of faith setting their heart and hope on him and through him expect to bee heard and relieued whence obserue this doctrine that the Spirit of prayer doth alwaies leade men vnto Christ Iesus It causeth them wholly to go out of themselues Doct. 3 and to offer vp their supplications in The Spirit of prayer doth alwaies direct men vnto Christ Iesus and through their Sauiour and Redeemer This was figured in the sacrifices that were offered vnder the Leuiticall law at which time if any one were polluted by any occasion or otherwise clogged with sins that hee had committed he was to bring his offering vnto the Priest and was to be sprinckled with the bloud thereof which did signifie the bloud of Christ by which all Gods elect were to be cleansed and a reconciliation betwixt God and them was to be procured For this cause Daniel though hee were a man much beloued of God and endued with the Spirit of prayer in a wonderfull measure yet hee desireth the Lord to heare him not for his sake Daniel 9.17 or for his peoples sake but for the Lord Christ Iesus his sake Therfore doth our Sauiour tell his disciples Iohn 16.23 that whatsoeuer they should aske the Father in his name hee would giue it vnto them Now the reason why the Spirit of grace doth alwaies direct vs vnto Christ in our prayers Reason is because it maketh vs see our owne vilenesse and wretchednesse and so consequently that we stand in need of the mediation of Christ Iesus Therefore in the couenant of grace after Gods people haue receiued the holy Ghost Ezech. 36.31 it is said Then shall ye remember your owne wicked waies and your deedes that were not good and shall iudge your selues worthie to haue been destroyed for your iniquities and for your abominations This is the first worke of the Spirit euen to set them downe that they should haue nothing to say for themselues but plainely acknowledge that shame and confusion that destruction and eternall condemnation is due vnto them if the Lord should enter into iudgement with them Now when they are thus abased and humbled in themselues then will they seeke to haue a part in Christ his merits that so both they and their seruices may bee accepted of the Lord through his righteousnesse and through his intercession which hee doth continuallie make for them which serueth First for the confutation of the Papists Vse 1 and to shew that they are not led by the Spirit because in their prayers they rest not vpon the mediation and intercession of Iesus Christ but ioyne thereunto their owne merits and the merites of the Saints thinking by that meanes to preuaile in their suites and to obtaine their hearts desire Secondly it maketh also for the confutation of a number of ignorant men and women among vs that will bragge of their daily stint of prayers which they runne ouer and how they make no doubt but the Lord will accept of their requests and will grant the same and why because they liue honestlie among their neighbours and doe no bodie any harme and they hope withall that their good words and prayers doe deserue somewhat at Gods hands Alas poore simple people they little consider what it is to make a good praier for if they did they would goe quite out of themselues vnto Christ Iesus and labour for acceptance onely for his sake And as for these prayers which they so much stand vpon if euer it please the Lord to open their eyes and to waken their drowsie consciences they will be so far from thinking that they merite any thing thereby as that they will see great cause to be humbled therfore for that they haue dealt so hypocritically and carnally drawing neere vnto God with their lips when their hearts haue been remooued farre from him Thirdly here is another vse of consolation and of instruction both that if we will haue this testimony vnto our soules that wee pray in the Spirit then when wee haue the most feeling affections and purest desires let vs offer them vp in Christ Iesus let vs not play the Priests our selues as king Vzziah did lest we be smitten with a worse leprocie in our soules then he was in his body but let vs make Christ our high Priest to present our offerings before the Lord. So also when our prayers and thanksgiuings are most imperfect and weake let vs present them through him that so they may find acceptance with God being perfumed by the righteousnesse of his deare sonne Oh Obiect but I cannot striue nor wrestle with God in prayer as others do and as I my selfe haue sometimes done What of that Answ did not Christ Iesus offer vp strong cryes vnto his Father Heb. 5. And for whom shall those he effectuall but for such poore Christians as cannot so feruentlie call vpon God for themselues It is said Hebrewes 12. Heb. 12.14 That the blood of Christ speaketh better things then the blood of Abel Now we can easilie beleeue that Caine was in a dangerous case when the blood of Abel did call for vengeance against him and why should we not as throughly beleeue that they are in an happy case who haue the blood of the son of God to call for redemption and saluation and acceptation of al holy seruices in their behalfe as all true hearted Christians haue The want of this perswasion is the cause why we omit many excellent prayers and thanksgiuings which would bee very pleasing vnto the Lord being offered vp as sweet incense by our high Priest Christ Iesus and therfore let vs labour for an encrease of faith in this point that so God may not be depriued of seruice nor our selues of those comforts and blessings which are promised to all that call vpon him in truth And they shall looke vpon me whom they haue pierced and they shall lament for him c. In that this great lamentation is set downe as an effect of their beholding of Christ whom by their sinnes they had crucified this doctrine may hence bee gathered that The due consideration of the death of Christ Doct. 4 The consideration of Christ his sufferings is a forcible meanes to godly sorrow is a most forcible meanes to breake the hearts of Christians with godly sorrow There is no such motiue to make men weepe bitterly for their offences as to weigh with themselues in a serious maner that they by their sinnes haue slaine the Lord of life that his bitterest aduersaries were not the causes of that his shamefull and painefull death which hee endured vpon the tree but that they themselues brought him thither Iohn 10.11 and were the procurers of that his bitter passion Christ laid downe his life but for whom euen for his sheep He was cursed that they might be blessed he was was wounded Isaiah 53. that they might bee healed hee suffered disgrace that they might bee brought to glory and endured in
excellencie I wil poure vpon the house of Dauid and vpon the inhabitants of Ierusalem the Spirit of grace c. Signifying that he would vouchsafe vnto his Church vnder the Gospell a more plentifull measure of his Spirit that as they should haue more excellent and cleere and powerfull meanes so they should find a greater blessing vpon the vse of those meanes that whereas vnder the law they had but drops of grace distilling easily and by little and little now they should haue whole buckets full as it were yea whole flouds of grace poured downe vpon all sorts of Gods seruants By the Spirit of grace is meant the Spirit of adoption and of regeneration so called both because it is giuen out of Gods free grace and fauour as also because it worketh grace and goodnesse in all such as are endued therewith this Spirit is further described by a speciall effect viz. that it is a Spirit of prayers Till such time as men are made partakers hereof they may vse many words of prayer but they are altogether idle and vaine fruites of their flesh and not of their faith such as they haue great cause to be humbled for and no reason at all to be comforted in but when once they haue this Spirit put into their hearts they can call vpon the Lord in an acceptable and comfortable manner Then next is shewed whither this Spirit leadeth them to wit vnto Christ They shall looke on him whom they haue pierced When men begin to pray in a religious and conscionable manner they disclaime all fleshly helps and hopes betake themselues vnto their Sauiour whom they haue pierced by their sinnes for it cannot properly be said that the Scribes and Pharises or Iudas or the high Priests or the Romanes did put Christ to death-they being but instruments thereof but the iniquities of Gods elect did the fact and they were indeed the true and principall cause that brought vpon the Sonne of God all manner of affliction and persecution and execution it selfe In the next place it is said that when his children shall looke vpon him They shall lament for him or ouer him or concerning him all comes to one reckoning As soone as they see what euils and miseries they haue brought vpon Christ Iesus by their transgressions and how odious their offences are which could be healed by no other medicine but by the precious bloud of the immaculate Iambe of God the due consideration hereof will cause them to bee troubled and grieued at the very heart Which griefe is set out by two speciall circumstances to wit by the greatnesse of it and by the truth of it The greatnesse thereof is declared by two comparisons which yet are inferiour and lesse then the thing it selfe For the first comparison it is said That they should lament for him as one that mourneth for his only sonne and be sorry as one is sorry for his first borne If parents haue many children yet it will much grieue them to part with any of them but if they haue but one onely sonne who is likely to be the heire of the family and they lose him and so are disappointed of their hope then they vsually mourne with an exceeding bitter lamentation as the woman of the cittie of Nain did for the death of her onely son Luke 7.11 Such the holy Ghost saith shall be the sorrow of all true penitent persons when they apprehend the multitude and grieuousnesse of their sinnes whereby they haue slaine the Lord of life The second comparison here vsed to expresse the measure of their sorrow is taken from the example of the Iewes who when their godly worthy king Iosiah was slaine in the valley of Megiddo neere Hadadrimmon in fighting against Pharoah Necho King of Aegypt 2. Chron. 35. they lamented for him very bitterly and not onely the common people who haue not so good a gouernment of their affections mourned for him but Ieremiah the Prophet also and others of the best sort of men and women tooke this losse exceedingly to heart as seeing in the death of Iosiah the death and ruine both of Church and common wealth In which regard it was set downe as an ordinance that they should haue set times of mourning for that affliction which befell them through his death and such saith the Prophet shall be the lamentation of those that attaine to the sight and sense of their sinnes whereby they haue slaine the Lord Christ Iesus verse 11. Hauing thus set forth the greatnesse of their sorrow he commeth in the next place to expresse the soundnesse thereof The land shall bewaile euery family apart c. Not in the publicke assemblies alone where the teares of one may draw on the teares of another and so their mourning be either naturall for company or hypocritall for vaine glory but he saith that euery family should weepe apart and in priuate yea not onely the seuerall families but particular persons yea those that were most neerely lincked together viz. the husband and the wife should bee separated in this worke of humiliation and not content themselues to pray and bewaile their sinnes one with another but take some time each of them to performe this dutie in secret and if they that are so inward one with another should lament apart much more others that are further off one from another By the house of Dauid is meant as was before shewed the excellenter sort of Christians and the like is signified by the house of Nathan who was the son of Dauid of whom Christ came for the family of Salomon was wholy extinguished By the house of Leui is meant the ordinary sort of the Leuites and as for the family of Shimei it was one of the principall families of Leui. Whence we may obserue that all families without exception are tyed to this worke and ought iointly and seuerally to performe the same None are so good but they must weepe for their sinnes in secret and pray for the continuance increase of their goodnesse and as it is not needlesse for the best so neither is it bootlesse for the meanest but whosoeuer doth so shall haue a fountaine of grace opened vnto him whereby all his iniquities shall be washed away The drift then of these words wee see is to manifest and expresse the great goodnesse of God towards his seruants in the time of the Gospell and here is shewed 1 First what gift he wil bestow vpon them viz. aboundance of his holy Spirit 2 Secondly the good vse that they will make of it which is two-fold 1 First they will betake themselues vnto faithfull prayer and by the eye of faith looke vnto Christ through whom both they and their prayers must be accepted 2 Secondly they wil grow to a maruailous great loathing and dislike of their sinnes and sorrow for the same which is declared by two maine circumstances viz. 1 The greatnesse thereof which is illustrated by two comparisons 2
that The lusts of your father yee will do As those that are willing to do the workes of God are assuredly the children of God euen so they that are ready to doe the workes of Satan are without doubt the children of Satan and if they will pray vnto their father they must pray vnto the Diuell Againe in that very place it is said that the Spirit helpeth our infirmities Rom. 8.26 for wee know not what to pray as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh requests for vs with sighes that cannot be expressed where it is euident that the best of Gods seruants without the helpe and assistance of the holy Ghost are ignorant both of the matter and manner of prayer but the Spirit doth informe their minds what to aske and frame their affections how to aske in an holy and acceptable sort so that albeit sometimes they want words to expresse their meaning yet they are ful of inward sighes heauenly desires But what are they the better for them will some say if they cannot poure them foorth before the Lord in an outward forme of prayer They are much the better because as it is in the 27. verse He that searcheth the harts knoweth the meaning of the spirit and he so knoweth it that he approueth of it and delighteth in it If there bee neuer so many good words and those vttered by the very Saints of God themselues yet if they proceede not from the Spirit but from the flesh as sometimes they may they are not pleasing vnto the Lord but abhorred of him And on the other side albeit there be no words at al as many times it fals out when the hart is oppressed through extremity of griefe yet if there bee a multitude of holy desires in the soule stirred vp through the powerful working of the holy Spirit they are accepted of him and shal bee rewarded by him for as it is added in the place aboue named The Spirit eueÌ„ at such times maketh requests for the Saints according to the will of God And therefore their suits according with his will he cannot but yeeld vnto the same Againe Iohn 16.8 it is the proper worke of the Spirit to conuince the iudgement of sinne and to humble the heart therefore without which there can no faithfull prayer be made vnto the Lord. Bring neuer so strong reasons to adulterers or gamesters or Sabbath-breakers or any that liue in the continuall practise of such dangerous and damnable sins and presse them neuer so forcibly to cause them to forsake their leaud and wretched courses and yet can they not see why they should leaue them but rather imagine that they may lawfully follow the same still And no maruell for till the God of heauen do set downe their carnall reason it can neuer be set downe and till he stop their mouthes they will neuer be silenced but still haue somewhat to say for their wretched and vile behauiour Seeing then it is euident Reasons collected from the former places that Gods Spirit alone can perswade vs of the loue and fauor of our heauenly Father towards vs that so we may be in case to pray vnto him and withal must furnish vs with the matter and helpe vs in the manner of our praiers and humble vs in the sight of our owne miserable wants that so we may bee more earnest and feruent in the requests that wee make the point now in hand may hence bee strongly concluded to wit that none can make a faithfull prayer without the speciall aide and direction of the holy Ghost which serueth First for the confutation of those senselesse people Vse 1 that will bee talking and bragging how they pray day and night They that know what it is to lift vp a feruent prayer vnto the heauens doe easily discerne that they are but meere braggers and boasters and that indeede they neuer made one faithful praier since they were borne because they are and still haue been sensuall and carnall and vtterly void of any sanctifying grace of Gods spirit and therefore so farre are they from hauing any cause of reioycing in regard of their good prayers as they cal them that they haue great cause to be humbled for them as being workes of the flesh and not of the Spirit such as doe rather prouoke the Lords displeasure against them then pacifie his anger or any way procure his fauour towards them Such are the prayers of all blind and ignorant Papists who pray in an vnknowne tong to whom it may bee said as it was by our Sauiour vnto the sons of Zebedeus Ye know not what ye ask They may speake what they list of their often praying and how readily they can go through with their stint and taske but they that vnderstand what it is to bring God and their owne soules together in earnest requests and feruent supplications cannot but iudge them to bee bragging Pharisees who thinke that the Lord is beholding vnto them and indebted vnto them for such prayers whereas in truth he may iustly condemne them vnto hell for the same and wil do so if they be not humbled for them as well as for the rest of their iniquities And therfore they that haue indeed the Spirit of prayer are of another mind for when they haue vsed the best preparation that possibly they can they find so many defects in their prayers that they are driuen to make a new prayer for the pardoning of those their wants and are stirred vp heartily to praise the Lord wheÌ„ they can in any poore measure powre out their soules before him as knowing that it is not from any strength that they haue in themselues but from the help and furtherance of his good Spirit Secondly let this be an instruction vnto vs that if wee would pray aright and speed accordingly wee labour as Iude exhorteth to pray in the holy Ghost Iude vers 20. For those be the petitions that pierce the heauens and bring peace and comfort vnto the conscience But how shall we know whether â—ur prayers proceed from Gods Spirit or not for our sinfull hearts are apt to deceiue vs on both sides viz. either to make vs thinke through Satans suggestion that wee doe not pray in the holy Ghost because we haue so many frailties when in truth we doe or that we pray as wee ought to doe because we haue matter and words at will when indeed there is no such thing but onely a naturall gift of vttering that which is in our mindes and memories in apt and fit tearmes and in a fluent manner of speech Therefore if wee would know what it is to pray in the holy Ghost it is this First Rules for prayer wee must haue a warrant for the things that wee aske and that from the word of God where the Lords will is reuealed 1. Iohn 5.14 according wherunto all our petitions must be framed In which regard we must acquaint our selues with
Priest Iehoiadah liued 2. Chron. 24. that would not suffer him to take ill courses was very forward yea in some things more forward then Iehoiadah himselfe 2. Kings 12.7 but as soone as Iehoiadah was dead his religion was dead with him and of a professour he became a persecutor and nothing could stay him from his wicked courses vntill hee was taken away by a violent death But that the point may be yet more cleare wee wil giue instance in some particular things wherein men iudge themselues to be very strong when as the truth is they are exceeding weake Many will thanke God that though in other things they come short yet they are endued with patience but what doe they when wrongs are offered them why then they take on as bad as the worst Such need not brag of the aboundance of their patience for they haue neuer a iot more then they find when iniuries are offered them So others there are that hope they loue the truth but let one of the Family of loue or of the Brownists set vpon them and what will they doe presently begin to thinke and speake hardly of the seruants and seruices of God and of the truth of God This plainely argueth that there was in the heart but little loue of the truth but much pronenesse and aptnesse vnto errours and heresies He is the truly couragious souldiers that will stand to it when the skirmish is at hottest as for those that wil bragge much before and betake them to their heeles or ioyne for feare with the aduersarie when the battell begins they are meere cowards vtterly vnworthy of the name of souldiers Againe others are conceited that they haue mercifull hearts but hereby they manifest the quite contrary that they giue so little of their superfluity to those that are in necessity whose hearts might bee gladded and whose soules might bee stirred vp to offer praises and prayers vnto the Lord for them in regard of their liberality Others againe will not be perswaded but they make conscience of the Sabbath but if there be occasion of trauell offered on that day will they not rather God should lose his glory then they their commodity yes surely and thereby they shew themselues to be but prophane persons that did neuer conscionably sanctify the Sabbath for if they had done so euery sleight temptation would neuer carry them so farre wide This serueth for comfort vnto those that haue laid a sure foundation Vse 1 it is impossible that they should fall away for temptations doe not make those that are good to become ill but onelie trie what euery one is Gold is as good when it comes out of the fire as when it is cast in nay better many times whereas copper that was before glistering in shew appeares to bee that indeed which formerly it was though men discerned it not so well till it had gone through the fire 1. Iohn 3.9 This comfort the Apostle Iohn giueth vs saying Whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not and why for his seed remaineth in him c. that is he can neuer be brought vnder the dominion of sin any more because the immortal seed of the word sowne in his heart can neuer die It is as possible to pull the Sunne out of heauen as to pul grace out of such an ones hart because all such are kept by the power of God himselfe Pet. 1.5 Adam at first stood by his owne strength but euery Christian now standeth by Gods strength Iohn 10.29 Who is greater then all so that none can take them out of his hand This then serues to answere the obiections of diuers that are troubled with doubts and feares What if the pestilence should take hold of me Obiect and I should be shut vp and all my friends forsake me Why now examine what foundation you haue laid before this storme assaile you Ans if your heart be vpright with God all the powers of hell can do you no hurt But what if the pangs of death should bee very bitter Obiect Ans If they be Christ can sweeten and sanctifie them But what if religion should change Obiect how should I doe then Ans As well as any time before for God neuer changeth and therefore if you be a branch of the true vine once you shall neuer bee cut off but remaine in the vine for euer Therefore wee should bee so farre from being afraid of any fiery tryals Iames 1.2.3 that wee should reioyce when wee fall into diuers temptations And the Apostle yeeldeth two good reasons First because thereby our faith is refined Other weapons the more they are vsed the worse they are but it is otherwise with this shield of faith the more blowes it receiues the better it is Secondly these tryals doe worke patience Rom. 5.3 as is plaine in Iob who by his meekenesse and humble submission vnto God vnder his grieuous crosses did much honour the Lord so that Satan is the lyer in all such conflicts Secondly Vse 2 this is for terrour to them that haue not a sound inside when afflictions come as come they will sooner or later they that are vnsound will shew themselues to be vnsound and they that are false-hearted in the sight of God wil appeare to bee so in the sight of men Therefore let euery one looke vnto his heart or else his fall will be fearefull and shamefull Neither let men dreame that it will be alwaies Summer nay the Lord hath said Prou. 10.9 that those that peruert their waies shall be knowne hypocrites shall bee sifted first or last and then their filthy nakednesse will appeare In the Acts of the Apostles wee reade of many that made profession of Christ Acts 26.11 who whē Paul brought amongst them the fire of persecution to try what mettall they were they in stead of standing for Christ fell to blaspheming of his name Pauls cruelty was but the occasion of this the cause was in themselues for if they had been faithfull Christians they would rather haue denied their life then the Lord of life and haue endured a temporall death then an eternall Indeed Gods deare children may be somewhat frighted and terrified at first but they quickly recouer themselues againe being therein like a pure spring which being trodde in by beasts or any other way stirred will bee somewhat muddy for a while but come within an houre after and you shall finde it settled againe Therefore Christians should not bee discouraged though they finde a passion of feare and vnbeliefe now and then if so bee ordinarily they send foorth pure water for there is a great difference betwixt them and hypocrites who are filthy puddles hauing a little faire water running on the top but if they be stirred and raked into they will appeare to bee most loathsome neither will they bee easily settled againe And it fell by and by and the fall of that house was great Carnall men make
saith the Prophet Zephany Zeph. 1.14.15 In the great day of the Lords wrath the strong man shall cry bitterly Now crying is an argument of great perplexity and anguish and of basenesse of mind when it proceedeth from outward causes and yet the Prophet saith that the strong men and such as did professe fortitude should cry and that bitterly and the more couragious they had been in sin the more cowardly they should bee when the Lord did visit them for sinne Lastly Obiect there are others that thinke to cary out their vile practises by reason of their noble parentage their high places the multitude of their attendants the largenesse of their substance c. If they say the word who can hinder the deed who dare controll them or crosse them If any thinke himselfe wronged say they let him take his aduantage and seeke his remedy c. See the haughtinesse of flesh and blood when once it is set on horse-backe Answ but suppose that men dare not encounter them doe they imagine that the Lord will be afraid of their bigge words and bigge lookes if they do they are much deceiued Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzer were as great and as proud as most of these braggers yet did not the Lord strike them with horrour and amazement and make them see and know that hee was the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Satan hath all that worldly men can haue and a great deale more both of wit and wealth and company and courage and command and yet for all this the very consideration of Gods indignation maketh him to tremble according to that of the the Apostle Iames Iam. 2.19 Thou beleeuest that there is one God the diuels also beleeue and tremble And how then can they thinke to escape the terrours of the Lord who though they be great in the world yet come farre behinde the Prince of the world in greatnesse Let experience speake in this point Note when the Lord tooke away our gracious Queene and there was likelihood either of a ciuill dissension or forren inuasion howbeit the Lord miraculously deliuered vs from them both who were then least troubled with feares those that were great in the world or such as were great in Gods fauour And now that the Lord doth visit our cities and townes and villages with the pestilence who are they that are most couragious surely those that truly feare the Lord they think it the safest course to exercise themselues in the workes of their callings and not to runne hither and thither and to come vnto the publike assemblies of the Saints and not to neglect the feeding of their soules for feare of endangering their bodies whereas the wealthie and great ones of the world hide their heads in a corner being very vnwilling to aduenture vpon any good work that either God or man calleth them vnto if there bee but the least appearance of any perill Therefore in the second place if we would be void of those terrours that wicked men are subiect vnto Vse 2 and be able with boldnes to hold vp our heads when Gods iudgements are abroad in the world then let vs obserue these directions following First Remedies against hellish feares 1. Feare to offend See M. Duds booke Com. 1. Psal 112. let vs beware of all manner of sinnes that no iniquitie haue entertainment with vs and labour to bee at one with the Lord that so our consciences may be at one with vs which if wee can attaine vnto we shall be strongly fortified against all vnnecessary feares According to that in the Psalme Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord c. He shall not be afraid of euill tidings c. Where the Prophet sheweth that hee is an happie man that is truly religious and sheweth it forth by fearing of God and delighting in his commandements and by performing the duties of loue and mercy towards his brethren for as hee shall bee freed from all hurtfull euils so shall hee bee exempted from all passionate feare thereof Note Many wicked men haue not the plague in their houses and yet are plagued with the feare of it and many godly men haue their families visited therewith and yet are not perplexed with such terrors and the reason is yeelded in that place because their harts are fixed and established and beleeue in the Lord. That is the foundation whereupon they build their courage and confidence euen the Lord himselfe who is a sure stay to those that relie vpon him His children know that nothing can befall them without his prouidence that nothing shall betide them but he will support them vnder it and make them to profit by it and what cause then haue they to be distēpered If therfore we desire to haue stil quiet harts when others shal be euen at their wits end then let vs get the brestplate of righteousnesse and innocencie for the righteous is bold as a Lion Let vs feare sin before it be committed Prou. 28.1 and when we are tempted therunto say with Iob Are there not strange punishments for the workers of iniquity Iob 31. Will not the Lord be angry with me if I should commit this wickednesse will not mine owne heart be discomforted will not my spirit be made sad within mee how shall I bee able to looke the Lord in the face if hee should lay his hand in any feareful manner vpon me or mine when I haue so prouoked him to his face c Thus if wee could fright our hearts from offending the Maiestie of God wee should bee as bold as Iob was when the waues of aduersity flow in vpon vs on euery side The Lord saith he hath giuen Iob 1.21 Iob. 13.15 and the Lord hath taken blessed be the name of the Lord. And in another place Though the Lord should kill me yet will I trust in him He feared sinne which is the sting of crosses and therefore were his crosses lesse terrible vnto him when they came and so will they be vnto vs if we carefully eschew those corruptions which otherwise will enuenome and poyson them vnto vs. this is the first means to arme vs against feares viz. to take heed of sinne before it bee committed But if it be committed Repentance for offences committed the next remedie is to stand in awe of Gods iudgements due vnto the same and so to be led on to true repentance The best way to escape desperate feare is to fright our soules with an holy feare For if we iudge our selues we shall not be iudged of the Lord. Excellent for this purpose is that answere of Huldah the Prophetesse vnto good Iosiah Because thine heart did melt saith she and thou hast humbled thy selfe before the Lord 2. King 22.19.20 when thou heardest what I spake against this place and against the inhabitants of the same to wit that it should bee destroyed and accursed and hast rent thy cloathes wept before
that he is in the generation of the righteous Vers 6. Ye haue made a mocke of the counsell of the poore In that the holy Prophet doth lay this vnto wicked mens charge as a hainous crime and as the cause of his strokes that were to bee inflicted vpon them this doctrine offereth it selfe for our learning Doct. 3 that Iesting and scoffing at Gods children Mockers are grieuous persecutors Heb. 11. is a grieuous kinde of persecution and such as the Lord take speciall notice of In which regard the Apostle Heb. 11.36 speaking of the wonderfull great trials which sundry of the Saints did by faith vndergoe reckoneth vp this as none of the least of them that they had been tried by mockings In like sort when the holy Ghost yeeldeth a reason of the vtter ouerthrow of the kingdome of Iudah and of their long and wofull captiuity he setteth downe this to bee one of the principall causes thereof 2. Chro 36.26 viz. That they mocked the messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets vntill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people and till there was no remedy This kind of persecution Ismael vsed against Isaac as the Apostle witnesseth for which hee was cast out of the Church of God Gal. 4.29 Gen. 21.9 And this was one of the meritorious sufferings of our Lord Iesus Christ Mat. 26. 27. Psal 22. that they spit vpon him and nodded their heads at him and vsed taunting and disgracefull speeches vnto him and put as it were a fooles coate vpon him to disguise him and called him in mockage the King of the Iewes c. This I say was not the least part of his bitter passion through which he purchased eternall saluation for all his elect namely that hee endured much contempt and reproch both in the course of his life and at the time of his death Now the reason why Satan maketh choice of this weapon aboue others therewith to fight against Gods seruants is First Reasons because mans nature is subiect greatly to abhorre contempt and therefore cannot easily endure to bee vilified and disgraced by scoffing and reproachfull speeches and gestures Secondly Note the diuell knoweth that hee can get many souldiers to be employed this way Euery limme of his cannot imprison nor spoile Christians of their goods or of their liues but there are few or none but they can frame scoffes and iests against the members of Christ Iesus Euery boy can quickly grow skilfull at this as we see in Ismael 2 King 2. and in the two and fortie children that were torne in peeces of two beares for their mocking of the Prophet Elisha the very scumme of the people the vagabonds and rogues that run vp and downe the country can doe their master the diuel good seruice this way those that were the children of fooles and the children of villaines Iob. 30.8.9 as Iob speaketh who were more vile then the earth it selfe could make Iob their song and their talke Psal 69.12 Psal 35. and in like sort did the drunkards and pot companions deale with Dauid and the theefe vpon the crosse with our Sauiour Mat. 27.44 euen at that time when the fierce wrath of God was manifested vpon his body hanging on the crosse for that hee had been a notorious and hainous malefactor First Vse 1 this doctrine must teach vs to beware of deriding and taunting at good men for taking of good waies lest by so doing we become persecutors and bee proceeded against as enemies vnto God and his people It is not so safe for vs as many take it to be to exercise our selues in such kind of scoffing he is commonly held to be a sillie fellow that cannot gird at a Minister and at such as vsually resort vnto Sermons But let vs take heed of such nipping and biting speeches as tend to the defaming of any of Gods seruants or seruices lest we be cast out from hauing any communion and fellowship with God as scoffing Ismael was and be exposed to such plagues and punishments as the wicked Iewes were who mocked the messengers of God and reuiled our blessed Sauiour in such an opprobrious and disgracefull manner as the Scriptures doe record Secondly Vse 2 for as much as contemptuous and reprochfull scoffes and girds are such weapons as Satan putteth into the hands of his instruments let vs prepare for them and arme our selues against them Christs Disciples must not looke to be aboue their Master if wicked sinners reuiled and derided him wee must not imagine to escape their virulent and venemous tongues and therefore the Apostle exhorteth vs Heb. 13.12.13 that seeing he hath borne our reproch wee should beare his and for the ioy that is laid before vs Heb. 12.2 endure the crosse and despise the shame and so at length wee shall receiue the crowne of glory which is prepared for all those that in patience doe waite for his glorious appearing Now that wee may bee better inabled to beare these taunts and reproches How we may be inabled to beare contempt 1. Labour against pride let vs take this direction following 1. First labour against that inbred pride that is naturally in euery one of our hearts which maketh vs vtterly vnable to vndergoe disgrace therfore was it that though many of the chiefe rulers of the Iewes beleeued in Christ yet they durst not confesse him because of the Pharisies who would haue excommunicated them and disgraced them to the vttermost and the reason is rendred in that place viz. That they loued the praise of men Ioh. 12.43 more then the praise of God they stood vpon their carnall credit and reputation among their neighbors and countrimen more then vpon that true credit and estimation which they might haue had with the Lord and his children and therefore was it that they were so loth to expose themselues for Christ his sake vnto the shame of the world whereas if they had had humble and lowly hearts they would haue denied themselues in their estimation among men and haue taken vp the reproach of Christ as an honourable crowne let this therefore bee our first worke to labour against the hautinesse of our fleshly hearts Secondly Consider what scoffers are to the intent that wee may more patiently endure to be vilified and disgraced let vs consider what manner of men scoffers bee viz. the most abiect vile and contemptible persons that are as we may see in those before mentioned who in this sort pursued Iob and Dauid and our blessed Sauiour Oh but will some say they are men of great wealth of great place of great parentage Obiect of great wit and learning that do mocke vs and gird at vs for our religion and for our profession Grant that they be great men in all the former respects Answ yet if they bee wicked and vngodly the holy Ghost accounteth them vile and contemptible men and so
his message vnto them Vers 10. They said vnto the Seers see not and to the Prophets prophecie not vnto vs right things they could not endure that they should take notice of euery thing that was amisse in them and that they should presse euery part of Gods will vpon their consciences this they thought to bee too much strictnesse and precisenesse 2. Secondly he proueth them to be rebels by their great affection that they carried vnto that which would doo them most hurt 〈◊〉 flatteric and errours Thus much to dâ—ing the 〈◊〉 and order of these words the meaning whereof shal by Gods assistance be 〈…〉 fully laid open in the handling of the seuerall doctrines 11 18 〈◊〉 Vers 9. And children that world not heare the lâ—â— of the Lord. In that the Prophet do the 〈…〉 ment proue them to bee traitoâ—s against thâ— most high This is the doctrine 〈…〉 Doct. 2 viz. that It is a marke of an impious person to reiect the word it is an infallible note of an impious and rebellious person to be vnwilling to heare the holy word of God Although men doe ordinarily resort vnto the assemblies where the Gospell is pursely preached yet if they wish in their hearts that they were from vnder those droppings and if they might haue their owne choice they would bee from vnder them they are carnall and vngodly men what appearances soeuer there bee to the contrary The same marke of wicked sinners is giuen by Iob Iob 21.14 where he saith They say vnto God Depart from vs for wee desire not the knowledge of thy waies not that there is any such wicked monster that will directly vse those tearmes vnto the Lord but his meaning is that their liues and practises doe prone so much viz. that they would not willingly haue any thing to doe with God which appeareth by this that they desire not the knowledge of his maies Let them say what they will those that care not to bee acquainted with Gods will nor to learne from thence what is their dutie doe in effect bid the Lord depart from them and therefore must needs bee very impious and irreligious persons To the same purpose it is said in the Psal Psal 81.11 My people would not heare my voice and what of that Israel would none of me If one should haue said to them You are Apostaes and hate God in your hearts they would haue thought it the greatest wrong that could be but wee see what the Lords testimonie is concerning them they would not attend to my voice therefore they would none of me they reiected my word therefore they reiected mee Besides these places and many moc that might bee alleaged the causes and effects of this vnwillingnesse to heare the Lords message will euidently proue those to be sinfull persons that are possessed therewith First then for the causes thereof Reason The causes there shall two onely bee named though many other might bee brought One of them the Prophet Ieremy maketh mention of saying Vnto whom shall I speake Ier. 6.10 and admonish that they may heare behold their eares are vncircumcised and they cannot hearken In the words going before hee had denounced heauie plagues against them in regard of their horrible and fearefull transgressions which did continually flow from them euen as waters from a fountaine vers 7. Now hereupon some man might say If their offences be so grieuous wherefore doe not you tell them thereof Why faies the Prophet vnto whom shall I speake whom shall I admonish their eares are vncircumcised that is fleshly and carnall so that albeit good instructions be brought vnto them yet they 〈◊〉 hearken thereunto but will bee gazing hither and thither and haue their minds taken vp with other matters Let a debter of theirs come vnto them to pay theÌ„ money and they will not be looking on this thing and on that when they should receiue it at his hands but when the true treasure is offered vnto them freely they are either idle or ill imployed so that they haue no mind to accept of that Tell them a tale of lucre which they may get or of some iniurie done vnto them whereof they may take aduantage and their eares are wide open for such matters but let there bee any speech vsed tending to the glory of God or the saluation of their soules they are altogether deafe and cannot with any life or cheerfulnes listen to such things Now how comes their eares to be thus vncircumcised because their hearts are vncircumcised which is the second cause of their vnwillingnesse to attend to the words of wisedome And this appeareth in two things the first is that as Ieremy speaketh they delight not in Gods voice Ier. 6.10 The second that they doe take pleasure in vnrighteousnesse as the Apostle witnesseth 2. Thes 2.12 And looke how much delight any one taketh in sin so much hatred will hee beare against the word that checketh him for his sin and in what measure any man dislikes the word in the same measure will he take pleasure in all manner of iniquity which is condemned by the word And thus much for the causes of this vnwillingnesse The ill effects follow 2. The effects which to mention but a few of a great many are three The two former in respect of men them felues the last in respect of God Concerning themselues first they are neuer able to meditate on the word For whatsoeuer a man comes vnwillingly to hearken vnto that will quickly slip out of his minde neither can he possibly get it to take any deepe roote in his heart Hence is it that when couetous or malicious or vnchast persons repaire vnto Sermons to please their masters or to satisfie the law or for some such by respect they neuer seriously thinke of that which they haue heard to make any application thereof vnto themselues they cannot bring their hearts vnto it for a sinfull conscience will not endure to be tied to the word of the Lord. The Prophet Dauid saith Lord how loue I thy law Psal 119.97 my meditation is in it continually What will follow then if a man doe not loue Gods law Surely he will not at any time meditate theron which he that doth not must needs be a very sinfull creature Secondly as hee will neuer ponder vpon it so neither will he practise it Hee that is vnwilling to heare his dutie will bee much more vnwilling to doe it If wee see a seruant that cannot endure to be informed what is his masters will and pleasure we presently conclude that such an one will not proue a faithfull and trusty seruant and so may we do without any breach of charity when wee perceiue a man to be altogether carelesse or contemptuous in listening to the charge of his heauenly master he that cannot abide to heare of the duties of the Sabbath nor of the exercises of religion that he is
naturall child loueth his father naturally and though his father beate him yet he beareth it and still loueth him 2. Pet. 1.2.3.4 They haue powred and infused into them a godly nature so that they doe freely loue God their father and though hee afflict them or crosse them in their desires yet they loue him and in loue performe their obedience vnto him continually Iob 13. Therefore Iob saith Though hee kill me yet will I trust in him And this is the third marke or rule whereby to proue and trie our selues The last rule is in considering the effect of Gods mercies receiued For herein do the wicked shew their wickednesse two waies First on the right hand the mercies of God do worke in them a wonderfull contentation but not such as causeth them to returne the glory vnto God but rather to ascribe it vnto themselues for the graces of God do puffe them vp make them conceited in themselues Hereof there ariseth a great security which bringeth first neglect and after contempt of all good meanes On the left hand others offend being neuer pleased nor contented with that they haue nay indeed forgetting or lightly esteeming that they haue and still desiring new These men besides that they are vnthankfull they doe also murmure and grudge against God and are neuer pleased with him Betweene these two doe the children of God hold a middle and euen course and therefore wee shall see these things in them First a sight and acknowledgement of their wants which cause them to long for the sincere milke of the word that thereby their wants may bee supplied and their graces encreased and so farre are they from being lifted vp with pride that they reioyce when their pride may bee pulled downe whether by rebukes or threatnings or corrections from the Lord. For they know that if Paul needed meanes of humbling 2. Cor. 12. much more doe they Besides as they desire the word so they waite vntill it please the Lord to worke further in them thereby and this waiting is as earnest as theirs who hauing watched all night do wait and looke for the dawning of the day Secondly as they see their wants Psal 119.10 so doe they also see the graces they haue receiued and are for that time well apaid and contented therewith and therefore as their wants doe humble them so Gods graces doe comfort them and as their wants do call vpon them to seek more so the gifts they haue prouoke them to be thankfull for that they haue receiued And thus much for the last rule of triall These forenamed properties whosoeuer can find in himselfe he may bee assured that the spirit hath wrought in him so effectually as that it shall neuer be taken from him But what then may such cast off all care No the Apostle saith vnto such Quench not the spirit And not without cause for though the spirit it selfe can neuer bee vtterly taken from them yet doubtlesse if pride security or any other sinne begin to take place in them the graces of the spirit may decay and their cleare vnderstanding and comfortable feelings may be gone so that in their own and others iudgements the spirit may seeme to be quite extinguished Neither must this seeme strange for if the Image of God which was more perfectly placed in Adam might be quite lost then no maruell if the graces of the spirit bee drowned in vs for a time The Galathians were truly regenerated and had receiued Christ into their hearts yet their graces were so choked and quenched that hee was as it were without fashion or forme so that the Apostle did as it were trauell againe Gal. 4.19 vntill Christ was fashioned anew in them Dauid also vpon the committing of his sinne was brought vnto that case Psal 51. that he prayed God to create in him a new spirit What was the spirit quite gone No for by and by after he prayeth that God would not take his holy spirit from him but the graces thereof were wonderfully decaied and therefore he desireth that they might be renued But that none may abuse this doctrine Euils that follow vpon quenching of the spirit let vs consider what punishments doe follow vpon the quenching of the spirit in this sort First of all we must know that though the spirit bee not gotten by our labour yet that is required for the obtaining of it and it must cost vs much paines ere we can get it into our hearts all which seemeth to be lost when the graces of the spirit are withered Secondly all that peace and ioy before spoken of is gone with how great griefe and woe they know that in any measure haue tasted of it Thirdly for that time they haue no heart to do good but are made vnprofitable burthens to the earth Moreouer such are in danger of falling into reproachfull euils and so to procure the sharp correcting hand of God vpon themselues who hath said that though hee will not take his mercies vtterly from his children yet hee will visit their sinnes with the rod and their iniquities with scourges as he dealt with Dauid Last of all when the graces of the spirit of God are once decayed they cannot bee repaired but with very much sorrow for what a griefe will it be to call to mind our former transgressions to aggrauate them by all circumstances to apply the terrible threatnings of the law to our stonie harts and the like The consideration of all which discommodities should cause vs to beware how we quench the spirit Yet here is matter of comfort also for though we may suffer a great decay of Gods graces yet by the rod or by the word or by both they shall be renued in vs againe A Discourse of murmuring in the time of affliction MAny men hearing of the often murmurings of the Israelites doe iudge them the worst people vnder the Sunne but such doe little consider either the temptations whereby they were prouoked to murmure or the corruption of their owne hearts which will as bitterly murmure vpon lesse occasion For albeit they were an obstinate and stiffe-necked people yet heerein they were vehemently tempted that they came from plenty in Egypt to scarsity in the wildernesse hauing neither meate nor drinke for all that multitude being sixe hundred thousand men besides women and children Wherefore let vs cease to wonder at this people and in them see our owne corruption For do not many amongst vs beholding the abundance which the Lord hath bestowed vpon Magistrates or Ministers for the discharge of their duties doe they not I say rather murmure at it then shew themselues thankefull for troubles that they are freed from and for sufficiencie that the Lord hath giuen them to liue vpon True it is that notwithstanding the greatnes of this peoples temptation their sinne was very hainous for Gods mercies had been wonderfull towards them euen immediatly before and that the vnthankfullest of them
had been driuen to confesse Psal 106. yet did they wish to returne to their former bondage rather then to be brought to such straits but notwithstanding the grieuousnesse of this their sin many now adaies come nothing behind them for their eyes are so vpon their wants that the want of one thing which they doe desire though it be but small doth more disquiet them then manifold blessings do comfort them to make them thankfull But this discontentment we must bee armed against which wee shall bee if wee can receiue the fauour of God for it selfe though it come alone yea though trouble doe come therewith for hauing it wee haue all things and wanting it wee haue nothing Againe if wee haue it no misery can make vs miserable and if wee haue it not in greatest prosperity we are most miserable But the Israelites here dealt after a cleane contrary manner for the want of bread in the wildernes being but for their bodies did make them to despise their great and wonderfull deliuerance out of Egypt which was vnto them a signe of their spirituall deliuerance And this is the nature of all worldlings they had rather forgoe many spirituall benefits then one corporall commodity they grieue more at the losing and reioyce more at the hauing of wealth then of godlinesse But to returne to the point in hand sith murmuring is so great a sinne it shall be profitable to consider of some remedies against it Now for as much as impatiencie proceedeth from infidelity Remedies against murmuring the remedie therof must be fetched from faith in Gods mercies in the merits of Christ in the hope of the resurrection and in Gods fatherly prouidence First I say Gods rich mercy and fauourable dealing with vs being duly considered cannot but worke in vs patience foâ—seeing that the Lord forbeareth vs and that when for the ripenesse of our sinnes he might confound vs hee doth rather heape blessings vpon vs this cannot but bridle vs from murmuring though all things fall not out according to our hearts desire Especially seeing that the Lord will deale with vs still as he did with the Israelites that when ordinarie meanes failed had extraordinary prouision made for them the clouds giuing them bread and the rocke water to teach vs that man liueth not by bread only as Moses applieth it Deut. 8. but by the word of God A second remedy is to haue a liuely faith in the worke of our redemption to wit the remission of our sins the imputation of Christ his righteousnesse and inherent sanctification First then if we can stedfastly beleeue that God for Christ his sake hath freely forgiuen vs all our sinnes and giuen his sonne that in him we might be blessed we cannot but be assured Rom. 8. that with him he will giue vs all things For seeing sin which is the cause of all miserie is taken from vs wee may bee sure that no crosse shall euer hurt vs. Againe if wee could beleeue that as God doth lay our sinnes vpon Christ so he doth impute his righteousnes to vs how should we doubt of food or raiment c For by this meanes hee is made our mercifull and louing father who is for power able and for will readie to helpe vs in all extremities And thus doth he abide for euer and is neuer changed To these two former must be added the second part of our redemption namely the sanctification of the spirit which if we feele in our selues may be a great helpe vnto vs against impatiency for it is a greater thing to sanctifie a sinner then to worke wonders in nature Therfore if we can beleeue in our hearts that God is able to make of sinfull and wicked men iust righteous of whoremongers chast persons c. and that he is able and willing to deliuer vs from all our corruptions be they neuer so strong by nature or custome if I say wee can giue credit vnto this why should wee euer doubt that hee will faile vs in outward things Further if we can beleeue that God hath prepared a kingdome for vs and that he will raise vs vp at the last day in body soule to enioy the same how can wee but bee assured that hee will giue vs lesser matters euen the things of this life Another thing to stay our hearts vpon when murmuring doth assaile vs is faith in Gods prouidence which is either generall or particular The generall prouidence of God must be considered first in the creation of all things secondly in the preseruation of them Doe wee then beleeue that the Lord made all things of nothing and shall we doubt of his ability to prouide for vs When God created light before the Sun Gen. 1.3 the Moone or the Stars and caused grasse to grow vpon the earth before there was either raine or dew to water it he did thereby teach vs first that we should not put too much trust in them whilest we haue them and againe that rather then wee should suffer hurt by the want of light grasse or other such things the Lord both could and would prouide for vs without them Yet now if wee should not haue the Sunne wee would thinke that light were taken from vs and if wee wanted raine wee would soone thinke wee should neither haue grasse nor corne but the Lord hath ordained these meanes to serue his prouidence not for himselfe for without them hee can easily helpe vs but for our weakenesse who otherwise could not easily be assured of his goodnesse Secondly we must beleeue that God preserueth all Matth. 10. so that a sparrow doth not fall to the ground without his prouidence and hee hath a great care of beasts and fowles Matth. 6. doth the Lord prouide for these and will he not prouide for man for whom these were made and are are preserued Hereunto we must ioyne the particular prouidence of God Hath he made our bodies and will he not cloathe vs hath he giuen vs life and will hee not minister vnto vs food for the sustaining thereof He could prouide for the Israelites in the barren wildernsse fortie yeeres together yea he could preserue Moses and Elias fortie daies without any meate at all which euidently proueth that Gods blessing is all in all whether there be meanes or no meanes Dauid obserued by experience that the righteous seed of the righteous was neuer forsaken Psal 37. nor begged their bread and if wee could bee righteous as then many were wee should find the same true in our owne experience as he did These things well considered will worke in vs a patient minde the properties whereof are First Properties of a patient mind Philip 4.11 to be contented with whatsoeuer the Lord sendeth alwaies acknowledging godlinesse to be great riches for we ought not to seeke great matters nor suffer our desires to bee carried after high things Ier. 45.4 for this did the Prophet Ieremie rebuke in
them If Dauid were brought to such a strait that he was euen at his wits ende and in exceeding great anguish for doing one thing which in mans reason might seeme very lawfull Oh what horrible terrors shall seaze on their soules who doe continuallie rush vpon a multitude of hainous offences which all the world crieth out against especially when they shall be called to answere not before Gad as Dauid was but before the Maiestie of the great Lord of heauen and earth not for one sinne but for all their sinnes not to endure three dayes punishment in mercie but euerlasting woe and miserie and that in iudgement and heauie displeasure Dauid had great sorrow indeed for the offences which he committed yet no more then hee should haue how then doe they thinke to escape that are not wrought vpon at all with any remorse for their grieuous transgressions but are euen as a lumpe of dead flesh altogether insensible of any stroke of God that is threatned or inflicted vpon themselues or others Verse 10. Doct. 3 I haue sinned exceedingly Now followeth the second step vnto sound repentance Confession of sinne must folowe griefe for sinne namely a true full particular and hearty confession of his sinne that so wounded his heart which all that would obtaine remission of their sinnes must be carefull to bring before the Lord as Dauid did But this point hath hene more largely handled elsewhere in M. Dods Serm. on Prou. 28. Doct. 2. I beseech thee take away the trespasse of thy seruant c. This is the third worke of repentance viz that he craueth pardon for his fault and that is the next point that with confession of our sinnes Doct. 4 we must alwaies ioyne requests vnto God for the pardoning of the same so doth Dauid in this place as also Psal Asking pardō must be ioyned with confession Luk. 18.13 Daniel 9.19 Nehem. 9. 51 so doth the Publican Lord be mercifull vnto me a sinner and in a word so doth Daniel Nehemia and the rest of Gods seruants as may be seene in their seuerall confessions And for incouragement vnto the performance of this dutie we haue 1 First the name of God which is to pardon iniquitie Exod. 34. transgression and sinne euen all without exception great or small if we repent for them they shall be pardoned if we acknowledge our miserie we shall assuredly finde Gods mercy 2 Secondly we haue the couenant of God Ezeck 36. that he will wash vs from all our filthinesse by powring the bloud of his sonne vpon our sinfull soules 3 Thirdly Mat. 1. we haue the name of Christ to incite and moue vs to become suters for a pardon for he is called Iesus because it is his office to saue his people from their sinnes This Doctrine serueth First for the confutation of the Papists Vse 1 who clog mens consciences and lay on them heauie and yet vnnecessarie burdens enioyning them if they would get remission of their sinnes to goe in pilgrimage to this or that place to pray to this or that Saint to make some satisfaction to God c as if they should finde mercie any where rather then by seeking it at Gods hands and they speed accordingly for whereas Dauid went vnto the Lord for fauour and obtained it they haue still vnsetled hearts and restles consciences or hard hearts and benummed consciences neuer getting any true peace or sound comfort in the assurance of their reconciliation with the Lord. 2 Secondly Vse 2 for reproofe of those whose offences are very many and very grieuous and they see and acknowledge so much and yet will they not be so presumptuous as they tearme it to expect pardon for the same indeed they thinke it fit for such holy men as Dauid was to aske and looke for mercy from the Lord but for themselues they are such hainous offenders that they dare not doe so neither can they conceiue any hope to speed well if they should doe so But why should we put in conditions where God doth not and as it were interline Gods couenant doth not he promise without any exception 1. Ioh. 1.9 that if we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse It is therefore a great fault to thinke that any hath more abundance of sinne then God hath of mercy to forgiue it Thirdly Vse 3 heere is an vse of instruction that we should be very importunate for the obtaining of Gods fauour in the pardoning of our sinnes which earnestnes that we may attaine vnto let vs vse these two helpes following How we may attaine to earnestnesse in asking pardon which Dauids example directeth vs vnto First let vs labour that our hearts may thorowly smite vs and that our consciences may euermore checke vs when we doe offend for wheresoeuer there is the checke of conscience it will make the party grow not onely to hartie confession but also to earnest petitions for grace and fauour The greater therefore is their follie who when the Lord doth strike their drowsie consciences for any wickednesse committed by them will presently betake themselues to merry company so by iesting and laughing and drinking and sporting seeke to driue away their melancholie fit as they call it but God meeteth with them accordingly for when they will not take benefit by that mercifull warning which he giueth them they commonly fall to maruellous hardnes of heart and after breake foorth into some horrible sinne which ouerwhelmeth them with shame and confusion Let vs therefore obserue when the Lord smiteth our hearts and with Peter get out of company speedily and lament bitterly that so we may turne the rebukes of our soules into holy requests that the Lord would for giue vs and not enter into iudgement with vs for our grieuous prouocations against his Maiestie Secondly when sinne is so odious vnto vs that our hearts doe condemne vs for it then let vs striue to be perswaded that it is pardonable yea and that it shall be pardoned vnto vs that though we deserue to be throwne out of seruice because we haue dealt so foolishly yet seeing we are Gods seruants he will not goe to extremities with vs but deale as a father with his owne children this ancor of hope we had need still to hold fast by for if we be not in some good measure resolued that we shall finde the Lord gratious and that we our selues are not hypocrites but such as to whom mercy belongeth we shall presently giue ouer prayer for who would seeke vnto a Chirurgion to cure him of whom he is afraid lest he should wound him in that be hath cause and abilitie so to doe Therefore hold this for a firme ground once Gods childe and euer once his seruant and neuer his enemie in which regard we may come with confidence vnto him and say Lord I am vnworthy to be called thy sonne yet
seeme to want nothing that may make them prosper yet because God is displeased with them he brings them downe both stripping them of their wealth which they most affected and plaguing them with pouertie which they most detested And a cause heereof is Reason that he giueth men thereby to vnderstand that he taketh knowledge of their waies to the end they should take knowledge of his iudgements when they see them directed so iust against their faults and affections And by this meanes as reprobates are left without excuse the elect are much furthered to repentance when their corrupt wils their vnlawfull desires and sinfull delights are crossed when they behold Gods visible hand and righteous hand when he sheweth them the nature and qualitie of their offences by the manner and proceeding of his corrections that was the true cause why the Lord laid this stroake on Dauid at this time rather than any other viz that he might more speedily and euidently see his fault and more soundly and heartily repent for the same Which maketh for our instruction Vse if wee would haue comfort in any thing that we possesse let vs vse it well neither let our hearts deceiue vs whether it be honour or goods or children if we dote vpon them and make Gods of them we are likely to be depriued of them the Lord can take from vs our power Ezek. 24.35 the ioy of our honour the pleasure of our eyes and the desire of our hearts euen our sonnes and our daughters When men loue to be commanders God can take their authoritie from them if they stand vpon their honour and reputation he can soone make it wither and vanish if the delights of their eyes doe content them he can quickly remoue those from them finally if they set their affections immederately vpon their children and lift vp their soules vnto them as the words are in the originall that is make them the desire of their hearts God can suddenly bereaue them of their children or so bring it to passe that they shall haue little comfort in them Would we then haue our houses and our children free from Gods strokes and in particular from the pestilence as that many pretend that they are more carefull for their children then for themselues then let vs neuer commit any sinne to set them vp for that is the next way to depriue vs of them when we carry more affection to them then to the Lord himselfe we endanger our selues and them both The Lords will is that you should in the first place serue him and so doing you shall make your children not Lords but kings not of an earthly but of an heauenly kingdome The next thing heere briefly to be considered is the space in which these seuentie thousand men died namely in three daies Doctrine that Doct. 4 When God sets in with his iudgements they shall be farre dispersed in a short time Gods iudgements very swift He can cause his plagues to flie fast and make great speed This is prooued in the Psalme where speaking of any decree of God it is said He sendâ—th forth his commandement vpon earth Psal 147.15 and his word runneth very swiftly What God determineth to doe he can doe it out of hand when it standeth with his good pleasure Exod. 12. So we see how he could cause one Angell to goe thorow the whole land of Aegypt in one night and to slay the first borne in euery house Zath 5.2 and in this regard Gods curse is compared to a flying booke to note the swiftnesse of it that it commeth as it were with two wings but withall it is likened to a talent of lead that sticketh fast where it sals it maketh speed vnto the place that God appointeth and tarrieth there where once it lighteth Furthermore we see how quickly Gods curse was scattered ouer the whole earth Gen. 3.17.18 when our first parents had sinned the deformitie came not vpon the creatures by degrees but it ouertooke them presently and out of hand And so at the last day Christ shall come in the twinckling of an eye as to call the godly forth with vnto glory 1. Cor. 15.51 so to draw the wicked immediately before Gods iudgement seate to receiue present and euerlasting punishment and torment And the reason of this is Reason because God at all times is in all places and of equall power in euery place and therefore what should hinder him from doing that euery where in the same moment if it stand with his iustice and will which he doth any where The great deluge in the time of Noe couered not one Nation one yeare and an other the next and a long time after the rest which were farre separated asunder but he in his wrath was present in euery country and so were they all ouerwhelmed in few daies and who knoweth whether it seized not vpon each of them in one day which maketh For reproofe of them that thinke Vse if they escape one place of infection they are safe enough But cannot God or his Angell reach them wheresoeuer they be Though no infected person come neere them cannot the Lords hand finde them out Yes certainely let them climbe vp vnto heauen Psal 1 39. or goe downe into hell or hide themselues at the center of the earth Gods eye is still vpon them and his hand neere vnto them so that they can goe safe no where without Gods fauour If the pestilence were onely in India we should as easily be infected in England if God had a quarrell against vs and a purpose to plague vs that way as if we were in the midst of the infected persons Who would haue thought that Gehazi should haue beene smitten with the leprosie when his maister and he were together The like may be said of Miriam when Aaron was with her Nay who would haue thought that King Vzziah should haue beene plagued with that stroke in such an holy place as the Temple was where God would haue no vncleane thing to enter Yet when he presumptuously vsurped the high Priests office he was not spared no not in the Sanctuarie So that this may be surely concluded that no place can shelter a man from miserie if sinne be harboured and entertained in his heart Verse 16. It is sufficient hold thy hand Doctrine that As God appointeth iudgements to be inflicted on his people Doct. 5 God is present at the execution of his indgements so he himselfe will see execution done He stands by in this place and directeth the Angell how farre to proceed and where to make an end God would haue Iacob humbled and therefore he sent him to his vncle Laban but withall he assureth him of good successe and for that purpose sheweth him a ladder whereupon the Angels of God went vp and downe to signifie Gen. 28.12 that they should guide him foorth and bring him backe in safetie but for the present
from the beginning of the world hitherunto yet for all this he hath neuer beene nor shall be able to procure the ouerthrow of one of Gods elect The Church hath beene nothing the worse though he haue beene still warring against it And why is this but because Gods wisedome is infinitly beyond all the subtilty of the diuell And what cause haue we then to feare crasty men seeing their Captaine hath had no better successe and seeing that the Lord hath a quarrell against them as well as against their head And the tongue that speaketh proud things In that the Prophet denounceth iudgement against such kinde of persons the doctrine is that The more wicked men boast of their mischieuous intents Doct. 2 The vvickeds boasting a torerunner of their ruine the neerer mischiefe is vnto them When they bragge most how well the world goes with them and what hope they haue of effecting their badde purposes some great euill is euen at their doores When men boast in their talke and swords are in their lips as Dauid speaketh then the Lord will haue them in derision Psal 59.7.8 and laugh at their destruction When they fall to bragging God fals to laughing and when their swords are drawne out against others the Lords hand is stretched out against them WheÌ„ Pharaoh in the pride of his heart said Who is the Lord God made him know who he was Exod. 15.9 And when the enemie said I will pursue I will ouertake them meaning the Israelites I will diuide the spoile c then the Lord set in against them and made the Sea to couer them so that they sanke as lead in the mighty waters So when Saneherib insulted against God 2. Kings 18. and against his people and bragged what his forefathers and himselfe had done and what now he would doe if they would not yeeld vp the Citie and themselues into his hands Chap. 19.28 then did the Lord put a hooke into his nostrils and a bridle into his lips brought him backe againe the same way he came and caused him to fall by the hands of his owne sonnes And the reasons why it must needs be so Reasons 1 are these First when vngodly men do most vaunt of their malicious intents against Gods people then is the Lords compassion most stirred towards them euen as it is with earthly parents when any one threatens their children that if hee take them hee will knocke out their braines this will cause them to preuide for the safetie of their children and that such leaud persons bee punished and restrained This was Dauids comfort against Doeg Psal 52.1 Why boastest thou thy selfe in thy wickednes ô man of power saith hee The louing kindnesse of God endureth daily If the stocke of Gods goodnes were all spent then his children had reason to hang downe their heads but seeing that is and will be as much still as euer it was they neede not feare the insultations of their wicked aduersaries Secondly at such times Gods seruants begin to looke about them when their enemies speake of wonders that they will worke against them then they are wakened and stirred vp to crie vnto the Lord as in the 94. Psalme O Lord God the auenger O Lord God the auengâ—r shew thy selfe cleerly And why are they so instant and earnest with God The reason is yeelded verse 4. The wicked prate and speake fiercely all the workers of iniquitie vaunt themselues As if they should say Lorde if euer thou wilt awake and stand vp for our defense now doe it when vngodlie men doe so insult and triumph ouer vs. Thirdly such proud persons doe bid defiance to the Lord himselfe and therefore hee hath a quarrell against them All the proud in heart are an abomination vnto him But if their pride appeare in a more notorious manner in their tongues and in their behauiour they are much more hatefull vnto him Psal 10. for in making boast of their owne hearts desire they doe contemne the Lord and in speaking against the Church Psal 73.9 they set their tongues against heauen it selfe as the Prophet speaketh Which point thus prooued ministreth vnto vs First an vse of instruction Vse 1 that seeing the Lord is so incensed against proud boasters therefore wee should containe our selues within the compasse of modestie and neuer boast at all but let others mouthes and our owne workes and Gods voice at the last day praise vs and not our owne lips but especially let vs take heede of vaunting our selues against the people of God and against the Maiestie of God himselfe for that will least of all be endured Secondy Vse 2 here is an vse of consolation against all the insultations of malicious enemies if wee can with patience and modestie endure and stand it out for a while not returning like for like nor vsing any sharpnes and bitternesse against them we shall see that the Lord will cut them off If a man had knowne the day before what should haue befallen Haman notwithstanding all his boasting of his greatnes and of his honour and of that fauour which hee had with the King and of all the cuill that hee intended against the Iewes and against Mordecai especially if I say a man had knowen besore hand what should haue befallen him would it not haue made him laugh at his pride and follie Yes certainely and yet the case of all boasters against Gods Church is little or better then his And if we could with the eye of faith behold Gods purpose concerning their ruine and ouerthrow all their bragging would seeme vnto vs and it is indeed euen exceeding ridiculous And this in particular should comfort vs against the blasphemies of the Church of Rome and against all her insultations ouer the Saints for the Lord hath set downe her sentence Reuel 18.7.8 In as much as she gloried her selfe so much giue ye her torment and sorrow for she saith in her heart I sit being a Qucene and am no widow and shall see no mourning But what saith God Therefore shall her plagues come at one day death sorrow famine and she shal be burnt with fire c. Verse 4. With our tongues wee will preuaile our lips are our owne In that they are heere found fault with for thus speaking because they affirme that which is directly contrary to the truth the point hence to bee obserued is that No man hath the royaltie of his owne tongue Doct. 3 nor the ordering of his owne speech No man hath the ordering of his ovvne tongue Euery mans tongue is in Gods hand and his wordes at Gods disposing hee is Lord ouer all mens tongues which will euidently appeare by this that First men cannot speake what they would Reasons 1 but what the Lord will according to that of Salomon The preparations of the heart are in man that is Prou. 16.1 a man determineth and prepareth what to vtter but the