taken away in a generall visitation as none bee exempted yet that shall be to us as the fiery Chariot was to Eliah it shall put us into the possession of Heaven where all teares shall be wiped away from our eyes The second generall is the course which Ezra takes and that is humbling himselfe by confession weeping and supplication to let us know thus much Doct. 2 The maine receit in time of affliction is humiliation a probatum est of this will appeare in Gods people if a judgement have been threatned or comming they have humbled themselves before God 2 Chro. 20.3 in the 2 of Chro. 20.3 when that great Army of Ammonites and Moabites came against Iehoshaphat it is said Iehoshaphat feared and set himselfe to seek the Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Iudah So when that fatall Decree of Haman was procured for extirpation of the Iewes and a day destinate for their destruction Hesther commands the Iewes 10 fast three dayes and saith she I also and my Maidens will fast likewise Esth 4.16 and we doubt not Esther 4. â—6 but they afflicted their soules as well as their bodies Ionah 3.5 And in Ionah 3.5 when the Prophet denounced destruction to Nineveh saying yet forty dayes and Nineveh shall be overthrown what followes the people of Nineveh believed God and proclaimed a Fast and put on sackcloth from the greatest to the least of them This is in judgements imminent and to come yee shall see that this also hath been their course when a judgement hath been inflicted in a time of drought Ier. 14.20 Ier. 14.20 We acknowledge O Lord our wickednesse and the iniquity of our fathers for we have sinned against thee in a time of dearth and famine Ioel 2.12 the prescription is Turne to the Lord with all your heart with fasting Ioel 2.12 weeping and mourning The people of God have done the same when the sword hath been amongst them this wee find in Iosh 7.6 when Israel was discomfited by the men of Ai Ioshua rent his cloathes Iosh 7.6 and fell to the earth upon his face before the Ark of the Lord untill eventide he and the Elders of Israel and put dust upon their heads So in the judgement of mortality when David saw that seventy thousand of his subjects were slaine by the pestilence for his sinne hee betakes himselfe to God in a humble manner saying Lo I have sinned and done wickedly but these sheep what have they done let thine hand I pray thee be against me and against my fathers house 2 Sam. 24.17 We see it also in Davids particular case 2 Sam. 24.17 Psal 30.7.8 Psal 30.7.8 Thou O Lord didst hide thy face and I was troubled then I cryed to thee O Lord and unto the Lord I made my supplication So likewise in the case of the whole Church Hosea 6.1 Come and let us returne unto the Lord for hee hath torne and hee will heale us Hosea 6.1 hee bath smitten and he will bind us up The grounds they went upon were these two Reason 1 First Zeph. 2.1.2 they knew it was Gods Commandement that place in Zeph. 2.1 2. is notable to this purpose where the Lord saith Gather your selves together yea gather together O Nation not desired before the decree bring forth before the day passe as the chaffe before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you before the day of the Lords anger come upon you As when Absolom could not speak with Ioah by faire meanes hee knew that if once his corne were on fire hee would quickly come unto him So when the Lord inflicts judgements on his people it is to humble them in his presence Isa 22.12 So in Isa 22.12 In that day to wit in the day of their affliction did the Lord God of Hosts call to weeping and to mourning to baldnesse and to girding with sackcloth Reason 2 Secondly the Saints were sure that sinne was the cause of all their miseries that being the Achan which troubled the whole Host and the Ionah endangering the whole Ship therefore to look to have the judgement removed without humiliation and repentance were to no purpose who looks to have a wound cured as long as the weapon that made it sticks in it and it is in vaine to expect the removall of a judgement till men be humbled and purged but take away the cause and the effect will cease Vse 1 What shall we think of a number of desperate wretches in the world who when they should bee humbled under Gods afflicting hand sinne more and more and more against him this was the sinne of Abaz for which the Spirit of God stigmatises him to all posterity in the 2 Chro. 28.22 saying 2 Chro. 28.22 and in the time of this distresse that is when the Philistimes had invaded his Land did hee trespasse yet more against the Lord this is that King Ahaz This also we finde charged on Israel Isa 57.17 Isa 57.17 For the iniquity of his coveteousnesse was I wrath and smote him saith the Lord I hid me and was wroth and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart They ' were so farre from being better that they were the worse for Gods afflicting them and are they better that when the plague of God is gone out against a place as at this time it is against this City yet can sweare lie cheat and be drunk they know not but that the destroying Angell may smite them next and yet they dare provoke God by these and many other sinnes woe is me that people should bee thus unprepared for death will nothing teach these but bare feeling will they take no warning till God touch them and set the bloudy crosse upon their bodies let these know that although God spare them a while hee will not spare them for ever and to be sure he will put all into the last draught which shall be as bitter as gall or worm-wood Vse 2 In the second place seeing the Lords wrath is at this present gone out against us for our iniquities let us all I beseech you with Ezra addresse our selves to God by Prayer and fasting what is it for us to fast in private though Authority have not commanded it when it is done by the command of the Magistrate wee seeme to fast of necessity but when wee take it up voluntarily it argues ingenuity nay there cannot be a more pregnant sign of sincerity Is it such a matter to forbeare one meale in a week Well however we think of this duty if it be performed as it ought with supplication and humiliation there is no such way to prevent or remove a judgement I hope there is none so wicked amongst us but will confesse that we have great cause to humble our selves before God for who can be ignorant but that we our selves are the cause of the plague which is now among us it is true sometimes it
under a great judgement and wee hope thou our God dost not think it small but bee it what it will wee are sure thou art just in inflicting it upon us and because contraries doe best appeare when they are brought together yee shall see how contrary the wicked be to the godly in this Cain cryes out that his punishment is greater then he could beare hee complaines not of his sinne but of his punishment as if God punished him more then hee deserved and Saul takes it ill that Samuel should charge him with disobedience though it were grosse and palpable and yee shall finde in Scripture that God exposes his actions to scanning Ierem. 5.19 Ierem. 10.16 that it may appeare to all the world how just he is In Ierem. 5.19 and in Chap. 10.16 the wicked are not ashamed to question God why hee punished them as if hee had done it without cause Ezek. 18.25 So in Ezek. 18.25 They say the Lords wayes were not equall as if he had punished the children for their Fathers sinnes when as the same sinnes were found in the children Mal. 3.8 So in Mal. 3.8 when God challengeth and plagueth them for their transgressions they reply What have wee done As if God punished them without desert and this humour of turning againe will not leave the wicked at the last day for when Christ shall say unto them on his left hand depart yee cursed into everlasting fire prepared for the Devill and his angels for I was an hungred and yee gave mee no meat I was thirsty and yee gave me no drink then shall they answer him saying Lord when saw we thee an hungred or a thirst Vse 1 This lets us see how the world failes in this particular when God layes his hand on men how apt are they to dispute with God and say why doth hee deale thus and thus with us and by this meanes they are so farre from mitigating that they encrease his hand upon them Nay there bee those presumptuous ones that in argumentation will aske why God elected some and reprobated others but take heed of this is it not enough to knock at the doore but wee must break it open Who art thou O man that repliest to thy Maker Vse 2 Secondly let us alwayes bee perswaded of the justice of God in all his proceedings for though wee see not the reason why hee doth this or that yet there is good reason for it Voluntas Dei secreta sit nunquam injusta the cause why God punisheth may bee hid but it is never unjust Therefore when thy tumultuous flesh shall say with Rebeckah Why am I thus know that it is for thy excesse thy Sabbath-breaking thy hypocrisie thy lewd conversation Therefore change thy note and say with the Church Mich. 7.9 Mich. 7.9 I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him I know it is a hard thing to suppresse the tumultuous thoughts which arise in men in times of trouble but these must bee laboured agaist with all our power for no man gets by contending with his Maker but multiplies his stroaks Wee proceed now to the reason which hee gives for justifying God for wee remaine yet escaped as it is this day As if hee had said thy goodnesse is demonstrate hee that runnes may read it thou hast been abundantly more mercifull to us then to thousands of our brethren who perished in the captivity for lo we remain even to this day That which I collect from hence is this In generall judgements which God brings upon the World there is still some escaping When God sent the Deluge upon the world Noah and his Family perished not in the fiery shower which God rained on Sodom and Gomorrah Lot and his Daughters perished not nay a whole City to wit Zoar is spared at Lots entreaty When Pharaoh commanded all the male children of the Iewes to bee drowned Moses was preserved and when Iericho was destroyed Rahab and her Family were spared and when for Davids pride seventy thousand were consumed by the Pestilence many thousands in Israel escaped and when the last great Plague was among us thousands and ten thousands had their life for a prey What is the ground of this Reason 1 First all Gods wayes are interveined with mercy Reason 2 Secondly God still spares some to bring them to repentance that they may turn out of the crooked into the straight path Vse 1 Let me advise them that have tasted of Gods mercy in this way never to forget it and for this let me stirre up my own soule to prayse God with you when my next neighbour was smitten dead why was not I smitten also it was only Gods mercy when some in the same house with us were infected and died of the plague why were wee spared it was of Gods meere mercy and it ought to bee marvellous in our eyes Vse 2 Secondly let us bee farre from censuring any that dyed in the last visitation as if they were greater sinners then others farre bee it from us to bee of this wicked humour for many a good soule went to Heaven then and many a Cham was spared Wee are bound to praise him for our selves for why did hee spare us was it not that wee should bee better Gods sparing men is either to harden them or to amend them therefore except wee repent wee shall likewise perish The reason which hee gives on their part is that though God had spared them yet they were before him in their trespasses as if hee had said O Lord thou hast to the full performed thy counterpart with us but wee are yet in our sinnes for wee are as bad or worse then wee were before Here take notice of thus much What a fearefull judgement it is not to profit by afflictions It is that for which God finds great fault with his people in Deut. 29.2.3.4 his hand had been heavie upon their Enemies in their sight and view Deut 29.2.3 4. yet they were never the better So in lsa 1.5 there the Lord saith to Israel Isa 1.5 why should yee bee stricken any more yee will revolt more and more Ierem. 12.13 The like also we see in Ierem. 12.13 They were sick and had no profit This was the sinne of Cain hee was stigmatised for a wretch yet hee was as wicked as hee was before It was also the sinne of Pharaoh Ahab and Ahaz they were all the worse for comming under the rod and are therefore branded by the spirit of God to all posterity There is a great deale of difference between Gods afflicting the godly and the wicked Isa 27.7 as may appeare Isa 27.7 Hath hee smitten them as hee smote those that smote him What is the reason the godly profit by affliction but the wicked are the worse for being afflicted Every thing works together for the best to Gods people but every thing turnes into sinne to the wicked according
PErlegi has Conciones viri insigniter docti operarii 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iosiae Shute aevi sui Chrysostomi quas impressione dignissimas censeo IA. CRANFORD DIVINE CORDIALS DELIVERED IN Ten Sermons UPON Part of the ninth and tenth Chapters of Ezra in a time of Visitation BY That godly and faithfull Preacher of Gods Word IOSIAH SHUTE B. D. and late Rector of Mary Woolnoths in Lumbard-Street London Published by Authority HABAKKUK 3.17 18. Although the fig-tree shall not blossome neither shall fruit bee in the Vine the labour of the Olive shall faile and the fields shall yeeld no meat the flock shall be cut off from the Fold and there shall be no Herd in the Stals yet will I rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation London Printed for ROBERT BOSTOCK dwelling in Pauls Church-yard at the Sign of the Kings head 1644. TO THE READER I Have presumed to present to publike view a scantling of those pious and numerous Sermons preached by that worthy Minister of God and bright Starre of our Church while hee lived Mr Iosiah Shute I confesse ingenuously they lose much of their native lustre and beauty by comming under an unskilfull Pen but sure I am you have their marrow and substance how defective soever in Quotations and circumstance I know my attempt will bee censured by the Learned for bringing him abroad in so homely a dresse who was the Chrysostome of his time But I chose rather to bee censured by them then to engrosse a treasure to my selfe which by the blessing of God may enrich many The benefit I reaped by him the honour I owe unto his memory and the importunity of friends are a sufficient Apology for my rash adventure That which I have brought to light is but the work of five dayes To what a vast volume would it rise if the elaborate Sermons which hee preached for above thirty years together should come to see the Sunne I am bold to speak it because I have hundreds to beare me witnesse he was as faithfull and constant a Labourer in Gods Vineyard as any the Kingdome had VVhat remaines then but our diligence to bee bettered by his holy Doctrine and godly Example considering the end of his conversation My prayer to the most High is that this Reverend Author may prove a Bonaerges a Sonne of thunder to rouse and awaken the secure sinner but a Barnabas a Sonne of consolation to the Mourners in Zion And if this taste of his Ministery shall produce these good effects in any I not only have my desire but if God so please not being prevented by others I shall hereafter assay to give you a deeper draught of his Religious Labours Thus wishing thee as much comfort in perusing them as I had in hearing and transcribing them I leave thee and them to the blessing of God and bid thee farewell William Reynoldes DIVINE CORDIALS Sermon I. EZRA 9. 13 14 15. And after all that is come upon us for our evill deeds and for our great trespasse seeing that thou our God hast punished us lesse then our iniquities deserve and hast given us such deliverance as this should we againe break thy Commandements c. OUr Text is part of the prayer and confession of Ezra the occasion whereof was this That holy man being returned from Babylon to Ierusalem with men money and great encouragement he is welcomed by a sad message from the principall in Israel they complaine that the people of Israel the Priests and the Levites had not separated themselves from the people of the lands doing according to their abhominations the hearing of this caused much sorrow in good Ezra that he should come so farre and finde Paganisme in Iudea therefore like a distracted man he rends his cloathes teares the haire off this head and beard and sits downe astonished all which is but a fair preface to the prayer he makes wherein as if his heart were poured out in devotion he professeth that he is ashamed to lift up his face to God and confesseth the iniquities of the people acknowledging that God had been just in punishing them And now O our God saith he what shall wee say after this thou hast worthily plagued us for wee have forsaken thy Commandements These three verses are a part of his prayer the substance whereof is an argument which he makes for God against themselves and it stands thus Those whom thou hast delivered out of servitude and bondage if they shall againe provoke thee by their rebellions they deserve to be consumed but this is the state of Israel thou O Lord hast delivered Israel out of captivity and thraldome and yet they have rebelled against thee therefore they deserve to have no more favour shewed them but to be destroyed and utterly consumed Our course in opening these verses shall be this In them I propound two things to your consideration first an Inditement preferred by Ezra against Israel secondly his pleading it for God against themselves In the first he remembers Gods mercy and their rebellion Gods mercy is laid downe in the thirteenth verse and that three wayes first he shewes that they were not punished without cause secondly that God punished them lesse then they deserved thirdly that he had totally delivered them Their rebellion is comprised in the fourteenth verse in which there are two parts first the sinne secondly the punishment the sinne is laid downe first generally should we againe break thy Commandements secondly particularly and joyne in affinity with the people of these abhominations Then followes the punishment first God will be angry secondly there is the degree of his anger he will not leave consuming till all be destroyed This is the carriage of the three verses in the opening of which we shall see that they sute us in this Land as well as any people under heaven for considering that God did lately scourge us by the pestilence and of his meere mercy removed it totally from us seeing wee have revived our sinnes and renewed our provocations against his majesty if he begin againe to renew his plagues and scourge us till he have consumed us we must justifie him in his proceedings who is righteous in all his wayes and holy in all his works Before we handle the particulars as we laid them downe there be two things in generall which offer themselves to be discussed the first is out of the party which was Ezra the second is out of the course he takes and that is humbling himselfe in Gods presence First for the party it is Ezra yee shall read in this book that he was a man that set his heart to seek the Lord neither did he this only himselfe but sought by all possible meanes to incite others to follow his godly example Had all Israel beene such as he they needed not to have feared judgements comming upon them but they were not therefore seeing the sinnes of the Land hee could not
forbeare but breaks forth into lamentation and mourning which affords us this point of Doctrine Doctrin 1 Good men though they be at peace with God finde cause of sorrow for other mens sinnes yee shall see this proved in the Scripture the Spirit of God calls Lot a righteous man yet this righteous mans soule was vexed from day to day with the uncleane conversation of the Sodomites 2 Pet. 2.8 The like we see in Moses that good man 2 Pet. 2.8 doe yee not think that hee was strangely moved at the sinne of the people when he let fall and brake in pieces the two Tables of Stone in which God had written the Decalogue with his owne sacred finger Exod. 32.19 Exod. 32.19 It was so with the Prophet Samuel he mourned for the disobedience of Saul for which God rejected him from reigning over Israel 1 Sam. 15.35 1 Sam. 15.35 the like we see in David mine eyes saith he gush out rivers of teares because men keep not thy Law Psal 119.136 Psal 119.136 may some man say what were the sinnes of the world to David it is true they were none of his yet he thinks himselfe bound to grieve for them because he knew they were displeasing to his maker We see the same in good Ieremiah he wishes his head were waters and his eyes a fountaine of teares that he might weep day and night for the iniquities of his people who were all adulterers and an assembly of treacherous men Ier. 9.1.2 Ier. 13.17 Ier. 9.1.2 and in Ier. 13.17 He professes that his soul shall weep in secret for their pride and was it not so with thee O blessed Saviour thou didst mourn for the hardnesse of mens hearts Mark 3.5 Mark 3.5 and when thou camest to Hierusalem thou weptst over it saying if thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong to thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes Luk. 19.41 42. and the same spirit was in S. Paul Luk. 19.41.42 Philip. 3.18 Philip. 3.18 he tells them he had told them often and now speakes it weeping that there bee those among them who are enemies to the crosse of Christ thus yee see the point sufficiently proved Vse 1 It shall be to let us see the stupidity and sencelessenesse of the sonnes of Belial though they have most cause to weep and mourn yet they live in jollity and merriment and are meere strangers to all sadnesse Some of these stick not to say What hath any man to doe to weep for their sinnes and that by their impieties they trouble none but their own soules But I tell thee O wretch thou troublest not only thine own house and soule but thou troublest all Israel thou givest the Saints of God occasion to be pensive for that which makes thee jocant and glad and happy is it for thee that there be such as Noah Lot Samuel and David to mourn for thee for were it not that some did mourn for thy prophannesse thou shouldst not live againe to commit it did not some bewaile thy drunkennesse thou shouldst bee taken away with the pot at thy mouth did not some godly people grieve for thy filthy lust thou shouldst with Zimri and Cosbi be smitten dead flagrante crimine in the very act of uncleannesse but the servants of God pray and mourn fast and weep and all to avert judgements from thee who deservest little at their hands Vse 2 In the second place This may Answer a common Objection which is put to the Saints because they be sad and dumpish I would have you know that it is not holinesse which makes them sad but the prophannesse of the world is that for which they are so much dejected What need the child of God be sad who is in the love and favour of God thou that complainest against him for his sadnesse know that therfore he grieves with holy David because he is constrained to sojourne in Mesech Psal 120.5 and to dwell in the Tents of Kedar Psal 120.5 Vse 3 Lastly according to the practise of Ezra though we have made our peace with God let us mourn for the wickednesse of others every one knowes what cause there is for this iniquity having overspread this Land of ours from Dan to Beersheba from one corner of it to another and were these impieties modest it were not so much but they be impudent and have a Brazen front Religion is out of fashion and none are so esteemed as fashion-mongers they be your only men now in credit The case thus standing there is no way to prevent judgements which be imminent but by mourning and fasting Now that yee may bee perswaded to practise these so seasonable and necessary duties remember but these things First it is piety to mourn for the sins of others shall we hear and see God to bee dishonoured and not grieve for it piety cannot lodge in that breast where such an ill spirit inhabites a man will and ought to grieve when his friend is wronged Christ calls us his friends Ioh. 15.15 and hee is our best friend Iohn 15.15 therefore wee have abundant cause to mourn for the sinnes of wicked men whereby hee is much dishonoured and the Holy Spirit grieved Secondly pity requires this duty at our hands I read of Marcellus the Roman that entring a City which he had gained by composition after a long siege he burst forth into teares one that stood by him demanded why he wept saith he I cannot chuse but weep to see so many thousand led into captivity Shall a Heathen weep for the captivity of mens bodies and shall not Christians mourn for their sinnes which are enough to enthrall soules and bodies in Hell for evermore it should bee the griefe of our soules to see thousands and tenne thousands that will be damned Thirdly if we doe not mourne for other mens sinnes we make them our own that of the Father is most true peccatum quod non displicet tuum est that sinne is thine with which thou art not displeased and that yee may see I goe not without book in this look that place in 1 Cor. 5.6 there was one in the Church of Corinth that had committed that foule sinne of incest 1 Cor. 5.6 and the Corinthians were so farre from grieving for it as they ought to have done that they gloried in it S. Paul corrects them for it telling them that thereby they were become a sowre lump Lastly we should be moved to this duty by the blessing which attends it what saith our blessed Saviour Matth. 5.4 Matth. 5.4 Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted And in Ezek. 9.4 the Lord gives command to spare them in Hierusalem Ezek. 9.4 that did sigh and cry for the abominations done in the midst thereof The next way to escape judgement is to mourn for the sinnes of the Nation and though we should bee
encreases at other times it decreases so that it keeps at no stay but if wee shall therefore neglect to humble our soules and bodies in the presence of God we shall so incense him as to encrease this plague among us without measure but if we shall turn to him that smites us by unfained repentance and amendment of life hee will not only take this grievous sicknesse from us but hee will leave a blessing behinde him So much for the two generalls We now descend to the particulars as they were laid down Wee begin with the indictment preferred by Ezra against Israel in which is remembred Gods mercy and their rebellion Gods mercy is laid down in the thirteenth verse and that three wayes First he shewes that they were not punished without cause Secondly that God punished them lesse then they deserved Thirdly that he had totally delivered them First for the first particular in the gradation of Gods mercy thou our God hast punished us that is thou hast punished us deservedly Tyrants will and doe punish men without cause nay they desire to pick holes in mens coates that they may punish them but the Judge of all the world never proceeds to punish but when hee is provoked In that Ezra saith seeing that thou our God hast punished us take notice in the first place of this observation Doct. 3 Whatsoever is the instrument Isa 45.7 God is the Authour of the punishment This is proved in Isa 45.7 where the Lord saith I make peace and create evill I the Lord doe all these things so in Amos 3.6 Shall there be evill in a City Amos 3.6 and the Lord hath not done it yee must understand these places not of the evill of sinne but of punishment for Deus non author sed ultor peccati God is not the authour but revenger of sinne it was hee that opened the bottles of heaven and sent the deluge on the earths it was hee that rained that igneum imbrem shower of fire and brimstone from heaven upon Sodom and Gomorrah it was he that shut up the wombs in Abimelechs house and that plagued Egypt with those successions of plagues the Magicians could not or would not see digitum Dei the finger of God in them but had they not been blind they might have seen ambas manus his ten fingers in those tenne judgements which hee inflicted on them It was hee that offered David his choyce of three plagues and upon his choyce sent the pestilence and in 1 Cor. 11.32 S. Paul there labours to perswade the Corinthians 1 Cor. â—â— â—â— that God chastened them Psal â—9 9 and David saith Psal 39.9 I was dumb and opened not my mouth because thou didst it mistake mee not I know that sometimes God makes use of instruments for the execution of his wrath hee made use of the earth to swallow up Corah Dathan and Abiram he made use of the water to drown Pharaoh and his Host hee made use of the fire to slay the Captaines and their fifties which came to apprehend Eliah he made use of a Lyon to kill the disobedient Prophet and of Beares to destroy two and fourty children that called Elisha bald-pate and he used Serpents to sting to death the rebellious Israelites but the primus motor the chiefe efficient is God who is the Lord of Hosts and hath all creatures at his beck Ioseph was not ignorant that his brethren had a hand in selling of him into Egypt yet he tels them that God had sent him thither and Iob knew well enough that the Sabeans and Caldeans had taken away his goods yet he saith The Lord hath given and the Lord hath taken away and blessed be the name of the Lord though men were the instruments yet he knew God to be Authour of what he suffered Vse 1 This may informe us what is the ground of all the impatience in the world there be a number which repine and murmure when Gods hand is upon them what is the reason they stick in the second causes and look so much on the lower links of the chaine that they forget him that hath the top of it in his hand one complaines of his brother another of the ayre hee lives in a third of the meat he eates and hence it is that they repine whereas if a man looked up to God in what he suffers he would say as Eli It is the Lord let him doe what hee will and with Iob The Lord gives and takes and blessed bee his Name Nay if a man would doe this it would not only make him patient but to profit by his affliction for no man sees himself so clearly and truly as in the glasse of adversity every affliction that God laies upon us seemes to say as Ehud to Eglon I have a message to thee from God which if a man would consider it would make his affliction a Bethesda to cure him of his spirituall infirmities and by so doing hee would come out of that fornace cleare gold purged from the drosse of his corruptions Vse 2 Secondly here is a Use of admonition ever look up to God in all thy afflictions look to him in thy Feaver in thy Ague in the Plague I know there may be an infected ayre there may be ill humours in the body which may help forward infection I know also that a man may bee infected by being conversant with infected persons these be second causes but God is the chiefe and principall The Heathens call the plague a judgement sent from God and surely there is something more divine in it then in other punishments and a man may say of those that die of the Pestilence as Moses said of the death of Korah and his Complices they die not the common death of men for as there is something in this disease for the Physitian to look on so something for the Divine Vse 3 Lastly when the Lords hand is upon us and that we would have it removed the nearest way we can take is to have recourse to God by prayer for as our Saviour told Pilate that he had no power but what was given him from above so afflictions could not seise upon us without Gods giving them a commission a man may spend all that he hath to be cured of his disease as did the woman in the Gospel that had the bloody issue and yet unlesse God please all shall doe him no good Saul may goe to the Witch of Endor for help and Amaziah to the god of Ekron to bee healed but except the God of heaven work the cure it shall never be effected let us therefore in all our afflictions seek to God and to him alone for he that is the inflicter must be the restorer I now proceed to the point which even now I named Ezra saith God punished them not without cause which guides mee to this Observation Doct. 4 God doth never punish any without desert Gen. 18.25 Saith Abraham
Gen. 18.25 Shall not the Iudge of all the world doe right Nay let mee tell you it is not triviall but grosse sinnes which cause God to punish men mark it in his dealing with the old world did hee take advantage at every petty impiety No but hee staid till all flesh had corrupted their wayes and then and not till then brought he the deluge Gen. 6.12 Gen. 6.12 so before ever he punisht Sodom and Gomorrah their sinnes were exceeding grievous Gen. 18.20 Psal 78. â—8 Gen. 18.20 It is said in Psal 78.38 he being mercifull forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not but oft-times called back his anger and did not stirre up all his wrath Another pregnant place to prove this 2 Chro. 36 16. is 2 Chro. 36.16 where the Spirit of God saith They mocked the Messengers of God and despised his words and misused the Prophets untill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people and till there was no remedy Mark he must of necessity punish them unlesse he would have his justice truth and providence troden under foot and when he saith he is prest under men as a cart is prest that is full of sheaves Amos 2.13 Amos 2.13 it shewes evidently that God doth not punish for every small sinne hee is propense to mercy but loath to punish hence it is that he calls opus judicii the work of judgement opus alienum a strange work Isa 28.21 Isa 28.21 and when he must needs punish his people hee saith he will shave them with a Rasor that is hired Isa 7.20 Isa 7.20 as if he had none of his own but was faine to borrow so prone is God to mercy that hee would ever think thoughts of peace towards us but wee will not suffer him Vse 1 We should ever justifie God in all the judgements he brings upon us the Saints of God have done this in all times thus did David Psal 119.75 Psa 119.75 I know O Lord that thy judgements are right and that thou in faithfulnesse hast afflicted me it was so also with Nehemiah Nehem. 9.33 Chap. 9.33 Thou O Lord art just in all that is brought upon us for thou hast done right but wee have done wickedly the like we see in Daniel Dan. 9.7 Chap. 9.7 O Lord righteousnesse belongeth unto thee but to us confusion of faces as at this day and the poore Thiefe on the crosse tels his fellow when be reviled our blessed Saviour Luk. 23.41 Wee indeed suffer justly for we receive the due reward of our deeds but this man hath done nothing amisse in Matth. 16.27 when our blessed Lord called the woman of Canaan Matth 15.26.27 dog she digests it saying Truth Lord yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their Masters Table and let wicked men dispute and plead as long as they are able it shall never be found but that God punishes deservedly But if it shall come into the minds of any to say as those in Ierem. 16.10 Wherefore hath the Lord pronounced all this great evill against us Ierem. 16.10 or what is our iniquity or what is our sinne that we have committed against the Lord our God I tell these as the Prophet told them you are plagued for your swearing lying Sabbath-breaking hypocrisie drunkennesse lusting oppression these and other sinnes bee the procreant causes of all plagues these bee the traitours which open the gates to all judgements Vse 2 In the second place seeing God punishes none without cause let it teach us patience under his afflicting hand And the truth is why should men be impatient under the crosse when as he punishes not till he be provoked neither is it every patience which will serve the turne there is asinina patientia an asses patience when a man is not sensible though never so much load be laid upon him Secondly there is canina patientia a doggish patience when like a snarling dog tied up in a chaine wee indure what is inflicted upon us against our will Neither of these will stand us in stead but Christian-like with all submission wee must take thankfully the hand of God upon us saying with holy Bernard Lord that which thou layest upon us is durum pro viribus hard to be born in regard of our poore strength sed dignum pro meritis but just in regard of our iniquities Let us be as the good corne which when it is winnowed falls at the winnowers feet not like the chaffe which flies in his face and let us say with David 2 Sam. 15.26 Behold here I am 2 Sam. 15.26 let him doe unto me as seemeth good unto him Further wee may observe that Ezra speaks not only of sinne in generall but of a great trespasse what was it it was the peoples mingling themselves with the Heathen which was a foule transgression the Doctrine arising from hence is thus much Doct. 5 When God arises to judgement hee ever sets himselfe against the foule sinnes of men Will some man say which be the foule sinnes for which God is so much offended They be these The first is pride what was it that put on David to number his people but the pride of his heart for which you know he smarted shrewdly 2 Sam. 24. A second 2 Sam. 24. is Idolatry this is a grievous sinne and for this God is exceeding angry wherever it is practised or countenanced Exod. 20.5 A third is lust Exod. 20.5 especially when it growes impudent as was that of Zimri and Cosbi A fourth is blasphemy wherefore was Senacharib that proud monster and a hundred fourescore and five thousand of his Army slaine but for blaspheming the God of Israel Isa 37. A fifth is murder this is that sinne for which God hath a quarrell with a Land Hosea 4 2. Hosea 4.2 The sixth is oppression the Lord is very wroth where this is committed therefore wee finde him saying Psal 12.5 For the oppression of the poore Psal 1â— 5 and the sighing of the needy I will arise and set him in safety from him that puffeth at him And elsewhere he threatens to make his arrowes drunk in the bloud of oppressours The last sinne that I will name causing God to rise to judgement is the prophanation of his Ordinances Moses knew this which made him request Pharaoh to let them goe three dayes journey into the Desart and sacrifice to the Lord their God lest hee fall upon them with the Pestilence or sword Exod. 5.3 1 Cor. 11.33 a Exod. 5.3 and S. Paul saith in 1 Cor. 11.30 for this cause to wit for prophaning Gods Ordinance many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep Vse 1 It shall be a use of examination to us to search whether or no these sinnes be among us which if wee doe as wee ought wee will soone conclude that God plagues us for these very sinnes First for Idolatry is not that among us and
hee must confesse them with hope to obtaine mercy and pardon and if yee look into sacred Writ you shall finde that when Gods children have come to confesse their sinnes they have still done it with hope of forgivenesse therefore sometimes they urge him by his Covenant Nehem. 9.32 sometimes for his mercy sake Nehem. 9.32 Psal 6.4 Psal 25.11 Psal 6.4 and sometimes for his name sake Psal 25.11 as if they had said O Lord wee know wee for our sinnes deserve not to be heard yet Lord finde matter in thy selfe of being mercifull unto us and for thy goodnesse sake reject us not the depths of whose misery call for the depths of thy mercy Let the consideration of this Vse teach us to take out this needfull lesson some there be that confesse their sinnes but it is with despaire thus did Cain and Iudas and of Francis Spira we read that being neare unto death he could not be perswaded of Gods mercies but died despairing But for our selves let us confesse our sinnes with hope that God will pardon us and with the servants of Benhadad let us addresse our selves to him and say we have heard that thou who art the King of Israel art a mercifull King let us never despaire but still come in hope of mercy though wee know that God hath just cause to damne us because the sharp grapes of our sinnes have sowred his countenance with indignation Let us not for all that cast away the staffe of our confidence but look up to heaven and say with Iob Though thou killest me yet will I trust in thee thou our God hast punished us Doth he call him their God and yet doth he punish them hee seemes to impropriate God unto them and yet he saith he punished them by the conjunction of these together I lay down this as a firme conclusion God may love and yet punish I will make it plaine unto you sometimes God punishes unwillingly Lam. 3.33 He doth not punish willingly Lamen 3.33 nor grieve the children of men And when hee is forced to punish Isa 1.24 it is with Ah and alasse Isa 1.24 Secondly it appeares thus because he desires to bee stopt in his way of punishing yee see on what faire tearmes he would have been taken off from punishing Sodom and Gomorrah if there had beene but ten righteous persons in those Cities hee would have spared them for tens sake Gen. 18.32 nay Gen. 18.32 Ezek. 22.30 in Ezek. 22.30 the Lord saith if he could but have found one man to stand in the gap before him for the land he would not destroy it and in Ierem. 5.1 he saith Ierem. 5.1 Runn to and fro thorow the streets of Ierusalem and see now and know and seek in the broad places thereof if yee can find a man if there be any that executeth judgement or that seeketh the truth and I will pardon it God would have beene glad if one could have been found to avert his indignation Nay when he finds no such intercessours then he tells men before-hand what he will doe that by their repentance they may keep him out of the way of his justice Amos 4.12 Amos 4.12 Therefore thus will I doe unto thee O Israel and because I will do thus unto thee prepare to meet thy God O Israel it is the saying of Seneca and it is a true one a man that professeth hatred to another is thereby prevented of doing him the mischiefe hee intended Hence it was that Absolom forbore to speak either good or bad to his brother Ammon for three yeares together for feare he should suspect some mischiefe towards him and when God tells men plainly before-hand what hee will doe unto them it is a cleare demonstration that be desires to be stopt in the way of his fury Thirdly this shewes it because that when his hand of punishment is upon them it shall be removed if they repent This we finde often made good to Israel on their performance of the condition and it is a signe we have not repented under Gods hand if wee have not found it true in our own experience Lastly it appeares to be true by this he punishes men because he loves them this is plain Prov. 3.12 Revel 3.19 Prov. 3.12 cited in Rev. 3.19 whom the Lord loveth he correcteth He sees punishment as necessary for his children as meat and when hee layes it on it shall not be so much penall as medicinall therefore there must needs bee love in it Vse 1 I desire from my soule that people would bee perswaded of this I confesse it is durus sermo a hard saying and men will hardly be drawn to believe it especially when the affliction is smart How often did Iob think God his enemy when his hand was heavie upon him I knew it was in his paroxysme and hot bloud for in his coole bloud he retracts whatsoever he had said before the like we see in the Jewes because God did not presently settle them in the Land of Canaan therefore they say because the Lord hated us hee hath brought us forth out of the land of Egypt to deliver us into the hand of the Amorites to destroy us Deut. 1.27 Deut. 1.27 And as a man is apt of himselfe to think so so the World and the Devill are prone to suggest such thoughts unto him the World saith as Moses supposeth the Enemies of God would say if hee should destroy his people Deut 9.28 Deut. 9.28 the Lord layes this affliction upon thee because he hates thee and the friends of Iob were conceitd that God punisht him because he hated him and his wife doubtlesse thought no other therefore shee bids him curse God and die The Devill also is busie at this when hee seeth Gods hand heavie upon a man What saith hee is this the God yee serve that thus layes load upon you assure your selves he would never punish you in this manner if he loved you this is but a draught of that cup the dregs whereof yee shall suck out in Hell thus hee layes an assault to our soules to hinder our eternall good wronging Gods mercy like a lyar as hee hath been from the beginning Why should we think it strange that God should love and punish see it in Ioseph the time was when hee took his brethren to be spies and felons all this while Ioseph offered violence to his own heart cruciat amat hee torments them and loves them for when he handled them most roughly hee could not forbeare but he must goe out and weep shall hee doe all this and yet love his brethren and may not God much more punish his children and yet at the same time love them So in David all men knew that he loved his Absolom well but yet when he turns Rebell he must take up armes against him yet at the same time hee bids his men intreat the young man Absolom kindly now can man punish
and yet love and shall not God doe the same who is fuller of mercy then the Sea is of water all the mercy which is in all the men upon earth is not as the drop of a bucket to that Ocean of mercy that is in the Almighty Come to our own experience thou art the Father of a child and he offending thee thou correctest him shall a man say thou hatest him because thou chastifest him no wise man but will say thou lovest him and therefore thou punishest him that hee may grow better againe thy child hath a disease growing upon him which if it be not prevented in time will be his death and thou tendring his good givest money to a Surgeon to cure him though it be to his great paine is it because thou hatest him O no it rather appeares that therefore thou lovest him else thou wouldst not be at charge with him So God findes cause to punish us for our sinnes shall we dare to say he doth it because he hates us God forbid Saith Augustine I know the Physitian is irksome to a man in a frensie because he ties and binds him doth he use him thus because hee hates him no but desire to cure him constraines him to take that violent course with him Againe thou sometimes walkest into thy garden and findest occasion to prune thy trees is it because thou hatest them no but therefore thou do'st it to make them grow better now if all this be true in thine own experience why should not God love and yet punish Vse 2 In the second place it should teach every man to take heed of censuring any to he such as God hates on whom God layes his afflicting hand This was the humour of the Jewes spoken of in Luk. 13.2.3.4.5 they thought those Galileans whose bloud Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices Luk. 13.2 3 4 5 and those eighteen on whom the Tower in Silo fell to bee greater sinners then any in Ierusalem our blessed Lord corrects this and tells them it was not so but that except they repented they should likewise perish This was also the misprision of them of Melita Acts 28.4 Acts 28.4 When they saw a Viper come out of the fire and fasten on Pauls hand they presently judge him to be a murderer O take heed of this for all these things fall out alike both to good and bad and in so doing a man may censure the generation of the righteous Psal 73.15 Psal 73.15 Nay he may be guilty of censuring our Saviour Iesus Christ for he was despised and rejected of men a man of sorrowes and acquainted with griefe Isa 53.3 yet at the same time he was the Sonne of his Fathers love Isa 53.3 one in whom hee took an everlasting complacency Iosephs cup may bee found in Benjamins sack and Gods child may be punisht yet in his love and favour for God may love and yet punish thou hast punished us lesse then our iniquities deserve The point is plaine Doct. 2 God doth not punish any of his so much as they deserve In Ierem. 10.24 the Prophet prayes thus Ierem. 10.24 O Lord correct me but with judgement not in thine anger lest thou bring me to nothing as if he had said correct me moderately and not according to my demerits and yee shall finde it to bee Gods own promise in Ierem. 30.11 I will not make a full end of thee Ierem. 30.11 but will correct thee in measure the same also is the confession of the Church Psal 103.10 Psal 103.10 He hath not dealt with us after our sinnes nor rewarded us according to our iniquities And Zophar Iobs friend tells him Iob 11.6 Iob 11.6 that God exacted lesse of him then his iniquity deserved It is a good observation that is made by some of the Learned that as God still rewards ultra merita beyond mens deserts so he ever punishes citra lesse then they deserve that hee is alwayes beyond our merits in rewarding us is evident in Luk. 17.10 where our Saviour saith Luk. 17.10 When yee shall have done all those things which are commanded you say Wee are unprofitable servants wee have done that which was our duty but hee is ever on this side in punishing us See this in Gods dealing with Adam what deserved he at Gods hand but hell yet be punisht him only with temporall death So when Cain had committed that great sinne against God he might have sent him presently to his own place but hee spared him and suffered him to live a long time on the earth waiting for his repentance and when the Israelites deserved to be destroyed and that hee was forced to punish them yet he let not his whole displeasure rise against them Psal 78.38 Psal 78.38 Vse 1 Is it so let us then in all the judgments which God inflicts upon us lay our hand upon our mouth and conclude that it is lesse then we deserve Hast thou a disease upon thee know that it is lesse then thou deservest though it be sharpe and irkesome O but will some say my disease is so grievous that I wish I were out of my life what of that hee could yet lay more grievous upon thee he might send terrours into thy soule if he would which bee tempestates mentis the tempests of the mind and farre worse then any corporall disease judge then if God doe not punish thee lesse then thou deservest O but saith another when God sends a man to Hell doth hee punish him lesse then his desert I answer in regard of the extention of time that which God inflicts on the damned in hell is as much as they can deserve or he can inflict upon them because it is for ever but in regard of the intention of the punishment they be not punished as they deserve God could make the paines of those in everlasting chaines much more intensive but that all his wayes are intervein'd with mercy let us therefore be patient in suffering what God layes upon us knowing that whatsoever the punishment is it is lesse then and on this side our demerit Vse 2 Secondly let us learne of our heavenly Father to bee mercifull as he is mercifull hee doth not deale with us after our deserts why should wee deale otherwise with our brother you see Solomon spared Shimei his life though for reviling his Father he had deserved death only he confined him to Ierusalem which when he violated then and not before he took away his life The Iewes ever had a desire to bee more holy then the Law of God required therefore when the Lord had set and appointed when the Sabbath should begin and when it should end they would begin it an houre before and conclude it an houre after the time limited by God So the Lord commanded them to have no familiarity with the Heathen and they were so strict that they would not so much as speak to one uncircumcised
So for the matter of punishment which is to our purpose God commanded them not to exceed fourty stripes therefore they would inflict but thirty and nine upon offendours Thus S. Paul saith 2 Cor. 11.24 Of the Iewes five times I received fourty stripes save one 2 Cor. 11.24 I do not applaud their superstition in doing more then God commanded but yet it argues mercifulnesse towards Delinquents so when a man had deserved death if the Lord had not exprest in his word what death he should die they would put him to that which was most esie I wish that this practise of theirs rise not up in judgement against us Christians how many be there among us that for petty matters seek to crush and undoe men they are so farre from punishing men lesse then they deserve that they inflict ten times more upon them then is meet this is the fault of Masters and Mistresses they will so beat their servants for trivials that they be scarfe their own men and women ever after doth this argue bowels of mercy or doth God deale so with your soules remember the parable of the two servants one whereof owed his master tenne thousand talents and because hee had not to pay his Lord commanded him his wife and children and all that he had to be sold and payment to be made the servant therefore fell down and worshipped him saying Luk. 1â— Lord have patience with mee and I will pay thee all Then the Lord of that servant was moved with compassion and loosed him and forgave him the debt No sooner had his Lord forgiven him but hee goes out and found one of his fellow servants which ought him an hundred pence and hee laid hands on him and took him by the throat saying Pay me that thou owest and his fellow servant fell downe at his feet and besought him saying Have patience with mee and I will pay thee all and he would not but went and cast him into prison till he should pay the debt When his Lord heard of it he calls him to account againe for it seemes he had forgiven him upon condition that hee should forgive his brother and saith unto him O thou wicked servant I forgave thee all that debt because thou desiredst mee shouldst not thou also have had compassion on thy fellow servant even as I had pitty on thee and his Lord was wroth and delivered him to the tormentors till hee should pay all that was due unto him Call this parable often to remembrance and seeing God is so mercifull to thee deale not to extremity with others let those that be superiours think of this let them remember what they expect from God and let them be mercifull as hee is mercifull Another Exposition of these words thou hast punished us lesse then our iniquities deserve is this the words in the Originall are thou hast held us from being beneath by our iniquities As if hee had said thou hast kept us from being prest down to hell by our transgressions in this phrase of speech the Spirit of God intimates to us of what weight and load sinne is saith David mine iniquities are as an heavie burthen they are too heavie for mee Psal 38.4 and in Isa 1.4 God calls Israel a people laden with iniquitie Psal 38.4 Isa 1.4 Matth. 11.28 Heb. 21.1 and our Saviour Christ calls to him all that are heavie laden Matt. 11.28 and in Heb. 21.1 we are called upon to lay aside every weight and our Saviour saith to his Disciples in Luk. 21.34 Take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcome or prest down with surfetting and drunkennesse Luk 21.34 Now that sin is weighty and of a ponderous nature appeares thus First one sinne presseth upon another and they all presse down to hell Secondly sinne hinders us from doing whatsoever good is it makes us dull and heavie in the performance of good actions above all remember how heavie Christ our Redeemer found our sins though he was but a sinner by imputation yet he found the burden of our sins so weighty on his sacred shoulders that they made him sweat drops of bloud in a cold night and to cry out on the Crosse My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Vse 1 Doth sinne presse us down then yee may see the folly and stupidity of people that goe on in sinne and never finde it burdensome but let me tell these if ever God shall awake their drowsie conscience they shall finde that one Ionah is too much for a whole Ship the Devill is cunning and to the end hee may engage men in sinne he will not represent it to them in its own hue which is most ugly but hee shewes it in a false glasse either of profit or pleasure and hence it is that he ensnares so many soules hee tells them that sinne is no burthen and that hell is not so hot as the Minister makes it to bee but herein hee playes the lyar which hath beene his trade from the beginning Vse 2 In the second place let us find sinne a burthen there is no better argument of grace then to be sensible of the weight of sin and that man that doth not find it ponderous happily he may complaine of the stone in the kidney or the bladder but hee hath most cause to cry out of the stone in his heart for were not his heart harder then the nether mill-stone he would feele sin a burthen too heavy for him to beare Vse 3 Thirdly if God have freed us from this burthen let us take heed of being engaged in it againe for every sin is a weight the least is enough to presse us to hell but many will presse us downe to the bottome of hell Vse 4 Fourthly is sin a burthen let us then labour all wee can to ease men of it by giving them good and wholsome counsell but the times be wretched and it is a wonder the world stands so long some laugh at the sins of men others labour to engage them in sin and take pleasure in loading them there be too many that make men drink drunk and provoke them to sweare these are desperate wretches and most unchristian-like for instead of keeping their brethren from they put them on to sin Vse 5 Lastly is sin such a burthen how are wee bound to thee O blessed Saviour for easing us of this pressure of thy infinite and unspeakable love thou tookest to thee a load which would have prest us to the pit of hell make us wee beseech thee ever mindfull of it and thankfull for it The last amplification of Gods mercy is that he had delivered them thou hast given us such a diliverance as this Will some man say what deliverance was that it was the delivering of Israel from the Babylonish captivity which lasted seventy yeares and was a very great deliverance for in Babylon they hanged their harps on the willows and sat downe by the rivers
the objects of his bounty and not only so but he doth it likewise to vex and afflict Gods children for when God shall open their eyes hee knowes it will grieve their spirits for sleighting Gods mercy as they have done therefore it is that he steps in then when God hath been most gracious to men and puts them on to commit sinne that thereby hee might draw black lines over the legible characters of Gods mercy Let me perswade you Vse that as yee bee sensible of Gods mercies so to watch over your selves upon the receit of them that yee may be thankfull for them the Saints of God have been carelesse this way notwithstanding God hath bestowed abundant favours upon them they have been wanting in payment of that tribute of prayse which God expected and deserved at their hands when God looked for sweet they have brought forth wilde and soure grapes like as it was with the Heathen of old who comming to the Temples of their gods to give thanks for their health went home drunk and as the Devill doth labour then to step in when God hath done men most good so above all times labour at that time to be most thankfull and obedient that God may have his glory and you a sweet relish of his mercy shall wee break thy Commandements How shall wee understand this break his Commandements how could it be otherwise doth any man live and not sinne and yet shall they for this be exposed to Gods judgements who knowes not but as long as we live in this world and spin out the thread of our life that we cannot but break Gods Commandements were we as faithfull as ever Abraham was yet wee could not but wee must bee guilty sometimes of breaking Gods Commandements and doth not Saint Iames say in many things we sinne all and what saith the Apostle Iohn he that saith hee hath no sinne is a lyar and there is no truth in him As it is in the Fable which was told the mother of Achilles that if she dipped her Son into such a River so farre as the water wet him so farre hee should bee invulnerable therefore she drencht him over head and eares and wet every part of him save onely the tip of his heele by which shee held him and in that part hee received his deaths wound So let a man be never so much sanctified be hee as holy as ever any Saint was I will not except the Virgin Mary yet as long as he dwels here below he will be guilty of breaking Gods Commandements how then must wee understand what Ezra saith when he saith shall we againe break thy Commandements His meaning is that if after so great mercy as God had vouchsafed them they should fall into grosse sinnes then God should be just in punishing them for though a man cannot shun peccata quotidiana sins of infirmity yet hee may refraine from committing foule and scandalous sinnes Luk. 1.6 In Luk. 1.6 it is said of Zachary and Elizabeth That they were righteous before God walking in all the Commandements and Ordinances of the Lord blamelesse and it is possible for a man to live sine scandalo without scandall though not sine querela without being guilty of lesser iniquities or secondly he may be understood thus though they bee sinnes which be lesse yet if men shall wilfully commit them it shall bee just with God to punish them for the same if they be of industry and not of infirmity if they be lesse then the first and yet shall be runne into against knowledge and conscience they shall for these be exposed to Gods judgements as well as for greater sins From the words thus opened note thus much in way of application Vse 1 In the first place let us deplore the misrerable corruption of our nature since our fall there is now a necessity of sinning waking sleeping solitary in company at home and in Gods Temple were it so that a man were living yet if hee were alwayes sick we would say it were a poore life what is it then to be alwayes prone to sinne yet this is our unhappinesse while we are cloathed with flesh have wee not cause then to be weary of this sinfull life and ought we not with Saint Paul to sigh while wee are burthened with this body of clay desiring to bee cloathed upon with immortality that mortality might be swallowed of life Is there not just cause for us to say with the same Apostle in the sorrow of our soules Cupio dissolvi esse cum Christo I desire to bee dissolved and to bee with Christ Vse 2 Secondly because Ezra would have them avoid foule sinnes in the name of God let our care bee to abandon such Which bee they Swearing whoredome oppression murder drunkennesse Sabbath breaking these doe vastare conscientiam wast the conscience and endanger the soule more then other sinnes a ship may live at Sea that hath a leake sprung if the Mariners bestirre themselves in pumping but when it is shot thorow and thorow by wind and water it is hardly kept from sinking So a man that sins of infirmity if he repent he shall obtaine pardon but the soule that sinnes wilfully is scarse kept from sinking Lastly hee would have them avoid smaller sinnes and so ought wee for a little sinne committed with purpose is greater in Gods account then a great sinne committed against a mans will as therefore a man should avoid great sinnes so also all lesser impieties the heart of man should bee against all sinne and he should have respect to all Gods Commandements that if hee chance to fall it may not bee presumptuously but by infirmity and then hee may expect mercy from God who knowes whereof wee are made and remembers that wee are but dust Shall we joyne in affinity with the people of these abominations It is an Hebraisme the Spirit of God cals them people of such abominations in stead of abominable people it is more to be called people of such abominations then abominable people thus when Antichrist is called the man of sinne it is more then if he were called a sinfull man Here I could observe how hatefull the Heathen and all their doings be unto God as also how odious all grosse sinners are in his pure eyes hee loathes and abhorres them in the Scripture yee shall finde if the godly be compared to gold they are termed drosse if the godly be compared to wheat the wicked to chaffe Nay the ungodly man is resembled to the dirt in the street which you know is filthy and noisome Again if the godly be termed sheep the wicked are called goates nay in our Text they be abominable As it was said of Naaman hee was an honourable man and a brave souldier but a leaper So wee may say of the wicked man be he never so rich and honourable if he be a grosse sinner hee is hatefull to God yea I will be bold to say hee
himselfe of being a blasphemer and a persecuter yea the chiefe of sinners 1 Tim. 1.13.15 Secondly 1 Tim. 1.13.15 it stands in a mans judging himselfe when hee passeth the sentence of condemnation against himselfe Thus did David he confesses that hee had done wickedly 2 Sam. 24.17 2 Sam. 24.17 and Daniel acknowledgeth that to him and his people belonged nothing but shame This is to judge a mans selfe which if men doe they shall save God a labour for hee that judgeth himselfe shall eseape the judgement of the Lord. I desire you to practise this second act of Ezra doe not only pray unto God Vse but likewise confesse your sinnes unto him I doe not charge on you that kinde of confession which our Adversaries of the Church of Rome charge upon their people they tye a man First to a particular enumeration and confession of all his sinnes to the Priest Secondly they say if men doe not particularly confesse their sinnes they cannot obtaine pardon But thirdly if a man shall doe so then hee deserves to bee pardoned But wee are against them on these grounds First there is no precept in the Word of God which commands a man to make a particular enumeration and confession of his sins to the Priest Secondly there is no promise to encourage us to doe it Thirdly there is no example for it in the whole Book of God Nay I will prove that without this particular enumeration of sinnes remission hath been granted as to the woman which was a sinner in the City Christ pronounceth her pardoned without a particular enumeration of her sinnes Luk. 7.48 Luk. 7.48 and thus hee pardoned Zaccheus who only made a generall confession of his sinnes and obtained remission Secondly wee oppose them herein on this ground because they charge that on people which is impossible for as David saith Psal 19.12 who can understand his faults Psal 19.12 and yet hee was better skilled in this kinde of Arithmetick then any Romanist and if he could not reckon his sinnes no man else can Our sinnes are as the sands upon the Sea-shore for multitude which no mortall wight can number And saith Solomon the just man falls seven times a day Prov. 24.16 Prov. 24.16 Therefore it is impossible for any man to confesse all his sinnes particularly Thirdly this is the wrack of the soule for such a man goes away without any plenary remission of his sinnes for if it bee so that hee that meanes to obtaine pardon must make a particular enumeration of all his sinnes then it is certaine that hee must goe away without remission because it is impossible to confesse all his sinnes particularly Lastly this is that which the primitive Christians knew not it was a yoake too heavie for them to beare and one of their own saith Tertullian never knew any particular confession but to the Church Again when it grew up in after-times it was put down wisely For when a Bishop of Constantinople perceived that a Priest under pretence of confession did with Eli his Sonnes abuse a woman at the doore of the sanctuary hee presently put it down Againe they of Rome make it the picklock of Kingdomes for by this particular confession they unlock all the secrets of Princes I charge not this on people but I wish them to acknowledge their sinnes in the presence of God Neither is this so easie as most men think it to bee for since our fall wee are so prone to conceale our sinnes that if there bee but one bush in Paradise wee will finde it to hide our selves in but let us not hide our sins as Adam hid himselfe but let us with the prodigall confesse them and that is the way to have them pardoned But some will demaund and say how shall we confesse our sins To this I answer First wee must confesse them with shame thus did Iob Iob 42.6 Iob 42.6 I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes And thus did the poore Publican he confesseth that hee was not worthy to lift up his eyes unto Heaven Thus also did the woman which was a sinner in the City shee was so full of shame for her sinnes that shee dares not come before our Saviour but comes behinde his back as hee sat at meat and washed his feet with her teares Secondly wee must doe it ingenuously it must not bee extorted from us as it was from Achan but wee must willingly confesse our iniquities Thirdly wee must doe it with sorrow and contrition of soule Fourthly with anger Fifthly with honest hearts that is with an assured purpose to leave our impieties therefore it is said Prov. 28.13 Prov. 28.13 Hee that confesseth and forsaketh his sinnes shall finde mercy Lastly wee must confesse our sinnes fully there must bee no retaining excusing or extenuating of sinne for God knowes the depth of our deceitfull hearts yee know how it is with a begger if hee have one soare worse then another hee will bee sute to lay that open that hee may move passengers to commiseration So wee should not only confesse our lesser but our grosse iniquities which is the next way to have God mercifull to us Alas what will it availe us to keep one Achan when that one is enough to trouble a whole Host what shall wee gaine by reserving one Ionah when that one will hazard the losse of the ship and the lives of all them that saile in it Let us therefore confesse our sinnes according to the manner prescribed and then wee may bee confident that God will forgive our iniquities and blot out all our offences Wee come now to the manner of Ezra his confession laid down in these words weeping and casting himselfe down before the house of the Lord. The first thing in it is his weeping and this hath ever been an usuall concomitant of prayer Psal 6.6 See it in David Psal 6.6 I am weary with my groaning all the night make I my bed to swimme and water my couch with my teares Mark hee made his prayer to God and teares went along with it The like wee see in the same Prophet Psal 42.3 Psal 42.3 My teares have been my meat day and night while they continually say unto mee Where is thy God The like wee see in the sinner in the City Luk. 7.38 Luk. 7.38 and wee see it in Ezra in our Text hee not only prayes but weepes And there is great reason why wee should weep in regard of sinne Reason 1 First because of the great good that sin deprives us of we are apt to grieve for the losse of a father a wife or a child but what great cause have we to mourne especially for our sinnes though wee lose our friends by death yet wee may meet them againe in the Kingdome of Heaven if wee live and die in Gods feare but if we mourn not for sinne wee shall never see the face of God to our comfort Micha
like a foolish Idolater wept for the losse of his carved image Iudg. 17.23 shall hee weep for the losse of that which was no God Iudg. 17 23. and shall not we mourn for sinne which deprives us of the true God Reason 2 Secondly we have reason to weep for sinne because of the miseries which it brings on the Sonnes of men Such a thing is sinne that it not only exposes them to temperall judgements but it makes them obnoxious to woes everlasting even to hell fire which is eternall the afflictions which befall men here bee not universall though a man bee pained in divers parts of his body yet hee is never pained all over still hee hath ease in some part or other but in Hell men are pained in every part Againe while wee are here our torment may bee mitigated as if a man have a swelling in any part of his body by applying a fomentation to it hee may have ease or if hee bee lame he may bee led but if once hee bee in Hell hee shall not have so much as one drop of water to coole his tongue There is no mitigation of paine in that place of horror where their paines bee easelesse endlesse remedilesse where is nothing but weeping wailing and gnashing of teeth to all eternity Therefore wee have good cause to shed teares yea many teares for our sinnes both in regard of the good wee lose by them as also the miseries they bring upon us But me thinks I heare some say are teares necessarily required of all those that truly repent I answer no for there bee some constitutions which afford no teares I have read a story of one that ever laughed and though such persons cannot burst into teares for sinne yet they may inwardly as truly mourne for sinne as hee that sheds rivers of teares Secondly though a man bee apt to teares yet the affliction may bee such that a man cannot weep I read of one that could not but weep when his friend went to bee executed but when his two Sonnes went the same way his sorrow was so great that hee could not shed a teare Great sorrowes stupifie men so that they be as full vessels which will not runne Thirdly wee read in the Scripture as of teares without repentance as in Esau Gen. 27.38 Genes 27.38 Hee shed many teares but left not his prophanenesse So in Mal. 2.13 we read of some Mal. 2.13 that covered the Altar of the Lord with teares yet at the same time they were impenitent So also of repentance without teares Luk. 18.13 as in Luk. 18.13 wee read not of a teare that the poore Publican shed only hee smote his hand on his breast saying O God bee mercifull to mee a sinner yet hee went away justified Acts 2. And in Acts 2. wee read that the new Converts were pricked in their hearts but not of any teares that fell from their eyes and the Thiefe upon the Crosse was a true penitent for hee went to Heaven but we heare not of a teare which hee shed but withall give mee leave to tell you if any bee apt to teares at first or last God touches their hearts to weep for their sinnes Secondly if any can weep for the losse of wife children or any other worldly thing and not for their transgressions they may question whether ever their repentance were sound or no. Lastly if a man can weep for his sins no soule receives such satisfaction as that soule doth It should exhort us to weep and mourne for our sins Vse We spend teares in abundance for these secular things but wee should spare them there and spend them here Is it not a foolery to wash a Stable with sweet water Thy teares be the sweetest water in the world therefore spend them on thy sinnes I am sure thou canst not spend them better but as it is in the times of solemnity when the Bells ring all the clocks bee tied up So I feare it is now adayes for such is the jovisance of men that they forget to weep for sinne but if they would call their wayes to remembrance they would be sorry and weep whilst others sing and rejoyce Every of us have cause to weep for not a Mothers Son of us but hath brought the fuell of sinne to kindle Gods wrath among us by sending the Pestilence to destroy us and it is better to weep here then hereafter The second thing in the manner is hee cast himselfe down before the house of the Lord. This hath been the custome of Gods people the more to testifie their sorrow Wee finde many expressions of sorrow in the Scripture as fasting weeping rending the garment putting on sackcloth sprinkling ashes on their heads knocking the breast striking the thigh and this in our Text which is casting a mans selfe down before the house of the Lord Thus did Ioshua hee fell to the earth on his face before the Ark of the Lord Iosh â— 6 Iosh 7. 6. That which I gather from hence is this Observation Where repentance is true inward it will put it selfe outward Where repentance is sincere it will not only alter a mans judgement to make him with Paul to think himselfe the worst of sinners Secondly it will not only so humble him inwardly that hee will not care for the revilings of wicked men as wee see in David when Shimei railed on him but as it will have this inward effect so it will have outward effects also it will make him fast and weep and smite the breast it will force him to abstaine from those delights which otherwise he might lawfully take Nay it will turn every thing to him into sorrow when another man laughes he will mourn to see him laugh and holy Bradford the Martyr cannot sit at his meat but teares trickle down his cheeks and it is impossible but where repentance is true within but that it should shew it selfe without Those that finde not this in themselves Vse may suspect their repentance I would not have men to use externall expressions of repentance on purpose to bee seen of men for repentance ill becomes a Stage it is said of Peter that hee went out and wept bitterly it seemes hee regarded not whether any man saw him so God took knowledge of him and as a Father saith truly oculi virorum basilisci sunt operum bonorum the eyes of men are the basiliskes of good works Our blessed Saviour would have a man anoint his head And wash his face when he fasted that hee might not appeare unto men to fast but unto God it is a part of Iehu his humour to doe good works to be seene of men but Gods childe as hee uses outward expressions of repenting so these proceed from inward sanctification He cast himselfe down before the house of the Lord. Why so it was the more to stirre him up to humiliation hee seemes to say What shall thy people enjoy the priviledges
earth upon them and confessed their sins and the iniquities of their Fathers and Joel calls for this Joel 1.14 Joel 2.15 16 Joel 1.14 and 2.15 16. and this is that which Solomon prescribes as a generall receipt in time of affliction 1 King 31.39 1 Kings 8.38 saith he What prayer or supplication soever be made by any men or by all thy people Israel which shall know every man the plague of his owne heart and spread forth his hand toward this House then hear thou in Heaven thy dwelling place and forgive and doe and give to every man according to his wayes When wee shall see that the sinnes of the times doe overflow Vse and be grown up to heaven as at this time they are it shall be fit though a publik humiliation be not prescribed by Authority to make our humiliation generall by every mans sorrowing for his own sinnes Beloved were it not for some faithfull Moses that intercedes for us this ground would not beare us but as for the ten thousands of Israel they are so farre from humiliation that as God complaines Isa 22.12 13. Isa 22.12 13. When he called to weeping and mourning to baldnesse and to girding with sackcloth they would admit of nothing but joy and gladnesse slaying Oxen and killing Sheep eating flesh and drinking Wine saying Let us eate and drinke for to morrow we shall die Which of us is there but must needs confesse that our sinnes deserve the wrath of God Shall we all cry guilty and shall wee not all be humble It is fearfull The Court complaines of the City and the City of the Court and the Countrey of both when as all are in fault O say they in the City Those of the Court are so horribly wicked that we are all like to smart for their prophanenesse and saith the Court Such is the cheating of the Citizens that they will draw downe judgements upon us all thus one accuses another but in the mean time who smites his hand on his breast and saith What have I done Well every man must have a hand in the generall humiliation because all have been guilty of provoking God to indignation therefore he that excepts himself deceives himself Great judgements are now upon us and greater are feared and expected because deserved therefore let us humble our selves in the presence of Almighty God that those judgements which are feared may be recalled and those which lie heavy upon us may be removed from us But marke the particular numeration which die Spirit of God makâ—s men women children First men and good reason men should lead the dance and goe before the rest in a good way Abraham went first out of his Countrey and Sarah followed him it is said of Elkanah That he went out of his City yeerely to worship and to sacrifice to the Lord in Shiloh and be carried his two wives with him Men should lead the way to their Wives for it is a shame unto men that women should excell them in goodnesse it was so with the wife of Phinehas 1 Sam. 4.21 1 Sam. 4.21 she was a gracious woman but hee was a son of Belial so it was also with Abigail shee was a vertuous woman but Nabal her husband was wicked nay if a man be good yet if he be exceeded by his wife it is a shame to him Manoah the father of Sampson was a good man but if wee marke what is recorded of his wife and him we will say that his wife was the better of the two out of doubt the Shunamite was a good man but of the two his wife was the better for she gave him counsell to make that good provision for the man of God 2 Kings 4.9 10. and in the time that our Saviour was on the earth 2 King 4.9 10. there were divers women famous for goodnesse I presse it no further then thus you that are men I confesse you have more honor put upon you then women have and I know you are apt enough to arrogate as much to your selves but take heed that whilst you goe before them in honour that they prevent you not in the best things if it shall be so I say no more and I cannot say lesse to you then Jacob said to Reuben Your dignitie is gone the second sort of people spoken of are Women and indeed the service of God is charged upon them as well as upon men as in the 1. Tim. 2.10.15 1 Pet. 3 4. and they ought to joyne in humiliation as well as men 1 Tim. 3 10 15. 1 Pet. 3.4 nay marke in the 2. of Joel The Bride is charged to come out of her bride-chamber to mourne Joel 2. shee that might pleade most exemption is not excepted And when the King of Nineveh made that Edict that all should fast it were a fond thing to thinke that women were excluded Isa 32.12 in Isa 32. 11. the Spirit of God saith Tremble ye women that are at ease be troubled yee carelesse women strip ye and make ye bare and gird sackcloth on your loines so that it is charged on that sex to be humbled as well as upon men and ye must know that the sins of women draw on judgements as well as the sinnes of men in Jerem. 7.18 The womens making cakes to the queen of heaven Jere. 7.28 did provoke God to anger and hastened his judgements upon the land and the daughters of men drew on the deluge as well as the sons of God It were a poore thing to think that God hated the perjuries of Troy and loved the perjuries of Rome that he hated the sins of men and loved the sinnes of women this cannot be imagined of him who is a God of pure eyes and hates sin wheresoever he findes it Let me presse that which hath bin said upon you of that Sex Vse that ye may humble your selves for your sinnes there is much cause for it as your vanitie in apparell your going beyond your means and calling your negligence in Gods Service your idolizing your children your froward behaviour to your husbands these and many more sinnes whereof you are guilty call for your repentance and teares and let not the fairest of you all feare that the shedding a few teares will spoile your beautie but if you should chance to hurt your faces by weeping I am sure you would doe good to your soules I read in the Ecclesiasticall Story of one Pambus who seeing a woman dresse her selfe curiously and lasciviously he could not forbeare weeping and being demanded the reason he gave two reasons for it first that he was not so carefull for his soule as she was for her tiring secondly that she wept not for her sinnes which drew teares from his eyes and shall others weepe for the sinnes of women and not they for their owne sinnes in the name of God humble your selves in his presence that when he sees you poore in
spirit he may exalt you Thirdly The children came What the children joyne in humiliation Yes why not for God was offended and they had reason to be humbled for it Secondly though they were not actors in sinne yet they were guilty of Adams transgression Thirdly they could not excuse themselves for besides their originall sinne they had committed many actuall sinnes for I suppose none came to this assembly but such as were of some understanding and such though little ones are proud and wanting in duty to parents and love to brethren and such will speak wickedly and falsely before they can talke perfectly there have been excellent vertues found in little ones Samuel when he was a child ministred before the Lord and in the time of our Blessed Saviour the children cryed Hosanna to the King of Israel I therefore direct my speech to little ones let sinne be detested by you in your younger yeeres learn the trade of fearing and serving God when you are young and it will never be forgotten as long as you live The second thing set downe in this verse is that the people wept very sore What was the reason the Reason shall be the Observation Great sinnes must have a great measure of sorrow In Psal 6.6 David having committed great sins Psal 6.6 made his bed to swim and watered his couch with his teares Nay he made them not onely his Physick but his meat â—saâ— 42.3 Psal 42.3 My teares have been my meat day and night it was thus with Peter hee had committed a foul sinne in denying his Lord and Master therefore hee went out and wept 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bitterly it was so with Mary Magdalene she was a great sinner therefore she shed many teares and the incestuous Corinthian grieved sore for his foul sinne the Church saith in the Lamentations Mine eyes drop down daily the teares stood still in her eyes and trickled down her cheeks in great abundance because shee knew her self guilty of many sinnes This is that which Cyprian subscribeth to saith he as wee are sensible of great sins which we commit so let us spend teares in abundance for them It is to censure the slightnesse of sorrow which men bestow upon their sinnes Vse though great and grievous but if the heart be a daily fountaine of sinne as sure I am it is I know no reason but our eyes should be Rivers of teares seeing wee have deserved to be in that place where is nothing but weeping and wailing there is good cause wee should weep here for our sins that we may avoid those eternall flames Nay though God have pardoned our sins yet let us remember them with griefe and sorrow that we may be the more humbled for them ye lay your flesh in brine to keep it from putrefying and there is no better way in the world to humble us then to call to minde our former iniquities Yee say much rain makes the high-wayes foul and so it is but the more teares we shed the cleaner will our souls be for repentant teares cleanse better then either Soape or Nitre To conclude this verse all the people saw Ezra mourne therefore they weepe with him from whence I collect thus much Sin must have sorrow at one time or other saith the Wise-man Prov. 29.6 Prov. 29.6 In the transgression of an evill man there is a snare and the trueth is in the commission of every sin a ground is laid for sorrow nay let me tell you the sweeter sinnes have been to men the soarer shall be the remembrance of them when God sets them before their eyes Job 13.26 See it in Job 13.26 Thou writest bitter things against mee and makest me possesse the iniquities of my youth The sinnes committed in youth men account the sweetest sinnes and yet the remembrance of these was most grievous to Iob. Wee see the same in David when hee had committed that sweet sinne as men call it and had layn nine Moneths in it at last hee calls it to remembrance and it brought him so much grief that he thought hee had lost the favour of God and therefore hee saith Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation But it will be said wee finde it not alwayes thus for there are some that sinne and never have sorrow in all their lives but dye in peace I wil suppose this but yet the Doctrine is true for I say sinne must have sorrow at one time or other and if such men have not sorrow here to be sure they shall have it hereafter Hearken to this you Epicures of the World you that swallow downe sinne as the fish doth water who straine neither at Gnats nor Camells but spend your time in eating and drinking in singing and dancing the time is comming when you shall mourn while others laugh therefore think on sinne now that you may sorrow for it before it be too late hic mordeant ne in aeternum excrucient let thy sinnes bite thee here lest they torment thee for ever hereafter teares will doe thee good now but if once a man be over the threshold of this life though then hee would weepe a whole Ocean of Teares they would doe him no good Sermon VII EZRA 10.2 Then Shecaniah the sonne of Jehiel one of the sons of Elam answered and said unto Ezra Wee have trespassed against our God c. BEfore we fall upon this verse wee have a few things more to handle out of the last words of the first verse the words are these for the people wept very sore that the multitude should come together which was the first fruite of Ezra his humiliation it was no great matter for the common rout be apt to assemble on the least occasion saith our Saviour speaking to the people concerning Iohn Baptist Matth. 11.7 Matth. 11.7 What went yee out into the wildernesse to see a reed shaken with the winde as if the shaking of a feather would bring the multitude together Acts 19.29.32 and in Acts 19.29.32 wee finde that the whole city was full of confusion and rushed into the theatre with one accord and yet the text saith The more part knew not wherefore they were come together but now for the other effect that they wept sore there was comfort for Ezra That which I gather from hence is this What comfort it pleaseth God to give his Ministers here in that happy fruit of peoples humiliation So great is the comfort of this kinde that there cannot be a greater I doe not thinke but at this very time the tears stood in Ezra his eyes yet when he saw teares distill from the peoples eies it made him glad at the heart doe you not think it was a great comfort to Nathan to see David so penitent when hee came from God to detect and reprove him for his adultery murder Marke what the Baptist saith Joh 3.29 John 3.29 the friend of the Bridegroome which standeth and heareth him
Cor. 5.20 he intreats the Corinthians in Christs stead to be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5.20 So that if it be the counsell of God if it be Gods Commission it is Gods word and till we be perswaded of this wee shall never reap any benefit by Gods Word Jer. 1.9 The Lord saith to Jeremiah Jer. 1.9 J have put my words in thy mouth Christ is called The Sun of righteousnesse Mal. 4.2 and the Ministers be starres in his hand Mal. 4.2 from him they have and borrow their light and influence Therefore let men be perswaded of this I inveigh against such a mans pride what faith he I thinke hee loves to heare himselfe talk and thus because he is not perswaded we speake Gods word like Noah's unclean beasts hither he comes and from hence he departs unclean and polluted whereas if men replyed it was God that put this invective into his Ministers mouth to meet with my corruption they would say as the people of Israel said Deu. 5.27 Whatsoever the Lord saith Deut. 5.27 that wee will doe Therefore pray unto the Lord that yee may bee perswaded that what his Ministers faithfully deliver he himselfe speaks in them and till you come to this perswasion in the care will be no attendance in the outward man no reverence in the heart no credence and in the conversation no obedience Sermon X. EZRA 10. the latter part of the 3. verse And According to the counsell of those that tremble at the Commandement of our God and let it bee done according to the Law IT should seeme that there were others besides Ezra which advised the people to put away their strange wives and they such as are said to tremble at the word of God and here observe the power of Gods word The power of Gods word is such Doctr. that if makes mem tremble Jer. 23.29 To prove this looke Jer. 23.29 Is not my word like a fire saith the Lord and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces it is a fire to melt the relenting heart and a hammer to break in pieces the heart that is obdurate See it in some instances when Josiah heard the Law read his heart was tender and melted 2 Kings 22.18 Psal 119. 2 Kings 22.18 there Gods word was a fire and in Psal 119. David saith sHe was afraid because of Gods Word There it was a hammer Hab. 3.16 and Hab. 3.16 the Prophet saith Whon I heard my bellytrembled my lips quivered at the voyce rottennesse entred into my bones and I trembled in my selfe Here also it was a hammer See it in the wicked themselves when Samuel told Saul that God had rejected him for his disobedience 1 Sam. 15. 1 Sam. 15. he was excedingly terrified and amazed The like wee see in Ahab when God sent Elijah to challenge him for killing innocent Naboth and taking possession of his Vineyard the word of God in that Prophets mouth made him quake and tremble 1 Kings 21.27 So wee read of Belshazzar 1 Kings 21 2â— when he saw the hand writing on the Wall which yee must suppose to be the Word of God His countenance was changed and his thoughts troubled him so that the joynts of his loynes were loosed and his knees smote one against another and all his Concubines Wine and Copes-mates could not bring colour into his face Dan. 5.6 Daniel 5.6 And it is said Acts 14.15 As Paul reasoned of righteousnesse temperance Acts 24.25 and judgement to come Felix trembled Now that this effect of Gods Word may not seeme strange unto you see the causes thereof one cause whereof is in the word it self therefore it is said to be the power of God to salvation Rom. 1.16 Romans 1.16 And in Hebrewes 4.12 it is said Heb. 4.12 to bee quick and powerfull sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the dividing asunder of soule and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart and in the 2 Cor. 10.4 5. the weapons of our warfare are not carnall 2 Cor. 10.4 5. but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts it self against the knowledge of God mistake me not I doe not make this power to be in it as it is consisting of syllables but as it is Gods Ordinance and hath the Spirit of God going along with it The second cause is from the application of it when it is not onely generally delivered but particularly applyed when the Word of God meets with a mans particular sin then the conscience takes part with the Word against himself and makes him tremble so it was with Saul the Prophet Samuel fell so pat upon his finne that be became afraid and took part with Gods Word against himself saying I have sinned and have transgressed the commandement of the Lord the like wee see in Ahab he was very briske when Elijah first met him saying Hast thou found me O my enemy but the Prophet knowing him to be guilty of Naboths blood tells him home of it and before hee left him brought him upon his knees and when Felix trembled at Pauls Sermon of Righteousnesse Temperance and Iudgement to come some are of opinion that he trembled at the consideration of the last judgement and it cannot be denied but that is matter of such terrour as to make the fairest Lady look pale if shee be not painted but I rather conceive that there was something more which made him tremble for Saint Paul discoursed of Righteousnesse and Temperance now hee was a wicked man and defective in both these for hee was an unrighteous Iudge and abused the power committed to him however Tertullus flatter him in the contrary again gain hee was guilty of intemperance for he kept Drusilla another mans wife Now when a man that was a stranger to him should thus directly fall upon the sinnes which he knew himself guilty of it could not but make him tremble It was so with David the parable of the poor mans sheep came so home to him that he presently confesses that hee had sinned against the Lord as it is with a man that is smitten in a sound part of his body though you smite him hard hee can indure it but if he be but touched in a fore place he starts presently so when a man is met with in his sins hee will quake and tremble if any grace be in him Vse 1 Is the word of God of such power then it meets not onely with Anabaptists who contemn the Word of God but with many profane ones among us who vilifie the same saying it is an invention of man and hath no force in it although in my conscience I am perswaded that they speak against their consciences for out of doubt the Word of God hath at one time or other met with their corruptions
hath not the drunken person been met withall in his sinne and hath not the Adulterer the proud Person the swearer the hypocrite been met withall in their transgressions and if so let them take heed of vilifying that which hath convinced them in their own consciences but if it were so that Gods Word hath not made them tremble if it have not yet broken them in pieces yet the time will come when it shall batter and bruise them And if thou hast not found this by thy selfe already thou art worse than either Ahab or Felix for Gods word made the one humble and the other tremble If fire be cryed in the street it amazes everie one but if the Ministers of God cry out against sin scarse any tremble but let such as these know that this stupidity is the fore-runner of eternall miserie Vse 2 In the second place let us labour for this holy disposition of soule to tremble at Gods Word God himselfe calls for it Isa 66.5 Isa 66.5 and to such he hath promised to have respect as in the second verse of that Chapter and such a man is most capable of comfort from God for our Lord Christ saith Hee came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance as also such as are weary and heavy laden therefore se vile fear is of good use it keepeth the heart supple for the impressions of grace and makes way for filiall feare as the needle makes way for the thread But because the wicked men may tremble at Gods word as wel as the child of God therefore I will direct you how you shal know whether ye tremble at Gods word as ye ought First the man that trembles aright at Gods Word hee reflects on that sinne which is the cause thereof this wee see in Josephs brethren the Governour handling them roundly makes them reflect on their sin against him causing them to say Verily we have sinned against our brother in that we saw the anguish of his soule when he besought us and we would not heare him Gâ—n 42.21 therefore is this trouble come upon us Gen. 42.21 so that no sooner was the word spoken to them Gen. 42.21 but they reflect on their inhumanitie And a godly man when he is reproved of a sin which he knowes himselfe culpable of he immediately reflects upon his transgression and saith My sinne is the cause why I tremble when I am met withall Secondly the true trembling at Gods word is joyned not only with a reflection upon a mans sin but with contrition for his sin Isa 66.2 these goe together as in Isay 66.2 where God saith To him will I looke that is of a contrite spirit and trembles at my word It is said of Ahab that he rent his clothes but he rent not his heart therefore his humiliation was unsound Thirdly if a man doe truly tremble at Gods word then he will at the same time finde in himselfe a resolution to amend that for which he knowes he is justly reproved It is said Acts 2.37 they which heard Peter preach Acts 2 3â— were pricked in their hearts and what then Men and brethren what shall we doe Marke they being touched to the quick labour to get out of their sinfull estate in which till that time they had continued And in Acts 9. when it pleased God to convert Paul Acâ—s 9. he was strangely terrified at the words which God spake unto him and the first word he saith is Lord what wilt thou have me to doe Lastly in such a one as trembles truly at Gods word there will be seene an indeavour and striving to put in practise what he resolves upon for Gods word works in a regenerate man not only a feare to displease God but a care for time to come to practise all possible obedience in the whole course of his life and conversation And so much for chat point But now who were these that trembled at Gods word some expositors suppose they were such as had been ingaged in the forementioned sinne and hearing Gods word were smitten with feare because of the strange wives which they had maried and if so they were fit men to advise others who had committed the same sinne but had not repented of it and the truth is which shall be my observation A man that hath been exercised with the terrours of God Doctr. such a man is most fit to advise and counsell others Moses was a man that was exercised with the terrours of God not onely when hee saw the bush to burne and not consume but when the angell of God met him and would have slaine him and this did coapt and fit him to speake comfortably to others that were in distresse In the 51 Psal 12.13 David begs of God to restore to him the joy of his salvation and what then Psal 51.12 13. then will I teach transgresours thy wayes and sinners shall be converted unto thee Luk. 22.31.32 In the Luke 22.31.32 our blessed Lord saith to Peter Simon Simon Satan hath desired to have you that he may winnow you as wheat but I have prayed for thee that thy faith faile not and when thou art converted strengthen thy brethren Feter had had experience of Gods mercy to him and what man more fit than he to comfort others in distresse and St. Paul saith 2 Cor. 5.11 Knowing therefore the terrour of the 2 Cor. 5.11 Lord we perswade men I know he especially aimes there at the last judgement but yet I am perswaded thar withall he meant that hee was most fit to advise them who had been exercised with the terrours of God As for example we believe him that hath been in the same case with us before we will believe any other It was well said by one that one thing among the rest that makes a good preacher is temptation such a man as hath been tossed in chese billowes is most fit to advise and comfort others A man that knows a Countrey by the Map may be able to speak something of it but it is nothing in comparison of what a Traveller can say which hath been there so a man that hath never felt the terrours of God may be able in part to advise and comfort those in such distresses but not like him that hath been exercised with the same terrour Let it teach those that be tearchers of others to lay things to their own hearts and to make triall of them there before they preseribe them to others Wilt thou teach the people how to conquer such a lust Hast thou made triall of it thy selfe If thou hast thou maist safely commend it to thy hearers And you that be people if a man shall come unto you suppose hee be your brother and say It was once with mee as it is with you I was thus and thus wicked but it pleased God after a while to bring mee to see my miserable condition and to draw me out
of the Devills snare therefore learne by mee be perswaded by mee to leave such and such courses give not your self up to the service of sinne for I tell you out of experience sinne was never so sweet in the temptation and commission as it will prove bitter in the conclusion now that man that hath thus trembled at Gods Word it is good to hear him for none more fit to advise thee then such a one But I goe another way and think that by those who trembled at Gods Word is meant such as had not been ingaged in that common abomination of marrying strange wives and if so I cannot but note thus much When the times are most wicked God reserves some to himselfe This wee see in the old World when God brought the Deluge to destroy it hee reserved a Noah to himselfe who was a holy man so when Sodom was destroyed God had his Lot and to him he shewed mercy and though Israel was very rebellious in the Wildernesse yet God had a Caleb and Joshuah whose hearts were upright and God himself tells Elijah when he knew of none that served God besides himself that hee had reserved Seven thousand to himselfe in Israel which had not bowed their knee to Baal and though all men for the most part bowed to Nebuchadnezzars Image yet the Three Children chose to die rather then they would fall downe to that Idoll and in Ezek. 9.4 though the generality of men was wicked yet some were found Ezek. 9.4 Who mourned for the abominations of the Land and in the time while our Saviour converst with men though the times were depraved yet God had his number as Hannah Simeon Mary Magdalene c. And for Rome that cage of uncleane Birds I perswade my self that in that heape of Chaffe God hath some good Corne. Saint Paul salutes the Saints that were in Neroes house we all know what Nero was he was the monster of Mankinde for his wickednesse yet in his Court God hath his followers God hath his in all times in these times wherein wee live though they be very wicked yet God hath some that belong to him though there be a great number that make no conscience of an Oath yet there be many that feare to swear though some be excessive yet there be others that detest that sinne though there be many covetous persons yet there be others who be mercifully minded and distribute to the necessities of the Saints and though very many be profane yet God be thanked there be those that will not run with them to the same excesse of ryot Vse 1 It is to take away the common excuse of the men in the world who thinke they may take a liberty to sin because they see most men follow that fashion it was not so with these in our text for they abstain'd from those abominations in which most among them were ingaged S. Peters exhortation to the Jews Acts 2.40 Acts. 2.40 is Save yourselves from this untoward generation and S. Paul saith Redeeme the time because the dayes ara evill Ephes 5.16 Shall we say Ephes 5.16 that because the disease is epidemicall therefore we may run our selves into the infection we will not reason thus in regard of our bodies and dare any man be so desperate as to reason thus in regard of fin which is the bane of the soule Besides it is not the place that makes thee bad but it is thy wicked heart that is a cage full of uncleane birds from thence proceeds all villany and if thou have an ill heart thou wilt be wicked in the most holy place it is said of some Isa 26.10 Isay 26.10 that in the land of uprightnesse they did unjustly Thus the Angels fell in heaven our first parents in paradise and Judas in Christs colledge Vse 2 Secondly let us labour to keep our selves from the corruptions of the times when all others doe that which is evill doe it not then and that thou maist doe so remember these things First David makes it a blessed thing not to walk in the way of sinners Psal 1.1 Psalme 1.1 And certainely there is no greater ground of comfort either in life or death Secondly the purity of a mans Religion stands in this to keep himselfe unspotted of the World James 1.27 Thirdly Jâ—mâ—s 1.27 remember for what end Christ dyed hee gave himselfe for our sinnes That hee might deliver us from this present evill world Gal. 1.4 Gal. 1.4 O blessed Saviour was this the end for which thou didst shed thy precious bloud and shall they for whom it was shed set no more by it a conscionable man will say Did my Blessed Lord redeeme mee to bee holy and shall I take licence to sinne against him no I will not for if I doe in so doing I sinne against the end of my Redemption Fourthly I would have a man to consider what a glory it is to God when hee is good amidst a froward generation to bee as the fish which retaines its freshnesse in the salt Sea and to come into the High Priests Hall and neither to bee burnt by the fire nor blackt by the smoak this makes much for the glory of God Fiftly marke what a confusion it is to Satan when a man goes on in a good way where most men goe wrong the Devill was more confounded in one Job than in all the men of the East besides Lastly if wee sort our selves with the sinners of the time wee hinder the conversion of the World whereas when a man shall shunne such a wicked mans company hee will begin to say with himselfe Surely such a man sees something amisse in mee which makes him refraine my societie and by this meanes hee may bee reclaimed Therefore sort not your selves with these Korah's but depart from their Tents A second thing I note from that clause is this may some man say what was the cause that these men abstain'd from such abominations as others committed I answer their trembling at Gods word was the ground of it from whence I note this short observation The feare of God is the restraint of all sinne Doctr. This is proved sufficiently 〈◊〉 16.6 Proverbs 16.6 By the feare of God men depart from evill Mark it in some instances What was the reason that Joseph refused to fulfill his Mistresse her unchaste request but because the feare of God swayed him And it is faid of Job that hee feared God and eschewed evill Marke the feare of God made him eschew evill This was that which kept David from killing Saul when hee had him in his power and to this hee exhorts others Psalme 4.4 where hee saith Psal 4.4 Stand in awe and sinne not And this so swayed in the three Children that they durst not bow down to Nebuch adnezzars Image the feare of God wrought in them to make them obey God rather than man Would any man know the reason why