DAVID much experiēced in bearing Af­flictiōs, pow­reth out his soule in a most bitter Com­plaint before God.sal. 55. I grieue, saith he, and am much per­plexed, [Page 2]because of the voice of the enemie. But what voice? They cast iniquitie vpon mee; vpon mee poore Innocent, all iniquitie, all manner of Crimes; And for the furious hatred which they beare mee. And what Enemie was it? He with whom I was so fa­miliar, that we communicated our secrets tegether, wee went together into the house of God. And in this case what could be more sayd? When, from whence cōfort should come, thence ariseth griefe: Nei­ther dissembles he the depth of his anguish: My heart is sore pained within me. And I sayd who shall giue mee the wings of a Doue that I may flie away? As if he should say, now ready to leaue all; [Page 3]This affliction aboue any o­ther, being beyond the pa­tience and consolation of man. But as soone as he was come againe vnto himselfe, nay rather going out of himselfe, he redoubles his courage; I will cry vnto God, and the Lord will deliver me; if at the first he vnderstand me not, nor answere me, I will not recoyle.Psal. 55.17. Evening and morning, and at noone day will I cry aloud, and he will he are my voice. I will knocke, and that so often, and hard at his gate, that he will open vnto mee. Such importu­nitie is pleasing vnto him. Then he giues vs a lesson; In like care; from whom can we better take it? or vp on better proofe? Vers. 22. [Page 4] Cast thy burthen, saith he, vp­on the Lord, and he will nou­rish thee. Art thou a Christi­an, and overwhelmed with adversitie, or toyled vnder thy Calling, powre out thy heart vnto the Lord; roule thy selfe even vpon him, take him for thy pledge, & doubt not, but as he is na­turally good and faithfull in his promises; so he will take thy burthen vpon himselfe, and comfort thee; In the same sence as he saith else where. Psal. 37. vers. 5. & 6. Stay thy selfe vpon the Lord, commit thy way vnto him, and he shall bring it to passe; quiet the disquiemes of thy soule; and commit thy selfe to his direction; the which S. Peter also teacheth vs, [Page 5]together with him. 1 Pet. 5.6. & 7. verses. Humble your selues vnder the mightie hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time, casting all your care vpon him, for he careth for you. And seeing it plea­seth him to take the care vp­on him, who hath all times in his hands, let vs not feare, that he will let the time slip. Should I cast my burthen vpon the Lord, may some say; Is it not over much boldnesse, were it vpon a brother? Shall the servant presume to lay his burthen vpon his Lord, the Creature vpon his Creator? A crea­ture? nay which is worse; burthened with vnthanke­fulnesse, with rebellion, and hatefull sinnes, can this be [Page 6]done without presumption? or rather without pride? And what doth God more abhorre? But I will helpe thee in this doubt. It were pride indeed, if thou tookest this boldnes from thy selfe; But he hath given it thee, he hath ordained it for thee; Call vpon me, and I will heare thee. Call vnto me, and I will runne to helpe thee; He is thy shepheard, and vouchsafeth to call vs his sheepe, and the shepheard carrieth the brui­sed vpon his shoulders bur­thening himself with them; so farre is he from casting them off. Of a Iudge, of a Lord, of a Creator, he is be­come thy Father, and Bro­ther; From whence, even David comforts himselfe. [Page 7] Psal. 27. vers. 10. Though my father and mother should for­sake me, yet the Lord will ga­ther me vp; yea the Lord himselfe saith,Isa. 49.15. Though a mo­ther should forget her sucking childe; the sonne of her wombe, and take no pittie of it, yet will not I forget thee. That is to say, not my Church, nor a­ny member thereof; More tender therfore is he towards vs, then any parents towards their Children, or towards those that hang vpon the breast of the tenderest mo­thers, who in the meane time, run as it were vndone at their cry, opposing and exposing themselues against the cruellest beasts, to de­fend them, they forget thē ­selues, goe out of thēselues, [Page 8]to put themselues in their place. What then shall wee not expect from the boun­tie of the Lord towards his children, from his Bowels ever yearning? From this Father, who spared not his owne sonne, his onely sonne, one with himselfe, to giue him for vs▪ Rom. 8. & 32. Of that Sonne who being in the forme of God, equall vn­to God, emptied himselfe; tooke the forme of a servant, and humbled himselfe vnto the death, even the shamefull and cursed death of the Crosse; and all this, for ser­vants; nay rather for slaues, malefactors, and accursed sinners.

Well then, Cast thy bur­then vpon the Lord. No o­ther [Page 9]will take it vpon him, vpon no other canst thou lay it. But what burthen? He saith thy burthen, not e­very burthen; but thy bur­then. Thine owne burthen; not that which thou impo­fest vpon thy selfe, at thine owne will, or doest rashly thrust thy selfe into. Know therefore, if thou be a childe of his family, that thou art in a house of order; That is the burthen which he hath layd vpon thee, who by his Ordinance hath made it thine; But take thou heede also, that it be from him; that hath a soveraigne pri­viledge. By him who doth nothing, but by waight, number, and measure; it cannot be but well propor­tioned [Page 10]and rightly added, if according to the proporti­on of thy strength, of the strength which he hath gi­ven thee, that thou shouldest beare it chearfully, that thou shouldest goe on still in thy Calling with all thy power: if aboue thy power, it is to make thee feele thine owne infirmitie; and to call for his helpe: let thy weaknes hum­ble thee before him, and strengthen thy selfe with his grace. For how ever it be, thou canst not lye long vnder the burthen, for as much as his grace is made perfect in thine infirmitie; thy burden is made his; his strength consequently a­boundeth towards thee, e­ven then when thine say­leth. [Page 11]Contrariwise, Impo­fest thou vpon thy selfe, any crosse or affliction; thou art in danger least it be said vn­to thee; who hath required these things at thy handes? Also, if thou vndertakest a charge according to thine owne will, and afterwardes fallest vnder it, take heed it be not obiected vnto thee, thou rannest and I sent thee not. Ierem. 23. & 21. thou spakest, and I put not those wordes into thy mouth. Whereas those, vnto whom God hath givē their charge, he bindeth himselfe to be their Gardian; Saying, I will be with thee, and where he is, what can be wanting? He is faithfull, saith the Apo­stle, and will not suffer his to be [Page 12]tempted aboue their strength; and giueth an issue with the temptation: with his calling, the efficacie. Onely let vs be assured, that wee beare the burthen; that we performe our (or rather indeed his) charge, and let vs not be a­fraid to say with the same Apostle, Phil. 4. & 13. I am able to doe all things, through Christ, who strengtheneth me. Now this burthen is vsually of two sorts; either a crosse, or some tribulation laid vp­on vs by God, or else a Cal­ling, wherein he hath set vs. And that properly is meant here, but in the highest de­gree, and highest termes. For,The burden of trials and temptatiōs. as for afflictions, it is certain, that there is nothing that listeth vp our hearts [Page 13]more vnto God, which draweth them from the earth, they are the bellowes, that kindle prayer in vs, rai­sing it, as it were, out of the ashes, But whilest they con­taine thēselues within some measure, so as they seeme fitted to our strength, abi­ding within the termes of hope, namely, disgraces, loss of goods, sicknesses, griefes, banishments, and such like. But when disgrace passeth vnto persecutions without cause, the losse of goods, vn­to slander against our ho­nour, sicknesse into agony, griefe into heart-breaking, banishment into proscripti­on, then the accents of our Complaints change their tune, the complaints them­selues [Page 14]are dried vp; and so much the more, if these e­vills be procured by those who shuld wish vs well, yea, if when thou art most wron­ged, whilst thou takest most paynes to doe well; And so much the more, as it con­cerneth thy person, thy fa­mily, the house of God, his Church, (the apple of his eye) Because certainely it seemes vnto vs; that God hath lost his rule, that he remembers not any more what flesh and bloud is; but rather hath an eye to the minde of man, winding it vp vnto the highest pitch; Because it seemes, he doth not equally poyse the bal­lance of his justice, nor to haue left him any thing but [Page 15]the string to hold them, when often the wicked pro­spereth at the costs of the godly; the slaues, at the pe­rill of the children; the Phi­listime, vnto the shame of the Israelite, reprobate Saul, vn­to the confusion of faithfull David; He delivers them into their hands, he forsakes them. And therefore we are not to thinke it strange, if the request of David passeth from a prayer vnto a cry, from a cry vnto a hideous noyse, from a hideous noyse vnto a tempest. Psal. 55. & 2. And yet though he casts not off his burthen: may he not be sayd to shake it off? Hee shakes it off, who to deliver himselfe from affliction, makes a Covenant with [Page 16]death, and hell; takes coun­sell of flesh & bloud, trades with the world, though it be with losse of the glory of God, redeemes himselfe (he cares not how) from them who persecute him. David doth not so, for saith he, death as a tyrant shall sease vpon them. Psal. 55.15. But as for me, I will call vpon the Lord, and he will saue mee, Vers. 16. Why so? Verily because hee knoweth that the Church is Gods buil­ding, that the faithfull are his true children, and are the only living stones ther­of, that amongst these stones some are hewen, some poli­shed for the corner-stone, for the maister-piece, for Corinth, &c. All that come [Page 17]vnder his hand, must en­dure the mallet, the chislell; and so much the rather by how much they are desti­nated to a higher place, to wit, to stand in the forefront of the building. Seest thou any exempted from the hammer, then say boldly, they are not fit for his buil­ding. Vpon our corner stone, he layeth no other, but chosen & precious. 1. Pet. 2.5. yea, himselfe, to be layd as the head stone of the Corner, by what hammers, chislells, &c. hath he not passed? Namely, calumnies, false witnesses of Pharisies, of Priests, the cruelties of the Romanes, of the Iewes them­selues, his brethren accor­ding to the flesh? Vpon this [Page 18]stone, thinkest thou, vnskil­full builder, that there may be set any ruffe ones? And thou vntamed member, dost thou thinke it strange, that to make thee capable thereof, he make thee passe vnder the playne, makes thee smooth through hac­king and hewing? There­fore David who had passed through such trials, who knew what and how many hewings are needfull for the faithfull, to make them fit for this building, what were the vses, and benefits of af­fliction, which God sends vs, is not ashamed to say. Psal. 119. vers. 67. that before he was afflicted he went astray, but now it had brought him backe to his Law; He casts [Page 19]not off his burden through despaire, but cryes vnto the Lord, and waiteth for his an­swere; because he assures himselfe, that that spirit which cryeth in him Abba Father, the same eternall spirit doubtlesse will giue him this answer; behold I am with thee, neerer vnto thee then thy selfe; He knowes that the Lord doth willing­ly draw neere vnto the bro­ken hearted & contrite spi­rits. Psal. 34. & 18. He de­lights rather to be in the prison of sorrow, then in the wedding chamber; in a soule withered with bitter­nesse, then spread out in de­liciousnesse. And in deede seldome you see such a one powre out his soule before [Page 20]God, but presently shee ga­thereth vp againe her selfe in faith and confidence, and her cry is turned into thanksgiving, this swound­ing into a sacrifice of praise. Hath David said. Psal. the 6. vers. 3.4.5. & 9. My bones are vexed, and my soule is a­stonished? By and by also followes, Depart from mee yee workers of iniquitie, the Lord hath heard the voice of my weeping. And vpon the calumnies of Cusse the Ben­iamite, prayeth he. Psal. the 7. vers. 1.2.11.13 15. & 17. Lord I draw neere vnto thee, defend mee, that he teare mee not in peeces like a Lyon; He resolues with himselfe, ver­ses 10.11.12. The Lord is my Buckler, if he turne not, [Page 21]he will whet his sword. There he finds both his weapons offensiue and defensiue, hee shall travayle to bring forth wickednesse, but shall bring forth a lye, his travayle shall fall vpon his owne head. I said, saith he elswhere, when I be­gan to slide, when I began to be swallowed vp with feare, I am cut off in thy sight. Psal. 31. vers. 22.23.24. But thou hast heard the voice of my sup­plication, when I did cry vnto thee: glorying therevpon by way of triumph, saying, Loue the Lord all yee his Saints, for he keepeth his faithfull ones; be of good cou­rage, and he will strengthen your heart. And so in this place, having felt himselfe discharged of the burthen [Page 22]of his griefes, he encourages others; saying, Cast thy bur­then vpon the Lord, &c. Psal. 55. Is he hid in the Desert of Ziph, flying from the fury of Saul his King, being ready to be delivered vp in­to his handes by those of that place? He hath no soo­ner sayd,Psal. 54.13. O cruell people; a people that haue not set God before their eyes, do even seeke my life; But he presently re­solues, God is my helpe: Vers. 4. He even burnes with zeale to offer him sacrifice; I will, sayth he,Vers. 6. sacrifice vnto thee with a free heart, for thou hast delivered me. Even thou hast delivered me; He holds his deliverance for accompli­shed he sees it with his faith, with the eyes of his soule; [Page 23]though a farre off, yet most certaine. For the holy Histo­ry tells vs, that as Saul and his people went pursuing him, a messenger met Saul, saying.1 Sam. 23.27. Make hast for the Philistimes are come into thy Dominions; Saul presently breakes off his Chase, and behold David in an instant beyond all expectation de­livered, by meanes of the Philistimes. And hereunto belongs that of the Psal. 57.4. 1 Sam. 24. ver. 1. at what time he hid himselfe in the caue of Hengedi. When Saul also sent to kill him in his house, we see him troubled. 1 Sam. 19.9.11. He obserues their practises, their plottes, their watches; he opposeth his integritie and his inno­cency; [Page 24]but with what peace vnto his soule? Psal. 59. ver. 9.12.16. Lord God, thou wilt laugh at them, and yet Lord slay them not, least my people forget it; He is now more carefull of their life then of his owne. Lord I will sing of thy mercy in the morning; I will not loose one houre of my ordinary exercises. The like examples wee haue also in the Psalmes 64.69.140. and many the like, against those who eyed him, wat­ched him in his wayes, in his words, & (if they could) even to his very thoughts; But even in the greatest perill, he concludes all in certaine hope of Deliverance; saying, The iust shall reioyce in the Lord, and shall draw [Page 25]neere vnto him, and all that are true of heart shall be glad and reioyce; as touching his Iustice, which he will ma­nifest to the one, and will doe to the other; The flouds are risen vp even vnto my soule, I am afflicted and in griefe, but thy deliverance shall lift mee vp on high, so high, that no waters, no, not a deluge shall attaine there­to; I know that the Lord will execute Iustice for the afflicted, and howsoever it be, the vpright shall dwell before his face. But some prophane person may here say, is Da­vid thus confident, the bur­then notwithstanding lieth still vpon his neeke, he is slandered, abused, watched, pursued by Saul, by his [Page 26]most familiar friends, yea by his owne sonne; but he is lightened of this his bur­then, comforted in soule, because of his liuely faith, which represented vnto him the helpe of his God, both certaine and present, be­cause his loue by his holy Spirit was powred into his soule, because a divine light shining vpon it, scattered the darknesse thereof. And thou Christian, whosoever thou art, if ever thou hast called vpon the Lord in the like anguish, how often be­fore thy burthen (the cause of thine anguish, of thy griefe) was eased; hast thou notwithstanding felt thy spirit eased by thy prayer? God without doubt hol­ding [Page 27]his hand invisibly and insensibly vnder thy bur­then, as it were hidden from thee. The burthen continu­ing, and yet the paine di­minished; because we haue now two to beare it, be­cause it pleaseth God to beare one part of the bur­then, and that the greatest part also, suffering vs to re­double our strength, that he might lend vs his owne.

For example, Ioseph being cast into the pit by his brethren. Gen. 37. ver. 27. it was some reliefe to be solde vnto the Madianites, and then vnto Potipher, Cap­taine of the Guard Gen. 39.1. his burthen encreaseth, when the slander of his mistris caused him to be cast [Page 28]into the dungeon; but Moses addes presently, that the Lord was with Ioseph. ver. 20. he shewed his mercie vpon him; in giving him favour in the sight of the Maister of the Prison. Such favour as made him way to Pharaoh, even to the supplying of the necessities of Iacob his Father, and all his house; yea even to be ruler over Egypt. Who now in the meane while would haue beleeved that GOD was with him in prison? In like manner he saith to Ia­cob; that is, to his Church, & to all the members there­of. Esa. 43.2. When thou pas­sest through the waters, I will be with thee, they shall not drowne thee, and when thou goest through the fire, it shall [Page 29]not burne thee; because I will be with thee. Even I, who commandes the elements, who rules over the waters of the Floud. Psal. 29.10. who makes my Ministers a flame of fire. Psal. 104.4. I am with thee, because I haue redeemed thee. Esa. 43.1. I haue called thee by name, thou art mine, and by conse­quent I haue Interesse in thy ruine, in thy losse. Is God with vs in the fire, and in the water. Isa. 43.2. if he said it not himselfe, who durst beleeue it? And in­deed we see it in the waters of the red Sea, which gaue place vnto the Children of Israell, Exod. 14. when in the meane while they overwhelmed Pharaoh and his hoste. Also [Page 30]in the three Children in the Furnace,Dan. 3. being heated more then ordinary, it consumed them, who cast them in. Dan. 3.27. but of those that were cast in, it singed not a haire; an Angell ioyning himselfe vnto them, in the middest of the fire, who kept them; One (sayth the Prophet) like to the Sonne of God. These things you see being performed, both re­ally and visiblie in them: whence wee may learne, that God who was with his in the middest of dangers, out of the which there ap­peared no issue, is invisibly, and no lesse really with all those, who call vpon him in true faith, he compasseth them about with his mercy, [Page 31]and assisteth them with the presence of his Angels, yea, of his owne presence also. Whence it is that David, hiding himselfe from the wrath of Saul in the Caue, makes his prayer vnto God. Psal. 57.4. saying, My soule is amongst Lyons, I lye a­mongst these that are set on fire, amongst men whose teeth are speares and arrowes; he assures himselfe notwith­standing, that God will send from heaven, and deliver him; yea out of this danger; and in this faith he wakens his tongue, and all his musicall instruments, to giue him praise. This deliverance be­ing vnto him no lesse reall, nor lesse miraculous,Dan. 6.22. then that of Daniell in the denne [Page 32]of Lyons, in which denne the Angell of the Lord did shut their mouths; but what if not so visibly; because such miracles, are wrought visiblie but once, or very rarely; to try our weaknes, as also to show that God can doe it, ceasing not in the meane while invisibly to continue according to his word & promise, which assures vs that he will do it. And herein the faithfull cōsider, that so often as they finde themselues, amongst such Lyons, thirsting for their bloud, and hungering for their life, yet can they doe them no hurt? And in such appetite and such fu­ry, seing themselues a prey, can they doubt of him who [Page 33]restraines them, who mus­sels them thus invisiblie? Therefore tell me not here, that wee now see no more miracles. We see them not indeede, because wee want eyes; for what doe we see in effect but miracles? Thou Christian, if the creation of the world, if the vniversall change of the course of the world, by the power of Christ, if the death of so ma­ny Martyrs beleeving the Resurrection of a God cru­cified, so many ages past; tell me if so sweete a harmo­ny of all and every particu­lar thereof, be not a suffici­ent myracle? In vaine will it be for thee, to see the lame to goe, the dumbe to speake, the dead to rise; Thou shalt [Page 34]alwaies find in thy discourse matter of doubt; they will be vnto thee illusiōs, slights and trickes of Sathan; well then, let vs cast our burthen vpon the Lord, and let vs the rather consider of his grace and of his helpe in vs and towards vs. And after we haue seriously called vp­on him, feeling our selues in effect either discharged of this burden, of this crosse, which crushed vs, or incou­raged to beare it more ioy­fully, let vs then boldly say; The Lord hath here put to his hand; for from no other but him, could come ease of paine, or increase of strēgth. Therefore let vs freely ac­knowledge, in the healing of our stroake; and of this [Page 35]issue of bloud, that vertue is gone out from Christ, yea, albeit we haue but touched the hemme of his garment; this touching, this hemme, which is as it were but to giue a body vnto their invi­sible and spirituall vertue, thereby to make it vnto vs (flesh and bloud as we are) not more efficacious, but more sensible.

Well then, if the Lord as in some temptations seemes to thee that himselfe takes part against thee, and by consequent thou thinkest, that he himselfe is become the burthen, so farre off is it, that thou canst hope, he should beare thy burthen; vnto whom then shouldest thou haue recourse? And [Page 36]here lyeth the highest point of the triall. Take an exam­ple in Abraham, when God commanded him to offer vp his sonne, whom he had long time waited for, his I­saac, his onely sonne; by that so expresse a comman­dement, vpon so solemne a promise. Gen. 22. In Isaac shall thy seede be called. What was here to be done? Cer­tainely both these two, be­ing equally obiects of our faith, and of our obedience; the one and the other, being the word of God, but wee will hold vs to the comman­dement which bindeth vs,Note. leaving vnto him the fit time to fulfill his promise; And let vs say with faithfull Abraham; The Lord will pro­vide, [Page 37]who holds the issues of death in his power. Psal. 68.20. Who can raise mee children even out of stones, and can restore me this sonne againe, if need be, even the same and none other out of the graue; And yet on this childe depended the pro­mised Christ, the blessed seede, the salvation of the church? So ought the Chri­stian to be resolved to fol­low the voyce of God, with his eyes shut, against all ima­ginations, equivocations, & humaine glosses; whereof in all perplexities, the chie­fest wisedome is to be silent,Note. both in God, and to God. Psal. 62.1. How ever it be saith the Psalmist, my soule is silent in God: an higher [Page 38]prayse we cannot giue vnto him; To be silent, that is to say, he murmures not in himselfe, replies not againe, but yeelds to his will, and waiteth with patience the issue thereof, and submits his whole wisedome to his providence; This being certainely the highest point of faith, to which it is not alwayes given vs to attaine vnto. But if it happen vnto vs, as it did vnto Iacob vp­on his wading through the foord Iabok, vpon the point of his meeting with Esau, to wrastle with God, with our weaknesse, against his promises, let vs not trust so much vpon that, that he suffers himselfe to be over­come by vs, vouchsafing to [Page 39]condescend vnto our weak­nesses, as to the perpetuall marke he left vnto Iacob in his thigh, when he leaues vnto vs the marke, as of his power, so of our infirmitie. Of this power (sayth the A­postle) which is perfected in our infirmitie. A healthfull infirmitie, which God de­lights to leaue in those that are his, to keepe them in du­tie. As in Iacob, Note. though he blessed him, yet he humbled him, that he should not be proud of that blessed wrast­ling; In like manner in S. Paul, notwithstanding his prayer many times reittera­ted; least the excellencie of things revealed vnto him, should lift him vp aboue mea­sure. 2 Cor. 12. That we [Page 40]should alwayes be forced vnder the heavie burthen of our adversities, and in our weaknesse, to call to him for strength.

Strength, which shall ne­ver fayle, seeing it is he that promiseth it, offers it vnto vs, so as he even taketh plea­sure to be called our strēgth, although somedmes he lets vs suffer, and groane, being ready to sinke; but he knowes at what instant to helpe vs;Note. at the halfe blow, as of Isaac vpon the blocke; the more to manifest his de­liverance; if also he lets vs alone in danger, in necessi­tie; it is alwayes one and the same providence, from the same art of the Phisitian proceedeth the incision of [Page 41]the Patient, and his dyet; both the one and the other, being in his choice, and not in that of the patient. 1 King. 17. That the Prophet Elias should be fed by the Ra­vens, which day by day brought him bread & flesh, evening and morning, his daily bread; it was the more to make him feele God his fatherly care, and the rather to bring him to commit himselfe vnto his bountie, then if he should haue set before him a ful store house of victualls. Vnto the widdow of Sarepta also, to draw our of her barrell of meale, & her cruse of oyle, to mul­tiplie it from day to day, e­ven to abundance; it made her the more to feele her [Page 42]want, and in her necessitie, the power and bountie of God, and by the one & the other, to keepe her devout, to augment her faith, to heate her zeale; then if at the instant, he had given it her in a full barne, & wine­celler. Because the blessings we receiue of God in the whole heape,Note. and on a sud­dain, vanish away into some light thankesgiving; they are at the first but coldly acknowledged to God; and a little while after, they are attributed vnto a friend, and to our good fortune, and to our owne industrie; but when they come flow­ly, and by degrees, so as we are constrained to waite for them, then they giue vs time [Page 43]to desire them, to sigh for them, to taste them, to re­lish them, to fill our sences, our imagination & memo­ry; And to say with David. Psal. 63. I seeke thee at the dawning of the day, my soule thirsteth for thee, my flesh lus­teth after thee, in a barren and drie Land, where no wa­ter is. Graunt, that he rayne Quailes downe vpon vs, the flesh being yet between our teeth, wee will be readie to murmure. And therefore the better to flie, to flie I say vnto God, we haue need to be kept low; to returne vn­to him, to know his luer, and not to feed vs to our fill, least otherwise wee take the wing, and follow after vanitie, with the first winde that bloweth.

[Page 44] God then being called vp­on by vs, when wee are vn­der crosses and afflictions, which hee layes vpon vs, he strengthens vs with his grace, according as he sees it needfull for our salvation. Loe the very end of these crosses, even of the crosses, which in the doubtfull wayes of this world, better then any other guide, or marke, doe correct and re­forme vs.The burden of bearing the Crosse of Christ. But vnder the crosse principally of his Christ, vnder the true crosse when it is layd vpon our shoulders, then we feele the helpe of his strength; when we are called to suffer for his Name, for his Truth and for his Word; and indeede divers are the natures of thes [Page 45]crosses, every maner of way. By these he hath ordained to humble vs, to beare wit­nesse vnto the true faith, wherein consequently, God interposeth himselfe, yea he even participates with vs, he suffers, and suffers with vs himselfe. And therefore in this crosse, the faithfull seek for comfort from God by their prayer; in this af­fliction, their prayer begins with giving of thankes, he praiseth God for doing him the honour to suffer for his Name; to choose him as it were for a Champion of his quarrell, he reioyceth, he glories, he boasteth in his sufferings, and in his dis­graces. Rom. 5.3. The A­postles of our Saviour even [Page 46]reioyced after they were scourged by the Magi­strates. Act. 5.41. S. Paul so farre boasted, as to tri­umph in his tribulations; Because these afflictions were not so much his, as Christs. Because he fulfilled the rest of the afflictions of Christ in his flesh, for his body sake, that is, the Church. Col. 1.24. Because the Christian is assured in suf­fering for Christ, that Christ suffers with him, takes part of his sorrowes, burthens himselfe, and disburthens him. And from hence did the glorious Martyrs, tri­umph in their Martyrdom. When thou seest them then halfe burned, their bowells issuing forth, and yet lifted [Page 47]vp their eyes to Christ by prayer, nay rather by sing­ing, brake through the noyse of the flames. There­fore O flesh and bloud tell me here; if Christ were not there, if he assisted them not effectually, or clothed them not really with his power a­gainst the violence of that Element, and against the crueltie of those who shar­pens it against them; thin­kest thou that there could be any one found, that could stand? And from whence then came so many millions? Yea where could there haue beene found any one, that should resolue with himselfe, to die for one dead, to suffer himselfe to be tortured, for one Cruci­fied; [Page 48]and from whence then could this come, if it were not in that Christ liveth in them; and in them, & with them, is crucified? Verily in them who cast their burden vpon the Lord; the Sonne coeternall with the Father, not to shake off their bur­then, but the more couragi­ously to beare it, being in­couraged by his presence, strengthened by his hand. And therefore in other cros­ses, the wonder consisteth herein, that the Lord being called vpon in faith, doth graciously deliver thee; But loe here the myracle is, in that the faithfull, against sence, reason, and nature, offer themselues vp in sacri­fice vnto God; their flesh [Page 49]and bloud, their humaine reason, altogether flesh and bloud, renouncing them­selues, to confesse Christ. And seeing it is impossible of themselues, whence is it then, for the honor of God, but by God.

The burden of our Cal­ling.And so much for the bur­then of the Crosse and af­fliction, when it overchar­geth vs. Now followes that crosse, which concernes our calling, and function, vnto which God calleth vs. A true burthen also, for there is none so small in regard of the weaknesse of our nature, vnder the which our shoul­ders doe not bow, yet be it never so great, in his power, who calls vs thereunto; wee need not feare to passe; pro­vided [Page 50]alwayes, it be a true calling, by which he makes it his owne. And therefore the Apostle exhorts every one, Ephes. 4.1. to walke worthy his calling, accor­ding to that grace which is given vs, according to the measure of the gift of Christ. To walke, is not simplie to goe, but to hold a certaine way, and to ayme at the true end thereof; and besides, in a mans Calling, to looke he haue it from God; who is a God of order, who or­daines, and who imployes all his Creatures; every one to some certaine thing; eve­ry stone to haue a certaine place in his building. He that walkes in his Calling, sets all his paths vnto pro­fit, [Page 51]walkes alwayes well, though he halt in it; he that strayeth from thence, what speed soever he makes, go­eth the further out of his way, and for the most part goes backward. Well then, every calling hath his la­bour, or rather his crosse, yet not without some in­ward comforts, and helpe from aboue, even from him who hath created all things. He I say, with the same power, bountie, and wise­dome, preserveth them, and directs all things. For let vs not thinke, that he hath lesse care, or takes more pleasure to comfort an Artificer in his shopp, then he doth a Prince in his Throne: a fa­mily, as well as a Common [Page 52]wealth; for every where where his name is called vp­on, he hearkens, he heares, he puts to his helping hand without exception, without acception of persons; vn­to him who hath equally made them, the brasse is as deare as the gold, the hempe as the flax, the course cloth as the scarlet▪ But in the cal­lings of those, whom hee calleth to the conducting of his people, of his Church, this bountifull providence doth more appeare; because shee is set as it were vpon a hill, because they are, or ought to be, the light of the world, as also because the Lord in his holy Scriptures hath left them for our ex­amples.

[Page 53] Art thou then in a pub­licke Calling,1. In the Magistracy. be it either polliticke, or ecclesiasticke; and dost thou meete with a stiffenecked people, being ready every houre to mur­mure; with gyants, advan­cing their heads against hea­ven, against whom thou art every houre to pronounce, and lay open Gods judge­ments? A hard Commissi­on, troublesome, rough, & hard to vndergoe, if thou onely looke into thy selfe, but looke vnto God, who hath imposed this Calling vpon thee; doe not thou therefore shake off thy bur­then, as another Ionas. Who fled vnto Tarsis, from the pre­sence of the Lord, and shipt himselfe at Ioppa, who meets [Page 54]with him amōgst the waues; Whether shall I goe from thy spirit, sayth the Prophet. Psal. 39.7. or whether shall I flie from thy presence. There­fore rather humble thy selfe before his face, acknowledg thy imbecillitie, seeke thy strength from him, take thy warrant from his Commis­sion. What, oh Lord, is dust and ashes, that thou shoul­dest expect such strength, such service, if thou put not to thy helping hand, if thou worke not in it? There needs no greater matter then lyce to confound the wise; the ruine of the pride of Egypt. Well then, Lord, worke thou; Who am I Lord (saith David, 2 Sam. 7.18 19.22.23.24.) and what is my house, [Page 55]that thou hast brought me hi­therto? is this the manner of men, is there any thing here whereof man can presume, or promise ought vnto him­selfe? But he takes him at his word, wherein his glory is interressed. And sayth, for thy promise sake, and according to thy heart, thou hast done all this greatnesse, &c. to get thee a name, and a people for ever­more. And where his calling meets, there his promise secretly comes betweene. Who am I also saith his Son Salomon. 1 Kings 3. to iudge this so great a people, &c. Alas, I am but a childe, who knowes not how to goe in and out before them. And fur­ther, the Lord, from whom every good gift comes, [Page 56]giues him, to him I say (who acknowledging his owne incapacitie; seekes the supply thereof in his grace) a wise and an vnderstanding heart, a habit very necessary for a King; he giues him more then he requireth, riches and honour, things ve­ry seemely. Also, who am I, saith Moses, Exod. 3.11. that I should goe vnto Pharaoh, and that I should bring the Children of Israel out of E­gypt, &c.Exod. 4.10. Alas Lord, saith he, neither yesterday nor before ye­sterday, am I a man of clo­quent speech, but on the con­trary, of a slow mouth and tongre. Now the businesse was to speake vnto a great Prince, to perswade him of strange offensiue things; [Page 57] but I, sayth the Lord, will be with thee; and beholde the signes: Who made the mouth of man, who made the dumbe, &c. Exod. 4.12. I will be with thy mouth, and will teach thee what thou shalt say, or ra­ther by thy hand I will doe that which thou shalt haue to say; that we might know the great priviledge those haue, whom God sets on worke in respect of all o­thers. Those whom the Princes of the earth imploy in their services, if they be not adorned with exquisite qualities, shall but shame both themselues and their Maisters: but on the contra­ry, those who are assured of their calling; nay of his cal­ling, who workes all in all, [Page 58]and in all things, it cannot be but they should be able to discharge it. But yet in humility feeling their owne imbecillity, and for the most part, aboue that they ima­gined they could haue done. Because they worke by him, and he in them, by whose power the quali­ties of things worke the contrary effect to their na­ture, as namely, heate to re­fresh, fury to cherrish, weak­nesse to cause it selfe to be feared, the stāmering tong, to be able to perswade, a childe to pronounce judge­ment, yea bondage it selfe, to rule.

Now this is also in respect of this confidence, which they beleeue they haue a [Page 59]right vnto, and so they haue indeed, to cast themselues vpon the Lord, when evill oppresseth them. Iehosaphat being affrighted with the Moabites; he proclaimes a fast, craues helpe from God. But how? they come, saith he, 2 Chron. 20.12. to dispossesse vs of thine inheritance, which thou gavest vs to possesse. O our God, wilt not thou iudge them, and the rather because the case goeth thus ill with vs, there being us strength in vs, to stand before so great a multitude: But sayth he, our eyes are towards thee; e­ven towards the Lord, who forthwith puts his hand to the burthen, and answeres him by his Prophet; feare not, you shall not neede to [Page 60]fight, but God; beholde he commeth to their reseue, and he alone will doe all for you; stand still, sayth he, and see the salvation of the Lord; take you no other care but to prayse mee. So impor­tant and behoouefull it is vnto every servant of God in such occasions, to engage the Lord in his cause, and to haue no interest therein but his justice, his sanctuary, his glory.

Rabshakeh comes vnto King Ezekias. 2 Kings 18. and 19. Let not thy God, saith he, in whom thou tru­stest deceiue thee; thou seest what the King of the Assyri­ans hath done vnto all o­ther Countries; haue their Gods delivered them, that [Page 61]thou shouldest hope better of thine? But what doth E­zekias in this anguish, Lord, sayth he, thou art the one­ly, or alone God of King­domes, belongs it not then properly vnto thee; and this argument which he makes; comparing the Idolls of the Nations with thee, shall he be left vnpunished of thee; of thee, I say, the Creator of heaven and earth? Encline thine eare then Lord, and hearken vnto the words of this Champion, whom Se­nacherib hath sent to blas­pheme the living God; Deliver vs therfore, O Lord, out of his hand, that all peo­ple may know, that thou Lord art the onely God. Then comes the Prophet [Page 62] Esay vnto him, and allures him in the name of the Lord, that his prayer was heard, and that the Lord tooke knowledge thereof, making the cause his owne; who in the same night smot Senacherib and his Armie, by the hand of his Angell. And Moses speakes to this purpose in more expresse termes; and for the ground of this Confidence, this holy boldnesse to cast his burden vpon the Lord, he takes his measure from faith, faith grounded on knowledge. For is it not sayd, that God spake vnto him face to face? The people of Israell being nourished and fed by myra­cles so many yeares in the desert, being enemy to their [Page 63]owne good, would not goe into the land of Canaan, but murmured thereupon, a­gainst God, and rebelled so farre against Moses. Numb. 14. that they were ready to stone him. The Lord being wrath at this their infideli­tie, he tells Moses, that he is weary of them, and that he will destroy them. O but Lord, saith Moses, what then will the Nations say; for the Cananites cannot be igno­rant, that thou Lord art seene of this people face to face; that thy Cloud, thy protecti­on standeth over them, and that thou hast expressely vn­dertaken the safe conduct of this people; and now they will say, that thou hast kil­led them, because thou wast [Page 64]not able to bring them into the Land, which thou hadst sworne vnto their Fathers to giue them: vrging God vpon the point of his owne honour, jealous in regard of man; no lesse jealous in respect of God, who giveth himselfe the title of iealous; thereby inducing him (as a meanes) to restraine his an­ger, and pardon his people. As I liue, sayth the Lord vn­to him, the whole earth shall be filled with my glory; with my glory in a double respect; first, because these murmur­ers shall not see the promi­sed Land; yet notwithstan­ding, those who continued faithfull, shall possesse the Land for inheritance; there­by being equally magnifi­ed, [Page 65]both in my mercy, and in my justice. Let all this be granted, may some one re­ply, but this was in the time of myracles. True; but my­racles were heretofore done from time to time, to none other end, but to make it ap­peare to thee, as a glimpse of that infinite power, w^ch worketh, and disposeth, all these myracles of the whole world, which being perpe­tuall, are to thee no longer myracles. The Prophet sayth,Isa. 59.1. The Lords hand is not shortened, that it cannot helpe, nor his eare heavy that he can­not heare. Whereas the globe of the earth, since so many ages past, continueth hang­ing in the ayre, holding by nothing, but by the onely [Page 66]powerfull will of the Crea­tor; is it not myraculous e­ven at this day? It may be, more myraculous then the first day that he framed it; whereas the Church also continueth, being but a point as it were in the mid­dest of this Chaos of vnbe­liefe, yet swimmes aloft, al­wayes shewing the head a­boue water, amiddest so ma­ny waues, is also no lesse a myracle, yea and it may be also more, in the middest of so many disordered Natiōs, and of so many flouds; then when shee floated in the Arke, or passed through the red Sea. The workes there­fore of the Lord, though lesse visible to our eyes, are not therefore lesse reall in [Page 67]themselues, nor lesse consi­derable in the minds of the faithfull. The Prophet saith Isa. 59.2. that our iniquities haue made a seperation be­tweene vs and him, causeth him to hide his face from vs. But let vs onely turne our eyes towards him, and he will returne againe wholly towards vs. In like propor­tion towards an estate, nati­on, Cittie, family, or parti­cular person, which shall call vpon him; where his Church, where his service, where his feare, hath taken vp their dwelling. My soule which art often perplexed in thy selfe, in anguish for his Church, amongst so ma­ny waues which tosseth her, and thee in her, tempted to [Page 68]cast off thy burthen, hast thou cast it vpon the Lord, and hath he eased thee? How oft dispayring of all humaine helpes, hast thou sayd vnto him; how long; and did the Lord ever fayle to answer thee; yea to an­swer thee by visible effects, more intelligible then his wordes?

2. In the Ministry.The like may be sayd of them who are called of God vnto an ecclesiasticall func­tion; As heretofore of the Prophets denouncing the judgements of God against Kings, and against Nations; after them the Apostles sent to Preach the onely word of salvation vnto the ends of the world, to the ruine of false gods, and of their I­dolls, [Page 69]the pretended protec­tors of States and of Com­mon-weales. Those Pro­phets and Apostles being consequently bound to de­fend their cause against the persecution of those who disgraced them. And so in like manner those, who in the Church, as they are dis­pensers of the Gospell, hold their place at this day. For with what confidence, and with what wisedome, did Elias and Elizeus with their cloakes stand against Kings, Princes, and the Priests of Israel; Iohn Baptist with his garment of Cammels haire, withstood King Herod. The Apostles being poorefisher­men, and vnlearned, vnder­tooke the ruine of Sathans [Page 70]kingdome, the Conquest of the world, vnder the Crosse of Christ? Therefore let those who succeede them in this office, accept of this Commission in all humili­tie, and say, Lord, who am I, that thou hast called mee therevnto; And what man is he, though never so great, that is sufficient for it? But yet as vncapable as I am, e­ven the least in my selfe; yet being assisted by thee, who art the greatest, what am I not able to doe? For so E­say sayth;Isa. 6. Woe is me for I am vndone, because I am a man of polluted lips; no sooner had God touched his lips with a liue coale from the Altar, but he changeth his speech; Who shall I send, sayth the [Page 71]Lord, he answeres cheare­fully, behold I am here, send mee. But with what Com­mission? Say vnto this peo­ple, in hearing you shall heare, and not vnderstand &c. Make fatte the heart of this people, &c. Let a man haue ten times as many naturall gifts, as Esay had; could he without this assistance from the Lord, haue vndergone this Charge? In like man­ner, the Prophet Ieremy; I haue set thee this day, sayth the Lord, over Nations, and over Kingdomes, that thou shouldest plucke vp, and pull downe, that thou shouldest build and plant. A pooresilly Priest of Anothoth. Iere. 1.1. Therefore he that will won­der, let him yet wonder at [Page 72]it? Ah Lord God, beholde I cannot speake, saith he, for I am but a childe. And behold! he had no sooner touched his mouth, but presently he girdeth vp his reynes, and is resolved, that whereas bebefore he acknowledged him­selfe to be but a childe, now he begins to be a man; and the terror of men. So like­wise Christ tells the Apo­stles, Math. 10.19. Yee shall be brought before Kings; and you shall beare witnesse of mee even to the ends of the earth; being but men of meane condition, to stand astoni­shed at the onely looke of a man of authoritie, the bol­dest amongst them, at the word of a poore silly mayd. But take no care, sayth the [Page 73]Lord, I will put that into your mouth at the very in­stant, which you shall say. Feare not, saith he also vnto S. Paul, hold not thy peace, Act. 18.10. for I am with thee. And what he sayd to them, let vs take as spoken vnto all; vnto all who are Ministers of the same word, being never de­stitute of his spirit, nor of his strength, to the pulling downe, s yth the Apostle, of strong holds, 2 Cor. 10. casting downe all counsells, and every high thing which exalts it selfe against the knowledge of God▪ bringing every thought into captivity, to the obedience of Christ having vengeance ready pre­pared against all d sobedience. What can be said more? And be not dismayd at this [Page 74]that the liue coale hath not touched thy lippes, nor the breath of Christ, breathed vpon thee; the signes of his word and spirit; provided that thou hast his Commis­sion with thee, and his word in thy mouth. Those signes had their place once for all; Timothy had not received them, whom notwithstan­ding the Apostle summons before God, and before the Lord Iesus, vnto whom he shall giue an account. 2 Tim. 4.1. & 2. Where he sayth, Preach the word; But how, in season, and out of season, re­proue, rebuke, exhort, doe the worke of an Evangelist. It may be, thou shalt be hated of those which are without, and despised sometimes of [Page 75]those within; wilt thou haue it bteter cheape then the M^r of the Vineyard? Which of the Prophets, or which of the Apostles, were not abu­sed, stoned, and vexed? Say with David. Psal. the 31. I haue beene a reproach vnto my adversaries, vnto my neigh­bours much more, and those of my acquaintance seeing mee, fled from me. But Lord, I haue sayd, thou art my God, I trust in thee. Learne thou also with the same great A­postle. 2 Cor. 6.7.8. to goe through honour and dishonor, through good report and evill report, by the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armor of righteousnesse, on the right hand and on the left. Be not discouraged also, if thou [Page 76]fallest vpō a barren ground, as it were sowed with salt; vpon a brutish and stiffe­necked people. Who hath be­leeved, sayth Esay, our report? And after him, our Saviour himselfe. Ioh. 12.36. And of sixe hundred thousand which went ont of Aegypt with Moses ready armed, how few of them entred in­to the Land of promise? Of so many people whom our Lord had healed, had preached vnto, even the e­ternall word; how few of them did beleeue, and con­tinued following him? How many thinkest thou were there of them, who helpt to blaspheme him at his death? And notwithstanding, did God therefore cease to de­vide [Page 77] Canaan by lyne vnto his people? The word of the Crosse, did that cease to subdue the world, yea to tri­umph in the world, and o­ver the world? Heare our Saviour Christ himselfe in Esay the 49.4. complaining, and in his consolation, re­ceiue thou thine; I sayd I haue laboured in vaine, and spent my strength for nothing, notwithstanding my reward is with the Lord, and my worke with my God. The Lord who answeres him after­wards, I haue heard thee (hold it as if it were already done) in an acceptable time, in the day of salvation haue I succoured thee. It must be a long time after, least thou shouldst waxe weary, yet in [Page 78]his time, in an acceptable time, in a time by him eter­nally pre-ordained. And thus of this word which thou publishest, to the clea­ring of his truth, to the con­vincing of errors, to the ad­vancement of the kingdom of his Christ, to the disso­lution of the tyranny of An­tichrist, waite for the fruit, and expect the effect in his time; but in the meane time, be not thou carelesse, but vse all the means to manure the ground, which he hath committed vnto thee. And say vnto him, Lord, this ground will be but Iron, if the heaven be of Brasse. From thy onely blessing, I waite for the fruit of my labour; by thy Comman­dement [Page 79]I plant, and in this hope I water. And thus be­holde, how in the difficul­ties of our Callings, we are to comfort our selues in the Lord.

Is there no other burden which we are to cast vpon the Lord? Yes verily, the weightiest doth yet remaine, the burden of sinne. Sinne,The burden of sinne. as light as it seemes vnto vs, which by no meanes can stand in the ballance of so just a God, must needs be very heavie, & most waigh­tie, because it provokes his anger, & presseth vs downe to hell, by an offence against an infinite Maiestie, against an infinite anger. Sinne which lyeth vpon the con­science, being the liueliest, [Page 80]the most sensible, and ten­derest part of the soule, doth vexe and disquiet it. Whereas the griefe of af­flictions, lyeth properly vp­on the senses: perplexities in our Callings, lyes vpon our spirits. But sinne was the cause, that made our first fa­ther after the commission thereof, to hide himselfe from the Lord; and to trem­ble at the very shaking of the leaues. As also that Caine having perceived his of­fence, was smitten with a de­iected & pale countenance; and the sentence being pro­nounced, was as a burthen and punishment vnto him­selfe; My iniquitie, sayth he, is greater then I am able to beare, Gen. 4. though he had [Page 81]all the world at command, yet he findes himselfe in a straight in his soule. Even so the best men, though more tender in Conscience, cou­ragious and patient in all sorts of afflictions, yet are here impatient, & stooping vnder this burthen, lie di­stressed in, and by them­selues. David who so often repeateth in the Psalme 56. I trust in God, and will not feare what the arme of flesh can doe vnto me, yet findes himselfe pressed downe vn­der the burthen of his olde man: My finne, O Lord, Psal. 51. saith he, is continually before mee; I see nothing else, I haue sinned against thee; O turne thy face from mine iniquities. Not content with this, as [Page 82]else-where to say vnto God, haue pittie on me; but here, he calls to his succour, the greatnesse of his compassions, the full depth of his mer­cies; to purge, wash, and wash againe, to blot out his sinnes; to create in him a cleane heart, to renue in him a right spirit, feeling no­thing in himselfe, which might abide the light of his countenance, which turned not vnto him in steade of a pleasing light, a countenāce iustly inflamed with wrath. And thus that great Apostle also, who was joyous and triumphing over all sorts of afflictions, shrunke at this; those others being pledges of helpe from God, but this a kindler of his wrath; those [Page 83]calling vnto him as it were from heaven, and causing him to hasten his pace to­wards vs, as at the cry of his Children: But this which turneth away his eye, and sequesters his presence from vs, makes him forget, yea and to renounce his Crea­ture. I repont that I haue made man; Gen. 6. my spirit shall not alwayes striue with him; it makes him to consent, or ra­ther resolue to blot out his Image with a curse, and to determine in himselfe, to destroy even all flesh from the earth with a Deluge. And therefore let vs not thinke it strange, that he changeth here both tune and voice; that he who said Phil. 4.12.13. I know and [Page 84]am instructed, how to be full, and how to be hungry, as well to abound, as to want; I am able to doe all things in Christ who strengthens me. But now with a languishing speech, changing his tune; sayth, Sinne dwelleth in me; and in mee there dwelleth no good thing; I haue not the power to performe that which is good; I finde this Law in me, that when I would doe good, evill is present with mee. How far off was he here from doing all things? But on the con­trary addeth;Rom. 7. There is a law in my members which leades me captiue to the Law of sinne, delivers me bound hand & foote, my feete fettered with sinne; and consequently to death, & hell, the rewards of [Page 85]sinne. What burthen thinke we then he felt, who before was so valiant vnder all o­ther burdens, when he cryes out in the end,Vers. 24. wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? Well then, seeing sinne in it selfe is so heavie, in regard of God who is puritie and justice it selfe; yea to hide­ous and so odious; who shall be so bold then as to cast this burden vpon the Lord? Shall we say vnto him as A­dam did after his fall. Gen. 3.12. The woman whom thou ga­vest me, gaue me of the tree to eate? Or as the prophane ones mentioned by the A­postle, Rom. 9 19. Why hast thou not made vs better? Whereof complainest thou? for [Page 86]who can resist thy will? Thus covering their sinne with blasphemie; a sort of crea­tures, who Contest against the Creator, whose judge­ment sleepeth not. What then, is there no remedy to ease this burden? Is it ex­empted from the lesson w^ch here the Prophet giveth vs? And if wee must lye downe vnder this burthen, what will it profit vs to be relie­ved vnder any other bur­den? yea rather here prin­cipally hath it place, here it is wherein God meaneth properly to shew that his mercy is aboue all his workes; to powre out his mercy, and to open his bowels of com­passion, that by executing justice, he may make his [Page 87]chiefe worke to appeare. To vs (sayth the Prophet) a childe is borne: Isai. 9.5. to vs a sonne is given, and his government is layd vpon his shoulder; His government, that is, his pow­er, to saue his people from their sinnes; vpon his shoul­der, for as much as he hath layd the Crosse vpon him­selfe, and vnto the Crosse hath nayled our sinnes. And therefore the same Prophet sayth, Esay 53.5.6.7. He hath borne our griefes, and taken on him our sorrowes, he was bruised for our iniqui­ties. The Lord hath made to come vpon him the iniquities of vs all, the chastisement of our peace was vpon him. Vpon him, even vpon his shoulder; therefore is it al­so [Page 88]added, that his name shall be cased Wonderfull, Counsel­ler, the mightie and strong God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of peace. No o­ther but he, could be capa­ble of such a burthen, our Emanuell, God with vs. The Lambe of God, Ioh. 1.29. sayth S. Iohn Baptist, that taketh away the sinne of the world; hath borne them, sayth S. Peter. 1 Pet. 2.24. in his bodie vpon the tree; being made sinne, sayth S. Paul, 2 Cor. 5.21. that we might be made the righteous­nesse of God in him; and made a curse for vs, vpō the crosse. Gal. 3.13. that the blessing of Abraham might come vpon vs by him. But thinke not here that thou who delightest thy selfe in thy sinnes, and [Page 89]flatterest thy selfe therein, who makest triumphs, who art iolly and merry vnder this burden, that thou hast any part in these benefits, or that Christ should bur­den himselfe with thy sins, wherewith thou feelest not thy selfe burdened, thou must first feele them. Vnto whom shall I haue respect, sayth the Lord, Esay 66.2. vnto him that is afflicted, and hath a bruised spirit, and trembleth at my word; to such a one is it sayd,Rom. 5.20 that where sinne aboundeth, grace doth more abound. On the contrary he sayth, away from mee, yee workers of iniqui­tie, who make a trade there­of, who make you pillowes thereof to sleepe vpon. [Page 90] Should we sinne, Rom 6.1.15 sayth the A­postle, that grace might a­bound? God forbid. Know ye not that vnto whom soever yee yeeld your selues servants to o­bey, his servants yee are vnto whom yee obey, be it of sinne vnto death, or of obedience vn­to righteousnesse. Yee then, that are servants of sinne, who suffer it to raigne qui­etly in you, what can you expect but death, even eter­nall death.

But wouldest thou haue part in this promise, to be eased of this burthen of sin? Then confesse thy sinne freely vnto the Lord with sighes and teares. So long as I held my peace, sayth David, my bones waxed olde, thy hand was heavie vpō me, my strēgth [Page 91]was changed into the drought of Sommer. Psal. 32.3.4.5. See him here as it were o­verwhelmed vnder his bur­then; I acknowledge my sinne vnto thee: I sayd, I will con­fesse my transgressions vnto the Lord, and thou forgavest the punishment of my sinne. See how he is eased both of his sinne and punishment. Say vnto him then with the Prophet Daniell; I haue sin­ned, Dan. 9. I haue done wickedly; vnto thee belongeth righteous­nesse, but vnto mee confusion of face; but Lord doe thou forgiue: And doubt not but Christ will say vnto thy soule, if thy soule speake truely; Thy sinnes are forgi­ven thee, goe in peace; thy peace is made with GOD, [Page 92]be at peace in thy Consci­ence, for he also it is, in whom this promise is yea, and Amen; In him who calleth vs, Math. the 11.28. saying; Come vnto mee all yee that travayle, and are hea­vie laden, if with afflictions, I will refresh you. Heb. 2.18. For as I haue suffered and was temp­ted, so am I of power to succour those who are tempted. If with perplexities; alas! are not your Callings properly my yoke? My yoke is easie, and my burden is light, seeing I haue layd it vpon you; yea, if of sinne; 1 Ioh. 3.8. am I not come to destroy the workes of the De­vill, to vnloose sinne, and to saue sinners? Come then, and you shall finde rest vnto you soules. To him there­fore [Page 93]with the Father and the holy Spirit, for the riches of his grace, be given from our soules, all honour and glory for ever and ever, A­MEN.

OVR LORD IE­SVS approa­ching neere vn­to his Passion, making as it were his last will and testament among his Apostles, he leaues and giues vnto them his peace, [Page 96]it behooveth vs to knowe wherein this Legacie and gift consisteth; seeing it extends it selfe vnto all who haue need thereof,Ioh. 17. who by their Word haue beleeved in his Name; and so much the more, because that in the words of our Saviour there is alwayes a mystery, a heavenly treasure hidden vnder the earthly sound of his words, which we must search and looke into by ex­amining of them, propor­tioning the sence according to the worth and excellencie of his person who vtte­reth them. For example, When he speaketh of wash­ing vs, of nourishing vs, and of healing vs, wee must vn­derstand himselfe to be our [Page 97]washing, our nourishment, our healing, wee beeing taught thereby to raise the signification of these words vnto the pitch of his mea­ning who speaketh; and thereby to apprehend both the effects of his holy spirit in vs, but chiefely in our soules, being naturally spi­rituall. If thou didst con­tent thy selfe with a lesse gift, Alexander would an­swere thee, that if it suffice thy base minde, yet it is not worthy of his magnanimi­tie. And our Saviour Christ would answere thee, who wouldest content thy selfe with temporall blessings, that he came not into the world, nor suffered so many things to pamper thy [Page 98]belly, or thee, to giue to thy bodie all cōtentments. And therfore the question is here of a blessing and comfort truly spirituall. For his spi­rit whom he ordaineth the true Executor of this his Testament, will sufficiently witnesse vnto vs the nature of this Legacie; The Comfor­ter, sayth he, who is the holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name. A spirituall Executor, as well both of a spirituall disposition, as of a spirituall donation; of the donation which hee hath granted vnto vs, even of all that which he hath gotten, and purchased for vs by his life, and the price of his life; I say, of his life, from the very first entrance wherein­to [Page 99]even the heavenly Hosts haue sung;Luk. 2.14 Glory be to God on high, and peace on earth, good will towards men. Even his Passion, whereof in so ma­ny preceding ages, the Pro­phets did foretell vnto vs, Esa. 53.5. The chastisement of our peace was vpon him. Both procuring peace be­tweene heaven and earth; the onely reconciliation of the world.

I leaue vnto you, sayth he, my peace. But what peace? Truely vnder this word peace, many blessings are comprehended, and like­wise many evills excluded. And the strictest way wee take it, it stretcheth it selfe very farre, namely, vnto the good of civill societie; The [Page 100]which cannot be better cō ­prehended then by the re­presentation of the contra­ry. For example, domesti­call quarrels being the ruine of families; publicke warre, the combustion of States; an abridgement of all cala­mities, that either the malice of men, or the mischiefe of ages can bring forth. Here then he leaveth vnto vs a peace, which preserveth vs therein, such a peace as a Father may leaue vnto his Children by his Will and Testament, setting bounds touching their portions, curbing in their strifes and cōtentions. Or like to those of a good Prince, who in good pollicie, passeth them over to his Subiects after [Page 101]his death; vnder which peace, every one sitteth quietly vnder his owne vine and figge tree. Well then, shall this peace be worthy to be vttered by the mouth of our Saviour, of him who is King of Kings, the Father of Spirits; of the Prince of peace, even of peace it selfe, of our Saviour, God and man; God borne amongst vs, God who dyed for vs? Let vs looke for no greater nor more excellent thing. Let it be graunted that hee leaue vnto vs the peace which Augustus himselfe had; what will it profit thee if the fire consume thy har­vest? If the worme gnaw thy conscience? If thy con­science torment thee? Let [Page 102]vs graunt, that thy fieldes bring forth plentifully, that thy trade prospers, that thy familie flourisheth, that thy person triumpheth, What will all that benefit thee, if thy taste be gone, thy spirit feaverish, thy soule vpon the racke, eternall death in thy bosome, a hell in thy Con­science, even then when thou thinkest most of all to haue made a covenant with death, an agreement with hell, to haue confirmed thy peace with every Creature; & yet art thou odious even vnto thy Creator? Oft times there is an externall peace, which causeth civill warres; a bodily well fare, which kindles in vs spirituall dis­cases, temporal good things [Page 103]which preiudice the eter­nall? Nay, let vs yet goe fur­ther; even he who tells vs plainely, that he came not to set peace in the world, but warre; who forewarneth his Apostles, that for his sake, housholds shall be de­vided, Kingdomes trou­bled, his Disciples persecu­ted from place to place; That even then, they should esteeme themselues happie, when they shall be persecu­ted for his name. He hath not promised vs a deceit­full and fraudulent peace, which flatters many times the bodie, to the hurt of the soule, and makes vs forsake our inheritance, for a pease, and for very huskes; and therefore he addes further; [Page 104]I giue vnto you my peace, not the worlds peace, but con­trariwise make your account to haue the world for your enemy. What else doe wee see in all the liues of the A­postles, for the space of so many ages? in the death of so many Martyrs? Not the peace of this world; how long shall we be children, and how long vnder the tu­torship of the Law, onely to taste and desire milke and hony? Not peace with men; seeing for this cause it be­hooved that God should be­come man, and that heaven should come downe vpon earth? Could not some Sa­lomon haue given vs that peace? But my peace, peace with God, peace in our [Page 105]selues, with our selues, which the onely Prince of peace, the father of eternitie, can giue vnto vs. Even he as the Prophet tells vs, Mich. 5.3.5. whose go­ings forth haue beene from everlasting, of whom it is written, this man shall be the peace; being able both to accomplish it, and to giue it, and is that very peace himselfe. The governor of Israell, of whose comming, Haggai the Prophet sayth,Hag. 2.6. I will set peace in this place, to wit, in my Temple, in my Church, sayth the Lord of Hostes. A peace, notwith­standing far different from that which carnall people, which flesh and bloud com­prehends; Seeing that the [Page 106]government of this Prince of peace, is vpon his shoul­der. A proofe, that he should haue much to suffer him­selfe; even this governour, whole kingdome is wholly disdained, throwne downe, and crushed, and yet therein properly cosisteth the peace which he bringeth vs, that in his wounding, we might and healing; for what tem­porall peace can wee expect from him, and by him, whose life in this world was a continuall warrefare? He will say vnto vs, Shall the servant thinke to be better intreated, then the Sonne, then the heire, then the Fa­ther of the Familie?

Well then, sayth he, I giue you my peace; mine; such a [Page 107]peace, as no other but I could make;I. peace with God, whom no other but Man God could vndertake. Your iniquities had made a separation betweene you, Isai. 59.2. and your God, and hath made him to hide his face from you, nor would he vouch­safe to looke vpon you, nei­ther could he, but in his anger, and to your ruine, and eternall damnation. And therefore behold now, how that by my mediation you haue peace with him; and that in my bloud which I am ready to shed for you, is made the propitiation for your sinnes; a mystery here­tofore hidden from other ages, but now a myracle; which will fill all the world [Page 108]with astonishment, & con­found all humane wisdome in their discourses; whence it is that the Prophet long agoe being ravished in him­selfe, cryeth out and sayth, Esa. 52.7. Oh how beautifull are the feete of him vpon the mountaines, who bringeth glad tydings, who proclaime peace and salvation vnto Israell. And you haue this privi­ledge to be of them, not onely to partake of this sal­vation, but also to be the heraulds & dispensers ther­of, to proclaime the benefit of my death, & the forgiue­nesse of sins vnto the world, to manifest vnto Sion this good tydings. Thy God reigneth, Isa. 52.7. and yet not with an iron rod; for [Page 109]who then could beare it? But with meekenesse and with mercie, Zech. 9.9. Whereof you inioy the pri­viledges of his kingdome, that is, righteousnesse, peace, and ioy in the holy Ghost. Rō. 14.17. And therefore wee reade so often in the Wri­tings of the Apostles; Grace be with you and peace from Iesus Christ. Peace through grace, for without the grace of God, there is no peace. And therefore so often it is sayd, Mercy and peace are mett together, Gal. 6.16. one proceeding from the o­ther. Iude the 2. verse, and both of them in Christ a­lone. Thence it is, that the Lord himselfe tells vs. Esay. 48.22. & 57.21. that there [Page 110]is no peace for the wicked, because there can bee no peace where there is no grace; What soever peace they seeme to haue in out­ward appearance, yet alwaies (sayth the Prophet) they are like a troubled Sea. And there can be no grace but onely in Christ. In Christ, in whose name God sends to proclaime peace every where.Act. 10.36. In Christ,Ephe. 2.14. Rom. 1.5. who himselfe is our peace; In whom being iustified by faith, wee haue peace with God, peace with all men. Truly that peace, which we seeke, and which wee finde in him. But here it is time now to examine what is the efficacie thereof.

Certainely it is such, that in this peace alone we finde [Page 111]whatsoever is in all others; and yet in all others put to­gether, we finde nothing of that which is found in this peace perfect in it selfe, and makes a supply to all others. Now three kindes of peace are vsually recōmended vn­to vs. And first, peace with all men; as the Apostle saith Rom. 12.18. if it be possible as much as lyeth in you, haue peace with all men. But hath a man it, when he will; or did even the Apostle him­selfe obtaine it? And seeing such manner of speeches are doubtfull, is it not rather to be desired, then hoped? True Christians especially being the obiects of the ha­tred and fury of the world; secondly, peace amongst [Page 112]our selues. As when our Sa­viour sayth vnto his Disci­ples, Mark. 9.51. haue salt in your selues, and be at peace one with another. But amongst such varietie of humaine passions, and so many civill broyles, what salt, what wisedome will suffice to season it, if the bond of the spirit and true Christianitie come not be­tweene? for even amongst the Apostles themselues at the evening of the Passion, and in the presence of their maister, yea even of such a maister, who saw the very depth of their soules, what disputes had they? And now last of all, peace amongst our selues. To which pur­pose the Apostle exhorteth [Page 113]vs. 1 Thess. 5.13. Be at peace among your selues, [...] that is to say, possesse your soules in patience. But againe, how can this be, where the out­ward man striveth against the inward, the flesh lusteth against the spirit, the spirit of flesh, against the spirit of God, the law of our mem­bers, against the law of our minde, tameth it, leadeth it captiue, is sold vnder sinne? But in that peace which we haue with God by Christ alone, wee recover all this, even peace with all men, will they, nill they. Because he who hath peace with the Creator, hath it with the Creature, with the whole order of nature, with his ar­mies celestiall & terrestiall, [Page 114]seeing all depend vpon his pay, taketh the watch word from him, who guideth their blowes, and directs them, as it pleaseth him, e­ven those w^ch would seeme vnto thee mortall, to be for thy health, and for thy sal­vation. Peace with the Ele­ments; for he bridleth the Sea, moderateth the fire, so as he who lodgeth vnder the shaddow of the Almightie,Psal. 91.1. needes not feare any thing which terrifieth by night, or flyeth in the day, which destroyeth at noone tyde. Peace with the beasts of the field; for he muzzells the mouth of the hungrie Ly­on; Out of the eater he giues meate, and out of the strong he bringeth forth sweetnesse. [Page 115]Iudg. 14.14. Peace with men, though worse one to ano­ther then Lyons, for sayth the Prophet. Ps. 56. God is on my side, what then can man or flesh doe vnto mee? Peace with death. Psal. the 3. so that although thousands should set thēselues in bat­tayle array against mee, I should not sleepe a whit the worse, because he is on my side. Peace with the graue, and with hell; for is it not he, that bringeth to the graue, and rayseth vs vp a­gaine? and what can death bring vnto mee but life? Death which is but for a moment; life eternall. 1 Cor. 15. the 54.55. Death is swal­lowed vp into victory. Our Lord Iesus, hath not he tri­umphed [Page 116]for vs? O death, where is thy victory? Hence­forth where are thy triūphs? Hell, where is thy sting? The power of sinne being now abolished by grace? And therefore wee haue peace with all, seing al their might and weapons turne to our peace, all their curses into blessings, all their gashes, how terrible soever they may be, are turned into balme, their tempests into safe havens. All these things I say, and all others what­soever, worke together, as sayth the Apostle, vnto our good, and that because of the loue of God, which is purchased for vs by Iesus Christ; for in steade of a judge, he is now become a [Page 117]father, and of a iust reven­ger, a gracious protector, disposing all against the haire to our victory, to our peace, to our glory and sal­vation.

Peace also amongst our selues; with our brethren, though some be hardly and not easily to be reconciled, yet when we come to con­sider, what and how many offences God hath forgiven vs, and doth also daily for­giue vs; even that God, who is judge & soveraigne Lord of all the world, not sparing his owne Sonne, for the ransome of our sins; what offence then ought there to be so grievous vnto vs, that should make vs to beare malice in our hearts [Page 118]against our brother? or what pardon should seeme hard or difficult vnto vs, be it to require, be it to graunt, to keepe backe, or recover friendship with them? But there is yet more, for will they, nill they, thou hast peace with them, though it be wanting on their part whilst thou giuest not place to wrath, whilst thou re­nouncest revenge, in doing good for evill. Rom. 12.20. When thou holdest thy selfe for revenged, by doing them good. A glorious re­venge, and of a high straine, farre more glorious then a­ny other; for ther by though they make not vse of it, thou heapest coales of fire vpon their heads. And such was [Page 119]that peace which David; that valourous Prince had, who overcame a Lyon with his strength, a Goliah by his prowesse, who had both gi­ven, and also wonne so ma­ny battayles, who fasted and put on sackcloth for his e­nemies, who in the middest of the ruine which they plotted against him, begged of God their life, & having them in his full power, was contented with the skirt of his garment. Lord, sayth he, if I haue not kept him who wrongfully oppressed mee, let the Enemie pursue mee, and take me, let him treade my life vpon the ground, and lay my honor in the dust. Psal. 7. A true figure of him, who here leaues vnto vs his peace, [Page 120]and yet more liuely in his owne example, who prayed for those that crucified him, and was crucified for them that offended him. This Philosophy, nay rather Chi­valry, how farre remote is it from that of the world? Moreover, he tells vs here­after, that hee leaveth it not vnto vs, as the world doth.

Now peace in our selues; behold the principal peace; for in vaine will it be for vs, to haue peace without vs, if wee haue warre within vs, health in the Cittie, if the Plague be in our bosome, if our conscience accuse vs, if our sinnes warre against vs? But is it possible to smoother sin in our selues? Let vs if we can. But who [Page 121]can doe it, and who is it that doth not every houre kid­dle it? Yea rather giue fire as it were vnto it? We would faine still the sting of Con­science? Alas! the remedie is worse then the disease; What will it be but a gan­grene in stead of an vlcer? Let vs then imbrace that grace, which God offereth vnto vs in Iesus Christ by a liuely faith. Let vs awaken our Conscience to find out her sinnes, to search her wounds to the bottome, being assured, that in con­fessing them, it shall besayd vnto vs, goe in peace, and in laying them open, it shall become our healing; And which is more, wee shall be strengthened in spirit to [Page 122]wrestle against flesh and bloud, against all spirituall powers and wickednesses; so that the flesh striving within vs against the spirit, wee may notwithstanding say with the Apostle. Gal. 2.20. In that I liue now in the flesh, I liue yet by the faith of the Sonne of God, who hath loved me, and given himselfe for mee. Though I fight, and the Combat be sharpe, yet the quarrell is just, and the issue certaine. I haue kept the faith, sayth S. Paul, therefore the Crowne of righteousnesse is layd vp for me. 2 Tim. 4.8. These things haue I sayd vnto you, sayth our Lord vnto his Apostles, that you might haue peace in mee, in the world you shall haue affliction; yea he [Page 123]foretold them of all sorts of afflictions. Whence then is this peace? He addeth, but be of good courage, I haue overcome the world; and am now about to giue it the last deadly blow; for you principally; as for my selfe, it is alreadie overcome; the victory is yours, which ob­taines for you perfect peace, that is, your reconciliation with God, and the conse­quent thereof, a freedome from all perills and feare; For if whilst we were enemies (there being nothing in vs, nor ought that could pro­ceede from vs, which did not provoke his anger) wee were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne; Rom. 5.10. being now reconciled, his good favour [Page 124]being restored againe vnto vs, shall wee not then much more be saved by his life? He living in vs, raigning for vs, who vouchsafed to dye for vs? Is not the Kingdome of God within vs? to wit, righ­teousnesse, as the Apostle sayth, peace and ioy. Rom. 14.17.

Hence it is that the Apo­stle amongst the fruits of the spirit of Christ dwelling in vs, sets downe first. Gal. the 5.21. Ioy, peace, mecke­nesse. Being now prisoner at Rome; where they are wont to be impatient; or where commonly they find neither ioy, nor peace; yet he tells vs that his bonds in Christ, did confirme his brethren Phil. 1.14. that he [Page 125]reioyceth to be offered vpon the service of the faith of the Philippians; & prayeth them to reioyce with him; But how? even by the vertue of this peace of God, Phil. 4.7. which passeth all vndo stan­ding, and keepeth our beaies and mindes in Christ Iesus, which consequently ought to hold the chiefe place in our hearts, to subdue all other affections, with all other passions. Collo. 3.15. Such peace as proceedeth from the loue of God, shed a­broad in our soules, such a loue which hath his roote in that reconciliation, made onely by the death and Pas­sion of Christ; wherein be­ing guiltie, wee are absol­ved; of sinners, made righ­teous; [Page 126] of enemies, familiar friends; of servants, chil­dren, redeemed by the death of that well beloved Sonne, by whose spirit wee cry, Abba Father. And here ô Christian remember, each one in his Calling, how many Combats, how many perplexities thou meetest with? Publicke, private, without, within, corporall, and spirituall; and in the middest of the strongest of them, yet holding tranqui­litie; possessing the peace of thy soule. From whence hadst thou this, but from this onely peace of God, which alone can pacific the torments of the soule? On the contrary, O thou pro­phane wretch, how many [Page 127]times even in the height of thy prosperities, and in thy safest and surest haven, hast thou found rest to thy soul? And why? onely because the Lord sayth by his Pro­phet Esay 57.19.20. that vnto them which mourne, I giue consolations, peace, yea, even peace vnto him that is neere, and to him that is farre off. I willingly draw neere vnto them, though they seeme never so farre off. But the wicked, sayth he, are like vnto a troubled Sea, which cannot be appeased, her waues cast vp myre and durt. The Sea, which when all winds be still, yet is mooved by his owne proper motion. So the wicked hath his owne heart vexing him, and in [Page 128]the height of his prosperi­tie, susters him not to bee quiet.

Also, he by and by addes, I giue not vnto you my peace as the world giveth it; The world giveth that which is outward, but I my selfe, that which is inward; The world giueth it you, in your fields, in your vineyards, and in your gardens; but I giue it you in your soules. Now that peace which the world giues, it giues it by with-holding; now to giue, and yet to keepe backe, is vsually of no esteeme. But I giue it you without sor­row, without grudging ab­solutely; absolute, even for ever and ever. But peace commonly amongst men is [Page 129]onely held by some recipro­call interest, or vnder a mu­tuall feare; where somewhat is wanting on either side; and therefore soone disqui­cted. But that peace which I giue you, is not subiect to such accidents; yee haue it altogether from me, altoge­ther freely; what can all of you giue vnto mee? poore silly Creatures; Am not I the living God, what can I looke for from you? Where of should I be afraid? This then is the peace, which our Lord Iesus leaveth here vn­to his Apostles, vnto his Disciples; and vnto all those which haue beleeved their word. Peace with God; peace in their Consciences; for as much as the good plea­sure [Page 130]of the father was to recon­cile vs vnto himselfe, and to make this peace by the bloud of the Crosse of his Sonne. Truely his good pleasure, Coloss. 1.10. for, whence else could it be expected? Peace, which dischargeth vs of our sinnes, in as much as hee beareth them, and clotheth vs with his righteousnesse. 2 Cor. 5.21. for as much as wee are made the righteous­nesse of God in him. Peace, which delivers vs from the evill of the fault, in as much as it is forgiven vs; from the evill of punishment, because they turne to our good; pa­cifying our Consciences a­gainst his anger; In as much as of enemies we are recei­ved into his favour, our [Page 131]soules partakers of his glo­ry, in as much as wee are incorporated not onely into his alliance, but also into his familie; In him, I say, who of God, is made vnto vs, wisedome, righteousnesse, sanc­tification, and redemption. To whom with the Fa­ther & the holy Spi­rit, be glory for ever and ever.

AMEN.

TWo Sisters receiue our LORD into their house; to wit, Mar­tha and Mary; And Mar­tha makes her Complaint vnto him, that whilst shee was busie to giue him good entertainment, Mary her [Page 134]sister sits downe at his feete to heare his Preaching, not caring to put to her helping hand: whereunto our Lord answeres, Martha, Martha, (which name twice repea­ted, advertiseth her to take the greater heede to that he had to say vnto her) thou art troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary; not reproving her for the offi­ces of loue shee went about, being such as were both seemely and commendable, and where I pray you could they be better bestowed, then vpon our Lord? But our Saviour recalleth her vnto a more principall, ne­cessary, and onely necessa­ry worke; being a thing v­suall with the sonne of God [Page 135](who descended from hea­ven, to lift vs vp thither) al­wayes to weane vs from too much minding our belly; our worke; and to draw vs from this earthly life, vnto the heavenly; from these in­ferior and humane offices, vnto those benefits, which bring vs vnto the everla­sting Mansions.

One thing then sayth he, even one thing is necessary; To the meaner sort, how many things seeme necessa­ry? To those of higher ranke, many things are wan­ting; vnto the wise, many things passe from pleasant, vnto things profitable, from profitable to things neces­sary, and even amongst these necessary things, how [Page 136]many of them are chosen, or refused? and yet Lord thou sayst, that one thing onely is necessary; thou who being man, conversest amongst men, couldest not be ignorant, that in a house, where there are a number of imployments, if but one thing be wanting, we think we are halfe, if not wholly maymed; In like manner, in a store-house, after wee haue imagined, whatsoever can be devised, yet many things are still wanting. Thou, O God and man in one person; who didst giue thine assistance at the Crea­tion of things; thou hast made an infinite number of things, as the Elements, Mineralls, Plants, living [Page 137]Creatures, Planets, Starres, and all for the vse and ne­cessities of men; nay rather of one man. And yet thou here tellest vs, That One thing is necessary; what then? are all other things there­fore superfluous! Hath na­ture made ought in vaine? or thou LORD so many things in vaine? As though thou wert lesse then thy Creature. What then would become of that manifolde wisedome; [...]. that wisedome of thine, who tookest plea­sure to create varietie of things? Varietie then, not vanitie, seeing it came from, and also depends on thy wisedome. And therefore let vs waigh this saying of our Lord, who contradicts [Page 138]not himselfe, either in words, or actions, and let vs seeke with reverence a­mong so many things, what then may be this One thing necessary. The which certainely ought to glad vs, and to giue worth to all o­ther things, though other­wise superfluous.

One thing then sayth he, is necessary; necessary for thee Martha, and vnto eve­ry beleever: Now we pro­perly account that necessa­ry, with which wee can, and without the which wee cannot liue, much lesse liue well; wee I say, who are composed of body & soule, one part mortall, the other immortall. It should then follow, that this one thing [Page 139]must haue reference vnto both, otherwise, one thing would not suffice both, but one of them rather then the other, rather the soule then the bodie, according to the vsuall manner of Christes words, which alwayes re­spect the soule more then the bodie, not as having an eye vnto the bodie; but for the good of the soule.

Therefore let vs stand no longer Cheapening about riches, favours, greatnesse, health, or knowledg; things which are not heere to be sought for, nor in this one thing to be found; things which all men haue not; for if all were rich, mightie, learned, then there should be no difference at all. Men [Page 140]being respected more or lesse, according as they want these things, or as they haue them in greater abundance then others. Our Lord then, to giue it vs in one word, sayth, that Mary hath chosen the better part, which shall not be taken from her; For, for the most part, those things formerly men­tioned, are subiect to perish, and totally to be lost. Ther­fore this one thing must needes be Godlinesse, that is, mans dutie towardes God, and his well-being with God, subsisting in it selfe, without the ayde or helpe of any other, having the promises both of things present and to come, which onely giveth the forme vn­to [Page 141]all those other thinges: Without this, being but a confused lumpe, whether mixed therewith, or else be­ing absent, making them either good or evill, as the salt to season them, which otherwise would putrefie and corrupt: or as the soule; giving them their life, fee­ling, and motion, which o­therwise would turne and passe into rottennesse, into wormes, and into serpents; which being ingendered therein, eate out the bow­ells. And therefore Salomon concludes with vs, who had tasted of them, even to dis­taste, and possessed them to his fill; Vanitie, sayth he, Eccl. the 1. and all is vanitie. Feare God, then sayth he, [Page 142] and keepe his Comandements; for this is the whole dutie of man. Eccl. 12. This our Lord (a greater then Salomon) tells vs, is that One [...] ne­cessary. For doe we not see that our first Father in his integritie, the Monarch of all the world, not keeping himselfe vnto this one thing, but suffering himselfe to be deprived of his favour, which preserved him, and made him better then all things; thereby lost the go­vernment, and almost the vse and knowledge of them; so as notwithstanding the whole world was created for him, yet hee revolting, all became accursed and damnable vnto him, from the greatest of the creatures [Page 143]even to the least. The ele­ments turned into corrup­tion, the beasts of the earth into rebellion, the creeping things vnto persecution, the hearbs into poyson, the corne into thornes. A curse which cannot be repayred, but by returning vnto this onely pietie, which by the perswasion of Sathan, hee lost for all his posteritie, but is now found againe for those who cleaue vnto God, in our second Adam, to wit, in our Lord Iesus Christ, God and man, who sets vs againe in our way to­wards God, making peace betweene him and vs; And therefore he prayseth Ma­ry, who keepes neere vnto him, sitting at his feete, [Page 144]who setting aside all other businesse in the house, lets not goe her hold, because in him shee finds all things, or rather forgets all other things, who indeed sucked the doctrine of life from that mouth, and from that sacred spring; and on the contrary, hee reformeth Martha, and cals her away, from her houshold affaires, and civill complements to a dutie of an higher nature, wherein are to be found and recovered all other things, that is vnto the studie of pietie, and vnto this onely ne­cessary thing, Iacobs portion, Maries lot, even that pearle for the attaining whereof, all must be sould, Mat. 13.45. which thing being once [Page 145]got, can never be taken a­way.

O Christian, art thou rich, glory not therein; but be thou poore, and be thou humble in spirit, thinke that these riches are given vnto thee, to make tryall of thy liberalitie towardes the Saints, and of thy charitie towardes thy neighbours; and so they turne as a bles­sing vnto thee, which o­therwise are to thee a snare, the cause of a heavie recko­ning, reserving to him a great remaynder to be payd downe presently, or else to prison, or rather to the rack. But art thou poore, & wast thou so borne; thinke thou then, that God in his jus­tice, hath neede of sergeants [Page 146]and officers, to Cite and Summon the rich. Or art thou decayd by theeues, fire, or by some banckrupt; thinke then, that thereby God hath discharged thee of this great account, and therewithall hath lightened thine expences from super­fluities, vnto which these riches might seeme to bind thee; and so to bring thee to that estate, he hath ordai­ned for thee. But is it grie­vous vnto thee, to haue lost that which once thou hadst, yea more grievous, then if thou hadst never had it; thinke that in stead of being able to relieue others, God calls thee to faith; thinke also,Note. that GOD hath his Champions, his Actors, [Page 147]and so will haue thee to be one of them, and that hee vnclothes when and whom it pleaseth him, to set them (as it were) vpon the stage naked as my nayle, even to the wast; having neither raiment nor weapons to de­send themselues withall a­gainst the iniury of the weather, nor against the gripes of the world, but onely hisAlluding to that oyle w^th wrast­lers vsed to annoint themselues with, being naked from the girdle vpward. Oyle. But if they were clothed like others, be it as rich as might be, yet were they not acknowled­ged for Champions, but if they come vpon the stage naked; the beholders are at­tentiue; they looke, they admire their armes, their sinewes, their ligaments, their musckles, the stedfast­nesse [Page 148] of their standing, the force of their gripes: their faith, their constancie, their vertue, or rather the strength of this holy oyle of the spi­rit of God, which is in them. And being ready to depart thence, they are proclaimed by the Herauld, they carrie away the prize, the crowne which withereth not. Seest thou not then, how pietie seasoneth the evill of thy povertie, or wouldst thou now rather haue had the fairest garment of the rich?

Art thou in credit or repu­tation? thinke it is but a smoake of the Court; and beware least it turne to op­pression. Art thou as a Io­seph in Aegypt, pray for thy Lord and Maister; Be a Fa­ther [Page 149]vnto his people, forget not thy thy kindred, nor familie; whether within or without; in the Church, or in the Common-weale, but according to thy power, as a feeling member thereof, make them sensible of thy fidelity. But art thou none of these, but one of the cō ­mon sort, it may be, not be­cause thou deservest not better, then thinke with thy selfe; that he who disposeth all thinges with waight, number, and measure, who discerneth within thee, that thou seest not thy selfe; knowes best what is fittest for thee; handles thee accor­ding to thy disposition, hee takes that wine from thee, which heated thy liver, and [Page 150]therefore brought thee to this dyet. And therefore bridle thine appetite, and looke vpon his favours be­stowed vpon others, with­out repining, liue without envie. But hast thou beene in credite and reputation, and art thou reiected, be it by alteration of thine estate, or by the Prince, not of thy selfe, be not discouraged, thy fall is not great, and see­ing thou canst be no more reverenced vpon thy Cha­riot as a Ioseph; let them re­verence thee as a Iob, al­though vpon a dunghill, e­ven by those holy consola­tions, which thou hast lear­ned hereby thy selfe, and which thou shalt also leaue vnto others. Beleeue mee, [Page 151]that all those applaudings, those flatteries, those adora­tions which were given vn­to Ioseph, are now vanished in the ayre, who nourished so many bodies, and saved them from famine; where­as on the contrary, the holy speeches of Iob, are conse­crated vnto all eternitie for instruction, and are so ma­ny perpetuall consolations, reviveth and comforteth the soules of the Saints vnto this day; and then, this danghill being ordered by pietie, wouldst thou change it for the smokes of a Court, or for all the glory and trea­sures of Aegypt?

Art thou a Magistrate,A Magi­strate. thinke then with thy selfe, that he who judgeth here [Page 152]below, shall be thy ludge from aboue, and remem­ber also that thou executest Gods judgement, and not thine. And therefore exe­cute judgement and justice; justice in helping the poore out of oppression, judge­ment in chastizing the op­pressor, without exception, without acception of per­son. And hold godlinesse alwayes as thy sword in thy right hand, poyse thy bal­lance straight, not to make a false draught, but to carry it even.

But art thou a private person,A private person thinke then how much GOD hath spared thee, who hast not to giue account of the goods of an­other, nor of the bloud of [Page 153]thy brethren. Arme thy selfe to suffer iniuries, and pon­der in thy minde, in thine owne conscience, the diffe­rence between such an high estate, and thy meane con­dition, whether in suffering or doing.

Hast thou beene a pub­licke person,Of a pub­licke person becōming a private. and art thou now deprived; deprived, not having deserved it, de­prived peradventure having deserved better, and more then deserved it also; dis­robed notwithstanding of scarlet, & brought to weare freese; then thinke with thy selfe, how often thou hast willingly vnclothed thee, to go to bed, and didst thou sleepe the worse, to take thine ease? thinke then [Page 154]with thy selfe, that this cost­ly attyre, is such where the Mothe most breeds, the Mothe of the Court; as jea­lousie, slander, envie. But rather remember how ma­ny Kings and Emperours, being weary of wearing their Crownes, impatient of sustaining and vndergo­ing the same, haue cast them off, detested them, to finde rest vnto their minde, and that by laying them aside. Many also to seek the health of their soules, which they thought could not stand therewith, namely, true pie tie, this One thing necessary; and yet pietie, which ab­horres neither Scepters nor Crownes, but on the con­trary, makes them flourish, [Page 155]when they beleeue it. But to a very few hath the Lord vsually given, especially, to these great powers, a capa­citie to holde them vpon such dependences. And from thence comes so ma­ny miseries in the world.

But besides, be it thou be disrobed, and further vexed in thy estate; they grate thee, they hewe thee; know how that God hath his dimonds amongst men; and we are beautifull, if we be such. Rough as they be, he puties them vnder the Wheele of steele; he poli­sheth them, he smoothes them, he cuts them in Ta­ples, in pomted ones, &c. Otherwise, it could not be done; and then they shew [Page 156]their hardnesse, their wa­ter, their fire; their faith; their sinceritie, their zeale. And therefore feare not that he who is so good a lew­eller, should marre thee; for in cutting away some of thy rubbish,Note. he giues thee thy forme; by diminishing of thy waight, he augments thy price. Pretie teacheth it thee, it telles thee, that all things (nothing excepted) worke together for good, Rom 8.28 hel­ping forward the salvation of them that loue it; but to speake it more warily, to those that it loues.

Of an helth full consti­tution of body.Art thou healthfull, art thou strong, it is a gift of God; giue him thankes for it, but abuse it not vnto dis­order, and violence, possesse [Page 157]these, as things that are but frayle.

Of a sickly constituti­on.But art thou sickly, and afflicted with infirmities, and hath Sathan touched thy flesh? afflict not thy selfe aboue measure; thinke that these grieses, are as so many summons, and goads, to vrge thee to pray vnto God, to call for his grace; nay rather, prayse him.Note. How often are the sicknesses of the body sent, for the health of the soule, and haue kept vs from sinnes and other follies? For sicknesses, and adversities; haue their songs of prayse, no lesse then pro­sperities, yea even as well as the greatest joyes; in their divers accents, and tunes of sweetnesse, most harmoni­ous, [Page 158]we haue an example in David, who sung more in affliction, then when he was jocund; yea even in adversi­tie, hee seemes to redouble his melodie; because our nature being little or no­thing sensible of the graces of God, is not touched vn­to the quicke; hath quick­ly enough, or lightly pas­seth it over, and according as his hand is light or hea­vie, it leapeth, it cryeth, and will haue no nay, vntill she be heard.Note. But know be sides, O Christian, that for­row hath her part to pl y, as well as joyes; that as ful­nesse hath emptinesse suc­ceeding it in order, so sor­row hath her sweete relish, which stirres thee vp to call [Page 159]vpon thy Creator in thy misery, and hearest him an­swering thee by his holy spirit in his mercy, who feelest him in thy soule from his sweete hand, brin­ging a slumber vpon thy sorrowes; binding vp thy soares; who teaching thee, causeth thee to see that they are but incissions of the sur­geon, and not the wounds of an enemy, being guided by the judgement of loue, and not by a fury of hatred. Whence the Apostle wil­leth vs. Phil. 4.4. To reioyce alwayes in the Lord, and a­gaine to reioyce, being in a season, when the Apostle was full of combatts of per­secutions, and of Bondes, himselfe being bound for [Page 160]the Gospell; But obserue, that he sayth, in the Lord; for as much as pietie makes vs receiue it all from God, and as from a father, makes vs to take sicknesses, afflicti­ons of the body as a pur­gation for the health of the soule; for as much as but one dramme of the loue of God manifested vnto vs by his spirit, is of power to dis­solue a sea of griefes; there needing but one sparke of the spirit of God, to cōsume all.

Of such as are learned.In a word, art thou lear­ned, I will further instruct thee, for know thou, that whatsoever thou knowest, is not the thousand part, of that whereof thou artigno­rant; for he who was most [Page 161]expert in the knowledge of the matters of this life, ac­knowledged, that all his knowledge was but vanitie; yea vanity more apt to puffe vp, then to fill; to make thee proud, rather then truely glorious.

A learned ignorance.There is also a certaine learned ignorance, that one who is truly learned, would preferre before all thy lear­ning; And therefore in praysing God for his gra­ces, referring them to their right end, namely, vnto pie­tie, to the service of God, without the which they are nothing: be not then I pray thee, too wise in thy selfe. But art thou ignorant,Of such as are igno­rant. or esteemest thou thy selfe to be so; who darest not [Page 162]speake before others, and art ashamed of thy selfe. Be not therefore troubled; I am about to teach thee how to be both better lear­ned, and wise; if thou wilt beleeue me, nay, if thou wilt but beleeue even that great learned Apostle, who 1 Cor. 2.2. determined among his Corinthians, to know nothing, but Iesus Christ, and him Crucified, was notwithstan­ding rapt vp into the third heaven, into Paradice, where he both heard and sawe, things not to be vttered, and yet of all that, he makes no reckoning, in respect of this onely knowledge, the knowledg of this one thing, which is onely necessary, on which they are all either [Page 163]grounded, or confoun­ded.

Let vs see then how pie­tie suffers not riches to make vs proud; nor to turne favour into oppressi­on, greatnesse into vio­lence, health into disor­der, knowledge into vani­tie, but extracting these from it, as it were poyson from Vipers; to make there­of good Treacle, turning it into the medicine of hu­maine societie, being with­out this, both dangerous and deadly to meddle with­all. It supplies also all our wants, poverties, infirmi­ties, afflictions, and neces­sities, as onely necessarie, like vnto that hearbe To­bacco, so much extolled in [Page 164]the New-found-Landes, which alone is sufficient for meate and drinke, for Clothes, and for Physicke. Wee say, like to that Man­na, in the Wildernesse (ac­cording to the Iewish Rab­bines) which fitted every mans taste, whatsoever he desired, else were there ne­ver so little of this drugge, it would convert to it selfe, and into it selfe, every other thing.

See another Example in Saint Paul. Phil. 4. ver. 11. I haue learned, sayth he, to be content with that I haue, I know how to want, and how to abound, every where, and in all things, I am taught, as well to be satisfied, as to hun­ger, as well to abound, as to [Page 165]want. But heare how? I am able to performe all things in Christ, who giues me strength, Phil. 4.13. in and by this his onely grace. This onely grace of Christ doth furnish all, be­ing apt onely of it selfe, both to pare away our ex­cesses, and to supply our wantes, to make vs finde contentment in povertie, and glory in shame. And therefore sayth he elswhere; God forbid that I should glory in any thing, but in the Crosse of Iesus Christ. A poore glo­ry, wilt thou say, in one Crucified; He is dead in­deede, but is risen againe, ascended into heaven, and raigneth there. Of which glory, of which kingdome, hee that is a member of [Page 166]Christ, feeles himselfe al­readie partaker of. Who thinketh it strange, that the head being in heaven, the feete should not haue a fee­ling therewith, should not glory therewith, though creeping here belowe on the earth. And from this glory it commeth, that the Apostle stiles himselfe, put­ting it in the front of one of his Epistles. Philem. 1. Paul a prisoner of Iesus Christ, in bondes for his Name. Might hee not ra­ther (wilt thou say) haue stiled himselfe with a more honourable title, namely, Rapt vp into Paradise, as if he had beene equall to the Angells.Note. But his pie­tie, this faith in Christ, [Page 167]honours him, and sancti­fies his bondes; so that to suffer in Earth for Christ, is more vnto him, then to be taken vp into heaven, this ravishment being of short continuance, but his sufferings which assure him of his promise, to haue there an everlasting being, and to raigne there for ever with him.

What is meant by this one thing.But heere O Christian, it may be thou desirest to knowe, wherein this one thing, properly consistes, which hath so many ver­tues, and onely can doe all things, but thinkest, and fearest, that this knowledge is too laborious, who seest so many bookes of so long studies written, so many [Page 168]degrees to passe through, to attaine to so high a knowledge. And verily, the mystery of godlinesse is great, as Saint Paul tel­leth vs. 1 Tim. 3.16. That God was manifested in the flesh, iustified in spirit, seene of Angels, preached vnto the Gentiles, beleeved on in the world, and received vp into glory. For of every one of these Articles, there might Volumes be made. The Angels themselues, sayth Saint Peter, desire to prie thereinto. 1 Pet. 1.12. But for all this be not dismayd. For God the Creator of man in his mercies, would that this mystery should of right belong as well vnto the ignorant, as vnto the [Page 169]learned; by very Idiottes he hath converted Orators; in the netts of poore Fisher­men, he hath taken Philo­sophers; In one and the same Sea, both great and small fish liue and swimme; depths for the one, and shallownesse for the other; thou hast thy part in this mystery, or rather thy pri­viledge, though thou coul­dest not reade. Vnder the Law it was sayd, doe this, fulfill the Commaunde­ments of God, and thou shalt liue; A lesson propor­tioned according to that integritie, wherein our first parents were created. After so great a fall, which displaced, which bruised all [Page 170]his faculties, and ours in him; as over-matched. For where is the man that ever did, or could performe it? But Christ our Lord by his perfect obedience, not con­tent onely to satisfie for vs, but therewithall giues vs a lesson, both shorter and ea­sier, that is, this mystery of faith; If thou confesse, sayth the Apostle, the Lord Iesus with thy mouth, and belee­vest in thy heart, that GOD hath raysed him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Rom. 10.9. Wilt thou haue it in other words; These things are written, sayth S. Iohn; these Gospels. Ioh. the 20. and last verse, that thou mightst beleeue, that Iesus is [Page 171]the Christ, the sonne of God, and that in beleeving, you might haue life in his Name. And wilt thou make it thine, and appropriate it vnto thy selfe, say then, with S. Paul, 1 Tim. 1.15. It is a true saying, and wor­thie of all acceptation, there­fore waver not, neither dis­pute, but with him con­fesse, that Iesus Christ came into the world to saue sinners, of whom say thou, I am chiefe. Here thou hast thy part, take it home vnto thee, it is Maries part, which cannot be taken from her. Cleaue therefore vnto Christ, and cast downe at his feete (by her example) the pride of thy flesh, the [Page 172]opinion of thy owne righ­teousnesse, make thee a seat at his feete, by humilitie, in seeking his favour, which is thy reconciliation with the Father; And then say thou, but not as David, thy Law O Lord;Psa. 119.98 but ra­ther thy Gospell, which is the end of the Law; Faith in thy Christ, Rom 10.4. hath made mee more learned and wi­ser, then all the learned men in the world.

Faith, if of the right stamp, is o­peratiue.But learne also, that this faith is not an emptie, ima­ginary, or idle opinion, but an inward and found per­swasion, which hath a sub­stance, which manifests it selfe by workes, makes a deepe Impression in thy [Page 173]soule, engraues Christ in thy heart, in thy spirit; begetting in thine vnder­standing, a feeling of the loue of God towards thee, in thy will a holy fire of loue towardes God, nou­rished by the same his loue, which quencheth in thee all other loues,Note. that de­pendeth not thereon; but aboue all, the loue of thy selfe. And therefore even as when thou hast grafted a grift vpon a wilde stocke, and a while after commest to see, if it hath taken; fin­dest the barke greene, some budds; and a little after, both leaues and fruit, thou reioycest and holdest it as y [...]nne; so in like manner [Page 174]wilt thou see, if the saith of Christ be rooted in thee; and that vnto salvation, re­view thy selfe from time to time, if it hath imprinted in thee a hunger after the knowledge of God, an ar­dent desire to please him, a feare to offend him, to order thy sences, thy moo­vings, thy actions, thy pas­sions, to governe the facul­ties both of body and soule, as instruments of puritie, of integritie, of charitie, of justice, to renew thee from day to day, in thy inward and outward man, casting forth a good savour in thy life, and conversation, then say boldly, that faith hath taken roote in thee, and the [Page 175]gift is past the worst: but aboue all, if shee renounce her first sape, to receiue it from Christ; this grafting being of another nature then ours are, because these turne the wilde sape into them, contrarily, this con­veyeth vs to Christ, con­verts vs into Christ, whence wee may then say with S. Paul, Galat. 2. and 20. I liue, yet not I, but Christ liues in mee, and whilst I liue now in the flesh, I liue in the faith of the Sonne of God, who hath loved mee, and gi­ven himselfe for mee. Being readie to cast away what­soever is in vs, and of vs, whatsoever seemes to be most precious in our eye; [Page 176]to keepe, and to preserue this onely; even this one onely necessary thing, which is worth them all; being then every way fit to say vnto Christ, with all con­fidence and boldnesse; I haue sinned, but I know that thou art my JESVS, the Sonne of God my re­deemer, this onely word sufficeth; let vs therefore keepe it pure, and without mixture, with this Word let vs passe the night of this world, let vs passe o­ver his Barricadoes, and Watches; if we meete with some rubbes, though it be with some danger, yet let vs goe forward till breake of day, even of our day, [Page 177]of our rest, there wee shall see our IESVS raigning in heaven, to liue with him, where wee shall raigne glo­riously, glorifying him for ever; to whom with the Father, and the holy Spirit be glory for ever, A­MEN.