the threatning and life kills death that now he saith resolueth and professeth hee will come and confesse his sinne This truth also we see in the Church Cant. 5. 3. c. Christ calls her to open vnto him and tells her of the drops of the night and labour hee had taken to come vnto her Oh but shee had put off her coats washed her feete and was loth to stirre and disease her selfe till Christ went away in displeasure yet putting in his hand by the hole of the doore and secretly affecting her heart her heart was affectioned to him then she arose and sought and found him So in Peter how was he ouermastered by his flesh a man would haue thought him vtterly lost when he denied and forswore his Master and cursed himselfe but Christ looked backe vpon him and the Spirit began to shew himselfe as before and got the masterie And all this stands vpon very good reasons for First the Spirit in Christians by regeneration is more excellent then by creation both in respect of the beginning and of the ende and continuance the former wee haue from the first Adam meere man the latter from the second Adam God and man by the former Adam had power to continue if he would but had not the act of continuance but by the latter Adam had and we also haue both the will and deede of continuance So 1. Ioh. 3. 9. They that are borne of God sinne not that is finally or to death because the seede of God is in them Secondly the Spirit of grace may by corruption bee hid a long while as the Sunne vnder a cloud but it shall breake out againe because of those many promises which God hath made to the godly as first Mat. 17. 20 Faith if it be but as a graine of Mustard-seede shall rise to a great tree to shelter the soule vnder Secondly that if there be any fruite of grace though it be neuer so weake yet he wil not quench the smoking flaxe nor breake a bruised reede Isa. 42. 3. but cherish it as he did the young man Mark 10. 21. and dresse it to be more fruitfull Iohn 15. 2. Thirdly that the gates of Hell shall not preuaile against it Matth. 16. Fourthly that the godly in their declinings to the right hand or to the left shall at length heare an inward voice of the Spirit saying This is the way walke in it Isai. 30. 21. Thirdly the Spirit of grace I meane not of restraint but of renouation is a seede of all vertue because it is in stead of originall sinne which is a spawne or seede of all sinne now as life is in the seede which seemes to be a dead thing so is the Spirit aliue and quickening when it seemes farre otherwise hence it is called the spirit of life which as it raised Christ from a naturall death so it doth raise his members at first from the death of sinne to the life of grace and much more from the sicknesse of sinne to the soundnesse of grace Fourthly the many titles which the Spirit hath pleased to make himselfe knowne by clearely confirme the truth propounded especially these foure The holy Ghost in the Scriptures is called First the Spirit of strength to strengthen and confirme the elect be they neuer so weake and to foile their corruptions be they neuer so strong 1. Iohn 4. 4. Stronger is he that is in you then he that is in the world Secondly the Spirit of libertie to loose the captiues that if a man be neuer so miserable a slaue and in bonds where this Spirit comes he will loose the fetters of corruption that grace shall haue the vpper hand and the Spirit shall master the flesh 2. Cor. 3. 17. Where the Spirit of Christ is there is libertie Thirdly he is the Spirit of comfort When the Comforter shall come c. to shew that when life is ready to be gone for want of comfort then hee comes with new life and comfort Fourthly he is called the Spirit of supplication which makes vs able to pray euen when we are at the worst and weakest nay himselfe makes requests for vs Rom. 8. 26. So that if our prayers bee so weake as they can yeeld little comfort or helpe yet his requests are preuailing enough First then this serues to confute such as hold that grace can be quite shaken out of the heart as though the lust of the Spirit did not continue as long as the lust of the flesh Gal. 5. 17. as though the grace of regeneration had no priuiledge aboue the grace of Creation as though God had made no promise vnto it for perseuerance as though the Spirit of God were a dead or dying spirit a spirit of weakenesse a spirit of bondage a comfortlesse spirit without all motion and desire in the heart Secondly this comforts Gods elect who haue euer had the gift of the Spirit though thou art toyled with corruption and feelest the Spirit gone yet be of good comfort he wil come againe and not absent himself for euer Many are the heart-sorrowes which many that are deare to God are broken withall both in respect of euil and of good For the former the euill they would not that doe they they are vexed with wicked thoughts desires motions and actions and vow to leaue sinne to serue God better then they haue done to forsake euill company and to follow the meanes of grace and amendment men say they will obey euen in comming to the word and in hearing it they say they will learne and practise but their sayings vowes and promises come to nothing If good meanings and purposes would serue the turne they were well but you see nothing done the motion is no sooner kindled then quenched they are monstrous persons all mouths and tongues and voyces without hands and feete The Conuert sonne said hee would goe to his father and went the dutifull sonne is he who saith he will goe into the vineyard and goeth but the sluggard feareth many Lions Oh there is a beare in the way and so many strawes are so many hedges of thornes to hinder him in any good resolution Let the sound Christian learne better things of Dauid and feed his godly motions first by the Word secondly by prayer thirdly by heauenly meditation Now followes the third point in the confession namely the matter of it and that is set downe in three seuerall words My sinnes mine iniquities and wickednesse or rebellion for the Holy Ghost vseth a most forceable word to set out the vilenesse of this sinne the iniquitie of my sinne Dauid would confesse all kindes of sinne all manner of sinne whence wee may learne that Serious confession of sinne reacheth vnto all sinne knowne vnknowne and sets it before it selfe in a most odious manner So the Prophet here in three phrases all tending to one thing ioyned together noteth the seriousnesse of his confession and that
is a preparation to it and makes way to it as the needle to the thread and the Diuines call it truly a beginning of grace that is of preparation not of composition And indeed till legall feare hath through serious sense of sinne made a man feare euen for punishment and despaire in respect of himselfe he is neuer in earnest stirred to consider of and much lesse to desire the promise of saluation published and propounded in the Gospell And hence the Lord partly by his Word doth driue men to their wits ends as Acts 2. 37. at Peters Sermon the conuerts said Men and brethren what shall we doe and partly by his works vpon them as the Iaylor Act. 16. 29 30. and Manasseh 2. Chron. 33. 12 13. God binds him in chaines and sends him to Babel and in his captiuitie he humbled himselfe and sought the Lord when he was in affliction saith the Text. Secondly the promise is made onely to the hungrie that the Lord will fill them with good things Lu. 1. 53. Now till a man come to see his miserie by sinne hee can neuer get out of himselfe he neuer sees in what neede he stands of Christ he hungers not nor thirsts after him and his merits he prizeth not his blood and therefore is without any part in him because hee is not capable of him If any man thirst I will giue him to drinke of the water of life saith our Sauiour Iohn 7. 37 38. see Isa. 55. 1. A begger so long as he hath any thing at home cares not greatly for stirring abroad and so long as we finde any content in our selues and see not our vtter beggery and that how without Christ wee are readie to starue wee are but weakely importunate with him Thirdly the heart of euery man by nature is like a fellow field which must be ploughed vp rent and harrowed before the seede of God come there hee sowes not among thornes nor will cast in his heauenly seed of grace or comfort till our surrowes be ploughed neither can all this renting and ploughing be without sense of paine For this purpose hath the Lord set vp a ministrie in the Church to charge men with their spirituall sicknesse and speciall sinnes as he sent Nathan to tell Dauid Thou art the man and as Christ himselfe said to the woman of Samaria that she was a woman little better then a harlot here was the Lords plough that subdued their clods and prepared their ground for the seede of grace this is the Lords sacrificing knife to make wounds in the conscience to pare away the dead flesh and so to make way to sound cure Fourthly the conuerting of a sinner is the curing of a sicke and wounded soule and the Phisician is God himselfe who that his cure may bee sound first searcheth and lanceth and stirreth in the wound which puts the patient to much paine before he powre oyle into it and binde it vp Many are the gashes and mortall wounds of our soules inflicted by Satan and our owne corruption and we must and shall feele the smart of them before we be throughly healed To this purpose hath the Lord placed the conscience in a mans soule to tell him what hee hath done amisse and to follow him with hue and crie yea to apprehend him and set vp a gibbet in his soule to which it adiudgeth him and all to bring him into himselfe to seeke and sue for pardon Fifthly and lastly God will be honoured in the humble confessing of that which is amisse 1. Iohn 1. 9. If wee acknowledge our sinnes hee is faithfull and iust to forgiue them DAVID himselfe must confesse that he had done very foolishly in numbring the people Nay hee will haue an healing of their error an vndoing of that that is done and a building vp of that which they haue destroied as Saul the more zealous persecutor the more zealous preacher Zacheus the more heauie oppressor the more heartie restorer First then we see that God dealeth here as in all the matter of our saluation to set forth his mightie power in bringing the ioy of his elect out of sorrow as at first he did light out of darkenesse as by Christs death hee works out our life so he killeth vs also to make vs aliue as once he set his Bow in the heauens a signe of present raine yet a perpetuall and generall signe that the world shall neuer be drowned againe euen so the Lord giues his children the couenant of life but through death a righteousnesse but by a sense and groning vnder vnrighteousnesse a present blessednesse but through sense of miserie an happy resurrection but through dust and corruption Thus he foundeth their soundest ioy in sorrow their laughter in teares their happines in vnhappinesse and miserie all the former weight that lay vpon Dauid doth but make him seeke reliefe and preserue his peace when he hath regained it Secondly heere is a ground of sound comfort for Gods children in sorrow if it bee godly sorrow that they may say with IOB After darknesse I shall see light this sense of miserie shal leade me to the sense of mercy this sorrow may last for a night but ioy shall come in the morning after two daies he will reuiue vs and in the third we shall liue in his sight Hos. 6. 2. I know this hand which is so heauie vpon me is vnder my head to bring me light out of this darknesse and life out of that which for the present is more bitter then death it selfe Notes of that sense of miserie which shall haue sense of mercy are these First it workes a displeasure against a mans selfe for displeasing God as 2. Cor. 7. 11. What indignation hath this wrought in you that is an holy blaming of our selues and iudging our selues worthy any punishment and this not in generall onely but euen in particular sinnes and in all the sinnes that we can know by our selues as a Surgeon in curing tumors brings the matter to a head Secondly a constant purpose not to sinne for a world but to cleaue vnto God with full purpose of heart Acts 11. 23. Thirdly a change of the whole man in affection and action what a change was wrought in the Iaylour vpon his conuersion Acts 16. Fourthly a trembling at the Word Isa. 66. 2. This was in Eli and good Iosiahs heart did melt at the reading of the Law the Conuerts hearing the words of Peter were pricked in their hearts Fifthly it feeles and watcheth the worke and stirrings of corruption it auoides occasion of offence and seekes occasions of God it grieues as oft as it falls or offends euen in smaller things Ioseph fled from his Mistresse and Dauids heart smote him in cutting off the lap of Sauls garment Sixthly it lookes not to outward things more then needs must it is not comforted but by Christ and waites patiently for Christ being no whit hasty to
DAVIDS LEARNING OR THE WAY TO True Happinesse In a Commentarie vpon the 32. PSALME Preached and now published by T. T. late Fellow of CHRISTS Colledge in CAMBRIDGE To which is prefixed the Table of method of the whole Psalme and annexed an Alphabeticall Table of the chiefe matters in the COMMENTARIE LONDON Printed by William Stansby for Henrie Fether stone and are to be sold at his shop in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Rose 1617. TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE VICOVNT WALLINGFORD Lord KNOLLYS Baron of GREYS Master of the WARDS and LIVERIES Knight of the noble Order of the GARTER and one of HIS MAIESTIES most Honorable Priuie Councell Grace Mercy and Peace here and euerlasting RIGHT HONORABLE GReat is the affinitie of soule and body neerely coupled and wedded by God like Husband Wife for better and worse till death depart them Like Hippocrates his twinnes they weepe and laugh stand and fall liue and dye and euery way sympathize together Both haue their seuerall life and nutriment both haue their seuerall sicknesse and diseases which tend to the issues of death Among all other vncleane issues both of them haue their leprosie one the better knowne by the other In neither any substance but in both an accident corrupting the whole substance Bodily leprosie is from the corrupt and poysoned humors in the body Spirituall is from the corruption and poyson of the soule The former quickly spreadeth ouer the whole bodie The latter ouer the whole man The former infecteth onely some men The latter hath poysoned all The former corrupteth the breath by which others are infected The latter poysoneth and infecteth many others not onely by breathing out corrupt speeches but also by corrupt example The former was to be discerned by the law of leprosie Leuit. 13. The latter namely the knowledge of sinne is by the law morall Rom. 3. The former is hard to cure and the most earry it to their death naturall as Gehezi Azariah The latter is an harder cure and therefore the most carrie the running sores of sinne incurably vnto death eternall This disease being so loathsome so dangerous the Lord chargeth all Israel with speciall care both to discerne it to preuent it and if it were possible to cure it They must discerne it by sundry marks both for the certaintie and curablenesse First for the certaintie Wee neede not halfe so much caution or curiositie to be perswaded of our spirituall leprosie which is too too apparent Onely those many ceremonies put vs in minde how much more requisite our diligence ought to bee in finding out and hunting out our speciall sinnes The speciall markes which we read of to shew whether the bodily leprosie be curable or no are these First If rubbing the place of the leprosie it grow not red it is held incurable So if sinners being rubbed and admonished blush not nor be ashamed of their sinne there is little hope of their amendment Secondly If pricking the place with an Instrument there come out still a corrupt moysture there is little hope of cure So if after the preaching of the law and pricking the conscience of the sinner the corrupt issues of sinne still preuaile there is lesse hope of the sound cure of such a sinner Thirdly If after pricking with a needle there come foorth bloud it is a signe it is curable So if sinners pricked with the needle of the law cry out of the paine of their sinnes and see the need of the bloud of Christ and lay hold of it for saluation their spirituall leprosie is in the way of full cure Secondly when it is discerned the Lord takes order to preuent it from others first They must vncouer their heads that men might not mistake them and in token also that God had thus humbled them for that ceremony was a signe of humilitie Secondly They must couer their lippes that by their breath they might not infect others Thirdly They must haue a rod put into their hands that men might auoide them as children doe the rod. Fourthly They must proclaime themselues vncleane and giue warning to others Fiftly They must bee shut vp many daies and excluded the host vtterly if they be vncurable as King Ozias 2. King 15. A notable type of the suspension and excommunication of impenitent and desperate sinners shutting them out of the Congregation of God lest they infect and poyson others with the contagion of their sinne Thirdly after discerning they must speedily attempt the cure wherein the Lord enioyneth them first To goe to the Priest signifying that Iesus Christ the High Priest of our profession is the onely Phisician of this leprosie of sin Secondly They must rent their garments a signe of great sorrow for sinne and of casting off their owne raggs that they may bee couered with a wedding garment euen the garment of saluation Thirdly There must bee a vessell of water which must be sprinkled on the party and of oyle with which he must be suppled This vessell is the heart the water signifieth the bloud of Christ the lauer of the Church the sprinkling of this water noteth the washing of the conscience from dead works and the oyle signifieth the glad tidings of the Gospell all which the Lord vseth in this great cure Fourthly There is required the shauing of all the haire of the Leprous that no infection any way cleaue to him which noteth the purging away and daily paring of lusts and superfluities by the grace of sanctification which are to the soule as excrements are to the body And this is the law of the Leprosie This one Psalme presenteth in one view the whole truth of this excellent type wherein holy DAVID cleerely discouereth the foule leprosie of his soule which is so odious in his eyes as hee pronounceth him the onely happie man that hath got a couer and cure Loth he was for shame according to the law to proclaime himselfe vncleane he would hide his vncleannesse and hold his tongue as long as hee could but all this while there was no hope of cure for being let alone it ate vp his marrow consumed his bones and dryed and drunke vp his moysture as in the drought of Summer Now when there was no other remedie he goes to the high Priest confesseth his vncleannesse against himselfe who immediately answered him as that leper Mar. 1. 42. I will be thou cleane And as that leper could not hide his ioy but no sooner was he gone then he began to publish the matter so this leper no sooner was cured but hee calleth euery one to teach them in the like estate how they may procure the like remedie And then according to the precept of Christ to the leper he offereth the gift which MOSES commanded euen the sacrifice of prayer and praise and exciteth others by sundry arguments to doe the same These Meditations I haue presumed to dedicate
euery particular man For a speciall attribute of God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Answ. God loueth all men but not alike for wee must distinguish of Gods loue vnto man which is twofold 1. Vniuersall or generall by which he loues men as his creatures 2. Speciall and particular whereby hee loues them as new creatures By this speciall kinde of loue he loues onely his elect and no wicked men who yet as his creatures are loued of him but not in such effects of loue as the elect are The third obiection is taken from the generalitie of the death of Christ Christ say they died for all men and therefore all men are redeemed Answ. Christ dyed for all men that is all kinds and degrees of men but not for euery seuerall and indiuiduall person for then could there bee no place left either for election or reprobation seeing where all are taken none are either chosen or left 2. The reason of the Name of Iesus was because he must saue his people from their sinnes And the Euangelist saith he shed his bloud not for all but for many for the remission of sinne Mat. 26. 26. Yea himselfe affirmeth He gaue his life onely for his sheepe Ioh. 10. and that hee prayeth not for the world that is the wicked of the world and much lesse dyeth for them To which purpose well said Augustine In coelo interpellat pro te qui in terra pro te mortuus est 3. It is the voice of the Church Reu. 5. 9. Thou hast beene slaine and redeemed vs vnto God by thy bloud out of euery Tribe Language People and Nation She saith not Thou hast redeemed euery particular man in euery Nation but out of euery Nation and Language some 4. Caiaphas himselfe prophecying by the instinct of the Spirit as another Balaam said that Christ must dye to gather into one not all the sons of men but all the sonnes of God dispersed But the wicked are not the sonnes of God and therefore Christ was not to dye for them The fourth obiection is taken from the validitie of the merit of Christ If Christ say they payd a price of infinite value sufficient for the sinnes of the whole world and euery singular man then he hath redeemed the whole world and euery singular man But he hath paid such a price therefore c. Answ. The price which Christ payd was for the efficacie infinite as being the bloud of a Person that was God but this efficacie is twofold 1. Potentiall by which it was in it selfe sufficient for euery particular person in the world or in a thousand worlds if we suppose so many 2. Actuall and this is only where it is applied In which latter respect it was decreed by God and purposed by Christ to be paid onely for the elect and such as are predestinate to eternall life for he purposed not to be a satisfaction to any to whom he is not sanctification Heb. 9. 13 14. but no wicked man is sanctified Neither did hee purpose to die for any for whom hee purposed not to rise againe or whose persons he sustained not both in his death resurrection and to whom the vertue of both is not applied and at one time or other apparent in their death to sin and rising to newnesse of life In a word If Christ purposed effectually to die for wicked men then he failed of his purpose both in the matter of his Redemption as also in the effect of it The former because wheras the whole Redemption of Christ wrought by his death standeth of two parts 1. A freedome from sin in respect of the power of condemning and 2. In respect of the power of raigning he failed of both the essentiall parts of Redemption in such as they say he redeemed A strange redemption I trow must that be where is no freedom from sin neither in the guilt nor in the raigne of it The latter in that parties who they say are redeemed must yet be condemned for those sinnes from vnder which Christ is risen so was actually absolued from them then which an higher indignity cannot bee ascribed to the Sonne of God or the merite of his suffering or resurrection The fifth obiection is taken from the vniuersality of Christs calling he calleth all vnto him and therfore he died for all Answ. The antecedent is false for many haue liued who neuer heard of the Name of Christ as the Gentiles before Christ now many barbarous parts of the world want the very mention of him as our Trauellers haue found But to the consequent that also is as false for howsoeuer Christ call all vnto him within the bosome of the Church yet not al in the like manner For calling is twofold either common in respect of the meanes or speciall in respect of effectuall working By the former all are promiscuously called by the latter only the godly Secondly consider Christ himselfe in calling two waies 1. As he is one Cod with the Father and holy Ghost and thus he calleth good and bad 2. As the head of his Church and Mediator and thus he effectually calleth the elect onely who are members of his body embraced in a singular loue The sixt obiection is taken from the generall communication in the nature of Christ thus Christ tooke euery mans flesh and therefore euery man hath part in that worke of Redemption in that flesh performed Answ. In the great worke of mans Redemption two things must be considered first the Instrument and that is the flesh of Christ secondly the principall Agent which is the Spirit and power which herein puts forth itselfe If we looke vpon the former in it selfe our Sauiour himselfe saith The flesh profiteth nothing further then it is ioyned with the Spirit life of Christ which wicked men want and therefore notwithstanding the former can haue no part in this Redemption The seuenth obiection is taken from the latitude or extent of the grace in the second Adam which say they must not bee short or inferior to the guilt in the first Adam But all and euery particular man is made a sinner in the first Adam and therefore all and euery particular man is made righteous and consequently redeemed in the second Answ. The grace brought in by the second Adam is to bee considered two waies first in the weight of it secondly in the number of such as partake in it In respect of the weight and excellencie of it selfe it is not lesse to the sin of Adam for there is far more power required to the putting away of many sins yea innumerable sins of all the elect by iustification then to propagate one sin vnto all by natural pollution Whence the Apostle notably preferreth Christs power aboue Adams Rom. 5. 16. who not onely abolished one sinne brought in by him but infinite more But not as the sin so was the gift And the reason is because that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Adami
not this ioy of my saluation the sense of Gods fauour in pardoning my sinne warmeth my heart but a little what may I thinke of my selfe may not I hope my sinnes are pardoned It is true ordinarily that a reconciled soule possesseth felicitie with great ioy and the heart seazed of Gods loue holdeth the consolation of it yet these rules must be held to vphold the weake Christian. First the gift of pardon and loue is giuen often before the comfort and ioy of it when grace is as it were in the seede and men in the beginnings of conuersion begin to haue right in the tree of life and to bee adopted it is not so soone discerned to come vp to a ioyfull haruest but first is a blade then an eare then corne in the eare And a time there is when a soule which is partaker of true grace is busied and taken vp rather with sense of sinne desires of grace and seeking of helps and proppes to beleeue then with the ioy of any thing attained True desire argues the presence of the things desired and yet argues not the feeling of it and that a man may haue that gift which is not felt appeareth in Dauid who by Nathan was told that his sinne was pardoned and yet long after he prayeth for the forgiuenes of it that is for a more full sense of the forgiuenesse Secondly the gift of Gods free grace is not giuen in respect of vs all at once nor in the same measure and therefore the comfort of it is not all alike or at once for the righteousnesse of God is reuealed from faith to faith and so iustification and reconciliation are in the meanes more and more reuealed and the comfort is proportionable to the gift Thou hast not such strong comfort of thy estate as some other or as thou desirest thy gift of knowledge and vnderstanding of Gods loue perhaps is lesser then his comfort thy selfe stirre vp thy selfe in the meanes to inlarge the gift and thy comfort shall be inlarged Hence is it that the Apostle to the Ephesians 1. 18. praied that they whose faith and loue he had commended might haue their eyes opened to see the hope of their calling by the Spirit of reuelation Get further knowledge of thy estate and so thou shalt attaine further comfort Thirdly the state of a Christian soule is not all alike there is a Christian combate wherein sometime faith preuailes sometime doubting sometime grace hath the better sometime corrupt nature When faith is foiled of infidelitie or kept vnder sense of reconciliation faileth with it The light of the minde is often eclipsed as in Ionah I am cast from the sight of God and Dauid said once all men were liars Now the eye of the soule being so dimme the comforts of God must needs bee ouercast and clouded but as the Sunne breakes from vnder a cloud so doth light to the troubled soule and comfort growes often to a confident glorying and a ioyfull triumph as Dauid Returne O my soule to thy rest Fourthly as the carriages of a mans conuersation bee diuers so be the apprehensions of his comfort sometimes it is more attended and carried more purely sometimes care is remitted and the course more corrupt Common infirmities hinder not so much the comfort of saluation as great sinnes doe as appeares in Dauids adultery Restore me the ioyes of thy saluation If thy comforts be small it is likely thy corruptions are the greater here looke to thy former graces feelings and workes Bee diligent in awaking thy soule shake off worldly delightes which bring it on sleepe and the deceitfull shew of righteousnes which bewitcheth it set thy selfe before God and thy dulnesse before thy selfe say Oh what haue I done all this while Fifthly the Christian is an happy man whatsoeuer his outward estates be else hath Dauid misplaced happines And herein is their happinesse that they are in fauour with God and can neuer be cast out of fauour againe all happy men are in a sure estate which cannot be lost This happinesse of grace is surer then that of nature which Adam had in innocency that was lost because in his owne keeping this is seated in the fauour of God which is vnchangeable vnto which we are preserued also by the power of God True it is the godly may haue many afflictions and haue as Abraham Isaac Iaacob Dauid Abel but none of them neither inward nor outward can hinder their happinesse nay they shall all further it Romans 8. all things turne to the best The worldlings folly is palpable he thinkes himselfe most happy when his corne wine and oyle is increased as for this light of Gods countenance it is in the last of his accounts As for the godly they count them of all men most simple and most miserable and indeede if a man had no other eyes then of his body no eye of faith he could not think such blessed whom the world hates whom the earth casts off whom their Country scarce acknowledgeth their owne kinsfolke will not know whom their friends forsake enemies kill who are made meate for the sword fewell for the fire and seldome haue liberty to enioy fire and water or the commonest benefits of nature in safetie They onely are in mens account happy whom all men flatter vvho bathe yea drovvne themselues in carnall delight vvho can tumble in their gold and siluer vvhose mouth runnes ouer vvith laughter c. But these vvho are entred into Gods teaching can hold against their ovvne reason and sense that they are blessed that hunger and thirst after rightcousnesse that mourne novv that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake those of vvhom men speake all manner of ill for Christs cause and Gospell They iudge not good or euill by any thing afore them they thinke Lazarus a godly poore man an happy man vvhen as Diues vvas a miserable miser Their felicitie is not outward but inward not earthly but heauenly it depends not on man but on Gods fauour who hath forgiuen their sinnes for his names sake Iudge therefore of thy selfe and others with a righteous iudgement if heauen approoue thee care not if earth cast thee out if God iustifie who can condemne if Christ will confesse thee let thy friends deny thee Thou hast a sure word and promise of God by which thou mayest apprehend in sorrow ioy in trouble peace in nothing all things in death it selfe life eternall Get faith and thou shalt clearely behold thy happinesse if al the world should set it selfe to make thee miserable Get faith and thou shalt thinke him only happy whom God so esteemes although the worlds miserie is to place happinesse onely in miserie Get faith and thou shalt see not onely Christ himselfe the blessed Son of God when he was reiected of the world and lifted on the Crosse but euen his members then happy in Gods fauour when the World most frowneth vpon them Faith in the
many sinnes broken off many things reformed it rests it selfe as in a worke of regeneration whereas this is a common worke of the Spirit incident to the wicked whom if God should not represse there were no liuing for the godly on earth Haman did refraine himselfe from Mordecai most sinnes seemed to be mortified in Iudas but yet he was possessed by the deuill Infidels liue honestly and ciuilly abstaine from wrongs violent lusts c. But here is no renuing grace which mortifieth all corruptions and reformeth euery thing and thus was it not in Herod Iudas and the wicked Besides as in regeneration the whole childe is borne compleate in all parts so doth the Spirit begin his worke at the roote of the heart and within and not without as in Infidels and workes not onely in suppressing and restraining sinne but also in oppressing it and renewing the heart and life And here it shall not be amisse to adde some further notes of restraining grace not renewing And first in respect of sinne it selfe A conceit that grosse sinnes be but infirmities though they liue and lye in them bearing themselues vpon this that the iust man falleth seuentimes a day and riseth againe Prou. 24. 16. falsely vnderstood Thus many approue not the excesse of sinne as vainely to sweare the greatest oaths insatiable griping and gaping after the world but why hate they not all oaths all couetousnesse which is idolatry but because there is not a spirit renewing the heart which mortifieth all deedes of the flesh all oaths all lyes Secondly in respect of their affection toward sinne namely a pretence of hatred of sinne when it is but a rash anger For example Of all sinnes which the ministerie is taxed for of the common people there is none so noted and exclamed against as their hardnesse worldlinesse gathering of goods together and the sinne is so seuerely obserued aboue all other as that an honest contented man can scarce be free from this imputation But now though the fault bee hainous and too common what is the reason the multitude so exclames vpon it is it because they hate the sinne surely no for their owne feete are as deepely sunke in the same mire and they care not for plucking them out Angry they are that another out-gathers them but if they hated the sinne themselues would not gather so fast Further many seeme to hate some of their sinnes and sometimes trouble their sinnes and grosse corruptions and wish it otherwise and accuse themselues Many are offended at some errors of Popery some vaine inuentions idle and hurtfull traditions but others are iustified Here is a shew of hatred of sinne of error but it is onely a rash anger for First he that hates one sinne or error because it is so will hate all which he knowes so to be hatred is against kinds we hate all serpents all poysons all enemies so said Dauid I hate all vaine inuentions Secondly one or two euils may be disliked of him that hates no sinne and the sinne hated but not as sinne as Absolom hated Amnon for his incest but himselfe more incestuous Thirdly if thou diddest hate these sinnes and errors as enemies why doest thou not raise thy power against them crie for Christs crucifying power against them a perfit hatred will neuer be satisfied without death or diuorcement If thou hatest her in thine heart why doest not thou put her away If thou hatedst thy sinnes thou wouldest forsake them Thirdly note in respect of the word when men taste the good word and the powers of the life to come they take this to be the Spirit of adoption and a sound affection But obserue the difference and falsehood whereas in Gods children all their affections be affected with it and they feede on it vnto eternall life in these it affecteth their ioy onely and that for a time Gods children loue it beleeue it reioyce to meditate of it rest on it by the confidence of their hearts long for the accomplishment of the promise grieue when they doe any thing to hinder that accomplishment and hate all doctrine against it whereas the bad ground onely is said to ioy in it as in a nouelty Fourthly note in respect of Gods children namely when men loue them onely so farre as may serue their owne turne for some by-respect or other Rules to know our loue to be restraining grace not renewing First euery reuerence of a good man or child of God is not loue Herod neuer loued Iohn but reuerenced him for he saw that in him which strucke him that to haue spoken against him had been to barke against the Sunne God will haue the innocency and grace of his children to be iustified by his enemies and theirs Secondly one or more good men may be fauoured of those that loue no good man Why did Nebuzaradan fauour Ieremie because he loued good men No but because he had foretold the victorie Thirdly euery good speech in defence of good men is not a fruit of loue in the speaker Pilat loued not Christ but yet seeing his innocency asked what euill hee had done washed his hands and was willing to deliuer him Some good words are drawne out of the desert of good men not out of the speakers affection Some out of policie not out of loue when men force a friendship and will speake well when inwardly they enuie the meate they eate and the clothes they weare Fourthly that is no loue of good men which is not a loue of their goodnesse Oh such a man were a good man but he is too strict I could loue him if he were not so plaine with me if hee would let mine eyes alone and not meddle with my lusts he were a sufficient man if he were a little wiser what need he lose his friends thus subtle are men to disclaime goodnesse vnder pretence of louing good men Fifthly thou canst not loue goodnesse in one vnlesse thou doest loue it in euery one hee that scorneth and disgraceth by wicked termes the persons of most Professors loues not indeed the goodnesse of any one let his pretence bee what it will The loue of the Spirit is from Christ in God and for God First to let many poore ignorant soules see their estate they say they are not book-learned and know not so much nor can speak much as other men can but they meane well and haue good hearts to God but is not this to iustifie a heart full of deceite Oh but I see no such thing in my selfe No matter that is thy deceit who art so bewitched with an enemy who while hee laughes in thy face priuily stabs thee and wounds thee to death No no thou art neuer right till thou beest at warre with thy owne heart and till thou canst say and see that thou carriest the greatest enemy thou hast in thy bosome a deceitfull heart is at bed and boord with thee lyeth downe and riseth vp walkes
foorth sound worshipping of God Fourthly sound consideration preuents much sinne and much punishment and drawes a man out of sinne and iudgement First it preuents sinne for if a man did seriously consider of sinne what paine and losse and shame and sorrow comes by it he would not meddle with it being so heauie so dangerous There is a Historie of a vertuous woman that being sollicited to folly by a younker called for a pan of hot coales and desired him to put his hand vpon them but one houre he refusing that she replied How much lesse will you bee able to indure hell-fire for euermore and so he desisted Secondly it preuents punishment or the iudgements of God the Niniuites considered of the threatning of Ionah and so preuented the threatned destruction Thirdly it drawes out of sinne as Hos. 2 6 7. the Church of the Iewes seeing her selfe so crossed and hedged in with afflictions that shee could not follow her idols then shee considers her present miserie and the small hope and helpe from them then she saith that is resolueth to goe and returne to her first husband for it was then better with her then now Fourthly it drawes out of iudgement Ier. 12. 11. They haue laid it waste and being waste it mourneth vnto me the whole land lieth waste because no man setteth his minde on it that is considereth deeply of the cause of its desolation in his heart Fifthly we haue so much the more neede to be stirred vp to consider of our waies because there is no vice that doth appeare or dares to appeare in his proper colour but apparelled and masked in the likenesse of some vertue as no counterfeit coine is offered to a man in the copper-colour of it but washed ouer with siluer or gold Now if we consider not of things offered vs we shal easily be deceiued yea surprized of enemies vnder the colour of friendship Thus seeing the necessitie of sound consideration to set vs yet more forward in so needefull and so neglected a dutie obserue these directions First let vs labour to see the dulnesse of our nature to crosse it and stirre it vp and thinke the dutie so much the more necessarie and excellent as our natures oppose or are heauie vnto it What shall a man consider of his houses rents fields or garments and take no time to repaire himselfe and hurts sustained by inconsideratenesse Secondly set some time apart to consider of thy estate more seriously Ioshua and Dauid had as many distractions and more weightie affaires to intend then we haue and yet they meditated in the Law of the Lord night and day a shame for many Christians that take care how to passe their time neuer passing any in consideration of their estate this were a good pastime indeede Thirdly make choise of good matter for sound consideration as first consider of God first of his presence this kept Ioseph from sinne Secondly of his mercy to feare him Thirdly of his loue to loue him againe Fourthly of his workes first of Creation delight more in a spirituall then in a naturall vse of them Secondly of gouernment for there is no day or time that passeth but we may make speciall vse of Gods works either on our selues or others Secondly consider of thy estate with God whether a change be wrought in thee being the child of wrath by nature what markes thou hast vpon thee to distinguish thee from them who are not the Lords whether thou beest in the state of grace how thou growest in it or whether and how farre thou art gone backward what assurance of remission of sinne and what strength against sinne thou hast whether thou liest foiled of any corruption whether thou resoluest of amendment of life how thou hast kept or broken thy vowes with God what vse of Gods mercies or corrections thou hast made whether it haue not been better with thee then now and whether thou mayest not be in farre better estate were it not for thy owne default Thirdly consider of thine actions for the matter whether allowed by the Word for the manner whether done in faith and obedience for the end whether thou aimest at wealth pleasure or preferment in the world rather then at Gods glory and to be rich in God for God aimes at his glorie in all things and so must wee Fourthly consider of thy calling first generall as thou art a Christian whether before thy profession thou cast the costs as a wise builder and captaine Luk. 14. whether thou hast the power of godlinesse and art not content with the meere forme of it whether thou adornest thy profession or disgracest it by inconsideratenes Secondly speciall in which thou spendest most of thy time whether thou seruest God in seruing man whether thou art faith and iust or vniust and vnfaithfull in these lesse things whether thou sanctifiest it by prayer whether thou dependest vpon God for daily successe and blessing or leanest to thine owne labour whether thy ende be to enrich thy selfe or to make it as a meanes to please God and passe thee through the world Fifthly consider thy latter end and therein First the recompense of reward so did the Patriarkes Heb. 11. 16 26 and so moderated their hearts in doing their duties and in suffering afflictions Secondly consider of the account that is to be made of euery idle word and thought much more of euerie wicked swearing reuenging word and thought Thirdly consider of the day of death the vncertainty of life the leauing of that wealth for which thou strainest thy conscience and the neede of much comfort in such an vncomfortable houre how that peace of conscience at that time will prooue the best wealth Fourthly consider of the day of Iudgement when all things shall bee naked and euery man shall receiue according to that which he hath done in the flesh bee it good or euill These and the like considerations will bring foorth sound resolutions of bettering a mans estate if any thing in the world will A second point of doctrine arising out of Dauids resolution is this Where Gods Spirit hath taken place it preuailes at length against all the corruptions of the flesh Dauid was a long time hindred from going to God first by the greatnesse of his sinne Secondly by the strength of corruption against which hee was not fully resolued Thirdly by the vnworthinesse of his person Fourthly by the greatnesse of Gods anger and reuenging hand And fifthly by the sentence and curse of the Law Yet on the other side by the secret worke of the Spirit in his heart vnto all these was opposed first the greatnesse of Gods mercy Secondly the merit of Christs sacrifice Thirdly the promise of the Gospell Fourthly the nature of faith which beleeueth aboue and against sense These being committed together after a doubtfull combat faith foiles infidelitie hope despaire the Gospell the Law the promise
of God and this is the assurance that if we aske any thing according to his will he heareth vs. Faith is an hand or arme by which wee lay hold vpon blessings if once wee bee perswaded that God hath giuen vs Christ wee will easily beleeue that hee will giue vs all things with him for he that giues the greater will not denie the lesse Our Sauiour when diseased persons came for bodily health or ease was wont to say According to thy faith be it vnto thee so in all our requests the presence or absence of faith giues our prayer returne according to the weakenesse or strength of the arme of faith so is the coldnesse or abundance of comfort to our heart so that faith onely giues taste and rellish to the prayer which a beleeuer makes Fifthly Christ in his prayer teacheth vs to begin with Our Father teaching thereby that he must call God Father who must pray acceptably and that includeth sundry child-like affections all concurring in a rightly disposed person to pray as first Reuerence and feare when hee comes before his heauenly Father A Sonne honoreth his Father If then I bee a Father where is mine honor and feare Malach. 1. 6. Secondly a child-like boldnesse comming through Christ to a Father full of mercy and compassion pittying his children more then earthly parents can Isa. 49. 15. By Christ we haue boldnesse Heb. 4. 16. Thirdly loue to God as to a Father for a godly man seekes not himselfe in prayer but Gods glory with his owne shame Fourthly charity and loue to our brethren for when wee come into the sight of our Father wee dare not bring prayers in one hand and malice in another but pray Forgiue vs as we forgiue Sixtly onely the godly man can pray acceptably because hee alone hath remoued the barre and partition-wall that stood betweene God and him bringing repentance and godly sorrow for sin with him The blinde man could say God heareth not sinners that is impenitent ones but hee heareth those that are repentant Psal. 66. 18. If I regard wickednesse in my heart the Lord will not heare me Incense in the Law was a type of prayer yet in Isa. 1. 13. the Lord tells the Iewes who came in their sinnes that incense was an abomination vnto him God hates our incense our prayer if we come with prophane hearts as they did he neither receiues it from vs nor we any good thing from him but a godly man hath remoued this rub First Note hence the miserable condition of an impenitent sinner and of an vngodly man that is without remorse and wallowes in vnconscionable sinnes hee cannot pray he neuer prayed in all his life he was neuer in mercy heard in his prayer but loseth all his labour and well if it were no worse for all his prayer is turned into sinne his prayer is abominable Prom. 28. 9. as often as he went about to pray he did nothing but multiply sinne against God he mumbled vp a few prayers and fared accordingly If this be so then it seemes vnlawfull for the wicked to pray if he pray not it is condemnation if he pray it is no lesse He is bound to pray but not to sinne in prayer in the second Commandement hee is inioyned to bow downe and worship God in prayer and the third bindes him euer to doe it well lest he pray in sinne and so take Gods name in vaine Alas then what must he doe only the grace of repentance can reconcile these two and draw the sinner out of this maze and make him pray aright Yea but God heareth the wicked often-times and granteth what they aske as peace vnto Ahab vpon his humiliation God heareth what a wicked man saith in prayer and yet heares not his prayer no not when he giues the same thing that he asketh for first all that the wicked get from him is externall and common to good and bad but no one fauour of speciall grace Secondly he giues them euen that in wrath and vengeance not for their prayers sake Thirdly when they aske things good in themselues and euill for them not knowing to vse them aright hee granteth in iustice what it had beene mercy to haue denyed as contrariwise hee heareth his children in mercy denying them that which they haue sinfully asked Fourthly that which he giues shall turne to their woe and miserie and shall but heape coles vpon their heads euen wealth prosperitie and dignitie all shall but make their sinne out of measure sinfull whereas all things shall worke together for the best to the godly euen crosses and afflictions Fifthly God giues nothing but by vertue of the promise no promise but is by Christ a wicked man hath no part in Christ and therefore neither in the promise a plaine case Sixtly neither is the wicked mans prayer a meanes of granting the request or obtayning his desire so as God stil heares not his prayer for how can that prayer finde accesse or acceptance which is not preferred in Christ but they are fed onely by a generall prouidence as the beasts are Psal. 14. 4. The wicked man calls not on the Lord that is either prayes not at all or as good he did not Let this be a motiue to further our repentance for else if a man vtter neuer so many words of prayer God will not heare him how iust is it that he that will not heare God when he calleth should not be heard of God when hee calleth that he that is a prophane mocker of God God should mocke him in his destruction that he that turnes his eare from the Law should haue Gods eare turned from him that he should aske and not receiue that asketh amisse How iust was it vpon the Iewes who were cruell and of bloudy hands that God should hate their persons and prayers and is it not as iust that vnmercifull men Oppressors Vsurers Ismaels Quarrellers whose hand is against euery man and euery mans against them hard-hearted persons that stop their eares against the cry of the poore that they should cry and not be heard Surely the sentence is passed already that iudgement mercilesse belongs to him that shewes no mercy Secondly this doctrine ouerthrowes the idle conceit wherewith numbers of men delude themselues O if they haue but time at their death to say Lord haue mercy then they shall doe well enough though all their life they cast off all care and counsell But what Is the godly man he that shall pray and find mercy and shall prophane wretches that haue set their faces all their dayes against heauen thinke to bee heard in the day of their distresse and death How canst thou then claime any one promise and much lesse all when thou neuer keptest the least condition of faith and repentance How then shall God be iust who hath said that he will laugh at such when their sorrow commeth Besides we must obserue a
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
according to the slaughter of them that were slaine by him c Here the Prophet shewes great differences betweene Gods afflicting hand vpon his people and vpon his enemies and theirs and the difference is First in the measure on the one but drops on the other a sea of wrath One drinke a cup the other draw a viall of his displeasure hath hee smitten him as hee smote those that smote him Secondly in Gods intention his intendement in afflicting the godly is to lop off their superfluous boughs In the branches thereof wilt thou contend with it He saith not with the root of it But hee quite stockes vp the roote of the vngodly In the one he intends purgation by taking off fruitlesse boughes and branches Ioh. 15. 2. in the other he intends punishment to ouerthrow them with his rough winde in the day of his East winde Thirdly in the issue and fruit of them By this shall all the iniquitie of IAACOB be purged and this is all the fruit the taking away of his sinne In the one the sinne onely in the other the person is destroyed The Lord therefore doth not so punish the members of his Church either as the enemies of the Church would punish it or as himself punisheth them As for example The Deuils the greatest enemies of the Church are punished without hope of all mercie no time of deliuerance is set for them but the Church is assured of a good and ioyfull end The Egyptians were terrible enemies to the Church did God euer smite his Church as he smote them though it was long vnder their oppression yet it had a promise of deliuerance a time set for it and a ioyfull departure when all Egypt was lasht with that terrible whip of ten cords and drowned and destroyed in the Sea by Gods immediate hand Here is then first of all a notable ground of patience in sorrowes God hath set the time how long they shall last and shall not exceede the appointed time yea hee hath not onely set a time of duration but also of exchanging thy sorrowes into ioy Art thou in any trouble or vnder any molestation of Satan or wicked men vnder reproch scandall hatred persecution c nubecula est transibit it is a storme too violent to last long nay it shall bee changed into a calme into a faire and comfortable season Suppose thou be in the night of disgrace blacked and darkned by wicked ones as Dauid was suppose thou haue things laid to thy charge that thou neuer knewest and art forced to repay that which thou neuer tookest yet waite still the good time after thou hast endured a little scouring all the soile will tend to thy brightnesse and the time comes that God will make thy innocencie to breake out as the light Art thou sicke in thy soule or pained in thy body and seest no way but present death waite the time and thou shalt meete not onely with perfect cure but perfect health also onely see thou makest Christ thy Physician God had appointed a time of Abrahams tryall for three daies but the third day turned his sorrow into ioy in which he had the comfort both of his sonne and his owne obedience Ionas had his appointed time of sorrow in the belly of hell in the bottom of the Sea when he was cast out of sight but at the ende of three dayes he was cast on the drie ground and his sorrowes and feares were turned into ioy and praises The thiefe on the Crosse was euen in the hands of death his paines and sorrowes increasing as hee felt his life decreasing how did our blessed Sauiour comfort him and support him with patience but with this assurance that the ende was comming and a time appointed which should instantly turne that shame and sorrow into glory and ioy This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise Lazarus was not onely in the hands but in the house of death foure daies yet a time was appointed euen the fourth day wherein the bands of death were to be loosed and he restored to his former life And thus shall it be with all the Disciples of Christ whose troubles shall not last alwaies the longest they can last is but for this life and while they doe last they haue the comfort of both those petitions of Christ first that the Father would keepe them in the world and secondly that after they bee safely passed through the world and the troubles and disgrace of it they may bee where himselfe is to behold his glory Iohn 17. 15 24. Secondly in all troubles learne to iudge and measure thy selfe by this doctrine not according to thy present feeling and comfort which faith doth not alway minister for that may be where there is no feeling Looke out at the ende and at that time which shall change thy state and giue thee the fruite of this sorrowfull seede-time Should an Husbandman measure himselfe by his seede-time what is there but labour and losse but when he considereth that without a seede-time he shall neuer see haruest and the more liberally he sowes the more abundantly he shall reapc he is well contented to so we in all weathers So if the godly could consider that their sorrow shall not onely end in ioy but that their ioy must rise out of sorrow they would cheerefully sowe euen in teares for the hope of a ioyfull haruest How do men out of their sorrowes disquiet and vexe themselues and thinke themselues cast off whereas out of the quantitie and qualitie the measure and manner of their sorrow springeth their truest ioy Againe in the maner of Dauids speech saying that the Lord would compasse him not with mercies but songs Note what the godly man must doe in the times and occasions of ioy and in receiuing deliuerances and comforts from God namely breake out into songs or speeches of thankefull praises Thus Dauid professeth elsewhere being deliuered from danger Psal. 40. 3. He hath put into my mouth a new song of praise he neuer receiued a new mercie into his hand but withall a new Song into his mouth Psal. 66. 20. Praised be the Lord which hath not put backe my prayer nor hid his mercy from me I called vpon him with my mouth and he was exalted with my tongue It was the practice of the Church after her deliuerance from Pharaoh to compile a Song of praise Exod. 15. and of Deborah Iudg. 5. 1 2. and of Ionah chap. 2. 9. I will sacrifice vnto thee with the voice of thankes-giuing First this is the returne that God lookes for of all his benefits and is all that we can giue him for all and as it is as much as we can do so it is as little as we can do yea it is the condition vpon which he promiseth mercies Ps. 50. 15. Call vpon mee in the day of trouble and I will heare thee and thou shalt praise me Which the godly know so
sorrowes in number many in kinde many in this life many moe in the life to come many within him many without him and many on euery side as the next branch in the opposition shewes that God on euery side compasseth his children with goodnesse and mercy Whence Note the vnhappy and cursed estate of euery wicked and obstinate sinner in the world his sorrowes shall bee many and great Isa. 65. 13 14. Behold my seruants shall eat and yee shall bee hungry my seruants shall sing for ioy of heart and and yee shall cry for sorrow of heart and shall howle for vexation of minde and yee shall leaue your names for a curse vnto my chosen Reu. 9. 12. One woe is past and two are to come and Chap. 8. 13. The Angel flying thorow the midst of heauen cryed Wo wo wo to the inhabitants of the earth All these many woes are proclaimed against the wicked of the world cleauing either to the Kingdome of Antichrist in the West or of Mahomet in the East Turkes Saracens Arabians Tartarians and after them to all the wicked that cleaue not to God in the purity of his worship and in obedience of his word And that they are onely denounced against them appeares Chap. 9. vers 4. because the children of God are sealed and exempted from them Deutron 28. 58. 59. If thou wilt not obserue to doe all the wordes of this Law then the Lord will make thy plagues wonderfull and the plagues of thy seed euen great plagues and of long continuance and sore sicknesses and of long continuance But many are the woes and miseries of the godly and therefore what is it better to bee a godly man then a wicked There is great difference betweene them for first these are all mingled with mercy Indeed a child that is deare to his father if he runne another way with Ionah must bee whipt and fetcht backe againe yet the Lord puts not off fatherly affection but remembreth mercy in iudgement and smiteth with the rods of men but his mercy he taketh not away Whereas the sorrowes of the wicked are destitute of all mercy and no maruell seeing all their blessings are leuened and sowred and tend to their bane through a secret curse of God blowing on them and blasting them Secondly the godly call not their miseries on them by a trade and course in sin as the wicked do but when for tryall or correction of some slip God leads them where they would not they follow him taking vp the crosse thereby learning the will of God prouing what is in themselues amending that which is amisse confirming themselues to euery good work this cannot the wicked do who whatsoeuer they suffer fall from euill to worse Thirdly the Lord deliuers the godly out of all putteth vnder his hand and reares them vp and leaueth them not in the sorrow till hee haue enlarged their feete and brought them where all teares shall bee wiped away Whereas he leaues the wicked in sorrow laughes at it and suffereth the fire of his iealousie to seaze on them to the bottome of hell Fourthly the Lord recompenseth the light afflictions of his seruants with an exceeding weight of mercy first in this life iustifying sanctifying beautifying teaching feeding protecting them and theirs Secondly in death bringing their soules to heauen and laying vp their bodies safe till the resurrection Thirdly at the day of iudgment bringing both body and soule into the glory of the iust But these sorrowes of wicked men are farre other both for number and measure in this life and afterward much more all of them void of all mercy And to conceiue aright of them consider first the kindes of them Secondly the causes or reasons of them Thirdly the vse For the first these sorrowes are partly in this life and partly after it First In this life these sorrowes are partly in the present practice of sinne and partly in the consequent fruits of it Secondly the very course of a sinner although Satan present it to him through a false glasse and it seeme pleasant and care to be quite away yet indeed it is a sorrowfull and heauie course for the laughter of a wicked man is but in the face not in the heart and euen in laughter the heart is heauie or hath cause so to bee That which Salomon speakes of a voluptuous course which most agreeth with the flesh is true euen in the passing of it It striketh as a Dart through the liuer Prou. 7. 23. The same is true in the purchase of other sinnes as 1. Tim. 6. 10. the Apostle noteth of the course taken vp in earthlinesse and carking care after the things of this life that this man though hee seeme to liue merrily yet he pierceth himselfe through with many sorroweâ— The intemperate person meetes with many diseased dayes and houres of paine and sorrowes as the Gowt Dropsie Palsies Surfets which make his life a burden vnto him so as though the sinner see it not yet in the practice of sinne there is more gall then honie and at the best it is but a bitter-sweete But Secondly after the sinne is committed comes a fearefull and more sorrowful sence of it for if the best fruits of sin euen in the godly that are renued by repentance be shame and sorrow no maruell if the wicked be hanted and hunted with horrors of conscience desperate feares restlesse torments and be as the raging Sea which cannot rest for there can bee no peace to the wicked man so long as his conscience hath any sense but let him goe and ride where he wil he pursues himselfe with hue and crie and so long as he cannot runne from himselfe hee carries his accuser and tormenter with him as Cain did and Baltasar euen at his Feast was pierced with feares and sorrowes that made his ioynts loose and his knes knocke together so shal Gods hand-writing be on the walles of profane consciences How many sorrowes after his sinne ouertooke Iudas and so oppressed him that his heart being not able longer to susteine him his best ease was to hang himselfe a wofull remedy not much better then his disease but such shifts are the wicked sometimes put to when their sweete meates are recompensed with sowre sawce Secondly after this life is the consummation of his sorrowes euen in Christs appearance for all that this life can load him with is but the beginning of sorrow The parcels of this sorrow shall especially bee in these particulars First they shall waile and sorrow to see him come in the clouds whom they haue pierced he shall bee their Iudge whose lawes and person all their villanies haue been committed against Secondly in that wofull separation first from God in the losse of glory and happinesse and then from Gods people when they shall see Abraham Isaac and Iaakob and all the Saints in the kingdome of heauen and themselues shut out
feele them and set himselfe on some merrie pinne to face out the matter as if hee were at good ease when all this is eyther a senselesse estate more void of comfort then of feeling or a laughter in the face when the heart is heauie or the laughter of fooles as Salomon sayth whose propertie is to laugh most when they haue least cause Thirdly what true ioy or cause of ioy can he haue on whom the sentence of condemnation is passed the execution of which sentence hee may daily expect Surely the greatest Monarch aliue if hee were in chaines vnder his greatest Enemie and condemned to dye could take no ioy of his wealth greatnesse or of any earthly delight but wicked men are in the chaines of the Deuill and abide vnder the sentence of death euer readie to feed vpon them Baltazer indeede was merrie and in his Reuels with his Princes but what cause had hee when the Hand-writing appeared on the wall So Amnon was merry in his brother Absoloms House but what cause had hee seeing men were appointed presently to kill him Let a wicked man be as merry as hee will sure it is his estate giues him no leaue Fourthly what can minister true ioy to him that hath no part in any of Gods Ordinances which begin and perfect the ioy of Gods people First for the Word of God hee refuseth the ioyfull tydings of his saluation the doctrine of free Remission of sinnes which onely bringeth lasting ioy he hath no part in nor in that Redemption purchased by Christ and published in the Gospell thus the word is a bill of Inditement to him Secondly the Sacraments seale nothing to him but are as seales set to blankes for hauing no part in the Couenant hee hath nothing by the seales onely hee makes himselfe guilty of the bodie and bloud of Christ as Iudas did and for want of faith eates and drinkes his owne damnation Thirdly Prayer from him is not onely not heard but euen abominable besides hee hath no helpe of Christs intercession for he prayes not for the World nor of the Prayers of Gods people because he is not of that communion Fourthly the duties of his calling are sinne to him To the impure all things are impure euen his best actions exclude him out of heauen neyther can a man haue any ioy of his actions till he can reioyce that his person is a member of Christ. Fiftly the creatures of God hee can no more truely reioyce in then a Thiefe can of a true mans purse neyther can that be true ioy in the creature that riseth from the creature resteth in the creature and goeth no higher then the creature but such is the wicked mans ioy Sixtly lesse ioy can hee haue in his sufferings or sorrowes because their nature being not altered they are no tokens of loue nor tend to their good as in the godly but are punishments in part and in hand and flashes of Gods euerlasting wrath and beginnings of Hell In the Lord. from this limitation which is the third part of the verse we may learne this instruction namely that All the reioycing of godly men ought to bee in the Lord that is spirituall and Christian a ioy worthy the Lord. And then it is spirituall and Christian when it hath two conditions First when it is in the Lord as the authour and fountaine of all the good wee can enioy or ioy in yea the matter of our ioy Secondly when it is in the Lord that is according to the will of the Lord and not against it so the phrase is vsed 1. Cor. 7. 39. Let her marry onely in the Lord that is according to Gods Word and direction and not against it First God must be the authour and matter of our ioy as Dauid made the Lord his Song all the day long for First how great reason haue wee to make him the matter of our ioy of whom wee are all that wee are both in our first and second Creation He is the Potter and we are the Clay nay we are his new Creation and workemanship regenerated iustified sanctified and saued are become his by a new couenant in which hee accepts vs as children reconciled by the death of his Sonne in whom wee may reioyce as in a mercifull Father yea as a wife married to a most louing husband by vertue whereof she hath interest into his person and whole estate Of this the Apostle speaketh Rom. 5. 11. Wee reioyce in God through our Lord Iesus Christ by whom we haue receiued the atonement Secondly this ioy is most perfect which riseth of the presence of that which is most perfect and the greater the good enioyed is the greater is the ioy and therefore in Heauen it shall be most perfect and glorious because wee shall perfectly enioy God and see him as hee is in whose face is fulnesse of ioy Thirdly to make God the matter of our ioy is to perpetuate our ioy and make choise of that which shall neuer faile vs for as GOD himselfe is euerlasting so shall the ioy of his people bee like a streame which continually runs knoweth not the yeere of drought yea it shall hold out in dangers troubles and persecution Romans 5. 3. as the Martyrs reioyced in the verie flames What may wee not ioy in outward things as meat drinke wife children wealth honour c. Yes but neuer out of God or without reference vnto him neyther in outward nor inward things we hold all in capite and must bee Homagers of all vnto him hee must haue the glorie of all as Ier. 9. 23. 24. Let not the rich man reioyce in his riches nor the wise man in his wisedome c. but herein let him glorie that he knoweth mee to be mercifull and righteous this must be the chiefe pleasure honour riches and wisedome of a Christian to know God reconciled and to hold all in this tenure We may also reioyce in the meanes of saluation but if wee reioyce not onely in Gods fauour but desire to bring something of our owne towards it as the ignorant or wilfull Papists doe This is not to reioyce in the Lord but in our selues We must reioyce in our Prayers but onely because God is a God hearing Prayer in our hearing reading and receiuing of the Word with ioy but in this respect to God that hee teacheth and speaketh to the soule in the duties of our callings but because we are in Gods Worke in the duties of loue but because we lend to the Lord and feed and cloath Christ in all the comforts of life in the wife of our youth in gracious children in prosperitie c. but because and so farre as these are pledges and fruits of Gods fauour in Christ. Yea more we must reioyce in aduersitie and tribulation because it is that estate which God sees best for vs yea in death it selfe but as it is a going to GOD to enioy him more immediately
coldly Secondly this man shall deliuer the Word with much certainety and assurance because hee speaketh with feeling A man may out of reading and light of vnderstanding be powerfull in speech and yet want the seasoning of grace and speake of many delicates which are vpon the Kings table whereof himselfe neuer tasted but hee that hath tasted and fed on them shall both speak more and more certainely and be better beleeued Thirdly hee that hath experience of the Word hee teacheth will build euery way not onely by doctrine exhortation and reproofe but also first by example which greatly preuailes and vrgeth men to glorifie God in the day of visitation Secondly by Prayer in secret with God for his people his experience of the sweetnesse of godlinesse inflames his affection as Pauls whose loue to his countrey was such as hee could haue beene contented to be accursed for their saluation he wisheth all like him and that euery man had part in Christ as he hath and as earnest is his endeuour And this prayer of faith hath great power with God and a promise of blessing vpon a mans selfe and his labours which another wants Fourthly God giueth more speciall gifts and experience to speciall men to this purpose to inable men to his worke as 2. Cor. 1. 14. We were comforted in our tribulation that we might be able to comfort them that are afflicted with the same comforts wherewith God hath comforted vs plainely noting that hee is not so fit to comfort others who hath not experience of the comforts of God himselfe The same Dauid professeth of the matter of knowledge Psal. 40. 10. I haue not hid thy righteousnesse within my heart but haue declared thy trueth and saluation and haue not concealed thy mercy and trueth from the great congregation where hee shewes that his first care was to confirme and strengthen himselfe by Gods promises and when God had taught his heart he would and did publish not onely Gods trueth but also his mercy and saluation vnto others namely that which his own soule had experience of Fiftly a good teacher is the Phisician of mens soules now a good Phisician is the experienced Physician that can finde out the disease and maladie of sinne and hath approoued medicines to cure a sinfull heart not so much out of books and reading as out of practice that knows the danger of sinne in himselfe and thereby hath pittie and loue to remoue it in another And hence in the Law no man might be entred into the ministerie before hee were thirtie yeeres old that the Priests might first learne to teach and be of some ripenesse and experience before they taught others Whence Nazianzen saith Our Lord was thirty yeeres old before he began to be a Preacher tu magister vis fieri antequam discipulus yet is it he that teacheth all had need learne of none and therefore wee should learne before we teach But whether may an vnregenerate Minister saue and conuert a man I mooue this question the rather because many can scarce be perswaded to heare such whose liues are scandalous as being vnworthy to take the Word into their mouthes and vnable to conuert or amend others In satisfying of whom I would not any way confirme or harten Ministers who being Phisicians cure not themselues or who like the images in high-wayes point others the way but themselues stirre neuer a foote in it or like the file which smootheth other things but it selfe remaines rough Howbeit euen of these I know no restraint in the Scripture or let why they may not bee meanes of conuersion to others The Reasons that mooue mee to thinke so are these First the ministerie is Gods owne ordinance and the power of it stands not in the person of the messenger but in the worke of his owne spirit 1. Cor. 3. 5. Paul may plant and Apollos may water but God must giue the increase The fruit of preaching is not left to the highest Ministers in the New Testament not to Euangelists no nor Apostles A gracious Prince giues a Pardon to a condemned person Now suppose he should send it by the very est miscreant in his Kingdome doth the Pardon lose his vertue therefore or were hee not mad who should therefore refuse it So a Physician sends a soueraigne potion or cordiall by some rakehell boy in the shoppe doth this hinder the worke and vertue of the Physicke to him that takes it according to the direction The case is the same and sheweth that the Word is not made worse by his vnworthinesse who bringeth it And neither doth the worthinesse of the Preacher make the Word effectuall the best being but earthen vessels in whom God puts this heauenly treasure that the power might be knowne to bee of God and not of men 2. Cor. 4. 7. and Rom. 1. 16. it is the power of God to saluation to euery one that beleeueth and not of man Secondly the praise and glory of our conuersion must wholly bee ascribed vnto GOD whereas this conceit would much turne it off vpon man And if a man shall say that an vnregenerate Minister can goe as far in conuerting a man as a regenerate it wil not seeme vnreasonable to him that considers first that God often doth excellent good and great workes by bad agents wherein hee gets himselfe the more glory of his wisedome power and goodnesse Secondly where God giues a man a calling he may and doth often blesse the worke which is his though not the person working Thirdly that the whole worke of a man in conuerting others is externall which this man can performe as well as hee that is conuerted for the true preaching of the Word is the parent of faith and wholesome doctrine is the immortall seede of our new birth which none denies but many vnregenerate men do and can deliuer Fourthly that vnlesse God giue more then the most gracious Preacher can giue nothing can be done nay that God giues more by a Minister then himselfe hath be he good or bad Augustine was first conuerted by Ambrose and afterward went farre beyond him in light and in grace so Dauid out-stripped his teachers Psal. 119. 98 99. And doth not God herein make his glory shine and manifest himselfe to be the giuer of all that grace when the instrument conuayes more then it selfe hath Thirdly why hath the Lord thought good to send both sanctified men and vnsanctified Balaam speaketh Scripture Saul is among the Prophets Iudas teacheth and worketh miracles among other Apostles and in the day of iudgement many shall say Lord wee haue preached and wrought miracles in thy name whom Christ neuer knew but will say to them Depart from me yee workers of iniquitie Why doth he make the Word in a sanctified mans mouth oftentimes the sauour of death Why are wee straitly commanded to heare wicked men that sit in Moses his chaire and to doe what
they say if there were no sauour of life in their worke and if that of the Prophet were not true Isai. 55. 10 11. The Word of God who euer brings it returnes not in vaine but accomplisheth the worke whereunto hee sent it and if the ministerie of vnregenerate men were alwaies without efficacie We deny not but hee may prepare to conuersion and build the conuerted and condemne the wicked but to winne men to saluation wee are not perswaded of his abilitie What is the Word in his mouth strong meate and cannot it be milke too and why should God vse him in the one chiefe ende of his calling and not in the other no reason can be giuen Fourthly the Apostle Paul seeing many false Apostles preach 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not purely but of enuy and pride Phil. 1. 15 18. disdained not but said I reioyce that Christ is preached any manner of way Gaudet in re non in modo saith one He knew that if Christ were preached some would lay hold on him and be called out of their estate of Heathenisme and Gentilisme and that though the preaching of these euill men did not themselues good yet it was good for the Church They were like the builders of Noahs Arke who built an Arke for others and perished themselues And why was Paul so carefull lest while he preached saluation to others himselfe should be reprobate 1. Cor. 9. 27. if a man might not himselfe miscarrie preaching saluation to others Oh but God hath promised no blessing to his labor but a curse Psal. 1. 3 4. the vngodly shall not prosper as the godly doe First the worke of an vnregenerate Minister that is called by GOD is Gods worke and not onely his Secondly his worke shall not prosper to himselfe nor he in it but I know nothing that can stop Gods mercy why it may not be prospered to another Thirdly those promises and threats in the first Psalme concerning the prosperitie of the godly and vnhappinesse of the wicked are not directly meant of outward things or earthly but of inward and spiritual thus the wicked neuer prospers in any thing he takes in hand and thus the godly neuer miscarry but all things are turned to their best Luke 22. 32. Christ said to PETER Thou being conuerted strengthen thy brethren therefore a Minister had neede be conuerted to doe good Not so but Christ onely promiseth Peter that when Satan hath sifted him he shal be raised againe and being restored out of his fearefull sinne he must by his example and experience confirme sinners against distrust and despaire as hauing knowne Gods speciall goodnesse in drawing him out of so great a gulfe as his deniall was But the reward of sauing soules and conuerting men belongs not vnto an vnconuerted Minister namely to shine as the Starres for euer and euer Dan. 12. 3. therefore he conuerts none The place is meant of faithfull Ministers who with desire faithfullnesse and in Gods manner and meanes conuert men as the former words of the verse intimate They that are wise shall shine as the brightnesse of the firmament according to that of SALOMON Hee that winneth soules is wise Prou. 11. 30. that is he is wise first for himselfe and prouident for his owne good and the blessed reward and then for the Church discharging faithfull seruice vnto it Such a wise man the Apostle Paul would haue Timothie to be Take heede vnto thy selfe and vnto learning and continue therein for in so doing thou shalt saue both thy selfe and them that heare thee 1. Tim. 4. 16. But the vnregenerate man takes not heede to himselfe and therefore is not wise for himselfe neither shall shine as the starres besides hee that doth a good thing but not well doth vtterly lose his reward And thus I haue fully cleared this question Let none be so fond as to refuse the almes of the King because he giues it by an Amner or a pretious gift of his father for the lewdnesse of the carrier Elias refused not his meat because a Rauen brought it but looked vnto God who sent him with it so doe thou heare the Word as Gods word 1. Thes. 2. 13. not as mans that it may worke effectually in thee looke not so much to the messenger as the message To come now to the vses of the point First it shewes that it is great neede that a Minister be a good man both for himselfe and others and haue experience of God in his owne soule For if the Word be onely in his mouth it may doe others some good but himselfe none if in his booke alone then when his booke failes him the Word failes him but if with Marie he ponder things in his heart the word which hee keepes will keepe him For this purpose he must labour to finde the Word which he deliuers to be first effectuall to beget faith in himselfe and adde prayer for the Spirit who workes freely where he will else his Word which God makes powerfull in many of his hearers shall be a dead letter vnto himselfe And no maruell For many wicked men may and doe speake of great points of religion of the state of Gods children and of cases of conscience but without any taste or experience or comfort and certaintie in their owne hearts of the things they speake a forme of knowledge they haue attained which is meerely historicall and a booke-learning and speake as they that tell of strange Countries and wonders of which they haue read but neuer saw them Such men God often discouereth by letting them fal off euen from that they know their speech their practice bewraieth them to be Atheists as in heart they euer were as may be seene by experience of many great Lights that haue done much good Secondly let priuate Christians learne hence to obserue their owne hearts and Gods dealing with them that they may bee able to speake feelingly in teaching and comforting others Let them learne to obey from their heart the forme of doctrine deliuered let them bee transformed into the truth taught and professed he that doth this wil prooue an excellent Light and patterne of godlinesse in the Church bee his course of life neuer so priuate Thirdly we must all benefit the Church by our experience as Dauid did communicate this his experience of Gods goodnesse to all For first we receiue no gift but the whole Church hath a right in it Secondly by communication thereof we shew our loue which is liberall and communicatiue Loue edifieth saith the Apostle 1. Cor. 8. 1. Thirdly euery member being graced graceth the whole body as an ornament suppose a ring on the finger deckes not the finger onely but also the person Fourthly the ende of Gods giuing of his gifts is to traffique for him and his people did men thinke of this they durst not hide their talents and bee vnfruitfull as many are