where wee find the saints professing and avowing their hope in God most confidently But say they yet for all this wee are uncertain of our Love But consider I pray you that S. Peter being demanded by our Saviour concerning his love to him answereth most confidently Thou knowest that I love thee Thou that knowest all things knowest that I love thee So S. Augustine in his 8. book of the Trinitie 7. chap. saieth That wee more certainlie know the love that we carrie to our brother then our brother himself They answere to this That wee may know indeed certainly that there is in us a love and affection to God and our neighbour but yet say they we cannot know for what end and upon what motive wee love him and consequently whether our love be such as it ought to be But they should consider that the Apostle saieth 1. Cor. 2. â—1 That the spirit of a man knoweth the things of a man and that wee haue received the Spirit of God that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God Hence a most learned Romanist Vega in his 9. book of â—ustificat 39. chap. granteth That wee may know not only our own inward actions but also for what end and upon what motive they are exercised by us and consequently that we love God above all things and that wee are ready to suffer the losse of all things rather then to offend him and that wee have truly sorrowed for our bypast sinnes But to leave this let us mark here That it is not without great cause that DAVID intending to blesse exalt God mentioneth particularly this his assurance that God was his God that he had a particular interest in him This as we touched before is a most singular benefit from which many excellent fruits do spring For first hence floweth a boldnesse toward God a boldnesse to come in his presence and a confidence to be heard of him in our praiers If our heart condemne us not we haue confidence towards God 1. Iohn 3. 21. A son that is perswaded of his fathers love is bold to come to him and to present his sutes unto him when occasion serveth so wee being perswaded that God is our God and Father are confident to poure out our hearts in his bosome and to expect a gracious answere from him I have written unto you saieth S. Iohn 1. 5. 13. 14. 15. that ye may know that ye have eternall life And this is the confidence that we have in him that if we ask any thing according to his will he heareth us And we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him Where first wee have the knowledge of eternall life then confidence to be heard to have our petitions granted If wee have to do with a man of whom wee know not whether he loveth us or not we can have but small hope to obtain our sutes from him but if wee be assured that we have his favour wee are confident to obtaine our requests according to that degree of favour which we perswade our selves to enjoy so if we be perswaded that God is our God and Father we cannot doubt of obtaining from him that which is good If ye that are evill can give good things to your children how much more will your heavenly Father give his good Spirit and all good things to them that ask him He that gave to us his own Son when we did not pray to him how much more with him will he give to us all things which wee pray for Secondly This assurance that God is our God and that we are in his favour maketh us to go on cheerfully in the obedience of God It enlargeth our heart with comfort so that wee runne the way of Gods Commandements There is nothing that will make a good servant cheerfull in doing his Masters will so much as to know that himself and his service is well accepted so nothing more fit to stirre us up to alacritie in well doing then to know that our persons and works are acceptable to God This is a notable spurre to a good life Hee that hath this hope purgeth himself that he may be holy as God is holy saieth S. Iohn I have hope towards God of the resurrection of the just and unjust saieth S. PAUL Acts 24. 16. And herein do I exercise my self to have alwayes a conscience void of offence toward God and toward men Thirdly This assurance that God is ours and that we have his love breedeth to us peace that passeth understanding and joy unspeakable and glorious even amidst all our worldly troubles S. Paul having said Rom. 5. 1. being justified by faith wee have peace with God subjoyneth That we rejoyce in the hope of the glory of God and that wee rejoyce also in our tribulations For being at one with God the peace of God keepeth our mindes Philip. 4. 7. It guardeth and defendeth them as a wall or garrison so the word signifieth It guardeth I say not only our bodies or estats always but also our minds that we sink not through the weight of our afflictions nor fall away from our stedfastnesse by any crosses For he that is in this estate can reason thus Though my wealth and preferment be taken away though my friends have forsaken mee though want and troubles sease upon mee Yet Christ is mine God is mine heaven and the inheritance of the joyes of it is mine These outward troubles can do no more but batter without and at the most pull down the earthly house of this bodie but That building which is without hands in heaven they cannot reach unto These troubles may take away my outward joyes but that joy which is within which is in God even my God is beyond the power of Life or death of height or depth of principalities or powers of things present or things to come Rom. 8. 38. This comforted Iob in the midst of all his grievous sorrowes I know saieth he that my Redeemer liveth and that with mine eyes I shall see him This comforted the godly Hebrews chap. 10. 34. Yee took joyfullie the spoiling of your goods knowing in your selves that ye haue in heaven a better and an enduring substance Hence hope which is grounded upon this assurance is compared to an Anchor Heb. 6. 19. An Anchor holdeth the ship firme and stable that it be not driven hither and thither or overwhelmed although the sea bee stormie and tempestuous even so our hope setleth our soules in the midst of tribulations that wee bee not swallowed up thereby So it is compared to an helmet 11. Thess 5. 8. For as an helmet securing the head putteth courage in a Souldier to fight so hope securing us of the maine point our eternall safety giveth courage and confidence to us in all our troubles I come now to David his last expression of that which he intendeth to praise and blesse That is the
DIVERSE Select SERMONS Upon severall TEXTS of holy SCRIPTVRE Preached by that Reverend and faithfull Servant of JESUS CHRIST D. James Sibald Doctour of DIVINITY Late Preacher of the Gospell at ABERDENE There-after At DUBLIN in IRELAND Published after his Death Remember how thou hast received heard and hold fast and repent REVEL 3. 3. Printed at ABERDENE by Iames Brown 1618. TO The Right Honourable JOHN JAFFRAY PROVEST ROBERT FORBES GILBERT GRAY ALEX. ROBERTSONE ALEXANDER ALEXANDER Bailies And the remnant of the Honourable Councell of the City of ABERDENE Grace mercy and peace c. RIght Honourable This posthumus WORK coming forth to Publick view IT was thought fitt not without reason to have your H. Names so eminent Favourers of learning piety prefixed unto it For by the defence it may expect at your hands as an Orphan The Authour of it did labour in your City a considerable time in the Lords Worke and probablie would have ended his Labours where he began them if GOD in his holy provideÌ„ce wherunto he learned to submit himself had not disposed otherwise of him As he studied to approve himself unto GOD a Work-man that needed not to bee ashamed rightlie dividing the Word of Truth and to have his Conversation such as became a Minister of the gospel of Christ through his rich blessing upon his travels was instrumentall for strengthning to wel-doing for lifting up of weak hands for comforting of Mourners for winning to settling in the Truth so with the same minde in the rest of his beloved Charge your love and respects towards him your longings after him when he was withdrawn from you were very great Vpon these accounts next to the glory of GOD and the well of his Church in generall These following Sermons preached upon severall occasions in your hearing are published and to be an encouragement to your H. to go on and persevere in the wayes of holinesse and righteousnesse whereunto while he was with you he did from time to time most earnestly exhort you that as yee were his hope here yee may bee his Joy and Crown of rejoycing in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming Which is the earnest prayer of Your H. humble servant I. S. Christian Reader SOme of the Travels of one who is now resting from his laboures are here presented unto thee It is more then probable if before the publication of them they had been revised by himself for thy further satisfaction they had come forth both more polisthed and enlarged Notwithstanding it is hoped that the Voice of the Dead yet speaking in them upoÌ„ thy diligent perusall of them through the Lords Mercy may prove helpfull to further thee in thy way to eternall life The Authour was first called from the profession of Phylosophy in COLLEDGE-MARISCHALL in Aberdene to a pastorall Charge of souls in the same City where to his great joy he saw the seale of his Ministry and the LORDS Work prospering in his hand Afterwards when the troubles of this Nation both in Church and State were come to a great hight the sad effects whereof he oftentimes foretold and bemoned upon the not concurring of his judgement in the manner of Church-Goverment with them who were other wayes minded He was called to afflictions and sufferings and which he looked upon as the heaviest of all to leave them who were so deare unto him and to whom so oft with 〈◊〉 mutuall joy he had holden forth the word of life His last Service in the ministry of the Gospell was in the city of Dublin in Ireland which at that time was againe and againe in great danger of the bloody sword of their unnaturall Countrey-men of the popish party their rageing exceedingly sheding much innocent blood Here he acquited himself so eminently a burning and ashining light that he was greatly beloved of all living very much desired and dying no lesse lamented and the reâ—lity of their affections was demonstrate by evident testimonies of their respects to him both in his life time aud after his death In this city after he had run his race of ten years labours in the LORDS Work he finished his course and was called to receive that eternall Crown which was prepared for him and for all who love the appearing of our LORD Iesus Christ in Glory at his second coming I have only this to adde further in a word that his recepts from the Father of lights were not small for his great abilities in the Oriental languages and all kinde of liberall sciences humane divine expressing them selves with the tongue of the learned dayly growing to greater perfection wer accompanied with the power of Godlines earnest desires for the peace of the Church unanimity with his worthy fellow labourers gravity humility charity and all other christian graces So being confident that his Memorie shall he blessed and his laboures profitable I shall adde only that of the Poet speaking of another Vivet extento Proculeius aevo Notus in fratres animi paterni Illum aget penna metuente solvâ— Fama superstes Horat. Lib. 2. Carm. od 2. J S. THE FIRST SERMON PSAL. CXLV vers 1. 2. I will extoll thee my God O King and I will blesse thy Name for ever and ever Every day will I blesse thee and I will praise thy Name for ever and ever ALthough all Scripture bee given by inspiration of GOD and bee profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousnesse 2. TIM 3. 16. yet the Psalmes among other parts of scripture have been ever thought to have a speciall excellencie S. Chrysostome in the 5. Tom. of his works 6. Hom. of Repentance saieth That this was the coÌ„mon sense of Christians in his time albeit saieth he Moses was the great Lawgiver saw God face to face yet saieth he his books are scarce read once a yeare The gospell wherin Christs miracles are registrat wherin we see death destroyed life restored and God as it were conversing with men is read saieth hee but once or twyce a weeke The Epistles of S. Paul who was the Orator of Christ who was taken up to the third heaven who saw things which is not lawfull to utter are read saieth he but twice a weeke But saieth he in the meane time DAVID is read day and night All carrie him about at all times as a precious and sweet smelling oyntment If wee abide in the Church all night David is the first and the middle and the last with whom wee end If wee sing hymnes to God in the morning DAVID is the first and the middle and the last If wee have pompe at the Funerals of the dead DAVID is the first the middle and the last Even they that have not letters have him as it were ingraven in the heart Neither is this only in Churches and towns but in all places in all times 2. Sam. 23. 1. The sweet singer of Israel
is not from the earth but from heaven and if he give life to them that are dead he may be justly called The bread of life 3. He addeth these words to comfort Beleevers and to terrifie unbeleevers For no greater comfort can be to them that receive him by a true and lively faith then the assured hope that they shall be raised up by him from death to a glorious and immortall life and on the other part it is matter of exceeding terror to the unbelieving and wicked that they shall not be partakers of this blessed resurrection but they shall be raised up to shame and confusion This point is urged diverse times hereafter by our LORD and therefore it may be we shall have occasion to speak of it more fully Only now consider that this is a point which we should at this time deeply meditate upon He who calleth us and offereth himself unto us is no lesse then he who hath power of life and death even of eternall life and of eternall death If wee answer him and embrace his Calling we may look to have confidence joy and glory at our death and resurrection but if we do otherwayes we can expect nothing but terrour sorrow and confusion Though we think little now of death and resurrection yet they wil come It is appointed for all men once to die and after death cometh judgement The soul will be called out of the body the body will be called out of the grave and both will be called before the Tribunall of GOD. If thou hearkned devotly and obediently to his Calling here Thou shalt lift up thine head then being confident that thy redemption draweth near When GOD sayeth to thy soul at death Come out thou shalt encourage it and say Go 〈◊〉 my soule fear nâ—t it is the Voice of my Beloved calling not to destroy but to save thee It is the voice of him who hath often called me before and whom I have answered by his Grace It is the Voice of him that I was longing for He said to me before Behold I come I have answered even so Amen LORD Iesus come But on the contrary if thou hast despised his gracious and mercifull Calling here thy terrour shall be unspeakable at death and at the resurrection He shall call when thy Lamp is not prepared and albeit thou would not be drawn by his Mercy his Justice shall draw thy soule out of thy body at death and thy body out of the grave at the resurrection although thou call then he will not heare but will say Depart from me I know thee not Long have I cast open the doore of my Mercy unto thee but thou would not enter and now it is shute O how terrible shall this Calling or rather Drawing of iustice be to the disobedient soule body Faine would they draw back into that very nothing out of which they were brought Therefore the wicked shall say then unto the hills and to the mountains fall upon us and cover us from the Face of him that sitteth upon the Throne and from the Face of the Lamb. Let us therefore while we have time thinke both upon his Mercy Justice These are the two armes of his Providence whereby he draweth to good and from evil MERCY is as it were his Right-Hand which is alluring and comfortable justice his Left-Hand which is terrifying and dreadfull Let us labour That his left hand may be vnder our head as the Spouse speaketh and that his right hand may embrace us that is let us thinke upon his gracious Promises that we may be allured to obey him and withall consider his dreadfull terrours that we may stand in awe to despise his invitations I will speake no more of this Now I proceed It is written in the prophets And they shall be all taught of GOD c. Here he confirmeth and cleareth what he said of the drawing of men to him by the Father He confirmeth it by the testimony of scripture It is written sayeth he in the prophets they shall be all taught of GOD. This testimony is expresly set down Isaiah 54. 13. Where the PROPHET speaking of the happy estate of the Church of the new Testament sayeth to her All thy children shall be taught of the LORD and great shall be their peace According to the sense it is also to be found else-where especially in the 31. 33. of Iâ—r where the LORD speaking of the Church of the new Testament sayeth After those dayes it shall come to passe that I will put my law in their hearts writ it in their inward parts and they shall be my people and I will be their GOD and they shall not teach every man his brother and every man his neighbour but they shall know me from the highest to the least sayeth the LORD For clearing of this yee are to understand that to be taught of God is nothing else but to have our minds enlightned by the knowledge of him and to have his love â—â—â—ed abroad in our hearts so that we obey him and that not out of the fear of punishment but out of the love of righteousnes Of this teaching the Prophet spake when he said Psal 94. 12. Blessed is the man whom thou chastisest and teachest out of thy law and when he said againe Teach me to do thy Will O GOD for it is good This our Saviour manifesteth in the next words wherein he explaineth what it is To be taught by GOD saying That such an one heareth and learneth of the Father and cometh to him that is he that is so taught understandeth and beleeveth that which the Father revealeth and embraceth it by sincere love and affection and so cometh to Christ by faith by hope by love and obedience Hence S. AUGUSTINE in his book of the Grace of Christ 12. and 13. chapters inferreth That this doctrine of the Father is nothing else but his heavenly Grace communicated to us whereby he maketh us not only to know what we should do but also to do what we know whereby he maketh us not only to beleeve that which should be loved but also to love that which we beleeve This is the doctrine of the Father whereby from on hye by his unspeakable Power inwardly he manifesteth his truth and communicateth to us the love of himself This also is manifest as S. AUGUSTINE observeth there from the 1. Thess 4. 9. where S. PAUL sayeth As for brotherly love yee have not need that I should write unto you for yee are taught of GOD to love one another So the Teaching of GOD maketh us not only to know what should be done but also to do that which we know And he that knowes and doeth not is not caught by God He is not taught according to grace but according to the law he is not taught according to the spirit but according to the letter Secondly Yee are to consider that our Saviour by urging
to speak to us or wee have libertie to speak to him Lastly The consideration of this infinite Greatnesse of God serveth to give us comfort and confidence in all our troubles The Lord useth this argumeÌ„t to Aâ—RAHAM to encourage him I am God Alsufficient saieth he walk before me and be upright and I will be thy exceeding great reward so when he sent Moses to the children of Israell to assure them that he was to deliver them out of the Egyptian bondage Hee declared to him his Name which signifieth his greatnesse and commanded him to reveale it unto them thus shal thou say unto them said the Lord Exod. 3 14. I am or Hee that is hath sent me unto you as if he would have said feare not hee hath spoken it who is the great and infinite Being who maketh every thing to bee that he will and giveth being unto all his promises In like manner the Lord reasoneth Isal 40. where he comforteth the fainting hearts of his people even ready to murmure with this consideration of his greatnesse Why sayest thou O Jacob why speakest thou O Israel my way is hid from the Lord and my judgement is passed over from my God Hast thou not known hast thou not heard that the everlasting God the Lord the Creator of the ends of the earth fâ—inteth not neither is weary of his understanding there is no searching Hee giveth power to them that are faint and to them that have no might he encreaseth strength Even the youths weary and faint and the young men shall utterly fall But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as eagles they shall run and not be weary and they shall walk and not faint Thee is no trouble nor distresse against which this infinite greatnesse of God cannot comfort us Are thou weak and thy enemies strong yet remember that the power of this great God of whose greatnesse ther is no end is greater then all thy weaknes or their might Are thou oppressed with the greatnes of thy sinnes Remember that thy sinnes how great soever are small in respect of his mercies who is infinitly great in that as well as in other perfections Are thou perplexed and seest no outgate in thy difficulties Remember the Wisdome of Him that is infinitly great can find out the way In a word His infinite greatnesse can supply us in all our evils and wants Let us therefore seek our comfort hence against the manifold evils which afflict us or are imminent over our heads There is no day almost which bringeth not some evill with it and some tydings that are sorrowfull I shall instance but in one particular the death of your Reverend and worthy Pastor whereof yee lately heard I may truly say The losse of him was not a small losse He was a man endued with singular and excellent gifts especially of Learning and Devotion His Judgement was solid and piercing his Conception was most cleare he was strong in reasoning distinct and sweet and pithie in his expressions and by the diligent use of these gifts highly esteemed at home and famous abroad amongst the best learned as I very well know How comfortable his travels were to you how plainly and perfectly he instructed you how sweetly and powerfully hee exhorted and comforted you from this place I appeale to your own consciences But that which is most of all I am perswaded he had the true feare of God in his heart in his wayes he set him before his eyes and was fervent and frequent in the devot service of him He made not a shew of devotion but God Who seeth in secret I trust hath now openly rewarded him Hee had indeed an apprehension of death a long space before his end and I very well know that he was most earnestly and devotly prepared for it His preparation was fruitfull for God gave him a sweet and calme and holy departure which joyned with integritie of his life assureth us that he is now translated from this valley of teares into his Fathers house and to that City that hath foundations whose Builder and Maker is God For my self I make no doubt at all but that he is with this great God and is now entered into his joy So it is well with him but alace These and the like losses are matter of sorrow and heavinesse to us yet as I said we must not be too much cast down There is comfort against this in all our evils in that infinite greatnesse and sufficiencie of God whereof I have been speaking The Lord grant us confidence in him and that for the merits of Christ Iesus to whom c. A SERMON Vpon the CXXXIII Psalme Jule 22. 1638. A song of degrees of DAVID Vers 1. Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unitie 2. It is like the precious ointment upon the head that ran down upon the beard even Aarons heard that went down the skirts of his garments As the dew of Hermon and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion for there the LORD commanded the blessing even life for evermore THis Psalme is one of the 15. songs of degreâ— The 1. wherof is the cxx the last the cxxxiv. Why these Psalmes are called particularly songs of degrees it is not certaine Some think they are called so from the fifteen degrees by which they ascended to the temple of Jerusalem whereupon they were sung upon particular occasions Some think they are so called in reference to the ascending of the Jews from Babylon to Jerusalem after their deliverance from captivitie foreseene by DAVID by the light of Gods Spirit But to leave things uncertaine This is certaine that these Psalmes are singularlie excellent and well agreeing to men that are sojourning here and ascending by degrees of pietie and vertue to the heavenly Ierusalem They are full of divine instructions affections wherby we may be directed and inflamed to make progresse and ascend in the way to our heavenly countrey and city In particular this Psalme which of the fifteene is the last except one though short is a most sweet and heavenly song wherin most divinlie DAVID commendeth brotherly love the coÌ„munion of the saints he representeth the beautie of it most liuelie it is very necessar to all to look thereupon that they who have concord peace may be thankfull to God for it and be carefull to maintaine it that they who have it not may desire seek after it And therfore it shall be fit for us this day to Behold how good how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unitie Behold saieth DAVID This word calleth us to attention and to the present view and inspection of the beautie of brotherly love He setteth and presenteth it as it were before our eyes and therfore saieth Behold Beside he doth not simply call us
declared his Wrath against it by dreadfull judgements In this kinde we have a notable example in Eusebius his ecclesiastick Hist 6. book and 8. chapter There he reporteth that three wicked men had conspired against Narcissus Bishop of IERUSALEM in the time of the Emperour Severus who was a man of singular holinesse but somwhat severe These wicked persons fearing to bee censured by him accuse him of Vncleannesse to perswade men to beleeve them did use fearfull curses and impreeaâ—ions against themselves if they spake not the truth The first of them wished that he might be burnt The second wished that his body might rot be consumed The third wished that he might be blinde if it was not true which they spake Notwithstanding of all this the people were so perswaded of the holinesse of their Pastor that they beleeved them not And in the meane time ere it was long the judgement of God came upon these three The house of the first took fire and in it hee and his familie was burnt The second fell into a grievous disease which consumed his bodie away The third considering the vengance of God that had come upon his fellowes is brought to repentance confesseth publickly the whole matter shed tears so aboundantly then and afterwards that he lossed the sight of his eyes So the curse of every one of them fell upon themselves Thus we may perceive that the Apostle his cursing did much aggravate his sin Secondly the matter which he denied with oathes execrations was most great and important It was no lesse then his LORD and SAVIOVR even he to whom before he had said Lord whether shall we go from thee for thou hast the words of eternall life and we know and are sure that thou art the Christ the son of the living God Thirdly he who denied this was no mean person but a great and prime Apostle which aggravateth the offence it was Peter whose name Christ had changed and whom he had called Peter to signifie that the strength and firmnes of a rocke should be in him It was Peter who had been so familiar with his Lord had seen him worke so many miracles and had wrought miracles himself in his Name Peter who had been with him in mount Tabor had tasted there the heavenly joyes had heard this voice from heaven Thou art my well beloved son c. Peter to whom the Father had revealed this That Jesus was the son of the living God Math. 16. And to whom our Saviour said To thee will I give the keyes of the Kingdome of heaven and whatsoever thou shalt binde upon earth shall be bound in heaven and whatsoever thou shalt loose upon earth shall be loosed in heaven Fourthly In this his denial appeareth great pusillanimitie weaknes and distrust of God for at the first assault of a hand-maid and doore-keeper he denyed That he knew Christ Behold saieth holy AUGUSTINE The most firme pillartrembls whollie at one small blast of the aire Where now saieth he is thy former confidence and bold promises where now are these words I am ready to follow thee both to prison and to death Is this to follow thy Lord to deny that thou knowest him Is this to lay down thy life for him to deny him at the voice of a damsell for preserving thy life how strangely is thy voice changed now and yet thou art not brought unto publick thou art not presented yet before kings or governours thou art not yet put to the rocke or torture It is not a scribe or pharisee or priest or souldier or executioner that demandeth of thee but a woman a servant and a doore-keeper Thus we see there was in him exceeding great weaknes and feare Lastly There was a kinde of obstinacie in his sinne for he denyed and swore againe and againe and the third time There was betwixt his second and third deniall about the space of an houre wherein the had time to recollect his confounded thoughts and to call to minde what he hade done that he might have repented or at least might have eschewed a new sinne but notwithstanding of this he continued still unmindefull of Christ and what he had done Thus we see his sinne in many respects was grievous which we have discovered not for the reproach of that great and holy Apostle God forbid but that we may learne these uses from it Which the spirit of God would have us to learne which is the third point propounded by us The first use that we should make of this fall of the great Apostle is we may perceive clearly in it humane weaknes infirmitie how great it is and how little it should be trusted unto This great Apostle was by nature fervent and veâ—ement and had received many excellent graces and priviledges from Christ as we said before yet when he trusteth to much in himself and is for triall and humiliation left to himself he falleth and that most foullie He that assured himself of victory before the fight trembleth now before the sound of the trumpet he that should not have denied Christ although the sword had been at his throat denieth him now at the voice of a damsell The like we may see in DAVID who was a man according to the heart of God and yet fell both in adulterie murther This should teach us all humilitie feare and watch fulnes and to trust in nothing but in God and his Graceâ— S. Peter himself learned these things by his fall When our Lord after his resurrection asked him whether he did love him more then others did he did not preferre himself to any but was content to expresse his own sinceritie saying LORD thou knowest that I love thee So in his 1. epist 1. chap. He saieth That we are kept by the power of GOD through faith unto salvation and in the 5. chap. of that epist he giveth this exhortarion to all Be sober be vigilant for your enemie the devil goeth about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devoure Let us in like manner learne to be humble and to feare and watch If the strong pillars and mighty cedares be so shaken and so soone what may become of us who have scarce grace rooted in our hearts in the day of our temptation What is man without the Grace of God saieth holy AUGUSTINE in his 124. Sermon of time But that which Peter was when he denied his LORD yea suppose thou had never so much grace yet thou hast this treasure in an earthen vessell thou art like to a rich ship full of precious wares that is tossed in the sea and in danger to be swallowed with the waves or to dash upon the rocks Be not therefore high minded but feare Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall Remember that S. PAUL hath said Worke out your saluation with feare and trembling And that he himself did beat his body down and kept it in
petitions and yet be againe and againe importunated this is the way to offend them and make them more difficult But a restles importunitie and a kinde of violent urgeing of our desires is most acceptable to God which if we use rightly we are sure to obtaine that which we seek or that which is better Now let us proceed to the second temptation wherewith the faith of this woman was assaulted The disciples of our Lord moved either with pitty or impatience at the hearing of the frequent cryes of this woman desire him that he would dismisse her send her away say they for she cryeth after us Her cryes troubled them and it may be caused the people to gather about them To this our Lord answereth I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of Israel Strange and as it would seeme very uncomfortable words for this woman The meaning of the words is not that he came not to redeeme any but the Jews The scripture clearly telleth us That he is the propitiation for the sinnes of the whole world that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son to the death that whosoever should beleeve on him should not-perish but have eternal life In the 1. of Mal. it is promised by God that through the Messias his Name should be great among the gentiles from the rising of the sunne to the going down of it In the 2. of Haggai he is called The desire of all nations Isai chap. 11. foretold that the root of Jesse should be an ensigne to the people and that to it the gentiles should seek Before him DAVID prophecied Psal 2. That the heathen should be his inheritance and that the outmost ends of the earth should be his possession And long before him Jacob said That when Shilo came or the Messias to him should be the gathering of the nationes What then ye will say doth our Saviour meane by this that he was not sent but unto the lost sheep of Israel I answer he meaneth that he was sent to be Borne among them to worke his miracles among them to be visibly conversant with them whence he is called The Minister of the circumcision Rom. 15. God carried that respect to the Jews because of the covenant made with their fathers that the Messias was both to come of them and to do his wonderfull works among them not going nor sending to others til they had made themselves unworthie of his presence This is the true sense of his words yet the woman might have easily conceived them so as if they hide simply excluded her from his favour as not belonging to his care This was a mighty assault yet is she not dashed for all that On the contrary the strength of her faith doeth kyth the more in greater servencie and greater devotion for now she runes before him and falleth down at his feet worshippeh him acknowledgeth her own unworthinesse and his infinite excellencie and withall reneweth her petition saying LORD help me Her faith wisly passeth by the words of our Saviour she giveth not a direct answer to theÌ„ but still inforceth her suit as if she would have said O LORD I cannot reason with thee I cannot answer thee one of a thousand thy Words are above my reach Yet one thing I know beleeve that thou art the Saviour of the world who came for them that are miserable and lost and such an one I am therefore LORD help me Let them be affraied of these thy Words who seek the not but as for me I seek thee and will not leave thee untill thou have mercy upon me and sure I am thou not only may but will do it howsoever thou hide thy Love for the time Here we may learne how to incounter with a dangerous temptation which sometimes is suggested unto men namely that they are none of those whom God hath chosen or upon whom he hath set his LOVE and to whom his speciall Care belongeth If Sathan assault thee this way do as this woman did go thou and fall down at the Feet of Christ to worship him lay LORD help me Search not into the deep misâ—ery of Gods Predestination which thou art not able to wade through secret things belong to God and things that are revealed to us say thou therefore to him O LORD thou hast revealed that thou came To seek and save that which is lost and that thou willest not the death of sinners I am a sinner and I am lost O LORD therefore have mercy upon me and help me Say or do what thou will I will never depart from thee till thou blesse me Now let us here the answer of our Saviour to the womans renewed petition Suffer The children to be first satisfied said our Saviour unto her as it is in S. Mark For it is not good to take the bread of the children and to cast it unto dogs What I pray you could seeme more harsk then this he represents her unworhines unto her in respect of the Jews to whom he said before he was sent He calleth them children and her a dog and insinuateth that suppose she wer to get any help from him yet was it not to be expected at this time since the children were not yet satisfied whose bread ought not to be casten unto the dogs This was the third comptation a mighty one She looked for a gracious acceptance at the first and yet findeth herself still rejected and that with a reproach in end yet her faith is so farre from being broken with this that the vigor and strength of it still increased A little flame is soon quenched but a great fire the more it is opposed becometh the more violent so a strong lively faith overcometh al impediments and maketh a man to say with Job although the LORD should slay me yet I will trust in him Hence this woman claspeth yet faster to her Saviour and his Mercies Trueth LORD said she yet the dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from their masters table Strange and wonderfull words full of humilitie modestie faith and wisdome Humilitie for she acknowledgeth herself to be a dog as she was called Modestie for she expresseth only what is due to dogs not inferring what was due to herself but leaving that to be inferred by our LORD Her faith also shineth in these words for she professeth that she beleeved the miraculous deliverance of her daughter to be but as it wer a crumbe in respect of these great things which his Mercy could give Her wisdom also appeareth greatly in these words for she taketh advantage of our Saviour his own words useth that as a most pregnant argument to perswade him which he used as an argument to repell her as if she would have said O LORD thou callest me a dog and I confesse that in truth it is so but in the mean time even dogs have liberty to eat of the
their mouths be filled with the gravel of it Thus ye see that it is not without cause that our blessed Saviour so earnestly desires us to beware of so deadly a pest If a physitiā should say to thee beware of such an herb it is poyson if thou but taste it thou art dead thou would take heed to beware of it Our heavenly Physitian whose skill cannot be deceived hath recommended to us most earnestly to beware of this weede of avarice which of it own accord springeth up in our hearts David was a man according to the heart of GOD and yet he prayes earnestly Incline mine heart to love thy testimonies and not to covetousnesse Let us therfore fear and beware of it if we love the health life of our souls which that ye may the better do we will proceed consider our Saviours reason which is For mans life consisteth not in the abundance of these things that he possesseth The chief reason that moveth men inordinatly to desire and covet riches is they think that when they have gotten an abundance of them they shall have a happy a joyfull life This our Saviour plainly contradicts stricking at the very root of avarice that the cause being taken away this pernicious effect may cease As if he would say It is not as men think that when they have abundance they shall live and live happily it is not so Mans life consisteth not c. The life of man is neither the longer nor the more joyfull because of the plenty of these things First The life of man is not the longer for this yea often it falleth out that it is thereby shortened Abundance often draweth men to drunkennesse leachery which cutteth away innumerable in the midst of their dayes It draweth men often to other grievous sinnes for which God in his justice often depriveth them of life 2. It maketh not the life more JOYFUL The loue of money saieth S. PAUL is the roote of all evill which while some have followed after they have erred from the faith and haue pierced themselves through with many sorrowes They that would be rich saieth he fall into temptation and a snare and into many foolish and hurtfull lusts which drown men into destruction and perdition As avarice bringeth forth the evil of many sinnes so the evill of many sorrowes God hath joyned these two together that the daughter may scourge the mother Hee hath so disposed that the covetous heart is the afflicter tormenter of it self Let the abundance of the covetous be what it will his covetousnes is a chaine whereby the Devill draggs him through the thornes of piercing cares through the snares of temptations through the down-fals of errour deadly sinne and remorse of conscience It maketh a man to losse the joyes of heaven and yet suffereth him not to enjoy the good of the earth so like Judas to be hanged as it were betwixt heaven and earth Achab Jezebel thought that Naboths vineyard would have made their life more happy but indeed it was the way to poison it It brought Achab violētlie to his graue and made the doggs to licke the blood of Jezebel Achan thought the Babylonish garment the two hundreth shekels of silver and the Wedge Iosh 7. would help to make a joyfull life but it made him to be stoned to death and all that he hade to be burnt with fire Ananias Saphrya thought that a keeping back of a part of their moneyes would have bettered their life but it brought them to a sudden and fearfull death The Two talents covered by Gehazi brought him to Leprosie instead of happinesse 2. King 5. Thus wee see that neither out life nor the joy of it dependeth from our meanes or plenty of them It is not by bread that man doth live but by every word that cometh out of the mouth of God It is the blessing of the Lord which both maketh rich addeth no sorrowes with it This shall appeare farre more cleare by the following Parable which out Saviour bringeth for this same purpose and therefore now wee come unto it And he spake unto them saying c. To confirme and clearc the former reason our Saviour bringeth a most divine Parable or Similitude because this may be more easily understood and firmely retained That which he teacheth by it is most necessary to all therefore he setteth it down most perfectly and after a manner most effectuall to perswade First yee have the outward and worldly estate of this Wretch 2. The disposition of his minde 3. Gods judgement upon him for his covetousnesse 4. Our Saviours application 1. His outward estate The field of a certaine Rich-man brought forth plentifully Behold here abundance of outward meanes The Field of this man brought him forth plenty of fruits according to his hearts desire Was hee the better or the more happy for this No but worse and more miserable as shall appeare by that which followeth It is demanded here by some of the Ancients considering this place Why God giveth abundance to such men whom he seeth will not use it aright and to whom it will be occasion of greater condemnation To this they answere first God does so out of his great goodnesse and bounty which is such That hee maketh his sun to shine upon the good and the bade and his raine to fall upon the just and the unjust And this his goodnesse doeth that he may draw them to repentance For he delighteth not in the death of a sinner but would have all to turne and live 2. He doeth this that his Justice may appeare the more clearly in their condemnation if they remaine obstinate in their impiety for in that They have despised all his long suffering and goodnesse which should have lead them to repentance appeareth that they are the cause of their own perdition and That they have treasured up wrath against themselves in the day of wrath and of the revelation of his righteous judgement 3. Wicked men have somtimes some good which God out of the immensitie of his equity will reward with temporall good things As he afflicteth often his own servants for some evils that are in them that being purged therefrom they may escape eternal punishment 4. That wee may know that these earthly things are not much to be esteemed or desired since God giveth them to his enemies to them that hate and blaspheme him Hade they the worth which many apprehend to be in them he would not do so He will not cast pearles before doggs and swine which he hath forbidden us Here by the way we may observe that we cannot judge of GODS Favour or want of it by the abundance or scarcity of these earthly things Many wicked abound in them and many of Gods deare servants are pinched yea often the wicked have greatest plenty this way It is well observed by Greg. That a physitian when he seeth the state
the Servant of GOD. There is also a kinde of violence inferred to our sinful corruption for so great is the Power of GOD given to us by his Grace that violently as it were we break the bands whereby our naturall corruptions hath hitherto tyed us The Kingdome of heaven sayeth our Saviour suffereth violence and the violent entereth by force Thus we see our effectuall calling is not without cause called a drawing of us by the Father who of his infinite Goodnâ—s by his almighty Power worketh so on our hearts that of unwilling he maketh us to be willing to go to Christ to run after him This doctrine serveth first to teach us al humility If thou have any good thou may perceive from this which hath been said that it is not of thy self but from God O man who hath discerned thee what hast thou but that which thou hast received and of thou hast received it why â—oustest thou as if thou hadest not received it No honour herein is due to us but all the glory belongeth to him From whom every good gift and every perfect giving descendeth Againe if as yet thou have nothing which is truly good blame not God but thy self through whose default it is that thou art not drawn by him No man indeed can come to him except he be drawn but if any man be not drawn this is to be imputed to his own wickednes As GOD draweth none but out of his free Mercy so he leaveth none but out of his uncontrollable justice Humble therfore thy self and acknowledge as the truth is that thou hast not used the means a right which he hath given thee but on the contrary hath abused his manifold Blessings Lastly This serveth also to work in us humility while we consider the different dealing of God towards diverse persons of whom some are drawn and some are not drawn by him Go not to inquire curiously why this man is drawn and that man is not drawn although it may be that he that is drawn is no lesse if not more unworthy then he who is not drawn If thou search into this it is presumption humility contenteth it self with this that if any be not drawn it is through their own fault if any be drawn it is of the bounty of God who may do with his own what he will Humility maketh us cover our faces with the Seraphims to adore this great mysterie to cry out with them Holy holy holy is the LORD GOD of Hosts Holy is be in all his wayes Holy is he both when he draweth and when he draweth not when he calleth men to him and when he rejecteth them It maketh us to cry out with S. PAUL O the deepe of the riches both of the Wisdome and Knowledge of GOD. how unsearchable are his judgements and his Wayes are past finding one Secondly The consideration of this doctrine should stirre us up to earnest incalling on God for his Grace at all times Inquire not sayeth holy AUGUSTINE upon this place Why GOD draweth this man and why he draweth not that man but understand receive this counsell if thou thy self be not drawn pray to God that thou may be drawn Are we not yet converted we should carefully use the means especially of prayer that we may be converted And suppose we be coÌ„verted yet should we still cal on God that he would yet draw us more that we may run after him We should say with David Thou hast been mine help leave me not neither forsake me O God of my salvation Thirdly This should stirre us up to be carefull obediently to answer the Calling of God that we through our default deprive not our selves of his saving Draught Remember he that calleth thee is infinitly Excellent and most Worthy whom thou shouldest hearken unto He hath no need of thee but thou standest in great need of Him and without him cannot be but miserable To him thou art infinitely bound he is the Creator and thou the creature he the LORD and thou the servant he the Redâ—â—â—â—r and thou the captive 2. Consider that thou art most unworthy to be called by him but most worthy to perish in thine own sinnâ—s 3. That from which hee calleth thee 〈◊〉 sinne the greatest of evils and death the wages of sinne 4. That which he calleth thee unto is perfect Happines He calleth thee to life even the life of Grace he calleth thee to Peace even to that peace that passeth understanding he calleth thee to the Gifts Joy of his Spirit yea to the participation of his blessed Spirit himself He calleth thee to the great banquet wherein thou art to receive not earthly food but the bread of life which came down to give life to the world And will thou not hearken unto him wofull miserable shal thy estate be when some refused to come to the feast of the great King Luk. 14. He vaxed angry said they should never taste of his banquet If Wisdom call we answer not if she stretch out her hands and we regard not Prov. 1. 24. She also will laugh at our destruction and mock when our feare cometh we shall call but she shall not answer we shall seek her early but shall not find her The Lord make us wise that we may consider this aright and that for the Merits of Christ Iesus to whom with the Father c. THE SECOND SERMON Upon the VI Chapter of S. JOHN Vers 44. 〈…〉 And I will raise him up at the Last day Vers 45. It is written in the prophets And they shall be all taught of GOD. Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto meeâ— YEe have already heard the instruction given by the LORD unto the murmuring Jews namely That none can come to him except he be drawn by his Father who sent him In the words now read he showeth first the happy estate of them who are drawn by the Father and come unto him confirming withall his former discourse where at they murmured 2. He proveth the necessity of that drawing before mentioned and more fully explaineâ—h it It is written in the prophets Thy shall be all taught of God And I will raise him up at the last day These words are added here by our LORD first to preveene the misinterpretation of his former words wherein he said that men cannot come to him except they be drawn by the Father Some might have thought because of this that he was inferiour to the Father therefore he saieth That he shall raise him up at the last day which importeth no lesse power then that is whereby men are drawn by the Father 2. These words ar added to confirme that which he said before namely That he is the bread of life and came down from heaven To confirme this I say especially in the minds of beleevers For if he raise up men at the last day undoubtedly he
omnipotent as the Father is Infinite in Majesty Wisdom Goodnesse Power c. How can they I say but admire to see him demitt himself so farre for us and to us As man also he offereth himself to be seen by us spiritually Here we may see him and should look upon him as he suffered and was crucified for us Here thou may see his Head crowned with thornes which should have been and now is crowned with Glory His Face spitted on and busseteâ—â— which should have shined and doeth shine with the beams of heavenly Light His Hands and Feet pierced and in a word all wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities and now giving his Body that was broken and his Blood that was shed as the food of our souls unto eternall life O what a wonderfull and sweet sight is this what reverence and humility what love and thanksgiving should it raise up in us Dost thou see what thou receivest in these sacred mysteries and from whom and wilt thou who art but dust and ashes refuse to humble thy self in body and in soul or can thou consider his infinite Love to thee which made him to give himself for thee when thou was his enamie to exchange as it wer the Throne of his Glory with the ignominy of the crosse canst thou I say consider this and not be inflamed with love and breake out in thanksgiving Secondly He speaketh to us in these sacred mysteries most sweet and comfortable words which we should heare and answer unto He sayeth I am the bread of life c. that we may answer LORD evermore give us this bread He sayeth I am the water of life that we may answer LORD give us of this water that we thrist not againe He sayth This is my Body which is broken for you This is my Blood which was shed for you he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my Blood dwelleth in me and I in him that we may answer Whence is it that our LORD cometh to us O LORD we are unworthy that thou should enter under the rooffe of our unclean souls but let it be unto thy servants according to thy word Here he reacheth us as it were from his crosse all the precepts of divine vertue He sayeth Learne of me for I am meek and lowly in heart I humbled my self and became obedient to the death of the crosse when I was stricken I revenged not I gave my life for mine enemies I prayed for them in my greatest distres I cleaved most firmly unto God thus he speaketh unto us and we should devotly answer him But the time is spent and therefore I forbeare to proceed further The LORD imprint these things in our hearts that for the merits of Christ to whom c. A SERMON UPON the II. of the CORINTH chap. VII Vers 10. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvatiâ—â— not to be repented of but the sorrow of the world worketh death THe holy Apostle in the former words speaketh of the effect of his former Epistle unto the Corinthians wherein he had rebuked them for not censuring the incestuous person that was among them of whom ye may reade in the 5. chap. of that â—repist This his reprooffe of them had grieved them made them sorrowful but he tels them that if it could have been he wished not their sorrow If it might have stood with their wel-being he would have been glad that thy had not been sorrowfull at all Yet in the mean time he declareth that this their sorrow which his epistle had wrought in them was matter of joy unto him not for that they were grieved but because they had sorrowed in a Godly manner and that unto repentance unto the Glory of God and good of their own souls He confirmeth this particularly by the generall doctrinâ— of the fruit of Godly Sorrow in the place that I have read For Godly Sorrow sayeth he worketh repentance c. Here he commendeth Godly Sorrow of which nature that was which his epistle wrought in the Corinthians first The very name he giveth it containeth an argument of commendation for the Sorrow which he speaketh of is a Godly Sorrow or a Sorrow according to GOD. 2. He commendeth it from the fruit of it it is such a Sorrow as worketh repentance even a repentance that is never to be repented of because it is unto salvation 3. He commendeth it by opposing the contrary Sorrow namly the Sorrow of this world which worketh death That we may proceed the more clearly we shall beginne at this last point The Sorrow of this world sayeth he worketh death He opposeth as yee see two kinds of Sorrowes the one to the other the Sorrow which is according to God and the sorrow of this world The sorrow of the good Corinthians had this good in it that it was not a sorrow of this world which is no matter of joy for it worketh death All sorrow presupposeth love for no man sorroweth but for the losse or want of that which he loveth therefore where this worldly sorrow is there is also a love of this world Such is the sorrow that men have for the losse of worldly things wealth honours delights or friends If their heart and love be set upon these things they foolishly and without the feare of God rejoyce in them when they have them and being drunke with that transitory happines they seek for no more On the contraâ—y when they losse or want them their hearts are cast down and they are pressed down with Sorrow inordinatly Such a Sorrow the Apostle recommendeth not nay he dehorteth from it for it worketh death This Sorrow can do no good When a man hath lost his riches if he sorrow for that this sorrow will not restore his wealth to him againe If a man hath lost his honour the sorrow which hee hath for that will not recover it againe If hee hath lost his friends or children should he mourne never so much for them his sorrow will not bring them to life againe So this sorrow can do no good yea on the contrary it doth great harme it worketh death It maketh the way to bodily death especially when it is inordinate The heavines of the spirit dryeth up the bones saieth SOLOMON Proverb 17. 22. Sorrow hath killed many and there is no profite in it saieth the WISE-MAN Ecclestast Chap. 30. 23. And which is worst of all this sorrow leadeth to eternall death For God is offended with it it stirreth up a man to do many things wherat God is offended and maketh a man guilty of eternal death so this sorrow is no matter of joy but the sorrow that was in the Corinthians and which ought to be in us all was of another kinde It was a Godly sorrow or a sorrow according to God For better understanding of this Consider first That this sorrow which is according to God is such a sorrow as a man
farre are we from this who testifieth this Sorrow by the abundance of his tears It may be ye will say to me we cannot attaine to this yet if thou rightly looke upon thine own sinnes and be truly grieved because thereby thou hast offended GOD and hast deprived thy self of him his Grace and Spirit thou may first value as it were and estimate how great a Sorrow thy sinnes deserveth and be so disposed that nothing is so displeasing and hatefull to thee as thy sinnes are Thou may come to this that with an upright heart thou may say to GOD O LORD these my sinnes so many so grievous so long continued in so often fallen into deserve to be bewailed with tears of blood if mine heart could possibly have them 2. Thou mâ—y wish from GOD That thy head were waters and that thy eyes were fountaines of tears that thou might lament as thou oughtest to do Ier. 9. 1. Thou may pray to GOD that he would give thee the grace of tears and that he who brought water out of the hard rocke would soften thy hard heart and make it to melt with this Godly Sorrow 4. Thou may endevour more and more and worke upon thine own heart for obtaining this unfeigned griefe This if we do God will accept even of our imperfect sorrow for the perfect Sorrow of Christ Iesus and for these strong cryes and tears even the tears of blood which he shed for us in the dayes of his flesh Before we go hence it may be demanded whether or not this Godly Sorrow is only for our own sinnes I answer it must be also for the sinnes of others There is no man that hath Zeale to the Glory and Honour of GOD and love to the souls of other men but he must be sory when he seeth them by their sins despysing the Majesty of God trampling his Law under foot casting themselves head-long into perdition Hence the blessed Patriarches and Prophets who were the most sincere friends of GOD are so freqâ—ent in holy scripture in mourning for the sinnes of oâ—hers Horrour hath taken hold of me sayeth David Psal 119. Thy Zeale hath consumed me Rivers of tears gush out of mine eyes because the wicked despise thy Law and forget thy words O that mine head were waters sayeth Ier. 9. 1. Complayning for the sinnes and miseries of his people and that mine eyes were fountains of tears that I might weep day and night Thus the righteous soul of LOT was vexed continually because of the abominations that he did hear and see in Sodom We are commanded to pray continually that the Name of GOD may be hallowed and glorified and therefore it cannot be but great matter of griefe to them that love GOD to see his Name dayly dishonoured and prophened Hence They that were marked Ezek. 9. wer such as did sigh and mourne not only for their own sinnes but also for all the sins and abominations done in the midst of the land Secondly It may be asked doeth this Godly Sorrow only reach to our sinnes and to the sinnes of others I answer it reacheth also to the consequents of sinne and first to the imperfection that is in us in serving of GOD. This is matter of griefe even unto the most Godly They are affected with a Godly Sorrow for this that they serve not God so perfectly as they should They say with S. PAUL with griefe of heart The evill that I would not doe that I doe and the good that I would doe that I doe not O miserable man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death 2. This Godly Sorrow also extendeth it self to the desire of our heavenly countrey The Godly mourne that they are so long absent from the Lord and continue so long in the place of their exile They say with David Wo is me that I sojourne in Mesech and that I dwell in the tents of Kedar The children of Israel mourned because of their exile in Babylon By the rivers of Babylon said they Psal 137. we sat we weeped we remembred Sion They were spoiled by the Babylonians of their goods of their lands honours children and friends and yet the chiefe matter of their griefe was that they wanted Sion albeit that was but an earthly Sion and now spoiled burnt and sacked how much more have we reason that sit by the waters of Babell that is of the transitory pleasures of the confusion of this world to weep when we remember the permanent joyes of the heavenly Sion which cannot be spoyled and whereunto no dart or enemie can have accesse but the Apostle speaketh here not of this Sorrow but of the Sorrow which is for our own sinnes and for the sinnes of others and unto it he ascriveth this blessed effect that followeth which is To work repentance unto salvation not to be repented of It may be demanded how this Godly Sorrow worketh repentance since this Godly Sorrow is a chiefe part of repentance it is answered first By some that the Apostle sayeth not simply that it worketh repentance but that it worketh repeÌ„tance unto salvation that is it maketh our repentance true profitable and saving for it is as it were the life of our repentance So we say that a sober-man maketh a healthfull-man or that a man addicted to studies maketh a learned-man 2. This Godly Sorrow also worketh repentance it self in respect of diverse parts thereof Repentance hath many things in it and some of them are wrought in us or greatly promoved by this Godly Sorrow For clearing of this consider that repentance is wrought in us after this manner 1. Our minde is enlightned and the eyes of it are opened that we may see our sinnes the hynousnes and the deformity of them Unlesse we have this sight we will never be grieved for them Therefore David sayeth Psal 51. I acknowledged mine iniquity my sin is continually before mine eye So it is said of the prodigall son Luk. 15. 17. That he came to himself His eyes were opened to see his own misery and his sinne which was the cause thereof With this sight is joyned a sight and sense of the Wrath of GOD kindled against us for our sinnes For no man can rightly see his own sinnes but he must see that God is offended therewith whence anguish and terrour and trouble ariseth in the conscience Hence David in the 38. Psal sayeth Lord reprove me not in thy wrath nor chastise me in thy hote displeasure Thine arrows stick fast in me and thine hand presseth me sore There is no soundnes in my flesh because of thy Wrath and there is no rest in my bones because of my sin my sins are gone over mine head and they are too heavy a burden for me Secondly God worketh in the heart of a penitent some love of himself which maketh him to hate and detaste his sinnes whereby he offended God and to have in him this Godly