If the wicked man speak any thing that is good, he speaks by rote, but he which speaks not out of the abundance of his hart,1 is soon drawn dry. The preaching of the Word doth not become him: it is harsh and unkind in his mouth as though it came out of a wrong bow: or like unto a shuttle, which flittereth from the hand of a child, he is in the pulpit as the guest at the banquet,2 which wan ted his wedding garment, he speaks not like one which hath authority,3 but as one that hath no authority, and always his conscience sounds unto him,4 What hast thou to do to take my word in thy mouth, seeing thou hatest to be ⟨p. 518⟩reformed? Therefore be renewed, that ye may know what the will of GOD is: this is the Abce, and Primmer, and Grammar, the first lesson and last lesson of a Christian, to know the good and perfect and acceptable will of God, which must make us good and perfect, and acceptable our selves: the will of God is always good and acceptable, & perfect, howsoever it seem to us: though it condemn us of evil, yet it is good: though we see not how it is perfect, yet it is perfect: nay, it is so perfect, that we cannot see the perfection of it, as the Sun is so bright that we cannot behold the brightness of it: first it seems good unto a man before it be acceptable, when it is acceptable, then it seems perfect and as Gods will doth seem to us, so we do seem to him: if his will cannot seem good and acceptable, and perfect to us, much less may our will seem good, or acceptable, or perfect unto him, for this is our goodness, to acknowledge his goodness. If it be such a contentment, to know the will of GOD, what shall keep us from the knowledge of it, shall sin, which is the worst thing in the world? Because we will not renew our minds, therefore we are ignorant of so many things which we would know, and until we be willing to follow the word, we shall never throughly understand it, but buzz and grope at it like ⟨p. 519⟩Owls which pry at the sun out of a barn. Oh!5 what a benefit had Solomon lost, if he had lost his wisdom which God gave him:
If the wicked man speake any thing that is good, hee speakes by roate, but hee which speakes not out of the abundance of his hart,1 is soone drawne drie. The preaching of the Word doth not become him: it is harsh and vnkind in his mouth as though it came out of a wrong bowe: or like vnto a shittle, which flittereth from the hand of a child, he is in the pulpit as the guest at the banquet,2 which wā ted his wedding garment, he speakes not like one which hath authoritie,3 but as one that hath no authoritie, and alwaies his conscience sounds vnto him,4 What hast thou to do to take my word in thy mouth, seeing thou hatest to be ⟨p. 518⟩reformed? Therefore bee renued, that ye may knowe what the will of GOD is: this is the Abce, and Primmer, and Grammar, the first lesson and last lesson of a Christian, to knowe the good and perfect and acceptable will of God, which must make vs good and perfect, and acceptable our selues: the will of God is alwaies good and acceptable, & perfect, howsoeuer it seeme to vs: though it condemne vs of euill, yet it is good: though we see not how it is perfect, yet it is perfect: nay, it is so perfect, that we cannot see the perfection of it, as the Sunne is so bright that wee cannot behold the brightnes of it: first it seemes good vnto a man before it bee acceptable, when it is acceptable, then it seemes perfect and as Gods will doth seeme to vs, so we doe seeme to him: if his will cannot seeme good and acceptable, and perfect to vs, much lesse may our will seeme good, or acceptable, or perfect vnto him, for this is our goodnesse, to acknowledge his goodnesse. If it be such a contentment, to knowe the will of GOD, what shall keepe vs from the knowledge of it, shall sinne, which is the worst thing in the world? Because we will not renue our mindes, therefore we are ignorant of so many things which we would knowe, and vntill we be willing to followe the word, wee shall neuer throughly vnderstand it, but buzze and grope at it like ⟨p. 519⟩Owles which prie at the sunne out of a barne. Oh!5 what a benefite had Salomon lost, if he had lost his wisedome which God gaue him:
- 1Luk. 6. 45.
- 2Mat. 22. 11
- 3Mat. 7 29.
- 4Psal. 50. 16.
- 51. Kin. 3. 12
