Deuill is more forward to do hurt then any Witch can be Oh then let vs labour to become so spiritually wise that wee may discouer the policy of the Deuill herein and to helpe vs herein let vs assure our selues that All power is of God Mat. 28. that neyther the Deuill nor the Witch can kill man or beast at their pleasure till they haue authority first from God for it is the Lord alone by whose wise prouidence purpose all things both in heauen and earth come to passe onely our sinnes prouoke him to chastise and afflict vs God giueth the Deuill leaue as an executioner of his vengeance to correct and scourge vs for our sinnes and when he hath obtayned leaue of God he seeketh to doe it at his best aduantage as may further his owne kingdome and delude the simple For he hath spoyled vs hee hath wounded vs. We haue heard before how that they do acknowledge Doct. 4 all those iudgements that lighted vpon them to haue come from God God doth chastice his own children when they sinne against him and that most iustly for their sinnes especially for their sinne of Idolatry Before we leaue the words of this their first reason wee are to obserue one thing more from the persons afflicted He hath spoyled vs c. Euen they that were the Church and people of God whom God had honoured aboue all other nations and people vnder heauen yet when they fell away from God by Idolatry God did not spare to bring euen vpon them many and grieuous iudgements and afflictions Hence we obserue this point of Doctrine that God will not spare to chastise his owne children if they sinne against him although he take not his louing kindnes from them nor suffer his truth to fayle Numb 11.33 Yet hee will visite their transgressions with the rodde and their sinnes with scourges The history of the Israelites in their iourneying towards Canaan their manifold murmurings and rebellions is a plentifull witnesse of this truth when they lusted for flesh and loathed Manna How did God smite them with exceeding great plagues euen iudgement vpon iudgement vntill hee had consumed the greatest fort of them We may fee this in the example of Salomon when his heart was turned away from the true God the Lord was angry with him therefore the Lord stirred vp one aduersary against Salomon 1. Reg. 11. and afterwards another aduersary which did much mischiefe and euill against Israel When Ionas had disobeyed the voyce of the Lord being sent to preach against Nineueh how did the Lord vexe Ionas with his stormes Ionas 1.2.3 that the shippe could haue no rest till she had disburdened her selfe of Ionas The iudgements of God as a Serieant pursued Ionas to arrest him as a fugitiue seruant so that albeit Ionas fled from God yet the hand of God followed after him and ouertooke him Num. 12.10 When Miriam the sister of Moses contemned Moses because she was not a Prophetesse as great in authority as himselfe although Moses meekely suffered it yet the Lord reuenged the wrong and stroke her with a Leprosie that for a season shâ— was shut out of the hoast When Dauid had falne into his sinnes of Adultery and Murder though he were a man beloued of God yea 2. Sam. 12.9 a man after Gods owne heart yet the Lord did stir vp euill against him out of his owne house yea Christ Iesus himselfe vnto whom sinne was but imputed for he neuer committed any hee was afflicted with sorrowes for our defaults he was bruised for our iniquities and the chastisement of our peace was layde vpon him Esay 53.5 and by his stripes we are healed The like may be sayd of Manasses Iehosaphat Iosiah Hezechiah and the like Al which serue to confirm vs in the truth of this doctrine that God will not spare no not the godly themselues bee they neuer so neare or deare vnto him but will bring vpon them many and grieuous iudgements if they sinne against him And this did this people in this present Text find to be true by wofull experience for sinning with a high hand against God and committing Idolatry the Lord did bring most heauy and grieuous iudgements vpon them for the same And the reason is Reason that all the world might take notice of his iustice that he is no respecter of mens persons but will shew himselfe vtterly to hate an sinne whensoeuer wheresoeuer or in whomsoeuer hee findeth it The Lord hath euer in all ages shewed examples of his iustice against sinne to the end wee might quake and tremble at the committing of it he is not a God that loueth wickednes neyther shall any euill dwell with him for he hateth all them that worke iniquity bee they what they will be if they be found to commit sinne against God God wil not spare them He accepteth not the persons of Princes saith Elihu nor regardeth the rich more then the poore Io. 34.19 They being all the works of his hands This doth the Prophet Dauid acknowledge when he sayth Against thee against thee onely haue I sinned 1. Sam. 16.7 Psal 51.4 and done euill in thy sight that thou mayest bee iust when thou speakest and pure when thou iudgest So that if men breake his statutes and keepe not his commandements God will bee sure to visite their transgressions with the rodde and their sinnes with scourges and all to manifest the truth of his owne Word and to make good those threatnings gone out of his mouth against sinne yet wee must know that there is great difference between the children of God and the wicked when the Lord corrects his children they are bettered by their afflictions they are humbled confesse their sinnes and bewayle them they labour to reforme their liues and to Turne vnto the Lord by true Repentance but the wicked the more the Lord spoyles and wounds them they are the worse by it whereas the children of God take occasion by affliction to Turne to God the wicked are by them driuen the further from God they eyther see it not that afflictions come from God and so repute them to fortune or chance or some secondary causes or else they murmur and breake out into impaciency as we may see in Pharaoh the more the Lord plagued and spoyled him the more he hardned his heart Vse 1 Here then we are first of all to confesse that great is the wrath of God against sinne seeing he will not spare no not the Elect themselues those that are as neare and as deare vnto God as the apple of his owne eye as we haue seene by the example of the Israelites Gods people of Miriam Dauid Salomon and the like Oh then what miserable wretches are wee that wee should presume of Gods mercy seeing wee haue such fearefull spectacles of his iustice for the Lord doth lay to heart the sinnes of the godly more then the sinnes of the wicked
remembrances vnto them and his corrections are their instructions and the Lord thus exercising his Children in the Schoole of afflictions doth thereby breake in them the power of sinne let out as it were the superfluous humour of pride and selfe-loue which are ready to corrupt euen our best actions So that albeit afflictions bee grieuous and bitter yet they are not vnprofitable to those whom God hath chosen to better graces The mercies of God indeed ought to leade vs to repentance and the more aboundantly the Lord doth bestow his mercies vpon vs the more should bee our obedience But alas it fareth otherwise with vs for his blessings and benefites are vnto vs many times occasions of euill insomuch as wee turne the grace of GOD into wantonnesse And therefore farre better were it for many in respect of the good of their soules that they had alwayes beene held in the bedde of affliction then enioying health peace prosperitie strength of body c. they should abuse the same to the great dishonour of God and the ruine of their owne soules Vse 3 Seeing that afflictions when the Lord doth lay the same vpon vs to this end to better vs in obedience are so auaileable that they worke a reformation in the whole man We are hereby put in mind of our duety how wee ought to behaue our selues vnder the hand of God that if the Lord hath humbled vs by long and tedious sicknesse by losse of goods children friends c. or by any other meanes whatsoeuer that then we trie and examine our hearts what reformation these things haue wrought in vs whether they haue made vs to call our owne wayes to account and straightly to examine our owne hearts what euill thoughts corrupt words or sinfull action hath passed from vs that hath thus made the Lord to strike and to punish vs and when wee haue taken as it were a Catalogue of all our sinnes if it were possible then let vs try our sorrow whether wee be truely humbled for them Lam. 3.39 or no This duty is vrged by Ieremie Wherefore is the liuing man sorrowfull Man suffereth for his sins Let vs search and trie our wayes and turne vnto the Lord. For surely this is the marke that God doth ayme at not by affliction to destroy vs or to confound vs for euer but to make vs to call our owne hearts to account to see our sinnes and to bring vs home to himselfe Vse 4 And last of all wee are taught here not to measure the fauour and loue of God towards our selues or others Eccle. 9.2 eyther by prosperity or aduersity for as Salomon sayth All things come alike to all and the same condition is to the iust and to the wicked And as the Apostle sayth Rom. 14.17 The Kingdom of God standeth not in meat and drinke c. So that if wee desire some euidences of Gods fauour and loue towards vs we must not seeke for it in our outward peace and tranquility of body mind heere or in continuall aduersity both which are common to the iust and vniust to the good and bad onely try them by the effects of affliction for in the godly they bring forth the quiet fruit of repentance whereas they make the wicked but the more obdurate and hardned in their sinnes the godly in their sufferings communicate with the Crosse of Christ Psal 126.6 whereas the wicked in their sufferings communicate with the curse of sinners and take this for a rule that neuer fayleth That the Crosse if care bee had to profite thereby neuer departeth but it leaueth a blessing behind Come let vs returne Here we may see what is the counsell that they giue one to another in affliction namely to make speed to turne vnto God whose wrath and heauy displeasure they had prouoked against them by their sinnes and whose iudgements were already gone out against them they were assured that there was no other way or meanes to pacifie the wrath of God Luk. 13.5 but onely to breake off their sinnes by repentance and therefore they call one vnto another Come let vs turne c. Here wee are taught this lesson for our instruction Doct. 2 euen from the example of these beleeuing Iewes What counsell it is that wee must giue to others in aduersity stirring vp one another in the time of affliction to return againe vnto God by repentance from whom they had departed by their sins What is the counsell that wee must giue one to another in affliction namely to exhort men to turne vnto God to confesse their sinnes to bee grieued for them Dan. 4.24 and to beg the pardon of them This is the counsell that Daniel gaue to Nabuchadnezar namely to breake off his sinnes by repentance Wherefore O King let my counsell bee acceptable vnto thee and breake off thy sinnes by righteousnesse and thine iniquities by mercy towards the poore c. Again the Prophet Ieremy obserues the same Lam. 3.39 Wherefore is the liuing man sorrowfull Man suffereth for his sinne Oh let vs search and try our wayes and turne vnto the Lord. And surely this is the best counsell that any Christian man or woman can giue to another in affliction namely to breake off their sinnes by vnfained repentance and turning vnto the Lord This is the right way to stoppe the breach of Gods wrath and to call in his iudgements Many men haue sought other meanes and wayes to preuent the Lords iudgements but alas as the cause of all iudgements are our sins Our sinnes turne many good things from vs And a fruitfull land maketh hee barren for the wickednes of them that dwell therein So vnlesse they be taken away by true vnfained repentance wee doe but weary our selues in vaine for we must first remoue the cause of Gods iudgements our sinnes else the hand of God cannot bee remoued Wee see in a lacke so long as the weight hangs vpon the corde it moues the wheeles but take off the lead and it will cease Our sinnes bee as a mighty Milstone to plucke downe Gods fearefull iudgements vpon vs now remoue our sinnes then Gods anger shall cease but let vs know till wee cease from sinning Leuit. â—6 Hos 4.1.2 the Lord cannot cease from smiting Nay if wee walke stubbornely against him and will not turne hee will euen whet his sword and neuer cease smiting till he make an end of vs. Yea the Prophets and holy men of God in such times when we lye open to Gods wrath haue called vs to repentance stirred vs vp to prayer moued vs to humiliation and acknowledgement of our sinnes which haue deserued such chasticements What is the reason that the Lord sends such barrennesse vpon the earth vnseasonable weather immoderate raine surely our sinnes our ignorance contempt of the Word our abuse of the Sacraments yea our abuse of plenty in drunkennesse whoredome swearing c. Now what 's the way to haue
committing of some euill if the Deuill can but spie the casements of thy soule to bee open thy eyes thy eares c. hee will then easily wind himselfe into thy heart if hee can but preuaile so farre with Dauid as but to cast his eyes vpon naked Bethshaba the battell then is halfe wonne Thus did this wilie Serpent deale with our first Parents First hee presented vnto the view of Eue the forbidden fruite Secondly shee desired it Thirdly shee tasted of it Fourthly shee gaue to her husband and he did eate Thus the Deuill by degrees doth steale vs away from God from one sinne to a second from a second to a third and from a third to a fourth as by so many steppes vntill at last hee hath euen plunged vs into the gulfe of perdition Oh that men would consider this betimes when they commit sinne lying swearing stealing whoredome drunkennesse c. By this sinne I turne my selfe from God I run from God and serue the Deuill The Lord stands on the right hand the Deuill on the left the Deuill he cals mee by pleasures profites and preferments If I listen to Sathan I shall turne away from God Oh if men had this consideration in their hearts what a bridle would it bee vnto them to keepe them from many sinnes Vse 2 If thou hast gone from the Lord by committing of sinne and seest now that there can bee no peace nor comfort vnto thy soule but a fearefull expectation of iudgement Follow the counsell of the Prophet Ieremie O search and try thy wayes and turne vnto the Lord Lam. 3.39 Endeuour by all meanes possible to returne to God again from whom thou hast departed the which thou shalt the better performe if thou haue respect to that way the footsteps whereof thou hast left behind thee and which are abominable vnto the Lord and by which thou wentest from God Follow the aduice of the blessed Apostle Cast off lying and speake euery man truth vnto his neighbour Eph. 4. He that hath stolen let him steale no more but rather labour and worke with his hands that hee may giue to him that needeth If thou hast beene a proud man by which sinne thou hast made a departure from God become now humble and lowly of mind For God resisteth the proud but giueth grace vnto the humble If thou hast made a departure from the Lord by drunkennesse returne againe by sobriety the vncleane to be chaste the couetous to be charitable yea if wee haue made a departure from God by any sinne whatsoeuer let vs draw neere vnto him againe by a reformed life holy manners godly conuersation that it may bee spoken of vs as Paul speaketh of the Ephesians Eph. 2. Yee which were a farre off are made neere Come let vs returne vnto the Lord. These words containing in them the effectuall conuersion of a sinner to God shew withall wherehence it proceedeth namely from affliction and from the knowledge and feeling of our owne misery Let vs returne say they and therefore it is a token they knew themselues to haue gone astray and that there was no true comfort to be found in those pathes of sinne in which they walked and howsoeuer before they thought well of their estate when they committed Idolatry and made conscience of no sinne yet now by the mercy of God hauing got to the sight of their sinne they call themselues to remembrance they see there is no sound comfort but onely in the fauour of God this is the matter that they debate amongst themselues and conclude of this To turne againe vnto the Lord. The Doctrine then which by the authority of the Doct. 5 Text is this namely A right vnderstanding and a true acknowledgement of our own misery the first step to Saluation that there ought to bee in euery one that desireth eternall life and saluation a right vnderstanding and a true acknowledgement of his owne wandring And to this end in the Word of God the Lord there oftentimes cals vpon men to consider their wayes to call their liues to account that so they may attaine to the sight of their own sins Know thy sinnes Ier. 3.13 Zeph. 2.1.2 O Ierusalem The like speech is vsed by the Prophet Zephany Fan your selues Oh my people Yea the Prophet Ieremy doth oftentimes put vs in mind of this duety Lam. 3.40 Oh let vs search and try our wayes and turne vnto the Lord. Yea common reason doth require the same before a man can frame himselfe to enter into a right course hee must throughly bee resolued and perswaded within himselfe that he hath been mistaken in his former course of life for why else should this man alter his former course if hee were not mistaken Reason it selfe will perswade vs to this Yea what meaned God in those his variety of demands to our first Parent when hee had sinned but that God laboured to bring Adam to the sight of his sinne Gen. 3. Where art thou Who tolde thee that thou wast naked Hast thou eaten of the tree Dauid lay a long time in his sinne 2. Sam. 11. and neuer sought vnto God for mercy but being at last awakened by the reprehension of Nathan hee sought the Lord incontinently yea the Lord by the Prophet doth assigne this as a reason of all those rebellions of the people of Israel euen ignorance of their estate saying The Oxe knoweth his owner and the Asse his Masters cribbe but Israel hath not knowne Esay 1.3 Luk. 15. Esay 46.12 Psal 16.12 my people vnderstand not The Prodigal sonne a true patterne for all sinners hee neuer seekes to his Father till at last that Hee came to himselfe which is a token that he went farre astray and was as it were in a swound of sinne but being a long while in a traunce at last hee reuiued and that his disordered life vpon his vnderstanding thereof he reformed calling himselfe to better remembrance what kindnesse he had in his Fathers house now what misery he had brought vpon himselfe by his own wilfull disobedience I might easily multiply examples of this kind but these may serue to shew that the sense apprehensiō of our own wandring from God is the onely way and meanes to bring vs to God And this was the happy condition of this people here who being for a time intangled insnared in sinne It pleased the Lord by affliction to humble them and to bring them to a true sight of their wandring that now they resolue incontinently to turne vnto the Lord. Here we see the maine cause why there is so little Vse 1 faith and true repentance in the world why men are no more humbled for their sinnes and doe not repent for them poore soules they know not that they doe euill they eyther cannot Lam. 3.40 or do not search themselues they neuer call their hearts to account Now then going on in security seeing and fearing no
4.23 thus particularly to know and beleeue that Iesus Christ is their Iesus and Sauiour who hath died for them to saue their soules And indeed this is the sweetnesse of the Gospell and the marrow of all Religion not simply to know that Iesus Christ is a Sauiour but to know that hee is my Sauiour not simply to know that he died for sinners but for mee the chiefe of al sinners not simply to know that there is an eternall life but to know that there is eternall life layde vp for me So that wee see that it is not inough for a Christian to know the history of the Bible that Iesus Christ is the Sauiour of the world and dyed for those which beleeue in him for this knowledge the Deuill himselfe hath hee knoweth and doth acknowledge Iesus Christ to bee the Sauiour of the world but wee must labour for this particular knowledge this certaine and experimentall knowledge so as wee can say in truth of heart Note I beleeue and know that Iesus Christ is not onely the Sauiour of the world but my Sauiour not onely that he dyed for them which beleeue in him but that hee dyed for me and shedde his bloud to saue my soule And though this were true that though but one man or woman in the whole world should bee saued yet we ought to haue this certaine knowledge to beleeue I am the man I am the woman and they which haue this certaine and vnfalilble knowledge they are in the right way to eternal life but they which haue only a general and confused knowledge swimming in the braine alas they abide in death The third speciall thing which wee must know is the Spirite of God How God the holy Ghost is to be knowne of vs. when as we can find and feele the worke of Gods Spirit within vs when wee acknowledge him to bee the author and sole worker of this knowledge when wee can know by experience in our owne selues in our soules and consciences that the Spirit of Christ is in vs Gal. 2 20. 2. Cor. 13.5 that wee can say with the Apostle Christ liueth in mee and that hee doth make vs with boldnesse to call vpon God and to cry vnto him Abba father Rom. 8.15 when wee doe feele the blessed worke of the Spirit to mortifie our corrupt nature by little and little weakening the strength of sinne and naturall corruption within vs and dayly raysing vs vp to newnesse of life and repayring in vs more more the blessed image of God in holinesse and righteousnesse which hath greatly defaced in vs by reason of sinne and Sathan This is that Knowledge which whosoeuer finds put and powred into their soules by the Spirit of Christ Iesus they are happy and blessed they are in reall possession of eternall life but as for those which want this knowledge seeme they neuer so excellent nor thinke they neuer so well of themselues they bee but miserable and cursed and abide in eternall death and damnation Doct. Hauing thus at large shewed what is that knowledge heere spoken of Ignorance of God and his word in matters of Religion is dangerous and also the excellent fruits effects that come from it and what it is that wee must know as also what great profite this knowledge brings to all those which haue it namely eternall life It shall not now bee amisse to consider in a word how dangerous a thing it is to want this sauing knowledge what great misery come to men and women by ignorance and want of knowledge The blessed Sonne of God himselfe who being most true nay the very truth and life it selfe when he would shew the root and very spawne of sinne and iniquity hee tels the Scribes Pharisees Mat. 22.29 Yee erre because yee know not the Scriptures and the power of God And to what should we impute this in these dayes that men runne into errors and teach false heretical nay damnable doctrine surely to this because men know not the Scripture and haue no knowledge in the word What is the cause that men liue in sinne in drunkennesse whoredome adultery swearing couetousnesse c Alas the cause of all is this because they haue no knowledge There is an excellent place to this purpose in the Prophet Hosea Hos 1.2 where the Lord by his Prophet takes vp a great and grieuous complaint against the inhabitants of the land because there was no Mercy nor Truth to bee found but that men liued in Swearing lying killing whoring theeuing c. And the reason of all these is there layde down in these words There is no knowledge of God in the land Read the fourth Chapter of Leuiticus Leuit. 4. and there it wil appeare how highly Almighty God condemned this sin of Ignorance by those Sacrifices that were to bee offered vp euen for the same Heb. 2.1 Now Ignorance is threefold 1. It is a simple and meere ignorance 2. Is a carelesse ignorance 3. Is a wilfull and an affected ignorance All these kinds of ignorance are heere forbidden and condemned as the greatest enemies to this knowledge The first of these is simply for want of meanes 1 Of simple ignorance which few men in these dayes and times wherein wee liue are able to obiect for the voyce of Gods Ministers haue sounded the Lords Trumpet of warning in most places of this land so that if men now should bee ignorant it must needs bee a wilfull and an affected ignorance for by the mercy of our God wee liue now in such times as knowledge is euen thrust vpon men both by publike authority and the restlesse labours of Gods faithfull Ministers 2. Cor. 4. so that we may conclude with the Apostle If the Gospell bee hid it is hid to them that perish whom the Prince of this World hath blinded their minds yet notwithstanding that men should want these means of knowledge yet wil not their ignorance excuse them in the day of the Lord It may excuse à tanto but not à toto as Diuines affirme their punishment may be something the lesse but it shal not free them from hauing any at all The second kind of ignorance that is heere condemned as an vtter engine to this knowledge 2 Of carelesse ignorance is carelesse ignorance which is indeed the onely sinne of these times when hauing the means of knowledge we care not for it but neglect and contemne it this is farre worse then the former and if the former sort of ignorance will not excuse a man much lesse will this Oh it is the sinne of thousands in the world at this day that out of negligence and carelesnesse neglect the meanes of knowledge offered vnto them 2. Cor. 4. Oh what a fearefull sinne is this considering that if the Gospell bee hidde it is hid to them that perish and that Christ Iesus will come at the last to render Vengeance
that there is nothing better to turne the pride of mans heart then afflictions So Manasses a wicked Idolatrous King 2. Cro. 33.12 yet in his afflictions hee sought the Lord and prayed vnto the Lord his God whom he dishonored before Psal 1 19. Lam. 3 27. Luk. 9.23 And Dauid confesseth that it was very good for him that he was afflicted for before he was carelesse of the seruice of God Yea the Prophet Ieremy saith that a man can neuer begin too soone to suffer the crosse It is good that a man beare the yoake of afflictions from his youth And our Sauiour himselfe saith That we must take vp the crosse dayly and in very deed nothing is better for young or old man or woman then affliction if God sanctifie the same vnto vs and giue vs the true vse of them they will make a man search his heart and call his former life to accompt they will humble vs and make vs see our weaknesse they will compell vs to run to God by most earnest and harty prayer to deny our selues to put our whole trust confidence and affiance in the mercy of God in Iesus Christ Now the Lord had no sooner spoke the word that in their afflictions they would seek him but heere we see it is effected Come say they let vs returne vnto the Lord c. Doct. 1 Afflictiōs are of excellent vse to turne vs to God So that the first point of Doctrine we obserue from the text is this That afflictions are of excellent vse to turne vs to God the Church of God in generall and the seruants of God in particular when they cannot profitably vse prosperity and beare themselues thankefully in the dayes of peace doe learne in aduersity to turne vnto God and are therby brought home againe and this comes to passe not by meanes of the crosse for in it selfe it is a curse but in that the Lord doth sanctifie the same vnto his it comes to passe that the state of affliction is a safer estate Iudg. 14.14 Rom 5.3 2 Cor. 4.13 Heb. 12.11 then the estate of prosperity It is true that as the Philistims could not vnderstand Sampsons riddle how sweete came out of sower meat out of the eater so cannot worldlings vnderstād that tribulatiō bringeth out patience that our light momentany afflictions cause vnto vs a far more excellent and eternall waight of glory But the Children of God they find it true by experience that albeit no visitation bee sweete for the present yet afterwards it brings the quiet fruit of righteousnesse vnto them who are thereby exercised Esay 26.16 Psal 107. Luke 15.18 and that there is more solide ioy in suffering rebuke with Christ then in all the pleasures of sinne which are but for a season Gen. 21.16 This the Prophet setteth downe in the song of the faithfull Lord in trouble haue they visited thee they powred out a prayer when thy chastising was vpon them yea the people of God the Israelits in the time of their afflictions were humbled and sought the Lord Ionas 1.5 Lam. 3.27 Psal 119.71 Io. 15.2 who in time of prosperity forgat him and the mighty workes that he had done for them They wandred in the desart and found no Citty to dwell in Then they cried vnto the Lord in their trouble and he deliuered them out of their distresse The Prodigall sonne neuer intended to returne home againe to his Father vntill a famine had met with him and he was pinched with want then he resolued with himselfe to acknowledge his fault to entreat for pardon Hagar was proud in the house of Abraham and despised her Mistresse but in the wildernesse humbled by want Ionas sleepeth in the ship but in the belly of the Whale watcheth and prayeth It is good therefore saith Ieremy for a man to beare the yoake in his youth and Dauid acknowledgeth it was good for him that he was afflicted yea our Sauiour saith Euery branch that beares fruit my heauenly father purgeth it that it may bring forth more fruit All these testimonies and examples of the seruants of God as euident and direct consents of the Scripture do teach vs that afflictions are of speciall and singular vse to turne vs to God Amos 3.6 And this comes to passe by reason they are the workes of Gods hand there is no euill in the Citty which the Lord hath not done He hath his Quiuer full of arrowes to strike vs and to punish vs the Sword Famine Plague Pestilence yea he hath all Creatures at a beck at a cal to humble the rebellious hart of man to this end we may pray to the Lord that so he do still remember the promise made to the Sonnes of Dauid I will visite them with rods if they sinne against mee 2. Sa. 7.14.15 but my mercy will I neuer take from them that rather then that wee should bee frozen in the dreggs of our owne naturall corruptions and spend our daies in a carelesse security without the feare of his holy name that God would chang our estates and awaken vs with the touch of his owne hand purge vs with fier and chasten vs with his rods Vse 1 First seing that chastisements and afflictions are of such excellent vse to turne vs to God and that the Lord doth vse the same to bring vs home to himselfe heere wee may clearely behold the mighty power of God that can by so many waies and meanes turne the hearts of men humble them and bring them home vnto himselfe Indeed the preaching of the word is the ordinary meanes whereby God doth breake in sunder the stony heart of man Esay 5.4 Iob 33.16 Rom. 11.13 but when that will not serue but that his patience long suffering is abused and his word contemned the Lord hath sundry iudgments in store which being sent from God are powerfull to turne our hearts and to make a way for Repentance Oh the deepenesse of the riches both of the wisedome and knowledge of God! how vnsearchable are his iudgements and his wayes past finding out Let vs then here acknowledge the greatnesse both of the mercy and power of God in working out the saluation of mankind so wonderfully and that by so many meanes bringing light out of darkenesse and good out of euill Seeing that afflictions are of such excellent vse to Vse 2 turne vs to God when the Lord doth sanctifie the same to that end vnto vs Here we see the cause why the godly runne not into all euill as the Horse rusheth into the battell euen as the children of this world do into the same excesse of ryot Surely the reason is not because there is ought in them by Nature more then in other men No no wee were all warmed in vncleane bloud and the best wee haue drawne from our mothers breasts hath beene rebellion but God calleth them backe by his hand his afflictions are
plenty and aboundance how may wee remoue the anger of God and his iudgements eyther already vpon or else eminent ouer our heads Surely remoue the cause of Gods iudgements namely sinne else the hand of God cannot bee remoued And therefore let vs all practise this counsell and wisely consider what the Lord hath against vs and wherefore hee is angry with vs that so wee may bee reconciled vnto him and brought into his fauour againe This Doctrine Vse may serue to condemne that preposterous course that many men doe take eyther for themselues when they lye vnder the Crosse or with others For themselues If the hand of God lye vpon them with long and tedious sicknesse how many are there that leaue the Lord and resort to Witches and Wizards that looke againe more to the meanes then they doe to the Lord without whose blessing they can doe vs no good So in time of Famine Pestilence Warre and the like how many are the windings and turnings in the heart of man to preuent the iudgements of God they will leaue no attempt vnattempted for their deliuerance But to trie their owne hearts to find out their sinnes which are so many rebellious Ionasses in the shippe of their own soules that haue moued the Lord to send those stormes of afflictions Oh this they neuer thinke vpon And as they themselues fayle in the maine point of all that is to try their owne hearts to looke into their wayes and to turne vnto the Lord by vnfained sorow So deale they with others for what is the counsell else they giue vnto others in time of sicknesse but this Be of good cheare Eate warme meats Vse good physicke c. Oh! this is not the counsell we should giue but to say with the godly heere Come returne to the Lord Repent of thy sinnes beg the pardon of them at Gods hands This is the counsell wee must giue to the afflicted and not to seeke helpe from men before wee haue sought forgiuenesse of sinnes of God Come let vs returne vnto the Lord. Heere we may see the fruit of true conuersion they seeke not euery man his owne good but the good of their brethren and therefore vse godly motions and christian perswasiōs one to another to returne vnto God Doct. 3 From whose godly practise and religious example wee gather a further poynt of Doctrine It is the duty of euery christian to labor to draw others to god that it is not inough for a man to goe to heauen himselfe but it is the duty of euery Christian to labour to draw others with them as these holy Seruants of God say heere Come let vs returne these bee their godly perswasions one to another they labour to goe hand in hand in their repentance as we say to men women Come will yee goe to the Market fayre c. So in Religion we must call one vpon another to draw men to God and as one wicked man seeketh to make another like himselfe so hee that is truely conuerted will not rest in that inward comfort of his owne conuersion but will labour by all meanes to conuert others vnto GOD and labour to make them partakers of the same comfort which they themselues haue receiued from God This thing is very apparant in the conuersion of the godly when Andrew was brought to Christ hee found his brother Simon Io. 1.41.43.45 and said vnto him We haue found that Messias that is Christ So when Christ called Phillip and said vnto him Follow me Io. 4 28. Phillip found Nathaniel and sayd vnto him Wee haue found him of whom Moses did write in the Law and in the Prophets Iesus the sonne of Ioseph that was of Nazareth The like appeares in the woman of Samaria when Christ had reueiled himselfe vnto her and offered her to drinke of the water of life after which she should neuer thirst agane shee ran into the Citty and said Come see a man which hath told mee all things that euer I did is not hee that Christ being moued her selfe she labours to moue others And this doth the Prophet Dauid promise vnto the Lord that if hee would restore him once more vnto the ioy of his saluation that then he would become a Preacher Ps 51.12.13 Ps 66.16 Ps 116. Gal. 3 2. Cor. 1.4 Esay 38.19 Luk. 22.23 and Proclaimer of the same mercy vnto others And surely this is a speciall fruit of faith and true repentance to labour by all meanes possible to conuay grace vnto others and to shew them what God hath done for our soules and to draw out the blessings which God hath bestowed vpon our selues to the good and benefit of others The Prophet Dauid doth labour herein Come sayth he and I will shew you what God hath done for my soule And the Elect are called vessels of mercy because they being themselues filled with the mercies of God should draw out the same as good liquor for the vse and comfort of others Saint Paul sayth God had mercy on him that he might shew mercy vnto others The child of God is not like vnto Nabol All for himselfe but he is taught of God to loue his brother And thus wee see how wee ought to behaue our selues in respect of Gods gifts we must not hide them in the ground or in a napkin but wee must imploy the same to the good of others This may serue to reproue that common conceite Vse 1 in mens minds that so long as they doe well themselues they need not care how other◠doe whether they sinke or swimme whether they goe forward or backeward grow vpward or downeward to God or the Diuell but it is impossible for any Christian man or woman who hath truely tasted of the worke of grace in his owne heart but hee must communicate the same to the good of others Indeed most men little regarde this they cannot be perswaded that they bee bound to saue the soules of their brethren and therefore they say euery man for himselfe and God for vs all but the truth is that when euery man seeks himselfe the Deuill gets all To saue soules to draw men to Christ Oh wee thinke this is the Ministers duety it belongs to him alone it belongs not to vs. True it is that it belongs especiall to the Minister to labour to saue mens soules and therefore they are especially bound to labour by continuall teaching and preaching of the word of God as also by their godlie life to draw men to God to exhort them to call vpon them to turne vnto the Lord and if they bee negligent and carelesse the flocke of Christ must needs go to ruine yet many there are that feed themselues to the full but regard not to feed the flocke ouer which the holy Ghost hath made them Ouerseers These are they that liue of the Altar but care not to minister at the Altar They will bee sure to reape carnall things but they haue no
blessed Knowledge euen when that men haue the feare of God before their eyes to liue and behaue themselues As in his sight Heere then wee are taught in the first place what Doct. 1 is the ground and foundation of the true knowledge of God which as our Sauiour sayth Humiliation for sin must goe before the sanctified knowledge of God Io. 17.3 will bring a man to eternall life and without which wee cannot be saued Namely this the sight of a mans sins and of his wandring from God by error of life When a man sees the most wofull and miserable estate in which he is by reason of sinne and hath in him a godly purpose of heart to cleaue vnto the Lord and for the time to come so to liue and to walke as euer in the sight of God Surely this is the foundation that must be layde by euery Soule to get this Knowledge of God Pro. 1.7 Agreeable to this is that of Salomon The feare of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom It is the chiefest part of true wisdome indeed Deut. 4.6 This is your wisdome and vnderstanding that you keepe these ordinances and do them If we looke into the Scripture we shal see good proofe for this point namely that the true sight of our own wandring from God by our by-past error of life with a godly care and christian resolution that for the time to come we will Liue as in his sight that is in his blessed presence is the ground-worke or foundation of this Knowledge of God which will bring a man to life eternall Wherefore did almighty God so expostulate the matter with our Grandfather Adam after he had sinned Gen. 3. by his variety of demaunds Adam where art thou Who tolde thee that thou wast naked Hast thou eaten of the tree But all to this end to bring Adam to the sight of his sin and thereby to make way for a further worke of grace Ier. 8.6 And Ieremie lamenting the backwardnesse of people that there was no true conuersion to be found amongst them Psal 14.3 Rom. 3.10 Esay 53.6 Esay 1.3 assigneth this as the cause of all I hearkned sayth he but none spake aright no man repented him of his wickednesst saying Alas what haue I done q. d. There was not a man to be found amongst them that had so much as a conceit of his owne wandring from God but euery man was highly conceited of himselfe and of his owne worthinesse that their present courses were right and vnblameable and that is the cause why so few conuert turne to the Lord. So then by this that hath been spoken it appeareth clearely that true humiliation for sinne and reuerent awe of the presence of God must be the ground-work and foundation of this sanctified Knowledge of God which as our Sauiour sayth will bring a man to life eternall And now wee come to the vses Vse 1 First seeing wee are taught heere that the sight of a mans sinne with this godly purpose and resolution of heart to leaue and forsake them and a reuerent awe of Gods presence is the beginning and foundation of that true sanctified Knowledge which will bring a man to life eternall If then wee doe thinke that there is a God in heauen which is true of his word and that this Doctrine now deliuered is part of that holy truth by the which wee shall all be iudged at the last day if wee bee not able to deny but the renouncing of our old and accustomed sins which haue been so neare and so deare vnto vs Io. 17.3 must euer goe before this Knowledge of God which will giue vs one day an admittance into eternall life How should it bee then that wee should so much deceyue our owne soules as to thinke that wee can be saued seeing yet wee haue not forsaken the deeds of the flesh nor yet neuer set one foot forward in the way that leadeth vnto life for our owne hearts doe know and besides the world is priuy to it that what sinfull courses heretofore wee liued and delighted in in the same we continue at this day Alas alas it is the iust complaint that may bee taken vp of those times that Euery man turnes to his race as the horse rusheth into the battell Where is the man amongst vs that entreth into a strict examination of his owne estate and to say Alas what haue I done How is it with mee how shall I be able to answere for this course of life in the which I haue liued when the Lord shall call mee to a stricct account for the same Alas I finde that I haue gone astray as a sheepe that is lost I haue wandred a long time in the by-pathes of sin and wickednesse and I will now at last Arise and goe to my Father and say to him Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee Luke 15. and am no more worthy to bee called thy sonne O where is the man that thus communeth with himselfe and with his owne heart in his secret Chamber betwixt God and his owne soule but rather on the contrary euery man holds on in his wonted fashion vaine pleasures and violent catching after the things of this world as if wee were born to no other end but to adde sin vnto sin and to adde vnto the measure of Gods wrath to bee heaped vp against vs against the day of his wrath and manifestations of his most righteous iudgement And that this is so I appeale vnto the conscience of euery one amongst vs What sinne is there whereunto we haue formerly beene addicted that by the Ministery of the Word now more plentifully reuealed vnto vs then in former times wee haue for conscience sake reformed and in stead thereof haue brought foorth the fruits of the Gospell Oh how can wee looke at the last day to stand with ioy and comfort before God his Angels when hee shall come to iudge the secrets of all hearts when as that witnesse in our owne bosomes I meane our owne consciences cannot testifie for vs that wee haue reformed any one corruption Well to end this vse commend mee to thy conscience and tell it thus from me whatsoeuer thou bee that if thou abidest still in thy olde sins thy ignorance blindnesse prophanenes adulterie vncleannesse drunkennesse swearing couetousnesse malice c. 2. Cor. 5.17 This Pearle heere spoken of this sanctified Knowledge of God which will giue a man one day an admittance into eternall life can neuer bee thine hee must become a new Creature that will come into that new Ierusalem Deceiue wee not our owne selues therefore any longer eyther wee must beginne heere at the sight of our old errors or else wee can neuer tread the path that leadeth vnto life Secondly seeing that the true sight and feeling Vse 2 of a mans sinnes his reuerent feare and awe of God is the fountaine of this knowledge which brings vs
to them which know him not 2. Thess 1.8 and obey not the Gospell of Christ The last is the wilfull and affected kind of ignorance 3 A wilfull and affected ignorance when men shall please themselues in their owne wayes and will not know their error but labour and striue against it when a man is addicted to some particular sinne and will not see the same to bee a sin this is the highest degree of ignorance according to that common Prouerbe None so blind as he that wil not see These are like those rebellious Iewes the Prophet Ieremie speaketh of which sayd Ier. 44.16 The word that thou hast spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lord wee will not heare it of thee but wee will do whatsoeuer thing goeth out of our owne mouth Alas how many are there of this sort in these dayes and times wherein wee liue that are wilfully blind and ignorant Psal 58.5 That will not heare the charmer charme he neuer so wisely Oh let vs take heed as of all ignorance so especially of this last for to sin in this degree is to sin with a high hand against God and it is a steppe to that sin against the holy Ghost which shall neuer be forgiuen This may serue to condemne that cursed damnable Vse 1 doctrine of the Church of Rome who teach that ignorance is the Mother of Deuotion and the more ignorant the more deuout and religious Yea one of their fellowes in this land in a seditious booke is not ashamed to say Radford in his directatory to the truth pag. 419 Mat. 22.18 that the poor Plow-man that sayth his PATER NOSTER not vnderstanding the words may pray with more deuotion and please God better then the greatest Doctor that can make a Sermon of euery Petition of the same But our Sauiour Christ the chiefe Doctor of the Church hee teacheth that ignorance is the mother of error sin rebellion and damnation And in euerie place the word of God shewes the danger of this sin that those that liue in ignorance without the knowledge of God in his world liue in a most feareful estate and condition abounding in all maner of sin and iniquity both against God and man And surely this Doctrine of ignorance is one of the maine pillars of Popish Religion to keepe men in blindnesse and ignorance that they may not see their filthy abominations for if men were not extreame ignorant in the matters of God and his Word how could they bee so abused and deceiued to worship stockes and stones to fall down to dumbe Images c. Vse 2 Secondly this shewes the fearefull estate of al those that liue in ignorance without the knowledge of God and his word these men must needs liue in sinne and wickednesse for ignorance is the mother of all sin And surely Hos 4.1 it is a fearefull iudgement of God vpon this people for as the Prophet sayth There is no knowledge of God in the land so wee may say generally There is no knowledge of God amongst many Act. 17.30 but al kind of sin and wickednes abounds because men liue in ignorance without the knowledge of God and his Word as Popery Idolatry carnall security presumption swearing blasphemy contempt of the Word prophanation of the Sabbath neglect of all religion and good duties all spring from this roote want of knowledge Luk. 23. Paul persecuted the Church of God but it was through ignorance And our Sauiour prayed to his Father for his persecutors Mat. 11.20 because they knew not what they did Oh if men knew what a fearefull thing it is to liue in ignorance and to want neglect or contemne the meanes of knowledge how durst they dishonour God as they doe but so long as men liue in ignorance so long they will run into al sin be prophane and wicked But of all ignorance there is none more dangerous and pernicious and so a fearefull signe of Reprobation as wilfull ignorance when men shal shut their eyes at the light of the Gospel stoppe their eares harden their hearts and despise knowledge Wisdom cryeth withâ—ut Pro. 1.20 O yee fooles how long will yee loue foolishnes and the scornefull delight in scorning and Fooles hate knowledge because I haue called and yee refused I haue stretched out my hand and none regarded but yee despise all my counsell and would none of my Nurture I will also laugh at your destruction Well you heare that ignorance is a great sinne especially wilfull ignorance You heare again that it abounds in most places generally the body of our people bee exceeding ignorant as though they had neuer heard of God Now where ignorance abounds there sin abounds and where sin abounds the curse of God must needs hang ouer their heads as in that place of Hosea the Lord threatneth Hos 4.2.3 that because of sinne hee will make the whole Land to mourne Thus hauing shewed the sin it selfe Ignorance the Nature of the same that it is opposite to knowledge wee will proceed a little further and shew the causes why this fearefull iudgement of God raignes in most places and why people are so ignorant And secondly the remedy of this sinne how people may get out of it and so come to the knowledge of God and Eternall life The mayne cause why people bee so ignorant as they bee Causes of ignorance is the want of teaching in most Congregations howsoeuer it hath pleased God that this complaint cannot bee taken vp of this Country parts 1 Want of Preaching yet I am not ignorant that in some Townes and Parishes they haue the Word very seldome preached vnto them perhaps monthly or lesse Now Pro. 29.18 Where the Word is not preached there the people perish or where vision failes the people are naked void of knowledge Rom. 10.14 grace or the feare of God How shall they beleeue without a Preacher so how should they know God Mat. 15.14 Hos 4 9. vnlesse they bee taught for if the Blind lead the blind both fall into the ditch And againe There shall bee like Priest like people Like Shepheard like sheepe an ignorant carelesse and vnconscionable Minister an ignorant blind and prophane people And how can it bee otherwise And therefore in the three first Chapters of the Revelation where the Holy Ghost commends or discommends the Minister he doth likewise commend or discommend the people for the good estate of the people depends for the most part on the good paines of the Minister 2 Carelesnes of the people Another cause why ignorance abounds is the wonderfull security and carelesnesse of the people they haue no desire to know God nor loue nor desire to the sincere Milke of the Word yea they are well content to liue still in their damnable ignorance and blindnesse 2. Pet 2. Iob. 21.15 Mal. 3 14. Who is the Almighty that wee should serue him and
seeing the Flocke of Christ is small and they few that beleeue be the true Church of God this reason is more against them then with them Secondly this may serue to condemn them that Vse 2 excuse their sinnes by the example of the multitude as Pride couetousnesse c. I doe but as others doe It is the fashion and I am not alone And thus poore soules they thinke they haue alleadged an argument that cannot bee answered What shall wee go to Hel for company Psal 50.18 Wee see it is dangerous to doe as most doe The gate is wide that leadeth to destruction and many goe in thereat Let vs rather suspect our selues because wee doe as the most doe and Fashion not our selues like vnto the world but ioyne with the little Flocke of Christ and if there bee but one Elias that feares God let vs ioyne with him to obey God And therefore let men know that by shrouding themselues vnder the multitude Exod. 23.2 Ier. 6.13 they are so far from excusing themselues as that the rather they accuse themselues because commonly the greatest part is the worst Vse 3 Thirdly this may comfort the Ministers of the Word of God who when they study take paines preach in season and out of season and yet see no fruit of their labour few beleeue and repent it is that which indeed doth much grieue them and discourage them as wee see in Elias but this must bee our comfort that it hath euer been so in olde time in the Prophets times in Christs time and since and wil be so to the end of the world onely let euery faithfull Minister of Iesus Christ doe his indeuour and commit the successe to God And thus much of the persons of whom the Lord complayneth the complaint it selfe followeth For your goodnes is as the morning cloud and as the Morning Dew it goeth away HEre is the third generall point in the complaint namely the cause of it The complaint it selfe which so moued the Lord to complaine of this people And it is indeed the preuenting of an obiection and cauill of this people for they might obiect and say What aileth him he hath no cause so to exclaime and complaine of vs that he cannot bring vs to repentance and to serue God why doe wee not bring our Sacrifices to his Altar doe wee not come dayly to serue God Yea we haue lamented our sinnes and humbled our selues before his face crauing pardon at his hands What would hee haue vs to do more To this cauill of theirs the Prophet answeres in laying open the cause of this complaint in these words For your goodnesse c. By goodnesse here he meanes their outward seruice and worship of God their fayned repentance they had some outward shew of holines and of repentance and seruice of God but it was voyd of sincerity and soundnesse of heart it was not in truth but from the teeth outward and therefore it was vanishing and vnconstant and of the sodaine like vnto the Dew or Morning cloud which is dispersed in a moment by the Sunne In this people here we may behold the nature and Doct. 6 property of all hypocrites they content themselues with the bare naked and outward seruice of God It is the property of hypocrites to minde more the outward part of Gods worship then the inward neuer looking for the truth of it in their hearts soules for though they offered Sacrifices and oblations came to the Temple seemed to repent yet it was onely in outward shew not sound nor sincere it neuer came from their hearts And what account such seruice of God is with God hee declares by his Prophet Esay when hee sayth Esay 1.14 My soule hateth your New Moones and your appointed Feasts They are a burden vnto mee I am a weary to beare them They would keepe the Sabbaths and frequent the solemne assemblies but it was but for custome and for fashion sake they would learne nothing at al though their bodies were there yet their hearts were not there And this sinne of theirs Almighty God layeth to their charge else where when he sayth Esay 29.13 This people come neare vnto mee with their mouth and honour mee with their lips but their hearts are far from mee He blameth them not for that they came not into Gods Temple and into the Assembly of Gods people for herein they were very forward but that they brought now a lame Sacrifice vnto the Lord it was but a lippe seruice and a Will worshippe and the Lord doth esteeme no better of it then the killing of a man and the cutting off of a dogges necke or the offering vp of Swines bloud all which are abominable vnto the Lord for God is a spirit and therefore will bee worshipped Esay 66.3.4 not onely according to the outward ceremony of his worshippe but in spirit truth To whom will I haue respect vnto but to him that is poore of a contrite spirit Ier. 7.7 Pro. 15.11 and trembleth at my words And if this bee wanting all that wee can doe in the seruice and worshippe of God is but sinne vnto vs and shall adde vnto the measure of our iniquities And surely this is the onely reason as I take why men profit no more vnder the Preaching of the Word in this time of the Gospell namely this because men perswade themselues that so long as they performe the outward rites of Gods worshippe seruice as to come to Church heare the Word receiue the Sacrament and the like all is well with them they need no more In these Iewes wee may clearely see a counterpane of our people and time What is the cause why after Vse 1 so much and so long preaching men should remayne so ignorant so couetous so vile and so sinneful stil is it not because most men content themselues with the outward seruice and worship of God Why did not the meanes that conuerted those Iewes in the beginning of this Chapter conuert these of whom the Lord speaketh in this place Surely the Prophet giues a reason of it in this verse namely because these Iewes thought that they had goodnesse inough and religion inough so long as they performed the outward part of Gods worshippe and seruice and for this very cause all these meanes could doe them no good And is not this the sinne of our times and people Note doe not most men content themselues with the outward seruice and worshippe of God to come to Church to heare the Word receiue the Sacrament and thinke then they haue honoured God highly and serued him aswell as the best of them all and that God can require no more at their hands I appeale vnto your hearts and consciences whether this be not so that most doe content themselues with the very outward action of Gods worshippe neuer looking for soundnesse of heart to come in faith repentance and obedience Oh then
forwardnes in you in sanctifying the Sabbath and hearing the word diligently since which time who doth not perceiue a decay of zeale a decay of hearing in a great many of this congregation that will scarce now vouchsafe God your presence in the assembly of his people once a month The full soule sayth Salomon loatheth the honey combe Reu 3.14 I feare you are full euen of spirituall pride with the Church of Laodicea Well bee warned betimes lest your footings that you haue taken so oft in your bowling Allyes surmount your steps into Gods house and so the Lord lay this sinne of ingratitude to your charge that hee should offer vnto you such gracious oportunities and ye should so carelesly neglect the same Vse 2 Secondly this condemnes the common repentance of most men and women that it is not sound nor sincere because though they condemne sinne know it to be sinne yet they neuer proceede so farre as to leaue and forsake it Mar. 6. Herod could not bee brought to leaue his Incest Demas made a fayre shew for a while but by and by left all fell into loue with the world so many men will for a brunt serue God and seeme very forward both to heare the Word read pray c. yet the strength of their owne corruptions and the loue of the World steales away their hearts so as it comes to nothing but sure it is that the grace of God when it hath taken possession in a mans soule it will throughly purge the same though not altogether from sinne for the Flesh will euer rebell against the Spirite yet from the power of sinne so as that man that is truely sanctified shall not from henceforth become a seruant vnto sinne for a purpose to continue in sin and the grace of God cannot abide both in one Soule but of this before And thus much of the Complaint the Iudgement followeth VERSE 5. Therefore haue I cut downe by the Prophets I haue slaine them by the words of my mouth and thy iudgements were as the light that goeth foorth HAuing heard of their sinue now wee are to speake of their punishment which the Lord inflicted vpon them for the same namely fearefull destruction and vtter ouerthrow In speaking of their punishment we are hence to obserue foure things Parts of the Text. First the Author of it I that is the Lord himselfe Secondly the greatnesse of it Cut downe and slaine them Thirdly the Instruments the Lord vseth My Prophets my word Fourthly the equity of it namely that the Lord made his iudgements as cleare as the noone day vnto them so as they could not plead ignorance or want of knowledge Therefore haue I cut downe Therefore that is because I haue on my part done what I can to reclaim you and bring you to some good passe but you refused and hardned your hearts and contemned my words for then the cause of Gods iudgements is their rebellion against the meanes and their contempt of the Word of God and preaching of his Prophets Doct. 1 Then hence wee learne what a grieuous sinne it is to contemne the meanes of saluation To contemn the meanes of saluation is a grieuous sinne and neuer goes vnpunished Gen. 7.10.11.12 to contemne the Gospell of Christ Iesus it neuer goes vnpunished When Noah had preached repentance to the people of the old World for the space of one hundred and twenty yeares together and the people had despised the same what followed in the end but a fearefull destruction euen a generall Deluge which swept them all away When Lot spake to his sonnes in Law which married his daughters and warned them to escape out of Sodom for the iudgements of God were at hand to bee layde vpon that City The Text sayth Gen. 19.14 that Hee seemed to his Sonnes in Law as though hee had mocked but what followed did not they perish with those sinnefull Sodomites And Iob makes this one of the marks of a reprobate They say vnto God Depart from vs Iob. 21.14 for wee desire not the knowledge of thy wayes not that there are any so desperately wicked as to vse such speeches against the Lord but the meaning is that men declare so much by their liues they liue in open contempt of the gracious meanes of their saluation whatsoeuer they pretended in words their deeds declared that they cared not to bee acquainted with Gods will To the same purpose is that complaint in the Psalme My people would not heare my voyce and Israel would none of mee Psal 81.11.12 The Lord had often spoken to that people by his seruants the Prophets but they regarded them not much like to our people in these times but what followed the Lord would neuer put vp this great ingratitude at their hands but sayth in the verse following Ver. 12.1.1 So I gaue them vp vnto the hardnes of their owne hearts and they walked in their owne councels And this is further cleared by that speech of Almighty God by his Prophet Ieremy where hee sayth Ier. 7.13 I rose vp earely and spake vnto you but when I spake yee would not heare me neyther when I called would ye answere Behold here the desperate estate and condition of this people that notwithstanding God had dealt so graciously with them from time to time to offer vnto them so many gracious oportunities of their saluation following them as it were at the heeles with the same sometimes by his Word sometimes by his mercies sometimes by his iudgements yet they neglected them al they contemned thē al. But afterward the Lord made good the words of his seruants he brought his iudgements vpon them and their Temple Verse 14. in the which they seemed so much to trust vppon the Lord made it as Shilo and as the same Prophet complaineth in another place That the wayes of Sion lamented Lam. 1.4 because no man came to their solemne feasts all her gates are desolate the Priests sigh c. It was not their outward priviledges that would now stand them in stead that they were the posterity of Abraham that they had amongst them the Arke of Gods couenant the Mercy seat Psal 132.14 the Temple of the Lord and that the Lord had appointed that for his rest for euer Seeing they contemned his Prophets Ier. 6.10 delighted not in Gods voyce but tooke pleasure in vnrighteousnesse And this is that our Sauiour layes to the charge of the people of Ierusalem Mat. 23.37 How often would I haue gathered you together and yee would not Behold now your habitation is loft desolate Mat. 11.21 Yea our Sauiour Christ tels them of Capernaum that it shall bee easier for the land of Sodom in the day of iudgement then for them so then we may safely conclude this doctrine with that speech of the Apostle 2. Thes 2.10.11.12 Because they receiue not the loue of the truth that they
sinnes and rebellions Wee learne hence this point of Doctrine Doct. 2 That the Lod is the Author of all punishments for sinne The Lord is the author of all punishments for sinne though hee vse secondary causes and some outward meanes yet hee is the Author of all iudgements and punishments vpon men and women Indeed hee vseth sometime men to do his will as his rod to punish his people for so is Ashur called the Lords rodde Esay 10.5 to whip his people and his Staffe to beat them The Lord vseth sometimes the Deuils themselues to afflict his people Iob. 1. as wee see in Iobs affliction yet so as the Lord was the chiefe Author thereof the Deuill but an instrument Euen so al iudgements come from God hee imposeth and inflicts them on his people for their sinnes Excellent is that place of the Prophet Esay to this purpose But now Esay 43.1.2.3 thus sayth the Lord that created thee O Iacob and hee that formed thee O Israel feare not for I haue redeemed thee I haue called thee by name thou art mine when thou passest thorough the waters I will bee with thee and thorough the flouds that they shall not ouerflow thee c. And againe Shall there be any euill in the City and the Lord hath not done it This point is fully declared by Moses when hee sayth If yee will not obey mee nor doe all these commandements Leu. 26.16.17 I will appoint ouer you fearefulnesse a consumption and a burning ague the sword famine and pestilence to destroy you and to make you few in number Let this schoole vs if the Lord so deale with vs If the Crosse come to vs as a thing iudged fit of God Let vs not set him a stint to say thus much will I beare and no more but leaue the same to his owne good pleasure expecting and enduring euen one vpon the necke of another taking hold of his promise by a liuely faith that Hee will neuer lay more vpon vs then wee shall bee able to beare but will giue vs a happy issue vnto them all that wee shall gaine more in the Spirit then we can lose in the flesh and that the Crosse in Gods due time shall depart to our aduantage to leaue a blessing behind it This Doctrine haue I cleared in the first verse of this Chapter Let this suffice for this Text. Wee come to the vses of it Let vs all take knowledge of this Doctrine that Vse 1 the Lord is the Author of all punishments whatsoeuer by what instrument soeuer it pleaseth him to vse for the accomplishing of the same Iob the faithfull seruant of the Lord acknowledgeth this when he saith The Lond giueth the Lord taketh away yet wee know that it was the Deuil and wicked men whom the Lord vsed as his instruments to afflict this his holy seruant And let vs learne to acknowledge that all punishments sent of God come from his hand and he imposeth and layeth them vpon vs eyther as punishments of our sinnes Iob. 2.10 as heere in this Text or else for the triall of our faith patience and the like graces But of this before Secondly this may serue to condemne those foolish Vse 2 men that impute all to fortune and chance all their troubles miseries crosses sicknesses losses and the like that happen vnto them in their bodies children goods cattell they impute them all to blind Fortune and chance and neuer looke vp to the hand of God to see his angry countenance turned towards thē by reason of their sinnes and horrible impieties Here is Ignorance with a witnesse Where is the prouidence of God all this while which rules and gouernes all things that are in heauen and earth Oh let vs labour to reforme this common fault amongst vs and looke higher euen vnto God himselfe from whence they come This knowledge and acknowledging that God doth inflict his iudgements punishments and afflictions vpon vs for our sinnes it is a good meanes to bridle vs and to keepe vs from impatiency murmuring and muttering against the Lord. The Lord sent Shemi to curse 2. Sam. 16.10 who dare say then why doest thou curse mee so Iob The Lord giueth the Lord taketh away blessed bee the name of the Lord And the want of this is the cause why men bee so impatient in sicknesse and misery because they do not consider that it is the hand of the Lord layd vpon them for their sinnes and so they neuer make any vse at al of Gods iudgements thinking eyther that they come by chance lucke or fortune or else looke onely vpon the outward means and instrument and not vnto the Lord himselfe Oh let vs learne to bee wise to lift vp our eyes higher to see that it is the hand of the Lord I draw my sword I kill and make aliue I send the plague and pestilence to consume to destroy And the knowledge of this is a good meanes to humble vs and to make vs to confesse our sinnes that the Lord is holy in all his wayes and righteous in all his works the which is acknowledged by the Prophet Dauid when hee sayth I know O Lord Psal 119.75 that thy iudgements are right and that thou hast afflicted me iustly And if wee can but once truely apprehend this that it is the Lord that striketh it will make vs euen to blesse God when hee seemes to deale with vs most hardly giuing him the prayse of equity as Dauid doth here acknowledging that his sharpest corrections are not so great as our sinnes And these two things will bee great motiues to patience in trouble if wee consider that the same affliction is measured out vnto vs from the Lord Who is faithfull and will lay no more vpon vs then we are able to beare And next that our stripes are not according to our sinnes for if he should beate vs with as many rods as wee haue grieued him with sinnes hee should adde yet ten times more vnto our greatest afflictions I haue cut downe and slaine them THe second point is the indgement and punishment it selfe and the manner of it The iudgement it selfe which shewes that the same is no small iudgement but a very grieuous punishment For I haue cut downe and slaine them as though the Lord should haue sayd whereas they would not receyue my Doctrine nor beleeue my Word that they might bee brought to repentance and so bee saued I haue now cut them down slaine their soules by my Word and wounded them euen to death eternall for as my Word which I would haue made the sweet sauour of life vnto life is now by their rebellion and stubbornnesse turned vnto them to bee the wofull sauour of death vnto death Hence wee may obserue that of all the iudgements Doct. 3 of God that befal a man in this life there is none more grieuous or feareful then an hard heart that wil not stoupe to
I would bee their God Their sinne and they promised they would be my people Well I gaue them my lawes and commandements and my ordinances which were as a payre of Indentures betweene mee and them I set to my Seales and bound my selfe vnto them to stand by them to keepe and defend them from their enemies And for my part if they had kept Couenant I would for euer haue beene their God and they should haue beene my people but they haue quickly start out of the way they haue forgot their couenant made with mee broken my lawes and cast aside my commandements and haue abused my ordinances The Couenant what Gen. 17 7.8 Gen. 18.9 10 Exo. 19.5.6 Rom. 4.17 What this Couenant was these places shew Moreouer I will stablish my Couenant betweene mee and thee and thy seede after thee in thy generations for an euerlasting Couenant to bee God vnto thee and to thy seede after thee And I will giue thee and thy seede after thee the land wherein thou art a stranger Euen all the land of Canaan for an euerlasting possession And I will be their God Doct. 1 Thus had God bound himselfe by Couenant vnto them to bee their God The breaking of our couenant with god the cause of al iudgemēts And in that they had most vnthankefully violated the same the Lord layes here this great ingratitude of theirs to their charge So then the first point of Doctrine which this Text doth afford vs is this We may here behold what is the cause that God forsaketh any people and withdraweth his mercifull protection from them and layes them open to all miseries calamities iudgements and distresses namely the breaking of our Couenant with God for this doth highly offend God and prouoke him to anger to see his Couenants so lightly regarded and so wilfully transgressed as it doth appeare in this people whose sinne was no small sinne but a great and grieuous sin for in keeping of their Couenant with God did consist their euerlasting weale and kappinesse for then the Lord had bound himselfe that if they would keepe his commandements and lawes that hee would bee their God to defend them from all their enemies yea to confound all their aduersaries and so long as they were mindfull of their vow and couenant and walked in his wayes none could doe them harme yea they could want no blessing or mercie of God as it doth appeare by Gods own words Deut. 5.29 Deut. 28. Oh that there were such an heart in this people that they would feare mee and keepe my commandements alwayes that it might goe well with them and with their children after them for euer so on the contrary the breaking of this couenant was as much as their liues were worth for then the Lord was not bound to bee their God nor to keepe them any longer but they were naked of Gods protection and lay open to all miseries and calamities were a prey to their enemies and then all those curses pronounced against Couenant breakers Deut. 28.15 must needs fall vpon them If thou wilt not obey the voyce of the Lord thy God to keepe and to doe all his commandements and his ordinances which I command thee this day then shall these curses come vpon thee and ouertake thee Cursed shalt thou bee in the towne and cursed in the field cursed shall bee thy basket and store the fruit of thy body c. Exod. 32.25 When the people of God had committed idolatry and made them gods to goe before them it is sayde by Moses The people were naked for Aaron had made them naked to their shame amongst their enemies It was their sinne of Idolatrie that depriued them of Gods protection for as keeping his Couenant men are guarded from all dangers so breaking the same he naked to all iudgements and calamities When Achan had stolne the Babylonish garment and the wedge of gold the whole Host of Israel was punished for the same fault till the sinner was found out for because of the sin of Achan Iosu 7.24 the whole host of Israel were before their enemies but as naked men vtterlie destitute of Gods lpeciall protection Wee see this in Salowon 1. Reg. 11.14.23 when his heart was turned away from the true God and his hands were holden vp to strange gods the Lord was wroth against Salomon Then the Lord stirred vp one aduersary vnto Salomon and afterwards another which did much mischiefe and euill against Israel And this is likewise cleare by the example of Rhehoboam the sonne of Salomon who when hee had once forsaken the Lord and all Israel with him the Prophet comes with this message from the Lord 2. Cron. 12.5 Thus sayth the Lord Yee haue forsaken mee therefore haue I left you in the hands of Shishak These examples and the like whereof the Scriptures are full all serue to confirme the Doctrine now deliuered that sinne is the cause of all miserie and the breaking of our Couenant with God the cause of all calamity And good reason it should bee so for it is a iust thing for God to depart from them that depart from him to forsake them that forsake him whose departure from vs is the cause of all those iudgements wee suffer here Reason and shall make vs one day to taste of the bitternesse of his iudgements which last to confusion for euer Now let vs come to the Vses Vse 1 This teacheth vs first of all to acknowledge that all iudgements which are layde vpon vs here are most iust and righteous with our God whose iudgements are alwayes iust that howsoeuer the particular cause is not alwaies discerned vnto vs why the Lord doth strike vs and chastice vs yet certain it is that if the stormes of Gods iudgements doe arise some Ionas or other is in the shippe some secret sinne or other lyes lurking in our soules that hath caused the Lord to be so angry with vs according to that of the Prophet Ieremy Wherefore is the liuing man sorrowfull Man suffereth for his sinne Oh let vs search and trie our wayes and turne vnto the Lord where wee may see the cause of all iudgements our sinnes Secondly the remedy To search and trie our wayes and turne vnto the Lord. Oh then let vs euer acknowledge the Lord to bee iust in all his wayes and righteous in all his workes yea let vs in the middest of Gods iudgements conclude Lam. 3.39 and say It is the Lords mercy that wee are not consumed because his compassions faile not The Lord might iustly take all aduantage at our hands but his mercy is ouer all his works in the middest of his iudgements he remembreth mercy Well let vs apply this Doctrine to our selues Vse 2 see whether wee can excuse our selues that we are not Couenant breakers against our God There is none of vs all but wee haue entred a solemne league made a solemne
esteeme of his blessed Word and glorious Gospell that hee will euen remoue all from vs Shall we thinke that the Lord who thus seuerely plagued Gilead and Ierusalem these Cities that were so famous in the world that hee will spare vs but that he will doe to vs as he hath done to them and remoue the Candlesticke out of his place For the Lord caÌ„not abide or indure to see his most blessed word and glorious Gospell to be contemned and troden vnder foot Vse 3 Last of all seing the Lord expects that those places which hauing great meanes should bring foorth most fruit let vs labor to answere the Lords expectation heerein The Earth that drinketh in the raine that commeth oft vpon it Heb. 6.7 and bringeth foorth herbes meete for them by whom it is dressed receiueth blessing of Ged But that which beareth Thornes and Briers is depriued and is neere to cursing whose end is to be burned Oh then as wee desire a blessing and to be approued of God let the fruit of our hearing and profession appeare that wee beare not Thornes for then woe vnto vs but that we Tit. 2. Denie vngodlinesse and worldly lusts and liue soberly and iustly in this present world And is polluted with blood THe meaning is as I take it they were crafty to couer blood for when as a Murderer had slaine a man euen willfully and of a set purpose he would then flie to this City being a City of refuge and there the Priests who were put in trust to examine the matter how the murther was done whether wittingly of purpose and that vpon some old grudge or whether of ignorance against his will These Priests being couetous and greedy of gain would for a peece of money smooth ouer the matter they would shelter the wilful murderer and craftily hide his sinne which ought to haue beene punished with death because the Law was straight against this sinne Hee that shedeth mans bloud by man shall his bloud bee shed But they being couetous and not regarding Gods Law would hide his murder and shelter and shrowde it and couer it so craftily that hee should escape vnpunished and neuer come to his answere And for this very cause doth Almighty God charge this City with the bloud of these men and cals it a City polluted with bloud So then this being the sinne of these Priests for Doct. 3 gaine to iustifie the wicked and to couer his sinne for a golden fee. For no worldly respect must men bee drawne to peruert iustice Wee may conclude this third point of Doctrine that for no worldly respect whatsoeuer should men bee drawne to peruert iustice to colour sinne It was the sin of this City of the Priests and Leuites those which were put in trust from God to enquire and to finde out the wilfull Murderer euen to take Ioab from the â—ornes of the Altar that they should for money shew him fauour and couer his sinne and let murder escape vnpunished Deu. 16.8 It was a speciall precept that Moses gaue to the Magistrate Wrest not thou the Law nor respect any person neyther take reward for reward blind the eyes of the wise and peruerteth the words of the iust It was sayd of Balaam Num. 2.3 That hee had the reward of Soothsaying in his hands But Magistrates must not haue the reward of iniustice in their hands for as the Apostle condemnes those that make Marchandize of the Word of God so those are no lesse condemned that make Marchandize of Iustice Woe bee vnto him that iustifieth the wicked for reward Esay 5. and taketh away the righteousnesse of the righteous from him The Lord cannot indure that those whom hee hath placed in his stead as petty Gods vpon earth that they should turn the sword of Iustice to the hurt of the innocent and iustifying of the wicked We may note hence that it is a fearefull thing when Vse 1 men grow to bee cunning how to sinne and to be their crafts master for then men are boldned in sin and sin without controlment when they are so cunning that they can sinne smoothly and none shall see it that can steale so as no man can perceyue and commit whoredome vnder a Canopie when men grow cunning and crafty to hide their sinnes this is a dangerous thing for this will embolden such men in sinne it were farre better for a man if hee sinne to sinne so that hee know not how to couer it or cloake it for then hee will the sooner be brought to repentance then that hee know how to cloake and to couer the same and to keepe it from the knowledge of the world for howsoeuer in the opinion of the world they be the onely wise men that can smooth ouer their sins commit them so as none can see them or know them that bee their crafts master yet indeed of all other their case is most dangerous and there is little hope that they will leaue their sins and be ashamed for them for that their cunning and crafty hiding of their sinnes doth embolden them therein VERSE 9. And as theeues wayte for a man so the company of Priests murder in the way by consent for they worke mischiefe HEre the Prophet proceeds to more particular euils and taxeth the Priests who should haue been guides to the people to instruct and direct them that they became euen murderers of their poore soules And after he comes to the people and shewes that they were full of abhominable vices and no maruell Like Priest like people If the guides bee blind they must needs rush both into the ditch And if the Ring-leaders and Captaines bee so vile so wicked and so prophane alas what can bee expected of the common people but ignoranee and miserable blindnes Concerning the Priests the Prophet speakes more sharply that they were no better then wilfull murderers of the soules of the people and that they were like to robbers who doe deuise aforehand how they may bring their purposes to passe Euen so these Priests they mused how they might by false doctrine spoyle the people of God 1 Reg. 12.31 When Ieroboam came to bee King in the roome of Salomon hee banished the Leuites and made of the basest of the people the vilest of them to be Priests in the seruice of God and who would might be made a Priest of Ieroboam And these fellowes being set ouer the people they vvere no better then wilfull murdesers for they did seeke to draw the poor people from God to Idolatry and so murdered their poor soules Obiect Obiect But vvhy doth the Ptophet here compare the Priests to open theeues and common robbers Answere Answ First because as theeues doe often pretend fauour and friendship as though they would direct a man the right way and yet prey vpon them and kill them to get their goods Euen so these Priests they would seeme to bee as Fathers and as guides