not Gods glory and good of the Church for its end but a mans owne glory for many vpon slight occasion will confesse their faults that themselues may bee better thought of for it and to conciliate a good opinion of themselues Therefore in thy confession to others take these rules with thee See the ground affection the manner and ends be good and iust else thy heart is not eased but burdened the more Secondly we may hence note that a guilefull security may hold the conscience of a conuerted person in a slumber of soule so as hee shall be hindred from repentance till God by some forcible affliction waken him This wee may see in Dauid here So Iosephs brethren held a long time the sinne of selling their brother till the affliction wakened them before which time they could tell their Father and their Brother Wee are twelue brethren and one is not and One is dead as if they had not sold him Ionah sleepes vnder the hatches though the stormes rise the waues beate and the ship be troubled and the goods lost till God by the Mariners bid him Vp sleeper and the lot finde him out So Professors often leaue their first works and slack their first loue till God come against them c. A reason hereof is First ignorance and blindnesse in the best which suffers them not to see sinne in the nature and degree of it onely light discouers darkenesse and therefore being light but in part euen the best cannot but faile in finding out their owne sinnes Secondly a kinde of hypocrisie and guile in the heart of the best which Dauid here acknowledgeth for the best would often seeme better then they are and would rather bee sinners then so reputed Thirdly an affection to sinne through an old acquaintance with it for euery mans nature so farre as it is vnregenerate is in loue with sinne Iob calls it 20 12. a sweet morsell which the wicked hold vnder their tongue and will not let goe And the regenerate themselues part with sinne indeede but as our Sauiour implieth as from their eies and right hands Fourthly because of the effect of it for sinne discouered brings shame What fruit had yee of those things whereof ye are now ashamed And to auoid this shame men would hide their sinne which is a filthinesse and a nakednesse Fifthly a security and negligence in the heart men are loth to dig so deepe to search narrowly their hearts to finde out sinne a tedious worke it is of mortification and so are loth to trouble their sinne or themselues Sixtly and lastly because the nature of sinne to which the best giue way is to dead the heart to quench the Spirit and to extinguish his graces And therefore first beleeuers must not flatter themselues but bee still awaking themselues to seeke after God we must enter into our hearts and consider our waies we will keepe reckoning what we runne on the score with men but rare are they which thinke how deepe they are in Gods bookes such bad husbands are we for our soules Secondly wee should vse meanes against this guile which preuailes against the best first the counsels of the Word must not be neglected Secondly the motions of the Spirit must be entertained and cherished for that is a monitor in the eare and sets before vs the way and our aberrations Thirdly the checkes and prickes of conscience which attended vnto would often awake vs and saith Thou art the man This and that sinne lies at the doore Thirdly we must not bid adieu to the remembrance of sinnes past and pardoned but euer beare them in minde so farre as to work out godly sorrow holy bashfulnesse and lowlinesse of minde and so farre as may be a spurre to more fruitfull obedience for time to come Thus Dauid though his sinne was forgiuen him as Nathan told him at first yet euer remembred and set before him his murther and adulterie Thus Israel acknowledged the desire of a King to be their sinne Thus Paul often remembred his blasphemy and persecuting For this let vs be often opening and looking on our wounds seeing the neglect of them and hiding of them is lewd carelesnesse and mortally dangerous It is no newes that a souldier is shot or wounded but to see him goe with it neuer regard nor dresse it is a forelorne negligence and condemned as a desperate folly so for vs fighting in this world to come by knockes and maimes is no maruell but to hide them and let them goe and ranckle and fester not complaining of them not vncouering them to the Surgeon Phisicion of soules is spirituall frensie and madnesse See we not that our soules in their swaruing from God are like bones beside the ioynt the longer they go they prooue more painefull therefore take them betimes they are set more easily Thirdly note in that Dauid is said to bee silent and not confesse his sinnes of murther and adultery almost of an whole yeere that a man euen Gods child may hold some outward parts of godlinesse and yet for a time by a slumber of conscience lie silent and not indeed come to see and confesse sinnes All this yeere Dauid came to the Temple there prayed and praised God and confessed sinnes he laid not aside all his family-duties but out of doubt performed some or the most of them yet he confesseth he was silent for while a man lies in sinne his prayer is as no prayer his confession is no confession first his prayer is not accepted before God Psalme 66. 18. If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare my prayer Secondly the Sacraments doe him no more good then they did Iudas Thirdly Gods word because it is not mingled with faith is vnprofitable it is as pure liquor put into a fustie vessell and lastly sinne separateth betweene God and him Isai. 59. 2. Thou commest to heare the Word to pray to keepe the Sabbath in the publike seruice of it and thou thinkest thou hast done a great matter but if thou commest with an impenitent heart a sleepie and slumbring conscience thy prayer and confession is all silence God heares nothing if thou speakest to God speake with thy heart else he heareth thee not Thinke we not that Iosephs brethren held on a forme of Religion while their sinne troubled them not for so many yeeres and what was all their prayers and confessions all that while but silence and so many Christians who fall from many goodly beginnings will take such order that they will keepe so much religion as they may bee thought to haue some feare of God in them but either couetousnesse or some other sinne holds them which they repent not of as hindreth for the timely seeking of reconciliation with God Many also goe on in a forme of Religion confesse their sinnes in the Church and ioyne in other good exercises in priuate yet
thankesgiuing for graces bestowed vpon beleeuers that their faith was published abroad their loue abounded c. 1. Thes. 1. 3 4. and the Apostle Iohn reioiced greatly to see the elect Ladies children walking in the trueth 2. Ioh. 4. If a man thus bestow his ioy for matter manner and measure hee shall finde little roume left for carnall and vaine ioyes which are not more short in holding then bitter in forgoing them All this admonisheth vs to rectifie our ioy and thus to order it by which onely wee put difference betweene our selues and the brute beasts who reioyce in fulfilling their appetite but can reioyce in nothing higher then themselues Accursed is all that ioy in the creature which is not begun continued and ended in the Lord and for the Lord. Diues enioyed wealth and pleasure went in Purple and fared deliciously euery day but he is now in hell and his tongue that called for nothing but pleasure calleth now for a drop of cold water but cannot haue it By what markes may I try my ioy whether it be spirituall and in the Lord or no Know it by these rules First thy person must bee in Christ thou must bee a beleeuer if thy name bee written in heauen thy ioy is godly ioy no part in Christ no part in this ioy Secondly thou gettest and holdest it by the right hand of faith and therefore it is called the ioy of faith Phil. 1. 25. Christ for the confirming of his Disciples ioy commaunded them to beleeue in him Ioh. 14. 1. and 1. Pet. 1. 8. After yee beleeued ye reioyced with ioy vnspeakable and glorious more faith more ioy no faith no ioy small faith or desire to beleeue small ioy Thirdly diligent study in Gods word for faith finds not ioy euery where but onely in the Word Iohn 15. These things haue I said that my ioy may abide in you The two Disciples going to Emmaus and Christ conferring with them said afterward one to another Did not our hearts burne within vs while he talked with vs Heere then is a plaine difference betweene Gods word and the writings of men all the words of Philosophers are legall and knew no Euangelicall ioy for which of them euer taught concerning remission of sinne or saluation by Christ Therefore accursed are such blasphemous hell-hounds as hold the word of God as a policy and say there are as good sentences in Poets and Philosophers as in it Fourthly examine what thy conuersation is Righteous and vpright men must reioyce for sinne grieues the Spirit and extinguisheth ioy but piety and care of good conscience not onely cheareth him but also is a sweet feast within and that continuall Fistly and lastly examine thy proceeding in mortification for as it is 1. Cor. 15. 31. By our reioycing which I haue in Christ Iesus I die daily the ioy of faith makes a man labour and long to bee disburdened of sinne the cause of sorrow and willing to goe to God at whose right hand is fulnesse of ioy for euermore Thus haue wee by Gods grace finished this worthy Psalme which begun with sorrow but ends in solace we went foorth mourning carrying out our seede but now we bring in our sheaues with reioycing wee haue sowed in teares now wee reape in ioy For which blessed fruit the forerunner of our full haruest of ioyes at Gods right hand for euermore and for all other comforts accompanying the same To God the Father and Fountaine and to Iesus Christ the Meriter and restorer and to the holy Spirit of consolation the immediat applyer and sealer of it to the hearts of the Elect be all praise and honour in all Churches for euer and euer Amen FINIS THE ALPHABETICALL TABLE OF THE CHIEFE things contained in this Booke A ALl accusers of Gods Child put together cannot obiect halfe so much against him as he can against himselfe 150 Absolute sufficiencie of Eternall life set forth in seuen particulars 390 Afflictions serue to shake the godly out of securitie 74 Afflictions how said to be good 75 Afflictions are no temporall punishments nor satisfactions for sin three reasons 75 Afflictions are all Gods hand ordeining 92  inflicting   ordering  Sundry considerations why the godly must not be discouraged by Afflictions 103 Afflictions in themselues long are short and momentany in fiue respects 107 Afflictions concurring in a person rightly disposed to prayer 194 Angels not to be inuocated for sundry reasons 213 Arke many wayes gaue testimonie of Gods speciall presence 222 Assurance of deliuerance from trouble is from assurance of remission of sinne foure reasons 252 B THe meanest Beleeuer is an happie man 40 Benefit of syncerity in three heads 59 Benefits of open confession of sinne to man foure 143 Benefits of right vsing the Scriptures three 191 Benefit of experience in diuine things 267 Benefits of calling other forward in Grace foure 314 Bridles in Gods hand to hamper vntractable sinners three sorts 360 Brother must bee helped from vnder his burden and how 12 A Brutish property not to learne by Gods word for three reasons 347 C CAses of open confession three 70 Cases of publike confession to men two 143 Christ tooke not away the lingring but the malignitie of crosses 106 Choice of matter for consideration in fiue heads 123 Chearfulnesse must bee doubled towards the end of our way for three reasons 337 Euery Christian must benefit the whole Church by his experience 4. reas 183 Church and members euer preserued in trouble yea from trouble 276 Colours set vpon sinnes to hide them three sorts 152 Compassion towards the sicke consciences 80 Comforts and directions to such as haue long sought neuer found that they sought for in sixe grounds 239 Comforts against sence of weakenesse after many experiences of God 268 Comforts for godly men in trials three grounds 108 Comforts and directions for such as haue long repented yet find no assurance of remission of sin 174 Conditions in seeking God fiue 222 234 All sound Confession must be made vnto God for foure reasons 141 Sound Confession reacheth to all sinne 129 Slubberd Confession of sinne 137 Confession of sinne priuate of man to man in two cases 144 Confession must bee syncere because to God 146 A true Confessor must bee his owne vtter enemie for foure reasons 148 Vnsound Confessiō described by foure properties 161 Sound Consideration brings sound resolution three reasons 118 Benefits of Consideration 122 How to Consider of a mans latter end foure directions 124 True Conuersion worketh against all sinne alike 3. reas 135 Continuance in trouble letteth the godly see the greatnes of their sin 231 Euery man must get a Couer for his sinne 16 Many sorts of men Couer themselues with fig-leaues 18 Couers of sinne too short and thinne 90 D DAnger of hiding and lessening sinne in foure things 138 Danger of sinne in sixe things 156 Delayes of God whet vp godly desires 233
they see not their sinnes in a right glasse but in a false glasse which lets them see them onely in the profit or pleasure or as in one of those trunke optick glasses which make great things very small and things at hand as if they were farre off whereas if they did behold sinne in the true glasse of the Law and of the curse of God of the eternall damnation of sinners and of Christs death for sinners they would not account any sinne small nor the iudgement of them farre off This sight and view of sin makes the godly cry out and continually bewaile the captiuity they are in as Paul himselfe did who was aliue without the Law but the Law strucke him downe and made him cry out of himselfe as a miserable man Thirdly most men neuer meditate of their owne estate nor consider of their owne condition to apply the Law to their liues to see their crookednesse and faylings as they doe who are in the way to happinesse they want will or skill time or conscience if it hap well so it is The godly meditate of their owne estate and apply the Law to their owne sinnes which made Dauid Psal. 38. 5. cry out that his sinnes were too heauy a burden for him to beare so could men try their owne strength with the burden of their owne sinnes they would come to a little more quicke sense of their estate and with holy Dauid here pronounce him a happy man that is eased Fourthly the strong man is gone away with all and hence comes in this vnfeelingnesse and peace and he luls men asleepe in false perswasions wherein they goe on vnto death What say many miscreants Hell is not so hot nor sinne so heauy nor the Deuill so blacke nor God so vnmercifull as the Preachers say or if all this were so they are not alone others haue as heauy burdens as they they shall haue company whatsoeuer become of them and though they heare the burden of the Word of the Lord daily and see the burden of his hand lie heauy vpon others yea and often vpon themselues yet are they as senselesse as dead men vpon whom if you lay all the weight of the earth they feele nothing O beware of this fearefull iudgement which is a great part of this burden the which the lesse it is felt the greater it is and know that there is no man that shall not feele the burden of his sinne one time or other though the wicked doe neuer till it be too late Shall the Lord himselfe be pressed vnder the burden of thy sinnes as a Cart laden with sheaues and art not thou Amos 2. 13. shall all other dumbe and senselesse creatures grone vnder the burden of thy sinne as Rom. 8. 20. and art thou thy selfe more senselesse then they Feeling this burden seeke meanes to be deliuered and disburdened and this will he doe that findes this burden pressing and oppressing him The meanes is to come to Christ as he calleth Matth. 11. 28. Come vnto mee all yee that are weary and laden c. Come not with the body and feet but with first Repentance secondly Faith First come in confession of sinne and godly sorrow come groning and bewayling thy sinne and estate come creeping to God with thy burden on thy backe confesse thy sinne and forsake it this is the way to finde mercy thus Dauid found ease vers 5. Secondly come in Faith hungring and thirsting after righteousnesse lay hold on Gods mercy and Christs merit which are as two shoulders to beare it quite away Feare not but as the people said to Bartimeus Be of good comfort he calleth thee He calleth thee in the Word he giueth a gracious promise Come to me I will ease you he sealeth vp his promise by the Sacrament in which thou shalt finde him ready to giue thee ease that longest and gronest after him Doth any sinne oppresse thy conscience thou hearest and seest in the Word and Sacrament how he was made sinne that is a Sacrifice for sinne for thee Doth any burden of misery or crosse inward or outward presse thee hee offereth himselfe to ease the laden to pacifie the perplexed conscience to strengthen the heart and to remoue or mitigate all our burdens for vs according to the prophesie Isay 53. 4. 11. He hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrowes the word is sebalon of sabal to carry as a Porter doth a burden vsed in both places But alas euery man must carry his owne burden how then can Christ Legally euery man must carry his owne the Law requireth personall obedience and satisfaction but Euangelically Christ our suretie beares them and therefore come to him in the Word and Sacrament with Faith and Repentance Once finding ease of this burden lode thy selfe no more Christ hauing cured the blinde man and eased him of that burden bids him Goe thy wayes and sinne no more lest a worse thing befall thee Heb. 12. 1. The Apostle aduiseth if sinne presse downe and so incumber vs to cut off this compassing sinne If a man be to deale with a great burden he will once or twice try his strength with it if it bee too heauy for him he will let it alone Hast thou euer felt the ouer-burden of sinne euen the least with which haddest thou the strength of all Men and Angels thou couldest not encounter nor stand vnder it and wilt thou againe meddle with it Besides hast thou not when thou art at the lightest sufficient burden of that originall sinne of which Paul said Rom. 7. 21. Euill is present with me it lies euery-where vpon thee and of actuall sinnes without number that still in stead of disburdening thy selfe and lightning thy lode daily thou addest to the heape and it is neuer big enough as though all thy sinnes had no weight at all O but this is nothing a small sinne an oath an idle word rash and hasty anger to play the good fellow to drinke with my friend lose my time credit c. If thou couldest bring me an instance of any one sinne that had no weight thou shouldest haue good leaue to wed thy selfe to it neuer to depart but no sinne is so small but hath such a weight as will presse to the bottomelesse pit bring me any sinne the wage of which is not death an idle word for which thou must not giue account any tricke of youth for which thou shalt not be brought to iudgement Sand euen euery little sand hath his weight and though small in quantity yet if great in number will drowne the ship of the greatest burden but what if all the sands of the Sea-shore were in one ship must it not sinke and are not thy sinnes for weight and number like the sands of the Sea-shore If sinne be such a burden then helpe thy brother from vnder this burden the Law of God enioynes thee to helpe and pitty the
are very large And now hauing spoken of the person whose sinne is thus freely remitted wee come to speake of the blessednesse promised vnto him Blessed NOw we are to enquire First what is meant by the blessednesse pronounced on such a man as hath this ease couer and acquittance from his sinnes Secondly the instructions to be learned By blessednesse is meant an effect of iustification namely that happy state and condition of a man arising from all those heauenly blessings in Christ which are chained together Ro. 8. 29. 30. as from Gods prescience predestination vocation iustification sanctification and glorification This blessednesse of a man in Christ hath two degrees First in this life which may bee called a blessednesse of grace Secondly in the life to come which is a blessednesse of glorie The former is heere principally meant which may be reached in this life and necessarily draweth after it the other as he that draweth one linke of a chaine draweth the whole Pardon of sinne is such a gift as makes a man fully happy for the Text cleareth it thus First that which remoueth all miserie and burden maketh a man happy such as are the curse of God due to sinne in this life and the life to come the guiltinesse of conscience horrour of soule and expectation of vengeance which is hell before hell c. But this doth pardon of sinne it is the ease of our burden Secondly that which brings into fauour with GOD otherwise an enemie so as God and man can now walke together as friends God can looke with a cleare countenance on man and man looke vp with sweet comfort in his God This makes a man a happy man the light of Gods countenance is better then life But this doth pardon of sinne which couereth all our nakednesse and deformitie Thirdly that wherein we are iustified before God is our blessednesse but in not imputing of sinnes is our iustification as the Apostle from this place proueth Rom. 4. 6. 7. Hence is it that Zachary in his Song Luk. 1. 77. sayth that God by remission of sinne teacheth the knowledge of saluation Fourthly and lastly euen nature will draw this confession from the worst that the best to be happy need pardon that if God straitly mark what is done amisse none could abide and that euery man by the Law is accursed Secondly and much more doth the Scripture teach that before God haue begunne his grace with a man his whole life is hatefull his mind and conscience polluted yea and after euery thing is imperfect so as the best workes need pardon Thirdly and most of all the experience of the godly confirmeth this truth Neuer did any man feele the burden of sinne and Gods wrath in his soule for it but hee could say his happinesse was to be eased Neuer did any see the ougly face of his sinne and Gods angry face beholding it out of Heauen as a consuming fire but hee would proclaime him happy whose sinne is couered Neuer did any feele Gods Tribunall set vp in his conscience and God and his conscience casting him for his insufficiencie but he did place his peace and happinesse in Gods not imputing his sinne vnto him If blessednesse stand in the pardon of sinne and imputation of righteousnesse then not in merits and satisfactions This vse the Apostle draweth out of this place Rom. 4. If righteousnesse stand in the hiding of sin then not in meriting it Besides there are but two wayes of discharging debts eyther forgiuenesse or payment If I pay it is not forgiuen Popish doctrine standeth here against the light of the Scripture in the Campes of naturall reason which suggesteth that something must bee done by a man to his owne iustification as the young man What good thing shall I doe to be saued And the Papists neuer asking God what they should doe set themselues on workes satisfactorie which hee neuer enioyned as Donations to Churches Pilgrimages Fastings Pater-nosters Aueës Creeds Inuocations Visitations Oblations to Saints keeping and kissing yea praying to Reliques Merits of Saints Workes supererogatory Purgatory Vowes Vigils Masse-chantings Iubileës martes of pardon and a thousand such Symoniacall trickes to make a sale of remission of sinnes all which wage battell and warre to this learning of Dauid Of all these in generall will one day bee said Who required these things at your hands these things so derogatorie to the bloud of Iesus Christ which cleanseth vs from all sinne Secondly to the nature of iustification which is the full absolution of a sinner before God by reason of Christ who is made our righteousnesse by imputation Thirdly so derogatory to the truth of the doctrine concerning good Workes which are farre from iustifying or meriting I speake of good Workes euen of grace which first are imperfect in number secondly in degree not being done with all due intents nor the whole heart and strength neither can be because the heart is partly spirituall partly fleshly the best workes therefore haue flesh and corruption in them and whatsoeuer is defiled performeth not the Law needeth a couer and cannot in it selfe be accepted Thirdly they are imperfect in the person No good worke can proceede from any but a good worker and a iustified person first make the tree good and then the fruit will be good also therefore they cannot iustifie seeing the person is already iustified And the iustified person when he doth the best is vnprofitable he cannot answere one of a thousand and if the Lord should marke what is done amisse who could stand The best worke hath matter of humiliation which may exclude all our reioycing Paul knew nothing by himselfe but had practised workes of grace many yet saith he was not thereby iustified But they say God hath promised a reward of life eternall to good workes Let them shew a place where it is promised to the worke but to the worker being a beleeuer to whom Christs righteousnesse is imputed in which regards all such rewards are meere mercy But Christ hath merited that our good works should merit That is false for then Christ merited that our good workes should fulfill the iustice of the Law which they cannot being stayned with sinne and that they are dyed in the bloud of Christ maketh them not meritorious of eternall life but that they bring not eternall death Dauid prayeth Psal. 7. 3. to bee iudged according to his righteousnesse Righteousnesse is either of the cause or of the person Dauid here speaketh of the former for hee had a good cause and conscience though Saul pursued him to the death but he speaketh not of the righteousnesse of his person before God of which Iob speaketh when hee saith that if hee should iustifie himselfe namely before God his owne clothes would defile him The last iudgement is by workes and therefore iustification These are diuers workes of God in the first
abroad and staies at home with thee And as it is the most enemie to thee so must thou be to it Paul was neuer right till he found this rebel in himselfe and that many yeeres after his conuersion Secondly knowing that the spirit is so guilefull and the heart so deceitfull suspect it in euery thing watch it the better deale with it as with an vntrusty fellow in whom thou hast found some notable trickes of deceit worke out thy saluation with feare and trembling Blessed is the man that feareth alwaies Say not with thy selfe I see not this sinne in my selfe therefore it is not or I see not wherein I haue failed in this or that for all that thou mayest seeing the heart is deceitfull aboue all things and who can see it carry an holy ielousie of thy selfe and suspect thy selfe as Iob did his sonnes It may be my sonnes my selfe haue sinned offer sacrifice or rather apply Christ to thy soule for thy failing in the best actions Thirdly seeing the hart is thus deceitful it teacheth vs not to insult ouer others in their falles seeing our owne hearts may play false with vs. Let no man say that he wil neuer doe this and this as he seeth others do but suspect his heart lest it carry him to worse things then they Peter said he would rather die then deny his Master but the deceitfulnesse of his heart would not let him performe his purpose which deceit he knew not before for then he would not haue taken it so ill when Christ foretold him of it Dauid would haue thought scorne the day before his fall that any should haue told him that he should lie wallowing in so foule sinnes as he did the day after Hazael was farre from the sight of that guile which lay hid in his owne spirit when being told by the Prophet what monstrous wickednesse should bee done by him he asked Am I a dogges head that I should doe this Let vs therfore make this vse of other mens weaknesses Oh if such haue so dangerously fallen in whose hearts I neuer saw such foule things as I see in mine owne why should I be high-minded and not rather feare Rom. 11. 20. Fourthly labour for a sincere heart void of guile Here consider three things First the notes or markes of it secondly the benefit of it thirdly reasons to labour for it First the notes First in duties It hath an vpright endeuour and sincere desire to approue it selfe to God in all things wheras a guilefull heart lookes more at men in good duties then at God more at mens commandements then Gods at mens approbation more then Gods Wee seeke not to pleasemen saith Paul but God who seeth the heart We care not to bee iudged by men but stand or fall to our owne Lord whereas Saul knowing himselfe in disgrace with God would haue Samuel to honour him before the people Secondly in respect of sinne A sincere heart hateth all sinne wheresoeuer euen small and secret especially it is more seuere against his owne lusts then any other he hates his sinnes past and bewaileth them his present sins to break them off he hates that he doth he hates sinnes to come to preuent them and watch against them whereas a guilefull heart can hate euen motes in his brothers eye but not his owne beames auoides open sinnes not secret smaller hee makes small account of if hee can auoide greater which make greater noise and bring greater shame This man can reioyce in memorie of sin past and bragge of it as a mad pranke which should be as a dagger to his heart whereas Dauids heart smote him for cutting off Sauls lap and as soone as he had numbred the people and Peters as soone as he had denied Christ. This man can reioyce in conceit of a future sinne whereas Dauid and the Saints vow and sweare to keepe the commandements He hath his present darting sinnes which hee will continue in and not let goe let God and man say what they will But is no heart sincere but that which is without sinne It is not the committing of one sinne or presence of more that makes an euill heart for then none should be vpright but the habite and custome of sinning and this is when first in his vnderstanding he is wise to do euill but knowes not to doe well Secondly when he still wills that which is euill Thirdly when his affections still mooue vnto it Fourthly when he walkes in euill as a seruant of sinne at the command of it So is it not with the godly with whom power is often wanting but to will desire and endeuour is present Thirdly a sincere heart professeth religion for it selfe and delighteth in good men and good things as the Word Sacraments and godly company because they are so and because they see some part of Gods image in them Whereas a guilefull heart not hauing denied it selfe professeth for by respects and worldly causes addicted vnto not called out of the world it loueth good men not for their goodnesse but for the respect they haue in the world or some other occasion respecting themselues If then thou wouldest know whether thou hast a sincere heart or no first obserue thy actions both in their nature and ende first in their nature if they be single and pure so is thy heart as is the fountaine and the root such are the streames and the fruit Secondly in their end an honest heart euer aimes at Gods glory directly whereas a guilefull heart euer propoundeth bad ends of good actions Secondly obserue whether thou makest conscience secretly of all sinne yea most seriously of those to which thou art most inclined whether thou hast condemned thy selfe in dust and ashes whether thou hast resisted and preuailed or else liest still vnder the power of corruption Thirdly consider whether thou daily renuest thy purpose of not sinning against God as thou renewest thy daies and whether thou watchest ouer thine owne hart with an holy suspition and wilt for Gods will breake thine owne Fourthly marke whether thou louest God in his image ordinances and children euen then when the world scornes and hates all these here is a good note indeed of a sincere heart Secondly the benefits of it First this sincere heart brings the person into acceptance with God for whom doth he approue but such as walke before him vprightly Abraham Noah Enoch Zacharie Iob and these are his delight Prou. 11. 20. Secondly whatsoeuer worke hath such a ground is acceptable yea and called perfect in the Scripture And indeed sinceritie is all our perfection sincere persons are called perfect in the way Psalme 119. 1. All true worship must be done in spirit and truth Iohn 4. 24. as First prayer must be a lifting vp of the heart and a powring out of the soule If I regard wickednesse in my heart God will not heare me Prayer proceeding
from fained lippes is abominable Secondly if we come to heare the Word our hearts must not goe after couetousnesse Ezech. 33. 31. Thirdly if wee come to receiue the Sacraments wee must haue speciall eie to our hearts for what was Iudas the better to sit downe with Christ at the Passeouer when his heart was on his money And if the inside be not cleane but the heart bee vnsound all actions and words must be sutable Hence euen the graces we haue must proceed from a pure heart or else are not accepted Faith must be vnfained 1. Tim. 1. 5. wisedome without dissimulation Iam. 5. 17. loue vnfained in deed and truth 1. Iohn 3. 18. repentance an vnfained rending of the heart Ioel 2. else all our labour is lost Thirdly all the promises of God are made hereunto Of protection He is a shield to all them that walke vprightly Prou. 2. 7. Of direction The vprightnesse of the iust shall guide them Prou. 11. 3. Of deliuerance from euill Vers. 6. The righteousnesse of the iust shall deliuer him Of supply of good He will giue grace and glory and no good thing shall bee wanting to them that walke vprightly Psalm 84. Of peace and ioy of conscience 2. Cor. 1. 12. This is our reioycing c. Of perseuerance Colours and shewes cannot bee stable but they that are in and of the Church shall abide Thirdly reasons to labour for a sincere heart First Gods commandement Genes 17. Walke before me and be thou vpright Psalm 51. 6. Behold thou louest truth in the inward affections Conformity of manners must goe with reformation of the heart Secondly it is a part of Gods image who is most single and true and the beautie of the Church is to be all glorious within herein she is conformable to her head in whose mouth was found no guile 1. Pet. 3. Euery sonne of the Church must be a Nathaniel in whom is no guile Iohn 1. 47. and a true Israelite euen pure of hart Psalme 73. 1. Thirdly our text affoords a sound reason in that sinceritie of heart is ioyned with forgiuenesse of sinnes and is a forerunner to blessednesse Psalm 119. 1. Blessed are the perfect in the way It is a fruit and marke of faith Sinceritie is a vaile to couer all sinne because of this God couers and cures all our iniquities as 1. King 15. 14 They put not downe the high places which was a great sin neuerthelesse Asa's heart was vpright with the Lord all his daies Fourthly if wee would be distinguished from hypocrites we must labour for sinceritie wicked ones may outwardly straine beyond vs make faire shewes and haue a kind of faith and ioy c. but we must outstrippe them all in sinceritie of heart Fifthly if we would haue our duties comfortable to our selues and profitable when men obiect them vnto vs and wee meete with but small comfort in the world because of them let vs labour to become true Israelites 2. Sam. 6. 20 21 22. Dauid was mocked for dancing before the Arke but his vprightnesse bore him vp Iob had no comfort in his troubles but onely his sinceritie Vntill I die I will neuer take away mine innocencie from my selfe Iob 27. 5. This also was the onely stay to Hezekiah in the day of his straitenesse Sixthly God hath appointed a day to try thy heart and the soundnesse thereof to turne out all the windings of it and hee abhorres the double heart that turnes it selfe vpon deceitfulnesse as a doore vpon hinges therefore looke to the singlenesse of it before-hand Seuenthly and lastly onely they that walke vprightly are Citizens of heauen Psalm 15. 2. but as for the hypocrite he shall not come or not stand before God Iob 13. 16. Fifthly if thou hast thy heart at some command yet giue it not scope but keepe it still aboue all keeping fense and hedge it about or else it will deceiue thee Take heed lest there bee in any of you an euill heart of vnbeliefe and so you be deceiued through the deceitfulnesse of sinne Aboue all custodies keepe thy heart watch it in all things neuer aske the question which Dauid did concerning the men of Keilah 1. Sam. 23. 11. Will they deliuer vs for assuredly our hearts will deliuer vs. Motiues to the diligent custodie of our hearts First How easily doth a little yeelding ouer-carry vs to great sinnes giue the heart an inch and it will take an ell a false heart askes but a little at first and seemes modest but it is to draw on to greater Wee haue seene a little sore as bigge as a penny grow to a gangrene which eates vp the whole body and a little sinne suffered is a gangrene that takes one part after another till the whole soule be eaten vp What mischiefs haue we heard of by a little sparke What sowrenesse in the whole lumpe by a little Leauen Open a sluce and the waters runne amaine as the waters from vnder the Sanctuarie from the ankles to the knees and so to the loynes and then it becomes a great streame and surely the prouerbe is true for the most part in sinne Ouer Shooes Ouer Bootes The enemie cares for no more then one breach or one gate open to enter at this is as good as if all the walls were cast downe enemies be easier kept out then thrust out And the reason is because God often punisheth small sinnes with greater as Peter hauing once denyed his Lord could not stay himselfe from a second and third denyall a iust correction of his want of watching at the first Therefore beware of the conception of sinne Secondly as want of watch brings small sinnes to great ones so it brings great grace often to a small measure yea to nothing If men remit of their heat a little they come from zeale to luke-warmenesse from that to coldnesse and so to be frozen in sinne How many who falling backe from their first loue and beginnings haue remitted the performance of religious duties in former times seene in profession and in godly practices but after proued first weary secondly idle thirdly senselesse and now are openly prophane and thus haue made shipwracke of their soules And what matter whether the ship bee cast away at once by violent tempests or drowned by drops and degrees Thirdly how slily can the heart vnwatched contriue and carry away sinnes of high nature and like the Harlot that thinkes none saw her wipe the mouth and it was not shee Why may it not doe a little euill that great good may come of it Some can goe to Masse and doe as others doe communicate in all the idolatrie of it to learne to loath it and laugh at it Some can run to Playes to see filthy vices acted to hate them the more and as though it were so some can giue way to such Varlets to make collections that grudge the collections for Sermons But doe you
aboue all things Againe what an indigne thing is it for a man to bee beguiled of himselfe Men cannot abide to be deceiued of others yet most are deceiuers of themselues and that in a thing which should bee so familiar vnto them Is it not a shame to bee deceiued in the knowledge of himselfe and his owne estate In a matter of such moment as the saluation of his owne foule What maruel if Satan and all other deceiue those who are so willing to deceiue themselues VERSE 3. 4. When I held my tongue my bones consumed in my roring all the day For thine hand is heauy vpon me day and night and my moisture is turned into the drought of Summer SELAH OVr Prophet confirmeth his former Proposition by his owne experience First of the misery hee was in in respect of Gods wrath for his sinne in these two Verses Secondly of blessednesse in respect of remission Vers. 5. It is as if he had said I know what a miserable burden sinne is by wofull experience the guile of my heart ouer-reached me and made me know to my cost what it is to hide and keepe close sinne I was night and day in a little ease my body fayling me my spirit not sustayning me but so tormenting me as that I rored out for paine my miserie while I carryed my sinne was intolerable Whence in generall note First that a Christian must not only heare and learne the Word but also haue experience of it in his owne person as Dauid here teacheth not by Precept only but by his owne example so Psal. 119 75. I know Lord that all thy iudgements are good and Psal. 34. 8. Taste and see how good the Lord is make tryall in your soules and finde it in experience And this is when men will be informed and reformed by it then they taste the sweetnesse of the Gospell But many of great experience in the world haue no insight in the businesse of saluation as being a thing which they thinke concerneth them not Secondly note that euery Christian must make himselfe an example of the Word hee heareth and professeth he must bee a burning and shining light to giue light to others that there may be no Christian duety of Faith Loue Obedience Humility Patience c. but he may shew his measure and degree of it in his owne life and conuersation Thou being conuerted strengthen thy brethren Thus euery priuate Christian shall be a Teacher in his place and able to strengthen others and say I haue preuailed with God by humility and silence and so shall you I haue preuailed against my sinnes by humble prayer and confession so shall you I haue obtayned comfort in distresse by these and these meanes and so shall you I preserue my peace with God by such and such courses as himselfe hath appointed and so in time shall you Thus must euery Christian by wise obseruation and application of Gods Word and Workes to himselfe shew himselfe an example and copie of the rules of Christian life Masters of Families to them that are about them and Parents to their children Christ came from heauen to be an example of meekenesse and lowlinesse Learne of me for I am meeke and lowly and yee shall finde peace to your soules God himselfe teacheth men by his owne example to rest on the Sabbath as he did to be holy as himselfe is holy c. Farre are they from this that make themselues examples of scoffing the Word and Professors examples in lying swearing drinking oppressing examples in Sabbath-breaking gaming whoring and the like whom we leaue as hopelesse to the Lords rebuke who will take them at the rebound and make them examples of his plagues to as many as they haue beene examples in sinne euen to Men and Angels Are these the fruits of so long hearing of praying and cōming to Church Are these the lessons thou learnest Is this the returne of thy prayer Take vp betime with thy selfe lest God be inforced not to take vp with his displeasure against thee In the two Verses are two points First the touch of conscience for sinne Secondly the reason for thy hand c. The touch of conscience is described First by the cause While I kept close my sinne Secondly by the grieuousnesse of it as it is set forth 1. By the effects which were two 2. By the continuance of this touch day and night 1. The change of the body seene in 2. The roring of the voice 1. His bones consumed 2. His moysture dryed vp First for the cause While I kept close my sinne that is while I dissembled it and confessed it not Whence note First the disposition of a godly mans heart hee cares not to shame himselfe to all the World so God may be glorified Dauid publisheth to all the world his sinne and shame his hiding of sinne and his guile of heart Why doth he thus forget himselfe and his fame He was a King had glory wealth and honor Oh but he was a Christian hee had piety and holinesse in his heart where he can glorifie God he will abase himselfe if he can edifie others he will cast downe himselfe The like we see he did in the 51. Psalme and many other places The like did Moses Daniel and other holy Pen-men of Scripture set downe their owne sinnes and shame so Paul I was a Persecutor an Oppressor a Blasphemer who could say more against him then himselfe did But meaner men then Kings are ashamed to be known of any sinne and flatter themselues Because they are great therefore scarce men but Dauid though a King who had carryed his sinne so secretly as none knew it none could compell him yet is willing for God and his Church and a good conscience to shame himselfe And teacheth vs thereby that euen the greatest though they might without being detected conceale their sinnes yet in some cases must confesse them and that they should more tender the quiet of their consciences then all the honor of the world more respect Gods glory then their owne Cases of open confession are these First in case of publike offence so Achan confessed and gaue glory to God Secondly when knowing our owne sinnes and Gods mercy we confesse them to comfort others so Paul relates of his persecution blasphemy Thirdly to witnesse our sound and thorow turning to God we must not be in some case loth to acknowledge our faults in the face of all the World Many are franke often-times in complayning of themselues and acknowledging of their corruptions but farre short of this holy man for it proceedeth not of hatred of sinne but often from boasting or It proceedeth not from iust ground or settled iudgement but from too light an opinion that our selues are sinners or It often goeth with lesning or excusing the sin or ones selfe and not with exaggerating of his sinne as here to the sound breaking of his heart or It hath
in some one sinne their conscience slumbereth and though they bee not altogether hardned and without all touch of feare or desire of fauour yet are they very coldly mooued to confesse sinne or seeke peace they go slumbring on and weare out much time without comfort of their duties and are loth to be stirred till God take them in hand and iudge them for not iudging themselues and force them by violence to that which it had been more for their ease voluntarily to haue vndertaken Now we come to the effect of hiding sinne which is trouble both inward and outward euen in Gods owne children But here first note what is the ende of afflictions in them to wit not the punishment of their sinnes which are all remitted by one satisfaction of Christ but to shake them out of their sleepe of securitie and to draw them out of the thickets in which they would willingly lie hid Yea but they be fruits of sinne and part of the curse of sinne In themselues indeed they be the fruits and effects of sinne but now their nature is altered and of curses by Christ are changed into crosses the Lord who bringeth light out of darknesse brings this good out of them that they helpe forward the repentance mortification and conuersion of sinners vnto God Psalm 119. 17. It is good for mee that I was afflicted that I might learne thy statutes Now good is diuers first naturall secondly spirituall thirdly morall fourthly sensible fifthly by euent or accident First naturall is that which is infused into euery creature in the creation their nature vse quantities qualities all are good so are not afflictions in their nature being the punishment of sinne Secondly morall good is whatsoeuer is agreeable to the morall law so are not afflictions they are not prescribed in the morall law Thirdly spirituall whatsoeuer appertaineth to life euerlasting as faith hope loue c. thus be not afflictions good spiritually Fourthly good to the sense is whatsoeuer pleaseth the sense of man so was apple good to the eye thus no affliction is good and pleasant to the sense for the present Heb. 12. Fifthly they are good by euent and by accident partly by Gods ouer-ruling prouidence that can turne them to good and partly by grace in the elect who make a good vse of them First to say with the Papists that the afflictions of the godly are so many temporall punishments and satisfactions for sinne is First to derogate from that onely satisfaction of Christ and from the perfection of it Secondly to lessen the merit and desert of sinne which is death eternall Thirdly to misse Gods end of afflicting his children which is not to punish that which is already punished in Christ but to purge that which still cleaueth vnto them and hangeth fast on Secondly when thou art any way distressed and touched especially in conscience come backe to thine own sinne say with thy selfe Surely I haue either not repented at all or not fully of all this is because I haue held my peace and haue not confessed my sinnes to God or not forsaken them For when afflictions haue done that for which they are sent whē they haue opened the eare and humbled the heart as a messenger which hath done his errand they depart Leuit. 26. 41. the Lord threatneth the Iewes that because they haue walked stubburnely with him he will walke stubburnely against them but how long till their vncircumcised hearts bee humbled and they willingly beare the correction praying for their sinne then hee will remember his couenant Iob 33. 14. The Lord speakes once or twice to a man saith Elihu and if one say I haue sinned and peruerted righteousnes and it did not profit me then he will deliuer his soule here is a way for ease Thirdly willingly accept the prouocations of conscience when they stirre to renue repentance not benumming thy soule or hardning thy selfe by continuing without reconciliation Answere the summons of God hold thy peace no longer for this increaseth the rods and tieth affliction fast vnto thee Fourthly this being a prerogatiue of Gods children namely that euill shall be turned to their good as good to euill to the wicked be not dismaied in afflictions but comfort thy selfe in the Lord thy God and in this that the present affliction tendeth vnto and endeth in good because it brings foorth the fruits of vnfeigned righteousnesse Now the grieuousnesse of Dauids touch of conscience is set out first by the effects secondly by the continuance of it The effects 1. The changes in his body in his 2. The roaring of voice Bones consuming Moisture dried These fruits of his sinne are witnesses of Gods wrath that pursued his conscience First My bones consumed these effects note the inward and extreme sorrow of the Prophet which pearced his very marrow so Salomon hath it Prou. 17. Heauinesse drieth the bones because it eateth vp the spirits which should nourish and moisten them And it made his bones like the bones of an old man whose spirits and strength are spent for so the word signifies and insinuates Consenuerunt ossa such was his sorrow that whatsoeuer was firmest and strongest in him was shaken euen his very bones Thus Psalm 51. 8. hee would heare that is be by the Spirit perswaded the voice of gladnesse that is tidings of Gods fauour that the bones which he had broken might reioyce that is that the strength he had lost might be recouered and his paine which was like the breaking of bones might bee eased Iob also complaineth that his griefe had drunke vp his spirit and Psalm 102. 3. Dauid saith that his bones were burnt like an herth because of Gods displeasure And my moisture turned to the drought of summer That is looke how the Sunne in Summer parcheth and drieth leaues and hearbs so is my naturall moysture which should moysten and cherish my body drawne out and dried vp by the parching heate of Gods displeasure The like he complaineth Psalm 22. 16. My strength is dried vp like a shell or a potsherd which is bak't in the fire that is There is no more moysture in me then there is in a bak't potsherd hee was almost resolued into dust already Hence we may note what a wonderfull torment the torment of conscience is no griefe in the world is like to the griefe of conscience Iob 6. 4. The arrowes of the Lord sticke fast in me saith the holy man and Oh that my griefe were well weighed Hezekiah said that the Lord dealt with him as a lyon crushing his bones Isa. 38. 13. And Prou. 18. 14. A wounded spirit saith SALOMON who can beare And what is the reason of all this First because here is a combate with God and with his wrath hand to hand Secondly the body and spirit and all is downe the winde it might bee that a good heart would beare out the body but here the heart
prayers and teares we keepe more carefully and make meere account of whereas lightly come by lightly set by The euill we hardly auoide we are more watchfull against for afterward whereas a disease soone cured is not much cared for to preuent it Sixthly and lastly God by the continuance of his heauie hand vpon his children would haue vs acknowledge how heauy and continuall those torments are which are prepared for impenitent persons If repentant sinners be laid vnder such lingring euills in this life what shall the wicked and vngodly endure If the Lord shew himselfe so stiffe to his children that often he will not be intreated of a long time how will he pursue the hard-hearted sinner that still stiffeneth his necke against him surely his wrath shal abide and settle vpon such and come vpon them to the vttermost But how will all this stand with those many places of Scripture as that the Apostle calles our afflictions light and momentany 2. Cor. 4. 17. and that God endureth but a while in his anger Psalm 30. 5. and that for a moment he hides his face Isa. 54. 8. doth not both this text and our owne experience shew that they belong and tedious and therefore I am either no child or else God may lay tedious euils vpon his children First euills cannot belong where life is so short as a spanne if our daies be euill yet are they but few saith Iaacob Secondly they are long to sense but not to faith though they last al the life faith expecteth a blessed fruit and is supported by patience Thirdly they are long if they be compared with the continuance and terme of our life but not long if they be compared as in that place of the Apostle they are with that eternall glory and neuer-ending happinesse which followes them This is Gods Arithmetike with whom a thousand yeeres are but as one day Fourthly afflictions are long if wee looke at themselues alone and not at our sinnes but compare thy sufferings for weight or continuance with thy sinnes thy afflictions with thy transgressions and they will seeme short and light Fifthly they would not onely seeme but also be long indeed if we should not see Christ in them lightning and shortning them but when we see Christ sanctifying our lingring afflictions and sorrowes and carrying a way the eternitie of them by his suffering which was short for time but infinite in merit then they are short indeede euen a moment seeing they last but a part of this life the whole being but short and momentany First then those who are neere vnto God haue no reason to flatter themselues or beare vp themselues vpon his fauour when they embolden themselues to sinne against him For he lookes to be glorified in them that come neere him and though hee take not away his grace yet he will scourge them with such rods as they shall thinke him to breake their bones Secondly if Gods hand be on thee which thou wouldest haue remoued take heed of delight in sinne or coldnesse in goodnesse harden not thy selfe in thy departure from God for then thou shalt surely find him hardning himselfe and walking stubbornely against thee Thirdly in lingring euils iudge thy selfe and thy lingring in sinne if the Lord were not mercifull to vs as he was to Lot we would neuer go out of our Sodom and therefore all this is righteously vpon vs. Fourthly this serues to comfort the godly who are longer exercised with trials both inward and outward Oh they thinke God neuer dealt so with any and crie How long Lord and will he neuer be more intreated Yea but stay a little First know that Gods waies are aboue the reach of flesh and bloud Secondly compare thy sufferings with thy sinnes thy afflictions with other godly mens yea with Christ the deare Son of God thē thou wilt see that no affliction hath befallen thee but as great or greater hath befallen thy fellow-members and thy Head also Thirdly know this for certaine were health peace and prosperitie as good for thee as troubles thou shouldest haue it but thy present estate is best for thee and doth God enuie that to his children which he throwes to his enemies see wee not numbers that it were better for them to be bound on their beds and perpetually sicke and bedrid then to abuse their health and strength as they doe hast not thou also abused thy health peace c. and thereby forfeited them Selah An Hebrew word Some thinke it to bee a note of Musicke because it is most vsed in Meeter or Song and the Iewes put it in the end of their Epitaphs either Selah or Amen Some take it for a note of perpetuitie in the praise of God for euer and euer Some for a word of asseueration for verè or Amen It is most probable that it was a note of intention or lifting vp of the voice comming of the roote Salal to lift vp for wheresoeuer it was met with the Singers were to exalt their voices signifying that here was required more then ordinarie intention of the mind and consideration Where this note is al things are worthy more speciall obseruation And it is here added as Bucer saith first to shew what a torment it is rightly to feele the burden of sinne Secondly what weight this doctrine hath and how worthy it is of our consideration VERSE 5. Then I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee neither hid I mine iniquitie for I thought I will confesse against my selfe my wickednesse vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the punishment of my sin SELAH NOw wee come to the second branch of Dauids experience in the sense of Gods mercy hiding his sinne the meanes to come by it was acknowledging not hiding confession the ende hereof remission The former hath these foure parts 1. The time Then 2. The ground I thought or said 3. The matter or what he will confesse his 4. The manner Sinne Iniquitie Wickednesse 1. In respect of God to thee 2. Of himselfe against my selfe The latter which is the fruite of all in these words And thou forgauest c. Then I acknowledged my sinne WHen I was in such perplexitie all day and all night then and not before Hence wee may learne that The sense of miserie must goe before the sense of mercie God first called Adam and said Adam where art thou in what estate and then promised him a Sauiour Psal. 126. 5. They that sow in teares shall reape in ioy Mat. 5. 4. Blessed are they that mourne for they shall be comforted Prou. 28. 13. He that confesseth and forsaketh his sinnes shall finde mercy Psal. 51. DAVID before he could be restored to the ioy of his saluation had a deepe sense of his sinne a deepe sorrow and touch of conscience for it And good reason that this should be so for First touch of conscience though it be no grace yet it
this eye in the regenerate to discerne more euidently the owne estate giuen it a voice to follow the sinner with hue and cry to make him pronounce the sentence of guiltinesse and death against himselfe and all this is to iustifie God in any iudgement he brings vpon vs and to glorifie him when he brings vs out by any deliuerance But as for the wicked the eye of conscience in them is dazeled or quite put out and lets them goe on to their condemnation Fourthly a godly man must become his owne greatest enemie in confession of sinne because grace must carry a man further then nature can doe nature can make a man hate sinne but other mens rather then his owne Gen. 38. 24. Iudah thought whoredome worthy of burning as it was the custome in those dayes in his daughter in law Thamar but not in himselfe when the tokens he had left with her were brought forth then hee could confesse she was more righteous then he then away with burning whereas if shee were worthy to be burnt then much more he But grace looketh rather vpon a mans owne sinnes then anothers accounting them more venemous poysonfull odious and hate-worthy then anothers We hate all Serpents deadly yet not so much those in another countrey as these in our owne nor one that is ten foot off as that that is hard by the neerer he is the greater is our antipathie and hatred against him Now seeing euery sinne is a Serpent therefore we must hate euery one but that more especially which is neerest and vpon our hands as the Viper vpon Pauls to shake it off as he did To come now to the Vses First this lets vs see what is the nature of sinne whatsoeuer men conceiue of it they thinke not of it as of sinne if it haue either profit or pleasure with it but hold and hugge it as a sweet morsell vnder their tongue they conceiue a great sweetnesse in it whereas indeede it makes a man his owne greatest enemy If hee neuer repent it is an intolerable euill but if hee doe repent he sees that the sweetnesse of it is bitter inough such as makes him say that the pleasure of sinne is very deare and bought at too high a rate A man can bewayle any outward commoditie being lost and say as Iaacob did I haue lost this and this child all these things make against me So I haue lost such and such commoditie all these make against me but where is the man that can say Loe my sinnes these are they that make against mee But let the wise bee perswaded neuer to thinke of sinne as of a friend to fall into too familiar acquaintance with it but know that it is such an enemy as thy selfe must bee thine owne greatest enemy for it or else God will Secondly must a man set himselfe against himselfe in his confessions then this taxeth the practice of many men First of sundry who will neither deny their sinnes nor yet confesse them They wil not deny them for shame because it is against their knowledge conscience they should seeme to pull the Sunne out of heauen and deny the light of Nature if they should say they do not sinne and as for confession they will confesse none though neuer so sinfully done they deale gently with them and are loth to fall out with their friends faults they will confesse them and ouersights and infirmities which euery man hath sinnes of weaknesse though indeede of wickednesse such as are done by the strength of corruption neuer resisted Thus through ancient acquaintance they cannot leaue them they looke so amiable and louely thus they flatter themselues in sinne but if euer such come to be reconciled to God againe they must put on another person and deale in earnest against them before they can see God friendly in the pardon of them they must call a spade a spade that is confesse sinne to be such as indeed it is If the question be what is the vilest thing in the world The answere must be These sins and Who is the vilest person liuing the answere may must be Themselues Secondly others haue set colours on their sinnes that they might neuer see the hatefull and ougly face of them as First anger and hastinesse when a man is all on a sudden flame and burnes all about him for no iust cause What will he say Why it is but spirit or at worst heat of nature and he cannot do withall it is soone past ouer Well an enemy to his sinne would conclude it to be spirit indeede but an euill one and an heate which is kindled from the fire of Hell Secondly excessiue pride though men out-runne their degrees and out-weare all fashions in attiring themselues most immodestly so that a man may read in broad letters and great characters the lightnes of a light mind yet they say it is but ornament or complement or at worst the fashion An enemy now to sin would esteeme it as indeed it is a fashion vnbeseeming such as professe mortification a fashion whereof the Apostle saith Fashion not your selues according to this world and not maintaine them with Principles drawne out of the Diuels Catechisme Thirdly prodigality is but kindnes of nature couetousnes but frugalitie drinkings after the maner of the Gentiles but societie humanitie Impudency and complement but good education Luke-warmnes in religiō but good discretion policy and though Christ gaue himselfe to purchase a people zealous of good works yet it is thought a mans praise to be no meddler and to be zealous is counted nothing but to outrunne the bounds of godlinesse Thus Satan had taught the world a tricke to harden mens hearts and hinder them from sound peace and repentance Thirdly others so tender their names in their publike sins which are as manifest as a nose on a mans face as we say as they shrinke from shewing themselues in open confession against themselues and that when Gods glorie and the good of the Church yea the peace of their owne consciences calls for confession But farre are they from the affection of a zealous heart which would make them turne against themselues and their sinnes in returning to GOD. This would haue thought that Dauid should haue had more care of his credit then thus to rip vp his sinnes but Dauid was of another minde then they Fourthly those truely so called Puritanes and Catharists that need not repentance being whole men in full conformitie with the image of GOD so deifyed that they cannot sinne These are to bee branded with that odious name of Puritanes and not they that confesse their sinnes and labour to preuent them for time to come And Papists rather are true Puritans who say they fulfill the Law and need not say Forgiue vs our debts because GOD is rather indebted vnto them by their workes of supererogation let men lay the vile reproch of Puritanisme which is an
that suppose Christ as man had power to forgiue sinnes yet not that they should bee equall vnto him herein and haue the same power that he had And the similitude stands in these foure things First Christ was before all Worlds ordained to bee a Mediatour so they were ordained to the office of Apostleship not of Priesthood Secondly as Christ himselfe was immediately called to the publike execution of his office of Mediatorship by the voice of his Father as appeares in his Baptisme This is my well-beloued Sonne in whom I am well pleased so were the Apostles immediately called by Christs owne voice And this was their prerogatiue aboue other Ministers to come from Christs owne bosome as he did come from the bosome of his Father Thirdly as Christ in publishing the Gospell had supreme and absolute authoritie to giue Lawes to his Church from which there might be no appeale So his Apostles had from him an immediate assistance of infallibilitie so as they could not faile in their doctrine and writings howsoeuer as men they might erre yet not as Apostles so that from them there lay no appeale Fourthly as Christ was made a King and a Prophet not onely of the Church of the Iewes but ouer all the Churches in all Nations so the Apostles commission was not tied to any one Countrey but they must goe and teach all Nations And thus it is true that as God sent Christ so Christ sent them but all the while here is no equalitie for to make ordinarie Ministers equall to Christ in power is to make them Mediatours and redeemers yea gods Secondly this ouerthrowes another doctrin of theirs teaching that no man can be perswaded of the remission of his owne sinnes vnlesse it be by a speciall reuelation or by a morall certaintie of workes whereas we see Dauid here had this perswasion of forgiuenesse by neither but by a certainty of faith vpon true confession Thirdly seeing remission of sinnes is a fruite of confession we see the errour of silly ignorant people that say they are as sure of remission as any man in the world they hope as well as the best nay are sure to bee saued with the first if any get remission of sinne they are sure it shall be they and all this without sound confession But how is this remission sealed vp vnto them by what pattents they neuer had any doubting no touch of conscience for sinne no dislike of themselues they neuer confessed to the Lord against themselues and therfore the Lord neuer answered them in assuring them of forgiuenes There is nothing yet in their liues but wickednes and rebellion and therfore this is but a senselesse presumption which destroyeth their soules Others not a few there are that thinke to ease their conscience by lessening their sinne or excusing it Some say before the Angell it was their ignorance and so mince their sinne and harden their soules till the Lord be angry at their words Eccles. 5. 6. Others seeke to forget God while he knocketh and vrgeth their consciences If they can thrust him out of presence and put out the remembrance of himselfe and the feare of his iudgement Oh then they be safe But how are these men wofully deluded that thinke themselues safest and best when God is farthest off them Others when sinne comes afresh vpon them draw their thoughts and turne their sailes another way as when Sauls furious thoughts come vpon him they must be appeased by Dauids musike whereas remission must be gotten by confessing and not by committing of sin Some must haue Iesters to fill their hearts full of folly to take God and all good motions and remembrance of sin out of their soules whereas of all the delights that euer Salomon tried his heart withall wee neuer reade that hee kept a Iester or Foole. Some when a warning peece of humiliation is shot off by God haue no better way to resist it and to driue away the qualmes of conscience then by sorting themselues with drinkers gamesters and good fellowes as they call them and as euery mans delight drawes him so is his practice But this is no other then the brawning of the conscience farre from lasting peace which comes from remission of sinnes and remission comes not from commission but confession of sinne If men that are now called to confession and repentance by the Word or the Spirit or any of Gods works on themselues or others will yet doe as the hardned Iewes kill Oxen and Sheepe and drinke wine in boules and in the meane time deride the threates of God and make a tush at these warning peales let them feare and tremble the ende of such laughter shall be heauinesse Thou forgauest me THe person that receiued this mercy was Dauid a true beleeuer and a true penitent sinner which teacheth vs that God remitteth not the sinnes of any but such as being touched with true repentance confesse them Iob 33. 27 28. God looketh vpon men and if one say I haue sinned and peruerted righteousnesse and it did not profit me he will deliuer his soule from going into the pit and his life shall see the light He shall pray vnto God and he will be fauorable vnto him and he shall see his face with ioy vers 26. So also 1. King 8. 47. If they turne againe vnto their heart in the Land to which they be carried away captiues and returne and pray vnto thee saying Wee haue sinned wee haue transgressed and done wickedly then heare thou their prayer in heauen c. This is the forme of repentance set downe for the people returning vnto their God Hoshea 14. 3. Take vnto you words and turne to the Lord and say vnto him Take away all iniquitie and receiue vs graciously What cannot God without the condition of repentance and sorrow and confession of sinne remit sinne and conferre fauour vpon sinners Yes if we speake of Gods absolute power whereby he can doe a number of things which he neuer will hee could haue made 10000. Worlds when he made but one hee could raise vp of stones children to Abraham Christ could haue prayed for 12. Legions of Angels and his Father could haue sent them to deliuer him or hee could without them haue deliuered him from the Crosse but would not Thus if God would hee could remit sin without repentance and confession and that without all impeachment of his goodnesse because whatsoeuer hee can will is most iust and good but if we consider Gods actuall power and his reuealed will which belongs to vs and our children he cannot because he will not the reasons hereof are these First it will not stand with his eternall decree by which he hath tied the meanes and ende together the end is saluation the meanes to come to it is faith and repentance So God hath decreed that a mans body should liue by meanes he could now preserue it without meat drinke sleepe
great difference betweene the prayers of the godly and the wishes of the wicked First the one is an earnest desire of the heart prizing greatly that which he desires the other is but a snatch or a sudden flash out of an illumination of the vnderstanding but not out of any affection of the heart because he vnderprizeth the thing prayed for and will not sell all for it That which others get with much labour and strong cryes a wicked man thinks he may only call for it and haue it hee will enioy his lusts all his dayes and then the last day promise reformation No no God is not so prodigall of mercy as to take thy leauings and be beholding to thee for a little lip-seruice in all the Scripture there is but one example of one receiued to mercy the last houre thinke not that thou shalt bee the second Secondly the one is a true desire with endeuour in the right meanes and care to referre it to the right end he will obtayne heauen by Faith Repentance Mortification c. but the vngodlies proceeding is but a iump to the end without the meanes Cursed Balaam desired to die the death of the righteous but he would leape ouer the life of the righteous so many leape ouer the meanes and thinke to come to the end immediately but twentie to one if they leape not too short Simon Magus desired the gifts of the holy Ghost but to a bad end to make gaine of them and that he might be beleeued to be some great man whereas a godly man aymes onely at Gods glory in his owne saluation And thirdly if euery true desire hath assurance to obtayne because it must be directed by the Word lifted vp by the Spirit and encouraged by the Promise then can no such vnsettled and vncertaine wishes bring any comfort to the heart when a man hath all his life long resisted the Word despised the meanes of Faith contemned the Promises and grieued nay despighted the Spirit how can hee haue any comfort by his prayer and how can he haue any elsewhere if not from that Thirdly this shewes vs that the way to bee heard of God in prayer is to be godly to bring Godlinesse and Religion an heart mortified to sinne and quickned to grace adorned with faith and settled in good conscience Dauids example of finding deliuerance in trouble and comfort in affliction of Spirit belongs only to godly and humble men that shall confesse and pray as hee did If thou wilt be heard of God in prayer First get the notes of Gods child vpon thee and thou shalt obtayne mercy for it is the priuiledge of a child to be heard in whatsoeuer his father sees good for him What saith Christ If you being euill can giue good things to your children how much more will your heauenly Father Secondly become Gods seruant for it was the vsuall ground of Dauids prayer to say Lord I am thy seruant heare and deliuer thy seruant Thirdly get humilitie vnto thee for the sacrifice of God is a contrite spirit Psal. 51. 17. such sacrifices hee is well pleased with Fourthly the poore blinde man sheweth the qualitie of that man whom God heareth Ioh. 9. 31. God heareth not sinners but if any be a worshipper of him and doth his will him he heareth The same condition is required of him that would speed in his suites 1. Ioh. 3. 22. Whatsoeuer wee aske wee receiue of him because wee keepe his Commandements and doe things pleasing in his sight Yee aske and haue not saith IAMES because yee aske amisse and when doe wee aske amisse when wee doe not keepe Gods Commandements but how shall we know that we keepe them Vers. 23. if we loue one another for charitie is an vndiuided companion of true pietie To conclude this point let vs take Iobs friends counsell vnto him Acquaint thy selfe with God and he shall prosper thy way before thee thou shalt cry vnto him and he shall heare thee Iob. 22. 21. Now in the second place in that the word translated Godly signifies a mercifull man note that No seruice of God or exercise of Religion can be acceptable to God which is not performed by mercifull men All Gods worship must be ioyned with mercy for here it is said The mercifull man shall pray Isa. 1. 11. to 16. God reiected all the Iewes seruices because they did not fast from strife as wel as from meat and because their hands were full of bloud Zeph. 2. 3. Seeke yee the Lord all the meeke of the earth whence is noted both that this is a denomination of a righteous man to be meeke and that none but such meeke persons can seeke God to find him Mat. 15. 5. The doctrine of the Pharises was that if men brought oblations to the Temple though they relieued not their poore Parents yet God was well pleased with them but the words following shew that this was but an hypocriticall tradition reuersing the Commandement of God Matth. 5. 7. Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obtayne mercy what is it that we aske for when wee come to doe God his due homage but to obtayne blessednes and happinesse but this we cannot doe to be accepted without mercifulnesse So Vers. 24. If thy brother haue any thing against thee goe first and bee reconciled and then come and offer thy gift Reasons of this point are these First those things which God hath ioyned together no man must separate but God hath ioyned together the workes of the first and second table the loue of himselfe and of our brethren of himselfe and of his image of our forgiuing our neighbours and his forgiuing of vs these are inseparably ioyned and therefore we must not dissolue them Hence Isa. 58. 10. hypocrites pretending Religion are called to breake their bread to the hungry that is the true fasting Secondly vnmercifulnesse hindreth both the preferring of our prayers and likewise the preuailing of them First it cuts off prayer 1. Pet. 3. 7. Husbands must dwell with their wiues like men of knowledge and take heed of strife lest their prayers be interrupted The very husband and wife the neerest couple cannot pray priuately if they doe not put away strife and how can the same but hinder publique prayer also The Spirit of God cannot light on a Christian but in the shape of a Doue as it did on Christ the Temple that is fit for the holy Ghost to dwell in must be mercifull see Isa. 11. 6 7. Secondly it hinders our prayer from preuailing because of the promise and the threatning the promise of being heard is made only to the mercifull that the meeke shall inherite the earth Psal. 37. 11. and that the Lord will hide them in the day of wrath Zeph. 2. 3. So threatning is gone out against the mercilesse euen iudgement mercilesse belongs to him that shewes no mercy and as a man iudgeth so he shall be iudged
whose grace is sufficient not only it selfe but also for them 2. Cor. 12. 9. He is most present in their greatest need a very present helpe in trouble Fourthly of the gracious ends and issues he hath euer giuen to the tryalls of his seruants not only for his owne promise sake but also for thy experience Consider saith Eliphaz who euer perished being innocent This obseruation or consideration whereby things are pondered in the heart being neglected or slightly vsed experience of God must needes be wanting as there can be no haruest where the seed sowne rots in the earth and comes to nothing therefore the Apostle exhorts That we be not leaking vessells to let things runne out as fast as they come in Thirdly another meanes of experience is the Remembrance of such workes of God as wee haue knowne and obserued the Philosopher saith that experience is multiplex memoria a multiplyed memory because of the memory of the same thing often done ariseth experience and many memories of the same thing is but one experience Now this remembrance includeth these things first a committing to memory such things as wherein God most expresseth himselfe Secondly a retayning of them in memorie as in a store-house Thirdly a recalling of them to minde vpon occasion offered Fourthly an applying to our owne speciall vses and occasions This is the way therefore which hee must take that would become fearelesse in future troubles and to haue his heart established against all euill tydings First to get the knowledge of God in the couenant to be assured of his fauour and loue in the pardon of sin which may bee knowne by the fruits of repentance in confessing and forsaking sinne and by loue of God in his Word in his Image in his Saints and graces Secondly to grow vp in the obseruation of Gods working with himselfe and his people to obserue his owne increase of grace the supply of comfort the returne of his prayers the issues and deliuerances hee hath had out of troubles and dangers Alas what a staffe and strength cast they out of their hands who heedlesly passe by Gods gracious dealing with them whereby not only God is depriued of his glorie and of the praise due to his mercy for the present but themselues also for time to come of much comfort and confidence which is as small as their obseruation is Thirdly to lay vp in our memorie the things which may bestead vs that we may haue them at hand and for our best vse And this we shall doe First if we haue a care of good things and a right estimation of them Men remember the things they care for no man forgets where he hides his money Psal. 119. 129. Thy testimonies are wonderfull therefore doth my soule keepe them Secondly if we affect them as things of reckoning as Psal. 119. 16. I delighted in thy statutes therefore I did not forget them But if men iudge not aright of the things of God or preferre in their iudgements and affections baser things this breeds sensuality which made a whole world of people forget in Noahs time that which so neerely concerned them Thirdly if we vse continuall helpes as hearing of the Word which is a continuall monitor vnto vs godly conference which is as a whet-stone of grace meditation whereby wee hold things as our owne and not by force and compulsion These be as the Law written euer before the eyes of the Iewes or as the frindges of their garments to put them in minde of his statutes Lastly vse prayer by which wee keepe in that which we would else cast vp againe this is as vinegar the smell of which keeps downe that which would rise in the stomack And againe prayer obtaynes the Spirit whose sole office it is to bring things into our remembrance Ioh. 14. 26. By these meanes wee may store vp plentie of experiences and by euery experience we ought to draw neerer vnto God and grow more familiar with him more bold and confident We want no motiues hereunto For first experience of Gods fauour is the greatest gaine of a Christian and ought to be most desired Lord lift vp the light of thy countenance Psal. 4. 7. as the losse of the sense of Gods good will is his greatest losse Nothing troubled the prodigall Sonne so much as the offence of his Father he would haue beene glad to haue eaten with Pigs hee weighed his misery with his prosperitie his sorrowes were great but all the paines he sustayned was nothing to the vnreuerent vsing of his Father who was not only kinde to his children but to his hyrelings that lacked nothing Cant. 5. 7. The Spouse hauing lost the sense of Christ cryed and trauelled to seeke him was robbed beaten and misvsed by the way and her life was in great danger by confessing him among his enemies yet all this is nothing shee must haue Christ shee cared not for the losse of her goods and apparell nor her danger shee will not giue ouer till shee haue himselfe Secondly experience of Gods loue will make a man bold in good causes euen to the death whereas the wicked feare where no feare is for they can haue no affiance in God Whence it is that one good man in a good cause wherein he is assured God standeth by him is able to withstand and confound a number who are not able to withstand the terror of their owne conscience which witnesseth them to be enemies of God as our Sauiour himselfe Ioh. 18. 6. strucke not a blow but only modestly answered his enemies and asked them whom they sought and they all fell prostrate to the ground So in Gods children Gen. 43. When Ioseph spake most kindly to his brethren and told them hee was their brother there was such a terror and feare in their consciences for wronging him that they were not able to answere him a word The godly are bold as Lyons but the wicked as fearefull as Hares they can laugh and sing in the extreme suffering of that which the other are agast and shrinke to thinke of Thirdly hee that gets not a sense and experience of Gods fauour here shall haue experience of his wrath and iustice hereafter Thou shalt preserue me from trouble TRoubles are either of soule or body outward or inward spirituall or temporall this word includeth all according to that Psal. 34. 19. Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuers or preserues them from all Gods preseruation is to bee considered in respect of the First meanes so t is either Secondly manner Mediate or Immediate Immediate preseruation is by himselfe alone when no hand of man or Angell can reach to helpe and so he preserued the Israelites in the Sea Mediate is when mediately by his Angels or by men or other meanes hee preserueth his people as Moses was by Pharaohs daughter and those in the ship by plankes and boords Act. 27. 44. In respect of the manner preseruation
out of this obstinacy and stiffenesse betimes lest the Lord giue vs vp to fall away by perpetuall rebellion This we shall doe by yeelding our selues tractable and laying aside obstinacie in sinne and by giuing vp our selues to be ruled by Gods word and spirit This point is so much the more necessary because the great sinne of these dayes is obstinacy of heart men cannot plead ignorance nor want of good means to helpe them out of their sinnes and yet few or none leaue their sinnes but wilfully perseuere in them against the word and their owne consciences Besides this God hath giuen vs many warnings of our estate by many plagues of the highest kind threatned and not a few and those not insensible executed with seuerity but for all this we are in generall senselesse and are resolued to hold our sinnes without humble sorrow and suing to God for reconciliation And this is rebellion against God of knowledge to depart from the knowne trueth in whole or in part Now to helpe vs out of this sin of obstinacy consider these motiues first neither Gods couenant of mercy nor the least part of it belongs to that man that obstinately goes on in sinne for the first condition in the tenor of the new couenant is to take away the stony heart Ezek. 11. 19. It is a brand of a man in the state of death to bee hard and brawnie-hearted Secondly all the hope and expectation of such a man is euill and mischiefe to meet him at euery corner Prou. 28. 14. He that hardneth his heart shall fall into euill he may with Balaam shuffle from one way into another but cannot auoid the Angel with a drawne sword ready to kill him Now what a fearefull and desperate estate is it for a man to goe vnder Gods curse continually as a man vpon whom sentence of death is passed and knowes not but expects euery moment execution yet so hardned are some who harden themselues that when the parts of this curse are in executing vpon themselues and theirs they are further hardned still Thirdly euery sinne is damnable but yet not so much sinne as obstinacie and impenitencie in sinne condemneth especially where all good meanes of softning haue been vsed nothing but repentance cuts off sinne and that is the only remedy which by the hardnesse of heart being reiected the wounded soule dieth irrecouerably Fourthly while hardnesse and obstinacy continue no means can helpe or auaile a man to saluation He cannot pray because he turnes away his eare from hearing the law Hee cannot heare the word to doe him any good for To day if ye will heare his voice harden not your hearts The Sacraments are bane and poyson to him because he comes with a wicked heart In a word no Seruice or sacrifice is acceptable but from a broken heart which hee hath not therefore hee is like a sicke man giuen ouer by the Phisician Fiftly the longer a man continues in obstinacie the more he increaseth the wrath of God vpon him Ro. 2. 5. Thou through the hardnesse of thy heart which cannot repent treasurest vp to thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath As if a great malefactor should for twenty or fortie yeeres euery day be carrying a faggot to make a fire to burne himselfe withall so the sinner the longer he continues in his sinne the greater wrath is layd vp for him as the more faggots the greater fire What a wofull condition were this but nothing to the fire of hell the burning of which is fire and much wood and the wrath of the Lord as a riuer of brimstone kindles it Isa. 30. 33. Is it not a lamentable thing for a man to abide in that estate in which hee is continually carrying as it were a faggot to hell-fire to burne himselfe withall Oh but I will repent in the end of my dayes Doe not trust vpon that for first late repentance is seldome true repentance he that repents not till hee be dying it is to bee feared lest his repentance dye with him Secondly the longer a man perseuers in sinne the longer and more he increaseth the hardnes of his heart and it prooues daily the harder to repent euery day addes something to hardnesse of heart as in the body a sore the longer it is delayed the more incurable it is so is it in the soule And thirdly this thy speech makes as if a man would bee sure to pay his debts by running further in Know this for a certaintie that the soules sweruing from God is like bones out of ioynt which the longer they are let alone are the hardlier set Notes of a man gotten out of his obstinacie are these first pouertie of spirit all our liues for sinne which is an humble sight and sense of sinne and misery when a man findes a want of all goodnesse in himselfe and in an holy despaire of himselfe hee flies wholly to the mercie of God in Christ longing after it aboue life and hungring after it aboue all things in the world Secondly a trembling at Gods word for these two are ioyned Isa. 66. 2. I will looke to him that is of a contrite heart and trembleth at my Word and yet loueth the sharpest reproofes of it which is ioyned with the former Psal. 119. 119. 120. I loue thy testimonies My flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am afraid of thy iudgements Thirdly silent submission to Gods corrections Psal. 39. 9. I was dumbe I opened not my mouth because thou diddest it Micah 7. 9. I will beare the wrath of God because I haue sinned we must get into our hearts a patient waiting in all iniuries and wrongs till God plead our cause Fourthly a mourning vnder the grudgings of our owne hardnes of heart and that we cannot mourne and get them to through subiection so did the Church returning to God Isa. 63. 17. O Lord why hast thou hardned our hearts from thy wayes returne for thy seruants sake and for the tribes of thine inheritance Fifthly a feare of the occasions of sin and hatred of appearance of euill of the garment spotted by the flesh Whose mouthes thou doest binde with bitte and bridle OVt of these words we may note that If a man wil continue indocible and intractable God hath his bitte and bridle for him to curbe and hamper him If men will be as Horses and Mules God will deale with them as men doe with Horses and Mules Prou. 26. 3. Unto the Horse belongs a whip to the Asse a bridle and a rod to the fooles backe God hath rods enough in store to whip the folly of sinners otherwise incorrigible Leuit. 26. 27. If yee will yet walke stubbornly against mee I will walke stubbornely against you in mine anger and will chastize you yet seuen times more according to your sinnes Now then a man walketh stubbornely when hee regards no admonitions nor precepts nor corrections and iudgements to bring him
There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Luc. 13. 28. Thirdly in the punishment of sense when they shal be wrapped in that cursed sentence Depart from mee I know you not when they shall be bound hand and foot and cast into torments prepared for the deuill and his Angels which torment is amplified first by the place a prison a lake of fire and brimstone a dungeon for the darkenesse blacker then that of Egypt where shall bee a perpetuall night in a word an hell Secondly by the company the deuill and his Angels with all the rout of reprobates Gods deadly enemies and whom God is a deadly enemie vnto such as they chose for their companions in this world and would not bee separated from now they shall not Thirdly by the exquisitenesse of torment set out by fire and brimstone and that which is most terrible to sense yea not onely outward but inward also described by the worme of conscience which as a gnawing griefe shall eate and fret the heart of the sinner in memorie of ancient and hatefull sinnes Fourthly in sinfull concurrences as hatred of God blasphemie despaire cursings for all the parts of soule and body shal curse the day of their wretchednesse and confusion when the fire of Gods iealousie and his hot wrath shall seaze vpon them Fifthly in seeing all mercie and pittie excluded nay God and his Saints whose affection shall be conformable to his shall reioyce and laugh at their destruction this shall breake the caule of their hearts with sorrow Sixthly in the eternity of their sorrowes the worme within dyes not their fire neuer goes out but the wrath of God abideth vpon the sinner without all remission or abatement without any intermission or release without end or mitigation not one drop of water shal coole their tongue and so long as God is God the smoke of their torment shall ascend vp night and day continually This is Tophet prepared for the wicked in which one word how many sorrowes be there Now the reasons to cleare Gods iustice in all these sorrowes of the wicked are these First where many sinnes are vnrepented of there must needes be many sorrowes euery sinne hauing sorrow enough belonging to it Secondly where an infinite God is offended an infinite law transgressed and an infinite iustice prouoked there must needes an infinite reuenge be returned vpon the sinners head and sorrowes in infinite measure bee conceiued Thirdly Infinite mercie hath been reiected the blessed meanes of saluation neglected and despised good meanes without in the ministerie counsell and example of the godly inward motions of the spirit quenched yea some checks of conscience contemned and some resolutions deaded and vnfollowed All these yet bring on more stripes and sorrows especially in remembrance of hatefull sinnes against knowledge meanes and conscience Fourthly it is now too late to repent when these sorrowes haue beset the sinner on euery side hope of mercie is cut off the Sunne is set vpon him the doore of grace is shut against him now hee can heare no other voice then that Reu. 18. 6 7. Giue him torments according to his sinnes Here is an Ilias an vpheaped measure of infinite sorrow a mercilesse sorrow without sparke of hope or ioy Fifthly now hee sees with horror and despaire that which he would not heare of first that he hath in his whole course piled vp wrath against himselfe Secondly that God whom he thought to be made all of mercy is a God of infinite iustice and a consuming fire and how dreadfull it is to fall into his hands Thirdly that the sentence of death is passed irrecouerably and the heauie doome of damnation for such sinnes as he thought to be lighter then a feather Fourthly that himselfe is a vessell of wrath filled with Gods indignation that shall seaze on him so long as God is God seeing Christs bloud can be shed no more and teares of repentance come now too late a Sea of them is not able to quench one sparke of this fire First then let this be a motiue to restraine all men from sinne seeing it brings such after-claps If there be any that like the Horse or Mule wil not vnderstand nor be perswaded to seeke the Lord but will obstinately persist hardning his heart against the Word for such a man are all these sorrowes prepared Thou that delightest in any sinne open or secret that wilt drinke with the Drunkard sweare with the Swearer and breake the Sabbath after so many admonitions thou that liuest in pride wantonnesse idlenesse vncleannesse contempt of God and his Word and Seruants thou that euery way multipliest thy sinnes remember what Dauid saith Psal. 16. 4. Thou multiplyest and heapest vp thy sorrowes euen wrath and fuell for thy selfe against the day of wrath Thou that canst with a bold face braue out thy sinnes and glorie in that thy hand is strong to practise vngodlinesse and canst triumph when thou canst bring others to thy bent thou shalt one day crie for sorrow of heart and howle for vexation of spirit Isa. 65. 14. and curse the day that euer thou knewest thy Companions and with bitter lamentation shalt waile and gnash thy teeth at thy vnhappy condition and all this in all eternitie Oh consider these terrors of the Lord and be perswaded to turne to the Lord seeke in time thy blessednesse in the pardon of sinne that thou mayest escape all these things Consider the end of all sinne in that one Pro. 5. 3 4. Though it be as an hony-combe in thy mouth the end will be bitter as wormewood And if now thou seest thy danger but wilt runne on headlong vpon all these sorrowes excluded from all pity and mercy say thou wast warned the time commeth wherein thou mayest be pitied but not helped or rather neither pitied nor helped the Iudge hath said it Behold I come shortly and my reward is with me to render to euery man according to his workes Secondly if so many sorrowes and they of this nature belong to euery wicked man then it followes that no sinne is small in it selfe to euery of which all these sorrowes belong Our Text plainely teacheth that they belong not only to Murtherers Theeues Adulterers Lyers Swearers but also to ciuill honest men in the worlds account if they be ignorant of the Word or wayes of God To him that liues obstinately in any knowne sinne that holds on for his profit or pleasure any practice condemned in the Word and in his owne conscience let him be neuer so ciuill sober sociable peaceable and harmelesse all his ciuilitie cannot keepe off these sorrowes if there be not knowledge of God softnesse of heart a teachable disposition and an hungring after Gods mercy in Christ alone aboue all things in the world Where be the Papists that teach some sinnes to be veniall in their owne nature when as all these sorrowes are the wages of the least Rom. 6. vlt.
Rom. 8. 26. Fiftly only they know that Christ is theirs with all his merits and thus attayne the ioy of beleeuing He that sold all to buy the field went away with ioy that he had gotten the field So he that knowes he hath gotten Christ and groweth vp in him as a member in the head and liueth and moueth by him will reioyce in his purchase of naked Christ. How did Simeon reioyce when he had Christ in his armes How much more will a sound Christian who carries him in his heart Sixtly only they sucke and draw their ioy out of the Wells of sound consolation Isa. 12. 3. that is out of the Scriptures which are written that their ioy may be ful 1. Ioh. 1. 4. The priuiledge of Gods testimonies is that they reioyce the heart Psal. 19. 8. These make knowne to vs the things giuen vs of God these contayne the glad tydings of saluation and the precious promises of grace and glorie which belong only to godlinesse here be the deedes and conueyances of their eternall inheritance only bequeathed to children these be the Chariot of the Spirit who yeeldeth no argument of ioy and comfort but from the Word and all ioy elsewhere sought is carnall and presumptuous Seuenthly only they enioy the sweet peace and ioy of a good conscience excusing and acquitting them in the sight of God which it selfe is a continuall feast and makes them glad and cheerefull Prou. 15. 15. This was the true cause of the heauenly ioy which the Apostles in their labours and persecutions enioyed euen the testimonie of a good conscience 2. Cor. 1. 12. Eighthly only they haue the hope of glorie in soule and body which is a fruit of iustification Rom. 5. 3. and a sound cause of ioy We reioyce saith the Apostle vnder the hope of the glory of God and hope maketh not ashamed And not only this but a grounded assurance also that all things in earth which may seeme to darken their hopes shall be turned to the best Rom. 8. 28. All this may be a meanes to bring godly life in request seeing it is the only ioyfull life and none haue indeede any sound cause of reioycing but the godly And here we are to meete with two obiections which terrifie men from godly life that lyes now a dayes like refuse wares vnaskt for and vnregarded First that the world accounteth the slate of Gods children most lumpish heauie and solitarie yea most vncomfortable it thinkes that no ioy nor mirth nor pleasure of their liues belongs vnto them but if once a man beginne in truth to liue godly he must bid a dieu to all mirth and gladnesse and betake himselfe to a mopish heauinesse and sadnesse But this is a grosse and foule deceit of the father of lyes whereby he hath much aduantaged his Kingdom and by a supposed want of ioy exceedingly puts godlinesse out of countenance Yet first true it is that God helpeth and draweth Christian ioy out of godly sorrow and no man can attaine this sound ioy but hee that is soundly humbled at the sight of his sinnes and herein the World sticketh not seeing the powerfull worke of GOD who out of this darknesse bringeth light who soweth light to the righteous and out of this sorrowfull Seed-time brings forth a white Haruest of ioy Secondly because now the heart being regenerate cannot carnally reioyce as before nor in carnall things hauing better obiects and causes of ioy on which it feedeth the stranger that cannot enter into this ioy thinkes he hath no ioy at all onely because worldly ioy is vnsauourie to him in comparison of spirituall Thirdly the World and wicked men set themselues to vnsettle the peace of the godly and doe often disquiet them and will let them haue as little ioy as may bee Yet Notwithstanding all this First the godly euen when they doe not reioyce haue iust cause to reioyce else our Sauiour would not haue pronounced the mourners blessed euen for the present Blessed are they that mourne nor haue said to the Disciples In the world ye shall haue affliction but in mee yee shall haue peace Ioh. 16. 33. Secondly if they sorrow they shall out-grow their sorrow and their sorrow shall bee turned into ioy as Christ promised the Apostles Ioh. 16. 20. The redeemed of the Lord shall returne and come to Sion with praise and euerlasting ioy shall be vpon their head they shall obtaine ioy and gladnesse and sorrow and mourning shall flye away Isa. 35. 10. So Isa. 61. 3. Christ hath appointed vnto them that mourne in Sion beauty for ashes the oyle of ioy for mourning and the garment of praise for the spirit of heauinesse Thirdly our Text teacheth that God would not haue the hearts of his children at any time so possessed with sorrow no not for the most iust causes but that they must support themselues and rise out of it with heauenly and spirituall ioy to which end serue all these commandements so thicke as we say and threefold which were all idle and to no purpose if their liues were still to be led in a lumpish and sowre manner Here therefore I would aduise such as feare God to looke to two things First to prepare their hearts by fulnesse of godly sorrow to be filled with ioy seeing it riseth out of serious sorrow for sinne and out of a broken heart we tune our harpes and musicall instruments to sweete musicke by wresting the strings neither must we as we are too ready to conceiue these two as enemies destroying but rather as constitutiue and conseruing causes one of another Then secondly let Gods people bee aduised to looke into their priuiledges which are such as may well not onely affect but rauish them with ioy and consider of their happie estate and translation into the fellowship of GOD and his Saints and that for these causes first that they may yeelde obedience to Gods commandement both here and elsewhere secondly manifest the presence of the Spirite in their hearts who brings with him peace and ioy and settles the Kingdom of the euerliuing God in the heart which consisteth in these thirdly that they may not onely take away this scandall which Satan and the wicked make aduantage of but also encourage others to get part in the same grace which keepes them in a cheareful and constant course of wel-doing when they see that no trouble nor affliction can interrupt their ioy fourthly without true ioy wee can neuer praise God heartily or serue him chearefully for no ioy in God none in his ordinances none in our dueties of either of our callings but we must needes be lumpish and heauie and soone weary of our prayers and hearing the word and the speciall actions of our calling wherein if we had delight we would not easily be pulled from them but count much time imployed therein as Iaakob did an hard prentiship of many yeeres but a few dayes because of
is quite deiected Thirdly we haue the experience of many who haue sought the pangs of death to auoid these pangs of conscience Iudas could find no ease but in a desperate death in hanging himselfe Reuel 9. 6. Such as wish to die seeke death and cannot finde it they follow it but it flies from them and all this in the paine of a despairing conscience But here come three questions to be resolued First How can it bee that the wicked binde vpon themselues such heauy bundles of sinnes and carry all so easily whereas the godly finde such bitternesse in sinnes forgiuen how comes it to passe that the godly feele such sorrow in sinne pardoned and the wicked feele nothing in sinne vnpardoned For these reasons first because now is the time of Gods patience and forbearance of his bountifulnesse and long-suffering towards the vessels of wrath Secondly now is the time of their reioycing but when the daies of their banquetting are gone about then shall come many heauy messengers to tell them of fearefull newes there comes a day of wrath when they shall reape as they sowed and drinke the dreggs of Gods wrath to the bottome of the viall They treasure vp sorrow with their sinne and their griefe shall be full That sinne that now sets no sorrow to their heart shall hereafter be a worme euer gnawing a fire neuer going out a Riuer of brimstone kindled by the wrath of the Lord of hosts and a perpetuall weeping and gnashing of teeth Secondly how comes the body to be troubled by the minde First by the strait vnion and sympathie betweene the soule and the body vnited into one person for while the soule is possessed with feare sorrow languishing wearinesse and heauinesse it is impossible that the body can take any delight in the comforts of nature but that sleep shall depart from it or bee not so short as troublesome the meate and drinke shall be tastelesse or lothsome or mingled with teares I forgot to eate my bread saith Dauid Psalm 102. No comfort shall bee comfortable to him for when the spirit which should sustaine all a mans infirmities failes him what can sustaine him Secondly by the righteous iudgement of God who correcteth together those who haue sinned together and as they haue been vndiuided in sinne so are they not diuided in the smart of it The body hath been a seruant to the lusts of the soule and so receiueth the wages of sin with it Dauid abused the vigor strength and health of his body in the sinnes of adultery and murther and now the Lord chasteneth him in both Thirdly how comes it to passe that all the godly haue not this torment for sinne that they are not thus struck with terror nor so affected for sinne as to haue their strength impaired and their body dried First their persons are not alike and therefore Gods dealing with them is not alike some are more obscure in the world then other and haue onely more secret exercises some are more fitted by God to be speciall vessels for his glory in whom he will shine to his whole Church as Dauid Hezekiah c. and these he will specially worke vpon to make them patterns of his mercie both in leading them in and out of trouble for first hereby he lets the world see that great grace is ioyned with great corruption Secondly that the best haue matter of correction in them Thirdly that hee will not spare to rebuke sinne in those that are neerest and dearest vnto him Fourthly he will haue others to looke vpon them and Gods dealing with them in their casting downe and raising vp Secondly according to the difference of sinnes may be the difference of sorrow many men of greater grace then others haue fallen into greater sinnes then others and their knowledge being more then others is their apprehension of the sentence of the Law hath been deeper and so of wrath due to their sinne Besides in some others some speciall corruption which hath often preuailed or the constitution of body may adde a sting to the sorrow of mind some are naturally more fearefull as melancholy constitutions and so their impressions are deeper and of longer continuance Thirdly although in ordinarie Christians before sense of remission there is a sufficient measure of labour and wearinesse vnder the burthen of sinne yet some of all kindes God will exempt from such depth of griefe that he may shew himselfe free in all his working O that men would hence come to feare the paines prepared for sinners for if first a drop of Gods displeasure let fall secondly in loue thirdly on his owne children fourthly for a moment doe so amaze them and drinke vp their spirits their soules and bodies how much more shall the Ocean and deepe sea of Gods wrath against his enemies for all eternitie consume and torture them in hell Blind people of the world wil not know what hell meaneth till they be in it Secondly let vs learn to haue compassion on such as are troubled in spirit seeing such is their heauines as presseth downe both soule and body let vs apply our selues to comfort them as Dauid did here in his owne person and example Many thinke this sicknesse to be but passion conceit or melancholy and because it changeth the body often they thinke it to arise from the body but there is no disease like to this for symptomes and torment First they all are naturall this supernaturall SeSecondly they from the constitution of the body this from the constitution of the soule Thirdly in them the humours first or imagination as in Melancholy are distempered in this the conscience first and the humours after Fourthly they all may be cured by naturall remedies and bringing the body to a temperature all naturall medicines vnder heauen cannot cure this sicknesse Blessed is hee that iudgeth wisely of the poore to relieue the sicke conscience is mercy indeed Christ had the tongue of the learned giuen him to speake a word of comfort to such weary soules and was sent to bind vp the broken in heart and not onely ministers but euery Christian hath receiued of his anointing Thirdly in that Dauids sicknesse of body was from the sinne of his soule learne that health is a special blessing of God seeing wee euer carry that about with vs which might change it the first and most noysome humour which breeds bodily diseases is sinne the disease of the soule and therefore if God change his hand and bring weakenesse vpon our bodies we must not fixe our eyes vpon second causes not on abundance of peccant humours but looke backe to our sinnes and life past consider how silent and impenitent we haue been turne to God bewaile and forsake sinne resolue to vse our health better and our strength for God and not against him and thus the sicknesse of our body shall turne to the soundnesse and health of the soule