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
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
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
hainous crimes he must openly exclaime against their ill courses and as the trumpet spares none but wakens all both great and small so must hee deale letting euery one heare of his faults of what state and condition soeuer This was also laid vpon Timothie 1. Tim. 5.20 Them that sinne rebuke openly that the rest may feare saith the Apostle and it was practised by our Sauiour who seeing that the Scribes and Pharisies made more account of their owne traditions then of Gods commandements and that they sought themselues in ambition and filthy lucre he doth sharpely and openly reproue them Matth. 23. and disgrace them and pronounce woes and curses against them The like doth Iohn Baptist Matth. 3. calling them a generation of Vipers and Paul meeting with Ananias a notorious hypocrite who commanded him to be smitten on the face for the disgrace of his person and of his cause Act. 23.3 hee boldly sets vpon him saying God will smite thee thou painted wall Now the reason why publike offences should haue open rebuke is First that others hearing it Reasons 1 may bee terrified from the same and so such sinnes may be lesse infections according to the place before alleaged Them that sinne rebuke openly 1. Tim. 5.20 that the rest may feare and so consequently bee restrained from the like courses Secondly that if it be possible the parties offending may be conuerted according to that of the Apostle The Cretians are alwaies liers euill beasts Tit. 1.12.13 slow bellies wherefore reproue them sharpely that they may bee found in the faith For when men are set vpon the stage and exposed to open shame they will take it to heart and if any thing will worke vpon them for their reformation this will and if they proue incorrigible notwithstanding this yet this benefit will come of it that they shall bee more inexcuseable in the day of the Lord in that they heard their sins so much disgraced and the vengeance of God denounced against the same and yet would not breake off the practise of them by sound repentance Thirdly it makes greatly for the glory of God when hee executeth his iudgements vpon them in this world for those that haue heard their grosse and hainous offences inueighed against and withall are witnesses of their wilfull continuance therein they cannot but in their consciences iustifie the Lord in his proceeding against them That was it especially that caused Dauid to shame himselfe publikely after that hee had committed adultery and murther that God might bee pure when hee iudged Psal 51.4 Otherwise men might haue thought the Lord too seuere in inflicting such punishments vpon him as afterwards he tasted of Here then in the first place is an instruction for Ministers Vse 1 and such as haue cause and calling to deale with offenders that they suffer not their mouthes to be shut by reason of the multitude or greatnesse of the persons that are faulty but according to the nature of the offence so to apply their reproofes accordingly if they dishonour God openly let them heare of it openly and if they will set their sinnes vpon the stage let vs set their shame there also that those that are witnesses of the one may be also witnesses of the other otherwise we shall be iniurious vnto God and vnto men vnto the offenders and vnto our selues because their blood shall bee required at our hands Therfore let vs carefully looke vnto this duty and the more opposition we finde against the performance thereof the more let vs pray for strength and courage to go through with the same knowing that it is a great deale better that men should be offended with vs for doing our duty then that God should plague vs for omitting our duty Steuen knew that most of those vnto whom hee was to speake would not take a reproofe at his hands yet he saw that he had a calling to giue it Acts 7. and they had need of it and therfore he tels them roundly of their faults saying Ye stifnecked and of vncircumcised hearts and eares ye haue alwaies resisted the holy Ghost as your fathers did so doe you c. Indeed hereupon they gnashed their teeth at him and stopped their eares that they might not heare him and so running vpon him with great violence and outrage stoned him to death but what lost hee by that hee parted with a fraile and miserable life and went presently to enioy an euerlasting and most blessed kingdome in the heauens Let vs therefore be resolute and couragious as he was and neuer feare the faces of mortall men knowing that there is no greater danger then for a man to neglect his duty nor greater comfort then to performe it though it bee the losse of his life Secondly is it so that open sinnes must haue open rebuke hence then let vs learne that if wee would not haue Gods Minister to lay open our shame before the congregation wee must take heed of grosse and foule and scandalous offences For if we liue in continuall swearing or Sabbath-breaking or brawling or whoring or stealing or any the like inordinate courses so that by our ill conuersation we cause Gods glorious name to be ill spoken of wee must looke to heare of it to our iust disgrace and if wee set light by Gods glory there is no reason that his seruants should make any reckoning of our credit Let men therefore be carefull to auoide publike euils or else prepare themselues for publike rebukes which are the best medicines for the recouering of their sicke and sinfull soules 8. Now goe and write it before them in a booke that that it may bee for the last day for euer and euer Hence ariseth this doctrine that That testimony shall abide with euery man Doct. 2 Gods testimony is euerlasting which God giueth him in his word Looke what the Lord saith of any one that shal stand firme and tarrie with him till death yea after death euen for euer and euer As here the Prophet Isaiah from the Lords mouth chargeth these cowardly Iewes to bee dissemblers and rebels this hath stood in record against them many hundred yeares and doth still their names are not yet healed nor euer shall be but all that liued and died in their impenitency shall haue their shame encreased in the day of the Lord and that shall tarrie with them for euermore This is also euident in the Scribes and Pharisies who though they carried away all the praise and commendation among men our Sauiour doth disgrace to the vttermost calling them painted sepulchres Mat. 23. that had faire outsides but within were full of corruption and withal denouncing many curses and woes against them now who are more odious then they what name of greater infamie among men then the name of Pharisee and what is the reason hereof surely this the word of God doth disgrace such kind of people and therefore it stickes so
proceeding vnto arraignment and execution if there be not meanes vsed to stay the same therefore let vs get off the fetters of iniquitie as soone as we can and if we find terrors vpon our hearts for our couetousnesse and crueltie for our pride and insolencie for our filthinesse and impuritie c let vs labour with God for the obtaining of a pardon and then though we be plagued for our foolishnesse and brought very lowe yet crying vnto the Lord he will deliuer vs out of our distresse Psal 107. yea he will bring vs out of darknesse and out of the shadow of death and breake our hands asunder Heere is also matter of comfort to them that proceed in the waies of the Lord with a good conscience Vse 3 whose workes doe testifie for them that they are vpright and sincere and that though they be clogged with many infirmities yet they giue entertainment to no sinne at all though they haue many troubles and slanders raised against them and many temptations wants and necessities lying vpon them yet let them be of good cheere for albeit they be afflicted on euery side yet shall they not be in distresse they are not straitned 2. Cor. 4.8 but haue elbow roome enough and doe enioy the best freedome and libertie For they may come into Gods priuie chamber as it were and into his presence when they will they are not straitned in their soules but haue libertie to powre out their hearts before their heauenly father who knoweth and pittieth their distressed estate and will worke out their freedome and comfort in due time and in the meane while his hand shall defend and vphold them his spirit shall comfort and strengthen them his word shall reuiue and refresh them and in a word his grace shal be euery way sufficient for them so that such as are not chained and fettered with their owne iniquities and raigning sinnes are of all other the best freemen and the most happie and blessed people they walke at libertie they keepe the precepts Let vs fall now into the hand of the Lord That is Let God proceed with the pestilence according to his pleasure which is called Gods sword and Gods hand because this pestilēce proceeded immediately from him without any second causes whereas many other iudgements doe not so In that he maketh choyse to fall into Gods hand the Doctrine is Doct. 2 The godly finde greatest fauour with God that Gods seruants neuer finde so great fauour as with God himselfe None can deale so fauourably with Gods children as their heauenly Father He goeth as farre beyond earthly parents as God is better then man They when they are prouoked doe oftentimes cease to be mercifull but God when he is most incensed is perfectly fauourable and when he is driuen to chastise his children he is exceeding moderate Which is liuely expressed Hos 11.8 where the Lord speaketh in this manner Hos 11. How shall I giue thee vp Ephraim How shall I deliuer thee Israel How shall I make thee as Admah How shall I set thee as Zeboim As if he should haue told them You haue deserued to be vtterly destroied as Sodome and Gomorrah and the Cities neere adioining but my compassion that I beare towards you will not suffer mee to doe it Mine heart is turned within me my repentings are rowled together Man repents after hee hath done amisse but God before so that hee can neuer doe amisse and therefore to manifest his infinite goodnes and care for their preseruation hee addeth verse 9. I will not execute the siercenesse of my wrath I will not returne to destroy Ephraim and the reason is added for I am God and not man and therefore though a man if hee were so prouoked would haue done his best vtterly to haue spoiled them yet the Lord would not enter into their Citie viz. for that end but deale gratiously with them notwithstanding all their offences Moreouer earthly parents when they set vpon correction with best staiednesse doe want knowledge and discretion and therefore giue their children too little or too much 1. Pet 1.6 Isa 27.9 but the Lord is of such infinite wisedome that hee euer proportioneth his chastisements to the neede of the partie and the nature of the fault Againe earthly parents when they haue layde on stripes cannot take them off againe when they see their children weeping and grieuing and humbling themselues in good earnest for their offences they wish but all in vaine that their paine were ouer the smart remooued but as the Lord woundeth so can he heale as hee cast Iob downe Hos 6.1 so could he raise him vp againe and whatsoeuer our distresses be if wee can humble our selues and crie vnto the Lord hee is able and readie to relieue and to deliuer vs. In which regard wee should be most willing if we must needs be corrected to yeeld vp our selues into his hands For there is no comparison betwixt the compassions of men which are finite and of Gods who is infinite Which may serue to discouer vnto vs their folly that are so farre from submitting themselues to Gods chastisements that they cannot endure his rebukes Let any man of God admonish them and they are readie to flie in his face What hath he to doe with me say they let him meddle with his owne matters I will not take it at his hands with many bitter speeches of that kinde which argue in them great distemper and vexation of minde And let a man tell them in neuer so great loue that if they doe not amend their sinnes will abroad to their disgrace their friends will grieue at them their aduersaries will reproach them and all cry shame vpon them yet they will be no whit pacified but rather enraged against the admonisher not caring what be thought or spoken against them so Christians may not reprooue them Hence is it that men are so loath to be vnder any Christian gouernment Vse 1 where they must be instructed how to doe well and rebuked if they doe not well they will none of it to liue in such a family or congregation where they shall be catechized and restrained from the breach of the Sabbath and other leaud courses they will neuer endure it but will chuse rather to be vnder the gouernment of Antichrist and of Sathan himselfe then of Christ Iesus Let their maisters be Papists cruell oppressors as sauage tyrants as Pharaoh was they will rather dwell with them then with godly and religious gouernours that would vse them most kindly and reward them most liberally for their seruice Such were the Israelites Moses as the Lord testifieth of him was the meekest man vpon the earth and withall a most wise and couragious Ruler yet would they rather haue beene euery day vnder the whip in Egypt then vnder Gods gracious gouernment which was executed by Moses And as these are heere to be condemned of great want of
art thou my mercifull Father I haue done thee ill seruice yet am I thy poore seruant still and though I be bad now yet time hath bene when I haue bin better done better when I haue praied in secret and humbled my soule and shedde teares for my sinnes in priuate and haue had an vtter detestation of those euils which now through the corruption of my nature I haue fallen into and therefore Lord be pacified towards me and put out of thy remembrance the trespasse of thy seruant If any one want these testimonies of Gods loue towards him and of his loue towards God when affliction ouertaketh him for his sinnes he will either flee from the Lords presence as Adam did or if he aduenture to come vnto him his prayers will descend as plummets of lead vpon him and Sathan and his owne conscience will be readie to accuse him and to say what hast thou to doe with God he heareth not sinners thou shall rather prouoke his vengeance then obtaine his fauour by thy petitions and because thou hast bene his enemie heretofore he will shew himselfe to be thine now and because thou hast cast his word behind thy backe he will shut out thy cries that they shall not haue any accesse vnto him Which vncomfortable newes will be as a dart to strike thorow the liuer of an hypocrite and as a two edged sword to pearse his soule and therefore let vs all labour to be strongly setled in this point that we are Gods seruants that so we may be feruent and firie in our prayers and not be so daunted as sinners are when the hand of God is vpon them I haue dealt very foolishly This he speaketh to make his sinne more odious vnto himselfe for by nature we are so proud that we cannot abide that any body should say we haue dealt foolishly and absurdly therefore doth he lay lode vpon himselfe the more to beat downe his pride confessing that he had dealt very foolishly because he had dealt very sinfully whence note this doctrine That the more sinfull any one is the more foolish he is Eue did eat of the forbidden fruit Doct. 5 thinking she had dealt very wisely prouidently for her selfe The greatest sinners are the veriest fooles but did she get any thing by sinning against her makers commandement No surely when shee had a conceit that she should deale most wisely she dealt most foolishly of any that euer was in the world for thereby she brought sorrow and miserie yea eternall damnation of soule and body not onely vpon her selfe had not God giuen her repentance and mercy but vpon many hundred thousands of her posteritie So Achan thought it a part of wisdome to take vp the Babylonish garment the wedge of gold that lay in his way Ioshua 7. hee might thereby as he imagined inrich himselfe and the matter neuer be knowne but was not that the ruine of himselfe his houshold In like manner Ieroboam esteemed it a wise and safe way for him to set vp the Calues that the people might worship at Dan and Bethel and so not fall from him to ioyne againe to the house of Dauid he accounted this a surer course to establish his throne then for him to rest on Gods promise but did he not get exceeding dishonour and vtter ruine heereby in so much that when the Lord will set foorth a notable reprobate and firebrand of hell he doth describe him by this that he was like Ieroboam the sonne of Nebat that made Israel to sinne and whereas he hoped by this meanes to set vp himselfe and his seed for euer he caused them through his sinnes to be swept away as dung from the face of the earth The like may be said of Ahab in taking away Naboths vineyard And this must needs be so that the greatest sinners are the veriest fooles Reason because in sinning they forsake the wisedome of God and follow the direction of flesh and blood It is noted as a point of great folly and indiscretion in Rehoboam that he would forsake the good counsell of the old men and follow the rash aduise of young men and are not they then egregious fooles indeed that leaue the counsell of the wise God and follow the aduice of Sathan his and their vtter enemie We would esteeme it a great madnesse if we should see a man his barnes being full of corne to set fire on the thatch and to sit by and laugh to behold all turned into a flame and yet certainely this is not so great a madnesse as for one to fire his soule with sinne for all the friends and meanes that the world affordeth cannot quench this flame nor recouer this losse as they may the other and therefore they are the fooles of the world that are the sinners of the world and there is no such frensie as for a man to prouoke his Creator and whatsoeuer applause wicked persons haue for a season yet at length all the world shall see and they themselues shall feele that they haue beene notorious fooles Ier. 17.11 This serueth for instruction Vse 1 that if we would not be branded with the name of fooles and Idiots we be carefull to eschew all manner of sinnes and on the contrary if we would be truely wise let vs cleaue vnto the Lord in constant and faithfull obedience that was the reason why Dauid was wiser then his enemies Psal 119.98 then his teachers then the aged because he kept Gods statutes What made those in the Gospell to be foolish Virgins but this that they made not prouision for eternall life And what made the other fiue to be indeed wise but that their hearts and liues were adorned and beautified with grace and goodnesse Achitophel was a deepe politician yet because he was destitute of heauenly wisedome he shewed himselfe to be but a miserable base foole for when he had no meanes to helpe himselfe he went and hanged himselfe if one had studied an hundred yeeres he could hardly haue found out a readier way to manifest his notable folly then he tooke in that horrible murdering of himselfe 2 Secondly is it so that the greatest sinners are the veriest fooles then here is matter of singular consolation for Gods seruants that are vilified and contemned and accounted sillie and simple euen for this that they carefully decline from the waies of sinners though in shew neuer so pleasant and profitable and conscionable walke in the paths of righteousnesse though neuer so rough and dangerous let vaine men speake their pleasure of them and count and call them the fooles of the world yet God esteemeth and speaketh otherwise of them It is no maruell that the world iudgeth them fooles for with them the doctrine of the Gospell vnto which the godly endeuour to conforme themselues and their courses is accounted foolishnes But as wisedome is iustified of her children whatsoeuer men thinke or speake of it so are the