former times when God judged them wee may well expect the same fearfull judgments to fall upon us Vnfruitfulnes threatneth a judgment upon a people when God hath bestowed a great deale of cost and time hee lookes wee should answer his expectation in some measure The figge tree in the Gospell had some respite given it by reason of the prayers of the vine dresser but afterward when it brought forth no fruite it was cut downe and cast into the fire Beloved who amongst us would indure a barren tree in his Garden That which is not fit for fruit is most fit for fire wee can indure a barren tree in the Wildernesse but not in our Orchards when God the great husbandman of his Church sees that upon so great and continual cost be stowed upon us wee remaine yet unfruitfull he will not suffer us long to cumber the ground of his Church Againe decay in our first love is a signe of judgement approaching God threatned the Church of Ephesus to remove his Candlestick from among them for their decay in their first love that having surfetted of plenty and peace he might recover her tast by dyeting of her decay in love proceeds from disesteeme in judgement and God cannot endure his glorious Gospel should be slighted as not deserving the richest streyne of our love the Lord takes it better where there is but little strength and a striving to be better then when there is great meanes of grace and knowledge and no growth answerable but rather a declining in goodnesse I beseech you lay these things to heart The Lord is much displeased when Christians are not so zealous as they should be when there is not that sweet communion of Saints among them to strengthen and incourage one another in the waies of holinesse as there might be when there is not a beauty in their profession to allure and draw on others to a love liking of the best things when there is not a care to avoid all scandalls that may weaken respect to good things and bring an evill report on the waies of God when they labour not with their whole hearts to serve the Lord in a cheerefull manner c. The very not serving God answerable to encouragements is a certaine signe of ensuing danger Therefore I beseech you let us looke about us whether these be not the times wherein wee live that judgement must begin at the house of God The Lord complaines in Ieremy that the Turtle and other silly creatures knew the time of their standing and removing but his people did not know his judgements Doe the creatures know their times and seasons and shall Christ complaine that we know not the day of our visitation what a shame is this I beseech you let us know and consider our times If wee have a time of sinning God will have a time of punishing And have wee not just cause to feare that judgement is not sarre from us when wee see a great part of Gods house on fire already in our neighbouring Countryes wee have had lesser judgements and they have not wrought kindly with us wee neede a stronger purge If wee looke to the carriage of men what sinne is lesse committed now then formerly How few renew their covenant with God in sincerity of Resolution to walke closely with him And what the judgement will be wee may probably foresee for usually the last judgement is the worst wee have had all but warre the worst of all for in other judgements wee have to deale with God but in this wee are to deale with men whose very mereyes are crueltiâ—s The sword hath a long time been shaken over our heads a cloud of warre hath hung over us to affright us but we rest still secure in our sinfull courses and thinke to morrow shall be as to day and that no evill shall come nigh us c. Oh the frozen hearts of Christians that thrust the evill day farre from them doe wee not see the whole world in a manner in a combustion round about us and wee as the three young men in the fiery furnace untouched Beloved we have out-stripped them in abhominable wickednesses and however the Lord is pleased that wee should onely heare a noyse and rumour of warre yet wee in this Land have deserved to drinke as deepe of the cup of the Lords wrath as any people under heaven What course should we take to prevent the Judgement of God and keepe it from us Labour to meete God by speedy repentance before any decree be peremptorily come forth against us As yet there is hope to prevaile For blessed be God as wee have many things to feare so we have many things to incourage us to goe unto God with comfort wee have enjoyed a succession of gracious Princes that have maintained the truth of God amongst us wee have many godly Magistrates and Ministers together with the Ordinances many other experience of Gods love vouchsafed unto us We have yet time to seck the Lord let us not deferre till the very time of judgement come upon us for that is but selfe love Assure thy selfe thus much thou canst have no more comfort in troubles and afflictions when they doe come then thou hast care to prevent them before they come answerable to our care in preventing now will be our comfort then Therefore if wee would be bid in the day of Gods wrath if wee would have God to set his marke upon us and write us in his booke of Remembrance and to gather us when hee makes up his jewels If wee would have him to owne us then looke to it now Get now into Christ be provided now of a sound profession of Religion and that will be as an Arke to shelter us in the evill day What wee know let us doe and then wee shall be built on a Rocke that if waves or any thing come wee shall not be stirred Usually God in dangerous times leaveth some ground of hope which worketh differently with men Such as are carnall grow presumptuous hereupon but the Godly are drawne neerer to God upon any appearance of incouragement the good things they injoy from God worke in them a more earnest desire to please him It is the custome of the spirit of God to make doubtfull imperfect and as it were halfe promises to keepe his people still under some hope whence we reade of these and such like phrases in Scripture It may be God will shew mercy and Who knoweth whether he will heare us c. Againe examine and try upon what ground thou professest Religion whether it will hold water or no and stand thee in steade when evill times shall come Beloved it neerely concernes us all seriously to consider and narrowly to search upon what grounds wee venture our lives and soules try graces our knowledg repentance faith love c. of what metall they are
in his house so God takes his best contentment in his Church and people they are the most beloved of all mankinde 4. As in a house we use to lay up our jewels precious things so God layes up in his Church whatsoever is precious his prayses his graces yea whatsoever is good and of high esteeme that hee bestowes upon his Church and people For the further clearing of this wee must know that the Church and children of God are said to be his house either 1. As a family is said to be house or 2. As the fabrick or building is said to be the house First a man provides for his family and hee that neglects it is worse then an insidell so doth God provide for his Church the very Dragons and Ostriges the worst of the creatures al have some respect to their yong ones much more will God provide for his owne And as a man protects his house from all enemies so will God protect his Church and people and be a wall of fire and a defence round about them Now there is a mixture in the Church as in a house of good and bad vessels but the godly are especially Gods house as for hypocrites and false professors they are no more in the house then the excrements are in the body they are in the body but not of the body and therefore as Ishmael they must be cast out at length And as in every house or building there are some open places and some private closets c. So is it here God hath his private chamber and his retyring place which is the heart of every true Christian Hee counts it not sufficient to dwell in his house at large but hee will dwell in the best part of it the heart and the affections therefore he knocks at the doores of our hearts for entrance and his best children are glad he will reside in them they set him up in the highest place of their soules and set a Crowne upon him their desire is that God may governe and rule their whole conversation they have no Idoll above God in their hearts What a wonderfull mercy is this that wee are Gods house that hee will vouchsafe to dwell and take up his lodging in such desiled houses as our soules are It is no meane favour that God should single out us poore wretches to have his residence and abiding place in our soules considering there is so much â—ickednesse in the hearts of the best of us Oh what comfort ariseth to a christian soule from the due meditation of this point If wee are Gods house then God wil be our house Thou art our habitation saith Moses from generation to generation Howsoever we shuffle in the world as they did in the wildernesse now here and now there having no certaine place of abode but are here to day and gone to morrow yet in God wee have an house thou art our habitation he is ours and we are his And what a comfort is this that wee are Gods house Certainly God will provide for his owne house hee that layes this charge upon others and hath put that affection and care of provision into others for their families will he neglect his own hee that makes us love and puts that naturall affection into us of those that belong unto us hath hee not infinitely more in himselfe when as that which wee have is but a beame or ray from his infinite brightnesse This should then instruct us to labour that God may dwell largely and comfortably in us to deliver up all to this keeper of our house and suffer him to rule and raigne in us The Romish Church is become the habitation of Devils that which was Bethel is now become Bethaven Why because they would not suffer God to rule in his owne house but would have coadjutors with Christ as if he were not a sufficient head of the Church to govern it but he must have a Vicar the Pope who as if Christ were too weak will not suffer him to exercise his Kingly office unlesse hee may support help him thus they set up the abomination of desolation in the temple of God Oh beloved it much concerns us to cleanse and purifie our hearts that so wee may entertaine Christ and he may delight to abide and dwell with us you know how hainously hee tooke it when his house was made a den of theeves and will hee not take it much worse that our hearts should be made the very sinks and cages of all manner of uncleannes How should wee begge and cry to God that he would whip out these noysome lusts corruptions out of the temple of our hearts by any sharp correcction or terrour of conscience whatsoever rather then suffer them to reside there still to grieve his good Spirit Wee should take a holy State upon us as being temples of the holy Ghost and therefore too good to be desiled with sinne Our hearts should be as the Holy of Holies And therefore the Apostle exhorts us to abstaine from all filthinesse both of flesh and spirit for this cause that God may dwell amongst us for What communion â—â—th light with darknes Are Gods people his house Then let the enemies of the Church take heed how they deale with them for God will have a speciall care of his owne house howsoever he may seem for a time to neglect his children yet remember this they are his house still and no ordinary house but a temple whereon on sacrifice is offered to him continually hee that destroyeth the temple of God him will God destroy Here a question would bee answered which some uncharitable spirits make and that is this Whether England bee the house of God or no I answer The whole Catholike militant Church is but one house of God though there bee divers branches of the same As there is but one maine Ocean of the Sea yet as it washeth upon the British coast it is called the Brittish Sea and as it washeth on the Germans the German Sea c. It hath divers names of the divers Countries which it passeth thorow neverthelesse there is still but one maine Sea So it is with the house of God God hath but one true Church in the whole world which spreads it selfe into divers Nations and Countries upon the face of the earth One branch wherof is among us at this day How prove you that Doth not Christ dwell amongst us by his Ordinances by his Spirit working effectually in the same If a house be not in perfect repaire is it not still a house I beseech you let us rather give God cause to delight to dwell still with us then call in question whether hee dwelleth amongst us or no. But to proceed Hence further wee see that the house of God after some time will need visiting and purging seeing it will soone gather soyle
our selves generally well in all our sufferings 2. In particular Wee must doe well to them that doe us wrong First I say in afflâ—ction our carriage must bee generally good in respect of God by a meeke behaviour under his hand without murmuring against him 2. In regard of the cause of God that wee betray it not through feare or cowardise through base aymes and intentions c. but indeavour to carry it with a good conscience in all things when wee make it cleare by managing any thing that wee are led with the cause and conscience of our duty it works mightily upon them that wrong us 1. It winnes those that are indifferent and 2. CoÌ„founds the obstinate and stops their mouthes Therefore let us carry our selves well not onely before but in suffering we may not fight against them with their owne weapons that is be malicious as they are malicious and raile as they raile Beloved this is as if a man should see another drinke poyson and hee will drinke too for company he is poysoned with malice and thou to revenge thy selfe wilt bee poysoned too What a preposterous course is this Ought wee not rather to behave our selves as befits the cause of Christ as becomes our Christian profession and as befits him whose children wee are Wee should have an eye to God and an eye to our selves and an eye to others and an eye to the cause in hand so wee shall doe well Wee must not commit our soules to God in idlenesse doing nothing at all nor yet in evill doing but in well doing We must have a care if wee would suffer with comfort not to study how to avoid suffering by trickes so to hurt the cause of Christ this is to avoid suffering by sinne to leape out of one danger into another Is not the least evil of sinne worse than the greatest evill of punishment What doth a man get by pleasing men to displease God perhaps a little ease for the present Alas what is this to that unexpressible horrour and despaire which will one day seise upon thy soule eternally for betraying the blessed cause and truth of Christ How can wee expect God should own us another day when we will not owne him in his cause and his members to stand for them now thinke on that speech of our Saviour Whosoever shall be ashamed of me or of my words in this adulterous and sinfull generation of him shall the Sonne of man be ashamed when hee commeth in the glory of his father Therefore avoid not any suffering by sinne see how blessed S. Paul carried himselfe in this case The Lord saith he hath delivered me and will deliver mee from what from death no from every evill worke What will God keepe him from evill sufferings No for immediately after he was put to death what then why hee will preserve mee from every evill worke that is from every sinfull act which may hurt the cause of Christ or blemish my profession this was it Paul chiefly regarded not whether hee will preserve mee from death or trouble I leave that to him but this I hope and trust to that he will preserve me froÌ„ every evill work to his heavenly kingdome Thus should it bee with every Christian in the cause of religion or in a cause of justice c. for there is not any good cause but it is worth our lives to stand in if wee bee called to it It is necessary wee should be just it is not so necessary wee should live A Christians main care is how to doe well and if hee can goe on in that course he is a happy man But I cannot doe well but I shall suffer ill Labour therefore to carry thy selfe well in suffering evill not only in the generall but even in particular towards those persons that doe thee wrong endeavour to requite their evill with good there is a great measure of selfe-deniall required to bee a Christian especially in matter of revenge to pray for them that carseus to doe good to them that persecute us c. and so heape coales of fire upon our enemies heads How is that There are 1 Coales of Conversion 2. Coales of Confusion You know Coales doe either melt or consume if they belong to God wee shall heape coales of fire to convert them and make them better by our holy carriage in suffering If they bee wicked gracelesse wretches we shall heape coales of fire to consume them for it will aggravate their just damnation when they doe ill to those that deserve wel of them Some will say Christianitie is a strange condition that enforceth such things upon men that are so contrary to Nature It is so indeed for we must be new moulded before ever wee can come to heaven wee must put off our whole selfe and he is gone a great way in Religion that hath brought his heart to this passe None ever overcame himselfe in these matters out of religious respects but hefound a good issue at last It is a sweet evidence of the state of grace none better when a man can love his very enemies and those that have done him most wrong it is an argument that such a man hath something above nature in him What is above nature if this bee not for a man to overcome himselfe in this sweet appetite of revenge Revenge is most naturall to a man it is as Sugar as the Heathen saith and for a man to overcome himselfe in that it argues the power of grace and godlinesse in such a one As Christianity is an excellent estate an admirable advancing of a man to a higher condition so it must not seeme strange for those that are Christians to bee raysed to a higher pitch of soule then other men Sâ—e how our Saviour dealt in this particular Father forgive them they know not what they doe and so likewise Stephen being led by the same spirit of Christ desired God not to lay this sinne to their charge and so all the Martyrs in the first state of the Church when the blood of Christ was warme and the remembrance of Christ was fresh were wont to pray for their enemies committing their soules to God in well doing I beseech you let us labour by all meanes possible to bring our hearts hereunto if any thing overcome this will doe it to suffer well The Church of God is a company of men that gaine and overcome by suffering in doing good Thus the Dove overcomes the Eagle the Sheepe overcomes the Wolfe the Lambe overcomes the Lyon c. It hath beene so from the beginning of the world meeke Christians by suffering quietly have at length overcome those that are malicious and have gained eveÌ„ their very enemies to the love of the truth What shal wee thinke then of the greatest part of the world who never thinke of suffering which is the first lesson in Christianity but study their ease and
the soule Being justified by faith wee have peace with God Those that are hurried in their life with false doubts and perplexities What shall become of mee what shall I eate and what shall I drinke c Though they use lawfull meanes yet commit not themselves to God as they should for where there is a dependance upon God in the use of meanes there is an holy silence in the party All stubborne and tumultuous thoughts are hushed in him My soule keepe silence to the Lord saith David and trust in God why art thou so vexed within me still there is a quieting of the soule where there is trust Can that man put confidence in God that prowles for himselfe and thinkes he hath no Father in heaven to provide for him Doth that childe trust his father that besides going to schoole thinkes what hee shall put on how he shall be provided for and what inheritance he shall have hereafter Alas this is the Fathers care and belongs not to him Wheresoever these distractions are there can be no yeelding up of the soule to God in truth There be two affections which mightily disturbe the peace of Christians 1. Sinfull cares and 2. Sinfull feares to both which we have remedies prescribed in the Scripture 1. Feare not little flocke saith Christ for it is your fathers will to give you a kingdome As if he had said Will not hee that gives you heaven give you other things In nothing be carefull saith the Apostle that is in a distracting manner but doe your duty and then let your requests bee made knowne to God and the peace of God shall keepe you and therefore were we redeemed from the hands of our enemies that wee might serve him without feare all our dayes A Christian should keepe an inward Sabbath in his soule and goe quietly on in doing all the good hee can what a fearfull thing is it to see men lie groveling in the earth and live without God in the world troubling and â—urmoyling themselves how to compasse this thing and that thing as if they had no God to seeke unto nor no promise to relye upon Againe where this committing of a mans selfe and his soule to God is there will bee a looking to God onely in all a man doth not fearing any danger or opposition that may befall him from without as the three yong men said to Neâ—ucâ—adnezar Our God can keepe us if he will But what if hee will not Yet know O King that wee will not worship nor fall downe before thy Image So it is with a Christian foreseeing some danger disgrace or displeasure of this or that man which may befall him he resolveth notwithstanding in despight of all to commit himselfe to God in doing his duty come what will whether God will save him or no hee will not breake the peace of his conscience or doe the least evill hee is no foole but foresees what may befall him for well doing this inconvenience may come that trouble yet he sets light by these he hath an eye to heaven and sees more good to himself in the Creator that gave him his beeing of nothing and more good for the time to come that will make him a blessed Saint in heaven then there can be ill in the creature therefore come what can come his heart is fixed to trust the Lord and rather than hee will displease him desert his honour and his cause or doe any unworthy action he will commit himselfe to God in the greatest dangers The ground hereof is this A Christian is the wisest man in the world and hee understands well enough that God is Alsufficient hee sees there is a greater good in God than hee can have in the Creature and counts it madnesse to offend God to please the creature because there is a greater evill to bee expected from God than from the Creature though it were the greatest Monarch in the world considering therefore that he hath his best good in his union with God and in keeping his peace with him hee will not breake with him for any Creature And thus hee doth wisely for hee knowes if hee lose his life he shall have a better life of God than hee hath in his body for God is his life God is his soule and his comfort and hee hath his beeing from God hee is his Creator and hee hath a better being in God when hee dyes than he had when he lived for our beeing in God makes us happy and therefore Christ saith He that loves his life before God and a good cause hates it and hee that hates his life when Christ cals for it loves it for hee hath a better life in him wee give nothing to God but hee returns it a thousand times better than we gave it Let us yeeld our lives to him wee shall have them in heaven if they be taken away on earth Hee will give us our goods a thousand sold we shall have more favour in God then in any Creature and therefore a Christian out of this ground commits himselfe to God though hee foresee never so much danger like to fall upon him Againe if we doe in deed and not in pretence commit our selves to God as to a faithfull Creator we will not limit his Majesty as many carnall hearts doe oh if God will do so and so for them then they would trust him if they had but so much to live on a yeare and sâ—ch commings in c. then they would depend upon God but they must have a pawne and so much in hand first What a shame is it that wee should trust the vilest man in the world as farre as wee see him and yet unlesse wee have somewhat to leane on we will not trust God Beloved when a man limits God in any thing such a one may talke but hee trusts him not at all Indeed wee should indent with God and tie him to looke to the salvation of our soules but for other things leave them to his owne wisedome both for the time for the manner and measure doe what hee will with us Suppose it come to the Crosse hath hee not done greater matters for us why then should we distrust him in lesser If times come that Religion flourish or goes downward yet relye on him still hath hee not given his Sonne to us and will hee not give heaven also Why doe wee limit the holy One of Israel and not cast our selves upon him except hee will covenant to deale thus and thus with us A true Christian hath his eye alwayes heaven-ward and thinkes nothing too good for God O Lord saith he of thee I have received this life this estate this credit and reputation in the world I have what I have and am what I am of thee and therefore I yeeld all to thee backe againe If thou wilt serve thy selfe of my wealth of my selfe of my strength thou shalt have it If
had put his hand to the Plough Alexanders opposing because it sprung from extremity of malice towards the profession of godlinesse him he curseth The Lord reward him c. Weaker Christians who failed him from want of some measure of spirit and courage tetaining still a hidden love to the cause of Christ their names he conceales with prayer that God would not lay their sinne to their charge But whilst Paul lived in this cold comfort on Earth see what large encouragement had hee from Heaven Though all forsooke me yet sayes he God did not for sake me but stood by me and I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lion And the Lord will deliver me c. In the words wee have in Pauls example an expressing of that generall Truth set downe by himselfe Rom. 5. 3. And not onely so but we glory in tribulations also knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope c. So here affliction breeds experience of Gods mercy in our deliverance experience breeds hope of deliverance for the time to come and both his Experience and Hope stirres him up to glorifie God who was his deliverer so that here offer unto us to be unsolded 1. Pauls experience of Gods loving care of him in his deliverance past 2. His assured hope built upon his experience for the time to come set downe in two Branches 1. The Lord will deliver me froÌ„ every evill work 2. He will preserve mee to his heavenly kingdom 3. The issue hee maketh of both as they flow from Gods grace so he ascribes him the glory of both To whom be glory for ever and ever Amen For the first I finde that most both Ancient and Moderne writers by Lion understand Nerâ— that cruell Tyrant thirsty of blood especially of Christians Some also understand it to be a provetbiall speech to expresse extremitie of danger both which are true but if wee take the words in the just bredth of the Apostles intent we may by Lion understand the whole united company of his crull enemies as David in many places hath the like and by the mouth of the Lion the present danger he was in by reason of their cruell malice Whence observe 1. That enemies of the truth are oft for power alwayes for malice Lions 2. That God suffers his dearest children to fall into the mouthes of these Lions 3. That in this extremity of danger God delivers them For the second his hope built upon his experience both Branches thereof hath its limitation and extent The Lord shall deliver me not from evill suffering but from evill workes this hee could boldly build on he could not conjecture what he should suffer because that was in the power of others but he could build upon this what God would give him grace to doe and so he limits his considence He will deliver me from evill workes and he will preserve me from what from daâ—ger from death no here is the limitation He will preserve me to his heavenly Kingdome He will not preserve me from death and yet he will doe that whilst I can doe his service by my life but sure I am hee will preserve me beyond death to a state of security and happinesse He will preserve me to his heavenly Kingdome And then for the third after his experience confidence and hope wel built as his fashion is when his heart was once warmed he breakes our into thanksgiving in the consideration of Gods favours past and to come his tongue is large thereupon and God hath the fruit of it To whom be glory for ever and lastly he seales up all with the word Amen I was delivered out of the mouth of the Lion c. Beloved by nature we are all Lions and nothing will alter us save the effectuall knowledge of Christ Education may civilize but not subdue A Sound knowledge of Gods Truth hath a changing power for when the spirit becomes tender and when the heart which lyes in a cursed estate under and in danger of the wrath of a iust God whose eye cannot spare iniquity unrepented of is cited and affrighted effectually by the spirit of bondage it will cast downe and pull sorrow from the strongst spirit making it melting and tender Againe in this estate when the soule hath felt favour shining upon it when the eye is opened to see the high prerogatives and exceeding riches of Christ when we finde ourselves that we are delivered from the Lions mouth wee cannot but shew that pity to others which wee felt from God our selves Paul thirsts as eagerly after the conversion of others now as ever he did for their blood before The Iaylor also a man by nature custome and calling hardened in the practice of cruelty yet after hee had felt the power of Gods blessed truth shewed forth those bowels of pitie hee felt from Christ which were shut before Let us then be thankfull that God hath changed us from being Lions and with meeknesse submit our selves unto Gods ordinances desiring him to write his Law not onely in our understandings but in our very hearts and bowels that wee may not onely know that we should walke harmelesse and full of good but be so indeed resembling him by whom we hope to be saved in a right serviceable plyablenesse to all duties of love And because our impersect measure of mortification in this life hinders us from a full content in one anothers communion let this make us the more willing to be translated to Gods holy Mount where being purged from all such lusts as hinder our peace and love we shall fully enioy one another without the least falsenesse or distrust then shall wee see totall accomplishment of these promises which are but in part fulfilled in this life That God suffereth his children to fall into the mouth of Lions or into some danger proportionable where in they shall see no helpe from him is a truth cleare as the Sunne The History of the Church in all ages shewes as much Was not Christ in the mouth of the Lion so soone as borne when Herâ—d sought to kill him Did not satan and all the spirituall powers of Hell daily come about him like ramping roaring Lions And hath it not been thus with Gods Church from Abel to this present as appeares by the children of Israel in Egypt at the redsea and in their iourney to Canaan being invironed round about with cruell enemies and dangers on every side like Daniel in the midst of Lions So farre God gave them up to the power of their enemies that the wisest of the Heathen iudged them a forlorne people hatefull to God and men For particular instances see Iob and David so neare as there was but a step betweene them and death Besides God often awakens the consciences of his children and exerciseth them with spirituall conflicts their sins as so many Lions stand up against them ready to teare their
which followes The Lord will deliver me from every evill worke Whence from the forme of the argument observe that We ought to reason with God from former experience to future yea it is a binding Argument with God he loves to be sued and pressed from former mercies and suffers them to be bonds unto him men will not doe so because their fountaine is soone drawne drie But God is a spring that can never be emptied as he was able to helpe in former time so hee is also for the time to come He is alwayes I AM JEHOVAH alwayes where he was his Arm is not shortened what hee hath done heretofore he can do now We should therefore register Gods favours â—hich is the best use wee can put out memories to and make them so many arguments to build upon him for time to come as David The Lord that delivered me saith he out of the pawe of the Lion and out of the pawe of the Beare will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine Oh were we but acquainted with this kinde of reasoning with God how undaunted would we bee in all troubles we should bee as secure for the time to come as for the time past for all is one with God Wee doe exceedingly wrong out owne soules and weaken our faith by not minding of Gods favours How strong in faith might old men be that have had many experiences of Gods love if they would take this course every former mercy shoâ—ld strengthen our faith for a new as conquerours whom every former victory incourageth to a new conquest So old favours should helpe us to set upon God afresh But what is the limitation here from every evill worke which words we will first touch a little severally and then consider more particularly of them Sometimes God speakes of duties as they issue from man because indeed the will is mans from whence the duty comes and therefore the Scripture speakes as though the duty came from us because the powers are ours from whence they spring Sometimes the Scripture speakes of holy duties as they issue from a higher power from God so here The Lord will deliver me from every evill worke he meanes that God would stirre up his heart to a care to avoid evill workes We are agents and patients in all we doe we are agents because the powers are ours we are patients because the Lord doth all Now it is the language of the holy Ghost for the most part when he speakes of good duties to goe to the fountaine especially when faith is to bee strengthened But how doth God deliver By keeping us from occasions or by ministring strength if occasions be offered by giving occasions of good and by giving a heart to entertaine those occasions He preserves us from evill works by planting the graces of faith and of feare in us whereby wee are preserved and by peace which guards our soules from despaire and tumultuous thoughts yea hee preserves us from evill workes through faith unto his heavenly Kingdome In a word God preserves his children by making them better by weakning corruptions by his Spirit stirring up a cleare sight and hatred of the same in them and by withdrawing occasions which might prevaile over us and by keeping us from betraying our selves unto them by chayning up Satan untill our strength be such as may incounter him a great mercy it is though little thought on that God lettetâ— not loose Satan upon us every moment how should this stirre us up with David to thankfulnesse and dependance upon God He delivers also wicked men from dangers not out of any love to their persons but because he hath some base service for them to undertake to exercise the patience of his children and vexe others better than themselves which is not fit for godly men to doe They are onely gods Rod and their deliverance is no preservation but a reservation to worse mischiefe it is not a bettering deliverance But God delivers his graciously not onely from danger but from those evill workes they are subject to fall into in their danger it is not ill to suffer ill but to doe ill For doing ill makes God our enemie suffering ill doth not doing ill staines and defiles the soule and blemisheth the Image of God in us suffering ill doth none of this doing ill â—inders communion and acquaintance with God suffering ill doth not God is more immediately acquainted with the soule in suffering ill Doing ill is the cause of all iâ—s suffering ill comes from doing ill the ill of sinne is the ill of ils because it is evill it selfe and the cause of all other evills whatsoever We may thanke our ill in doing for our ill in suffering and therefore the Apostle is well assured what he sayes The Lord will deliver mee from every evill worke not from every inward infirmity and weaknesse but from every evill worke that is scandalous and offensive to him It is an aggravation of ill when it is manifested for then it either taints orgrieves others Indeed so soone as the resolution of the soule hath passed it when the will resolves on such a thing it is done both in good and evill before God But in regard of the world and of the Church we live in the bringing of the worke upon the stage as it were is an aggravation of evill because besides the hurt which is done to evill men good men are either hurt or vexed at it Therefore the Apostle saith The Lord will deliver me from every evill worke This a Christian should especially labour for that God in all things would keepe him free from sin Yea this differenceth a Christian from another man take a carnall man when hee is like to fall into danger he studies how to get out of suffering evill not how to prevent doing evill hee plots devises and intangles himselfe in his owne wit and makes the matter worse by equivocation and such like sinfull courses as we might learne from the Papists if we had not enough from our owne breast But Pauls care was to be delivered from evill workes For a man indeed is never overcome let him be never so vexed in the world by any till his conscience be crackt If his conscience and his cause stand upright he prevailes still In all these things wee are more than conquerors saith the Apostle The meaning is sufferings cannot quell our courage they cannot staine our conscience they doe not hurt the cause but it gets victory in despight of them so that our courage is undaunted and our conscience abides unstained let it be our care therefore to take heed of evill workes Looke into the world and see what is the care of most men we converse with oh if they can get such a place if they can get such an estate I but it cannot be had without finful abasement without cracking of conscience and unlawfull engagement O say they it is
incouragement from him Indeed he was a man of speciall use and service and as he honored God in his life so God hath honored him in his death as you may see by this honorable assembly of worthy people met in love to him His death was as the death of strong men useth to be with conflicts betweene nature and his disease but with a great deal of patience and in his sicknesse time hee would utter Pauls disposition Oh saith he You keepe me from heaven you keepe me from glorie being displeased with those that kept him alive with conference out of love Hee had a large heart to doe good for though hee were fruitfull and studied to be fruitfull yet oft in his sicknesse in a complaining manner hee would say Oh I have not beene so wise for my owne soule as I ought to be I have not beene provident enough in taking opportunities of doing and receiving good Beloved shall such a man as he was so carefull so fruitfull so good shall he complaine thus what shall a company of us do Beloved those that have warmed their hearts at the fire of Gods love they thinke zeale it selfe to be coldnesse and fruitfulnesse to be barrennesse Love is a boundlesse affection hee spake not this from want of care but love knows no bounds therefore hee tooke the more opportunities of doing good Well I beseech you beloved let not this example Passe without making good use of it God will call us to a reckoning not only for what we heare but for what we see he will call us to a reckoning for the examples of his people therefore as wee see here what a holy disposition was in St. Paul and in this blessed man now with God so let us labour to finde the same disposition in our selves Paul hath now his desire hee is dissolved and he is with Christ that is best of all This holy man hath his desire he desired not to be kept from his glory and happinesse on which his mind was set before let us therefore labour with God in the use of good meanes to have the same disposition And in this moment let us provide for eternitie out of eternitie before and eternitie after issueth this little spot of time to doe good in Let us sow to the spirit account all time lost that either we doe not or take not good in opportunitie is Gods Angel time is short but opportunitie is shorter let us catch at all opportunities this is the time of working oh let us sow now shall we goe to sowing then when the time comes that wee should reap some begin to sow when they die that is the reaping time while we have time let us doe all good especially where God loves most to those that are good Consider the standings and places that God hath set us in consider the advantages in our hands the price that wee have consider opportunitie wil not stay long let us therfore doe all the good wee can and so if we doe beloved we shal come at length to reape that that this blessed Saint of God Saint Paul here in the text and this blessed man for whose cause we are now met doe enjoy Therefore if wee desire to end our dayes in ioy and comfort let us lay the foundation of a comfortable death now betimes To die well is not a thing of that light moment as some imagine it is no easie matter But to die well is a matter of every day let us daily doe some good that may helpe us at the time of our death every day by repentance pull out the sting of some sin that so when death comes we may have nothing to doe but to die to die well is the action of the whole life he never dies well for the most part that dies not daily as Paul saith of himselfe I die daily he laboured to loose his heart from the world and worldly things if we loose our hearts from the world and die daily how easie will it be to die at last he that thinks of the vanity of the world and of death of being with Christ for ever and is dying daily it will be easie for him to end his daies with comfort but the time being past I will here make an end Let us desire God to make that which hath been spoken effectuall both concerning Paul and likewife concerning this blessed man for whose cause we are met together FINIS CHRISTS SUFFERINGS FOR MANS SINNE Laid open in a Passion Sermon at Mercers Chappell London vpon Good Friday By R. SIBBS D. D. Isay. 53. 5. He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes are wee healed LONDON Printed by M. F. for R. Dawlman at the Brazen Serpent in Pauls Church-yard 1634. CHRISTS SVFFERINGS FOR MANS SINNE MATH 27. 46. About the ninth houre Iesus cryed with a loud voyce Ely Ely Lamasabac-thany that is to say My God my God wâ—y hast thou forsaken me THâ— dying speeches of men of worth are most remarkeable at that time they stirre up all their spirits abilities which remaine that they may speake with greatest advantage to the hearts of others and leave the deeper impression behind them These be some of the last words of our blessed Saviours uttered from the greatest affection with the greatest faith and to the greatest purpose that ever any words were spoken and therefore deserve your best attention In this Portion of Scripture you have Christs Compellation My God and his Complaint Why hast thou forsaken me A compellation with an ingemination or reduplication of the words My God my God to shew the strength of his affection and desire of help at this time A complaint by way of exposâ—ulation Why hast thou forsaken me I will draw all that I have to say into these foure propositions 1 That Christ was forsakenâ— 2 That hee was very sensible of it even unto complaint Why hast thou for saken me 3 His disposition and carriage in this extremity his faith failed not My God my God his present griefe tyed him the closer and faster to his God 4 Neither was it onely faith but a faith flaming in prayer wherby hee expressed that God was his God Hee not onely prayed but cryed to him My God my God c. This is the summe of what I intend Christ being in extremity was forsaken Being forsaken hee was very sensible of it and from sensiblenesse complaines powring out his soule into the bosome of his Father And not onely complaines but beleeves certainly that his Father will helpe him And to strengthen his faith the more he puts it forth in prayer the fire of faith in his heart kindled into a flame of prayer and that not in an ordinary manner but in strong supplications he cryed out My God my God why hast thou for saken me To come to the particulars Christ was forsaken I will briefly
There will abuses and disorders creepe into it so that it will need Reformation And this the Apostle seemes to insâ—nuate when hee saith The time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God The Lord saw cause for what he did For First such is the weaknesse of mans nature that evill things soone discourage us and good things except wee wrastle with our spirits prove a snare to the best Even the Church of God after a long time of peace is apt to gather corruption as water doth by standing and as the ayre it selfe will doe if it have not the winde to purge it And as it is in the bodyes of men if they be not curiously looked unto after a certaine time they will gather such a burthen of humors as will rise to a distemper so that they must be lett bloud or purged c. So it is with the Church of God Such is the infirmity of mans nature and the malice of Sathan that enemy to mankinde that the best of Gods people will quickly gather some distemper or other and stand in need of purging You know a house wil gather dust of it selfe though cleane at the first 2. Most certaine it is that the Church of God cannot be long without some affliction considering that it is now in a state of Pilgrimage absent from God in another world as it were Wee live in a grosse corrupt ayre and draw in the corruption of the times one defiling another I am a man of polluted lips saith Esay and dwell with men of polluted lips ill neighbours made him the worse This should stir us up to lament the miserable estate of mans nature that even the best of men the Church and people of God whilest they remaine in this world stand in need of continuall purging and winnowing Crosses are as necessary to us as our daily bread because we carry that about us which wants them Wee are as much beholding to Gods corrections as to his comforts in this world the Church needes keeping under for the most part God will not have us settle upon our dreggs This should teach us to bewaile our condition and to desire to be at home where we shall need no purging where wee shall be as free from sorrow as from sinne the cause of it Observe wee further that as the Church will stand in neede of chastisements so God will come and visite his Temple when need is and but when need requires neither for God is no â—yrant yet he wil shew that he hates sinne wheresoever hee finds it even in his owne deare children and servants If God should beare with the abuses and sinnes of his owne Church and People it would seem that sinne was not so contrary to his holy disposition as it is Therefore in whomsoever hee findes sinne hee will punish it Our blessed Saviour found this true when hee tooke upon him the imputation of our sinnes and became but onely a Suertie for us you see how it made him cry out My God my God why hast thou for saken mee Those glorious Creatures the very Angels themselves when they kept not their owne standing God would indure them no longer but thrust them out of heaven But why doth God chiefly afflict his owne people more then others Because they are of his owne family and are called by his name Now the disorders of the family tend to the disgrace of the Governour of it the sinnes of the church touch God more nearly then others And therefore judgments must beginne at the santuary first I will be sanctified in all that come neere mee saith God when hee smote Aarons sons The nearer wee come to God if wee maintaine not the dignitie of our profession undoubtedly the more neare will God comes to us in judgment Wee see the Angells who came nearest to God of all others when once they sinned against him they were tumbled out of heaven and cast into the bottomlesse pit Heaven could then brook them no longer Beloved the Gospel suffers much through the sides of professors What saith the wicked worldling These be your professors see what manner of lives they lead what little conscience they make of their waies c. Little doe men know how much Religion is vilified and the wayes of God evill spoken of through the loose cariage of Professors of the Gospell as if there were no force in the grace and favour of God to make us love and obey him in all things as if Religion consisted in word onely and not in power What a scandall is this to the cause of Christ It is no marvell God begins with them first You have I knowne above all the families of the earth and therefore will I punish you A man may see and passe by dirt in his grounds but he wil not suffer it in his dining Chamber he will not endure dust to be in his Parlour The sinnes of Gods house admit of a greater aggravation then the sinnes of others For 1. They are committed against more light 2. against more benefits and favours 3. their sinnes in a manner are sacriledge what to make the temple of God a den of theeves to defile their bodies and soules that are bought with the precious blood of Jesus Christ Is this a small matter Againe 4. their sinnes are Idolatry for they are not onely the house of God but the spouse of God Now for a spous to be false adulterous this is greater then fornication because the bond is nearor So the nearer any come to God in Profession the higher is the aggravation of their sinne and as their sin growes so must their punishment grow answerables and proportionable They therefore that knew Gods will most of all others must looke for most stripes if they doe it now Hence therefore learne that no Priviledge can exempt us from Gods judgments nay rather the contrary where God doth magnifie his rich goodnes and mercy to a people and is notwithstanding dishonoured by them he will at last magnifie his righteous justice in correcting such disobedient wretches Some of the Fathers were forced to justifie God in visiting his Church more sharply then other people because Christians are so much worse then others by how much they should be better Their sins open the mouths of others to blaspheme Wee should not beare out our selves on this that wee are Gods house but â—eare so much the more to offend Him else all our priviledges will but increase our guilt not our comfort Secondly if God begins with his owne house let the Church besevere in punishing sinne there most of all because Gods wrath will break out first there What a shame is it that the Heathen should make such sharp lawes against Adultery and other sins and wee let them passe with a slight or no punishment at all No doubt but God blesseth a state most