the fly the credulous soule of a sinner or the spider the harlot m Prou. 5. Prou. 7. the webbe her whorish lookes songs gestures plots allurements the fly the deluded young foole or the spider Dalilah * Iudg. 14.15 her deceits and delusious the webbe the fly strong-womanish weake Sampson like as that famous Husse also is reported by Mr. Foxe n Martyrol in Epist Husse in his imprisonment to haue repented his losse of time in playing at Chesse occasioning withall his impatiencie anger Oh if these small omissions pretermissions troubled the tender hearts of these humbled soules how much more occasion haue we to weepe euen teares of blood if it could be for our great and grieuous abominations yea euen the very best of vs for our daily aberrations and wandrings first our coldnesse in good duties secondly our lukewarmenesse â—epiditie o Reu. 3.16 and timiditie in our profession thirdly our vnwise walking in many things vnworthy of our holy calling fourthly our leauing like the Church of Ephesus p Reu. 2.4 5. our first loue fiftly our manifold relapses and Apostasies sixtly our manifest breaches of our many vowes couenants with the Lord seuenthly our inordinate vse of the creatures eightly the abuse of our Christian liberty euen in things lawfull ninthly our manifold scandals and offences which wee iustly giue in things not expedient tenthly our stumbling blockes we cast before the weake brethren eleuenthly our want of loue to the Lord the Saints twelfthly our omissions or sleight performances of many duties of pietie and charity to God and man 13. our little reuerence and estimation of and loue to the ordinances 14. our rash iudging q Mat. 7.1 vt olim Pharâ—sei Mat. 9.11 Luke 19.7 vncharitable preposterous vngrounded censures and surmises of the actions or affections of our brethren 15. our strangenesse and hangings off from the fellowship of the Saints 16. our selfe-conceits and opinions we haue of our selues and our gifts with too proud and peremptory vndervaluing of others 17. our fauouring of our selues in some lesser and smaller sinnes of our natures or callings r As once Naaman 2 King 5.18 which we doe not or list not discerne 18. our barrennesse and vnfruitfulnesse in grace not answering the excellent meanes we doe inioy 19. our vnthankfulnesse for so many excellent blessings Å¿ See D. Carlton his booke of Gods mercies to England See also my Irelands Iubilee in fine temporall spiritual generall speciall publicke priuate domesticke 20. our little simpathizing with the afflictions of the Saints our not remembring of poore distressed Ioseph in France and else-where our not mourning with those that mourne alas might iustly cause vs with other failings in this nature to mourne more then Doues in the desart and Pellicans in the wildernesse yea to be humbled euen the very best of vs lower then the lowest dust c. Lastly how much occasion haue all of vs to be humbled not onely for our owne sinnes but euen for the sins and sufferings of others for omitting our owne seuerall crosses which euery one of vs beare and must beare with Simon Cyrenaeus t Luke 23.26 if we be Christs Disciples as euery one knowes where the shooe wrings him some being occasioned to mourne for the diseases and infirmities of his body for Iobs Biles Asaes Gout some for his crookednes and deformity lame like Mephibosheth u 2 Sam. 9.3 some for losse of their children as Iacob for his Ioseph Rachel mourning for her sonnes * Mat. 2. ex Ier. as the Nightingale for her young some for the barrennesse of a wife as Isaac x Gen. 25.21 or her peruersnesse as Moses for his Zipporab y Exod. 4.25 some for wicked and bad children as Aaron a Leuit. 10.1 Ely b 1 Sam. 3.13 Samuel c 1 Sam. 8.3 for their sonnes some for the vntimely death of a friend as Dauid d 2 Sam. 3.23 for Abner some in one case some in another I say leauing these though daily occasioning our humilation euery one of vs in our places if we be not sensuall feared cautherized and as senselesse stoicall stockes and fooles in Israel if we but cast our eye and reflect on these externalls euen the sinnes infirmities and miseries of others vnlesse we be hewne out of Caucasus and be without all bowels of compassion we cannot but be exceedingly humbled and deiected To heare the oathes and blasphemies of the multitude yea of men of all sorts stares and places e See M. Downam in one of his 4 Treatises against Swearing in City and Country tearing Christ with their tongues and teeth and renting his humanity as a company of wide mouthed Hounds rend a silly Kid or Hare one blaspheming his blood another his heart another wounding his wounds another Iewishly setting thornes vpon his head not sparing his very feet no not his guts vngracious children shooting thus their inuenomed arrowes at their Fathers heart and brest vile Serpents hissing thus against him that was exalted on the Crosse as the brazen Serpent in the wildernesse for to cure their soules to see others as drunk as Apes f See M. Harris his Cup of Drunkards as filthy as Swine meere Hermophrodites hauing the faces of men yet meere womanish effeminate in their lookes their dangling lockes amorous loues luxurious lusts Others as prophane as very Pagans hauing not so much shew of true Religion as Turkes Tartars Virginians in their superstition keeping their Sabbaths in Tauernes more then Temples seruing their lusts their belly for their God g Philip. 3.17 and Venus for their Goddesse walking in Cathedrals and publike places euen in time of Sermons and religious worship as though it were in the Royall Exchange or in some publike Faire or at Franckfurt Mart others grinding the faces of the poore eating them vp as bread the great ones deuouring the poore as the great fishes the small preying vpon them as Beasts and Birds of prey getting and retaining they care not from whom nor how perfas nefas by hook or crook right or wrong h Non refert quomodo sed oportet habere others plotting and complotting like Haman and Achitophel how to rise by anothers ruine more studious in Machiauel then in Moses others againe leauing their first loue falling from their holy profession as Starres from Heauen i As that Apostate Iulian. apud Theod. lib. 3 giue too much occasion to any that loue God and hate sinne in the least sincere measure to mourne for all these abominations like those marked mourners in Ezekiel k Ezek. 9.4 yea as Samuel mourned for reiected Saul and to vexe their hearts as did Lot for the vnrighteous conuersation of vngodly ones and gracelesse ones that euery where swarme as Aegyptian Locusts now in the times and dayes of grace CHAP. II. SECT 1. The Penitents practice in all the parts THus haue we proued the point
call peccatum vastans conscientiam a sin making great hackes and gashes and slashes in the conscience may vpon his repentance and sincere humiliation make so far his peace with God whose grace is able and willing to pardon euery sinne except that sinne vnto death that vnpardonable because vnrepented sinne against the Holy Ghost * See Sonnius in Thesibus Kymnitius in locis de peccato in Spiritum Sanctum as also M. Deuison his Sermon that he may redeeme his soule from death and his darling Doue from the power of the Lyon the Lord sealing to his heart so far his loue that he smelling the sacrifice of a broken spirit a bleeding and a beleeuing heart hee shall not dye the second death neuerthelesse howsoeuer the guilt and punishment of sinne may so farre be remoued by Christ that the soule shall be freed from euerlasting damnation and saued in the day of Christ yet the deare childe of God euen for some scandalous lamented repented sinne in temporary rods and castigations may haue Gods hand vpon him euen to his dying day he may by sicknesse on his body reproach vpon his good name or other domestique personall crosses yea sometimes by trouble of mind and grieuous perplexities in conscience hee may weare a strait and a pinching shooe euen to his very graue this is plaine here in Ezekiah no doubt his repentance had made his atonement with God thorow faith in his expected Messiah his humiliation had made vp the breach so farre and procured his peace in the Court of heauen that there is no progresse nor proceeding against his saluation hee hath his Quietus est for that yet notwithstanding wrath comes vpon him and vpon Iudah either in some sicknesse and infirmity on his body or some griefe trouble of his mind or in some death and cuttings off of his people or the like was this wrath expressed though here it be not reuealed in the manner but more perspicuous is the example of Dauid who vpon the confession and acknowledgement of his sinne to Nathan heard the pardon instantly from the Prophet as from the mouth and oracle of God d 2 Sam. 12.9 10 11 12 c. yet neuerthelesse wee know what was both threatned and executed in rods proportioned to his offence as hee had smit vnlawfully with the sword in killing Vriah so the sword neuer departed from his house Absolom kills his incestuous brother Amnon e 2 Sam. 13.29 Ioab the Kings great friend his instrument in the blood of Vrias f 2 Sam. 11.13 euen this Ioab oh iust Nemesis whether the King will or no g 2 Sam. 18.5 kils his darling how euer then his rebell Absolom h vers 14. and Adoniah Gallinae filius albae another of his faire sonnes is cut shorter by the head in being too heady against his King-brother Salomon i 1 King 2.25 So as Dauid was polluted by adultery adultery and vncleannesse together with the sword did cleaue to his house and seed like Gehezies leprosie the spurious off-spring of his lust dyed in the infancy l 2 Sam. 12.18 Amnon his owne sonne commits incestuous fornication aggrauated by all circumstances of trechery and tyranny with his owne faire sister Dauids owne daughter Tamar m 2 Sam. 13.1 2 3 4 5 6 c. Absolom himselfe as a filthy Bird defiling his owne nest his fathers blood in his thoughts his bed in his acts lyes with his fathers Concubines so shamelesse impudent and imprudent is lust in the sight of all Israell n 2 Sam. 16.22 Other instances may bee giuen and no doubt of it the bleeding too deare-bought experience of many of Gods children which for some momentany sin are pursued and prosecuted iustly in themselues or their blood by the hand of God or man in perpetuated sorrowes too truly proue this assertion SECT 2. The reasons of the former Doctrine NOw leauing secret and inscrutable iudgements vnto God which though they may bee hidden and abstruse from vs yet can neuer be vniust o Sâ—creta esse possunt iudicia Dei iniusta esse non possunt Augustinus The reasons of these thus proceedings of God with his children may be these besides others that we may not intermeddle or reflect in the least measure vpon any Popish satisfactions which we onely with the Scriptures include and conclude in Christ as though according as they dreame and but dreame that these continuated castigations were humane satisfactions * Against Popish satisfactions reade Kymnitius his Examen Concilii Tridentini and Pelargus his Iesuitismus with D. Willets Synopsis of this controuerted subiect c. to Gods iustice First the repentance of Gods seruants reiterated and renewed after some great and scandalous sinne is neueâ— so true and sincere for the qualitie of it so great and vehement for the quantity either in that attrition or contrition which the Schooles speake of or so extensiue in degrees or so constant and permanent in the continuance but the Lords pure eyes sees it in many particulars defectiue and heteroclite either in the matter manner measure meanes grounds or ends for which cause he may still continue his rod vpon the shoulders of his children to make their repentance more perfect and exact in all the true and requisite qualifications Secondly our nature is soone weary of well-doing we would faine haue ease though by carnall meanes as Saul by Dauids Harpe o 1 Sam. 16.23 when the Lord hath wounded our consciences with spirituall weapons wee are prone too soone to cast off the Lords yoake and to throw downe his burthen ere wee bee thorowly tamed and our rebellions subdued and therefore the Lord knowing our flitting and fugitiue natures our false and fickle hearts by continuated crosses still holds vs to it and keepes vs still strict and strait to the tackling and taske of true penitents Thirdly we are subiect as stall-fed Oxen to grow too fat and lazy as pampered horses to grow too skittish as that Iesurum p Deut. 32.15 to kicke against the rider by too much ease as Moab to freeze in our dregges and as standing pooles to grow corrupt without motion and stirring yea as grosse and corrupt bodies to abound with bad humors the originalls of diseases without continuated physicke and purging yea to returne perhaps euen to our former sicknesse and distemperature vnlesse the Lord keepe vs strait laced in continuall exercise and diet by his successiue castigations Fourthly by these after-corrections as by so many stakes and railes and pales the Lord would keepe vs in within the parkes of obedience as Sheepe impale and barre vs within his fold from after-wandrings as by curbing bits hold in our rebellious natures euer subiected without these restraints to continuated apostasies tergiuersations relapses againe more daingerous then euer euen to the sinnes so seriously as we thinke already repented Euen as a man without carefull looking to himselfe is subiect to relapse into
briefly the difference betwixt prosperity and aduersity or the different carriage and condition of men yea sometimes of the best men in these two different estates Ezekiah in his sicknesse hauing by no lesse then a Prophet as the mouth and vnerring Oracle of God receiued the dismall sentence of death sets his house in order and no doubt of it sets his heart in order turnes himselfe in his bed o 2 King 20.1 2 3. remembers his sinnes in the bitternesse of his soule mournes like a Doue chatters like a Craine p Esay 38.14 turnes himselfe to the wall and weepes q vers 2. turns himselfe from man and from humane meanes now vnauailable vnto the might and mercy of God as the Needle toucht with the Loadstone * Apud Albertum lib. 2. metal tract 3. cap. 6. Plin. lib. 36. c. 16.26 turnes to the Pole and so rests reposed in the soliloquies of his soule hee poures out his heart and his spirit before the Lord vnloades his burthened soule in the Lords bosome vnfolds his griefes cryes for redresse with such zealous feruency and importunity that his prayers and â—iaculations darted from faith and feeling surmount the Clouds ascend as fiery meteors * Arist lib. 1. 2. meteor Mizaldus lib. 1. Cometog c. 4. the highest Regions penetrate and pierce the Heauens as importunate sutors and vrgent Ambassadors haue audience acceptance and a comfortable answer from the God of Heauen euen to the reuoking and recalling of that conditionall sentence r vers 4 5 6. and verdict as after with the Å¿ Ion. 3.10 See D. Abbot B. King in loc Niniuites which God himselfe had passed vpon him And the like demeanor we haue of him in another strait and exigent when Senacharib brings such an Army against Ierusalem as his railing Rabsakah in the pride and presumption of his heart christned and called as once that Armado which threatned this sinning Iland Inuincible t 2 King 18.22 23 24. then hauing as u 2 Chro. 2.12 Iehosaphat said and did in the like case no power nor strength in and from himselfe his people being but as a little flocke of Kids to the troopes of the Assyrians that were spred as Grashoppers he betakes himselfe to the Lord as an indangered child by the ramping of a Lyon and a Beare cryes to his father * 2 King 19.15 16 17. makes speedy recourse to the God of Hostes as the Tempest-driuen Ship puts for the shore in the day of his trouble cals vpon the Lord makes him as euery Christian ought to doe in the like extremities his rocke x Psal 18.1 his refuge his Asylum and Sanctuary spreads the Letter of reuiling Rabsakah before the Lord intreats the prayers of the Prophet Esay y 2 King 19.2 for himselfe and his distressed people hath a comfortable answer according to his faith z vers 6 7. vers 20 21. A promised hooke a vers 28. put in the nostrils of Senacharib an Angell employed in his behalfe as the organ of Gods wrath to make riddance of his enemies b vers 35. euen 1085 at one clap but now here is an alteration in Ezekiah Noua rerum facies a metamorphosis a strange change Mutatus ab illo Totnam as the phrase is turnd French Ezekiah in his prosperity hath got a cooler his hot zeale hath caught cold It is luke-warme or rather key-cold or frozen for want of stirring and agitation as a standing poole in a winters freeze the next newes wee heare of Ezekiah he is vnmindfull of that God who was so mindfull of him and mercifull to him he forgets God he renders not according to the benefit receiued Oh thus it was with him thus it is with vs Application thus with most of vs with best of vs yea euen generally with all of vs so farre as corruption and our carnall vnregenerate part preuailes as it preuailes in many too farre in our aduersity we seeke the Lord in the pressures of pouerty penury vpon our estates sicknesse aches paines diseases vpon our bodies Infamy scandall reproach vpon our names horror vpon our soules terror vpon our consciences we perhaps presse hard to the Lord by prayer petition supplication wee wrastle with him as c Ose 12.4 Iacob to blesse vs wee cry to him as the Disciples in the tossed d Luke 8.24 ship as Peter walking on the waters ready to e Mat. 14.29 30 sincke or inuironed with our enemies by sea or land beset with horse and foot as Dauid once by f 1 Sam. 23.26 Saul hunted and pursued by our enemies as the Partridge by the Hawke in perill by the fury and force of any of the creatures animate or inanimate Fire Water Wolues Dogges Beares Lyons wee cry out as Iehosaphat did in the battell when the Archers shot at him g 2 King 22.32 and put him in perill yea in sicknesse chiefly and the summons of death wee turne our selues to the wall and weepe we wash our beds with teares as Dauid h Psal 6.6 wee make perhaps many faire hights and vowes and promises to God of reformation of much amisse mortification of many lusts stricter life and conuersation vpon our restitution to health which we indent with God we confesse any thing as men on the Racke in the tortures of conscience wee will suffer any launcing for the healing of sinnes wounds for the asswaging of their rage wee will couenant and promise any thing as Schoole-boyes vnder their Masters Ferula when alas when the Lord easeth our shoulders from our burthens which we cast vpon him when the God of Iacob deliuers vs out of troubles when he pluckes vs out of the stockes and sets vs at liberty puls the strait shooe off our foot takes vs off the Rackes leaues smiting and scourging vs seemes to burne our rods as it were before our faces turns our stormes into calmes Alas then wee forget him as some man doth his friend that hath done him most good in his need perhaps saued him from the Gallowes wee remember the Lords kindnesses as fooles and children remember good turnes or as the Oestrich remembers her egges buried in the sand Our promises wee keepe with God as the perfidious Carthaginians and lying Cretians i Titus 1.12 with men as the banquerout his word Bill or Bond with his creditor our vowes in sicknesse proue still languishing and sicke vowes vnperformed euen in our best health our deuotions are as hot as some sea mens who pray aloud and cry out as Ionas Marriners k Ionas 1.5 in the storme and are Reuben-like l Gen. 4â— 4 as light as water in excesse of riot vpon the land when the Lord turnes our sicknesse into health our paine into ease our perturbations into pleasures our pouerty into plenty our daingers into delights c. we then turne praying into playing fasting into feasting mourning into musicke sorrow
the furnace of affliction that they may after ring a more sweet and melodious peale of his praises By marring them once the Lord euer after mends them and makes them by pulling them downe he builds them vp by losing their credit with men they better their conscience with God yea aboue all as spirituall pride is the last enemie that grace subdues g Cum bene pugnaris cum cuncta subacta putaris Que magis infestat bincendae superbiarestat as holding out the siege the longest liuing like that messenger which came with newes to Iob when the rest of sinnes are dead breeding as Serpents out of the reines and marrow of a dead man h Plin. lib. 10. cap. 66. Vt ex venire Bubulum Vespae Idem lib. 11. c. 20. out of the very death and mortification of other lusts euen this master Deuill is subdued and cast our of his possession eiectione firma as it were by strong hand by Gods permitting his proud patient whom he meanes to cure to fall into some other sinnes for so it is when the Lord hath bestowed excellent gifts vpon some of his children common or speciall graces as the spirit of prayer wisedome learning eloquution prophesying or the like and these gifts come to be exercised in some eminent place in some high and eminent calling as in the Ministery Magistracy or by the chiefe in the Oeconomy and the subiects of these gifts besides their too speciall notice they take of themselues Narcissus i De Narcisso vide expositionem Ethicam ex Textoris Theatre lib. 8. pag. 866. like becomming enamoured of themselues for them be further puffed vp as bladders with winde by the daingerous applauses of the admiring multitude k Which applauses once puft vp S. Augustine when he was Rhetoricke Lecturer at Millane and Demosthenes when they pointed at him Hic est Demosthenes so farre that they make these gifts that are Gods as lent them their owne by vsurpation yea their Idols by adoration still looking at their best as the Peacocke l Plin. lib. 10. cap. 20. Aelianus lib. 5. c. 19. at his proud spred traine and the Swan at his faire feathers in so much that they forget all duty all homage to the Doner The Lord by suffering this inbred corruption of pride to breake out into some great kibe and visible foule vlcer of other sinnes conspicuous to the very eyes of the obseruing world and obnoxious to the lash of their whipping tongues brings them some pegs lower le ts them downe by true and serious humiliation lets them see their foule feet causeth them to detest and abhor themselues makes them stoope to admonition makes them weepe at his correction opens their eares to receiue instruction and euery way betters them in what euer they were but did not see amisse by a thorow reformation and so as one naile driues out another the Lord by other sinnes driues out this lordly lionly pride and selfe exaltation and riuers in the place this so much loued and approued humiliation SECT 3. The good vse which those that stand make of the sinnes of those that fall THirdly the permitted fall of some Saint may bee a good caueat and caution to others that as yet stand firme and fixt in the oâ—be of grace according to the Apostles rule to take heed lest they fall it may be to all others Preachers and Professors as Senecharibs Epitaph m Luthere Comment in Genes cap. 33. pag. 504. In me intuens pius esto In looking vpon me See holy that thou be since Quod cuiquam contigit id cuivis That which happens to any one may happen to euery one Hodie mihi cras tibi Though that this day it be my lot To morrow thou maist come to pot It sorts as well the funerall of our credit as of our corps Sometimes the Dogs are beaten that the Lyons may feare but when the Lyons themselues fall so deiected their heroicke spirits so farre daunted that euery Mouse may runne ouer them euery Frog friske vpon them the crow of euery dung-hill Cocke affright them oh what need haue the lesser beasts to feare the hunters Gynn and ensnaring trap When tall Oakes fall the strong pillars come downe the one by violent blasts the other by earth-quakes the little tender striplings may easily bee borne downe the thinne dawbed walls may soone bee washt away oh the example of an eminent man in zeale place grace c. as it is an excellent light set on a beacon so long as it shines bright and burnes so euen when the light of his good life and doctrine is eclipsed and his day gone euen his darker twinkling may serue as candle in a lanterne to shew a wise passenger the way in the night yea it may serue perhaps as the light on some high lanterne at the mouth of the Hauen to the seaman to auoid the dangerous rocks and steare aright into the Port. As in vindictiue iustice so perhaps in permissiue sins the Lord propounds good ends vt poena ad paucos exemplum ad omnes perueniat that some few may fall that the rest may feare that some few may be corrected by the mulct of sinne all bettered and directed aright from the consideration of the fearfull example of the sinner Similies and indeed who that hath either Art or heart in Nauigation being in a little pinnace will not steare as fast as hee can from some Gulph in which he sees some goodly shippe before his eyes swallowed from some Rocke on which he sees her split from some quickesand on which she is grauelled Who that sees a nimble footed man walking on the yee perhaps with a Pike staffe in his hand falling for want of heedfull footing and breaking an arm or a leg or some ioynt wil not being to passe the same slippery place looke very carefully curiously circumspectly to euery foot he sets for feare of falling and harming euer poysing the yee for feare of breaking and drowning Without stretching the Metaphor it is knowne the world is the Sea n Illustrat Reneccius in Claui scripturae the places on which we walke are full of yee brittle slippery the Passengers ouer this glassy sea these slippery yce are the Saints their slippes are falls wounds in their credit and conscience now hee that sees the strongest the nimblest the most cautelous of his footings to slippe trippe stumble yea fall and tumble before him and is not cautelous and circumspect ouer his owne station and standing hath little wit lesse Grace hee is worse then the horse and Mule without vnderstanding for all the switching and spurring which can be vsed will not cause the trauelling horse to enter into the quagmire into which hee sees another plunged before him nor all the beating make the sluggish asse descend the craggie and rockie passage in which he sees his fellow asse improvidently falne before him Neither will the bird
an expresse command to Peter and so consequently to euery Peter euery Pastor to forgiue his offending brother vpon confessing and acknowledging not onely vntill seuen times but vntill seuenty times seuen times u Mat. 18.21 22. and if euery member is bound to this much more the whole Church Seuenthly as Christ himselfe with his owne mouth exhorted and dismissed * Ioh. 8.10 11. the woman taken in the act of Adultery and comforted the weeping washing penitent woman x Luk. 7.48 so he sent Ananias with his owne commission to comfort euen whilome bloody persecuting Saul now three dayes mourning disconsolate y Acts 9.111 12 13 c. how much more ought those to bee comforted of the Church that haue mourned not onely three dayes with Paul but thirty times three as a Doue in the Desart or a Pellican in the wildernesse that haue eaten the bread of affliction longer then Daniel more then twenty one dayes z Dan. 10.3 and that euery night doe water their bed with weeping and their couch with teares a Psal 6.6 Eightly if God himselfe turne away euen deserued wrath from his children vpon their humiliation as here from Ezekiah and Iudah in my Text shall the Church continue her wrath against repentant sinners where God stints his will not the Church wade after where God breakes the yee Ninthly hath not the Church alwaies euen from the beginning as a mercifull mother opened her armes yea her brest and bowels to receiue her repenting returning sons as that mercifull Father in the Gospell b Luk. 15.20 did his humbled prodigall Was not the Incestuous Corinthian receiued in Pauls Time c 2 Cor. 2.6 7. The Emperour Theodosius after his Thessalonian massacre receiued in St. Ambrose his time * Leâ—c historiam apud Theodor. l. 6. c. 18 et Sozom lib. 7 c. 24. and other penitents admitted first as penitentiaries after as communicants in all the Primitiue times d Eccles hist passim ex Socrate Eusebio et Zozomeno and shall our Church now degenerate from a louing mother to an vniust step-mother God forbid Tenthly is not the heresie of Novatus and his strict stearne Nouatians pluckt vp by the roots long since by Augustine and Epiphanius * Cyprianus etiam concilium congregauit damnans Nouatianos vt constat l. 1. epist Cypr. 2 apud Euseb lib. 6 c. 43 et Magd. cent 3. p. 192. et pag. 205. that there is no sprigs remaining in our dayes haue we any so rough and rigorous as to deny euer admission to the CoÌ„munion or fellowship to those that haue publikelie scandalously sinned if there be any such leauened yet with this leauen I wish him as a zealous Emperor once wisht to one of these Nouations e Tu scalam erige et ad coelum solus asconde euen to make himselfe a ladder and to climbe vp to heauen alone for I know none that can follow him Eleuenthly besides is this stearnnesse strangenesse and heartednesse against remorsefull sinners for of such I still speake and for such as the mouth of the rest I still plead agreeable to the law of nature is it consonant to that epitome of all morall equitie which Alexander Senerus so much esteemed namely that which thou wouldest not haue another doe to thee doe not to another f Quod tibi fieri non vis alteri ne feoeris Doe as thou wouldest be done vnto saith the naturall Country-man by the instinct of nature Now wouldst thou lie languishing all alone on the sicke bed much lesse in the bryers and prickes and stings of a sinne-guilty conscience vnuisited vnvalued nay deiected reiected and more and more discouraged wouldst thou haue more weight laid vpon thy backe when thou art almost prest to death alreadie wouldst thou haue thy wound deeper pierced and more blood exhaust when thou hast almost bled to death already Make the case thine owne mutato nomine de te Fabula narratur Tantale wouldst thou haue God seuere against thee for euery sinne c g Si quoties peccant homines sua fulmina mittat Iupiter exiguo tempore inermis erit Obiect But it may be I shall bee answered that in this case I fight with mine owne shadow and contest where there is no enemy All these arguments and expostulations will be granted as Achillaean and vnanswerable in the behalfe of the repenting sinner but sub Iudice lis est here is the question how the Church should know that a scandalizing sinner which hath scandalized euen profession which the Ciuilians say is the greatest scandall is truely humbled as was here Ezekiah and is willing to giue satisfaction Answ First I say that the contrite and broken heart is especially knowne to the maker and breaker of the heart h Ier. 17.9 10. Man knowes my sin but God knowes my sorrow ille vere dolet qui sine teste dolet he weepes with a witnesse that weepes without a witnesse it would goe better with many an afflicted soule then it doth if men were but as well acquainted with their saluing sorrow as with the sore of their sinne Secondly that soule that is willing in euery place in euery company euer in the fellowship of the Saints to take that course which Ioshua prescribes to Achan i Iosh 7.19 to confesse his sinne and giue glory vnto God nay to confesse and forsake it that hee may haue mercy k Pro. 28.13 to desire the prayers of Gods Children in his behalfe yea to shame himselfe if it were in the publickest places where God might haue glory and the Church satisfaction if it were euen by taking the course of Salomon l Eccles 1.1 Dauid m Psal 51. and Augustine by writing and publishing publicke recantations c. this out-strippes all hypocrisie n Augustine in his bookes of Confessions and Recantations and is a note and demonstrance of humbled penitencie this is all that the Lord doth that man can require or the strictest Church exact for satisfaction or the humbled heart can doe to the vtmost for consolation which the Lord grant to euery burthened conscience for his mercy sake CHAP. VI. SECT 1. The same subiect that sinnes the same must be punished ANd so I come now to the second maine point at first propounded and by the Text naturally afforded and that is Ezekiah's castigation In which we are to consider first the primary subiect of it Ezekiah wrath came vpon Ezekiah and then secondly the extent of it the Inhabitants of Ierusalem wrath came vpon the Inhabitants of Ierusalem thirdly the castigation it selfe here intimated by this phrase wrath fourthly the cause pride of heart And first for the first the subiect of this correction for I call it a correction rather then a plague or iudgement since what euer is sent to the elect is a loue-token from a Father not a vengeance from a seuere Iudge It is briefly considerable First that the
his sonne all his lands his liuings his inheritance so doth hee not intend towards the other therefore hee is more iealous more zealous and carefull of the good of the one then of the other Thus the Lord when his owne sonnes and the sonnes of Beliall the righteous and the reprobate commit perhaps materially one and the selfe same sinne as Dauid and Herod iumped in the same sinnes of Lust and Murther Dauid and Augustus Caesar p Luke 2.1 iumped in the same sinne of numbring their subiects c. He corrects his owne whom hee loues and chastiseth euery sonne whom he receiues hee brayes them as pepper or spice in a morter for it makes them fitter for vse hee softens their hearts as waxe and purgeth out their drosse and tinne q Esay 4.7 by the spirit of burning by the fire of affliction hee fitâ— them by this meanes in purging and purifying their corruptions for that inheritance hee hath predestinated them vnto r Rom. 8.30 Esphes 1.4 and reserued for them in the heauens Å¿ 1 Ioh. 3.2 3. whereas for the subiects of Sathans kingdome t v. 8. et 2 Tim. 2.26 he passeth by them for a time seemes to conniue at their sinnes paues their way to hell with oyle and butter suffers them to play with the waspe and hornets nest till they bee stung to death to dally with the flame till they be scorcht lets them runne their races with full carcere till they come to the end of their iourney u Psal 9.17 Prou. 9.18 Esay 5.13 14â— et Esay 30.33 permits them to freeze in their dregs and settle on their lees without remouing they haue perhaps all things that their hearts desire riches wealth ease c. Yet as Israel had a King with a curse * 1 Sam. 8.11 12. and as they had quailes in wrath x Num. 11.31 22 23 c. all these they haue as nets and snares to them God bestowes little Physicke on them he sees they are incurable like Babel hee plowes them not vp with the plough of affliction he sees they are reprobate ground he sees they are flints cobble stones knotty timber such as will fit no place in the spirituall building therefore he neuer troubles himselfe with them neuer vseth the axe or hammer of affliction to them as to the liuing stones in Sion z 1 Pet. 2.5 In a word hee purposeth no good vnto them hath no heauen for them therefore suffers them to friske and runne for a time in all excesse of Riot a 1 Pet. 4.4 towards their Center as merrily as the fooles goes to the stockes and as senslessely as the Oxe goes to the slaughter SECT 4. If God be strict and seuere with his owne how daingerous is the estate and condition of the wicked YEt neuerthelesse I would not haue wicked and godlesse men to triumph before the victory to say with Agag surely the bitternesse of death is past b 1 Sam. 15.32 when it is but appraoching I would not haue those that put on their armour to boast as when they put it off c 1 King 20.11 to thinke that the end of sinne shall be as sweet as the beginning d Prou. 9.17 et Prou. 23.33 that the egresse out of the deuils service will be as easie as the ingresse that the haruest will be as pleasant as their seed time no no there will bee a time of audit of reckoning for sinners as was for that wicked steward and that vnprofitable seruant e Matth. 25.25 26. a time of comming of the bride-groome f ver 6. when as Ioab said to Abner g 2 Sam. 2.26 of the yong mens play the end of sinne will be bitternesse at the last the taile of sinne like the taile of a Dragon will sting and from these former premises let euery man that hath the least dramme of either wisedome or grace extract this conclusion and treasure it vp in his soule as an excellent Antidote and preseruatiue against sinne and as the Apostles Peter h 2 Pet. 2.4 5 6. and Iude i Iude v. 6 7. reasoned If the Lord spared not the Angells that fell nor the old world nor Sodom Gommorrah but burned her Citties with fire how much lesse which was their scope would hee spare the licentious men of their time So let euery man argue with his owne soule if the Lord haue not in the seueritie of his Iustice against sinne spared the righteous Oh where shall the reprobate appeare If he haue purged his gold what shal become of the drosse if hee haue winnowed the corne shall not the chaffe bee burned with vnquenchable fire If Ierusalem be searched k Si in Ierusalem scrutinium quid fâ—ciet Babylon with lanterne and candle light what shall become of Sodom of Aegypt of Babylon of Edom of Damascus c. If the Doues tremble l Cum tremunt Columbae quid facient corui what shall become of Crowes of Kites of Kestrels If the sheepe bee shorne what shall become of the vncleane Goates If the trees of righteousnesse be lopped and pruned for what vse are Thornes Bryers Tares but for the fire If the vessels of honour be thus scoured and rubbed what shall become of the vessells of wrath If iudgment begin at the house of God if the righteous shall hardly be saued Oh where shall the vnrighteous reprobate m 1 Pet. 4.18 appeare If the Lord whip his owne sons though with cords of loue Oh what will hee doe to Sathans slaues Athiests belly gods libertines drunkards swearers couetous persons that neglect the day of Grace and blaspheme God daily n The doomâ— of such is 1 Cor. 6.9 Gal. 5.19 Colos 3.5 Rev. 21.8 Oh if the Lord here haue visited as you see he hath with Temporary rods the sinnes of an Ezekiah a Dauid a Iosias a Ionas a Moses a Sampson a Salomon a Zacharias with many moe of his deare seruants Oh how can the vnrighteous the prophane the in religious who scorne and contemne the Lord daily and blaspheme all his ordnances appointed for their life escape endlesse wrath euerlasting death without repentance though here for a time they be reprieued the Lord giuing vnto them as he did to Iezabel g space to repent o Reuel 2.19 which they neglecting treasure vp to themselues wrath against the day of wrath and the iust declaration of the vengeance of God p Rom. 2 5 6. The third Sermon CHAP. VIII SECT 1. How the subiects smart for the sinnes of Princes Children for the sinnes of Parents NOt to giue Cramba biscocta Coalworts twise sod in repeating former points The next thing that in order offers it selfe to our prosecution is the extension of this castigation this wrath that came vpon Ezekiah for the pride of his heart came also vpon Iudah and Ierusalem or the inhabitants of Iudah by a Metonomy the continent being put
aliis inuebunt in superbiam Augustinus in Ps 19. Gregor in Moralibus Chrysost Hom 59. in Mat. Cassiodor in Ps 18. Bernard ser 3. de Resur Isiodor lib. 3. de SuÌ„mo bono apud Neotericos in lib. 2. Ethic. Strigell p. 528. in Prou. 16. pag. 78. Philippus lib. 2. cron p. 101. lib. 5 pag. 557. in Postiâ—â—is part 1. p. 654. part 4. pag. 624. praecipue Perald in summiâ— tom 2. part 2 3 4. and sanctified with many sauing graces the humbled soule of Mary Magdalen u Luk. 7.47 48. yea here we see the humiliation of Ezekiah remoues that curse or crosse from himselfe and his subiects which the pride of his heart procured pride kindles incensed wrath humiliation quencheth it Oh who would not hate this hatefull monster of pride so hatefull to God * In his aliis inuebunt in superbiam Augustinus in Ps 19. Gregor in Moralibus Chrysost Hom 59. in Mat. Cassiodor in Ps 18. Bernard ser 3. de Resur Isiodor lib. 3. de SuÌ„mo bono apud Neotericos in lib. 2. Ethic. Strigell p. 528. in Prou. 16. pag. 78. Philippus lib. 2. cron p. 101. lib. 5 pag. 557. in Postiâ—â—is part 1. p. 654. part 4. pag. 624. praecipue Perald in summiâ— tom 2. part 2 3 4. so hurtfull to man so consonant to corrupt nature so repugnant from grace so neere sympathizing with the Deuill so good an agent for hell so preiudiciall both to sanctification and saluation Who on the contrary would not loue and admire this heauen-bred humiliation such a preseruatiue against pride such a purger of pollutions such a depresser of corrupt nature such a keeper in of grace as the ashes of the imbers such a curber of corruption such a plea against the cry of sinne such a Proctor against the guilt of sinne such a fauourite in the Court of heauen yea such a pleader and preuailer before the throne of Grace x De his aliis laudibus humilitatis lege ipsum Paraldum tom 1. pag. 367 368 369. Spinaeum de Tranq lib. 2. pag. 63. Oh as Plato saith of vertue I say of this vertue of this grace which one of the Ancients cals the first the second and the third grace as one called pronunciation the first second and third part of Oraâ—ory if it could be seene and discerned in the lustre and beauty of it with mortall eyes it would stirre vp loue and admiration in the dullest spectator more would be enamoured of this Christian then of that Grecian Helena Take the marrow of all that is said in one word he that would with Herod Pharaoh Rabsakah Senacharib Holofernes Nimrod Nabuchadnezzar the Gospels Pharisee Herodians Pharisees be deiected and made to stoope by the rod of wrath yea eiected as vnsauoury salt from place and grace with God and man let him exalt himselfe in the pride of his heart God hath wayes and meanes enow to pull him downe as experience verifies our prouerb his pride will haue a fall it owes and waits him an ill turne y Adrastia vel Nemesiâ—â—on sinit insolentiam abire impunitam c. Philippus in Cordial Bucholch pag. 122. Hinc Aesopus asserit Deum in caelis frangere magnas ollas exfrustis alias nouas componere apud Philippum in locis Manâ—â—i p. 182. as we say of cording and dicing it is a false plough to hold it hath brought some to the Gallowes as it did Achitophel z 2 Sam. 17.23 and Absolom a chap. 18.14 some to the blocke and the scaffold as many proud rebellious Traytors b Exempla lege apud Valerium lâ—b 6 lib 9 Liu. lib. 1. lib. 24. Munsterum lib. 3. praecipue in Theatro Historiâ—o fol. 320. 570 c. in all Kingdomes and Commonwealths He that lookes too hye some moate or other will fall in his eye to blemish or eclipse him On the contrary he that would bee respected and exalted in grace and fauour with God and man in heauen and earth with humble Ioseph humble Mary humble Manasses humble Mardocheus humble Dauid humble Daniel humble Ezekiah let him be truly soundly sincerely humbled let him fall low that for euer he may be truly aduanced high for the proud Pharisee is reiected the Publican accepted CHAP. X. SECT 1. Though the righteous fall they shall rise againe THe third maine point comes now to be prosecuted as first it was propounded and that is Ezekiahs humiliation for the Text saith notwithstanding Ezekiah humbled himselfe for the pride of his heart In which as in his sinne and transgression we haue seene mans humane frailty as in himselfe considered in Gods castigation and chastizing of him for his sinne wee haue seene both the affection of a father in correcting him as a son and the seuerity of a Iudge in visiting him as a sinner so here as most obuious to our consideration we haue his repentance an image and demonstration of Gods free mercie and sauing grace to the vessels of mercy in that though they be for reasons and causes as we haue heard permitted to sinne by him who could exempt and free them here on earth from all sinne as they shall be freed in heauen and make elect men as inculpable as elect Angels and their bodies as pure as the glorified Spirits of the iust yet neuerthelesse he frees them as from the reigne and dominion c Plurima in hanc rem lege apud Augustin lib. 1. de Nuptiis et Concupisc cap. 25. tract 41. in Iohan. lib. 1. de peccat meritis remissione c. 23. lib. 6. aduersus Iulianum cap 7. so from the ruine and damnation of sinne d Per merita Christi vt vrget Bernard Ser. 3. in natin Domin Ser. 78. in Canticis Serm. 91. Chrysost in Psal 50 Hom. 2. August in Enchirid cap. 23. though they fall yet they rise againe as here we may see in Ezekiah that fell by pride as did Angels and Man but rose againe by repentance and humiliation as the reprobate Angels did not nor euer shall Oh it is a point for euer to be preached and pressed to the comfort and consolation of the elect and to the praise and glory of his grace who is the author and giuer of grace that though the righteous fall seuen times a day that is often either into sinne or as some interpret into crosses and afflictions the fruits of sinne yet neuerthelesse they shall rise againe though they slumber a while in sinne and take a short nap as luld with the sweet allurements of the flesh and charmed a while with that Witch the World yet they waken againe they sleepe not in death their sinne is not mortiferous and vnto death fall they may as we instanced in the wisest the strongest the holiest the humblest Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs Confessors Preachers Professors that haue beene from the beginning in whom follies frailties weaknesses infirmities haue appeared
for the children and stripes for the backes of fooles For these that are the Lords that haue the markes of their Election the signes of Sanctification and are sealed vp to the day of their Redemption here is an Anchor for them in the midst of their fluctuations here is some day-hole to be spied for them some glimpses of comfort breake out euen in the darkest night of their sinnes namely that though by their sinnes the Sunne of Gods fauour towards them seeme to be eclipsed the light of his countenance abated his wrath kindled as here against Ezekiah their soules wounded their spirits perplexed their consciences disquieted m Psal 32 4 5. Psal 28. their hearts oppressed with the guilt and griefe of sinne their inward peace interrupted yea disioynted their former ioyes perished n Psal â—â—2 their feelings abated or quite lost their graces soiled decayed weakned in the luster power and exercise of them their faith infirme their assurance weake their hopes languishing their loue zeale cooled their prayers dull and heauie their spirits lumpish and drowsie yea euen in that relation that they haue to man though in respect of the world and her worldlings their sinnes chiefly if they bee publisht in Gath and Askalon expose them to the exprobration vituperation yea derision of the vncircumcised as Sampsom o Iudg. 16. was to the Philistines and in respect of the Church subiect them to her censure yea perhaps her greatest censure excommunication p Grounded on 1 Cor. 5.5 practized by the Primitiue times authorised by Councils vide decreta Gratiani 11. de concilio Arausicano apud Osiandrum Cent. 5. lib. 2.6.28 p. 300 and to the censure frownes and browbeatings of her strictest children till satisfaction be giuen yet neuerthelesse euen in this case as Dauid once in a great distresse they may comfort themselues in the Lord their God q 1 Sam. 30.6 that their stormes shall haue a calme their candle that seemes to bee put out shall be lighted againe their former ioyes shall be restored their Sunne shall shine Gods face and fauour shall bee towards them they shall haue the arguments of his loue the feelings of his spirit the liuely stirrings and motions of his Grace their vnquiet consciences shall bee appeased these blustring waues and winds of accusations temptations shall bee commanded their heauy hearts shall bee comforted their sadded soules shall be gladded their feelings shall come againe as a man out of a dead swound their peace with God shall be assured their assurance like a bone that is broke shall againe be knit their seemingly lost Charter shall be againe renewed their weakned decayed Graces shall bee strengthned their faith increased their dull and dead prayers quickned their credit and estimatioÌ„ with Gods people so far as it stands w th Gods glory their further good againe recouered and the mouthes of the wicked and blasphemous by their futuâ—e holy and inoffensiue life shall be iustly stopped yea all the breaches and ruines which the hostility of Satan hath made shal be made vp againe all the demolitions and deuastations that sinne hath made in the soule spirit conscience name c. of the sonnes of Sion shall at last bee reedifyed and repayred and euery detriment repayed in these spirituall buildings repentance in one word shall rightly knit ioynt againe what euer in the outward or the inward man sinne hath vnloosed and disioynted and the Lord from whom comes euery good gift r Iam. 1.17 as the light from the Sun which giues repentance vnto Israel Å¿ Act. 5.31 shall giue it vnto them they shal haue freely giuen them after their sinning at one time or other the grace of repentance and after serious repenting the after-grace of pardon and remission though they fall they shall not long lye wallowing in their sinnes as the drunkard in the streets disgorging his vomit or as the swine in the mire but they get vp againe stand on their feet like men wash rubbe and brush off the blots and myry spots which by their fall cleaue to the garment of their holy profession with many teares and much strictnesse and austeritie of life for the present and future take more heed to their wayes for euer afterward as the burnt child that dreads the fire they follow no more these pleasing baits these golden balls of sin which the world as he once before Atalanta throwes before them to turne them out of the way but loath detest all the causes and occasions of sin as the pained surcharged stomacke loathes that meat on which it hath daingerously surfetted yea though they fall as weakling children not able to rise by their owne power and strength the Lord himselfe as a louing mother or nurse lends them the helping hand of Grace pulls them vp and after their trickling teares and cryes for their hurt cheares and cherisheth them takes them in the armes of his mercy and puts them in the bosome of his loue t Read of this point M. Pryn his Booke of the perpetuity of a regenerate mans estate per totum though they bee wounded by sinne yet there is a balme in Gilead a Mithridate of mercy that heales them again as the beasts by an instinct of nature haue recourse to their healing physicke as the blinded Swallow to Celidine the Toad to Plantan the Hart to Dictanny u Of the Medicines which euery creature vseth by natures instinct read Pliny l. 8. c. 27 chiefly Greg. Tholosanus in Syntaxi artis Mirab. l. 28. c. 38 p. 541. c. So by the instinct of Grace they haue recourse to that all-saluing all-sauing Panacea * Grineum in problematibus de Panacea Christianorum lege the blood of the Lamb of God effused in his passiue veines applyed to themselues by the hand of faith x Rom 4. Iohn 3.16 Gal. 2. â—0 Hab. 2. they seeke in their sicknesse to their Physician y Math. 9.12 or rather the Physician to them as that good Samaritan to him that was wounded z Luk. 10.33 34 trauelling to Ierico from Ierusalem from the vision of peace to the worlds vanity as euery sinner doth stung once with this fiery serpent sinne with the Eagles eye of all-penetrating all-preuailing faith they looke vp to him that was exalted on the crosse a Iohn 3.14 whom their sinnes haue pierced b Zach. 12.10 prefigured by the Brazen serpent c Num 21.9 In a word there is a seed of Grace in all the Elect the seed of God remaines in them saith Saint Iohn d 1 Iohn 3.9 that they cannot sinne to death wee may say of their sinnes as our Sauiour said of Lazarus his sicknesse e Iohn 11.4 they are not vnto death but that the Lord may be glorified euen in his power and mercie in raising vp againe their seeming dead soules euen out of the bed and graue of corruption yea though they seeme
12 13. life to murtherous Cain b Gen. 4.15 euen in wrath and anger so the bitterest and worst things euen the corrections for sins come to his own children as mercies Wee read indeed of the plagues of Aegypt c Exod 7. Exod. 8. Chap 9 10. of Sodom d Hos 11.8 Amos 4.11 of Moab e Amos 1. Chap. 2. per totum of Edom of Damascus and of the burthens of other sinfull nations and people but neuer of the plagues of Dauid Ezekiah Iosiah c. the botches of Aegypt f Exod. 9 10. the Emerods g 1 Sam. 5. of the Philistines the death of Pharaohs first borne h Exod 12.29 the murren of his cattell i Exod. 9.19 the frogges in his chamber k Exod 8 6. were indeed reall Plagues prologues and proems were these externalls to plagues eternall but the gout l 2 Châ— 16.12 in Asaes seet Iacobs touch in the hollow of his 〈◊〉 m Gen 32.25 Ezekiahs sicknesse n 2 Kings 20. and here the occasion of his 〈◊〉 â—on was onely a paternall castigation Oh that we with patience and contentation could drinke the bitterest cup which the Lord brewes for vs and sends to vs for our soules safety in our haughty hearts humiliation SECT 6. Mercy mixt with Iustice BEsides in searching the point narrower we see further in this castigation that the Lord euen in Iustice remembers Mercy yea his mercy triumphes ouer iustice as the oyle swimmes aboue the water as we see here that this wrath vpon Ezekiah was the iust desert of his ingratefull pride or proud ingratitude here was Iustice inflicting yet this correction as it tended so it ended in his humiliation which was physicall to his indangered soule here was Mercy So to adde moe instances Manasses the sonne of this Ezekiah for his many and manifold prouocations of the Almightie by his idolatries witchcrafts charmings sorceries murthers massacres of the Saints was iustly depriued of his Crowne imprisoned by the King of Ashur yron fetters put vpon his feet manacles on his hands here was Iustice yet this sharpe physicke so bitter to the flesh was wholesome and medicionable to his soule for in his tribulation he prayed to the Lord and humbled himselfe greatly before the God of his fathers and the Lord was intreated of him here was Mercy So in the first sin that euer was committed Adam eating of the Tree prohibited was questioned strictly examined conuicted sentenced to eate his bread in the sweat of his browes till hee returned to his dust n Gen. 3.19 including all miseries in life and mortalitie in death o Pezelius Rimgius in locum here waâ— Iustice but yet euen then though his flesh was corrected the instrument of sin yeâ— his soule was secured of saluation in the promised Messias the seed of the woman should breake and bruise the head of the Serpent p vers 15. here was Mercy So the woman being first in the transgression was deepest in affliction for her sorrows were threatned to bee great q v. 16. in the production of Children and now by al the propagating daughters of Eue are tryed so great that Imagination can no more but expresse them here was Iustice for her fact yet saith our Sauiour himselfe the eternall Truth as soone as euer a man-childe is borne into the world shee forgets in a manner her former griefes their delights swallow vp their dolors here was Mercy Oh wondrous mixture of Mercy and Iustice none knowes the paines of a childbearing woman but she that is perturient here is Iustice to that sinning sexe yet withall none knowes the loue of a mother as she that is a mother here is Mercy This course the Lord holds still God crosses vs in our sinfull and for our sinfull courses as the Angel withstands Balaam Å¿ Numb 22.26 in his poasting for preferment yet these crosses like that scabbe in the brest which the Romane receiued by his fighting enemy in stead of killing t Apud Plutarchum as that Surgeon who breaking a Gentlemans head cured him of the headachs D. Cotta against Emperickes curing his Impostume curbing crossing yea curing our corruptions demoÌ„strate as plainly a Mercy in the vse and end as Iustice in inflicting our deserued crosses Oh that we could with our hearts and tongues from our words and workes blesse and praise the Lord as in all the rest of his glorious attributes so especially that wee could glorifie him in his Mercy and Iustice his two attributes in which he most delighteth most exerciseth amongst the sonnes of men and to which all things in heauen and earth doe tend as to their Center Oh that with Dauids heart and spirit we could resolue to sing of Mercy and Iustice not politicall oeconomicall as he in that Psalme u Psal 101.1 but as they are Attributes in God essentiall in which he is most glorified of Angels and men Oh that wee could see with spirituall eyes how not onely in the redemption of the world by Christ but euen in the gubernation and gouernment of the world yea euen in proceeding with seuerall indiuiduall men which philosophy calls so many Microcosmes * See the allusions twixt man this Microcosme the world this Megacosme apud Alliedium in Theol. natural or little worlds but chiefly in his dealings with his elected ones Iustice and Mercie meet together righteousnesse and truth imbrace and kisse each other CHAP. XI NOw from sailing thus long in Ezekiahs sorrowes launcing into that Ocean of matter his deepe and serious humiliation we now at last bring the Penitent to his port and hauen to inioy his calme and reape the fruit of his renewed repentance neuer to bee repented of in comming you see by degrees as we at first laid them downe to this fourth and last maine and materiall point which the Text affords omitting all the circumstantiall and that is the remouall of wrath or the repriuall of Ezekiah and the inhabitants of Iudah and Ierusalem from the wrath that in some measure begunne to be exercised vpon them but vpon their humiliations stinted and ceased so that it came not fully vpon them in the dayes of Ezekiah for so indeed may as I thinke the Text and Context be reconciled the one saying that wrath was vpon Ezekiah and vpon Iudah and Ierusalem the other that the wrath of the Lord came not vpon them in the dayes of Ezekiah humiliation being interuenient betwixt wrath denounced and in part kindled and the full flaming or execution of wrath that was threatned Num. 16. humiliation like Moses and Aaron in the behalfe of Israel standing in the way or stopping in the gap betwixt wrath in part begunne that it should not be wholly and fully executed In which memorable and worthy act and effect of sound and sauing humiliation so worthily performed by Ezekiah and his subiects we may as men on the quiet