A20529:61
Four godly and fruitful sermons two preached at Drayton in Oxford-shire, at a fast,…Foure godlie and fruitful sermons two preached at Draiton in Oxford-shire, at a fast,…
Four godly and fruitful sermons two preached at Drayton in Oxford-shire, at a fast, enjoined by authority, by occasion of the pestilence then dangerously dispersed. Likewise two other sermons on the twelfth Psalm. Whereunto is annexed a brief tract of zeal. / By I. Dod. R. Cleaver.Foure godlie and fruitful sermons two preached at Draiton in Oxford-shire, at a fast, enioyned by authoritie, by occasion of the pestilence then dangerously dispearsed. Likewise two other sermons on the twelfth Psalme. VVhereunto is annexed a briefe tract of zeale. / By I. Dod. R. Cleauer.
London: printed by T.C. for William Welbie, 1611
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
After that he had numbered the people.] Here is his special sin, that he numbered his subjects, which may seem to be no such great matter, for which God should so plague the land: and if there had been that measure of hypocrisy in David, as there is in many of us, he would have pleaded thus for himself: What need I to be so troubled for this? and what reason is there why God should proceed so severely against me for the same? did not Moses and Joshua, holy men of God, number the people in their days, and that warrantably? and why then may not I do the like, having more absolute authority over them then they had? but his heart stayed him from all such reasoning of the matter; and told him, that though he did the same action which they did, yet the manner of doing thereof was divers; he performed it not in obedience to God (as they did) but in pride and haughtiness of mind, in regard of the multitude and strength of his subjects: before he esteemed Gods name a strong tower for his defence, but now what need he run crying unto God? he had so many soldiers and valiant warriors in his dominion, that he could make his part good against any foreign power whatsoever. Thus was his heart lifted up ⟨p. 319⟩unto vanity, when it should have been lifted up to God in thankfulness: and therefore was he so humbled, because he had an ill affection,1 and a wrong end in a good action. Whence ariseth this doctrine, That it is not enough for to forbear things that are evil, and to make conscience of gross sins, but men must do lawful things lawfully, and perform good works in a good manner: otherwise the Lord may and will punish them for doing lawful things, aswell as for unlawful things. This may be seen in that great indictment which Christ brings against the old world:2 They did eat, and drink, marry, and give in marriage. A natural man would have thought there could be no hurt in these: if they had been charged with whoredom, murder, blasphemy, or the like, they had been matters of some moment: but for those before named, what fault can be found with them? Indeed the things in themselves are very warrantable, but the manner of performing them, doth either make or mar them:3