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A08488
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Sions teares leading to ioy: or The vvaters of Marah sweetned First preached at Clonenagh in the Queenes County in seuerall sermons, and now published for the benefite of the Church. By Ri: Olmstead, minister of Gods word, and Master of Arts.
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Olmstead, Richard.
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1630
(1630)
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STC 18811; ESTC S120808
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86,010
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266
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to punish and plague in his owne people a Deut. 28.47 Because thou diddest not serue the Lord thy God with cheerefulnesse and a glad heart in the abundance of all things therefore thou shalt serue thine enemies in hunger and thirst and nakednesse want of all things c. This dutie is requisite necessary in each particular seruice or worship which any man performes to God or duty of righteousnesse or loue and charitie eyther to the good or euill and I doubt not but this also springs from and is much furthered by Euangelicall and godly sorrow but yet it is not that which is my purpose to speake of and insist vpon 2. Is a grace which God giues to man as a testimonie and symptome of his acceptance of our humiliation and godly sorrow and the Lord not only commandeth his seruants to reioyce b Phil. 4.4 Reioyce in the Lord alwayes againe I say reioyce c Zeph. 3.1 Reioyce O daughter Sion be yee ioyfull O Israel be glad reioyce with all thine heart O daughter of Ierusalem So doth Dauid inioyne spirituall reioycing to all vpright hearted d Psal 32.11 riseth by three degrees as appeares in the Originall 1. Shimon of Shamac Be glad signifying inward and hearty ioy conceiued by the presence or hope of some beloved and defirable good 2. Gilae of Gil. Hormina of Râ—â—â—n Reioyce oâ— expresse the ioy by some outward gesture sometimes vsed for dauncing 3. Be ioyfull or showte for ioy thus I say not onely God commaunds his people to reioyce commaunds his Embassadors to comfort them e Is 40.1.2 Speake comfortably to Ierusalem c. but also the gracious mighty Lord is obliged bound by promise to giue them speciall ioy and gladnesse as a speciall prerogatiue and priuiledge For besides that the Gospell in generall is the doctrine of glad tydings there are particular and speciall promises for ioy f Isay 51.3 Surely the Lord shall comfort Sion he shall comfort all her desolations shall make her desert like Eden and her wildernesse like the garden of the Lord ioy and gladnesse shall he found therein â—â— Isay 65.14 prayse and the voyce of singing Againe g Iere. 31.12 My seruants shall sing for ioy of heart and yee shall cry for sorrow of heart c. And as the Lord binds himselfe in generall to exhibite giue ioy to all his seruants so more specially to those that mourne doth hee not onely promise ioy but also to perpetuate their ioy h Ioh. 6.22 And yet now therefore are in sorrow but I will see you againe and your hearts shall reioyce and your ioy shall no man take from you i Math. 5.4 Blessed art they that mourne for they shall be comforted k Psal 36.5 They that sowe in teares shall reape in ioy Againe sorrow ouer night but ioy in the morning Quest Wherein doth this promised ioy of these mourners consist And this question is necessary both to bee propounded and answered 1. In respect of the world who object and say they can see neither such joy or cause of joy in these Professors 2. In respect of many poore weake beleeuers themselues who are either in the bud and nonage of their conuersion or in some fit of temptation and desertion and so are not sensible thereof Answ Their joy ariseth two waies 1. Internally 2. Externally 1. Internall is twofold 1. in things present 2. In things to come 1. In things present and that in seuen particulars 1. They haue the presence of God like the Sun to refresh them The Lord a Eâ—ph 3.15 Ps 84.11 hath taken away thy iudgments he hath cast out thine enemy the King of Israel euen the Lord is in the middest of thee thou shalt see no more euill To this purpose speakes Dauid that God shall giue them drinke out of the riuers of his pleasures God is in the midst of his people by his special presence b Ps 36.7.8 not of his essence but of his grace is the same to them is more excellent then the Sun is to the creatures or the riuers pleasane streames to the thirfly the vision of God is the greatest felicity of the Saints in Heauen albeit their great excellency and glory and the presence vision of God by faith in the state of grace is the beleeuers speciall happines felicity euen Heauen vpon earth this the miserable mole-eyed world vnderstands nor sees not 2. â—h 14.16 They haue in theÌ„ the Spirit of God euen him that is called the Comforte whom our Sauiour prayeth may abide with them for euer which no vnregeneratâ— man hath or euer had this Spirit of God is an euerlasting spring of spirituall and heauenly joy sweetning refreshing the soule two wayes 1. In the testimony of the Spirit Iuke 10.20 that our names are written in the Booke of life wherein our blessed Sauiour hath bidden vs rejoyce rather then that the Deuils are subiected to vs and this joy by the testimony of the Apostle Peter is e vnspeakable and glorious he is the great Comforter of his Church 2. The graces of the Spirit are full of heauenly delight to bee assured that a man hath receiued them effectually and sauingly Faith hath a speciall sweetnes pleasant joy and therefore called the ioy of faith Phil. 1.25 yea the Apostle sayth it hath a power that reacheth to the consolation each of other I long to see you Rom 1.12 that I may bee comforted by our mutuall saith And if temporary faith hath such joy much more justifying sauing faith So hath hope also his pleasure delight in the expectation of the promises of this life Rom. 12.12 and the pleasures at Gods right hand for euermore 3. They haue joy in the conteÌ„plation meditation of the miseries they are freed and deliuered from as the wrath of God the power of death hell sinne the graue the deuil that the sting of a 1 Pet. 1.8 all their enemies is taken out and that they can beholde them as vanquished foes and adversaries haue they not much more cause to leape and showte for joy â—â—od 15. then Moses Aaron and Miriam the people to take the timbrell and to daunce at their deliuerance froÌ„ Pharaoh his hoste no wonder then though there is heard in all their Tabernacles and houses the voyce of melodie Psalmes and thankesgiuing 4. They haue assured knowledge of a right to all Gods promises to comfort them 2 Pet. 1.3.4 by which they are made partakers of the diuine nature This is a sweet fountaine out of which they draw waters of refreshings and joy 5. As there is great joy in the assurance and first euidence of the sauing graces of Gods Spirit planted settled in the heart so to see them bud sprout spring as men in the spring-time delight solace themselues in
which hee prayeth may possesse the Philippians mindes in Christ Iesus This is a blessing peculiar to Gods people that haue it washed by faith in the bloud of Christ and in the lauers of mortification for this can proceede from no perfection in man true it is that Adams conscience in his integrity did excuse him before God because there was nothing in him blame-worthie but since the depraued estate of man by the fall no mans conscience can excuse him For besides those palpable sins of commission and omission wherunto each mans conscience is priuy is there a man liuing whose conscience can excuse him in the best workes that euer he did may not all flesh cry out with the Church Isay 64.6 is not all our righteousnesse as filthy and menstruous cloaâ—hes Ps 43.2 c. and with the Psalmist Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall none liuing be iustified And did not the Eternall appoint A aron to offer sacrifice for the sinnes of the offerings of the children of Israell but faith assuring the heart and conscience of remission of sinnes the pacification of the wrath of God justly conceiued against vs for them breeds loue loue works godly sorrow which is a sweete witnes of Gods loue to vs and so quieteth the conscience Obi. It may be objected that many wicked mens consciences lye quiet Answ There is in man a quiet good conscience and a quiet ill conscience which is improperly said to be quiet but only seemeth to bee quiet yet is it but for a time which if it be once awaked and rowsed vp either by the law afflictions or judgments of God it will rage and storme like a fell dragon tiger or fierce cruell lion or mad dog as did the consciences of Kaim A chicophel and Iudas Mat. 27.5 The reasons why the consciences of the most wicked men lye quiet and still and that in the most till death are 1. Ignorance as did Pauls conscience he thought he did GOD seruice in persecuting the Saints and that be ought to doe many contrary things against the Name of Iesus it was the ignorance of his conscience which was the cause of his vnfeelingnes 2. Impurity for the conscience is defiled and so defileth the actions and makes them vncleane as Paul sayth Tit. 1.15 to the impure and vnbeleeuing nothing is pure for euen their minds coösciences are defiled and how can the conscience doe his office being thus defiled 3. In constant because vngrouÌ„ded and so is carried and hurried hither and thither vpon euery supposition 4. Deceitfull hauing lost the plainnesse and innocency which it had by creation and is restored to the true beleeuer by Christ 2 Cor. 1.12 which Paul rejoyced in and doth now nothing but juggle foyst and deceiue 5. Injustice so that in judging it determines against the truth against God and against the saluation of the soule a wofull condition 6. Lastly through ill vsage 〈◊〉 hath lost his tendernes for when it hath cryed oft times it hath not beene heard or not regarded or that which is worse snibbed buffeted and beaten and so resolued to admonish no more but as a scholler apprentice or seruant continually hained at buffeted and beaten growes desperate so is it with the conscience that it is like that which Paul speakes of those auncient Heretickes which had their conscience feared with a hote iâ—oo 1 Tim. 4.2 Quest How comes the conscience to make Apologie or to excuse vs from godly sorrow Answ The conscience being deliuered from darknes the Son of God inhabiting it and bringing light into it is able to discerne what the soule hath performed that which is commanded by God on his parn and the promise and covenant made by the Highest on his part by which he hath obliged himselfe to bee propitious and fauourable yea to giue comfort and joy Blessed are they that mourne Mat. 5.4 Psal 26.6 for they shall bee comforted and they that sow in teares shall reape in ioy causeth the heart to rest vpon the promises with an holy security 2. The Almighty hath appointed as all the duties of mortification to be speciall meanes of this in particular to mundifie and cleanse the conscience from that impurity and vncleannes which naturally is vpon it that a man is able to say with boldnesse as Paul Act. 23.1 I haue in all good conscience serued God vntill this day and so a great care in all things to do vprightly 3. Being thus cleansed and purified it hath in it that plainnes innocency simplicity and harmlesnes which the Apostle speakes of 2 Cor. 1.12 Our reioycing is this the testimony of our conscience that is simplicity and godly purenes c. we haue had our conuersation in the world c. 4. Which brings forth in the conscience a diuine sentence so as in determining it judgeth for God and as God according to the sacred Canon of his euerlasting word and so 5. Constancy and a kinde of habitual peace tranquility so as no power of man or Deuil can compell or shake it as Iob sayth Iob 27.6 I will keepe my righteousnes will not forsake it my heart also shall not reproue me of my dayes 6. And so becomes a continuall refreshing yea as Salomon saith Trev. 15.15 a good conscience is a continuall feast it will dwel with him be with him at bed and board ride with him be a sweet companion with him when hee is alone comfort him in his most vncomfortable afflictions like a louing faithful wife that no chaunges or alterations can transmutate her affectionate heart from her dearest beloued husband so is it with this blessed guest a quiet good conscience arising from the sence of our reconciliation with God wil make apology or defence for vs against the world Deuill in all times places companies c. Thus haue I according to my poore talent opened and vnfolded this point of godly sorrow which is one of the greatest paradoxes in all practicall Diuinity with as much plainnesse and perspicuity as possibly I can if I should further proceed as I haue begun in the other fiue signes notes of Godly sorrow 2 Cor. 7.11 which the Apostle Paul hath set downe in the Corinths I should be tedious therefore there being amoÌ„gsâ— Diuines no difference about the interpretation of them I referrâ— thee to the blessed labors of thaâ— Diuine Master Caluin Caluines institut Commentariis in 2 Cor. 7.11 Sermon of repentance as also thaâ— worthy Master Arthure Deuâ— who doe particularly handle thâ— onely a word or two by way oâ— exhortation or vse 1. Here is a sound ground oâ— consolation and comfort for aâ—â— true humbled soules if it be truâ— godly sorrow they may say with Iob After darknes I shall see light this sence of misery shall bring me to the sweet sence of mercy this sorrow may last for a night but ioy