three supplications to the Iudge we would aske him presently But what answere receiued you If he should tell vs nay I neuer lookt to that we would not thinke hee should speed much the better for all his supplications Such is the case of hypocrites that draw neere vnto God with their lips but not with their hearts though they thinke themselues the safer and better for that yet in truth they are not because they had neuer in their liues any signe of Gods loue towards them for good vpon the making of their suites knowne vnto him And therefore let them get some of this store for that is it that will stand them more in stead than all the goods in the world Vse 2 Secondly here is a vse of comfort for them that haue lost the sight and feeling of Gods fauor Had they it euer at all Then they shall bee sure to haue it againe Psal 77.3.4.5.6 For this was Dauids case Hee did thinke on God and was more troubled hee prayed and his spirit was full of anguish and all seemed to make against him What then I considered saith hee the daies of old and the yeeres of ancient time I called to remembrance my song in the night I communed with mine owne heart and my spirit searched diligently c. He recounts with himselfe how faithfull hee had beene vnto God how mercifull God had beene vnto him and then his little sparke of hope and comfort became a great flame If a man haue old prouision he will doe well enough in the hardest times If one can say frō an humble and sincere heart Lord thou knowest that I haue shed many a bitter teare in secret for my sinnes I haue often with ioy praised thee for thy mercies and powred out my heart in singing Psalmes in priuate I haue sought thee in the night when no bodie was by when no eye was priuie vnto it and at such times thou hast vouchsafed to looke downe from heauen with a mercifull eye vpon me and hast filled my soule with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious c. If I say one haue these and the like euidences from former experience hee may assure his heart that God will still be found of him in goodnesse till the shutting vp of his daies and neuer withdraw his louing kindnesse from him Obiect Oh but now God frownes vpon mee and withholds his louing countenance from me Answer What then Hath there not beene a time when you could say God drew neere vnto you and beheld you with a fauourable eye Yes they cannot denie that why then neuer feare he will returne againe though hee hide his face for a time Albeit heauinesse may indure for a night Psal 30.5 yet ioy shall come in the morning For if God bee once ours hee is euer ours And this should bee the staffe and stay of Christians when they haue lost their feeling Vers 56. Stop not thine eare from my sigh and from my cry Here is shewed what seruice they brought vnto God they did not pray alone but sigh nor sigh alone but cry That is they drew forth their prayers from a feruent heart which was as a thirstie land that gapes for the raine and is euen readie to eate vp and to deuoure the clouds Which words afford vs this doctrine Doct. 5 That they that would not haue God to shut his eares against their prayers Feruencie in prayer requisite Ioel 2.13 must bee sure that they sigh and crie and that their petitions proceede from a broken heart and from an humble spirit So the Prophet Ioel bids them rend your hearts and not your garments c. For till the heart be euen puld in pieces by godly sorrow sinne and lust will not out and then there can bee no acceptance looked for with God either of vs or of our seruices Psal 51.17 Therefore Dauid saith the sacrifices of God are a contrite spirit a contrite and broken heart O Lord thou wilt not despise Mark 7.34 1. Sam. 1.15 Therefore did Christ grone in his spirit when he prayed for that poore man in the Gospell So did Hannah sigh and weepe sore and powred out her soule before God Reason And there is good reason to moue vs to labor thus inwardly to bee touched For till wee haue the sense and feeling of our wants wee may well speake but wee can neuer pray till the heart be pained with sinne and corruption it is impossible to be feruent for the pardon of it as it is for one that hath no feeling of pouertie earnestly to intreat for a supply of his necessities and for one that hath no sense of his sicknesse to be an instant suter for the meanes of health Vse 1 First this serues for the reproofe of those that come with drowsie and verball prayers who deale like corrupt and naughtie Lawyers that looke for a fee and yet when they are at the barre tell a drowsie and idle tale without any feeling of their clients cause So many there are that come with words of course to intreat God to pardon their sins and strengthen their faith but neuer powre out their soules before God but onelie spend a little breath And they speed accordingly for their cold prayers bring but cold successe And this is true not onelie of the wicked Psal 32. but euen of the godly Dauid rored and cried but hee was neuer the better till hee confessed his sinne being inwardly grieued for the same but then both sinne and punishment were remoued at once This may teach vs to striue with the Lord in our prayers and supplications laboring for this crying and sighing that is so needefull and then dooing as here the Church did wee shall speed as they did Many there are that sigh in their troubles Iam. 5.9 But how Iames telles vs They sigh one against another and not vnder the burden of their sinnes nor through an earnest desire of Gods mercie They sigh vnder the waight of vnkindnesses that lie vpon them and clamor against men but haue little feeling of their owne vnkindnesses against God to bee humbled for them But these are sighs of the flesh and not of the spirit Let vs grone from a broken heart and the Lord will giue vs life Isa 57.15 when wee are troubled in spirit and the longer we waite and crie the greater measure of comfort we shall haue and the longer it shall tarrie with vs. Vers 57. Thou drewest neere Not in his essence for so is hee alwaies alike neere but in his mercifull presence and with gratious deliuerance Which words thus vnderstood doe yeeld vs this point of doctrine Doct. 6 That in the day that wee draw neere to God in prayer God will draw neere to vs in mercie God is as readie to heare as vve to pray when we send vp our petitions vnto him he will send downe speedie and comfortable helpe vnto vs. Those that are suters vnto God shall bee alwaies
TWO SERMONS ON THE THIRD OF THE LAMENTATIONS OF IEREMIE Preached at Hanwell in the first yeare of his Maiesties raigne 1602. The one by I. D. the other by R. C. PHILIP 3.1 It grieueth me not to write the same things to you and for you it is a sure thing ISAIAH 55.3 Hearken and your soule shall liue AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston for Ionas Man and are to be sold at the signe of the Starre at the West dore of Paules Church in London 1608. To the Christian Reader HAuing occasion to reuise notes of certaine Sermons taken by penne from their mouthes whose labours both in word and writing haue been and are no lesse profitable than acceptable vnto Gods Church I thought it not amisse to take some small paines to copie out some of them that if perhaps they should be thought worthie of publike view they might be offered to the light if not they might be reserued for more pruiate vse Amongst the rest I iudged these two Sermons not the vnfittest for such a purpose and so did others whose incouragement also I had for the publishing of them They were preached in the beginning of his Maiesties raigne at that time when generall humiliation by fasting was by authoritie enioyned vpon occasion of the Pestilence then dangerously dispersed which albeit through Gods mercifull prouidence it be now well allayed yet the infection of sinne the very true cause thereof still remaineth and gathereth new strength For the staying whereof if any remedie may be gotten hence I hope for more easie pardon from the authors of my boldenes in publishing and from the reader for my many faylings in penning these their labors I did my best in taking from them and offering vnto thee that and in a manner nothing but that which they then deliuered The substance of the matter I doubt not is all sound and will much content a wise and well affected heart The manner and forme of words and sentences is more imperfect than in the deliuerie it was or now might haue beene if the authors had either penned it before the preaching thereof or vndertaken the thorow polishing of it since But howsoeuer sith that could not bee obtained which might haue beene wished my desire was greater to satisfie thirstie soules with this that is done then was my feare to offend curious heads and itching eares by the manner of doing it IOHN WINSTON THE FIRST SERMON Lamentations chap. 3. vers 48. c. 48 Mine eye casteth out riuers of water for the destruction of the daughter of my people 49 Mine eye droppeth without stay and ceaseth not 50 Till the Lord looke downe and beholde from heauen 51 Mine eye breaketh mine heart because of all the daughters of my citie 52 Mine enemies chased me sore like a bird without cause 53 They shut vp my life in the dungeon and cast a stone vpon me 54 Waters flowed ouer my head then thought I I am destroyed ALL these words doe containe a Lamentation of Ieremie and of the rest of Gods people for the iudgements of God on his Church and on Ierusalem his owne citie and for the miserie and calamitie that lay vpon their whole state After this sort they bewaile their heauie case Mine eye casteth out riuers of water c. Now this Lamentation is set forth The diuisiō 1 Partly by the manner of it and 2 Partly by the causes of it 1 The manner of it is declared in the foure former verses and that by diuers circumstances namely 1 By the greatnesse of it for in regard of the miserie of the daughter of his people hee did not onely moisten his eyes with teares but sent forth riuers of teares vers 48. which is an excessiue kinde of speech vsuall in the Scriptures and signifying that he wept abundantly 2 It is set out by the continuance of it Mine eye droppeth without stay and ceaseth not vers 49. Neither shall it cease but I will continue lamenting till the Lord looke downe from heauen and shew some signe that hee doth beholde and pitie our estate vers 50. 3 Their lamentation is set out by the sinceritie of it that it proceeded from trueth and vprightnesse Mine eye breaketh mine heart vers 51. That is the things that I see with mine eye doe cause me to lament wonderfully so heauie is the case of all the daughters of my citie that it euen breaketh my very heart 2 The causes of it are of two sorts 1 Inward which was griefe of heart vers 51. 2 Outward which was the crueltie of their enemies which crueltie is set forth 1 By a similitude taken from fowlers Mine enemies haue chased me sore like a bird vers 52. Implying thereby that they made it a sport a recreation and trade to pursue Gods seruants they did as it were goe a hawking after innocent and harmelesse soules 2 Their crueltie is described by a comparison taken from hunters who vsed to digge pits to the intent that great beasts might fal into them and so be intrapped and thē they would throw stones at them or vse some such meanes to kill them when they durst not goe downe into the pit where they were Such were the plots and endeuours of their aduersaries they were as cunning and as eager in their attempts against the people of God as men would be in killing a Beare or a Lion that otherwise would kill them if they were at libertie vers 53. 3 Lastly their crueltie is set out by a comparison drawne from the inundation of waters their rage was like the violence of mightie riuers and floods that ouerflowe and drowne all that comes in their way vers 54. Vers 48. Mine eye casteth out riuers of water Their affliction was so sore that their case in regard of any earthly succour that could be expected was helplesse and remedilesse In vaine it was to speake vnto men for they were inexorable because they were mercilesse in vaine it was to take weapons they had had too much of that before and by that meanes Zedekiah had euen vndone them and as for other helps they were as farre to seeke as for these Now therefore they fall to weeping and seeke to relieue themselues by teares and by sighes and grones before the Lords throne in heauen Whence ariseth this doctrine That godly sorrow and holy affliction is the best remedie in any sorrow and affliction whether it be from men Doct. 1. Godly sorrow a soueraigne remedie from Sathan or from God himselfe whether it be on bodie on state on name or on the minde and soule of a man whether it bee on particular persons our selues or those that are about vs or on the whole land on church or commonwealth this is the most soueraigne remedie in all miseries and extremities whatsoeuer This inward godly griefe is a salue for euery sore and a plaister for euery wound To weepe and cry and powre out our hearts before God is that course that
guiltie soules though they haue beene full of boasting in the daies of their iolitie and haue vaunted what a notable faith they haue yet as Zephanie saith in that day the strong man shall cry bitterly Zeph. 1.14 Howsoeuer they imagine to put off these things yet let them know that their strength wil be found too weake and their skill too small to ward off the Lords blowes The thiefe that hath courage enough to rob and steale vpon the high-waies side yet hath hee little enough when his poore executioner is to deale with him euen so shall it bee with all wicked and proud men when the time of their execution doth approach their hearts shall faile them for the things that shall come vpon them and continue vpon them for euermore Vse 2 2 Secondly this doctrine offereth vnto the godly matter of great consolation albeit their case many times seeme vncomfortable yet they must not iudge according to that which they see for God many times laies such afflictions vpon them that their case is thought both by themselues and others to be desperate and vnrecouerable and yet indeede it is happie and blessed As it fared with Paul who had the sentence of death past vpon him 2. Cor. 4.11 and died dailie almost so that when hee went out in the morning hee was in danger to be slaine ere he returned home againe and yet God did vphold him and made him hereby more confidently and comfortably to rest and relie vpon him So the good Prophets wife thought all help was gone 2. Kings 4.1 c. her husband was gone her goods gone her labor gone her children like to be gone and she had no meanes in the world to relieue her selfe yet euen then when she was almost past hope God prouided a competent estate for her So Hezekiah concludes that hee was gone he should neuer goe to the temple any more Jsa 38.10 neuer see man more among the inhabitants of the world his webbe was cut off c. with many speeches to this effect and yet wee reade how God restored him againe and prolonged his life for many yeares Say then that one haue great discomforts in his soule great breaches in his estate grieuous and dangerous sicknesse vpon his body c. yet here is his comfort that God that raised vp others can and will in due time raise vp him Obiect Oh but my faith faileth me and is it not said according to your faith it shal be vnto you Answer True if you haue no faith you can looke for no mercie but if you haue any faith at all it shal be with you according therevnto but how farre beyond it God tels you not for hee doth for vs many times aboue that that wee can aske or thinke But you imagine you haue no more faith than you haue feeling whereas it is farre otherwise there may be much faith and little feeling faith may be strong and yet strongly assaulted comfort may be departed and yet not vtterlie lost wee may feare wee are cut off and yet not perish for Gods strength and perfection is seene in our weakenesse and imperfection though wee cannot beleeue yet God is still faithfull though children will not credit their parents yet they will relieue their necessities and so will God ours albeit through weakenes of faith wee cannot so fullie apprehend and apply his promises to our selues He sees it is not maliciousnesse nor grosse infidelitie in vs and therefore he will pitie vs and beare with vs rather than in seueritie proceede against vs. FINIS THE SECOND SERMON Lamentations chap. 3. vers 55. c. 55 I called vpon thy name O Lord out of the low dungeon 56 Thou hast heard my voice stoppe not thine eare from my sigh and from my crie 57 Thou drewest neere in the day that I called vpon thee thou saidst Feare not 58 O Lord thou hast maintained the cause of my soule and hast redeemed my life 59 O Lord thou hast seene my wrong iudge thou my cause 60 Thou hast seene all their vengeance and all their deuises against me 61 Thou hast heard their reproach O Lord and all their imaginations against me YOu heard in the words immediatly going before The connexion the wofull distresse that the children of God were driuen vnto how they were cast into the dungeon and stript of all outward and inward comforts Now here he shewes what remedie they vsed they cast their burden vpon the Lord and hoped for succour at his hands and the reasons that mooue them so to doe are set downe in the text to be two First The diuision and meaning of the words one is taken from their present behauiour towards God which was that they prayed and sighed and cryed vers 55.56 And that they might bee so much the more regarded they declare that it was not without cause that they were so earnest with God for they called vpon him out of the low dungeon vers 55. that is out of great and grieuous affliction And yet further mischiefe was intended and their aduersaries did speake and plot all crueltie against them vers 60. Thou hast seene all their vengeance and all their deuices against me 61. Thou hast heard their reproch c. And that this might appeare not to be a false imagination and conceite of their owne he saith Lord thou hast seene my wrong c. Thou hast seene all their rage 59. 60. They are all euident and apparant before thee how closely and couertly soeuer matters be caried in respect of men 2 The second reason is drawne from Gods former goodnes and gratious dealing towards them Hee had heard them and drawne neere vnto them he had considered of them and of their cause and they knew hee was still as good as he was wont to be and they vsed as good meanes as they were wont to doe and therefore they conclude that he that drew neere vnto them heretofore would now doe the like againe vers 57.58 These considerations doe reuiue their spirits and raise their hearts euen out of the pit of desperation And thus much for the meaning and order of the words Now let vs harken vnto such doctrines and instructions as are therein contained for our learning Vers 55. I called vpon thy name This is the speech of the whole Church who by reason that they are members of one bodie and temples of one spirit are brought in speaking throughout this whole booke as if they were but one person By low dungeon is meant desperate euils they were as it were shut vp in a dungeon where they had no hope of escaping yet out of the depth of miserie and anguish and horror they called vpon the Lord. Whence naturallie ariseth this doctrine Doct. 1. The faithfull can neuer be driUen from prayer That there is no distresse no breaking and crushing whatsoeuer that shall hinder Gods people from praying vnto him It may for a passion and a
of a happie issue out of all straites and difficulties as wee see in Dauid who hauing committed himselfe to God Psal 3. who was able and had promised to helpe him hee triumphs ouer all his enemies and saith he will not feare though ten thousand should compasse him round about That was some oddes and one would thinke he had little neede to vse such speeches but rather to runne away as fast as hee could at least hee should take little sleepe in the night so long as hee was in such danger or if hee did lie downe and sleepe hee should haue little hope to rise againe in the morning yet wee see vers 5. that hee laid him downe and slept and rose againe because the Lord sustained him and this he got by calling vpon God as it is vers 4. 2 Secondly if we would not be oppressed with feares labor to be righteous for wickednesse makes men dastardlie whereas righteousnesse makes men stout as Lyons 2. Righteousnes Pro. 28.1 that will not looke ouer the shoulder for the barking of euery dogge but walke on without all feare Indeede the child of God will not bee presumptuous neither will hee bee timorous though his enemies sinne Satan and the world bee strong yet hee knows God is stronger and that none euill can come vnto him without the Lord. Which if wee can thorowly meditate vpon and take this receite euerie morning to season our hearts with the feare of God and to wash our hearts and hands from vnrepented sins walke where wee will so it be in our waies nothing shall be able to hurt vs. Vers 58. Thou hast maintained the cause of my soule That is thou hast stood on my part and freed mee from death that was intended against mee For though my name and libertie and riches bee taken from mee yet my life is redeemed and that is thy mercie that bodie and soule are not yet parted Whence the doctrine is Doct. 8. God vpholds his Isa 44.23 That God is the maintainer and vpholder of his people Howsoeuer Kings and Princes bee nursing fathers vnto Gods Church yet that is not because hee needs them but because he would doe them a good turne in imploying them in his seruice And therefore may God be called the vpholder of his people because he saues them frō their firmes and from the punishments due to their sins which no man can doe He watches ouer them night and day and waters them euerie moment Jsa 27.3 and hee will contend with them that contend against his people This should strike a terror into the hearts of those that are iniurious vnto Gods seruants they are bold where the hedge is lowest euerie dwarfe aduentures to leape ouer But let them know that God is as a wall of fire about his Church and hee will maintaine the right of his children Indeede their props are and still haue beene so weake their enemies so strong the standers against them so shamefull and the oppositions so continuall that it is a miracle the Church stands to this day but God hath beene and euer will bee the vpholder of it and therefore it must needs goe ill with those that lift vp themselues against it Vse 2 Secondly here is a notable consolation for the afflicted people of God Howsoeuer they haue fewe meanes and few friends and where they should haue most helpe they haue least where they looked for comfort they finde discomfort and where they thought to bee enriched they are impouerished yet if they can pray all shall bee well If money and friends and large reuenues and the like had beene the vpholders of the Church it would haue gone to the ground long ere this But what saith the Church here O Lord thou hast maintained the cause of my soule There is our stay let vs bee sure wee haue a good cause and lay it before Gods iudgement seate and then though wee be ouerborne God will not bee ouerborne but hee will stand on our side euen hee that loues goodnesse and hates wickednesse and will be auenged on those that bend themselues and their endeuors to do mischiefe vnto his people Wee would willinglie haue him to bee our Iudge who is most iust who carries the greatest loue to vs and our cause and the hardest mind against our aduersaries such an one is God And therefore seeing we haue a good cause to stand in euen the matter of our saluation and enemies whom God hates with a deadly hatred the diuell the world and the flesh c. this should put life and heart into vs to goe vnto Christ Iesus our Iudge who hath so dearely loued vs as to lay downe his life for vs and for the destruction of all our enemies When wee are ouercharged with burdens and temptations let vs lay them vpon him and say Lord thou hast vndertaken to comfort thy children I am not able to vndergoe this that is vpon mee therefore doe thou maintaine my cause and helpe and deliuer mee from my miserie Vers 59. Thou hast seene my wrong From these words this doctrine may be collected Doct. 9. All vvrōgs knovvne to God That there is nothing done spoken or thought against any Christian but God takes knowledge of it there is not one practise slander or deuice of cruell beasts against the sheepe of Christ but God sees it and markes it And this must needs be so Reason 1 1 First because they are his flocke and therefore hee loues to looke vnto them especiallie sith hee hath paide so deerely for them 2 Secondly it is his nature to behold all things Psal 94. Eph. 4.6 For he that made the eye shall not he see c. He is aboue vs all and through vs all and in vs all Yea wee are as it were the apple of his eye Now it is a hard matter for one to come with thornes to put out anothers eye and he not take notice of it and 3 Thirdly God doth the rather obserue the indignities that are offered vnto his children because their profane aduersaries doe hate his image in them For when they were as bad as themselues they could liue with them twentie or thirtie yeares and be good friends with them but when once they renounce the seruice of Satan and of their owne lusts vnto which they are in bondage still then they oppose with might and maine against them Psal 69.7 and therefore it is said for thy sake haue we suffred rebuke shame hath couered our face 4 The fourth and last reason why God must needs take notice of the wrongs done vnto his seruants is because it belongs to him to reward euerie one according to their workes Reuel 20.12 Hee must and will giue them full pay and therefore hee keeps all vpon iust and due record As the workes of the righteous shall stand for them so shall the workes of reprobates be written in great capitall letters against them that all the world may take notice of them at the last day Vse This offers vnto vs matter of singular comfort Howsoeuer the aduersaries be busie and watchful to plot and procure the hurt of Gods Church they cannot be so vigilant for the hurt of it as God is watchfull for the good of it and therefore they may bee sure they shall haue a happie issue out of all their troubles if so be they can make their mone to God and waite patientlie for his mercie Obiection But what neede wee lay open our griefes before him seeing that hee knows them all before hand Answere Though he doe know them yet he would haue you to preferre your bill of complaint and that will be for the increase of your comfort and further experience of his loue and howsoeuer hee purpose to destroy the wicked yet would he haue you to go on in your suite against them still Neither is this to bee restrained onelie to corporall enemies but it holds much more strongly for spirituall enemies Say a man bee surcharged with sinne and Satan let him bemone his case before the Lord and it will be a marueilous ease vnto him If one of our children should but say father or mother I am exceeding sicke readie to saint vnder my paines c. hee neede say no more this would set their hearts and hands a worke to doe him good And is there not far more loue in our heauenly Father Yes surely and therefore in all such extremities let God be our refuge and let vs cast all our cares and sorrows vpon him who is able and willing to beare them and in due season to free vs from them and in the end to make vs gainers by them FINIS