THE SINFVLL MANS SEARCH.

IN a sick and euill af­fected bodie (dearely beloued) we vsuallie see preparatiues mi­nistred, that the ma­ladies may bee made more fit and pliable, to receiue whole­some medicines. The like, yea and [Page] greater regarde ought wee to haue of our solues, which being not crasie one­lie, or lightlie affected with sinne, but sick euen vnto death: had neede to be prepared with threats and exhortati­ons, comforts and consolations, one way or other, that they may bee made fit not to receiue the preparatiue, but the perfection of happie saluation. And for this cause haue I made choise of this part of Scripture, as of a light to shine vnto vs in darkenesse, a direction to our steps, and a Lanthorne to our pathes; while we wander through the boistrous waues of this wicked world. The Text is plaine, and obiect to eue­rie mans capacitie, naturallie budding into blossomes: The first containing our dutie which wee are to performe towards God: The second, Gods pro­mises, if we performe this dutie.

Our dutie towards God is implied in these three conditions. First, If thou wilt earlie seeke vnto God. Secondlie, If thou wilt pray vnto the Almightie. Third­lie, [Page] If thou be pure and vpright:Diuision. so that the whole consisteth on these three points. First, what it is that God requi­reth, namelie, a diligent and speedie searche in these words: If thou wilt seeke earlie. Secondlie, how thy search is to be made in praier, in these words. If thou wilt pray to the Almightie. Thirdlie, what effect these thinges ought to worke in vs, a puritie and sinceritie of life, in these words: If thou bee pure and vpright.

As our dutie towards God consisteth in three points, so Gods blessings to­wards vs, is also threefold answerable to the same. First for seeking, hee pro­miseth; he will awake vnto thee. Second­lie, for praying vnto him, hee will make the habitations of thy righteousnes prospe­rous. Thirdly, for being pure and vp­right, hee will make thy latter end encrease exceedinglie: yea, though thy begin­ning be but small.

First therfore concerning the search,Concerning the search. it is a worke both in desire and labour [Page] to bee ioyned to God. In the Psalme this standeth for the burthen of the song:Psalm. 107. They called vpon the Lord in the time of their trouble and he deliuered them. It is but Aske and haue, Math. 6. seeke and finde, knock and it shall be opened vnto you. Sa­uing that heere these things are to bee regarded, to wit: how, by whom, and when we must seeke the Lord. How? First,Matt. 17, 20 Eccle. 35. faithfully: for if yee haue but as much as a graine of Mustard seede, and say vnto this mountaine, remooue, it shall re­mooue, and nothing shall be vnpossible vn­to yee. Then next, humblie, for it is the humble petition that pierceth the skies and that shewed the Publican to de­part home to his house, more iustified then the boasting Pharisie: and they alone that be humble and meeke finde rest for their soules. And last of all, con­tinually, for wee must not faint in well dooing: because the rewarde is not promised to him that dooth, but to him that continueth to do. Gal. 6. 1. Thess. [...].

But wee may long seeke and neuer [Page] finde, except wee seeke the father by the sonne: For no man knoweth the Fa­ther but the Sonne, and hee to whome the Sonne shall disclose him, he is the waye, 1. Tim. 2. the truth, and the life, and no man commeth to the Father but by him. There is one God, 1. Iohn 2. and one mediatour betwixt God and man: the man Christ Iesus. So that if we sinne, we haue an aduocate, Iesus Christ the iust, and hee is the propitiation for our sinnes, onely let vs seeke the Lorde while he may be found.

And to this end the word Seeking is vsed in this place, that we may learne, that as the heauens, & the planets, and the whole frame of nature, were or­dained to finish their course by moti­ons and operation: so man, as he was ordained to a most blessed and happie end, should attaine therevnto, not by sloth and idlenesse, but by an earnest seeking of the same. The kingdom of hea­uen is like vnto a treasure, Mat. 13, 14. which cannot be found without seeking and digging for it. It is like the precious Pearle, for which [Page] the wise Merchant was content not onely to seek, but to sell all that he had to buie it. God hath placed vs heere in this world as husbandmen, to plough vp the fallow of our hearts; as labou­rers to worke in his vineyard: as trauai­lers to seeke a countrie, as souldiours to fight the battaile of the Lord against the flesh, the world, and the deuil. And for this purpose hath he proposed vn­to vs, an vntilled land, a vineyard, a tri­ple enemie to fight against: that wee might remember, that we must till the ground, if we will reape the fruit: that wee must prune the Vine, if wee will drinke of the grape: that we must fight if we will ouercome.Prou 28. He that tilleth the land (saith the wise man) shall be satisfied with bread: but he that followeth idlenesse, shalbe filled with pouertie. Idlenesse is a moath or canker of the minde, and the fruites thereof are wicked cogitations, euill affections, and worse actions: cor­rupt trees without fruite,Iude. 1. Pro. 24. twice dead, and plucked vp by the roote, engen­dring [Page] in the minde a loathing of God and godlinesse.

Eschue therefore idlenesse I beseech yee, and by the want ye find in others, learne instructions for your selues. Be not forgetfull how busie your enemie is, if he finde yee idle: first hee putteth yee in minde of some vanitie: then of­fereth opportunitie to practise: then he craueth consent; and if yee graunt him that, hee triumpheth by adding practise: hee leaueth no meanes vnat­tempted, whereby he may subuert and bring yee to perdition.Gen. 3. To one (as to Eua) hee promiseth the knowledge of good and euill: Another he seduceth with lying speeches,Exo. 7.27. as he did Pharaoh the king, whom hee deceiued by false Prophets. To the Iewes he pretended the Temple of the Lord.1. King 13. To the Hea­then hee shewed vniuersalities and an­tiquities. And to omit particulers,1. Chro. 28 hee leaueth no meane vnattempted, wher­by hee may entangle the soules of the simple, and wrap them in the snares of [Page] death. Flie idlenesse therefore, and seeke vertue, and the way therof: seeke learning as for a iewell, make diligent search and inquisition after hir: seeke earlie and seeke late. In the morning sowe thy seede, and in the euening let not thy hand rest: seeke him in the day of trouble, and hee will deliuer thee, and thou shalt glorifie him. Seeke him; there is the commaundement: hee will deliuer thee; there is the promise: and thou shalt glorifie him; there is the condition. To disobey the commaun­dement is rebellion, to distrust the pro­mise is infidelitie, to refuse the condi­tion is vile ingratitude. Wherefore let vs seeke, and seeke earnestlie, with a feruent spirit, and humblenes of heart; and let vs perswade our selues, that there is no seeking without finding, no opening without knocking.

2 The second circumstance to be considered in this point, is to whome wee must seeke for these things. Our direc­tion is made vnto God:Iam. 1.17. For euery good [Page] and perfect gift is from aboue, descending from the father of lights. And as for ma­nie causes we are to seeke to God, and to God alone, so especiallie for these foure.

First, because wee haue nothing of 1 our selues, nor of any other creature, but whatsoeuer wee haue, wee haue it of God: for what hast thou, that thou hast not receiued? in him wee liue, we mooue, and haue our beeing.1. Cor. 2. Rom. 1. Art thou wise in thine owne conceit? O remember that the wisdome of the world is foolishnes with God! O con­sider that the naturall man vnderstan­deth not the thinges of God! these things are hid from the wise and pru­dent, and are reuealed to babes and sucklings. Alas, what were man if hee were once left to himselfe? a map of miserie, and a sinck of calamitie. Alas, howe were hee able to resist the fierie dartes of the aduersarie,2. Pet. 5. Reue. 12. who conti­nually goeth about like a roaring Li­on, seeking whom hee may deuoure? [Page] Heere yee may note first his malice, for hee dailye accuseth vs before the cheefe Iudge of the Kings benche: when he cannot preuaile in this court, but seeth his billes of accusation re­pelled: then hee remooueth the mat­ter to the Court of our owne consci­ences, where on the one side he laieth the bookes of the lawe and statutes made against sinne: on the other side, the billes of accusation brought in a­gainst vs out of the bookes of the lawe, alledging these strict places a­gainst vs: The soule that sinneth, shall dye the death: Curssed is hee that abideth not in euery pointe of the lawe, to doo it. On the other side, hee bringeth in consciences to witnesse against vs, and then inferreth this harde con­clusion: Therefore there is no hope of saluation.

Then if hee see that wee appeale from iustice to mercie, and say; At what time soeuer a sinner repenteth, the Iudge putteth all his wickednesse [Page] out of his remembrance, hee dealeth with vs as craftie worldlings deale in matters of lawe, who when they see their matters passe against them in higher Courtes: bring downe their case into the countrie, to bee decided by the neighbours, who, either for their simplicitie cannot, or for their fa­uour dare not iudge of the trueth of the matter.

So our aduersarie, though GOD himselfe doo discharge vs, though our conscience testifie our innocencie: yet hee accuseth in the third Courte before men, where hee is bolde to powre out his whole venome, and poyson of his malice against vs, and to forge what lyes, and slaunders, and Libels hee list, because hee knoweth they shall bee receiued as true. Thus hee accused Christ Iesus our blessed Lorde and Sauiour before Poncius Pilate, and caused diuers false and vntrue witnesses to come in against him.

[Page] 2 But if hee were malicious onely to wish our destruction, and not mightie to wreake his mallice, we should haue little cause to feare:Luke 11. Ephe 6. Reue. 12. but hee is mightie therefore hee is termed a Lyon, the power of darknes, the great Dragon, which drew to the earth the third part of the starres of heauen: that is, with earthlye temptation to haue ouer­throwne them, which seemed to shine in the Church of God as Lampes and starres. O then how easie is our ouer­throw, if the Lord did not hold vs vp, which shine not as starres in heauen, but creepe like wormes on earth!

3 Yet if hee were but malitious and mightie, it were better with vs: but he is fierce, and therefore called a roaring Lyon, who laying waite for the bloud of the godly, stirreth vp bloud-thirstie persecuters, to make themselues drunk with the bloud of the Saints: as most grieuouslie hee did from the time of Iohn Baptist, to the reigne of Maxen­tius, the space of 294. yeares, slaying [Page] some by the sworde, burning other with fire, hanging some on the Gal­lowes, drowning some in Riuers, stab­ing some with forkes of Iron, pressing others to death with stones, deuouring many thousands of the tender Lambs of Christs flock.

To this mallice, might, and rage, is 4 added his subtile policie, which hee v­seth in circumuenting the faithfull, he dooth not pitch his tentes in anye one place: but walketh about from place to place, to spie out his best aduantage,Ioh. 1. in the night hee soweth Tares, and in the daye hee hindereth the growth thereof.

Hee proceedeth after further, and 5 added to his pollicie, industrie, he con­sidereth our natures, & dispositions, & to what sinnes wee doe most incline: and therevnto hee applyeth himselfe, sometimes by flatterie, sometimes by feare, sometimes by feeding our hu­mours hee subtillie entiseth vs, some­times by violence hee goeth about to [Page] enforce vs, somtime by changing him­selfe into an Angell of light, hee ende­uoureth to betraye our soules into his hands, and in whatsoeuer estate hee findeth vs, he thereby taketh occasion to lay siedge to our soules.

Thus yee see noted in a worde, the force of our aduersarie, examine nowe your selues, whether yee haue anye thing in your selues, and you shall find nothing but weakenesse and corrupti­on. It is God that giueth strength to the mightie, wisdom to the prudent, & knowledge to the vnderstanding: hee teacheth Dauids hand to fight, and his fingers to battaile,Psal. 144. hee giueth strength to his armes to breake a bowe, euen a bow of steele: wherfore let neither the wise man glory in his wisdom, nor the strong man in his strength: but let him that glorieth, glory only in the Lord.

Secondly, we are to seeke vnto God alone, because none is so present as he: for God because hee is almightie, and with his power filleth both heauē and [Page] earth, is present alwaies with them that feare him, and readie to succour them in distresse. The Lorde is neere to all that call vpon him in truth, he heareth our gronings and sighes, and knoweth what things are necessary for vs before we aske.

The third reason why we must seeke 3 vnto God, is, none is so able to helpe vs as he: but of this I shall haue parti­cular occasion to speake when I come to this point, and pray to the Almightie.

The fourth reason why wee must 4 seeke Christ alone, is, because there is none so willing to helpe vs as he. It is a great courage to vs to make sute, when we are perswaded of the willingnesse of him to whome we make sute: and I pray yee, who was euer more carefull for our saluation, and more watchfull ouer vs, then the Lord? who euer put his trust in him, and was confounded? In this respect he is called a Father, be­cause as the father tendreth his sonne: so the Lorde dooth all those that put [Page] their trust in him. Can there bee any more willing to helpe vs then Christ? whose whole head was sicke, and whose heart was heauie for our sakes? yea, in whose bodie, from the sole of the foote to the crowne of the head, was nothing but woundes, and swel­lings, and sores? but alas this was no­thing to that he suffered for our sakes.

He was compassed about with feares and horrors, till his sweat was drops of bloud, & his bones brused in the flesh: hee was whipped, and scourged, and chastised with sorrows, till he cried out in the bitternes of his soule: O Lord, if it be possible let this cup passe from me. The heauie hand of God was so grieuous vpon him, that it brused his very bones and rent his reines a sunder: he could finde no health in his fleshe, but was wounded, yea, wounded to the death, euen the most bitter death vpon the crosse. His tender fingers were nayled to the crosse, his face was wrinkled with weeping & wailing, his sides em­brued [Page] and gored with his own bloud. spurting & gushing fresh from his ribs, the shadow of death was vpon his eies.

O what greefe could bee like to this, or what condemnation could bee so heauie, sith there was no wickednes in his hands? sith he was the brightnes of his fathers glorie, & the sonne of righ­teousnes that shined in the world: as to see his dayes at an end, to see such throbing, sighes, and carefull thoughts (without cause of his) so deeply engra­uen in the tables of his brest. But was this all? no my brethren, sith his excel­lency was such aboue al creatures, that the world was not worthy to giue him breath, it was a greater greef vnto him, to see himselfe made a worme and not a man, a shame of men, and contempt of the people; to see his life shut vp in shame and reproches, how could it but shake his bones out of ioint, & make his heart melt in midst of his bowels: who was euer so ful of wo? & who euer bin brought so low into the dust of death? [Page] vpon whom did the mallice of Sathan euer get so great a conquest?

This though it were exceeding, yet it was not all, no, it was but a taste of greefe in comparison of the rest: be­hold therfore (if your watrie eyes will suffer yee to behold) the depth of all miseries yet behinde: the sinne that he hated he must take vpon his owne bo­die, and beare the wrath of his father powred out against it. This is the ful­nesse of all paines that compassed him round about, which no tongue is able to vtter, nor heart conceiue: the anger of the father burneth in him, euen to the bottome of hell, and deepe sincke of confusion: it wrapped him in the chaines of eternall death: it crucified him, and threw him downe into the bottomlesse pit of calamitie, and made his soule by weeping and wayling to melt into these bitter teares trickling from his eyes. O God my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

O that my head were a Well of wa­ters, [Page] and a fountaine of teares, that I might weepe day and night at the re­membrance heereof: but least I linger too long about one floure, while I haue many to gather, I will conclude this point thus in a word. Sith Christ hath suffered these, and an infinite number such like torments for our sakes: it is blasphemous once to dream or imagine any to bee more willing to helpe vs then he: nay, he is more rea­die to heare our prayers, then we to of­fer them vnto him, insomuch that hee complaineth by the Prophet Esay: I haue beene found of them that sought mee not, Esay. 65. all the day long haue I stretched out my hand vnto a rebellious people, which wal­ked in a way that was not good, euen after their owne imaginations. And vnto Ieru­salem hee saith. O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, Math. 23. how often would I haue gathered you toge­ther, as the Hen gathereth hir Chickens, and you would not? wherefore to ende this point: Seeke for knowledge as for a treasure, and for wisdome, as for the [Page] wedge of golde of Ophir. No menti­on shall be made in comparison of it, of Corrall, Gabish, or that precious Onix,Iob. 28 For wisdome is more precious then Pearles. But aboue all things, seeke it where it may bee found, and where is this place of vnderstanding? Surely man knoweth not the path therof: the depth saith, it is not in me; the sea saith, it is not in mee: death and destruction say, wee haue heard the fame thereof with our eares: all creatures say, it is not with vs: but God vnderstandeth the way therof, and vnto man he saith: The feare of the Lorde is the beginning of wisedome, Prou 9. and to depart from euill is vn­derstanding.

3 The third circumstance is, when we must seeke vnto God; and holy Dauid answereth,Psal. 32 Earlie, euen in a time when he may be found. Let vs redeeme this day, which wee haue foreslowed so many daies, wherein we haue so long harde­ned our hearts: let vs take vp this day, and make it the day of our repentance; [Page] let vs make it a day of newnes of life, as it is the first day of the new yeere: let euen this moment bee the last of a sin­full life, and the first day to godlinesse. And as the wise man saith: Make no long tarrying to turne vnto the Lord, Eccle. 5. and put not off from day to day, for suddenly shal the Lords wrath breake, and in thy securitie thou shalt bee destroyed, and shalt perish in the time of vengeance.

Art thou a Magistrate, placed in high roome and authoritie, and sea­ted in the throne of dignitie? then vse not this thy might to wrong and op­pression, grinde not the faces of the poore, swell not with pride, despi­sing his lowe estate:Amos. 8 Sell not thy righte­ousnesse for siluer, preferring the Mer­chants of Babilon, before the Cittizens of Ierusalem.

Art thou a priuate labouring man? Doo thy dutie truelie, bee subiect, and liue in dread to displease the good Magistrate. 1-Pet. 3. Art thou olde, and hast consumed the floure of thy youth in wantonnesse? [Page] Breake off the course, and frame thy selfe to sobrietie: giue the water no passage, no not a little: for if it haue ne­uer so little issue, it will ouer-flow thee; and if thou doo slack the reynes neuer so little, thy sinnes will carrie thee (like a wilde horsse) thorow brambles and bushes, and will leaue no soundnesse in thy flesh, worke this reformation in thy selfe betimes, euen to day, euen this first day of the new yeare: If ye will heare my voyce, harden not your hearts.

Art thou young, and doost begin to flourish like the young Palme tree? O consider, that the only way to retaine the blossome of thy beautie, and to keepe thy floure from withering, and thy leafe from fading away: is to seeke earlye vnto GOD, and to applie thy minde to vnderstanding; to preuent the morning watches, and to giue thy body to be moystened of the morning dew! For beside the good houres that are well imployed in some good stu­die and holie exercise: earlye rising [Page] bringeth health to the body, and en­creaseth the number of thy dayes.

Seeke therefore, and seeke earlie, consecrate your selues Nazarites vnto the Lorde, touche no vncleane thing, giue no prouocation to the flesh. Striue with the Cock in watchfulnes, Eccle. 12. and rise with the chirping of the birds: sacrifice your bo­die a sweet smelling sacrifice vnto the Lord. This sacrifice is like a sacrifice of fine floure: it is like the fatte taken from the peace offe­ring: yea, it is better then any sacrifice,Eccle. 32, 47.50it is like the flower of Roses in the spring of the yeere, and as the Lillies by the springs of wa­ters, and as the branches of Frankensence in the time of Summer: and as a vessell of massie gold beset with pretious stones, as a faire Oliue that is fruitfull, and as the tree that groweth vp to the clowds. Hauing spoken of the Search, it fol­loweth that I speake of the manner how it is to bee made: In prayer, by these wordes; If thou pray vnto the Al­mightie.

I shewed ye before the force of our [Page] aduersarie; receiue nowe a Sheeld a­gainst his force, euen the shield of prai­er. Hee is not to be resisted by ringing an hallowed bell, not by sprinkling of holy water, not by the relikes of saints, not by our owne workes & merits, for these are weapons of his own making: but by an earnest seeking to GOD, which search and seeking must bee made by prayer, against which his poi­soned venome taketh no effect.

It is his mallice that accuseth? praier pleadeth thy case before God; and re­pelleth all his accusations: for all the prophets doe witnes,Math. 2. that whatsoeuer we aske in praier, if we beleeue we shal receiue it. It is his rage and furie that should terrifie vs? nay, that prayer that strengthened Sampson to rent a yong Lion, as one should haue rent a Kid, hauing nothing in his hande, shall smite and shutte vp the mouth of this Lion. As for his pollicie, and walking vp and downe, seeking to deuoure vs: it cannot preuaile,Iam. 5.25. for the prayer of the [Page] faithfull shall saue them, & the Lord shall raise them vp; & if they haue commit­ted sin, it shalbe forgiuen them: & after this conflict ended, they shall triumph for euer with Iesus Christ our Sauiour.

But in any case, see you vnite to your praier, knowledge, that ye be not sedu­ced to offer your petitions to strange gods, as Saints, stockes or stones.Iohn. 16. Then consent, that we aske only in the name of Christ Iesus, not for any desert of our own: for whosoeuer beleeueth in Christ, shall haue remission of sins,Acts. 15.1 [...] hee shall not perish; but haue life euerlast­ing, he shall not come into iudgement, but shall passe from death to life. Last­lie, a confidence, which is, a certaine perswasion of Gods fauour and mercy towards vs: this is that praier, of which the Lambe testifieth;Math. 18. that whatsoeuer we ask by this praier, it shalbe giuē to vs by God the father. A thing (dearly beloued) so precious, that nothing is more accep­ted in heauen, nothing more gratefull to God: a seruice commanded of God [Page] himselfe, taught by Christ our Saui­our, and frequented by the Angels: a thing of more force with God, then any oration of the eloquent.

Hast thou not heard how the Sunne stood still in the firmament,Iosu. 10. and was not suffered to run his course? Iosua and Ezechias prayed, and the Sunne stood still.2. King. 20 Hast thou not heard of the stopping of the Lyons mouthes?Dan. 6. Da­niell praied, and his praier stopped the Lyons greedy and deuouring throtes. the waters of Iorden were dryed vp, yea the Israelites prayed, and the wa­ters stood about them like vnto a wall. Hast thou not heard of the deuiding of the red sea?Exod. 24. the Israelites praied, and Hast thou not heard howe the fierie furnace lost his heate?Dan. 3. the three chil­dren prayed,1. King. 8. and the fier lost his heate. Hast thou not heard how the heauens were opened and shut? Elyas prayed, and the heauens were shutte vp three yeeres; Elyas prayed, and the clowdes powred downe raine from heauen.

[Page]O sure Fortresse, more forcible then anye engine, and stronger then the gates of hell, and to conclude the sum and substance of all in few words: the only thing whereby mortall men haue the clouds, and the stars, & the Angels, and all the powers of heauen at com­mandement.Iud. 5. For as Deborah sung in her song: They fought from heauen, euen the starres in their courses fought against Sisera: so all creatures haue been subiect to the prayers of the faith­full, to reuenge the Lordes quarrell, to helpe the Lorde, to helpe the Lorde a­gainst the mightie. Prayer hath euer bin the cognisance, & the victorie, and the triumph of the faithfull: for as the soule giueth life to the body, so prayer giueth life to the soule.

O that I could engraue the loue of it in your hearts, as with a Diamond, and so instill your mindes, that my wordes might bee prickes vnto your consciences, and thereby giue yee oc­casion to pray often. It is a wonderfull [Page] mater to be able to perswade men, but if praier be able to perswade the liuing God: oh how great is the force therof? it goeth through the clowds, and cea­seth not till it come neere, and will not depart, till the most high haue respect therevnto. O that you would therfore pray often, and learne of Christ (the most absolute patterne of our life) to pray continually. He praied in his bap­tisme,Luke. 9. Luke 5 Luke. 6. Iohn. 11. Math. 26. Iohn. 18. Luke. 22. Luk. 23. Math. 19. in the wildernesse, in preaching, in working of miracles, in his passion, on the mount, in the Garden, in his last supper, in cōmending his spirit to God at al times, & in al places, that he might leaue vnto vs an example of the same.

It followeth; and to pray to the Almigh­tie. To those three former reasons which I brought, why wee must seeke and pray to God alone: I added this as a fourth, because there is none so able to help vs as the Lord.Psal. 39 He that putteth his trust in the Lord, shall be as mount Sion.Rom. 8. If God bee on our side, who can be against vs? It is God that iustifieth, [Page] who condemneth?2. Tim. 4 The Lord destroi­eth the counsaile of the Heathen, hee maketh their deuises to be of no effect. Christ is the Angel of great counsaile,Psalm. 33 Esay. 9. Prou. 2. wisedome and vnderstanding, and there is no deuise against the Lord.

The world (notwithstanding is come to that frame, that euery man hath got­ten him a strange kind of beleef. Some beleeue not the law but the prophets: some be perswaded in the supremacie, but not in the sacrament: some in free will, but not in merit: some in inuoca­tion vpon saints, but not in purgatorie; some in pilgrimages and pardons, but not in Images: some like the doctrine wel enough, but not the preachers: the most beleeue little, yet many beleeue somwhat, few beleeue all: therefore to deale plainly, because plaine dealing is best, you must not beleeue by the halfes; I meane, you must not repose some trust in God, and some in Saints, but all in the Lorde.Psal. 10 5. The Gods of the Gentiles they haue mouthes and speake not, eyes and see not, eares and heare not, then [Page] what can be looked for at their hands? But the Lorde is strong and mightic, a mercifull God: and therefore thorow the Scriptures, hee is called a Rocke, a Fortresse,Psalm. 18 a strong Tower, a Sheeld, a horne of saluation, a refuge, the Lorde of Hoastes, with other such like appel­lations, that we might bee assured, that our helpe and deliuerance commeth from the Lord.

Puttest thou any trust in man, whose breath is in his nosthrils? Curssed is he that maketh man his strength,Iere. 77. and flesh his arme.2. King. 16 Surely Pharaoh, and all princes are a broken staffe, on which if a man leane, it will strike into his hande and pierce it, and lay him groueling in the dust: It is better therefore to trust in the Lorde, Psal. 118. then to put anye confidence in Princes. Thinkest thou that Angels, or Saints, or Images, can helpe thee? O foolish and impious pietie, to attri­bute more vnto the Angels, then they dare arrogate vnto themselues. The Angell in the Reuelation,Reue. 19 forbiddeth [Page] Iohn to worship him. As for the Image, we read, that to turne the glory of the in­corruptible God, into the similitude of a corruptible creature, is idolatrie.Rom. 1. Well may I then affirme with Moses,Deu. 27. curssed be the Image and the Image maker. The con­clusion therefore of this point, is this, that we seeke the Lord and his strength euer more, that we pray vnto God in humili­tie and sinceritie, and in full assurance of faith continually: who without end is to be sought, because without end he is to be beloued.

The third thing contained in our du­tie is, what effect this seeking and praying ought to worke in vs, comprehended in these wordes: If thou be pure and vpright. If the clowdes bee full, they will powre foorth raine vpon the earth: and vnpossi­ble is it, that a man that seeketh after God and prayeth to the Almightie, should not bring foorth the fruites of a godly life; for if the tree be good, the fruits can­not be bad: and if the head of the water be pure, it will send foorth pure waters into the Cesterns. Wherefore as good [Page] motions are stirred vp by prayer, so must they be fostered by practise of life, accor­ding to that of the Apostle: Quenche not the spirit, 1. Thes. 5. nor greeue the holy one of God, by whom yee are sealed to the day of redemption.

Hee quencheth dearely beloued the spirit,Ephe. 4. which being once lightened with the sparckles of faith, and felt Gods mo­tions in his heart: dooth neglect to en­crease the one to a flame, and the other to good workes in his lyfe, but with the dogs turneth to his vomit, and with the Sow that was washed, to her wallowing againe in the mire. Therefore (beloued) loue and seeke the Lord, pray to the Al­mightie, be pure and vpright in conuer­sation, flie from sinne as from a serpent; for if thou come neere, it will bite thee. The teeth therof are as the teeth of a Li­on, to slay the soules of men, & all iniqui­tie is as a two edged sword, the wounds that it giues cannot be healed. I dare not scand as I would vpon these points, fea­ring tediousnes: wherfore let this suffice for the former generall part, concerning the dutie we owe vnto God.

[Page]Now Gods promises for the perfor­mance hereof, yeeld vnto vs most plenti­full matter of doctrine and consolation. First, of his iustice, that as hee will suffer no sinne vnpunished: so he will leaue no good worke vnrewarded, but giueth to euery seuerall action his seuerall hyre, & iust recompence of rewarde. Shall the hower come, in which all that are in their graues shall heare a voyce, & come foorth: they that haue doone well, to the resurrection of life, they that haue done euill, to the resurrection of condemnati­on? Shall the Lorde search Ierusalem with Lanthorns? Shall all foule corners be swept, and all pleits and wrinckles be vnfolded? Shall the sea, graue, death and hell, giue vp all that is in them? and shall all the dead (both great and small) stand before GOD, when the bookes are o­pened? and shall euery man haue praise of God according vnto his deseruing? Shall wee then discerne betweene the vessels of honour and of wrath, be­tweene Sheepe and Goates, the iust and vniust? Finallie, shall there bee an [Page] infallible, generall, and incorrupt iudge­ment, wherein the booke of al our offen­ces shall be laide wide open? Now God bee mercifull vnto vs:Psal. 2. bee fauourable O Lord, be fauourable. But to proceed, is it thy nature (O Lorde) to gather vp the wheat,Math 13.15 30, 41 and burne the tares; to cut down all frutlesse trees, and cast them into the fire: yea, into a fierie furnace, that neuer shall bee quenched; into an vtter dark­nesse, where is weeping, wayling, and gnashing of teeth; then bee fauourable O Lord, be fauourable.

Dooth not the Lorde spare Dauid a king and a prophet, for murther? dooth he not spare the Sichemites for adultery; nor Absolon for treason? nor Saule for tyrannie? nor Elie for negligence? nor Achab, Ieroboam, nor Iezabell for cru­eltie? nor Herod, Nabuchadnezar, and Lucifer for pride; nor Paraoh for incre­dulitie: then be fauourable O Lord, bee fauourable to vs, in whom almost euery one of these sinnes do dwell & remaine.

Did the Lord for corruption ouerflow the world with water? did he burne So­dome [Page] for her villanie? did he cast Adam and Eue out of Paradise, for eating of the forbidden frute? did hee stone a poore wretch to death, for gathering chips on the Sabaoth day? then be fauourable O Lord, be fauourable vnto vs. But dooth not the Lord spare the Cedar tree for his height? nor the Oake for his strength? nor the Poplar for his smoothnes? nor the Lawrell for his greennes? No verely, from the Cedar that is in Lybanon, euen to thy Hysope that groweth out of the wall, yea, euery one that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewen down and cast into the fire: it is a righteous thing with God, to render vengeance to those that disobey him, and to destroy such as haue forsaken the law by euerlasting perditiō.

Behold,Reue. 1.7. the Lorde shall come in the great and latter day of iudgement, when none shall escape his iudgement seate,2. Cor. 5. with clowds shall hee come, and euery eye shall see him, euen they which pier­ced him thorow, shall also wayle before him, being summoned all to appeare moste fearefullye before his imperiall [Page] throne of Maiestie: then be fauorable O Lord, be fauourable. Alas, with whateies shall we miserable sinners behold him, so gloriouslie sitting in his royall kingdom, with all his mighty and holy Angels, and whole number of Saints,2. Pet. 3. sounding with the voice of the archangell, & trumpet of God: causing the heauens to passe away with a noyse, and the elements to melt like waxe, and the earth to burne with the woorkes thereof? yea, with what eyes shall wee behold him, when we see the Sunne darkened, the Moone eclip­sed, and the starres fall downe from hea­uen? But alas when he taketh the furbi­shed blade into his hand, when he is rea­die to throwe the fierie thunderbolts of his wrath, when hee summoneth before him the worme that neuer dyeth, the fire that neuer shall be quenched, to reuenge on the wicked: into what a plight are they then driuen? then leaue they off; be fauourable O Lord, be fauourable, and say to the hilles: O ye mountaines, come and couer vs, O ye waters, come & ouer­whelme vs: wo, wo, wo, how great is this [Page] darknesse? The godly on the other side, are bathed in such streames of blisse, and aduaunced to such happines, as neither tongue can vtter, nor heart conceiue.

The second thing wee haue to note in his promises, is his mercie, which excee­deth all his workes. For God, though he haue giuen a cursse of the lawe against sinners, yet seeing Christ for the penitent hath borne the cursse, wherby his iustice is not impaired: he is content to accept our weakenes as our strength, to recom­pence our imperfections with reward of greatest perfection, & that which we can performe but in small part, he is content to accept as whole: not for any desert of ours, but in the satisfaction of his sonne, who paid with the seale of his own blod, the ransome for our sins, he hath cancel­led the hand writing that was against vs. Wherfore we are to pray vnto God, that whensoeuer our sins shal come in questi­on before him: that he would looke vpō Christ Iesus, the true loking glas, in whō he shall find vs most pure & innocent, & to shine most cleerly in the righteousnes [Page] which hee hath giuen vs by faith: so that we appeare not in our owne righteous­nes, but in the righteousnes of the lambe, who hauing taken away the sinnes of the world, and hauing made vs as white as snow, though wee were as red as Crim­son: saith, he will be mercifull to our ini­quities, and wil remember our sinnes no more. Of him doe all the Prophets beare witnesse, that thorow his name, all that beleeue, shall receiue remission of theyr sinnes. Againe drinke yee all of this, for this is my bloud, which is shed for the re­mission of sinnes. Christ gaue himselfe for our sinnes, that hee might deliuer vs from the cursse of the law, euen accord­ing to the will of his father. Christ bare our sinnes in his owne bodie on the tree, that we being deliuered from sin, might liue in righteousnes: by whose stripes we are healed, for we were as sheepe going astray, but are now returned to the shep­heard and Bishop of our soules. It is no more but beleeue, and be saued; beleeue and receiue remission; beleeue, and lay of thine owne righteousnes, and inuest [Page] thy selfe with the righteousnesse of the vnspotted Lambe.

Dauid was young, and after was old: yet in all his daies he neuer saw the righ­teous forsaken. Sometimes he scourgeth his children; but like a louing father: hee layeth no more vpon them then they are able to beare; for hee afflicteth them for his own iustice, because they are sinners; for his wisedome, to exercise their faith; for his mercie, to cause them to repent: but this is the end of all, he helpeth them in their distresses, he reuengeth himselfe vpon his enemies, and giueth to his peo­ple rest and quietnes. O that we would therefore praise the Lord, and forget not all other his singular benefits: O that we would confesse, that his mercie endureth for euer.

The third thing to note in his promi­ses, is his bountifull kindnesse, in requi­ring so small a thing, with so great and li­berall blessings: and bindeth himselfe by obligation (as it were) that as sure as we perfome the one, so hee will not faile to accomplish the other.

[Page]The fourth, is his patience and long suf­fering, which is not slacknesse, as some men account slacknesse: but is patience, because willinglie hee would haue no man to perish, but gladly would haue all men come to repentance. He is content to stay our leysure, till we seeke and pray vnto him: and neuer smiteth, till there be no hope of redresse.

The fist, is his loue, in that he is con­tent to stirre vs vp to holy exercises, and puritie of life, and to allure vs with faire promises of aide, & prosperous encrease of all his blessings in this world. The par­ticular examination of these blessings, would require a large discourse, then (fearing tediousnes) I dare presume to trouble yee withall: wherefore a worde of ech, and so I end.

Touching the first, where it is said, God will awake vp vnto thee, it is a greater bene­fit then the words import: for it signifi­eth not onely that he will heare thee; but that he will also doo what thou desirest, and satisfie thy request. As long as the sinner sleepeth, the Lord is said to bee a [Page] sleepe: but assoone as the sinner awaketh from sinne,Psal. 78. God will arise (sayth Dauid) and his enemies shall bee scattered: and they that hate him, shall flie before him, as the smoake vanisheth before the wind, and as the wax melteth against the fire, euen so shall the wicked perish at the pre­sence of God. Wherfore, as Paul exhor­ted the Ephesians, so I exhort you: Awake thou that sleepest, stand vp from the dead, Ephe. 5. & Christ shal giue thee light: awake vnto God and God will awake vnto thee, & Christ euen the sonne of God, the bright mor­ning star, shall giue thee the light of life.

In the second, he promiseth abundance of worldly blessings, in recompence of prayer, for it is said: He will make the habi­tations of thy righteousnes prosperous: Reue. 22. [...] that is,Psal. 112. the Lord will make peace within thy walles, and prosperitie within thy pal­laces:Deu. 28. hee will commaund his blessings to bee with thee in thy store house, and in all thou settest thy hand vnto: he will open vnto thee his good treasures, e­uen the Heauens to giue raine on thy lande in due season. Thou shalt laye vp [Page] golde,Iob. 22. as the dust, and the gold of Ophir, as the flint of the riuer:Iob. 29. thou shalt wash thy pathes with butter, and thy rockes shall powre out riuers of Oyle: thou shalt call saluation thy wall, and praise shall be in thy gates.Psal. 128. Loe, thus shall the man be blessed that feareth God.

Lastly, for being pure and vpright: hee will make thy latter end greatly encrease, and that thou maist the lesse mistrust his promise, hee will doe it, though thy be­ginning be but small.

Heere (brethren) ye see what a sea of matter is offered mee, wherevnto if I would commit my selfe, I might dis­course vnto yee, what straunge euents (by Gods prouidence) haue happened in the world, what great Kings and Po­tentates haue been plucked downe from their thrones, and what contemptible persons in the eye of the world, haue beene aduanced to their roomes. How Mardocheus a straunger was exalted in­to Hamons place:Hest. 8. how Ioseph and Da­niell,Gen. 30. the one a bond-man in Egipt, the other a Captiue in Babilon,Dan. 6. were made [Page] Princes in those kingdomes. But be­cause I will not ouermuch transgresse the bondes of modestie, or hold ye long­er then in this place I haue beene accust­omed: onely remember what the Pro­phet saith; Hee raiseth the needy out of the dust, and lifteth the poore out of the mire, Psal. 113. that he might set him with the Princes, euen with the princes of the world.

Remember the example of Dauid, whome the Lord chose, and tooke from the Ewes great with young: that hee might feede his people in Iaacob,Psal. 78. and his inheritance in Israell. Remember the example of Iob,Iob. 42. how the Lord turned the captiuitie of Iob, as the riuers in the south, how he blessed the last dayes of Iob more then the first, how he gaue him sheepe, and Camels, and Oxen,Psal. 126. and shee Asses in more aboundance then hee had before;Psal. 42. howe hee encreased him with sonnes and daughters, euen to the fourth generation, so that hee dyed being olde and full of dayes. Remember euen our owne estate, for whome the Lorde hath doone great things already: as created [Page] vs, and redeemed vs, and sanctified vs, and not long since delyuered vs from the gaplng iawes of those that sought to suck our bloud. Vppon some hee hath bestowed humilitye, whereby their mindes are adorned with vertue: honor vppon others, whereby their persons are inuested with maiestie: vppon others comlinesse, whereby the other two are graced: vppon others Orchards which they planted not, or at least to which they gaue no encrease: vppon others, encrease of vertuous children, whereby their posteritie is preserued: vppon o­thers, the free passage of his word, which along time had beene obscured by igno­raunce, the mother of deuotion, as the shauelings call it, but vnder a stepdame of destruction as wee perceiue it: and though hee bestowe but some one or two of his blessings vppon vs, yet howe much are wee bounde for these bles­sings,Reue. 9. to sing prayse, and honour, and glorye, vnto him that sitteth vppon the throne, and vnto the Lambe for euer. But vppon whome hee hath bestowed [Page] all these blessings: O howe strictlye by good cause are they bounde to magnifie the Lord, and to reioyce in God theyr Sauiour. Examine then your owne con­sciences, I beseech yee, whether GOD hath bestowed all these blessings vppon you, or no, and if he haue: O what great cause haue yee to come before his face with prayse,Psal. 95. Psal. 96 to sing lowd vnto him with Psalmes, to worship and to fall downe before him, to giue vnto the Lorde the glorie of his name, to bring an offering of thankes giuing, and to enter into his Courts with praise. And yet who know­eth, whether the Lord hath greater bles­sings for ye in store, yee may be sure hee will pull downe the mightie from their seat, and exalt the humble and meeke, Surely, the Lorde dooth vse vertue as a meane to bring vs to honour, and who­soeuer you shall see endued with the vertues of this text, I meane, with seek­ing vnto God, with prayer and puritie of life: yee may bee sure there is a blessing reserued for him of the Lorde, yea, such a blessing, as though his beginning [Page] be but small, yet his latter end shall great­lie encrease.

God encrease the loue of these things in our hearts, and make vs worthie of Christs blessings, which hee hath plenti­fully in store for vs: that after hee hath heaped temporall blessings vpon vs, hee would giue vs the blessing of all blessing, euen the lyfe of the world to come.

The time is spent, &c. let vs end with prayer, &c.