his ignorance saw his owne sinne vnderstoode the vanitie of his masters the Scribes and Pharisies perceiued himselfe to bee in an error humbled himselfe to them whom before he had abused and with teares sought their comfort whom he thought before to be comfortlesse desiring of them to know the right way to bee saued whome a litle before he had condemned as those that helde some wrong opinions c. Applicati ∣ on and Doctrine First we see that though God suffered his elect his seruants his truth by tyrants wicked and malicious enemies in our iudgement to bee oppressed ouerborne and troden vnder yet he neuer leaueth nor forsaketh them but is present with them in their prisons in the stockes in the darke and vgly pits hee sitteth with them hee suffereth with them he comforteth them he strengthneth them he heareth their praiers when Psal 34. 19. 145. 18. 34. 16. Act. 4. 31. 12. 10. it pleaseth him to deliuer them the strongest Irons prisons and tyrants in the world shall not be able to hold them And here we are to remember what difference there is betweene the miseries that we feele for the cause of Christ and the torments which are put vpon vs for our owne wickednesse For when we are cast into prison Act. 11. 4 Mat. 25. 40 Zakar 2. 8. Ephe. 1. 22. 4. 13 15. for Christes cause Christ is there with vs when we suffer for him he is grieued with vs for the head cannot be quiet if the body be in paine These haue alwaies such peace and ioye in their conscience that suffer for the truth that when they are whipped they reioyce when they are wounded they are Act. 5. 4. Gal. 6. 17. not agrieued when they are tyed to the stakes they triumph in the middest of the fire the ioy of a good conscience is so great and the earnest desire and assured comfort of the present receiuing of that vnspeakable ioy that will neuer faile makes the greatest torments seeme euen to flesh bloud either verie little or no paine at all knowing assuredly that they could not suffer for Christ Phil. 1. 29 Rom. 9. 29. 2. Cor. 4. 10 Luk. 24. 26. except they were thereunto appointed that they in these passions might bee made like vnto the sonne of God And assuring themselues that assone as they be deliuered from the stincking prison of this filthie carkasse their soule shall be presently in the hand of Deut. 33. 3. Wis 3. 1. 2. Tim. 2. 11 Psal 116. 15 Apo. 14. 13. the Lord wher no torment shal touch them that they shal be presently with Christ in his kingdome with whome and for whome they haue suffered and their death being precious in the sight of the Lord they feele that they are most happie of all other that die in the quarrell of Christ Of the other side they which suffer iustly for their theeuerie murder whordome or any other like vice they feele most horrible horror of conscience and torment both of body mind being seperated from Christ and hauing no peace or ioy in their heart by the quietnesse of a good conscience and assured trust in the mercie of God And therfore many of them in their tormentes and death lamentably houle without hope without comfort being without the companie of Christ and so in miserable desperation without especiall grace oftentimes end a wretched life Here wee must remember that God doth often giue repentant hearts to such as haue committed and doe suffer for most vile offences of whome we are to iudge the best Wee learne heere to haue alwaies a sure hope and confidence in the Lord our cause being his that though we alwaies see not his power and will ready to deliuer vs when our fleshe doeth desire it yet let vs assure our selues that hee is with vs and that hee will helpe and deliuer vs when he seeth his time We see how quickly God can pul downe the pride and confound the deuises of his enemies by such meanes as they can neither suspect nor preuent and how quickly he can turne the hearts of the wicked and enemies to cherish and fauour his seruantes and truth if he list We may learne of this Iaylor here a notable The right vse of Gods iudgments lesson which is to make our right and true vse of the iudgements of God when we see or feele them which is that by them we descend into a deepe consideration of our owne estate life and behauiour and see whether these iudgements fall not vpon vs for our pride our wantonnesse whordome murder ignorance ingratitude negligence contempt of Gods truth and euil intreating the seruants of God Which all it seemeth that this man considered for he feeling the Earthquake and knowing that it was the hand of the Lord hee fell presently to view his life the damnable estate wherein hee stoode and the lamentable miserie that hee was to fall into if his life at that instant should haue been taken from him He comes therefore and desireth the true Phisicke not that which comforteth the body but that which preserueth the soule What shall I doe that I may be saued How many of vs in England either high or low haue with our selues entered into this consideration hauing felt the like Earthquakes and many other signes and tokens I doubt not but there be some which haue though it be perchance a little some In all Philippie the Scripture maks mention but of a few which were conuerted thoroughly and made to see and acknowledge their sinne Wee reade that the rulers were moued but this motion proceeded not so farre as to make them to see the estate wherein they stoode Therefore we see that the signes and wonders of the Lord are not effectuall in all but onely in such as are his and were before known in his purpose The cause of this defect is not in the iudgements themselues but in the hardnes and sinne of their froward hearts that see them as the cause why a blinde man taketh no comfort of the sunne is not in the sunne it selfe but in the fault of his owne eyes It may be that many of our Rulers our great men and Gentlemen were at that present when they felt Gods hand shaken vppon them in the last Earthquake moued and troubled in minde but it was such a motion as the proude Pharisies felt which was not so soone suddenly conceiued but it was euen as soone and suddenly forgotten It was not such a motion as the Iaylor here felt which made him see his sinne his imperfections his wicked life and raysed in him a hartie repentaunce for the same and which caused him to giue ouer all other cares as one now wholly mortified to seeke onely the right way how he might be saued For this motion of the Iaylor had the spirite of the holy Ghost ioyned with it which moued inwardly and effectually the heart with the outward
my hope my helpe and all is gon from me It were a lamentable thing that our wilfull and wicked sinnes dayly crying for vengeance to fall vpon vs from the seate of God our couetousnesse vsurie drunkennesse whordome blasphemie periurie contentions pride enuie disobedience should giue our Corne to be meate for our enemies and the fruite of our labours to refresh strangers while we our selues famish yet thus it hath beene in time and thus it may bee againe Some thinke there be too many Books too many Sermons too much preaching too much Printing and I thinke there is too little of eueriesort There is no fault found with too much ease too much pleasure too much negligence too much wantonnesse in behauiour too much pride in apparell too much loue to imitate new Apish toyes and strange fashions we are neuer cloyed with these come as thicke as they can but the poore dispised word sounds too oft comes too thicke vpon vs. O sinne O Sathan Papisticall enuie saith euery boye is become a preacher euerie foole is become a writer Iosua enuiously murmureth against Eldad and Medad for prophecying in the Tent The Disciples Num. 11. 28 Mark 9. 38. Luke 9. 48 Iohn 3. 26. of Iohn enuied at Christ for working of Miracles but I say with meeke Moyses I would all the people of God did prophecie I woulde all were learned I would all were preachers I would all were so perfectly taught of God that euery man were able to preach to himselfe to teach and instruct himselfe and his charge in all things that wee might indeede neede lesse preaching and lesse writing Some woulde haue no Bookes written but such onely as did wade into the depth of Diuinitie and contained the marrow and quintessence of learning such as did profoundly handle deepe points suttle quiddities of Diuine or Phylosophicall controuersies and such as in a manner shoulde speake that which was neuer spoken before This is the verie pollicie of Sathan to take from the simple people their greatest comfort next vnto preaching that they enioy which is the reading or hearing at leasure times some plaine exposition or familiar Sermon penned to their capacitie wherin many and many take great and singular comfort delight and profit Many there be that for age troubles and other occasions cannot often come to heare Sermons where and when they would which hauing at home some good Booke supplies often times the want of a better meanes to bring them to the knowledge and loue of God I speake not this to patronise any lewd wanton or foolish Pamphlets which tend not to edification but rather to destruction neither yet to prefer or compare reading or writing with preaching which is the blessed and ordinarie meanes of our saluation but onely to crop the blossomes of their proud Enuie that despise their weake brothers gifts in respect of theyr own surmised perfections which think that some profit may not redound to the simple by the most simple gift that euer was bestowed of God vpon the most simple man I detest the fantastical humor of them that write or publish any booke to hunt for any priuate praise glorie or profit to themselues and not with a single and simple intent to seeke onely the glorie of God the furderance of the Gospell and the knowledge comfort and saluation of Gods childrē the weake brethren With this intent and no other as he knowes that knowes my hart I haue perswaded my self to suffer these plaine Countrie notes to subiect themselues to the curious eyes to the sharpe conceites and the quicke iudgements of the learned Readers of this age not intended or adorned for the learned but onely vowed and plotted in the lowest kinde for the capacitie of the simple and ignorant It may bee that I haue studied more to bee plaine briefe and perspicuous then some haue to flie aloft in the mistie cloudes of rolling eloquence be cause I seeke the edification of the simple not the praise of my selfe If I should vauntingly flie so high as the wings of fancie would carrie but a meane Schollers reache I might neither in dutie doe that I should nor in conscience performe that which I would Let the Iaylors and keepers of Prisons in these daies accounte this example the chiefe flower in their garland that there hath beene so honest a man an vndoubted childe of God found in their Corporation of whome I would they would all learne to be more mercifull and courteous to their poore brethren that are in bands to consider the cause of their imprisonment not to hepe miserie vpon miserie but in their punishments to see the anger of God against their owne sinnes to bee sorrie for them that are in Captiuitie to thanke God for their owne freedome not to insult ouer them whom God hath cast downe but in a charitable mind to comfort them that are in heauinesse and relieue the wants of the poore and needie to their powers So God with this Iaylor shall blesse them with the true knowledge of their saluation and the ioyfull spirite of regeneration So shall the Lord comfort them in their distresse and deliuer them from the prison and punishmēt which their sins haue deserued This is the wourst I wish thē this the Lord graunt them And so I commit thee gentle Reader to Gods mercifull protection From Honiton in Deuon this 30. day of Iune 1596. Thine in the Lord Hugh Dowriche Verses written by a Gentle woman vpon The Iaylors Conuersion THe man is blest which can indure Whose hart doth neuer slide When for his sinne with fierie scourge His patience shal be tride No daunting feare can once attainte The conscience that is cleare The wicked waile that haue no faith When dangers doe appeare The rod that doth correct our life And sinfull waies reproue Is said to be a certaine signe Of Gods eternall loue No tempting tryall from the Lord No griefe or dire annoye Can seuer once the faithfull hart From Christ his onely ioye Though sinfull flesh doe oft rebell And fancie file our fall Yet happie man that can returne When God beginnes to call Though God permit his chosen flocke Sometimes to walke astraie Yet sets he both the times and meanes To wayne them from their waie How long did Paule with cruell hart The Church of Christ molest Till called home to see the truth His blindnesse did detest How cruell was this Iaylors hart To vex the poore elect Till trembling earth by mightie power His madnesse did detect The God that makes the haughtie hils And Libans Cedars shake When he shall take his cause in hand Will make the prowdest quake To comfort his that be in neede The Lord is alwaies prest And all that haps to his elect Is alwaies for the best Which in this picture here is seene By that which shall in sew Lord graunt vs grace when he doth call To frame our liues anew A. D. Ad Authorem amicum suum
daies were vexed exiled whipped imprisoned set vppon the rackes tyed and chained to the stakes and burned onely for this because they preached truely the Gospell of Christ which Paule and Silas preached before because they called them from darkenesse to light from error to truth from hell to heauen because they opened the illusions of the Masse Purgatorie and other such peeuish fantasies But here a man might saie it seemeth that there was some other matter which moued these rulers to lay vp Paule and Silas with so straite a charge For as there was no commoditie came to the rulers by the spirit of Diuination which was in the woman but rather a priuate gaine to certaine that were her masters so there was no such hurt like to insue vnto the Magistrate or state of the towne by expelling of him as should force them to so great a furie therfore ther was belike some other matter No but here we see most notably the nature of the wicked For it falleth out many times The natu of the wiked that the Magistrate which feareth not God perswadeth himselfe that by pollicie and maintaining of that which best liketh the multitude the common-wealth shal be both better longer maintained quiet peaceable then by establishing any thing bee it neuer so good which the people like not That was one error of the Magistrates An other thing that we see in them is vaine glorie and a desire to keepe their dignitie Which thing where so euer it doth enter it makes them vnwilling to heare of any alterations bee they neuer so little or neuer so good and bee they themselues neuer so full of imperfections for feare least if they should alow the doctrine of the Gospell in the reformation of one thing bee it neuer so little it would in time grow farder and at length perchance finde a fault in their owne best cootes that had neede to be amended That was the cause which made these Magistrates stop the proceedings of the trueth in the first appearing and to alow and incourage wicked men in their furie against the same when as if they had done well they should haue corrected the couetous abuse of the Deuill and haue praised the good men that did open it haue thanked God that had reuealed this abuse vnto thē Here we see another abuse and follie that was in those Magistrates for they presently vpon the cry exclamation of two or three lewd fellowes without examination of either causes or parties sent good men to the prison and let the varlets goe vnpunished Lastly we see the dulnes and blindnes of such Magistrates whome the Lord doeth not blesse They could not see the right cause of this tumult which was a couetous minde neither could they perceiue the pollicie of the Deuill in shadowing this cause For the wicked come not to the Magistrate say Sir they by their preachings haue taken awaye our gaine and commoditie for then it might easily haue bene perceiued from whence their heate proceeded but they colour their couetousnesse with an other shadow and saie Sir These men which are Iewes trouble our Cittie They preach ordinances which are not lawfull for vs to receiue neither to obserue seing we are Romaines So we see that it is a common thing to intitle that trueth which we think will in time ouerthrow our pride our couetousnes with rebellion sedition conspiracy by that menes to make it a cloke for lewdnes knauerie Now we see the causes of this straite charge which the Magistrates gaue vnto the Iaylor We learne here againe that the Lord suffereth euen his elect chosen for a time to run in the path of sinners that he doth exercise them with great temptations that he brings them euen to the brincke of hell and desperation yet recals them euen then when they are fardest gon least thinke of succour then is the Lord neerest vnto them as is here to be seene by the example of this woefull Iaylor and many other such like in the Scripture For whē Abraham had hoped beyond hope had waited for the promise till it was past both mans helpe and hope yet then did the Lord keepe promise when he least thought it When the same Abraham Gen 17. 19 21. 2. Heb. 11. 11. being commanded to offer vp his son that he had so long loked for could see no reason of the Lords promise yet at the very Gen. 22. 10. Eccl. 44. 20. instant when the axe was lifted vp vnknowen to Abraham there was a meanes prouided to saue the childe ere the Axe fell When there was but a sily basket betweene death and Moses yet at an instant the Lord Exod. 2. 3. 4 had prouided an vnknown meanes to make him ruler of his people When Ioseph was in great extremitie solde into a straunge Gen. 41. 40. countrie and for a long time in grieuous imprisonment without friends or hope of restitution and therefore might haue beene comfortlesse yet the Lorde when Ioseph thought least of it set him at libertie and 1. Sam. 23. 27. made him ruler of a great Countrie When Dauid was in great perill by Saule When Daniel was cast into the Lyons denne When the three young men that would not worship the Idoll were cast into the hote furnace Dan. 6. 22. 3. 25. yet the Lord at that instant when flesh and bloud coulde see no helpe preserued them So this feare which the Iaylor felt first in the Earthquake next in that hee thought that his prisoners had beene al gon stroke him verie deepe to the heart and brought him to great extremitie which all vnknowing to him was vsed by the Lorde to be a meane of his conuersion and saluation Where wee see how the Lord watcheth ouer his electe to comfort them to keepe them to defend them from water from fire from wilde beastes and from desperation and cruell enemies that nothing may hinder them from that happie hower wherein the Lord hath appointed to call them conuert them and saue them Lastly wee learne that they bee happie though they feele some miserie which may heare the voice of the Gospel and true preachers for they euer bring comfort and ioye vnto them that can heare them they expell all feare abandon all qualmes of lothsome desperation from their heartes but more happie are they that heare obey and submit themselues and their affections to the rule of the worde speaking to their eares outwardly or of the spirite of God mouing their hearts inwardly as this Iaylor did Thirdly his sudden Alteration The Alteration of this man was suddaine and maruelous For he which at the beginning of the night did with ioy receiue these prisoners with crueltie and disdaine no doubt thrust them into the vilest dungeon set them into the stockes and clapt giues vpon their feete before the same night was ended felt the power and spirite of God confessed
not indued with spirituall knowledge do wonderfully repine murmure and frowne against all miseries sickenes calamities plagues or what troubles so euer happen in this life detesting al things which are not pleasant to the flesh as a thing most repugnant to nature But the godly on the other side do know that the church seruāts of God in this life are subiect to many crosses troubles persecutions not that the Church shal perish with these afflictions but rather that it is thus ordained by the singular prouidence of the Lord that by this meanes his seruants may see their sins the Lords anger against it that they may learne to tame the mad and outragious concupiscence of the flesh that faith loue charitie and mercie with the feeling of one anothers infirmities may dayly increase and bee renewed in them Where we see that these afflictions are nothing but iust corrections for our escapes and faultes and we see what they be that are most fit to receiue admonition euen such as are most visited with afflictions griefes sickenesse want of things necessarie and such like c. Blessed is the man whome the Lord correcteth because it is a signe of his loue blessed Iob. 3. 17. is that man which indureth temptations continueth constant to the ende and is not Iam. 1. 12. ouerborne with calamities for hee shall receiue a Crowne of life which the Lord hath Mat. 5. 10. promised to them that loue him Againe we are to learne that whensoeuer wee see the Lord to wounde our consciences or to threaten vs with any calamitie warres plagues sicknesse or any other visitation hee doth it for no other cause but to make vs to consider that we are gon astray that we are out of order that our life is not such as it should be and that he hath a heauie quarrell and reckoning against vs. Then here we see the cause why the Lord hath of late giuen vs so many gentle warnings shewed vs so many louing rods and like a mercifull father hath rather made vs as yet to see them then to feele them And yet surely we haue so seene the sentence as it were of our own condemnation in signes in the heauens and wonders in the earth in Earthquakes in the necessitie crie of many thousands in this time of miserie by the stop of mutual traficke and euen now in these rumors of warres and expectations of forraine inuasion that we may easily coniecture what effect there will follow if the cause be not remoued Our sinne our vnthankefulnes our negligence our carelesse and licentious libertie in all estates our wicked behauiours our monsterous apparell our want of charitie loue and patience our aboundance of enuie malice deceite whordome and like abhominations are the causes of these tumults of these motions of these feares and of these signes and tokens And if wee with this Iaylor bee not drawne by some meanes to seeke helpe the sooner wee are to looke for some heauie misery to fal vpon vs our land The Lord shakes these rods ouer our heads to some purpose wee must thinke A carefull louing father if he find his childs stomacke so stubborne that the sight of the rod and threatning will not terrifie him at length he fals to seuere whipping and chastning of him indeede I pray God that my feare and coniecture in this respect may be vaine but surely I feare and by most manifest signes am driuen to coniecture that except verie shortly we all euen frō the highest vnto the lowest take an other course and trade of behauior we must looke for a fearfull end of our long our sweete and pleasant peace that hath nowe so soundly lulled a sleepe some of vs in the cradle of securitie some in the cradle of iniquitie some in the cradle of Atheisme doubting of God giuing Manifest signes of Atheisme no credite to the Scriptures disputing of foolish and heathnish questions seeking to comprehend the works power of God which are in the vnscrutable wisedome of the Lord by reason and not by faith which Saint Paule proues to be a monstrous follie Rom. 1. some in the cradle of Anabaptisme some at the brest and sweete teate of Poperie all in the rolling and vnsetled cradle of our owne fantasie Alas the carefull soules of manye thousand poore men that haue bene oppressed crie out of our land and euerye corner thereof as the bloud of Abel for vengeance against our land and against our hypocrisie abusing of our religion What end can we imagine what reward can we looke for but the fearefull marke of Caine and the heauie iudgement of the forsaken hatefull wandering Iewe I feare greatly least these thirtie and eight yeares of pleasant peace haue prouoked God more to anger against this land then fiue hundred yeares before of warre and miserie O that Gods blessings should bee so abused that they should ende with so heauie a curse O that his mercye should leade vs to such vnmercifulnes that we should forget the care of our owne saluation and fal a murdering of our owne soules O that wee should liue to see that daye in which the sweet benefits louing patience of the Lord should make vs the worse Happy is the man that with this Iaylor finds occasion his motions in these things to come vnto the Lord and happie may that man be thought which resteth in the Lord which shall not see the miserie of the future times which sinne and Sathan without repentance wil pul downe vpon this Noble realme c. Wee see farder by the great care which this man had to know how to be saued and the haste that hee made to obtaine his purpose that hee gaue sure tokens of his obedience to his calling which teacheth vs that the iudgements of God take not like effect in all men For in some that is in the elect which are rightly touched by the spirite of God it is true that the Prophet said Assone as they heare they shall obey me But in others Psal 18. 44. this is true I called but they would not heare nor obey There be some which at the iudgements of God tremble for a time but it is againe presently forgotten as Pharao the keepers of Christs Sepulcher Caligula and many others But in the godly they worke Exod. 7. 3. Mat. 28. 5. contrarie effects It is true amongest most of vs that the more signes and tokens of Gods wrath we see the harder our harts grow dayly what may the ende of these things be A blinde man may see The Lord be merciful vnto vs and giue vs grace with this Iaylor be more carefull of our saluation We learne also that a great festred sore needeth a sharpe and quicke Surgion These proud Rabbies and great Doctors woulde not heare the voice of the Ministers of the Gospell speaking vnto them neither could their voice driue them to any consideration of their
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE IAYLORS Conuersion Wherein is liuely represented the true Image of a Soule rightlye touched and conuerted by the spirit of God The waightie circumstances of which supernaturall worke for the sweete amplifications and fit applications to the present time are now set downe for the comfort of the strong and confirmation of the weake By Hugh Dowriche Batch of Diuinitie The Lord maketh poore and maketh rich bringeth low and exalteth 1. Samu. 2. 7. Behold now for I I am he and there is no gods with me I kill giue life I wound and make whole neither is there any that can deliuer out of my hand Deu. 32 39 LONDON Printed by Iohn Windet dwelling at Pauls Wharfe at the signe of the Crosse Keyes and are there to be solde 1596. To the Worshipfull and my approued good Friende Valentine Knightly Esquire long prosperitie and peace of conscience in Christ BLessed is hee sayth Dauid whose wickednesse is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered c. Here is one Medicine for two maladies here is one salue that heales two sores Sinne is the testie botch that may not be touched All are infected with this plague but heere is the difference some see it not at al some see it too much some feele it feare it some neither feare it nor feele it In some negligent blindnesse and securitie breeds contempt of imminent perill in some the view of great daunger accompanied with feare without faith commits them to the dangerous downefall of a deadly desperation The one seeth not his sinne therfore seeketh no remedie the other ouerwhelmed with sinne findeth not the meanes to applie the remedie Heere is both the remedie and the application Ther is a meane betwene these extremes This meane is to see our sinne our nakednes our wickednes but so as we alwaies haue one eye on our selues and our sin the other on Christ and his merits If we see our sins in themselues they exceede in number the sands of the Sea in greatnesse the compasse of the whole world If we then goe about to match them with our owne power strength or merites how infinitly shall we bee ouerwhelmed in this comparison But if we leauing our selues fly to the power of God by which he can and his mercie in Iesus Christ by which he will deliuer vs from this infecting plague we shall presently see both sin hell and Sathan to consume as smoke before the presence of our God Sin is the plague sinne is the sore The medicine is the mercy of God thorough Iesus Christ in whome and by whome our sinnes are forgiuen This mercie is apprehended by faith and faith is the gift of God Therefore when we haue cast vp all our reckoning we shall find that all our righteousnes and all our merites in respect of perfection to merite saluation are nothing else but the righteousnes and merites of Christ imputed to vs by the mercie of God by which our sinnes are pardoned And therefore with Saint Paule euerie man to his owne Conscience may rightly say What hast thou which thou hast not receiued Yet to this mercie there is tyed a blessing and a curse to shewe the difference betweene the reprobate and the children of God They which by mercy attaine this mercy are truely called blessed They which for want of mercie are depriued of this mercy are iustly accursed But can there bee in one and one so certaine and immutable cause such and such diuers effects Can mercy be found without mercy Can light be seene without light Can fire be felt without heate What more contrarie the one to the other then glorie confusion Yet one and the selfe same fire makes golde more glorious which vtterly consumes wood straw and stubble What is more contrarie then hard and soft yet one and the selfe same sunne doth harden the dirte and mollifieth the waxe These contrarie effects proceede not from any contrarietie that is found in the pure and simple essence either of Sunne or fire but from the diuersitie which lyeth hid in the nature of the subiects on which they work The mercy of God being still one and the same is offered to al without respect as the Sunne shines and the raine fals as well on the vniust as the iust but all receiue it not The wicked see it but despise it and make a iest of it till by the iust iudgement of God they perish in theyr wickednesse as did Pharao Iudas and the wicked sonnes of Elie c. The elect being moued by the spirit of God do see lament and repent their sinnes and so by mercy obtaine pardon So that though both the elect and the reprobate are both alike happie in that mercy is offered to both a like yet because the wicked refuse it they are iustly accursed and the other that receiue and take hold of it are here accounted happie and blessed And yet not blessed in respect of any work or worthinesse in themselues but that by the merits of Christ which they apprehend by faith they are by mercy and imputation made worthy of this blessing This then is the golden meane that makes the godly blessed to beholde their sinnes by faith in Christ and not as the reprobate either not to see them at all or without faith to behold them Of this meane Dauid himselfe tooke happie hold-fast For now conducted by mercie and faith we see how lustely hee leapes out from the hote-house of desperate temptations in which it seemes at the making of this Psalme he was deepely plunged by the terror of a guiltie conscience touched by the hand of God for the sinne which he had committed with Barsheba The extremity of his passions and the vehemencie of his conflicts are described in the 3. and 4. verses of this Psalme Now this is not Dauids case alone but it is certaine that all the children of God that are elected in his eternall purpose in their times appointed shal heare the like calling and tast of the like mercy For manifestation of the which wee may see an example of the same mercy which the Lord shewed vnto a simple and sinfull man the common Iailor of Phillippy of whō in the 16. of the Acts ther is an honorable memorie left to al posterity K. Dauid this Iaylor were both sinners both of them acknowledged the hand of God heauie vpon thē for their sinnes the one called to repentance by the voice of a man the other shaken from his drowsinesse by the terror of an Earthquake both felt comfort in their miseries by the mercy of GOD which kept them from desperation The rarenes of which example the great mercy of God and the singular instructions that rise to the profit of such as deepely waigh the whole action besides the earnest desire of some whose request I could not denie haue drawne me now to set downe certaine notes and considerations touching the singular working of the spirit of
of the Gospell make the glorious word and preaching of Christ to be blasphemed among the Papists and they hinder many from professing and beleeuing the same because they walke not wisely toward them that are without because there is as much whordome couetousnes drunkennes vsurie periurie simonie subtiltie briberie iniurie amongst them as euer was among the Papists or can be among the Turkes and infidels because there is as little faith as litle regard of promise or word or lesse then euer was in the time of ignorance c. But what shall become of these wicked hypocrites of these Painted wals of these stincking Sepulchers and fruitlesse Figtrees which defame their callings abuse their places pollute their Offices and dishonor the Lord by their sinfull liues Surely they shall leaue a deadly curse vpon their posteritie the filthie mawes of the hungrie Dogges shall bee thought to be a Sepulcher worthie and sufficient for such cursed carrions The Lorde shall plague them by taking from them their sonne begotten in a dulterie their Offices their dignities and the thing they loue best the Lord shall punish them by rebellion in in their sonnes in their subiects and heauie mishappes within their owne houses Some of these wicked abusers of their Office and calling the Lord doth notwithstanding as we here see cal home to a consideration of their miserable estate to the knowledge and sight of their sinnes to a true humiliation of their proude stomackes and to an effectuall repentance because it is certaine and sure that the wickednesse of man cannot alter the purpose of the Lord. Where we learne that as God doth suffer his elect for a time to be seduced and to wander out of the right way as Dauid by his lust Paule by blinde zeale Mary Magdalene by lewde concupisence and this Iaylor by crueltie blindnesse yet as many as pertaine to Gods election haue the times and meanes of their conuersion appointed and they at that calling obey as we see here this Iaylor doth though before oftentimes they haue refused Here we see the great mercy of the Lord which calleth all sortes of men which despiseth no Office nor the vilest callings which refuseth not to thinke vppon the greatest sinners in the middest of all their blindnes but vseth louing and fit meanes to call sinners to repentaunce As according to the qualitie greatnesse and continuance of any sinne so wee see his motions to repentance fitted for them Dauid had not long beene forgetfull neither remained any great time in the sincke of his sinne therefore the voice of the Lord in a simple man wrought a sorrow and repentance in him Peter had not long continued in his Apostasie hee was brought vnto that forgetfulnes of his good master and duetie by the frailenes feare that was in his flesh and bloud and not by any malice or wilfull contempt therefore the voice of a Cocke was sufficient to awaken him to make him see the foulenes of his finne and to lament his weakenes with bitter teares But of the contrarie where the sinne is setled of a long continuance where the sinners after admonition haue taken delite in it haue continued it with mallice and wilfull contempt there the Lord must vse great and mightie motions to remoue them as Earthquakes throwing downe some tower in Siloe stirring vp great enemies and shewing great and vnusuall wonders c. And yet these great motions moue not all for there are some which pertaine to the Lords inheritance that are conuerted by them as this Iaylor and many other But such againe as bee none of this number but those whome the Lord hath forsaken and cast off cannot be moued nor conuerted by all the signes wonders and Earthquakes that can bee shewed such were the Scribes and Pharisies the masters of this Iaylor such was Pharao such were the sonnes of Elie and many in Ierusalem such are our great and grounded Papists such are our libertine professors and fleshly Gospellers such are our Atheists and Iesters in religion c. 2. His Charge It seemeth that his Charge was very great and that it stoode greatly vppon him to restore againe such as he had receiued It shuld appeare that these Apostles were deliuered vnto him with such a straite commaundement that if he did let them escape his life should go for theirs For being now awakened by the suddaine shaking of the earth rysing out of his bed at midnight in great feare and comming vnto the prison and finding the doores open and thinking assuredly that his prisoners had beene fled in a desperate minde determined rather to kill himselfe then to stand to the curtesie of that sentence which his good masters the enuious Scribes and Pharisies should pronounce against him Which wicked act the fearefull and desperate man had committed in deede had not Paule by the spirit of God in the darke seene his intent and with this ioyfull voice at that instant comforted him Do thy selfe no harme for we are all here Application and Doctrine First by his straite Charge which the Scribes and Pharisies gaue for the keeping of these Apostles we learne with what great heate and hateful mallice the wicked world with the blind potentates thereof doe persecute the truth wheresoeuer they shall see it but once to shew it selfe or appeare neuer so little and how loth they are that the messengers of this newes should escape with life or libertie when they once come within their fingers The estate of Gods trueth in this world is maruelous and miserable For the euerie murder whordome drunkennes c hath alwaies found more friendship in it and hath beene better alowed of then the simple truth There was a theefe and a murderer preferred before Christ himselfe The illusion of Sathan and a Deuill that deceaued them by blinde toyes and telling of fortunes was a great deale better accepted in this blinde Cittie of Phillippie then Paule and Silas the true preachers For wherefore were Paule and Silas cast into prison with so straite a commaundement after they had beene buffeted and whipt most cruelly before Surely the holy Ghost layeth downe no other causes but these First They preached the truth and assayed to turne them from their Idolatry blindnesse Secondly They cast out the Deuill that did deceaue them Where wee learne how vnwilling the world and the wicked are to haue the Deuil cast out of themselues of their sonnes and daughters especially if the Deuill bring any kinde of commoditie with him as this Deuill did For that was the cause of this commotion because Paules new doctrine could not agree with their olde Deuill because they might not follow Paules Religion and yet still retaine their former profite and commoditie By which we see how hard a matter it is to plant the true Religion among the couetous and worldly minded wretches Wee see now the cause why the godly in the primatiue church why the blessed martyrs in Queene Maries