as any that they could heare yet could they receive no comfort or benefit at all by it Moses spake so saith the text Exod. 6. 9. unto the children of Israel but they hearkned not unto Moses for anguish of spirit and for cruell bondage 3. Admit we were never so able and fit to minde this matter then and to go about this weighty businesse admit we could be then more apt to seeke reconciliation with God than at any other time yet have we just cause to feare that because we have wilfully neglected this worke so long and presumptuously put it off till the last houre the Lord in his righteous judgement will refuse to be found of us at that time Thus we shall find the Lord hath threatned to do Prov. 1. 24 26 28 29. Because I have called saith he and ye refused I have stretched out mine hand and no man regarded I also will laugh at your calamity I will mocke when your feare commeth Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seeke me early but they shall not find me for that they hated knowledge and did not choose the feare of the Lord. Now if you shall aske me how may this be done I answer That he that would make this sure to himselfe that when he dies he shall go to heaven must do these three things 1. He must repent of all his knowne sinnes He must call them to mind bewaile them unfainedly confesse them to God and crave earnestly of him the pardon of them and resolve with himselfe to forsake them all For 1. Sinne is the sâ—ing of death as the Apostle cals it 1 Cor. 15. 56. And if that be once done away and forsaken death can never hurt a man nor hath he any cause to feare it at all 2. On the other side no man can hope to go to heaven with his sinnes unrepented of Know ye not saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 6. 9. that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdome of God Be not deceived neither fornicators nor idolaters nor adulterers nor effeminate nor abusers of themselves with mankind nor theeves nor covetous nor drunkards nor revilers nor extortioners shall inherit the kingdome of God Any one of these sinnes unrepented of will certainly exclude a man utterly out of the kingdome of heaven 3. Though it be dangerous for a man to live in sinne yet is it a matter of farre greater danger to him to die in sinne and to be over-taken by death before he have repented of it This our Saviour noteth as the extreme unhappinesse of the wicked Iewes and repeats it often Iohn 8. 21. 24. that they should die in their sinnes 2. Get good assurance by a lively faith that Christ is thine and then shalt thou be able to die in peace and in a certaine hope to go to heaven when thou art dead When old Simeon had seene Christ whom he had waited for by faith and longed to see and was thereby confirmed much in that faith he had in him before He blessed God anâ— said Luke 2. 28 29 30. Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace for mine eyes have seene thy salvation They that have once seene and embraced Christ as he did spiritually by faith I meane and not corporally onely shall die in peace and none but they can do so For 1. It is Christ onely that hath overcome death for us and taken away the sting of it When the Apostle had said 1 Cor. 15. 56. that sin is the sting of death But thanks be to God saith he Verse 57. which giveth us victory through our Lord Iesus Christ. Death is overcome so that it cannot hurt the true believer at all but him that is nor in Christ it will sting unto death even unto the second death 2. We can have no hope to come to heaven but onely through him Christ is in you saith the Apostle Col. 1. 27. the hope of glory There is no hope to come to glory but onely by Christ. Nay there is no hope to come to glory through him unlesse he be in us unlesse he dwell in us by a lively faith 3. If thou wouldst be sure to go to heaven when thou diest labour whilest thou livest to lead an unblameable a godly and fruitfull life even to do all the good that God gives thee power and opportunity to do As we have opportunity saith the Apostle Gal. 6. 10. which none of us can tell how soone it may be taken from us let us do good unto all men especially unto them that are of the houshold of faith See what comfort Hezechia found in this when he was to die Remember now O Lord I beseech thee saith he Esa. 38. 3. how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart have done that which is good in thy sight Now on his death-bed his conscience gave this comfortaâ—â—e testimony unto him that he had lead a holy life and now doth he even before the Lord comfort himselfe in that against the feare of death See also what a testimony the holy Apostle gives unto good workes even to the workes of charity and mercy in this case Charge them that are 〈◊〉 in this world saith he 1 Tim. 6. 17 19. that they 〈◊〉 good that they be rich in good workes ready to distribute willing to communicate laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come that they may lay hold on eternall life Workes of charity not as a meritorious cause of salvation but as a sure evidence that by a lively faith we have interest and title to the merits of Christ shal be rewarded with stable and durable riches in time to come and will make a man able with confidence of hope to lay hold on eternall life And that which the Apostle saith of certaine bad men 2 Cor. 11. 15. that their end shal be according to their workes may be said of all good men also their end shal be according to their workes A good life will certainly end in a blessed and comfortable death Foure things are wont to be objected against this which I will briefly give answer unto Experience sheweth daily that many do die willingly and quietly and comfortably also that have neither lived so unblameably and fruitfully nor used any such means to prepare themselves for death as you have prescribed To this I answer 1. That we may not thinke that every one that dies quietly and speakes gloriously of his willingnesse to die and of the peace and comfort that he finds in the assurance of his salvation doth die happily and comfortably indeed For the Holy Ghost speaks of some that were most wâ—cked and wretched men that have no bands in their death Psal. 73. 4. In outward things all things aswell in death as in life fall alike to good and bad as Salomon saith Eccles. 9. 2. 2. We have just cause to suspect the peace
l have sinned and have done wickedly but these sheepe what have they done He knew well that not the sinnes of those that perished in that grievous plague but his owne sinnes had a chiefe hand in provoking GOD unto that judgement So that we see that there is no one man amongst us all that hath not just reason to be affected with GODS judgements upon the Land though himselfe be spared seeing that he is a cause of it as well as they that are smitten and it may be as great a cause as they nay it may be a greater cause than any of them were And this was that that made good Nehemiah cry thus in his prayer unto GOD Neh. 1. 6. Both I and my fathers house have sinned As if he had said that Ierusalem prospers no better I and my fathers house are as great a cause as any other We have heard the Doctrine which this example of David teacheth us delivered and confirmed in a generall manner let us now come to make use of it and to apply it to our owne case and to the occasion of our meeting at this time This Doctrine therefore serveth to exhort us unto two duties 1. That we would labour to take to heart and to be rightly affected with this judgement of GOD that is now upon London and sundry other parts of the Kingdome 2. That when we are rightly affected with it we would make right use of it to our selves For the first You will say it is a needlesse exhortation for who is not affected with this plague who is not affraid of it and wherefore come we hither els if we be not affected with it I answer That none of us I feare are sufficiently affected with it and that this is the fountaine and foundation of all good uses we can make of it either for their benefit that are visited with it or for our selves that we would labour to be affected with this judgement of GOD as we ought to be I will therefore shew you what just causes we have to be deeply affected with this judgement And they are principally three First In respect of the grievousnesse of the judgement it selfe For wee shall finde this called one of GODS sore judgements Ezek. 14. 21. And when the LORD threatens that Hee Himselfe would fight against Ierusalem with an out-stretched hand and a strong arme even in anger and in fury and in great wrath Ier. 21. 5. He tels them in the next Verse how He would do this He would smite the city with a great pestilence Certainly the LORD therefore now fights against our Land yea He fighteth against it in fury and in great wrath Observe foure things in this judgement 1. What a waster it is Psal. 91. 6. it is called the destruction that wasteth at noone-day In a short time even in three dayes it consumed seventy thousand in Israel 2 Sam. 24. 15. A grievous judgement it must needs be when GOD Himselfe matcheth a pestilence of three dayes continuance as a thing of equall force to afflict and destroy with a famine of seven yeares and with flying by the space of three moneths before their enemies that pursued them as we know He doth 2 Sam. 24. 13. And hath not the pestilence that GOD hath now sent into our Land proved a terrible waster when in one weeke in one City it hath swept away three thousand five hundred eighty two 2. Consider how suddenly it takes them away that have beene smitten with it many that were well in the morning have beene dead of it before night it is therefore called the LORDS arrow Psal. 91. 5. It strikes and pierceth men suddenly with a deadly wound and Vers. 6. it is said to walke in darknesse And certainly sudden death though it be not absolutely to be prayed against yet it is to be esteemed a temporall judgement and a signe of GODS anger Let destruction come upon him at unawares saith the Prophet here Vers. 8. It must needs add much to the bitternesse of death when it comes so suddenly that a man can neither commend himselfe to GOD nor set things in order for the world before he die 3. Consider it is such a judgement as oft makes men destroyers of them whom they most love and desire to keepe alive the father setting at unawares the infection upon the child the husband on the wife a man on his dearest friend A great cause of humbling it is for a man to have killed any other man at unawares as you may see by that law Numb 35. 28. and what is it then to have killed them that are dearest to them 4. It is such a sicknesse as doth usually debarre men of many comforts that other sicke persons do enjoy First many that are visited with this sicknesse do want convenient attendance and lodging dying in the streets and high-wayes of whom that may be said Esa. 51. 20. Thy sonnes have fainted they lie at the head of all streets the fury of the LORD the rebuke of thy GOD. Secondly their friends dare not visit them which as it is a worke of mercy so it is a great meanes of comfort to the afflicted and such as CHRIST hath enjoyned us Mat. 25. 36. 3. Whereas none have so much need of spirituall comfort as they because the very disease makes them more subject to terrors and feares than others and is therefore called the terrour by night Psal. 91. 5. they poore wretches can have none to comfort them but may in anguish of soule cry out Lam. 1. 16. The comforter that should relieve my soule is farre from me So that in respect of this first consideration the grievousnesse of the judgement it selfe they may cry to us all and to all GODS people throughout the Land as Lam. 1. 12. Is it nothing to you all ye that passe by Behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow wherewith the LORD hath afflicted me in the day of His anger And will you not be affected with it Secondly if this will not serve come to a second cause we have to be deeply affected with it because none of us can tell how farre it may go how neare it may come to our owne dwellings In which respect though we may say as Namb. 16. 46. we are sure wrath is gone out from the LORD the plague is begun yet as the Psalmist saith Psal. 74. 9. There is not amongst us any that knoweth how long it will last or how farre it will spread Let no man say I am farre enough from London I dwell in a good ayre and we have taken good order to prevent all danger of this infectioâ—s disease no carriers shall come from thence to us no Londoners shall lodge amongst us These are good meanes I will not deny if they be used with that compassion that becomes Christians to shew unto them in misery and must not be neglected But all these cannot secure us from
convert the heart of every one in it yet to keepe them from open and scandalous offences Certainly we do not make the right use we ought of this heavy scourge of God unlesse we be made thereby more carefull to reforme our families For this cause the Lord said He would not conceale from Abraham His purpose against the Sodomites because He knew that he would make this use of it For I know him saith the Lord Gen. 18. 19. that he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keepe the way of the Lord to doe justice and judgement that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which He hath spoken of him 1. Abraham upon the knowledge and observation of Gods wrath even upon the Sodomites would become more carefull to looke to his whole family and to reforme it 2. God would assist and blesse him in this his endeavour and he should see the fruit of it in his family 3. This care that Abraham had of his family should be a principall meanes to make good unto him all Gods promises to bring upon him and make sure unto him all the blessings and good things that God had promised unto him and without this he could have had no assurance of them O that we could once believe and take to heart these things Certainly one maine cause of this and all other judgements that are upon our Land is the want of care that is in them that professe themselves to be the people of God in reforming their families whether they of their family be drunkards or sober persons blasphemers or such as feare an oath uncleane or chast prophane or religious is all one to them The fourth and last way whereby we must make right use to our selves of this judgement is this it must make us more mercifull to them that are in distresse and more ready to relieve them Nothing will give us more assurance to be freed from the plague our selves or to find comfort and strength in it if God shall please to visit us by it than this When Gods heavy hand did hang over Nebuchadnezzar Daniel speakes thus unto him Dan. 4. 27. Wherefore O King let my counsell be acceptable unto the and breake off thy sinnes by righteousnesse and thine iniquities by shewing mercy vnto the poore if it may be a lengthning to thy tranquillity As if he should have said if any thing will lengthen thy tranquillity and keepe off the judgement threatned this is likely to do it Remember what ourblessed Saviour hath said of this Mat. 5. 7. Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtaine mercy Nothing will give a man more assurance to find mercy with God in the time of his distresse than this will Remember also what His holy Apostle saith of this Iam. 2. 13. He shal have judgement without mercy that sheweth no mercy If either the plague or any other judgement seize upon that man that hath beene void of mercy it shal be upon him without all mixture of mercy he shall have no comfort of Gods mercy in it and mercy rejoyceth or boasteth against judgement The mercifull man shall not feare this or any other judgement before it come as other men do and if it do light upon him he shall rejoyce and find a comfortable sense of Gods mercy in it And remember this at this time especially now you have kept a day of humbling your selves before God know that there is nothing that will more grace our solemne services before God specially services of this kind nothing will make them more acceptable unto Him than when we shall therein manifest and declare our selves to be mercifull and bountifull unto the poore Is not this the fast that I have chosen saith the Lord Esa. 58. 6 7. to loose the bands of wickednesse to undoe the heavy burdens and to let the oppressed go free and that ye breake every yoke Is it not to deale thy bread to the hungry and that thou bring the poore that are cast out to thine house When thou seest the naked that thou cover him and that thou hide not thy selfe from thine own flesh SERMON II. Aug. 17. 1625. FOlloweth the duty whereby David expressed his love and compassion to these men he prayed for them For though this be not expressed in the first part of the verse where the duty is mentioned that he performed towards these men in their misery yet is it evident 1. By the expresse words of the last clause of the verse where he mentioneth the successe he had in the duty he performed for them and 2. by this also that he saith he fasted and humbled his soule for them for in all fasts and exercises of humiliation that Gods people have kept prayer was the chiefe duty they performed and all other things they did in those exercises they did onely to helpe and further themselves in prayer Esa. 58. 3. To make their voice to be heard on high and Ion. 3. 8. to make them cry more mightily unto God The Doctrine then that we are to learne from this example of David is this That a chiefe duty we are to performe to them that are in misery is to pray for them See the proofe of the point in five degrees 1. This is a chiefe duty whereby we do expresse the truth of our love unto any and whereby we may do them good When our Saviour had commanded us to love our enemies and to do good to them thâ—t hate us Mâ—t. 5. 44. He adds And prâ—y for them 2. This is duty that is to be performed by us â—owards all men 1 Tim. 2. 1. Yea even towards the wickedest men that live upon â—arth See how importunate Abraham was with God for the beastly Sodomites Gen. 18. 32. 3. This duty is to be performed specially for sâ—ch as are Gods people though it be but in outward profession This course Moses tooke to relieve Israel in a great extremity When God threatned He would destroy Israel Moses stâ—od before Him in the breach by maine force to keepe Him out to turne away His wrath Psal. 106. 23. How stood he in the breach How did he turne away Gods wrath from them By prayer Exâ—d 32. 11. Moses besought the Lord his God This course David tooke to relieve Gods people in the time of a fearefull pestiâ—ence that in a short time had consumed seventy thousand 2 Saâ— 24. 15. He was deeply affected with their misery as appeareth by the story but what course tooke he to helpe them he prayed for them 1 Chroâ— 21. 16 18. and so stayed the plague So did Moses in the very like case of the pestilence when â—râ—th was gâ—nâ— out froâ— the Lord and the plague was 〈◊〉 he chargeth Aarâ—n to tâ—ke his ceâ—ser and put fire therein from the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 put inceâ—se on it and go quickly to the coâ—gregâ—tioâ— tâ— make an attonement for them Nâ—â—b 16. 46. True it is that signified the intercession
for our armies nor for our brethren visited with the plague the most of us have neglected it too long to seeke to God for them in this extraordinary manner Go quicâ—ly with thy censer the plagâ—e iâ— begâ—â— saith Mâ—seâ— to 〈◊〉 Nâ—â—b 16 46 so soon as the plague did begin we should without delay have importuned the Lord for ouâ— brethren Unto these I will say but two words 1. That God may justly impute to thee the bloud both of our soldiers that died so miserably and of the many thousands that have perished by the plague because thou hast not striven by thy prayers with God for them According to that rule of our Saviour Mar. 3. 4. He that useth not meanes to save life when it lieth in his power is a murtherer 2. That this neglecting of prayer is a dangerous signe that thou hast no feare of God in thee Thou castest off feare â—aith Eliphaz Iob 15. 4. and restrainest prayer before God It is a signe thou believest not Gods providence The foole hath said in his heart There is no God saith the Prophet Psal. 14. 1. and one argument to prove this he gives Vers. 4. They call not upon the Lord. Lastly this is a signe that thou hast no comfort at all in God no assurance of His favour Will the hypocrite saith Iob Chap. 27. 10. delight himselfe in the Almighty will he alwayes call upon God The cause why men keepe not a constant course in prayer is because they have no delight nor comfort in God O let us therefore make conscience of this duty to pray and to pray constantly praying alwayes as the Apostle requires Ephes. 6. 18. 1 Thess. 5. 16. Prâ—y without ceasing not giving over so good and necessary a duty when we have once begun to take it up The third sort of them whom this Doctrine reproveth are such as through prophanenesse or worldlinesse will not pray Though the State have first enjoyned us to keepe these dayes of humiliation and 2. gone before us in it themselves and 3. published for our helpe a booke of prayers as ample holy effectuall and fit for the present occasion as ever were in any Liturgy that I have seene for all which we are greatly bound to praise the Lord yet will they not upon these dayes lend their help to their distressed brethren nor joyne with us in praier for them These men certainly are of the mind either of those prophane worldlings that say as Ioâ— 21. 15. What profit shal we have if we pray unto him Can we get in our harvest or provide for our families by comming to Church and joyning with you in prayer Or will our praying keepe away the plague from us Or els they are of the mind of those desperate Atheists that said Esâ— 22. 13. Let us eat and drinke for to morrow we shall die This plague increaseth strangely and is like enough to reach unto us let us therefore while we live be merry and make as much of our selves as we can I grant every man is not fit to keepe a fast every weeke specially in this time of harvest neither did the State intend to enjoyne him to do it but not to joyne with Gods people sometimes in this duty specially on these solemne dayes of humiliation is First a great sinne against our distressed brethren for whom our prayers would the more prevaile the more generall they were and the more of us did joyne together in them as I have proved before out of 2 Chron. 20. 13. Secondly a matter of great danger to themselves as that which will provoke Gods displeasure against them Levit. 23. 29. Whatsoever soule it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day that the congregation kept their fast on he shall be cut off from among his people In which respect God commanded them to keepe it in all their dwellings Levit. 23. 3. And Zeth 1. 6. The Lord threatneth to stretch out His hand against and to cut off them that have not sought the Lord then much more such as refuse to doe it being thus called and provoked thereunto The third and last Use is for examination whether our prayers heretofore have beene or now be such so powerfull and effectuall as have been described in this Doctrine whether we be such Israelites as like Princes have prevailed with God in them Gods children should inquire after their prayers how they speed David prayeth oft for an answer Psal. 143 1. In thy faithfulnesse answer me and protesteth it would be a death to him to find God silent to his prayers Psal. 28. 1. And what answer hath God given to our prayers First we have prayed for the good successe of our armies against the enemies of the Gospell But the enemy hath still prevailed so that we may complaine as Psal. 44. 9 10 12. Thou hast cast off and put us to shame and goest not forth with our armies thou makest us turne backe from the enemy and they which hate us spoile for themselves thou sellest thy people for nought and dost not increase thy wealth by their price Secondly We have prayed for the good successe of our Parliament that the King and Nobles and Commons might agree together as one man for the setling of Gods Arke and Religion among us as they did in Solomons time 1 King 8. 1. But the Parliament for all our prayers hath received such an end as every good heart hath cause to lament Thirdly We have prayed unto God to stay His hand in the noysome pestilence When â—â—ron stood with his incense betweene the living and the dead the plague ceased Numb 16. 48. and Davids prayer stayed the plague 2 Chro. 21. 17 18. Our Dâ—vid and our Aarons and the whole Land have oft prayed against this judgement and ever since we began to pray the plague hath increased wonderfully So that we may complaine with the Church Laâ— 3. 8. When I cry and shout He shâ—tteth out my prayer And Psal. 80. 4. O Lord God of hosts how long wilt thou be angry against the prayer of thy people What is the cause of this I answer surely though there may be other causes yet this is the chiefe Iam. 4. 3. We have asked and have not received because we have asked amisse And that we may the better discerne what hath been amisse in our prayers I will shew you how those prayers should be qualified that should prevaile with God First We must pray fervently and importunately as they that will receive no nay in their suits The effectuâ—ll fervent prayer of a righteous man saith the Apostle Iam. 5. 16. â—vailâ—th much The prayâ—r of the most righteous man that is cannot be effectuall nor availe much unlesse it be fervent And to such prayer onely is the promise made Ier. 29. 13. Ye shall seeke for me and find me wheâ— ye shall sâ—arch for me with all your heart The want of this fervency in prayer the Prophet complaineth of
apprehension and sense of mine owne unworthinesse and sinne how can I be importâ—nate with God in my prayer How can I pray in faith or be confident that He will heare me This must needs deprive a man of all boldnesse discourage and make him afraid to speake unto God This effect the sense of sinne seemes to have had in David when he cryed Psal. 40. 12. Miâ—e iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to looke up they are more than the haires of mine head therefore mine heart faileth me But to this I answer that no faithfull man hath cause to feare this For Gods people have never beene so strong with Him in prayer as when they were most abased and dejected in themselves insense of their owne weakenesse and unworthinesse When I am weake saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 12. 10. weake and dejected in my selfe through sense of mine owne infirmities and afflictions then am I strong strong in the Lord and fittest to do Him service in an acceptable manner See an example and type of this in Iâ—cob Gen. 32. 25 26 Never was he so strong with God as when the hollow of his thigh was out of joynt He had power over the Angell over Christ the Angell of the covenant saith the Prophet Hos. 12. 4. and prevailed He wept and made supplication unto Him He found Him in Bethel Why wept he so Certainly from the sense of his owne infirmity and unworthinesse but he prevailed with God in his supplications neverthelesse but much the more for that See this also in the good woman of Canaan do you not thinke she was much abased in her selfe upon those three repulses that she had received Mat. 15. 27. yet was her prayer then most strong and effectuall with God Vers. 28. And this is surely another cause why our prayers for our brethren have beene so weake and without force with God we are too strong too well perswaded of our selves to do Gods people any good with our prayers Fourthly We must bring with us unto prayer an unfeigned desire and a full purpose and resolution of heart to reforme that that is amisse both in our selves and others and so to remove the cause of Gods displeasure that is kindled against us Certainly this would give wonderfull force unto our prayers This was that that gave such force unto the fasting and praying of the Ninivites Ion. 3. See their care and desire Let them turne every one from his evill way say the King and his Nobles in their proclamation Verse 8. and from the violence that is in their hands See also both the performance of that they resolved to do and how nothing so much prevailed with God for the successe of their prayers as this Verse 10. God saw their workes that they turned from their evill way and God repented of the evill that He had said He would do untâ— them and He did it not Therefore hath it been usuall with Gods people in their solemne fasts not onely to make full and particular confession of their sinnes but also to vow unto God that they would leave and forsake them yea they were wont solemnly to bind themselves unto this All this is evident â—eb 9. 12 38. 10. 29. When Phinehas stood up and executed judgement upon Zimri and Cozbi as Moses and the Iudges had before done of many others that were joyned unto Baal-Peor Numb 25. 4 5. and so removed the cause of Gods displeasure the plague was stayed saith the Prophet Psal. 106. 30. All the weeping of the whole congregation before the doore of the tabernacle of which we read Numb 25. 6. could do nothing without that O that God would put into the hearts of all our Magistrates not onely to appoint and keep solemne and generall fasts but also by severe execution of the lawes to remove the causes of all our plagues Our King and State blessed be God have made good Lawes against idolatry swearing prophanation of the Sabbath murther and drunkennesse but alas we want such as Phinehas to see the lawes executed upon any of these offendors and therefore it is no marvell though the plague be not stayed While these fowle sinnes are winked at and go unpunished what hope can we have that either our owne prayers or the prayers of all the Saints upon earth should prevaile with God for our Land Till the Achans be found out and punished as found they may easily be for they do every where declare their sinne as Sodom they hide it not as the Prophet speaketh Esa. 3. 9. but till they be punished as God did say to Ioshua Icsh. 7. 10 11. Get thee up wherefâ—re lyest thou thus upon thy face Israel hath sinned so will He to us why do you thus fast and pray and make such shew of humiliation as you do find out the sinnes and punish them that are the causes of Mine anger and then I wil be appeased toward you and your Land Certainly one chiefe cause why our fasting and praying hath done so little good is because this â—aâ—h not beene done Nay many of these lewd men that are guilty of these foule sinnes intrude themselves into our assemblies and joyne with us in these holy duties And we know that the sacrifice of the wicked is abomination unto the Lord Prov. 15. 8. Let me therefore exhort you beloved that as you desire to please God in this profession of humiliation that you make and to benefit your selves or your brethren by your prayers resolve both to forsake every knowne sinne and vow unto God this day amendment of life in such particulars as thine owne heart can tell thee thou hast most offended God by and which of us all is it that hath not something to reforme remembring alwayes that speech of the Prophet Psal 66. 18. If I regardiniquity in my heart the Lord will not heare me as also 2. to do what lies in thee to reforme others Fiftly and lastly We must joyne workes of mercy with our prayers 1. Let no man thinke he shall be a looser by that that he gives out of conscience towards God unto the poore He that hath pitie upon the poore lendeth unto the Lord saith the Holy Ghost Prov. 19. 17. and that that he hath given will He pay him againe 2. Of all almes that is given that is best and most pleasing unto God that is given in our Church-assemblies for it is an ordinance of God and even a Sabbath-duty that collection should be made for the poore when we meet together as is plaine by that speech of the Apostle 1 Cor. 16. 1 2. And of that that is thus given you may have much more assurance that it shal be given to them onely that have need than you can have of much of that that you give at your doores 3. There is great force in this worke of mercy to further the good successe of our prayers els would not the Angell have said thus unto Cornelius
and humbledst thy selfe before me and didst rent thy clothes and weep before me I have even heard thee saith the Lord. Wherein also we may observe how well God is pleased to see his people fall into these passions of feare and sorrow when he by his word doth rebuke and threaten them Which the Lord also professeth Esa. 66. 2. But to this man will I looke even to him that is poore and of a contrite spirit and trembleth at my Word So when God hath shewed himselfe to bee angry and displeased with them by executing any of his judgements upon them they have then beene wont and it was their duty then to afflict their soules If her father saith the Lord of Miriam Num. 12. 14. had but spit in her face should shee not be ashamed seven dayes See a plaine proofe of this 2 Chron. 7. 13. If I send pestilence among my people if my people shall humble themselves and pray and seeke my face Marke not their owne losse by the judgement should trouble them so much as Gods anger and therefore in their prayer they seeke Gods face and favour above all things And this is very pleasing unto God to see his people humble themselves so under the strokes of his hand See a notable example of this 2 Chron. 12. 3 4. Shishak King of Egypt came against Ierusalem with a mighty Army and tooke the fenced Cities that pertained to Iudah and came to Ierusalem See what followed 2 Chron. 12. 6. The Princes of Israel and the King humbled themselves and they said the Lord is righteous And what followed upon that verse 7. And when the Lord saw that they humbled themselves the word of the Lord came to Shemajah saying they have humbled themselves therefore I will not destroy them Thirdly When they have seene God dishonored by the sins of others then have they also mourned and afflicted their soules Ieremy professeth 13 17. If you will not heare my soule shall weep in secret places for your pride So David professeth that the Zeale of Gods house the inward vexation of his soule through zealous sorrow and indignation for the neglect and profanation of Gods worship had even eaten him up and consumed him Psal. 69. 9. Specially the foule sinnes that they have knowne in the places Townes Congregations Families where themselves lived So it is said of Lot 2 Pet. 2. 8. That righteous man dwelling among them in seeing and hearing vexed his righteous soule from day to day with their unlawfull deeds So Paul saith the Corinthians should have done 1 Cor. 5. 2. Ye are puffed up and have not rather mourned And see how highly God is pleased with this when his people can mourn for this cause Ezek. 9. 4. And the Lord said unto him that was clothed with linen and had the writers inkhorne by his side Goe through the midst of the City through the mids of Ierusalem and set a marke upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof Fourthly and lastly The chief cause why they have beene so given to mourning and weeping why they have afflicted themselves so much hath beene their owne sinnes whereby themselves have offended and dishonoured God This David professeth was the cause why his sorrow was continually before him he was sorry for his sinne Psal. 38. 16. 17. This was the cause why Mary Magdalen wept so abundantly that shee was able to wash Christs feet with her teares shee was a sinner Luk. 7. 37 38. This sorrow God wonderfully delights in more then in all outward worship whatsoever Psal. 51. 17. The Sacrifices of God are a broken spirit a broken and contrite heart O God thou wilt not despise Now come we to the second inquiry to find out the true causes and reasons of this why God should so much desire and delight to see His people humbled with sorrow to see them afflict and chasten their soules in this manner It is said of Him that He hath pleasure in the prosperity of His servants Psal. 35 27. that He doth not afflict willingly Lam. 3. 33. that in all the afflictions of His people He is afflicted Esa. 63. 9. And indeed it is true that our sorrowes in themselves please not God but onely in respect First of the causes and fountaines from whence they proceed that is 1. They are the worke of His owne Spirit It is the Spirit of God onely that gives to any man such a fleshy and soft heart as we may see by that promise Ezek. 11. 19. I will give them one heart and will put a new spirit within you and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh and will give them an heart of flesh And I will powre upon them my spirit and they shall mourne abundantly saith the Lord Zach. 12. 10. And God must needs take pleasure in the worke of His owne grace and holy Spirit 2. These teares proceed from our love to God Kindnesse you know causeth teares more than any thing els so it is in this case Christ saith of the woman that wept so abundantly that she loved much Luke 7. 47. And that which makes men most of all to mourne for sinne is the Spirit of grace which perswades us of Gods free love to us and that Christ was pierced by and for us Zach. 12. 10. And this above many other workes of His Spirit God greatly delighteth in 1 Cor. 8. 3. If any man love God the same is knowne of Him Secondly In respect of the end that this sorrow tends unto the issue and effect of it the Lord greatly delighteth in it He seeth we have need of it 1 Pet. 1. 6. Now for a season if need be you are in heavinesse The Lord seeth it will do us much good and therefore He is so well pleased with it Eccles. 7. 3. By the sadnesse of the countenance the heart is made better 1. It makes us more capable of every grace of God and fitter to receive it As the vessell that is full can receive no good liquor but all is spilt that is powred upon it and the emptier it is the more it will receive So is it in this case Iam. 4. 6. God will give grace to the humble For knowledge Psal. 25. 9. The meeke will He teach His way and for comfort 2 Cor. 7. 6. God comforteth those that are cast downe 2. It worketh repentance unto salvation and the heart is never wont to be truly turned unto God and changed but the change begins here 2 Cor. 7. 10. Godly sorrow worketh repentance unto salvation not to be repented of 3. It makes Christ and Gods Word and Promises sweet unto us and all Gods mercies to relish well as hunger makes us relish our meat and thirst our drinke Prov. 27. 7. The full soule loatheth an hony-combe but to the hungry soule every bitter thing is sweet The prodigall when he had beene pinched with hunger
8. Yea they have been brought to the very point brink of despaire before they could come to comfort So was Asaph when he cryed Psal. 73 26. My flesh and my heart faileth And so was Heman when he complained Psal. 88. 15. While I suffer thy terrours I am distracted And so was David also when he said thus in his prayer unto God Psal. 40. 12. Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me so as I am not able to looke up they are more then the haires of my head therefore my heart faileth me But these were fouler sinners thou wilt say then ever thou wert I will shew thee therefore examples of such as whose sinnes were as small as thine Iob was never tainted with so fowle sinnes as thou hast been and yet his eyes were wont to poure out teares unto God 16. 20. He for that very forwardnesse and impatiency he shewed in so great affliction abhorred himselfe and repented in dust and ashes Iob 42. 6. Davids heart was so soft and tender that it smote him when he had but cut off the skirt of Sauls garment 1 Sam. 24. 5. The poore man whose child Christ dispossessed burst out into teares even for the weakenesse of his faith Mar. 9. 24. Paul was marvellously humbled even for his originall sinne Rom. 7. 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death Consider these examples well and thou must needs conclude with thy selfe 1. Surely it must needs be a good thing 2. Surely it must needs be a necessary thing that all Gods people have beene so much given unto Surely I have as much cause as they had to weepe and bee deeply humbled for my sinnes But I will give thee another example farre greater then all these thy blessed Saviour that had no sin was much given to mourning and weeping for the the sinnes that thou and such as thou art have committed Mar. 3. 5. He mourned for the hardnesse of the hearts even of his enemies He wept over Ierusalem Luc. 19. 41. His soule was exceeding sorrowfull unto death Mat. 26. 38. He offred up prayers and supplications with strong crying and teares Heb. 5. 7. Say not I have the lesse cause to grieve for my sinnes because hee grieved so much for them Esay 53. 4. Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrowes For thou must become conformable unto him in his sufferings or thou shalt never have comfort in them Rom. 8. 29. 6. 5. Say therefore to thine owne soule if all Gods people have beene so apt to weep and mourne what am I But before I proceede to the second Motive two questions and doubts must be ansvered that may arise from the first Can I not be in the state of grace unlesse I match these examples and be so tender hearted and apt to mourne as they I answer first thou mayest All Gods children have not beene humbled nor broken in heart in the same measure and degree and two reasons there be of the difference First In the persons themselves Some of them have beene more hainous sinners then others And according to the proportion of mens sins hath and must be the measure of mens humiliation The hainouser the sinne the deeper and of the longer continuance must the sorrow be Of Manafâ—es it is said 2 Chron. 33. 12. He humbled himselfe greatly before God Of David Psal. 51. 8. that his anguish and sorrow for sin was like to the paine a man feeleth that hath his bones broken Of Mary Magdalen that she wept so aboundantly as she could wash Christs feet with her teares Luc. 7. 38. Thinke upon this thou that hast beene guilty of murther persecution whoredome or such like hainous sinnes thy sorrow must be proportionable to the hainousnesse of thy sinnes The second reason of the difference is in the Lord who is the only worker giver of this grace For as in other graces he is pleased to give them in greater measure to some of his elect then to others Mat. 13. 23. In some elect ground the seed of the Word yeelds but thirty in some sixty in some an hundred fold So is it in this Ordinarily the Lord useth by the spirit of bondage and legal terrors to prepare men to their conversion and deeply to humble them to give them the spirit of bondage Rom. 8. 15. But we read of no such thing in the first conversion of Matthew though he had beene a Publican For at his very first conversion he made a great feast to Christ Mat. 9. 9 10. nor in those that Peter converted for though they were pricked in their hearts and deeply humbled before they beleeved Act. 2. 37. Yet did their sorrow and feare continue nothing so long upon them as Davids did they quickly attained to comfort in the assurance of pardon Act. 2. 41. 46 Lydias example I doe of purpose omit for shee though shee beleeved not in Christ till she heard Paul Act. 16. 14. yet was converted and feared God before Verse 13. Secondly Yet know this that all Gods elect 1. Find in themselves this humiliation even with legall terrours at one time or other For Christ was sent to preach the Gospell to none but to the broken-hearted to the captives to the bruised Luk. 4. 18. that is to such as had the spirit of bondage Rom. 8. 15. 2. All Gods faithfull and true hearted people are in some true measure humbled and can mourne and afflict their soules for sinne for they are all oft in scripture stiled by this title They are called the humble Psal. 34. 2. an afflicted and poore people Zeph. 3. 12. the poore of the flâ—ck Zac. 11. 7. 11. poore he meanes in spirit Maâ— 5. 3. Psal. 34 6 3. They hold themselves bound to aime at the best marks and to strive to be like them that have most excelled in this grace of brokennesse of spirit ability to mourne for sin Phil. 3. 17. Brethren be followers together of mee and marke them that walke so as ye have us for an ensample Thou art then in a wofull case if thou neither canst mourne for thy sinne nor strivest to doe it But yet there is a second question to be resolved For we heare may some say that Iob and David Peter and Paul and Hezechia and Iosia and Christ have been much given to weeping in their mourning for sinne they have wept much Can I not bee in the state of grace can I not have truely repented nor beene humbled for my sinne unlesse I can doe as they did unlesse I can weepe for my sinne I answer First That the griefe and mourning for sinne be absolutely necessary unto unfained repentance teares are not alwayes so And I will shew you two reasons of the difference that is to be observed betweene Gods people in this point First The constitution of some mens bodyes makes them much more unapt to weepe then others are Secondly The
and returned And Esa. 26. 16. Lord in trouble have they visited thee they poured out a prayer when thy chastning was upon them And we find by experience that at such a time a faithfull Minister may much better worke up on the hearts of men to bring them to remorse and repentance then at another time According to that speach of Elihu Iob 33. 22 24. When a mans soule draweth neere to the grave if there bee then a messenger with him an interpreter one of a thousand to shew unto man his uprightnesse then he is gracious unto him And so speaketh Davidâ—lso â—lso Psal. 94. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastnest ô Lord and teachest him out of thy Law This is a singular favour of God when correction and instruction goe together And herein wee are bound to acknowledge the great mercy of God to our Land that in the time of so generall and grievous visitation as hath been upon it he hath put it into the Kings heart to command so much preaching that thereby the hearts of the people might bee effectually wrought upon now the Lord hath so by his judgement prepared them And certainly if in such a time the word doe not work upon mens hearts it will never doe them good Fiftly and lastly When wee feele a secret pensivenesse and sadnesse to come upon our hearts so as they even melt within us like ground that thaweth after a frost so as we could even weepe abundantly this is an excellent season and opportunity to bring our hearts unto godly sorrow in For 1. sadnesse and heavinesse maketh the heart more apt to bee wrought to goodnesse Eccle. 7. 3. Sorrow is better then laughter for by the sadnesse of the countenance the heart is made better 2. This is the way to turne the streame and current of our sorrow the right way by making our sin our greatest sorrow as indeed it ought to bee because it is the onely just cause of all other our sorrowes Lam. 3. 39. 40. Wherefore doth a living man complaine a man for the punishment of his sinnes Let us search and try our wayes and turne againe unto the Lord. And surely to conclude this first point in this we have all cause to acknowledge our owne folly and to bee humbled for it and to impute that want of grace and ability that is in us to mourne for our sins unto this that wee have neglected these times and seasons whereby we might have beene so much helped in this work We know the fittest seasons for the plowing and breaking up of our ground and we carefully observe them but we know not or care not to observe the fittest seasons for the breaking up of the fallow ground of our hearts which yet concerneth us much more then the other doth Breake up your fâ—llow ground saith the Prophet Ier. 4. 3. and sow not among thornes The second thing wee must doe to worke our hearts to godly sorrow is this after we have made choise of a fit time to goe about this work we must also make choise of a fit place for it even such as wherein we may be most free from all distractions For though this also be but a circumstance yet may it yeeld us some help in all exeâ—cises of devotioÌ„ Christ bids us make choise of a secret place for our private prayer Mat. 6. 6. And so did he himsâ—lfe Mar 1. 35. Hee went out and departed into a solitary place and there prayed And Act. 10. 9. Peter went up to the top of the house to pray So though it be no shame for a man to weepe for his sinnes as we have heard Gods people have done abundantly in their solemne fasts yet is a solitary and secret place the fittest to worke our hearts unto godly sorrow Commune with your own hearts upon your beds in secret saith David Psal. 4. 4. and be still Hâ—Zechiah turned his face to the wall when he prayed and wept so sore Esa. 38. 2 3. And Ieremiah 13. 17. saith his soule should weepe in secret And Zâ—ch 12. 12. it is said they should mourne every family apart the husband apart and the wife apart And Ieremy describing the man that is humbled under Gods hand aright saith Lam. 3. 28. Hee sitteth alone and keepeth silence Thirdly When wee have made choise of a fit time and a fit place also for this businesse then must we examine our hearts seriously and impartially And in this examination two things are to be performed by us 1. We must labour to find out and call to mind our sinnes for which wee should bee humbled 2. We must lay them to our hearts and so consider and weigh with our selves the hainousnesse of them and aggravate them against our selves that we may be affected with them For the first Hee that desires to have his heart humbled and to bee able to mourne for his sinnes must labour by diligent search and examination to finde out his sinnes and call them to mind and set them before his face Bring it againe to mind ô yee transgressours saith the Lord Esa. 46. 8. Let not man be affraid or unwilling to doe this To commit sinne is dangerous and hurtfull to thy soule but to call thy sinnes to remembrance hath no danger in it will doe thee no hurt at all to have an enemy or a mortall disease upon thee is dangerous and hurtfull but to be aware of them to know them when thou hast them may doe thee much good Iob knew this well and therefore prayeth earnestly to God to helpe him in this Iob 13. 23. Make mee to know my transgression and my sinne For 1. till then thou canst never truly mourne for thy sin and repent of it Ier. 8. 6. No man repented himselfe of his wickednesse saying what have I done To know in generall and in grosse that thou art a sinner wil never huÌ„ble thee aright thou must know thy sins in particular or thou canst never truely repent This was that that humbled Gods people so in the dayes of Samuel 1 Sam. 12. 19. Wee have added to allour other sinnes this evill to aske a King This was that that humbled those 3000. mentioned Act. 2. 36 37. and pricked them at the heart God made knowne to them their sinne in particular even that hainous sinne of crucifying the Lord of life 2. It is profitable for us in another respect For the more carefull we are to remember our sinnes and call them to mind the more ready will the Lord bee to forget them and cast them behind his back This is plaine by that prayer David maketh Psalm 51. 1 2 3. Have mercy upon me ô God wash me throughly from my iniquity for I know my transgressions and my sinne is ever before mee But if thou strive to forget them never to thinke of them to cast them behind thy back bee thou sure God will remember them and never have them out of his eye Thou hast
some faire opportunity to witnesse to the world my thankfull acknowledgement of your favour to me and to give publique testimony of your worthy and exemplary integrity in discharging the trust reposed in you to dispose of this Benefice without respect to your owne gaine or pleasuring of your friends neglecting bribes of breath or money You intended not to enrich your selfe by this part of the Churches Patrimony nor to make up other losses by gaining by this It was your care not onely to shunne the grievous sinne of Simony and corruption but to avoide all suspition of it you passed by the neere relation of kindred the importunate solicitation of freinds the mediation of great Personages and were pleased in your choice to crave the direction of your pious learned and most industrious Pastour the great blessing and ornament of your City and Parish his love which I may never forget though I shall not in any degree requite induced him to nominate mee your confidence in his judgement and uprightnesse made you upon his commendation to make choice of mee a meere straunger for your Clarke Never had any Parson or Parish more cause thankfully to acknowledge the religious care and pious integrity of a Patrone then wee heere have or take any occasion to lay this your good worke open to wide report and to propound you as a patterne to them that are entrusted with such charges I doe and shall praise GOD as long as I live for raising you beyond my thoughts and expectations an instrument of so great good to mee by your meanes hee hath freed mee from those snares wherein many of our coate are in these corrupt times intangled I doe not eate the bread of either direct or indirect Simony but that which by GODS providence your uncorrupt hand hath reached out to mee a morsell of which will give mee more content then abundance of the former sort I doubt not but GOD will aboundantly requite your kindnesse to his house that hee will blesse you in your Merchandise and exchanges who have beene so carefull not to make Merchandise of the Soules of men or to make sale of the Patrimony of the Church and portion of GODS Ministers that hee will continue and increase your comfort in your hopefull children who have beene so faithfull a Guardian to this people but principally that hee will blesse you in your Soule with Spirituall and Heavenly graces and comfort the meanes of which you have beene so carefull to provide for this place For all which as I hope soe I shall continually pray and such prayers are the best and onely requitall I can make and that I know which you will accept of together with this mine acknowledgement before witnesse and upon record that I am West-Felton in Salop. Decemb. 8. 1632. Yours in the bonds of thankfulnesse most obliged SAMVEL HILDERSAM Nota 1. Doct. 1. Proof 1. 2. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Vse 1. Object Answ. Applic. Applic. Nota. 2. Doct. 2. Reason 1. 2. 3. Vse 1. Vse 2. Vse 3. Object Answ. Nota. 3. Doct. 3. Caution 1. Caution 2. Caution 3. Reason Object Answ. Vse 1. Vse 3. 〈◊〉 4. Doct. 4. Branch 1. Two sorts of reasons Vse 1. Motive 1. Object 1. Answ. 1. Answ. 2 Quest. 2. Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Motive 2. Promise 1 Applic. Promise 2 Applic. Promise 3 Applic Promise 4 Applic. Motive 3. Applic. Meanes of 2 sorts 1 Sort. 1. Object Answr 1. Answ. 2. Ans. 3. Applic 1. 2. Applic. Second sort of meanes Quest. Answ. 1. A fit time Five times Applic. 2 A fit place Quest. Answ. 1. Answ. 2. Ans. 3. Applic Seven aggravations of sinne Signes of true humiliation Applic. Applic. Applic. * Vetus Lat. Calvin Pagnin Vatablus Arias Montanus Object Answ. Reason 1 Vse 1. Vse 2. Object 1. Answ. Ob. 2. Ans. 1. 2. Object 3. Answ. 1. Object 4. Answ. 1. 2.
a reverend respect Gods people shewed even to the Word read Nehem 8 3. The eares of all the people were attentive unto the booke of the Law and ver 5. When Ezra opened the booke to read it all the people stood up Make conscience to joine with the congregation in those prayers that are read aswell as in those that are coÌ„ceaved For those that are read are holy good prayers and all the congregation should make their prayers and supplications with one accord as they did Act. 1. 14. Hold thy selfe bound to joine with the congregation in singing of Psalmes also See how well God shewed himselfe to bee pleased with this duty 2 Chron. 20. 22. When they began to sing and to praise the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon c. 2. Of giving according to thy ability some what to the poore Luk. 21. 23. Christ tooke notice of them that contributed and praised the poore widdow 3. To make it a day of restraint in the matter of food of all sorts so farre as thy health will permit in the matter of thy apparell so farre as decency will permit in the matter of thy delights of all sorts and in the matter of thy worldly affaires Yea 4. Of holding out in these duties a whole day 5. Take heed of hypocrisy and thinking that thy performance of these outward things will serve thy turne and merit at Gods hands When our Saviour saw what an innumerable multitude of people came to heare him in so much that they trode one upon another Luk. 12. 1. hee began to say to his Disciples first of all beware of the leaven of the Pharisees which is hypocrisy And this caveat we have all just cause to give to you in such great assemblies as this is specially at our solemne feasts take heed of hypocrisy Rest not in nor blesse your selves in the deed you have done but referre these outward things unto those right ends which I have told you they were ordained for And remember alwayes that speach of the Apostle Rom. 2. 29. Hee is a lew which is one inwardly and circumcision so is humiliation also is that of the heart in the spirit not in the letter whose praise is not of men but of God Thirdly For reproofe of sundry abuses which are chief causes why our fasts prevaile no more with God First Such are to bee reproved as refuse to joine with Gods people in this duty and will not separate themselves from their profits and delights no not so much as one day in a month though God calls them to it and the King also commaunds them to doe it But like them of Ephraim and Mâ—nasseh of whom we read 2 Chron. 30. 10. are ready to laugh the officers to scorne and to mocke them that in the Kings name require them to doe it Let no man say had we not better have their room then their company What good can wee hope to receive by having such as they to joyne with us in our fasts For as you have heard the coming of all in this case would do us good and further our prayers and this open contempt that such men in all parts doe shew may make us all fare the worse You therefore that are officers doe what you can to restraine them from their labours and to bring them hither Remember that you are also comprehended in the number of those servants to whom the charge is given Luk. 14. 23. Goe out and compell them to come in that my house may be filled Secondly Such as doe come and joyne with us though they doe that also but by the halves but so soone as they are gone forget the occasion of our fasts remember no longer the affliction of Iosâ—ph give themselves as full liberty to all delights and jollity as if there were no judgement at all upon the land Marke well how God complaines of them that in a time of common calamity did give themselves liberty even in lawfull delights Marke well that speach that you shall find Esa. 22. 14. Surely this iniquity shall not bee purged from you till yee dye saith the Lord of Hosts Why what had they done See that verse 13. Behold joy and gladnâ—sse slaying of Oxen and killing of Sheep eating of Flesh and drinking of Wine Why what evill or unlawfulnesse was there in all this True but this was that that so much provoked the Lord that they gave themselves to this jollity at such a time as the Lord God of Hosts did by his judgements call them to weeping and to mourning to baldnesse and to girding with sack cloth as wee read verse 12. That they did this with contempt of Gods judgements saying and resolving with themselves thus profanely and desperately as verse 13. Let us eate and drinke for tomorrow we shall dye And what unlawfulnesse was there in that which Amos so much complaineth of Ames 6. 4. 6. In lying upon beds of lvory or in stretching themselves upon their couches or in eating the Lambs out of the flock and the Calves out of the midst of the stall or in chaunting to the sound of the Viol and inventing to themselves instruments of musick like David or in drinking Wine in bowles and annointing themselves with the chiefe ointments Were any of these things unlawfull No but because they did this in such a time as Ioseph the Church of God was in great affliction because they did hereby declare that they were not grieved for the affliction of Ioseph because they did by thâ—se meanes put farre away from them the evill day as the Prophet speaketh vers 3. and made themselves forgetfull and senselesse of Gods judgement therefore was the Lord so highly offended with them for it Consider of these places well beloved and you will easily discerne that in such evill times as these are in times of great calamity either upon our selves or upon our brethren wee must all of us some what abridge our selves both in our feasts and in our bravery and in our lawfâ—ll delights of all sorts whatsoever When the Lords sword is sharpened to make a sore slaughter saith the Prophet Eze. 21. 10. when it is furbished that it may glister much lesse when wee see it hath aâ—â—eady made a great slaughter among our brethren as we now see it hath and is even dyed red with their blood should wee then make mirth And if the Lord will not allow us in such times the free use of our most lawfull delights what will the Lord say then to the mirth used even in this time of common calamity in our alehouses and at our wakes where lewd men of all sorts assemble themselves by troupes Ier. 5. 7. to provoke one another to all kind of lewdnesse Will there bee any hope our fasts shall doe much good while our disordred wakes are coÌ„tinued and frequented so in such times as these are Thirdly Such as having power in their hand doe not endeavour to
find out and reforme the causes of the plague Though Ioshua and all the Elders of Israel should fall upon their faces and cry never so fervently they can doe no good till Achan be found out and punished Iosh. 7. And what hope then can we have to prevaile in our fasts while no care is taken to find out Achan The idolater is an Achan and so is the murtherer and so is the adulterer and so is the blâ—sphemer and so is the drunkard And there is power not in Ioshua onely but in every officer among us yea in every man almost to find out our Achans and bring them to punishment Our Achans are not so close as that man was our Achans do not hide their accursed things as he did Iosh. 7. 21. Endeavour every one of you to finde them out and suppresse them or else our fasts will bee of small force with God SERMON IV. Sept. 14. 1625. NOw it followeth that we observe further the inward affection and disposition of Davids heart in this his extraordinary prayer hee humbled or afflicted his soule And heere we must for the opening of the words and phrase see what is meant by the humbling and afflicting of his soule and how that is done for the understanding whereof three things must be observed â—irst That the soule aswell as the body is subject both to prosperity a blessed and comfortable estate and to adversity also a wofull and afflicted state and condition and that not onely in the life to come but even in this life also For the first See 3. Ioh. 2. I wish thou maist prosper and be in health even as thy soule prospereth and for the other See Psal. 31. 7. Thou hast considered my trouble thou hast knowne my soule in adversities SecoÌ„dly That as the prosperity happines glory of the soule consisteth in inwardpeace traÌ„quility and joy Rom. 14. 17. The Kingdome of God is righteousnesse and peace and joy of the Holy Ghost so that which humbleth and afflicteth it is sorrow and feare and such like affections which are therefore called the passions and perturbations of the soule Prov. 12. 25. Heavinesse in the heart of man maketh it stoop that is that that humbleth it Yea these affections of sorrow and feare doe afflict the soule and put it to paine even as pricks and wounds and the stinging of a Serpent would doe the body So it is said Act. 2. 37. They were pricked in their hearts when by Peters sermon they were brought to sound griefe of heart for sinne and feare of Gods wrath So Prov. 23. 32. Sinne is said at last to bite like a Serpent and sting like an Adder by reason of the extreame anguish which through sorrow and feare iâ— puts the soule unto Thirdly That sometimes the Lord himselfe doth thus afflict and humble the soule with sorrow and feare Iob 5. 18. Hee woundeth and his hands make whole and the strokes that hee gives prove usually extreame and intollerable Psal. 51. 8. That the bones that thou hast broken may rejoyce The Lords strokes broke his bones Prov. 18. 14. A wounded spirit who can beare That is when the wound is given by Gods hand Heb. 10. 31. It is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of the living God and sometimes Gods people for the preventing of this have voluntarily afflicted and humbled their owne soules by provoking themselves to sorrow and feare whereby their soules might bee humbled knowing well 1 Cor. 11. 31. If we would judge our selves we should not be judged of the Lord. And so did David in this place I humbled and afflicted my soule by fasting So saith hee also Psal. 69. 10. I wept and chastned my soule by fasting And this the Apostle in joines the faithfull to doe Iam. 4. 9. Be afflicted he meanes not beare or suffer the afflictions God layeth upon you but afflict your selves as appeares in the next words and mourne and weep let your laughter be turned into mourning and your joy into heavinesse So then if wee would know the reason why David did fast at this time it was to humble and afflict his soule to work his soule to sorrow and griefe And what meant hee in this his extraordinary prayer for these men to afflict his soule thus Surely it was to make his prayer more available with God for them And from this his practise example this Doctrine ariseth for our instruction That the chief use of a religious fast is to humble and afflict the soule with sorrow and grief and a chief thing that makes our prayer effectuall with God is the inward humiliation and sorrow of our soules from whence they do proceed Two branches there be you see of this doctrine and I will handle them distinctly First A religious fast serves chiefly to this end to humble and afflict the soule So Esa. 58. 5. The fast that God hath chosen is called a day for a man to afflict his soule in This is a duty commanded upon the fast day Ioel 2. 13. Rend your hearts and not your garments See how this is injoyned Levit. 23. 29. Whatsoever soule it bee that shall not be afflicted upon that day shall bee cut off from his people So our Saviour gives this for a reason why his Disciples could keep no fasts because they could not mourne while the bridegroom was with them Math. 9. 15. So that no man can keepe a fast well that cannot mourn that hath not an humbled and troubled soule in him on that day Therefore we read that Gods people in their fasts were wont to weep much and that not onely in private and secret fasts as Nehem. 14. I sate downe and wept and mourned certaine dayes and fasted and prayed before the God of Heaven but in publique also Ezr. 10. 1. When Ezra prayed and made confession of sinnes weeping and casting himselfe downe before the house of God there assembled unto him a very great congregation and the people wept very sore Yea God coÌ„maundeth his people to doe so at such times When God cals us to keepe fasts he cals us to weeping and to mourning Esa 22. 12. So Ioel 2. 12. Turne you to mee with all your heart and with fasting and with weeping and with mourning And for the second branch of the Doctrine A chief thing that makes the prayers of Gods people at a fast or at any other time most powerfull and effectuall with God is the humiliation and sorrow of the soule from which those prayers doe proceed See the proofe of this in the most powerfull fasts that wee read of Iâ—dg 20. 26. In that fast wherein Israel prevailed with God for successe against the Benjamites after two notable foils before there were many teares shed all Israel wept before the Lord yet were there above ten thousand of as valiant men as ever drew sword In the fast that was kept in Samuels time at Mizpeh whereby Israel obtained a marvellous victory against the