are very large And now hauing spoken of the person whose sinne is thus freely remitted wee come to speake of the blessednesse promised vnto him Blessed NOw we are to enquire First what is meant by the blessednesse pronounced on such a man as hath this ease couer and acquittance from his sinnes Secondly the instructions to be learned By blessednesse is meant an effect of iustification namely that happy state and condition of a man arising from all those heauenly blessings in Christ which are chained together Ro. 8. 29. 30. as from Gods prescience predestination vocation iustification sanctification and glorification This blessednesse of a man in Christ hath two degrees First in this life which may bee called a blessednesse of grace Secondly in the life to come which is a blessednesse of glorie The former is heere principally meant which may be reached in this life and necessarily draweth after it the other as he that draweth one linke of a chaine draweth the whole Pardon of sinne is such a gift as makes a man fully happy for the Text cleareth it thus First that which remoueth all miserie and burden maketh a man happy such as are the curse of God due to sinne in this life and the life to come the guiltinesse of conscience horrour of soule and expectation of vengeance which is hell before hell c. But this doth pardon of sinne it is the ease of our burden Secondly that which brings into fauour with GOD otherwise an enemie so as God and man can now walke together as friends God can looke with a cleare countenance on man and man looke vp with sweet comfort in his God This makes a man a happy man the light of Gods countenance is better then life But this doth pardon of sinne which couereth all our nakednesse and deformitie Thirdly that wherein we are iustified before God is our blessednesse but in not imputing of sinnes is our iustification as the Apostle from this place proueth Rom. 4. 6. 7. Hence is it that Zachary in his Song Luk. 1. 77. sayth that God by remission of sinne teacheth the knowledge of saluation Fourthly and lastly euen nature will draw this confession from the worst that the best to be happy need pardon that if God straitly mark what is done amisse none could abide and that euery man by the Law is accursed Secondly and much more doth the Scripture teach that before God haue begunne his grace with a man his whole life is hatefull his mind and conscience polluted yea and after euery thing is imperfect so as the best workes need pardon Thirdly and most of all the experience of the godly confirmeth this truth Neuer did any man feele the burden of sinne and Gods wrath in his soule for it but hee could say his happinesse was to be eased Neuer did any see the ougly face of his sinne and Gods angry face beholding it out of Heauen as a consuming fire but hee would proclaime him happy whose sinne is couered Neuer did any feele Gods Tribunall set vp in his conscience and God and his conscience casting him for his insufficiencie but he did place his peace and happinesse in Gods not imputing his sinne vnto him If blessednesse stand in the pardon of sinne and imputation of righteousnesse then not in merits and satisfactions This vse the Apostle draweth out of this place Rom. 4. If righteousnesse stand in the hiding of sin then not in meriting it Besides there are but two wayes of discharging debts eyther forgiuenesse or payment If I pay it is not forgiuen Popish doctrine standeth here against the light of the Scripture in the Campes of naturall reason which suggesteth that something must bee done by a man to his owne iustification as the young man What good thing shall I doe to be saued And the Papists neuer asking God what they should doe set themselues on workes satisfactorie which hee neuer enioyned as Donations to Churches Pilgrimages Fastings Pater-nosters Aueës Creeds Inuocations Visitations Oblations to Saints keeping and kissing yea praying to Reliques Merits of Saints Workes supererogatory Purgatory Vowes Vigils Masse-chantings Iubileës martes of pardon and a thousand such Symoniacall trickes to make a sale of remission of sinnes all which wage battell and warre to this learning of Dauid Of all these in generall will one day bee said Who required these things at your hands these things so derogatorie to the bloud of Iesus Christ which cleanseth vs from all sinne Secondly to the nature of iustification which is the full absolution of a sinner before God by reason of Christ who is made our righteousnesse by imputation Thirdly so derogatory to the truth of the doctrine concerning good Workes which are farre from iustifying or meriting I speake of good Workes euen of grace which first are imperfect in number secondly in degree not being done with all due intents nor the whole heart and strength neither can be because the heart is partly spirituall partly fleshly the best workes therefore haue flesh and corruption in them and whatsoeuer is defiled performeth not the Law needeth a couer and cannot in it selfe be accepted Thirdly they are imperfect in the person No good worke can proceede from any but a good worker and a iustified person first make the tree good and then the fruit will be good also therefore they cannot iustifie seeing the person is already iustified And the iustified person when he doth the best is vnprofitable he cannot answere one of a thousand and if the Lord should marke what is done amisse who could stand The best worke hath matter of humiliation which may exclude all our reioycing Paul knew nothing by himselfe but had practised workes of grace many yet saith he was not thereby iustified But they say God hath promised a reward of life eternall to good workes Let them shew a place where it is promised to the worke but to the worker being a beleeuer to whom Christs righteousnesse is imputed in which regards all such rewards are meere mercy But Christ hath merited that our good works should merit That is false for then Christ merited that our good workes should fulfill the iustice of the Law which they cannot being stayned with sinne and that they are dyed in the bloud of Christ maketh them not meritorious of eternall life but that they bring not eternall death Dauid prayeth Psal. 7. 3. to bee iudged according to his righteousnesse Righteousnesse is either of the cause or of the person Dauid here speaketh of the former for hee had a good cause and conscience though Saul pursued him to the death but he speaketh not of the righteousnesse of his person before God of which Iob speaketh when hee saith that if hee should iustifie himselfe namely before God his owne clothes would defile him The last iudgement is by workes and therefore iustification These are diuers workes of God in the first
so it calls in company gaming merriments and other exercises like water to a dropsie Little is the ease of forgetting that paine the cause of which remaineth it will certainly returne againe Secondly by contenting a man with some short humiliation and as vnsound as short to flatter God withall onely forced by feare and selfe-loue The Iewes confessed their sinnes and promised to doe so no more but they dissembled with their double hearts and their goodnesse was like the morning dew How many such flashes made Pharaoh how many sickemen on their beds haue in their affliction sought God but it was onely for ease and to get out of his hands or for feare because they saw no way to get out affecting deliuerance not repentance nor seeking sound reconciliation and peace but a truce for no sooner recouered but they are out in the field with God againe al the time of their straitenesse being quite forgotten And let soft-hearted Protestants that at some Sermons can melt with great motion to teares and yet afterward make little or no conscience of their waies but yeeld libertie to their lustes thinke vpon this point and consider how the deceit of spirit ouer-reacheth them Thirdly by satisfying with some outward ceremonie and formall seruice which when they haue done they shall find that God is not friends with them Some after sinne committed and accusing them by saying or framing a prayer though without heart-breaking faith or the spirit draw a skinne ouer their heart and there is peace for a time others whose whole life was spent in oppression and euery penny worse got then other if about the time of their death or after they giue a little money to the poore or bee liberall for a guilding Sermon they haue peace without any satisfaction or restitution according to the law of repentance What they haue wickedly got they leaue to their heires who are made happy by their fathers going to the deuill as the prouerbe saith They neuer loosed their bonds of wickednesse and now are chained in the bonds of blacke darknesse for euer The third guile of the heart is in respect of vertue and grace whereby the vnsound heart doth rest it selfe vpon counterfeit vertues for the wickednesse of euerie mans heart by nature is such that let it be neuer so vicious yet it will counterfeit any vertue First it will make a man outwardly seeme a true worshipper of God it will bring the body and frame it to reuerence when there is none within it will make the lips draw neere when the heart is farre remooued it makes Congregations and people sit before God when their hearts are gone after their couetousnesse Idols in Churches are put downe but idols in mens hearts are set vp and this is the reason why the Word and Prayer are so forcelesse wee haue mens bodies now and then when they list but seldome or neuer their hearts Secondly it will make a man outwardly seeme a good Christian when inwardly he is a Iudas or Demas an vnsound heart will make a man professe religion but vtterly neglect the work of it the forme of godlinesse contents him without the power so he haue a lampe of profession he cares not for oyle in it it suffereth him to get knowledge and rests in that without conscience it suffereth him to pray but publikely more then priuately and to neither ioyneth watching to his prayer yea he can shew the shell of any duty but neuer cares for the kernell Secondly inwardly it can counterfeit the most excellent graces as first faith when it hath neuer a iot it wil presume of Gods mercy and thinks this presumption faith What man saith not hee beleeues that hee shal be saued but all men haue not faith saith the Apostle therefore it is a shaddow without substance Secondly repentance a man in sicknesse will cry out of himselfe and his sinnes he will promise if he liue to become a new man and practise godlinesse but when God hath restored him his wicked heart carries him as farre backe as euer hee was here was a shew of repentance but it was counterfeit Thirdly loue where is nothing but deuillish malice two neighbours are fallen out and are at deadly hatred at the time of the Sacrament both of them dissemble loue and charitie but after it they are as malicious and mischieuous as euer they were before Fourthly strength in temptation where is none Peter while he was with Christ would die with him before he would deny him but when the maide daunted him he saw that that was but a flourish and that he was not so well acquainted with the wiles of his heart as he should haue been And so of the rest of the graces A fourth guile of the heart is in respect of the worke of the Word and Spirit when the deceitfull heart forceth the sinner to rest in the restraining of some corruption in stead of renewing grace for example the Word by a common worke of the Spirit planteth some kinde of vertues as temporary faith ioy in the word reuerence to Preachers loue to Professors releeuing them speaking for them and helping them euery way and yet such are not cleansed from their filthinesse all their hearts are corrupt all is ioyned with deepe hypocrisie Herod heard Iohn gladly reuerenced him tooke him for a good man and did many things but his heart was right in nothing for it claue to that speciall sinne of keeping his brothers wife And as the heart is so is euery action so is the ioy loue and labour some sinister respect it hath and doth not good purely and for it selfe Thus our Sauiour witnesseth that the good and bad hearers are both in appearance fruitfull and for a time but the one is purely affected in bringing fruit so is not the other But doe not the best finde such deceit in doing good as that they haue great cause to bewaile it Yea but although reliques of natural hypocrisie mixe themselues into their actions yet they sway not the hart but are striuen against and the maine motion of the heart is sincere and chooseth good for goodnesse sake as in the other it is not Now when a wicked heart findeth in it selfe knowledge consent confession and defence of the word al which were in Iulian the Apostate hee rests in this as sauing knowledge whereas it is a common gift whereby the Lord will haue his truth witnessed by the enemies of it Againe when a guileful heart comes to a sight of sin to feare it to terror of conscience griefe and vexation for sinne it rests in that as a sound feare of God whereas it is a seruile feare like that of the deuils and the vexation is not for sinne but for the punishment of it it is a common worke of the Word and Spirit to prepare the wicked to iust damnation Further when a guilefull heart sees many corruptions cast out
abroad and staies at home with thee And as it is the most enemie to thee so must thou be to it Paul was neuer right till he found this rebel in himselfe and that many yeeres after his conuersion Secondly knowing that the spirit is so guilefull and the heart so deceitfull suspect it in euery thing watch it the better deale with it as with an vntrusty fellow in whom thou hast found some notable trickes of deceit worke out thy saluation with feare and trembling Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies Say not with thy selfe I see not this sinne in my selfe therefore it is not or I see not wherein I haue failed in this or that for all that thou mayest seeing the heart is deceitfull aboue all things and who can see it carry an holy ielousie of thy selfe and suspect thy selfe as Iob did his sonnes It may be my sonnes my selfe haue sinned offer sacrifice or rather apply Christ to thy soule for thy failing in the best actions Thirdly seeing the hart is thus deceitful it teacheth vs not to insult ouer others in their falles seeing our owne hearts may play false with vs. Let no man say that he wil neuer doe this and this as he seeth others do but suspect his heart lest it carry him to worse things then they Peter said he would rather die then deny his Master but the deceitfulnesse of his heart would not let him performe his purpose which deceit he knew not before for then he would not haue taken it so ill when Christ foretold him of it Dauid would haue thought scorne the day before his fall that any should haue told him that he should lie wallowing in so foule sinnes as he did the day after Hazael was farre from the sight of that guile which lay hid in his owne spirit when being told by the Prophet what monstrous wickednesse should bee done by him he asked Am I a dogges head that I should doe this Let vs therfore make this vse of other mens weaknesses Oh if such haue so dangerously fallen in whose hearts I neuer saw such foule things as I see in mine owne why should I be high-minded and not rather feare Rom. 11. 20. Fourthly labour for a sincere heart void of guile Here consider three things First the notes or markes of it secondly the benefit of it thirdly reasons to labour for it First the notes First in duties It hath an vpright endeuour and sincere desire to approue it selfe to God in all things wheras a guilefull heart lookes more at men in good duties then at God more at mens commandements then Gods at mens approbation more then Gods Wee seeke not to pleasemen saith Paul but God who seeth the heart We care not to bee iudged by men but stand or fall to our owne Lord whereas Saul knowing himselfe in disgrace with God would haue Samuel to honour him before the people Secondly in respect of sinne A sincere heart hateth all sinne wheresoeuer euen small and secret especially it is more seuere against his owne lusts then any other he hates his sinnes past and bewaileth them his present sins to break them off he hates that he doth he hates sinnes to come to preuent them and watch against them whereas a guilefull heart can hate euen motes in his brothers eye but not his owne beames auoides open sinnes not secret smaller hee makes small account of if hee can auoide greater which make greater noise and bring greater shame This man can reioyce in memorie of sin past and bragge of it as a mad pranke which should be as a dagger to his heart whereas Dauids heart smote him for cutting off Sauls lap and as soone as he had numbred the people and Peters as soone as he had denied Christ. This man can reioyce in conceit of a future sinne whereas Dauid and the Saints vow and sweare to keepe the commandements He hath his present darting sinnes which hee will continue in and not let goe let God and man say what they will But is no heart sincere but that which is without sinne It is not the committing of one sinne or presence of more that makes an euill heart for then none should be vpright but the habite and custome of sinning and this is when first in his vnderstanding he is wise to do euill but knowes not to doe well Secondly when he still wills that which is euill Thirdly when his affections still mooue vnto it Fourthly when he walkes in euill as a seruant of sinne at the command of it So is it not with the godly with whom power is often wanting but to will desire and endeuour is present Thirdly a sincere heart professeth religion for it selfe and delighteth in good men and good things as the Word Sacraments and godly company because they are so and because they see some part of Gods image in them Whereas a guilefull heart not hauing denied it selfe professeth for by respects and worldly causes addicted vnto not called out of the world it loueth good men not for their goodnesse but for the respect they haue in the world or some other occasion respecting themselues If then thou wouldest know whether thou hast a sincere heart or no first obserue thy actions both in their nature and ende first in their nature if they be single and pure so is thy heart as is the fountaine and the root such are the streames and the fruit Secondly in their end an honest heart euer aimes at Gods glory directly whereas a guilefull heart euer propoundeth bad ends of good actions Secondly obserue whether thou makest conscience secretly of all sinne yea most seriously of those to which thou art most inclined whether thou hast condemned thy selfe in dust and ashes whether thou hast resisted and preuailed or else liest still vnder the power of corruption Thirdly consider whether thou daily renuest thy purpose of not sinning against God as thou renewest thy daies and whether thou watchest ouer thine owne hart with an holy suspition and wilt for Gods will breake thine owne Fourthly marke whether thou louest God in his image ordinances and children euen then when the world scornes and hates all these here is a good note indeed of a sincere heart Secondly the benefits of it First this sincere heart brings the person into acceptance with God for whom doth he approue but such as walke before him vprightly Abraham Noah Enoch Zacharie Iob and these are his delight Prou. 11. 20. Secondly whatsoeuer worke hath such a ground is acceptable yea and called perfect in the Scripture And indeed sinceritie is all our perfection sincere persons are called perfect in the way Psalme 119. 1. All true worship must be done in spirit and truth Iohn 4. 24. as First prayer must be a lifting vp of the heart and a powring out of the soule If I regard wickednesse in my heart God will not heare me Prayer proceeding
is quite deiected Thirdly we haue the experience of many who haue sought the pangs of death to auoid these pangs of conscience Iudas could find no ease but in a desperate death in hanging himselfe Reuel 9. 6. Such as wish to die seeke death and cannot finde it they follow it but it flies from them and all this in the paine of a despairing conscience But here come three questions to be resolued First How can it bee that the wicked binde vpon themselues such heauy bundles of sinnes and carry all so easily whereas the godly finde such bitternesse in sinnes forgiuen how comes it to passe that the godly feele such sorrow in sinne pardoned and the wicked feele nothing in sinne vnpardoned For these reasons first because now is the time of Gods patience and forbearance of his bountifulnesse and long-suffering towards the vessels of wrath Secondly now is the time of their reioycing but when the daies of their banquetting are gone about then shall come many heauy messengers to tell them of fearefull newes there comes a day of wrath when they shall reape as they sowed and drinke the dreggs of Gods wrath to the bottome of the viall They treasure vp sorrow with their sinne and their griefe shall be full That sinne that now sets no sorrow to their heart shall hereafter be a worme euer gnawing a fire neuer going out a Riuer of brimstone kindled by the wrath of the Lord of hosts and a perpetuall weeping and gnashing of teeth Secondly how comes the body to be troubled by the minde First by the strait vnion and sympathie betweene the soule and the body vnited into one person for while the soule is possessed with feare sorrow languishing wearinesse and heauinesse it is impossible that the body can take any delight in the comforts of nature but that sleep shall depart from it or bee not so short as troublesome the meate and drinke shall be tastelesse or lothsome or mingled with teares I forgot to eate my bread saith Dauid Psalm 102. No comfort shall bee comfortable to him for when the spirit which should sustaine all a mans infirmities failes him what can sustaine him Secondly by the righteous iudgement of God who correcteth together those who haue sinned together and as they haue been vndiuided in sinne so are they not diuided in the smart of it The body hath been a seruant to the lusts of the soule and so receiueth the wages of sin with it Dauid abused the vigor strength and health of his body in the sinnes of adultery and murther and now the Lord chasteneth him in both Thirdly how comes it to passe that all the godly haue not this torment for sinne that they are not thus struck with terror nor so affected for sinne as to haue their strength impaired and their body dried First their persons are not alike and therefore Gods dealing with them is not alike some are more obscure in the world then other and haue onely more secret exercises some are more fitted by God to be speciall vessels for his glory in whom he will shine to his whole Church as Dauid Hezekiah c. and these he will specially worke vpon to make them patterns of his mercie both in leading them in and out of trouble for first hereby he lets the world see that great grace is ioyned with great corruption Secondly that the best haue matter of correction in them Thirdly that hee will not spare to rebuke sinne in those that are neerest and dearest vnto him Fourthly he will haue others to looke vpon them and Gods dealing with them in their casting downe and raising vp Secondly according to the difference of sinnes may be the difference of sorrow many men of greater grace then others haue fallen into greater sinnes then others and their knowledge being more then others is their apprehension of the sentence of the Law hath been deeper and so of wrath due to their sinne Besides in some others some speciall corruption which hath often preuailed or the constitution of body may adde a sting to the sorrow of mind some are naturally more fearefull as melancholy constitutions and so their impressions are deeper and of longer continuance Thirdly although in ordinarie Christians before sense of remission there is a sufficient measure of labour and wearinesse vnder the burthen of sinne yet some of all kindes God will exempt from such depth of griefe that he may shew himselfe free in all his working O that men would hence come to feare the paines prepared for sinners for if first a drop of Gods displeasure let fall secondly in loue thirdly on his owne children fourthly for a moment doe so amaze them and drinke vp their spirits their soules and bodies how much more shall the Ocean and deepe sea of Gods wrath against his enemies for all eternitie consume and torture them in hell Blind people of the world wil not know what hell meaneth till they be in it Secondly let vs learn to haue compassion on such as are troubled in spirit seeing such is their heauines as presseth downe both soule and body let vs apply our selues to comfort them as Dauid did here in his owne person and example Many thinke this sicknesse to be but passion conceit or melancholy and because it changeth the body often they thinke it to arise from the body but there is no disease like to this for symptomes and torment First they all are naturall this supernaturall SeSecondly they from the constitution of the body this from the constitution of the soule Thirdly in them the humours first or imagination as in Melancholy are distempered in this the conscience first and the humours after Fourthly they all may be cured by naturall remedies and bringing the body to a temperature all naturall medicines vnder heauen cannot cure this sicknesse Blessed is hee that iudgeth wisely of the poore to relieue the sicke conscience is mercy indeed Christ had the tongue of the learned giuen him to speake a word of comfort to such weary soules and was sent to bind vp the broken in heart and not onely ministers but euery Christian hath receiued of his anointing Thirdly in that Dauids sicknesse of body was from the sinne of his soule learne that health is a special blessing of God seeing wee euer carry that about with vs which might change it the first and most noysome humour which breeds bodily diseases is sinne the disease of the soule and therefore if God change his hand and bring weakenesse vpon our bodies we must not fixe our eyes vpon second causes not on abundance of peccant humours but looke backe to our sinnes and life past consider how silent and impenitent we haue been turne to God bewaile and forsake sinne resolue to vse our health better and our strength for God and not against him and thus the sicknesse of our body shall turne to the soundnesse and health of the soule
Thirdly such are reprooued as eyther neglect or enuie to communicate their graces in furthering the growth of grace in such as they ought A Magistrate should see all within his power keepe the two Tables as well as himselfe good Nehemiah would see all the Citie keepe the Sabbath and set forward all the good he could for the Temple by his authoritie and example Masters of Families also and Gouernours should be as great wheeles in a Clocke whereof if one bee set a going hee will mooue his fellow and that the next vnto him not one must bee idle Abraham will teach his Family and Ioshua his house and Cornelius cals his kinsfolke to heare the Doctrine of life Others enuie the graces of God where they should reioyce most as Cain did the grace and goodnesse of Abel and this was yong Ioshua's fault to enuie Eldad Medad for Moses his sake Master forbid them to prophesie but what said Moses he was of another temper and said Dost thou enuie for me would God all the Lords people were Prophets Numb 11. 29. It is wofull to speake but more wofull to practise that men should bee wearie of their seruants because they are good and say of their good and towardly children Yong Saints old Deuils also of the wife that she is attempting of some strange matters when shee will doe that good in her house which her husband will not Satan that can get this aduantage of men will get a greater before hee hath left them True grace would delight in building vp others and is glad when any comes on well or out-strips it in goodnesse Fourthly those are reprooued which not onely not instruct or help forward but also hinder others withdraw them from their godly courses which reproch or persecute good wayes men whom the Deuill hath taught to bee cunning in besmearing all the wayes of Gods children Oh say some they are all Hypocrites all Dissemblers as bad as who is worst yea if wee will beleeue such as blacke Deuils Much more are those in a wofull case which corrupt and peruert others saying What will you bee so precise and foolish will you in a kinde of singularitie lose both your pleasure and reputation But marke the seuere reproofe of such in Elymas the Sorcerer who laboured to turne away the Deputie Paulus Sergius from the faith Act. 13. 8. 9. 10. O thou enemie of righteousnesse sayth Paul full of subtletie the childe of the Deuill full of all mischiefe c. like indeed to the Deuill who is the greatest disswader of goodnesse and would driue all holinesse out of the earth if he could Elymas is the Deuils child because his workes he did Oh let vs take heed of these errours and bee more diligent in this fruit of conuersion If in the Spring-time a Plant bee without leaues or buds when others sprout and blossome we say Surely it is dead so if the Spring of grace bee returned vpon thee let all the World see it in this sprout if thou beest a Plant of righteousnesse thou wilt shew thy life and fruit that euery one may plucke somewhat and bee the better by thee The second point in this Preface is the Scholer or person to be taught Thee that is euery man particularly to vvhom this Psalme shall come to be heard sung read or any vvay vsed Whence vve may learne tvvo things First That no man naturally vnderstandeth the things of God without a Teacher Secondly that Doctrine is not sufficient to be deliuered in generall but must bee particularly applyed to all The first is manifest by Scripture and reasons 1. Cor. 2. 14. The natur all man vnderstandeth not the things of God Act. 8. 31. When the Eunuch read the Prophesie of Esay and Philip asked him if hee vnderstood the place How can I sayd he without a guide The case is with euery natural man as it was with Samuel God cals once and againe Samuel still runnes another way 1. Sam. 3. 7. Thus did Samuel sayth the Text before he knew the Lord and before the Word of the Lord was reuealed vnto him Which is true as well in respect of that ordinarie diuine knowledge which is common to all the seruants of God as the extraordinary which was peculiar to the Prophets The reason hereof is not as Papists say the obscuritie of the Scripture which is a light to our feet and a Lanthorne but First nothing can goe beyond its owne nature and kind nature cannot reach to diuine things flesh cannot reach aboue flesh and before Regeneration the whole man is flesh his bodie is flesh his soule is flesh his affections flesh his actions and all is flesh And as for spirituall things he can no more reach them then a beast can reach to reasonable actions No man knowes the Father but the Sonne and hee to whom the Sonne reuealeth him No man knowes the heart of a man till himselfe make it knowne much lesse can any man know the minde of God but God himselfe and hee to whom the Spirit reueales it 1. Cor. 2. 11. Secondly whereas by our innocencie wee were of large hearts and Eagles eyes for clcerenesse of vnderstanding and iudgement in the things of God by the fall a vayle is come ouer our hearts and the scales of ignorance are come vpon our eyes and the cloudes of darkenesse are betweene vs and our Sunne nay an vnregenerate man is not onely in darknesse but euen darknesse it selfe Ephes. 5. 8. and the child of night and darknesse 1. Thess. 5. 7. that as Paul being blinde must haue the scales taken off his eyes before he can see so no man can haue any sauing knowledge till his naturall ignorance bee remooued And as this was the first thing in Pauls Conuersion and the first worke of God in the Creation to seuer light and darknesse so the first worke of this second Creation is the illumination of the Spirit Thirdly if euery regenerate man need a Teacher much lesse doth any naturall man vnderstand without one but euen the best haue ignorance in them though not raigning it being with the godly in this life as in the twilight much darknesse is mingled with their light and therfore euen the Apostles themselues prayed for increase of spirituall vnderstanding And the knowledge we haue here of God is but as in a mysterie or in a mirrour In a mystery wherein something is seene something hid as in the Sacraments for that cause so called because we see the Elements but not the things signified by them In a mirrour as in a glasse and not face to face we know but in part 1. Cor. 13. First Let vs hence acknowledge our naturall blindnesse it being with vs as with the blind man Ioh. 9. who was borne blinde and neuer saw any thing till Christ had opened his eyes wee being naturally blind cannot see though the Sunne of righteousnesse shine vpon vs. And if wee cannot see our spirituall good
What meane others by their ridiculous distinction of Gnats and Camells in the matter of sinne as though any were in it selfe a Gnat some indeede in comparison of others are lesser in degree and lesser in respect of disturbing humane societie then others but in respect of God offended the Law and the Curse which are all infinite the sorrowes due to the least are infinite which Christ must sustayne before he could remooue the least sinne If a Gnat can be infinite then some sinnes may be esteemed so many Gnats How profanely and ignorantly doc they speake who caÌ„not abide these scrupulous fellowes that straine at Gnats and stand vpon such nice points as if they were the greatest matters c But vvhere Gods Word bindes the conscience he shall haue least sorrow that stands most strictly in the least things He that is vnfaithfull in small things will neuer be faithfull in great and obserue these fond Haters of strictnesse in small things ye shall see them stand neither vpon small nor great things to make any conscience of any for the most part Let no man aduenture on any sinne because it is little say not as Lot did of Zoar Is it not a little one and my soule may liue in it for let it be neuer so small a mote in thine eye Gods law makes it a Mountayne and thy presumption makes it swell and thy continuance in it vpon that ground makes increase both of sin and of sorrow no hole is so little but vnlookt too will sinke a ship We weigh our sinnes often in a false ballance and foolishly esteeme them by the matter wherein the offence is done to eate an apple oh that is but a small thing to sweare little oathes to lie in small things a little worke on the Sabbath or a little play and recreation on the Lords day or to gather a few sticks oh this is but a trifle No take heede of such resolutions looke into the true glasse and there see first that the person against whom the sinne is coÌ„mitted is infinite in mercy and power now a smal thing against a Prince is high Treason Secondly that thy owne malice and presumption makes a small thing great as appeares in him that gathered sticks on the Sabbath Wilt thou in so small a thing incurre the Lords so high displeasure in other disputes we heare often The lesse the thing commanded is the greater is the contempt besides Thirdly consider that the price paid for the least sinne is the precious bloud of Iesus Christ. Fourthly and lastly consider the weight of vengeance and the gulfe of sorrow into which the least sinne casteth the sinner being vnsupportable and vnvtterable Any one of these well considered argues no sinne to be small and much lesse to be ventured on vpon that conceit Thirdly if this be the miserable estate of a wicked man then we see plainly that the wicked are not so happy as they thinke themselues They thinke themselues the happyest men vnder the Sunne because of their outward prosperity and others flatter them and Mal. 3. 15 We count the proud blessed and they that worke wickednesse are set vp and they that tempt God are deliuered thus the prosperitie of wicked men often vnsettles and offends the godly themselues but little reason they should stagger at it If we can hold the truth of this doctrine wee shall haue little cause to enuy his happinesse that is a wicked man vnlesse we can account him happy for whom the Lord hath prepared such changes and armies of sorrowes And to see this truth more cleerely we must know that nothing in the world can make a wicked man happy for First it is an error to say or thinke that iniquitie and peace sin and prosperitie can dwell together seeing the Lord hath said There is no peace to the wicked man Isa. 57. 21. the tenor of the promise is Acquaint thy selfe with God and so shalt thou haue prosperitie Iob 22. 21. Secondly all their happinesse is in outward things Now all the parts of temporal felicitie are only good in them which can vse them as helps and instruments to eternall happines and that good which is independing Neither doth the matter but that which giueth a forme to happinesse make a man happy Neither is it the hauing of things but the happy enioying of them that can make a man truely happy which no wicked man can haue Why then doth God giue these things to wicked men First to shew his bountifulnesse Rom. 9. 22. Secondly to shew that these be not things to be esteemed much Thirdly to be as snares to themselues and scourges for some others Fourthly to reward that little good that is in many of them Thirdly notwithstanding this temporall happinesse a wicked man is for the present the Deuills prisoner his fetters are indeede of gold but he is chained to the day of iudgement which commeth apace Fourthly all his flourishes are vnhappy in that they end in teares and sorrowes God shall turne his meat in his belly and make his Sunne to fall at Noone-day for euery graine of externall ioy he shall be sure of a talent of eternall sorrow when the sword of the Almightie shall pierce him Tell me now whether if thou sawest this his estate with the eyes of thy body as thou oughtest now with the eyes of thy faith thou wouldest admire or pitie such a one Well were it if wicked men would weight their present estate with the future surely it would be a meanes to afray them from many sins and preuent many sorrowes Fourthly if such be the vnhappy state of the wicked what great cause haue the godly â—o be thankefull for their deliuerance from so manifold sorrowes both vnto God who deuised a way to temper mercy with iustice and to our Lord IESVS CHRIST who was a man of sorrowes and bore vpon himselfe and brake all these sorrowes for vs. How glad will a man be when he hath escaped a great danger that would haue made him heauie to death How thankefull would we bee to that man that would put himselfe betweene vs and some deadly danger but neuer was there such miserie as this escaped Psal. 126. 1. The Iewes were so glad of their deliuerance out of the Babylonish captiuitie and their returne thence that they scarce could beleeue whether it was not a Dreame Our captiuitie was farre greater being vnder the Curse of the Law sold vnder sinne Bond-slaues vnto Satan and Sonnes of Wrath which bondage could wee rightly acknowledge our deliuerance would bee farre more gratefull then it is Our Deliuerer was not Moses not Ioshua not Zerubbabel but the Sonne of God of whom they were Types both in the first induction of that people out of Egypt into that Land and in their second reduction backe againe He by putting himselfe into the Prison of our flesh and in that flesh by suffering that execrable death and all the
in our text teach vs. So much of the Commaundement The thing commanded is ioy and gladnesse Ioy is the soules delight or solace in the presence of some good thing in deed or in hope It is twofold either naturall and worldly when the good of which it riseth is so or supernaturall and heauenly about some spirituall good which is apprehended This supernaturall ioy is twofold First the ioy of grace Secondly the ioy of glory the former is heere meant which is the inheritance of the Saints here and a forerunner of that of glory hereafter Thirdly the obiect or limitation of this ioy In the Lord the matter of our ioy must be the Lords goodnesse vnto vs especially in keeping his promise faithfully in pardoning our sinnes and gracious receiuing of vs. For so not onely the context but the word Iehoua puts vs in minde properly signifying God hauing being of himselfe and giuing being not onely to all his creatures but to all his promises also And then wee reioyce in the Lord First when our ioy is a fruit of the Spirit of the Lord Galat. 5. 22. therefore called the ioy of the Holy Ghost Secondly when it looketh to God and acknowledgeth him the true God and in his Sonne whom he hath sent his God reconciled appeased and well pleased as Rom. 5. 1. being iustifyed by faith wee haue peace with God and reioyce c. Our Prophet here cals the righteous to reioyce vpon this ground When a man reioyceth in Gods fauour forgiuing sinne and in fellowship with God and Iesus Christ then hee reioyceth in the Lord. This Dauid calleth the ioy of Saluation Psa. 51. 12. Thirdly when it respecteth the speciall pledges of Gods fauour as the worke of regeneration the happy change we finde in our selues the shining and beautifull graces of Gods holy Spirit with the daily increase of them thus to reioyce in the Lords image renewed is to reioyce in the Lord himselfe Fourthly when our ioy is set vpon Gods ordinances and word in which the Lord reuealeth himselfe and communicateth himselfe more freely vnto vs when in them we get a faster hold of God and grow vp into further fellowship with him especially when his gracious promises feede our hearts and we reioyce in his trueth and faithfulnesse making them good not onely to others but also to our owne selues Fiftly when we reioyce in the hope of eternall glory both in soule body Rom. 5. 3. Hoping and expecting and reioycing that we shall fully enioy him as he is and drinke freely of that water of life which wee haue already tasted And thus to reioyce is no easie thing and therefore he calls on vs againe and againe and the third time to reioyce in the Lord as Philip. 4. 4. Reioyce in the Lord and againe I say reioyce for though it be easie to reioyce in a carnall manner and most men lose themselues in such merriments yet to reioce in the Lord is not so easie the obiect the matter and manner and end are hard to force on our selues which is the reason of such earnest inforcing of the precept So much of the meaning The words being thus expounded wee come to the doctrine of them first from the persons righteous men and vpright in heart These are the same persons that are spoken of in the fixt verse The godly man shal pray vnto thee whence we may note that A godly man is an vpright man that is of a simple and true-dealing and true meaning heart with God and man hauing a minde ready to learne of the Lord both what to doe and for what and so doing what hee doth for no other cause in the world 2. King 20 3. Remember O Lord that I haue walked before thee in trueth and with a perfect heart Ier. 12. 3. Lord thou knowest mee thou hast seene mee and tried my heart towards thee Nathaniel a godly man was a true Israelite in whome was no guile so all other good men are called vpright men in their generation First because Gods image is renewed on them in part a part of which is to bee simple and true as he is most single and true Secondly because they are daily conformed to Christ who was the vprightest of all creatures in whose mouth was found no guile Thirdly because they haue receiued the Spirit of Sanctification who daily heales and impaires naturall crookednesse and hypocrisie and reneweth the minde and the man to think and speake and act things in truth and soundnesse Fourthly they onely are true worshippers that worship God in spirit and trueth Ioh. 4. 24. they are that good ground which brings forth fruit out of honest hearts a good man must be without hypocrisie at least reigning hypocrisie Let him therefore looke to the vprightnesse of his heart whosoeuer would haue an euidence of godlinesse None but would be counted godly not any would be thought an Atheist or an hypocrite or a neuter therefore let men looke to the vprightnesse of their hearts And it stands vs in hand so to doe First because such a heart is Gods delight whatsoeuer comes from vs is hence accepted because it comes from a pure heart euen the mite of a godly man or woman when as the wickeds sacrifice is reiected and his talent accursed Secondly because we can haue no other comfort in the workes wee doe in the world we finde our best duties traduced Dauid dancing before the Lord is mocked but hee was sure hee did it before the Lord in the puritie of his heart and that was his comfort 2. Sam. 6. 20 21. Besides Thirdly it is not the quantity of our worke which we can stand vpon but onely the qualitie of it Peter could not iustifie the quantity of his loue when Christ asked him this question Peter louest thou me more then these onely he appeales to Christ of the qualitie of it Lord thou knowest that I loue thee if wee can perswade our selues that wee doe a thing of a good heart and according to the proportion of grace receiued wee may cheare vp our selues we shall bee accepted by the qualitie onely How shall I know the vprightnesse of my heart By these notes or rules First that is right which is tried so to bee by a right line and stands in correspondence vnto it The right line is Gods word the precepts of the Lord are right Psal. 19. 8. and then the heart is vpright when it is made straight by the word and is squared in all things by it Euery man boasts of the rightnesse and goodnesse of his heart that cares but a little for Gods word but wee must be farre from standing in our own righteousnesse which is as a filthy clowte and take the square of Gods word and lay our hearts and affections vnto it that they may be ruled by the line of God Secondly a right line doth euer discouer that which is
crooked a good signe of a right heart is to descrie and discouer but not without true sorrow and griefe the crookednesse and hypocrisie of it and to labour to correct and reforme it Psal. 119. 80. Let my heart be vpright in thy statutes that I bee not ashamed a right line shames a crooked crooked legges are ashamed to bee seene when a man feares and is ashamed of his hypocrisie and crookednesse and euer tendeth to straightnesse it is a good note of some rightnesse of heart Thirdly consider the things which flow from the heart if they be single and pure warrantable and right then a man may know his heart is vpright for such as the fruit is such is the tree if thou feedest on forbidden fruit thou art a bad tree and thy heart farre from vprightnesse an vpright heart suffereth not rotten speeches in the mouth idlenesse in the hand iniustice in the life drunkennesse in the braine and disorder in the course Fourthly consider the ends and aimes of our actions the vpright heart aimeth directly at Gods glory in all things but the crooked heart propoundeth euer some crooked end and sinister respect vnto good actions as many come to Church get knowledge and professe Religion for vaine glorie and vaine ends some thrust among godly persons and into good companie not because they are good or would be good but because they would be thought so Fiftly consider if thy heart be the same in priuate as it would be thought in publike Psal. 101. Dauid will walke wisely in the perfect way in the midst of his house and the conuersation of the Saints hath beene alwayes like it selfe Abraham walked in vprightnesse before God according to the Commandement Gen. 17. 1. how did he reforme his house teach his familie instruct his seruants and take God with him in prouiding a wife for Isaac and in all things Gen. 24. 63. Isaac was the same in the field as he was in the house he went out into the field to pray saith the Text. Daniel was the same after the dangerous Law that he was before he opened his windowes thrice a day as he was accustomed So vpright was Paul in his whole course as he knew nothing by himselfe 1. Cor. 4. 4. A good heart sets God often in sight as well in the Chamber as in the Church Dauid set the Lord euer in his sight and at his right hand It is as seuere and zealous against his owne crookednesse as any other and will not swallow small sinnes no more then great seeing Gods pure eyes are set vpon and against both Vprightnesse is in euery thing alike without and within it is not worse in substance then in shew nay it is better It seekes to approue it selfe before God and al men first to God whose eye is more respected then if all the world looked on and then to all men but so as if none but God looked on them It desireth to purge it selfe from all filthinesse of flesh and spirit and to grow vp to full holinesse in the feare of God That man that findes these notes in him may be a glad man nay he must be a glad man according as it followes in the Text Be glad yee righteous from the connexion of the persons to this duetie we may note that Only the godly man can truely reioyce with sound and lasting ioy Isa. 65. 13. My seruants shall reioyce and yee shall be ashamed my seruants shall sing for ioy of heart and yee shall crie for sorrow of heart and howle for vexation of spirit The stranger shall not enter into his ioy Prou. 14. 10. and it is called the ioy of Gods people Thus the Scriptures euer limit this ioy to the faithfull Psal. 40. 16. Let them that seeke the Lord reioyce and Prou. 29. 6. In the transgression of an euill man is his snare but the righteous doth sing and reioyce The reasons of this doctrine are these First because none else are commanded to ioy but the godly none else haue warrant to reioyce where doe we reade that a wicked man is bid to ioy and indeed what cause is there that he should be so bid What troubles him his sinne troubles him not it is his hearts delight not temptations for he swallowes them all not his conscience for it is asleepe not the world for it is his Darling not the Deuill for he is not cruell in his owne house not outward afflictions for he will not endure any al things are at peace with him he mournes not and therefore needes not be called to comfort the promise is Blessed are they that mourne and are troubled and persecuted for the name of Christ for they shall be comforted Nay he is called from ioy to howling Iam. 5. 1. he is alreadie glutted and drowned in worldly delights and carnall ioy from which he is euerywhere called yea a woe is pronounced on him Luc. 6. 25. Woe be to you that reioyce now for yee shall mourne and weepe Secondly onely the godly haue cause to reioyce for First they only haue the presence and fruition of the chiefe good which is God himselfe and are in couenant with God by vertue whereof they are interessed in all the good things of heauen and earth as a wife in the goods of her husband Here is a great cause of ioy indeede a godly man hath gotten this cause of ioy and therefore he may lawfully reioyce Secondly they only know that their names are written in the booke of Life which is a truer cause of ioy by our Sauiours testimonie then if by the gift of miracles they were able to subdue the Deuills Luc. 10. 20. Reioyce not in this but that your names are written in the booke of Life And then the godly know their names to be written in that booke when they write their owne names in Gods booke by becomming beleeuers for faith giues them priuiledge to be the sons of God Ioh. 1. 12. Thirdly they only haue escaped and are set free from the infinite euills and sorrowes of sinne with which all other besides themselues are beset and bound ouer to damnation And therefore as Israel hauing escaped the Sea the Mountaynes and Egyptians and gotten out of Egypt it selfe sang and reioyced Exod. 15. 1. so haue all the Israel of God being set free from hell and sinne and sinners and the curse of sinne iust cause of ioy and gladnesse which all but they want Fourthly only they haue the Spirit of God the Author and Preseruer of this ioy which is therefore called the ioy of the Holy Ghost only they are anointed with the oyle of gladnesse and clothed with the garment of gladnesse and haue the Spirit of comfort sent into their soules who is the Moouer of this ioy and not so much maketh our Spirits reioyce as himselfe reioyceth in vs as he is said not to make vs make requests but to make requests in vs
Rom. 8. 26. Fiftly only they know that Christ is theirs with all his merits and thus attayne the ioy of beleeuing He that sold all to buy the field went away with ioy that he had gotten the field So he that knowes he hath gotten Christ and groweth vp in him as a member in the head and liueth and moueth by him will reioyce in his purchase of naked Christ. How did Simeon reioyce when he had Christ in his armes How much more will a sound Christian who carries him in his heart Sixtly only they sucke and draw their ioy out of the Wells of sound consolation Isa. 12. 3. that is out of the Scriptures which are written that their ioy may be ful 1. Ioh. 1. 4. The priuiledge of Gods testimonies is that they reioyce the heart Psal. 19. 8. These make knowne to vs the things giuen vs of God these contayne the glad tydings of saluation and the precious promises of grace and glorie which belong only to godlinesse here be the deedes and conueyances of their eternall inheritance only bequeathed to children these be the Chariot of the Spirit who yeeldeth no argument of ioy and comfort but from the Word and all ioy elsewhere sought is carnall and presumptuous Seuenthly only they enioy the sweet peace and ioy of a good conscience excusing and acquitting them in the sight of God which it selfe is a continuall feast and makes them glad and cheerefull Prou. 15. 15. This was the true cause of the heauenly ioy which the Apostles in their labours and persecutions enioyed euen the testimonie of a good conscience 2. Cor. 1. 12. Eighthly only they haue the hope of glorie in soule and body which is a fruit of iustification Rom. 5. 3. and a sound cause of ioy We reioyce saith the Apostle vnder the hope of the glory of God and hope maketh not ashamed And not only this but a grounded assurance also that all things in earth which may seeme to darken their hopes shall be turned to the best Rom. 8. 28. All this may be a meanes to bring godly life in request seeing it is the only ioyfull life and none haue indeede any sound cause of reioycing but the godly And here we are to meete with two obiections which terrifie men from godly life that lyes now a dayes like refuse wares vnaskt for and vnregarded First that the world accounteth the slate of Gods children most lumpish heauie and solitarie yea most vncomfortable it thinkes that no ioy nor mirth nor pleasure of their liues belongs vnto them but if once a man beginne in truth to liue godly he must bid a dieu to all mirth and gladnesse and betake himselfe to a mopish heauinesse and sadnesse But this is a grosse and foule deceit of the father of lyes whereby he hath much aduantaged his Kingdom and by a supposed want of ioy exceedingly puts godlinesse out of countenance Yet first true it is that God helpeth and draweth Christian ioy out of godly sorrow and no man can attaine this sound ioy but hee that is soundly humbled at the sight of his sinnes and herein the World sticketh not seeing the powerfull worke of GOD who out of this darknesse bringeth light who soweth light to the righteous and out of this sorrowfull Seed-time brings forth a white Haruest of ioy Secondly because now the heart being regenerate cannot carnally reioyce as before nor in carnall things hauing better obiects and causes of ioy on which it feedeth the stranger that cannot enter into this ioy thinkes he hath no ioy at all onely because worldly ioy is vnsauourie to him in comparison of spirituall Thirdly the World and wicked men set themselues to vnsettle the peace of the godly and doe often disquiet them and will let them haue as little ioy as may bee Yet Notwithstanding all this First the godly euen when they doe not reioyce haue iust cause to reioyce else our Sauiour would not haue pronounced the mourners blessed euen for the present Blessed are they that mourne nor haue said to the Disciples In the world ye shall haue affliction but in mee yee shall haue peace Ioh. 16. 33. Secondly if they sorrow they shall out-grow their sorrow and their sorrow shall bee turned into ioy as Christ promised the Apostles Ioh. 16. 20. The redeemed of the Lord shall returne and come to Sion with praise and euerlasting ioy shall be vpon their head they shall obtaine ioy and gladnesse and sorrow and mourning shall flye away Isa. 35. 10. So Isa. 61. 3. Christ hath appointed vnto them that mourne in Sion beauty for ashes the oyle of ioy for mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heauinesse Thirdly our Text teacheth that God would not haue the hearts of his children at any time so possessed with sorrow no not for the most iust causes but that they must support themselues and rise out of it with heauenly and spirituall ioy to which end serue all these commandements so thicke as we say and threefold which were all idle and to no purpose if their liues were still to be led in a lumpish and sowre manner Here therefore I would aduise such as feare God to looke to two things First to prepare their hearts by fulnesse of godly sorrow to be filled with ioy seeing it riseth out of serious sorrow for sinne and out of a broken heart we tune our harpes and musicall instruments to sweete musicke by wresting the strings neither must we as we are too ready to conceiue these two as enemies destroying but rather as constitutiue and conseruing causes one of another Then secondly let Gods people bee aduised to looke into their priuiledges which are such as may well not onely affect but rauish them with ioy and consider of their happie estate and translation into the fellowship of GOD and his Saints and that for these causes first that they may yeelde obedience to Gods commandement both here and elsewhere secondly manifest the presence of the Spirite in their hearts who brings with him peace and ioy and settles the Kingdom of the euerliuing God in the heart which consisteth in these thirdly that they may not onely take away this scandall which Satan and the wicked make aduantage of but also encourage others to get part in the same grace which keepes them in a cheareful and constant course of wel-doing when they see that no trouble nor affliction can interrupt their ioy fourthly without true ioy wee can neuer praise God heartily or serue him chearefully for no ioy in God none in his ordinances none in our dueties of either of our callings but we must needes be lumpish and heauie and soone weary of our prayers and hearing the word and the speciall actions of our calling wherein if we had delight we would not easily be pulled from them but count much time imployed therein as Iaakob did an hard prentiship of many yeeres but a few dayes because of
to recall Gods mercies into memory two 291 To helpe vs in singing to God foure 308 To know our selues in Gods way foure 332 To get vnderstanding foure 350 Of assurance of remission of sinnes fiue 174 To helpe memory of good things foure 270 Mercy of God twofold 230 Mercy manifested to any one must bee of vse to euery one reasons foure 183 Mercy which must attend prayer stands in three things 201 Nothing is Mercy but what proceeds from mercy 256 Mercies of God how to be prized fiue rules 290 Mercies of God towards the godly enlarged in three seuerall kindes 381 Mercies spirituall in this life reduced to sixe heads 382 Mercies meeting the Saints in the life to come distinguished into one Priuatiue two Positiues 387 Mercies positiue in the life to come reduced to three heads 388 Ministry that setteth mens sinnes plainely before them to be reuerenced 139 Minister must haue a flame in his owne heart that must kindle another 176 A good Minister must be a good man 182 Minister must be a leader as well as an instructer foure reasons 339 Misery of a wicked man who cannot pray in foure things 195 Motiues not to runne in further debt with God foure 27 To sincerity seuen 60 To diligent custodie of the heart foure 61 To get a sence of our spirituall mysery foure 115 To consider of our wayes and estates fiue 120 To mercifulnesse fiue 202 To seeke the Lord foure 293 To get experience of God three 271 To Thankefulnesse fiue 294 To call one another forward in grace three 319 To get vnderstanding foure 352 To lay aside obstinacy in sinne fiue 356 Musicke in Gods seruice and the rules 305 N NAturall men to be pitied 320 Naturall men obstinat against God and his word 353 Naturall man vnderstandeth nothing of God and his word without a teacher three reasons 311 Notes of a sincere heart foure 57 Of godly sorrow fiue 83 Notes or attendants of sound confession nine 148 Notes of a man discharged of his sinnes 172 Notes to know when a man maketh God his hiding-place foure 262 Notes of a man gotten out of obstinacy fiue 358 Nothing shall preuaile against godly men to their hurt 277 O OBiections for humane merites answered fiue 33 Obiections to prooue that one wicked man cannot conuert another answered 180 Obiections why men should not be so precise answ 190 Obiections for praying to Angels 214 Obiections for inuocating Saints departed 215 Obiections against certaintie of saluation answ 35 Obiections of the troubled heart not finding God so comfortably as it desireth resolued 290 Obiections terrifying from godly life answered 409 Obseruations to helpe forward experience 269 Obstinacie ariseth out of fiue causes 354 In the Old Testament the Sword and Word might better concurre in one person then in the new 310 No Ordinances of God bring any true ioy to wicked men proued by sixe instances 415 P PAtience sundry wayes vrged from consideration of Gods hand 46 And from the shortnesse of time 285 Pardon of sinne maketh an happie man foure reasons 31 Pardon of sinne must be certainly beleeued 35 Pardon belongs onely to penitent Confessors sixe reasons 167 Pastour must haue his eye on his flocke foure reasons 340 Patternes of mercie to bee im'tated 203 People must indure speciall application of the Word 324 People must diligently attend to things taught three reasons 338 Plague of wicked men not to bee heard in prayer foure reas 236 Popish positions trumpets to rebellion and treason 208 Practices contrary to sound confession of sinne 137 Prayer is a seeking of God 220 Presence of God both of Power and grace euer with his children 276 Gods Preseruation is Mediat or Immediat 273 Priuiledges of such as whose sinnes are remitted 257 Promises of deliuerance true when godly seeme most left in their enemies hands foure wayes 249 Gods promise limiteth the measure and his prouidence limiteth the time of his childrens trouble 275 Properties of true trust in God foure 392 All vse of Psalmes must edifie 2 Q Quest. VVHy men feele not the heauy burden of sinne foure reas 8 How sinne can be couered seeing God cannot but see it 14 How good men may comfort themselues discouering the deceit of their owne hearts 51 Why wicked men feele not so great a burden of sinne vnpardoned as the godly of pardoned sinnes 78 How the body commeth to bee troubled by the minde two reas 79 Why all the godly are not alike terrified by sinne three reasons 79 How a man may know his sorrow to be godly 84 How Christian ioy and sorrow may stand together 87 How Afflictions euill in themselues can be the hand of God fiue wayes 93 How they be the hand of God when the Deuils hand or wicked mens be in them 94 How a man in crosses may looke at second causes 95 Why the Lord layeth so heauy things on his children seuen reas 99 How long and tedious afflictions are short and momentany in fiue respects 107 How a man by confession can make his sinnes knowne to God who knowes them before 141 Why we must confesse to God that which God knoweth already three reasons 142 How Confession can be sound before sinne be pardoned seeing nothing is acceptable before pardon of sin 161 How can faith be a full perswasion when it is not perfect answered in sixe conclusions 163 Whether God cannot pardon sinne without the condition of Repentance and godly sorrow 168 How Remission of sinnes is free seeing we cannot haue it without condition of Faith Repentance Confession c 170 Whether Christ died for all and euery particular man 171 Whether an vnregenerate man may saue and conuert a soule 177 How can a man pray and obtaine the holy Ghost who hath him alreadie 193 Whether a wicked man may pray seeing if he doe it is sinne if hee doe not it is no lesse 195 How God heareth or rather heareth not wicked men 196 Whether Romane Religion be not of God being so prospered so strong so embraced and defended by the great Kings of the earth 209 Why the Kingdom of Antichrist hath taken so deepe roots in the world or somany ages foure reas 210 Why none are more troubled then godly men 274 How the Church is euer preserued in trouble and from it 276 How we can seeke or finde God who is neuer absent but euery where present 220 Whether a man hath free will to change himselfe 345 Who is a righteous man 397 Why and how sinners are called righteous and perfect 4. reas 398 Why godly men are called vpright in heart 3. reasons 399 How we are said to reioyce in the Lord namely when our ioy hath fiue properties 401 How we may lawfully reioyce in outward things 417 R REasons why God will only pardon sins of such as are godlysorrowfull six 168 Reasons to looke to vprightnesse of heart three 403 Reioycing of godly men ought to be in the Lord 3. reas 417 Religion vpset and vpheld