DAVID'S TEACHER, OR THE TRUE TEACHER OF THE RIGHT-WAY TO HEAVEN. DISCOVERING ERROneous Teachers and Seditious Sectuaries. Preached at Paules-Crosse the 3. of September. 1609. By Ro: johnson, M. of Arts, Chaplain to the Right Reverend Father in God, the L. Bishop of Lincoln. LONDON Printed by T. Haveland, for Matthew Law, and are to be sold at his Shop in Paul's Churchyard, near S. Austins-gate, at the Sign of the Fox. 1609. TO THE RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD: THE LORD BISHOP OF LINCOLN. (⸫) TO make trivial Apologies for publishing books in these times, were idle, since the reasons some allege for their defence therein, are common, and overworn. And therefore if I should with others urge the earnest entreatieo, friends for a copy of this Sermon, as a reason for publishing thereof, rather than the express commandment of some which have authority therein, and unto whom I am most obliged in all duty; I could not be free from such suspicion also. In which respect, since as it was preached, so being now published (as both my duty and love bindeth me) I present it unto your Lordship with all due respect. Humbly desiring, that (as unto my unworthy self, so also unto this) you would be pleased to vouchsafe your Patronage: If not; your pardon. But howsoever, I hope your acceptance, since I offer it with a truly devoted love I bear towards your Lordship in all duty. And so addressing still my prayers unto God, for your Lordship's long health and prosperity, Irest Your Lordships in all observance and duty. ROBERT JOHNSON. A SERMON PREACHED AT PAUL'S CROSS THE third of SEPTEMBER. 1609. Psalm. 119. 33. Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy Statutes, and I will keep it unto the end. AS the Psalms of David are rightly entitled, The holy Psalms of David; so this Psalm Pelican styleth Sacratissimus Psalmus, a most sacred or holy Psalm: First, holy in respect of the subject, which is the holy law of God: and then holy in respect of the Author thereof, which is the holy Spirit of God, that directed the pen and heart of this Psalmograph, for the composing thereof. And this Psalm is compiled after an alphabetical order, to help the memory. And although there be in this Psalm 176. verses, yet in every one of these verses is found one of these ten words, according to the number of the ten Commandments of Almighty God: viz. the Law, the Way, the Word, the Righteousness, the Truth, judgements, Precepts, Statutes, Commandments, and Testimonies. And this is David's tenstringed Lute, wherewith he did solace himself: and in every one of these verses he touched one of these strings. Neither is this to be thought any absurd tautology, or idle repetition, that these words are so often repeated in this Psalm, and one of them found in every verse. For it showeth us, Arg. The wonderful affection, love, and zeal, that the children of God have unto his laws and word. Therefore David here, out of his love and zeal that way, saith, Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy Statutes, and I will keep it unto the end. Nay, such is his affection to the Law of God, that he will not rest so, but proceedeth further, Verse 35. Direct me in the path of thy Commandments. Nay such is his love, that he will not stay here, Verse 36. Incline my heart unto thy testimonies. Nay more, so great is his zeal to the Commandments of God, that he maketh it demonstrable, with an Ecce, demonstrable in itself, verse 40. Ecce, behold, I desire thy Commandments: he stampeth the carecter Ecce upon it, in testimony of his great love unto the Law of God. And therefore as all the other verses deserve a careful and respective meditation; so this verse, which I have proposed to be handled, is most worthy our considerations, both propter dignitatem subiecti, the excellency of the subject, which is the Law of God: and also propter necessitatem & utilitatem, so necessary, as nothing is more requisite than hoc unum, this one thing; and so profitable, if we respectively apprehend it, that it cannot but sway our best and worthiest thoughts unto the love thereof. Teach me, O Lord:] Connex. because he was ignorant, he desireth a Teacher: and because he would be sure to have a good teacher, he prayeth the Lord to teach him: and because he would be sure to learn a good lesson, he desireth the knowledge and practice of God's Law: and because he would not discourage his Teacher, by teaching a non proficient, he promiseth to keep it, and that unto the end. The wisdom herein contained, First, Doce, Teach: There's his ignorance. Secondly, Teach me: There is the ignorance of the elect themselves, without continual instruction. Thirdly, the way, the narrowness and difficulty thereof. Fourthly, of thy statutes, the firmness and stability thereof. I will keep it: There's his promise respectiuè. First, I will: There's his free will by grace. Secondly, keep it: There's his treasure. Thirdly, unto the end: There's his time limited, his perseverance. So then Two parts. 1 here is a request. 2 And here is a promise. A request to be taught; a promise to keep his lesson: Teach me, O Lord; There's his request: And I will keep it; There's his promise. In the request observe, 1 The subject of the request, in Doce, Teach. 2 The pattie making request, in me. 3 The person unto whom he maketh this request, O Lord. 4 The sum or total desired, The way of thy Statutes. In the promise observe, 1 The person promising, I will. 2 The matter promised, keep it. 3 The continuance and time limited how long. Unto the end. Let us now therefore not stay any longer at the doors of my text, but let us enter in to behold the riches and furniture contained therein. And if it please you to lend me the hand, and go along with me, I will be your conduct into the still-yard and storehouse of God's children, and there ye shall take a view of all their treasures, which are wonderful, and cause admiration in the true beholders thereof: for so he saith, vers. 129. Thy testimonies are wonderful, therefore doth my soul love them. 1. Wonderful in respect of the Author, whose name is wonderful, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of peace, Isay 9 6. Secondly, wonderful in respect of the wisdom contained in them. Rom. 11. 33. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉: O the deepness of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are his judgements, and his ways past finding out? Thirdly, wonderful in respect of the continuance of their time, verse 144. The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting. These treasures will continue, when all other decay and perish. For all other treasures vanish away like smoke, and are like Zeuxes painted grapes, deceiving poor birds with the only semblance of grapes: when a man thinketh he hath fast hold of them, than they are presently gone from him, do what he can. Or like unto the apples of Sodom: no sooner ye can touch them, but they are presently turned into dust. So are all the riches and treasures of this life. But here are treasures that shall continue for ever: therefore let us learn with the Prophet here, to keep them, and hold them fast. Teach me, O Lord, the way of thy statutes, and I will keep it unto the end. But because we cannot keep it, unless we apprehend it, let us first desire to be taught with David, which is the subject of his request. Teach: This verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Text. doceo, is oftentimes construed with two accusative cases, as Doceo teliteras, so in this place, Doce me viam, Teach me the way: First, Teach me; then, Teach me the way. So in Isay, populum quem docebis scientiam; I send thee to a people whom thou shalt teach knowledge. So that both these things are requisite to a Teacher: first, that he have populum quem docere, a people whom to teach; and than that he have scientiam quid docere, learning and knowledge what to teach. In our precedent times we had quem docere, people, and maintenance enough for Teachers, and wanted quid docere, learning to teach: but now many have scientiam, learning to teach; and want quem, a people, & maintenance for teaching. Both these had David's Teacher. He hath wisdom, what to teach; and then a people whom to teach, his elect: Wherein, out of this word teach, Doct. observe, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Doctoris sapientiam, the wisdom of the Teacher. And this we need not stand upon: for he is solus sapiens, only wise. Now unto the God immortal, invisible, to God only wise. Nay, he is infinite in his wisdom: Psalm. Great is the Lord, and great is his power, yea and his wisdom is infinite. There's the wisdom of this Teacher. Secondly, out of this word Teach, we learn, Ignorantiam discipuli, Doct. the ignorance of men in the knowledge and practice of God's Law, before they be taught and regenerate by the spirit of God. So ignorant was I, Psalm. even as it had been a beast before thee. So ignorant was I: There's his ignorance before regeneration. He speaketh of what he had been, not what now he is, being taught and regenerate. The natural man cannot perceive the things that be of God, 1. Cor. 2. because he judgeth carnally. The great worthies of the world, renowned for learning and wisdom, were far from the knowledge of God's Law, because they were led naturally by reason only. Zeno the Athenian of Greece, and chief of the Stoics sect, which held, that virtue was the summum bonum, and chiefest felicity: This was good Theoric and contemplative learning, yet it is far from that learning which David here desires, the knowledge and practice of Gods Law. Plato and Aristotle, of the Perepatetick sect, held, that actio virtutis, not only the knowledge, but the practice of virtue to be their summum-bonum, and chiefest good. This learning is excellent; for it is practic and a moral action; yet they come short of the knowledge of Gods Law. And therefore this is that Philosophy which Paul biddeth us beware of, Take heed and beware of Philosophy: Ephes. for this wisdom God hath cast away, Isay 29. 14. I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and cast away the understanding of the prudent. And this also the holy Ghost derideth, 1. Cor, 1. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉▪ etc. Where is the wise? Where is the Scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made the wisdom of this world foolishness? For since the world by wisdom knew not God in the wisdom of God, it pleased God by simpleness of preaching to save them that believe. But what speak I of the ignorance of the natural man? It is David here, that is something more than a natural man, that desireth to be taught. In the second place the person making request, Teach me; Text. not an ignorant man, not a simple man, neither a man of any low rank, or ordinary calling: his regal title is, The kingly Prophet: a King, and no less than a Prophet. And wisdom is requisite for both these: for in respect he was a King, he had need of wisdom, whereby he might rightly sway the sword of justice: but not only in this respect did David desire to be taught, when he said, Teach me, O Lord; he did not mean how he should govern his Kingdom, which is very requisite; but teach me thy statutes; teach me this. Neither doth David, that is trained up in the school of regeneration, only once or twice make this request, to be taught in the knowledge and practice of God's Law, but maketh many requests to the same purpose. When he is come to some perfection in the knowledge of God's Law, he will not here rest. Wherein observe, The elect themselves, Doct. when they are come to some perfection in the knowledge and practice of God's Law, must not here sit down and rest, but must still proceed to learn and practise the way of God's Statutes and Laws. Teach me, O Lord. Direct me in the paths of thy Commandments, etc. David▪ though learned in God's Law, yet desireth still to be taught, to be instructed, to be directed. For he can never, with his best endeavours, come to the centre and perfection of this learning. And this serves to reprove the carelessness of many both in learning and practising the Law and word of God. Men think, when they can but say the Lords prayer, or the Creed, they are learned enough, they need know no more, nor do any more, but only repeat it; no more belongeth unto it. When but once or twice in a year they hear a Sermon, and that with a cold zeal, that it freezeth; or receive the Lords Supper once a year, to save themselves from the danger of the Law; it is well enough. And thus do the poor blind worms of the world deceive themselves, and are content with a very little learning in his law and word, and a less practice in the same. The wisdom here then is that which Paul teacheth in 1. Cor. 1. 7. Use. The manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit withal. They that are called by the spirit should profit in the spirit, lest they be excluded out of the school of Christianity, for non proficients, and thrust out of God's favour, for the neglect and contempt of his law. And thus much out of the word doce, Teach me, and so let us come unto the third place, which is Davias' teacher, O Lord, Teach me, O Lord, here is David's teacher. here is the teacher of teachers, and pastor of pastors, and doctor of doctors, that apposeth doctors themselves, and astonisheth them with his wisdom. Luk. 1. 46. This is David's teacher, he hath no worse he desireth no better, for a better cannot be. To whom then shall we go to learn? Shall we go to the world? alas, totus mundus in maligno est positus, all the world lieth in wickedness. Shall we go to the flesh? alas, caro concupiscit adversus spiritum, the flesh lusteth against the spirit, the spirit against the flesh, that ye cannot do whatsoever ye would. Shall we go to the Devil? absit, he is a tempter and seducer of the brethren, Leo rugens, a roaring Lion and a red Dragon. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉? to whom shall we go? Shall we go to men? alas, the children of men are set on fire, their teeth are spears & arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. Vain is the help of man, trust not in Princes, nor in any child of man for there is no help in them. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉? To whom shall we go? To ourselves, alas, least comfort of all, our consciences accuse us, as Joseph's brethren accused one another. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To whom then shall we go? To the law, the law is a Schoolmaster to Christ To prophets? they points us to Christ. To Angels? they adore Christ. Reu. 22. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. To whom shall we go to God without Christ? Horribile est de Deo sive Christo cogitare. It is a fearful thing to think of God without Christ. In the 6. of john. 68 when the Disciples that heard Christ, began to fall away, and grow to an Apostasy, he being also jealous of these eleven, said unto them, what, will ye also go away? Simon Peter answered, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, to whom shall we go Lord? thou hast the words of eternal life, which answer of Simon Peter showeth us, to whom we must go to learn: to him which hath the words of eternal life. Austen de Trinitate. Ioh.▪ 6 john. 6. to him which teacheth David and all the elect. Psal. 1. 33. To him which is the true Messias promised from the beginning: To him which is the true Paschal Lamb, that was slain from the beginning. To him which is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world: To him which is a king, which hath the sovereignty of heaven and earth. To him which is a priest, and that for ever after the order of Melchisedech, to him which is a prophet, and which spoke in and by all the prophets. To him which is a king to rule us, a Priest to pray for us, and a prophet to instruct us. To him which is a King, and ruleth his church, with his Septrum regni, the Sceptre of thy kingdom is a right Sceptre. To him which is a Priest, which ever liveth and maketh intercession for us. To him which is a prophet, & far excelleth all the Prophets of juda. To David's teacher and David's Lord, which is the teacher & instructor of his elect. Teach me O Lord. And this Doctrine brancheth itself into two parts. 1 By whom God teacheth. 2 By what means he teacheth. God teacheth? by himself immediately in his own essence and nature. Doct. 1 God himself taught our parents both law & Gospel. Gen. 2. thou shalt not eat of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, for in whatsoever hour thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death. God taught our Parents the Gospel also. Genesi. 3 the seed of the woman shall break the Serpent's head. Again, God teacheth us by his written laws. Exodus. 20. God spoke all these words and said, I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt have no other Gods but me. And this law he expounded by the mouth of his Prophets, in the succedent ages of world, in the days of the Kings of juda and Israel. 2 Secondly God teacheth us by his Son, or God the Son teacheth us. Heb. 1. God which in times past did diversly and many ways speak unto the fathers by Prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his own Son, and Math. 9 35. jesus went about teaching in their Synagogues, and preaching the Gspell of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. And Matthew. 11. 1. And it came to pass, that when jesus had made an end of commanding his twelve Disciples, he departed thence to teach and to preach in their Cities. Thus God the Son teacheth us. Teach me O Lord. 3. Thirdly, God the holy Ghost teacheth us, so john 14. 26. When the Comforter is come, which is the holy Ghost, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have told you. Thus the holy Ghost also teacheth us, which showeth unto us. The dignity and excellency of the office of preaching the Gospel. 1. Instruction It is called evangelium regni, Rom. 1. and ceptrum regni, the Gospel ot the kingdom, Psal. 45. & the Sceptre of the kingdom; the Sceptre of the kingdom is a right Sceptre, there's the power and dignity of the Gospel. What need I stand to show how the worthies of the world have graced this calling of preaching the Gospel? David King of Israel chose to be styled a prophet. Solomon the wise commonly called a preacher. Nay, our Saviour Christ himself, heavens only Phoenix, and earths great Satrapasse, he which hath the sovereignty both of heaven and earth, did undertake this magnum opus, Mat. 9 this great office and work of preaching the Gospel. Secondly, 2. Instruction. the necessity of teaching and preaching is here commended unto us, Teach me O Lord, for if this had not been very needful, why would Christ himself take upon him this weighty and painful office. So necessary, as nothing is more necessary, then hoc unum, Luk. 10. 41. this one thing. Martha, Martha, saith our Saviour Christ, thou art careful about many things, verily one thing is needful. Mary hath chosen the best part which shall not be taken from her. If such than be the dignity and necessity of this office of teaching & preaching the Gospel, why are yet the ministers thereof so contemned & despised? why are they so traduced and slandered? why is the dignity of the church so indignified & disgraced the orders and constitutions depraved & violated, her livings and maintenance so cut and mangled. That Prophecy of Esay concerning the Church, is now come to pass. Esay. 1. 8. And the Daughter of Zion shall be left like a cottage in a Vineyard, like a lodge in a garden of cucumbers like a besieged City. This poor daughter the church is left indeed bare enough, now without dowry, without gifts, without gold, she is robbed of all these. As jacob said, Me have ye robbed of my Children, joseph is away, and Simeon is away, & will ye take Benjamin also? all those things are against me, so may the Church say: Me have ye robbed, my maintenance is away, my props and pillars decay, our green pastures and rich meadows are drowned by sacrilege, all these things are against me, ye have robbed me. As the Israelites sometimes rob the Egyptians, they borrowed jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, but they never meant to pay them again, Exod. 12. 2. & they rob the Egyptians, so is the church robbed & cozened of her maintenance, they have borrowed our Church-livings, our Silver and gold, our jewels, but how? as the Israelites borrowed of the Egyptians never meaning to pay them again, but to rob the Church. It is to be feared that the contempt of Zion, and neglect of her prophets and preachers will be the ruin of the church, downfall of religion, decaying of learning, etc. and an Apostasy in faith and grace, and a flat relapse from Christ and his Gospel. The second branch of this doctrine is, by what means God teacheth us. Teach me O Lord. The means whereby God teacheth us is threefold, A threefold means. verbo by his word, secondly benedictionibus, by his blessings. Thirdly, afflictionibus, by punishment and afflictions. 1. First, he teacheth us by his word, how to walk in the way of his statutes, Psalm. 119. Thy word is a lantern to my feet, and a light unto my paths. And verse. 9 Where with all shall a young man cleanse his way, even by ruling himself after thy word. Hence it is called a staff to walk with, a buckler to defend us against the incursions of our spiritual enemies, a light to give light unto our paths, that we stumble not in the darkness of our own ignorance. So hath God taught us in this land by his word, and yet doth still teach us, though he see little fruits of his labours, little fruits of his teaching, little fruits of his word, he hath not thus dealt with other nations, neither have the heathen knowledge of his ways other nations have not this teaching: other nations have not this word of life founded unto them: other nations have not these clear and pure crystal waters of life, without corruption of Heresy, as we have, and yet we are as backward as they in bringing forth fruits, and as barbarous in our life & conversation, as a number of the heathen which have not known his name. 2 Secondly, God teacheth us by his blessings, to encourage us to walk in his ways and statutes. So he did the Israelits. Deut. 8. 6. Therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the Lord thy God, and walk in his ways, and fear him. For the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land wherein are rivers of waters, and fountains, and springs that flow out of valleys and mountains, a land of wheat and barley, and of Vineyards, figtrees and Pomegranates, a land of Oil, Olive and honey. A land wherein thou shalt eat bread without sacrifice, neither shalt thou lack any thing therein. A land whose stones are iron, and out of whose mountains thou shalt dig brass. These are blessings sufficient to encourage the Israelites to walk in his ways, for here is plenitudo divitiarum, the fullness of riches. God doth not give us his blessings sparingly unto his children, but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 richly abundantly. We cannot say of God, as Esaw said of his Father Isaac, father hast thou but one blessing bless me also O my father, I am thy son Esaw, for he hath many blessings in store for his children, of his fullness have we all received. There's his manus plena, his full hand, which he openeth and filleth all things with plenteousness. Then he protecteth & keepeth his children, there's his manus extensa, his stretched out arm to defend them from their enemies. And with all these blessings, and more than all those hath God blessed us, and they are indeed truly said his blessings, if we be taught by them to walk in his ways and keep his statutes. Therefore (saith God) thou shalt keep my commandments: the cause is set down in, therefore, wherefore? because the Lord thy God bringeth thee into a good land, a land of wheat and barley, etc. Had God's people the Israelites, ever any more cause by his blessings, Deut. 8 7 to walk in his ways, than we have? What had the Israelites that we have not? What was there in the land of jury, now called Palestina, that we have not? they had a good land, so have we; they had a land of rivers and waters, so have we; they had a land of wheat and barley, so have we; they had a land of Vineyards, and figtrees, so have we. They did eat bread without scarcity, so do we; they did dig iron and brass out of their mountains, so do we. We are in nothing behind the Israelites, concerning blessings, our land is machable with theirs in every respect, nay, before it, in respect of governors; a religious puissant Prince, a most learned & literate Clergy, most reverend Bishops, most painful Pastors, most careful Magistrates, in respect of the Gospel, a land indeed of rivers, not of drops of spiritual waters of life: a land wherein we eat the bread of life without scarcity, neither do we lack any thing herein. In respect of temporal blessings, a land of wheat and barley, etc. To be short a land without parallel, a land wherein nothing is wanting, but an obedient thankful people unto God for this land. And with these blessings doth God in courage us, and by these doth he teach us, to walk in his paths, and commandments. 3 Thirdly God teacheth us, afflictionibus by punishments and afflictions, that we may walk in his paths, & keep his statutes. For when his world and blessings will not serve to instruct us, and teach us, he will teach us by punishments & by judgements. So Psa. Before I was troubled I went wrong, but now have I kept thy statutes. And these are requisite to reduce us out of the ways of ignorance and blindness wherein we walk. Hath not God taught us of late by afflictions, Appli. and yet we will not learn? hath he not taught us by noisome sicknesses, by divers diseases, and sundry kinds of death? hath he not taught us, and doth he not yet now teach us by the fearful sickness of plague and pestilence in this City? when we hear a lamentation and weeping consent of Children for their parents, Parents for their children: Husbands for their wives, wives for their husbands: Servants for their masters, masters for their servants. In our Rama, there is a voice heard of lamentation, weeping and mourning. Mourning for this great affliction of plague, but not mourning for our sins, which are the cause of these plagues. Will you therefore know the cause of these plagues, David telleth you. Foolish men are plagued for their sins, and because of their wickedness. here is the cause of our plagues which we consider not. It is our sins then that plague us, not God; It is our origniall sins, our actual sins, our heinous sins, our bloody sins, our cruel sins, our crying sins, that cry out to God, that in his justice and judgements he cannot but plague us. It is our pride and envy one against another: our gluttony and drunkenness, our whoredom and adultery, our covetousness and cruelty, our profanation of the Sabbath day, with other the like sins: these are the cause of our plagues. And so long as we continue in sin, God will continue his plagues, still to continue in these sins of pride, covetousness, whoredom and drunkenness. These are peccata clamantia and vastantia conscientiam. These are crying sins, heinous sins, and a man knoweth not where to appear before him, when God shall summon him by death to appear before him, so that to sin is of weakness, but to continue and persever in sin, this is not only a sinful life, but a life of sin itself. If therefore we will not learn by his word, nor by his blessings, he will teach us by his afflictions and plagues. He will cause his Angel to strike, yet more than seventy thousand of the plague and pestilence, as he hath done already in this City. Nay, he will stretch over jerusalem, 4. King. 21. 13. the line of Samaria, & the plummet of the house of Ahab, he will wipe jerusalem as a man wipeth a dish, and turneth it upside down, he will forsake the remnant of his inheritance, because we have done evil in his sight, and provoked him to anger, because we have forsaken the Lord our God, that hath so lovingly taught us by his word and blessing, and yet we will receive no instruction, Esay. 1. but still continue a sinful people, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of the wicked, corrupt children which have forsaken the Lord, and provoked the holy one of Israel to anger, these are the means whereby God teacheth us. Neither hath he taught us only by this late sickness of plague and mortality, He teacheth us by this immoderate rain. for this is the easiest punishment. And David chose this, to fall in the hand of God, but also by these late inundations of rain & water, whereby he seemeth so angry with the world, that were it not for his promise, he would utterly drown it again, such is the wickedness of men, and the thoughts of their hearts inclining to evil, that it even repenteth God that he made man. Gen. 6. And though he hath made him, yet he will destroy him again with waters. Neither doth he send this plague of rain and waters at such time of the year when it should refresh and comfort the dry earth, and do good unto men, but even in the time of Harvest, when we should reap and receive the fruits of the earth. Whereby as we have made frustrate his expectation of receiving fruits at our hands of his word: so hath he made frustrate our expectation of receiving the fruits of the earth, whereby I say, he seemeth so, more than much moved with our sins, that he threateneth by these rains and waters, that which is far worse than a plague, even a famine, the most grievous punishment of all punishments. When as ten acars of vines shall give but a quart, and thirty bushels of seed shall give but an Epha, that he should break the staff of bread in jerusalem, and that we should eat bread by weight, and drink water with astonishment. Esay. 5. That we should have cleanness of teeth in all our Cities, Amos. 4. and scarceness of bread in all our Coasts. For so did the Lord when he would destroy jerusalem, Ezech. 4. stretch out his own hand against it, by a famine to overthrow it, when the father did catch meat from the Son, the son from the Father: the mother from her child, the child from the mother: the husband from the wife, the wife from the husband: and their Children died, holding bread between their teeth. Our sins I say, have deserved these plagues, this horrible intolerable plague of famine. The sickness of plague and pestilence is a great and grievous punishment, when we are suddenly strucken, that our friends forsake us, and are oftentimes suddenly called away before repentance. The sword of our enemies is a greater punishment, when we should fly before our enemies, they pursuing us with swords in their hands to sacrifice us, when in vain we should cry out to our merciless murderers to save our lives, the lives of our wives and children, when there is no jot of mercy, or compassion in them, but draw out their swords and sheathe them in our bodies, the bodies of our Sons and of our Daughters, but the rod of famine doth far exceed all these, and passeth the degree of admiration. Letus therefore by our timely repentance prevent these plagues, and leave when God teacheth us by these plagues and punishments to walk in his ways. And thus we have heard by what means God teacheth us, by his word, by his blessings, and by his afflictions, and also who is our teacher, even the Lord God himself, God the Father, God the son, and God the holy Ghost, which spoke by the mouth of all his prophets, since the world began. Teach me O Lord. I have told you of some teachers, & yet I have not showed you all, I have showed you David's teacher, who it is, the Lord God is the elects teacher. This is the best teacher, and it shall be very necessary for us to know the worst teacher also, that we may avoid his school, and take heed of his Doctrine. As therefore God teacheth the Elect his scholars, so the devil that old serpent, and sathan teacheth the wicked his scholars most subtly and cunningly to beguile and deceive them. And his teaching he did begin betimes, even with our parents in Paradise in the beginning, anon after God had begun to teach our parents the law, the devil he snatched away that doctrine out of their hearts and instead thereof taught them another pernicious lesson and doctrine, to their own woe and misery, and ruin of themselves and their whole issue. And like a most cunning teacher, that he might understand the mind and disposition of his scholar, how she stood affected to apprehend his Doctrine, he subtly moved a question, yea, hath God said, ye shall not eat of every tree in the Garden, by moving of which question he had a wonderful advantage, and had laid a snare to entrap her howsoever: for if he found her affection but lame and halting in the Commandment of God, not absolutely and resolutely affected thereunto, than he was ready by his suggestion and instinct, to make her give as much credit to a countercommand, Ye shall not die at all, and thereunto added pleasing objects, the beauty of the Apple, and that they should be Gods, and know good and evil. Thus the Devil teacheth cunningly, subtly, and powerfully: he is an ancient teacher of long standing therefore he teacheth cunningly. He is a Serpent: there's his subtlety: he is a Dragon: there's his cruelty. He is a Lion: there's his power: he is a Prince. Ephes. 2. There's his potency. 1. Pet. 3. The Prince that ruleth in the Air, and that worketh in the Children of disobedience. He is a cunning Rhetorician, he hath artemad unguem, oratory at his finger's end to persuade. He is a cunning Arithmetician, he can number our virtues thirteen for twelve, and thereby puff us up in pride and ambition. So he did the Pharisie, I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, or as this Publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithe of all that I possess. Nay, he can number our sins also, & set them down all for ciphers, he will tell the covetousness, whoredom, pride, envy, they are set down all for ciphers, tush, they are nothing. And when our sins are increased, that they oppress our conscience, than he will add one figure unto those ciphers, and then the sins are on the other side innumerable, intolerable, impardonable. So he dealt with Cain, Gen. 4. My sins are more than can be forgiven, and thereby drive us to desperation. But since his cunning and subtlety is apparent, I stand not upon this, my purpose is to show you his Disciples who they are, and they are many, four hundred false Prophets for one true Michea. 3. King 22. Now therefore the Lord hath put a lying spirit in the mouth of all these prophets. And among all the devils Disciples, The Atheist. the Atheist is ranked in the first place. Psa. 14. The fool hath said in his heart there is no God. He is ashamed to say so with his lips, for then the Birds of the Air, and the least creature in heaven or earth would condemn him for a fool. Secondly, the fool hath said in his heart, for he that confesseth him in tongue, and denieth him in heart & mind is a foolish Atheist. Thirdly, the fool hath said in his heart there is no God, for when there is no sense and feeling in his heart and conscience of sin, which cometh by the transgression of the Law, he denieth the law of God, he that denieth the law of God, denieth also the Lawgiver God himself. And so the fool hath said in his heart there is no God. we must not therefore learn of these teachers. Ex quibus Doctoribus? of what teachers shall we learn then? shall we learn of the Hypocrite? no, for he is the devils disciple, and will cry Lord, Lord, with his lips only, and deny him in his heart. Pastilloes Rufillus olet. The Devil and these smell alike, they symbolize very nearly in quality and condition, they never part here on earth, and it is a chance if they part in hell, give him his portion with Hypocrites. Math. 24. We must not learn of these teachers. Teach me O Lord. Ex quibus Doctoribus, of what teachers shall we then learn? shall we learn of heretics, they are the devils disciples also, and teach the doctrines of devils. In the first epistle of S. Paul to Timothy the fourth chapter and first verse, the holy Ghost discovereth these. Now the spirit speaketh evidently, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, and shall give heed unto spirits of error, & doctrines of devils, which speak lies through hypocrisy, and have their consciences burned with an hot iron, we must not learn of these, Teach me O Lord, Ex quibus? of whom then shall we learn? shall we learn of the pharisees? pharisees. they prefer their own righteousness before the righteousness of God in jesus Christ? Saducees. shall we learn of the Saducees? they deny the resurrection, and affirm that there is neither spirit nor Angel? Turk. shall we learn of the great Turk? nay, his skill is to high for a Teacher, God of heaven and Baron of Turkey, and yet there is sound difference between these two titles. Ex quibus? of whom then shall we learn? shall we learn of the Heretics since Christ? Shall we learn of the Manaches, Maneches. that put two-beginnings, one of good, another of evil? or shall we learn of the Menandrians that affirm the world was made by Angels. Menandrians. They teach not right, for in the beginning God made heaven and earth. Gen. 1. 1. Or shall we learn of the Arians? Arians. which deny the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Christ, that he was not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 eiusdem essentiae cum patre, Ga● 1. God equal with the Father, Valentine's. and of one and the same essence with the Father, or of the Valentines which affirm Christ took not flesh of the Virgin Mary, Gen. 3. They teach false, for the seed of the woman shall break the Serpent's head, Pelagians. or of the Pelagians, which say there is no original sin, they teach falsely, for behold, I was conceived in sin, and borne in wickedness. Of the Apolinarists, Apolinarists. which affirm Christ had a body without a soul, and that the Godhead did supply the stead and room of the soul? they teach falsely: for then Christ was not perfect man of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting. Or of the Donatists? that put an imparity in the three persons of the Trinity, Donatists. one to be greater and less than another. They teach falsely, for in Trinity none is afore or after another, but the three persons are eternal, and coequal. We must not therefore learn of any of these, for God never taught these Heresies which are the Doctrines of Devils. Teach me O Lord, Text. Ex quibus? of whom then shall we learn? of that adulterate Church, that Hydra of Rome, with many heads, and so many Heresies, as they pernitiouslie teach and maintain. 1 That the Church cannot err: For let God be true and every man a liar, God did not teach them this. 2 That the Church of Rome is the only true Apostolic Church: for then there were no other true Church. 3 That the authority of the Church is above the authority of the Scripture: for then the authority of the Church were above the authority of the holy ghost, by whom the holy Scriptures were written. 4 That they have immediate power to forgive sins; for immediately none can forgive sins, but God only. 5 That there are seven Sacraments; for Christ never instituted but two only. 6 That there is Purgatory; for then there is a third place. 7 That works do justify unto salvation; for this is, to join our works and merits with Christ. We must not learn of them these heresies: God did never teach them. Neither did he teach, 8 That Ministers should not marry; Heb. 13. for then marriage is not honourable among all men. 9 That prayers and invocations of Saints is lawful: for this is to rob God of his honour: God did never teach these, neither must we learn them of any teachers. Ex quibus? of whom then shall we learn? shall we learn of their Monks, their Monks of the Olivet, their charter-house monks? or ex quibus ordinibus? of what orders shall we be of? shall we 1 Of the order of the Gilberines. 2 Of the order of the Humiliates. 3 Of the order of the justinian's. 4 Of the order of the jerominians. 5 Of the order of the Canons regular. 6 Of the order of the Frisonaries. 7 Of the order of the Cruch-Friers. 8 Of the order of the Greyfriars. 9 Of the order of the Blackfriars. 10 Of the order of the White-friar's. 11 Of the order of the Dominicke-Friers. 12 Of the order of the Franciscan-Friers. 13 Of the order of the Capuchian Friars. 14 Of the order of the new hermits. Let us hear no more for shame: for God did never teach any of these orders, neither is their warrant in the Scriptures, for the name of any such order. Teach me O Lord. Ex quibus Doctoribus? of what teachers then shall we learn? God did never teach them any of these heresies, or orders, which in silence I might have passed over, but hoc unum, this one thing I may not, I cannot, which both commandment, duty and conscience bindeth me to publish. For I am sure God did never teach them those late published, railing, slanderous pasquils, blasphemous apologies, pernicious aphorisms, foolish assertions, of the late Paper-treason (as I may so call it) which of late was contexed against God's truth and his ordinance. Plut. in vita. Alexa. We read that Alexander was angry with Aristotle, for publishing books of acroamatical sciences, which he secretly had read to Alexander; and so by publishing of them, would make these arts common. I do not think, but that Antichristian Alexander of Rome, is now as angry with those his Disciples, for publishing these books, which here in this place were of late fired, and burned before your eyes, (as was very fit, that such light stuff, lighter than chaff itself, should be burned) books I say containing acroamatical, enigmatical, diabolical, super-diabolical positions. For, what do you think of them? do you think them to be written only as an answer to the book of our learned, and truly religious Sovereign, which by him of late was published, entitled, An Apology for the defence of the Oath of Allegiance? no: For therein his Majesty may yet truly say as Cesar said of Pompey: Plut. in vita Caesar. The victory had been our enemies, if they had had a Captain that could have told how to overcome. Or what do ye think of these books? do you think them to be written only, to deprave the state of our Church, to disquiet the peace of our Zion, to traduce & slander her Ministers, to seduce her people? this were hard dealing enough, or do you think them to be written, only as a quib to our Gentlemen, a scoff to our Nobles and worthies of Israel, and that which is most of all in derision of Caesar's own self, his second self, his whole race royal? not only so, for these devilish positions, and blasphemous Querries as they term them, were flat blasphemy against the holy spirit of God. He that offendeth the king, may sometimes be pardoned, nay he that sinneth against the Father and the Son may be forgiven, but he that sinneth against the holy Ghost, shall not be forgiven. And what now can be thought of these base pasquils, and most idle assertions contrived without wit, without art, without discretion, without judgement, without the fear of God, without respect to his ordinance, without head, without tail? It is much like the Embassage, which the Romans sent to Bythinia, Marc. Cato. who having chosen three Ambassadors, the one of them having the gout in his feet, the other his head full of great cuts & gasps, the third being but a fool, Cato laughing said, That the Romans had sent an Embassage, that had neither feet, head, nor heart. And their Embassage by their books is much like unto that without feet, it standeth not by reason without head, it wanteth judgement, without heart it wanteth understanding. And to help to grace this their Embassage, they sent this shallow weak stuff in as weak a vessel, by a woman forsooth, she must have the portage of these books. It is reported by Plutarch, Plut, in vita Tur. Camil. that there were certain holy Geese, that were kept in the Capitol at Rome, which with their noise did discover the practice of the Gauls, that were scaling the Capitol. It seemeth there was one of these holy Geese kept unto this time in their capitol of Rome, which being sent hither hath discovered the practice of these pernicious Gauls, that of long time have laid siege to scale our Capitol, overthrow our peace, overturn our government, extinguish the light of the Gospel, extirpate our Christian profession, eradicate our christian religian, and have laboured to overturn and cast down all the foundations and pillars thereof. For what is this else but with Rabsakeh to say, 4. King. 18. 29. Let not Hesekiah▪ deceive you, nor make you to trust in the Lord, saying the Lord will surely deliver us: hearken not unto Hesekiah, for thus saith the king of Ashur, make appointment and conditions of peace with me, and come out unto me, and let every man eat of his own vine, and of his own Figtree. So say these Idolatrous Rabsakehs', Let not your Hesekiah deceive you, nor make you to trust in the Lord, saying, the Lord will surely deliver us, hearken not unto your Hesekiah for thus saith the great Ashur of Rome: Make appointment and conditions of peace with me, and come out unto me, and then let every man eat of his own vine, and of his own Figtree. But if these be their conditions of peace, to set heaven and earth together by powder and paper: let us not hearken unto them. Teach me O Lord. Neither may this ink and paper treason, so stop the powder treason, that it shall yet be forgotten, for God did never teach them, that unheard of impiety, that matchless cruelty, that infand villainy of the powder treason in the Parliament; whereby they would have brought upon us a diabolical doomsday unawares and unprepared without the commission of God upon us all, upon Cedar and shrub, king and subject, priest and people: upon all the worthies of Israel, upon all the grave Senators and counsellors: upon all the priests of the Lord: upon all the Prophets of juda: upon all the people of Israel. Fight neither against great nor small, 3. King. 22. 31 save only against the king of Israel, was Arams' charge. But h●ere, fight not only against the king of Israel, but also against the whole race royal of the king of Israel. Let not the root escape, nor the branch go scot free, but let all feel that fatal blow, that cruel blow, that merciless blow of these infernal Gunners. Neither did this cruel feritie extend itself against the living only, but against the dead also. That they which are asleep in the Lord, and are at rest from their labours, should not rest from their labours. God did never teach this. Teach me O Lord. Thus we see all other teachers have their defects, but David's teacher hath none: he is perfect, as his way is perfect, and therefore as we have learned the Teacher who it is, so let us learn his way. Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes. Text. 4. Circ. This is the sum or total in his request: this is the way that we must walk in, and he that is the way, teacheth us this way: he that is the truth, teacheth us this truth: he that is the life, bringeth us unto this life. This is the elects way, this way leadeth to all happiness. Hac itur ad superos, this is the way to heaven, and herein observe the narrowness of the way. Narrow is the way that leadeth to life, Doctr. Mat 7. and therefore in the 35. verse of this Psalm, it is called Semita, a path. Direct me in the path of thy commandments, there's the narrowness of this way. If the way then to heaven be narrow, Instruction. and the gate strait, I wonder how many of the Daughters of Zion will do to go that narrow way, and get in at that narrow gate, since their apparel they wear hath so much compass about it. Those Daughters have the seven properties of Materia prima, that is, appetens cuiuslibet formoe, to be of every form and fashion, until they be of the fourth property of that Materia informis, deformed without shape, without decency, without modesty. I can be silent to speak of these shapes and new fashions in apparel every day, for the maintenance whereof, they rack their rents, grind the faces of the poor, turn hospitality out of doors, and out of commonweal. But this one thing of their filthy painting their faces, like dead pictures, David's teacher never taught them: he cannot abide it, and I cannot tell whether I were best dispraise it, or wonder at it in silence. Saint Cyprian, Deum ipsum inducit loquentem, bringeth in God himself speaking against them, Non metuis oro quae talis es? Dost thou not fear that art such a one so disguised. When the resurrection shall come, thy maker will not know thee, he will say, opus hoc meum non est, nec haec imago nostra est. This is none of my work: this is not after our Image and likeness: you are a great deal better complexioned than I made you. If they did but consider this, or that which Esay hath, Esay. 40. That all flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field; it would somewhat surely daunt their painted bravery and pride: or if they did with David here consider the narrowness of the way, they would be more respective with him to learn the ways of the lord Teach me O Lord. Secondly, if the way to heaven be narrow, I wonder how the drunkard will go that way, 2. Instruction. when he cannot stand upright in the way, and how he will travel this narrow way, since he reeleth too and fro and standeth as David describes him. Drunkenness is, qualitas patibilis, he cannot dissemble it if he would, the fool knoweth he is drunk because his speech bewrayeth him, and as the maid said to Peter, Thou art of Galilee, for they speech bewrayeth thee, so it may be said to the Drunkard, Thou art drunk, for thy speech bewrayeth thee. Drunkenness is his verb imparsonall, and he declineth it roundly, Delectat, delectabat, delectavit. etc. this is his summum bonum, his felicity and chief delight, hac non itur, this is not the way, but David's teacher showeth us still the same, Teach me the way, wherein secondly note, The difficulty of the way to heaven. Doct. Heaven is called olympus, a hill: it is hard to travel up thither: we must take pains with jonathan and his armorbearer, to scrabble up thither upon our hands and our feet, between, the rocks of this world; else we shall not come there. And this briefly is David's way. Text. Teach me O Lord the way of thy Statutes. Doce me Domine. Teach me O Lord. This word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Doce●, serves lastly to correct all unbridled masterless Schismatics, such as run upon their own heads, and think themselves better learned than their teachers, I mean disorderly Brownists, masterless Schismatics lawless Sectuaries, that impugn orders and constitutions established by authority, by the ordinance of God, and agreeable to his word. Let them learn here of David, Doce me domine, David is in the accusative case, and followeth the verb, so will not these parisyllabical sectuaries, that would bring a parity into our church the mother of confusion: they will be in the nominative case, and go before the verb, before their teachers, before their Pastors, before the ordinance of God. And the true badge, congniscence or marks, whereby ye shall know these pernicious and seditious sectuaries, and distinguish them from the true children of God, are these which follow. And as Christ said of false Prophets, Mat. 7. 16. 20. by their fruits ye shall know them: so I say of these sectuaries, by their fruits ye shall know them, by these notes and marks ensuing, ye shall know them. And first by their Discipline ye shall know them. 1 An unchristian Discipline, not yet christened: it wanteth a certain name: so that if a man should catechize these men, and ask them, what is the name of your Discipline, they could not answer you. 2 A Discipline that banisheth such Bishops, as Christ and his Apostles appointed, allowed, and approved. 3 A discipline that knoweth not whether her Officers should be ecclesiastical or lay men. 4 A discipline that disdaineth the ancient fathers and general Counsels. 5 A discipline that to serve her own turn, will wrest and wring the Scriptures as a nose of wax. 6 A discipline that would be very chargeable, by reason of her train, that must be all maintained by a common purse. 7 A discipline that giveth her Children very strange names in Baptism, instead of Robert, Thomas and john, The Lord is near: More trial, Reformation, Discipline, joy again, Sufficient, From above, Free-gift, More fruit, Dust, etc. Names in our English phrase not very usual. 8 A discipline that oppugneth the authority of Princes in causes Ecclesiastical, and herein they join with the Papists. 9 A discipline that turneth all things upside down, Churches into chambers: Bishops into Snidicks, and superintendents: Ministers into Senators, and bench Presbyterians, and that if they might be suffered with their discipline, would make a new metamorphosis of the world, and would with Phaeton, Son to Phoebus, if they might have the guiding of the chariot of the Sun overthrow the same, and burn the whole world, and set all on fire with their Discipline. Therefore by their discipline ye shall know them. 2 Secondly, by this badge or mark ye shall know them: they are always in the optative mood, and are known by the sign utinam, I would to God things were otherwise: I would to God the church were reform, her orders and constitutions altered: but it were great pity they should be in the potential mood, and have power to do it. 3 Thirdly, they have inward marks, whereby ye shall know them. 1 They are not a little malicious: they lighten and thunder malice against all that will not be of their rank and discipline, and with the Basaliske would kill them with their looks if they could, therefore by their malice and envy ye shall know them. 2 Secondly, ye shall know them by this mark, that they are not a little mouthie and clamorous to traduce & slander other men. They are set on fire, their teeth are Spears and Arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. 3 Thirdly, ye shall know them by this mark, that they are very busy-bodies in such matters as do not sometimes appertain unto them. They will with the pharisees find fault with the disciples of Christ, if it be but for the rubbing of the ears of Corn, or for not washing their hands, this cacoethes or evil custom is most apparent in them. 4 Fourthly, by this mark ye shall know them: they will speak evil of their Pastors and teachers that are regular, and are not of their stamp. Nay, they will conspire against them, and this the author hereof may say, as David did, Save me O Lord, from the conspiracy of the wicked, and save me from the insurrection of the wicked doers, which have whet their tongue like a sword, and shoot out their Arrows even bitter words. By their slanders and conspiracies, and combinations ye shall know them. 5 Fiftly, ye shall know them by this mark: they smell of Hypocrisy, and herein they sympatnize and symbolise with the devil himself. Apud Indos aes adeo lucidum, etc. Amongst the Indians there is a kind of brass of that clarity and perfect golden colour, that it can by no means be discerned from gold, but by the smell thereof only. These seditious sectuaries much resemble that brass, for they set such a golden colour upon themselves of singularity and pureness, that by no other means they can be discerned from the true children of GOD, but by the smell only of these aforenamed defects of malice, slander, conspiracy and hypocrisy, therefore by their smell ye shall know them. Therefore I would not have you mistake me here, that I do here condemn the godly zealous man, which tenderly loveth God's word, and walketh uprightly in his ways with David, for by these aforesaid marks ye shall know them, and by these marks ye may easily distinguish and put difference between the upright, religious, and zealous man, and the masterless, seditious, and pernicious sectuarie: These marks & characters are stamped upon them, and make them demonstrable to the world: these are principles and first heads of disorder, and break the parke-pale of the government of our church: neither do I hereby dissuade any from hearing any man's Sermons whom they affect, for hear all men that preach the Gospel as much as thou mayest: He that refuseth to hear his prayer shall be abominable, but to this end, partly because a number of the laity, the roes and hinds of the field, which will start aside at the cracking of a stick, will refuse their own parish Churches, and to hear their own Pastors preach, be they never so learned or well habited in speech, because they wear a Surplice, and make a cross upon a child, and will run after and get them a heap of teachers that speak evil of them that are in authority: these are truce-breakers, false accusers, & intemperate fierce despisers of them that are good: that will rail against Bishops, and curtail the title of kings, as in their prayers oftentimes, as is most manifest. And partly because many of my brethren of the ministery, that have excellent parts, and gifts, and are called into the Lord's harvest, to labour in the Vineyard in their callings, will notwithstanding, rather than they will wear a Surplice, or submit themselves to authority commanded by God's ordinance, leave that magnum opus, that great work of preaching the Gospel undone, yea, utterly disclaim and renounce their callings, to the hindrance of the Gospel; and undoing of themselves, and their families. Alas, Mat, 27. Christ which preached here on earth, rather than he would disclaim his calling, of preaching the Gospel, would notwithstanding his purple rob, his Crown of Thorns, his Sceptre of reed, that was imposed upon him in derision, preach the Gospel still. That same triple exaggeration of Christ unto Peter, should be me thinks a great motive unto all us of the Clergy, not to renounce this work for any respect. Peter lovest thou me? Peter lovest thou me? etc. and it is well noted by one, that Peter was sorry that Christ should ask him the third time, Peter lovest thou me: john 21, 17. Simon Peter answered, Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love thee. And shall not we be as sorry that Christ shall so often tax us by his love, and thereby enjoin us unto the exigence of this duty, that we have notwithstanding left it undone? Let us not therefore, my brethren, I beseech you in the fear of God, be so perverse unto god & his ordinance, but let us with David learn to be in the accusative case, and to come after the verb, as he did when he said, Teach me O Lord. And let us not leave this work of preaching the Gospel for any respect, and renounce our callings, & offend our good God, and cause an amazedness in the Roes and Hinds of the field, an apostasy and relapse in the ignorant & simple, and hereby let them stand stock-stil in piety, virtue and godliness, but be rather all of one mind, and love as brethren, and submit themselves unto the ordinance of God, as David did, Teach me o Lord, follow the verb, and be subject to authority. And so let us come to the second part which is the promise I will keep it with my whole heart. Doctr. Promises are made either absolutè or respectinè: as we distinguish▪ either absolutely or conditionally, David doth not make his promise absolutely but conditionally: he saith not I will learn and keep thy law without teaching, Text. but first teach me, and then I will learn & keep it, wherein out of this copulative &, and, Doct. we may observe, Grace always hath the precedency, and goeth before good works and righteousness. We cannot walk in the laws of God before we be enabled by grace. David could not so much as make a promise of keeping the Law of God before the Lord had taught him. Paul could not preach before he was called by grace, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore knowing the necessity and utility hereof in all his Epistles, Peter Martyr. first wisheth them grace, Grace be with you and peace, etc. 1 For there is gratia praecedens, or operans, a grace going before, that worketh in us, and bringeth us from that blindness and ignorance, that is in us by our original corruption, to the school of regeneration, & true knowledge of Christ. And of this grace Paul saith, Not I, but grace that was in me. 2 Then there is gratia cooperans, a grace working together with our wills, and our wills working together with grace. And this is that which Paul speaketh of, And his grace which was in me, was not in vain; not in vain, as it was given, not in vain, as it was received; for even as the rain falling on the earth mollifieth the same, and both work to bring forth fruits, so the grace of God being distilled into the will and mind of man, work both together to the bringing forth of the fruits of righteousness. So David here, Teach me O Lord, instill this grace into my heart, and I will keep thy laws, yea with my whole heart. Nay, God goeth a step further with his Children by grace: for there is 3 Gratia preveniens, a preventing grace. Psalm. 82. His grace shall prevent me. So in Gen. 20. 6. I kept thee from doing this thing: & that thou shouldest not sin against me, therefore suffered I thee not to touch her. God doth prevent his children from sin: nay, there is more, 4 Gratia subsequens, a subsequenting grace Ps. 49 Gratia eius subsequ●tur me, his grace shall follow me, he shall set a crown of pure gold upon my head. And thus much out of the copulative, And, which showeth, grace goeth before righteousness. I will. Tex. Wherein for brevities sake observe: There is in the regenerate free-will to will good, Doct. or righteousness, but not to perform but by grace, velle mihi adiacet, perficere autem non invenio. To will is present with me, but I find not how to perform the same. I see a law in my members, rebelling against the law of my mind. But David saith here, I will keep it. Text. Wherein observe, Secondly, There is in the regenerate conditionally by grace free-will in righteousness, 2 Doct. to keep the Law of God. I will keep it with my whole heart, I will offer thee free-will-sacrifice, I will praise thy name. For if there were no free-will at all in the elect, to perform righteousness by grace, than were grace given in vain, and received in vain, and of necessity it must be granted, that men should stand still in the ways of God, without any will or endeavour of action at all: and let grace work in vain, as on senseless stocks and stones. Nay rather grace being given us, we must bend our affections and actions to walk in the law of God, & to keep it with our whole heart. And yet when ye have done all this, free-will unto righteousness, even in the elect, est manca, maimed and weak. Caro habet suam voluntatem etiam in pijs, as Cyprian saith, the flesh still rebelleth against the spirit, so long as this union standeth, and until it be separated by death. So we come unto the third place, Text. wherein we observe the thing promised. I will keep it. And here may a question be demanded, Quest. whether the regenerate (for of them we speak in this place) may keep the law of God or not. The answer must be with this distinction. 1 It is one thing to keep the law of God, perfectè absolutely, perfectly, as the law requireth. 2 And it is another thing to keep the law of God respectiuè, respectively, to the uttermost of a man's power, and with all his endeavour, to have respect unto the law of God, to keep it so near as he can. The first way none can keep it, no man hath kept it, but only unus Christus, God and man, none but Christ can keep the law perfectly, as the law requireth perfect obedience unto justification, but only Christ, he hath fulfilled it. In the beginning of the book it is written of me, that I should fulfil thy will O God, I am content to do it, yea, thy law is within my breast. And in Christ is God well pleased. Matt. 3. which he would not have been, if he had not kept his law perfectly. The second way, we may keep the law of God, that is, have respect unto the law of God, unto the uttermost of our power, and with all our endeavour to keep the same. David saith, Psal. 119. 33. Luke. 1. I will keep it unto the end. Zacharie and Elizabeth were both just before God and walked in his ordinance and commandments for to do them. Paul saith, I have fought the good fight; I have kept the faith; I have fulfilled my course, from henceforth there is a crown of glory laid up for me: yet none of all these did keep the law so perfectly as the law required, to justify themselves by the law. But they kept the law of God, with that respect as David had unto the law of God. Psal. 119. I will have a respect unto all thy commandments. Solutio. And so we are said to keep the law of God. If a master set his Scholar a copy excellently written, and bid his scholar do as he hath done, if the same scholar hath respect unto his master's copy, and frame the proportion of his letters so near as he can to his master's copy, the same scholar doth as his Master bid him, and as well as he can, and so is said to keep his Master's commandment. Even so we beloved, God hath set us a law to keep, and biddeth us keep it. Deut. 1. 6. If we do keep it as well as we can with all our endeavours, and have respect unto it, we are said to keep his commandments, though we cannot keep them in such perfection, as our Master Christ hath done: he is so excellent, so perfect, that we must still learn of him, & yet come short of him. So then because we cannot keep the law of God so perfectly as the law requireth, Conclusio. Argumenti shall we not keep it at all? absit, God forbid. If our earthly parents command us to travel up an exceeding high mountain, Sl. whose top we cannot attain unto shall we not therefore indenour to climb up at all? shall we not go up as far as we can? God forbid. Because in Isaac shall thy seed be blessed, Sl. which cannot be if Isaac be slain, shall not Abraham therefore keep the commandment of God, and do his endeavour to perform the commandment by offering up his son Isaac? God forbid: Look thou to the commandment of God above all respects, and do thy endeavour to keep his law, and have a respect to keep it, and this is that which God requireth at thy hands. August. Si quod possimus agamus, caetera peragat Christus. If we endeavour and do what we can to keep the law of God, what shall be defective in us, Christ will supply by his perfectness and righteousness. And this is David's meaning, when he saith, I will keep thy law, nay, he must also persever in this, and therefore he saith, I will keep it unto the end. Text. here is the continuance and time limited of David's promise in keeping the law of God: first he will keep it, then unto the end, Not for an hour, or a day, or a year, but ad finem usque, there's the time limited, so long as our time is limited. Wherein observe. We must go on still, Doct. proceed still, continne, persist, and persever in the ways of God, and a sanctified life, ad finem usque, unto the end, David saith, I will keep it unto the end. And Paul, But continue thou unto the end, 2 Tim 3. 14. was his charge unto Timothy. john. 8. 37. And our saviour Christ saith, If ye continue in my word, ye are my Disciples. What shall it profit a Merchant to travel a long voyage, and to make shipwreck in the Haven? Even so, what shall it profit a man to live a virtuous life a while, Simil. and when he should enter into the haven of rest, make shipwreck of faith and a good conscience? Hence are all Apostates to be reproved that decay in grace, Instruction and through the pleasures and treasures of the world, fall to relapse from a Christian life, that Christ and his Gospel hath no power or place in them at all. I do not speak of the jewish Apostasy, which is absolutely to deny Christ the Son of God, and Saviour of the world, but of an Apostasy of Christians, that in the beginning put on Christ in baptism, and utterly disclaim and renounce a Christian life afterwards, or while they confess Christ in word and profession, deny him in their actions. This is not to continue unto the end: This is an Apostasy when they have heard the word, presently to relapse and slide from the same, like the dog unto his vomit, or like the Sow that was newly washed, to wallow in the mire, but we must keep it, and that unto the end, there's our continuance. To conclude therefore with the time, we have heard of David's request, and of his promise. In the request, Teach, there's his ignorance. Secondly, Teach me: there's his progress in the way, and continuance in his journey. Thirdly, jehovah: O Lord: there's his teacher; for God is the elects Teacher. And we have heard by whom he teacheth, by himself immediately, by his word mediately, by himself in his Godhead, by his Son in his manhood, by his holy spirit, which spoke by the mouth of all his Prophets since the world began. We have heard also by what means he teacheth us: by his blessings, by his afflictions and judgements. So he hath taught us, and yet still doth teach us. God grant we may learn his will, lest in his wrath he sweep us away by plagues and pestilence, or by famine, which is his most grievous rod, to punish our inflexible stony hearts, that will not bend, that will not yet learn his ways. O Lord, we confess thou hast just cause rather to disclaim and renounce us, then to receive us again into thy favour. We have deserved, O Lord, the full viols of thy wrath and indignation to be powered down upon us. There is, o Lord, no tractableness at all in us unto by Laws, though thou by these thy favourable punishments dost still teach us. But (gracious God) still proceed to teach us, and be gracious unto thine inheritance. Gracious God, still proceed to teach us thy way, and direct us in the paths of thy Commandments. Still incline our hearts unto thy testimonies, and turn away our eyes, lest they behold vanity, and quicken us in the way. Still let thy Gospel be published: and be gracious unto Zion, and build thou the walls of jerusalem. Still send forth labourers into thy harvest, and faithful Pastors to feed their flocks. And remove, O Lord of hosts, all pernicious heretics and schismatics, that seduce thy people, and trouble thy flock. Still be a prop to thy Gospel, and government, here planted in this land, against the inundations and incursions of troublesome and perverse sectuaries, that too impudently and saucily disturb the peace of our Zion. Let not thy faithful Pastors be men-pleasers, and sow pillows to their elbows, to indulge them in their backwardness and perverseness: but let them truly preach thy Laws, and maintain thy Gospel, thy truth, and this thy government, according to thine ordinance and appointment. Let them remember what the Lord saith unto his Prophet: Ezek. 2. Thou son of man fear them not, nor be afraid of their looks, but tell the house of Israel of their sins, and juda his transgressions, wherewith they have provoked the Lord God unto anger. And give us all grace (O Lord) that we may keep thy laws, though not perfectly, yet carefully and respectively, to our best endeavours, and that we may walk therein, and continue and persevere unto the end, looking unto jesus Christ the author and finisher of our faith, which cometh quickly, and his reward is with him, to give to us a kingdom, not earthly, but heavenly; a crown of gladness, a crown of joy, a crown of all eternal happiness, in his eternal and everlasting kingdom. Unto which place he vouchsafe to bring us, for his dear son Christ jesus sake. To whom with the Father, etc. FINIS.