IT seemeth, that songs, poems, & verses were first inuented, for this end, vz. That mans na­ture delighting in mu­sique, matters deliue­red in meeter, beeing without tediousnesse the oftner repeated, might thereby be consecrated to perpetu­all memorie; and for this cause the holy Ghost, condescending to our weaknesse, hath directed holy men of God, the pen­ners of the sacred scriptures, to frame ma­ny things, most excellent & memorable, [Page] into verse or meeter, so haue we the song of Moses, declaring the merciful, & mira­culous deliuerance of Gods people out of Egypt, and the iust & powerfull destructi­on of their enemies in the red seaExo. 15.; ano­ther, containing a perticular rehearsall of Gods benefits, and their ingratitudeDeut. 32.. Al­so the song of Deborah and Baracke, for the glorious conquest, and mightie deli­uerance of the people from the slauerie of Iabin, by so vnlooked for an ouerthrow of Siserah and his hoastIudg. 5.. When little Dauid so victoriously triumphed ouer proud Go­liah of the Philistims, the women met Saule the King, and Dauid his seruant, ioyfully, singing, and playing vpon their Timbrels, viols, and other instruments, & thankefully recording as followeth, Saule hath slaine his thousand, & Dauid his ten thousands1. Sa. 18. 7.. Hannah, when God had ta­ken away her reprochfull barrennesse, and made her honorably fruitfull, she sung, & said:1. Sam. 2▪ 1. Mine heart reioyceth in the Lord, mine horne is exalted in the Lord. When God had looked vpon the humilitie of the blessed Virgine, and made her the glori­ous vessell of Christ his conception, shee gaue glorie vnto God in a song, and said, [Page 2] My soule doth magnifie the Lord, and my spirit reioyceth in God my SauiourLuk. 1. 46. So Zacharie, after the birth of Iohn Baptist his Sonne, when his mouth was opened, and tongue loosed, he spake, and praised God, prophecying, and saying: Blessed bee the lord God of Israel, because he hath visited and redeemed his peopleLu. 1. 68. Old Father Si­meon embracing the babe Christ with his armes, according to the promise of the ho­ly ghost, thankefully breaketh out into this sweet swan-like song. Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace, accor­ding to thy wordLu. 2. 28.. And not onely haue these and many others, the Saints of God, in their prosperitie and flourishing estate, hauing receiued many good things; offe­red in their songs a sacrifice of praise, Euen the fruits of their lips, cōfessing his nameHeb. 13. 15.: But also in their aduersitie & dolefull con­ditions, haue they poured out their soules, in songs vnto God; for though S. Iames seeme to oppose prayer and singing, as so diametrally contrarie, that no man can pray, singing; nor sing, praying, where he sayeth: Is any amongst you afflicted? let him pray: is any merrie? let him singIa. 5. 13. Yet surely it is most euident, that the Apostle [Page] therein requireth, first that in afflictions, when we are in distresse, and extreame an­guish, we flye vnto God by prayer, and of him onely seeke release, and comfort; and when we are in prosperitie, and enioy the blessings of God at our wils, that then we giue thanks and praise vnto God: in our af­flictions, praying, and not despairing, blas­pheming, and seeking vnlawfull meanes of deliuerance with the wicked; and in our prosperitie, singing songes of praise, and not vain, light, and foolish ballads as the worldlings doe, and herein consisteth the opposition, and not in the former; for as in prosperity it is lawfull, in feruent prai­er to mourne, sigh, sob, and lament: so also in aduersitie lamentably, and sorrowfully to sing, as the Apostle councelleth, saying: My brethren count it exceeding ioy, when ye fall into diuers temptationsIames 1. 2. So the Apostles being beaten and scourged, went out of the Councell reioycingAct. 5. 41., and be­ing sore beaten, cast into the inner prison, and their feete made fast in the stocks, yet at midnight they prayed, & sung Psalmes vnto GodAct. 16. 25.. Dauid sung many psalmes, and played thereunto with sundrie instru­ments, and yet oftentimes vnder a sweet [Page 3] sound had a wofull and heauie heart; as when he lamented the deaths of Saul and Ionathan 2. S [...]. 1.. And elsewhere complaineth of the want of the feeling and assurance of Gods fauour, and remission of sinnes, and most earnestly intreateth to haue those graces renewed againPsa. 4. 6. 51. 120.. And who findeth not great vse of singing, both in prosperi­tie, and aduersitie? In prosperitie by sing­ing of Psalmes, our zeale is quickned; fer­vencie in prayer, increased; and our ear­nestnesse to perfourme all laudable seruice vnto God, notably stirred vp, wherevnto the example of Elisha may bee referred, who yeelding to the request of Iehosha­phat, called for a minstrell, who by his songs to Gods glorie, stirred vp the Pro­phets heart to prophecie2. Kin. 3. 15.. Also in aduer­sitie by singing of some holy and godly Psalme, our heauie and pensiue hearts are refreshed, for this cause the holy Prophet Dauid (in the sorrow and heauinesse of his heart) would rebuke his soule, saying: Why art thou so heauie, oh my soule? and why art thou so disquieted within mePs. 42. 5.? And would stirre vp himselfe, and his in­strument to play and sing some ioyfull song, awake my tongue, awake violl, and [Page] harpe, I my selfe will awake right earlyPs. 57. 8.. But I wil passe ouer these things, and come to intreat only of the Psalmes of Dauid, whose penners, were many; Arguments, diuers: and vses, manifold.

First,Penners. for the penners, (as I sayd) they were many as Asaphe Ps. 50. 73. 74. 75. 76. 78. &c., for so some godly learned, will rather that he was a writer, than onely a singer, to whom they were committed; and the rather because else­where it may bee gathered, that he made some psalmes2. Cron. 29. 30.: Some also were penned by Moses Psa. 90.. But most of them by Da­uid, that princely Prophet, and sweet sin­ger of Israel, and thereuppon called the Psalmes of Dauid: but whosoeuer was the penner, they are all to be receiued with the like reuerent estimation, they being all led by one and the selfe same spirit, so that the holy Ghost may well be said, to be Au­thor of the whole Booke, for these holy men of God did speake and write, as they were mooued by the holy Ghost2. Pet. 1. 21.; and specially Dauid witnesseth of himselfe, that the spirit of the Lord spake by him, and that his word was in his tongue2. Sa. 23. 2.. And therefore S. Peter alleaging the testimony of Dauid, vseth this maner of preface, Thus [Page 4] hath the holy Ghost spoken (by the mouth of Dauid) concerning Iudas, who was guide vnto then that tooke IesusAct. 1. 16.

Secondly,Argument. for the argument of this Book (as I sayd) it is diuers, some containe con­fession of sinnes, and humiliation before the Lord, with earnest and heartie prayer vnto God, both for repentance, and remis­sion of sinnesPs. 25. 51. Some are wholly spent in commendation of Gods law, with many intermixt praiers for strength to obserue the samePs. 119.. Some describe the wonderfull power, wisedome, majesty, and prouidence of God, shinning in the creation and preser­uation of all the world, for which all crea­tures are exhorted to praise the name of the LordPsa. 8. 18. 104. 147..) Some are penned for a prepa­ration to stir vp the people with feare and reuerence, to present themselues before the Lord in their holy conuocations and assemblies, as the Psalme which beginneth thus: Oh come let vs sing vnto the LordPsa. 95.. Some of them lay open the miseries of Gods people in their captituitie, and how hardly they were vsed of their enemiesPsa. 137.. Some of them containe particuler praiers, for supply of some particuler wants, either of bodie or soulePs. 6. 86.. Some containe prayers [Page] of the whole Church for the confusion of the enemies thereofPsa. 83.. In a word, many of them are historicall, as briefly laying open Gods dealing towards his people, & their enemies, both in Egypt, in the wildernesse, and in the land of CanaanPsal. 78. 105. 106. &c.: most of them propheticall, and all of thē didacticall, full of instructiō, both as concerning our faith in the maine grounds, and Articles of Re­ligion, & concerning our obedience, whe­ther of pietie towards god, as hearing, rea­ding, praying and praising; or of loue to­wards our neighbour, whether we regard the inward affections, or outward actions.

Thirdly,Vses. & lastly, the vses of this Booke are manifold, for all the holy Scriptures are written for our learning, that wee through patience, and comfort thereof, might haue hopeRom. 15 4.: and as elsewhere he saith; the whole Scripture, is giuen by in­spiration of God, & is profitable to teach, to conuince, to correct, & instruct in righ­teousnesse 2. Tim. 3. 16. Yet hath this Booke of the Psalmes, a certaine singular and excellent difference from the rest of the Scriptures, for which the Apostle requireth, and there hath alwaies been ioyned together, a day­ly exercise of the word & Psalmes, saying: [Page 5] Let the word of God dwell plentifully in you, in all wisedome, teaching, and admo­nishing your owne selues in psalmes and hymnes, and spiritual songsColoss. 3. 16. And surely no maruel that it should be esteemed at so great price, for it is as a Christians store­house and treasurie of all good things, it recordeth the memorable histories of things past, prophecieth and foretelleth things to come, vnfoldeth hiddē mysteries vnder pleasant and familiar Allegories; herein vertue is cōmended; vice condem­ned; and most wholesome rules and lawes of a Christian life prescribed: if any man be pressed with the burthē of sinnes, scor­ched in conscience with the flashes of hel, thorough the kindling of Gods wrath; if possessed with feare of warres, famine, or death, if loadned with sicknesse, want and penurie, heere is a soueraigne salue for e­uery maladie; heere may the king learne what he is, and how he ought to gouerne his people religiously; and heere may sub­iects learne to obey their Rulers peaceably; the rich man may learne the vanitie of all things, and the true vse of his riches; and heere may the poore man learne conten­tation with his estate; the heauie hearted [Page] shall hence learne where true comfort is to be found; he that is tempted to euill, the remedie; and he that is merrie, the true ioy & the measure thereof; yea hence may the godly man reape great encourage­ment, being assured that he shall find true peace at the last: and heere may the wic­ked ones find discoragement, and speedily turne vnto God, knowing that howsoe­uer for a while he may flourish like the greene bay-tree, yet hath god set him but in a slipperie place, and he shall sodenly perish, & come to a fearefull end. Doubt­lesse, no man will denie but the Greeke & Latine poems of Homer, Hesiode, Pinda­rus, and others deserue great praise, and want not their singuler vse: yet for any to preferre or equall them with this Booke, were intollerable dotage, and contumelie; for therein nothing is to be found concer­ming the good pleasure of God towards his elect in Christ, they acknowledge not his diuinitie, nor esteeme of his benefits, without which we are no better than ves­sels of wrath, and firebrands of hell; they intreat not of faith or iustification before God, wherein a Christians comfort chiefe­ly consisteth; indeed of the duties of the [Page 6] second table, and honest manners they speake much; but for the first table, it is farre aboue their reach, and therfore there­in they are altogether mute and silent, or grosly erre and bewray their ignorance; much time they spend, & the greatest part of their verses, in decyphering and deplo­ring the manifold miseries and calamities whereunto this life is subiect, but the re­medie hereof they know not: howsoe­uer therefore there are some things profi­table to bee found in them, and their wri­tings being garnished with eloquency of words and sentences, & running in a plea­sant tune, may much delight and affect the reader; yet vnto these psalmes onely, must we giue eare and attention, as vnto the voice of God, as Dauid himselfe hath said: Hodie si vocem domini audiueritis, To day if you will heare the voice of God, harden not your heartsPs. 95. 7. Vt mem­phiticos va­les audiret. Ad Archi­tum Ta­rentinum.

Pythagoras, that great Philosopher, he went into Egypt, to heare the poetrie at Memphis. Plato, he left Athens, where he taught with admiration, and for wise­dome, knowledge, and eloquence, excee­ded all others, & went into Italie, to heare that noble Philosopher Architas at Taren­tum; [Page] Apollonius with verie great hazard, labour and cost, went to the furthest parts of India, to heare that great Philosopher Hierarchas, Vt Hierar­cham in Throno se­dentem au­reo. sitting in his golden chaire and discoursing of the motions of the heauens, position, scituation, and aspect of the pla­nets and starres; if these men spared not to bestow such great labor & cost, neither feared to expose thēselues to such great dangers, by sea and land, onely to attaine to a further measure of knowledge philo­sophicall, wherin though they placed their Summum bonum, or chiefest felicitie: yet he that knew much,Hoc vnum scio, quod nihilscio. confessed, this one thing I know, that of Christ I know nothing; how shall they rise vp at the day of iudge­ment & condemn vs, if hauing such excel­lent meanes of knowledge of saluation, and euen at our dores, we doe contemne them; Wherefore to conclude, if Alexan­der the great, so highly esteemed of Ho­mers Poëms,So [...]raet. that amongst the Babilonish spoils, there being offered vnto him a most precious casket, wherein the great King Darius layd his chiefe treasures; he onely laid Homers books therin, as his cheefest treasure:Praecipu [...] [...]. How much more highly ought we to esteeme of this Booke, whereof the [Page 7] holy Ghost himselfe is the Author, so full of doctrines for instruction & consolatiō, and to lay it vp not in any chest of Cy­presse, or other made with hands, and gar­nished with gold and precious stones; but in the very closet of our hearts, as the A­postle counsaileth; Be not drunken with wine, wherein is excesse: but be filled with the spirit, speakinge to your selues in psalmes, and hymnes, and spirituall songs, singing and making melodie to the Lord in your heartsEph. 5. 18. And thus much shall suf­fice to haue spoken of the treasure in ge­nerall, let me now proceed to open & vn­fold this invaluable pearle, which I haue chosen forth of the same, and more parti­cularly to handle this psalme, which I pur­pose by gods gracious assistance, and your Christian patience to speake of.

It seemeth by the title or inscription,Title. that this Psalme was penned by King Da­uid himselfe.Argument. Which Psalme (because it is not mixed either with fearefull imprecati­ons, or sorrowfull complaints vnto God, but altogether ioyfull and milde, as pro­ceeding from a quiet and peaceable spirit, relying with great confidence & assurance on gods prouidence) seemeth to haue been [Page] penned, when as after many and great troubles, he had obtained the peaceable fruition of his Crowne and Kingdome: wherein hee doth thankefully acknow­ledge Gods great goodnesse towards him, and vpon the great experience of former mercies, gathereth this full assurance, that God by his prouidence will still preserue him, to the end, that by his authoritie, he may maintaine & exercise himselfe in the pure seruice and worship of God, & so handleth the same Argument, that in ma­ny other psalmes he dothPs. 18. 118.

For the Psalme it selfe,Diuision. if we view it well, we shall find it to bee verie methodi­call, and therefore that we may the more orderly and profitably goe ouer it: we are to note, that it chiefely diuideth it selfe into these two parts. The first containeth a no­table discription of Gods great care and prouidence, and of his manifold sweet mercies bestowed on Dauid and all his e­lect, in the fiue first verses: In the second part, the Prophet sheweth what vse he made thereof, and in his person teacheth all Gods people, what vse to make of for­mer receiued mercies, viz, Fully to be per­swaded, that God will continue the course [Page 8] of his fauour, & louing kindnesse towards them, vnto the end in the last verse in these words: Doubtlesse, kindnesse and mercie shall follow me.

For the first,Subdiui­sion. he maketh no large Cata­logue or rehearsall, neither vseth any long and perticular ennumeration or recko­ning vp of Gods benefits bestowed vpon him, as elsewherePs. 18, & 66.: but by a few short fa­miliar & pleasant parables, he doth most elegantly point out, and significantly ex­presse the same, the verie Metaphors them selues (as folded vp) offering much more to our consideratiō, than by a long discourse or oration, could possibly haue been de­clared.

The Allegories here vsed for this pur­pose, are twaine: The first is taken from a faithfull Shepheard, carefully attending vppon his straying sheepe, and plentifully prouiding al good things for their necessi­tie, and securitie; and this containeth the foure first verses of the Psalme. The se­cond is taken from an host, or courteous friend, most liberally entertaining his in­uited guests with all delicats, both for ne­cessity and delight, and that is laid downe in the 5. verse: (Thou doest prepare a table [Page] before me in the sight of mine Aduersa­ries▪ For the first Allegorie or pastoral Idyl­lion, it consisteth of two parts: First the Allegorie it selfe, in the first, second, and third verses: Secondly the vse therof, in the fourth verse, (Though I should walke through the valley, &c.) for the Allegorie it selfe, it is first briefely and summarily laid down in the first verse, and then con­tinued and illustrated by the parts thereof, in the second and third verses. The first verse containing the summe of the Allego­rie, consisteth of two parts, viz: A proposi­tion in these words, (The Lord is my Shep­heard.) Secondly, the inference thereon, (therefore I shall not want.) And thus you haue the logicall resolution and Analysis of this methodicall Psalme, into his parts and members; by obseruation whereof, our memories may bee greatly helped in the handling of it: it now followeth, that hauing laid the foundation, wee begin to build, & more narrowly to view the parts of this holy scripture, for our further in­struction and comfort, and first to beginne with the proposition in these wordes ex­pressed:

The Lord is my Shepheard. Summe, of the propo­sition. Although [Page 9] Dauid had now passed through the stor­mie waues, & was safely arriued vpon the shore, and maugre the beards of all his mightie and subtil enemies, obtained the kingdome, that now he might triumph in the Lord, and say as elsewhere he doth, The stone vvhich the builders refused, is made the cheefe stone in the corner, this is the Lords doing &c.Psa. 118. 22.. Yet being not ig­norant with what manifold cares a crown is beset, and seeing many dangers immi­nent, he had some cōbat or conflict with­in himselfe, but hauing had such great ex­perience of Gods fauour, in former deli­uerances, and protections, his faith get­teth victorie ouer naturall distrustfulnesse, and he bursteth out into these words of Christian resolution and assurance, (The Lord is my Shepheard, I shall not want.) q. d. Oh my soule be not discouraged nor cast downe within me, dangers obiect them­selues to thy view, but let not troublesome thoughts dismay thee, cast thy care vpon the Lord, he that so promoted thee from following the Ewes great with young, to be gouernour of his people, will also pre­serue thee, the almightie, wise, and euer­liuing God is thy Shepheard, and therfore [Page 10] contemne whatsoeuer may astonish thee, and sing thy former song; I trust in God, how say yee then to my soule; flye to your mountaine, as a bird Ps. 11. 1. And againe, I will not be afraid, for ten thousands of mine ene­mies, that should beset mee round about &cPs. 3. 6..

Q. But vvhat? was God Dauids sheap­herd onely?

A. No surely, though it be the propertie of faith to make application, and in ge­nerall promises to vse the first person, as wee are taught by diuers examplesHeb. 13. 7.: Yet Christ Iesus the great sheapheard himselfe hath said,1. Ti. 1. 15. They that heare his voice and be­leeue, are his sheepe Ioh. 10 26.: So that Dauid pro­nounceth this in the person of the whole church, & all the members thereof, wher­fore if wee heare Gods voice and beleeue, we are fold-mates with Dauid, and I, and you, haue as great interest in the Lord, as he had, and may boldly, and as freely, say as he did, The Lord is my Shepheard, The Lord is our Shepheard, &c.

1 No man,Sence of the words. but meanly exercised in the scriptures, can be ignorant, that the me­taphor of a Shepheard, is not more plaine and familiar, than frequent, and commō ­ly [Page 11] vsed, sometimes the great care and pro­uidence of God, ouer his humble sheepe, & lowly lambes, is hereby shadowed out, as in this place, and elsewhere. Say vnto the Cities of Iudah behold your God, hee shall feede his flocke like a Shepheard, hee shall gather the lambes with his arme, and carrie them in his bosome, and shall guide them vvith young &c.Esay 40. 11. Againe, thus sayth the Lord God: Behold, I vvill search my sheepe, and seeke them out, and I vvill de­liuer them out of all places, vvhere they haue beene scattered, in the cloudie, and darke day, &c.Ezec. 34. 11, 12. &c..

And Christ himselfe hath plainely said, I am that good Shepheard Ioh. 10. 11, 14.. And S. Peter speaking of the faithfull, saith: ye were as sheepe going astray, but are now returned to the Shepheard, & Bishop of your soules, &c.1. Pet. 2. 25.: and else-where calleth Christ the cheefe Shepheard 1. Pet. 54

2 Sometimes also Kings, and Princes, are compared to Sheapheards, whereby their care and vigilancy, for the good of their people and subiects are expressed, so Asaph speaking of Dauid, saith: He chose Dauid his seruant, and tooke him from the Sheep-fold, euen from behinde the [Page 12] Evves great vvith young, brought hee him, to feede his people in Iacob, and his inheri­tance in Israel Ps. 78. 70.. So the Prophet Esay, pro­phecying of that notable deliuerance of Gods people out of captiuitie, to assure them thereof, he nameth the person, by whom it should be, more than an hundred yeeres before he was borne, in this man­ner, he saith to Cyrus, Thou art my Shep­heard Esay 44. 28.. By which title the Lord giueth all Kings and Princes of the earth to vn­derstand, that it is their dutie, discharge it aswell as they wil, to prouide faithfully, for the good of the soules, and bodies of their people, to guide them by counsaile, and to defend them by power.

3 Thirdly, and most cōmonly, good mi­nisters of the word, are compared to good Shepheards, and therby the great diligence and care that they ought to haue, to feed the flocke committed to their charge, with the green & wholesome pasture of Gods vvord, and to goe before them in all holy example of life: are shadowed out; so the Lord promiseth, I vvill bring you pastors according to mine heart, vvhich shall feede you vvith knovvledge, and vnderstanding Iere. 3. 15. And again, I vvill bring them to their folds. [Page 13] and they shall growe and increase, and I will set vp Shepheards ouer them, which shall feede them, neither shall any of them be lacking Iere. 23. 4. Vnder this metaphor Christ gaue Symon Peter his charge, Peter louest thou me? feed my lambes &c.Ioh. 21. 15.. And S. Peter accordingly, all ministers, feed the flocke of God, which dependeth vppon you, &c.1. Pet. 5. 2.

4 Fourthly & lastly, the ignorance, idle­nes, couetousnesse, and dissolute propha­nes of bad ministers, or (as the Church cal­leth them) companionsCan. 1. 6, are notably sha­dowed out, by comparing them to idle, greedie, and carelesse Shepheards; and these Sheapheards cannot vnderstand, for they all looke to their ovvne vvaies, euerie one for his aduantage, and for his owne purpose Esay 56. 11.. Againe, the Shepheards are be­come beasts, and haue not sought the Lord, therefore haue they none vnderstanding, and all the flockes of their pastures are scattered Ie. 10. 21: but most notably & largely is their idlenesse and seueritie taxed, by the Prophet Exechiel in these vvords: vvoe be to the Shepheards of Israell, that feed themselues, yea eating the fat, killing them that are fed, and cloathing themselues with [Page 14] the wooll, but yee feede not the sheepe, the weake haue yee not strengthned, the sicke haue yee not healed, neither haue yee bound vp the broken, nor brought againe, that which was driuen away, neither haue yee sought that which was lost, but with cru­eltie and rigour haue ye ruled them, and they vvere scattered without a Shepheard, and when they were dispersed, they vvere deuoured of all the beastes of the field Ezech. 34 2, 3, 4, 5.. But because in this place it is most plaine, that by Shepheard the Prophet vnderstan­deth the Lord, of that we will only speake, and passe by the rest: which metaphor will be much the more sweet and profitable, if we breake it open, by considering the du­ties of a good Shepheard (wherby the mer­cies of God towards his people are notably resembled) and also the nature and duties of sheepe,Illustration (whereby are shadowed out those good thinges, which either are or ought to be in all Gods people againe.)

First,The quali­ties of a good Shep­heard. a good Shepheard doth know his sheepe, and to that end will giue them his marke, that if any of them goe astray, he may seek them againe, and bring them home to the Sheep-fold. So Christ Iesus the good Shepheard knovveth his sheepe, [Page 15] and calleth them by their names Ioh. 10. 3. 14.: and as the Apostle sayth, the foundation of God remaineth sure, and is sealed with this seale, the Lord knoweth who are his2. Tim. 2. 19.. Yea, this great Shepheard, hath a Booke wherein all the names of his elect sheepe are written, called the Booke of life Exod. 32. 32. Phil. 4. 3. Reu. 3. 5. 20. 12. 21. 27.: yea the Lord marketh his in their foreheads with the seale of the liuing God Reu. 7. 3.: which, as the A­postle saith, is the holy spirit of promise Eph. 1. 13., which doth shew it selfe by the fruits ther­of, in the outward behauiour, profession, and conuersation, &c.

2 Secondly, a good Shepheard will haue care to feed his sheepe, not in rotten soyle, and wasting grasse, but in good, wholsome & green pastures, for thereon is he called Pastor, a Pascendo; So Christ is that good Sheapheard, who feedeth euerie liuing thing Ps. 145. 16.. Hee fed his people in the wilder­nesse 40. yeeres, with mannah and feathe­red fowles from heauen Exo. 16. 13., and with waters out of the stonie rocke Exo. 17. 6. And Moses mi­raculously for 40. daies, during which time, he neither did eate bread, nor drinke water Exo. 34. 28.. All men with naturall foode, causing the raine to fall, and Sunne to shine both on iust and iniust Mat. 5. 45, but specially, hee feedeth [Page 16] the soules of his chosen sheep, in the green pastures that grow on the mountaines of Israell Ezec. 34. 14., with the bread of life Christ Iesus himselfe, in his word and Sacraments, his glorious Gospell, being our heauenly food, his spirit and life, our coelestiall drinke, for we may not maruell, that in diuers sences Christ Iesus should be the Shepheard that feedeth Ioh. 10. 14, the dore whereby wee enter Ioh. 10. 9, and the foode, wherewith our soules are fedde, and fatted vp vnto eternall lifeIoh. 6. 35..

3 A good Shepheard, knowing both the straying nature of his sheep, and also their timerousnesse, weaknesse, and simplicitie, either to flie from, resist, or defend them­selues from their manifold, cruell, and sub­till enemies, will haue great care to keepe them together, and defend them, as Iacob declaring his fidelitie to Laban, in keeping his flocke, said thus: This twentie yeares I haue beene with thee, thine Ewes and Goates haue not cast their young, and the Rams of thy flocke haue I not eaten, what­soeuer was torne of beastes, I brought it not vnto thee, but made it good my selfe, of mine hand didst thou require it, were it stollen by day, or stollen by night, I was in the day consumed with heate, and with [Page 17] frost in the night, and my sleepe departed from mine eies, &c.Ge. 31. 38. 39, 40.. So Christ Iesus be­ing a most faithfull Shepheard hath great care ouer his sheepe, both by the ministrie of his word and spirit, to keepe them from going astray, that they can no sooner turne aside to the right hand, or the left, but they shall heare a voice behind them, saying: This is the way, walke ye in it Esay 30. 21., and also to defend them from the tooth of the Lion, woolfe, and dog, that they doe not catch or scatter them, being a wall of fire round about them, as speaketh the ProphetZac. 2. 5..

4 Fourthly, and lastly, (that I may not be tedious, by insisting vpon euerie particu­lar) a louing and carefull Shepheard, if any of his flock be gone astray into the wilder­nesse, he will take paines to seeke it, and exceedingly reioyce in the finding thereof, as Christ noted in the parable of the lost sheepMat. 18. 12., if any be diseased, to set to his hand & dresse thē, if their disease be contagious, to remooue them from the fold & flock, til they be cured, least others bee infected: if any be weake and feeble, to carrie them in his armes. Euen so our Lord that louing and carefull Shepheard, is come into the wildernesse of this world, to seeke and to [Page 18] saue that which was lost Luk. 19. 10.. If he find any faultie, he will launce them with the sword of his spirit, and addresse himselfe to their amendment, annointing their soares with the soueraigne salue of his mercie, but if their liues be lasciuious, and the disease grow infectious, then by discipline and ex­communication, hee will separate them from the flocke, remooue them from the fold, and deliuer them vnto Sathan for the destruction of the flesh 1. Cor. 5. 5. Lastly, his yong and weake ones, his tender lambes, he will nourish and cherish in his bosome Esay 40. 11, as speaketh the Prophet, not breaking the brused reede, nor quenching the smoaking flaxe Mat. 12. 20.; nor suffering them to bee tempted aboue that they are able, but will euen giue the issue with the temptation, as sayth the Apostle1. Cor. 10 13. And thus vnder the duties of a good Shepheard, we haue noted the great care and mercifull prouidence of God, towards his Church and Saints: now on the other side, let vs briefely looke into the nature, properties and condition of the sheepe, that thence we may also learne to know our selues, and our duties towards Christ againe.

1 For the nature of the sheepe,The sheepes nature. it is first [Page 19] recorded by all those that haue written thereof, and by experience we find it true, she is foolish and simple, proane to goe a­stray, euen when there is plentie of pasture at home, yea, being once gone aside, she hath not the wit to returne, but the further she goeth, the further from her fold: and wheras other beasts can shelter themselues in dens, caues, and calme places, against stormie and tempestuous weather, yet will she expose her selfe to dangers remedilesse, vnlesse she be preuented by the care, and prouident foresight of her Shepheard: And surely, so we are naturally foolish, and vnwise, not perceiuing the thinges of the spirit, but running with greedinesse, in the wandring pathes of death, as the Prophet confesseth, all vve like sheepe haue gone a­stray, we haue turned euerie one to his owne way Esay. 53. 6.. So Christ witnesseth of the prodi­gall Sonne, that as long as he followed his ryotous & sinfull course, he was as besides himselfe, not knowing what hee did, nor whether hee went Luk. 15. 17.. And the Apostle also hath said of the Gentiles, that they wal­ked in their owne wayes Act. 14. 16.

2 Though she haue many enemies, yet hath she neither courage to resist, swiftnes [Page 20] to flie, or wisedome to hide her selfe, but rather will wander into desolate places, where shee doth the more dangerously ex­pose her selfe to her deuouring foes, the subtill Foxe, greedie dog, rauenous wolfe, and deuouring Lion; so that of all crea­tures she stādeth in greatest need of a guide & defender. Euē so, man of himself is vtter­ly vnable to giue check-mate vnto sin, and temptations thereunto, which like a subtil fox, lieth lurking & fawning at euery cor­ner, to pray vpon a Christian soule: or to withstand Sathan, which like a rauenous wolfe, or roaring Lion goeth about seeking whom he may deuoure, as speaketh the Apo­stle 1. Pet. 5. 8. So that most miserable we were, if it were not for the continuall, watchful, and prouident care of our louing shepheard Christ Iesus.

But now as her nature is such,The sheepes properties. so (as if she were priuie to her owne foolishnesse and weaknesse) hath she speciall good pro­perties, whereby natures infirmities are well reformed, and our dueties shadowed 1 out: first she knoweth, heareth, and obey­eth her Shepheards voice or whistle; euen so the faithfull doe know, heare, and obey the voice of Christ, wherein they find such [Page 21] comfort and full contentation, that they desire to heare his voice, yea, his name is as svveete as an ointment powred out Cant. 1. 2.. Yea, the voice of a stranger they vvill not heare Ioh. 10. 5, but hold him accursed that preacheth ano­ther doctrine, though an Angell from hea­uen, or his charm neuer so sweetGal. 1. 8.. If then we will approue our selues the true sheepe of Christs fold, wee must first labour for knowledge, and the spirit of discretion, that vve bee not carried avvay vvith euerie puffe of doctrine Eph. 4. 14, but that wee trie the spi­rits vvhether they be of God or no 1. Io. 4. 1., and discerne the voice of Christ from the voice of strangers; secondly, that knowing his voice, we cheerefully and speedily run with Dauid whether we are called, in the vvaies of Gods commaund Psa. 119. 32.: for otherwise if we heare, and doe not, vve doe but deceiue our ovvne soules Iam. 1. 22: and Christ Iesus will re­nounce vs, as he did the Iewes, hee that is of God, heareth Gods vvords, yee therefore heare them not, because ye are not of God Ioh. 8. 47.

2 Secondly, the sheepe is profitable, yea to her verie enemies, with her skinne and wooll shee cloathed them; so saith Iob, the loynes of the poore blessed him, vvhich had beene vvarmed with the fleeces of his [Page 22] sheepe Iob. 31. 20.; with her flesh and milke she fee­deth vs; so saith God, reckoning vp the blessings of his people, butter of Kyne, and milke of Sheepe, with fat of the lambes, and Rams fed in Bashan Deu. 32. 14. so the sheepe of Gods pasture, doe good to all, but specially to them of the houshould of faith Gal. 6. 10.; with their riches they helpe the needie, feed the hungrie, cloath the naked, releeue the de­stitute; and their gifts of grace, they com­municate vnto others, instructing the igno­rant, strengthening the weake, comforting the feeble minded, admonishing the vn­ruly, yea thus beneficiall they are, not only to their friends, but also to their enemies, louing those that hate them, blessing those that curse them, praying for those that per­secute them, striuing to be perfect in loue, as their heauenly father is Mat. 5. 48.

3 She is patient, & contented quietly to receiue many and great wronges, euen to be laid vpon the stall, to the losse of fleece and life, (so that by a more excellent simile, the holy ghost could not possibly expresse, the admirable patience of Christ than this, he was led as a sheepe to the slaughter, and as a lambe dumbe before his shearer, so o­pened hee not his mouth)Esay 53. 7 euen so Gods [Page 23] sheepe are taught, being smitten on one cheeke, to turne the other Mat. 5. 39 not to auenge themselues, by rendring euill for euill; but rather to giue place vnto wrath, and ouer­come euill with goodnesse Rom. 12. 17, 21. &c.: yea for the Gospels sake cheerefully to suffer reproa­ches, spoile of goods, and losse of life. Wherefore (to stand no longer on this point) by these properties, and duties, we may trie and examime our selues, whether we be any of Gods sheepe, entred into the sheepe-fold, and receiued into the societie of Gods saints or no, and if we find them in vs, in any true measure, we may boldly proclaime with Dauid, The Lord is my Shepheard, and then marke what conditi­on we must looke for.

The sheepe,The sheepes condition. though she be a creature so simple, harmelesse, profitable, and patient, yet hath she many enemies, (as wee haue heard) which doe continually seeke, to bite, kill, deuoure, and pray vppon her, as Dauid witnessed, who keeping his Fathers sheepe, there came a Lion, and a beare, and caught a sheepe, but hee rescued her, and slew them both 1. Sa. 17. 34.. Euen so the sheepe of the Lords fold, though they bee neuer so innocent and harmelesse, yet must looke to [Page 24] haue many enemies, euen Sathan and all his Angels, with al the childrē of this wic­ked world, of whom they must look to be continually reproched, persecuted, slande­red, and killed. And thus we haue vnfolded the mysterie of this most sweet & comfor­table Metaphor, wherein on the one side, we haue viewed, the singular care, & pro­uidence of God, towards his people; and on the other side, what duties he requireth of them againe. Let vs now consider the doctrine for instruction.

That Dauid being so great and mightie a king,Doctrine. and one that was placed as a Shep­heard to feede Gods people, as it is said in the Psalmes,Ps. 78. 71 yet not trusting in the mul­titude of his riches, nor strength & prowes of his worthies, but especially glorieth in this, that the Lord is his Shepheard: it tea­cheth vs, that the onely safetie, happinesse, and felicitie of man, (though otherwise neuer so noble, wealthy or honorable) cō ­sisteth in this, that they are the Lordes sheep, shrowded vnder the wings of Gods diuine prouidēce, &c. For all flesh is grasse, and the glorie thereof as the flovver of the field Esa 40. 6. Kings and Princes, though they be Gods on the earth, yet they die like men, [Page 25] and see corruption, and so all their thoughts perish. Psal. 82. 7. Wherefore Dauid giueth most re­ligious counsell, Trust not in Princes, nor in the sonne of man, for there is none helpe in him, his breath departeth, and he retur­neth to his earth Psa. 146. 3: Yea, the Lord hath pro­nounced the man accursed, that trusteth in man, making flesh his arme, and withdraw­ing his heart from the Lord Iere. 17. 5. As for ri­ches and pompe, they are vncertaine, and therefore wee may not trust in them 1. Tim. 6 17: for when death commeth they will take their leauePsal. 49; yea, as the wise man saith, they be­betake themselues to their wings as an Eagle, and flie into heauen Pro. 23. 5; but blessed is the man that hath the God of Iacob for his re­fuge, and whose hope is in the Lorde his God Psa. 146. 5, for though Princes die, and riches flie away, yet hee will be with vs for euer, though wee passe through floudes of water, and flames of fire Esa. 43. 2, yea, though wee goe through the valley of the shadow of death, wee neede to feare none euill, for hee will bewith vs, his rod and staffe shall com­fort vs.

Oh then let not our eies be dazled with the vaine glittering shew of the world,Vse. or any thing therein, but seeke in assurance of [Page 26] faith, to pronounce with Dauid (The Lord is my shepheard) and therein let vs glorie, as in mans onely felicitie.

Q. But vnto whom is the Lord a Shep­heard?

A. Surely, vnto none but such, who in the true acknowledgement of their owne weakenesse and straying nature, do sub­mit themselues to his tuition, he is a shep­heard, but onely for such sheepe as are lost Ma. 15. 24, and more reioyseth in the conuersion of one sinner, then in ninetie and nine iust men, that neede no amendment of life Luk. 15. 7, hee is a Sauiour, but onely of sinners: this is a true saying, Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners 1. Tim. 1. 15. He is a Phisition, but onely to them that are sicke, as he hath said, The whole neede not a Physition, but they that are sicke Mat. 9. 12. He is a Surgeon, but one­ly to make them see that are blinde, for so he hath sayd in the Gospell,Mat. 9. 37. I am come vnto iudgement into this worlde, that they which see not, might see; and that they which see, might bee made blind Ioh. 1. 7. 8: Hee is the light of the world, as Iohn Baptist hath witnessed, but onely to them that sit in darkenesse and shadow of death Mat. 4. 16: yea last­ly, he is the bread and water of life, but [Page 27] onely to the hungrie and thristie, as Ma­rie saith in her song: Hee filleth the hun­grie with good things, and the rich hee sen­deth away emptie, Luke 1. 53. And therfore to conclude this point, when once God giueth vs the true sight of our vanitie, and vnfained repentance, humbly to confesse, and heartily to pray with Dauid, I haue gone astray like a lost sheepe, oh seeke thy seruant Psal. 119. 176, then let vs bee assured hee will seeke and find vs, wee shall become fold-mates with Dauid, & sing as he did, (The Lord is my shepeheard.) So much for the Proposition, let vs now see what he in­ferreth thereon in these words.

I shall not want. The sheepe of her selfe is subiect to many wants, and of herselfe not able in any measure to supplie them: euen so euery Christian is compassed a­bout and pressed downe, with innume­rable wants, both in regarde of the soule and bodie, neither is he able to minister to his necessities. Onely this is his com­fort, The Al-sufficient God being his shep­heard, he shall not wantHabentī dominum nil deerit, quod Dei, sint omniae Cyprian. de orat. dom..

But it may seeme that Dauid vttered these words,Sense. rather vpon vain confidence, and presumption, then any faithfull assu­rance, [Page 28] or experience of former mercies how greatly was he an hungred, when he was glad to begge the Shew-bread 1. Sam. 21 6, and what great thirst did he sustaine, when he so earnestly longed for a cup of water of the VVell of Bethlehem 2. Sam. 23 15? But what doe I speake of Dauid, when Christ Iesus him­selfe the deare sonne of God, had not so much as the Foxes, and foules of the aire, for they haue holes and nests, but hee had not whereon to rest his heade. Mat. 8. 20, beeing borne in a Stable (in stead of a Parlour) and layd in a Manger (in stead of a Cradle) there beeing no roome in the Inne Luke 2. 7, and being dead, was buried in another mans sepulchreMat. 27. 60; how great was the neede of his Disciples, who on a Sabboth day, were glad to satisfie their hunger, by plucking and eating eares of corne, as they went through the same Mat. 12. 1. Doth not saint Paule also make mention of his hunger & thirst, cold and nakednesse2. Cor. 11. 27? And the Author to the Hebrewes, speaking of the condition of Gods saints, saith, They were tryed by mockings and scourgings, bondes and im­prisonment, they were stoned, hewen a­sunder, tempted, slaine with the Svvorde, wandred vp and dovvne in Sheepes skinnes, [Page 29] and Goates skinnes, being (destitute) afflic­ted, and tormented Heb. 11. 36. How then doth Da­uid say, that none of Gods sheepe shall want?

The Answere hereunto is two-fold;Sol. first there is a want of things superfluous, and another of things needfull, without which (so great is the weaknes of flesh & bloud) we can hardly serue God so chearfully as we ought for the first, as we haue no war­rant to lust after thē: Christ hauing taught vs to pray for dayly bread Mat. 6. 11: and the Apo­stle bid vs be content vvith foode and ray­ment 1. Ti. 6. 8 so also is it great mercy in God, (knowing how proane wee are to abuse prosperitie, to pride and security) to crosse those our sinful desires; as Saint Iames tea­cheth: Ye aske and receyue not, because yee aske amisse, that ye might lay the same out in your pleasures Iam. 4. 3.. And therefore as con­cerning this sort of wantes, neither had Dauid or any other the Lords sheepe, any warrant to say the Lord being their shep­heard, they should not want them; but as concerning the other, viz. things needfull, the promise is made by him that is heyre of all things Heb. 1. 2.. First seeke the Kingdome of GOD, and the righteousnesse thereof, [Page 30] and all these things shall bee cast vpon you Mat. 6. 33. The Lyons lacke, and are hungerbit (saieth Dauid) but they that feare the Lord shall vvant nothing that is good Psa. 34. 10. They shall not want health, wealth, peace, &c. if God see them to be good for them, if they do want them, they may boldly say, they are not good for them, &c. Seeing then godlinesse hath a promise euen of the things of this life, all needfull wants shall seasonably be supplied, so that Gods people (casting their care vpon the Lord, and doing their honest endeuours) may boldly say, The Lord is my shepheard, I shall not want. And surely, it is both maruellous and comfor­table, to cōsider and obserue, Gods great prouidence towardes his poore saints in this respect, wherein Dauids experience is verfied, Nunquam vidi iustum derelic­tum, I haue beene young and now am olde, yet neuer savve I the righteous forsaken, or his seede begging breade Psa. 37. 25. The se­cond answere is this, there are two other sorts of wantes. The first is in regarde of outward condition, and the second, in re­gard of inwarde affection. There is ma­ny a rich man poor, swimming in wealth, and yet pining away with cōtinuall wants [Page 31] like Tantalus, whom the Poets faigne to die for thirst, standing in waters to the chinn: such a one the wise man speaketh of, VVho is alone and hath neither sonne nor brother, yet there is none ende of all his trauell, neyther can his eye be satisfied vvith riches Eccles. 4 8. And there is many a poore man, exceeding rich, because though he sustain some want in regarde of his outward con­dition, yet God hath enlarged his affecti­ons, & giuen him true contentation ther­with, more chearfully to praise God for a dinner of greene hearbes, then the wicked do for the feast of a stalled Oxe, hauing learned with the Apostle, to bee full, and to be hungrie, to abounde, and to haue vvant, in vvhatsoeuer estate they are, there vvith to be content Phil. 4. 21. So then the sense is, The Lord will not suffer his people to want a­ny good thing, but wil either giue them a­bundance, or chearfull contentation, with a litle, that euery one may boldly say, The Lord is my shepheard, I shall not want.

Hence first vve learn,Doctrine. 1. vvhat an excellent stay a stedfast faith in the prouidence of God is, Abraham being demaunded of his son Isaac, father behold the fire, & the wood, but vvhere is the Lambe for the burnt of­fring? [Page 32] returned this faithfull answere, My sonne, God will prouide Gen. 22. 7.. Dauid beeing compassed with many wants, yet through the power hereof, getteth victorie ouer al naturall feare and distrustfulnesse, & saith, The Lord is my shepheard, (I shal not want,) whereas then such as want this gift, are fraught with innumerable cares: and be­cause they desire to bee rich, doe fall into many temptations and snares 1. Tim. 6 9, and in e­uery neede, doe turne stones into bread, seeke to prouide for themselues, by euill, indirect, and vnlawfull means: he that be­leeueth (saith the Prophet Esay) vvill not make haste Esa. 28. 16, but chearefully relie vpon the prouidence of God, knowing, that though all hope of worldly meanes faile, yet the Lord being shepheard, who is the All-sufficient God, the birds of the aire shall bring vs good, as the Rauens brought bread and flesh euerie Morning and Eue­ning to Eliah the Lords Prophet 1. Kin. 17 6: the drie iaw bone of an Asse, shall become a fountaine of water vnto vs, as it was to thirstie Sampson Iud. 15. 19: The heauens shal raine downe Mannah and feathered foules, as they did to the people of Israel in the wil­dernesse Exod. 16, yea the fishes of the sea shall [Page 33] lend vs money, as they did to Peter Mat. 17 27, if the Lord see it good for vs.

Yea, and the more to strength our faith,Power. let vs consider, first, that where as many parents are willing to doe their children good, yet cannot; our God is omnipotent, and able to do whatsoeuer he willPsa. 115. 3. Se­condly, many are able to do others good,VVill. but will not: But our God is nigh to all such as call vpon him faithfully Ps. 145. 18: Whose bowels doe earne at the miseries of his saints, and his repentings rowle togither Ose. 11. 8, and hath promised, that he vvill fulfill the desires of them that feare him. Lastly, whereas ma­ny haue both power and will,VVisdome. but want wisedome, whereby their doing good to others, is many times vnseasonable: VVith our God is vvisdome, saith Iob Iob. 12. 13, yea his wis­dome (as all other his essentiall attributes are) is infinite, saith Dauid Ps. 147. 5, hee knoweth best when, where, and how to helpe.

Oh thē let vs cōmit our wayes vnto the Lord,Vse. and though he satisfie not our hastie affectiōs, according to our rash prescribed times, yet let vs follow the counsell of the Prophet Habacuck VVith patience wait his leysure Haba. 2. 3, in the meane time playing Iacobs part, let vs wrestle with God, by the power [Page 34] of faith, and feruencie of prayerGen. 32. 26, beeing assured, that hee is able and willing, and when in wisedome hee seeth it best for vs, hee will not faile to set to his hande and helpe vs.

2 The second lesson which from hence we learne,Doctrine. 2 is, that the condition of Gods Saints in this life is most glorious, howso­euer the naturall man perceiue it not, for of them (as one verie well obserueth) these contraries (in diuerse senses) may truly be affirmed.

1 They are the richest & the poorest: the richest, because as our Prophet saith, they want nothing: and as the Apostle sayth, they possesse all things 2. Cor. 6 10, for beeing Christes through him, all is theirs 1. Cor. 3. 21. 22. And they are the poorest, vsing this world as though they vsed it not 1. Cor. 7 31, being readie to suffer the spoyle of their goods, and losse of liues for Christ his sake.

2 They are the wisest, and the fooli­shest: The wisest, because they build vppon the rocke Mat. 7. 24, and lay vp treasure in heauen, vvhere neither the moth, nor canker corrupt, nor theeues can digge through and steale Mat. 6. 20. And because in some measure, they con­ceyue those misteries, which are hid from [Page 35] the wise and prudent of the world Mat. 11. 25.

And they are accounted the foolishest, because with Moses, they rather choose to suffer afflictions with the people of God, then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season, esteeming the rebuke of Christ grea­ter treasures, then the riches of the worldHeb. 11. 25.

3 They are the highest and the lowest, the highest, for their conuersation is in hea­uen Phil. 3. 20, and they are the lowest, as being tro­den vnder foote of all men like clay in the streetes, accounted as the of-scouring of the world, a gazing stocke to Angels and men 1. Cor. 4. 9, 13, yea, as a But, where against euery man sho­teth out his arrowes, euen bitter words, of reproch, slaunders and disgrace, &c.

4 They are the fayrest and the fowlest. The fayrest, because they are members of the Church, the spouse of Christ, for which he gaue himself, that he might sanctifie it & clense it, by the washing of water through the worde, that hee might make it a glorious Church vnto himselfe, not hauing spotte or wrinckle, or any such thingEph. 5. 26 27, wherof Christ hath pronounced, that shee is the fayrest a­mongst womenCant. 1. 7, yea, in beautie compara­ble to the Sunne & MooneCant. 6. 9: and they are the foulest, both in their owne eies, and the [Page 36] eies of the world, being as blacke as the tents of Kedar, the Sunne hauing looked vppon themCant. 1. 4.

5 They are the merriest and the saddest; The merriest, because they haue the assu­rance of the remission of sins, and of Gods fauour in Christ, which maketh them al­wayes to reioyce in the Lord Phil. 4. 4: and for that they haue the peace of a good conscience, which is as a continuall feast Prou. 25. 15, and do know that all things worke togither for the best vn­to them Rom. 8. 28. And they are the saddest, as ha­uing continuall occasion to weepe, both for the sinnes of others, as did Dauid Psal. 119 136, & for their owne sinnes, as did Iosiah, whose heart did melt, and hee wept before the Lord 2. Chr. 34 27. And surely the consideration of their often offending of the Maiestie of thier most mercifull and louing Fa­ther, maketh them many times to faint in their mourning, yea their beds to swimme, and to water their Couches with teares Psal. 6. 6. And whereas others spend their daies in brutish delights, they sow in tears Ps. 126. 5. But this is their comfort, that God reser­ueth their teares in a bottle Psal. 56. 8, and will one day wipe them away from their eies, with euerlasting comfort Esay. 25. 8, whereas the other [Page 37] shal haue their portiō in the lake burning with fire & brimstone, where shall be weeping, wai­ling, & gnashing of teeth Mat. 8. 12. In regard wher­of our Sauiour hath pronoūced, Blessed are they that weepe, for they shall laugh, but wo be to you that nowe laugh, for you shall vvaile and vveepe Luk. 6. 21.

6 Lastly, they are the strongest, & the wea­kest. The strongest, for that they are able to preuaile with God, as did Iacob, who wrest­led with God, & obtained the blessing Gen. 32 28, as Lot did, euen hinder him from powring out his indignation vpon the heads of the wicked Gen. 19 22, and as Moses did, stand in the gap to turne away his fierce vvrath Psal. 106. 23, yea, they are able to doe all thinges by the power of Iesus Christ, strengthning them, as speaketh the ApostlePhil. 4. 13. And they are the weakest, as not able of themselues to thinke a good thought 2. Co. 3. 5. For which, and many other re­spects, the members of the Church are not vnfitly compared to the braunches of the Vine, which of themselues are the weakest and tenderest of al plants, not able of them selues to grow vpright, vnlesse they be vn­derpropped, and fastned vp.

The vse whereof is,Vse. that we be not dis­couraged with the contempt of Gods [Page 38] children, in this wicked world, but rather looke vnto their spiritual beautie, and hid­den comlinesse, wherein, they are as faire as the Curtaines of Salomon Cant. 1. 4: And though they haue lien amongest pottes, yet shall bee as the wings of a Doue, which are couered with sil­uer, and their feathers like yellow gold Ps. 68. 13..

Lastly,Doctrine. 3 from hence we may learne, that Gods dearest seruants, in this life, are sub­iect to many alterations & changes: looke vpon Iob, who somtimes fearefully cursed himself, & the day of his birth, & cōplained of gods rigorous dealing towards him, as though he had set him as a But to shoot at, & would not suffer him to take his breath, nor swallow his spittle, somtimes again so cōfortable, that though the Lord should kill him, yet vvould he trust in him Iob 13. 25. But what need we other example thē this of Dauid, who was somtimes so greatly cast downe, that the earth rang againe with his wofull complaints and mourning, Oh my God, my God, vvhy hast thou forsaken me Psal. 22. 1? vvhat, are thy mercies cleane gone, and wilt thou shut vp thy louing kindnesse in displeasure for euermore? Hast thou forgotten to be merci­ful? and vvilt thou no more be intreated? &c. Sometimes againe so comfortable, in the [Page 39] assurance of Gods fauour, and so strong in faith, That the Lord being his shepheard, he shall not vvant, and he vvill not feare to goe through the valley of the shadovv of death, and he vvould not feare though compassed a­bout vvith thousands of his enemies Psal. 3. 6. Yea, though mountanes did remoue, and hils vvere hurled into the midst of the sea, for the Lord is my strong rocke, castell, & defence, he hath made my feete like Hindes, I shall breake a bovv of steele, and by the povver of God I shal leape ouer the vvall, &c. Yea, I appeale to your owne consciences, whether you haue not experience of the like in your selues, somtimes such ioy and delight in the wor­ship of God, and such comfort in diuine Meditations, as will make vs awake at midnight (with Dauid,) to sing Psalmes vnto God. Sometimes againe, such dulnes and drowsinesse, vnaptnesse and vnto­wardnesse to euery good dutie, that there is nothing but mourning like the Doue, and chattering like the Crane, or Swalow. Well, the Lord, hee knoweth what is best for vs, not euer a full Sea, nor euer a low ebbe, not euer Summer, nor euer Winter: The Sonne is sometimes couered with a clowde, yet still in the Firmament; the fire [Page 36] couered with Ashes, yet still on the hearth, the tree sometimes without bud, blossom, leafe, and fruit, yet aliue in the rooteSpiritus tentatoris folia deiiciit viuit tamē radix., and surely this is our comfort, that God is no changeling, vvhom he loueth hee loueth to the end Ioh. 13. 1, he may for a moment in his anger leaue his elect, but vvith euerlasting com­passion he hath embraced thē Esay. 54. 8, neither shall any thing bee able to separate them from his loue.

The vse whereof is,Vse. that we must not be too much cast downe, although it please the Lord, with northren blasts to wither, and shake off our blossoms, and for a time to depriue vs of our comfortable medita­tions, seeing this is the portion of his dea­rest Saints: onely this, let vs not please our selues, in the dulnesse and hardnesse of our hearts, but with all diligence vse the good meanes which he hath appointed, for the quickening of his graces in vs, and doubt­lesse he vvil comfort and stablish our harts Ps. 27. 14 and 30. 5., and by experience we shall find though heauinesse endure for a night, yet ioy shall come in the morning.

IN these words of the second and third ver­ses, the holy Prophet proceedeth in way of a thankfull narration, of Gods great mer­cies towards him, for to illustrate the former generall propositi­on, by a distribution of the speciall duties of a good and faithful Shepheard; whereby he declareth, the happie estate and condi­tion, (and how free they are from want) of those, ouer whom the Lord hath taken [Page 38] care and charge, to prouide for them as a faithfull Shepheard, doth for his sheepe. And herein two things are to be conside­red:The subdi­uision of the 2. & 3. verses. first a rehearsall of the duties; se­condly the reason of perfourmance: the particular duties here mentioned, (where­vnto the rest may be reduced, and vnder which great mysteries are comprehended) 1 are these fiue in number. First, it is the du­tie of a good Shepheard, to prouide whol­some 2 and good pasture for his sheepe: Se­condly, 3 fit waters to drinke: Thirdly, a coole shadow in the heat of the day, where (being freed from the scorching heate of the Sunne) they may rest, and chewe the 4 cudde: fourthly to haue a tender care ouer 5 the feeble and weak, to refresh them: Last­ly, to lead, and guide them, whereby they may be preserued from going astray, and defended from their deuouring enemies, whereunder the singular care and proui­dence of God towards his people are sha­dowed out, wherunto in the second place, the Prophet addeth the reason, that moo­ueth God to perfourme these duties, and euerie way to bee so good to his poore Saints, by the ministrie of his Gospell to conuert them, by his spirit to lead them [Page 39] into all godly actions, and euerie way to blesse them, viz. Not for their beautie for that is but grasse Esay 40. 6, nor for their righteous­nesse, for that is to his eies, but as a filthy menstruous cloath Esay 64. 6., but it is for the same cause, wherewith he hath euer been prouo­ked, euen for his owne name and glorie sake: these are the particulers, for our com­fort, and instruction further to be conside­red of.

The first and cheefest care of a good Shepheard,The first dutie of a good Shep­heard, is to prouide good and wholesome pasture for his sheepe. is to prouide fresh and whol­some pasture for his sheepe, for though they haue all other things neuer so aboun­dantly, yet if they want this, they perish; and so it is with Gods sheep, which made our Sauiour Christ, that great Shepheard and Bishop of our soules, as the Apostle cal­leth him1. Pet. 2. 25, so earnestly to require Peter, and in him all the Apostles, and their law­ful Successors: Feed, feed, feed, my sheep Io. 21. 17, & and Peter with no lesse earnestnes, requi­reth the same of euerie Pastor, Feede the flocke of God which dependeth vpon you 1. Pe. 5. 2. 1. Pet. 5. 2. Yea, how great care the Lord hath, that his sheepe doe want no food, ap­peareth most notably from the prophecie of Ezechiel, because the Shepheards of Isra­ell, [Page 40] feed themselues, and feede not my flocke, I will my selfe feed my sheepe in good and fat pasture, vpon the mountaines of Israell Ezec. 34. 14.. And Christ that good Shepheard hath sayd; I am that dore, by mee if any man enter in, hee shall be saued, and shall goe in and out, and find pasture Io. 10. 9. But that I may not confu­sedly handle this point, let vs briefly con­sider these few things: first, what is this pasture or food; 2. What manner of pasture it is. 3. where it groweth, & is to be found. 4. lastly, how Gods Sheepe ought to feed thereon.

1 For the first,VVhat is the pasture of Gods sheepe. This good Shepheard, feedeth the bodies of his sheep, with earth­ly and corporall food, for it is hee that gi­ueth all good thinges aboundantly to enioy 1. Tim. 6 17.. Yea there is not a morsell of bread, that we eat, but it is the gift of God, begged at his handes, Giue vs this day, our dayly bread, &cMat. 6. 11.. And is sanctified to our com­fort, by the word and prayer 1. Ti. 4. 5. Secondly, he feedeth the soules of his sheepe, with spiri­tuall and heauenly food, euen the hidden mannah, and bread of life, which is come downe from heauen, Iesus Christ himselfe, of which bread whosoeuer eateth by a true faith, shall liue for euer Ioh. 6. 33.: and this is called hid­den [Page 41] Mannah Reu. 2. 17.. That mannah which the fathers did eat in the wildernesse, was seen, tasted, and eaten of all; but this bread of life the Lord Iesus, whereof that was a Sa­crament or figure, is a hidden mannah, none can come nigh it, none can see it, none can tast of it, but such as haue a true and liuely faith; they all indeede which be­leeue, shall receiue somewhat of it, euen as it were some morsels therof in this pre­sent life, (which shalbe sufficient to make them liue, yea to make them fat and well liking) and in the life come, they shall bee most plentiously filled, and feede thereof with continuall delight; for it is not as our daintie meats wherwith we fill the belly, which (though they be neuer so sweet and delicate) when we are full, wee loath, but the sweet tast hereof continueth still, with­out any sacietie for euermore: blessed are they which hunger for this heauenly man­nah, as they cannot but long for it, which once doe truely tast it, nay the more wee feed, the more we shall hunger, for all the sweete dainties of the world, are but as draffe vnto it.

2 Secondly,VVhat ma­ner of pa­sture, Gods sheepe feede vpon. if you would knowe what manner of pasture this is, it is not barren, [Page 42] rotten, or soyled grasse: but the Prophet saith, it is greene or flourishing pasture, and that principally in these two respects: First, because though all Gods sheepe, who euer liued heretofore, though thousand thousands haue fed therein; yet it wasteth not, but is still as greene, and sufficient to feed euerie beleeuer, as euer it was, for Ie­sus Christ yesterday, & to day, the same is for euer Heb. 13. 8, the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world Reu. 13. 8, and that Lambe of God which for euer taketh away the sinnes of the world Ioh. 1. 29. Secondly, because the longer we feed, the fatter we shall be, we neede no change, as Dauid saith: Such as be planted in the house of the Lord, shall flourish in the Courts of our God, they shall bring forth more fruit in their age, and shall be fat and well liking Ps. 92. 13, and as it is greene, and flourishing, so also sweet and nourishable, compared to wine and milke Esa. 55. 1.. Yea, by the same Prophet Esay, in another place, compared to wines fined and purified, and to fat thinges full of mar­row Esa. 25. 9..

3 Thirdly, where doth this greene and flourishing pasture grow?VVhere this good pasture groweth.

A. Surely, not on euery mountaine, nor in wast wildernesses, and vntilled forrests, [Page 43] but as God himselfe saith, thrice in one Chapter, alreadie cyted, it only groweth vp­pon the high mountains of Israel Ezec. 34. 13, 14.. And what are these high mountaines of Israel, but the high and holy Oracles of God committed vnto Israel Rom. 3. 2. The woord of God is that sweet and sincere milke wherewith he feedeth his lambes 1. Pet. 2. 2., and the sacred Scriptures, are those pleasant pasture fields, wherein grow those liuing hearbs, wherof whoso­euer eateth by faith, shall be fed vp to e­ternall life: in comparison whereof, all o­ther writings of men, are but as barrein and drie mountaines, which thing Gods sheepe doe well know, and therefore will not follow, but rather flie from those strā ­gers, that would lead them into other pa­sture, and feed them with other food Ioh. 10. 5. Here then is a good Caueat for all such as are deputed Pastors, by the great Shepheard, that (if they desire to be foūd faithful vnto the flocke, and to render an account with ioy) they make conscience to feede Gods sheep with the right pasture, according to the councell of S. Peter: If any man speak, let him speake as the wordes of God 1. Pet. 4. 11, and not follow the example of those treache­rous Pastors in the Church of Rome, who [Page 44] suffer the soules of Gods people to famish and pine away, hauing nothing to lay be­fore them, but Schoole-mens toyes, mens traditions, and vnwritten verities, as they call them, tying their consciences to a strickt obseruation of daies, whereof some are blasphemous, many fabulous, and all of them idolatrous; and also enioyning them a precise difference of meats, as tast not, touch not, handle not Coloss. 2. 21., and that for ve­rie pietie and religion sake, wherein they come no whit short of the old heretickes, the Tatianes, and Manichies, in mainte­nance of this doctrine of Diuels, as the holy Apostle calleth it1. Ti. 4. 1..

4 Now that wee haue seene what it is,How Gods sheepe must come to feed in his pasture. the manner of it, and where this pasture groweth, let vs in the last place, consider how Gods sheep must come to feed there­on, and that doth Marie tell vs in her song, he filleth the hungry with good things, and sendeth away the rich emptie Luk. 1. 53.. Pro­clamation was made by the Prophet Esay, for all them that thirsted, to come to the wa­ters of life Esay 55. 1. yea, and by Christ himselfe, who in the last and great day of the feast, stood and cryed, He that thirsteth, let him come and drinke Ioh. 7. 37., and pronounceth them [Page 45] blessed that hunger and thirst Mat. 5. 6: whereby we are giuen to vnderstand, that they are no marchants for Gods market, to buy wine and milke, that doe not thirst; nor sheepe to feed in his greene pastures, that haue full stomacks, for such is the qualitie of this grasse, so sweet, pleasant, and whole­some, that the more we tast, and feed on it, the more shall wee hunger after it: the more we read, heare, meditate, and exer­cise our selues in the holy Scriptures, the greater will bee our desire, and delight therein.

Here then commeth to be bewailed,The feare­full con­tempt of the word in euerie place very lamentable. the lamētable estate of many thousands, con­temners of the word of God, who make no conscience to repaire to those places of Gods worship, where the bread of life is broken, but spend the best houres of the best daies, in carding and dicing, piping and dauncing, chambering and wanton­nesse, ryot and drunkennesse, speaking e­uill of them, that will not run with them, in their damnable waies; Oh, what will not men doe to satisfie their hunger? and what careth hee for delicates that is full gorged? Euen this one thing doth witnes to the faces of many thousands in this [Page 46] land, that they haue neuer yet truly tasted of this heauenly food. When Mannah first fell, the people of Israel were so exceeding greedie and desirous of it, that notwith­standing God was mercifull to preuent sinne, by taking away the occasion, not suffering any to fal vpon the Saboath day, yet notwithstanding some of them, con­trarie to expresse commaundement, went out euen on the Saboath to gather, as if they could neuer bee satisfied, nor haue inough of it Ex. 16. 25.. But they had not long eaten of it their bellies full, but they beganne to loath it, saying: Our soules are dried vp, we can see nothing but this Mannah Num. 11 6. Euen so, when it pleased God, that by the meanes of our gracious Queene, the Gos­pell began first to be preached in this land, oh how forward and zealous men were, sparing for no labor or cost, so they might enioy and be made partakers of the mini­stry thereof, being full of burning loue to the glorie of Christ, and euen striuing who should be forwardest to perform any good worke, that might aduance the same; but now that the Gospell hath beene so long continued amongst vs: alas, whither can we cast our eies, vpon any place, where [Page 47] the Gospel hath beene preached, but euen a few yeares, & not see, with the church of Ephesus, a fearefull falling from their first loue Reu. 2. 4.? Oh Lord what great cause haue we, all of vs, and especially wee Ministers of the worde to bee instant with God, to quicken his graces in vs, and to keepe vs vpright, that with a true zeale to Gods glorie, and a feruent loue to Christ, and his Church, we may performe all holy dayes, that so the graces of God, may spring a­fresh in our people, and their appetites be prouoked to hunger after this heauenly foode, least otherwise God in iustice, shut vp his pasture gates, and remoue his Can­dle-sticke from vs, as he threatned the Church of Ephesus Reu. 2. 5.. It woulde make a mans heart to bleede, that hath in it any sparke of remorse, and is not harder then Flint, or Adamant, to passe by the prisons and grates in London and else-where, to see their gastly countenances, and heare their rewful complaints, for want of food: but surely if euery soule had but a grate to looke through, & crie for her selfe, a thou­sand times more wofull and lamentable, would their crie be in all places and com­panies, and yet is this the miserable diffe­rence, [Page 48] the hunger of the bodie is felt and perceyued, whereby all good meanes are vsed for comfort, but the want of the soule is not discerned: but as God sayd to the Church of Laodicia: Thou sayest I am rich, and encreased with goods, and haue neede of nothing, and knowest not that thou art vvretched, miserable, poore, blind, and naked Reu: 3. 17. So may it be said of the hunger­starued soule, Thou thinkest thou art in good plight, fat, and vvell liking, and knowest not that thou art poore, leane, miserable, and rea­die to starue, and hereby it commeth to passe, that Gods pasture, is contemned, and troden vnder footeEze. 34. 18, of none more, then of them that are ready to perish, and know it not. The Lord giue all such a true know­ledge, and feeling of their estates, that they may in a holy manner, more and more hunger after this heauenly foode, where­with their soules, may be fed vp, to euer­lasting life, &c. And so much for the first dutie of a good shepheard, which is, to prouide wholsome foode for his sheepe, which thing our heauely shepheard, doth most aboundantly for vs his poore sheepe, that we may say with Dauid, The Lorde being our shepheard, vve shall not vvant any [Page 49] pasture.

And leadeth me by the stil waters. 2. Dutie▪ The 2. dutie of a good shepheard is to prouide, wholesome and conuenient water for his sheep, and specially in those hote and dry Countryes and Regions, and therefore we reade of their great care this way. Iacob in his iourney to Padan-Aram, looked, and behold there was a Well in the field, and loe, three flockes of sheepe lay thereby, for at that Well were the flockes vvatered, and there was a great stone vpon the Wels mouth, and thi­ther vvere all the flockes gathered Gen. 29. 2. 3: so like­wise wee reade of the Priest of Midians daughters, who came and drevv vvater, and filled the troughes, for to vvater their fathers sheep, and the shepheards came & droue them away: but Moses rose vp and defended them, and vvatered their steepe Exo. 2. 16. But euerie wa­ter is not fit for sheepe, it must either be in troughes, or as the Prophet sayth, Leniter fluentes (stil waters)Leniter fluentes, ra­pidi torren­tes ad potū ouium in­commodi, atque etiam vt plurim. noxii sunt Moll. in ps. For as writers affirm, violent streames are inconuenient, and for the most part hurtfull Leniter fluentes, ra­pidi torren­tes ad potū ouium in­commodi, atque etiam vt plurim. noxii sunt Moll. in ps. Now how carefull this great shepheard is to water, as well as to feede his sheepe! Dauid in the person of them all thus witnesseth (He leadeth me to the still vvaters) where, by still waters, [Page 50] the Prophet signifieth, the sweet and com­fortable graces of Gods spirit, conueyd by the conduit pypes of his worde and Sacra­ments, for the refreshing of the drie and thirstie soules of his people, which Meta­phor is very common in the Scriptures, so the Lord telleth his Church, that he washed her with vvater Eze. 16. 9, and promiseth that hee vvillpowre cleane water vpon her, and clense her from al her filthinesse Eze. 36. 25. Yea, Christ hath said, Except a man bee borne of this vvater, and the spirit, he cannot enter into the Kig­dome of heauen Iohn. 3. 5. And vnto the woman of Samariah, VVhosoeuer drinketh of this vva­ter shall thirst againe, but vvhosoeuer shall drinke of the vvater that I shall giue him, shall neuer thirst any more, but the water that I shall giue him, shall bee in him a VVell of vvater, springing vp into euerlasting life Ioh. 4. 13 14. And yet most plainely elsewhere in the same Gospel. If any man thirst, let him come vnto me and drinke, he that beleeueth in me, as saith the Scripture, out of is bellie shall flow riuers of vvater of life, (this spake he of the spirit, which they that beleeued in him, should receiue. Ioh. 7. 37 38) And surely this Metaphor is not so frequent and common, as fit and significant: for as there is nothing more [Page 51] acceptable to a wearie, thirstie traueller, then a cup of cold water (so that wise Sa­lomon could not more excellently declare the ioyfulnesse of good newes, from a farre Countrey, then by this simile, that as cold vvaters are to a vvearie soule, so are good nevves from a farre Countrey Pro. 25. 23.) So is there nothing so welcome and comfortable to a thirsting soule, as the graces of Gods spi­rit, without which it pyneth, fainteth and languisheth away, as Dauid in many pla­ces of his Psalmes complainethPsa. 42. 2 and 143. 6. Dauid as one of Gods sheepe, had often beene led to these still waters, as he himselfe hath witnessed, saying: In the multitudes of the sorrovves of my heart, thy comforts haue re­ioyced my soule Ps. 94. 16 And the Apostle also, who witnessed, as the sufferings of Christ abound in vs, so our cōsolations abound much more 2. Cor. 1 5. Yea, which of Gods sheepe but must confesse with Esay, VVe haue ioyfully dravvne vvaters out of the Wels of salua­tion Esay. 12. 3. And with Ieremie, Thy compassions faile not, but are renued euery morning Lam. 3. 22.

If wee would know the excellencie of these graces, the Church by two worthie Metaphors, declareth the same: first sayth she: Thy name is like the sauour of a good [Page 52] oyntment powred out Cant. 1. 2. What doth more delight the sense of smelling, then the sa­uour of some precious oyntment, and spe­cially, the same powred out. We read in the Gospel, of a woman, which had a box of verie costly oyntment of Spiknard, & shee brake the boxe, and povvred the oyntment vpon the head of Iesus as he sate at the table, and the house was filled vvith the swet sauour thereof Mar. 14. 3. Iohn. 12. 3. But these graces which do runne from Christ as the head, into all the partes of his mysticall bodie, are farre, sweeter, then any spikenard, or that most precious oyntment, vvhich vvas povvred vppon the head of Aaron, and ran dovvne to the skirts of his cloathing Psa. 133. 2 Secondly, thy loue is bet­ter then wineCant. 1. 1. Wine is a most cōfortable blessing, giuen to make glad the heart Psal. 104 15. And therefore the wise man would haue wine giuen to him that hath grief of hart, that he may forget his pouertie, and re­member his his miserie no morePro. 31. 6 yea, what more pleasant to the taste then wine, in so much that many make it their greatest fe­licitie, to fill and stuffe themselues there­with: but yet in comparison hereof, the sweetest wines are as bitter as gall and wormewood. For what can wine, or any [Page 53] worldly delights, giue comfort to him that is vexed with Gods stormes, affrigh­ted with terrors of an euil cōscience, or on whose soul the horrors of hel haue seazed. No, no, it is onely the assurance of Gods loue, and comfortable graces of his spirit, that maketh such an ones heart reioyce with ioy vnspeakable and glorious; witnes the Apostles, who hauing tasted hereof, they forgot their present misery and trou­ble, & out of the Dungeon, sung Psalmes of praise vnto God at midnightActs. 16. 25 The Saints also, who in the dayes of Traian did sing Psalms vnto God before dayHymnos ante luca­nos., as Plinius secundus did write vnto the Em­perour in their behalfeEuseb. Pamphilus. lib. 3. ca. 30. And the holy Martyrs of God, in our forefathers dayes, who haue reioyced, and kissed the stake, yea and clapped their hands in the midst of the flaming fire, as the hystories of our Church beaare witnesseActs and Mon. pag. 1447. 10. 2.

Oh that our soules were througly athirst for these waters, that we coulde truly say with Dauid, As the heart braieth for the riuers of waters, so panteth my soule after thee O God, my soule thirsteth for God, yea euen for the liuing God Ps. 24. 1. [...]. And againe, My soul thirsteth after God, euē as the drie [Page 54] ground Psa. 143. 6, That wee might make it our most earnest desire and request with the woman of Samariah, Lord giue vs of this water Ioh. 4. 15, For then surely he would satis­fie our desire, he would bring vs into his wine-celler, and say to vs, as he did to his Church, and the members thereof, Eate oh friends, drinke and make you merrie Cant. 5. 1. Yea, we should (as we heard the Prophet Esay say) with ioy, Draw waters out of the welles of saluation, & haue in vs a Welsprin­ging vp into euerlasting life.

But alas,It is lamen­table to cō ­sider how these still waters are not regar­ded. it is lamentable to consi­der, that though most men thirst after riches, honour, & preferment, and therein are neuer satisfied, but like the graue that neuer saith ho, yet care they not for those sweete waters of Shiloah, flowing from the sanctuarie of God, and running soft­ly. Once to touch them with their lips, which indeede is a fearefull argument, that most haue neuer yet truely tasted of them, for (as we heard before) the nature of Gods pasture is such, that the more his sheepe do feed therein, the more they hunger after it: so the nature of his wa­ters is such, that the more his sheepe doe drinke thereof, the more they may, yea, [Page 55] the more insaciably doe they thirst after them, whereby it commeth to passe, that none are more importunate sutors vnto God, to haue his graces increased in thē, nor more diligent and zealous in the vse of the sanctified meanes, then such as by his mercie haue obtained the greatest measure thereof, an example herein wee haue the Church herselfe, who beeing brought into Christes wine-celler, and hauing tasted how sweet it was vnto her mouth, she cried out to bee staied with flagons of wine, being verie sicke of loue Can. 2. 4, 5. The meaning is this, that Christ giuing to his Saints the earnest and first fruits of the spirit, and as it were through little cre­uises distilling into their soules, a drop or twaine of his mercies and loue, they are so rauished with the sweetenesse thereof, that they become not onely loue-sicke, but euen readie to faint, and to swound with the desire of hauing more, yea her fil thereof, hauing flagons of that pure and precious liquor.

Oh then,Vse. I beseech you, yea I humbly beseech the Lord, both for mee and you, that it may euery day more and more ap­peare, that wee are true members of this [Page 56] Church, and sheepe of Gods pasture, by ardently thirsting after these heauēly wa­ters, that where as most men say, who wil shew vs any good, wee may with Dauid esteeme this aboue all things, and say, Lord lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vpon vs, for this is it, which (when all the world forsaketh) shall giue vs true peace, and comfort at the last. So much for the second dutye: The thirde followeth, which is;

To prouide rest at noone,3. Dutie. To prouide rest at noon that in some shadow, where the sheepe are freed from the scorching heate of the Sunne, they may lie downe and chew the cud, and this is no lesse needfull and comfortable, then either of the former, and specially in those hot Regions and Countryes, where the shepheards thēselues, could not tend their flocks, without their tēts or booths: whereunto Ezechiah alluding, sayeth: Mine habitation is remooued like a Shep­heards Tent Esa. 38. 12. But let vs consider what is that comfortable rest, which Iesus Christ the great shepheard prouideth for his sheepe? And that is two-fold; for as he feedeth the bodie and soule, so also hee prouideth rest for both.

[Page 57] First,Christ pro­uideth a bodily rest for his sheep and what it is. he prouideth rest for the bodie, in time of hotte persecution, whereunto the Church alluding, sayth: Shew mee, oh thou whom my soule loueth, where thou fee­dest, and where thou causest thy flocke to lie downe at noone Cant. 1. 6 At the noonetide the Sunne is hottest, neither can any thing hide it selfe frō the heate therof as Dauid saithPsal. 19. 6. And how comfortable a shadow is at that time, experience (euen in these cold coun­tries) declareth, and the example of Io­nah beareth witnesse, who sitting on the east side of the Citie Naniuie, to see what should be done in the citie, and the Sunne beating vpon his head that he fainted, the Lord God prepared a Gourd, and made it to come vp our Ionah, that it might be a sha­dow ouer his head, and deliuer him from his griefe: so Ionah was exceeding glad of the Gourd Ionah. 4. 5, 6, 7.: for what is more intollerable then heate? It is one of the curses threat­ned Deu. 28. 22 Ardor & aestus.. And when the fourth Angel pow­red out his Violl vppon the Sunne, and it was giuen him to torment men with heate of fire, then men boyled in great heate, and blas­phemed the name of God, as is mencioned in the booke of the ReuelationReu. 16. 8, what a sin­gular cōfort then is it vnto Gods people, [Page 58] that when the Sunne of persecution is hot­test Mat. 13. 21, yet their shepheard will one way or other prouide a shadow of refreshing 1 for them, either by preseruing them se­cretly from the rage of tyrannie, as he did in the dayes of Ahab and Iesabel, when not onely Elizah, and an hundred Pro­phets of the Lorde were saued, being hid by fiftie in a Caue, and fed with bread and water, by good Obadiah 1. Kin. 18 13, but also seuen thousand in Israel which neuer bowed their knees vnto Baal 1. Kin. 19 18. Or secondly by sen­ding them gracious kings and princes, 2 such as may be vnto Gods Saints, as an hyding place from the winde, and as a re­fuge for the tempest, as riuers of water in a drie place, and as the shadow of a great rocke in a wearie land, as was prophecied of Ezekiah Esay 32. 2. Or thirdly, the Lord giueth 3 them fauour in the eyes of forraine Prin­ces, as Dauid with his two wiues, and the sixe hundred men that were with him, seeking refuge against the cruell persecu­tion of Saul, by flying vnto Achish king of Gath, he securely enterteined thē, & gaue them Ziglag to dwell in 1. Sam. 27 3: And thus by Gods mercie, Geneua, Germanie, & other places, were a shadow to our persecuted [Page 59] fathers, as Englang this day, is vnto many of the like condition againe.

But lastly, if the Lord for his owne glo­rie 4 sake, and the good of his Church, doe suffer this Sunne to shine vpon them, and scorch them, yet doth hee send vnto them the Comforter Ioh. 16. 7, which maketh them to reioyce in afflictions Rom. 5. 3. And though they haue trouble the world, yet haue they sweete peace in Christ Ioh. 16. 33, that euen the burning flames of fire, are as a most comfortable shadow vnto them, as the ioyfull deathes of many the holy Martyrs of God doe witnesse.

The consideration whereof,Vse. yeeldeth Gods people a very profitable vse, viz. that whereas carnall and worldly wise men, whensoeuer they perceiue any trou­ble or daunger to bee imminent, for the profession of the Gospel, they account it their greatest safetie to flie from Christ, and conforme themselues to all times, places, and companies, and to carry them­selues so indifferently, that no man can say of what religion they are. But if wee will shew our selues true members of the Church, we must in all dangers flie vnto Christ, knowing that he both can and will [Page 60] prouide a rest for his sheepe, hee hath a layer at noone, and when the Sunne shi­neth hotest, he will make vs lie downe in peace, in the verie midst of our ene­mies: oh then, let vs neuer bee ashamed of Christ, nor afraid to professe his Gos­pel, for if once we be shrowded vnder the shadow of his wings, though the earth remoue, we need to feare none euill, and if once we enter by him, as the doore; wee shall bee safe, and go in and out, and finde pasture Ioh. 10. 9.

And nowe to make application of those things vnto our selues,The blessed rest that Gods sheepe haue founde in this land vnder the happie go­uernment of queene Elizabeth. wee were vnworthie to haue our heades sheltred vnder the same, if we doe not continual­ly, thankfully record, the sweete rest and comfortable shadow which Gods peo­ple haue so long enioyed, in this lande, vnder the happie gouernment of our gracious Princesse Elizabeth. O bona si sua norint Angli. During whose raigne, it may as truly be said of her people, as euer of the people in Sa­lomons dayes, that wee haue liued with­out feare, and euerie one sate vnder the sha­dow of his vine and fig tree 1. King. 4. 25. Which sha­dow, God as seasonably prouided, as e­uer he did Ionahs Gourd, euen when the [Page 61] soules of his sheepe were readie to faint, being scorched with the feruent East wind, and noone-tide sun of cruell per­secution, in the dayes of Queene Mary; oh that we had rightly vsed this rest! It is said in the commendation of the church of Iudeah, Galile and Samariah, that ha­uing rest they were edified, and walked in the feare of the Lord, and were multiplied by the comfort of the holy ghost Act. 9. 31. Oh, if wee had made such vse of our long rest, euen hungerly to haue fedde in Gods greene pastures, thirstily to haue drunke of those still waters, and cheerefully to haue chewed the cudde vnder this shadow, the Lord had had a most glorious church in this land by this day! but alas, we haue all of vs so abused our peace, libertie, and prosperitie, to carnall securitie, and haue passed away this happie time, as men in a dreame, that now it is high time to re­pent, awake from sin, and seeke the Lord, least otherwise we prouoke him to pre­pare a worme to smite our Gourd that it wither, and it be said vnto vs as it was to the rich man [...], You haue had your Gourd, now it is dead, & cā not be reuiued. So much for the bodily [Page 62] rest, which Christ prepareth for his sheep.

The second rest,The spiri­tuall rest which christ prouideth for the souls of his people and that which is a thousand times more precious, is the spi­rituall rest of the soule, whereby it is sha­dowed and refreshed, against the intolle­rable and consuming heate of Gods wrath, and this rest or shadow Christ Ie­sus himselfe is, he is our peace Eph. 2. 14, through whom God is wel pleased, as he himself hath proclaimedMat. 3. 17. It is he that hath troden the wine-presse of his father alone Esa. 63. 3, Yea, hee is a strength to the poore and needie, in their trouble, a refuge against the tempest, and shadow against the heate, as the Prophet Esay speakethEsa. 25. 4. Yea, the Church herself acknowledgeth him for her onely sha­dow, saying: Like the Appletree amongst the Trees of the Forrest; so is my wel-be­loued amongest the sonnes of men, vnder his shadow had I delight, and sate downe Cant. 2. 3. The shadow of a tree is comfortable,Christ Iesus the onely comfortable rest of the soule. and doth greatly refresh them that are par­ched with the boyling heate of the Sun, but there is no shadow so comfortable to the bodie, as Christ Iesus is vnto the soule, that is scorched with the firie temptations of SathanEph. 6. 16, and burning heate of a guiltie conscience for sinne; [Page 63] yea, there is no other tree able to sha­dow vs, and therefore sayth Christ, Come vnto me all yee that trauell and are heauie loadned, and I will refresh you, take my yoke vpon you, and you shall finde rest vnto your soules Mat. 11. 29. Yea, the Saints of God, hauing beene vexed with his stormes, and once comming vnder the shadow of this tree, they finde such wealth, rest, and peace therein, that they do sit downe and neuer seeke any further, nay for the world, they would not bee drawne away from the same againe.

It is farre otherwise with Idolaters,Idolaters can find no true peace in their su­perstitious traditions. and such as do worship false gods: for though they punish and afflict themselues many wayes; seeking by all meanes to make satisfactions for their sinnes, and to coole the flaming heate of their guiltie consci­ences, yet when they haue wearied them­selues, & done all that euer they can, they they are so farre from being satisfied, fin­ding ease, or taking away the sting of sin, that rather as Dauid sayth they doe multi­plie sorrowes vpon their heads Psal. 16. 4. There is no true rest in the worlde but onely vnder the shadowe of this Apple-tree Iesus Christ.

[Page 64] To conclude this point, seeing wee haue heard that this good shepherd, pre­pareth abounantly, both pasture, water, & shadow, let vs, I beseech you, as Gods sheepe, hunger after this foode, thirst af­ter these waters, and take our delight in this rest: then shall we no more hunger, after the draffe of humane traditions, nor thirst after the puddle of popish poyso­ned cups, no more wearie our selues, see­king for rest in our owne merits and sa­tisfactions: but hauing fedde in these pa­stures, drunke of these waters, and rested vnder this shadow: wee shall haue the heate of sinne slaked, and our soules fat­ted with the taste of these heauenly deli­cates, till in the end wee be brought into the presence of God, where the fulnesse of ioy shall euer be present with vs,Beata vita in fonte. where­with we cannot be filled: or rather, filled, but cannot be satisfied: for there is bles­sednesse at the head of the spring, not in the Cesterns, or Conduits, For with God is the Well of life, and he shall giue his Saints drinke out of the riuer of his pleasures, as Dauid saythPsal. 36. 8, Which riuer is as cleare as Christall, proceeding out of the throne of God Reu. 22. 1. Yea, and there shall we find the [Page 65] tree of life, whose leaues are not onely for sha­dow, but for medicine to heale the Nations with Reu. 22. 2, yea and beareth fruit, not onely to satisfie the hunger, but twelue manner of fruits, euery Moneth brought forth to sa­tisfie the pleasure of his Saints Reu. 22. 2. Oh, for it, let vs sharpen our appetites, and be­seech him that hath planted it, to bring vs thither where we may taste how wholesome and pleasant the fruit of it is! It followeth.

THe fourth dutie of a good Shepheard,The 4. duty of a good and louing shepheard. is to beare with the weake: and if any of his flock be sicke or feeble, to cherish, no­rish, and strengthen thē, yea, euen to carrie them in his bosome, for so the Lord himselfe alluding to these qualities of a good shepheard, sayth. Hee shall feede his flocke like a shepherd, he shall gather the Lambs with his arme and carrie them in his bosome, and guide them that are with yong Esa. 40. 11: euen so kinde is the spirituall [Page 67] sheheard of our soules, that his sheepe being weake, he wil strengthen; feeble, he will cheerish; yea dead in sinnes, hee will quicken, restore and conuert them, by re­generating and induing them, with a true and liuely faith whereby they liue Heb. 10. 38: and being vndoubtedly perswaded of Gods fauour and loue, doe reioyce with ioy vn­speakeable and glorious 1. Pet. 1. 8. And this is the grace whreof we are now to speak, which indeed is so great, that neither heart of man, nor tong of Angels, are able fully to conceiue or expresse: for what would it profit Dauid, now that he is dead and seeth corruption Act. 1. 29, that hee hath beene taken frō following the Ewes great with yong, to become a king in great honor & welth, that he hath bin mighty in battel, & sung vnto in dāces, Saul hath slaine his thousand and Dauid his ten thousand 1. Sam. 11 7. If the Lord had not conuerted his soule, yea what wil it profit a man to win the whole worlde, and loose his owne soule, this, this, ther­fore is more to be reioyced in, then the finding of, all the kingdoms of the world, happie Dauid, and happie that man or woman, that can truely say vvith Da­uid, The Lord hath conuerted my soule. [Page 68] Now that we may the more orderly and profitably handle this straine, there are two things therein to be considered. First, the Conuerter (the Lord:) secondly, the thing conuerted (the soule:) for the first,

He restoreth restituit animam, Doctrine. the words are plaine, our lesson for instructiō is this, viz. That it is not our action, or in our power, in part, or in all, to become the sheepe of Christ, but it is wholy the work of God in vs, according to that of Christ, in the Gospell of saint Iohn, Postpone. No man com­meth vnto me except my father draw him Ioh. 6. 44.. And againe in the same Gospel, Other sheepe I haue also, which are not of this fold, them also must I bring, and they shall heare my voyce, and there shall be one sheep-folde, and one sheepheard Io. 10. 26. For although in this Text there is neither any addition of ne­cessitie, as that he (must) conuert the soul, nor yet any exception, or exclusion, as though (none other) could do it, but he: yet vnder this significant, and affectionate worde (he) they both are included; by ne­cessarie implication, q. d. ô Lord, it is onely thy worke,Confirma­tion. that my soule is conuerted, no other can do it, but thou alone. Which les­son [Page 69] is confirmed by many other places of Scripture. The Prophet Ieremie thus pray­eth. Conuert vs, O Lord, and we shall be con­uerted Ier. 31. 18. Saint Paule sayth: It is neither in him that planteth, nor in him that watereth, but God that giueth the increase 2. Cor. 3. 7. And a­gaine: We are not sufficient of our selues, to thinke any thing 2. Co. 3. 5. And Saint Iames saith: Euerie good and perfect gift commeth downe from aboue Iam. 1. 17. In a word, the whole streame of the Scriptures doe runne this way, to proue this doctrine, that our conuersion vnto God, is no worke of any inferiour power, but the peculiar worke, of the ho­ly and omnipotent spirit of God, ordina­rily wrought by the ministry of the word, according to that of Dauid, The law of the Lord is perfect, conuerting the soule Ps. 19. 7. And saint Paule saith, I am not ashamed of the Gospell of Christ, for it is the mightie power of God to saluation, to euery one that belee­ueth Ro. 1. 16, And else where, Faith commeth by hearing of the worde Rom. 10 17▪.

The vse of which doctrine serueth no­tably to reforme our iudgement, as con­cerning a very grosse and daungerous he­resie, maintained by the Church of Rome, about the free will of man, in his pure na­turals, [Page 70] I will not in way of a cōmon place enter into the handling of this large,VVherein the Papistes and wee doe differ about free-will. and great controuersie, with obiections, an­sweres, and replies, but onely by the way, as I am occasioned by my text, briefly lay open the state of the question, and then shew wherein they doe swarue both from vs, and the deliuered and approued truth. for the first, we may note, that the condi­tion 1 of man is foure-fold. 1 Of creation, 2 2 Of corruption, 3 Of regeneration, 3 Of glorification: secondly, we may ob­serue, 4 that the obiects of will are diuerse, and specially of three sorts. 1 Naturall actions, which are common to men with beasts, as to eate, drinke, sleepe, heare, see, smell, &c. 2 Humane actions, as practise of Mechanicall and liberall artes, or ex­ercise of morall vertues. 3 Actions spi­rituall & diuine, &c. Now the question of free-will betwixt them and vs, is to bee vnderstoode, of mans free-will, concer­ning spirituall actions, in the state of cor­ruption, for in the other, though we alto­gither agree not, yet is not the difference so great,3. and materiall. Lastly, wee are to note, that spirituall actions, are two-fold, either such as concerne the kingdome of [Page 71] darkenesse, or such as corcerne the king­dom of God: for such actions as concerne the kingdom of darknes, and are properly sins, we ioyne with them, and teach, that in these man hath freedome of will sin­ning necessarily, but not constraynedlyNecessarie sed non co­acte. &c. In primae gratiae re­ceptione; homines non sese habent mere [...] sed sunt gratiae dei [...] Bezae quaest:, But the maine difference betwixt them and vs, is about free-wil in mans naturals, as it is exercised, concerning actions spiri­tuall and good, as repentaunce, faith, the conuersion of a sinner, new obedience, & such like: yet not as concerning the free­dome it selfe; for we ioyne with them and say, that in the first conuersion of a sinner, mans free-will doth concurre, with Gods grace, as a fellow-worker in some sort, for God doth not worke vpon man as a sens­lesse block or stone. Non sicut lapidibus aut aliis insensatis, He that made thee with out thee, will not saue without thee. Aug. & operatur salutem, &c. Au­gust. contra Pelag. 1. 5. Seeing he is indued with reason, wil & vnderstanding, (which for substaunce do still remaine, onely the qualities changed.) And vnto true con­uersion, the will is required, as well as the worde, or spirit; for no man was euer con­uerted against his wil, neither is will con­strained, any will. But in this they and we do exceedingly differ, as concerning the [Page 72] cause of this libertie of will, in these spi­rituall matters concerning Gods King­dome; for they say, mans free will is not wholly extinguished, but attenuated and abated, as the man that fell amongst theeues, and was left halfe dead: and ther­fore being aided and assisted of grace, it is able to will any thing appertaining vnto saluation, and of it selfe to worke toge­ther with grace, and so they giue not all the glorie of their conuersion vnto God, but attribute part vnto grace, and part vnto free will, working by a naturall power Liberum arbitrum nos facit volentes: gratia, bene volentes. Bernard lib de lib Ar­bit.. Con­trarie wise, we say according to the word of God, that though the naturall power of willing, and thinking be in vs, and is pro­perly ours, by the generall guift of God, yet the holynesse, goodnesse, and freenesse hereof, are meerely, and entirely, wrought in vs by the spirit of God Concilium Trident. Sess. 6. cap. 1 & 5. Ca­non. 4.: and therefore though the will doe concurre with Gods grace, yet not as working, by any natu­rall power or vertue, but as framed of God,Bellarmine de grat. lib. 5. cap. 30. he giuing vs a wil to desire the grace, Volentes ex nolentibus August. contra 2. Epist. Pelag. lib. 1. cap. 20. at the time that he bestoweth the grace vpon vs; and ther­fore wee giue glorie vnto God, for the [Page 73] whole worke, and confesse with Dauid to his praise, hee conuerted my soule; as for their Arg. drawne from the man, that was left halfe dead,Rhemist. it is a feeble collection,Annot. in Luc. 10. sect 6. & Rom. 9. sect. 4. and nothing agreeable to the scope and intent of Christ, in the propounding of that para­ble; yea and contrarie to other scriptures, where we are plainely sayd, not onely to be halfe dead, but wholly dead Ro. 5. 12. Eph. 2. 1. 5. Col. 2. 13. not [...] vn̄, but [...]. And lastly, contrarie to the iudgement of Augustine, who saith: Man before hee can become righteous, hath neede of a Phisitian, be­cause hee is sicke; yea of a quickner, be­cause he is dead, Vt homo redeat adiustitiā, opus habet medico, quia sanus non est, imo o­pus habet viuificatore, quia mortuus est August. de natur. grat. ca. 23.. So much for the conuerter, the thing con­uerted, is the soule, (he conuerteth my soule) God worketh not to halfes, laying a foun­dation, without any further building: but he finisheth euerie good worke, that he taketh in hand Phil. 1. 6. he conuerteth the whole man, the bodie aswell as the soule, the eies, which were full of adulterie, shall become chast, the hands that were full of bribes, shall be seasoned with liberall guifts to the poore Esay 32. [...]. the feete which were swifts to shedde innocent bloud, shall bee swift to releeue and helpe, the innocent op­pressed, [Page 74] the tongue that was defiled with blas­phemie, and filthy speaking, shall speake re­uerently, and soberly, as may minister grace to the hearers Eph. 4. 29, the head that was fraught with couetous and carnall deuices, shall be sanctified with wholesome and diuine medi­tations Ps. 77. 6.. And in a word all the members of the bodie, which haue been abused, to become weapons of vnright cousnesse vn­to sinne, shall become weapons of righteous­nesse vnto God Ro. 6. 13.. But because the root must be good, before it can send forth sap into the braunches to the bringing forth of good fruit Mat. 7. 17 12. 32.; And the fountaine must first bee purged, before the streames that issue from the same, can bee made cleane and sweet: therefore must the heart, being the root and fountaine, bee first purged, and conuerted, without which, all holynesse is but hipocrisie: and deuotion, dissimulation: Religion, superstition; and all appearing of conuersion, a counterfaiting before the Lord: wherefore the Prophet Dauid, to declare the trueth of his conuersion, doth wisely, and purposely adde this circum­stance, He conuerteth my soule: and ther­by teacheth vs this lesson,

That vntill such time as God conuertDoctrine. [Page 75] our soules (howsoeuer wee may with an outward appearance, bleare and deceiue the eies of men,) yet can we neuer haue a­ny comfortable assurance, concerning our estate with God, but rather looke when God shall pluck away our maskes, and vi­zards, and make vs bewray our hipocrisie & dissimulation, to those who haue beene most deceiued by vs. Iudas, hee obtained fellowship in the ministration of the Apo­stleship Act. 1. 17 25.: But because his soule was not conuerted vnto God, he fell away like water from one sinne to another, till in the end, he became guide to them that tooke Iesus, and so went astray to goe to his owne place. Herode, hee feared and reuerenced Iohn Baptist, and heard him gladly, and did many things; but because his soule was not conuerted, hee embra­ced a beloued sinne: which when the man of God reprooued, he took away his head Mar. 6. 17 18, 19, 20. Demas was a companion of the Apostles, but because his soule was neuer truely conuerted, in time (being ouercome of couetousnesse) he fell away, and embraced this present world 2. Tim. 4 10. Were there euer any, in the world, that for outward appea­rance had greater shew of sanctitie and [Page 76] holinesse, than the Scribes and Pharisies [...] They looked sower, and disfigured their face? when they fasted, prayed in synagogues, and corners of the streets, gaue almes with the sound of a trumpet Mat. 6. 2. 5. 16., made their philacteries broad, and fringes of their garments long, compassed sea and land to make a proselyte, tythed mint, anny se, and cummine, washed the outside of the cuppe and platter Mat 23. 15. 23. 25, 26: and yet because their soules were nto conuerted vnto God, but full of couetousnesse, bry­berie, rapine, and extortion, our Sauiour plucketh away the painted vizards from their faces, and ratleth them vp, with ma­ny a fearefull woe, laying their conditi­on most plainely before them by a wor­thy comparison, saying: You are like vnto painted Sepulchers, goodly, and gorgeous toombes, and monuments without, beautifull to looke vpon; but within, full of rottennesse, corruption, and dead mens bones Mat. 23. 27., and hath told vs, except our righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisies, we shal neuer enter into the kingdome of hea­uen Mat. 5. 20..

Oh Lord God,Vse. how ought the conside­ration here of to rowse vs vp euerie one, to a thorough triall and examination of [Page 77] our selues, that we be not deceiued with a vaine perswasion, and opinion of our estate and condition, as if all were well, when it is starke naught, and to think with the Church of Laodicea, That we are rich and increased in goods, and haue need of no­thing, when in truth we are very wretched, blind, poore, miserable, and naked Reu. 3. 17.. Oh then let vs (as in the sight of God) examine our selues, how we stand affected, whether we doe hate those thinges which we haue loued, whether we loath our former liues, and be ashamed of our old sinnes, casting off the workes of darkenesse, liuing by faith depending vpon the prouidence of God, hauing knowledge to render a rea­son of our faith, hauing a zeale to Gods glorie, and a sincere loue to the trueth, & professors thereof. If we find these things in trueth in vs, though but in small, and weake measure: yet doubtlesse, wee may boldly pronounce with Dauid, The Lord hath conuerted my soule, and happie is hee, that euer he was borne, to see that houre; but if we find not these thinges in vs, but all that we haue to cleaue vnto, is a naked, bare, and verball profession: surely then, let vs not flatter our selues, we are but in the [Page 78] condition of many reprobates Esay 1. 13: and if thus we continue,Mich. 6. 6. 7 Mat. 15. 7. 8. we shall one day bee found, filthily naked, for want of a wedding gar­ment, and be thrust out of dores, by head and shoulders, and haue our portion with hypocrites.

And surely,Application if we doe make application of these thinges to our selues, it is a mise­rable thing, and would make the heart of any man bleede, (that is not harder than flint and Adamant) to consider, the rue­full estate and condition of many people, who if they be demanded, how they hope, or look to be saued, and in what state they stand before God: this is their common answere, I hope well, that God will saue that which he hath made, I goe orderly to the Church and receiue the Sacrament, I thanke God, I meane no body any harme, but doe as I would be done vnto.

But oh foole, know that God is a spirit, and wil be worshipped in spirit and truth, and therefore it is not inough, not to steale, not to cōmit whoredome, to beare false witnesse, to kill, to come orderly to the Church, to pare off some sinnes, to be friendly to the professors of the Gospell, and to lead a ciuill life; when as in the meane time thy heart within, is filthy, full [Page 79] of infidelitie, ignorance, pride, couetous­nesse, malice. What is all this thy Religi­on now? surely as much regarded of God, as the cutting off of a dogs necke, and offering of swines bloud, as the Prophet saithEsa. 66. 3. Thou art like a goodly sepulchre, full of filthinesse; Oh then, striue to haue the inside of the cup and platter clensed Mat. 23. 26 let the hidden man of the heart bee decked, with a meeke and quiet spirit 1. Pe. 34 and specially with loue, a good conscience, & faith vnfayned 1. Ti. 1. 5; for the kings daughter (as her apparell is of wrought gold) so is she glorious within Ps. 45. 13: which spiri­tuall beauty, is a thing much set by, with­out which, whatsoeuer we seeme to haue (whether we be superstitious Papists, or ceremonious Protestants) in the sight of God, it is nothing worth. What is then more to be feared thā this, that the nūber of true conuerts is very small, whose harts are vpright with God, and can truely say with Dauid, The Lord hath conuerted my soule; and I feare in the day of visitation, when the Lord will search vs to the quick, most mens conuersion will be found but copper, not able to abide the Lords touch­stone, and when hee shall waie vs, in the ballance of his sanctuarie, Balthasars Em­bleme, [Page 80] may be written in our foreheads, Mene, Numera­uit, appen­dit, diuisit. mene, Tekell, vpharsin; thou hast been weighed in the ballance, and art found too light Dan. 5. 25 Oh then whilst the time of grace and mercie lasteth, let vs follow the councell of S. Peter, euen giue all diligence to make our calling and election sure 2. Pet. 1. 10 that as the sheepe of Gods pasture, wee may in truth, thankefully aknowledge with Da­uid our fold-mate, and say, Hee hath con­uerted my soule. It followeth:

And leadeth me in the pathes of righte­ousnesse. 5. dutie of a good Shep­heard. The holy Prophet, still prosecu­teth this allegorie; And because the sheep is of a straying nature, and subiect to ma­ny enemies, that seeke to pray vpon her; it is therefore the dutie of a verie good Shepheard, not onely to prouide pasture, water, shadow, and to cherish the weake, but also to guide and lead them in the plaine way, from the fold to the pasture, and from pasture, to pasture, according to that of our Sauiour Christ, in the Gospell of S. Iohn, A good Shepheard calleth his sheepe by name, and leadeth them out, and when hee hath sent forth his owne sheepe, hee goeth before them, and the sheep follow him Ioh. 10. 3. 4.. That it might therefore appeare, that God [Page 81] is not wanting in the perfourmance of any good dutie to his people, he thereun­to alludeth, saying: and he leadeth me in the pathes of righteousnesse, q. d. The Lord not only conuerteth the soules of his peo­ple, and quickneth them by his spirit from the graue of sinne; but also being quick­ned and conuerted, (knowing how weake and proane they are to runne in the path of destruction) he leaueth them not vnto themselues, but taketh charge of them, and leadeth them in the path of righteous­nesse, finishing the good worke, which he hath begunne in them, to his owne glory and their eternall saluation.

The generall doctrine from this straine,The gene­rall doc­trine from this sen­tence. is this, viz: That as in God is the cōuersion of our soules, so from him is the continu­ance of our vpright walking before him; if euer he leaue vs to our selues, we feare­fully start aside, as we haue an example in that faithfull and zealous King Ezekiah, who being left of God, to trie him; in stead of thankefulnesse, (both for his gracious deli­uerance out of the hands of his enemies, & for his miraculous restitution to health) he bewrayed great pride of heart, in shewing to the messengers of Merodache Baladan [Page 83] King of Babell, all his treasures of siluer, gold, and armour 2. Cro. 32 31. VVherevp­pon the as­surance of the per­seuerance of Gods Saints is grounded.

Q. If this be our weaknes, what is then the ground of our assurance, that being once conuerted, and brought into the state of grace, we shall continue therein?

A. Euen here it is laid down, The Lord will lead vs in the pathes of righteousnesse this grace hath Christ prayed for, who was heard in all thinges Ioh. 11. 42 Holy Father, keepe them in thy name, euen those that thou hast giuen me, and sanctifie them with thy truth, thy word is thy trueth Ioh. 17. 11. 17. Yea God himselfe hath promised, (who is faithfull and can­not lie) I will not faile thee, neither forsake thee Heb. 13. 6 So that howsoeuer for a moment he may leaue, and forsake vs, for our tri­all, that hauing experience of our weake­nesse, we may the more earnestly cleaue vnto him; yet doubtlesse, he will not for­sake vs ouer long, but so order our goings and lead vs forth, in the right way, that for the beginning, continuance, and end of our saluation, his name may haue all the praise.

The vse whereof is,Vse. that no man glory in his owne strength, which is but as a read, that will breake to shiuers, but hee [Page 82] that glorieth, glorie in the Lord Ierem. 9. 24 And say with Dauid, The Lord is my strength and my saluation Ps. 18. 2. & he is on my right hand, that I shal not greatly fall Ps. 16. 8. yea, let vs continual­ly pray with Dauid, Lord lead mee in thy righteousnesse, because of mine enemies, make thy way plaine before my face Psa. 5. 8.. And againe, Cast me not off in the time of mine age, for­sake me not when, my strength faileth me Ps. 71. 9.. So much for the doctrine and vse of this whole straine in general: now let vs more neerely come to scanne the words in par­ticular, as they lye in order, for they are verie significant, and yeeld verie profita­ble obseruatiōs for our instructiō, & com­fort,Diuision of this sen­tence. wherein first we are to consider what the lord doth: he leadeth; secondly, where in the pathes: 3. what manner of pathes,1. part. (of righteousnesse) of these in order.

He leadeth;1. note. he saith not, he (sheweth) as if it were inough for Gods people to know the way, and then they haue power sufficient of themselues to walke therein, but the Lord doth lead & conduct them shewing them the way and giuing them power to walke therein; This doth the Church acknowledge in the Canticles, where she desireth Christ to draw her Can. 1. 3. Alas [Page 84] good virgin, her onely ioy and desire is to runne after Christ, in whom she knoweth her felicitie consisteth, and yet her legges will not serue, her knees are so feeble, that she fainteth in the race, she is so fettered and hampred with the remnants of sinne, and pressed downe with the reliques of corrup­tion Heb. 12. 1 Gal. 5. 17., that shee cannot doe that which shee would Ro. 7. 15, She loueth Christ, and yet is not able to make any faster speede after him, then hee shall drawe her, if hee cease to draw, she by and by ceaseth to runne.

The vse wherof serueth to condemne the doctrine of the Church of Rome,Vse. for heresie, and the Church her selfe for a bold and impudent strumpet, which maintay­neth with sharp Arguments, euen fire and sworde, that mans enfeebled will (as they call it) being once preuented and holpen and as it were loosed, and set on foote by grace, it can & doth performe all thingsCon. Tri­dent. ses. 6. ca. 5. can. 4 Rhem. Act. 13. sect. 2. Bellarm. potest homo absolute per liberum ar­bitrium, bene facere si velit &c. li. 5. cap. 29 respons. ad testimon. 2.. But the true Church hauing receyued grace; yea, after she had run, and doth run: yet she craueth his graces, whereby shee may bee enabled to runne faster, and to runne to the end; and Dauid here, though he acknowledge hee hath receiued grace, and God hath conuerted his soule; yet [Page 85] standeth he in need,Certum est nos velle cum volu­mus, sed ille facit vt, ve­lim us bonū; ratum est nos facere, cū facimus, sed ille fa­cit, vt fa­ciamus, de bono perse­verat. ca. 16. still by his grace, to bee led forward in the pathes of righte­ousnesse, it being certaine, that it is man that willeth, whatsoeuer is willed, but god is the cause that hee willeth that which is good, man worketh whatsoeuer is wrought, but God is the cause that we do that which is good.

Secondly, wee may note, that Dauid, sayth not, he (compelleth) but (leadeth) for though the Shepheard doe stand in neede of a rod to correct his wandring sheepe,2. Note. and make the slouthfull plodders, to pase it better, (as wee shall heare from the next verse) yet doeth God so inwardly frame the affections of his Saints, that they doe chearefully run in the wayes, of Gods commandements, and after a holy maner, doe striue vnto perfection; so saith Dauid, I will run the wayes of thy commandements, when thou hast enlarged mine heart Psal. 119. 32 And Saint Paule saith, One thing I doe, I for­get that which is past, and endeuour my selfe, to that which is before Phil. 3. 13 Yea, how great the delight of Gods Saints is herein, Da­uid declareth, I haue had as great delight in thy commaundements, as in all manner of riches Ps. 112. 14 They are dearer then thousands [Page 86] of gold and siluer, sweeter also then honie and the honie combe Ps. 19. 10: So that here needeth no compulsion, the way is so sweete and pleasant, that the inner man is willing Math. 26 41: and taketh great delight therein Ro. 7. 22. But because the flesh is weake, therefore the Church prayeth her spouse: Draw me, and we will run after thee Cant. 1. 3: thereby noting, that Gods Saints being made pertakers of the out­ward ministerie of the word, and inwarde powerfull working of the spirit, are most chearefull and readie, with all spirituall and holy affections, care and conscience, to follow God and his calling, and in out­ward conuersation, to shew themselues readie to treade the pathes of righteous­nesse, and striue vnto sanctification.

Thirdly,3. Note. this Metaphor of (leading) doth teach vs, that in al gods sheepe, there must be an holy growth and increase, a growing forward vnto perfection, and the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Eph. 4. 13. In via vir­tutis, qui non profi­cit, deficit. where there is a standing still, there is no leading, nay in this way, there is no stan­ding still at all: he that goeth not forward, goeth backward, though he thinke not so: wherefore if we will approue our selues, to be sheepe of the Lords pasture, we must [Page 87] grow & go forward frō strength to strength Psal 84. 7 from faith to faith Ro. 1. 17., and from one measure and degree of knowledge, zeale, and vertue, to another, that wee may bring foorth more fruit in our age Ps. 92. 14: and being once deliue­red from the filthie Sodom of this world, we take heed wee partake not with Lots wife, in her sinne, to looke backe againeGen. 19 26 Luk. 17, 32. Oh, I beseech you, let the knowledge of this poynt, make vs all, both pasture and people, enter into a deepe considera­tion of our wayes,Vse. that if wee finde our selues by Gods mercie, to be led forward we may giue him thanks, and hold fast, that no man take away our crowne Reu. 3. 11: but if wee find a decay of Gods graces in vs, we may in time repent, and seeke to recouer our former estate by double diligence, least he remoue our Candlesticke Reu. 2. 5, and take from vs that which we seemed to haue Luk. 8. 18. If our consciences doe witnesse against many of vs Ministers,The fearfull going back, and falling away, both in ministers and people. that whereas heretofore of a zeale to Gods glorie, we haue diligently preached the worde, and reioyced in the cōming of the Sabboth, when wee might emptie, and vnloade our selues of that we haue gathered in the weeke day: of con­science wee haue abstained from this or [Page 88] that sinne, and beene grieued in our soules for them in others, and our onely desire hath beene to please God, and both by doctrine and example to shine in the world. But now we can be content to take our ease, delight in sleeping, and altogi­ther looke to our ovvne vvayes, purpose, and aduauntage Ezech. 34 Esay. 56., hauing no care to feede Gods flocke, strengthen the weake, heale the sicke, bring againe that vvhich vvas gone astray, and seeke vp that vvhich vvas lost; but so we be fed with the fat, and clo­thed with the wooll, we care for no more, that which perisheth,Multi, doc­tiores, pau­ci meliores let it perish, all our care is to please men, and to haue the fauor of the mightie, and both by word and ex­ample wee doe iustifie, that which before we haue disallowed.

Oh good Lord, if this bee our estate, how can we be perswaded, that wee are led in the pathes of righteousnesse? When it is apparant that we fall away more and more. And if the consciences of the peo­ple doe no lesse witnesse against you, that whereas you haue beene so long hearers of the word, and so many yeares ago you had such a measure of knowledge, that you would according to the word render [Page 89] a reason of your faith, and maintaine the truth against errors, and heresies; such a measure of zeale, that rather then you would ioyne with Idolaters, and offend God, and your consciences, you would for­sake father, mother, yea, and your owne liues; Such a measure of loue to the truth, that you could affoord to bee at this or that cost to maintaine the preaching of it,Aliquid, descripturis sanctis, quo­tidie dis­cere. to take this or that paines to go to heare it, to rise or go to bed, so much the rather or later, that you might haue one houre of the day to heare or reade it; such a mea­sure of a good conscience that you could not away with this or that sinne. But now alas, there is a fearefull backsliding, you doe account them but hotte spirited fel­lowes, that take that course, or if you doe outwardly performe these things, yet it is not with that wonted feeling & remorse: oh, if this bee the estate of any of you (as it is to be feared, it is of too many) con­sider from whom you are fallen, & repent, and doe the first workes Reu. 2. 6. Is this to bee led forward vnto perfection? Will the Lord take it in good part at your hands, to feed in his greene pastures, and yet to be euery day leaner and leaner? to drinke so plenti­fully [Page 90] of the sincere milke of his word, and yet neuer to grow thereby 1. Pe. 2. 2, but to remaine as wrislings, withering and pining away: no surely, euen therefore hath the hande of the Lord gone out against vs, and he hath punished vs with pestilence, famine, vnsea­sonablenesse of weather: because neither ministers nor people, haue marched so valiantly in the wayes of the Lord as wee ought but haue fainted, halted, and turned out of the wayHeb. 12. 13, so that it is high time for vs all, to consider our wayes, and to pray vnto God that our weake hands and feeble knees may be strengthned Esay. 35. 3, that we may be led forward, and more chearefully runne in the pathes of righteousnesse, then here­tofore we haue done.Pietas, quae finem nouit nō est pielas But wherein doth this good shepheard lead his sheepe?

(In the pathes) He saith not (path) but (pathes) as speaking of many:2. Part. for though the way to gods kingdom, be but that one strait and narrow way, whereof Christ ma­keth mentionMat. 7. 13, yet are there in that way many pathes, and Gods sheepe must walk in them all. The doctrine for our instruc­tion from hence, is this, viz. That the obe­dience of a true Christian, must extend it selfe to the whole course of his life, and to [Page 91] all the commandements of GodSecundum, istius vitae modum.. For the first, it is not enough to serue God for a yeare, or twaine, but we must serue him in true righteousnesse and holinesse all the dayes of our liues Luk. 1. 75: the promise is made, he that continueth to the ende shall be saued Mat. 10. 22: And, be thou faithfull to the ende, and I will giue thee the crowne of life Reu. 2. 10. Though then we did runne in these paths of righteous­nesse, a great while, and then afterwardes stay, turne aside, or go backe gaine; what shall it auaile vs? So, secondly, we may not take liberty in any one sinne, but striue to auoid all, nor omit any one good dutie, but striue to performe all, as did Zacharie and Elizabeth, who were iust before God, and walked in all the ordinances and commande­ments of God, without reproofe Luk. 1. 6..Sine quere­la, non sine peccato. August. There are many who may easily be drawne to auoid and cast away many sinnes, sauing some one or few that serue most for their plea­sure and aduantage: so Herod heard Iohn Baptist willingly, and did many things Mar. 6. 20, He could be content to walke in some of the pathes of righteousnesse, but not in all, he had one pleasing sin, which by no meanes he could abide to be reproued forMat. 14. 5, But let vs be assured, that all Gods sheepe tru­ly [Page 92] regenerated by the spirit of God, thogh there be great weakenesses and imperfec­tions in them, whereby they are drawne into much euill, which they should not, and leaue vndon many good duties, which they should do, (and, wherein they desire God to bee mercifull vnto them through Christ) yet do they stand thus affected, that they do hate and detest all sinne, and doe loue and delight in euerie vertue, yea those profitable and pleasant sinnes, which are as deare vnto them as their right handes, and right eies, yet are willing to cut them off, and cast them from them, rather then by enioying therof, bee hindred from en­tring into the Kingdome of Heauen Mat. 5. 29, most earnestly desiring of God, to be led into all righteousnesse, knowing that one Colloquintida spilleth a whole messe of pot­tage 2. Kin. 4. 40 Mors in olla ista., and as a bird though ensnared but by one claw, in the net of the fowler, loo­seth her life, and the besieged Citie by one breach, not maintained, is taken by the enemie, and the ship by one leake is drowned in the waters; euen so, the soule of man being as a ship, by one hole ma­keth a shipwracke of faith and a good conscience; as a citie besieged by Sathan [Page 93] and his Angels, may be spoyled through one breach, and as a bird sought to be de­stroyed of Sathan, aswell loseth her life, being ensnared by one claw, as all: if wee auoide his snare, in drunkennesse, we may be caught by whordom; if by neither, yet by couetousnes: yea the soule may aswell be destroyed by one beloued sinne, aswell as by many: and therefore such as looke to haue eternal life, must carefully follow their shepherd, leading thē in al the paths.

But what manner of pathes are they?3. Part. of righteousnesse) God leadeth not his sheepe in the pathes of sinne, and wickednesse, for they are for the fil­thie and vncleane Goates to wander in, but in the pathes of holinesse and righte­ousnesse. For the better vnderstanding whereof, wee may note that there is a double righteousnes, the one imputed, the other inherent, by the righteousnes of the one, we are iustified before god: by the o­ther we are iustified before mē. The righ­teousnes imputed,VVhat is the righte­ousnesse of imputation and the vse thereof. is the righteousnes of Iesus Christ, both in regard of the inno­cencie of nature, obedience to the lawe, and suffering of punishments for sinne, are by faith imputed vnto vs, and made [Page 94] ours, for our iustification before God, both in regard of Originall and Actuall sinnes, of omission or commission, where­of the Apostle Saint Paule speaketh. For as by the disobedience of one, many were made sinners, so by that obedience of that one shall many also be made righteous Ro. 5. 19.. Which righteousnesse is so excellent, that the A­postle in regard thereof, accounted all but drosse, that he might be found in Christ, not hauing his owne righteousnesse, which is of the law, but the righteousnesse which is of God through faith Phil. 3. 9.. And this may bee called the righteousnesse of imputation: for as Christ was made sinne for vs, not by infusion of sinne into his person, but by impu­tation of our sinnes vnto him 2. Cor. 5. 21:Delicta no­stra sua de­licta fecit; vt iustitiam suam nostrā iustitiam faceret. so are wee made righteuos before God, not by in­fusion of righteousnesse into our persons, (for that serueth for many other vses) but by imputation of Christ his righteous­nesse vnto vs: VVhatsoeuer he did for vs, if we beleeue, being made ours, August. in Psal. 21. as if we had performed the same in our owne persons 1. Cor. 1. 30.

Secondly, there is a righteousnesse of sanctification,VVhat is the righte­ousnes of sanctificatiō and the vse thereof. which followeth as a fruit vpon the former, when as by the sanctify­ing spirit of God, the minde is inlightned, [Page 95] the heart mollified; the will rectified; and the whole course of the life reformed; no more to loue, and liue in sinne, but to hate and abhorre it, and to delight in godlines and vertue, whereof Saint Paul speaketh, saying, this is the will of God, euen our sanc­tification 1. Thes. 4. 3. And vnto Titus he sayth, The grace of God which bringeth saluation vnto all men hath appeared, and teacheth vs that we should denie vngodlinesse, and worldly lusts, and that we should liue soberly, & righ­teously, and godly in this present world Tit. 2. 11..Sobrie, quo ad nos: iuste quo ad proximum: pie, quo ad deū. And Saint Iohn sayth, He that doth righteousnes is righteous, but he that committeth sinne, is of the Diuell 1. Iohn. 3 7. 8.. The vses whereof are ma­nifold, but specially it serueth for to iusti­fie vs before mē, and to make faith which is hidden in the hart, & seen of God, to be­come visible, & apparāt vnto men. Wherof S. Iames speaketh saying, Abraham & Ra­hab were iustified by their works Iam. 2. 21. 25. Now the Lord leadeth his sheepe into the pathes of both those Righteousnesses, giuing vs a true and liuely faith, whereby wee are in­graffed into Christ, and made partakers of all his benefits Rom. 6. 5 6, 7, & also sanctifying vs through out with his holy spirit 1. Thes 5. 23, to become new crea­tures 2. Cor. 5. 17, and to offer vp our selues, a liuing, ho­ly, [Page 96] and acceptable sacrifice vnto him Ro. 12. 1. But of the latter, the Prophet in this place, most properly speaketh, and therefore our les­son is.

That all those sheepe whose saluation the great shepheard hath bought & pur­chased with his blood▪ they shall in time be called Ro. 8. 30,Doctrine. from walking in the sinfull pathes of vncleane Goates, to walke in the pathes of righteousnesse, and holinesse they shal cease to walke as the Gentiles in vanitie of mind Eph. 4. 17, and blind hypocrisie; and shall become follow­ers of God as deare children Ephe. 5. 1, striuing to bee holy as he is holy, in all manner of conuersa­tion 1. Pet. 1. 15 In these pathes, the Lord hath led all the flockes of his sheepe, as the Author to the Hebrews hath traced many of them out by their steppesHeb. 11. 4 5. 6. 7, which paths, are straite, narrow, rugged, and vnpleasant to daintie and tender flesh and bloodMat. 7. 13., as requiring so soone as euer wee set foote therein,How blessed and gainfull a thing it is to follow Christ in the pathes of righteous­nesse. a deniall of our selues, and continuall taking vp of the crosse Mat. 16. 24, but most pleasant and ioyfull to the inner man, as Ieremie declareth, saying. Stand and enquire for the old way, which is the good way, and walke therein, and you shall finde rest vnto your soules Iere. 6. 16 The truth whereof we and all the [Page 97] Saints of God, that euer walked therein haue experienced; that as agreed, Dauid as foreman may say for vs, I haue had as great delight in the way of thy testimonies, as in all maner of riches Ps. 119. 14. And yet is not this al: for besides the inward and spiritual ioy of the soule, the Lord will also bestow all good things vpon them, yea so gainfull is godlinesse, that it hath a promise both of this life, and that which is to come,1. Tim. 6. 6, they shall want nothing that is good Ps. 34. 10, they shall eate their bread in plenteousnesse, be fed with the fat of the graine of wheate, and pure li­quor of the Grape, he will bow downe the backes of their enemies, they shall lend, and not borrow, be the head, and not the taile Deut. 28. 12. 13..

Now I beseech you let vs make ap­plication of these things vnto our selues,Application̄ ▪ The true cause of all the miseries that haue fallen vpon vs, or are further threatned. there is nothing more common then to heare men euerie where complaine, of the great dearth wee haue sustained, or the pestilence, botch of Egypt, hot burning feauers, consumptions, and grieuous dis­eases of the bodie, wet and vnseasonable weather, and so forth, and some lay the cause here, and some there, some com­plaine of this, and others of that, but few see, or regard the true cause indeed, to set [Page 98] to hand to remoue it: the verie cause of all euils is, for that we haue not hearkned to the voice and whistle of our shepherd, calling vs to follow him in the pathes of righteousnesse; but rather wee haue troden the pathes of death, and our footeste [...]ppes haue caught holde of hell, as if we were at a league and couenant with both Esa. 28. 15, wee haue added drunkennesse vnto thirst Deut. 29. 19, we haue not zealously, and fruit­fully entertained his word. For if we had, marke what God saith, Oh that Israell had walked in my wayes, I would soone haue humbled their enemies, and haue fed them with the flower of weate, and honie out of the rocke Psa 81. 13 14.

What is the reason then, I pray you, of all these euils, and farre grea­ter if we repent not, who is so blind that seeth not? VVe haue refused to bee taught and instructed in Gods wordIere. 9. 6., despised his wholesome counsels and admonitions, abused his patience and long sufferance to presump­tion, which should haue led vs to repentanceRom. 2. 4, the more he hath corrected vs for our amend­ment, the more haue we fallen away from himEsay. 1. 5., hardning our faces as Brasse against his feareIere. 5. 3., and dealing most frowardly [Page 99] with him in his couenaunt, that neuer might hee more iustly complaine of the Iewes, than of vs, All the day long haue I stretched out my hand, to a stubborne, and disobedient peopleEsay 65. 2..

Oh then I beseech you,Vse. let vs awake, and strengthen the thinges that doe re­maine & are ready to die, for our works, are no whit perfect before the Lord Reu. 3. 2.. Let vs euery one lay his hand vppon his soule, repent and turne, for now the Lord cal­leth vs. Oh England, if thou wilt returne, returne vnto me Ier. 4. 1.. Yea, the Prophet of God telleth vs, That it is time to seeke the Lord, till he come and raine righteousnesse vpon vs Osay 10. 12. Let vs stirre vp our selues, and the graces of God that are in vs, reuiue our zeale, & make our loue to the Gos­pell spring afresh, that it may bud, and bring forth fruite, let vs make straight steps to our feet, and no longer wait that euerie one goe before vs, for that were too great vnmannerlinesse, but both pa­stors and people, let vs in our seuerall places, in a holy emulation striue, who shall bee formost, and runne fastest after our Shepheard Christ, Iesus in the pathes of righteousnesse; and then the Lord will [Page 100] delight to doe vs good, hee will blesse our Queene, and giue her constancie to defend the trueth vnto the end, not suffering our land to be sown with diuers seeds Deu. 22. 9, nor Da­gon to be where the Arke of God is 1. Sa. 5. 2., or ab­homination of desolation to be set in the holy place Mat. 24. 15.; but in her daies the Gospell shall flourish, and aboundance of peace so long as the Moone endureth Ps. 72. 7., & as for all those that beare euil wil vnto Sion, & specially our home-born enemies, the vncircumci­sed Philistins, & cursed Canaanites, who beginne to lift vp their heads, as though their long wished day drew nigh, the Lord will either turne their hearts, or how downe their backes, cause their loynes to tremble Ps. 69. 23, and lay the curse of Canaan vpon them, and make them seruants of seruants stil Gen. 9. 25, or last­ly, fill their eies with wormes, and mouthes with grauell, but wee and our posterities shall see Ierusalem in prosperitie, all our liues long Ps. 128. 5.

Thus we haue heard by many parti­culars, how aboundantly good, the Lord is to his poore people, now would you know what it is, that hath, doth, and for euer only shall mooue him, to do his peo­ple good? then marke what the Prophet [Page 101] sayeth in the next words.

(For his names sake;)Sence of the words. concerning the sence of these words, we are to note, that the (name) of God hath diuers significa­tions in the scriptures; as first, 1. by name are meant those titles, whereby God is named and knowne, as Iehouah, Elohim, Shaddai, [...], Deus, God. &c. As God said to Iacob, Wherefore now doest thou aske my nameGen. 32. 29.. And answereth Moses, asking the same question, I am that I am hath sent me vnto you, and thus shalt thou say to the children of Israel, the Lord God of your Fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Iacob, hath sent mee vnto you; this is my name for euer, and this is my memoriall vnto all agesExo. 3. 14 15. &c.. And Mo­ses in his song giueth him this title, The Lord is a man of war, his name is IehouahExo. 15. 3; And concerning Christ, it is sayd: This is his name, whereby hee shall be called; the Lord, our righteousnesseIerem. 23 6. 33. 16. 1. Cor. 1. 30. And this is one of those sences, according to which the commaund is giuen, Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaineExo. 20. 7.

2 Secondly, somtimes by the (name) of God, is meant the person of God, signifi­ed, by the name or title, as the name of [Page 102] the mightie God of Iacob defend thee Ps. 20. 1. Nomen pro re, per no­men, signi­ficata.. Where is not meant any title of God, Ie­houah, Tetragrammaton, or such like, ei­ther in Hebrew, or Greeke, this tongue or that, (as they are of many superstiti­ously abused) but God himselfe, by his om­nipotent power defend thee. So the people are commanded to offer their sacrifices, in the place, which the Lord shall choose to cause his name to dwell Deu. 16. 2: and the Psalmist prayeth; Let them that loue thy (name) re­ioyce in thee Ps. 5. 11.. Againe, I will take the cup of saluation, and call vpon the name of the Lord Ps. 116. 13., and the promise is made, whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord, shall be saued Ioel 2. 32. In all which and many other pla­ces, by (name) is meant, the person of God, it being vsuall in the scriptures, by name, to vnderstand, the thing signified thereby, as where it is said, there is no other name vnder heauen, whereby we must be sa­ued Act. 4. 12., and to the Church of Sardis the Lord sayeth, Thou hast a few names, which haue not defiled their garments Reu. 3. 4..

3 Thirdly,Quicquid de Deo, ve­re dici po­test, Deus est. by name are meant somtimes the essentiall attributes of God, because thereby God is knowne, yea, God is the same, for whatsoeuer may truely be sayd [Page 103] of God, that God is, as he is true, he is the trueth, God is wise, hee is wisedome it selfe. So the Lord thus proclaimed his great & glorious name vnto Moses, Nomen Dei dicitur, om­ne id, quod de illo prae­dicatur. The Lord, the Lord, strong, mercifull, and gra­cious, slow to anger, and aboundant in good­nesse and trueth, reseruing mercie for thou­sands, forgiuing iniquitie, transgression, and sinne, and not making the wicked innocent, visiting the iniquitie of the fathers vpon the children, vnto the third and fourth generati­on Exo. 34. 6. So it is sayd, that in the name of Christ the Apostle cast out Diuels Mar. 16. 17.. Not by the repetition of the name (Iesus) for the sons of Sceua, doing so, the euill spirit answe­red: Iesus I acknowledg, & Paule I know, but who are ye? and the man in whom the euill spi­rit was, ran vpon them, and ouer came them, and preuailed against them, that they fledde out of the house, naked and wounded, as S. Luke witnesseth, in the Acts of the Apo­stles Act. 19. 15. 16.. But by name is meant the power, strength, and vertue of Christ, as Peter ex­poundeth in the Acts, where (declaring the meanes, how the Cripple was healed) he saith, It was not their power and godlines that had made the man goe Act. 3. 12 16.. So S. Paule sayth: at the name of Iesus euerie knee shall [Page 104] bowe Phi. 2. 10, that is, not when the word is pro­nounced we shall make a curtesie, but we and all creatures, shall bee subiect to his power, authoritie, and dominion.

4 Somtimes also by (name) his works,Nomine (Ie­sus) domi­natio & potestas; (genu flec­tionis) vo­cabulo, ex­primitur subiectio. creatures, and iudgements, are meant, as where Dauid saith; O Lord our God, how excellent is thy name in all the world, which hast set thy glorie aboue the heauens Ps. 8. 1.. q. d. How greatly doth thy glorie, power, and maiestie shine in thy creatures.

5 By (name) is meant many times the doctrine of Gods word, inuocation, praise, and profession thereof; So it is sayd of Christ in the Psalmes: I will declare thy name vnto my brethren Ps. 22. 22. And the people of God say, We will walke in the name of the Lord our God for euer and euer Mich. 4. 5: so Paule is called a chosen vessell, to carie Gods name, before Gentiles, Kings, and children of Is­raell Act. 9. 25: and sayth of himselfe, That hee is not onely readie to be bound at Ierusalem, but also to die for the name of the Lord Iesus Act. 21. 13. Now I take it, by (name) in this place the Prophet vnderstandeth the truth, mercie, and goodnesse of God, according to the third annotation laid down, and then the sence is thus much in effect: q. d. This good [Page 105] Shepheard feedeth me, giueth me drinke, prouideth rest, and is exceeding bountiful towards me, aboue all that I am able to aske or think, not for any goodnes in me, but onely for his owne meere mercie, and goodnesse sake, that for euer he may bee praised, for the same: this being the sence, let vs now see the doctrine, which is this, viz:

That,Doctrine. what good thing soeuer God hath done or doth for his children, as in their election, vocation, preseruation: he nei­ther was, nor is therevnto mooued, by a­ny thing in them, or proceeding from them, as not for their righteousnesse: which is but vncleanesse Esay 64. 6: or for their beau­tie: which is but vanitie Prou. 31 30. Esay. 40. 6.: or for their strength: which is but rottennesse Iob. 17. 14., or for their gold and siluer: which are no mar­chandise with him Mic. 6. 7. 8 Psal. 50. 10. 11. 12.: but onely what hee doth, hee doth for his owne name, and mercie sake, to the end, that for all, his name may for euer bee praised, as the Saints of God doe confesse, saying: Not vnto vs, ô Lord, not vnto vs, but vnto thy name giue the glorie, for thy louing mercie, and truths sake Ps. 115. 1.. This is agreeable to ma­ny other places of Scripture: the Apostle [Page 106] Paule sayth,Confirmati­on. sayth, we were chosen in Christ before the foundations of the world, according to the good pleasure of his wil Eph. 1. 4. 5. The Lord him­selfe protesteth vnto Israel: For my names sake, will I differre my wrath, and for my praise, will I restraine it from thee, that I cut thee not off; for mine owne sake, for mine owne sake, will I doe it Esay 48. 9. 11.: and againe, I will haue respect vnto you, for mine names sake, and not after your wicked waies Ezec. 20. 44: and else­where telleth them, what it was that moo­ued him, to deliuer and redeeme his peo­ple out of captiuitie, I doe not this for your sakes, oh house of Israell, but for mine holy names sake, which was polluted amongst the heathen whether ye went Ezec. 36. 22. Yea, euerie where the Scriptures confirme this do­ctrine, viz: That in man there is no digni­tie, or meanes whereby to deserue any thing at Gods hands, but the whole work of our saluation, and all his blessings be­stowed vpon vs, are wholly to bee refer­red vnto God, and that onely, for the glo­rie of his holy name.

And yet notwithstanding the euidence of this truth,Confuta­tion. they of the Church of Rome, are not ashamed to maintain the doctrine of foreseene workes, and that according [Page 107] to the same, God did so order the decree of predestinationRhem. an­not. on Rom. 9. sect. 2.: yea and doe distin­guish of the kindes of merits, that some are of congruitie, as the workes of men before iustification, whereby they doe prepare themselues thereuntoRhem. an­not. on Act. 10. sect. 5. Meritum de congruo & condig­no, ex debi­to iustitiae.: and me­rits, of condignitie, or good works done in the second iustification, which (say they) are truely meritorious, and deserue at Gods hands by the due debt of iustice, to be rewardedRhem. an­not. on Ro. 2. sect. 3.. Oh Lord, how farre doth the Prophet varie in iudgment from these proude Hypocrites, which thus glorie in themselues, and their workes, who ac­knowledgeth euerie good thing that he hath, to come from God, and that onely for his owne names sake.

The vse hereof is,Vse. that aboue all things in the world, we bee carefull in thought, word,Vt ore, cor­pore, vita (que) tota, sancti­ficetur, il­lud nomen. and deeds, and euerie way that we can, to seeke the aduancement of the glo­rie of that name, whereby the Lord hath been mooued to doe such great things for vs, and to that end that we pray vnto God to haue a zeale of his glorie kindled in our hearts, whereby we may be prouoked, to a holy, and godly life, that our heauenly fa­ther may be glorified Mat. 5. 16, and whereby also [Page 108] we may be kept from al prophanesse, least otherwise, his name be dishonoured, and blasphemed Esay 52. 5. Rom. 2. 24. The Prophet Dauid had a great measure of this zeale, when he sayd, The zeale of thy house, hath euen eaten mee vp Ps. 69. 9.: and that his heart should vtter foorth good matter Ps. 45. 1.. Yea, the woord which there the holy Ghost vseth is verie em­phaticall. q. d. Eructat cor I will cast vp a good matter, alluding to the manner of men, who hauing something which lyeth heauie vpon their stomackes, can haue no rest till they haue cast it vp. Oh that the consideration of those mercies, which wee and all Gods Sheepe, doe dayly receiue and enioy, with Dauid our fold­mate; did ouercharge our hearts conti­nually, with such an holy surfet,Crapula sancta. Lu­ther. (as a godly man called it) the care and de­sire to gloifie GODS name, lying so heauie vppon vs, that wee could neuer bee at ease nor rest, vntill wee were disburdened, by sounding foorth Gods praise; and magnifying him, for whose name sake onely, hee hath beene moo­ued to doe such great thinges for vs! &c. And so much for the first Allego­rie summarily layde downe in the first [Page 109] verse, and particularly amplyfied, and illustrated, in the second and third ver­ses. Now let vs proceede, to con­sider what vse Dauid ma­keth hereof.

IN this verse, the holy Prophet of God, de­clareth, what great comfort and stay, the cōsideration of Gods pastor-like care and prouidence towardes him, did affoord him in the serious medi­tation of death, Yea though I should walke through the valley of the shadow of death. The summe whereof is thus much in ef­fect,The summe of this verse. q. d. Seeing then, oh my God, like a most louing and faithfull shepheard, thou [Page 111] hast taken care and charge ouer me, graci­ously to supply my wants, and mightily to defend me in all aduersities; I will not hence-forth vex, or disquiet my soule in vaine, with feare of any euill, but securely repose my selfe vnder the wings of thy prouidence, not fearing any danger, ha­uing thy presence, no not to go through the valley of the shadow of death it selfe. Surely a most excellent sentence, decla­ring the great valour and fortitude, not onely of Dauid, but of euerie true Chri­stian, and sheepe of Gods pasture, in all daungers whatsoeuer, whose hearts are possessed with comfortable assurance of Gods prouidence towards them, as his was; from whence that we may reape the greater comfort and benefite, I purpose first to obserue something for the verse generally,A generall obseruation from the whole verse and then handle the wordes themselues more particularly.

The thing which we are in generall to obserue, is this, viz. Dauids religious meditation of death in his greatest pro­speritie of life; it seemeth by the tenour of the Psalme (as we haue heard) that it was not penned when hee was persecuted by Saule, and glad to flie from one holde to [Page 112] another1. Sam. 23 14., no, nor when (after he was an­noynted in Hebron king, both ouer Iu­dah 2. Sa. 2. 4., and all Israell2. Sa. 5. 3.) he was glad to flie being persecuted by his owne sonne Ab­solom, most treacherously practising to aspire to the kingdome2. Sam. 15 14. For no maruell though then his soule was possessed with the continuall remembrance and medi­tation of death, when as hee might most truly say, as hee did vnto Ionathan, as the Lord liueth, and as thy soule liueth, there is but a step betwixt me and death 2. Sa. 20. 3. But this Psalme was penned as a thankful remem­brance of Gods prouidence towards him, when hauing safely passed through so many great perils, he had obtained (mau­gre the beardes of all his enemies) the peaceable fruition of his crowne & king­dom, when as a man would haue thought he should haue banished al remembrance of death, and neuer haue troubled his thoughts with such nightly meditations, but rather haue solaced himselfe as that rich man in the Gospell, who hauing pul­led downe his old barnes, and filled grea­ter with his fruit and goods, hee neuer dreamed of death, but said to his soule, Be merry, liue at ease, eate, drinke, and take thy [Page 113] pleasure, for thou hast goods laid vp for many yeares Lu. 12. 19. I say, a man would haue thought, that Dauid in some such manner also would haue spoken vnto his soule, & haue said, Now my soule be merrie, take thine ease, eate and drinke, for now thou hast obtained thine hearts desire, and shalt be able to auenge thy selfe on all thine ene­mies that haue vexed thee. &c. But he be­ing better trained vp, and exercised in the Lords schoole, and hauing learned the va­nitie and vncertaintie of this life, that hee was but a soiourner, and a pilgrime on earth as all his fathers were Ps. 39. 12, and knowing what great cares and feares a crowne bringeth, & ignorāt whether euē that night his soul should be fetched away or noLu. 12. 26: being ad­uaunced to the top of prosperitie, he for­getteth not himselfe, presuming of life, but looketh downe to the earth whither he must, and bethinketh how hee may comfortably passe through the valley of the shadow of death, and tread the path of all flesh, and goe the way of all the earthIos. 23. 14 1. Kin. 2. 2..

Whose religious example teacheth vs this lesson for our instruction,Doctrine ge­nerall from the obser­uation. viz. That we ought at all times, and in all condi­tions, [Page 114] in our youth, in our strength, and in our prosperitie, to remember our end; this is the counsell of the wise man, Remem­ber thy Creator in the daies of thy youth, whi­lest the euill dayes come not, nor the yeares approach wherein thou shalt say, I haue no pleasure in them; before the Almond tree flourish grinders grow few, strong men bow themselues, keepers of the house doe tremble, and they grow dimme that looke out by the windowes Eccles. 12 1. 2. 3. Yea, this was Gods wish, Oh that my people were wise to consider their lat­ter end Deut. 32. 29. The holy Patriarkes declared their wisdome, and the due consideration that they had of their latter end, by pur­chasing places to burie inGen. 23. 4.. Abraham had it at his fingers end, I am but dust and ashes Ge. 18. 27. And Iacob as readily confessed to Pharaoh, demaunding how old hee was, That his life was but a pilgrimage, and his dayes few and euill Gen. 47. 9, * few for number,Anni, pauci aerumnae; multae. and euill for qualitie; Iob also, hee waited all his dayes for the appoynted time, when his changing should come Iob. 14. 14. The Prophet Dauid, after long watching and fasting, besought God to bee instructed concer­ning the number of his dayes, and the time that he had yet to liue Psa. 39. 4: yea, all the faith­full [Page 115] are taught by Moses to pray, Lord teach vs to number our dayes, that we may ap­plie our hearts vnto wisdome Ps. 90. 12.

Ioseph of Arimathea, a rich man, had a Sepulchre in his garden to lie in, long be­fore he diedIoh. 19. 41, so that his recreation and solace in the cōtemplation of Gods crea­tures, was ioyned with a serious medita­tion of his end, wherein both he, and the rest of those holy Saints, haue shewed thē ­selues to be truly wise men indeed: for what would it haue profited them, or any other, by Arithmeticall account, to diuide the least fractions, & neuer to take an ac­count of those few dayes that we haue to liuePsa. 90, 12▪, or with the Geometriciā, to take the height, longitude, or latitude, of most spa­cious obiects, and neuer to measure that which the Prophet saith, is but a spanne long, or a hands breadth Psal. 39. 5. What were it with the Astronomer to obserue the mo­tions of the heauens, positions and aspects of the Planets and Starres, and neuer with Dauid to looke downe to the valley of death, through which Kings, and all must passePs. 82. 7.: or with the Lawier to be skilfull in lawes, statutes and decrees, for the ma­naging and gouernment of kingdomes, [Page 116] common-wealthes,Statutū est omnibus, semel mori. and countries, and gi­uing to euerie man his right, and to for­get that common and irreuocable lawe whereby it is appoynted for all men once to die Heb. 9. 27: or with the Phisition, to know the cause, nature and qualitie of euerie sickenesse and Symptome, wherby he may skilfully applie himselfe to the cure, and neuer to regard the languishing soule, be­ing mortally wounded with the sting of sinne 1. Cor. 15. 56. In a worde, what will it one day profit a man, that with the Rhetorician, by sweete and eloquent stile hee could draw teares from the hardest heart: or with the subtile Logitian, by conse­quence of fallacious arguments, enforce a cōcession of greatest absurdities, yea with the temporizing Politician, gaine the whole world, and loose his owne soule Mat. 16. 26.. Sure­ly vnlesse chiefe regard be had to the sal­uation of the soule, all pollicie is but foo­lishnesse, all knowledge grosse igno­rance.

Seeing then necessitie is laid vpon vs,Esto do­mus cius & [...]rit domus tua, habitet in te, & tu habitabis in eo: si tu ac­ceperis eum in corde, ille recipiet te vulcu. Aug. in Psal. 30. that we must die, oh let vs follow the ex­ample of this Prophet, and in the whole course of our liues prepare our selues, not to die naturally, as men, but religious­ly [Page 117] as Christians, first dying vnto the world, by mortifying the old man, that so Christ may come and liue in vs Io. 14. 23. And then when wee die in the world, we shall go and liue with him Mors pos crucem mi­nor est. Io. 17. 25; yea then, whensoeuer it shall be said vnto vs, as it was to Ezechiah, thou shalt die, and not liue Esay. 38. 1▪: and as it was to Ahaziah, Thou shalt not come downe from off the bed wheron thou art gone vp, but shalt die the death 2 Ki. 1. 16. Wee shall entertaine the message of death with ioy, and more tru­ly say, then Agag did vnto Samuel, Truly the bitternesse of death is passed alreadie 1. Sam. 15 32.

And surely this lesson well learned and practised,How profi­table it is for a man alwayes to remember his end. would be very effectual to keep mē within the bounds of a Christian & cō ­scionable life: would the couetous wret­ches of the world so greedily scrape togi­ther the drosse of the earth and neuer be satisfiedHab. 2. 11? Would the proud Hamans, so lift vp their heads on high, and throughly reuenge euery least disgraceHest. 3. 5, 9.? Would a­ny filthy Amnon commit that in the sight of God, which he is ashamed to cōmit in the sight of his basest creatures2. Sam. 13 9? or any cruel Ahab, oppresse & wrong poore Na­both 1. Kin. 21. 13? if they did remember that there is a God, and day of reuengeReu. 6. 17., when to cry [Page 118] vnto rockes and mountaines, fall vpon vs, fall vpon vs, and couer vs, will be too lateLu. 23. 30.? No surely, will you know then the groūd of much greedie sinning, and a speciall sin in these euill dayes to be lamented? euen this it is, that subtile Sathan hath intoxi­cate a great number with that poyson, wherewith he infected our first parents, Tush you shall not die at all Gen. 3. 4. How many yong men are there,Nequaquā moriemini. that cannot brooke this lesson, with Faelix they say, They haue no ley sure to heare of these matters Acts. 24. 25, it is too chilling a doctrine, for their warme and youthfull blood, and too Melancho­licke thoughts, for their delightfull dispo­sitions, they haue put off their coate, wa­shed their feeteCant. 5. 3, and suited themselues for other businesse,The want of due con­sideration of our end, the cause of much sinne. presuming vpon re­pentance at leysure. Yea, how many olde men who cannot hope for any continu­ance of life, one foote being as it were set in this valley alreadie, when as old age ful of sicknesses, aches, and pains, as the clouds which do returne after the rain Eccl. 12. 2, are so ma­ny watch-wordes to make them prepare for another place, yea and bended backs, make them to stoope & constraine them to view the earth whither they must; yet [Page 119] are either (through their earthly cōstituti­on) insatiably addicted to gain, or (throgh their lustful inclinatiō of nature) addicted to the lightest behauiour of youth, wherby it appeareth, that both yong & old, haue made a couenant with death, and with hel are at agreement Esa. 28. 15, entertaining at least in their hearts, the old Epicures poesie, Death hath nothing to do with vs [...].. I pray you then let it not be grieuous or tedious vnto you, that I doe a little further endeuour to awaken you out of this daungerous lethargie of the soule, and presse vnto you the necessa­rie and most comfortable practise of this doctrine, to which purpose I might vse many, & those most pithie Arguments & reasons, but I will only cōtent my self with these foure, and also handle them briefly.

The first Argument,1. which may effec­tually stirre vs vp with Dauid to a religi­ous meditation of our end, is the certainty of death: for though it bee vncertaine, 1. for time, when: 2. for place where: 3. for manner, how: yet in regard of it selfe, it is most certaine, no man can auoid it, death is the way of all the world, said Io­suah Iosh. 23 14, the way of al the earth, said Dauid 1. Kin. 2. 2, and the end of all men, said Salomon Eccle. 7. 4..

[Page 120] The righteous must tread this path as­well as any other, for their flesh is but as grasse Esay 40. 6. Aswell died godly Abell, as mur­therous Cayne Gen. 4. 8, Abraham Ge. 25. 8., the Father of the faithfull Ro. 4. 11., as any of the children of vn­beleefe, Isacke the sonne of the free woman, as Ishmaell the sonne of the bond-woman Gal. 4. 22, Iacob, whom God loued: as Esau whom hee hated Ro. 9. 13.: Dauid the man after Gods owne heart 1. Sam. 13 14., as Saule from whom he tooke his spi­rit 2. Sam. 7. 15: aswell Salomon the wise 1. Kin. 3. 12., as Naball the foole 1. Sam, 25 25: aswell the rich man, as Lazarus the begger Lu. 16. 22: aswell Simon Peter the Apo­stle Ioh. 21. 18. 2. Pet. 1. 13, as Simon Magus the sorcerer Act. 8. 9.. In a word, death knocketh aswel at the dore of the Princes Pallace, as of the poore mans CottagePallida mors, aequo pede, pulsat pauperum tabernas regum (que) tur­res. Horac.. She is the Ladie & Empresse of the whole world, who neuer arresteth, but she bringeth, Corpus cum causa, without any appeale, bayle, or maine-prize, shee spareth no persons for their age, qualitie, or condition, but bee they rich, or poore: noble, or base borne, Gods impresse is vp­pon all flesh, hee hath numbred out our dayes, and die wee must; as wee came by the wombe, so we must goe by the graue; it is not the maiestie of the Prince, nor ho­lynesse of the priest, strength in the bone, [Page 121] or beautie in the face, or gold in the Cof­fer, or any such worldly respect, that death regardeth, there is neither Moat of wa­ters so broade and deepe: nor wall, so thicke and high: nor dores of yron and brasse, so hard and strong: nor houses so warme fieled with Cedar or vermillion; nor Iuorie beds so soft and sweet, or any other thing that can plead priuiledge a­gainst the graue; but both Princes, and Pesants, must acknowledge their pede­gree, as Iob doth: Corruption, thou art my Father; rottennesse, thou art my mother; wormes, yee are my brethren, and sisters; graue, thou art my bed Iob. 17. 14. Oh then, seeing nothing is more certaine than death, nor vncertain than the time; let vs not trust in any worldly thing, which is but vanitie, but let vs follow the example of this king­ly Prophet, and remember death, euen in our greatest hope and prosperitie of life. 2 The second Argument to this purpose, may be, the sence of our owne infirmities, there being no man or woman so stronge or healthie, but at one time or other, haue felt in their bosomes, the fore-runner of death, whereby they may perceiue, that their life, is but as a Ionas gourd, and Ia­cobs [Page 122] pilgrimage, we being but tenants at will, dwelling in houses of clay Iob. 4. 19, the wals wher­of,Quid caro, quam ter­ra, in figu­ras suas cō ­uersa, Tertull. de carne Chri­sti in breui casura est domus tua, Bernerd. Eccles. 2. with euerie little shower of sicknesse, are almost washed downe, and though wee dawbe, or patch them vp neuer so much, yet will they quickely fall into the hands of the Land-lord, and as we haue mourned for others, so shall mourners goe about in the streets for vsEccl. 12. 5, and shall we then liue as though wee should neuer die? Oh remember, we bring our yeares to an end, as it were a tale that is told Ps. 90. 9., our wheele runneth round a pace, and whether we sleepe or wake, or whatsoeuer we doe, we are still vnder saile, hasting towardes our wished hauen, let vs then remember with Dauid, the valley of the shadowe of death.

3 The third Argument, may be the con­sideration of the dayly deaths of others, which we either see with our eies, or heare of with our eares; how many graue and sage Councellors, noble Peeres, worthy men at armes, lusty gallants of the world, yea neere neighbours, and deere freends haue we knowne, whose heads now lye full low, the pit, hauing shut her mouth vpon them; how hath death come neere [Page 123] vnto all of vs one way or other, as in ta­king from vs, our Parents, Kins folkes, ac­quaintance and freends, yea taking forth of our bosomes, our husbands, or wiues; and our children the fruit of our loynes, & our friends as deere as our own soules; yea, how often haue we followed to the Church, and do dayly passe by the graues of many, who for age and strength might haue seen vs lead the way? and what, shall we for all this neuer dream of death? Oh remember, one generation passeth, and another commeth, our Fathers haue gi­uen place vnto vs, and we must giue place to a succeeding posteritie, the enterlude is the same, they haue played their parts vp­pon the Scaffold of this world, and wee are acting ours. This being the conclusi­on of euerie scene, The graue is readie for me, as Iob saythDies mei extingun­tur,.

4 The Fourth & last Argument,Solum mihi super est sepul­chrum. may be drawne from consideration of the vanitie of all things in the world;Iob. 17. 1. Salomon, whom God for his wisedome chose, as it were to be the foreman of a great enquest, em­panelled to make enquirie, of the state of the world, and all thinges therein, hauing seene and experienced the same, he spea­keth [Page 124] for all, and giueth vp this verdict, vanitie of vanities, all is vanitie. Euen the young Infant, is no sooner borne, but by his teares doth prophecie the sameNondum loquitur, tamen pro­phetat.. He that is in want, liueth in greefe; he that hath plentie, in feare; he that is in high e­state, is enuied: in a word, the prosperity of worldlings, is but a golden miserieSplendi­da, miseria., affording neither perfect rest to the bo­die; nor true content to the minde; well then, as the poore Apprentise, remēbring that the yeeres of freedome are at hand, more cheerefully endureth a greeuous seruitude; and the wearied trauailer, hea­ring that his Inne is nigh, more nimbly pluketh vp his leaden heeles; euen so, let the remembrance of our passing through the valley of the shadow of death, and our comming to Mount Sion on the other side, where we shall for euer be fre­ed from all wants; be our comfort and re­freshing in this wearisome pilgrimage, and hereunto tendeth all which hath been sayd, viz: That with Dauid we may pre­pare for death, in our greatest prosperitie of life.

Ob. But some man may say, these paines might well haue beene spared, for what [Page 125] man so sottish, as not to thinke, that hee is mortall.

Sol. Indeed, nothing more common than these, and such like speaches, wee see what we are, we must all die, when our turne commeth. But alas, this is more of custome, and specially, when some presi­dent of mortalitie is before our eies, than of any true feelingMagis v­su, quam sensu.: whereby they might be prouoked, to keepe a good conscience before God, and all men Act. 24. 16. So that as S. Paule chargeth some men, for professing that they knowe God, when as in their workes, they denyed him, being abhomi­nable, disobedient, & to euerie good work re­probate Tit. 1. 16; So may most be charged in these daies, because though they professe in words the remembrance of death, yet by their workes, they doe denie it, and plain­ly bewray, that they doe not remember their last end Lam. 1. 9, as Ieremy complained of Ierusa­lem:Non est re­cordata fi­nis. and therefore much more to haue sayd, had not been sufficient, for the pres­sing of so necessarie a dutie: but I will now proceed to handle this verse more parti­cularly, wherein these thinges are to bee considered:1. The diuisi­on of this verse. first, a discription of death, through which Dauid and all Gods sheep [Page 126] must passe, (it is a darke, and shadowye valley) of death. Secondly, Dauids and euerie Christians courage against death, (I will feare no euill.) Thirdly, the ground or reason of this true courage or forti­tude, viz: Gods presence (for thou art with me.) Lastly, the benefits of Gods presence vnto his Saints, (Thy rodde and staffe doe comfort me) &c. Subdiuision of the first part, of this verse. For the first, viz: the des­cription of death, it affoordeth vs these points to be considered: First, what death is: Secondly, what are the kinds of death, & of which Dauid here speaketh: Third­ly, the difference betwixt the death of a Chiristian, and of a bruit beast: Lastly, the titles, tending to the description of death here vsed. For the first:

Death is the dissolution of nature,1. VVhat Death is. and depriuation of that blessed life, which he vouchsafed vnto man, by his creation, be­ing inflicted vpon him, as a punishment for his sinne; thus God threatned Adam, The day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt die the death Ge. 2. 17.. But Adam did eate of the forbidden fruit 1 Gen. 3. 6.. And thereupon the Apo­stle saith, By one man sinne entred into the world, and death by sinne Ro. 5. 12., which death is the punishment, and wage of sinne, as else­where [Page 127] the same Apostle affirmethRo. 6. 23..

Secondly,2. VVhat are the kinds of death. as concerning the kindes of death, there is mention made of a foure-fold death in the Scripture, viz: first a death in sinne: 2. A death vnto sinne: 3. The death of the bodie: Lastly, the death both of bodie and soule. For the first, the man or woman is said to be dead in sinne, in whome, sinne raigneth Rom. 6. 12., and who sauoureth altogether the things of the flesh Ro. 8. 5., and perceiue not the thinges of the spirit 1. Cor. 2. 14.: and this is the death of euery na­turall man, and the wretched estate and condition of euerie mothers child, as wee come from the wombe: so Dauid confes­sed; Behold I was borne in iniquitie, and in sinne, hath my mother conceiued me Ps. 51. 5.. And in generall; the Apostle hath pronounced of vs all, that by nature, wee are dead in trespasses, and sinne Eph. 2. 1.. And in particular, sayth of the widdow liuing in pleasure, that shee is dead, whilst shee liueth 1. Ti. 5. 6.. And surely,The reason why all vn­regenerate persons li­uing in sin, are sayd to be dead. the reason why such as are aliue in the flesh, and be neuer so actiue, agill, and nimble; yet so long as they continue in their naturall corrupt estate, may iustly be said to be dead, is very great; for what is there else but death in such as are not v­nited [Page 128] vnto God, the Fountaine of life Ps. 36. 9.? and therefore as the immortalitie of those that are damned, is called death Reu. 20. 6: because they are separated from God, and the glorie of his power 2. Thess. 1. 9.. So the knitting together of the bodie and soule, is properly no life, but rather death, in such as are not ruled by the spirit of God, which is the Fountain of life genus mortis, sine poe­nitentia vi­uere. Aug..

2 Secondly, concerning death vnto sin, it is this,VVhat it is to be dead vnto sinne. when by the power and vertue of Christ his resurrection Phi. 3. 10, conuayed from Christ as the head, to all the faithfull, as members of his mysticall bodie; the pow­er of sinne is destroyed, and all his Saints quickned vnto newnesse of life, whereof the Apostle thus speaketh: How shall wee that are dead to sinne, liue yet therein Rom. 6. 2. And againe in the same Chapter, hee saith like­wise: Thinke ye also, that ye are dead to sin, but are aliue to God in Iesus Christ our Lord Ro. 6. 11.. And this is called by S. Iohn, in the Reuelation, the first Resurrection Re. 20. 6., and is indeed the verie first degree of euerla­sting life.

3 Thirdly,VVhat bo­dily death is. concerning the death of the bodie, this it is: when the soule (whose presence, is cause of bodily life) returneth [Page 129] vnto God, that gaue it Eccl. 12. 7., and the bodie de­stitute of sence and motion, returneth vn­to dust, from whence it was takē Gen. 2. 7. 3. 19.: Of which our Sauiour speaketh vnto his disciples, Our friend Lazarus is dead Io. 11. 14.; and this is called the first death Re. 20. 6: because it goeth before; and vnto all reprobate persons, is as the dore that openeth, & the entrance into eternall death.

4 Lastly,VVhat is the death of body and soule. concerning the death of the bodie and soule, it is this: when both of them shall be separated from God, and the glorie of his power 2. Thess. 1. 9., and haue their portion giuen them in extreame darkenesse Mat. 8. 12, with­out all hope of mercie or fauour Lu. 16. 25 26., and ther­fore called euerlasting perdition 2. Thess. 1. 9., and the second death Reu. 2. 11.

Three of these, viz: The death in sinne, 2. Death vnto sinne. 3. The death of the bodie: are in this life; The fourth, viz: The death of the soule and bodie, is in the world to come; to be dead in sinne, is of nature: 2. to be dead vnto sin, is of grace: 3. the death of the bodie, (not changed by Christ:) and 4. the death of bodie and soule, are of iudgement; by being dead vnto sinne, we are freed, 1. from death in sinne, 2. from eternall death, and 3. haue [Page 130] the death of the bodie changed, from a punishmēt for sin into a blessing, to make an end of sinne; it being heauens churlish porter to let vs in to the presence of God; three of them. 1. The death in sin; 2. The death of the body. 3. Eternall death, are most fearfull: but the fourth to die vnto sin, is most comfortable and ioyfull.

Now,Of which kind of deaths Da­uid here speaketh. of which of these kinds of deaths Dauid here speaketh, may easily be gathe­red, not of death in sin, for with such per­sons God is not; neither doth he speake of death vnto sinne, for therin no euill is to be feared; much lesse doth he meane the death of soule and bodie, which is a perpetuall separation frō the presence of God, and all euill in full measure powred out: then by consequent, he must needes meane the death of the bodie, which to nature is verie fearefull, but wherein the Lord is graciously present with his, tho­rough assurance wherof, the natural feare of death is suppressed. And so much for the kinds of death, and of which hee spea­keth in this place.

Concerning the third poynt,3. The diffe­rence be­twixt the death of man, and beast. viz. the difference betwixt the death of man and beast; although in some sense it bee [Page 131] most true, which the wise man, saith, viz. that there is one condition of the children of men, and of beastes: for as the one dieth so di­eth the other, for they haue all one breath, and there is no excellency of man aboue the beast, for all is vanitie, all go to one place, and all was of the dust, & al shal returne to the dust, who knoweth whether the spirit of man as­cend vpward, and the spirit of the beast des­cend downeward to the earth Ecclc. 3. 19 20, 21.. q. d. No man is able by his carnall reason and iudge­ment,M. Perkins in his trea­tise, of dy­ing well. to put difference betwixt man and beast, for the eie cannot iudge otherwise of a man being dead, thē of a beast which is dead: yet by the word of God, and eie of faith wee learne and see, a wonderfull difference, both in regard of the bodies and soulesThe great difference betwixt the bodies of man and beast, both being dead.. For first in regard of the bo­die, though it returne vnto dust and see corruption, as the bodie of a bruit beast; yet whereas the bodies of beasts returne into their first matter, and shall neuer bee remembred, and so perish in this valley, and neuer go through it, yet the bodie of man, and specially of the elect, shall goe through this valley, and be raised againe the same for substance, but perfected in qualities, as Christ himselfe hath affirmed [Page 132] in the Gospel, and that with great asseue­ration. Verely, verely, the houre shall come in the which all that are in the graues shall heare his voyce, and they shal come forth that haue don good, vnto the resurrectiō of life; but they that haue done euill to the resurrection of condemnation Ioh. 5. 28. Which Article of faith, Iob beleeued, as hee hath witnessed in his booke, saying: I am sure that my Redee­mer liueth, and though wormes destroy this bodie, yet shall I see God in my flesh, whom I my selfe shall see, and mine eies shall behold, and none other for me Iob 19. 25. 26. 27: which Article of faith is euery where taught vs in the holy Scriptures, both of the old and new Te­stamentExo. 3. 15 Esa. 26. 19 1. Cor. 15 1. Thes. 4. 16 Reu. 20. 21, and in all ages confirmed, both by the taking vp of Henoch before the lawGen. 5. 24, by the raising vp of the widowes sonne of Zareptha, by Eliah 1. Kin. 17 22, and of the Shunamites sonne, by Elisha 2. King. 4 34. 35, in the time of the law; and the raising of the Rulers daughter, being newly deadMat. 9. 18, and of the widow of Naims sonne, being longer dead, and carying towards the graueLuk. 7. 11, and of Lazarus being both dead and bu­ried, and hauing lien 4. dayes in the graue Ioh. 11. 39, were raised by Christ: also of Dorcas rai­sed by Saint Peter Act. 9. 40, and of Eutichus, by [Page 133] Saint Paule Act. 20. 10, in the time of the Gospel.

Yea, here is wrapped vp a most com­fortable mysterie to be vnfolded, viz. that the bodies of Gods Saints, euen in their greatest corruption, rotting in the graue, drowned in the Sea, or burned to Ashes, yet remaine truly vnited vnto Christ, and are euē then no lesse his mēbers then be­fore, for the whole mā is vnited spiritually to whole Christ, & death cānot dissolue a spiritual vnionRo. 8. 38., but as Christ his body & soule, being seuered each frō other as far as ParadiseLu. 23. 43, & the hart of the earth,Mat. 12. 40 yet neither of them were euer seuered frō the Godhead of the son: so though our bodies and soules for a time be seuered by death; yet neuer cā either be disioined frō Christ vnto whō they are both of them indissolu­bly vnited, & by vertue wherof, the body at the last day shal rise againe to eternall life.

The great difference betwixt the soules or spirits of man and beast being dead. Secondly, wheras the life (or as the Phi­losophers call it, the soule, and the wise man, the spirit Eccl. 3. 19) of the beast, being but a naturall vigor or qualitie, arising from the temperature of the bodieSunte substantia ipso­rum corpo­rū. Zanch. de operibus dei 3. part-li. 2 c. 1. fol. 62 [...], and hauing no being of it selfe, but wholy dependeth vpon the bodie, and therefore dieth with the bodie, & vanisheth away like smoake [Page 134] in the aire, the soule of man being a spiri­tuall substance created and infusedBeza in quaest. fo. 5. 2 Zanch. de ope. fol. 762 Hieronim. Theodoret., as­well subsisting forth of it, as in it, when the bodie returneth to the dust, it retur­neth to God that gaue it Eccl. 12 7.

Now let vs briefly view the titles which Dauid here vseth, and whereby he de­scribeth death; calling it (a darke or sha­dowie valley) not, but that death is most lightsome and comfortable vnto Gods Saints, no doubt but in the verie mo­ment and instant of death, though the outward mā perish & the bodily eie grow dimme, Gods Saints do see such glorious sightsActs. 7. 55, as heart cannot conceiue; their eies being then lightned, as at noone day, to see God as he is, vvho dwelleth in that light which no mortall eie can pierce into 1. Tim. 6. 16. But Dauid in this place of purpose, ben­ding himselfe to describe the terrors of death (to the end that his Christian cou­rage and fortitude in the contempt ther­of, might more liuely appeare) speaketh of it as of a dark way, then which there is nothing more fearefull vnto naturePsa. 91. 5; oh then see the power of a liuely faith, which maketh men not afrayd to goe through places most fearefull.

[Page 135] Q. But did not Christ passe through this valley and taste of death for vs; why then doth it yet remaine?

A. It remaineth not, as it was threat­ned, and is still inflicted vpon the repro­bate, viz. a punishment for sin, (for then were God iniust to punish sinne twice.) But by Christ his death (though it re­maine for triall and exercise of our faith, courage, patience, &c.) the nature of it is changed to his elect, to become a bles­sed freeing of them from sinne, for the sting being taken away, it cannot hurtAdest▪ sed non obest.; but is rather a blessing; that whereas sinne brought forth death, death will bee the bane and destruction of sinne, it was sayd to Adam and Euah, If you sinne, you shall die Gen. 2. 17: But now it is said to all Gods elect, You must die, that you may cease to sinne Dictum fuit homini morieris si peccaueris: a nunc dici­tur morere ne pecces. Aug. Ciuit. dei. 13. 4.; No man then truly wearied with the burthen of sinne, but as the wearied tra­ueller desireth the shadow, so will he de­sire to be dissoluedPhi. 1. 23, & to passe through this valley, that he may dwell at rest with Christ, freed from all sin, vpon mount Sion for euer. It followeth.

I Will feare no euill. 2. Part of this verse. In these wordes is contai­ned the second part of this verse, declaring the great valour and cou­rage of euerie true Chri­stian, not fearing to passe, through this shadowie valley; where first we will con­sider the sense of the wordes,The sense of the words. The kinds of feare. and then the doctrines and vses. There is a feare which accompanieth the nature of man, & may be called a naturall feare, frō which Christ Iesus himselfe taking our true nature vpō him, was not free, as may appeare from the Gospel of Saint Mathew, where it is [Page 137] said, He began to wax sorrowfull and grie­uously troubled. Mat. 26. 37. And in Saint Markes Gospel it is said, He began to be troubled & in great heauinesse Mar. 14. 33: Which though some haue held rather to be a propassion, then a passion, and seeme to collect the same frō the words themselues, because it is sayd, He began to be afraid Ierome. [...]. yet the holy Ghost in another place alluding therunto, doth put it out of doubt, where he saith, That in the days of his flesh, he did offer vp praiers and supplications, with strong crying and teares, vnto him that was able to saue him from death, and was also heard in that which he feared Heb. 5 7. Secondly, there is a fond and foolish feare, whereof the Psalmist ma­keth mention, saying, The wicked do feare where no feare is Psal. 53. 5, So the Disciples were afraid at the sight of their master after his resurrection, supposing they had seene a spirit Lu. 24. 37 Mat. 14. 26. This is one of the curses which God hath threatned in his law, saying, Vnto them that are left of you, I will send a cowardnesse into their hearts, in the land of their enemies, and the sound of a leafe shaken shall chase them, and they shall flie as from a sword, and fall no man pursuing them Leu. 26. 36. Which curse was executed vpon the huge [Page 138] armie of the Midianites, who fledde and were destroyed of Gedeon, and three hun­dred men not striking a blow, but brea­king their pitchers, holding their lampes in one hand, and their trumpets to blow withall in the other, and crying the sword of the Lord and Gedeon: Iud. 7. 17 Gladius domini & Gedeonis.. The like also we reade of the Aramites, who besieging Sama­riah, the Lord caused them to heare a noyse of Chariots, and horses, and of a great armie, which made them to flie, for their liues, ca­sting away their cloathes, aud all that euer they had 2. Ki 7. 6 Wherein is verefied the saying of wise Salomon, The wicked flieth when none pursueth him, but the righteous are bold as a Lion. Pro. 28. 1. Thirdly,3 there is a religious feare, whose obiect is God, which in some is a base, slauish, and seruile feare, full of hatred,Oderunt peccare ma­li formidine poenae. malice, and contumelie, if they durst bewray it; this made that ouer­growne sinner Felix to tremble, when he heard mention of iudgemētAct. 24. 25. Oderunt peccare bo­ni virtutis amore. Pene est & pene non, in others, it is filiall, such as the child honoureth his father with, wherein there is nothing but loue, reuerence, purity, ingenuitie: so neare in affinitie vnto loue, that it can hardly bee discerned from itPene est & pene non, whereof Dauid saith, there is mercie with thee, O Lord, therefore [Page 139] shalt thou be feared Ps. 103. 11. But leauing these o­ther kinds of feare to their proper places, we are here to vnderstand the Prophet, as speaking of a natural fear, which in it self is not euill, no more then the other hu­mane affectiōsNon culpat affectum, sed excessum Bern. in Cant. ser. 26. though it be hard (if not impossible) for man being so corrupt, to keepe the right measure in his affections, and not to sinne, as Christ did not, which point a godly learned man hath well illu­strated by this common and plaine simile: H. I. in his treatise of the suffe­rings of Christ. fol. 56. If two glasses be filled, the one with mud­die water, the other with cleare Chri­stall snowe water, and let them stand till all the muddinesse in the one bee setled at the bottome, then shake both these Glasses, in the one the mudde ariseth straight way, and defileth all the water there: in the other although shaken neuer so much, yet it remayneth all still as cleare as Christall: euen so if a­ny of vs bee shaken with any affection of ioy, sorrow, feare, &c. We are pre­sently defiled with mudde: but Christ, (in whom was mans true nature, but not the defilement of nature,) yet re­mayneth, still cleare from any the least sin though neuer so much troubled, &c: [Page 140] so that the Prophet, in saying (hee will not feare) doth not condeme the affection it selfe, as euill, which we haue also heard, to haue ben in Christ, who together with our nature, tooke these vnpleasant passi­ons vpon him, yet without sinne; but this is a speech of faith, not condemning natural fear, but ordering it, that it exceed not measure; and is as much in effect. q. d. Seeing Lord, The summe of the se­cond part of this verse. thou wilt be with me, I will se­curely cast my selfe vpon thy prouidence, and not be distracted or oppressed with immoderat feare, though thou lead me thorough the val­ley of the shadow of death: whose example directeth vs, to striue to keep an excellent meane in all troubles and dangers, nei­ther on the one side to bee desperate and fearelesse, nor on the other side, to be cast downe, and oppressed with feare, but to cast our selues vpon God, vsing all honest and lawfull meanes, and leauing the issue and successe vnto God. So much for the opening of the sence of the words: now for our instruction.

Our Lesson is this,Doctrine. That all such as are sheepe of the Lordes pasture, and fold­mates with Dauid, of whome the Lord hath taken charge, as a faithfull shep­heard [Page 141] to prouide al good things for them, and to goe in and out before them: all these I say, need not to be distracted with immoderate feare of any euill, but when others are hard bestead, and at their wits ends, they may securely rest on Gods pro­uidence, and say with Dauid, The Lord is my light, & my saluation, whom shall I feare? the Lord is the strength of my life, of whome shall I be afraid? Ps. 27. 1. This doctrine is confir­med by many other places of scriptures,Confirmati­on. it is recorded in the prophecie of Esay, that the vnbeleeuers, hearing of warres, and the sword threatned, for want of faith, they sought to strengthen them­selues by wicked league, and friendship with straungers, and Idolaters; but the Lord hee admonished all the faithfull, by his Prophet thus: Say not ye, a confederacie to all them, to whome this people sayth a con­federacie, neither feare ye their feare, nor be afraid of thē, but sanctifie the Lord of hoasts, and let him be your feare and dread, and he shall be as a sanctuarie vnto you Esay. 8. 12 13..

Againe, when tyrants most cruelly rage and persecute, yet Christ biddeth vs not feare them that can but kill the bodie, but feare him that is able to destroy both bodie [Page 142] and soule in hell Mat. 10. 28.: Yea, when that great & terrible day of the Lord shall come, euen the day of wrath and vengeance, when the Lord Iesus shall shew himselfe from hea­uen in flaming fire, as the Apostle Paule saith2. Thess. 1. 7, 8.: Yea, when the elements shall melt with heat, the heauens goe away with a noise, yea, and the earth with all the workes there­in be burnt vp, as S. Peter saith2. Pe. 3. 10, The wa­ters roare, that vnbeleeuers hearts shall faile them for feare, as saith the EuangelistLu 21. 25, 26, 28.: Yet euen then our Sauiour biddeth his Disci­ples not to be afraid, but lift vp their heads with ioye, knowing that their redemption draweth nigh Lu 21. 25, 26, 28.. But because nothing is more fearefull to nature, thā death, which is the enemie and dissoluer thereof [...]. Arist. Eth. lib. 3., and wherein many of Gods deere Saints, be­wary great weakenesse, I will therefore gather a fewe Argumetns from the holy Scriptures; the consideratiō whereof, may serue to strengthen our faith,Foure Ar­guments for the strength­ning of faith, and suppressing the immo­derat feare of death.. & suppresse in vs the immoderate feare of death, that in some measure wee may triumph in Christ, and say with the Prophet, I will feare no euill. And whereas the scriptures afford vs many, yet I will content my selfe onely with these foure.

[Page 143] The first Argument for this purpose, The first ar­gument is drawne, from consideration of those mani­fold and great euils, from which by death, we are for euer deliue­red. may be the consideration of those mani­fold and great euils, from which by death the faithfull are deliuered, which that we may the better conceiue, and discerne, are of two sorts, generall, and speciall; by spe­ciall euils, I doe meane those, which for some great and extraordinarie causes, are to be inflicted vpon some particular per­sons and places, as the burning of Sodome and GomorhaGe. 19. 24, the carrying of Gods people into captiuitie2. Kin. 24▪ 15. VVhat are the speciall euils, from which by death, Gods Saints are deliuered.. This was the blessing pro­mised to old Father Abraham, saying: Know for a suertie that thy people shall bee a stranger, in a land that is not theirs foure hundred yeeres, and shall serue them, and they shall intreat them euill, but thou shalt goe vnto thy fathers in peace, and shalt bee buried in a good ageGen 15. 13. 15.. This was a blessing which God promised to wicked King Ie­roboams sonne, saying: I will bring euill vpon the house of Ieroboam, and will cut off him that pisseth against the wall, aswell him that is shut vp, as him that is left in Israell, and will sweep away the remnant of the house of Ieroboam, as a man sweepeth away dung, till it be all gone, the dogs shall eat him, that dyeth of Ieroboams stocke in the citie, and the [Page 144] foules of the aire, shall eat him that dieth in the field; yet that child (for whom his mo­ther came disguised to the Prophet) should die in his bed, and all Israel shall mourne for him, and burie him, for hee onely of Ierobo­ams stocke, shall come to the graue, because in him, there is found some goodnesse towards the Lord God of Israel, in the house of Iero­boam1. Ki. 14. 10, 11, 12, 13..

Also this mercie the Lord promised vn­to good King Iosiah, saying: The wordes that thou hast heard, shall surely come to passe, but because thine heart did melt, and thou hast humbled thy selfe before the Lord, when thou heardest what I speake against this place, and against the Inhabitants of the same. viz: That it should bee destroyed, and accursed, and hast rent thy cloathes, and wept before me: I haue also heard it, sayth the Lord, Behold therefore I will gather thee to thy Fathers, and thou shalt bee put in thy graue in peace, and thine eies shall not see all the euill, which I wil bring vpon this place 2. Ki. 22. 19. 20.. Yea, this is a course which the Lord many times, taketh with his faithfull ones, thogh the world do not obserue it, whose taking away, is a prognostication of some fearefull euill, to befall that place, as the [Page 145] Prophet Esay noteth, saying: The righte­ous perisheth, and no man considereth it in his heart, that mercifull men, are taken away from the euill to come Esay 57. 1 2.. And surely, in this respect, it must needes bee a great blessing for Gods Saints, to die and go to the graue in these happie daies of peace, before the Lord bring vpō vs, those great euils which hee hath many waies threat­ned, & we euery way deserued, in ful me­sure to be powred vpon vs, as for the wic­ked it is not so with them; God is so farre from taking them away, from the euill to come, that rather he taketh them away in full measure, to suffer the euill to come, so that the day of death of all other, is most woefull vnto them: and therefore no maruaile, though they feare death, so much as they doe, that skinne for skinne, and all that euer they haue, they would giue for their liues Iob. 2. 4., and as the Gibeonites were contented to be hewers of wood, and drawers of water Iosh. 9. 23 25; so they had rather en­dure any miserie, than die: and therefore must euen be pulled from home, with no lesse violence, thā Ioab was from the hornes of the altar 1. Kin. 2. 30.. Whereas the Godly, know­ing that when the earthly house of this ta­bernacle, [Page 146] shall bee destroyed, they shall haue a building giuen of God, an house, not made with hands, but eternall in the heauens, doe therefore sigh, desiring to be cloathed with that house, which is from heauen 2. Cor 5. 1. 2..

By generall euils (from which by death we are deliuered) I meane such as either all or most men doe suffer, and they are of three sorts, either such as concerne specially the bodie,2. VVhat are the ge­neral euils, from which Gods saints by death are freed. or 2. such as concerne the soule, or 3. such as doe ioyntly con­cerne both.

The generall euils which chiefely con­cerne the bodie,VVhat are the general euils of the bodie. are many, as sicknesses, diseases, aches, paines, hunger, and wea­rinesse; cold, and nakednesse; toyle, and labour; losses and crosse; greefe and sorrow; troubles and persecution: And lastly death it selfe, which maketh an end of all, for Iohn heard it proclaimed from heauen, and was commanded to write it for the comfort of Gods Saints: Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord, for so sayth the spirit, they rest from their labour Re. 14. 13, For God shall wipe away all teares from the eies of his children, and there shall neuer be any more sorrow, crying, paine, [Page 147] or death, for the first things are passed Esay 25. 8 Reu. 21. 4..

2 The generall euils which chiefely doe concerne the soule,VVhat are the general euils which doe cheefely concerne the soule. in comparison whereof, the former is but a flea-biting, are also many, and especially that great burthen of originall corruption, which continually lusteth against the spirit, and hindreth vs from doing the good, which we would Gal. 5. 17.. Yea, is as a furnace, which con­tinually breatheth out many euill things, as doubtings of Gods fauour, prouidence, infidelitie, pride, hardnesse of heart, hypo­crisie, couetousnesse, ambition, hatred, &c. And what not, which is a miserie of all miseries, and made the Apostle so vehe­mently crie out, Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliuer me from this bodie of Death Ro. 7. 24? This is a hell which Gods chil­dren goe thorough,Originall corruption, the hell, of Gods chil­dren. and the greatest tor­ment, that can possibly bee deuised, for a man that hath any spark of grace, and true desire to glorifie God, to bee continually exercised, turmoyled, yea many times o­uermatched and foyled, by the home­borne rebellious corruptions of his owne heart, whereby hee is pinnioned, and led as a poore captiue, and so fettered & ham­pered, that though hee desire to runne in [Page 148] the waies of Gods commandements: yet is he constrained to creep with the snaile, and make no way.

vvhat are those gene­rall euils, which con­cerne both bodie and soule. 3 The generall euils which doe con­cerne both body and soule, are also many, and especially these three: The first is a continuall temptation vnto sin, for wher­soeuer they become,1. The first ge­nerall euill, concerning soule and bodie. Sathan that roaring Lion, which goeth about continually, seeking whome hee may deuoure 1. Pe. 5. 8., alwaies doggeth them at their heeles, and when­soeuer they intend any good thing, he is by & by at their right hands to resist thē Zach. 3. 1. and watcheth full narrowly euerie occasi­on to tempt and draw them to euill 2. Sa. 11. 2.: wher­upon ariseth the greatest strife, wrestling, and combate, betwixt Sathan and a faith­full soule, that euer was: whereof S. Paule thus speaketh; We wrastle not with flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers, and worldly gouernours, the Princes of the darkenesse of this world, against spirituall wickednesses, which are in the high places Eph. 6. 12., and sayth of himselfe, that the messenger of Sathan was sent for to buffet him2. Cor. 12. 7 Of which buffetting and beating, onely the Saints of GOD haue experience, for worldlinges, in whome all thinges are at [Page 149] peace Lu. 11. 21, woonder at it, and perceiue it not▪ but by death, Gods Saints get a final con­quest: for though now hee compasse the earth to and fro Iob. 1. 7., and hath great wrath, be­cause he knoweth his time is but short Reu. 12 12, and being let loose of the Lord, is become the Prince of the ayre Eph. 2. 2. that wee can no way flie from him, but he will find vs out; yet can he neuer come within the compasse and lists of heauen, for from thence this wretched accuser of the brethren is cast Reu. 12. 10, that though hee had accesse to tempt A­dam in the earthly Paradise, yet can he ne­uer come to tempt his soule, or the spirits of iust and perfect men Heb. 12. 23, in the heauenly Pa­radice, yea after the day of iudgement, when there shall be a new heauen, and a new earth, for qualitieEsa 65. 17 66, 22 Reu. 2 [...]. 1 A sua qua­libet cor­ruptione prius con­tracta., & both of them made one habitacle for Gods Saints; then shal he haue his portion in the fiery lake Mat. 25. 41, and chai­ned in the blacknesse of darknes for euer Iude. 6. The second great & ge­nerall euill in regard of the whole man, is the continuall practise of sinne..

The second euill generall, in regard of the whole man, and which lieth heauy on Gods Saints in this life, is a continuall practise of sinne, by reason that their sanc­tification in this life, though true, yet im­perfect, wherby it cōmeth to passe, that as Salomon saith, there is no man that liueth and [Page 150] sinneth not: and Saint Iames, In many things we sinne all Iam. 3. 2.: oh what a wretched thing is this, that wee should continually offend the Maiestie of so good & louing a God, who dayly powreth his blessings vpon vs: but when death commeth and clo­seth our eies, there is to all the elect an happie end of sinning any more, for their corruption of nature, shall bee aboli­shed, Sathan banished: and their sancti­fication perfected without all sinne, or the temptations thereunto to doe the will of God willingly, speedily, and perfectly.

The third and last generall euill is this,The third general euil and miserie, is conuersa­tion with the wicked. that in this life Gods Saints are cōstrained to conuerse, & liue in the cōpanie of wic­ked ones, as sheep mingled with vncleane goates, yea, so thicke are they sowne, that if we will not keepe companie with for­nicators, couetous, extortioners, and Ido­laters; we must go out of the world1. Cor. 5. 10: now what a miserie of all miseries is this, that being so wretched,M. Perkins in his trea­tise of dy­ing well. fo. 780. 781 & sinful in our selues, we are constrained to be in the companies of such, whose onely delight is in swea­ring, lying, blaspheming, filthie and foo­lish talking, speaking euill of God, and all godlinesse, cursing the blessed of God, [Page 151] and loading them with all vile reproches, and disgraces that may bee; what man that is truly grieued for his owne sinnes, whose soule within him is not vexed to heare, as Lots was2. Pet. 2. 8, and gush out into tears, as Dauids did, to see men so fearful­ly transgresse the commaundements of the Lord Psal. 119. 136.? yea, and complaine of this mise­rie as he did, Wo is mee that I remaine in Mesech, and haue mine habitation amongst the tents of Kedar Ps. 120. 5 But blessed bee the houre of death, which maketh a perpetu­all separation, and an euerlasting farewell betwixt the godly and wicked, when we shall no more liue amongst prophane sin­ners, by whom the name of God is blas­phemed, all the day long: but shall be ga­thered to the glorious and innumerable com­panie of Angels, to the assembly and congre­gation of the first borne, which are written in heauen, and to God the iudge of all, and to the spirits of iust and perfect men Vbi, tot gaudia, quo [...] socios faelici­tatis. Aug. de spirit. & anima. and to Iesus the Mediator of the new testament Heb. 12. 22, 23, 24.. If then by death we be freed from these, yea, from all euils, then surely there is great reason, that with Dauid, we should feare no euill, to go through it, &c. And this is the first Argument.

[Page 152] Now because it is not inough vnto per­fect felicitie,The cōsideratiō of those inestimable and incom­prehensible ioyes, into the possessi [...] whereof we enter by death; a no­table means to giue vs courage a­gainst it. to be deliuered from all mi­serie and euill; therfore the second Argu­ment which may serue to giue vs great courage against death, may be the consi­deration of those in estimable and vncon­ceiueable good things, into the possession and fruition whereof, we enter by death; which is one of those great respects, in regard whereof Salomon hath pronoun­ced, That the day of death, is better then the day that one is borne Eccle. 7. 3. for by our birth we enter into a world of sinne and ini­quitie; but by death we enter into the pre­sence of God, where are the fulnesse of ioyes Psa. 16. 11. Oh then consider this thing, so soone as euer death hath closed our eies, our bodies rest from labour and toyle, and go vnto the graue as a bed of rest Esay. 57. 2, where it shall more soundly sleepe, then euer in this life vpon a bedde of Downe,Illa, domus laetitiae, haec militiae, illa laudis, haec orationis, illa requiaei, haec laboris. vn­till it be awakened by the sound of a trū ­pet; and the soule immediately returneth vnto God that gaue it, for euer to abide in the presence of the liuing God, of Christ, and of all the Angels and Saints in heauen: the greatnesse whereof cannot be conceiued with heart,Bern. or expressed [Page 153] with tongue; for if Saint Paul say of the misteries of the Gospel, and first fruits of the graces of Gods spirit, that they are such, as eie hath not seene, eare heard, nor heart of man can conceiue 1. Co. 2. 9 signified by the white stone, wherein is written, a new name, which no man knoweth but he that re­ceiueth it Reu. 2. 17. What shall then the haruest be? And if in this shadowie valley: where we see God but darkly, as it were through spectacles, and know but in part 1. Cor. 13 12.; yet the sweetnesse of the remission of our sinnes, iustification, sanctification, peace of con­science, and ioy in the holy Ghost; doe passe all vnderstanding, & no man know­eth, but he that receiueth them; oh how infinitely shall they bee powred vpon vs, when wee shall come to the mountaine of Gods holinesse, to see him face to face Visio dei be­atifici sola; summū bo­num est, Aug lib de Trin. ca. 13., & know him as he is 1. Cor. 13 12. Surely if the Queen of the South, seeing but the glorie of an earthly king, his house, meate, order of seruants, and their apparell, yet proclai­med, Oh happie are these thy seruants, be­cause they might euer stand before him, and heare his wisdom 1. Ki. 10. 8. Then 1000. times more happie they, that shall euer be in the pre­sence of the euerliuing god, king of kings, [Page 154] where is mirth without mourning, ioy with­out sorrow; health without sicknesse; and life without end, in comparison of whose glo­rie, riches, and wisdom; Salomons, was but vanitie, beggerlinesse, and folly. And if so be that Moses was thought so happie, and in all ages renowmed, for that God vouchsafed him so great fauour, as to see his hinder parts as he passed byExod. 33 23: then how much more happie shall they be,Videbis, posteriora mea. that are admitted into the presence of God, to see his face for euer? Now though no man either for the ending of present miseries, or preuenting of future calamities, or for the desire to enioy these good things, must shorten their dayes, as Saul, Achito­phel, Iudas, or that foolish martyr of Phi­losophie Cleombro­tus, tales, stulta Phi­losophia, ha­bet Marty­res., who reading Platoes booke of the immortalitie of the soule, is reported to cast himself headlong from a wall, that so he might haue experimentall know­ledge of that which he read;Hieron. ad Marcell. yet what mā or woman with spirituall vnderstanding, duly considering what miseries by death, wee leaue behinde vs; and with the eyes of faith beholdeth, what inestimable good things by death we are put in pos­session of, but shall most willingly die [Page 155] when God calleth; yea, sing with the Swanne, when death approacheth, and say with old father Simeon, Lord now let­test thou thy seruant depart in peace Lu. 2. 2 9. A sanctified and holy life a notable meanes, to procure a couragious and comfor­table death.

The third maine ground of true Chri­stian valour and resolution, and effectuall meanes, for the repressing of the immode­rate feare of death, is, to leade a Christi­an an and conscionable life: what a comfort was it to Ezekiah, when he receiued from the Lord the message of death,3. Argument. by the hands of the Prophet Esay, that he could appeale vnto God, and say, Oh Lord, re­member how I haue walked before thee in trueth, and with a perfect heart, and haue done that which is good in thy sight Esay. 38. 3. For although it be a most hereticall doctrine, taught and maintained in the Church of Rome, that God giueth euerlasting life and glorie to men, for, and according to their good workes, as hee giueth damna­tion for the contrarieRhem. in Rom. 2. 2. Sect. & 1. Co. 3. sect. 2.; and therefore wee renounce it, and say with the Apostle, E­ternall life is the gift of God through Iesus Christ our Lord Ro. 6. vlt.. And though a reward shall be giuen vs according to our workes Rom. 2. 6, yet not for our works.Rhem. in Rom. 2. 2. Sect. & 1. Co. 3. sect. 2.; Yet seeing good workes, though they bee no cause of [Page 156] raigning, yet are the way to Gods King­dome Secuudum opera, sed non propter Greg. in Psal. 140.. Therefore as it must needes bee a great comfort in our liues, so much more at our deathes to remember that we haue walked in the way that leadeth to Gods kingdom.Non causa regnandi, sed via ad regnum. Aug. Wherefore, if we Mi­nisters desire a comfortable death, let vs be diligent in season and out of season 2. Ti. 4. 2, to feede the flocke of God 1. Pet. 5. 2, whereof the holy Ghost hath made vs ouer seers Act. 20. 28, that wee may bee able to protest in some measure with the Apostle and say: I haue kept back nothing that was profitable, but haue shewed you all the councell of God, I am pure from the blood of all men, I haue coueted no mans siluer gold, or apparell Act. 20. 20, 26, 27. Let euerie ruler that would haue a comfortable death, so carrie himselfe in this life, that he may be able to say with Samuel, Beare record of me before the Lord whose Oxe haue I taken? or whose Asse haue I taken? or whom haue I done wrong to? or whom haue I hurt? or of whose hands, haue I receiued any bribe, to blind mine eies withal 1. Sa. 12 3.? Yea, let euery one striue to keepe a good conscience before God, and al men, that on their death beds they may say with Iob, Let God weigh me in the inst ballance, and he shall know mine [Page 157] vprightnesse, mine heart hath not beene de­ceyued by a woman, neither haue I laid wait at the doore of my neighbour, I haue not re­strained the poore of their desire, nor cau­sed the eyes of the widow to faile, I haue not eaten my morsels alone, but the fatherlesse haue eaten therof, I haue seene none to perish for want of clothing, but the loynes of the poore may blesse me, which haue beene coue­red with the fleeces of my flockeIob 31. 6 9. 16. qualis vita: finis ita.. yea, doth not dayly experience confirme,Iren. that as the life is, so is the death? What a com­fortable thing is it to bee present at the deathes of the godly? What notable con­fessions of faith? testimonies of repen­tance? patience in their paines? feruencie of the spirit? zeale in prayer? ioy in the ho­ly Ghost? power in exhortation? and com­fort in their farewell, Is there to bee seene and heard, if by violence of the dis­ease, they be not hindered? whereby it appeareth true, that Dauid witnesseth, that towalke in the wayes of gods cōmaunde­ments bringeth peace at the last: on the o­ther side most miserable and comfort­lesse are the sicknesses and deathes of the wicked, who for the most part die like sottes, as Naball, whose heart was as dead [Page 158] as a stone 1. Sam. 25. 37.: or desperate like Caine Gen. 4. 13: their consciences awaking as a mad dog out of sleepe, and tormenting them for their sins most extreamely. Well then, we must liue the life of the righteous, if euer wee looke to die the death of the righteous, and if with the Apostle we will haue death our aduauntage Phil. 1. 21: We must first with the Apostle serue God with all good consci­ence Act. 24. 16. Late repentance is seldome sound, wee reade but of one that became righte­ous at his last end; of one, that none may despaire for their long led sinfull life: and but of one, that none may presume, to continue in sinne. The safest way is to be­gin betime, and euen this day Psa. 9 [...]. 7. Heb. 3. 7. 13., to turne to the Lord. For though somtime a good death may follow an euill life, yet an euill death can neuer follow a good life; and therefore correct and reforme thine euill life, and feare not an euil death, for he can not die ill, that liueth wellCorrige ma­le viuere, et n [...]li timere, non potest male mori qui bene vexerit. Aug. de dis­cip. Christ. cap. 3., So much for the third speciall meanes, which do pro­cure a bold and comfortable death? the fourth and last remaineth, which is the greatest of all, and must giue life to all the rest, as without which they are but dead, and nothing worth.

[Page 159] A true and liuely faith. The fourth and most ef­fectuall meanes for the procu­ring of a comfortable death; is a stedfast faith. For a man may consider the euils of this present life, and the happinesse of the other, yea and lead a life for ciuill duties vnrebukeable, and yet not his death bee comfortable vnto him, but rather, he hath great cause to fear much euill therein; but when to the con­sideration of freedome from miserie, the fruition of happinesse, and an honest and vpright life; there is lastly ioyned a true and liuely faith, whereby wee are assured of Gods fauourFides am­biguum non habet, aut si habet, fides non est, sed opinio Bern., and the remission of sins, and that through the obedience and pas­sion of Christ, we shall bee receiued into Gods kingdome: these togither doe bring a most ioyfull, comfortable, and blessed death. When death seazeth vpon a carnal man, wanting faith, who can see no fur­ther then by the light of blind naturall reason, and seeth that he must leaue al his honour, riches, pleasures, friends, and fa­milies, & that his body, which hath beene so daintily fed, costly clothed, and much made of, must now be laid in the dust, and become meate for the wormes, and see corruption; and when hee seeth that his soule must go to iudgement, to render ac­count for those sinnes which he hath vn­godly [Page 160] committed, oh how doth this tor­ment and massacre him? oh death how bitter is thy remembrāce to such an one? but to the spirituall man, that by the eye of faith, looketh further then to the pre­sent corruptible estate of his body, name­ly, to that glorious estate, wherein it shall be raysed by the power of God at the last day, and by the eye of faith, beholdeth the brazen Serpent, Christ Iesus, lifted vp, vpon the pole of the crosse, by which one sacrifice once offered God is well pleased; oh how little doth such an one feare any euill in death? so that by faith wee liue, and faith is our stay when we doe die: let vs then with all diligence heare the word of God, and pray continuallyImo, demus operam, vt moreamur [...]n precatio­ne. Aug., for the begetting and increase hereof, that wee may in some measure triumph ouer death and say with Dauid, I wil feare no euill, to go through the valley of the shadow of death. It followeth.

IN this third circum­stance,The third Circum­stance de­claring the true cause, and ground of a Christi­ans courage in passing thorough the valley of death. is layd downe the ground of a Chri­stians boldnesse and courage; which is not desperat madnesse, & rashnes, wherby ma­ny a Swash-buckler, casteth himself head­long, into the danger of death, as though he feared no euill therin; but it is the assu­rance of Gods presence, and fauour, that is the ground of a true Christians bold­nesse. A point most necessarie to be consi­dered, least otherwise we may imagine, that Dauids boldnesse is appropriate to [Page 162] himselfe, and grounded vpon some spe­ciall promise and assurance, not commu­nicable vnto any other, and so it should be great presumption, in any other, to say as hee did, I will feare no euill in death &c. Vnlesse he had the same warant that hee had; I say to preuent this surmise, heere Dauid layeth downe the ground of his speach, that if wee haue promise of the same, aswell as he had; wee may boldly, and with as good warrant say as he did, I will feare no euill, to goe thorough the val­ley of the shadow of death, (for thou Lord art with me) &c.Method.

For the orderly,The sence of the words. and more profitable handling whereof, wee will first obserue the sence of the words:How God is present, in a generall maner with all his crea­tures. secondly, the do­ctrine and reasons: thirdly, the vse and practise thereof.

For the sirst, the wordes seeme verie plaine, yet for the better vnderstanding of them,Apud ho­mines, po­test quis quaerere la­tebras, sed nihil latet Deum. and the like phrase elsewhere, we are to note, that God is said to be with men, two waies; first, generally in respect of his eternall power, wisedome, and pro­uidence, whereby he preserueth, and dis­poseth all thinges, at all times, and in all places,Moll. in ps. fol. 1560. whereof Dauid thus speaketh: [Page 163] Whither shall I goe from thy spirit? or whi­ther shall I flie from thy presence? if I ascend into heauen, thou art there, if I lye downe in hell, thou art there also, &c. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the vtmost parts of the sea, yet thither shall thine hand lead me, and thy right hand hold me Ps. 139. 7, 8, 9, 10. Yea, the Lord himselfe saith in the prophecy of Ieremie: Can any hide himselfe in secret pla­ces that I shall not see him? doe not I fill hea­uen and earth, sayth the LordIere. 23. 24? Hereof S. Paule also speaketh in the Acts:Iouis omniae plena virg. Doubt­lesse, the Lord is not farre from euerie one of vs, for in him we liue, mooue, and haue our being Act. 17. 27.: And the Author to the Hebrewes saith, There is no creature which is not ma­nifest in his sight, but all things are naked to his eies, with whome we haue to doe [...] quod, omni­a, intuea­tur.. So the Lord saw, and was neere to Pharaoh and the Egyptians, spending his plagues, and bestowing his arrowes vppon them, till in the end hee destroyed them in the red sea Ex. 14. 27; So was he neere vnto Ieroboam, who stretching out his hand, to lay hold on Gods Prophet, it withered, that he could not pull it in againe 1. Ki. 13. 4. So was he neere to Goliah, when he directed Dauids stone, to hit him in the forehead 1. Sa. 17. 49, neere to Ahab, when he [Page 164] directed the arrow to smite him dead, through the ioints of his brigandine 1. Kin. 22. 34.. And thus is he vnto all worldly men, to spie out all their wicked waies, & many times to take them tardie in their sins, in consideration wher­of, S. Iames biddeth vs beware of sinne, and rendreth this as a reason, For behold the Iudge standeth before the doore Iam. 5. 9, so was he at Abrahams dores, to behold the moc­king and persecution of Ismaell against Isa­ack Gen. 21. 9.: at Isaacks dores, to heare the inten­ded murther of Esaw, against his brother Ia­cob Gen. 27. 41: at Labans doores, to heare and see, his hard & vnconscionable vsage of Iacob Gen. 31. 41.; at Saules dores, to see his cruell persecu­ting of Dauid 1. Sa. 18. 12.: at Dauids dores, to see his sin with Bersheba 2. Sa. 11. 4: Yea, he is at all our dores, beds, and boards, and at our heeles wheresoeuer we become, as Dauid con­fesseth, Thou art about my path, and my bed, and spyest out al my wayes, there is not a word in my tonge, but thou knowest it altogether Ps. 139. 3. In a word, there is neither heauen nor hell, nor vtmost part of the sea, neither day nor night, light nor darkenesse, that can hide vs from his face; our sitting, ri­sing, lying downe, the thoughts of our hearts, wordes of our tongues, wayes [Page 165] of our feet: yea our raines, bones, & mo­thers wombes, wherein we lay in our first informitie, and imperfection, are so well knowne vnto him: as the Prophet in that Psalme declareth, for hee sitteth vppon the circle of the earth, and beholdeth the Inhabi­tants of the earth as Grashoppers Esay. 40. 22., whose throne is the heauen of heauens, and the earth his footstoole Esay 66. 1, and his waies are in the great deepe. Wherefore Adam and Euah were deceiued, when they thought that they could hide themselues from the presence of God,Magns cae­citas, sugere quem non possunt effu­ger, Pau­lus sagius in Gen. cap. 3. amongst the trees of the garden Ge. 3. 8., and those wicked ones, who encourage themselues in their sinnes, saying: The Lord seeth not, neither doth the God of Ia­cob regard it Psa. 94. 7.. And therefore are iustly re­proued by the Psalmist, in the next words: vnderstand ye vnwise amongst the people, and ye fooles, when will ye be wise? hee that planted the eare, shall he not heare? or he that fourmed the eie, shall hee not see How God is after a more speci­all manner present with his e­lect, in all their trou­bles, to strengthen & comfort them.? So much for Gods generall presence.

Secondly, hee is after a more speciall manner present with his elect, whome he loueth for to comfort, strengthen, pro­tect, and defend them, this presence hee promised to Moses being afraide to goe [Page 166] to Pharaoh: Certainly, I will be with theeExo. 3. 12.. The like he renued to Ioshua, his succes­sour: as I was with Moses, so will I be with thee al the daies of thy life, I wil not faile thee nor forsake theeIosh. 1. 5., and vnto Ieremy he saith, Speake all that I haue commaunded thee, and feare not their faces, for behold I am with thee, to deliuer thee, sayth the Lord Iere. 1. 8. 19.. And Christ also giueth the like promise to his Apostles; Behold, I will be with you alwaies, to the end of the worldMat. 28. 20.. This is the pre­sence which Iacob, so earnestly prayed for, If God will be with me, and will keepe mee in this iourney which I goe, and giue mee bread to eat, and cloathes to put on, then shall the Lord bee my GodGe. 28. 20. And of this presence Dauid here speaketh, (Thou art with mee) q. d. I will feare no euill, for thou my most louing Shepheard, wilt alwaies be with me, to comfort, strengthen, protect, and defend me, that I be not ouercome of any euill: And so much for the sence of the words.

Our lesson,Doctrine. for instruction naturally, hence arising, is this, viz: That the Lord is euer after a speciall maner,Confirma­tion of the first mem­ber, of this doctrine. present with his Saints, both in prosperitie and aduer­sitie, in life, and death; the assurance wher­of, is the ground of much comfort, pati­ence, [Page 167] and courage, in whatsoeuer con­dition, &c.

For the first braunch of this doctrine, the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrews confirmeth it, where hee teacheth vs, to make application of the promise which God made to Ioshua, as made vnto vs: let your conuersation be without couetousnesse, and be content with those thinges, that you haue, for he hath said, I will not faile thee, neither forsake thee, so that wee may boldly say, the Lord is my helper, neither will I fear, what man can doe vnto meHeb. 13. 5: yea, we haue the promises, aswell as Ioshua had, both to the Church in generall, and the faith­full in particuler: God hath promised his Church in generall; saying, In that day sing, of the vineyard, of red wine, I the Lord doe keepe it, I will water it euerie moment; least any assaile it, I will keepe it night and dayEsay 27. 2. 3.. Yea and Christ hath most comfor­tably promised vnto euery faithful soule, in particuler, in the Gospell, saying: If any man loue me, he will keepe my vvord, and my father vvill loue him, and vvee vvill come vnto him, and vvill dvvell vvith himIoh. 14. 23. In regard whereof, Dauid affirmeth, that the Lord is nere vnto them, that are of a contrite [Page 168] heart, and wil saue such as be afflicted in spi­rit, for many are the troubles of the righte­ous, but the Lord deliuereth him out of allPs. 34: 18., And elsewhere also to the like purpose, he sayth: God is our hope and strength, & help in troubles, readie to be foundPs. 46. 1..

Q. But some may hereupon obiect, & say: Did not Gedeon complaine, in the person of all the people (when the An­gell of the Lord saluted him, in this man­ner, the Lord is with thee thou valiant man) Ah my Lord, if the lord be with vs, why then is all this come vpon vs? and where bee all his miracles which our fathers told vs off? but now the Lord hath forsaken vs, and deliuered vs into the handes of the midianitesIudg. 6. 14.. Did not Dauid complaine: Will the Lord ab­sent himselfe for euer, are his mercies cleane gonePs. 77. 7. 8? Did not Christ complaine: Oh my God, my God, way hast thou forsaken meMat. 27. 46.. Yea, and the Saints of God also: Oh Lord, why hast thou made vs to erre from thy waies? and hardned our hearts from thy fear? returne, for thy seruants sake, and for the tribes of thine inheritanceEsay 63. 17.. How then doe we say, that God is thus present with his people?

A. Indeed, God many times, for their [Page 169] good Ro. 8. 28., doth vex his Saints with his storms, and lay his hand heauie vppon their loynes Ps. 32. 4.: so that their enemies iudge, as they did of Dauid, God hath forlaken him, persecute him, and take him, for there is none to deli­uer him Ps. 71. 11., and themselues also may bee so perswaded, as their complaints testifie; but the truth is, howsoeuer for our tryall and humiliation, hee may turne away his cheerful countenāce from vs Esay 54. 8.; yet, either he taketh not away the grace, but the feeling of itFides, quando (que) sine sensu, vt causa, si­ne effectu. Greenh. fol. 449., (in which case men and women are not to be regarded what they say, because they speake not according to the trueth, but according to their iudgement, & fee­ling which is corrupted, as a mans tast in a feauer, to whom euerie sweet seemeth bitter) or if he take away one grace, he wil giue vs another in stead of it 2. Cor. 12. 9.. Yea, it shall stand as a sealed truth for euer, the Lord is nigh to all such as call vpon him faithful­ly Ps. 145. 18, in due time to deliuer them out of distresse, that so they may acknowledge as Iacob did, The Lord was in this place, & I was not aware Gen. 28. 16., the Lord was with me, & I thought not so. Which truth is confirmed by the manifold examples of Gods deere Saints, who hauing been humbled to the [Page 170] gulf of despair, yet now are lifted vp again & their mouths filled with a psal. of praise & thanksgiuing, vnto our God, confessing with Dauid, & saying: though heauines en­dure for a night, Psa. 30. 8. 2 yet ioy cōeth in the morning.

Q. Againe, some for the infringing of this doctrine, doe demaund, how we can be perswaded, that God is with them in death, whose sicknesses, and death are so comfortles, ful of idle & rauing speeches?

A. Howsoeuer some, and especially the sottish ignorant Papists, if a man die quietly and patiently like a lamb, (though there was neuer any faith, repentance, or remorse in his heart, at his death, or ho­linesse and honestie in his life) doubtlesse, they thinke hee is saued; but if any that professe the truth of Iesus Christ, doe en­dure any violent or extream paines, which thorough weakenesse procure impatien­cie; but specially if they vtter any wordes tending to distrust or despaire, Oh then whatsoeuer his life was, they crie out: Oh, see the end of these men, and will not spare to brand such an one, with the black marke of a reprobate: yea, to con­demne the whole profession of the Gos­pell thereupon: Yet the truth is this, That [Page 171] Sathan as hee neuer ceaseth in our whole life, so much more is he busie at our death (taking the aduantage of sicknesse, and in­firmitie of nature) as knowing that hee must then recouer, or for euer loose his Kingdome: and God may for a time (as it were) stand aloofe, and leaue his children in this great combate, that so hee might bring thē to heauen, by the gates of hellCuncta dei opera, sunt in me­diis contra­riis.. Whereupon they may vtter harsh words, according to their corrupt iudgement, which are not to bee regarded, as before we hard. Or else these things may proceed from weaknes of nature, & the violence of the disease, the brain being distempered, as in hot burning feauers, &c. and then it is not the man, but the disease, and they shal die with the disease, and neuer preiudice his saluation in Christ: nay, doubtlesse their spirituall comfort may abound not­withstanding these thingsVera con­solatio per­petuo durat in electis, potissimum autem effi­cax est circ [...] vitae finem, & mortis articulum.. In a word, it is a blessed life, which giueth comfortable assurance of a blessed death, for surely ma­ny a prophane vnregenerate man, may haue his memorie & reason, and die most meekely (as in consumptions, and such like diseases) and yet goe to hell; as those reprobates, of whome Dauid speaketh, [Page 172] saying: they haue no bands in their death like other men Ps. 73. 4. 5. Whereas many a righte­ous man, hauing led a sanctified life; (by violence of his disease) may be drawne to great torment, idle speeches, and strange behauiours, and yet goe to heauen: wher­fore, let vs refourme our iudgement here­in, and learne Salomons lesson, not to iudge of mans estate with God, by his outward condition in life or death Eccl. 9. 2.. And thus wee haue heard the first braunch of this do­ctrine confirmed, viz: That the Lord is al waies with his elect, after a speciall ma­ner, in due time to cōfort, & relieue them.

The second braunch of our doctrine was this,Confirmati­on of the se­cond branch of the doc­trine. viz: That the assurance of Gods presence, is the ground of much patience, and comfort vnto Gods Saints, passing through any euill. So that in nothing haue Gods Saints more reioyced, than in this, and surely the Reasons hereof are ma­ny and verie great, but especially these two.

First,The first Reason, why the assu­rance of Gods pre­sence, is a matter of such great encourage­ment to his Saints, is, because he is able to helpe and deliuer them. because he onely is able to helpe & deliuer his Saints, which the greatest & mightiest Princes of the world, cannot do though they vsed all their power, dignity, and authoritie thereunto, no, they are not [Page 173] able, in some cases, for to help themselues, in regard whereof Dauid biddeth, That we trust not in Princes, nor in any child of man, for there is no helpe in him, for when his breath departeth, he returneth to the earth, and all his thoughts perish Ps. 146. 3. 4., but if the Lord be with vs, who can be against vs Ro. 8. 31.? Which thing the Prophet Elisha wel knew, whose man being greatly discouraged, with the sight of the Syrian horses, and chariots, and mightie hoast: he cryed, Alas master, what shall we doe? to whome he answered, Feare not, for they bee moe that bee with vs, than that bee with them, meaning that God and all his Angels were on their side, for hee prayed, and the Lord opened his seruants eies, that he saw the mountaines full of horses, and chariots of fire 2. Ki. 6. 17.. If therefore our enemies be neuer so many, mightie, or politick, yet the Lord being with vs, and on our side, we need not to feare them, as Caleb and Ioshua sayd to the people, whose hearts did faint, when they heard by the other spies, that the sonnes of Anake dwelt in the promised land: Oh, said Caleb & Ioshua, feare them not, they shall bee bread for vs, their shield is departed from them, and the Lord is with vs Num. 14. 9.. Yea, if death be before [Page 174] our eies, we need not to feare Sathan, nor hell, the Lord being with vs, as heere the Prophet speaketh, and this is the first rea­son, why the Saints of God haue so hear­tily desired, and so greatly gloried in Gods presence, because with whome hee is, to them is he a most sure defence in all dan­gers, as being able to deliuer them out of all aduersities.

The second Reason, is this, because God is an inseparable companion; wee may haue friends that loue vs verie deere­ly, yea, as their soules, in prosperitie; and yet will faile or forsake vs in aduersitie, as Dauid complaineth: My louers, and my frends stand aside from my plague, & in kins­men stood a farre off Ps. 38. 11. And yet Iob more lamentably complaineth, saying: My bre­thren are remooued farre from me, and mine acquaintance are become strangers vnto me, my neighbours haue forsaken me, and my fa­miliars haue forgotten mee, they that dwell in mine house, and my maides tooke me for a stranger, I called my seruant, but he would not answere, though I prayed him with my mouth, my breath was strange vnto my wife, though I prayed her, for the childrens sake of mine owne bodie Iob. 19. 13, 14, 15. &c.. yea, Christ himselfe [Page 175] had experience heereof, Iudas betrayed him Mat. 26. 16; his Disciples forsooke himMat. 26. 56; and Pe­ter for sware him Mat. 26. 72, according as Christ fore told them, All you shall be offended with me this night, for it is written, I will smite the Shepheard, and the sheepe of the flocke, shall be scattered Zac. 13. 8: but though our frends stick neuer so fast vnto vs, and their loue conti­nue constant, aswell in aduersitie as pros­peritie, as the loue of Ionathan, whose loue passed the loue of womē 2. Sa. 1. 26, towards Da­uid, that hee hazarded his life for him, and that when he was persecuted of his father 1. Sa. 20. 33., yet when death commeth, all men for­sake vs: this separateth husband and wife, parents and children, friend and friend, though neuer so deerely beloued; but if God be once with vs, he will bee with vs for euer; if afflictions come, hee will par­take with vs. For so he hath promised; whē thou passest through the waters, I willbe with thee, and through the floudes, that they do not ouerflow thee; when thou walkest through the verie fire, thou shalt not be burnt, neither shal the flame kindle vpon thee Esay 43. 2: He wil be with vs to dispose of the euils, not a haire fal­ling from our heads, but according to his will Mat. 10. 30. Secondly, to strengthen our weak­nesse, [Page 176] he knowing whereof we be made Psal. 103. 14. Thirdly, to giue issue to all our troubles, as shal be for his glory and our good 1. Cor. 10 13.: And lastly, if death come, yet then will he also be with vs, to strengthen, and comfort vs, when all worldly delights faile, and va­nish away, so that we may boldly say, nei­ther life nor death, nor any thing, can se­perate vs from the blessed presence, and loue of God in Christ Iesus: and so much for the doctrine, and reasons for confir­mation thereof.

Now then, Vse. that wee haue learned, that the Lords presence is so comfortable: the vse hereof is, that aboue all thinges wee should desire and seeke it, wherin we haue this holy Prophet for an example, who sayd thus, One thing I haue desired of God, which I will require, euen that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the dayes of my life, to behold the beautie of the Lord, and to visit his templePs. 27. 4.. Againe, My soule thir­steth for God, euen for the liuing God, when shall I come and appeare before the presence of GodPs. 42. 2.? And in another place also he saith, Whome haue I in heauen but thee? and there is none that I desire in comparison of theePs. 73. 25. For the practise of which vse, there is re­quired [Page 177] a double dutie.

First to seeke God, 1. Dutie. seeke the Lord and his strength, seeke his face for euermorePs. 105. 4, and to encourage vs herein, he hath made vs this promise, I loue them that loue me, and he that seeketh me early shal find mePro. 8. 17, Aske, and you shall haue, seeke, and you shall find, saith Christ Mat. 7. 7., Whosoeuer then desireth the presence of God, when as God saith: seeke ye my face, his soule must answere with Dauids like an eccho: Thy face Lord will I seekePs. 27. 8.:Vox dei, in animis no­stris, non secus at (que) eccho, in cō ­cauis locis, resonare de­bet. Calu. in Ps. And so soone as euer God shall pronounce thou art my people, wee must presently answere, and thou Lord art our God, as the Prophet saythZac. 13. 9..

Q. But how are wee to seeke God?

A. Principally these foure wayes: By an outward profession, yea though it bee not alwaies in sinceritie and truth, yet the Lord hath pronounced of it, that it is a drawing neere vnto him, saying: This peo­ple commeth neere vnto me with their lippes, and honoureth mee with their mouthes, but their hearts are farre from me Esay 29. 13. Mat. 15. 8.. How much neerer then do they come vnto God, that professe him in spirit and truth?

2 We seek & find the Lord by faith, for so it is said in the Epistle to the Hebrews. [Page 178] He that commeth vnto God, must beleeue that God is, & that he is a rewarder of them that seeke himHeb. 11. 6. And by faith (saith saint Paule in many places of his Epistles) wee haue entrance vnto God, and accesse to the throne of his graceRo. 5. 2 Eph. 3. 12., without which it is im­possible to come neere vnto God, or to please himHeb. 11. 6..

3 We seek and find the Lord by praier, which is (as it were) a paire of wings to carrie vs vnto him, and whereby as a key, the doore of the kingdome of heauen is opened, Yea the Lord (saith the Psalmist) is nigh to them than call vpon him faithful­ly Psa 145. 18.. Was not the Lord nigh vnto Moses, when by his prayer, and as long as hee held vppe his hands, the Israelites ouercame the Amalekites Ex. 17. 11? But was he not neerer vnto him, when as by prayer he did (as it were) euen restraine the Lord from executing his fierce wrath vpon the people, that the Lord said, Let me alone, that my wrath may waxe hote Ex. 32. 10. Was not the Lord neere vnto Ioshuah, when at his prayer, the Sunne stoode in the Firmament Iosh. 10. 13., and neere vnto Paul and Si­las, when as at their prayer, the very foun­dation of the prison shooke, that the doores o­pened, [Page 179] and euery mans bands were loosed Act. 16. 26. how ought we thē to pray cōtinually, that so we may be cōtinually in the presence of God1. Thess. 5 17.. If we begin the day, let vs say with Abrahams seruant, O Lord send mee good speed this day, Gen. 24. 12. that so we may walke with the staffe of Gods prouidence: if we be couered with the shadows of the night, let vs beg with Dauid, Lightē mine eies that they sleepe not in death, Psal. 13. 3. that so wee may couch our selues in the mercies of God: and whatsoeuer wee at­tempt in either of these two seasons, let vs preuent it with the blessing of that other Psalme, Lord prosper the worke of our hands, Psal. 99. 17.

4 Fourthly and lastly, we find God by repentance, for so the Lord saith: O Israel returne vnto me Ier. 4. 1., And in another place, Turne vnto mee, and I will turne vnto you, sayth the Lord of Hoasts Zac. 1. 3.. So long then as we liue in infidelity, & do nether earnest­ly pray, soundly repent, nor sincerely pro­fesse God; we are estranged far from God, and as we forsake him, he will forsake vs, both in life and death: but whosoeuer by a true faith, shall stedfastly lay hold vpon, and imbrace the promises of God, sound­ly [Page 180] repent of his sinnes, zealously call vpon the name of the Lord, and sincerely pro­fesse his word, hee shall not onely come neare vnto God, but assuredly hee shall find God, yea God will find him, and loue him, and dwell with him, yea in him, his body shal become the Temple of the holy ghost, as the holy Apostle S. Paule in ma­ny places calleth it1. Cor. 3. 16. & 6. 19. 2. Cor. 6. 16.. O happy that man, that shall entertaine so honorable a guest, he commeth not emptie handed, nor will leaue his host vnsalutedFoelix ho­mo, qui hunc hospi­tem reci­pit, est enim satis mag­nificus hos­pes, nec ve­nit vacuis manibus; nec abit, in­salutato ho­spite. ferus. in Ioh. cap. 14. fol. 401. Abraham enter­tained but Angels, and had a sonne be­stowed vpon himGen. 18. 10.. Lot did the like, and he was deliuered from the subuersion of Sodom Ge. 19. 17. Obed-Edom the Gittite, gaue but house-roome to the Arke of God, and the Lord blessed him and all his houshold2. Sam. 6. 11.. what good thing shall he want in whom the whole Trinitie dwelleth? But there is no lesse care to bee vsed, to retaine God, then to find himNon mi­nor est vir­tus. 2. Dutie.. And therefore the se­cond dutie in the practise of this vse, is, that with all care and conscience, wee so carrie and behaue our selues, that we may retaine the Lord, and not prouoke him to depart from vs: whereunto tendeth the counsell of the Apostle, Let euerie one pos­sesse [Page 181] his vessell in holinesse and honour 1. Thess. 4. 4.. For there is nothing that so much grieueth the spirit of GodEph. 4. 30., as sinne; he can brooke pouertie, sicknesse, persecution, slaunder, or any miserie, there is no disgrace shall make him wearie of dwelling with vs, or ashamed of vs, onely sinne separateth him and vs, as he himselfe hath testified in the Prophecie of Esay, Behold the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot saue, neither is his eare heauie that it cannot heare, but your sinnes haue separated betwixt you and your God, and your sinnes haue hid his face from you, that he will not heare Esa. 59. 1. 2.. Which thing the Saints confesse, We haue sinned and re­belled, therefore hast thou couered thy selfe with a cloude, that our prayer should not passe through La. 3. 44.. Oh then if we would diligently seek him (as we haue learned) then should we find him, and if wee made conscience of sinne, he would dwell and abide with vs, to bee our stay and comfort with his blessed presence in life, and in death, and afterwards we should dwell for euer with him in his kingdome.

But now if wee make application of these things to our selues,Applica­tion. alas wee shall find there are but a few that haue any de­sire [Page 182] vnto God, either to finde him, or haue him with them; nay how many are there that think the Lord too nere them, and therfore say in their hearts with those cursed ones in the booke of Iob, Depart from vs, for wee desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Iob. 21. 14.. All that they desire, is, to find and retaine with them, gold, and siluer, goods, houses and lands, friendship, cre­dit, honor and promotion: if these things be with them, they care for no euill, and therefore no maruell though so many in the world, when afflictions and death cō ­meth, wherin these things can stand them in small or no stead, bee destitute of true comfort.Exhorta­tion. I beseech you then, let vs aboue all things seeke, and hauing found, make conscience to enioy Gods presence, that as the people said: Some put their trust in horses, and some in Chariots, but wee will remember the name of the Lord our God Ps. 20. 7., so we may say, some put their trust and re­ioyce in riches, and some in honor: but we will put our trust, and reioyce in the pre­sence of the Lord. And so I will conclude this poynt, with the worthy exhortation which Azaria made to Asa, and all Iudah and Beniamin, saying, The Lord is with [Page 183] you, whilest you be with him, and if you seeke him he will be found of you: but if you forsake him, he will forsake you 2. Cro. 25 2., and then shall both life and death become most fearfull and miserable. It followeth.

Thy rod and thy staffe do comfort me. 4. Circum­stance. In this fourth and last circumstance of this verse,The sence of the words. the Prophet Dauid declareth the wonderfull, sweete and comfortable be­nefites of the Lordes presence, very ele­gantly, persisting, and dwelling in his re­ceyued Metaphor,Virga, & pedum, virga cor­rigit, teme­re diuagan­tes, aut negligētur sequentes; pedo, ini­micos con­fringit, & vt vas figu­linum dissi­pat: Moll­in Psa. fol. 222. setting forth Gods go­uernment by the shepheards rod and staffe: the rod is for correction; the staffe for de­fence; with his rod hee constraineth the declining sheepe, to ioyne with their fold­mates, compelleth the wanderers to ac­companie their fellowes, and forceth the slouthfull plodders to pace it better; and with his staffe he doth driue away, and if they will not be feared, doth breake to peeces, & destroy the enemies of his flock, according to that in the Psalmes, Thou shalt bruise them with an yron scepter, and breake them in peeces like a potters vessell Ps. 2. 9.. So then the summe of it is thus much in effect. q. d. O Lord, as thou art with me, so do I conceiue exceeding comfort, both [Page 184] from thy fatherly rods, & corrections to­wards mee, and all thy children, and also from thy seuere and iust iudgements to­wards thine enemies.

Our lesson for instruction hence is,Doctrine. that Gods saints haue great matter of ioy and comfort, both from his sharpe correcting, and chastising of his children, and from his seuere and iust punishing of his ene­mies, both of them included in this short strain, Thy rod and staffe do comfort me, &c. But it will bee profitable further to insist vpon this point, and to illustrate and con­firme, both the parts or braunches of this doctrine by the holy scriptures: for the first, it may seeme very strange, that Gods Saints shuld conceiue such great comfort from Gods scourging rod, but there are 1 three things chiefly, the consideration whereof may make vs greatly to reioyce in,To consider wha [...] moo­ueth the Lord, to correct his children, a speciall meanes of [...]mfort in [...]. yea to embrace and kisse this rod. viz.

1 First, to consider what it is, that mo­ueth the Lord to correct his children; and that not furie, and rage (whereby men are prouoked rashly and vnaduisedly, to doe that many times which afterwards they are sorrie for) but loue, for so himselfe hath pronounced in the booke of the Re­uelation, [Page 185] So many as I loue, I rebuke and chasten Reu. 3. 19. The naturall parents, that loue their children dearely, [...]: Prius ver­bum, ad verba: po­sterius ad disciplinam refertur. Bull. in Apo. and had rather feel smart themselues, then it should light vp­on their children; yet will rather (though it bee to their owne griefe) make them thoroughly feele the smart of sharpe correction, then that they should for want of nurture cast themselues headlong into miserie: and the holy Ghost witnesseth, that our heauenly father dealeth after the same maner with his children, if instruc­tion and admonition by words will not serue, but wee will runne on in an euill course to the dishonor of God, slander of the Gospell, offence of the weake, harde­ning of the wicked, and to our own great hazard, and perill of eternall destruction, rather then hee will suffer vs to runne in this broad way to eternall destruction, (though he delight not in our miseries) yet will he presse vs downe with rebuke, & sorrow; and yet all in loue; which the wise man Salomon knew, whē he gaue this coūsel, my son refuse not the chastening of the Lord, neither be grieued with his correction, for the Lord correcteth him whom he loueth, euen as the father doth the child in whom he [Page 186] delighteth Pro. 3. 12: Whereof the Author to the Hebrewes making vse, sayth: If you en­dure chastening, God offereth himselfe vn­to you, as vnto sonnes: but if you bee without correction, you are bastards, & not sonnes Heb. 12. 6, 7, 8, &c.. How ought wee then to reioyce in the rodde, which is such an infallible pledge, and testimonie of Gods loue towards vs?

2 The second Argument of comfort, is the consideration of the manner,To consider the manner of Gods correcting his children, a sweet com­fort. how God correcteth his childrē, which Dauid layeth downe in another place, saying: He dealeth not with vs after our sinnes, nor rewardeth vs according to our wickednesse, but as a father hath compassion on his chil­dren, so hath the Lord compassion on them that feare him Ps. 103. 10. 13.: as then a Father will cor­rect his child, yea sharply, that the blood follow, yet with wonderfull compassion, yea many times with teares, and when he hath done, burneth the rod; So God is constrained many times to take vs in hand, and to chasten vs, least wee be con­demned with the world 1. Cor. 11 32, but it is with wonderfull compassion, and earning of bowels, as the Lord himselfe sayth, How shall I giue thee vp Ephraim? mine heart is turned within me, and my repentings are row­led [Page 187] together Hos. 11. 8: and no sooner doe his chil­dren turne vnto him, and take vnto them words of repentance, and say: receiue vs graciously, we will doe no more so Hos. 14. 3, but the Lord presently, healeth the wound Hos. 6. 1., and burneth the rod; when I haue accomplished my worke vpon Sion, and Ierusalem, I will visit the fruit of the proud heart of the King of Ashur Esa. 10. 12. Oh then shall wee refuse the correction of him that dealeth so mildly, and mercifully with vs, nay rather let vs with Dauid, reioyce in it, and pray with Ieremie, Correct me oh Lord, but in iudge­ment, or in measure, according to mercie Ier. 10. 24.

3 The third consideration,To consider the mani­fold good fruits of Gods rod sanctified; a singuler meanes of comfort, when we be whipped therewith. which may make vs reioyce in Gods rod, is, of the wonderful benefits, and fruit that it brin­geth forth, being sanctified vnto his chil­dren; whereof the Apostle thus generally speaketh, in the Epistle to the Romanes, saying; Also we know that all thinges work together, for the best vnto them that loue God Ro. 8. 38.: and more specially in the Epistle to the Hebrewes, saying: No chastising for the presēt seemeth to be ioyous, but grieuous: but afterwards it bringeth the quiet fruit of righteousnesse, vnto them which are thereby exercised Heb. 12. 11.. And that we may be the bet­ter [Page 188] perswaded hereof, we will consider a few of the cheefe of them, as the Scrip­tures lay them downe.

First, afflictions are notable meanes to humble vs before God, which is an ex­cellent grace, as the Prophet sheweth, saying: Oh man the Lord hath shewed thee what is good, to doe iustly, to loue mercie, and in humilitie to walke with thy God Mic. 6. 8.: and God resisteth the proud, and giueth grace to the humble, saith S. Iames Iam. 4. 6., and Marie in her song, thus confesseth: Hee casteth downe the proude and mightie from their seats, and exalteth them of low degeee Lu. 1. 51.: and our sauiour Christ hath pronounced, Bles­sed are the poore in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdome of heauen Mat. 5. 3.. Now how proane men are in prosperitie to grow proudDiuitia­rum mor­bus, super­bia., both the Scriptures, and examples doe teach; S. Paule biddeth Timothie, Charge the rich men of the world, that they bee not high minded, nor trust in vncertain riches 1. Ti. 6. 17, and Dauid chargeth, That if riches doe in­crease, we set not our harts thereon Ps. 62. 10. What need these strait charges, if God did not foresee, a proanesse vnto this sinne? Pha­raoh in his prosperitie, demaunded who was the Lord Exo. 5. 2.?

[Page 189] But in his aduersitie, hee desired Mo­ses and Aron to pray for him Exo. 8. 8.: Nabucho­donozer, in his prosperitie boasted of mightie Babell, which he had built for the honour of his Maiestie; but when he was driuen from men, and did eate the grasse with the Oxen, and his bodie was wet with the deaw of heauen; his vnderstan­ding being restored, hee could humble himselfe, and acknowledge that such as walke in pride, the Lord is able to abase Dan. 4. 34: And that we may not thinke, this is one­ly proper to the wicked; marke what Dauid, (a man after Gods owne heart) confesseth of himselfe, In my prospe­ritie, I sayd, I shall neuer bee remooued; then didst thou hide thy face from mee, & I was troubled, then cried I vnto the lord, and prayed vnto him right humbly Ps. 30. 6, 7, 8.. This is then one speciall benefite of Gods rod, to humble them before the Lord.

Secondly, by Gods rod, men are brought 2 to a more diligent examination of their waies, and repentance for former sinnes, which thing God declareth himselfe, say­ing: I will goe, and returne to my place, till they acknowledge their fault, and seeke me in their affliction, they will seeke me diligent­ly Hos. 5. 15. [Page 190] Which how true it is, their owne pra­ctise in the first verse of the next Chapter, sheweth, where they exhort and encou­rage one another, saying: Come let vs re­turne to the Lord, for he hath smitten, and he will heale vs; hee hath wounded, and hee will bind vs vp Hos. 6. 1..

3 Thirdly, afflictions are most wholesome documents, and instructions vnto future amendment, so saith the Prophet Esay, When Gods iudgements are in the earth, the inhabitants therof shall learn righteousnes Esay 26. 9. And this doth Dauid acknowledge to haue found by his experience, Before I was corrected, I went wrong, but now haue I learned to keepe thy law Ps. 119..

4 Fourthly, by Gods rod and afflictions, our zeale, and other his graces are kind­led in vs, so Christ teacheth the Church of Laodicea, saying: As many as I loue, I rebuke and chasten, bee zealous therefore, and amend Reu. 3. 19. When did Ionah so feruent­ly pray vnto God? Surely, (as hee confes­seth) when he was in the belly of hel, when the depths closed him round about, and the weeds were wrapt about his head Ionah. 2. 1. 5, that is, whē he was in the belly of the Whale, which descended with him downe to the [Page 191] deepes of the Seas, and rowled in the weedes. In the time of his prosperitie, hee neglected his calling, was disobedient to the voice of the Lord, and being called to goe to Niniuie, he went post hast another way, downe to Iapho, and finding a shippe going to Tarshish, he payd the fare of it, and downe hee went into the belly of it, and slept, but he that slept in the belly of the ship, which floated vpon the waters, is awake in the belly of the whale, tumb­ling amongst the weeds, in the bottome of the sea, he that fledde from Gods pre­sence, is now, as readie to flie to God, by prayerRes mira, vigilat in ceto, qui stertebat in naui: orat, in mare, qui fugiebat in terra. Manasses, when he was in pros­peritie in Ierusalem, with his chaines of gould, and pearle, about his necke, then he forgat God, and gaue himselfe to doe euill, like the abhominations of the hea­then: But when he was bound in chaines and fetters of yron, and caried into Babi­lon, then hee could humble himselfe, and most earnestly pray vnto God 2. Cro. 33 18.. The people of Israell when they were in Sion, they li­ued at ease, and though God sent his Prophets early and late, to call them to repentance, yet they would not heare, but put off the euill day, and approached to [Page 192] the seat of iniquity, stretching themselues vpon their Iuorie beds, eating the lambes of the flocke, and calues of the stall, sing­ing to the sound of the violl, and annointing themselues with the best oyntment Amos 6. 4, 5, 6.. But when they sate by the riuers of Babilon, then they could weepe full bitterly, to re­member Sion Ps. 137. 3. In this respect S. Peter cal­leth aflictions fierie trials 1. Pet. 4. 12.: For as fire doth purge the drosse from the mettall, and maketh it much more pure and shi­ning; so by afflictions, the Lord doth con­sume and purge the drosse of his Saints, that they may appeare, more pure, bright and shining, zealous of good workes.

5 Lastly, afflictions are most excellent meanes for to weane our affections from the world, and to breed in vs a dislike of the same, together with an earnest long­ing after those heauenly mansions, where we shall be freed from all miseries; so the Lord exercised his people, with much hardnesse, both in Egypt, and the wilder­nesse, that so they might the more ear­nestly long for the promised land: and surely, to that end, doth the Lord send manifold afflictions, in the wildernesse of this world, that we may the more ear­nestly [Page 193] long for the spirituall Canaan, flow­ing with better things than milk and ho­nie; whereas otherwise, if wee had all thinges at our heartes desire, it is to bee feared, we should not bethinke our selues of any better place. Seeing then Gods rod being sanctified, is euerie way so pro­fitable and fruitfull to his Saints, shall we not with Dauid comfort our selues in it? God forbidde that wee should not most thankfully receiue, and vnfainedly reioice, in that whatsoeuer, is any means to bring vs neerer vnto God, and to further our saluation in Christ, bee it neuer so bitter and vnpleasant, to flesh and blood for a time, for the end thereof, will bee full of ioy and peace at the last.

In the second part of the doctrine,The second braunch, of the doctrine confirmed. we learned, that Gods Saints haue matter of great comfort from Gods staffe: 1. From the fearefull plagues, and punishments, which God powreth vppon the heads of his, and their enemies. So sayth Dauid, The righteous shall reioyce, when hee seeth vengeance to come, and shall wash his foot in the blood of the wicked Ps. 58. 10. Not that the godly shall cruelly insult ouer the calami­ties of the wicked, but considering that [Page 194] God is glorified, by these his righteous iudgements, they doe with ioye (free from hatred, crueltie, impatiencie, and other such like turbulent affections) ap­prooue of the sameNisi, vt deum ex to­to corde dil­ligunt, ita nihil illis maiorem ad fert volup­tatem, quā ipsius no­men illus­trari, eti­am cuius­cun (que) id pernicie fi­at. Bucer. in Ps.. So Moses and all Israel reioyced, and sung Psalmes vnto God, for the destruction of the Egypti­ans Exo. 15. 1. Deborah, and Baracke reioyced, for the ouerthrow of Siserah, and Iabins hoast Iudg. 5. 1.: And in the last verse there­of, with a zeale to Gods glorie, pray for the like confusion of all his enemies, saying: So let all thine enemies perish, oh God. So also it is said, that the soules of them who haue beene killed for the word of God, and testimonie which they maintayned; cried with a loud voice, say­ing: How long Lord, holy, and true, doest thou differre, to auenge our blood, on them that dwell on the earth Reu. 6. 9. 10? Yea doubtlesse at the day of iudgement, when our affe­ctions, shall be made thoroughly comfor­mable, to the will of God, and our soules rauished, with his glorie; it shall greatly adde, to the fulnesse of our ioye, to see GOD glorifie himselfe, by crush­ing to peeces, with his staffe or yron rod, Sathan, and all the wicked, though [Page 195] neuer so neere, or deere vnto vs, in this lifeParentes, vxores, & liberos, prae Deo, si res poscat, odio habent, fi­deles; Buc. in Ps.. And thus we see what great com­forts, both GODS staffe, and rod affoord his Children, &c. it followeth.

SVch is the force of so­row, (right worship­full, and beloued) as Phisitians say, that being in great mea­sure, & sodenly con­ceiued, [Page 197] it so vehemently pearceth the heart, and causeth it to call in the naturall heart, from the externall parts of the body, and is not able, to dispierce or send it out again; that it either procureth sodē death, or some mortall sicknesse, which seemeth to be verefied, by examples in the Scrip­tures; we read of Eli, that hearing how the Philistims, had put the Israelites to flight, and taken the Arke of God; with the extremitie of the soden feare, and sor­row conceaued, Hee lost his strength, fell backward from his seat, and brake his neck 1. Sa. 4. 18,. Likewise, it is said of Naball, that (so soon as his wife had acquainted him, with Dauids intent, to be reuenged on him, and all his fa­mily, for his churlish answer to his seruāts 1. Sa. 25. 10) his heart dyed within him, and he was like a stone 1. Sa. 25. 37.. Also Balthasar, seeing the palme of an hand to write his doome, vppon the plaister of the wall, ouer against him in the middest of that royall Feast, which he made to a thousand of his Princes: his countenance was changed, & his thoughts so troubled him, that the ioynts of his loynes were loosed, and his knees smote one against another Dan. 5. 5. 6, &c. And surely, the great sorrow which euerie true Christian in this land, [Page 198] may iustly conceiue, from the great losse, of our lately deceased, (oh that I am con­strained to say deceased) gracious Prin­cesse Elizabeth, (who was the verie light of our eies, and breath of our nose thrils, a tender nursing-motherEsay 49. 23., (as the Prophet saith) in whose lappe we haue been more than 44. yeeres, nursed and fed, both with the sincere milke of the word of God 1. Pet. 2. 2: and with the good things of the land Esa. 1. 19) may iust­ly (at the least) astonish vs; this I say, to­gether with the view, of so great a con­course of people, and specially of the best & learnedder sort, (whose expectation is not easily satisfied, though vpon long, ma­ture, and peaceable premeditation, wher­as small or no time is now allotted, and my thoughts troubled, and distractedCarmina secessum, scribentis, & otia quaerunt: me mare me ventus, &c. Ouid.; haue much disabled me, to the perfour­mance of this great and waightie dutie; and I could be content, rather to exercise mine eare in hearing, than my tongue in speaking, being fitter and readier to learn, than to teachAbsit, vt non sim pa­ratior dis­cere, quam docere., (and specially vpon so so­den, and extraordinarie occasion, when euerie man is swift to heare, as S. Iames saith, and their eares much more attent, and sharper,Iam. 1. 19 than at other times.) But see­ing [Page 199] this is a day of good tidings, aswell as of heauie newes, in that the Lord hath not left vs in the bitternesse of mourning, but comforted our hearts by giuing vs a most religious, zealous, and prudent King, (oh happie word of comfort, that I may so say) to sit vpon her throne, (as this day shall be proclaimed in your eares, as elsewhere it hath been with generall ap­plause, and consent of all) shall I hold my peace? Let the leprosie of those men, cleaue to my skinne, if it be not as ioyfull a thing to me, to speake of the honour of this day, as euer it was to the foure Lea­pers of Israell, to publish in Samariah, the happie tidings of the Aramities flight2. Ki. 7. 9.. Oh then, that my tongue were as the pen of a swift writer, that I might indite the honour of our King Ps. 45. 1., that it were as shrill as a trumpet Esay 58▪ 1., to sound forth the praise of God, who hath thus graciously diuerted our deserued iudgements; bringing shame vpon our enemies, (that haue longed for, & by all treacherous meanes sought this day) and giuen vs glorie and honor, (that feared and praied vnto god, that we might neuer liue to see it) Oh if I had the winges of the morning 139., I would take Dauids Ps. 148. 2. 3, 4, &c. [Page 200] course, and soare vp, or ascend into hea­uen, and call for the Angels, and armies thereof, the Sunne, moone, planets and starresEt si non cogitatione, aut voce, a­liae creatu­rae, preter Angelos, & homines, deum cele­brant; sunt tamen om­nes, [...], in suo ordi­ne, taciti laudatores, & canori praecones. Greg., I would descend by the aire, and call the fire, hayle, snow, vapours, and stormy winds; diue into the deepe, and call for the Dragons; yea end in the earth, and call for mountaines and hils; fruitfull trees, and Cedars, beasts, and all cattell, creeping thinges, and feathered foules; Kings of the earth, and all people, Princes, and Iudges, young men, and maidens, old men, and children; to lend vs their har­monie, with the best instruments that they haue, and to accord vnto vs, to praise the name of the Lord, by whom the horne of this English people, hath been so mighti­ly exaltedO bona, si sua norint, Angli., but I shall haue more fit oc­casion, largely to prosecute, these things anon; so much for the quickening of our dull spirits: now let vs reuerently, attend to the word of the Lord.

Thou doest prepare a table before me in the sight of mine Aduersaries. The second Allegorie. This portion of Scripture, I haue not curiously selected, and chosen,The summe of this vers and the in­tent or scope, of the holy Ghost therein. (though verie fit and perti­nent, for this present purpose and occasi­on) but God by his prouidence, hath offe­red [Page 201] it to our consideration, by the order­ly prosecuting of this text, in this place; wherein this princely Prophet (hauing in the foure first verses of this Psalme, de­clared, the singuler mercie and prouidence of God towards his people, vnder the parable of a Shepheard, prouiding all ne­cessaries for his sheepe:) doth now in this 5. verse, thankefully publish the singu­ler mercie, kindnesse, and bountifulnesse of God, towardes his people in generall, and specially towards him in particuler, as by experience hee had found; vnder a se­cond metaphor, taken from a most kind, and liberall host, most franckely enter­taining his inuited guests, with all com­fortable dainties, and delicates, both for necessitie and delight, the scope and drift of the holy Ghost wherein, is all one with that in the former, and therefore I may the lesse stand vpon it, hauing so largely, and fully opened the former (as you haue heard) yet some things doe naturally of­fer themselues, from this place, to be con­sidered of, which we haue not met with­all in the former Allegorie, and whereof speciall vse and application are to bee made, according to the present occasion. [Page 202] For the better conceiuing wherof, we are to note, that this metaphor, hath a dou­ble sense; the first is literall, wherein Da­uid in way of thankefulnesse publisheth to all the world, the great mercie and goodnesse of God, in aduancing him to the crowne and Kingdome, with woon­derfull peace and prosperitie, in despight of all his enemies, who sought his ruine according to that in another Psalme, The stone which the builders refused, is become the cheefe stone in the corner, this was the Lords doing Ps. 118. 22.. And by consequent also here is shadowed out, the wonderfull mercie of God towards his people, euen in the things of this life, giuing them all good things, aboundantly to enioy 1. Tim. 6. 17., that their cups doe runne ouer.

The second is mysticall, as signifying Gods wonderfull care, and prouidence to minister all good things, which may bee for the comfort, refreshing, and saluati­tion of the soules of his people in Christ. And the parts of this metaphor, or Alle­gorie, (being a metaphor continuedPerpetua metaphora, dicta.) are principally these three, first this metaphor is briefely and summarily layd downe in these words,Diuision of this verse. (Thou doest prepare a Table [Page 203] before me:) Secondly, it is amplified by a speciall circumstance, in regard of his Aduersaries, as it were gnashing with their teeth, at that his prosperitie, in these words, (in the sight of mine enemies.) Third­ly and lastly, he doth illustrate the Meta­phor, declaring the sumptuousnesse and plentie of this table, both for necessitie and delight, and that by two particulers; first (Thou doest annoint mine head with oyle) Secondly,The sence and mea­ning of this first part, of this verse, according to the let­ter. (my cup runneth ouer.) Of these parts in order, and first according to the litterall sence, as Dauid vnderstandeth it, in regard of corporall or outward things.

Thou doest prepare a Table before me, by table metanimically are meant, all such good things as for our nourishment and comfort, are set vpon the table, and by ta­ble also metaphorically, a prosperous, & flourishing estate is represented; so Dauid in those greeuous imprecations, where­withall, (according to the motion of the holy ghost, with an holy zeale, and most pure affections,) he cursed the enemies of God, thus hee sayth: Let their table bee made a snare, and their prosperitie their ru­ine Ps. 69. 22 Secondly, for this his prosperous and flourishing estate, signified by (Table) [Page 204] he giueth thanks vnto God, acknowledg­ing that the Lord (prepared it,) and that it was not his own bowe, nor sword, nei­ther the counsaile, power, and ayd of his Nobles, & Peeres, for these reiected him, but (as elsewhere he confesseth) it was the Lords owne doing, and most maruailous in the eies of men. Thirdly, and lastly, he vseth a word of continuall act, he saith not thou hast prepared, or wilt prepare, but (doest) prepare, thereby signifying, that hee that had aduaunced him, would also preserue him; So then the Summe of it, is thus much in effect. q. d. O Lord, I acknowledge, The summe of this first part, of the vers. that it was not my wisedome, strength, or courage, that promoted me, but by the power of thy right hand, and strength of thy most holy arme, haue I at last obtained the peaceable fruition of my crown and king­dome, in despight of all mine enemies. Now let vs consider the doctrines.

Our Lesson,Doctrine. most naturally arising from this place is, that there are none aduaun­ced to place of rule and gouernment, but by the Lord.Confirma­tion. Promotion (saith Dauid) commeth neither from the East, nor yet from the West, but God is the Iudge, it is hee that maketh high and low Psa. 75. 6.. And in another [Page 205] place, It is the Lord that raiseth the needie out of the dust, that he may set him, with the Princes of his people Ps. 113. 7, 8.. God himselfe saith, By me Kings raigne, and Princes decree iustice Pro. 8. 15.. And S. Paule affirmeth no lesse, There is no power but of God, and the powers that be, are ordained of God Ro. 13. 1., yea though they bee wicked, cruell, and idolatrous Tyrants, and seeme by fraud, ambition, & crueltie to aduaunce themselues, as Iero­boam, concerning whom, God reprooued the people, saying: You haue set vp a King, but not by me; 1. not according to my reuea­led will Hos. 8. 4. yet notwithstanding the Lord hath prepared them, euen for a rodde or scourge, whereby to punish the sinnes and vnthankefulnesse of his people, as the Lord hath said, I gaue thee a King in mine anger Osay 13. 11.. Yea, and concerning Ieroboam, we know that God reuealed it vnto Ahiiah, before the death of Salomon, That hee would rent ten tribes from his sonne, and giue them him, for confirmation whereof, he tooke the new garment, that Ieroboam woare, and rent it in twelue peeces, giuing him tenne of them 1. Kin. 11. 29. 30.. So proud heathenish Ashur, is cal­led the rod of Gods wrath Esay 10. 5, Cyrus, his shep­heard Esay 44. 28., and Nabuchodonezer, his seruant Ier. 25. 9.. [Page 206] Yet must this by the way be remembred, that though wicked ones haue their pow­er from God, yet not their sinfull malice, whereby they abuse their power, to doe hurt, and therfore Iulian shall answere for his Apostasie, deriding, and persecuting of the SaintsSocrat. Scholast. lib. 3. cap. 1.. Pharaoh, for his tyrannicall oppressing of the IsraelitesExo. 1. 16▪ 5. 7, 8., Ahab, for his cruell persecuting of the Prophets 1. Ki. 18. 13., He­rode and Pilat, for their iniust condemning of Christ, Lu. 23. 12, Neroh, for his bloudie execu­ting of the Apostles Euseb. Pamph. lib. 2. ca. 25: and all other, who to the dishonor of God, abuse their pow­er, to iustifie the wicked, and condemne the innocent, both which are an abhomi­nation to the Lord.

The first vse of this doctrine,1. vse, that the Kings, Princes, & all rulers are to make of this doc­trine. concer­neth Kings and Princes themselues, that cōsidering they come not by their places, and authoritie, by chance or fortune, but by the prouidence, and appointment of God, whose the earth is, and all that there­in is, the compasse of the world, and they that dwell therein Psa. 24. 1., that therefore they doe carefully and conscionably apply them­selues, to doe his will, that hath promoted them, and whose Vicegerents they are, knowing, that assuredly the Lord that [Page 207] placed them, will one day, require a strickt account of them Ps. 82. 2.: which thing Salomon well knew: and therefore when the Lord appeared to him, and bad him aske what he should giue him, hee desired aboue all things, that God would giue him an vnder­standing heart, to iudge that great people 1. Kin. 9.. So it is said, that the Lord chose Dauid his Seruant, and tooke him from the Sheepefolds, euen from behind the Ewes great with young brought he him, to feed his people in Iacob, & his inheritance in Israel Ps. 78. 70. Yea, the Prophet Esay more effectually expresseth the dutie of a Prince, in the person of our Sauiour Christ, saying: Righteousnesse shall bee the girdle of his loynes, and faithfulnes the buc­kle of his raynes Esay 11. 5. 1. His care must bee to defend the fatherlesse and widdow, relieue the oppressed, and haue no respect of per­sons in iudgement, and euerie way that he can to prouide for the peace and securitie of his people, that they may haue ease in this way-faring Citie; but his chiefest and greatest care must bee for Religion, to maintaine the Gospell, that so his peo­ple may be trayned vp, in the knowledge and feare of the LordIta, Deo prestabunt obsequium longe gra­tissimum, & regna mument, praesidio omnium validissimo, illius fauo­re, qui dix­it, honoran­tes me ho­norabo. Gualt. in Esa.. In regard where­of, the Lord hath called them nursing Fa­thers, [Page 208] and nursing mothers Esay 49. 23.. The conside­ration whereof, made those noble Kings, Dauid, Salomon, Asa, Iehoshaphat, Eze­kias, Iosias, to make most godly, and zea­lous reformations in religion, and the wor­ship of God 1. Ki. 15. 12, 13. 1. Kin. 22. 41. 2. Kin. 8. 4.: without which, it had now nothing profited their subiects, to haue sate peaceably vnder their vines and figge-trees 1. Kin. 4. 25., to haue had siluer as chippes, and gould as the stones of the street, for what wil it profit a man, to winne the whole world, and loose his owne soule Luke. 9. 25. And there­fore wee haue great cause to praie vnto God, to blesse and stablish our Religious King, and to giue him a wise heart, to cō ­sider who it is that hath prepared this Ta­ble for him; that with Dauid hee may make conscience of his dutie, of whome the holy ghost hath witnessed, That he fed them according to the simplicitie of his heart, and guided them by the discretion of his hands Ps. 78. 72.

A second vse of this doctrine,2. A second generall vse of the former do­ctrine, con­cerning all subiects. concer­neth all subiects, which the Apostle lay­eth downe, in these wordes: Let euerie soule be subiect to the higher powers Ro. 13. 1., both in all conscionable obedience to their iust and lawfull commaundements, as also by [Page 209] suffering of their iniust punishmēts, with­out resistance, knowing that if hee bee a good, and Religious ruler, the Lord hath giuen him for a blessing; but if a wicked one, the Lord hath giuen him as a curse, for the tryall of his people, and therefore the high way, is seriously to repent, that so God, who hath giuen such an one in his anger, may also take him away in his wrath Osay 13. 11. So Ieremie commanded the poore captiues, to pray for the peace of Babilon Ierem. 29▪ 6, 7.: Christ commaunded, to giue to Caesar, the things that are Caesars Mat. 22. 21:, and S. Peter, that we submit our selues to all manner of ordi­nance, for the Lordes sake 1. Pe. 2. 13: Yea, and S. Paule in the forecited place, vrgeth this duetie by many and waightie reasons, as that whosoeuer resisteth, resisteth the ordi­nance of God, and they that resist, shall re­ceiue to themselues condemnation Ro. 13. 2.

In the sight of mine Aduersaries: 2. part of this verse. The Prophet hauing summarily layd downe his prosperous estate, in the former words.Sence, of the words. Now in these, (which are the se­cond part of this verse) he doth amplifie the same by a speciall circumstance, that God had thus aduanced, and done these great thinges for him in the verie sight of [Page 210] his enemies, or (as the Hebrew phrase will beare it, and doubtlesse the intent of the holy Ghost is) in despight of mine e­nemies;Summe of the words. So then the Summe of it, is thus much in effect. q. d. O Lord, although I haue had many most mightie, and subtill ene­mies, who enuyed me, and sought my ruine; yet thou oh Lord, hast taken my part, and in despight of them all promoted me. So that in effect, it is the verie same thing, which Dauid elsewhere, vnder a most elegant metaphor expresseth, saying: The stone which the builders refused, is become the head stone in the corner Ps 118. 22. This stone was Dauid, whom the cheefe builders, that is, Saule with his Councellors, Peeres, and Nobles did contemne, reiect and perse­cute, as vnworthy to haue the basest place in the common wealth, and yet by the maruailous prouidence, and disposition of God, was aduaunced to become the head of the corner, euen the King and cheefe of the peopleLapis hi, Dauid est, aedificantes, Saul, & proceres, westmer. in Ps. Non dicti sunt aedifi­catores, ar­te, sed aedi­ficantes, ac­tu, non ar­tifices, offi­cio, sed ex­ercitio; vbi ergo sunt, qui dicunt, praelatos posse non residere? Paulus de Palatio, in Mat. ca. 21▪ fol, 683., which is also agree­able to his own speech vnto Saule, saying: If the Lord haue stirred thee vp against me, let him smell the sauour of a sacrifice; but if the children of men haue done it, cursed bee they before the Lord, for they haue cast mee [Page 211] out this this day, from abiding in the inheri­tance of the Lord, saying: goe serue other Gods 1. Sa. 26. 19..

Our Doctrine from this place is,Doctrine. that what thing soeuer the Lord will haue, ei­ther for the good or euill, of any people or person, it shall come to passe, and all the world shall not be able to withhold a blessing, or preuent a curse.Confirma­tion. So the Lord himselfe hath sayd: my counsaile shall stand and I will doe whatsoeuer I will Esay 46. 10.. Yea, it shall stand more durable, than the firma­ment of heauen, as the King of Babilon hath testified, saying: according to his will, he worketh in the armie of heauen, and in the Inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his hand, nor say vnto him, what doest thou Dan. 4. 32.? Dauid also witnesseth no lesse, saying, Our God is in heauen; and doth whatsoeuer hee will, in heauen, in earth, in the sea, and in all deepes Ps. 135. 6. And Salomon also hath said, There is no wisedome, counsaile, or strength against the Lord Prou. 21. 30? If the Lord will bring a blessing, who then can with-hold it? who would haue thought, that Dauid being so mortally hated, and cruelly persecuted, that he was glad to flie from hold to hold, yea, to verie heathen Kings for succour 1. Sa. 27. 1, [Page 212] that euer hee should haue enioyed the Crown, yet you see, Dauid findeth a time whē to giue God thanks, for preparing his table, in despight of all his enemies. And if the Lord bee angrie, and will bring a plague or punishment, vpon any people or person for their sinnes; who can preuent it? If his anger be once kindled, and his wrath thoroughly fired, all the Riuers of the south cannot quench it, it encreaseth by goingIncandes­cit, eundo., and gathereth strength, most fearefull is it for sinners, to consider that which God himselfe, by solemne prote­station hath deliuered, saying: I lift vp mine hand to heauen, and say, if I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold of iudgement, I will execute vengeance vppon mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me, I will make mine arrowes drunke with blood, and my sword shall eate flesh Deut. 32. 41, 42. There is a time, when his sword is dull, and (as it were) rusteth in the scabberd of his long patience, and his hands are so fil­led with mercie, that iudgement is layd aside, and hath no roome to be spanned in them; but if hee once whet his glitte­ring sword, and his hand take hold of iudgement, hee will strike home, and re­compence [Page 213] the slacknes of his iudgement, with the heauinesse thereofTarditatem supplicii: grauitate compensat:. The vse of this doctrine is double.

First, that wee doe submit our selues, to Gods reuealed will,The first vse. not strugling a­gainst it, be it for our weale or woe; for what sayth the Apostle, doe wee prouoke the Lord to anger? are we stronger than he 1. Cor. 10 22? No surely, we are but as clay in the hands of the PotterIer. 18. 6., it is but the labour of Sisy­phus, if we build, he will pull downe Malach. 1. 4.; as the Prophet saith, A league with all the ele­ments of the world, with the beasts of the field, stones in the streets, yea with death and hell themselues, cannot secure vs Esay 28. 18. And therefore whatsoeuer befall vs in our bo­dies, children, goods; away with impa­tiencie which is one of Sathans broodImpatien­tiae, natales, in ipso dia­bolo, depre­hendo. Tertul.; and let vs hang fast on that golden chain, and veresie the trueth of the Apostles words, where he sayth: Tribulation, bring­eth foorth patience; patience, experience; ex­perience, hope; and hope, will neuer suffer vs to be ashamed or dismayed Ro. 5. 3, 4, 5..

A second, (and that more proper, and naturall) vse, is, that seeing the Lord doth what he will, and none can with-hold, yea and though meanes be neuer so small, yet [Page 214] it is easie with him, to saue by many or few 1. Sa. 14. 6.; that then, we depend not altogether vpon secundarie meanes, but in all thinges cast our selues vpon his prouidence, knowing that if the Lord bee with vs, and delight to doe vs good (which he will, so long as we walke in the waies of his commaun­dements) we need not to be afraid of any enemies.

Now,Applicati­on. if we make application of these things to our selues, we shal find, that they doe verie neerely concerne vs,The mira­culous pro­uidence of God, in pro­tecting and preseruing Queene Eli­zabeth, be­fore her raigne, in her raigne, and at her death. both in re­gard of our late Queene, and of our owne persons, in regard of our present King. For the first, how woonderfull was the mercie and prouidence of God towardes the person of our late sacred Queene, both before her raigne, in the time of her raign, & at her death, who so ignorant or blind that seeth not, or knoweth not? In the dayes of Queene Marie, (when as Gods Saints were as the stubble before the fire, and the Land almost consumed with the flames of hot persecution,) how was her soule hunted by Gardiner and others, like a Partridge vpon the mountaines, as Da­uid said1. Sa. 26. 20. What extreame miserie, sick­nesse, feare and perill was she often in? in­to [Page 215] what great care, trouble of mind, and feare of death was she brought, being tos­sed from house to house, from prison to prison, and from post to piller: in what danger of wolues or butchers was shee, when her righteous soule criedTanquam ouis., shee was led as a sheepe to the slaughter Psa. 44. 22: and that shee had no friend but God, fearing that the Scaffold of the Ladie Iane, stood for another tragedie, wherin her selfe should haue played the wofullest partActs, and Monumēts, the second vol. pag. 1895.. But oh see the goodnes of God, who neuer slum­breth nor sleepeth whē his are in distresse, who as still hee raised one friend or ano­ther, euen in her persecution & miserie, to be some meanes of comfort vnto her: so in due time, all her greatest enemies by opportune deaths, dropped away, whereby, by little and litle her ieopardie decreased, feare diminished, hope of comfort, began to appeare as out of a darke cloude; till in the end by the death of her sister, the Lord preuented her with liberall bles­sings, and set a Crowne of pure gould vpon her head Ps. 21. 3. exalting her from thrall, to li­bertie; from danger, to peace and secu­ritie; from dread, to dignitie; from mise­rie, to maiestie; briefely, of a Prisoner, [Page 216] made a Princesse; of a mourner, a Ruler; to the glorie of God and endles comfort of his Saints. Yea, and since, how many great and fearefull dangers hath she esca­ped? The Pope, and his cursed instru­ments, neuer ceasing by all diuelish means to worke our woe, and quench our light; and yet how miraculously hath the Lord from time to time deliuered, and preser­ued her through-out her long, and happie raigne: and now also (a matter of singu­ler comfort to all that loued her) taken her soule to himself, to liue in perfect rest, and neuer suffered the Sonne of violence to doe her hurt, or shorten her dayes; that neuer might any King or Queene, more truely apply the words of my Text, than she, and say; O Lord, thou hast prepared my Table, and in despight of all mine enemies, maintained it to the end. Secondly, for our selues,How won­derfull both Papists, and Atheists, were decei­ued, and their mis­cheeuous purposes frustrate, by the soden and ioyfull Proclama­tion of our King. this is the day, which we iustly fea­red, to be the day of our bane and ruine, the periode and end of our prosperitie, for on the one side, the Papists, (whose number God decrease, either by conuer­sion or confusion, as hee seeth best) they haue long wished and sought for it, ho­ping that then Christ shold die with her, [Page 217] and the Gospell bee buried in her Sepul­chre. On the other-side, a great number of inordinate walkers, verie idle Rogues, who liue by stealing, robbing, and vnlaw­full shifts, (who foolishly supposing, that betwixt changing of Kinges, there is no Law in force, but all things common, and men may doe what they list) haue long expected this day, when as like Vultures, they might deuour the fruites of honest mens labors, and commit what mischiefe and villanie they would, without any con­trolement. But behold, and wonder at the prouidence of God, who hath prepa­red for vs, so religious, godly, and wise a King (this day to be proclaimed vnto vs, as elsewhere he hath beene) whose verie name proclaimed, hath so daunted, both the enemies of our Religion and peace, that they stand amazed, in the beholding of our peace and happinesse, and rather bethinke whither to flie and hide their heads, than to commit any outrage. So that neuer was there any people, might more truely apply this Text of Scripture, to themselues, and say with Dauid, than we: The Lord hath prepared a Table before vs, in despight of all our enemies; O Lord [Page 218] for thy mercie, and Sions sake, finish the good worke that thou hast begunne, that our Table may be maintained still.

Thou doest annoint my head with oyle, 3. part of the vers. and my cup runneth ouer. In these wordes, the Prophet doth illustrate, this generall me­taphor, by two speciall thinges, both of them tending to one and the same pur­pose, viz: To shew the great plentie of precious and comfortable good things, which God had prouided, aswell for his delight as necessitie, for though the Lord condemne all prodigalitie and superfluity, whereunto Sathan specially tempteth vs, as one verie well obserueth from the manner of Sathan his tempting of Christ, who would not haue a stone, but (stores) turned into bread Mat. 4. 3. Non dix­it, vt lapis hic, panis fiat, sed la­pides, vo­lens Chri­stum ad su­perflua in­stigare, esu­rienti enim vnus panis sufficit, &c. Theophi­lact. in Mat. 4.. Yet doth not God disallow a plentifull, and delightfull vse of his good creatures. For the first, oyle is reckoned vp, by the Psalmist, as one of those comfortable blessings which God hath giuen vnto man in this life, saying: the Lord giueth bread to strengthen the hart, and wine to make it glad, and oyle to make a cheerefull countenance Psa. 104. 15.: and wherof there was great vse in those hot CountreysCreauit oleum, ad nitorem & alacritatē, at (que) agili­tatem cor­poris, ideo­que magnus in calidio­ribus regio­nibus, eius fuit vsus. Moll. in Ps., and specially in their great, honourable, [Page 219] and solemne Feasts, insomuch that they were thought, not louingly and freely to entertaine their guests, vnlesse they did annoint them with precious and fragrant oyntments, as may be gathered from our Sauiours speech vnto Symon the Pharisie, concerning the sinfull womans fact, Sy­mon, mine head with oyle, thou didst not an­noint, but shee hath annointed my feete with oyntment Lu. 7. 46.. Yea, and to auoide all appea­rance of hypocrisie, rather than we should looke sower, as the Pharisies, to the end that we may seeme vnto men to fast; hee biddeth vs annoint our selues with oyle, which may giue vs a cheereful countenance Mat. 6. 17. So Ioab he gaue counsel to the subtill wo­man of Tekoah, (whom he sent to the King in the behalfe of Absolom) to put on mour­ning apparel, and not to annoint her selfe, that shee might seeme to the King, that shee had mourned a long time for the dead 2. Sa. 14.. So that oyle, and sweet oyntments were vsed in times of great feastings and ioy: and ther­fore Dauid, to shew how royally the Lord had prepared for him, and entertayned him; alludeth to the custome of those daies, and saith vnto God: Thou doest an­noint mine head with oyle. Hereunto also [Page 220] tendeth the other circumstance: in these words (My cup doth ouerflow, or runne o­uer) a thing also ordinarie, in great feasts or banquets, to haue plentie of wine: so at the mariage feast in Canah of Galilie, our Sauiour, when the wine fayled (by example, to approoue the liberall vse of Gods blessinges) turned sixe pots of water (containing two or three firkins a peece) into wine Ioh. 2. 6, 7 vnde in­telligimus, quam lar­gum fu­erit, do­mini bene­ficium. Iansen. Con­cord. fol. 144.. And at that great Feast of Ahashuerosh, which he made for all his Princes and seruants, there was such great plentie of wine, according to the power of the King, that thereupon it was called a banquet of wine Hest. 5. 6.: though with this edict, that none should be compelled, but euery man drinke according to his own pleasure Hest. 1. 8.. A heathenish edict, to condemne innu­merable professed Christians, yea, & such as are in authoritie, who should reforme it in others, but specially with Dauid Ps. 101. 7, and Ioshua haue regard to their owne fa­milies Iosh. 24. 15., and yet they are no better than Schooles of Bacchus and drunkennesse, their seruants straining thēselues, & com­pelling others, so long to drinke of cups, filled to the brimme and running ouer, with wine, and strong drinke, till all bee [Page 221] filled with wantonnesse, vomitie, blasphe­mie, fightings, and other such like bru­tish effects of intemperancie. Well, you see Dauids purpose and meaning, in ef­fect asmuch, q. d. O Lord, thou hast not onely aduaunced me to the Crowne and dig­nitie royall, but hast so plentifully enriched me, with all good things, The summe of this third part, of this verse. that no man can testifie his kindnesse, towards his guests, (by annoynting them with precious ointments, or filling their cups, till they runne ouer) as thou hast shewed thy selfe euerie way liberall to­wards me.

Wherein Dauid is a notable example vnto vs all,Doctrine. but specially to rich men, and teacheth vs that wee must consider what we haue receiued of the Lord, that so we may be thankefull. There be many, who euen swimme in worldly wealth, but few that with Dauid acknowledge from whence they haue receiued those good things; yea, there are none of vs all in perticuler, (though the Lord deale not e­qually with all) but if with a single ele voyd of partiall affection, wee doe consi­der what we haue receiued, and what we haue deserued, and rather looke backe, to see how many liue in want, & come short [Page 222] of vs, than to them that are before vs, but in some measure, and in comparison, we shall bee constrained to confesse to the glorie of God, that our cups are filled so full, that they doe runne ouer. But speci­ally,The great prosperitie of England vnder the happie go­uernment of Queene Elizabeth. if wee doe in generall apply these things vnto our selues, and consider the manifold blessings which we haue enioy­ed, vnder the late happie and peaceable gouernement of our Ladie and Queene Elizabeth, the Temples being not shut vp, nor Prophets slain, & Altars ouerthrown, as in the dayes of Eliah 1. Kin. 1. 9 10, nor the hye waies vnoccupied, as in the daies of Iaell Iudg. 5. 6., nor any leading into captiuitie, or complayning in our streetes Ps. 144. 14., but rather, mercie and truth hauing mette, Righteousnesse and peace hauing kissed each other Ps. 85. 10; our Land hath so aboundantly flowne with milke and honie, that wee (if euer any people) may truely acknowledge to the glorie of God, that our cups doe ouerflow.

And as for the estate of our gratious King, (for I cannot restraine mine eies from looking, and my tongue from spea­king of this glorious Sunne which is risen vnto vs, my text ministring so fit occasi­on) this I dare say, that his Maiestie (which [Page 223] no doubt will bee matter of greatest ioy) shal find as many truely religious, louing, and loyall hearts, in England, as any King or Prince whatsoeuer, and be as ioyfully, and thankefully receiued,The great prosperitie of our king, to be praied for, that God would continue, and sancti­fie it. as euer was any King in Europe, both in regard of his right title, and for his zealous defence of the Gospell, the life of our soules; besides, his coffers cannot be emptie, and his sub­iects are no beggars, there being nowe more plate, than pewter heretofore. The Lord for his mercies sake sanctifie his prosperitie, and knit his heart so vnto God, in the zeale of his glorie, and loue of his truth, that our hearts may be more and more knit vnto him, in all loue and loyaltie, that it may neuer bee layd to his charge, what God complayneth of his people, Sed saginatus recalcitrauit: he that should haue been vpright, when he wax­ed fatte, spurned with his heele De. 32. 15. And so much for the sence and doctrines, from this second metaphor, according to the letter; now, because in this, aswel as in the former Allegorie, very glorious, & spiritu­all mysteries are shadowed out vnto vs; it will be necessarie, to speake thereof a few words.

[Page 224] (Thou doest prepare a Table before me, is the sight of mine Aduersaries, thou doest an­noint my head with oyle, and my cup runneth ouer.)The excel­lent sweet mysteries, which are shadowed out vnder these earth­ly thinges. It is not vnknowne vnto any, but meanely exercised in the Scriptures, that the holy Ghost (condescending to our shallow capacities) doth shadow out both the incomprehensible ioys of Gods king­dome; and also the vnspeakable sweet­nesse, which a Christian soule tasteth, from her spirituall vnion and coniuncti­on with Christ, and the graces that flowe to her from him; by a daintie and costly supper, or banquet: of the former, is that of Christ to his Apostles, at his last sup­per, I appoint vnto you a Kingdome, as my Father hath appointed vnto me, that you may eat and drinke at my table, in my kingdome Lu. 22. 30; Not that we shall need either food, appa­rell, light of the Sunne, or moone Reu. 21. 23.. But be­cause we are so grosse, that we cannot cō ­ceiue the blessednesse of that life: but by the plentifull enioying of such good things, as are here specially desired; wher­vnto also may be referred, the parable of the mariage-feast, A king preparing a most royall dinner, killing his Oxen and fatlings, against the marriage of his Sonne Math. 22 12..

[Page 225] Of the second sort, is that to be vnder­stood in the Reuelation, where Christ, al­lureth the sinfull soule to repent, and o­pen vnto him, with this promise; Behold I stand at the dore and knocke; if any man heare my voice, and open vnto mee, I will come in, and suppe with him, and hee with me Reu. 3. 20. At which Feast Dauid being enter­tained as a guest, acknowledgeth his head to be annointed with oyle, and his cup to runne ouer; and surely, no maruaile, for where Christ is, what good thing can there be wanting? if hee dwell in the heart by faith Eph. 3. 17, and if the graces, and power of Christ be receiued in, all euill and miserie is driuen out, and all goodnesse and feli­citie doe succeed, darkenesse is driuen out, Sathan expelled; sinne destroyed; and the horrour of hell, and dreadfull iudge­ment vanisheth away: There is light, there is God, there is righteousnesse, and peace, and ioy in the holy Ghost Rom. 14. 17.. Yea, wee shall bee filled with all sweet ioyes, and of this sup­per, shall bee none end. If any man yet further desire to know, where this royall Feast is kept: 2. By whom: 3. Who are the guests: and lastly, what is their cheere: let him read and consider, what the Pro­phet [Page 226] Esay sayth. And in this mountaine, shall the Lord of hoasts, make vnto all people a Feast of fat thinges, euen a feast of fined wines, and of fat thinges full of m [...]rrow, of wines fined, and purified Esa. 25. 6.. The place then, is Gods holy mountaine, euen the Church of God here on earthMontis nomine, Ec­clesia, per totum or­bem terra­rum, sparsa intelligitur Moll. in Ps. fol. 212., where this feast is begun, & the faithfull do tast the sweetnes of such good things, as eie hath not seene, nor eare heard 1. Cor. 2 9.: but it shall be perfected on the mountain of Gods holynes, where the faithful, shal haue their soules satisfied with the fulnesse of ioyes, which are in the presence of God for euermore Ps. 16. 11.. Secondly, he that maketh this Feast, and prepareth this Table, is the Lord of hoasts, whose is the earth, with all that is therein Ps. 24. 1., whose are the foules of the aire, and fishes of the sea, & cattell vpon a thousand hils Ps 50. 10. 11. Third­ly, the guests are not only such as are inui­ted forth of an hundred, seauen and twen­tie Prouinces, as the guests of that migh­tie Monarch Ahashuerosh Hest. 1. 1.. but all people, euen all beleeuers, of what age, sex, qua­litie or condition, in what place, or what time soeuer they liued, the poore and af­flicted shall be as welcome guests as the rich, yea, the poore shall eate and be satisfi­ed Ps. 22. 26.. [Page 227] Lastly for cheere, there are no dain­ties there wanting, there are Oxen and fat­lings Mat. 22. 4: yea, a Feast of wines fined and puri­fied, and of fat thinges full of marrow, sayth the Prophet, whereby are signified the sweete graces of God, conuayed vnto faithfull soules, by the ministrie of the word and Sacraments, as the remission of sinnes, and assurance of Gods loue and fauour, and full conquest ouer sinne, Sa­than, death, and hell: which are farre sweeter than most fined & purified wines Cant. 1. 1: Yea, than honie, and the honie combe, and wherein they reioyce with ioy vnspeak­able and glorious 1. Pe. 1. 8. Oh, that we could true­ly hunger and thirst after this heauenly banquet, and follow the counsaile of our Sauiour Christ, not labour so earnestly, for the meat that perisheth, but for that meat which endureth to eternall life Ioh. 6. 27. It followeth.

Doubtlesse kindnesse and mercie, shall fol­low me, all the daies of my life, and I shall remaine a long season, in the house of the Lord. The Prophet Dauid, hauing (as we haue heard) expressed, the singuler fauor, loue, and prouidence of God, towardes him and his people, by two pleasant and [Page 228] familier metaphors, now he commeth in this last verse, to shew the vse thereof, viz: That hereby his faith was confirmed, and setled in the prouidence of God, whereby to be preserued vnto the end. The Summe whereof,The summe of this vers. is thus much in effect: q. d. See­ing I haue had such great experience of Gods fauour and loue, I am perswaded, that he will continue the course thereof vnto mee, euen vnto the end, that now hauing passed thorough so many dangers, and peaceably ob­tained the Kingdom, I may now spend all the rest of my daies, in the seruice and worship of God, and sound forth the Lords praise, in the house of my God.

And this verse consisteth of two princi­pall parts:The diuisi­on of this verse. first what hee doubted not to receiue, (kindnesse and mercie shall follow me, all the daies of my life:) Secondly, what vse he would make thereof, (euen dwell a long season, The subdi­uision of the first part. in the house of the Lord.) The first part may be subdiuided againe into these members or branches; first, what he loo­ked for to receiue, (kindnesse and mercie:) Secondly, how to receiue it, (it should fol­low him:) Thirdly how long, in this man­ner, these things should be bestowed vp­pon him, (euen all the daies of my life.) [Page 229] These things doe affoord verie profitable obseruatiōs, if I could so insist vpon them, but time hath preuented me, and I am de­sirous to make an end of this Psalme, be­cause it so well fitteth the present occasiō: wherefore that I may not bee tedious, I will but point out the cheefe matter, and leaue the rest to your Christian medita­tions.

Doubtlesse kindnesse, 1. part. and mercie. When Dauid purposed to build God an house, saying vnto Nathan the Prophet of God, Behold, I dwell in an house of Cedar trees, & the Arke of God remaineth within the cur­taines 2. Sa. 7. 2. Nathan (before hee had asked counsaile of God) approoued therof, and said: Goe and doe all that is in thine heart, for God is with thee. 3. But Dauid being a man of blood,4. was not fit for such a work, and therefore the same night, the word of the Lord came to Nathan, 12. he should tell Dauid, hee was not the man, that should build Gods house, but his sonne, that should proceed out of his loynes: concerning whom the Lord thus promised.

I will be his Father, 14. and hee shall be my Sonne, and if he sinne I will chasten him with the rod of men, 15. and with the plagues of the [Page 230] children of men, but my mercie shall neuer depart away from him. Surely, neuer was this promise more truely fulfilled vnto Sa­lomon, than it was to Dauid himselfe, God was his Father, and therefore when Da­uid sinned, both committing whoredome and murther 2. Sa. 11. 4. 17., the Lord sharpely correc­ted, and chastised him many waies, as by the death of the child, which was begot­ten in Adulterie 2. Sa. 12. 18., by his sonne Amnons incest, defiling his owne sister Thama [...] 2. Sa. 13. 14, by Absoloms killing of Amnon 2. Sa. 13. 29., by Absoloms treasonable practises, persecuting him, and seeking to get the Kingdome from him 2. Sa. 15. 2. 14., by Shimeis cursing of him to his face 2. Sa. 16. 7., by Ab­soloms abusing of his Fathers Concubines 2. Sa. 16. 22., by the fearefull death of Absolom, being hanged in an Oake 2. Sa. 18. 9; yea in a woord, the hand of God, was still stretched out a­gainst him, all the daies of his life; yet did God neuer take away his mercy from him, so that hee might say with the Apo­stles, I haue been persecuted, but not forsa­ken 2. Cor. 4. 8, 9.: and so to the like effect, heere hee saith, doubtlesse kindnesse, and mercie, &c.

He saith not, [...] Doubtlesse, my head shall still bee annointed with oyle, doubtlesse, my cup shall still run ouer, or doubtlesse, my pros­peritie [Page 231] shall neuer decay. For that was a speech of infirmitie, (as he himselfe after­wards confessed) I sayd in my prosperitie, I shall neuer bee mooued, but had miserable experience of that his weaknesse, for the Lord turned away his face, and then hee was sore troubled Ps. 30. 6, 7, 8.; yea, & (to omit all the great miseries and straits, that he sustained before he came to the Crowne, through the hot and long persecution of Saul:) af­ter he was annointed King, (and as it see­meth, penned this Psalme in thankefull remembrance of Gods mercie towards him;) Yet sometimes, his cup did not runne ouer, as when he was readie to faint for thirst, and so greedily longed, but for a cup of water, of the Well of Bethlehem by the gate 2. Sa. 23. 15.; and also when for that great sinne, in causing the people to bee num­bred, the Lord sent Gad vnto him, and put it to his choice, whether hee would haue seauen yeeres famine, to come vpon him in his Land, or slye three moneths before his enemies; or three daies pesti­lence. Whereupon Dauid himselfe con­fesseth, hee was in a wonderfull strait 2. Sa. 24. 13, 14, &c.: but yet Dauid, by the assurance of faith, cleaueth fast to this hold, that doubt­lesse, [Page 232] kindnesse and mercie would follow him, q. d. Let what chaunge or alteration soeuer befall me, in regard of mine outward estate, and condition, yet am I sure Gods kindnesse, and mercie, shall neuer bee taken away from me. Doctrine. Hence then, we haue a verie com­fortable lesson taught vs,Confirma­tion. viz: That how­soeuer it pleaseth God for our sinnes, to alter our outward estate, to giue vs stor­mie and gloomie weather, as well as faire and Sun-shine daies, sometimes to make vs glad, and sometimes to giue vs plentie of teares to drinke Psa. 42. 3. and 80. 6., yet is God no chang­ling, that he should breake off the course of his fauour and loue, towards his elect, but whome hee loueth, he loueth to the end Ioh. 13. 1 Vs (que) ad mortem continua­uit, & post mortem e­tiam, per­seuerat. Tollet. in Ioh. Tom. 2. fol. 20., and whom hee embraceth, it is with an euerlasting compassion Esay 54. 8.: his mercie and loue doth aswell appeare (if God o­pen our eies) in Aduersitie, as in prospe­ritie, in fatherly chasticements, and cor­rections, as in giuing vs our hearts desire. And therfore howsoeuer Sathan is excee­ding subtill to perswade, (and thorough our weaknesse, we are readie inough for to apprehend the same) that if God lay neuer so little sickenesse, trouble, or losse vppon vs; by and by we thinke, and say; [Page 233] Oh, God loueth me not, if he did, he would not deale thus, and thus with me, or this and that should not befall mee.Vse. Let vs take heed we be not deceiued, this is no o­ther temptation, than Christ Iesus him­selfe was acquainted with, who no sooner was an hungred, but by and by Sathan was at his elbow, to perswade him, that he was not the Son of God Mat. 4. 3. Let vs there­fore follow the example of our Captaine, and draw forth the sword of the spirit, and say: auoid Sathan, for howsoeuer God take away my health, wealth, peace, and libertie, yet his mercie and louing kind­nesse he will neuer take away from mee: but rather by these thinges, doth seale the assurance thereof vnto mee, for it is written, as many as I loue, I rebuke and cha­sten Reu. 3. 19, and God correcteth euerie child that hee receiueth, as the father doth the child, in whome delighteth Pro. 3. 11 Heb. 12. 5.. But of this wee haue sufficiently heard, and spoken before. But how shall Dauid receiue this kindnesse and mercie?

Shall follow me. 2. part. This is a word of sin­guler comfort, and teacheth vs,Doctrine. that God will not onely shew vs kindnesse and fa­uour, when we doe earnestly sue and seek [Page 234] for it,Confirma­tion. which is our dutie to doe, but euen when through weakenesse, we shall (as it were) forsake God, and flie from him, then will he follow, pursue, and ouertake vs with his mercie; so the Lord hath pro­mised, not onely to bee nigh to them that call vpon him faithfully Psal. 145. 18: but before wee call, he hath promised to answere, heere I am Esa. 65. 24. So hee followed Adam with his mercie, when he had sinned and hid him­selfe amongst the trees of the Garden, Adam where art thou Gene. 3. 9.? So hee followed Ionah, when he fled post-hast from the presence of the Lord, and sent forth a great wind, and a mightie tempest, to fetch him home againe Iona. 1. 3 4.: and so he followed Dauid, when he made such great speed towardes hell, committing one sinne, and then a greater to couer it withall, and by the ministrie of Nathan, brought him to the sight of his sinne, and repentance, that he might bee saued 2. Sa. 12 13: wherin appeareth, the great dif­ference betwixt Gods dealing, and mans, for men follow after them that they are to receiue any thing off, but God follow­eth them, to whome he may giue his mer­cie Homines magis per­sequuntur eos, a qui­bus accipi­ant, quam quibus dent. Musc. in Ps.. Yea, so proane is God to doe good, that he doth good both to the wickedMat. 5. 45, [Page 235] and to beasts Ps. 36. 6.. Yea, the Lord delighteth to doe his people good, as hee himselfe hath sayd, in Ieremie Ier. 32. 41. And this is the ground of our perseuerance, and conti­nuance in the state of grace; to the end, that howsoeuer, we bee weake and fro­ward, readie to start aside like a broken bow, and to turne our backes vppon the Lord, and flye from him, as hee complai­neth by his ProphetIer. 32. 33: yet God will not leaue vs, but follow and ouertake vs with his blessings. For so hee hath promised, I will make an euerlasting co­uenant with them, that I will neuer turne away from them to doe them good, but I will put my feare in their hearts, that they shall not depart away from mee Ie. 32. 40. Second­ly, Christ (who was heard in all things Iohn 11. 42.) hath thus prayed for his Saints; Holy Father, keepe them in thy name Ioh. 17. 11. By ver­tue of which prayer, and Gods promise, wee are sure, wee shall stand and con­tinue in the state of grace, to the end; and that hee will prosecute vs with his mercie, notwithstanding our great weak­nesse, and frowardnesse. But how long doth Dauid assure himselfe, to enioy this mercie?

[Page 236] (All the daies of my life.) [...]. part. Such is the great inconstancie of man, in that which is good, that without any cause, to mor­row he will persecute with hatred, him, whome to day hee prosecuteth with all kindnesse, and be as readie to hurt, as e­uer to helpe him: But GOD is no such changeling, hee is neuer wearie, but still delighteth to doe his Saints good, though for a moment in his anger, hee turne away his face from them, yet with euerlasting compassion doth hee em­brace them Esay 54. 8, hee hath sayd it, and will not alter the thing that is gone out of his lippes, I will not faile thee, nor for­sake thee, all the dayes of thy life Iosh. 1. 5., he that is our God in our youth, strength, wealth, and life, will bee our God in old age, in our weakenesse, pouertie, and death, to goe thorough the valley thereof with vs. But what will Dauid doe for all this mercie continued?

I shall dwell a long season in the house of the Lord. 2 part of the verse. A most notable example of one rightly vsing his riches & honor, to the glorie of God, by promoting the ser­uice and worship of God, both in him­selfe and others, hee sayeth not as that [Page 237] wicked rich man in the Gospell, when he had pulled downe his old barnes, and builded new, and filled them with corne, Soule bee merrie, eate, drinke, and take thine ease Lu. 12. 19; But rather he sayth: Oh my soule, God hath aduaunced thee, The summe of these words. in de­spight of all thine enemies, and therefore now forget not Gods benefits, but be thank­full, and deuote thy selfe to his seruice, and worship, and aduaunce Gods honour, in his holy Temple. Oh that men could thus vse their wealth, and honour, as helps to further, and not as pul-backes to hinder them in the way of saluation, it was Dauids greatest ioy, when he might freely ioyne with the people of God, in the publick exercises of Reli­gion, for so hee hath confessed, I was glad when they said, wee will goe into the house of the Lord Psa. 122. 1., and it was his grea­test griefe in his persecution and trou­bles, to bee depriued of this blessing, as he sheweth, saying: As the Hart doth bray for the riuers of water; so panteth my soule after thee oh God, my soule thirsteth after God, euen after the liuing God, when shall I come and appeare before the pre­sence of God Ps. 42. 1, 2? And of all other, this [Page 238] was his most earnest request vnto God, saying, One thing haue I desired of God, which I will require, euen that I may dwell in the house of the Lord, all the dayes of my life Psa. 27. 4. Many things hee wanted, but because his felicitie consisted in the feare and seruice of God, therefore in compa­rison thereof he cared for no other thing. The Lord giue the like desire to Prince and Subiect, pastor and people, and then will the Lord God of Israel bee the God of England, hee will delight to doe vs good, and in despight of all our enemies, continue a happie gouernment ouer vs still.

And now to draw towards an end,Conclusion with appli­cation. I am to publish vnto you both full ioy­ous tidings, and full heauie newes (both of them I perswade my selfe, newes not heard of, of many of you before) it hath pleased God to take to himselfe from a­mong vs, our dread Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth, and these are heauie newes) that wee haue lost her, who not onely cloathed vs with Purple and Scarlet, pleasures and costly iewels, and all the delights of the children of men, as Da­uid sayd of Saul to the daughters of Is­rael2. Sam. 1. 24, [Page 239] but as a tender nursing mother Esay. 49. 23, fedde our soules with the hidden Man­nah Reu. 2. 17, and bread of life Ioh. 6. 35, vnder whome many of vs haue beene borne into the world, and by the ministerie of the Gos­pel (which she hath maintained) begot­ten and borne vnto GodGal. 4. 19., in whose dayes, nothing but peace & plentie haue beene seenePsal. 147. 14., whereas other our neigh­bour Countries, haue beene wasted and consumed with warres, Ephraim eating vp Manasses, and Manasses Ephraim, and both of them deuouring Iudah, as the Lord hath threatned Esay 9. 21, their goodly Cities and townes being ransacked and destroyed, grasse, brambles, and nettles growing in their streetes, pallaces and Temples for want of passengers (as Ieremie lamentethLam. 5. 1 [...], their walles and windowes inhabited by Owles and Battes, mens hearts fayling for feare of the continuall sounding of Trumpets, thundring of Drummes, neyghing of horses, ratling of Armor, and roaring of Cannons, so neare some of our borders, that our windowes and houses haue trembled with the report thereofAt the loo­sing of Ca­lice..

[Page 240] Yea, their streates haue runne with streames of blood, their houses set on flaming fire, their wiues and daughters abused, and children dashed against the stones in their sight: whereas we haue sate (for more then foure and fortie yeares) euerie man vnder his vine and figge-tree, enioying the fruit of our labours, and reuenues of our lands, without either ho­stile inuasion, or ciuil dissension, our speares are worm-eaten, and our swords turned into mattockes and sithes, instruments of husban­drie, as the Prophet speakethEsay. 2. 4, or rusty in their scabberds, the noyse of the Cart and Whippe are heard in our streetes, our townes full of children playing, and old men leaning vpon their staues, as the Prophet Zacharie speakethZacha. 8. 4. 5, Man goeth foorth to his labour in the morning, and returneth not vntill the euening Psa. 104. 23. When hee goeth from home, hee is not feared by any am­bush of enemies, & when he lieth downe, he is not wakened with sound of Alarm. Oh happie wee that haue liued such gol­den dayes! But behold the instrument of this our glorious happinesse is now ta­ken away, and this is the cause of our [Page 241] sorrow, yea time of mourning. come, wherein we haue euerie one cause to goe heauily as hee that mourneth for his Mo­ther, as Dauid saythPs. 35. 14. Yea if the Lord had not dealt more graciously with vs then either wee haue deserued, or could ex­pect, this had beene to vs all that mourn­full day, whereof the Lord by his Pro­phet Amos speaketh, I will turne your feasts into mourning, and your songs into la­mentation, and I will bring sackcloth on all loynes, and baldnesse on euerie head, and I will make it as the mourning of an only sonne, and the end thereof as a bitter day Amos. 8. 20. Yea, when all the orders, and companies of this Realme, from the honourable Coun­seller, to him that draweth water; from the reuerent Iudge that sitteth vpon the Bench, to the abiect begger that sitteth in the ashes; from the man of gray haires, to the sucking childe, should haue mour­ned in euerie corner of the land, com­plained in euerie street, and cried in eue­rie house, Alas for the day, alas for the day of the Lord, it is come, it is comeZacha. 12▪ 12. And though God haue in great measure turned our heauinesse into ioy, (as anon [Page 242] we will consider) yet to mourne in mea­sure, in faith, and in the feare of God, for the losse of the parents of our bodie na­turall, or politike, is agreeable to the law of nature, allowed by the law of nations, consonant to the law of God, and confir­med by infinite examples, diuine and prophane. We reade in the Chronicles of the Scriptures, that when king Iosiah died, who put away Idolatrie, restored true Re­ligion, kept the Passeouer, loued his sub­iects, and serued God zealously all the dayes of his life, so that the holy Ghost himselfe hath registred his prayses in this sort: Like vnto king Iosias was there no king before him, that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soule, and with all his might 2. Kin. 23 25: I say it is recorded, that when he died, the Prophet Ieremie and all Iudah and Ierusalem, so bitterly lamented2. Chro. 35. 24., that whensoeuer afterwards the Scriptures did speake of any great lamentation, they did sample it with that of Hudadrimmon in the field of Me­giddo, as you shall reade in the prophesie of Zachariah Zacha. 12▪ 11, and surely neuer had they greater cause to mourne for Iosiah, then [Page 243] wee for Queene Elizabeth, but spe­cially if the Lord for our sinnes had gi­uen vs an Eliakim to succeed. But why should I presse this poynt, seeing euerie face is so plentifully watered with teares, as though euerie one of you had obtay­ned Ieremies request, your heads being full of water, and your eyes a fountaine of tears Iere. 9. 1.. Wee will therefore bend our mindes to the consideration of the cause of this euill,Propter peccata po­puli erunt multi Prin­cipes. which the wise man telleth vs: For the sinnes of the people, Princes shall often bee chaunged Pro. 28. 2.

Let vs cease then to weepe for her, that wee haue lost such a one, and rather bee thankfull vnto God that wee haue had such a oneNon mae­remus quod talem amis­simus, sed gratias agi­mus, quod talem ha­buimus. Hieron., for shee is gone not to prepare a place for vs, but to enioy that place which Christ hath prepared for herIoh. 14. 2., whose truth shee professed and maintained, and may say vnto vs, as Christ said to the daughters of Ierusalem, Weepe not for me, but weepe for your selues, and your sinnes, which haue cut asunder the threed of my life Luk. 23. 28. Fie vppon our A­theisme, carnall profession, blasphemie, couetousnesse, whordome, drunkennesse, [Page 244] pride, prophanation of the Sabboth, con­tempt of the word, and great vnthanke­fulnesse, which raigne in Court and coun­trey, wherby we haue brought many pla­gues vpon vs, and now lastly this greatest of all, the death of her Maiestie, to the banishing of the Gospell and breake­necke of our peace, and ship-wracke of our prosperitie, if God had not for his owne names sake, dealt most mercifully with vs. But let vs come to consider what comfort god hath mixed our mour­ning with.

And herein first we may consider the mercifull dealing of God towardes our Queene, that notwithstanding the Pope and Papists (who haue euer beene as full of mischiefe to England, as euer was the Troyan horse to Troy, as a learned man obserueth.)D^r. King in Ionas. fol. 401. And many hollow hearted Achitophels, haue by all pestilent practi­ses, sought to take away her life, yet the Lord in despight of them all hath leng­thened it, to the full age of man, which is three-score yeares and tenne, as Dauid notethPs. 90. 10, and now lastly taken her to himselfe in peace, and full of dayes, euen [Page 231] as a ricke of corne which commeth into the barne in due time.

And if we looke vpon our selues, who haue the chosen shaft of Gods Quiuer, the high and mightie Prince, Iames the king of Scotland to bee proclaimed (ac­cording to his right) the king of England, France, and Ireland, the constant and zealous defender of the truth: O Lord, what heart can conceiue, or tongue ex­presse this wonderfull mercie of God to­wards vs; what a wonder is this to all the world,Mira ca­nam, sol oc­cubuit nox nulla, secu­ta. qui non vi­det, cecus; qui non laudet, in gratus, qui reluctatur, insanus est. that no sooner did our Sunne set, (which we feared would haue broght vppon vs a most dolefull night) but in a moment, it passed through the other He­mi-sphere, and hath risen againe, giuing vs comfortable hope of a more ioyfull day then euer we inioyed, oh let vs com­mend the finishing of this glorious worke to him that hath begunne it, let vs pray for our king that hee may long enioy the honour,Honos, & onus. and bee able to beare the bur­then; and wherein wee haue fayled in our prayers for our late Queene, let vs double them for our present king, that God would giue him the wisdome of [Page 246] Salomon, the vpright heart of Dauid, the zeale of Iosiah, the corage of Ioshuah, & the long life of Methushelah; that if it bee Gods pleasure hee may raigne, so long as Sunne and Moone endureth, and re­signe his Scepter when he resigneth him­selfe into the hands of Christ, at his glo­rious comming to iudgement; and spe­cially let vs pray, that (with Dauid) hee may make conscience of Gods house all the dayes of his life, that in his owne per­son hee may bee as an example, and go before vs his Subiects in the zealous profession of Religion, and also purge Gods house by refining the sonnes of Leuie Malac. 3. 3, taking away the blind 2. Sa. 5. 6. and the lame, and all such as haue not gotten siluer BellesEx. 28. 33 at the skirts of their gar­ments, the Vrim Exo. 28. 30 and Thummim in their breast plate, and holinesseEx. 28. 36, to the Lord, ingrauen in letters of gold vpon their forehead: that so with greater cheere­fulnesse wee may lift vp pure hearts and hands in his Sanctuarie. In the meane time, (as keeping a Christian meane be­twixt these contrarie affections, of mour­ning for our late Queene, and reioycing [Page 247] for our present king) let vs as one man, with our soules giue glorie vnto God, and with our tongues, in a strong vnited crie, say, God saue King Iames, Amen, and let (Amen Reu. 3. 14) euen the faith­full witnesse of heauen, say Amen vnto it, Amen, Amen.

Laus Deo.