometh such slipping into idolatry, because we want true faith in the true religion, and true love of those things which we believe. This place then commendeth unto us a continual care, which we must labor for, whereby such assurance of God his favor and providence watching over us may be in us, as we contenting our selves with him, our portion and inheritance should covet nothing else. Some refer this saying of the Prophet, thou art the portion of mine inheritance to the soul, but it is to be thought that he rather meaneth how he only resteth and stayeth himself concerning his whole felicity of body and soul on the Lord alone, and in that the Lord did not only begin, but did continue in him his grace he assureth himself as well of final perseverance, as of his gracious entrance, which undoubtedly is no small comfort. For many have inheritances, who hardly keep the assurance of them from all assaults of crafty men, who craftily undermine the estate and hold off their possessions, by falsifying their evidences. Wherefore he addeth in the latter end of the verse, thou shalt maintain my lot. For although nothing be more casual then the life both of body and soul, and in manner of a lot is most uncertain, yet the issue of them both being in the hands of the Lord, he dare safely commend himself unto him. Thus then must we be persuaded of our inheritance, as for love of it, we had rather with Naboth have our blood spilled, then suffer our selves to be deprived of it; which we see already to be performed of the Martyrs. But here we are to note how all our assurance hereof is in the word, and not elsewhere to be found, as the man of God himself showeth, Psal. 119. 57. O Lord thou art my portion, I have determined to keep thy words: and 111. Thy testimontes have I taken as an heritage forever, for they are the joy of mine heart. it is both easy and usual for all to say, God is my portion, God is mine inheritance, God is he that prepareth a table before me, God filleth my cup: The gayest hypocrites will brag of this, and the most wretched worldlings will avouch as much; but here in they be wray themselves in reverencing so smally the means hereof, and accounting so little of the word, which is the only assurance whereby they hold their inheritance. Doth he seek by his portion or inheritance bequeathed unto him by testament or otherwise, who maketh none account of his evidence and ancient copies, whereby he holdeth his assurance? Can men then think that God is their inheritance, when they esteem so smally of his promises which ratifieth their hold, and keepeth in record their assurance? Can a man assure himself, that God is his portion when he hath no delight in his sacraments, wherein it is sealed and surrendered into his hands? This then is a true trial, whether we may in truth subscribe to the Prophet his protestation, when we delight in the means, that is, in the word, in prayer, in the sacraments, and in discipline: which thing if we have not, pretend we what we will, all is but hypocrisy. If God be our portion, we must be as charie and wary of the word, as of some Will, wherein some great thing is given unto us; we must be as much afraid and grieved to lose our faith in God his promises, as we are to lose the evidence of our lands; we must be as careful to use the sacraments, as to keep whole and unviolated the seals of our evidences; we must be as careful to perform to God that which his will requireth of us, as to receive of him that which in his testament is bequeathed us, otherwise we have nothing to do with God, & God hath nothing to do with us in mercy, God is none of our inheritance, neither are we his inheritance. Such then as will come a • their leisure, and when they list, or when the world will afford no further profit, nor the flesh further delight, as they did most unthankfully in the Gospel, who preferred their marriage, bargaining, and toiling in the earth to the heavenly banquet, are not in any assurance, that God is their portion; for where our portion is, there is our delight; & where we look for inheritance, there we provide for assurance; and where we look for treasure, thither we go with joy: wherefore until we set the word aloft in our consciences, we can find no assurance that God is our portion, or that we are his. The equity hereof appeareth, Deut. 9. 29. where the people are called the inheritance of the Lord: and Deut. 32. 9. The Lord's portion is his people: Jacob is the lot of his inheritance. For as possessions in times past were chosen out by lines, so the Lord is said to divide to the Nations their inheritance, and to separate Jacob as a part for himself. Neither must we shuffle off this from our selves, seeing the Apostle (1. Pet. 2. 6) calleth us a spiritual house, and an holy Priesthood to offer up spiritual sacrifices: and the holy Ghost (Revel. 1. 6.) saith, We are made Kings and Priests unto God through Christ. Wherefore seeing the Lord dealeth so favorably with us, that when hell was our portion by our birthright, he hath measured out heaven for us by the promulgation of his Gospel; when we were guilty of damnation, hath made us inheritors of salvation; and when Satan made claim to us, he hath rescued the title of us to himself: what an hellish pride were it, not to set God aloft? what presumption were it, not to make him our chief delight, seeing he before freely hath made us his chief delight? If then we desire that God should be our inheritance, we must be his; if we be his, he must take up wholly our souls and bodies in his word; which if we despise, undoubtedly we shall be despised of God. Mark then in the latter end of this verse, he saith, I hou shall • maintain my lot. As if the man of God should say: Howsoever the world judgeth, that my estate cometh of other men, I know it cometh of thee: and, Prov. 16. 4. Thou Lord hast made all things for thy own sake, although other think things to be fortunate, and subject to luck; and when as others think it strange, that the son of Jesse should come to the government of the Common-wealth, yet thou alone hast done it. Neither are we thus alone maintained of God in our outward estate, but also in spiritual things, we are kept by his power, as 1. Pet. 1, 5. We are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation. And howsoever the world marueileth that we live, yet we (saith the Apostle) are kept by the secret finger of God, & that unto salvation. This happy assurance caused Paul to say, 2 Timo. 1. 12. I know i • whom I have believed, and I am persuaded he is able to keep that which is committed to him against that day. In which doctrine is •• small comfort, in that we have not our salvation in our own custody, neither hath the Lord left us to our selves in the cō lucting of our bodies & souls, but hath given the whole and happy government to his Son Jesus Christ: in which dignity we far excel Adam in the estate of innocence. For albeit we are by him and in him fallen from it (so weak was our estate, and so brittle was our hold whilst man possessed it) yet having it restored, the credit and custody of it resteth not on our weakness, but on the mighty power of Christ, from whom it cannot be taken. Such is the merciful wisdom of our good God. Wherefore our Savior Christ, John. 6 • aith, that he is the shepherd, and that we are in his custody. For whereas like sheep of our selves we are ready to go astray and wander, the Lord with his shepherds crook will fetch us again to the fold; and when we are lost in the wilderness and dark places, he will find us ou • ; when we see no issues of our matter, he will be faithful unto us, if we commit our selves unto him. We see now the blessed security of God his children is herein, that their lot is not in their own hands. This doctrine also is full of comfort to us in these times: For in such a multitude of heresies, where with profaneness of life hath joined it self, if it were possible, the very elect should be deceived, were it not that they were governed by the Lord himself.
It is added in the next verse, The li 〈…〉 e fallen unto me in pleasant places: yea I have a fair heritage. The former matter is amplified, wherein he showeth, that he so liked his choice of the word: that in hope to change he chose it not. So his meaning is in effect all one with the verse going before, and may thus shortly be couched together O Lord thou hast dealt with me favorably, which pleaseth me so fully, that I require no other happiness. For notwithstanding my crosses and temptations be many, yet because in all I feel thy gracious help, I desire not to change for any other felicity. In which stream we must learn this one point, that we never feel effectually the fruit of our salvation, until we can triumph over the world, the flesh, and the devil: and when our heritage so pleaseth us, that we repent not: beware of repenting, beware of repenting when ye have once given your names unto Christ: for ye are become backsliders, & are fallen partly to heresy, partly to atheism, partly to profaneness, because they made not a sure & unchangeable choice of their profession at the first. This verse is especially to be understood of the favor of God, which he felt; and therefore being assured that the kingdom of God was his, that the providence of God watcheth over him, and his Angels ministered unto him, he was so stayed, that if other outward things did come, he counted them cast upon him, as the overplus of God his mercy; if no other things came, he was satisfied If we think our lines to be fallen pleasantly, we must by proportion by so much the more seek spiritual than carnal things, by how much the soul is better than the body. How then is God their portion, their lot and inheritance? how doth their heritage assigned of God please them, who are so careful in earthly things to provide for back and belly, and so careless in heavenly things to provide for their souls and consciences? For if we were persuaded, whatsoever we have, we have it of God, we would use it with prayer, receive it with thanksgiving, we should not rest in outward things, as in lands, possessions or preferments, as in our portion, but in the Lord who giver • these things. Thus when we are delighted with our heritage, we endeavor not to get things by ill means; having gotten them, we set not our hearts on them, we pray for the holy use of them, we return them to God his glory, and the comfort of his Saints; when we cannot keep them with a good conscience, we will willingly leave them, always making the Lord our chief inherirance, as we a • e his; and on this manner being weaned from earthly things, we must look for our outward estate to be ordered in full measure and scarcity by God, that we may say with Paul, Philip 4. 11. I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. 12. And I can be abased, and I can abound: everywhere in all things I am instructed, both to be full, and to be hungry, and to abound, and to have want. If we have much, it is well, and wisdom is a goodly thing with inheritance: if we have not outward things, the word is able to save our souls: and blessed are they that in time of trial can say, my lines are fallen unto me in fair places. Every man is to try himself, how in his particular calling he can stay himself on the word of God. Jacob desired nothing but cloth and meat for food and raiment; and Paul 1. Tim. 68 saith, When we have food and raiment, let us therewith be content. And surely great rest should we find in our consciences, if we could command our souls not to look for greater things than the Lord hath placed us in: for nothing doth more be • ray out want of faith than our wrestles minds which are not contented with those places allotted to us of God. But who in the time of the gospel cannot say, that his lines are fallen to him in fair places? Wherefore we must be so quiet in our proper stations, as if we were Kings or Emperors, knowing that whē our places are not fit for God his glory, and his church, the Lord will fleet us. In the mean season let our consciences rest on the Lord his will, how base and inferior so ever our calling is, and he assured, that by so much the more our walking therein is an acceptable sacrifice to the Lord, by how much our gifts being the greater they do submit and humble themselves under the ordinance and appointed calling of the Lord the more. And let us stay at the Lord his commandment and pleasure to be put in his time to some other use; neither let us put the fault of our trouble in our places, as commonly we do, but in our restless mind, which as a rolling stone is carried from one place to another.
It followeth in the next verse. I will praise the Lord, who hath given me counsel: my rein •• also teach me in the nights. That is, I acknowledge that it is thy free benefit, that I have discerned to make this choice. For how should I think thee to be my portion of mine in heritance, and to maintain my lot, but because thou hast renewed me by thy spirit, and advised me in that, wherein flesh and blood could not counsel me? The due consideration hereof made our Savior Christ say on this manner: I thank thee, O father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them to little ones: for so it is thy good will and pleasure. As if he should say, I would marvel these silly souls should so profit more in heavenly wisdom, than the wise of the world: but, Lord, I see it is thy will, and the wisdom of the wise can nothing further thee, nor the simplicity of the other can anything hinder them for thy kingdom: but thou workest all in all according to thy pleasure. Again, among so many opinions of the Jews, of the Scribes, Pharisees, of Sadducees, Herodians, and Essens, it was the only power of God whereby Peter was taught among the rest of the Disciples, and in the name of all rightly to confess Christ to be the true Messias, and to be both true God & true man. Wherefore our Savior Christ hearing this his confession, saith, Peter, flesh and blood hath not revealed this to thee, but my Father which is in heaven: that is, thou never attainedst to this by thy mother wit, or by the light of nature; thou hast not been fenced by thine own reason from hunting after me, and opposing thyself against me, with the Scribes and Pharisees, but my Father hath both guided and guarded thee. And what shall we think of our selves? Is it not the Lord his mighty & secret working in us, that among such swarms of heresies, such boldness of Papists, such a multitude of Anabaptists, Arians and Family of love, we are preserved, to discern the right, and to cleave to the truth? If we look to our wits, others which are fallen away are as wise as we: If we look to our natural dispositions, we are as full of natural corruption as they: if we look to our education and helps in learning, have not others been as much thereby furthered as we? We are made all of one mould, we were all borne under one climate, we are not sanctified by nature more then others; are not we then highly to praise God, in that we maintain not our own lot; but whilst round about us some are become Papists, some Atheists, some Arians, some Familists, we are both guided of God to make our choice of the truth, and are continued in the well liking of our choice being made? What a benefit is it that in such store of politiques, we should not only understand the letter, but also conceive the mystery of the truth? What a grace is it, that we should be so taught of God, that if we abound we can be thankful, if we be in trouble we can be patient, if we suffer the cross we are content? But do not the Papists and Familists commend the Saints? doth not every man say, God is his portion? how is this then any particular thing in the godly? True it is they do so: but we stay on God his will revealed in the word, which we account our portion. Talke with a blasphemer, talk with a drunkard, an whoremaster or a worldling; talk with a skillful man of law, or an expert Physician, and everyone will as proudly and as boldly profess God to be his portion as another: but come to them in a matter of salvation, or in a case of faith, and they can say nothing: how much now are we to be persuaded of, and being so persuaded, to be thankful for the free mercy, and undeserved good will of God in directing us, in choosing, and nourishing our choice?
My reins teach me in the night. This place hath in it some difficulty, and diverse interpreters write diversely of it. But it is certain, that often in the Scriptures the heart and the reins are mentioned together: as Psal. 26. Prove me, O Lord, and try me: examine my reins and my heart. By the heart (I think) is meant the more inward and secret thoughts: by the reins are understood the more outward and sensual affections, as Psal. 51. 6. Behold thou lovest truth in the inward affections: therefore hast thou taught me wisdom in the secret of mine heart. And Psal. 139. 23▪ Try me, O Lord, and know mine heart, prove me and know my thoughts.
In the night. Of his holy exercises in the night the man of God speaketh, Psal. 119 55.
I have remembered thy name in the night, O Lord, and have kept thy law. And Psal. 62. At midnight will I rise to give thanks unto thee, because of thy righteous judgments. And verse. 148. Mine eyes prevent the night watches to meditate in thy law. The Physicians affirm, that our dreams in the night season are agreeable to our musings in the day time: and that our affections in our sleep do much follow the complexions, the repletiō or evacuation of the body: according to these they say also are the dispositions of the mind naturally, without some violent alteration or extraordinary operatiō. And surely a man by diligent observation may espy his inclination of mind as well by his dreams sleeping, as by his cogitations waking: or rather the better by how much the night is more free from those troubles which work great perturbations & violent distractions of the mind in the day: So that the agitations of the mind are by so much the more strong and effectual, by how much it is more free and natural; which experience may teach both in them that are renewed, and such as are unregenerate. The Philosophers not much disagreeing, say, that the civil virtuous man is much affected in the night, according to his actions in the day, and that the virtuous and the vicious man concerning half their lives, that is, the night seasō or sleeping times, do nothing differ, sane that the dreams of the virtuous are good, the dreams of the vicious are evil; which if it be so, then much more shall they, whose hearts are thoroughly sanctified with the spirit of God, either find comfort in good things, or sorrow for their sins even in the night season. Such is the mercy of our God, that he ceaseth not to continue our knowledge, and to teach us by his spirit and meditation, even in the night season; and if at any time they break forth into more sensual liberty proceeding from their natural appetite, they make this profit of it by judging that the Lord correcteth these wandering thoughts in the day, by confused dreams in the night, and their impure cogitations waking, by unchaste imaginations in sleeping. By the reins I gather, is signified not the spiritual parts of the mind, but the more gross & sensible parts of the body separated far from the heart, and that part which conceaueth and seemeth to be the Prophet his sense, Psal. 51. 6. verse: which before we alleged; that the Lord will not to that part which is most sensual, have liberty given, and that he hath charged the reformation of the soul to stretch it self to the most natural parts, and which are common with us to brute beasts, that even in them also we should be sanctified. Thus we see there is no part of us whereof the Lord in mercy hath not care, even in the night, in which one blessing the Lord will discern and distinguish us from brute beasts, and more confirm us in godliness. For it is no small benefit if we rightly consider it, that the spirit of God should so moderate with a continual regiment our affections, that if our imaginations burst forth, we should receive the check, and be controlled in the night, and by comparing one thing with another, long ago forgotten, that the Lord should bring things again to our remembrance. Thus when we know we lie on the Lord his bed, & that in dark we must behold him present, and feel our affections rectified, our reins sanctified, and our bed undefiled, we may be assured of some further sincerity of our hearts, wrought by his holy spirit: and doubtless as we said before, there is no small trial of our hearts, even in our dreams; when all things being more quiet then in the day, greater opportunity is offered of entering into our selves, and furnishing our selves with serious devises, whether it be in good or evil. Wherefore God his children are not so lightly to pass over their night-thoughts, but that they observe in them either the merciful corrections of God of some sins past, or his gracious admonition of some sins to come, or else his favorable instructions concerning some sin present, which not being repented of, will as well break forth openly in the day, as secretly in the night. Nights. To conclude, we see in David a mind thoroughly sanctified, where the spirit of God keeping a continual residence, wrought a continual progress and growing in spiritual knowledge, as well by nights as by days.
It followeth in the next verse, I have set the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand, therefore I shall not slide. Having shown before his delight in the Saints, his hatred of Idolaters, his stayed and full contented mind in God as his portion and inheritance, who as well continued in him as he did begin his grace, and that not only more openly in the day, but also more secretly in the nights; the Prophet now declareth how by all this he was moved to think that God was at all times, in all places present with him, both as a Lord to suruay his ways, least he should slip grossly, and as a father to comfort him when he slipped of infirmity. His meaning and intent then is thus much, that having severed himself from Idolaters, and joined in league with the Saints, wholly resting himself on the Lord and his word, he desired nothing more, then as the Lord had set a continual watch over him both by day and by night; so he might have his heart in continual awe to be prepared for the Lord his presence. The self same obedience the Lord requireth of Abraham, Genes. 17. 1. saying, I am God all sufficient, walk before me, and be upright, that is, seeing I am able by mine Almighty power to bring to pass whatsoever by covenant in mercy I have promised to thee, make me the arbiter of thy thoughts, the suruayer of thy words, and the viewer of thy works, commit thy ways unto me in all things. Neither must we think this to be enjoined to Abraham alone, & that others be exempted from this obedience, but that every true Israelite, every good Christian, and true believer, who looketh with Abraham for God his power in accomplishing his promises, must be assured hereof like as he was. For where we look for like mercy, we must perform like duty; and where we hope for the like grace; we must have the like faith, albeit not in so great proportion, yet in some acceptable measure following him, whose example, Rom. 4. we must not think so much to be person all, as real, and for imitation.
How we should thus walk before the Lord we are taught of the holy Ghost, Micah. 6. 6. Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the hi • God? shall I come • before him with burnt offerings i • he hath shown thee o man what is good, and what the Lord requireth of thee; surely to do justly, and to love mercy, and to humble thyself, to walk with thy God, that is, that thou shouldest set him i • thy sight, believing that he doth guide and govern thee. Besides the Apostle teacheth us, • . Cor. 3. 18. that we all behold as in a mirror the glory of the Lord with open face, and are changed into the same image. For when we behold the Lord in his promises of reconciliation, that he is at peace with us; of sanctification, that he will renew us; of safeguard and providence, that for our good he will watch over us, and that he is at our right hand with his Angels, and on the other hand with his creatures; then we behold him as our redeemer, as our teacher, as our provident father, and as judge of heaven and earth, so we shall with Stephen see Christ: and thus beholding God in his word and works, we may be said to walk before the Lord. Whereupon we may easily conjecture, how requisite a thing it is often to hear, read, and meditate of the word of God, to be frequent in prayer, whereby we may attain to a clearer sight of God his promises, which are all yea and Amen in Jesus Christ. Whosoever then setteth God before him, first as a God of glorious majesty, who will not justify the obstinate sinner; then as a father of gracious mercy, who comforteth the repenting sinner, and in every particular thing is persuaded that God seeth him as a judge and a Lord of the spirits, and God of glory and power; it cannot be but this will shake from him all drowsy security, and chase away all vain imaginations, as the bright Sun beams break the dark and misty clouds. And because there is no dealing betwixt God and man, but by a Mediator, we must set God before us in Christ, and Christ in God, that we may behold his justice under his mercy, and his mercy under his justice. And being thus persuaded, that we are beloved of God in his beloved, we shall do all in his name, which is the end of all happiness. This one lesson of Divinity will teach us the use of many, and will stand in steed of a thousand, both to comfort and instruct us: to comfort us with pacifying our consciences with a godly security in things most open and apparent; to instruct us by charging our consciences to avoid carnal security in things most inward and secret. Until we are brought to walk before the Lord in this obedience, all the wisdom of the learned is vanity. Having learned this one ru • e, and made in truth this pedagogy of our actions, the simplest soul shall come forth himself in the conscience of unfeigned holiness.
For he is at my right hand. This phrase of speech is borrowed from them, who when they take upon them the patronage, defense or tuition of any, will set them on their right hand, as in place of most safeguard. Experience confirmeth this in children, who in any imminent danger shroud and shelter themselves under their fathers arms or hands, as under a sufficient buckler. Such was the estate of the man of God, as here appeareth, who was hemmed and hedged in with the power of God, both against present evils and dangers to come. Neither doth the Lord hatch David alone under the hand▪ but all other that put their trust in him: as Psal. 91. 1. Who so dwelleth in the secret of the most high, shall abide in the shadow of the Almighty, &c. Wherein we see this assurance of God his protection to be common generally to all, which fly for succor wholly to him in time of temptation. Again, Psalm 121. 4. it is said, Behold he that keepeth Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. Vers. 5. • he Lord is thy keeper, the Lord is thy shadow at thy right hand, &c. Where we see he speaketh of the whole body, and no • of any particular number of the Church. We are then to learn thus much out of this strain, that when we have a care to set the Lord continually in our sight, he hath a care continually to watch over our estate. This glorious rejoicing of faith is also in other places of the book of God. Psal. 23. throughout the whole Psalm, the man of God showeth that he had so richly and so sweetly tasted of the promises of God, that in trouble he never wanted help. The Apostle likewise to the Rom. 8▪ showeth the happy estate of all the regenerate, although in a more excellent pattern of his own faith, saying, verse. 31. If God be on our side, who can be against us▪ 33. Who shall lay anything to the charge of God his chosen? It is God that justifieth. 34. who shall condemn? &c. And afterward verse. 38 I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor Angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come. 35. nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Howbeit, we must not think that the man of God was not removed at all. For he counteth himself a stranger upon earth, and he had many pushes and diverse assaults: yet so as he was not finally moved, and utterly overthrown. He had many battles, but got the victory; many men rose against him, but the Lord was on his side, & still he was unremoveable as Mount Zion; and though he was shaken for a time, yet in the end he was safe. Now to the verse following.
Wherefore mine heart is glad, and my tongue rejoiceth; my flesh also doth rest in hope. Here are two pestilent opinions of the Papists overthrown. The one, that we should not boldly rejoice in the undoubted assurance of our salvation. The other, that we should dou • t and be in a mammering of our final perseverance. In our confession of the faith immediately after the article of the remission of our sins, followeth the acknowledging of an happy resurrection, and glorious immortality: wherein we are assured, that even as in this life our sins are pardoned, so we shall not miscarry to the very resurrection, and our very flesh shall rise again to most blessed immortality. Shall I doubt, that God watcheth over me as a father in love, as almighty in power, as a provident preserver in governing heaven and earth? Shall I doubt that Christ, true God and true Man died for my sins, rose for my justification, ascended to take possession of that glory, which he will give unto me at his coming? Shall I doubt that the spirit of God hath sealed me and sanctified me, preserving me unblameable in Christ until the day of redemption? Shall I doubt, that I am of the number of the Saints, which are ordained to that glory, which is freely given of God the Father, dearly purchased of God the Son, and assuredly warranted by the ministry of the word, and working of God the holy Ghost? No. Why then should I doubt that my sins are freely pardoned? Can a man by reason conceive the mystery of the Trinity in unity; the distinction of natures in one person Christ Jesus, the secret working of the holy Ghost in them that are called, the rising again to life, the dead body consumed to earth? No, we walk not by reason, we live by faith, and we believe against reason, even because the spirit of God by the preaching of the word, hath sealed and beareth record of of these things to our spirits. Wherefore seeing we have no warrant of anything concerning faith, but by the word and by the spirit, and the same word and spirit assure us as well of one parcel of faith as of another; what blockishness is it to believe all other points that doctrine, and to doubt and call in question one concerning the forgiveness of sins? and seeing we believe as great things, what peeuishnes is it to doubt either of the comfortable assurance of our salvation present, or to despair of final perseuerāce in time to come? Against these we see the man of God opposeth his glorious rejoicing: wherefore the holy Ghost speaketh, Rom. 5 1. Being justified by faith, we have peace toward God through our Lord Jesus Christ. And 1. Pet. 1. 8. You believe in Christ, and rejoice with joy unspeakable and glorious. In which point we are taught, that this rejoicing of the heart, praising of God with our tongue, and holy security of the whole man is the spirit of faith; and this is our true joy, even our assurance, that we are righteous in Christ, that God is our portion, our inheritance, our guider, governor, and preserver of us to life everlasting, yea and this fruit of faith is a sure token of faith, though it be not always and in all men in like measure. Howbeit, where the want thereof is felt, we must remember both to mourn and groan in our spirits for the want of it, and also wait on God in the mean time, and use all means possible to recover the same. This certainty of our salvation spoken of by Paul, rehearsed of Peter, and mentioned of David, Psal. 4 7. is that special fruit then of faith, which breedeth that spiritual joy, and inward peace, which passeth all understanding. True it is all God his children have it not. One thing is the tree, and another thing is the fruit of the tree: one thing is faith, and another thing is the fruit of faith. And that remnant of God his elect which feel the want of this fruit, have notwithstanding faith, which manifesteth it self in them by groaning and sighing for it, and by the complaining of the absence of it. For albeit indeed there is no greater argument, that a man is alive, than his lively, quick and cheerful spirits, his fresh memory, nimblenes and agi • itie of body: yet it is some token also of life, when a man not having in himself this alacrity of mind & acrimony of well-doing, can complain of his lumpish, earthly and dead spirits, dull memory, and heaviness of body, as one that feareth and suspecteth these things to be forerunners of some fainting, languishing, or dangerous sickness, which is towards him. And surely God his children, who hath been made drunken as it were with this spiritual gladness, are often waned from it, either for their trial, how highly they esteem it, or to punish them for some sin past, or else to forewarn them of some sin to come. Wherefore when any such morse of our spirits and extraordinary deadness doth come upon us▪ let us thus commune with our own hearts; Surely all is not well, I must look out, I have not heard the word cheerfully, I cannot rejoice with his Saints, I am subject to some trouble, and must preprare my heart for some cross, I must rouse up myself & raise up God his spirit in me, that I may recover that life which is in Christ, without the wich I am thus dull, or rather dead. The Prophet Dauia (as we know, Psalm. 119.) finding in himself this untowardness to good exercises, the want of this delight, the loss of God his countenance, counteth himself as dead; and having these things he thought himself alive. It is a wonderful thing to see, it is a wonderful thing, I say, to see how natural a thing it is to all men to seek a quiet mind, and glad heart; how unnatural it is to wish for sorrow of mind, and grief of heart; and on the other side, to behold the security of men in neglecting the means of true joy, and their indiscreet plunging of themselves in endless and easeless sorrows, in pulling upon themselves sorrow after sorrow, and that with fantastical delights; all which kind of pleasures have either their present pain, or pain to come accompanying them; and therefore worthily are they compared to the cracking thorns under the pot, which make a sudden blaze, and are quickly out. So the pleasures of fools vanish away without any issue, yea they are so far from bringing any joy in the hour of death, that even then most will they sting and accuse us for dishonoring of God. On the contrary when we feel the glory of God to be our chiefest joy, and the peace of the Church with the feeling of our salvation to be the peace of our minds, we have that gladness and calmenes of a good conscience, which God reserveth in store as a treasure and precious jewel, whose virtue is to comfort us in time of greatest trouble, whose operation is to draw joy out of the bottomless pit of sorrow, when the world doth hate us, to show how God doth love us, and when our minds are deject, to bring a pawn from God his spirit to our spirit to assure us that our troubles shall have an issue to God his glory, and our salvation. This solace only cleaveth unto us in death, and in sickness, and in time of trouble; and therefore the more carefully must we use the means whereby we may buy and purchase the same: when we want it let us complain and mislike our selves, accusing our selves of some sin past, or enarming our selves for some evils to come. Vndoubtedly the iealozie of God his children over the security of these times maketh them to suspect that men may bear out themselves in good things for a time to serve persons, time and place; and that for lack of this true joy and delight in them they will fall away and deceive, especially when men come to their liberty, and are without controulement of person, awe of any place, or regard of any time. Men for a time be hearers of the Gospel, men may for orders sake pray, sing, receive the sacraments; but if it be without joy will not that hypocrisy in time break out? will they not begin to be weary? nay will they not be as ready to hear any other doctrine? Good things cannot long find entertainment in our corruptions, unless the holy ghost hath changed us from our old delights to conceive pleasure in these things. Where love is, there is no lack, in pleasure there is no pain, and when we find the pearl of price which passeth all understanding, we will sell all our former delights, and depart from our vain pleasures to purchase this. It is a continual joy that worketh a conscience to use the means of anything: it is an abounding delight, that auoydeth and fenceth off all wearisomeness in good things: wherefore the holy Ghost saith, Be ye filled with the Spirit: and in another place, Let the word of God dwell in you plenteously. In which place we are to gather that there is in us sometime an emptiness of the Spirit, and a scantness of the power of the holy ghost; the spirit of God 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 is not so mighty in operation, grace is not so plentiful, the word is not so powerful in us; and from hence cometh our momentary joy, and transitory gladness.
And my tongue rejoiceth. That which in truth is inward, will in time show it self outward, as we may see in these holy affections of the man of God. The Prophet himself confirmeth this in another place, Psalm. 116. 10. I believed therefore did I speak: which the Apostle repeateth in the person of the whole Church, 2. Cor. 4. 13. because we have the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; We also believe, and therefore we speak. And Rom. 10. 10. it is said, With the heart man believeth unto righteousness, and with the tongue man confesseth to salvation: and sure it is, that of the abundance of the joy of the heart the mouth rejoiceth: as contrariwise of the abundance of the grief of the heart, although there may be for a while an inward devouring, binding and suppressing of sorrow, yet it will in time break forth, and we shall even roar for disquietness of mind, and cannot hold long, until we have eased our hearts with some outward complaint. For we see if a man have a through grief how it consumeth him, unless he utter it. Again, if a man hath conceived a true joy, how he longeth, how he is ravished, how he travaileth, until he hath brought it forth. If then in any good measure we feel the joy of the spirit, the tongue will be at commandment to utter it. Wherefore we are to try our selves and examine our hearts, whether we hear, read, pray, or sing with this grace in our hearts, with this joy in our spirits, with this comfort of conscience: let us lament, considering how singing and spiritual rejoicing is decayed, how great a stranger the word is with us, what little delight and alacrity we have in holy and religious exercises; and let us accuse our selves, that therefore our tongues cleave to the rough roof of our mouth, because our hearts are locked up in security; which undoubtedly is so open to all men, that there is no man but bewaileth his want of inward joy. Many indeed, as hypocrites, can blow and bellow outwardly, who make no melody in their hearts, who sing not in grace, who have not the sweet and natural voice, which cometh from a well affected and right ordered mind, either joyfully showing a godly digested mirth, or dolefully breathing out into the passions of an exercised mind.
My flesh also doth rest in hope. See, his godly joy made him have a security in his flesh. It is our naturally infirmity that we have a trembling of the flesh which hindereth in us many good actions, as may be seen in our thoughts, suspecting of dangers, scarefull imaginations, and wandering conceits, forecasting this evil and that evil▪ to the great disturbing and disordering of the peace of our minds, all the which excessive fears were in this man of God wisely corrected, though not utterly removed, but suppressed in him by faith. Whereof cometh then our carnal and immoderate fears in dangers but of want of faith? This our Savior Christ teacheth his disciples, at what time they were with him being asleep in a tempest on the seas, when they through unbelief feared his divinity to have slept with his humanity, where he saith unto them, O ye little faith, why do you not believe? Here we see he rebuketh their excessive fear, which thing he also doth almost in the same manner. When they carnally feared him to have been a spirit as he walked on the seas, they were not thoroughly persuaded that God was their portion, their inheritance, and watched over them; for if they had, they would have corrected these fleshly and immoderate fea •• s, that they should not have hindered their holy meditations of God his powerful providence, nor their prayers for his gracious assistance, nor any other good exercises of their minds. Thus we see how the sure persuasion of God to be his inheritance, his mainteiner both in soul and body, his reacher both by day and by night, both by his word and his spirit made the man of God secure both in soul and body. And what caused this? partly that which we spake of before, partly that which followeth, for thou wilt • ot leave my soul in the grave, neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see corruption: so that the promises already tasted of, and the sure expectation to have the good work begun to be finished in him, made him rest in hope, and having God his cause in hand, he saw how the Lord would not only watch over him for his present estate, but also would guide him to immortality. Behold how his inward assurance wrought an outward safety, whereby we plainly see, that where there is a want of this comfort and faith in the soul, there is a want of peace and security in the body. It is our unbelief then that hatcheth and nourisheth wandering thoughts, and filleth our brain with suspicious phantasies, and fruitless illusions, dreaming of dangers where there are none, and imagining mountains where scarcely are molehills. Let us then strengthen our faith, and certify our souls, that our flesh shall stand before God, which will so work in us, that neither flesh and blood shall weigh us down with security in time of prosperity, nor ouerlode us with desperate terrors in time of adversity. Neither as we said, must we think David to be a senseless Stoic, as feeling no troubles, but that by the power of God he was in trouble a triumphant conqueror, and in all these dangers through faith more than a victorer. For as God reserveth his unspeakable joys for his children in intolerable agonies; so he never armeth them strongly, but he prepareth them a field wherethey must fight stoutly. Oh that this heavenly joy were in us more abundantly, and of moe men more frequented, then should not the small remnant that now always use it, be counted and called precisians, then should we give more lively testimonies of our effectual faith to our own consciences, then should we offer to others a larger cause of magnifying the name of God, who hearing us use such spiritual gladness, might be provoked to an holy emulation and say: surely this is the power of the holy Ghost, this is undeceivable joy, happy are they that can thus rejoice in the Lord. Oh that the Lord would give us of the spirit, and fill our hearts with such gladness: thus others undoubtedly would plentifully be ravished by our godly examples. Though some would laugh at us, as they did at the Apostles when they had received the holy Ghost, yet others would reverently marvel at it, and willingly follow it. Wherefore when with the man of God we shall be persuaded of our immortality both of body and soul, when we having God his cause in hand shall use it in a good conscience as he did, we shall surely and sincerely with him rejoice. And what I pray you in the night season, in thundering and lightning, in earthquakes, blazing stars, and fiery stars, in extraordinary working of the heavens maketh us so dismayed and at our wits end? want of faith. What maketh us at the death of our friends to mourn, and that we will not be comforted? Paul 1. Thessal. 4. 13. telleth us want of hope.
OBSERVATIONS ON THESE VERSES FOLLOWING, Being part of the 42. Chapter of Genesis.
THE THIRTEENTH SERMON.
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12
14
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21
I Oseph a good man, and yet lieth: so was Lot a good man, and yet loath to part from Sodom. These were great offenses. Whence come they? from custom no doubt. Joseph being amongst profane men had some smell of their words. And Lot, though their wickedness and Sodomitry vexed his righteous soul, yet through custom, he could have found in his heart to have lived still amongst thē. So first we must here be taught to eschew ill custom and company. The second note hence to be observed, may answer a piece of a doubt in the former two examples of Joseph and Lot. For some man may say, Joseph and Lot both good men dwelt and kept company with the wicked, therefore we may do so. But it may be answered, that examples prove nothing without the warrant of the word. And as for Joseph, God had sent him extraordinarily to provide for his fathers family: but Lot chose to dwell in Sodō for his lucre (as ye may read in the thirteenth chapter of this book, the tenth verse) and therefore this greedy desire was altogether unlawful: and though the Lord in mercy deferred the punishment thereof, he punished that yet at length in his wife, who was turned into a pillar of salt; in himself and his own daughters, with whom he committed abominable incest. Therefore we see, that it followeth not, because they dwelt among the wicked, therefore we may.
It was not sufficient for Joseph to have had a misliking of lying, but he should have abstained from it, and detested it in heart. No doubt he being a godly man, otherwise had a misliking of it: but because he did not even abhor it, we see how in time he was brought unto it, and as it were, to make no conscience of it. So it is not sufficient for us to have a misliking of unlawful apparel, plays, sport, naughty and ungodly talk, but we must in heart detest it, much more in practice: otherwise by evil company we may easily be drawn to follow them. The Physicians means is to be used in time of sickness, and the plague to be avoided in flying from it: so we must use means to avoid sin by the word and prayer, and as much as we may, the place where it aboundeth, least we be infected. And if it so be, that we cannot avoid (for it may be the Lord will sometimes try us with the company of foolish, vain, and profane worldlings, to see how we will cleave to him) if then we cannot avoid but our eyes shall behold vanity, our ears shall be filled with ungracious and graceless graces in lying, swearing, and blaspheming the name of our God, then show yourselves to the world, that you are not of the world, assure your own souls that you are called and chosen of the Lord, not only by a cold kind of misliking of these things, but by an utter abhorting and detesting them from the heart: otherwise we may be by Joseph's example, drawn not only to approve them, but also to commit the like, and to forget our selves, and to heap up the wrath of God against us: so that when their destruction cometh, except the Lord show mercy (but if we tempt him, he will show no mercy) we shall be pat takers of all their plagues, and the vengeance which the just and most righteous God hath threatened to throw down upon them.
Vers. 14. Again Joseph said unto them, This is it that I spake unto you, saying, Ye are spies. Joseph maketh another lie. So we see that use is a sore matter, which had brought him to this, that he stuck not at a lie: and yet, we know that the liar even killeth his own soul. Nay but see, he left not here, he went further yet. In the fifteenth verse: Hereby ye shall be proved: By the life of Pharaoh ye shall not go hence. Joseph smelleth by this use of Idolatry: he forsaketh the Lord, and sweareth by him which is no God. Besides, another fault, he cometh near for swearing and perjury, because his oth cometh very near a lie, and we know that untruth and an oth iumping together maketh perjury: and it cannot be, but those that swear readily, must sometimes be for sworn.
Joseph was a Magistrate, Magistrates may go far in examining and searching and sifting suspected persons when they appear before them, that they might come to the truth of the matter: but to affirm flatly and falsely, is against God's commandment, and therefore a grievous offense.
Vers. 17. So he put them inward three days. Now he did not imprison them of any corrupt affection or desire of revenge, but there may be great reasons to show, that he used great wisdom in his doing First, if Joseph should not have done thus, but should at the first have made himself known unto thē, they for shame would never have gone back again to their father. Secondly, this dealing thus with them was a means to humble them. Thirdly, he might do thus, that he might be more fully certified of the state of his father. And lastly, the short time of his imprisoning them was a token of his love towards them.
Vers 18. Then Joseph said▪ This do and li • e: for I fear God. As though he should say: Do not you fear: for I fear God, I am true and just Therefore you shall have no harm, unless you be wicked and ungodly men.
I am a m • n that fear God ] Here is a rule of Christian life, especially for Magistrates. We must all fear God. All that are in place and authority must know that they are under God▪ Joseph considered hereof not now only, but also in the last chapter of Genesis, when his brethren were afraid of him. Read from the 14. verse of that chapter, to the 19. where Joseph saith, Fear not: for I am not under God? And I pray you mark what this consideration wrought in him in the 20. and 21. verses: When ye thought evil against me, God disposed it to good, &c.
Now if we fear God, we must pray unto him for our Magistrates, that he will maintain his fear among them. For it falleth out that we are often times punished by them, even especially because we never pray for them.
Here be rules in this fear of God for religion, for praying unto God, and praising God: for true keeping of the Sabbath, & for conversation of life. First, when as to the hindrance of the fear of God any laws shall come forth contrary to God's word, we must remember that we forget not to fear God, and to stand in awe of his rods, if we swerve from his word. Secondly, if we do not on the Sabbath day more than man commandeth, we show that we fear man more than God. And lastly, in all our doings and dealings, either with the Lord, or with men, let us remember to fear God: for if we fear not God, what wickedness is there which we fear to commit? Abraham when he came to Abimelech's Court, he feared adultery; he had no other reason but this, Because the fear of God was not in that place. Hence even from the want of the fear of God cometh drunkenness, and selling of wares without conscience, and oppressing of the poor, and heaping up riches to another end, than he that gave them, or rather lent them, hath appointed: against all which, since man cannot make sufficient laws, it were to be wished that every man could say truly, and from his heart, I am a man that feareth God.
Vers. 21. And they said one to another, We have verily sinned against our brother, in that we saw the arguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear him, therefore i • t is trouble come upon us. Every word containeth doctrine upon doctrine. • irst we see how necessary afflictions are to make us call upon God. By this reason, by afflictions we feel our sin: now without we feel our sins we call not upon God. For till we feel the burden of our sins lying upon our conscience, as it were a weight to press us down into hell, we forget God: we foolishly persuade our selves we have no need, for we can see none. Therefore afflictions are very necessary for us, to remember God, to call upon him, and to bring us to some assurance also thereby, that we are the children of God. That affliction is so necessary to feel our sins, both daily experience doth teach us, and examples and testimonies of the children of God do confirm the same unto us. Joseph's brethren all the time of their prosperity, forget what they had done to Joseph; but now when they were in some distress, they came to themselves, and began to call to account, and to lay before them their hard dealing with their brother. And David saith in the 119 Psalm, Before I was afflicted, I went astray, the ninth part of that Psalm: but (saith he) now I keep thy word. So then we may boldly conclude, that affliction is a necessary thing to bring us to God. And here we may note the great love and care that the Lord God hath over us, and his infinite goodness towards us in using all means for our salvation. First the Lord setteth down his law unto us. and he hath added also threatening and curses to as many as shall neglect or disobey it. But now if neither the law preached, nor yet those threatenings are able to strike a terror into our hearts, thē he useth yet another means, he taketh his rods and fatherly correcteth us, by that means to move us to cry to him, & himself by our cry to pity us, and have mercy upon us. The preaching of the law is necessary, and the threatenings for transgression of the law must often times be used. Joseph's brethren after they were sore threatened, they then began to be humbled, and to acknowledge their fault. The Lord said unto Abimelech: Thou art but a • ead man, if thou restore not to Abraham his wife again. So that we may here see the end of threatenings, e • her they bring a man to know his sin, and so to prevent the punishment due for sin; or else they hasten and heap greater punishment unto us, if otherwise we do no • repent. After Iosep • s brethren were threatened they were humbled, and so God repented him of the plague he was minded to bring upon them. Abimelech after he was threatened he restored Abraham his wife again, and so the Lord stayed from destroying him.
Now there are two sorts of people which would have God's promises preached unto them, and not the law of God. The first are they which would continue in sin. As for these they are like to the Horse and to the Mule, whose mouths mus • be holden with bit and bridle. Another sort there is which would not have the law, nor the threatenings thereof preached unto them; and these are they which feel themselves moved with the promises of God. But we cannot be moved lively with the promises of Christ, except we first by the law, and the threatenings of John, see the full measure of punishment, that our sins have deserved. Therefore it is very requisite we first have the law preached unto us, that we may have a lively feeling of our sins.
As those which would not have the law preached, were said to be of two sorts; so those that feel their sins are also of two sorts: for either they see sin in general, or else they are humbled more specially. Those which feel their sins, and have a taste thereof, and see them in general, and not specially; these must be cut on both sides, they must see sin on both sides, they must enter into the secrets of the heart, for they have not yet learned to discern of thoughts, they must evē have their very hearts & thoughts laid open unto them. In the third to the Hebr. we are bidden not to harden our hearts at the word of God. Not to harden our hearts, that is, not only to hear the law preached unto our ears, & to go no further (for so it never profiteth us, nay it is the power of death unto death unto us) but we must suffer it to soke into us, to have his proper working, to pierce & to enter even to the very secret cogitations of our hearts, that not only our wicked deeds, our vnfauorie words, but also the fountain of all these, even our corrupt nature, our unbridled and untamed affections, our heart, which is wonderful faulty, may be made known unto us, that we may come to make conscience of our very thoughts, because the thoughts are grievous breaches of the law of God, who being a Spirit, hath made a law for our heart, for our thoughts, for our soul and conscience: and thus being very loath in the sight of God to offend by thoughts vain and ungodly, to strive with our flesh, and to have our affections subdued to the spirit, that so our heart being reformed, all our members may be conformable in every respect to the will and commandment of Almighty God. And thus far must we be humbled, if we will be truly humbled before the Lord. And truly if we be not rightly humbled before the Lord, we can hardly have any assurance, that we are the children of God. For without this humbling of us, having had some taste of the promises of God, we for the most part resemble the corn that our Savior speaketh of sown in the stony ground, which for a time flourished, that is, made a fair face, as many hypocrites can do now; But having no root, nor nothing at all in truth, they show themselves how unable they are to stand, because they have no deepness of ground, the seed of the word never begun nor rooted in their hearts. So that we must be truly humbled before the Lord, and the word must be permitted to rip and lay open unto us the very secrets and thoughts of the heart.
Now those which see and feel their sins, and are already humbled more especially, are humbled either by preaching of the law unto them, or else by affliction.
Affliction is either of the body or of the mind; of these the Lord sometime to humble us doth send the one, sometime the other, sometime both, and all to humble us before his Majesty: when as he seeth by reason of the corruption of our nature, that the preaching of the law is not sufficient to humble us, & to strike that terror into our hearts which might make us duly prepared to receive into our hearts the sweet and comfortable promises made to us in Christ, that it might be so rooted, that it might still grow up even to the full ripe and perfitage of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; because I say our loving father seeth that the law will not suffice us, therefore it pleaseth him in mercy, who will leave no way vnassayed for the salvation of his children, to prepare us by afflicting us, which cannot by the hearing of his law be truly prepared.
Now if affliction be such a notable thing, and the Lord worketh even eternal life thereby oftentimes to those whom he hath elected and called to be his, how lovingly ought they to embrace it to whom the Lord so fatherly doth offer it? and how patiently and cheerfully ought they to bear it, in as much as they thereby may assure themselves that God hath severed them from the world, and from those on whom he meaneth to show no mercy in the day of his wrath?
And as for those whom the Lord as yet hath laid no scourge upon them, let them not long for it, but let them lay the law of God and the threatenings thereof unto their hearts to humble them thereby. It is better to be humbled thereby than by affliction, and yet better by affliction than not at all. To commend affliction and to mislike of preaching of the law, is as though one should commend a sore and dangerous purgation, and mislike a good diet. A good diet is able, and it is the ordinary means appointed of God to procure and conserve health, which as many of us as are not unwise, will observe. Now if for want of discretion, or for greedy desire we neglect this, and so by gathering together of ill and noisome humors within us we endanger our life, yet to save our life we will suffer the working of the most strong purgation, that the Physician shall prescribe us: so the law that is, the ordinary means to make us apt to hear the word of peace and salvation, and ought of us to be observed and applied unto us, that we may thereby be preserved rather than by affliction; yet if our merciful Lord and only Physician of our soul shall with tender compassion look upon our sores, and shall see the malady of our soul to be incurable without the strong purgation of affliction, then ought we even with good courage to take it, except we will suffer and see our endless vexation. So purgation is good, but it is more wisdom to observe diet: and affliction is profitable; but if the law might take place effectually that were needless. Let us take heed therefore we deceive not ourselves in thinking that affliction is the only means to bring us to God, and so neglect the due preparing by the law till time of affliction. We see that is the means rather than this: and affliction indeed is the curse of God. Now the curse of God is the verifying of his law: and though it please God to bless it; as he doth always to his children, for all things turn to the best to them that love him, yet ought it not to be the means to humble us rather than the other. The end of affliction and of threatening both is to humble us; and therefore it were better to be humbled by threatening than by experience of punishment; for the threats of the law may do this as well as affliction, if we be not unwise.
In our selves we may have some testimony of our true humbling in time of affliction, yet is it hard to say for others whether one which now feeleth the hand of God upon him, and never felt any token of God's displeasure before, be either truly humbled for his sins, for which he is afflicted; or seemeth to be humbled because of the pain that he abideth. Therefore even he that is afflicted ought to examine his own soul whether he be truly humbled, and feel within himself even a grief that he hath so diversely provoked God to plague him, acknowledging God's unspeakable mercy and long suffering, that he long ere this did not clean consumne him: least otherwise the devil deceive him, as he hath done diverse, who for a time seemed to be humbled, because of the heat of their grief: but afterwards when the Lord hath stayed his hand, they show what their humbling was, they turn again to sin as a dog to his vomit, and as a sow that is washing to her wallowing in the mire. But as for him that feeleth the weight and burden of his sins, and God's displeasure for sin, and even groaneth as it were under the burden of sin, he may find a heavenly comfort, and assurance of the favor of God: for if thou seest a man truly humbled, him will I consider saith the Lord. To him will I look that is of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my words.
Those that are afflicted, are either such as are instructed before, both whence their affliction cometh, and to what ende they are sent, or else they are such as are ignorant, and know nothing hereof. They that are ignorant when they see themselves so punished, they are driven into great straits, they look only upon the curse of God, they never consider the appertinances thereof, and that the cause thereof is the transgression of God's law, and that it is sin for which God is angry, and that which he punisheth in them: upon which their blindness they attribute the cause of their pain either to Witches, or to natural causes, or fortune, or some such thing; and hereupon to be released of their grief they go and run and ride to wise men as they call them, to Witches, yea oftentimes to the Devil himself, and use all unlawful means that they can devise. But for these what remedy is there? surely even first to consider that their afflictions are sent from God. Secondly, to inquire at his word the cause that moved the Lord to lay them upon them. The Lord no doubt will answer them out of his word, that it was sin. Thirdly the end which the Lord hath set down, which is to humble us. Now if we consider that the Lord hath sent it, that sin was the cause thereof, and we be truly humbled because of our sins, then may we be bold to seek to the waters of comfort, and drink freely of the water of life, which our Savior hath promised to all that come unto him to be refreshed. They which are instructed both whence affliction cometh, and wherefore, and to what end, they commonly are very sory, and do earnestly repent them; and although they are something troubled, because before they were never sufficiently humbled, yet are they not dismayed, they have the stay in themselves: they hold it as most certain, that their God as he is all wisdom, and therefore knoweth all things that are best, so he is infinite in mercy, and putteth upon him the affection of a father to those that fear him, and giveth nothing to his children but those things which may be best for them; and therefore they know he scourgeth as a father, or beateth as a schoolmaster; and no tender father or wise schoolmaster will correct the child with beating when words may serve: so that they know the Lord was even to take his rod in hand before he could renew them, and hereby he meaneth to fine them, that they may come out of afflictions as fined gold, whom the Lord will make vessels to eternal glory.
That which is set down here of the afflictions of Joseph's brethren, we may term more rightly by the name of scaring, than of punishment and affliction; for they were but put in fear only, and though they were put in ward; it was but for a very small time: and we read of no correction that was laid upon them; no, it appeareth by Joseph's affection to them, who could not abstain, but was fain often to burst forth into tears when he had gone from them, that he so tendered them as his brethren; when by the wisdom of the spirit of God he made a show as though he would deal very hardly with them, yet this fearing and searing of them it humbled them, and drave them to confess, and to say one to another, we have utterly sinned against our brother, in that we saw the anguish of his soul, when he besought us, and we would not hear him: therefore is this trouble come upon us. And here we see how they confessed their fault when they were scared, before they • eight any punishment upon them; which may be an argument, that it was a true humbling from the heart, with a grief not of the punishment, for there was yet none laid upon them, but of their sins, which then they brought into their remembrance, and it lay as a burden upon their conscience, that they even saw God's judgments ready to give sentence of condemnation against them, except they prevented him by speedy repentance. Whereas if it had been done, and had been in time of affliction that they had been so humbled, it had been hard to say, whether it had been done truly or dissemblingly, with a feeling of their sins, or the greatness of their grief which they sustained, as is said before.
Thus we may learn, that the Lord God doth not only, to humble us before his Majesty, set forth the law unto us, and preach unto us the threatenings thereof, and then if they take no place amongst us, he layeth his rods and scourges upon our backs; but commonly of his infinite wisdom and mercy, before he afflicteth, between the preaching of the law and affliction, he scareth us, he shaketh the rod of correction over us; and before he punisheth, he showeth tokens of displeasure, and that we have provoked him to anger: wherefore we have experience of his great mercy in this land amongst us at this day. We have had the law preached unto us, loe these twenty years; but where is any humbling, any confessing of sins before the Lord? nay, we neglect the word, and have it in contempt amongst us, we even loath the bread of the Lord, which is of power to work salvation to all that by faith shall feed thereon; we prefer our pleasures before the keeping of the Lord's Sabbaths; we esteem of the Lord himself (who hath made us of nothing, bought us with a price, even his own blood, and who one day will call all before him to judgment) as nothing: we come to pray to him with less reverence than to miserable men; our lips say some prayers unto God, but our hearts have some other God's, namely, our belly or our goods, wherein we wholly delight, and in whom we only trust. And indeed it is lamentable, that prayers are said of a number to keep a custom, and a fashion, even mocking of God and deceiving our own souls. Will the Lord suffer this? Is the sacrifice acceptable that cometh not from an humbled and prepared heart? no, he will not accept it. All these abominations are in the land, and may not the Lord have good cause to visit amongst us? nay, to come even in judgment against us? And yet see the unspeakable mercy, and the long suffering, and the exceeding love of God towards us, who hath for borne his rods thus long, and yet destroyeth us not, but before his besom of destruction shall come to sweep us away, he showeth us foretokens of his displeasure; he now beginneth to scare us, to see if yet by this means he may humble us, and so preserve us from those plagues and judgments which he is presently purposed to bring upon all the ungodly of the earth. But how doth the Lord scare us, and what whips be they wherewith he meaneth to scourge? They are many, and we cannot see them all, but there are three especial plagues which the Lord is ready to pour upon us, and three manner of ways there be, whereby the Lord scareth us, which are very plain and manifest, and almost every child may perceive. He scareth us by fear of dear •• and famine, whereof this unseasonable weather, these immoderate waters which we have had, cannot but be fearful tokens. He scareth us by tokens of a pestilence to come amongst us, which is already laid upon the necks of many of our brethren in this land, not only far off, as at Yarmouth, at Norwich, and diverse other places which we know not, but also in this shire at Eli, we know not how night it is our own doors. A third way there is, whereby he scareth us, and that is more fearful than all these, and that is by the secret devices of our enemies, whom the Lord hath stirred up even to threaten a separating of us from his Majesty, and from his word, and the continuance of his government by his word amongst us, and a captivity, a subduing of us to false gods, and an ignorance of all the laws and commandments of our good God, whom only to serve is perfect felicity. And this is a sore scaring: the other are sore for the time; but this punishment, if it cometh, it shall end at no time. We may partly see it, I would to God we could as well consider of it, and even yet at the length before we feel the rod, as did the brethren of Joseph, acknowledge our sins before the Lord, whom we have provoked to wrath, humble our selves before him, and call for mercy, and even by prayer stand in the gap, and prevent the punishment prepared for us.
Now let us herein learn one point of wisdom more, which is, if God sometime shall threaten us by scaring, and shall sit him down again a little, and it falleth not out presently that we be punished, let us not thereby get occasion to flatter and deceive our selves, as though God's rods were then clean overpast, as a storm carried away with a cloud; but let us carefully consider what were the causes that moved him to threaten us, and no doubt we shall find that even they were causes sufficient to provoke him to plague us: and if we will not call them to mind, and confess them while we have respite given us, they will never lin yelling and crying in the cares of the just and righteous judge for whole vessels full of vengeance to consume us utterly.
Now as for the godly, and those that fear the Lord, and have their hearts upright before him, they are as it were forewarned and fully prepared whatsoever plagues come, they know that nothing shall come nigh them to hurt them, and they can see a glimmering of the thing a great way off, and the Lord telleth them before hand what he is minded to do: he told Noah before hand of the great judgment of waters when the whole world was drowned for sin: he told Lot how he was minded to burn and boil up the filth of Sodom: he told Moses before how he would destroy the Egyptians: yea and the Prophet David speaketh truly, The Lord revealeth his secrets to them that fear him; and yet notwithstanding the dear children of God, when as nothing will serve, they must then needs look for affliction. And if it be so that affliction must needs come, let us yet pray to God rather to lay any plague upon us than the famine of his word, and the subjection to the enemies of his grace; yea let us heartily confess our sins before God as David did at the threatening of the Lord by his Prophet: and if the Lord might put us in choice (if it seemed good unto his Majesty) whether we would fly before our enemies, or whether we would wish, or chose rather a dearth in the land, or a pestilence; let us from our hearts beseech the Lord God that we may rather fall into the hands of the Lord, than into the hands of cruel and persecuting men.
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The sum of all is.
- 1 Precepts to fly ill company, which is the plague of our soul. Not only to mislike, but also to detest from the heart a wicked custom, least we give consent and reach ou • hands unto sin, as Joseph and Lot did.
- 2 To beware of swearing by false gods, which is idolatry.
- 3 To beware of often swearing, for fear of perjury.
- 4 How the Lord hath two means of humbling us, the law, and affliction.
THE FOVRTEENTH SERMON.
Hebr. 13. verse. 17.
W Hensoeuer it pleaseth the Lord God by his providence to call me to preach his word unto his people (as he hath at this present called me unto you (reverend Fathers and brethren beloved in our Lord Jesus) my desire is to entreat of such a parcel of his most holy word, as may minister matter both to stir up and rouse them out of the den of ignorance which have not known Jesus Christ, nor the sweetness of his grace, and also to prick forward them which have received some measure of the Spirit of God, assuring them of salvation purchased by Jesus Christ, to a greater study and care for to increase this inestimable treasure. The Lord of his great mercy therefore hath presented unto me, such a place for my desired purpose, as I hope by the assistance of his holy Spirit shall be profitable both to you & to myself. The words are written in the thirteenth chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrews, and in the seventeenth verse: Obey them that have the oversight of you, &c. The spirit of God doth most plainly set forth unto us in this place:
1 First, what duties the Ministers of God do owe unto his people, declared in these words, They watch for your souls.
2 Secondly, what duty the people owe unto them again, expressed herein: Obey them that have the oversight of you, and submit yourselves.
3 Thirdly, the fruits that come of well-doing of these duties to both parts, that is, both to the Minister and to the people.
4 Fourthly, what danger it is not to do them well.
We must first speak of the duties of Ministers. But before we enter into it, it is very necessary, that we consider whether it be requisite to have a Minister or no, and also to what use and end we should have him. For if it were not needful to have a Pastor, it were in vain to speak of the duty of a Minister. Whereas the holy Ghost saith. Obey them that have the oversight over you &c. It is meant of the Pastors of the Church, of the dispensers of the holy word of God. For there were placed over the Church of God, both Pastors, Doctors and Elders, which were certain grave wise men appointed to look to the manners of the children of God, and not to be alders and helpers of the Ministers of God in the furtherance of his office: and whereas they saw any disorder among the children of God, they were to admonish them of it; which if it would not serve, together with the whole congregation would use admonitions: but if they would not be obedient thereunto, such was the authority of the Church, that they might excommunicate them, & so rend them off from the Saints fellowship, and deliver them to the devil, that thereby they might be driven to true repentance for their sins, and have their souls saved. To these overseers doth the Apostle will them to be obedient, and doth not mean generally all kind of superiors and civil Magistrates, as in diverse other places of the Scripture. In Rom. 13. 1. 2. 3. and Titus 3. 1. also 1. Pet. 2. 13. we must take it in this place according to the Scriptures: in the first Epistle to the Theslasonians, and fist chapter, S. Paul writeth in this sort: Now we beseech you, brethren, that ye acknowledge them, which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you, that ye have them in singular love for their works sake. Be at peace among yourselves. Here the Apostle also speaketh of them that rule over men's consciences by the ministry of God's word, and not of civil Magistrates. We see therefore that it is meant that there should be a governor over every congregation, which we call in our English tongue a Pastor. Only this remaineth among us, that we have Pastors, Doctors, or Teachers and Ministers. How necessary they are, our Savior Christ testifieth in the ninth chapter of his Gospel after S. Matthew: But when he saw the multitude, he had compassion upon them, because they were dispersed, and scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. This people by whom our Savior Christ spake, had the Scribes and Pharisees, great learned Clerks, Doctors of the Law, and yet he saith, that they wanted shepherds: and therefore he willed his Disciples to pray to the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest. Whereby he noteth, that those only be true Pastors which be laborers. He likeneth true Ministers to faithful shepherds, and the people of God to a flock of sheep, taking the occasion of this simile, according to that country where were many mountains, deserts and wildernesses, so that their sheep without a shepherd were scattered abroad very dangerously, in that so many wolves and savage beasts laid wait in every corner to devour the silly sheep. In like case are they that have not a Pastor, that laboreth faithfully in preaching the word of God, which is the instrument which God hath appointed to pull his people into the sheepfold of Jesus Christ, where they are without danger of destruction: when as all they that are without a Pastor, are wandering abroad to their own destruction: such horrible disorder is there, where God's word is not truly preached. In another place he saith: O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered thy children together, as the hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not. This people dwelt all together, they were not scattered here one & there another, but abode whole in that goodly city of Jerusalem: yet because they were not in the unity of the spirit of the household of God, they were scattered abroad in most miserable disorder. For the Church of Jesus Christ is not in one place only, but dispersed and scattered in diverse places throughout the whole world, and yet are they all of one household, all of one sheepfold, and are united together in one spirit: and though we be here, yet are we of the same number and flock with them in Germany, so long as we are of the true faith of Jesus Christ, for their faith and ours is all one, their spirit and our spirit all one, according to the words of the Apostle: There is one body, and one spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your vocation. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and father of all, which is above all, and through all, and in you all. We must therefore take this as the Scripture teacheth, that the ministry of his word is the necessariest thing in the world, which cannot be done without faithful Pastors and distributers of the same. For when the Lord will beget your souls, which he doth not by mortal seed, but by the immortal seed of his word, he will appoint you a spiritual father also. He never establisheth any kingdom, but he appointeth a King, and when he hath any scholar, he provideth him a schoolmaster to instruct and teach him his most holy will. For this is most certain, where a Common-weal is without government, the case is very miserable, one man shall not live by another. Again, if there be such governors, as use tyranny, oppression, and seek to enrich themselves, gathering and scraping all into their hands; what miserable slavery shall the poor people be brought into? So it is in the church of God, if such be placed over it, as be blind, unable to feed the flock, such as seek their own pleasure, to fill their bellies, to clothe their backs, to enrich their coffers, and to live as they list, the people of God shall be in miserable case, as blind men groping out of the way, and be devoured of their adversary the devil (who as a roaring lion walketh about seeking whom he may devour) because they know not how to resist him by a steadfast faith, and so be led away captive unto hell. This cometh of not having a Pastor, or having such a one as regardeth not the souls of his people.
For the end why the Lord placeth faithful and laboring pastors of his Church, is, that they may teach his children out of his word the way to heaven sincerely and purely: and such governors must we obey and be ruled by them according to the word of God. Neither must we say in heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is to bring Christ from above) or who shall descend into the deep? (that is to bring Christ again from the dead) but the word of God is near thee, even in thy mouth, and in thine heart. We must therefore obey the true Ministers and faithful laborers in the Lord's Vineyard, and learn by that wholesome doctrine which they bring unto us, how to attain unto salvation: for there is no other means in the world to come unto Christ than by the preaching of the word, according to that saying of S. Paul▪ faith is by hearing, and hearing by the word of God: and as he speaketh a little before, how shall they hear without a Preacher? We may therefore draw a very strong argument to prove that faithful Ministers are appointed of God to this ende, only to bring home his children into the sheepfold of Jesus Christ. True faith maketh us only heirs of the kingdom of heaven; faith cannot be attained without hearing of God's word preached; the word of it self cannot be preached without a Preacher: therefore Preachers are the only means appointed of God to work faith in his children by the preaching of God's word, and the secret working of the holy Ghost, whereby they are made partakers of the promises. Whosoever therefore is not content with this ordinance of God, but would have some further revelation from heaven, shall never be partakers of the benefits of Jesus Christ. He himself declareth in the parable of the rich glutron, that whosoever would not believe the messengers of God which are the Preachers of the word, they would not believe though one should rise from the dead to instruct them. For in the word of God is set forth most clecrely and manifestly the true and certain rule to live by, and the means whereby to attain unto salvation. Therefore it is too too much ungodliness to desire any other means to be instructed by, than by the word of God, which is the very gate of heaven, and the keys thereof are given to the true Ministers of God's word, with such power, that whatsoever they bind on the earth, shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever they loose upon earth, shall be loosed in heaven. So wonderful is the mercy of God toward his children herein, that they may have assurance of salvation in this life; vea so certain may they be of it, as if they had it already in possession, and that not by preaching of Angels, but even by our own brethren, mortal men as we are, subject to sin and all infirmities, at whose hands we may daily be taught, and with whom we may talk familiarly, and at their hands through the word of God we may have as good assurance hereof, as if the Lord should speak himself from heaven. If God should speak, we were not able to abide the hearing of his voice, but be even swallowed up of fear. How were the children of Israel terrified with the voice of the Lord? when he spake unto them they fled away, and stood a far off, and cried to Moses, Talke thou with us and we will hear: but let not God talk with us, least we die. What a vain and ungodly thing were it to persuade our selves that we could believe if we heard God himself speak, or if one came from the dead, to tell us what we should believe, when as the very earth will quake at the voice of God? And our Savior Christ telleth us plainly, that if we believe not the true Preachers of his word, we could not believe though a damned soul should come from hell to preach unto us: the reason is, because the ordinance of God, which is unchangeable hath appointed our brethren to teach us the way unto salvation. And truly it is a notable place where our Savior Christ doth separate his from the reprobate: Then came the Jews round about him, and said unto him, How long doest thou make us doubt? If thou be that Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believe not: the works which I do in my Fathers name, they bear witness of me. But ye believe not: for ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them out of mine hand. We see then it is a great argument of reprobation, when our hearts be so hard, that we cannot believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ, for this is an infallible truth, that those which are the Lord's, in his time he calleth, and they shall abide and never fall away; but those that are not his shall fall away, although they have been passing cunning hypocrites in outward holiness. The children of God will acknowledge this means, and praise the wisdom of God, which hath thereby quite transfourmed them, and changed their whole man, in sanctifying them by his holy spirit, and giving of them assurance of salvation, which they confess could never have come to pass without the preaching of the word. This authority is given to the Ministers to pronounce the terrible judgments of God against sin, and whosoever he be that doth not repent and turn from the same, shall be as sure of everlasting damnation, as if he were already in hell.
Again, to the penitent, whose consciences are burdened with grief for their sins, he may pronounce the sweet promises of the Gospel, how Jesus Christ hath died for them, and hath discharged them before the judgment seat of GOD, and they shall be as sure of salvation, as if our Savior Christ should speak from heaven himself, (who is Truth and cannot lie) and say: Whosoeuers sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them: and whosoevers sins ye retain, they are retained. This is a wonderful thing, and this shall God's children confess an unspeakable goodness of the Lord God, in sending our brethren with such power. Since then this is so necessary, they which will not confess this to be the ordinance and mean appointed of the Lord God, to bring his children home unto his heavenly Kingdom, either never heard of Jesus Christ, or else in miserable hypocrisy have heard and professed the Gospel, which shall be a testimony to their consciences, even to their utter condemnation.
Now we have heard the necessity of a Pastor, and the use whereunto he is appointed it is requisite that we consider what duty the Pastor oweth unto his •• ocke: for as the Lord, when he establisheth a Kingdom, will choose a King, so will he also give him, first a Kings heart, before he setteth him in his seat; so when he prepareth a spiritual father to beget souls unto himself, he giveth him gifts and power to do the same, as Saint Paul testifieth, writing to the Ephesians: But unto everyone of us is given grace, according to the measure of the gifts of Christ: Wherefore he saith, when he ascendeth up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men: so that first the Lord giveth gifts, and secondly men. This must be the duty of the Minister (as the holy Ghost telleth us) to watch over the souls of his people, to be so careful over them, as that he will not suffer one through his negligence to perish, but by his earnest laboring in preaching the word of God, to build them up into a stronger faith, which are already begotten unto the Lord, and also to win others to Christ, and so increase the mystical body of Christ, so much as his diligence by the blessing of God shall be able.
1. First, therefore, it is requisite in the Ministers office, that he study the word of God, that he do diligently read the same, and also give himself unto prayer.
2. Secondly, after that he hath studied the word of God, he must come out of his study to teach and instruct his flock, to deliver forth unto them wholesome doctrine, for the nourishment of their souls.
3. Thirdly, he must live a godly life, showing himself an example and pattern of godliness for his people to imitate, that the mouths which are ready to slander the Gospel, may be stopped, and he must watch over his flock, that they be not deceived with false doctrine.
4. Last of all, he must not refuse to give his life for them.
Concerning the first, that Ministers must give themselves diligently to reading, as it is manifest in the fourth chapter of the first Epistle to Timothy, where he exhorteth Timothy, with these words: Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, and to doctrine. If that reading the word of God were not very needful, yea, and the first point of the Ministers of God, this faithful servant of God Saint Paul, would never have willed Timothy to use▪ such diligence therein, who never moved any to do those things which were not profitable, and himself for the example of others, used the same: therefore it is certain that Saint Paul using great diligence therein, found such commodity as moved him to exhort Timothy, and in him all other Ministers thereunto. But if Saint Paul, who was more than a Minister, even an Apostle, called thereunto extraordinarily, by the mouth of Jesus Christ himself from heaven; if he I say, which was placed in so high an office, and called with so worthy a calling, gave himself diligently to reading and studying the word of God: how much more ought the Ministers, which have not so excellent a calling as he had? The Prophet Malachi showeth a reason hereof: The Priests lips should preserve knowledge, and the people should seek the law at his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts: if the people must learn the will of God at the Ministers mouth, it is requisite that he himself study and read the w • rd of God diligently, where his holy will is revealed, that he may be able to declare the same unto the people, to the which end the Lord hath placed them over his people. So that he must be as it were the storehouse of the Lord, and the children of God must come to learn, and he must minister necessary doctrine unto them, as occasion shall be offered, that all several heresies may be rooted out of the people's hearts, and so be brought unto God, to serve him in true holiness according to perfect religion; & hereby we may know, that whosoever doth not thus, is not the servant of the Lord. The reading and meditating in God's word is so necessary, that the Lord commanded Joshua being a civil Magistrate, That the book of his law should never depart out of his mouth, but that he should meditate therein day and night: Noting thereby how hard and impossible a thing it is for Magistrates to govern the Common-wealth aright and orderly, without continual study of God's word, which is the perfect and absolute rule, whereby as well Magistrates as all other sorts of people must measure their affairs and order of life: for this cause also must not the civil Magistrate be ignorant of the law of God, that their civil law might be established according to the law moral, and therefore they ought continually to read and meditate therein: but if this be the duty of civil Magistrates to be always conversant in the word of God, how much more is it the duty of spiritual Pastors, whose office consisteth in the ministry thereof? The Prophet David in the first Psalm, when he would describe who are they that are blessed, includeth them in this number, They that delight in the law of the Lord, & meditate therein day and night: so that every private man if he will be blessed, must continually meditate in the word of God, and have his whole delight and pleasure therein.
The Minister therefore of necessity must teach the people, he must learn first; for it is not possible for him to teach another that which he himself hath not learned: which is a strong argument to prove the first part concerning his study, and reading of the word: which as we have proved to be the first point in his office, so will we, God willing, make manifest in this point of his duty, that he ought also to teach the same, and must not keep continually in his study filling himself with knowledge, till he become as full as a tun that will not sound when one knocketh upon it: but he must come out of his closet and preach the word of God and deliver forth wholesome doctrine, and so declare by feeding of the flock of Christ that they love their master Christ, whose servants they profess themselves to be. Let these deep learned Clerks, which brag and vaunt of such deep knowledge and abundance of learning, come forth and show the same, that we may bear record that it is so: for if they be the servants of the Lord, they must not have knowledge buried in themselves, but in their lips, that God's children may be taught thereby to attain unto salvation: for the Lord hath ordained the preaching of his word to be the only means, whereby he calleth together his elect; and to that ende hath he given gifts to men, that by their labor the body of Jesus Christ might be perfected. He gave them not a talent to hide in the ground, but to occupy & increase the same: let them be assured therefore when our King shall come to call us to account, they shall as hardly be handled, for not occupying & increasing it to his glory, as they should, if they cōtemptuously throw the same away. The Minister therefore of God's word must not only be learned but must teach also: for how can he be a minister of doctrine, but in this respect that he teacheth, executing y t office of his ministry? And this teaching is none other thing, but to preach the word of God sincerely, and purely with a care of the glory of God, and a desire of the salvation of our brethren: & secondly a reverent administration of the sacraments, according to the order & institution of our Savior Jesus Christ. Whosoever therefore shall not thus labor, is not the minister of the Lord, but a robber and spoiler of the people of God, which thrust themselves into the ministry, to fill their belly only with the sweat of other men's brows.
Now as it is necessary that the Minister over and besides reading and studying the word, must also • each the same; So he must take heed that he observe • the right order of teaching, and must not deu •• e doctrine of his own head. But if he will be a good builder, his foundation must be Jesus Christ, for another foundation can no man lay, and upon the same he must not build timber, hay, or stubble; whereby is meant all curious and unprofitable questions, and vain ostentation, but he must build gold, silver, and precious stone▪ by which precious substance is noted the most excellent and pure doctrine of the Gospel. And hereby shall you know his argument, if he beat down the st •• fenecked and obstinate sinners, by threatening the rigor of the law, and the terrible judgments of God against the violaters thereof: and on the contrary, by healing the bruised and wounded consciences with sin, with the sweet promises of the Gospel. If any man therefore shall labor to lay any other foundation, and use any other order of doctrine than this, he is an Antichrist, that is to say, against Christ, and no Christian.
He must teach them all the counsel of God, and keep nothing back, but whatsoever concerneth the salvation of his flock, that must he teach them: yea, so absolute must his doctrine be, that there must be no point of the will of God, pertaining to the salvation of his children, but the Minister must be both able and diligent to declare. Therefore it is requsite and needful, that a rare gift of God be added, who only openeth their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, wherein the most holy will of God is revealed, and nothing that is needful for our salvation omitted: so that whosoever knoweth not the scriptures must needs err and be deceived: but the Minister who must declare all the counsel of God unto his children, must be very perfect therein.
Moreover, he must improve, rebuke, exhort, and stir up, first, himself to a great care of doing his duty faithfully; then must he also by all means spurr forward the godly, gently & lovingly, exhorting to hold fast the profession of their hope, in the assurance of faith, making their election more surely known unto themselves, by their godly life: and the rather to bring them forward herein with willingness and great readiness, he ought to set before them the wonderful mercy of the Lord God, shown towards them, in that he hath out of all the world elected them to be heirs of his kingdom, where they shall • aigne for ever, in such unspeakable joys, as neither eye hath see • e, ear hath heard, neither hath at any time entered into the heart of man. He must not be ashamed to rebuke & reprove such as will not be obedient to the Gospel, but remain still wallowing in their sin: & if that wholesome admonitions will not serve, he must not spare to thunder out the just judgments of God against them, until he hath beaten them down to hell with the terrors thereof, and after true repentance, to raise them up even to the heavens, and daily strengthen them more and more: so that to the impenitent he must pronounce damnation because he is still under the law, and under the curse of the law, and that he shall be sure to be tormented everlastingly, if he do not repent: but the penitent that labor with a burdened conscience for sin, and are wounded with grief for the same, he shall comfort with blessed promises of the Gospel, declaring unto him, that he is not under the law, but under grace, and so build him into a lively faith in Jesus Christ.
This must the Minister do both openly and privately: for it is not sufficient that he preach the word of God openly in the pulpet, but he must go to every man's house, and there diligently instruct both him and his house in the fear of God: and not as the manner of some is, to go to folks houses to tell them a tale, and flatter them with fair words and glozing speeches, to the end they might fill their belly sat another man's table, or get some other benefit which he hunteth after. These be hirelings and time-seruers▪ which thrust themselves into the Ministry for lucres sake, and because they would live idlie, and take no pains for their living, but contrary to the commandment of God to live of other men's labors, these are not true Ministers, but such as the Prophet Malachi speaketh of in the first chapter of his Prophecy. The true Pastor must not have any such purpose: but as it is his duty to labor to win the souls of his people unto Jesus Christ, so must he use all means both publicly, & privately, which may further his ministry and make it profitable. We might prove out of diverse places of the word of God this his duty, both by the example of our Savior Christ, the perfect pattern for all mē to follow, who did not only preach openly in the Synagogue, but privately in men's houses. The Apostles did so likewise, and S. Paul witnesseth the same in the 20▪ chapter of the Acts with these words: I kept back nothing that was profitable, but have shown you, and taught you openly and throughout every house. This is the duty of a good Pastor. The reason hereof is very good, because that which is spoken generally to all, is regarded of very few or none: so wonderfully hath Satan stopped men's ears and blinded their understanding▪ that either they will not hearken at all, or else hearing, will never apply the same to their consciences: and therefore to prevent this, the Minister shall not stick to instruct them privately, when as they shall have no such occasion to apply that to other mē that is spoken particularly to themselves. By this means, if the Lord hath appointed so, they may be brought home, or else have the testimony of his word in their consciences, even to make them inexcusable at the latter day.
Furthermore, this must he not seldom, now & then once in a month, or every quarter ••• ▪ he cannot so discharge his conscience before the Lord, who hath appointed him to feed his flock continually: but this cannot live and continue without food, no more can the soul live, unless it be continually fed and nourished with the milk of God's word. He must therefore feed them continually, as we read that careful shepherd S. Paul did, when he took his leave to depart from Ephesus, after he had committed the keeping of God's flock unto the Elders of the Church, and given them warning of false teachers which would be busy with them after his departure, and therefore exhorted them to watch. Remember (saith he) that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn everyone, both night and day with tears. This diligence must be in Ministers to be evermore teaching, that if the Lord do not bless at one time, yet he may at another, they know not the time wherein the Lord will call any of his flock, he must therefore use the means diligently at all times, both in season and out of season, as S. Paul writeth to Timothy: I charge thee therefore before God, and before the Lord Jesus Christ, which shall judge the quick and the dead at that his appearing, and in his kingdom. Preach the word: be instant, in season and out of season, &c. It is no small matter to have such a charge laid upon him, as is here set down, and is given to all Ministers as well as to Timothy, that even as they will answer before the judgment seat of God, when the secrets of all hearts shall be opened, so they will preach the word instantly, purely and continually, both in season and out of season, omitting no occasion that may be profitable. It is the manner of men to count it out of season, if it be not the Lord's day, and therefore they will not let a little business of other days to hear the word of God preached, which tendeth to their welfare. The Ministers must labor for their sakes both out of season and in season: but if they be more mindful of their worldly pleasures or business, than of the salvation of their souls, their blood shall be upon their own head.
But when the Minister hath thus studied the word diligently, preached the word purely, declaring the counsel of God, exhorted both gently and sharply, labored to win men's souls both openly and privately, and that very carefully as well out of season as in season, to what end will all this come? Paul may plant, Apollo also water, but it is God that must give the increase. Though the Minister laboreth never so earnestly, doing his duty absolutely, yet if God doth not bless and increase the same, all is in vain. As therefore the Minister is the mouth of God to speak unto the people, so must he be the people's mouth, and pray unto the Lord both for himself and for them, that the Lord will bless him and them, and grant that the ministry of his word may be profitable both to himself and to them, and that the glory of God may be increased by the same. Thus we read our Savior did, who being very God as well as man, and had power of himself to sanctify the ears and hearts of them which heard him, and to make his preaching profitable in such measure as himself listed, yet for an example to all other which should come after, he prayed to his father both for himself and us. S. Paul also in all his Epistles testifieth how continually he maketh mention of them in his prayers. The Ministers therefore must pray, and that without ceasing, as well privately by himself, as openly in the congregation: and this promise hath our Savior made, that whatsoever we shall ask the father in his name shall be granted unto us.
In administering the Sacraments he must also be very circumspect, and although children are to be received into the Church by Baptism, and not to be denied, because the promises do as well pertain unto them, as unto the aged; yet are they to be baptized in the faith of the parents; for there is no promise made to the infidels. The Minister therefore must require an account of this faith of such as bring children to be baptized, least otherwise he seal to a blank, and so profane the Sacrament, which appertaineth to none but to the faithful. Furthermore he must not admit all men that come rashly to eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ, for it is no small matter: but first they must eat it by faith out of the word of God, and when he hath so done, the Minister shall administer to him the outward seals of bread and wine, to confirm and strengthen his faith.
The third point of the Ministers is; He must live a godly life, showing himself an example to all his flock, least the word of God be slandered through his evil behavior: for although he preach never so good doctrine, yet if his life be wicked, and contrary to his doctrine, such is the sabtiltie of Satan, who thereby will bring the Gospel into contempt, and be counted a vain thing of men, because the Minister teacheth one thing, and doth another: this were a grievous and intolerable matter, that the Minister should open the mouths of the wicked to blaspheme the Lord God and his most holy word, which is the power of God unto salvation. Therefore S. Paul together with pure doctrine giveth it in charge to Titus, in all things show thyself an ensample of good works with uncorrupt doctrine, with gravity, integrity, and with the wholesome word which cannot be condemned, that he which withstandeth, may be ashamed, having nothing of you to speak evil of. The Apostle law no small occasion to use so weighty an admonition, that above all other things join to pure doctrine a godly life, yea such an ensample of gravity, integrity, and all other good works agreeable to the most wholesome word which no man is able in any respect to reprove, that the contemptuous and despiteful adversary against the truth may be ashamed to open their mouths, when as they are not able to accuse the Minister of any ungodliness; for the word it self is so perfect and absolute in all respects, that no man can find fault thereat: but if the Minister contrary to the word doth live wickedly & ungodly, he doth not only purchase evil report unto himself, but also giveth occasion unto the enemies and despisers of the truth most wickedly to sl • nder the most precious Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Minister must therefore live a godly and unblameable life, even for an example of well doing to all his flock.
Again the spirit of God in that he saith, they must watch over men's souls, declareth a wonderful care, that the Minister ought to have over his own soul: for if he be bound to watch over other men's souls to the ende he may be saved and not perish, if in the mean time he letteth his own perish, what shall he get? truly it will no whit profit him though all his flock be saved, if he himself be condemned. It is manifest in the first Epistle to the Corinthians and 6. Chapter, that no unrighteous person shell inherit the kingdom of heaven. Therefore the Minister must of necessity (according to the admonition of S. Peter ) give diligence to make his calling and election sure by his godly life and good works as well as other, if he will approve himself the child of God, and heir of everlasting life. It were a vain thing to flatter himself in sin, because of his office, and think that God will deal the more mercifully with him therefore; when as it is most certain, that as the salvation of mankind cometh by the merits of one which is Jesus Christ, so is there but one mean for man to attain thereunto, that is, by a true and lively faith in Jesus Christ; and whosoever cannot assure himself in this life by the trial of his faith, that he is the child of God, although he can persuade and flatter himself never so much with other vain hope, all is to no purpose: for he may be assured whatsoever he be either Minister or other, that he shall never taste of the joys laid up for the children of God. In the 20. of the Acts, where S. Paul giving charge of the Church and flock of God's people unto the overseers thereof, giveth this charge first: Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, whereof the holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased with that his own blood. The Minister must watch over the souls of his flock, but first, over his own, for he that cannot keep his own soul, can much less keep the souls of others: he that cannot govern himself, cannot rule another. The Minister must watch over the souls of his flock, so carefully and warily feeding them with wholesome and necessary doctrine, and so hungering after the salvation of all, that he must not suffer one through his default to perish: therefore above all it is requisite that he keep his own very sure.
Then when he preacheth damnation unto the obstinate, and such as remain in their sins, thundering out the judgments of God against them because they will not repent, by that means to beat them down, and bring them to a sight of their misery, he must be assured that the same belongeth not to himself. Again, when he preacheth of election and remission of sins, by the merits of Jesus Christ, he must have an assured and infallible testimony to his own conscience, that he is an elect vessel of the Lord, that he is redeemed by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and that he shall enjoy all the promises of the Gospel, as all other children of God: if he be not assured hereof, his case is worse then all other men's; for in preaching condemnation to others, he condemneth himself, and in offering the kingdom of heaven to others, he quite excludeth himself: so that he which helpeth other out of an hole, falleth himself so deep into the same, that it is not possible for any man to help him out.
Last of all, the Minister must not only read and study the word of God, preach the same purely, by exhorting, and all other means that may be profitable, using them both openly and privately, continually in season, and out of season, praying also for his flock, that his Ministry may be profitable unto them, and setting himself an ensample of all godliness unto them, carefully watching over their souls; but he must also love them so dearly, that his own life must not be dear unto him for their sake. Which tender and loving affection was in that good child of God Saint Paul, as it is manifest in his Epistle to the Thessalonians, where he writeth in this sort. Neither sought we praise of me • , neither of you, nor of others, when we might have been chargeable, as the Apostles of Christ: but we were gentle among you, even as a Nourse that cherisheth her children. Thus being affectioned towards you, our good will was to have dealt unto you, not the Gospel of God only, but also your own souls, because ye were dear unto us. So singular love had he towards them, that they were dearer unto him then his life; this affection did he not bear to them only, but to all the elect children of God, and suffered all things for the elects sake, that they might also attain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. The reason thereof is, because wheresoever the Gospel is sincerely and purely taught, there be always adversaries seeking the overthrow thereof, by persecuting such as profess the same, to the great dismaying of the children of God, who so soon as they take upon them the profession of Jesus Christ in truth with a good conscience, are straightway resisted with great combats of affliction, which were able to make them forsake the faith of Jesus Christ, and the profession of the Gospel, if the Lord should not hold them upright in this distress. The Apostle therefore whom the holy Ghost hath filled with all wisdom, knowing that the cross was the greatest hindrance of the Gospel that could be, and also that where the Gospel was truly professed, there the cross would not be absent, because by it the Lord bringeth his children into glory, of a great desire that he had to the edification of the Church of Jesus Christ: willingly suffered all kind of afflictions, thereby to confirm and strengthen the faith of God's children, and did rejoice in that he suffered for the Churches sake, for their commodity, in that by his example the Lord did not only work in them a greater credence and belief in the Gospel, but such an earnest zeal also, that they were ready and willing to suffer all manner of afflictions for the same, and that with great joy. Whereas (if the Apostle, who preached unto them this glad tidings,) should have shrunk from the testimony of his doctrine, when any afflictions were laid upon him for the same, the people which were guided by him, the spirit of God so providing, would have fallen away from the truth, and even have hardened their hearts against it. But this child of God was so ready to confirm the faith of God's people by these means, when it was told him of a Prophet called Agabus, that he should be bound at Jerusalem, and delivered into the hands of Gentiles, he being entreated of the brethren that he would not go up, who even with tears besought the same. Then Paul answered and said, what do ye weeping and breaking mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. This affection must be in every good Minister toward their flock, that for their souls sake he shall be ready to suffer all things, yea even to give his life for the confirmation of his doctrine, the strengthening of their faith, and the glory of God. Our Savior Christ also that good shepherd refused not to give his life for his sheep: and truly in that place of Saint John he doth notably declare the difference between the good shepherd and the hireling. I am (saith he) that good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep: but an hireling, and he which is not the shepherd, neither his sheep are his own, seeth the wolf coming, and he leaveth his sheep, and fleeth, and the wolf catcheth them and scattereth them. So the hireling flieth, because he is an hireling and careth not for the sheep. This place teacheth us plainly that the Ministers of God's word, must not be hirelings, such as have no care of their flock, but respect their own profit only: and in time of danger, they will forsake them, howsoever before they have fed their flock: but the true Ministers must not be such; they must not measure their duty and affection towards their flock according to their profit, but he must know that he is placed over them to watch over their souls, to defend them from the devil that ravening wolf, by the wholesome word of God: and not to watch for his own gain. And hereby shall he be known, if in time of danger he stand by his flock and will not forsake them: nay rather than that they should perish, he will give his life for their sake: for if this affection be not in them, the case is very manifest, that they are not good shepherds, but hirelings. For the true understanding of this point we will, consider when the Ministers may fly; for if we should deny that they might not fly at any time, we should not say truth: for our Savior Christ hath bidden that when we are persecuted in one city, we should fly into another. It is manifest also that our Savior Christ himself fled, as when the Jews took up stones to cast at him, he hid himself and went out of the temple: and he passed through the midst of them all, and so went his way. And in the tenth chapter of John we read, that when they went about to take him, he escaped out of their hands, and went his way beyond Jordan: yet afterward when the time appointed, wherein he should suffer, was come, he fled not. Saint Paul also and Barnabas, as it appeareth in the fourteenth of the Acts, being at Iconium, when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles and of the Jews with their rulers, to do them violence and to stone them, they being aware of it fled unto Lystra, and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia. Yet as I declared before out of the one and twenty of the Acts, at another time Paul went willingly up to Jerusalem to lay down his life for the glory of God. So that if we should deny, that we might not fly at any time, we should deny the words of Christ, who biddeth us fly in time of persecution: and again if we should plainly say that they might fly, we should put no difference between the true Minister and the hireling. This therefore must we note, if so be that the people over whom he is placed, shall be in danger to be seduced by false teachers from that most true and wholesome doctrine of Jesus Christ, having received as yet but a taste as it were thereof and are not grounded; he must not in any case fly and give place, no though it cost him his life: for it were a dangerous case to fly then, because that his constancy in sealing his doctrine with his blood, may wonderfully confirm the faith of his flock and draw them forward by his example, rather to die for the profession of Jesus Christ, than to deny him: whereas on the contrary, if he should fly, they could not but fall from the truth, being not grounded therein, when as they see their pastor to hide himself. But when this affection & love is in the Minister to consider that he is betrothed to Jesus Christ to defend his spouse and Church from his adversaries, and to bring them as it were by the hand unto the bridegoome, of which he hath so singular a care that he will never forsake thē, although by earnest study he should even shorten his life, and all his Physicians in the world should tell him plainly that it will end his days if he doth not give over the same: yet (I say) when he hath such a love and affection to his people, whose souls he laboreth to feed and nourish with the word of God, that he will resign his life into the hands of God, and give over himself unto his providence, and rather to end his days with laboring and studying for his flocks sake, than by withdrawing and saving his own life to suffer them to want: then no doubt the Lord by his holy spirit shall teach him, when he may without danger to his flock, even with all their consents depart and save his life from the hands of his adversaries. As we see by the examples of Jesus Christ and his Apostles, who sometimes fled and saved their lives: and otherwhile abode by it and suffered all things patiently. So will he teach his true and faithful Ministers, when it is good to fly, and when not. We have known many godly Ministers which have spent their time in studying and teaching their flocks, and have rather desired their salvation than their own lives. All these things observed, the Minister shall yield a joyful account unto the Lord, and stir up his people to be thankful unto the Lord, which hath shown them such mercy, as to place over them so loving and careful a Minister, which so hungereth and thirsteth after their salvation, that he esteemeth his own life less than it.
The second part concerning the duty of the people to their Minister.
NOw we have declared the duty of Ministers, it followeth that we show next the duty of the people unto their Ministers, which is the second part of our division: & truly this declaration of the Ministers duty doth very manifestly show the other: for if the Minister be bound to apply his study, and to exercise himself diligently in reading; and when he hath studied, to come forth and teach the people all things necessary for their salvation; and moreover must set himself a lively pattern of godly conuersatiō for them to follow, letting no means vnassaied, whereby he may beget their souls unto God, neither in life nor doctrine; but must so carefully watch over their souls, that rather than they should perish he must give his life for them: what shall the people then do unto him for his entire love and affection? The holy Ghost telleth us in these words: Obey them, and submit yourselves. So that obedience is the duty of the people to their Minister. The reason hereof is very good, seeing the case so standeth that the Minister must labor to bring thē home to Jesus Christ by the Gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation: if the people notwithstanding his pains will remain obstinate, to what end will his labor come? all will be in vain, the people shall not profit by it, and himself shall be grieved and molested with sorrow to see their disobedience. The people therefore must be obedient unto their Ministers which labor for their profit, which is a great grace of God who worketh all this in all creatures, when he hath given the people obedient hearts to be governed by his word, for which end he hath appointed the Ministers thereof. And as it is a grievous and the most dangerous thing to be obedient to such superiors as shall lead us out of the way into destruction, whom our Savior Christ calleth blind guides, which together with the people fall into the pit: so it is on the contrary the greatest virtue to become obedient to the true Pastors and Ministers of the word of God. It hath been evermore the charge that the Apostles laid upon the children of God, of which thing S. Paul in his Epistle to the Philippians, as in diverse other places requireth, after that he hath declared the great humility of Jesus Christ, in that he became obedient unto the death of the cross, thereupon taketh occasion of his exhortation: Wherefore (my beloved) as ye have always obeyed me, not as in my presence only, but now much more in mine absence, so make an end of your salvation with fear and trembling. It appeareth by his words, that the Philippians to whom he wrote had been very obedient unto his ministry from that time, wherein it pleased God to touch their heart with a care of their saluatiō by his preaching; yea so obedient were they, that not only in his presence among them, they used great submission unto his doctrine, but much more in his absence they declared their dutifulnes, in that with great eat they labored to make it profitable by practicing the same in their life and conversation: whereby it may seem that the Apostle needed not to have exhorted them unto this duty of obedience, being already so forward and prone thereunto: but we may hereby learn how needful a thing it is that the people be obedient, and that in no small measure, but so far forth as they shall be able to frame their lives according to the word of God in all points, which he preacheth unto them sincerely and purely to the feeding of their souls unto eternal life, which they can never obtain unless they become obedient to be taught and instructed at the Ministers hand by the most pure word of God, which with the operation of the holy Ghost worketh faith in the children of God, whereby they apprehend the merits of Jesus Christ, and have his righteousness, obedience, and holiness imputed unto them of the free grace and mercy of God, as surely as if in their own persons they had wrought it, and so made heirs of the kingdom which Christ by his blood hath purschased for them. It is necessary that so many as desire to be saved, be obedient unto the Minister, whom God hath placed over them as his instrument to bring them to his heavenly kingdom, as before I have declared unto you. And the rather to stir them up unto a continual obedience he addeth this: Make an end of your own salvation with fear and trembling: As if he should say, Beloved brethren, as you have hitherto submitted yourselves to be reformed by the most glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ, and have obeyed us in the Lord to the increasing of your faith, and the assurance of your salvation: so I beseech you to continue, and even with fear and trembling make an end of your salvation: for if you should wax obstinate in the end, and become disobedient to those that labor in the Lord for your behoove, I tell you truly all your former obedience shall no whit profit you, nay your end shall be worse; be lowly therefore and reverence your Teachers in the Lord that you may with great humility, as it becometh the children of God, receive the promises. And least the adversaries should persuade, that this your obedience and willing following of the Gospel hath come unto you of your own nature, that by that means he may draw you to disobey the Ministers of God, whom you cannot disobey but you must also despise the word and him that sent them, and so fall from all grace: I tell you therefore plainly, that it never came of yourselves, for it is God that worketh in you both the will & the deed; and that not of your desert, but of his own good pleasure. We see then that the people must obey their Minister, & give diligent heed to be taught by them the whole counsel of the Lord concerning the salvation of their souls: which thing also our Savior Christ doth manifest in the tenth of John: My sheep (saith he) hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me, &c. Our Savior Christ giveth us a notable token here to know the children of God by, and that is, If they hear his voice and follow him: for they that will not be obedient unto him are none of his, neither yet partakers of those benefits which he hath purchased for his. But peradventure some will say: It is true, that if a man will not obey the voice of Jesus Christ he is not for him: but where is Jesus Christ that we may hear him and obey him? O brother take heed how thou seekest such cavillations to maintain thine obstinacy, for thou canst not so shake of thy duty to thy Minister▪ but if thou confess it thy duty to be obedient unto Jesus Christ, I tell thee plainly thou oughtest no less to obey the Minister in that he bringeth the message of Christ, t • ā if himself were present. For he being the very Truth it self hath said plainly on the Ministers behalf: He that heareth you heareth me: and he that despiseth you, despiseth me: and he that despiseth me. despiseth him that sent me. What an heinous thing were it to refuse the Minister and to be disobedient unto them, when the case standeth so that the disobeying of them is not only a contempt of Christ, but also of God the Father, who is a severe judge to be revenged of all his enemies? But they that be of the sheepfold of Jesus Christ will be obedient to their shepherd, even as willingly as the sheep are. The reason hereof is drawn from the nature of sheep, which is the simplest of all creatures to shift for it self, and yet more profitable than any other cattle, when one of them is straied out of the way, it is caught in the brambles and briers ready to be lost in every pit or hole, yea subject to a thousand dangers, and cannot help itself in the least of them: and when the shepherd hath fetched her home, how obedient is she, and glad to be guided by him for fear of falling into the like danger: so is it required of the children of God, that they be obedient as sheep; yea if he were the wisest or mightiest in the world, he must not take scorn to become as simple as a sheep, if he will enter into the kingdom of heaven: for before such time as the Lord by his instrument the Minister doth bring them home into the sheepfolde of Jesus Christ, they wander in innumerable dangers, & are no more able to deliver themselves out of them, then the silly sheep is to save her self from the wolf: but when they are brought home, then they see their infirmity, and what great need they have of a shepherd to preserve & help them out of so many perils, which tend to the destruction both of body and soul, then they gladly obey him which is careful to guide them in the way of salvation, with the most holy word of God, and to refresh their hungry souls with that heavenly food and milk. The holy Ghost saith, that they must be borne again, and that not of mortal seed, but of the immortal seed of the word of God, who liveth and endureth forever. And therefore it is necessary that they be obedient unto their spiritual father which hath begotten them with the word of God, that he may joyfully extend a fatherly affection towards them: which thing the Apostle S. Peter exhorteth them unto: As new borne babes desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby. The Apostle here showeth a familiar reason why they should be obedient, they be as new borne babes. We see that little children are not able to guide themselves, no not to feed themselves at the first, but must be guided and nourished by the help of their parents, until they be able to shift for themselves: So must the children of God be guided and nourished by the word of God, that they may grow from strength to strength, from faith to faith, till they come to a perfect age in Christ. Therefore it is necessary that the people be obedient unto the Minister, to whom the Lord hath given his word to distribute unto his children, and to increase and strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ.
But some will say, is this given to the Ministers only? what if they teach their own devises, and not the pure word of God, and make us believe we are in an happy case, when we are in most misery, and yet desire to be directed in the true pathway unto salvation? I answer, that you must therefore try the doctrine which he bringeth by the touchstone of God's word, and see that it accord therewith: for in that the Lord giveth the understanding and interpreting of the scriptures unto the ministers, it is not without great cause that he doth it, when as he appointeth them by the power of his word, as the means without which they can do nothing, to bring together his children, yea, by the sharp sword of the word to pierce their souls and consciences to the utter slaying of sin, and with the excellent virtue of the same word to heal them again: which thing if the Ministers for their part shall not faithfully execute in such order as before I entreated of, speaking of the duty of Ministers, even that gift the Lord will so straightly call to account, that he shall bear the danger of every soul that hath perished through his default. Yet shall not the people be hereby discharged: for they must try his doctrine (as I said before) and take heed that they be not seduced; for if they be, they shall die in their own sins. If any will say that he is ignorant, truly I say, he is in a dangerous case; but if God hath shown him such mercy as to make him desirous to be instructed in the right way to salvation, let him crave knowledge at the Lord's hand, never cease, but be importunate upon the Lord in craving his holy spirit, to work in him all spiritual grace, to work in him true Faith: and to assure him of his salvation, all other worldly respects set aside: and let him use great diligence in harkening to the word of God, and be obedient unto the same. Moreover, let him withdraw himself from all evil company, and frequent the company of the godly, and no doubt but the Lord will strengthen him to work his will, whereby he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God or not, according to the rule which our Savior Christ giveth us to know it by, He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh the glory of him that sent him, the same is true: and such must we obey in the Lord. Now we see as it is our duty to obey the true Minister, and such as carefully watch over our souls, with the most wholesome word of God: so must we beware that we suffer not our selves to be seduced by false teachers; and therefore we must prove their doctrine by the word of God. But last of all, if any shall preach Jesus Christ sincerely and purely, having some infirmity, we must not therefore reject him, but obey him for the truth sake; and consider that we are all subject to infirmities, and that to someone more than another: and therefore it is our duty Christian like to admonish him thereof; and no doubt, if he be the servant of God he will give him more strength against the same.
Besides this obedience, the duty of the people toward their Minister must extend further, and they must also reverence him, and give him honor, else it is most certain that obedience cannot take place: which we may see by the example of the woman of Samaria, who notwithstanding the great courtesy of our Savior Christ in telling her what he was, and what he could do for her, yet would she not obey him at the first, but tell to taunting and ouerthwarting of him too vnreuerētly; but when he had touched her conscience and laid open her wickedness, so that she saw plainly he was another manner of man than she took him for, then she began to reverence him, and said, O sir, I see that thou art a Prophet, and then she obeyed him, and desired to learn of him: so, before she obeyed, she conceived a reverence of him, and accounted of him as a Prophet. It is also manifest in the 2. of the Acts, when as the wonderful miracle could not bring the people to obey the Apostles, yet afterward when Peter with his sharp sermon had touched their hearts in such sort that they felt the power that God had given them, they began to reverence them, and where as before they were not ashamed to say that they were drunken with new wine, now they cried out, Men and brethren what shall we do? which words do plainly declare what a reverent opinion they have conceived of them, and after that they became obedient unto them. Common experience showeth us the same, for which of you will commit your matter to any Lawyer, except you have a reverent opinion of him, that he can pleasure you, and a sure trust that he will do the best he can for the furtherance of your cause? Likewise in Physic there is no man that will commit his life into the Physicians hand, unless he be first persuaded that he can by the help of God ease his grief, and that he is willing also to do what lieth in him: except (I say) a man be thus persuaded of the Physician he will not commit himself into his hands, nor yet obey those orders that he shall prescribe: so is it in this, the people must be obedient to the Minister, therefore they must reverence him, or else it is not possible that they should obey him. The Apostle S Paul doth notably amplify the honor due to the true and faithful Ministers. The Elders that rule well (saith he) let them be had in double honor, specially they which labor in the word and doctrine, as if he should say, let those Elders which are appointed to watch and look to the manners and behavior of the children of God, if they execute this charge faithfully, be had in double honor: but above all, let the faithful Ministers, such as labor in the word, be honored: for why? the other are overseers of your outward behavior, but these have another manner of office, they watch over your souls, which tendeth to the salvation both of body and soul.
Moreover, it is requisite that they also fear the Minister, or else can they in no ease reverence and honor him: for where fear is not, all honor is absent, and so consequently all duty extinguished. And this fear must not be a feigned and counterfeited fear: but when he shall come before the Minister to ask him any question, he must consider that he cometh to talk with the messenger of the Lord, whom he ought to hear as well as if the Lord himself were present. For this is most certain, where a faithful Minister is that doth sincerely and purely preach the word, it is all one as if the Lord himself dwelt personally among us: and his own self hath verified the same, saying: He that heareth you, heareth me. And therefore it behooveth us to give a proof of our fear, love and obedience towards the Lord, by receiving his word with such fear and reverence as beseemeth his subjects, although the same proceed out of a mortal man's mouth. It is a common thing among us, the Ambassador of a Prince is received with great honor & reverence, yea his message is to be received as undoubtedly, as if the King were present himself, yea they that shall despise his authority shall be as heinously accounted of, as if they resisted and rebelled against the Kings own person: And shall the Ambassadors of the living God, who is King of all Kings, be received less worthily than the other, whose authority is both greater and the message weightier? Truly whosoever shall take scorn to yield this duty of fear and reverence unto the Minister, let him be assured that he scorneth not him, but the Lord that sent him. But some will object: what shall we make a God of our Minister, and is he so to be feared as you say? I answer thee, that I mean nothing less, nay I hold him accursed that shall challenge such dignity unto himself. But this fear must ye yield not to the person, but to his office which is by the word of God, to remit your sins, and to give you assurance that they are washed away by the blood of Christ, if you be truly penitent for them; and that you are made heirs of the kingdom of heaven, whereof you need not to doubt. On the contrary, if you be not penitent, by his office he hath authority to bind sins here on earth justly to everlasting condemnation, which the unpenitent may be as sure to suffer as they see the light of the day: fear him therefore (I say) not as he is a man, but as the Minister of God. With what a reverend fear did the Galatians receive Paul? his own self doth report, that they received him as an Angel of God, yea more than so, they received him as Jesus Christ himself. And that was not for the excellency of his person, which he testifieth was simple, base, vile: and to all the world contemptible, yea and subject to all infirmities: but they received him with such fear and reverence for that excellent message which he brought unto them, for those glad tidings which he published among them, and for that he was a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the power of God to save all the believers. Thus reverently must all God's children fear their Minister, even for the worthiness of his office and ministry: for if they should not fear him, they could not in any case obey the word, when he doth sharply reprove them for their sins: but even as a light wife so long as her husband pleaseth her, so long and no longer will she be obedient unto him; for if he show a sharp countenance of very love to drive her from some lewd conditions, then will she begin to scorn, to fret and chafe, and instead of obeying him, she will deadly hate him and despise him: so is it with the people, if they stand not in fear of the authority which God hath given him, they will obey him no longer than he preacheth pleasant things: for when he shall touch their consciences with threatening the judgments of God against their sin, then can they not abide him, but harden their hearts not against him, but against the Lord which hath sent him, and so fall away to their utter destruction: the children of God must therefore fear their Minister, and be obedient to the word of truth which he bringeth unto them.
When the people are come thus far, that they will willingly obey the Minister, and that with fear and reverence submit themselves to be guided by the pure word of God, they must show further their dutifulnes towards him, and must also be ready to do for him whatsoever lieth in their power: which thing S. Paul earnestly desireth of the Thessalonians: We beseech you brethren, that ye acknowledge them which labor among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you, that you have them in singular love for their works sake. Where the holy Ghost showeth a reason why they should acknowledge their Ministers which carefully & faithfully do execute their office, which is for their works sake; & his exhortation is in effect thus much: Brethren, this one thing do I heartily crave at your hands, that you be not so obliuious as to forget those which labor among you in the Lord, and are by his appointment even of great mercy towards you, placed over you to the end they may admonish you of your sins, and to stir you up by the word of God to a more zeal of the glory of God, and to walk more circumspectly before him: I beseech you (I say) be not forgetful of them, but have them in a singular love; yea let nothing be dearer unto you than such, for this work sake which they have taken in hand; for I tell you truly there is no labor under the Sun so profitable unto you as this, which bringeth not store of corruptible silver and gold, not large kingdoms and empires of this world which shall perish and come to an end: but this profit cometh of their labor, even the salvation of your souls, such a treasure as all the world, no not a thousand worlds are comparable unto it: for this cause love them.
Besides this, it is their duty also to provide for him all things necessary, for that he may have to supply his want at their hands, as we may by diverse places of the Scripture prove: In the 6. to the Galatians the Apostle giveth this commandment: Let him that is taught in the word make him that hath taught him partaker of all his goods. The reason is very good: if the schoolmaster taketh pains in teaching, the scholars owe to him other necessaries. Such is the subtlety of Satan, which rageth and stormeth at the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the reaching whereof he seeth is the decaying of his kingdom, when as by no other means he can overthrow the same, yet doth he mightily heave at it by drawing the people's harts from nourishing and maintaining the Preachers thereof, that they being oppressed with penury, might be constrained to forsake their ministry. So that it is no marvel though the Apostle giveth so straight a charge thereof, seeing so great danger might ensue. If they sow unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if they reap of you carnal things? If the Ministers give unto the people gold, is it much for them to give chaff again? yet there is a greater difference between that, that the Minister distributeth among the people, & that which he receiveth of them, than is between gold and chaff. For he giveth unto them by the preaching of the word the kingdom of heaven: what treasure may be compared unto it? and will not they give him of their worldly commodities to maintain his living? Truly it were a token of too too much infidelity, and a manifest argument that we are not Christians, but very Heathen, if we should refuse to nourish the Minister that laboreth for our profit. It is manifest in the law that the Priests which waited on the Altar, lived of the Altar: Even so hath the Lord appointed that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel. Natural reason teacheth us this, and yet is it written in the Scripture also, that no man goeth on warfare at any time of his own cost, for the soldier receiveth his stipend. Neither doth any manplant a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof, for to that end doth he plant it, because he would enjoy the fruit. And again, No man keepeth a flock and eateth not of the milk thereof. But if the case standeth so in earthly matters, that every man enjoyeth the fruit of his labor, and is maintained by the same; how much more ought the Ministers and Pastors live of their flock, to whom they are so profitable, and for whose sake they take such pains? If therefore you will have such an one placed over you, that shall refuse no pains in studying night and day, in preaching the word in season and out of season, in exhorting and trying all means to do you good; and that shall love you so tenderly that his own life shall not be dear unto him for your sake: you must know it is your duty to provide all things necessary for him, for you must not make him your slave, but you must so minister unto him, that he may give himself wholly unto the faithful doing of his duty, that he may not be drawn away with other cares from the same. If the Lord hath commanded not to mousell the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corxe, much less to withhold the Minister from things necessary to preserve his life. The laborer is worthy of his wages. How wonderfully forward were the Galatians in fulfilling of this duty, when as they would not have refused to pull out their eyes, if it had been possible, and have given them to the Apostle? Which words although they be of supererogation, yet do they express such love and readiness in administering of their worldly commodities, that they would have plucked out their own eyes and given them unto him also, if by that means they might have pleasured him. Truly there is good cause why they should thus love and provide for their Minister which laboreth faithfully: for if the child cannot recompense the pains & kindness of his parents in bringing him into this world, and providing things necessary for his education; neither the scholar the pains of his master, which hath garnished his breast with wisdom and knowledge: much less can the child of God recompense his spiritual father who hath begotten him unto the Lord. Refuse not them to bestow part of thy worldly commodities upon him, that hath brought thee such heavenly treasure, without the which thy estate were more miserable than the condition of brute beasts. But because it may seem very much to the worldly minded man, who respecteth nothing but temporal things, to think that he must be so liberal toward his Minister, as to provide him all things that he hath need of (although the children of God which are already called, and have tasted how sweet the Lord hath been to them by the Ministers means, whom the Lord hath used as an instrument to bring them home, will not think it much to do their duty, & that very liberally in providing for their Pastor) you shall understand in what sort you ought to provide for him. First, you must see that he hath sufficient for to find himself and his family necessary food and apparel for their bodies. Secondly, you must give him wherewith to keep hospitality, that he may be able honestly and decently to entertain strangers which come unto him to ask his counsel in matters of conscience concerning their faith and salvation. Thirdly, you must provide him books for his study, and all such as may enrich his knowledge, whereby he may the better he able to answer and help all their doubts which come to him. Thus must you provide for him that he may not be troubled with any cares that may with draw him or hinder him in doing of his duty. And whereas the Apostle saith, make him partaker of all your goods, it is nothing less meant than that your goods should be at his pleasure, or that you should make him abound in superfluity, wherewith he should be filled until he burst as they say, there is no such thing, but to provide for him for those causes aforesaid.
Here may they ask a question, whether they ought to pay tithe unto such Ministers as bewicked livers, because we have spoken only of the duty which they owe unto the true Ministers and faithful laborers in the Lord's business. You shall therefore understand, though he be a wicked liver, if he teach true doctrine, hold nothing back from him, but let him have his duty, that if it shall please the Lord to convert him from his wickedness, he may love you the more dearly, and have the more care over you: but if he teach false doctrine, not the word of God purely, but his own brains, yet because you have a conscience of disturbing the common weal, and seek rather peace than trouble, let him have his duty, that your diligence in doing your duty may move him to a more care of his; or else if the Lord doth not give him that grace, yet thereby shall you leave a testimony in his conscience to his condemnation. Moreover where any such Ministers be placed over the people, as the wicked livers, false teachers, or domb dogs, it is most certain that the Lord hath set them even to plague the people for their sins.
Last of all, the people must pray continually both for themselves and for their Minister, that the Lord may bestow upon him the perfect gifts of prophesying, and upon us obedient hearts to the word, that the Lord may be glorified in our life and conversation, which thing S. Paul desireth in his Epistles, as in the 4. Chapter to the Colossians, Continue (saith he) i • prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving. Pray also for us, that God may open unto us the door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, that I may utter it as becometh me to speak. The like thing doth he require in the 6. to the Ephesians. In both which places the Apostle noteth how needful a thing it is for the people to pray not only for themselves, but for their Minister also, for that the Lord God giveth his gifts to none but them which faithfully call upon him, and continually crave the same at his hand. It behooveth the people therefore to pray for their Minister, that the Lord will pour upon him the abundance of his spirit, which may open unto him the mysteries of his most holy word, that he may be able to teach them all the counsel of the Lord. In the second Epistle to the Thessalonians and 3. Chapter he useth these words, Furthermore brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free passage, and be glorified even as it is with you, and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and evil men, for all men have not faith. Here doth the Apostle give charge also that the congregation do pray for the flourishing of the Gospel, and the faithful Ministers thereof, that the word might so much be preached, and the Church of Christ thereby increased, he willeth them to pray for the quiet estate of the Ministers, that the Lord would deliver them out of the hands of their adversaries, which seek not so much the destruction of the Ministers, but the overthrow of the Gospel, because they have not faith to become partakers of the promises thereof, which is only the gift of God unto his children which shall be saved: for if that all men should be saved, all should have faith, but because all cannot be saved, all cannot have faith. Then we see a notable mean to attain those things which are profitable for us, even by prayer. If therefore you desire such a Pastor as shall love you, and you him again, pray unto the Lord for such a one. If you would have him able to teach you, and yourselves made obedient to his doctrine, pray heartily. If you would have him long, pray unto the Lord to continue him among you, and to give him favor in the eyes of the Magistrates, & to defend him from all wicked adversaries, that ye may live peaceably together, and be built up into a strong faith by the word of God without any perturbation. Now as it is the duty of the whole congregation generally to pray together with one consent both for themselves, their Minister, Prince, Magistrates, and all other people: so it is every man's duty particularly at home at his own house to pray for them, and that not once or twice, now and then, very seldom, but daily, yea continually. Thus shall both the Minister and the people do their duty to their wonderful comfort, and glory.
The third part concerning the fruits that come of the well doing of these duties, both to the Minister and the people.
THese duties thus performed bring wonderful commodity: And first of all, if the Minister do his duty in preaching, exhorting, living, praying, and watching over his flock with that care of the glory of God, and that desire of the salvation of his people that he ought, this profit shall he have; The Lord will bless his labor, and he shall make an acceptable and joyful account, and this which far passeth all the rest, he shall save his own soul, and because he hath been a faithful servant over a little, the Lord will make him his governor over a great deal even in his kingdom of blessedness.
If the people do their duty unto the Minister in obeying, reverencing him, fearing him, loving and providing all things for him, and last of all in praying faithfully for him, they shall make him a glad man, and stir him up with great joy to do for them all that be can, and even in great afflictions the remembrance of their dutifulnes and constant faith shall minister abundance of consolatiō, that he shall be forced to say with the Apostle Paul, What thanks can we recompense to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we rejoice before the Lord for your sake? Thus shall they fill him with joy, and so win his heart, that he had a thousand lives, he would gladly give them for their sakes to do them good; and moreover, the Lord will bless him in great measure for their sake, with knowledge, that he may be the more profitable unto them, and in the ende their souls shall be saved, which is an unspeakable treasure far passing all other things.
Moreover, though the people do not their duty, but become obstinate, and storm and rage against the faithful Minister which hath a care over them, so that they do grieve his heart through their disobedience, yet if he do his duty in reading, preaching, and other points which I have already declared, he shall notwithstanding save his own soul, and also if the will of God be so, he shall by his diligence win them; if not, he must be contented to submit himself and his doing to the will of the Lord, and know the word of God shall have his effect even to make them inexcusable at the dreadful day, whereby the Lord shall be as greatly glorified as if they were saved.
Again, if the people do their duty faithfully in the Lord towards their Minister being either a wicked liver, or not so zealous and true a teacher as he ought to be, either the Lord will remove him and place over them a faithful shepherd, or convert him, and bring him to do his duty more carefully, or else stir up other helps for them. So their souls shall be saved and he shall perish.
The fourth part of the danger for not doing these duties faithfully.
NOw we have seen the great fruits that come of well doing these duties both to the Minister and the people, we may thereby see what danger ensueth of the contrary, that is, not of doing them. For whereas if the Ministers do their duty faithfully, the Lord will bless their labors, so that their account may be acceptable, and their souls, saved: so on the contrary, if they do not their duty truly, as they ought, and seek the glory of God by their doings, the Lord hath pronounced by the mouth of his Prophet Malachi, that he will bring a curse upon them, and will curse their blessings, he will corrupt their seed, and cast dung in their faces. Thus will the Lord deal with such unfaithful servants, that nothing shall prosper, but even their very seed shall be corrupt, and he shall be called to a straight account, and he shall bear the burden not only of his own sins, but of all the sins of the people, and every soul that hath perished thorough his negligence shall be laid to his charge, and so shall he become a notable Devil in hell there to be tormented with everlasting and intolerable pain. Finally, if the people do not their duty unto the Minister, they shall make him full of grief and sorrow marvelously troubled in spirit, nothing joyful in his calling, but always mourning: and moreover the Lord will harden the people's heart, that the word shall not be profitable unto them, but even as S. Paul testifieth a • auor of death unto death, and in the end they shall be rewarded in hell fire which shall never be quenched, nor the worm shall never die, but there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Thus have we learned first how necessary a thing it is to have Ministers in the Church of God, because without them the people should be as sheep without a shepherd, ready to be devoured of their adversary the devil: secondly, that the Lord hath appointed them to this use, by them to call together the number of them that shall be saved by the preaching of the word, wherewith he hath given them power to open heaven to all believers, and to give as good assurance of their salvation by the word, as if Jesus Christ himself were present to certify the same; and on the contrary to shut out all the unpenitent from the kingdom of heaven, and to bind them over to everlasting woe, which they shall be so sure of as they see the light that shineth in the day. And therefore it behooveth all such as desire to be saved to learn the way to salvation of them, and to hearken unto them, for because the Lord hath appointed no other means in the world for to attain to the knowledge thereof, and hath said plainly, that whosoever will not believe the truth at their hands shall not believe though one should come from heaven to tell them who shall be saved, and another from hell to tell them who are damned.
We have also heard that when the Lord determineth to beget souls, he appointeth spiritual fathers fit and able for that purpose, by reason that he giveth them gifts for the accomplishing of that business: and herewithal we have learned what is the duty of these spiritual fathers or Ministers, which we find to consist in four principal points. 1. He must read and study the word of God diligently, that he may be able to teach and instruct his people. 2. When he hath studied he must come forth and deliver wholesome doctrine, that their souls may be refreshed; for therefore must he study to have knowledge for them, and sing to himself and his muses, not filling himself so full of knowledge, till he become as a tun that will give no sound, but he must keep knowledge not only in his heart, but also in his lips; for the Minister must be the mouth of the Lord, from whence God's people must know the will and counsel of God: also he must observe the true order of teaching, that is, to build upon the true foundation Jesus Christ: for he that buildeth upon any other foundation is an Antichrist, and not the Minister of God, but the messenger of Satan. Moreover, he must by all means prick forward the godly to increase in godliness, beat down the obstinate and hardharted with the terrible judgments of God, and after to raise up th • penitent with the sweet promises of the Gospel: the which he must do not only openly in the pulpit among the congregation, but privately also in every house, because that general doctrine doth not drive the people to such a consideration of their estate, as when they are particularly admonished of their sins, & exhorted to reap̄t for them. Thus must the Minister labor to make his doctrine profitable, and that continually, supposing it not sufficient to be done now and then, but he must do it in season and out of season, omitting no opportunity wherein the Lord may call home some into the Church of Christ: and that God may the rather vouchsafe to bless his ministry, he must pray continually for himself and his people both openly and privately, & be very circumspect in administering the Sacraments. 3. He must live a godly life, and set himself as example for his flock to follow: and so much the rather ought he to look more nearly to all his ways, because the adversaries, if anything be otherwise than well with the Ministers, will straightway with open mouth blaspheme the Gospel, which is most pure and unreprovable: whereas if they have nothing whereof to accuse the Minister, neither can they blame the word which they only heave at to overthrow it if it were possible, taking occasion by the Minister to blame the word. For another cause also must he live unreprovable, and that is, because he must watch over the souls of other, which charge he cannot perform, except he be able to watch over his own. Thirdly in this respect, that his election may be surely known unto himself, least in preaching of the election unto other he be a reprobate himself. So that when he threateneth the judgments of God against other, he shall condemn himself, and when he raiseth up the penitent with the promises, he himself shall fall into the hole of his own condemnation, and no man shall be able to comfort him, 4. Last of all, he must •••• e his flock so dearly that he must give his life for them. But because it were contrary to the words of our Savior Christ to say he might not fly at any time; and on the other side if we say he may fly, we should put no difference between the true Ministers and the hirelings; we have heard that the Lord will teach his faithful Ministers by his holy spirit, when it is good to fly, and when not. Thus much have we learned concerning the duty of Ministers.
In the second part we have heard the duty of the people towards their Ministers, which we have learned to consist, first in obedience, because it were altogether in vain, and an unprofitable labor for the Minister to teach the people if they should not be obedient unto his doctrine; and also because it is impossible for any to be saved that will not be obedient unto the word of God, besides which the Lord hath appointed no means for man to attain unto the knowledge of salvation, and therefore hath he given it unto his Ministers to be preached sincerely and purely unto his people. And here we learn by the way that the people must beware that they be not seduced with false doctrine and man's invention: therefore they must prove the doctrine to accord with the word of God, and then be obedient unto it. Secondly, besides obedience we have learned that they must also reverence him, because they cannot obey his doctrine, except they have a reverent opinion of him, as we see by the woman of Samaria, and the people that S. Peter converted. Thirdly, it is requisite that they fear him, for where fear is not, there honor and reverence must needs be absent. And thus have we heard that they ought to fear him, not in respect of his person, but for his office sake; not as he is a man, but in that he is the messenger and Minister of God. Fourthly, they must love him and that unfeignedly with all their heart, being ready to help him in all distresses Fifthly, they must provide for him that he may have to maintain himself and his family, to entertain strangers and buy him books, that he may not with any worldly care be drawn from doing of his duty. Sixthly, they must pray for him continually, and for themselves also, that he may be able to teach, and they to receive the word profitably.
3 These duties being well performed bringeth this commodity: The Ministers labor shall be profitable, his account acceptable, and his soul saved. The people shall make their minister joyful and loving unto them, willing to labor for their profit, and in the end they shall reign together in the kingdom of heaven. Also if the Minister doth his duty faithfully, though the people do not their, yet he shall save his soul. Likewise if the people do their duty, and not the Minister, the Lord will so provide that they shall enjoy eternal felicity.
4 Last of all, if these duties be not performed, we have learned how great dangers they are in that neglect the same, if the Minister his labor shall be cursed, he shall be called to a straight account, and shall answer for every soul that hath perished, and so become a devil in hell forever. If the people do not their duty, they shall grieve their Pastor, make him unprofitable, and in the end be tormented in utter darkness forever.
The Lord of all power deal mercifully with us for his dear Son Jesus Christ's sake, and grant such grace both unto the Ministers of his word, that they may carefully do their duties with that fear of his name, that reverence of his Majesty, that zeal of his glory, and that desire of the salvation of his people that they ought: and that the people may so obediently and willingly receive thy word and Ministers thereof, as shall be most for thy glory and the profit of their souls: that after this life ended, we may dwell together in thy kingdom of glory with thy Son our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to whom with thee and the holy Ghost, three persons and one true and most wise God, be all honor and glory forever.
OF THE CONFESSION OF SINNES.
THE FIFTEENTH SERMON.
Proverbs 28. verse. 13.
T Here are two parts of this verse: Hiding of sins with punishments, and Confessing with mercy.
It is not my manner to restrain a precept general, but according to circumstances to speak of general things generally.
Here both the sin of hiding sins is taught to be avoided, and the virtue of confessing sins to be practiced.
A matter not observed: for error hath been much spoken against, but truth not so thoroughly taught, which is the cause of the small proceeding of the Gospel.
Example in Consubstantiation and Transubstantiation in the Sacrament, where the true manner of Christ's presence is not known, because it hath not been taught as it should.
Example in superstitious holidaies, the breaknecke of the Lord's Sabbaths, mē now not sparing to work on the Lord's day also, because they have not been taught to sanctify it.
Example of Lent fast, wherein the abuse of fasting having been checked, and the manner of right fasting so little opened, it is come to pass that men know not how truly to fast.
Example of the butcherly discipline once entered, the truth of discipline not being spoken of, it maketh men think that now to speak of it, is to make everyone a Pope in his own parish.
So likewise of Eare confession, the gross abuses whereof having been reproved, but the right use of confession passed over untaught, men care not to confess either to God or men: and if they do either, it is rather upon the commandments of men, than upon the consideration of judgment and mercies. Whereby also all conference and examination is taken from the Minister, to whom examinatiō is not to be denied, though all things be not to be disclosed. And again, acknowledging of sins and private and public reconciliation have utterly ceased.
My brethren, teach the truth, teach the truth: for by want hereof it is come to pass, that first the peace of men's consciences is not provided for: secondly, our winnings are not so great as our losings: thirdly, God is not glorified.
The peace of conscience is not looked unto: for when thou knowest what thou shouldest not do, thy conscience straight accuseth thee for doing the evil thou shouldest not: but because thou art not taught the good thou shouldest do, thou canst not pursue after it with comfort.
Our losses have been greater thā our winnings, because the good of men hath not been provided for by building thē up. For though they hear sins spoken against, yet seeing godliness and religion to decay, the Lord's day not being celebrated with reverence, men not prepared for the receiving of the holy Sacrament, never fasting, never confessing, &c. yet the weak are not stayed or drawn on, but fall away: the adversaries mouth is not stopped, but set wide open, because truth is not enough spoken of and practiced.
God is not glorified: for they who are won, are not so truly won, but become hypocrites: and many are not won at all, because the truth is not fully delivered: for hearing some things spoken against, they are led to contrary heresies, by reason they were not grounded in the truth, which teacheth it self and errors also, as good showeth evil and it self also.
We must then teach, love, and practice good things: as we must reprove, hate, and not do that which is evil. Which manner of teaching, because it hath not been in use, we cannot now get credit to, people's minds being inured with other kind of teaching.
Confession is either private, or public: Private first unto the Lord, secondly unto men: first, for our own sins: secondly, for the sins of others. Public, first unto God with men, and before men: secondly, unto God and unto men.
That which cannot be done publicly must be done privately. And if ever public exercise be done with fruit, the private must prepare thee for it, as reading, fasting, prayer, conference, admonishing and rebuking thyself. And without confession privately, we will never confess publicly.
Confession to God is never to be omitted, nor to men, when the occasion is necessary.
Though carnal men of all sorts think it is an easy thing to confess to God: yet if we consider how hardly we are drawn to confess to men, we may thereby know how loath we are truly to confess unto God: which appeareth both in the unregenerate and the regenerate.
As Adam for example, who was ashamed of the nakedness of his body: but when he looked at his soul he pleaded not guilty, but went about to derive his sin to the woman, and the woman to the Serpent. Everyone will say he is a sinner; but who will speak wherein he hath sinned, or acknowledge it when he is charged withal? yea a miserable sort of excuses will be pleaded; for all are graven out of Adam.
The regenerate also are willing to confess, for all are borne again but in measure as infants for a great while more carnal than spiritual: so much as we are failing from God's image, so much ready are we to be deceived and to cover sins.
So Abraham and David being patterns of God's mercy, are also patterns of our weakness. Abraham in denying Sarah to be his wife both to Pharaoh and to Abimel • ch: David's confession not found at the first: the sin was left of him, yet he had not repented; sin was past, but grace not come: his heart was hard until the Prophet had been with him, as Psal. 32. which is a Psalm of forgiveness of sins, notwithstanding he there showeth the hypocrisy of their heart: for being in great affliction, as a bladder dried up, he could not come then to confess his sin. This is general: Job. 33. 9. I am clean, I am innocent.
And marvel not that men are unwilling to confess, for confession presupposeth accusation: and who will accuse himself by name, except he be moved by grace, or be frantic? Yea being accused, whose natures will yield, seeing what grief, what sorrow, what shame, what humility must needs follow? For sin is grievous, God is glorious, the law is holy. It is hard to be covered, punishment is fearful, a precious price is rejected; and who will see the judgments of God, by condemning themselves, and will not be ready to despair? Naturally therefore confess we cannot.
Thou having done sin, wouldest not now do it: but where is grace to love God? how hard a thing then to confess where God giveth not grace?
We must begin with our selves. I have marveled at many who could weep bitterly for other men's sins, but could not shed a tear for their own: but when thou hast felt the smart of sin in thyself, then canst thou rightly acknowledge the sins of others: then art thou come to some good measure of this grace: And being escaped, with the Prophet Ezech. 9. thou mayest fall down upon thy face and cry and say: Ah Lord, wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel, in pouring out thy wrath upon Jerusalem?
Having confessed mine own sin, then must I look unto others; and to God's judgments against others, and so upon mercies shown to others, that I may learn to prevent and remove judgments, and to obtain and continue mercy by confession.
And though we have no Nehemiah's to confess publicly, Nehem. 9. yet let some stand in the gap privately to pray for the people, that the people also may pray for us; and everyone must so much more lament as his calling requires. Whose sins thou hast not acknowledged, thou art partaker of them; and if thou admonish not, and do what thou canst with thy kinsfolks and friends to recover them, thou canst not clear thyself of being guilty of their iniquity: but if thou be grieved, and confessest and prayest privately for the sins of thy brother, then mayest thou avoid vain-glory in the public.
True it is we may use private means and yet neglect the public, but we must read humbly with the Eunuch, and pray with feeling, that the prayers of others in public may be profitable; and feeling wants in the private means, we must desire the help of the public.
Public confession unto God with men and before men is, when generally general sins are confessed, or some particular sins as before the Sacraments.
Thankefulnes can never be received except confession of unworthiness go before: and therefore prayers usually begin with confession of sins and judgments; yet many abstain and care not to come to the confession of their sins: but they must know that the Ministers mouth is to confess their sins.
When the Church hath offended against God, then all must confess, Levite. 18. Dan. 9. Ezra. 9.
No one thing is more pleasant to God than confession, nothing more displeasing than hiding: nothing more public, the more acceptable.
But herein is required judgment and affection, for they do not only offend who confess not, but also such as will confess general sins and not particular, in seeing wherein and after what manner they have sinned: therefore a beadroll of the number and greatness of their sins would be made, and so fashion and hypocrisy would be avoided. Labor then to see thy sin in time of confession, and say, Lord move the heart of the Minister and people to confess my sin when I look into it.
Fault is not only in judgment, but in affection also: for if a man come to confess unto the Minister he will hang down his head, though but two or three be present: but care not how publicly thou do it.
We must be touched otherwise then when we sing Psalms, there must be reverence in bowing of the knees, for thou must give thy body and thy heart also. The Publican needeth not to be taught to cast down his eyes, for the humble heart will bring down thy look. Again, we must give good example in our outward gesture to provoke others to come reverently before the Lord. If confession be thus acceptable, then when we are to receive more grace, we must be more humbled in acknowledging our sins; and that we may do it as we ought, we must labor for a deeper sight of our unworthiness by our sins.
The way to obtain mercy is, as soon as we see our sins to acknowledge them. I acknowledged my sin, and then thou forgavest the punishment of my sin, not my sin only. The debtor loveth much that hath much forgiven him, because he sorrowed much. The prodigal son returning after much sorrow and humble confession, found much kindness. Though we have been unkind children, is there more love in a natural man than in the Lord? In natural fathers and masters when their servants and children confess, anger ceaseth; is not this from the Lord; and will not he show favor unto us? Doth God give thee this charge, that if thy brother repent seventy times seven times, thou shouldest forgive him? doth he persuade him truly confessing that he will forgive him? and shall not then the Lord be merciful unto thee if thou confess; in giving thee remission of thy sins, and sanctification from thy sins? Yea God is more merciful than man, when man truly confesseth.
We are to pray that the ministry may be recovered, that the Ministers being humbled the people may also join with them.
Another kind is to confess to men and not only unto God, otherwise it is hypocrisy; as it is, though we confess to men and not to God.
We must confess to men when we owe some duty, or when we are to receive a benefit by them. We owe them duty when we are admonished: secondly, when we have offended them.
They that use good means, and come by authority, we must confess unto thē, Mat. 18. Where there must be a yielding or a proceeding with farther process, Luk. 17. It is required that a man should acknowledge or he cannot have forgiveness.
Where men offending are admonished; I will confess, say they, unto God, not unto you: when as the Lord requireth that it should first be done unto men: First reconcile thyself to thy brother, then unto God.
We offend our brethren when we injury them: secondly, when we are authors or counselors of them unto evil: or thirdly, when we give them evil example.
Whether we have injured them in their bodies, goods, or good name. Levite. 6. 4. the same day the sacrifice was to be offered, the same day must satisfaction be made. And where judgment is threatened, men refusing to satisfy the parties, God will not forgive, who is also offended: for God requireth confession, and man satisfaction.
Many have charged others to do evil, and have wrought evil with others, the one being humbled, the other will not be persuaded it is so: but having hurt them in their souls, though by confession we cannot recover them, yet we must shame our selves unto them, that they may have the cause of sin upon themselves. If thinking of these things in our studies, yet if we practice them not, our prayers will not be acceptable.
We are to receive benefit when we would have advise from them, or would be comforted of them: and we would have advise when we are tempted unto sin, or accused in our consciences for sin.
Though men cannot accuse us, yet there are many times special sins that we cannot get peace with God for, or power to overcome them: these must be confessed to men, that we may get strength in wisdom, I am. 5.
Where I take acknowledging to be more than confession: for a man cannot acknowledge a thing but he must needs confess it; but he may confess, and yet not acknowledge. And there the Apostle speaketh of recovering one from sin when they are tempted, as the whole scope of the place showeth.
In accusation the Devil will lay sin to our charge, and the conscience is feared both in reason and affection: then there must be recourse to our friends.
Experience woeful enough will witness this, some for light matters have hanged themselves, who if they had opened their griefs might have been recovered, as some have been, whose throats have been ripped, and others who have been found lying in the waters.
God hath appointed a communion of Saints, and if we will not partake of their couns • ile we may be brought down for not disclosing as others have been.
There is another higher sight of divinity and better faith of godliness, when there is grief for sin; or for temptation to a sin; or thirdly, for lying in sin and not getting out of it, and also for being provoked to gross sins.
Many men lying in a sin when neither by praying, nor fasting, nor hearing, nor otherwise they can get out of it, they must seek for strength at others, and desire their prayers.
The Papists will have us bound to the Ministers: S. James more large.
To come out of sin is the best way to shame our selves and acknowledge it; and this means used plainly will drive Satan away for coming near us.
The temptations are many times strange thoughts, to blaspheme God, and injury highly whom most we love, and many such like things.
The family of love had these temptations, and many others who have been given over grossly, because fighting with an evil conscience, they did not use the means of getting out. And these are laid upon men for corrections for things past, for remedies for things to come to pass, and for provocations unto prayer.
No remedy is so great as to disclose them to thy friend who loveth thee, and will pray with thee.
Choyse must be used of those in whom we will disclose, especially of a spiritual father must our choice be, spiritual for discerning well of the temptation, and for wisdom in prescribing a remedy.
Not those who say it is fond, lessening the sin which should be weighed as it is, that the just proportion of God's judgment may be seen, neither to those that shall aggravate it, least they terrify thee too much.
When sin fighteth, then learning will not so much prevail, Satan is such a subtle Sophister.
A father he must be, a brother, a sister, a righteous man, as S. James saith, who must have the affection of a father for compassion, taciturnitie, and not upbraiding: Compassion, that the heart may bleed as of a tender father and mother, that though the sin be not ours, yet we may have a fellow feeling; for the merciful is blessed which followeth the poor in spirit: Taciturnitie, that the sin being close, it may never go further thā the cause is.
Vpbrayding is such a thing as it feareth many, because it is the property of worldly men to keep men under by that means, but these fathers may not do it.
Though it be true that many meeting such a father, they will not use him as a father; which appalleth the spirit of a good father, who if in wisdom he shall but touch anything that may be thought to be disclosed, he is thought to do it to upbraid them.
THE SIXTEENTH SERMON.
Galath. 6. verse. 14. 15.
H Auing finished in a late Treatise the doctrine of the true observation of the Sabbath, as a furtherance to nourish religion in them that are already called, we now have purposed considering the small proceeding in Christian profession, which ought to be found in this ripeness of the Gospel more glorious and abundant, to entreat of such matter, as being most agreeable to them that as yet have not tasted how sweet Christ is and his Gospel, & very profitable for our senseless▪ age wherein Christ is almost utterly forsaken, may breed some love of religion, and begin at the least some care of our profession in us. And to deliver you from further suspense of mind and musing with yourselves what this thing should be, it is the comfortable doctrine of Christ crucified, and joyful tidings of the passion of Christ: whereof, because I know none that have gone with a through stitch in this matter, but either, if they wrote soundly, they did it more sparingly than so excellent an argument doth deserve; or if any have labored more largely, they have done it more corruptly, than the history of the Gospel will permit them: by the grace of God I have purposed, and by the blessing of God I shall perform, to write of this matter more at large. Now for a preface or preparation hereunto, we have made choice of that holy protestation of Paul, Galath, 6. 14. But be it far from me that I should rejoice, but in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, whereby the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world, 15. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. 16. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace shall be upon them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God. The Apostle having written against such corrupt teachers and false Prophets, as, after he had preached the liberty of the Gospel, labored to bring in again the politique government of the Jewish ceremonies, and to intermingle the beggarly rudiments of the law with the glorious profession of the Gospel; and having declared already, that the firm faith of Christians needeth not the painted pomp of ceremonies, showeth in the two verses immediately going before these, that these false Apostles and bold Doctors of circumcision kept no good course, both for that they sought to avoid trouble and persecution, because being a menstruous people and monstrous company of Christians and Jews, they might be safe on both sides and hurt of neither part; as also for that they carnally sought their own glory, credit and estimation, by boasting themselves of the solemn troupe and notable number of disciples, whom they schooled and trained after them in their profession. Now in this place Paul opposing his sincere ministry to their carnal gospelling, and the pure faith of Christians to the impure relics of the Jews, saith with a bold emphasis and godly protestation: But be it far from me, that I should rejoice, but in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, &c. As if he should say, God forbid that I should rejoice in anything saving in this, that I know by the cross of Christ the forgiveness of my sins, that his righteousness is imputed unto me, that mine iniquities are nailed on his cross, and buried in his death, so that I am not henceforth so much tempted to the things of this world, neither make I any great matter, how basely soever the world accounteth of me. For why, I know it is not material, whether we be circumcised or uncircumcised, for that I neither find benefit in being circumcised, neither any hurt in being uncircumcised: but herein I have comfort and matter of rejoicing, in that I am become a new creature in Christ, and am freed from all other shows of Jewish pomp. And this I dare boldly affirm, that this cause of rejoicing is not to me alone, but to all other faithful Ministers teaching, and all other godly people willingly and diligently embracing this doctrine of the cross of Christ. Briefly then we see in these principals, first that the cross of Christ being never so obscure is more to be joyed in, than all shows of ceremonies be they never so glorious, because it worketh in us these excellent effects, which the other can never do, it crucifieth us to this world, and maketh us to become new creatures. Lastly, it is shown that this is no variable or particular doctrine but general, no private passion of Paul, but a common joy to all Ministers, and not to Ministers alone, but to all the whole Israel and company of professors, that have their joy either in soundly teaching, or in sincerely learning of Christ crucified, so that all shall have the joy which Paul enjoyed, if they will keep the rule which Paul observed: by which duties both of Pastors & people is insinuated, that whosoever shall willfully forsake or spitefully reject this doctrine, he is neither of the number of true Ministers, nor any member of the true Israelites. And if we shall more deeply consider, how many and how great the crosses of Christ were for us, and therewithal shall mark how unfaithfully they be though of the most part of professors • , if we shall see the little meditation of them, the slender thankfulness for them, the small fruits of mortification in being crucified to the world, the few tokens of sanctification in becoming new creatures, which comeby them, we shall easily grant the necessity of this doctrine to be taught, and comfort of it to be learned, especially seeing in the old age of the Gospel we have so few true reioicers in Christ crucified, so many enemies of the cross of Christ both among them that be teachers, and them that are taught. As for the enemies of Christ his cross, they be either professed enemies, or not hearty friends: the professed enemies are either such, as be without all religion, or such as are seduced by a false religion: they without religion are Atheists, Epicures, & worldlings, unto whom Christ crucified is a laughing stock, and a matter of scoffing, in that Christ is ridiculous in their eyes, and absurd in their judgment: those that are corruptly seduced (that I omit Turks, and Jews) are either superstitious Papists, or erroneous Heretics. The superstitious Papists, notwithstanding their wooden cross and painted banners, and for all their Passion Sundays, & good Fridays, are the greatest enemies to the passion and cross of Christ. For woeful experience hath taught, that these foolish devices of mē having but once crept over the threshold into the doors of the Church, did thrust out with the lorhsomnes of their presence the holy ordinances of God, in that when men could not brook the crosses and afflictions which are incident to true Christians, they would invent for a further ease a cross of wood; and when they were weary of hearing their filthy sins laid open to bring them to Christ, they provided for that: & instead of preaching they had Mass singing. Wherefore it may truly be said of superstitious ceremonies and Christian religion, as the Heathen man reporteth of the Hedgehog and the Satire, who entertaining the Hedgehog which he had found for his guest, was so pricked with his thorny brissels, as he was constrained to go out of his house. A very ill guest displacing his host, a perilous tenant dispossessing his landlord. Howbeit we know, that these superstitious worshippers pretended a very great devotion to Christ on their Passion Sunday in a solemn making of sepulchers, in chaunting diverse songs sometime in Pilate's tune, sometime in Herod's tune, sometime in the Pharisees tune, and sometime in the Disciples tune: in all which the devil bereaved them of the pure use and due consideration of Christ crucified. And yet some of these would hate a Jew, some would spit at a Jew, some would weep to hear the name of Christ, and would pity his death. I am the longer in these things to make the judgments of God in them profitable instructions to us, by provoking men to thankfulness for their deliverance, if in truth they be delivered, that is, if they be not now as profane, as ever they were superstitious, not forsaking but changing the sin.
As for the erroneous heretics, not to speak of all, let us add somewhat of the most pestilent family of love, who shoot as much too short at this prick, as the other shoot too far. For in speaking of the birth, death, and resurrection of Christ, these men as fools flying one extremity, run post-hast into the contrary extremity: and therefore these wretches imagining to themselves a spiritual Christ, are as much to be maliced, as the Papists are to be pitied. For after Popery yet some cause was given of rejoicing, in that the truth of the history was left unto us; but these fellows under a color of not being ceremonial, but altogether desiring to be spiritual, take away all from us, and yet most deceitfully will seem to grant all. If ye demand anything of Christ his birth, they will grant it; if ye ask whether he was borne of the seed of David, and of the Virgin