and earnestly in considering what euils wee haue committed against our blessed Sauiour and what he hath done for vs notwithstanding let vs looke vpon him by the eye of faith and see him crucified and hanging vpon the crosse for our iniquities Gal. 3.1 And this we may better behold in the preaching of the Gospell and in the administration of the Sacraments then if we had been standing by when hee was put to death betweene the two theeues for that would haue daunted and amazed vs as it did the disciples that were Christ his followers whereas in these ordinances of God viz. the Word and the Sacrament his sufferings are liuely expressed and represented vnto vs so that wee may more clearelie and fullie see the loue of the Father and of the Sonne through the working of the holie Ghost in our hearts then they could that were eye-witnesses of his bitter passion And they shall lament for him as one mourneth for his onely sonne c. In these words as also in those that follow is declared the measure of their sorrow viz. that it was exceeding great as the two comparisons heere vsed doe euidentlie expresse whence obserue this doctrine that It is not sufficient to mourne for sinne Doct. 5 Great sorrow for sin very requisite See M. Dods Sermon on Isa 1. Doct. 1. where this point is largely handled but wee must make our sinnes to be our greatest sorrow Nothing must so pierce the hearts of Christians as that by their iniquities they haue slaine their Lord and Sauiour This thorough and sound lamentation is required Ioel 2.13 and was found in Dauid Psalme 51. and in the people of God of whom mention is made 1. Sam. 7.6 who are said in the day of their fast to draw water viz. out of their hearts and to poure it out before the Lord whereby is meant that they wept very bitterly and aboundantly for their offences against the Lord. Reasons And the reason why we must thus lament is First because sinne is the matter of all our woe and smart it is that which doth vs most hurt Isa 59.2 and that which keepeth from vs all manner of good and haue we not iust cause then to grieue that we should lodge such a guest in our soules especially if we consider how beneficiall this holy griefe wil be vnto vs for First it wil be a means to make vs pure in Gods account and so to free vs from the guilt of sinne 2. Cor. 11. and also to purge our hearts and hands from the corruption thereof so that we shall not bee in bondage thereunto any longer Iam. 4.8 And hence it will come to passe that either crosses shal not at all light vpon vs or at least they shall not be burdensome vnto vs. If wee keepe an Assises at home in our owne soules and find our selues guilty 1. Cor. 11.2 and condemne our selues then shall not we be iudged of the Lord but because wee deale very partially in our owne matters therfore is the Lord driuen to helpe vs by laying his correcting hand some way or other vpon vs or if crosses do not fal vpon vs in that regard but our hearts tell vs that wee deale faithfully in this behalfe then will our troubles be more easily borne for when sin lyes heauy afflictions lye light And therefore when men are so vexed and disquieted at iniuries and indignities or any outward distresses that they cannot eate nor drinke nor sleepe it is sure that they haue little godly sorrow and store of worldly sorrow for if that holy griefe did possesse their hearts it would eate vp and consume carnall vexation euen as Moses serpent did the serpents of the Aegyptian sorcerers And this euery godly man shall find in his owne experience that looke what day or houre soeuer hee hath wept most bitterlie for his offences against God then hee esteemeth crosses to be most light and easie and finds matter of thankfulnesse in whatsoeuer grieuances befall him as knowing it to be Gods goodnesse that it is not worse with him Here then are those to bee reproued that will tell vs a long tale of their repentance Vse 1 and of their sorrow for sinne but what kinde of sorrow hath it been a shallow and hollow and sleight sorrow that neuer made them to shed one teare in secret nor to make one feruent prayer from a broken heart for the pardoning of their iniquities Let them heare that one of their kine is dead or one of their horses stolne or their barne on fire or the like and they will mourne in good earnest at such a casualtie and bee more mooued to heare that their goods are in danger to bee burnt then that their soules are likely to burne in hell This is a plaine argument that what shewes soeuer they make yet they haue not trulie repented for their euill works for if the holie Ghost had giuen them an inward touch for their sinnes they would grieue most for that which hurts them most and not for those things the hauing whereof cannot much benefit them nor the losse thereof prooue verie inconuenient vnto them Yet so beastly are many that if they be vrged to sounder repentance and greater reformation they presentlie aske What would you haue vs to doe more then wee doe alreadie wee loue God aboue all and our neighbours as our selues and repent continuallie for our faults What would you haue vs so melancholie and pensiue as some are that vse to runne to Sermons nay we will be aduised of that for they are so grieued for their sinnes that they are almost driuen vnto desperation on Miserable men little doe they know what sound repentance meanes for that is the thing which Gods Ministers must aime at euen to make men despaire in themselues that so they might rest whollie vpon Christ Iesus And happie is that Sermon and happie that day which maketh men so to weepe ouer Christ Iesus as that they vtterly fall out with themselues and with their naughtie and prophane courses for this will best prooue vnto their soules that they haue receiued the Spirit of grace and haue attained vnto true repentance Secondly Vse 2 this maketh for the sharpe rebuke of those who when the Lord doth knocke at the doore of their hearts and make knowne vnto them that they are liable to Gods wrath in regard of their vile and sinfull course of life they seeke by all meanes to quench these good motions and to driue away the feare of hel from their hearts Oh little doe such know what they doe for now they grieue the Spirit of grace which doth moue them to turne vnto the Lord and doe refuse to accept of his gracious offer of mercy and fauour and therefore it may be the Lord in his iustice wil deny them the like for euerafter and suffer them to perish in their iniquities without any sense or feeling thereof at all Thirdly heere is an instruction for vs
shall befall all impenitent sinners What they are most loth to vndergoe that shall light vpon them and that at vnawares when they least thinke of it and shall continue with them and neuer leaue them till it haue either turned them vnto God or brought them vnto hell the place of all such rebrobate sinners And that we may apply this to the present occasion are there not many that are horribly afraid of the pestilence yea farre more then they are of sinne which bringeth it in so much that they absent themselues from Sermons and from publike prayers lest they should be infected Are there not very many I say that are possessed with such feares Let them looke to it for of all other strokes the pestilence is likely to fall vpon them if it were a sword in the hand of the Pope or of Sathan then it stood them vpon to beware of Gods ordinances but seeing none but Atheists will denie but it is ordered by Gods ouer-ruling hand they take a bad course to escape his stroke for where can they hide themselues but he will finde them out And whither can they flee from his all-seeing presence He can take away the infection where it is and bring it euen in a moment where it is not and therefore goe where they can they goe in continuall danger for where is the sword of God most likely to smite but where he is most displeased and where there is most prophanenesse and greatest contempt of the meanes of saluation therefore if they would escape let them fall downe before the Lord and humble themselues as Dauid did and not be so much afraid of their neighbours that haue the plague as of sinne that brings the plague and runne not so much from the occasion of this sicknesse though all good care must be had that way as from the cause which if we can doe then either God will spare vs and exempt vs from this stroke or else giue vs comfort vnder it and deliuerance from it by life or death making it a meanes vtterly to kill originall sinne which all his ordinances could but onely weaken and who would be afraid of such a cure what child of God would not be more glad to sit on a throne in heauen though he be called thereto by a boysterous messenger than to be in a prison heere on earth to be where he shall be quite freed from sinne and sorrow and temptation and haue all happinesse aboue that which his heart can desire rather than to be continually turmoyled heere in the world and euery day to taste of new tribulations The end of the first Sermon The second Sermon 2. SAMVEL 24.14 c. Verse 14 And Dauid said vnto God I am in a wonderfull strait let vs fall now into the hand of the Lords for his mercies are great and let mee not fall into the hand of man Verse 15. So the Lord sent a Pestilence in Israell from the morning euen to the time appointed and there died of the people from Dan to Beer-sheba seuenty thousand men Verse 16. And when the Angell stretched out his hand vpon Ierusalem the Lord repented of the euill and said to the Angell that destroyed the people It is sufficient hold now thy hand c. Verse 17. And Dauid spake vnto the Lord c. YEE haue alreadie heard of Dauids sinne in numbring of the people of his humiliation confession and crauing of pardon for the same also of the message that was brought vnto him by Gad what offer the Lord made him Namely that hee should haue the choise of his owne rodde the sentence was alreadie past and some one of the three iudgements mentioned Verse 13. must needs light vpon the land yet would God vse as much mildnes as might bee and therefore hee referres the matter vnto him and biddeth him consider and determine which of them hee would most willingly vndergoe Now followe the euents that ensued both vpon the sinne that Dauid committed and the message that God for the same directed vnto him The first whereof was the great distresse wherewith hee was perplexed which he bemoned to the Prophet telling him that he was in a wonderfull strait The second was the choyse that he made Verse 14. absolutely passing ouer the famine without so much as speaking of it as knowing it to bee incomparablie the sharpest scourge of the three for the Scripture faith that they that are slaine by the sword are better then they which are killed with hunger and rather also submitting himselfe to the Pestilence Lament 9. which was more immediately the sword of God from whom he expected mercie and fauour then to the violence and sword of man in whome what else in such a case is to be found but crucltie and fiercenesse The third was the execution of that plague of the pestilence Verse 15. which he had yeelded himselfe vnto which is declared as well by the manner as the minister of it it being in so short a time as in three dayes space dispersed thorough the whole Land from North to South and though not affirmed yet implied from East to West Ierusalem onely excepted as may appeare by the circumstance of the Text and in this time seuenty thousand being destroyed which stroke was inslicted by the hand of an Angell whome God had therevnto appointed as minister and executioner of the same The last was Verse 16. the ceasing and stay of this plague euen then when the stroke was lighting vpon Ierusalem to haue destroyed it And hereof are assigned two causes the one and that the principall was the Commandement of God to whom for our better apprehension of his prouidence is ascribed an humane passion of repentance which properly befalleth not him because hee cannot but doe euery thing absolutely well nor possiblie at any time bee wearie of well-doing neither is hee subiect to perturbations because he is free from all manner of corruptions But hee is said to repent when hee withholdeth that which he condicionallie promiseth or threatneth or desisteth from that which he had begun to doe sithence men many times breake off their proceedings with dislike of the beginnings thereof and their not doing of that which they saide argueth commonly that they are sorrie for saying that which nowe they minde not to doe The other cause yet of an inferiour nature and mouent as wee call it was the prayer of Dauid Verse 17. whereby hee obtained the preseruation of Ierusalem and the rest of the people and herein hee offereth himselfe to be smitten that they might be spared with acknowledgement that hee was the offender and they in this matter altogether innocent Verse 14. And Dauid said I am in a wonderfull strait The Doctrine that hence ariseth is plaine viz. that Sinne brings men into great distresses and into maruellous straits It is the proper nature of wickednesse Doct. 1 to encomber and cast men into perplexities Sinne brings
saith the Prophet Zephany Zeph. 1.14.15 In the great day of the Lords wrath the strong man shall cry bitterly Now crying is an argument of great perplexity and anguish and of basenesse of mind when it proceedeth from outward causes and yet the Prophet saith that the strong men and such as did professe fortitude should cry and that bitterly and the more couragious they had been in sin the more cowardly they should bee when the Lord did visit them for sinne Lastly Obiect there are others that thinke to cary out their vile practises by reason of their noble parentage their high places the multitude of their attendants the largenesse of their substance c. If they say the word who can hinder the deed who dare controll them or crosse them If any thinke himselfe wronged say they let him take his aduantage and seeke his remedy c. See the haughtinesse of flesh and blood when once it is set on horse-backe Answ but suppose that men dare not encounter them doe they imagine that the Lord will be afraid of their bigge words and bigge lookes if they do they are much deceiued Pharaoh Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzer were as great and as proud as most of these braggers yet did not the Lord strike them with horrour and amazement and make them see and know that hee was the King of Kings and Lord of Lords Satan hath all that worldly men can haue and a great deale more both of wit and wealth and company and courage and command and yet for all this the very consideration of Gods indignation maketh him to tremble according to that of the the Apostle Iames Iam. 2.19 Thou beleeuest that there is one God the diuels also beleeue and tremble And how then can they thinke to escape the terrours of the Lord who though they be great in the world yet come farre behinde the Prince of the world in greatnesse Let experience speake in this point Note when the Lord tooke away our gracious Queene and there was likelihood either of a ciuill dissension or forren inuasion howbeit the Lord miraculously deliuered vs from them both who were then least troubled with feares those that were great in the world or such as were great in Gods fauour And now that the Lord doth visit our cities and townes and villages with the pestilence who are they that are most couragious surely those that truly feare the Lord they think it the safest course to exercise themselues in the workes of their callings and not to runne hither and thither and to come vnto the publike assemblies of the Saints and not to neglect the feeding of their soules for feare of endangering their bodies whereas the wealthie and great ones of the world hide their heads in a corner being very vnwilling to aduenture vpon any good work that either God or man calleth them vnto if there bee but the least appearance of any perill Therefore in the second place if we would be void of those terrours that wicked men are subiect vnto Vse 2 and be able with boldnes to hold vp our heads when Gods iudgements are abroad in the world then let vs obserue these directions following First Remedies against hellish feares 1. Feare to offend See M. Duds booke Com. 1. Psal 112. let vs beware of all manner of sinnes that no iniquitie haue entertainment with vs and labour to bee at one with the Lord that so our consciences may be at one with vs which if wee can attaine vnto we shall be strongly fortified against all vnnecessary feares According to that in the Psalme Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord c. He shall not be afraid of euill tidings c. Where the Prophet sheweth that hee is an happie man that is truly religious and sheweth it forth by fearing of God and delighting in his commandements and by performing the duties of loue and mercy towards his brethren for as hee shall bee freed from all hurtfull euils so shall hee bee exempted from all passionate feare thereof Note Many wicked men haue not the plague in their houses and yet are plagued with the feare of it and many godly men haue their families visited therewith and yet are not perplexed with such terrors and the reason is yeelded in that place because their harts are fixed and established and beleeue in the Lord. That is the foundation whereupon they build their courage and confidence euen the Lord himselfe who is a sure stay to those that relie vpon him His children know that nothing can befall them without his prouidence that nothing shall betide them but he will support them vnder it and make them to profit by it and what cause then haue they to be distēpered If therfore we desire to haue stil quiet harts when others shal be euen at their wits end then let vs get the brestplate of righteousnesse and innocencie for the righteous is bold as a Lion Let vs feare sin before it be committed Prou. 28.1 and when we are tempted therunto say with Iob Are there not strange punishments for the workers of iniquity Iob 31. Will not the Lord be angry with me if I should commit this wickednesse will not mine owne heart be discomforted will not my spirit be made sad within mee how shall I bee able to looke the Lord in the face if hee should lay his hand in any feareful manner vpon me or mine when I haue so prouoked him to his face c Thus if wee could fright our hearts from offending the Maiestie of God wee should bee as bold as Iob was when the waues of aduersity flow in vpon vs on euery side The Lord saith he hath giuen Iob 1.21 Iob. 13.15 and the Lord hath taken blessed be the name of the Lord. And in another place Though the Lord should kill me yet will I trust in him He feared sinne which is the sting of crosses and therefore were his crosses lesse terrible vnto him when they came and so will they be vnto vs if we carefully eschew those corruptions which otherwise will enuenome and poyson them vnto vs. this is the first means to arme vs against feares viz. to take heed of sinne before it bee committed But if it be committed Repentance for offences committed the next remedie is to stand in awe of Gods iudgements due vnto the same and so to be led on to true repentance The best way to escape desperate feare is to fright our soules with an holy feare For if we iudge our selues we shall not be iudged of the Lord. Excellent for this purpose is that answere of Huldah the Prophetesse vnto good Iosiah Because thine heart did melt saith she and thou hast humbled thy selfe before the Lord 2. King 22.19.20 when thou heardest what I spake against this place and against the inhabitants of the same to wit that it should bee destroyed and accursed and hast rent thy cloathes wept before
spirit of God is in him indeed The third note and effect is the bringing on forward of this work vnto iustification Iustification for when the spirit hath brought vs thus farre then doth it begin to open vnto vs a doore vnto the grace and fauour of God It doth put into our mindes that there is mercy with God and therefore stirreth vs vp to seeke mercy at his hands afterward it doth let vs see how Christ suffered to take away the sinnes of the world that in the righteousnesse of Christ we may looke to be iustified before God And this it doth not let vs see only but doth effectually worke a sure perswasion of it in our hearts Effects of iustification and confirmeth the same by two notable effects The first is a ioy most vnspeakeable and glorious 1. Ioy. 1. Pet. 1.8 Rom. 5.2 wherewith our hearts must needs be wholly taken vp and rauished when we see our selues by the righteousnesse of Christ of the free mercy and grace of God redeemed from death deliuered from hell and freed from the fearefull condemnation of the wicked The second is the peace of conscience 2. Peace Rom. 5.1 Philip. 4.6 which indeed passeth all vnderstanding While sin and the guilt of sinne remained there was no peace nor rest nor quietnes to be found but feare within terrours without and troubles on euery side but when once sinne is nailed to the crosse of Christ when the guilt thereof is taken out of our consciences and the punishment thereof farre remoued then must needs ensue great peace because God is at one with vs and for this we haue the warrant and testimony of the spirit for flesh and blood cannot worke in vs this holy and heauenly assurance And hereof doth arise a fourth note 4. Readinesse to doe good to wit the life and nimblenes that is in vs to doe good for when a man doth finde fauour from God for the forgiuenes of his sins then the loue of God constraineth him and that ioy which hee conceiueth enforceth him and putteth life into him for the performance of those things which are pleasing vnto God Then he beginneth to finde himselfe not only reclaimed from euill but also framed to that which is good Then is his vnderstanding enlightened to see into the mysteries of godlines then is his iudgement reformed so that he is able to discerne betwixt truth and falshood betwixt that which is good and that which is euill 1. Thes 5.23 Then are his affections in some good measure altered his desire is set not vpon earthly but vpon heauenly things his ioyes are not in earth but in heauen his anger is wasted and spent not vpon his owne priuate cause and quarrels but his owne sinnes and vpon whatsoeuer hindreth the glory of his God This is the life of God in him Ephes 4.18 Rom. 8.2 thus he liueth that hath receiued the spirit and thus he leadeth his life continually for they that haue receiued the spirit are led by the spirit and doe liue accordingly Gal. 5.22 bringing forth the fruites of the spirit But this hath frailtie ioyned with it and men through weakenesse may soone fall therefore if notwithstanding that we will know whether we still retaine the spirit wee must try ourselues by these rules First if through infirmitie wee haue fallen Iam. 3.1 Notes of the spirit after slips 1. Hatred sinne as who doth not and will know whether thereby wee haue lost the spirit of God or no let vs examine what liking or misliking we haue of sinne for if wee still hold our former hatred of that and the oftener we fal the more thoroughly deadly hatred wee conceiue against it vndoubtedly that frailty hath not as yet depriued vs of the spirit for this holy detestation of sin is a fruit of the spirit Secondly 2. Sorrow for sinne 2. Cor. 7. consider how it standeth with thy sorrow for so long as thy sorrow for sin encreaseth it cannot be that the spirit should bee quenched in thee Thirdly 3. Care to auoid it trie thy care and if thou find thy selfe more carefull both to fight against sinne and to preuent it by auoiding the occasions of it then know Rom. 7. that not it but grace hath dominion in thy heart But the last is most certaine 4. Greater zeale in well doing 2. Cor. 7.11 Ephes 4. and that is this when thou art carefull to redeeme that which by thy fall thou hast lost and hast a care to runne so much faster forward by how much more thou hast been letted by thy fall then it doth appeare that the spirit is in thee yea it is liuely and mighty in operation and such as shal neuer be taken from thee vntill the day of Christ Now further when the Apostle saith Quench not the spirit he implieth that the spirit is in some respects like vnto fire therefore if wee doe but a little consider of the nature of fire we shall a great deale better iudge of the spirit First of all it will consume things that are combustible The properties of the Spirit whereby it resembleth fire Rom. 8.13 and therefore lighting vpon straw stubble c. it bringeth all to ashes so doth the spirit in our soules waste and at length bring to nothing all noysome lusts whatsoeuer Secondly fire doth purge and purifie things and so doth the spirit purge vs from the drosse of sinne daily more and more Ioh. 15.2 Act. 159. that we may bee holy temples for him to dwell in Thirdly fire giueth light euen in the darkest places and so is the spirit a shining lampe 1. Ioh. 1.5.6 euer giuing light vnto vs in the midst of the darknes of this world And last of all fire giueth heate and withall doth as it were put life into those things which are capable of life for whilest a man is frozen and starued he is numbed and as it were without life but being brought to the fire hee is reuiued and cheered Colos 2.13 Ephes 2.1 and then becommeth actiue and nimble euen so doth the spirit set vs on heate and inflameth vs with a zeale of Gods glory with a care of our dutie and with a loue of all mankind yea withal it putteth life into vs to walke in that good way which leadeth vnto life Thus we see what likelihood there is between the spirit and fire for which cause it is sometimes called fire as Matth. 3.11 Therefore as truly and certainly as we may say there is fire where we see straw or sticks consumed gold or siluer purged great light in darke places or great heate and liuelinesse in bodies that were benummed before so truly may wee say and so certainly may wee perswade our selues that the spirit of God is in vs when wee see our corruptions consumed our soules purged our hearts inlightened and made hot in walking and working according to that light The second question
them If Dauid were brought to such a strait that he was euen at his wits ende and in exceeding great anguish for doing one thing which in mans reason might seeme very lawfull Oh what horrible terrors shall seaze on their soules who doe continuallie rush vpon a multitude of hainous offences which all the world crieth out against especially when they shall be called to answere not before Gad as Dauid was but before the Maiestie of the great Lord of heauen and earth not for one sinne but for all their sinnes not to endure three dayes punishment in mercie but euerlasting woe and miserie and that in iudgement and heauie displeasure Dauid had great sorrow indeed for the offences which he committed yet no more then hee should haue how then doe they thinke to escape that are not wrought vpon at all with any remorse for their grieuous transgressions but are euen as a lumpe of dead flesh altogether insensible of any stroke of God that is threatned or inflicted vpon themselues or others Verse 10. Doct. 3 I haue sinned exceedingly Now followeth the second step vnto sound repentance Confession of sinne must folowe griefe for sinne namely a true full particular and hearty confession of his sinne that so wounded his heart which all that would obtaine remission of their sinnes must be carefull to bring before the Lord as Dauid did But this point hath hene more largely handled elsewhere in M. Dods Serm. on Prou. 28. Doct. 2. I beseech thee take away the trespasse of thy seruant c. This is the third worke of repentance viz that he craueth pardon for his fault and that is the next point that with confession of our sinnes Doct. 4 we must alwaies ioyne requests vnto God for the pardoning of the same so doth Dauid in this place as also Psal Asking pardō must be ioyned with confession Luk. 18.13 Daniel 9.19 Nehem. 9. 51 so doth the Publican Lord be mercifull vnto me a sinner and in a word so doth Daniel Nehemia and the rest of Gods seruants as may be seene in their seuerall confessions And for incouragement vnto the performance of this dutie we haue 1 First the name of God which is to pardon iniquitie Exod. 34. transgression and sinne euen all without exception great or small if we repent for them they shall be pardoned if we acknowledge our miserie we shall assuredly finde Gods mercy 2 Secondly we haue the couenant of God Ezeck 36. that he will wash vs from all our filthinesse by powring the bloud of his sonne vpon our sinfull soules 3 Thirdly Mat. 1. we haue the name of Christ to incite and moue vs to become suters for a pardon for he is called Iesus because it is his office to saue his people from their sinnes This Doctrine serueth First for the confutation of the Papists Vse 1 who clog mens consciences and lay on them heauie and yet vnnecessarie burdens enioyning them if they would get remission of their sinnes to goe in pilgrimage to this or that place to pray to this or that Saint to make some satisfaction to God c as if they should finde mercie any where rather then by seeking it at Gods hands and they speed accordingly for whereas Dauid went vnto the Lord for fauour and obtained it they haue still vnsetled hearts and restles consciences or hard hearts and benummed consciences neuer getting any true peace or sound comfort in the assurance of their reconciliation with the Lord. 2 Secondly Vse 2 for reproofe of those whose offences are very many and very grieuous and they see and acknowledge so much and yet will they not be so presumptuous as they tearme it to expect pardon for the same indeed they thinke it fit for such holy men as Dauid was to aske and looke for mercy from the Lord but for themselues they are such hainous offenders that they dare not doe so neither can they conceiue any hope to speed well if they should doe so But why should we put in conditions where God doth not and as it were interline Gods couenant doth not he promise without any exception 1. Ioh. 1.9 that if we confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse It is therefore a great fault to thinke that any hath more abundance of sinne then God hath of mercy to forgiue it Thirdly Vse 3 heere is an vse of instruction that we should be very importunate for the obtaining of Gods fauour in the pardoning of our sinnes which earnestnes that we may attaine vnto let vs vse these two helpes following How we may attaine to earnestnesse in asking pardon which Dauids example directeth vs vnto First let vs labour that our hearts may thorowly smite vs and that our consciences may euermore checke vs when we doe offend for wheresoeuer there is the checke of conscience it will make the party grow not onely to hartie confession but also to earnest petitions for grace and fauour The greater therefore is their follie who when the Lord doth strike their drowsie consciences for any wickednesse committed by them will presently betake themselues to merry company so by iesting and laughing and drinking and sporting seeke to driue away their melancholie fit as they call it but God meeteth with them accordingly for when they will not take benefit by that mercifull warning which he giueth them they commonly fall to maruellous hardnes of heart and after breake foorth into some horrible sinne which ouerwhelmeth them with shame and confusion Let vs therefore obserue when the Lord smiteth our hearts and with Peter get out of company speedily and lament bitterly that so we may turne the rebukes of our soules into holy requests that the Lord would for giue vs and not enter into iudgement with vs for our grieuous prouocations against his Maiestie Secondly when sinne is so odious vnto vs that our hearts doe condemne vs for it then let vs striue to be perswaded that it is pardonable yea and that it shall be pardoned vnto vs that though we deserue to be throwne out of seruice because we haue dealt so foolishly yet seeing we are Gods seruants he will not goe to extremities with vs but deale as a father with his owne children this ancor of hope we had need still to hold fast by for if we be not in some good measure resolued that we shall finde the Lord gratious and that we our selues are not hypocrites but such as to whom mercy belongeth we shall presently giue ouer prayer for who would seeke vnto a Chirurgion to cure him of whom he is afraid lest he should wound him in that be hath cause and abilitie so to doe Therefore hold this for a firme ground once Gods childe and euer once his seruant and neuer his enemie in which regard we may come with confidence vnto him and say Lord I am vnworthy to be called thy sonne yet
that The lusts of your father yee will do As those that are willing to do the workes of God are assuredly the children of God euen so they that are ready to doe the workes of Satan are without doubt the children of Satan and if they will pray vnto their father they must pray vnto the Diuell Againe in that very place it is said that the Spirit helpeth our infirmities Rom. 8.26 for wee know not what to pray as we ought but the Spirit it selfe maketh requests for vs with sighes that cannot be expressed where it is euident that the best of Gods seruants without the helpe and assistance of the holy Ghost are ignorant both of the matter and manner of prayer but the Spirit doth informe their minds what to aske and frame their affections how to aske in an holy and acceptable sort so that albeit sometimes they want words to expresse their meaning yet they are ful of inward sighes heauenly desires But what are they the better for them will some say if they cannot poure them foorth before the Lord in an outward forme of prayer They are much the better because as it is in the 27. verse He that searcheth the harts knoweth the meaning of the spirit and he so knoweth it that he approueth of it and delighteth in it If there bee neuer so many good words and those vttered by the very Saints of God themselues yet if they proceede not from the Spirit but from the flesh as sometimes they may they are not pleasing vnto the Lord but abhorred of him And on the other side albeit there be no words at al as many times it fals out when the hart is oppressed through extremity of griefe yet if there bee a multitude of holy desires in the soule stirred vp through the powerful working of the holy Spirit they are accepted of him and shal bee rewarded by him for as it is added in the place aboue named The Spirit eueÌ„ at such times maketh requests for the Saints according to the will of God And therefore their suits according with his will he cannot but yeeld vnto the same Againe Iohn 16.8 it is the proper worke of the Spirit to conuince the iudgement of sinne and to humble the heart therefore without which there can no faithfull prayer be made vnto the Lord. Bring neuer so strong reasons to adulterers or gamesters or Sabbath-breakers or any that liue in the continuall practise of such dangerous and damnable sins and presse them neuer so forcibly to cause them to forsake their leaud and wretched courses and yet can they not see why they should leaue them but rather imagine that they may lawfully follow the same still And no maruell for till the God of heauen do set downe their carnall reason it can neuer be set downe and till he stop their mouthes they will neuer be silenced but still haue somewhat to say for their wretched and vile behauiour Seeing then it is euident Reasons collected from the former places that Gods Spirit alone can perswade vs of the loue and fauor of our heauenly Father towards vs that so we may be in case to pray vnto him and withal must furnish vs with the matter and helpe vs in the manner of our praiers and humble vs in the sight of our owne miserable wants that so we may bee more earnest and feruent in the requests that wee make the point now in hand may hence bee strongly concluded to wit that none can make a faithfull prayer without the speciall aide and direction of the holy Ghost which serueth First for the confutation of those senselesse people Vse 1 that will bee talking and bragging how they pray day and night They that know what it is to lift vp a feruent prayer vnto the heauens doe easily discerne that they are but meere braggers and boasters and that indeede they neuer made one faithful praier since they were borne because they are and still haue been sensuall and carnall and vtterly void of any sanctifying grace of Gods spirit and therefore so farre are they from hauing any cause of reioycing in regard of their good prayers as they cal them that they haue great cause to be humbled for them as being workes of the flesh and not of the Spirit such as doe rather prouoke the Lords displeasure against them then pacifie his anger or any way procure his fauour towards them Such are the prayers of all blind and ignorant Papists who pray in an vnknowne tong to whom it may bee said as it was by our Sauiour vnto the sons of Zebedeus Ye know not what ye ask They may speake what they list of their often praying and how readily they can go through with their stint and taske but they that vnderstand what it is to bring God and their owne soules together in earnest requests and feruent supplications cannot but iudge them to bee bragging Pharisees who thinke that the Lord is beholding vnto them and indebted vnto them for such prayers whereas in truth he may iustly condemne them vnto hell for the same and wil do so if they be not humbled for them as well as for the rest of their iniquities And therfore they that haue indeed the Spirit of prayer are of another mind for when they haue vsed the best preparation that possibly they can they find so many defects in their prayers that they are driuen to make a new prayer for the pardoning of those their wants and are stirred vp heartily to praise the Lord wheÌ„ they can in any poore measure powre out their soules before him as knowing that it is not from any strength that they haue in themselues but from the help and furtherance of his good Spirit Secondly let this be an instruction vnto vs that if wee would pray aright and speed accordingly wee labour as Iude exhorteth to pray in the holy Ghost Iude vers 20. For those be the petitions that pierce the heauens and bring peace and comfort vnto the conscience But how shall we know whether â—ur prayers proceed from Gods Spirit or not for our sinfull hearts are apt to deceiue vs on both sides viz. either to make vs thinke through Satans suggestion that wee doe not pray in the holy Ghost because we haue so many frailties when in truth we doe or that we pray as wee ought to doe because we haue matter and words at will when indeed there is no such thing but onely a naturall gift of vttering that which is in our mindes and memories in apt and fit tearmes and in a fluent manner of speech Therefore if wee would know what it is to pray in the holy Ghost it is this First Rules for prayer wee must haue a warrant for the things that wee aske and that from the word of God where the Lords will is reuealed 1. Iohn 5.14 according wherunto all our petitions must be framed In which regard we must acquaint our selues with
a sort the torments of hell that they might partake of the ioyes of heauen the sound meditation thereof cannot but wound the hearts of such as haue any sparke of grace in them When it was told Dauid that Abner was slaine by Ioab though he had formerly been a rebell and was now newly reconciled vnto him yet hee mourned for him till the euening because he was a worthy man albeit he himselfe was altogether guiltlesse of his death Oh then how much more should the Saints of God lament ouer Christ Iesus who was not a worthy man but infinitly more worthy then all both men and Angels and not murdered by the treachery of another but killed by the sinnes of their soules the sins of their lips and the sinnes of their hands and if he had not been so killed they had been euerlastingly damned Put case that a man had one onely sonne which was to bee the heire of the family and hee of a sudden should find him starke dead would it not inwardly touch him and strike cold vnto his heart especially if he himselfe had vnwittingly been the cause thereof yes certainly it would go through his heart euen like a sword and such will be the griefe of those who through their transgressions haue slaine their blessed Sauiour as this very text witnesseth when they by the eye of faith doe see him heauy vnto the death crying vnto his Father in the bitternesse of his griefe being ful of torment in his bodie and fuller of anguish in his soule and that for their sakes euen for their sinnes they cannot but be exceedingly moued hereat And a little to presse the other comparison vsed in this text if the people of God did so bewaile the death of their worthy king Iosiah who yet died vnwillingly and without any intent to benefit them thereby how much more bitterlie should wee lament the death of our blessed Redeemer who was a farre greater and excellenter king then Iosiah was and yet willingly and freely laid downe his life for our sakes that he might free vs from eternall death and destruction both of our bodies and soules Questionlesse if wee haue any spirituall life and sense in vs this will make vs loath our sinnes that brought our deare Sauiour so much woe and miserie and cause vs heartily to mourne for the same euen as a man would do at the sight of a knife or sword or some such like instrument whereby at vnawares hee hath slaine his child or wife or any that was neere and deare vnto him Especiallie if wee consider that God out of his meere loue gaue his onelie Sonne vnto vs when we deserued nothing at his hands but his heauie curse and vengeance to be executed vpon vs Iohn 3.14 and that the Son of God was content from the aboundance of his loue to bee so abased and vilified so afflicted and tormented for our offences this must needes worke vpon our soules if wee haue but the least drop of goodnesse in vs. But here some man may obiect and say Obiect Indeed if al this had been done for me alone you say wel if my heart were not altogether flinty and vtterly hardened I could not but relent at the consideration hereof but all Gods elect were the cause hereof as well as I. This doth nothing diminish the loue of God and of Christ toward you Answ and therefore it should no whit lessen your good affection towards him for your Sauiour suffered as much for your iniquities as if he had suffered for no mans else for your sinnes alone required an infinite satisfaction Againe Obiect it may be asked how the consideration of Christ his death can make vs mourne sith it is the happiest thing that euer fel out since the foundations of the world were laid and therfore may seeme to bring with it greater matter of ioy then of sorrow The answere hereunto is easie Answ because ioy and sorrow may very wel stand together as may plainly appeare in this similitude If any of vs had committed some notable offence and were thereupon apprehended and condemned and now going to the place of execution there to endure whatsoeuer torture the wit or malice of men could inflict vpon vs and at this instant some deare friend of ours in singular compassion toward vs should intreate that the execution might be staied that we might be set at libertie and hee come in our steed to suffer whatsoeuer our ill deeds haue deserued we could not but be glad that we speede so well in being freed from so much miserie and yet withall if we had but naturall kindnesse and common humanity in vs it could not but grieue our soules that so good a friend of ours should be put surety should be content to sel his lands and goods for the discharge of our debts we had iust cause to reioyce thereat and yet reason requires that wee should be touched with inward griefe for that we had been such bankrouts and prouided so ill for the state of our suertie Euen so the case standeth betwixt Christ and vs he did vndergoe those punishments which were to bee inflicted vpon vs and discharged those debts which otherwise should haue been charged vpon vs in regard of our freedome wee ought to take comfort and in regard of that which our Sauiour did and suffered for vs wee must bee humbled and grieued Which serueth for the great terrour of sundrie gracelesse persons Vse 1 who being rebuked for their sinnes will confesse that indeede they haue their faults and infirmities but did not the Sonne of God die say they to redeeme vs from the same Hee did so indeed if you belong vnto him and wil you crucifie him again by your wretched and sinfull behauiour Did Christ weepe and cry and sweate droppes of blood for sinne and will you make no better vse thereof then to turne the grace of God into wantonnesse and to take your swinge in sinning because Christ hath made himselfe an offering for the same You proclaime vnto all the world that you are not led by the Spirit of grace and that you haue not a liuely faith in the merites of the Sonne of God for if you were a true beleeuer you would bee so farre from continuing in sin because Christ hath redeemed you by his blood that you would therefore abhorre it and eschue it because it cost him so deere Euen as one that hath any sparkle of ciuilitie in him if his friend haue endured great tortures to free him from the imputation of treason or haue been at great charges to deliuer him being cast in prison for debt will walke more circumspectly and aduisedlie all the daies of his life and will be so farre from aduenturing vpon those bad courses againe that hee will bee so much more carefull to auoide them by how much more paines and cost his friends haue been at for his redeeming Secondlie Vse 2 let this teach vs to exercise our thoughts often
of husbands and wiues that they shall lament apart euen they that are linked in the nearest bonds and might with most conueniencie lay open their harts each before other yet they should not content themselues with those seruices which they performed together vnlesse God and their consciences might somtimes meete in secret And as our Sauiour chose for himselfe priuate and solitary places where he might with more freedome pray vnto his Father so doth he giue the like aduice vnto others Matth. 6.6 When thou prayest saith he enter into thy chamber and when thou hast shut thy doore pray vnto thy Father which is in secret Whereby chamber hee meaneth any secret place where a man may freely lay open his wants before the Lord. Hence was it that Peter after the deniall of his master is said to goe out and there to weepe bitterly Now the cause why we must do thus is First because it wil be a witnes vnto our soules that we do duties in truth and not in hypocrisie for in secret albeit we shed teares aboundantly for our sins none can accuse vs of vain-glory neither will our owne hearts charge vs therewith whereas in publicke there may be some such suspicion in others or doubt arising in our selues And as our sorrow wil thence appeare not to be hypocriticall so will it also bee cleare vnto vs that it is not naturall nor for company such as may be in a ciuill man who seeing a great many weeping and mourning can hardly refraine himselfe from teares but will bee apt and readie to lament with them Secondly there is no man or woman but hath some sinne or other which is not meere for them to acknowledge before their nearest friends because such is the corruption of their nature they will be ready to thinke the worse of the party The most louing and wise husband that is if his wife should discouer vnto him all her thoughts and ill affections would entertaine somewhat a harder conceit of her then before he did and therefore God would haue many sinfull cogitations and motions laid open onely vnto himselfe who is infinitely mercifull and pittifull and not vnto any creature in the world beside This doctrine serueth for the iust reproofe of many professonis Vse 1 who are all in the Church and nothing in the familie or if they haue prayer and reading of the Scriptures twice a day publicke with their whole family they imagine that they haue gone as farre as they need to do though they neuer throughout the whole week performe any seruice vnto the Lord in secret neuer conscionably meditate on the word neuer earnestly bewaile and confesse their hidden corruptions neuer feruently cry vnto the Lord for the sauing graces of his holy Spirit nor performe any such duty apart as all Christians are bound to do Such kind of persons may assure themselues that their hearts are not right with God and that they are not led by the Spirit of grace which drawes those in whom it reigneth vnto the performance of good duties apart as well as with companie in their closets in their chambers in the fields or in some such priuate places or other as well as in the Church or with the whole societie where they liue How much more are those to be condemned who are so farre from seruing the Lord in secret that they either refuse to do it in publike or if they affoord their bodily presence yet they are idle or profane or wanton in their lookes and in their gestures letting all that are neare them see the vile disposition of their hearts by their leaud and abominable carriage These sinfull wretches are so farre from being excused by being at religious exercises that they are much to bee condemned for that in the land of righteousnesse as the Prophet speaketh they worke wickednes and in the places where they should shew al manner of holines they expresse such notable profanenes These are euen like Iudas who was plotting to betray his master euen then when he was at the Lords table to bee partaker of the holy Sacrament and they shall speede euen as hee did for when affliction and misery seazeth vpon them as come it wil sooner or later if they preuent it not by hearty repentance then shall they not bee able to stand before the Lord nor before the face of their accusing consciences but shall be ouerwhelmed with horrour and amazement and be moreready to lay violent hands on themselues then to seeke vnto the Lord for mercy whom they haue so hainouslie and presumptuously offended Secondly let vs hence learne to bee the same alone for matters of godlinesse as we are in company and to do duties when no body sees vs euen because God beholds vs as well as when many eyes are cast vpon vs. This will be a testimonie vnto our soules of great sincerity and vprightnes and these priuate exercises of religion wil maruellously fit vs for the publike And thence it comes to passe that many are so loth to appeare before God in the congregation or in the family and do feele the seruices of God so tedious and wearisome because their hearts haue not been exercised therewith in secret for he that deales with his owne soule alone shall find so many defects in himselfe that he will be very desirous of the helpe of the Saints in publike assemblies Therfore let vs tie our selues euery day to spend some time in meditating on the word in searching our harts in hūbling our selues for our offences past presēt in praying to the Lord to strengthen vs where we are weake to resolue vs where we are in doubt to shew vs our errours and to direct vs in the right way to let vs see our wants and to supply them of his rich grace let vs I say constantlie performe these and the like duties in secret and then shall it bee plaine vnto our soules that wee are guided by Gods good Spirit And howsoeuer the diuell will obiect that wee are not sincere because we haue many times more in shew outwardly then wee haue in substance inwardly yet hereby shall we be able to approue the sinceritie of our hearts that albeit we haue not that within vs which wee seeme to haue yet wee desire to haue it and striue to attaine to it and he only is an hypocrite which neither hath nor desires to haue that which he maketh semblance to haue The end of the first Sermon vpon the twelfth of Zechariah THE SECOND SERMON VPON THE SIXTH OF LVKE LVKE 6.47 c. Vers 47. Whosoeuer commeth tome and heareth my words and doth the same I will shew you to whom he is like 48. He is like a man which built an house and digged deepe and laid the foundation on a rocke and when the waters arose the floud beate vpon that house and could not shake it for it was grounded vpon a rocke 49. But he that heareth and doth not is like a man
hainous crimes he must openly exclaime against their ill courses and as the trumpet spares none but wakens all both great and small so must hee deale letting euery one heare of his faults of what state and condition soeuer This was also laid vpon Timothie 1. Tim. 5.20 Them that sinne rebuke openly that the rest may feare saith the Apostle and it was practised by our Sauiour who seeing that the Scribes and Pharisies made more account of their owne traditions then of Gods commandements and that they sought themselues in ambition and filthy lucre he doth sharpely and openly reproue them Matth. 23. and disgrace them and pronounce woes and curses against them The like doth Iohn Baptist Matth. 3. calling them a generation of Vipers and Paul meeting with Ananias a notorious hypocrite who commanded him to be smitten on the face for the disgrace of his person and of his cause Act. 23.3 hee boldly sets vpon him saying God will smite thee thou painted wall Now the reason why publike offences should haue open rebuke is First that others hearing it Reasons 1 may bee terrified from the same and so such sinnes may be lesse infections according to the place before alleaged Them that sinne rebuke openly 1. Tim. 5.20 that the rest may feare and so consequently bee restrained from the like courses Secondly that if it be possible the parties offending may be conuerted according to that of the Apostle The Cretians are alwaies liers euill beasts Tit. 1.12.13 slow bellies wherefore reproue them sharpely that they may bee found in the faith For when men are set vpon the stage and exposed to open shame they will take it to heart and if any thing will worke vpon them for their reformation this will and if they proue incorrigible notwithstanding this yet this benefit will come of it that they shall bee more inexcuseable in the day of the Lord in that they heard their sins so much disgraced and the vengeance of God denounced against the same and yet would not breake off the practise of them by sound repentance Thirdly it makes greatly for the glory of God when hee executeth his iudgements vpon them in this world for those that haue heard their grosse and hainous offences inueighed against and withall are witnesses of their wilfull continuance therein they cannot but in their consciences iustifie the Lord in his proceeding against them That was it especially that caused Dauid to shame himselfe publikely after that hee had committed adultery and murther that God might bee pure when hee iudged Psal 51.4 Otherwise men might haue thought the Lord too seuere in inflicting such punishments vpon him as afterwards he tasted of Here then in the first place is an instruction for Ministers Vse 1 and such as haue cause and calling to deale with offenders that they suffer not their mouthes to be shut by reason of the multitude or greatnesse of the persons that are faulty but according to the nature of the offence so to apply their reproofes accordingly if they dishonour God openly let them heare of it openly and if they will set their sinnes vpon the stage let vs set their shame there also that those that are witnesses of the one may be also witnesses of the other otherwise we shall be iniurious vnto God and vnto men vnto the offenders and vnto our selues because their blood shall bee required at our hands Therfore let vs carefully looke vnto this duty and the more opposition we finde against the performance thereof the more let vs pray for strength and courage to go through with the same knowing that it is a great deale better that men should be offended with vs for doing our duty then that God should plague vs for omitting our duty Steuen knew that most of those vnto whom hee was to speake would not take a reproofe at his hands yet he saw that he had a calling to giue it Acts 7. and they had need of it and therfore he tels them roundly of their faults saying Ye stifnecked and of vncircumcised hearts and eares ye haue alwaies resisted the holy Ghost as your fathers did so doe you c. Indeed hereupon they gnashed their teeth at him and stopped their eares that they might not heare him and so running vpon him with great violence and outrage stoned him to death but what lost hee by that hee parted with a fraile and miserable life and went presently to enioy an euerlasting and most blessed kingdome in the heauens Let vs therefore be resolute and couragious as he was and neuer feare the faces of mortall men knowing that there is no greater danger then for a man to neglect his duty nor greater comfort then to performe it though it bee the losse of his life Secondly is it so that open sinnes must haue open rebuke hence then let vs learne that if wee would not haue Gods Minister to lay open our shame before the congregation wee must take heed of grosse and foule and scandalous offences For if we liue in continuall swearing or Sabbath-breaking or brawling or whoring or stealing or any the like inordinate courses so that by our ill conuersation we cause Gods glorious name to be ill spoken of wee must looke to heare of it to our iust disgrace and if wee set light by Gods glory there is no reason that his seruants should make any reckoning of our credit Let men therefore be carefull to auoide publike euils or else prepare themselues for publike rebukes which are the best medicines for the recouering of their sicke and sinfull soules 8. Now goe and write it before them in a booke that that it may bee for the last day for euer and euer Hence ariseth this doctrine that That testimony shall abide with euery man Doct. 2 Gods testimony is euerlasting which God giueth him in his word Looke what the Lord saith of any one that shal stand firme and tarrie with him till death yea after death euen for euer and euer As here the Prophet Isaiah from the Lords mouth chargeth these cowardly Iewes to bee dissemblers and rebels this hath stood in record against them many hundred yeares and doth still their names are not yet healed nor euer shall be but all that liued and died in their impenitency shall haue their shame encreased in the day of the Lord and that shall tarrie with them for euermore This is also euident in the Scribes and Pharisies who though they carried away all the praise and commendation among men our Sauiour doth disgrace to the vttermost calling them painted sepulchres Mat. 23. that had faire outsides but within were full of corruption and withal denouncing many curses and woes against them now who are more odious then they what name of greater infamie among men then the name of Pharisee and what is the reason hereof surely this the word of God doth disgrace such kind of people and therefore it stickes so
naturall child loueth his father naturally and though his father beate him yet he beareth it and still loueth him 2. Pet. 1.2.3.4 They haue powred and infused into them a godly nature so that they doe freely loue God their father and though hee afflict them or crosse them in their desires yet they loue him and in loue performe their obedience vnto him continually Iob 13. Therefore Iob saith Though hee kill me yet will I trust in him And this is the third marke or rule whereby to proue and trie our selues The last rule is in considering the effect of Gods mercies receiued For herein do the wicked shew their wickednesse two waies First on the right hand the mercies of God do worke in them a wonderfull contentation but not such as causeth them to returne the glory vnto God but rather to ascribe it vnto themselues for the graces of God do puffe them vp make them conceited in themselues Hereof there ariseth a great security which bringeth first neglect and after contempt of all good meanes On the left hand others offend being neuer pleased nor contented with that they haue nay indeed forgetting or lightly esteeming that they haue and still desiring new These men besides that they are vnthankfull they doe also murmure and grudge against God and are neuer pleased with him Betweene these two doe the children of God hold a middle and euen course and therefore wee shall see these things in them First a sight and acknowledgement of their wants which cause them to long for the sincere milke of the word that thereby their wants may bee supplied and their graces encreased and so farre are they from being lifted vp with pride that they reioyce when their pride may bee pulled downe whether by rebukes or threatnings or corrections from the Lord. For they know that if Paul needed meanes of humbling 2. Cor. 12. much more doe they Besides as they desire the word so they waite vntill it please the Lord to worke further in them thereby and this waiting is as earnest as theirs who hauing watched all night do wait and looke for the dawning of the day Secondly as they see their wants Psal 119.10 so doe they also see the graces they haue receiued and are for that time well apaid and contented therewith and therefore as their wants doe humble them so Gods graces doe comfort them and as their wants do call vpon them to seek more so the gifts they haue prouoke them to be thankfull for that they haue receiued And thus much for the last rule of triall These forenamed properties whosoeuer can find in himselfe he may bee assured that the spirit hath wrought in him so effectually as that it shall neuer be taken from him But what then may such cast off all care No the Apostle saith vnto such Quench not the spirit And not without cause for though the spirit it selfe can neuer bee vtterly taken from them yet doubtlesse if pride security or any other sinne begin to take place in them the graces of the spirit may decay and their cleare vnderstanding and comfortable feelings may be gone so that in their own and others iudgements the spirit may seeme to be quite extinguished Neither must this seeme strange for if the Image of God which was more perfectly placed in Adam might be quite lost then no maruell if the graces of the spirit bee drowned in vs for a time The Galathians were truly regenerated and had receiued Christ into their hearts yet their graces were so choked and quenched that hee was as it were without fashion or forme so that the Apostle did as it were trauell againe Gal. 4.19 vntill Christ was fashioned anew in them Dauid also vpon the committing of his sinne was brought vnto that case Psal 51. that he prayed God to create in him a new spirit What was the spirit quite gone No for by and by after he prayeth that God would not take his holy spirit from him but the graces thereof were wonderfully decaied and therefore he desireth that they might be renued But that none may abuse this doctrine Euils that follow vpon quenching of the spirit let vs consider what punishments doe follow vpon the quenching of the spirit in this sort First of all we must know that though the spirit bee not gotten by our labour yet that is required for the obtaining of it and it must cost vs much paines ere we can get it into our hearts all which seemeth to be lost when the graces of the spirit are withered Secondly all that peace and ioy before spoken of is gone with how great griefe and woe they know that in any measure haue tasted of it Thirdly for that time they haue no heart to do good but are made vnprofitable burthens to the earth Moreouer such are in danger of falling into reproachfull euils and so to procure the sharp correcting hand of God vpon themselues who hath said that though hee will not take his mercies vtterly from his children yet hee will visit their sinnes with the rod and their iniquities with scourges as he dealt with Dauid Last of all when the graces of the spirit of God are once decayed they cannot bee repaired but with very much sorrow for what a griefe will it be to call to mind our former transgressions to aggrauate them by all circumstances to apply the terrible threatnings of the law to our stonie harts and the like The consideration of all which discommodities should cause vs to beware how we quench the spirit Yet here is matter of comfort also for though we may suffer a great decay of Gods graces yet by the rod or by the word or by both they shall be renued in vs againe A Discourse of murmuring in the time of affliction MAny men hearing of the often murmurings of the Israelites doe iudge them the worst people vnder the Sunne but such doe little consider either the temptations whereby they were prouoked to murmure or the corruption of their owne hearts which will as bitterly murmure vpon lesse occasion For albeit they were an obstinate and stiffe-necked people yet heerein they were vehemently tempted that they came from plenty in Egypt to scarsity in the wildernesse hauing neither meate nor drinke for all that multitude being sixe hundred thousand men besides women and children Wherefore let vs cease to wonder at this people and in them see our owne corruption For do not many amongst vs beholding the abundance which the Lord hath bestowed vpon Magistrates or Ministers for the discharge of their duties doe they not I say rather murmure at it then shew themselues thankefull for troubles that they are freed from and for sufficiencie that the Lord hath giuen them to liue vpon True it is that notwithstanding the greatnes of this peoples temptation their sinne was very hainous for Gods mercies had been wonderfull towards them euen immediatly before and that the vnthankfullest of them
had been driuen to confesse Psal 106. yet did they wish to returne to their former bondage rather then to be brought to such straits but notwithstanding the grieuousnesse of this their sin many now adaies come nothing behind them for their eyes are so vpon their wants that the want of one thing which they doe desire though it be but small doth more disquiet them then manifold blessings do comfort them to make them thankfull But this discontentment we must bee armed against which wee shall bee if wee can receiue the fauour of God for it selfe though it come alone yea though trouble doe come therewith for hauing it wee haue all things and wanting it wee haue nothing Againe if wee haue it no misery can make vs miserable and if wee haue it not in greatest prosperity we are most miserable But the Israelites here dealt after a cleane contrary manner for the want of bread in the wildernes being but for their bodies did make them to despise their great and wonderfull deliuerance out of Egypt which was vnto them a signe of their spirituall deliuerance And this is the nature of all worldlings they had rather forgoe many spirituall benefits then one corporall commodity they grieue more at the losing and reioyce more at the hauing of wealth then of godlinesse But to returne to the point in hand sith murmuring is so great a sinne it shall be profitable to consider of some remedies against it Now for as much as impatiencie proceedeth from infidelity Remedies against murmuring the remedie therof must be fetched from faith in Gods mercies in the merits of Christ in the hope of the resurrection and in Gods fatherly prouidence First I say Gods rich mercy and fauourable dealing with vs being duly considered cannot but worke in vs patience foâ—seeing that the Lord forbeareth vs and that when for the ripenesse of our sinnes he might confound vs hee doth rather heape blessings vpon vs this cannot but bridle vs from murmuring though all things fall not out according to our hearts desire Especially seeing that the Lord will deale with vs still as he did with the Israelites that when ordinarie meanes failed had extraordinary prouision made for them the clouds giuing them bread and the rocke water to teach vs that man liueth not by bread only as Moses applieth it Deut. 8. but by the word of God A second remedy is to haue a liuely faith in the worke of our redemption to wit the remission of our sins the imputation of Christ his righteousnesse and inherent sanctification First then if we can stedfastly beleeue that God for Christ his sake hath freely forgiuen vs all our sinnes and giuen his sonne that in him we might be blessed we cannot but be assured Rom. 8. that with him he will giue vs all things For seeing sin which is the cause of all miserie is taken from vs wee may bee sure that no crosse shall euer hurt vs. Againe if wee could beleeue that as God doth lay our sinnes vpon Christ so he doth impute his righteousnes to vs how should we doubt of food or raiment c For by this meanes hee is made our mercifull and louing father who is for power able and for will readie to helpe vs in all extremities And thus doth he abide for euer and is neuer changed To these two former must be added the second part of our redemption namely the sanctification of the spirit which if we feele in our selues may be a great helpe vnto vs against impatiency for it is a greater thing to sanctifie a sinner then to worke wonders in nature Therfore if we can beleeue in our hearts that God is able to make of sinfull and wicked men iust righteous of whoremongers chast persons c. and that he is able and willing to deliuer vs from all our corruptions be they neuer so strong by nature or custome if I say wee can giue credit vnto this why should wee euer doubt that hee will faile vs in outward things Further if we can beleeue that God hath prepared a kingdome for vs and that he will raise vs vp at the last day in body soule to enioy the same how can wee but bee assured that hee will giue vs lesser matters euen the things of this life Another thing to stay our hearts vpon when murmuring doth assaile vs is faith in Gods prouidence which is either generall or particular The generall prouidence of God must be considered first in the creation of all things secondly in the preseruation of them Doe wee then beleeue that the Lord made all things of nothing and shall we doubt of his ability to prouide for vs When God created light before the Sun Gen. 1.3 the Moone or the Stars and caused grasse to grow vpon the earth before there was either raine or dew to water it he did thereby teach vs first that we should not put too much trust in them whilest we haue them and againe that rather then wee should suffer hurt by the want of light grasse or other such things the Lord both could and would prouide for vs without them Yet now if wee should not haue the Sunne wee would thinke that light were taken from vs and if wee wanted raine wee would soone thinke wee should neither haue grasse nor corne but the Lord hath ordained these meanes to serue his prouidence not for himselfe for without them hee can easily helpe vs but for our weakenesse who otherwise could not easily be assured of his goodnesse Secondly we must beleeue that God preserueth all Matth. 10. so that a sparrow doth not fall to the ground without his prouidence and hee hath a great care of beasts and fowles Matth. 6. doth the Lord prouide for these and will he not prouide for man for whom these were made and are are preserued Hereunto we must ioyne the particular prouidence of God Hath he made our bodies and will he not cloathe vs hath he giuen vs life and will hee not minister vnto vs food for the sustaining thereof He could prouide for the Israelites in the barren wildernsse fortie yeeres together yea he could preserue Moses and Elias fortie daies without any meate at all which euidently proueth that Gods blessing is all in all whether there be meanes or no meanes Dauid obserued by experience that the righteous seed of the righteous was neuer forsaken Psal 37. nor begged their bread and if wee could bee righteous as then many were wee should find the same true in our owne experience as he did These things well considered will worke in vs a patient minde the properties whereof are First Properties of a patient mind Philip 4.11 to be contented with whatsoeuer the Lord sendeth alwaies acknowledging godlinesse to be great riches for we ought not to seeke great matters nor suffer our desires to bee carried after high things Ier. 45.4 for this did the Prophet Ieremie rebuke in
wisedome that will not submit themselues to be admonished and ordered by the Lord so are they also which are vnwilling to come vnder Gods correcting hand which is indeed of al other most desireable And because the present occasion requireth it it will not be amisse to shew that the pestilence wherewith the Lord hath now visited this Nation is a fauourable and gentle correction and that this sword of the Lord is nothing so terrible as the sword of man would be if he should cause that to be drawne out against vs and that for these reasons First Reasons why the pestilence is a more fauorable stroke then the sword because heerein we may more immediately and cleerely behold Gods hand which is a meanes to draw vs to more speedy and earnest humiliation whereas if we were pursued by the sword of men we should be more distracted sometimes with feares of and greefe for the enemies violence sometimes with hopes either of mercy-from them or of aid from others all which do either vtterly withdraw vs from or much hinder vs in the worke of humiliation Secondly in the time of the pestilence the aduersaries of Religion haue not such matter of insultation as when warres are hote in the Land for then they would triumph in this or the like manner Now these forward men shall pay for it downe they shall all the sorte of them they were wont to brag that God would be their buckler and their shield their refuge and their strong tower of defence but what will become of them now thus would they insult ouer Gods chosen in the time of warre but in the time of this sicknes they themselues are exceedingly afraid euen at their wits ende knowing that hell and destruction gape for them whensoeuer death taketh hold of them whereas Christians are quiet and full of peace ioy in the holy Ghost knowing that if they die they shall go from earth to heauen from a place of miserie to a palace of glorie Thirdly this is a maruellous great mercie that there doth still remaine the face of a Church that the Gospell is preached the Sacraments administred the profession of the truth openly maintained whereas if there were a forraine inuasion or a ciuill mutinie insurrection the vsuall course of the minsterie and of the exercises of religion would be stopped which now is not onely tollerated but commanded Besides now there is a continuance of the state of the common-wealth Lamen 5. whereas when the sword rageth in a land the face of the honourable is not respected the Magistrates authoritie is reckoned a matter of nothing and all lawes must giue place to the wills of violent men Againe in the times of warre there is an vtter subuersion of all meanes of maintenance and comfort we cannot enioy our possessions nor dwell in our houses nor reape the fruits of our labours which now through Gods mercie is farre otherwise And as for our estate so euen for our liues and for our soules the case is better with vs in the time of pestilence then in the time of warres for then all our families wiues children seruants and all may bee barbarously slaine or worse vsed before our eyes or we before theirs and if not so yet they must be left to Idolaters and in danger to be vassalls of sinne and Sathan but now if death come it is nothing so lamentable if life bee graunted it is nothing so dangerous for though we be taken away yet our friends shall remaine with the Saints seruants of God and they that haue bene our Christian frieÌ„ds will be theirs at least there is very great hope of their happinesse both here and hereafter in regard of that liberty of the Gospell which through Gods goodnes is still maintained And therefore great cause haue wee to magnifie the name of God that when our late gracious Queene was taken away the Land must needs bee exercised with some heauie stroke or other that hee then miraculouslie deliuered vs from the violence of the sword of man and smote our Nation with his owne sword Now when this is said to bee a fauourable stroke we must vnderstand that it is so only vnto Gods children not to the wicked concerning whose departure out of this world it is saide that Hell followeth death If they bee not reconciled vnto God but liue and die in their sinnes Reuel 6.8 their case is fearefull And therefore is it a iust hand of God vpon impenitent sinners that they should bee horriblie afraid of that sicknes No sinne nor Sathan himselfe is so much feared of them as the pestilence nay nor Gods wrath it selfe and therefore they care not what foule sinne they commit whereby they are sure to incurre the Lords displeasure so their bodies may escape this plague of God But suppose they doe escape it if they be as full of impiety and iniustice and impurity as they were wont to be the Lord hath seuen times greater plagues behinde Leâ—it 26. and his reuenging hand will be stretched out against them still Therefore let them labour to make a good vse of this to humble themselues and turne from their euill wayes otherwise assuredly some greater punishment will light on their soules or bodies or both Verse 15. The time allotted being welneere speÌ„t the points following were but briefly touched So the Lord sent a pestilence in Israel c. and there died of the people from Dan to Beer-sheba seuenty thousand men Yee heard the cause of this before to wit because Dauid partly through pride and partly through vaine confidence had numbred the people whence this point may be gathered that Doct. 3 God maketh his iudgements sutable to our sinnes Dauid was lifted vp Gods punishments are auswerable to mens sinnes Ioel. 1.5 because hee had so many strong and valient men therefore doth God lessen the number of them So Ioel 1.5 it is said Weepe howle ye drinkers of wine for the new wine shal be pulled from your mouth This was a most iust correction that they should be punished with scarcitie of drinke seeing they had before time so wretchedly abused the same In like sort doth the Lord meete with proud men turning their glory into shame as wee may obserue in Tyrus Isa 23.8 where the question is made Isa 23. Who hath decreed this against Tyrus that crowneth men whose Merchants are Princes whose Chapmen are the Nobles of the world And the answere is made vers 9. The Lord of Hosts hath decreed this to staine the pride of all glorie and to bring to contempt all them that be glorious in the earth So for couetous men they are many times brought to beggarie according to that of the wise man Hee that maketh hast to be rich Prou. shall surely come to pouertie Albeit they vse wonderfull diligence and be exceeding painfull and haue an excellent capacitie and a deepe reach for worldly things
he would not permit to himselfe so neither would he deny to his permit to himselfe so neither would he deny to his children their liberty of feasting But especially the example of Paul is notable for the confirmation of this point for seeing that in some places he could not so conueniently liue of other mens charges 1. Cor. 4.12 1. Thess 2.9 as at Corinth and Thessalonica he would labour with his owne hands rather then be chargeable to any of them yet he would not that all men should be tied by his example to doe the like 1. Cor. 9. 1. Tim. 5.18 and therefore he laboureth much in his Epistles about this that Ministers ought to be prouided for so strict was he to himselfe such liberty left he vnto others Whence we may easily perceiue that it is rather a Pharisaicall pride then any Christian zeale to be too tetricall and rough in vrging men so farre that whosoeuer in euery point is not so strict and precise as our selues we cast them off as dogges and prophane persons and such as are vnworthy of any account or countenance The next propertie of true zeale is not to be blinded with naturall affection Zeale condemneth sin in friends as vvel as in foes Mat. 16.23 Gal. 3.1 1. Cor. but to discerne and condemne sinne euen in those that are neerest and dearest vnto vs. That was it that made Christ so sharply to rebuke Peter and Paul to deale so roundly with the Galathians and Corinthians Many offend against this rule who will neuer reprooue sinne in their friends till God reuenge it from heauen wherein they are farre from true friendship for whereas they might by admonishing them of their faults in time preuent the iudgements of God they do through a false loue pull the wrath of God vpon them whom they loue most dearely Hee loueth most naturally that hath learned to loue spiritually and hee loueth most sincerely that cannot abide sinne in the partie beloued without some wholesome admonition But doe not manie now adayes seeme zealouslie to mislike sinne in strangers who can winke at the same fault in their kindred in their wiues in their children in their parents as if the diuersitie of persons could change the nature of the sinne This blind zeale God hath punished and doth punish his children Isaac did carnally loue his sonne Esau for meat for a peece of venison Gen. 15.28 Dauid was too much affected to Absalon and to Adoniah for their comely personage so as his zeale was hindered in discerning sinne aright in them Now Iacob was not so deare to Isaac and Salomon was more hardly set to schoole and made to take paines but behold God louing Iacob and refusing Esau howsoeuer Isaac loued Esau better then Iacob made Esau more troublesome and Iacob more comfortable vnto him Absalon and Adoniah brought vp like Cocknies became corasiues to Dauids heart Salomon more restrained and better instructed was his ioy his crowne his successor in his kingdome This disease is so hereditary to many parents louing their children in the flesh rather then in the spirit that the holy Ghost is faine to cal vpon them more vehemently to teach to instruct and to correct as knowing how easily nature would coole zeale in this kinde of dutie Indeed many will set by their wiues children and kinsfolkes if they be thriftie like to become good husbands wittie and politicke or if they be such as for their gifts can bring some reuenue to their stocke or affoord some profit vnto them how deepe sinners soeuer they be against God that maketh no matter it little grieueth them whereby they bewray their great corruption that they are neither zealous in truth of Gods glory nor louers aright of their children because they can be sharpe enough in reprehension if they faile but a little in thriftinesse and yet are too too cold in admonition if they faile neuer so much in godlinesse Well let these fleshly zealous men lay to their heart the blinde affection of Heli 1. Sam. 2. 3. 4. who being the deare childe of God was seuerely punished of the Lord for that he was not zealously affected to punish the grosse and foule offences of his children but blessed are they that can forget their owne cause and euen with icopardie of nature can defend the quarrel of God labouring hencefoorth to know no man after the flesh nor suffering any outward league so to bleare and dazle their eyes as that they should not espie sinne in their dearest friends to reforme it or that they should not discerne vertue in the greatest aliens to reuerence it Now whereas many haue great courage to rebuke such as either cannot gainsay them Zeale opposeth it selfe against the sins of the mighty or gainsaying them cannot preuaile against them heere commeth another property of zeale to be spoken of and that is that it feareth not the face of the mightie neither is it dismaied at the lookes of the proud and loftie Such was the courage of Iob who besides that he made the young men ashamed of their liberty afraide of his grauity made euen the Princes also to stay their talke Iob. 29.8.9 and to lay their hands on their mouthes And yet heere we must beware of their hasty zeale who will not sticke to charge the children of God to be without zeale if presently and abruptly they rush not into an open reprehension of men that are mightie in authoritie as though no regard of time place or persons were to be had which opinion many by weakenesse of iudgement defending find neither fruit in others nor comfort in their owne consciences when they doe admonish in that presumptuous maner for that hunting after feruentnesse without the spirit of meeknesse and casting off all consideration of a godly opportunitie they rather exasperate then humble the parties admonished and they themselues rather depart with confusion and shame for such posting on without warrant of wisedome then with comfort of heart for any duty done Neither am I heere ignorant how great danger of trouble of minde commeth to many in that they being so curious obseruers and waiters of opportunity doe for some ease of the flesh vnder the cloake of this wisedome altogether leaue off that godly dutie Wherefore as we affirme that wisedome and loue mixed together do deeply enter into the most prefract prodigious spirits so we mislike their fearefull delay of duty who hauing a meane occasion offered them from the Lord doe not zealously and earnestly rebuke sinne though in some higher personages Out of this may issue another frutit of holy zeale namely when we are zealous in their behalfe who can neuer recompence vs againe and that in defending their right against oppressors that are craftier mightier then they Thus Iob deliuered the poore that cried Iob. 29.12 the fatherlesse and him that had none to helpe him He was the eyes to the blinde and feet
yet haue neuer been able to effect and bring to passe their malicious enterprises against the same The Church is as a weake tent in it selfe not fortified with any wals and yet those that haue laid siege against it and sought vtterly to consume it haue not taken away so much as one stake or broken so much as one cord thereof as the Prophet Isaiah witnesseth and why Isa 33.20.21 because as he saith the mighty Lord was their defence Christians are euen as sheepe very impotent and feeble for the most part in regard of outward strength and withall few in number and their enemies are like raging Lions and besides for multitude very many yet the flocke of Christ still remaines the more the wicked rage against it the more doth it still encrease as we haue an experiment in the Israelites vnder Pharaohs tyranie Note Yea in many places where their Pastors seeke to make hauocke of them euen there are they couragious for the truth and though Christians dwel where Satans throne is and where hee seemeth to beare full sway yet it may be said to them as it was vnto the Church of Pergamus by Christ Iesus Reuel 2 13. Thou keepest my name and hast not denied my faith Yea further which is of all other things most strange the poore lambs of Christ are so far from being torne in pieces by those Lions that they become Lions themselues not for cruelty but for courage Mich 5.8 For so saith the Prophet Micah And the remnant of Iacob shall bee among the Gentiles in the middest â—f many people as the Lions among the beasts of the for rest and as the Lions whelpe among the flocks of sheepe The meaning of which place is that some few poore Christians standing in the cause of God and comming furnished with the grace and power of the holy Ghost should be able to daunt and terrifie the hearts of many sinfull persons and cause them euen to quake and tremble Act. 24.26 as Paul did Felix when hee reasoned powerfully and effectually concerning righteousnesse and temperance and the iudgement to come In so much that many who are hypocrites in heart will make a shew of religion and piety and seeme to conforme themselues vnto Christians whom they hate with a deadly hatred which plainly argueth that there is a kind of Maiesty of God Note shining forth in the faces and in the carriage of Gods seruants which the vilest reprobates are many times driuen to acknowledge though full sore against their wils This point ministreth vnto vs a double instruction Vse 1 First that wee should take part with righteous men for if God bee on their side they must needs be the better side and the stronger side and therefore it is good wisedome to ioine with them It was the ouerthrow of Achitophel that he forsook King Dauid to take part with Absolon And it was the ruine of Abiathar and Ioab that they withdrew theÌ„selues from Salomon to set vp Adonijah as king ouer Israel And why sped they so ill but because they were of a contrary side vnto God himselfe who stood for Dauid and Salomon and their adherents and certainly the Lord is as strongly with his church now as he was with Dauid and Salomon then and therefore it must needs be very dangerous for any to separate themselues from his chosen in which regard let vs be careful euermore to cleaue vnto them and to take part with them Oh Obiect but they haue many enemies that seeke to vndermine them and therefore it is not safe ioyning with them Feare not their aduersaries Answ Psalm 3. though they be ten thousand to one for God is their buckler and the lifter vp of their heads he will smite all their enemies vpon the cheeke bone and dash out their teeth that seeke to draw blood from his seruants All that hate Sion shall perish euen as the grasse that groweth vpoÌ„ the house top which though it make a bragging shew for a time yet suddenly withereth and commeth to nothing They that seek to root out the Israell of God doe as it were set their naked shoulder to remoue an huge rock that will fall vpon them and grinde them to powder Zach. 12.3 be they neuer so many and therefore wee haue litle reason to be afraid of them Another instruction hence to be learned is that seeing God is in the generation of the righteous therfore we should frequent their society and resort vnto the assemblies of the Saints for if the Lord be present with euery one of his by his speciall prouidence and by his grace then is he much more forcibly and effectually present with a muItitude of them that do worship him in sincerity and fill the heauens with zealous prayers and strong cryes Many are desirous to go to the Court in hope though they be not certaine to see the King only albeit he doe not looke vpon them or speake to them or they to him how much more desirous should we be to come vnto publike Christian meetings where wee shall bee sure to see the King of Kings in his glory and to haue him to take notice of vs to speake vnto vs to grant vs free liberty to put vp our suites vnto him and to estate vs in all the good things which his sonne Christ hath purchased for vs by his precious blood Are our hearts frozen in the dregs of our iniquities and so hardened that wee cannot mourne for the same let vs repaire vnto holy assemblies and there wee shall meet with the weapons of God that will pierce and wound our hearts and cause them to be dissolued into teares there shal we feele the vertue of the spirit effectually working vpon vs so that we shall be constrained to say of those that deliuer the message of Christ vnto vs 1. Cor. 14.25 that God is in them indeed Doe wee want faith in Gods prouidence and promises Do wee want power and strength against our corruptions In a word doe wee want any grace of God or any blessing of God let vs haue recourse vnto the congregations of the Saints and there we shal meet the Lord himselfe who will bee ready to supply our necessities whatsoeuer they bee and to grant vs aboue that that wee can aske or thinke And as for our owne priuate cases so for the publike state of the Church Commonwealth if we would haue the pestilence or famine or any other iudgement remoued the way to procure this is to repaire thither where wee shall meet with many of the faithfull that will bee readie to ioyne with vs in prayer and to wrestle with the Lord by feruent and earnest supplications for the remouing of his deserued strokes And this should much eucourage vs adde life vnto our praiers as often as we haue occasion to aske any thing in publike that God will vouchsafe vnto vs his gratious presence and they shew by good effects
that he is in the generation of the righteous Vers 6. Ye haue made a mocke of the counsell of the poore In that the holy Prophet doth lay this vnto wicked mens charge as a hainous crime and as the cause of his strokes that were to bee inflicted vpon them this doctrine offereth it selfe for our learning Doct. 3 that Iesting and scoffing at Gods children Mockers are grieuous persecutors Heb. 11. is a grieuous kinde of persecution and such as the Lord take speciall notice of In which regard the Apostle Heb. 11.36 speaking of the wonderfull great trials which sundry of the Saints did by faith vndergoe reckoneth vp this as none of the least of them that they had been tried by mockings In like sort when the holy Ghost yeeldeth a reason of the vtter ouerthrow of the kingdome of Iudah and of their long and wofull captiuity he setteth downe this to bee one of the principall causes thereof 2. Chro 36.26 viz. That they mocked the messengers of God and despised his words and misused his Prophets vntill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people and till there was no remedy This kind of persecution Ismael vsed against Isaac as the Apostle witnesseth for which hee was cast out of the Church of God Gal. 4.29 Gen. 21.9 And this was one of the meritorious sufferings of our Lord Iesus Christ Mat. 26. 27. Psal 22. that they spit vpon him and nodded their heads at him and vsed taunting and disgracefull speeches vnto him and put as it were a fooles coate vpon him to disguise him and called him in mockage the King of the Iewes c. This I say was not the least part of his bitter passion through which he purchased eternall saluation for all his elect namely that hee endured much contempt and reproch both in the course of his life and at the time of his death Now the reason why Satan maketh choice of this weapon aboue others therewith to fight against Gods seruants is First Reasons because mans nature is subiect greatly to abhorre contempt and therefore cannot easily endure to bee vilified and disgraced by scoffing and reproachfull speeches and gestures Secondly Note the diuell knoweth that hee can get many souldiers to be employed this way Euery limme of his cannot imprison nor spoile Christians of their goods or of their liues but there are few or none but they can frame scoffes and iests against the members of Christ Iesus Euery boy can quickly grow skilfull at this as we see in Ismael 2 King 2. and in the two and fortie children that were torne in peeces of two beares for their mocking of the Prophet Elisha the very scumme of the people the vagabonds and rogues that run vp and downe the country can doe their master the diuel good seruice this way those that were the children of fooles and the children of villaines Iob. 30.8.9 as Iob speaketh who were more vile then the earth it selfe could make Iob their song and their talke Psal 69.12 Psal 35. and in like sort did the drunkards and pot companions deale with Dauid and the theefe vpon the crosse with our Sauiour Mat. 27.44 euen at that time when the fierce wrath of God was manifested vpon his body hanging on the crosse for that hee had been a notorious and hainous malefactor First Vse 1 this doctrine must teach vs to beware of deriding and taunting at good men for taking of good waies lest by so doing we become persecutors and bee proceeded against as enemies vnto God and his people It is not so safe for vs as many take it to be to exercise our selues in such kind of scoffing he is commonly held to be a sillie fellow that cannot gird at a Minister and at such as vsually resort vnto Sermons But let vs take heed of such nipping and biting speeches as tend to the defaming of any of Gods seruants or seruices lest we be cast out from hauing any communion and fellowship with God as scoffing Ismael was and be exposed to such plagues and punishments as the wicked Iewes were who mocked the messengers of God and reuiled our blessed Sauiour in such an opprobrious and disgracefull manner as the Scriptures doe record Secondly Vse 2 for as much as contemptuous and reprochfull scoffes and girds are such weapons as Satan putteth into the hands of his instruments let vs prepare for them and arme our selues against them Christs Disciples must not looke to be aboue their Master if wicked sinners reuiled and derided him wee must not imagine to escape their virulent and venemous tongues and therefore the Apostle exhorteth vs Heb. 13.12.13 that seeing he hath borne our reproch wee should beare his and for the ioy that is laid before vs Heb. 12.2 endure the crosse and despise the shame and so at length wee shall receiue the crowne of glory which is prepared for all those that in patience doe waite for his glorious appearing Now that wee may bee better inabled to beare these taunts and reproches How we may be inabled to beare contempt 1. Labour against pride let vs take this direction following 1. First labour against that inbred pride that is naturally in euery one of our hearts which maketh vs vtterly vnable to vndergoe disgrace therfore was it that though many of the chiefe rulers of the Iewes beleeued in Christ yet they durst not confesse him because of the Pharisies who would haue excommunicated them and disgraced them to the vttermost and the reason is rendred in that place viz. That they loued the praise of men Ioh. 12.43 more then the praise of God they stood vpon their carnall credit and reputation among their neighbors and countrimen more then vpon that true credit and estimation which they might haue had with the Lord and his children and therefore was it that they were so loth to expose themselues for Christ his sake vnto the shame of the world whereas if they had had humble and lowly hearts they would haue denied themselues in their estimation among men and haue taken vp the reproach of Christ as an honourable crowne let this therefore bee our first worke to labour against the hautinesse of our fleshly hearts Secondly Consider what scoffers are to the intent that wee may more patiently endure to be vilified and disgraced let vs consider what manner of men scoffers bee viz. the most abiect vile and contemptible persons that are as we may see in those before mentioned who in this sort pursued Iob and Dauid and our blessed Sauiour Oh but will some say they are men of great wealth of great place of great parentage Obiect of great wit and learning that do mocke vs and gird at vs for our religion and for our profession Grant that they be great men in all the former respects Answ yet if they bee wicked and vngodly the holy Ghost accounteth them vile and contemptible men and so