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
is quite deiected Thirdly we haue the experience of many who haue sought the pangs of death to auoid these pangs of conscience Iudas could find no ease but in a desperate death in hanging himselfe Reuel 9. 6. Such as wish to die seeke death and cannot finde it they follow it but it flies from them and all this in the paine of a despairing conscience But here come three questions to be resolued First How can it bee that the wicked binde vpon themselues such heauy bundles of sinnes and carry all so easily whereas the godly finde such bitternesse in sinnes forgiuen how comes it to passe that the godly feele such sorrow in sinne pardoned and the wicked feele nothing in sinne vnpardoned For these reasons first because now is the time of Gods patience and forbearance of his bountifulnesse and long-suffering towards the vessels of wrath Secondly now is the time of their reioycing but when the daies of their banquetting are gone about then shall come many heauy messengers to tell them of fearefull newes there comes a day of wrath when they shall reape as they sowed and drinke the dreggs of Gods wrath to the bottome of the viall They treasure vp sorrow with their sinne and their griefe shall be full That sinne that now sets no sorrow to their heart shall hereafter be a worme euer gnawing a fire neuer going out a Riuer of brimstone kindled by the wrath of the Lord of hosts and a perpetuall weeping and gnashing of teeth Secondly how comes the body to be troubled by the minde First by the strait vnion and sympathie betweene the soule and the body vnited into one person for while the soule is possessed with feare sorrow languishing wearinesse and heauinesse it is impossible that the body can take any delight in the comforts of nature but that sleep shall depart from it or bee not so short as troublesome the meate and drinke shall be tastelesse or lothsome or mingled with teares I forgot to eate my bread saith Dauid Psalm 102. No comfort shall bee comfortable to him for when the spirit which should sustaine all a mans infirmities failes him what can sustaine him Secondly by the righteous iudgement of God who correcteth together those who haue sinned together and as they haue been vndiuided in sinne so are they not diuided in the smart of it The body hath been a seruant to the lusts of the soule and so receiueth the wages of sin with it Dauid abused the vigor strength and health of his body in the sinnes of adultery and murther and now the Lord chasteneth him in both Thirdly how comes it to passe that all the godly haue not this torment for sinne that they are not thus struck with terror nor so affected for sinne as to haue their strength impaired and their body dried First their persons are not alike and therefore Gods dealing with them is not alike some are more obscure in the world then other and haue onely more secret exercises some are more fitted by God to be speciall vessels for his glory in whom he will shine to his whole Church as Dauid Hezekiah c. and these he will specially worke vpon to make them patterns of his mercie both in leading them in and out of trouble for first hereby he lets the world see that great grace is ioyned with great corruption Secondly that the best haue matter of correction in them Thirdly that hee will not spare to rebuke sinne in those that are neerest and dearest vnto him Fourthly he will haue others to looke vpon them and Gods dealing with them in their casting downe and raising vp Secondly according to the difference of sinnes may be the difference of sorrow many men of greater grace then others haue fallen into greater sinnes then others and their knowledge being more then others is their apprehension of the sentence of the Law hath been deeper and so of wrath due to their sinne Besides in some others some speciall corruption which hath often preuailed or the constitution of body may adde a sting to the sorrow of mind some are naturally more fearefull as melancholy constitutions and so their impressions are deeper and of longer continuance Thirdly although in ordinarie Christians before sense of remission there is a sufficient measure of labour and wearinesse vnder the burthen of sinne yet some of all kindes God will exempt from such depth of griefe that he may shew himselfe free in all his working O that men would hence come to feare the paines prepared for sinners for if first a drop of Gods displeasure let fall secondly in loue thirdly on his owne children fourthly for a moment doe so amaze them and drinke vp their spirits their soules and bodies how much more shall the Ocean and deepe sea of Gods wrath against his enemies for all eternitie consume and torture them in hell Blind people of the world wil not know what hell meaneth till they be in it Secondly let vs learn to haue compassion on such as are troubled in spirit seeing such is their heauines as presseth downe both soule and body let vs apply our selues to comfort them as Dauid did here in his owne person and example Many thinke this sicknesse to be but passion conceit or melancholy and because it changeth the body often they thinke it to arise from the body but there is no disease like to this for symptomes and torment First they all are naturall this supernaturall SeSecondly they from the constitution of the body this from the constitution of the soule Thirdly in them the humours first or imagination as in Melancholy are distempered in this the conscience first and the humours after Fourthly they all may be cured by naturall remedies and bringing the body to a temperature all naturall medicines vnder heauen cannot cure this sicknesse Blessed is hee that iudgeth wisely of the poore to relieue the sicke conscience is mercy indeed Christ had the tongue of the learned giuen him to speake a word of comfort to such weary soules and was sent to bind vp the broken in heart and not onely ministers but euery Christian hath receiued of his anointing Thirdly in that Dauids sicknesse of body was from the sinne of his soule learne that health is a special blessing of God seeing wee euer carry that about with vs which might change it the first and most noysome humour which breeds bodily diseases is sinne the disease of the soule and therefore if God change his hand and bring weakenesse vpon our bodies we must not fixe our eyes vpon second causes not on abundance of peccant humours but looke backe to our sinnes and life past consider how silent and impenitent we haue been turne to God bewaile and forsake sinne resolue to vse our health better and our strength for God and not against him and thus the sicknesse of our body shall turne to the soundnesse and health of the soule
else wofull is the state of that man who being sicke both in soule and body is brought neere to the gates both of death and hell And in our recouerie let vs take vp that lesson of our Sauiour Goe and sinne no more Fourthly if this touch of conscience be so great then must that conclusion be true He must needs be a blessed man whose sinnes are forgiuen whose wounds of soule Christ hath taken vpon himselfe by bearing properly the wrath of God for them vpon the Crosse. But alas who thankefully acknowledgeth and walketh worthy of the loue of his Lord whose spirit was heauy to the death that our spirits might bee lightened whose conscience was submitted to this heauy trouble that wee might find peace of conscience in him and whose-selfe was made an offering for sinne that we might be wholly discharged from it In my roaring AN argument of extreme paine that made the Prophet vtter a feareful noise like the roaring of a Lyon And by roaring is meant bitter crying and lamentations through sense of paine without further apprehension for as yet no further was this holy man come Men vse to vent much sorrow by weeping and crying and so Dauid made triall if by this meanes hee could helpe himselfe to ease but all in vaine sorrow for sinne is not alway cast out with teares the conscience of sin vnpardoned bites whether thou criest or art silent and therefore thou must come to another remedie First note Dauid while he lay slumbring in his sin made a great noyse but hee calls it roring rather then godly sorrowing more like and fit for beasts then for men Euery godly mans sorrow for sinne is not alwayes godly sorrow and indeede when men cry and lament only in sense of paine without further motion of Gods loue in the heart or bending the Spirit to sue after God or when the Spirit grieued with-draweth himselfe as it is often in the godly and here in Dauid it is rather a brutish noyse common to men and beasts then any voyce acceptable to God Secondly when sorrow is a fruit of impatience or distrust or ioyned with murmuring or excesse or any other sinfull quality as some godly mens sorrow hath beene it is no godly sorrow let the obiect bee what it will Thirdly when sorrow euen for sinne brings neither glory to God nor comfort to the heart it is not godly sorrow for that doth both but here was a sorrow in Dauid which did neither for still he hid his sinne and it was not yet accompanied with so much as confession of sinne and much lesse with forsaking it the matter of accusation was no whit abated Fourthly that sorrow which proceeds from the sight of sinne in generall but not in the particular cannot be godly sorrow for thus the wickedst on earth will confesse sinne and semble sorrow for it But this was Dauids sorrow he was not so destitute of minde or so past himselfe as that he could not or did not generally acknowledge himselfe a sinner in this time but seeking to hide his particular sinne his sorrow was but roring This may first incite vs to examine our sorrow whether it be godly sorrow or no acceptable to God and comfortable to our selues How shall I know whether my sorrow be godly sorrow or no Know it by these rules First godly sorrow hath a right obiect which is God himselfe offended and here is a difference betweene the sorrow and sense of the godly and wicked as in their sicknesse The Lyon roares and the beasts feare it is a fearefull thing to fall into the hands of God therefore the wicked feare and sorrow because God is become their enemie Plainly it is Gods power or Gods iustice which makes them feare and sorrow before whom the Hills melt and the Rocks breake asunder and the Earth burneth before his eyes and who can stand before his wrath And their sorrow is for themselues that they cannot make their part good against him in holding of their sinnes selfe-loue is the moouer of their sorrow But the Church is sicke of loue that is there is in the godly heart a sense of Gods loue and a motion towards God offended In this heart louing friendship with God the griefe is because by sinne it hath changed his loue into displeasure Zach. 12. 10. The Spirit being powred on them they shall mourne for him that is when the godly shall come to see what euills and miseries their sinnes brought vpon Christ and how odious their offences haue beene towards him for it was not so much the Scribes Priests Romanes and Iudas that brought Christ to his death as the sinnes of the Elect then shall they weepe for him The Spirit of God euer directs men to God 1. Sam. 7. 6. The people of God are said in the day of their fast to draw water namely out of their hearts and to powre it before the Lord whereby is meant that they wept bitterly for their offences against the Lord. Psal. 51. 4. Dauid saith Against thee against thee haue I sinned hee needed not haue beene so much troubled for his sinne either for shame for it was not knowne but to God alone or for punishment for none could call him to account but this wounded him he had offended his mercifull God Gen. 39. 9. Ioseph being tempted to folly said How shall I doe this great wickednesse and sinne against God the wrong that he should haue done his Master was nothing in his eye to Gods offence But Iudas sorrowed not for his Master but for himselfe Secondly as God is the obiect of godly sorrow euen God loued for himselfe so God is the Author of it working it in nature whereas worldly sorrow is naturall riseth from nature and tendeth to the preseruation of nature very little looking beyond It lookes with Cain more at punishment then at sinne present distresse more affects it then Gods indignation but this is supernaturall a plant of God and an impression of his finger How may I know that my sorrow is from God When it is wrought in Gods meanes and they be ordinarily three First his Word Act. 2. 37. When they heard PETER say that they were pricked in heart Secondly his Rod. Lam. 3. 1. I am the man that haue seene affliction in the rod of thy visitation this is the hammer that beates the Word home to the head Marke I say his Rod and to know it to bee his besides the former we may take another note that it makes all other rods easie and light and swallowes vp carnall vexation as Moses his Serpent did the Sorcerers when men lay on with their rods of indignities and iniuries it will not suffer impatience reuenge moodinesse that men refuse their meat and drinke and part from their sleepe here is worldly sorrow now a dramme of godly sorrow bewayling sinne would weight downe a talent of this Thirdly Gods
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
c. but hee will not because it is against his decree Againe God hath not eternally decreed to saue all but out of all a few a little flocke now if hee should remit the sinnes of the impenitent and of vnbeleeuers then he should saue all and so the way to heauen should bee the broad way and not many but all should goe in it which was Origens errour directly against Gods decree and word Secondly it will not stand with the iustice of God to forgiue their sinnes who repent not of them but rather loue them who obey their lusts and follow the leading of them most willingly 2. Thes. 1. 6. It is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you If God haue any iustice he must exercise it against such as hate him and reiect all his commandements but to saue all would prooue him to bee a God all made of mercy Thirdly God could haue no mercy if hee should forgiue the sinnes of all good and bad for there could be no difference betweene his mercie and his iustice this is mercy to some to pull them out of the common corruption and curse of sinne and mercy only reioyceth against iudgement if there were no iudgement neither could there bee any mercy Besides will it stand with Gods wisedome to bestow and giue mercy to him that refuseth and despiseth it or to fill with mercy the vessels of wrath Fourthly where were Gods truth if he should forgiue the sinnes of impenitent and vnbeleeuing ones what strength were in the curses of the Law that the soule that sinnes shall die to what vse could the promises of the Gospell serue what vse of the prayer of Christ for beleeuers that his Father would keepe them in the truth why did he put such difference betweene men that hee would not so much as pray for the World What neede of the death of Christ of whom the Apostle saith The Iust died for the vniust but so as they should be righteous in him or what neede of any part of his righteousnes and obedience who fulfilled the Law for righteousnesse to euerie one that beleeueth Fifthly God hath made it a priuiledge of the Church and the members of it onely to haue their sinnes forgiuen So we say in the Creed I beleeue the Communion of Saints and remission of sinnes Isa. 33. 24. The people that dwell there shall haue their iniquitie forgiuen and 62. 12. They shall call them The holy people the redeemed of the Lord. Forgiuenesse of sinnes then is a part of the promise of God made to those that are in couenant with him Ier. 31. 31 34. The dayes come saith the Lord that I will make a new couenant for I will forgiue their iniquitie and remember their sinnes no more Yea this Psalme in the first verse makes it a note of a blessed man and a prerogatiue of the Saints Sixthly if God should bestow remission of sinnes in generall to all what neede is there of any grace what vse of the feare of God of faith c then we might set open all the doores of licenciousnesse and sinne and euery man might doe what hee list without all restraint or bridle So that to tye remission of sinne to repentance makes not onely for our saluation hereafter but also to correct and bridle sinne here and set vs into the beginnings of eternall life euen in this present World But how is this remission of sinne free if wee cannot haue it without these conditions of faith repentance confession c Yet is it still free first because though it bee not giuen without these yet it is not giuen for these as our iustification is free though it cannot be had without faith because it is not giuen for the dignitie of our faith Secondly euen these conditions are not of our selues but the gifts of God and so can merit nothing Thirdly faith and repentance are required not to shew for what but to whom remission of sinnes is bestowed namely to such only as haue obtained mercy and for whom Christ hath freely merited the same This serues to confute a grosse and ignorant conceit of many who say That God who made all will saue all and so lay all the care of saluation on God and neuer trouble themselues in vsing the meanes Alas poore soules No no neuer thinke that thou canst diuorce what God hath coupled namely the ende from the meanes it is true which Saint Augustine saith Hee that made thee without thee doth not saue thee without thee Why say some did not Christ dye for all and euerie man and shall not they bee saued for whom Christ dyed To this the Schoolemen say that Christ dyed for all sufficienter but not efficaciter Christs merits were sufficient to redeeme 10000. Worlds if they had faith to apprehend them saith Leo. But we speake of the effectuall shedding of Christs bloud which was shed for many not all to the remission of sinnes Matth. 26. 28. Secondly Christ died for all that is for all those many saith Augustine namely all the Elect for the sinnes of the World of the Elect for there is a World of the Elect standing of Iewes and Gentiles who are brought to faith and repentance Thirdly all and euery singular man cannot receiue remission of sinnes but onely beleeuers by the hand of faith some of all sortes of men now the Apostle saith that faith is not of all men and therefore it is called the faith of the Elect Tit. 1. 1. Therefore let no man deceiue you with vaine words for for such things commeth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience Ephes. 5. 6. Secondly by this doctrine wee may see that no man can be assured of remission of sinnes but the true beleeuer who truly repenteth of his sinnes Euery man indeed will professe in his Creed that he beleeueth the remission of sinnes but this is but a vaine blast in the most whose sinnes binde them ouer to eternall death Onely the true beleeuer hath the right markes of remission of sinne which are these First he onely is weary and heauy laden and sees his neede of Christ whereas the wicked are whole in part or wholly and neede not the Physician Secondly onely hee hath a spirit free from guile which is made a note of remission vers 2. Of all other we may say as Peter did of Simon Magus Thy heart is not right with God one mans heart is a temple of Gods Spirit another hath not the Spirit of Christ and therefore is not his Thirdly onely a true beleeuer hath the consequents and fruites of remission of sinnes from which as from fruites we may goe to the tree as First the first of them is regeneration he is borne of God and sinneth not that is he hath not raigning sinne with him nor sinne vnto death because the seed of God is in him
thy worthinesse is the sense of vnworthinesse and an apprehension of Christs worthinesse What worthinesse was in Israel when the Lord couered her with his skirt and shee became his Did shee not wallow in her blood and filthinesse And is not God the same promising and performing mercie to them that confesse their sinnes and forsake them Oh but my sinnes haue abounded and haue so separated betweene God and mee that I doubt I shall neuer finde him Not so For where sinne hath abounded grace hath abounded much more and in the forgiuenesse of many sinnes God shall haue honour of much mercy and loue from the sinner in greater measure And if hee delighted in the death of a sinner or tooke pleasure in the death of him that dyes any one sin would furnish him with matter of reuenge enough but he is much in pardoning and delights therein The Apostle Paul saith I was a persecutor an oppressor a blasphemer c. yet God had mercie on me to be an ensample in time to come to all that should beleeue in Christ Iesus Alas he sinned of ignorance but I of knowledge against the light of my minde the voice of God the motions of his Spirit the cryes of my owne conscience and haue so quenched and grieued the Spirit that hee will come no more I may not look to finde God as Paul did Tell mee when Iohn said The blood of Iesus Christ his Son cleanseth vs from all sinne 1. Epist. 1. 7. doth he meane onely sinnes of ignorance No verily and if GOD haue made no distinction of small great sinnes sinnes of knowledge and of ignorance of weaknesse and of presumption you may iustly and must defie a distinguishing deuill Thirdly the godly must bee incouraged by this doctrine to seek the Lord in a time when he may be found Oh that I knew that time when is it First one time of finding is when a man hath beene truely humbled and-toucht for his sinne Of this time our Prophet speakes in the Text after humiliation Dauid found God and teacheth that euery godly man shall then find him It is the troubled spirit that God respects and at whom else doth the Lord looke Isai. 66. 2. CHRIST came not to the righteous in their owne conceit but to call laden and humble sinners Secondly another time of finding God is when all good meanes and care haue been vsed to finde him God will not be found at first because he will try the diligence of his seruants in which hee sees the price they set vpon him and the thing asked The Spouse in her bed cannot finde Christ but if she get out and vse all good meanes enquiring and seeking after him at last hee is found and a godly heart cannot but thinke that the comforts Christ brings with him are worth all his paines and labour And it will manifest our care if wee seeke him First early as Prou. 8. 17. I loue them that loue mee and those that seeke mee early shall finde mee Secondly if we seeke him with all our heart as Deut. 4. 29. Thou shalt find him if thou seeke him with all thy heart and all thy soule Thirdly in perseuerance not by starts and fits as the carelesse and temporizers but as the Church that neuer rests till she finde him Thirdly another time of finding God is the godly mans extremitie and vrgent necessitie for that is Gods opportunitie The Lord will be a refuge for the poore a refuge in due time euen in affliction when hee hath no refuge elsewhere Psal. 9. 9. and Psa. 10. 1. Why hidest thou thy selfe O Lord in due time euen in affliction Deut. 4. 29 30. When thou art in tribulation and all these things are come vpon thee at the length if thou returne to the Lord he wil not forsake thee When Ionas was wrapt with waues and weedes in the bottome of the Sea hee cryed and God spake to the fish to set him on land Dauid called out of the deepe and God heard him Moses cryed at the Red Sea and then God was found Christ in his agonie in the garden prayed and GOD sent the Angels to comfort him Abraham found God three dayes after the commandement on the mount And after three dayes when the case was hopelesse and the Disciples faith was a little preiudiced Christ rose againe Therefore wait thou art not yet in the deepes nor yet at the mount the third day is not yet come Fourthly another time of finding God is when God offers himselfe to be found in the preaching of the Gospell for by it God comes and knockes at our doore and seekes entrance Reu. 3. 20. and the opportunitie of the Gospell is called the day of saluation and the day of visitation Let vs walke while wee haue the light this is the acceptable time The Iewes knew it not till it was past and they were left in their sinnes let vs take heed it be not so with vs. How can wee want motiues to seeke the Lord with comfort and assurance of finding him for First God hath a fatherly care ouer vs and as a faithfull Shepheard seekes thee leauing ninetie nine to saue one and is not he willing to be found if thou seeke him oh goc and meet him Secondly Christ seekes and sues to thee Open vnto me my beloued and why should not wee set open the gates of our hearts that the King of glory may enter in Euen when wee runne away from him hee seekes vs and offers vs conditions of loue hee runnes after fugitiue ADAM that if hee will beleeue in the promised Messiah hee shall bee saued And haue not wee encouragement enough to knocke at the doore of his mercy Thirdly consider what a wofull threatning is sent out against such as will not seeke the Lord as Zeph. 1. 6. Hee will stretch out his hand against all them that turne from him that sought not the Lord nor inquired after him and Zech. 7. 13. It is come to passe that as I cryed and they would not heare so they cryed and I would not heare saith the Lord of Hosts Fourthly the Gospell is the hammer by which God still knockes now if thou wilt lay hold on mercy offered thou shalt haue a blessed answere but if thou wilt bolt vp thy heart with securitie and ignorance how can he come vnto thee Christ when hee was borne found no roome in the Inne but was content to lie in the Stable and surely the world is no changeling it is as vnthankfull still men are loth to make Christ a roome in the Inne of their hearts If now in his glory he would be content with Stables that is hearts filled with noysome lusts as so many filthy beasts this roome they could afford him But know that hee is past infancie and abasement and hath shewed himselfe a Lord of glory and will haue a roome and entertainement like himselfe and if thou
them forewarnes the wicked of their danger For if iudgement begin there where shall the wicked appeare Secondly hee most manifesteth his power in his childrens weakenesse in supporting their soules and bodies Now if his power and mercie were not aboue the iudgement they should perish in it Secondly he traines and betters his children which is great mercie by the iudgement first he scowres and purgeth their sinne afflictions are as Gods laundrie wherin his children by beating scowring and rubbing are made whiter and whiter Venimous creatures breed not in winter nay a sharpe winter kils the Vermine so afflictions nip and stay our corruptions This is another mercie aboue the iudgement Secondly by them hee exerciseth and stirreth vp the grace that is in them as the winde blowes vp the sparkes of fire yea manifests the synceritie of their hearts to themselues and others for a man is that indeed which he is in triall Thirdly he fits them by afflictions to comfort others in triall with the same comforts wherewith hee hath comforted them A great mercie to fit them to mercifulnesse and to set out Gods mercie to others See Exod. 23. 9. Fourthly he teacheth them to esteeme more of his blessings in the want of them Is there not an ouer-ruling mercie in all this that whereas afflictions are in themselues euill and reuenges of sinne yet they make the godly better now whatsoeuer makes vs better is from a hand of mercie Thirdly the Lord by his seruants trouble would teach all first that the euils chiefly esteemed so in the world are not so indeed for the godly are exempted from the greatest euils if only wicked men were blind blindnesse would bee thought a fearefull iudgement therefore to confute that Isaac must bee blinde Secondly how such euils should be borne It is a mercie that by the godly the world may bee taught how to beare the hand of God Thirdly an infallible marke of the resurrection Luc. 16. 25. Sonne remember that thou in thy life time receiuedst thy good things and Lazarus euill things therefore now hee is comforted and thou art tormented Fourthly that all their miseries end in mercie and are turned to their best Marke and consider the godly man for his end is peace his light afflictions are recompensed with an eternall weight of glory From all which we may conclude that if godly men in the midst of their miseries bee so compassed with mercie in the beginning carriage and conclusion of them that the doctrine propounded is most true But if we turne our selues to the second branch and consider those kindes of mercies which shall meete vs in the life to come we can looke no way but we are intrenched with such mercies as eye hath not seene nor eare heard neither can enter into the heart of man to conceiue much lesse can wee speake of them as they are but must breake out into Dauids admiration Psal. 31. 9. O how great is that goodnesse which thou hast layd vp for them that feare thee But yet as Moses wee may see the good land a farre off and with the searchers let you see by a cluster or two and giue a taste of the good things therin If God loue vs sayd they he will bring vs vnto it so many as God loueth shall be brought to it and not onely taste as here how good and gracious God is but shall drinke plentifully of the riuers of his house for with him is the Well of life and in his light wee shall see light First how can the Elect but be compassed with mercie when all the miserie and sorrow with all the causes and effects wherewith they are now compassed shall be abolished and vtterly chafed away Now we are vexed with the remembrance of euils past with the sense of euils present and with the feare of euils to come but all these first things must passe away and all teares must be wiped from our eyes In our bodies all weakenesse naturall infirmitie sickenesse labour mortality and corruption shall bee remooued they shall need neither meate nor cloth for which here we toyle so much nor Marriage nor Physicke nor sleepe there shall be no care for the familie no toyle in the calling for they rest from their labours no labour spent in teaching or learning in preaching or hearing mortalitie hath put on immortalitie and death being destroyed it can dye no more The soule shall be from all sinne and sinfull passions from ignorance vnbeliefe pride enuie and all the workes of the flesh yea not onely from sin but from the power of sinning the will hath no freedome to euill being perfectly freed to good neither can the affections set themselues vpon any other obiect In our names we are now lyable to many contumelies and reproches and slanders as our Lord himselfe was numbred among the wicked Hee was not knowne no more are wee but then shall our innocencie breake out as the light and it shall be manifest what we are 1. Ioh. 3. 2. When Christ our Head shall appeare we also shall appeare with him in glory Now wee are in spirituall combat but then wee shall bee perfectly freed from the deuil from his Angels from sinne and sinners from the world and the lusts that are in it and God shall fully and finally tread Satan vnder our feete Secondly If wee be so happie in Priuatiue mercies what shall we be in Positiue how shall we be compassed with them First how shall wee be beset with mercie yea and glory in enioying the immediate fellowship and vision of God in whose face is fulnesse of ioy and at his right hand pleasures for euermore If a man had all the paines of hell vpon him this blessed vision of God would make him an happie man We see God now but as in a glasse and yet that sight of him vpholds vs in all our troubles how much more shall we be fully happy when we shall see him as he is face to face euen so fully as being glorified we shall be capable of So many mercies compasse the Elect in this one as if I had a thousand tongues and should doe nothing but speake them till the day of Iudgement I could not recount them Secondly what a wonderfull mercie shall compasse vs in our immediate vnion and coniunction with Christ our Head by which we shall be like him not like him as he was a man of sorrowes and in the shape of a seruant for thus he was like vs but like him as hee is now the glorified Head of his Church not equall to him but like him both in soule and body Our soules perfect in knowledge holinesse and righteousnesse and standing in a perfect image of God like to the perfect holinesse of Christ himselfe Our bodies clothed with beauty strength shining agilitie and glorie as his is He walketh in white so shall wee His face is shining and glorious so shall ours As hee sits on his Fathers
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
vnderstand not 2. Vntractablenesse Whose mouthes thou rulest with bit and bridle lest they come neere thee 3. The reasons 1. From Gods iudgements vpon impenitent sinners Many sorrowes shall be to the wicked 2. From Gods infinite loue to repentant sinners described 1. By their qualitie They trust in the Lord. 2. Measure of mercy Mercy shall compasse them 4. Praise of God the end of all where 1. The persons 1. Righteous men 2. Vpright of heart 2. The dutie threefold expressed in three seuerall wordes Be glad Reioyce Be ioyfull 3. The limitation In the Lord. THE HIGH-WAY TO HAPPINES Contayning THE EXPOSITION OF THE 32. PSALME THE ARGVMENT A Psalme of DAVID to giue instruction INscriptions are as keyes to open a doore into the Psalmes This Title agreeth with the Argument of this Psalme For it is the chiefe wisdome and learning of the Church to know how to come to be happy as this Psalme teacheth which in the inscription is commended First From the matter Secondly The Author First The matter that it was Dauids learning and penned to teach the vnlearned for it is not the will of God that the vnlearned should want knowledge Yea such a learning as is not euery-where to be had but onely is to be drawne out of the Word of God For nature and humane reason teacheth it not nor can vnderstand it no nor can endure to heare that God should not respect any worthinesse or merit of man but freely forgiue sinne to make a soule truely happy Secondly The Author was Dauid here named that we might know that this chiefe doctrine of all other was not framed or deliuered to the Church from an obscure and vnknowne Author but proceeded from the holy Ghost who guided the Pen-men of Scripture and by this Pen-man commended also to the vse of the Church that so our faith might be more certaine for neuer can the heart bee stable in any doctrine which it is not perswaded to bee an Oracle of God Whence obserue First That as all the Scripture is profitable for doctrine instruction and comfort so more especially the booke of Psalmes being inspired by God to this purpose and therefore must all of them in publike or priuate vse tend to our edification First In the publike vse of the Congregation 1. Cor. 14. 15. I will sing with the Spirit but with vnderstanding also and 26. When yee come together as any hath a Psalme let all bee done to edifying Secondly In priuate either in the family Ephes. 5. 19. Col. 3. 16. speaking and admonishing your selues with Psalmes c. or apart alone I am 5. 13. Is any merry let him sing prosperitie must not force vs to forget God but remember his louing kindnesse Hence haue we the examples of the Disciples of our Lord singing a Psalme after the receiuing of the Sacrament together with himselfe Mar. 14. 26. And Paul and Silas in prison sung to God Acts. 16. 25. To confute such as set out filthy amorous and lewd Ballads and Songs Fictions Loue-bookes c. which tend to the corrupting of men and youth especially Dauids songs tended to instruction in the highest point of heauenly wisedome and the vse of these would bring the other out of request and it should teach Parents that would not haue their Childrens bodies poysoned to be much more carefull their mindes bee not herewith infected Secondly Their sinne is iustly condemned who either in publike or more priuate meetings sit like cyphers or mutes when Psalmes are sung who neither sing themselues nor attend to those that doe nor haue any care to helpe their vnderstanding or their affections but are as senselesse as the seats they sit vpon these highly take the name of God in vaine or else they runne out at the Psalme as not concerning them hath the Lord fitted the Psalmes forthy instruction and darest thou despise that high learning offred in them Thirdly Those who in singing onely respect the storie of the Psalme as they doe other Scriptures not instructing comforting or admonishing themselues by applying the matter to their hearts but sing without all grace in their hearts and lastly those that respect in these songs musick more then matter that are led away by sound not by sense by the eare not by the heart that are filled with vanitie not with the Spirit and sing to man not to God Secondly note that Dauid though furnished with varietie of learning accounteth none learning but this being indeed a speciall knowledge to be instructed and instruct others in He calleth all conditions of men to learne this doctrine which so neerely concerneth all and is of such speciall vse as without it euery thing increaseth a mans miserie and hauing it he is onely happy Hence is this knowledge called wisdomes or knowledges Prou. 9. 1. as though it contayned all comfortable knowledge in it And indeed if we measure knowledge by the vse that must needs be the best that makes vs best and brings in best profit but that doth this learning for how vaine are the deepest Philosophers in all their knowledge What are they but lyars while without this they dispute of truth Vicious persons while they entreat of vertue Ignorant while they dispute of knowledge and miserable Creatures while without it they grope at true blessednesse What were a man better if he were able to comprehend the frame of the World measure the parts of the Earth to discourse of the course and motions of the Starres if the sense of vnpardoned sinne proclaime himselfe a damned wretch and a guiltie conscience tell him to his face that Heauen is ashamed of him the Earth is weary of him and his owne sinnefull burthen beares him downe to Hell What profit were it to be able to discerne all diseases and all remedies and attayne all the skill of physicke to cure the body when a man 's owne soule is wounded to death without remedie What helpeth it to bee wise in worldly matters and skilfull in cases of Law to auoid vniust sentences and wrongs when a man is condemned in himselfe by the comfortlesse accusing of his owne conscience See the vanitie of rich and worldly men that spend their dayes in gathering perishing riches and drop into the graue before euer they thinke of this Learning and the folly and madnesse of the most that count nothing worthy to be knowne but these earthly learnings spend all their time and studies in them as the Heathens did till they become almost as heathenish Secondly The shame it is of many profound Scholers who in their ministrie seeke to be approued for other learning in Tongues Fathers Arts c. which in their places are excellent gifts but this onely skill this Danids learning how to direct a troubled conscience to his peace and a miserable soule to his happinesse is not their aime they haue no skill nor will this way Thirdly And hearers who would bee taught in any learning but
this admire any teaching but this whereas onely this can make them wise to saluation and only this knowledge hath life eternall accompanying it that is a learned tongue that studieth out cases of conscience and speaketh a word in due season This is the learning and instruction of this Psalme and therefore is worthy all our attention and diligence to carry away the seuerall instructions of it So much of the Inscription VERSE 1. 2. Blessed is he whose wickednesse is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered Blessed is the man vnto whom the Lord imputeth no sinne and in whose spirit is no guile This Psalme hath two parts 1. A generall doctrine 1. Propounded in the two first Verses 2. Expoūded in the three next 2. The general vse which is four-fold 1. Concerning prayer vers 6. 2. Affiance in God vers 7. 3. Obediēce to God v. 8 9 10 4. Praise of God which is the end of all verse last The generall doctrine is first set downe in the precept in the two first Verses and secondly proued by example in the 3 4 and 5. The doctrine in the Precept is this That eternall happinesse called in the Text Blessednesse standeth in the forgiuenesse of sinnes Which forgiuenesse of sinnes is set forth by three phrases tending al to expresse the same thing namely the perfect iustification of a sinner in the sight of God whose sinne is here said first to be forgiuen Secondly couered And thirdly not imputed and then amplified by the inseparable fruit or companion of it which is the sanctification of the soule in these wordes And in whose Spirit is no guile First therefore we are to speake of the person and secondly of his blessednesse The person is he whose wickednesse is first forgiuen secondly whose sinne is couered thirdly whose sinne is not imputed and fourthly In whose spirit is no guile VERSE 1. Blessed is he whose wickednesse is forgiuen THe word translated Wickednesse signifieth sinne in an high degree and is in Scripture vsed for disloyaltie or treason to a King disobedience to Parents or Masters perfidiousnes or treachery to such friends as to whom we owe the greatest testimonies of thankefulnesse The second word translated Forgiuen signifieth to bee loosed eased or lightned Wherein is implyed this point of doctrine that Sinne is an intolerable burden which oppresseth the sinner with an infinite weight The Prophet Isay calleth the people of his time a people laden with iniquitie and our Sauiour calling sinners doth it in this forme Come vnto me all yee that are heauy laden Heb. 12. 1. Sinne is said to prosse downe In which sense also the day of sinnes finall destruction is called the day of refreshing and of finding rest to our soules And that sinne is such a burthen it further appeareth by these reasons following First because it presseth downe impenitent sinners into Hell and there for euer holdeth them vnder condemnation nay the weight of it pressed the Angels themselues from heauen who are now held vnder chaines of blacke darkenesse for euer Secondly it bringeth such a burden with it as all creatures cānot stand vnder namely the wrath of God which makes sinne so heauie the which being laid vpon Christ himselfe hee felt such a loade as made him sweat water and bloud Thirdly it is attended with the burden of conscience which it burdeneth with terrors feares accusation and guiltinesse the weight of which is so heauie as Salomon saith A wounded conscience or spirit who can beare all other infirmities the spirit of man can sustaine but this is impossible Fourthly it burdeneth the sinner first with the burden of Gods word which are the curses and threats of the Law and secondly with the burden of Gods hand which are the load of affliction and executions vpon sinners Verse 9. by which he breaketh the wicked and bendeth his children towards their dutie Fifthly as a burden it keepes vnder the sinner that he cannot bestir himselfe in good duties nor walke in Gods wayes But with this difference the wicked moue not at all the godly but weakely they feele it not nor complaine these grone and sigh and cry out Oh who shall deliuer me the good I would doe I cannot the euill I hate I doe And if the sinnes of the godly repented of be so heauie what are the sinnes of impenitent sinners There is no libertie in sinne but bondage it bindeth to the curse to guiltinesse horrors shame and sorrow none are such slaues as sinners and yet they thinke there can be no freedome but when they may doe what they list and are indeed the sonnes of Belial that is men lawlesse or without yoke but by such Libertine courses they lay the most heauy yokes vpon themselues all the Mountaines in the world wil be nothing to their burden Labour to feele this burden which is heauier then all the grauell on the Earth and sand in the Sea Neuer a one here present but we are laid vnder the burden of Adams transgression vnder the weight of our owne corruption originall and actuall sinne vnder the burden of the wrath of God of accusing consciences of Gods curses threatned and executed bound hand and foote as men ready to be pressed to death are wee senselesse and feele none of this weight If a man lay vnder an hundred or six hundred weight and neuer felt it nor groned nor struggled to get from vnder it he is a dead man so hee that carries the burden of his sinnes and feeles no danger no bondage grones not vnder the Law of his members is senselesse of his imperfections and corruptions this man is dead while he liueth as Paul speakes of widdowes laden with lusts and liuing in pleasure so this man abides vnder death till this houre What is the reason then that the most men neuer feele this burden neuer felt doubting nor trouble of conscience nor torment of heart they loued God euer they haue grace at will they serue God as well as the best they beleeue strongly they want no oyle in their lamps they would be sorry to be tempted as some are to bee so mopish and pensiue they haue peace in their consciences The reasons are First because they are dead without the life of God and grace without sense and feeling of this heauy burden which is felt onely by grace not by corruption and according to the measure of grace is the measure of this sense the lesse sinne is felt the lesse grace and so mayest thou accordingly iudge of thy selfe What is the reason that men can cry out of the stone in the reines but neuer or seldome of the stone of the heart but because they haue naturall life which affects them with the sense of the one but want supernaturall life which should strike them with the sense and paine of the other A spirituall burden no maruaile if it bee not felt of them that are all flesh destitute of the spirit Secondly
they see not their sinnes in a right glasse but in a false glasse which lets them see them onely in the profit or pleasure or as in one of those trunke optick glasses which make great things very small and things at hand as if they were farre off whereas if they did behold sinne in the true glasse of the Law and of the curse of God of the eternall damnation of sinners and of Christs death for sinners they would not account any sinne small nor the iudgement of them farre off This sight and view of sin makes the godly cry out and continually bewaile the captiuity they are in as Paul himselfe did who was aliue without the Law but the Law strucke him downe and made him cry out of himselfe as a miserable man Thirdly most men neuer meditate of their owne estate nor consider of their owne condition to apply the Law to their liues to see their crookednesse and faylings as they doe who are in the way to happinesse they want will or skill time or conscience if it hap well so it is The godly meditate of their owne estate and apply the Law to their owne sinnes which made Dauid Psal. 38. 5. cry out that his sinnes were too heauy a burden for him to beare so could men try their owne strength with the burden of their owne sinnes they would come to a little more quicke sense of their estate and with holy Dauid here pronounce him a happy man that is eased Fourthly the strong man is gone away with all and hence comes in this vnfeelingnesse and peace and he luls men asleepe in false perswasions wherein they goe on vnto death What say many miscreants Hell is not so hot nor sinne so heauy nor the Deuill so blacke nor God so vnmercifull as the Preachers say or if all this were so they are not alone others haue as heauy burdens as they they shall haue company whatsoeuer become of them and though they heare the burden of the Word of the Lord daily and see the burden of his hand lie heauy vpon others yea and often vpon themselues yet are they as senselesse as dead men vpon whom if you lay all the weight of the earth they feele nothing O beware of this fearefull iudgement which is a great part of this burden the which the lesse it is felt the greater it is and know that there is no man that shall not feele the burden of his sinne one time or other though the wicked doe neuer till it be too late Shall the Lord himselfe be pressed vnder the burden of thy sinnes as a Cart laden with sheaues and art not thou Amos 2. 13. shall all other dumbe and senselesse creatures grone vnder the burden of thy sinne as Rom. 8. 20. and art thou thy selfe more senselesse then they Feeling this burden seeke meanes to be deliuered and disburdened and this will he doe that findes this burden pressing and oppressing him The meanes is to come to Christ as he calleth Matth. 11. 28. Come vnto mee all yee that are weary and laden c. Come not with the body and feet but with first Repentance secondly Faith First come in confession of sinne and godly sorrow come groning and bewayling thy sinne and estate come creeping to God with thy burden on thy backe confesse thy sinne and forsake it this is the way to finde mercy thus Dauid found ease vers 5. Secondly come in Faith hungring and thirsting after righteousnesse lay hold on Gods mercy and Christs merit which are as two shoulders to beare it quite away Feare not but as the people said to Bartimeus Be of good comfort he calleth thee He calleth thee in the Word he giueth a gracious promise Come to me I will ease you he sealeth vp his promise by the Sacrament in which thou shalt finde him ready to giue thee ease that longest and gronest after him Doth any sinne oppresse thy conscience thou hearest and seest in the Word and Sacrament how he was made sinne that is a Sacrifice for sinne for thee Doth any burden of misery or crosse inward or outward presse thee hee offereth himselfe to ease the laden to pacifie the perplexed conscience to strengthen the heart and to remoue or mitigate all our burdens for vs according to the prophesie Isay 53. 4. 11. He hath borne our infirmities and carried our sorrowes the word is sebalon of sabal to carry as a Porter doth a burden vsed in both places But alas euery man must carry his owne burden how then can Christ Legally euery man must carry his owne the Law requireth personall obedience and satisfaction but Euangelically Christ our suretie beares them and therefore come to him in the Word and Sacrament with Faith and Repentance Once finding ease of this burden lode thy selfe no more Christ hauing cured the blinde man and eased him of that burden bids him Goe thy wayes and sinne no more lest a worse thing befall thee Heb. 12. 1. The Apostle aduiseth if sinne presse downe and so incumber vs to cut off this compassing sinne If a man be to deale with a great burden he will once or twice try his strength with it if it bee too heauy for him he will let it alone Hast thou euer felt the ouer-burden of sinne euen the least with which haddest thou the strength of all Men and Angels thou couldest not encounter nor stand vnder it and wilt thou againe meddle with it Besides hast thou not when thou art at the lightest sufficient burden of that originall sinne of which Paul said Rom. 7. 21. Euill is present with me it lies euery-where vpon thee and of actuall sinnes without number that still in stead of disburdening thy selfe and lightning thy lode daily thou addest to the heape and it is neuer big enough as though all thy sinnes had no weight at all O but this is nothing a small sinne an oath an idle word rash and hasty anger to play the good fellow to drinke with my friend lose my time credit c. If thou couldest bring me an instance of any one sinne that had no weight thou shouldest haue good leaue to wed thy selfe to it neuer to depart but no sinne is so small but hath such a weight as will presse to the bottomelesse pit bring me any sinne the wage of which is not death an idle word for which thou must not giue account any tricke of youth for which thou shalt not be brought to iudgement Sand euen euery little sand hath his weight and though small in quantity yet if great in number will drowne the ship of the greatest burden but what if all the sands of the Sea-shore were in one ship must it not sinke and are not thy sinnes for weight and number like the sands of the Sea-shore If sinne be such a burden then helpe thy brother from vnder this burden the Law of God enioynes thee to helpe and pitty the
we owe them to God to whom wee owe all loue feare obedience and duetie but by similitude and resemblance from ciuill debts for first euery debt ariseth of some contract betweene the creditor and the debter so God is the great creditor Man is the debter whose debt ariseth out of the contract and first couenant of workes Doe this and liue Secondly euery creditor hath a bill bond or booke wherein the debt standeth to be seene and there remaynes vn-cancelled and vn-crost till the debt be satisfied The bill or bond betweene God and man is his Law which shewes the parcells of this debt and how it riseth it shewes the forfeiture and the totall summe whereto the sinner is bound to satisfie The Morall Law is Gods bond against vs the hand-writing of ordinances which is against vs Col. 2. 14. and contrarie to vs. The Law shewes the parcels of this debt namely that we are bound First to the obedience of the whole Law in perfect loue to GOD and our neighbour whence Rom. 13. 8. loue is called a debt to our neighbour this debt wee still owe notwithstanding our transgression Secondly the Law sheweth that sinne is a debt in regard of the corruption which accompanieth the transgression and the blot which the sinne committed leaueth in the offender which is attended with an aptnesse either to the same or any other sinne by reason of the former act That this is a debt appeares because the Law requires perfect puritie and sanctimonie which we owe vnto God though the hearts of vs all be full of corruption and vnholinesse Thirdly the Law sheweth the forfeit which is the guilt binding ouer the sinner to punishment both temporall and eternall This curse of the Law by reason of transgression wee are indebted to vndergoe we owe vnto Gods iustice by reason of sinne eternall death without which Gods iustice cannot be satisfied 4. The Law sheweth how and wherein we wrong our neighbor bindeth vs straightly besides the satisfactiō to God to a recompence of the wrong done vnto him Thirdly sinne is a debt because it brings a man euery way into the seate of a debter First it argues and brings a man into a weake state which is very comfortlesse what a grieuous burden is debt aboue a mans abilitie Secondly it makes a man hide his head for shame Thirdly hee loseth his libertie that he dares not goe abroad Fourthly he feares the Sergeant and the Iayler continually and fiftly at length hee is catcht and clapt vp in prison and thence comes not out till hee hath payed the vttermost farthing but there is laid in bonds and chaines of darknesse for euer Fourthly because till sinne be discharged and satisfied for the sinner hath all these sinnes vpon him but as a debter once satisfying the debt by himself or a surety and compounding with the creditor is as free as if hee had neuer come in debt so for sinne once discharged the sinner is neuer charged with it any more Now sinne is discharged two wayes First when the debter himselfe satisfies in his owne person according to the strict letter of the Law Thus the damned men and Angels discharge their debt to God who because they are able to pay are kept in perpetuall prison and damned euerlastingly as a man dying in prison satisfies all But no liuing man can thus satisfie Gods iustice if God shal straitly mark what is done amisse When we haue done all we can we are vnprofitable there is not a clause in the bond which we haue not forfeited a thousand times ouer so haue we broken in anfinite Law sinned against an infinite God deserued an infinite punishment which no finite creature can sustaine neither man nor Angell The second vvay of discharging this debt is Euangelicall namely when another satisfies for the debter and thus the debts of beleeuers are discharged through the satisfaction of Christ who hath payed the vttermost farthing for the Elect. And this is the not imputing of sin here meant which is all one with the free remission and forgiuenesse of it But Math. 18. 26. the seruant said Master haue patience with mee and I will pay thee all therefore wee our selues may pay our owne debts First it is a Parable and this is not the maine scope Secondly feare forced the seruant to promise more then he was able to performe But if no seruant bee able to pay one talent much lesse is he able to pay 10000. yea the Parable teacheth that hee that ought but 50. pence was as vnable to pay it as he that ought 500. Luke 7. 41. But is this not to impute sinne to iudge a sinner as no sinner not to require the sinne not to inflict the penaltie how will this stand with Gods Iustice It is proper to God to account of things that are not as if they were so also of things that are as if they were not without any violation of iustice it beeing an Euangelicall imputation not Legall for that vvould not stand with iustice whereby GOD accepts Christs satisfaction in full payment But is this no imputing of sinne seeing wee pay the whole debt in our surety is this a forgiuenesse of a debt to exact it wholly It is a free forgiuenesse and no imputing to vs that receiue this grace we conferre nothing to it it cost vs nothing but good acceptance God the Father saw nothing in vs why he should not impute our sinne but giue vs so free redemption God the Sonne saw nothing that wee could returne to gratifie him againe in any measure so in regard of God and vs it is a free forgiuenesse and no imputation to vs though it bee not so to Christ. If sinne be a debt then note the misery of sinners and our wofull estate before God by reason of sinne being no better then desperate banquerupts laden with debt and danger vnable to satisfie the least farthing What remaines but either the mercy of the Creditor or perpetuall prison Thou that canst say thou owest not all the world a penny I challenge thee and arrest thee of an infinite summe and the forfeite of a bond aboue all thy substance if thou hadst the Kingdomes of the earth at thy dispose wert the god of the world I ask no more witnesses then thy own conscience First to proue the debt and therefore it is time to bestirre thee and looke about thee to procure thy libertie If thou hast paide all thy debts to men thinke of Gods debt at length for this must bee satisfied and thou shalt know that delay is no payment Thou that wouldst neuer come into bonds for any man thou hast not kept thee out of bonds which wil cast thee into euerlasting bands if thou lookest not the better and timelier to thy selfe Secondly see the carelesnesse of most men that runne on still in sinne and increase their debts which endanger them
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
Spirit is another principall cause by whom God worketh godly sorrow in his children therefore he is called the Spirit of mourning and supplication and this makes both the Word and the Rod effectuall and this Spirit may bee seene in godly sorrow strengthning comforting quieting and refreshing the heart with inward ioy and contentment and bowing it to obedience Thirdly as godly sorrow comes from God so it goes to God againe and leads to God The sorrow of the prodigall Sonne after he came to himselfe made him goe to his Father with teares in his eyes and repentance in his heart and confession in his mouth I will say to him Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thee Hos. 5. 15. Surely in their afflictions they will seeke me diligently Take heede of such sorrow for sinne as driues from God if thy sorrow hinder reading prayer hearing godly conference yea if it bring thee not on thy knees and further all these though it bee for sinne it is from the Deuill for godly sorrow keepes God in sight still Fourthly it is limited by God it exceeds not the bounds of moderation sorrow for sinne may not passe measure for Gods Word doth bound it for the measure which it may not goe beyond now it is vnbounded and passeth the limits first when it vnfitteth the body or mind to good duties or to a good and chearefull manner of doing them now God loues a chearefull giuer He made the soule and body to helpe one another in his seruice and as the body must not oppresse the soule by surfetting and drunkennesse so the soule must not oppresse the body by pining and ouerthrowing the state of it Though wee must destroy the body of sinne that is the lusts of it yet we must not destroy the body of the man for that is murther and the way to runne into further sorrow Secondly when it maketh vs forget consolation Heb. 12. 5. Faint not when thou art rebuked of the Lord. Griefe for sinne must not swallow vs vp 2. Cor. 2. 7. And the reason is because that sorrow which is not ioyned with some assurance of reconciliation is sinfull and faithlesse and where this is there cannot but be consolation Heb. 12. 5. Hee speaketh vnto vs as vnto children Thirdly when it exceeds in time and wee suffer it to dwell with vs and vpon vs whereas if we sorrow for a night we must expect ioy in the morning and feare if we finde it not that it is more our owne impatiency and corruption then any other iust cause for faith in his worke still expecteth better and hopeth still Fourthly when it takes away all ioy from a Christian euen while it is present it is not godly sorrow Our commandement is Phil. 4. 4. Reioyce alwaies and againe I say reioyce Why is the Apostle so earnest in doubling this precept but because he saw this Christian reioycing so necessarie at all times as without it no good duty can be done well neither hearing nor prayer nor thankesgiuing whereof it is the ground and againe because the godly to whom the exhortation is directed for the wicked need not to be vrged to carnall ioy are so beset with trials that if they doe not still lift vp their dumpish hearts to the Lord they cannot but be ouerwhelmed But this is strange that wee must ioy euen in sorrow how can a man reioyce and sorrow at the same time Indeede carnall ioy and sorrow cannot stand together at the same time but Christian ioy and sorrow can and must for first suppose the sorrow be from without in respect of those persecutions and afflictions that the godly are beset withall euen herein they haue a signe of blessednesse a cause of reioycing and a commandement so to doe Matth. 5. 12. Paul and Silas sang in the prison the Martyrs in the flames and Iohn Baynam as if hee had been in a bed of Roses when he was at the stake Secondly if the cause be inward from sinne and corruption which is the most iust cause yet euen then Christian ioy may and must rellish a godly mans sorrow in that by the pardon of sinne hee hath escaped the wrath to come If a man for some heinous offence were ready to suffer the most exquisite torments that man could deuise if his deare friend should come with a pardon but that will not serue the turne vnlesse hee put himselfe in his place and indure all that torment for him here is cause of reioycing that he hath escaped the torment but of sorrow that by his wretchednesse his friend should be so tormented So it is betweene Christ and the Christian Or as if a man condemned to perpetuall prison for debt a suretie should bee content to sell his goods and lands to deliuer him here is ioy for his deliuerance but sorrow that he should be such a banquerupt and waster thus to vse his friend Thirdly is there not cause of ioy euen in heauinesse when the Christian heart can consider what a couenant and league of friendship he is entred into with the Lord how sweete must his loue beé to him now being a friend that so loued him when he was his enemy that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne to death for him to remooue the curse of sinne Fourthly is there not cause of ioy to thinke that now though I am troubled with sinne yet I haue the Spirit of Christ to witnesse my adoption and to seale vp to me my priuiledge to be called his sonne and to become coheire with Iesus Christ and in the meane time is euerie way mindefull of my good so free-hearted that aske what I will that is good for me I shall haue it his eare is open to heare my moane to fulfill my desires and is preparing that great glory whereby I shall in due time be like the holy Angels euer beholding the face of my heauenly Father Fifthly godly sorrow ends in God it goes not away but with sense of Gods loue and fauour whereas the other departs with ceasing of paine and change of outward things It is not the increase of corne wine or oile that can content the hart seased with godly sorrow but onely when God lifteth vp the light of his countenance vpon it Sixthly the fruit of godly sorrow is repentance neuer to be repented of that is a new life vnchangeable a returne to God not to returne againe to folly whereas hypocrites are purged and forget they are purged and so returne againe to folly By these notes try thy sorrow whether it bee godly sorrow or no. Secondly if the sorrow of the godly for sinne be not alwaies godly sorrow what shall we thinke of the wicked mans sorrow How do the vngodly deceiue themselues thinking that when they cry aloud in their paine and can speake some good words that it is repentance and that God heares them But it is as the roaring of cruell Lyons such as Esau's
the vnderstanding and the mind to the things that are offered and makes the minde intent vpon them it is a candle held to the minde to giue it light in the thing to be done and in the manner of doing it Secondly it informeth the iudgement the chiefe office whereof is to trie and compare things together which hath euer been the circumspection of the wise as Dauid compares his present estate with the former It is the definition of a mad man to bee without iudgement to follow his fancie and to be led by appearances without triall so the prodigall sonne when he began to consider is said to come to himselfe Luk. 15. 17. till which time he was as a mad man out of or besides himselfe therefore Elthu counselleth his friends Iob 34. 4. thus Let vs seeke iudgement amongst vs and know among our selues what is good that is Let vs trie Iobs speech how true and iust it is Thirdly sound consideration inclines and determines the will according to the light of the mind and the sound informing of the iudgement and accordingly perfecteth the action He were a mad man that knowing he hath apiece of poyson in his hand would incline his will to eate it Now when consideration hath soundly enlightned a mans minde informed his iudgement according to that light and determined his will according to that iudgement it must needs bring forth sound resolutions purposes and actions Againe see the truth of this doctrine in sundrie instances First a man that is to goe a small iourney will consider whether he be in his right way what time hee hath to go through in what places are most dangerous how neere he is to his iourneyes ende what is the vse of his iourney and accordingly hee resolues for his furniture and expedition So if a man consider of his iourney to heauen of the difficultie of the way the danger by theeues or robbers of the shortnesse of his time how neere his waies end is c. he would speedily resolue of repentance and amendment of life which without this consideration is not onely deferred but also vtterly neglected Secondly a man that considers of the haruest of the returne and profit of his husbandrie will also consider of the seed-time and of the sowing of his ground he wil not spare his seede as distrusting the haruest or fearing to lose it So whereas many are bad husbands because they neuer consider of the haruest others expecting an happy haruest in the Kingdome of heauen sow to the spirit consider this their seede-time and while they haue time will sow their seede cast it liberally on the ground or waters distribute to the necessities of the Saints and after many daies they finde it with increase an hundreth thousand fold Thirdly wise men thinke theeues and fellons to bee mad men that seeing euery Assises so many hanged for theft yet will steale and rob and this is because they consider not the ende but hee that considers the vnauoidable danger of the law the seueritie of it the eye of the Iudge vpon him the irreuocable sentence of death and the shamefull execution of it resolues to depart out of the way of such danger So what makes the wicked to be accounted mad men in wise mens eyes but their foole-hardy rushing into a thousand rebellions and treasons against God they know that one sinne is able to damne them had they ten thousand soules and bodies and yet they rush into thousands of sinnes it being with them as it is with him that knowes one or two graines of poison will kill him and yet eates a pound of it because he considers not the ende Whereas if men did consider the danger of sinne the curse of the Law the torment of conscience here and of hell hereafter durst they so aduenture vpon sinne But I speake of a sound consideration for it is true that most men in grosse beleeue an heauen an hell a iudgement an account and a punishment but not not digesting it with due meditation and application to their owne soules it doth them no more good then Phisicke put into a mans pocket can helpe him to his health all this knowledge is lockt vp in the braine and brest and is as insensible as fire in a flint-stone if it bee not beaten out by sound consideration All this serues to stirre vs vp to consider of our waies and of our estates and of the actions that wee doe for these respects First inasmuch as without it no state of life can bee rightly ordered the Mariner if hee consider not his compasse continually and his course by it runnes into remedilesse dangers and so it with vs in our voyage to our hauen of Heauen The Marchant if he consider not his affaires by his count-booke of gaines or losses his debts and wares will soone proue banquerupt so we in our spirituall traffique without sound consideration shall soone be blowne vp If Eue had considered of the Serpents words had she and had we by her been such losers Had Adam considered of Eues gift had hee been so deceiued If Abraham had considered the counsell of Sarah would hee haue taken Agar into his bosome What doth all this proue but that if we were as rich as Adam in innocencie yet wants of considering our estate would lay vs to spoile Secondly it is a prerogatiue that man hath aboue all creatures to haue a facultie of examining his actions by consideration and yet how little doth man respect this priuiledge without which hee were to be sorted with beasts or mad men especially in sound consideration for the good of his soule the beast liues by things present man should consider the end before he beginne Thirdly without consideration no action can bee done well or succeed happily no spirituall action because it is not in faith if it be done without consideration as for example First we can neuer heare the Word well if first before-hand we consider not whom we come to heare and to what ende namely to further our saluation without this we come but as to a play Secondly in hearing if wee consider not our selues to bee in Gods presence Thirdly after hearing if wee consider not of what wee haue heard and that God will iudge vs by it Secondly in prayer we are commanded first to consider and then to pray as Eccles. 5. 2. Be not rash with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hastie to vtter any thing before God For this consideration must offer both matter of prayer and also stirre vp affection and desire else it will be but a dead and cold prayer Thirdly in the Sacraments we must first examine and consider our selues of the Couenant of the seales of it of our faith worthinesse and repentance and afterward we must consider the fruite of it else all is but hypocrisie and vnsound By all which we see that it is onely sound consideration that brings
as may be seene in Achans example Gehazi not confessing his sinne vpon examination of his Master to whom God had detected him was stricken with Leprosie Ananias and Saphyra with death Ionas by his confession to the Mariners glorified God and the fruit was They feared God exceedingly Secondly men must sometimes publikely confesse their sinne vnto men for the good of the Church as when Christians haue publikely offended the Church of God they are to giue publike satisfaction by open and free confession for hereby First the truth of their Repentance is testified Secondly Gods mercy is publikely implored by the whole Church which is forceable Thirdly a whole Congregation is instructed and warned to take heede of like sinnes Fourthly the loue of Gods people is notably confirmed againe to the party Vpon such a publike confession and humiliation was the Incestuous person receiued in againe 2. Cor. 2. 6. it is sufficient that the same man was rebuked of many and Act. 19. 18. it is recorded of the beleeuers of Ephesus that being stricken with a great feare they came and confessed their workes before the multitude It is much to bee desired that this publique confession being an ordinance of Iesus Christ were more practised in euery congregation then it is or is like to be for if those that sinne openly were rebuked openly others would feare 1. Tim. 5. 20. Secondly we allow also priuate confession of man to man in two cases First in priuate iniuries betweene man and man for by our sinnes wee may also wrong men as Dauid did Vriah and here it will be meete to come and confesse our fault to the party wronged to testifie First our repentance Secondly our sound reconciliation This is intended by the speech of Christ Luk. 17. 4. If thy brother trespasse against thee seuen times a day and hee come and say It repents mee thou shalt for giue him Yea God himselfe sends Abimilech to Abraham whom he had vnwittingly wronged and offended to reconcile himselfe to him that hee might obtaine Abrahams prayers So likewise hee sent Iobs friends hauing wronged him to Iob to confesse their fault and get him to intreat of Gods peace for them Secondly in trouble of conscience to finde peace it is fit to vse the helpe of some speciall man minister or other and being a man of wisedome gifts and secresie to confesse to him both the trouble of conscience and the cause of the griefe Of this the Apostle Iames saith Confesse one to another pray one for another Now in this case although the Minister should bee the fittest man as hauing a learned tongue and studied in the cases of conscience to minister vnto a wearie soule a word of comfort inseason and hath speciall promise to be heard as being a minister of reconciliation betweene God and his people and it is not for nothing that the Lord vseth this reason to Abimelech Goe to ABRAHAM for hee is a Prophet Yet that place shewes that the troubled conscience is not to be tyed to one person nor to a Priest but to bee performed also to priuate Christians Hence wee may see how farre all this differeth from Popish Auricular Confession For first we hold it not a matter of absolute necessitie to confesse vnto men as they doe but that there be cases wherein it may be conuenient or necessarie Secondly we vrge not confession of all sinnes with all the circumstances to bee necessarie yea the very thoughts and intentions of the heart which is First the rack and gibbet of consciences and no easer Secondly it is fit for such as would know all the secrets of States Kings and Kingdomes all a Kings reuenue cannot maintaine so many intelligencers as make knowne so much to the Pope as this common leager of confession in all States and Courts and Houses yea bosomes of men and women Thirdly it is a fit meanes to know the disposition of all persons by which they know where to haue fit agents for their villanies fit Patients for their lusts resolute Catholikes to stab Kings and blow vp Parliament houses But wee leaue it free and to be onely of those sinnes which most trouble the conscience and hinder the peace of the soule Thirdly we inioyne it not at set times as once a yeere at Easter but onely when the fore-named occasions are offered Fourthly we say it may be made not to a Priest onely or Fryar and their owne Parish Priest but if the Minister be a fit man then to him and if hee be not then to some other Minister or in the defect of such a one then to some ordinarie faithfull Christian to whom hee may discouer his trouble with the cause of it And if all this be so that confession must be made to God then consider before thou sinne that thou must go backe to God againe after thy departure from him by sinne the Prodigall goes from his Father but hee must come backe againe if there be a going from God there must be a returning to him if thou hide thy sinne thou must againe vncouer it Secondly if sinne must be confessed vnto God then doe it sincerely as before God In all things the heart and tongue ought to agree because the Lord made the one to expresse the other and so our Prophet in this confession suffered not his tongue to runne before his wits but hee thought hee would confesse and confessed so in all the parts of Gods worship the first thing respected is the heart whereas contrarily many in confession publike or priuate haue one thing in their mouth another in their heart Againe thou sinnest before God before his face in his sight the Lord looking on and standing by there is nothing which is not naked to his eyes no darknesse nor night can couer thee for that is as day to him with whom is no darknesse and therefore it is a bootlesse thing to seeke to hide thy sinne from him hee heard thee lye sweare and forsweare hee saw thee drunken and committing vncleannesse thou couldst not flye from his Spirit his fierie eyes did looke on thee himselfe stood at thy elbow Thirdly if thou confessest vnto God then in confession euer set thy selfe before God and this will season it with necessarie qualities as first thou wilt bring shame in thy face and an holy blushing as it is said What fruit haue ye of those things whereof ye are now ashamed And it is hollownesse and impudencie to offer to confesse foule sinnes without blushing and shame before God Oh said the holy man Ezra I am confounded and ashamed to lift vp mine eyes vnto thee A good heart seeing Gods eyes to be set on his nakednesse stands agast and ashamed in it selfe and there is no quietnesse to it till it bee couered with the garment of Christs righteousnesse Ezek. 16. 61 62 63. Then thou shalt remember thy wayes and be ashamed and confounded
little faith Thus the Apostle saith We are in all things more then conquerours Secondly the Prophet yeelds Psal. 34. 19. that great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuers them out of all but marke how First sometimes they are exempted from the common inundation that it doth not come neere them as those 7000. marked who bowed not their knees to Baal were saued from Iezabel and the tenth and remnant reserued from common plagues to propagate Gods grace and glory with the manner of his dealing and their deliuerance Secondly sometime they are wrapped in the common miserie as suppose the plague or fire or sword but herein finde the Lords compassion and mercy in speciall deliuerances Ieremy was taken into Babylon with the captiues but it was better with him there then among his owne people So Dauid saith Thou hast afflicted me sore but hast not deliuered me vnto death Thirdly sometimes the godly are left vnto death and led as sheepe vnto the slaughter and sustaine all the cruelty and ignominy their enemies can deuise And this the Lord doth permit first in respect of their enemies that they may by their blasphemies and cruelty prepare and hasten their owne destruction Secondly of the truth which is sealed and ratified with the blood of the Martyrs Thirdly of the growth of the Church which is sowne and watered with the bloud of the Saints as being the seede of the Church Fourthly in respect of the godly themselues to sweeten them for the fire is the fittest place for perfumes But yet First the Lord is not carelesse much lesse prodigall of the liues of his seruants but by speciall counsell thus ordereth and disposeth of them for hee numbers their flittings puts their teares into his bottle and suffers not a haire much lesse the head it selfe to fall without his prouidence Precious to the Lord is the death of his Saints Psal. 116. 15. Secondly being thus left in the enemies hand the promise of deliuerance is most true seeing first the rod of the vngodly doth not rest vpon them but by being deliuered to them are deliuered from them Secondly in the midst of death they liue conquer and raigne so saith the Apostle We are slaine but not ouer-come the reason is because Tyrants and Persecutors cannot ouercome their Faith Hope and Profession Thirdly they are deliuered from all the bands of sinne and death and the imperfect man is wholly renewed Fourthly they rest in their beds euen euery one that walketh before the Lord and are deliuered from seeing the euill to come But seeing the wicked are deliuered from troubles as well as the godly out of many iudgements what priuiledge is this First the wicked are often temporally deliuered as well as the godly but a sting is left behinde so as deliuerance is a blessing in it selfe but not to them whereas the godlies deliuerance is a true blessing both in it selfe and vnto them Secondly God deliuers either as a Creator or as a Father As a Creator and preseruer of things created hee preserues the wicked from some present euill to reserue them to a greater mischiefe Thus are the Deuils preserued by God and reserued to finall iudgement only the wicked haue offer of grace which the Deuils haue not But as a Father he deliuers his children who often deliuers his owne by correction taking them away from euill which might corrupt them so as if they be not temporally deliuered they are deliuered eternally The godly by being taken away by iudgement are freed from iudgement the wicked euery way preserued or rather reserued vnto iudgement Thirdly God deliuereth either by vertue of a promise made and applyed to the faithfull claymed and obtayned by fasting prayer and obedience as Mordecai Ester 4. 16. and Iehoshaphat 2. Chron. 20. 3. or else not by vertue of any promise as the wicked who haue no promise no faith and therefore no sound blessing Thus we see the great difference betweene the deliuerance of the godly and of the wicked and as great comfort in the one which the other wants This serues to comfort the godly in that the Lord sits vpon the floods and that to this purpose to performe this gracious promise Isa. 42. 3. When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee and through the floods that they shall not ouerflow thee So Eliphas telleth Iob chap. 5. 19 In sixe troubles he will deliuer thee and in the seuenth euill shall not come neere thee as if hee had said Though sixe and seuen troubles beset thee yet the euill of them shall not come neere thee This presence of God with his children makes them glorie in their troubles as in a crowne vpon their heads and the Apostle Paul gloried that hee was more in affliction then al the false teachers 2. Cor. 11 and Heb. 11. 35. the Saints were in most deadly tryalls and would not bee deliuered namely vpon vnlawfull cōditions because they found God as good as his word Secondly miserable men are they that withdraw their hearts from the Lord and seeke him not in his promises nor in their prayers but trust to wind out themselues by other meanes some make falshood their refuge and some embrace the world and carnall meanes and leane vpon the arme of flesh These fly from their defence wait vpon lying vanities and forsake their owne mercy Ion. 2. 8. 't is as if Noah for feare of the inundation should haue left the Arke and flyed to the Mountaynes which had beene to haue throwne himselfe into the midst of the waters and thus doe they that to auoid troubles feare and fly their profession and so Apostasie and Idolatrie and corruption drownes them We must rather with the Church fly to the Rocke Psal. 69. 2. Saue me O God the waters are vpon me yea I am come to the deepe waters and then being deliuered we must goe backe vnto him saying Saluation is the Lords and Psal. 124. 1. If the Lord had not beene with vs the waters must needes haue drowned vs when they rored vpon vs. Thirdly this serues to perswade euery man to become godly seeing this priuiledge belongs only to such there is no man but desires safetie in danger and yet no man but the godly man can assure himselfe of safetie therein If then thou wouldest haue assurance of this promise thou must practise pietie in these seueralls First become an humble person repent and turne to God cry out of sinne sue daily for pardon as for life and death and then let all the miseries in the world come haile-shot vpon thee thou shalt be safe Only sinne is as poyson cast into the Lords cup God giues thee no poyson to drinke but that is of thy owne tempering pull the sting out of these Scorpions and the sight onely will be dreadfull but the danger is past Secondly as thou mournest for thy owne so for other mens sinnes 2.
dainty and delicate persons who seeme to be made for nothing but idlenes and effeminate care of their skinne and fruition of their owne sensualitie and appetite To such Salomon speaketh in the person of the yong man Walke in the sight of thine eyes and in the lusts of thine heart but know that for all this thou must come to iudgement Sixtly numbers walke in the rugged stonie thornie and clayie waies of earthlinesse couetousnesse vsury and oppression setting themselues fast in the gall and guile of earthly-mindednesse not hauing power ouer themselues to stirre hand or foote to heauen-ward where their treasure is there haue they locked vp their hearts too or rather burying them for so they may being dead in the earth and earthly desires the heauen that they wish for they haue what then care they for any way that leads to another Secondly it teacheth vs to learne the way that wee are to goe in We can walke in the wayes of sinne without a teacher and can of our selues inuent all such wayes but in Gods wayes wee cannot mooue vnlesse God set them open vnto vs and set vs in them This way lyes open to none but him that is taught of God humane wisedome teacheth it not nor reacheth it neither will beleeue it is the way How may I know which is the right way to goe in If thou wilt know it then first vse the meanes to come to know it Secondly take good notice of the eye-markes by which it may be discerned First The meanes to know the way are first diligent conuerse in the Scripture Ioh. 5. 39. Search the Scriptures for they witnes of me that is of the way So our Sauiour tells the Iewes Ioh. 8. 37. that they sought to kill him were in the way of Cain because his word had no place in them Whatsoeuer thou hast a word for that is the way or else thou art out of it Secondly Prayer that God would teach vs his way as Dauid doeth often pray and giue vs the spirit to leade vs into all necessary trueth ler. 10. 23. I know O Lord that it is not in man to dispose his way it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps Thirdly Experience of change in our selues if it leade vs out of ourselues out of our naturall lusts and the practice of sinne and bring in vnderstanding of Gods will new desires motions affections c. then it is Gods way Fourthly obseruation and experience of Gods blessing or cursing of inward peace or accusation of ioy and confidence hope and patience which in the way of God is assured whereas in any other way the greatest ioy is but in the face and peace is but a truce with God and an vnfeelingnesse of mens estate Secondly The markes of this way are first an outward profession of religion which is called the way of God Act. 19. 9. Speaking euill of the way of God Those that cannot away with the profession of pietie haue not stepped one step in the way to heauen Secondly the life of profession which is a faithfull apprehension of Christ who is called the way I am the way no man commeth to the Father but by me Ioh. 14. 6. Euery sound marke of a sound Christian is a marke of this way euery man in euery religion goes not in the way to heauen but hee onely that goes by Christ the right and onely way and this not onely by outward profession but inward apprehension of Christ with all his merits Thirdly the straitenesse of this way straite is the gate and narrow is the way that leads vnto life the straitnesse of it is in that it is a way all strawed with crosses the beginning of it is repentance and selfe-denyall the continuance of it is mortification temptation persecution The way of the world is a faire broad and easie way to the flesh If wee finde our selues prosecuting things pleasant to the flesh and nature wee may iustly suspect that we are out of the way Fourthly the fewnesse or smalnesse of company in the way few finde it Not many mighty noble worldly wise but a few poore ones receiue the Gospel the greatest part of the world are in the broad way that leades vnto death Foolishly therefore doe the Papists make vniuersalitie a note of the Church Wee must not follow multitudes to doe euill nor doe as the most doe for then certainly we are out of the way Fiftly the employment of all such as are in the way who are neuer but doing some of Gods Commandements therefore called The way of Gods precepts Christ whom we haue before vs in this way was obedient euen to the death Goe without or against a commandement thou art out of the way as Rom. 3. 12. they are all gone out of the way euery sinne is a stepping out of the right way Thirdly when we haue learned this way then goe in it for here it is called the way wherein we must goe so as wee must in our whole course carrie our selues as those that are in the way to heauen To this purpose obserue these rules First consider what way wee haue entred into whether we haue chosen our owne way or walke in the way which God hath prescribed the best must often consider of his way and course Dauid neuer considered of his way but he found somthing or other that needed redresse This doe not they that goe at all aduentures not examining their way nor the end of it as if they did not know that there is a way which seemes good in a mans owne eyes but the issues thereof are the issues of death Secondly forecast what may befall vs in our way and prepare for it Elias when hee had a great way to goe prouided himselfe accordingly If a man be going to warre had he not need cast his accounts and prepare all necessaries and fit himselfe against all difficulties we must forecast what temptations trials and dangers may meete vs in our way what may bee our expence or losse many are the slips scandals offences and trials which will encumber vs in this way if we be not carefull to forecast them either to preuent them or prepare patience and strength to beare them Thirdly walke on in this way for it is not a way that can bring a man to any desired place but his walking in it And then a man walkes on in this way when first he neither goeth backe nor standeth still as vpon Iaakobs Ladder the Angels were ascending or descending none stood still he that goeth not forward here is going backeward Remember Lots wife Secondly when a man is sure euery action of his life is performed at the call and within the compasse of his calling generall or speciall Thirdly when he doth all that he doth in the Name of the Lord looking at Gods commandement beginning the same with inuocation and ending it with praise and thankesgiuing Col.
simple Audience in no other then a plaine and simple manner auoiding as much as he may vnknowne sentences and darke speeches which flye aboue low conceits that by this familiar handling of the Word it may become as a light in the darke corners of ignorant mens hearts First then It were to be wished that a Minister were more then a bare reader hee must bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 apt to teach able to diuide the Word of trueth aright and must labour for the truely-learned tongue to bee a prompt Scribe an Ezra causing men to vnderstand the reading For if the blinde leade the blinde both fall into the ditch Secondly people must diligently attend to the things that are taught Heb. 2. 1. and not giue ouer till they vnderstand the grounds of Religion For first Faith commeth by hearing and vnderstanding of the Word the Word truely vnderstood is the seede and parent of faith Secondly without this knowledge of God and Christ there is no saluation Ioh. 17. 3. This is life eternall that they know thee the onely true God and Iesus Christ whom thou hast sent Thirdly great is the excellencie of knowledge Eccles. 2. 13. As the day is aboue the night so knowledge excelleth ignorance and wisedome folly without it there is no walking in the day or in the light knowledge is more necessary then the day or the Sunne therfore resist not the means whereby it may be gotten Thirdly we must not thinke that we then vnderstand vvhen we know or teach men to know that which they did not before for true vnderstanding stands not onely in speculation but first in the change of the heart 2. Cor. 3. 17. then wee behold the glorie of God in the Word vvhen we are changed into the same Image from glorie to glorie by the Spirit of God Secondly in the change of the life to new obedience Psal. 111 10. The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome a good vnderstanding haue all they that doe thereafter whereas without obedience vnderstanding doeth but conuince and lay open to many stripes Thirdly when it mingles the word with faith Psa. 119. 66. Teach me good vnderstanding and iudgement for I haue beleeued thy Commandements Fourthly when knowledge sets vs forward in glorifying God for else it is no better then the knowledge of the heathens which made them excuselesse because knowing God they glorified him not as God Rom. 1. 21. and if the heathens were iustly condemned for not glorifying God according to that darke knowledge they had how much more should our knowledge mooue vs to glorifie God which else maketh vs more inexcusable if wee glorifie him not by giuing him his worship praise and honour and by making vse of all his attributes and mercies but especially those in his Christ Secondly A minister must not onely be an instructer by his doctrine but a leader also by his practice for else first hee is no guide for he is a guide whom wee take with vs to direct vs in a dangerous way what a guide and not able to guide himselfe Secondly else Gods worke shal neuer go happily forward for he shall not build so fast with one hand but he shal destroy with another Thirdly their doctrine which may saue others shall bee a bill of inditement against themselues the curse is already vpon them that seeing they perceiue not and speaking the word to others they heare it not themselues and their doome shall be Wicked seruant out of thine owne mouth thou shalt bee iudged Thou that teachest another doest not thou teach thy selfe thou that preachest against couetousnesse art thou a griper neuer satisfied or is there a graue in thy heart neuer full doest thou preach against drunkennesse and art an intemperate person a companion of drunkards against lyars and yet there is no trueth in thine owne wordes Fourthly it is a notable marke of an Hypocrite to doe the same things which commonly he reprooueth in another and of a bold wicked man that dares take the word of God into his mouth and yet hates to be reformed and if it be in a teacher hee becomes not onely a wicked agent but also a teacher of iniquitie All which shewes that a good Minister must be more then a Preacher he must bee a doer also a guide a good man not a directer onely but a guide too Singular holinesse must be written in Ministers foreheads and special graces in their hearts they must haue about them not onely the sound of Bells but the sweet smell of Pomegranates also they must bee neither bleare-eyed nor blemished nor any way defectiue Thirdly A faithfull Minister must euer haue his eye on his flocke to guide them and watch ouer them for their good as a tender mother will not let her weake and tender childe bee neere a place of probable danger but her eye shall bee ouer it to saue it from perill From this care Ministers are called watchmen and are set in their places as watch-towers to espie and preuent danger and enemies and First the estate of men requires this duty from Pastours who are weake when they are at the best apt to turne aside out of the way ready to be seduced and misled by others and prone to be carryed away head-long by their owne lusts if there were no enemie else without them Secondly their owne calling enforceth it being set as Ouerseers of their Congregations Act. 20. 28. to ouersee the wayes of their people Their charge is to warne the wicked and to admonish the righteous if he turne from his righteousnesse which they cannot doe without the obseruing of both Thirdly they must imitate the chiefe Pastor and shepheard of soules the good shepheard calls his sheepe by name and findes it out if but one of a hundred be wandering he seekes out the lost sheepe bindes vp the broken and strengthens the feeble knees he loued his sheep to the death and so true loue is desirous not to leaue a man till it haue set him safe Fourthly the danger of not admonishing the people is exceeding great for they communicate in their sinnes and the curses due vnto them God wil require the bloud of a sinner that is not admonished at the watch-mans hand Ezek. 3. 18 20. And hereunto adde the blessing and reward of him that turnes a man from iniquitie hee saues the soule of his brother Iam. 5. 20. and shall shine as the starres in the firmament for euer Dan. 12. 3. This doctrine serues to reprooue sundry both Ministers and people First the sin of non-residency is a great sin where there is no iust cause of absence A minister is tyed to liue among his people because he must euer haue his eye ouer his flocke but how can he guide them with his eye who is continually absent The Apostle Paul whose calling made him necessarily absent from some Churches professeth that he had no
out of this obstinacy and stiffenesse betimes lest the Lord giue vs vp to fall away by perpetuall rebellion This we shall doe by yeelding our selues tractable and laying aside obstinacie in sinne and by giuing vp our selues to be ruled by Gods word and spirit This point is so much the more necessary because the great sinne of these dayes is obstinacy of heart men cannot plead ignorance nor want of good means to helpe them out of their sinnes and yet few or none leaue their sinnes but wilfully perseuere in them against the word and their owne consciences Besides this God hath giuen vs many warnings of our estate by many plagues of the highest kind threatned and not a few and those not insensible executed with seuerity but for all this we are in generall senselesse and are resolued to hold our sinnes without humble sorrow and suing to God for reconciliation And this is rebellion against God of knowledge to depart from the knowne trueth in whole or in part Now to helpe vs out of this sin of obstinacy consider these motiues first neither Gods couenant of mercy nor the least part of it belongs to that man that obstinately goes on in sinne for the first condition in the tenor of the new couenant is to take away the stony heart Ezek. 11. 19. It is a brand of a man in the state of death to bee hard and brawnie-hearted Secondly all the hope and expectation of such a man is euill and mischiefe to meet him at euery corner Prou. 28. 14. He that hardneth his heart shall fall into euill he may with Balaam shuffle from one way into another but cannot auoid the Angel with a drawne sword ready to kill him Now what a fearefull and desperate estate is it for a man to goe vnder Gods curse continually as a man vpon whom sentence of death is passed and knowes not but expects euery moment execution yet so hardned are some who harden themselues that when the parts of this curse are in executing vpon themselues and theirs they are further hardned still Thirdly euery sinne is damnable but yet not so much sinne as obstinacie and impenitencie in sinne condemneth especially where all good meanes of softning haue been vsed nothing but repentance cuts off sinne and that is the only remedy which by the hardnesse of heart being reiected the wounded soule dieth irrecouerably Fourthly while hardnesse and obstinacy continue no means can helpe or auaile a man to saluation He cannot pray because he turnes away his eare from hearing the law Hee cannot heare the word to doe him any good for To day if ye will heare his voice harden not your hearts The Sacraments are bane and poyson to him because he comes with a wicked heart In a word no Seruice or sacrifice is acceptable but from a broken heart which hee hath not therefore hee is like a sicke man giuen ouer by the Phisician Fiftly the longer a man continues in obstinacie the more he increaseth the wrath of God vpon him Ro. 2. 5. Thou through the hardnesse of thy heart which cannot repent treasurest vp to thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath As if a great malefactor should for twenty or fortie yeeres euery day be carrying a faggot to make a fire to burne himselfe withall so the sinner the longer he continues in his sinne the greater wrath is layd vp for him as the more faggots the greater fire What a wofull condition were this but nothing to the fire of hell the burning of which is fire and much wood and the wrath of the Lord as a riuer of brimstone kindles it Isa. 30. 33. Is it not a lamentable thing for a man to abide in that estate in which hee is continually carrying as it were a faggot to hell-fire to burne himselfe withall Oh but I will repent in the end of my dayes Doe not trust vpon that for first late repentance is seldome true repentance he that repents not till hee be dying it is to bee feared lest his repentance dye with him Secondly the longer a man perseuers in sinne the longer and more he increaseth the hardnes of his heart and it prooues daily the harder to repent euery day addes something to hardnesse of heart as in the body a sore the longer it is delayed the more incurable it is so is it in the soule And thirdly this thy speech makes as if a man would bee sure to pay his debts by running further in Know this for a certaintie that the soules sweruing from God is like bones out of ioynt which the longer they are let alone are the hardlier set Notes of a man gotten out of his obstinacie are these first pouertie of spirit all our liues for sinne which is an humble sight and sense of sinne and misery when a man findes a want of all goodnesse in himselfe and in an holy despaire of himselfe hee flies wholly to the mercie of God in Christ longing after it aboue life and hungring after it aboue all things in the world Secondly a trembling at Gods word for these two are ioyned Isa. 66. 2. I will looke to him that is of a contrite heart and trembleth at my Word and yet loueth the sharpest reproofes of it which is ioyned with the former Psal. 119. 119. 120. I loue thy testimonies My flesh trembleth for feare of thee and I am afraid of thy iudgements Thirdly silent submission to Gods corrections Psal. 39. 9. I was dumbe I opened not my mouth because thou diddest it Micah 7. 9. I will beare the wrath of God because I haue sinned we must get into our hearts a patient waiting in all iniuries and wrongs till God plead our cause Fourthly a mourning vnder the grudgings of our owne hardnes of heart and that we cannot mourne and get them to through subiection so did the Church returning to God Isa. 63. 17. O Lord why hast thou hardned our hearts from thy wayes returne for thy seruants sake and for the tribes of thine inheritance Fifthly a feare of the occasions of sin and hatred of appearance of euill of the garment spotted by the flesh Whose mouthes thou doest binde with bitte and bridle OVt of these words we may note that If a man wil continue indocible and intractable God hath his bitte and bridle for him to curbe and hamper him If men will be as Horses and Mules God will deale with them as men doe with Horses and Mules Prou. 26. 3. Unto the Horse belongs a whip to the Asse a bridle and a rod to the fooles backe God hath rods enough in store to whip the folly of sinners otherwise incorrigible Leuit. 26. 27. If yee will yet walke stubbornly against mee I will walke stubbornely against you in mine anger and will chastize you yet seuen times more according to your sinnes Now then a man walketh stubbornely when hee regards no admonitions nor precepts nor corrections and iudgements to bring him
There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Luc. 13. 28. Thirdly in the punishment of sense when they shal be wrapped in that cursed sentence Depart from mee I know you not when they shall be bound hand and foot and cast into torments prepared for the deuill and his Angels which torment is amplified first by the place a prison a lake of fire and brimstone a dungeon for the darkenesse blacker then that of Egypt where shall bee a perpetuall night in a word an hell Secondly by the company the deuill and his Angels with all the rout of reprobates Gods deadly enemies and whom God is a deadly enemie vnto such as they chose for their companions in this world and would not bee separated from now they shall not Thirdly by the exquisitenesse of torment set out by fire and brimstone and that which is most terrible to sense yea not onely outward but inward also described by the worme of conscience which as a gnawing griefe shall eate and fret the heart of the sinner in memorie of ancient and hatefull sinnes Fourthly in sinfull concurrences as hatred of God blasphemie despaire cursings for all the parts of soule and body shal curse the day of their wretchednesse and confusion when the fire of Gods iealousie and his hot wrath shall seaze vpon them Fifthly in seeing all mercie and pittie excluded nay God and his Saints whose affection shall be conformable to his shall reioyce and laugh at their destruction this shall breake the caule of their hearts with sorrow Sixthly in the eternity of their sorrowes the worme within dyes not their fire neuer goes out but the wrath of God abideth vpon the sinner without all remission or abatement without any intermission or release without end or mitigation not one drop of water shal coole their tongue and so long as God is God the smoke of their torment shall ascend vp night and day continually This is Tophet prepared for the wicked in which one word how many sorrowes be there Now the reasons to cleare Gods iustice in all these sorrowes of the wicked are these First where many sinnes are vnrepented of there must needes be many sorrowes euery sinne hauing sorrow enough belonging to it Secondly where an infinite God is offended an infinite law transgressed and an infinite iustice prouoked there must needes an infinite reuenge be returned vpon the sinners head and sorrowes in infinite measure bee conceiued Thirdly Infinite mercie hath been reiected the blessed meanes of saluation neglected and despised good meanes without in the ministerie counsell and example of the godly inward motions of the spirit quenched yea some checks of conscience contemned and some resolutions deaded and vnfollowed All these yet bring on more stripes and sorrows especially in remembrance of hatefull sinnes against knowledge meanes and conscience Fourthly it is now too late to repent when these sorrowes haue beset the sinner on euery side hope of mercie is cut off the Sunne is set vpon him the doore of grace is shut against him now hee can heare no other voice then that Reu. 18. 6 7. Giue him torments according to his sinnes Here is an Ilias an vpheaped measure of infinite sorrow a mercilesse sorrow without sparke of hope or ioy Fifthly now hee sees with horror and despaire that which he would not heare of first that he hath in his whole course piled vp wrath against himselfe Secondly that God whom he thought to be made all of mercy is a God of infinite iustice and a consuming fire and how dreadfull it is to fall into his hands Thirdly that the sentence of death is passed irrecouerably and the heauie doome of damnation for such sinnes as he thought to be lighter then a feather Fourthly that himselfe is a vessell of wrath filled with Gods indignation that shall seaze on him so long as God is God seeing Christs bloud can be shed no more and teares of repentance come now too late a Sea of them is not able to quench one sparke of this fire First then let this be a motiue to restraine all men from sinne seeing it brings such after-claps If there be any that like the Horse or Mule wil not vnderstand nor be perswaded to seeke the Lord but will obstinately persist hardning his heart against the Word for such a man are all these sorrowes prepared Thou that delightest in any sinne open or secret that wilt drinke with the Drunkard sweare with the Swearer and breake the Sabbath after so many admonitions thou that liuest in pride wantonnesse idlenesse vncleannesse contempt of God and his Word and Seruants thou that euery way multipliest thy sinnes remember what Dauid saith Psal. 16. 4. Thou multiplyest and heapest vp thy sorrowes euen wrath and fuell for thy selfe against the day of wrath Thou that canst with a bold face braue out thy sinnes and glorie in that thy hand is strong to practise vngodlinesse and canst triumph when thou canst bring others to thy bent thou shalt one day crie for sorrow of heart and howle for vexation of spirit Isa. 65. 14. and curse the day that euer thou knewest thy Companions and with bitter lamentation shalt waile and gnash thy teeth at thy vnhappy condition and all this in all eternitie Oh consider these terrors of the Lord and be perswaded to turne to the Lord seeke in time thy blessednesse in the pardon of sinne that thou mayest escape all these things Consider the end of all sinne in that one Pro. 5. 3 4. Though it be as an hony-combe in thy mouth the end will be bitter as wormewood And if now thou seest thy danger but wilt runne on headlong vpon all these sorrowes excluded from all pity and mercy say thou wast warned the time commeth wherein thou mayest be pitied but not helped or rather neither pitied nor helped the Iudge hath said it Behold I come shortly and my reward is with me to render to euery man according to his workes Secondly if so many sorrowes and they of this nature belong to euery wicked man then it followes that no sinne is small in it selfe to euery of which all these sorrowes belong Our Text plainely teacheth that they belong not only to Murtherers Theeues Adulterers Lyers Swearers but also to ciuill honest men in the worlds account if they be ignorant of the Word or wayes of God To him that liues obstinately in any knowne sinne that holds on for his profit or pleasure any practice condemned in the Word and in his owne conscience let him be neuer so ciuill sober sociable peaceable and harmelesse all his ciuilitie cannot keepe off these sorrowes if there be not knowledge of God softnesse of heart a teachable disposition and an hungring after Gods mercy in Christ alone aboue all things in the world Where be the Papists that teach some sinnes to be veniall in their owne nature when as all these sorrowes are the wages of the least Rom. 6. vlt.
What meane others by their ridiculous distinction of Gnats and Camells in the matter of sinne as though any were in it selfe a Gnat some indeede in comparison of others are lesser in degree and lesser in respect of disturbing humane societie then others but in respect of God offended the Law and the Curse which are all infinite the sorrowes due to the least are infinite which Christ must sustayne before he could remooue the least sinne If a Gnat can be infinite then some sinnes may be esteemed so many Gnats How profanely and ignorantly doc they speake who caÌ„not abide these scrupulous fellowes that straine at Gnats and stand vpon such nice points as if they were the greatest matters c But vvhere Gods Word bindes the conscience he shall haue least sorrow that stands most strictly in the least things He that is vnfaithfull in small things will neuer be faithfull in great and obserue these fond Haters of strictnesse in small things ye shall see them stand neither vpon small nor great things to make any conscience of any for the most part Let no man aduenture on any sinne because it is little say not as Lot did of Zoar Is it not a little one and my soule may liue in it for let it be neuer so small a mote in thine eye Gods law makes it a Mountayne and thy presumption makes it swell and thy continuance in it vpon that ground makes increase both of sin and of sorrow no hole is so little but vnlookt too will sinke a ship We weigh our sinnes often in a false ballance and foolishly esteeme them by the matter wherein the offence is done to eate an apple oh that is but a small thing to sweare little oathes to lie in small things a little worke on the Sabbath or a little play and recreation on the Lords day or to gather a few sticks oh this is but a trifle No take heede of such resolutions looke into the true glasse and there see first that the person against whom the sinne is coÌ„mitted is infinite in mercy and power now a smal thing against a Prince is high Treason Secondly that thy owne malice and presumption makes a small thing great as appeares in him that gathered sticks on the Sabbath Wilt thou in so small a thing incurre the Lords so high displeasure in other disputes we heare often The lesse the thing commanded is the greater is the contempt besides Thirdly consider that the price paid for the least sinne is the precious bloud of Iesus Christ. Fourthly and lastly consider the weight of vengeance and the gulfe of sorrow into which the least sinne casteth the sinner being vnsupportable and vnvtterable Any one of these well considered argues no sinne to be small and much lesse to be ventured on vpon that conceit Thirdly if this be the miserable estate of a wicked man then we see plainly that the wicked are not so happy as they thinke themselues They thinke themselues the happyest men vnder the Sunne because of their outward prosperity and others flatter them and Mal. 3. 15 We count the proud blessed and they that worke wickednesse are set vp and they that tempt God are deliuered thus the prosperitie of wicked men often vnsettles and offends the godly themselues but little reason they should stagger at it If we can hold the truth of this doctrine wee shall haue little cause to enuy his happinesse that is a wicked man vnlesse we can account him happy for whom the Lord hath prepared such changes and armies of sorrowes And to see this truth more cleerely we must know that nothing in the world can make a wicked man happy for First it is an error to say or thinke that iniquitie and peace sin and prosperitie can dwell together seeing the Lord hath said There is no peace to the wicked man Isa. 57. 21. the tenor of the promise is Acquaint thy selfe with God and so shalt thou haue prosperitie Iob 22. 21. Secondly all their happinesse is in outward things Now all the parts of temporal felicitie are only good in them which can vse them as helps and instruments to eternall happines and that good which is independing Neither doth the matter but that which giueth a forme to happinesse make a man happy Neither is it the hauing of things but the happy enioying of them that can make a man truely happy which no wicked man can haue Why then doth God giue these things to wicked men First to shew his bountifulnesse Rom. 9. 22. Secondly to shew that these be not things to be esteemed much Thirdly to be as snares to themselues and scourges for some others Fourthly to reward that little good that is in many of them Thirdly notwithstanding this temporall happinesse a wicked man is for the present the Deuills prisoner his fetters are indeede of gold but he is chained to the day of iudgement which commeth apace Fourthly all his flourishes are vnhappy in that they end in teares and sorrowes God shall turne his meat in his belly and make his Sunne to fall at Noone-day for euery graine of externall ioy he shall be sure of a talent of eternall sorrow when the sword of the Almightie shall pierce him Tell me now whether if thou sawest this his estate with the eyes of thy body as thou oughtest now with the eyes of thy faith thou wouldest admire or pitie such a one Well were it if wicked men would weight their present estate with the future surely it would be a meanes to afray them from many sins and preuent many sorrowes Fourthly if such be the vnhappy state of the wicked what great cause haue the godly â—o be thankefull for their deliuerance from so manifold sorrowes both vnto God who deuised a way to temper mercy with iustice and to our Lord IESVS CHRIST who was a man of sorrowes and bore vpon himselfe and brake all these sorrowes for vs. How glad will a man be when he hath escaped a great danger that would haue made him heauie to death How thankefull would we bee to that man that would put himselfe betweene vs and some deadly danger but neuer was there such miserie as this escaped Psal. 126. 1. The Iewes were so glad of their deliuerance out of the Babylonish captiuitie and their returne thence that they scarce could beleeue whether it was not a Dreame Our captiuitie was farre greater being vnder the Curse of the Law sold vnder sinne Bond-slaues vnto Satan and Sonnes of Wrath which bondage could wee rightly acknowledge our deliuerance would bee farre more gratefull then it is Our Deliuerer was not Moses not Ioshua not Zerubbabel but the Sonne of God of whom they were Types both in the first induction of that people out of Egypt into that Land and in their second reduction backe againe He by putting himselfe into the Prison of our flesh and in that flesh by suffering that execrable death and all the
flowe all other mercies that we enioy as streames of it first temporall concerning this present life as health life liberty wealth peace prosperity good name c. Oh but the wicked haue all these True but first not in a right tenure they are vsurpers they haue no right in themselues no part in Christ to recouer it Secondly not by vertue of any promise or couenant Thirdly not in any holy or sanctifyed vse for To the impure all things are impure Fourthly none of their prosperity is ioyned with Gods loue but his hatred which is a secret poyson in them whereas Psal. 35. 27. the Lord loueth the prosperitie of his seruant he ioynes them both together Secondly spirituall things euen in these also how hath God compassed vs with mercies euen for the present First What a world of mercy was and is in that one gift of his Sonne to bee our reconciliation when we were firebrands of hell that the blessed Sonne of God would descend from the glory of heauen and giue himselfe to the death of the Crosse and the paines of hell to redeeme vs from all iniquitie The Apostle conceiues of this as of a rich mercy Ephes. 1. 7. by whom saith he we haue redemption through his bloud euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to his rich grace This is the com passing mercy meant in our text euen redemption from sinne by Christ both from the guilt and punishment of it a free mercy a full mercy an Ocean of mercy drawing vs out of a gulfe and bottomlesse sea of sorrowes euerlasting Dauid amplifyeth this mercy Psa. 86. 13. Great is thy mercy towards mee for thou hast deliuered my soule from the lowest hell Secondly What an infinite mercy peculiar to the godly is that of his spirit to take vp our hearts for his temples when wee were spiritually possessed of the deuill by the same spirit hee doeth daily cleanse vs and wash vs and beautifyeth our soules with heauenly graces teacheth vs leadeth vs into all trueth comforteth vs with heauenly consolations in all distresses What a great mercy was it when Christ opened the eyes of the blinde or healed the deafe and lame yea or when hee raised Lazarus being dead but God regenerating vs by his Spirit doeth all these for vs he giues sight to vs being blinde sayth to our deafe eares Be open yea restores vs to life being dead in trespasses and sinnes and makes vs able to mooue and stirre in good wayes Those great workes of the Sonne of God were all miraculous but heere is a miracle aboue them all yea one mercy consisting of many miracles Thirdly What a mercy is it not onely to giue them his word as hee doth also to the wicked but also to make it the immortall seede of their new birth and the syncere milke to feede them to make it a preseruatiue from many great sinnes which the wicked daily commit open and secret to put it into their handes as a sword to cut off Satans temptations to make it vnto them a rule of faith and a rule of life able to make the man of God perfect to euery good worke to make it a sound stay and comfort to support them in all their troubles wherein else they must needs sinke In this respect the child of God is compassed with a multitude of mercies all which the wicked are strangers vnto Fourthly What an inexhaust treasure of mercy is it that the godly enioy that whereas God heareth not sinners that is wicked ones he not onely giueth them leaue to come freely to the throne of Grace to aske any good thing for them but also much assurance in their soules of obtaining any thing they aske because of his promise Aske and yee shall haue If earthly fathers can giue good things to their children much more will our heauenly Father giue not onely what we aske but euen abundantly aboue that we are able to aske or to thinke Ephes. 3. 20. Can that man bee other then beset with mercy who hath a meanes to get within Gods store-house and treasury when hee will Can hee that is able by the prayer of faith with Israel to preuaile with God want abundance of blessings Great is the power of feruent prayer for mercy It can obtaine and force the sunne to stand still It can commaund the cloudes to raine or not to raine It can get children for the barren and life to the dead and if our prayer be weake Christs intercession hath power enough for vs Iohn 11. 22 42. Oh that wicked men knew the power of prayer how quickely then would they come to Gods mercy-gate Fiftly What a mercy is it peculiar to the Saints to haue peace of conscience and ioy of their estate that whereas wicked men are often vexed euer lyable to infinite horrors feares and inward torments which are the beginnings of hell they beeing iustified by faith haue peace with God the spirit of bondage and feare and tumult is gone and the spirit of adoption dwells in their hearts which makes them cry Abba Father Rom. 8. 15. And whereas the wicked haue no peace but a senslesse vnfeelingnesse of their estate the godly haue peace in them which as the Apostle saith passeth vnderstanding because first neither can the vnderstanding of man sufficiently conceiue it Secondly neither can the vnderstanding of man sufficiently esteeme or prize it according to the worth and value of it plainly implying it to bee such a mercy as for the greatnesse ouerwhelmes him that hath it an infinite and vnbounded mercy called the peace of God which hee beginneth and maintaineth heere and perfecteth and preserueth for all eternity But how standeth this with all those euills and miseries with which the godly are beset in this life Can they be beset both with misery and mercy too This is a sixt and last mercie therfore special to them that they are neuer more compassed with mercie then when they seeme most miserable Habak 3. 2. The Lord in iudgement remembreth mercie For first nothing is properly euill but that which comes from diuine reuenge but nothing comes so vpon the godly Christ hath carried away all the reuenge of their sinnes so that their crosses come from mercie Secondly they are attended with mercy for God hath first fitted his seruants for afflictions before he brings them Religion hath patience which if the house be not filled with plenty makes a sallet of green herbs more daintie thē the sweetest dishes of wicked men it hath strength aboue which the triall shall not be it hath subiection and silence to God and can blesse him both in giuing and in taking away Thirdly Gods mercy reioyceth in iudgement against iudgement three waies first magnifying himselfe secondly training his chosen thirdly teaching others and all by the troubles of his children The first in two respects first when iudgement begins at Gods house he declares his hatred against sinne and mercifully by
heart is ready to make any thing thy portion but God and when by sinne thou hast prouoked him to hide his face or stand aloofe from thee then say thou trustest in God and not before True it is that the godly haue some failings and slidings from these rules but yet hereunto they striue and in some comfortable measure attaine Now if these bee the practices and qualities of such as mercy belongs vnto wee see easily by the contrary that there bee sundry kindes of men to whom the Lord doth couenant wrath as First many ciuill men who content themselues without the knowledge of God they say they meane well and doe no man harme liue in peace with their neighbours and follow their Church as others doe yet haue no care of religion but for fashion they say they trust in God but doe not because they vse not the meanes nor walke in the way of faith and repentance nor in the conscionable hearing and obeying of the word Secondly such as walke stubbornely against God and the meanes of Saluation mercy belongs not to these How know you that Well enough first out of the text which saith Mercy belongs to him that trusteth in God Now he that trusteth in God walketh on in a course of godlinesse and cannot stand out against God Secondly by an expresse text Deut. 29. 20. He that heareth the curses of this law and yet blesseth himselfe saying Though I walke in the stubbornnesse of my heart the sword shal not come neer me I will not be mercifull to that man saith the Lord. Secondly heere is a great comfort for the godly who haue no small security hence that whatsoeuer their outward estate is or may bee Gods mercy compasseth them as the hilles compasse Ierusalem see it in some instances First If Satan assault vs on euery side with temptation to vex and disquiet vs with inward feares he shall not haue so nimble eyes to spy our weaknesse as the eye of the Lord to spy meanes to strengthen vs. Let him obiect the greatnesse and infinite number of our sinnes yet hee shall but amplifie the great mercie of GOD which is greater and more large then all the sinne and miseries in the world Thus Moses comforteth GODS people Deut. 4. 31. The Lord thy God is a mercifull God he will not forsake nor destroy thee nor forget the Couenant of thy Fathers which he sware vnto them Secondly If vnmerciful men compasse them and come about them like Bees Psal. 118. 12. and sharpen their stings yet the mercies of the Lord are neerer them then that they can hurt them Thus Dauid comforted himselfe Psal. 86. 14. 15. O Lord the proud are risen against mee but thou Lord art strong and mercifull gracious and long-suffering and a pitifull God Thirdly If a man should conflict with Gods owne hand by inward temptations or outward tryals of sicknesse pouertie persecution if hee were so beset as hee could see nothing but troubles without and feares within now is the time to mound and fence himselfe with this comfortable Doctrine that euen now GODS mercies doe guard and compasse him seeing he cannot deny himselfe nor faile of any of his promises Dauid when he was to chuse one of the three Rods of GOD the Sword Famine or Plague he chose to fall into the hands of God because he is mercifull 2. Sam. 24. 14. Hee may afflict and chasten vs a while and for a moment seeme to forsake vs but with great compassions he will gather vs Isa. 45. 7. 10. For Hee chides not alwayes neyther retayneth hee his wrath for euer Psal. 103. 8. Fourthly If a man were in the hands of Death and the Messengers thereof had already taken hold on him as on Hezekiah yet euen then hee need feare none ill seeing Gods mercies compasse him this is euer our couer though wee cannot alwayes see it as Elisha his seruant saw not the great mercies of God compassing him and his Master euen then when we know not GODS mercie is all about vs there are still more with vs then against vs our Mountaine is alway beset with Heauenly Warriours Was Ionas euer more compassed with mercies then when he was in his owne sense cast off and compassed with Waues and Weedes Was Israel euer more compassed with mercie then when they were compassed with Mountaines Sea Enemies Death and deadly things these our extremities are Gods oportunitie Nay fiftly suppose a man were in the house of death in the graue yet euen this separates not from GODS mercies which being eternall leaue vs not in death but when we are most compassed with dust and corruption shall then bee most abundant and mightie for vs. Oh therefore let so many as trust in God flye in all their straits to this Sanctuarie which can make not onely Deaths forerunners but euen Death it selfe welcome which depriues vs of all things else but this mercie into the full estate of which it setteth vs. Thirdly labour aboue all things in the World to get part in this mercie by getting assurance of the pardon of sinne get this and thou gettest a mercie reaching vp to Heauen a Crowne of Blessings a plentifull Redemption Our Prophet here cals it a compassing mercie for a godly man thinkes not himselfe compassed whith mercie when hee is compassed onely with outward blessings when GOD hath hedged about his house and hee hath wealth to tumble in though the World breathe after nothing else but when he hath a voyce telling him that God in Christ is mercifull to his sinne and hath couered his iniquitie oh now thinkes Dauid himselfe compassed with mercie and not before although hee was a King and had all outward things to his hearts wish Zacheus had mercie enough when saluation was come to his house hee neuer got so fast before as now hee forgoes and restores hee was neuer compassed with mercy till now though he was a great rich man neuer so rich as now when hee was impouerishing himselfe to entertaine Christ in his house and heart Iaakob when hee saw Iosephs face his best beloued sonne Now sayth hee I haue enough let mee now dye seeing I haue seene my sonne Iosephs face How much more shall wee haue enough to see the face of the well-beloued Sonne of God yea and of God himselfe in that wel-beloued one appeased and fully pacified Simeon hauing seene Christ with his eyes and held him in his armes Now Lord sayd hee let thy seruant depart in peace for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation But to see Christ by the eye of faith and hold him in our hearts will make death much more welcome to vs we shall thinke we haue enough the sweet sense of it within will frame the mouth to speake plentifully of it as our Prophet doth in this place Neyther can any good heart eyther lightly account or speake slenderly of such a mercy neyther content it selfe with slight meanes to get it or with superficiall
in some one sinne their conscience slumbereth and though they bee not altogether hardned and without all touch of feare or desire of fauour yet are they very coldly mooued to confesse sinne or seeke peace they go slumbring on and weare out much time without comfort of their duties and are loth to be stirred till God take them in hand and iudge them for not iudging themselues and force them by violence to that which it had been more for their ease voluntarily to haue vndertaken Now we come to the effect of hiding sinne which is trouble both inward and outward euen in Gods owne children But here first note what is the ende of afflictions in them to wit not the punishment of their sinnes which are all remitted by one satisfaction of Christ but to shake them out of their sleepe of securitie and to draw them out of the thickets in which they would willingly lie hid Yea but they be fruits of sinne and part of the curse of sinne In themselues indeed they be the fruits and effects of sinne but now their nature is altered and of curses by Christ are changed into crosses the Lord who bringeth light out of darknesse brings this good out of them that they helpe forward the repentance mortification and conuersion of sinners vnto God Psalm 119. 17. It is good for mee that I was afflicted that I might learne thy statutes Now good is diuers first naturall secondly spirituall thirdly morall fourthly sensible fifthly by euent or accident First naturall is that which is infused into euery creature in the creation their nature vse quantities qualities all are good so are not afflictions in their nature being the punishment of sinne Secondly morall good is whatsoeuer is agreeable to the morall law so are not afflictions they are not prescribed in the morall law Thirdly spirituall whatsoeuer appertaineth to life euerlasting as faith hope loue c. thus be not afflictions good spiritually Fourthly good to the sense is whatsoeuer pleaseth the sense of man so was apple good to the eye thus no affliction is good and pleasant to the sense for the present Heb. 12. Fifthly they are good by euent and by accident partly by Gods ouer-ruling prouidence that can turne them to good and partly by grace in the elect who make a good vse of them First to say with the Papists that the afflictions of the godly are so many temporall punishments and satisfactions for sinne is First to derogate from that onely satisfaction of Christ and from the perfection of it Secondly to lessen the merit and desert of sinne which is death eternall Thirdly to misse Gods end of afflicting his children which is not to punish that which is already punished in Christ but to purge that which still cleaueth vnto them and hangeth fast on Secondly when thou art any way distressed and touched especially in conscience come backe to thine own sinne say with thy selfe Surely I haue either not repented at all or not fully of all this is because I haue held my peace and haue not confessed my sinnes to God or not forsaken them For when afflictions haue done that for which they are sent whē they haue opened the eare and humbled the heart as a messenger which hath done his errand they depart Leuit. 26. 41. the Lord threatneth the Iewes that because they haue walked stubburnely with him he will walke stubburnely against them but how long till their vncircumcised hearts bee humbled and they willingly beare the correction praying for their sinne then hee will remember his couenant Iob 33. 14. The Lord speakes once or twice to a man saith Elihu and if one say I haue sinned and peruerted righteousnes and it did not profit me then he will deliuer his soule here is a way for ease Thirdly willingly accept the prouocations of conscience when they stirre to renue repentance not benumming thy soule or hardning thy selfe by continuing without reconciliation Answere the summons of God hold thy peace no longer for this increaseth the rods and tieth affliction fast vnto thee Fourthly this being a prerogatiue of Gods children namely that euill shall be turned to their good as good to euill to the wicked be not dismaied in afflictions but comfort thy selfe in the Lord thy God and in this that the present affliction tendeth vnto and endeth in good because it brings foorth the fruits of vnfeigned righteousnesse Now the grieuousnesse of Dauids touch of conscience is set out first by the effects secondly by the continuance of it The effects 1. The changes in his body in his 2. The roaring of voice Bones consuming Moisture dried These fruits of his sinne are witnesses of Gods wrath that pursued his conscience First My bones consumed these effects note the inward and extreme sorrow of the Prophet which pearced his very marrow so Salomon hath it Prou. 17. Heauinesse drieth the bones because it eateth vp the spirits which should nourish and moisten them And it made his bones like the bones of an old man whose spirits and strength are spent for so the word signifies and insinuates Consenuerunt ossa such was his sorrow that whatsoeuer was firmest and strongest in him was shaken euen his very bones Thus Psalm 51. 8. hee would heare that is be by the Spirit perswaded the voice of gladnesse that is tidings of Gods fauour that the bones which he had broken might reioyce that is that the strength he had lost might be recouered and his paine which was like the breaking of bones might bee eased Iob also complaineth that his griefe had drunke vp his spirit and Psalm 102. 3. Dauid saith that his bones were burnt like an herth because of Gods displeasure And my moisture turned to the drought of summer That is looke how the Sunne in Summer parcheth and drieth leaues and hearbs so is my naturall moysture which should moysten and cherish my body drawne out and dried vp by the parching heate of Gods displeasure The like he complaineth Psalm 22. 16. My strength is dried vp like a shell or a potsherd which is bak't in the fire that is There is no more moysture in me then there is in a bak't potsherd hee was almost resolued into dust already Hence we may note what a wonderfull torment the torment of conscience is no griefe in the world is like to the griefe of conscience Iob 6. 4. The arrowes of the Lord sticke fast in me saith the holy man and Oh that my griefe were well weighed Hezekiah said that the Lord dealt with him as a lyon crushing his bones Isa. 38. 13. And Prou. 18. 14. A wounded spirit saith SALOMON who can beare And what is the reason of all this First because here is a combate with God and with his wrath hand to hand Secondly the body and spirit and all is downe the winde it might bee that a good heart would beare out the body but here the heart
as for others who professe remission of sinne they are slaues to their sinnes and these haue dominion ouer them Secondly another is a daily purging and clensing of the reliques and remainders of sinne as 1. Iohn 1. 9. God is faithfull to forgiue vs and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse he that hath his sinnes couered hath them also cured Of Christ it is said that he came by water and bloud c. Hee that is made whole goes and sinnes no more that is he feares sinne for time to come Professe then remission of sinnes as long as thou wilt If Christ wash thee not thou hast no part in him if thou beest as foule as formerly thou wast euery man but thy selfe may see what thou art Thirdly a third fruite is faith working by loue and this loue worketh first towards God who is much loued because he hath loued and forgiuen much Luk. 7. 47 and much praised for so happie a change But the wicked are haters of God and neuer care for his prefence for his word or children or Sabbaths and yet they hope vainely for forgiuenesse of sinne Secondly it works towards man and manifests it selfe in forgiuing our brethren and enemies The godly looke vpon the commandement Ephes. 4. 32. Forgiue one another euen as God for Christs sake forgaue vs. But alas many pray Forgiue vs as we forgiue our debters and therein plainely curse themselues for their minds lust after enuy and wrath and hence are those common speeches I may forgiue him but I will not forget him and He may come in my Pater noster but not in my Creede A manifest signe that God hath not forgiuen thee at all and that his forgiuenesse of thee is not to forget thee nor thy sinne Thirdly here is refuge for a wearie soule and a burdened conscience doest thou want the voice of ioy and gladnesse in thy soule and lyest groning vnder the burden of sinne be not dismaied for in that thou canst approch Gods presence in the full and free accusing of thy selfe in complaining of thy self and iudging thine owne soule here is a sound ground of comfort thou art hee who hath right into the tree of life thou art hee on whom the Lord will looke in mercy thy repentance and faith intaile pardon of sinne vnto thy soule Fourthly is it so that God remits onely the sinnes of repentants then aboue all things labour to attaine this grace of repentance and testifie it in sound confession before God In the Courts of men confession brings shame and punishment but in Gods a couer and reward In great Princes Courts no mourner might come and therefore Ioseph must put off his prison-garments before he come to Pharaoh but none but mourners are accepted in Gods Court mourne therefore and bewaile thy sinnes this alone can assure the heart of remission of sinne Oh I haue repented long of my sinnes but feele no such assurance Yet feare not but ioyne to these endeuours these helpes First vse conscionably the Word and Sacraments which make knowne and seale vp to the beleeuer the pardon of sinne by Christ meditate and feede on the promises which are made to the penitent Secondly grow vp in humility euery day bee more low in thine owne eies then others and beware of pride because it becomes thee to bee humble for the more contrite the spirit is the fitter it is for Gods Spirit to dwell in Thirdly vse earnest and daily prayer for the earnest of the Spirit to witnesse vnto thy spirit that thou art the childe of God for he being the Comforter must bring these comfortable tidings to thy heart he must apply the promises of life and saluation Fourthly take heede of actuall sinnes which grieue the Spirit and are as water to quench the comforts of the same especially beware of presumptuous sinnes which wound the Spirit most and most preuaile ouer thee Psal. 19. 13. Fifthly exercise thy selfe to godlinesse and to the duties of sanctification in thy generall and speciall calling and this will assure thee of the presence of the good Spirit leading thee These things if thou failest in blame thy selfe if thou walkest heauily and vncomfortably God will be found in his owne waies and no other VERS 6. Therefore shall euery one that is godly make his Prayer vnto thee in a time when thou mayest bee found surely in the flood of great waters they shall not come neere him HAuing spoken of the maine Doctrine of this Psalme concerning the iustification of a sinner before God wherein Dauid placeth true blessednesse wee come now to the sundry vses of that Doctrine in the rest of the Psalme being the second part of it The first of them concerneth Prayer in this verse where of there are Two parts First the practice of a godly man Therefore shall euery c. Secondly a promise made vnto it Surely in the flood c. In the former are these foure points First the inference of it Therefore or for for this cause Secondly the Person praying Euery godly man Thirdly the person to whom hee must pray To thee Fourthly the time When thou mayest bee found Therefore that is because I haue had experience of thy loue and thou hast answered mee graciously in my request euery one that is in the like misery and touch of conscience as I was shall vse the same meanes as I did to obtaine the same mercy This dealing of thine with me shall be an instruction and encouragement to euery humbled soule to take the same course for comfort as I did Dauids experience shall teach all the godly to seeke God in their distresse Hence note that Those are the best teachers that can speake from experience of the Lords working in themselues Psal. 91. The Prophet teacheth confidence and securitie in God to those that are vnder the secret of the most High but the best ground he thought was to lay it on his owne experience verse 2. I said to the Lord O my hope and fortresse that is I had a good cause so to say and then followes Surely hee will deliuer thee from the snare of the hunter c. So likewise the Apostle Paul being to perswade that the remnants of corruption cannot condemn the regenerate man Rom. 8. 1. hee inforceth it from his owne experience thus For the Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus hath freed me from the Law of sinne and of death as if he had said Of like things and persons there is the like consequence My infirmities are not imputed vnto me to death no more shall yours The reasons of this point are these First he that hath a flame in his owne heart may easily kindle another and hee that doth not first edifie his owne heart shall not be so meete to edifie and speake to the heart of another a godly mans zeale will warme such as are by when another shall speake but
sorrowes of it freed vs from the guilt of sinne appeased the wrath of God abolished eternall death and destroyed the Deuils Kingdome Now the Sonne thus freeing vs we are free indeed Oh! the greatnesse of this deliuerance should astonish vs whereby we auoid those great and insuperable euils which otherwise had for euer oppressed vs. Now in way of thankefulnesse First beware of turning backe to the seruice of sinne and obey the precept giuen to the blind man Thou art made whole sinne no more Secondly loue him much who hath forgiuen so much Luc. 7. 47. Thirdly Studie to please him in all things Psal. 116 8. Because thou hast deliuered my soule from death mine eyes from teares and my feet from falling I will walke before the Lord in the Land of the liuing Fourthly magnifie and speake of this great deliuerance and saluation as the Church did Psalme 126. 3. The Lord hath done great things for vs whereof wee reio yee and say with Mary Luc. 1. 49. Hee that is mightie hath done great things for me and holy is his Name But hee that trusteth in the Lord mercie shall compasse him THis is the second motiue or enforcement of Christian obedience wherein first consider the meaning of the wordes Hee that trusteth in the Lord here is a description of a godly man by a Periphrasis A godly man is not hee that wants all sinne but he that being a Beleeuer manifesteth the fruit of faith in reposing himselfe vpon Gods mercie as the rocke of his safetie Thus the Church is described comming out of the Wildernesse and leaning on her well-beloued Cant. 8. 5. And the people of Gods delight are such as feare God and attend vpon his mercie Mercie hee sayth not ioy as in true opposition he should haue said for ioy is properly opposed to sorrow not mercie but in this Word First he both includeth that and Secondly he noteth also the ground of the godlies reioycing which is mercie not merit Thirdly mercie also vpholds and preserues this ioy Shall compasse him opposed to the many sorrowes of wicked ones and it noteth First a full and complete felicitie of the godly Secondly the large goodnesse of God towardes them not giuing them onely one blessing or mercie or of one kind but besetting them and meeting them at euery corner with mercies Thirdly that Dauid had here tasted abundantly of mercie and hauing assurance of the pardon of sinne had experience in his owne person and here speakes of it according to his abundant sense of it Fourthly that being now compassed with mercie hee would allure and perswade euery godly man to get the pardon of his sinne also and that is mercie enough Out of this exposition ariseth this instruction namely that Hee that trusteth in God shall haue a plentifull part in the mercies of God mercie shall compasse him Psal. 103. 11. As high as the Heauens are aboue the Earth so great is his mercie towards them that feare him Psal. 125. 2. As the Mountaines compasse Ierusalem so the Lord is round about his people Zach 2. 5. The LORD promiseth to the Church to bee a wall of fire round about her and her glorie in the midst of her Here are euery where mercies within and without And the reasons of this point are these First the godly are vessels prepared for mercie Rom. 9. 23. Whom God hath chosen to declare the riches of his glorie vpon Secondly where Gods comfortable presence is there are great mercies because he is great in mercie Isa. 55. 7. and rich in mercie Ephes. 2. 4. Where the Sunne is there is abundant light and where the Sea is there must bee abundant water Now Gods promise on his part and the faith and trust of the godly on their part holds God present with his people at all times Thirdly the mercie that God sheweth to the godly is great in kind because it is a speciall mercie which is peculiar to them flowing from speciall loue True it is that the Lord is good to all and his mercie is ouer all his worke Psal. 145. 9. that is there is no worke of his hands which receiueth not from him some mercie But that is but a generall mercie as when the Sunne shines on the good and bad and the raine fals on euery mans ground by this hee sends away the worst men with good gifts But there is a speciall mercie reserued for the Elect and reseruing the Inheritance for them to these hee is not only a mercifull Lord but a mercifull Father a Father of mercies rich in mercie Psal. 103. 3. As a Father pities his Children so the Lord pities them that feare him A mercifull man pities his beast much more his brother but if his childe bee in distresse his pitie is more inward and working as his affection is such is the compassion of God towardes his Children who is therefore sayd to haue bowels of compassion Fourthly GODS mercie is great in quantitie and measure it filleth all the space betweene the Earth and Heauen and all the distance betweene East and West Psal. 103. 11. 12. so as if a man bee betweene Earth and Heauen or within the quarters of eyther this mercie must compasse him Dauid shewes the vnmeasurable measure of it Psal. 40. 5. O Lord thou hast made thy wonderfull workes so many that none can count in order to thee thy thoughts toward vs I would declare and speake of them but they are more then I am able to expresse For the better cleering of the point although wee can neuer set out the infinite mercies with which God compasseth his Elect yet wee may point at some of them especially those speciall ones which are peculiar to the godly and which like the childrens bread are not cast vnto Dogges it faring with the godly as with a mightie rich man that knowes no end of his wealth Though hee cannot haue his eye ouer it all yet his thoughts sometimes are vpon his goodliest Mannors his Treasury his most precious Pearles and Iewels The kinds of this mercy towards the godly concerne eyther this life or the life to come The first and chiefe mercie the fountaine of all is that euen in this life God hath pleased to afford vs himselfe the chiefe good that himselfe is become our portion Psal. 16. 5. and that the soules of his people can rest and stay themselues in him alone and ioy in the light of his countenance when the World doth what it can to make them miserable Psalme 73. 25. Whom haue I in Heauen but thee and whom haue I in comparison of thee My flesh faileth and my heart also but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for euer Now can an Hypocrite euer reioyce in God or what comfort can he haue in God who is not in couenant with him heere then is a speciall mercy without bound or banke euen infinite as God himselfe is Secondly from hence