partie sinning is the partie suffering the very same indiuiduall subiect sinning is the very same that smarts for sinne he that is an actor willingly in all the obscene sceanes of the pleasing Comoedie of sinne must act will he nill he in the blacke and dismall Tragedy of suffering He that saies what he will the very heathen could tell vs must heare againe what he would not o Qui dicit quod vult audit quod non vult and hee that doth what hee will must suffer what he would not The soule that sinnes shall die the death saith Ezekiel p Ezek. 18. v. 4. whether the soule of the father or the soule of the childe the soule of the Prince or the soule of the subiect c. Application I wish we could lay this to heart and consider when we are tempted to sinne that if we will needs be Sathans factors and agents in sinning wee must whether we will or no bee the Lords Patients in suffering if wee will not doe according to the Lords owne heart hee will make vs to feele his hand if like truantly boyes we will not bee lored and tutored by his doctrine we must bee instructed by his discipline if as stragling sheepe wee will not bee fetcht in by his whistle we must be compelled by his dog or sheepe-crooke the rod of bands must effect that as here with Ezekiah which the rod of beauty could not looke as we sow Zach 11.7 so we shall reape q Gal. 6.7 our crop shall answer our seed time as we bake so we shall eate and as we brew so we shall drinke The very heathen could see and sing in their numbers that pleasure and paine are lincked together in one chaine and so I say it is with sinne and sorrow if sinne he at the one end sorrow is at the other the last linkes depend on the first draw the first the last will follow as Iacob followed after Esau r Gen. 25.26 Hos 12.3 and supplanted him SECT 2. God spares not the great ones when they sinne SEcondly see Ezekiah a great man nay the greatest man vpon earth a terrestriall God Gods Vicegerent Gods Leiutenant ouer his people Israel is not spared if he sinne God spares him not No Gods Iustice can encounter with Scepters Crownes * Sceptra ligonibus aequat as well as with spades mattocks and sheep crooks Gods iustice like death Gods purseuant or summoner is as impartiall as imperiall it is not to be bribed not to be corrupted preuented it may bee by repentance as in the case of the Å¿ Ionas 3.10 Niniuites peruerted it cannot be Pauperum Tubernas regumque turres aequo pulsat pede With equall foot with equall rate It knockes the poore rich regall Gate In mans Lawes strictest Statutes either froÌ„ ignorance in enacting or negligence in executing the little flyes the meaner sort transgressing are caught but the greater personages the stronger flyes more potent in friends fauour meanes break from the intangling webs * Similitude Anacharsis apud Stobaeum but this imputation can neuer be fastned iustly vpon Gods lawes or the execution of them in remuneratiue iustice they fasten vpon one as well as vpon another vpon Kings as vpon Merchants vpon Princes as vpon Pesants vpon great Caesar as vpon poore Conon Pharaohs first borne is no more spared in the destroying Pestilence t Exod. 12.29 then the child of the meanest subiect the plague rageth in the Kings Court as in the Country Iabin and Sisera are swept away by the riuer Kishon yea that ancient riuer the riuer Kishon u Iudg. 5.21 as Deborah sings as were his common souldiers God spares Senacherib no more then his ordinary subjects nay as hee sinned more his iudgement was greater hee was vnnaturally murthered by his owne sons euen in the middest of his superstitious Orizons * 2 King 19.37 the Lord hath a muzzle for the mouth of blacke Cerberus reuiling Rabsakah as he hath a hooke for the nose of his master x ver 7. v. 28. God spared not Seâ—on King of the Amorites nor Og King of Basan nor the fiue Kings which Ioshua killed in the Caue y Iosh 10.22 nor Agag whom Samuel hewed in pieces z 1 Sam. 15.33 nor the rest of the Kings of Canaan more then he did the country Canaanites themselues whom in his wrath he caused the land to spue out as the sea casts out her froth a 2 Chro. 33.2 In that vniuersall conflagration of Sodom a type of the burning of the world worldlings in the last Iudgement * Luk. 17 28 29. the flesh and bones of the aged burning first with lust escaped the sulphur and brimstone no more then the riotous youth b Gen. 19.24 in the deluge of the old world Noah might haue beene a dolefull spectator of the reuerent aged the lordly great ones the proud potentates the stately dames floating in the waters c Gen. 7.23 as so many drowned rats or cats as well as the numerous multitudes of the Plebeians In Israels effeminate follie with the daughters of Moah ioyning as sinne seldome goes alone to hell Idolatry to adultery by the pestilent plot of Balaam d Numb 31.16 Zimri and Cosbe an Israelitish Prince and a Moabitish Princesse led the dance to destruction e Num. 25.7 8. yea a thousand of the Peeres and Princes were hanged vp before the Lord f ver 4. and they had Gods martiall Law as seuere if not more seuere then the common people yea afterwards Balaam for all the hope of preferment he had swallowed and gulped downe by complotting with Balack against Israel that the Lord may show to all posterity that he detests the plotters of any mischiefe more then the actors the spinners of spiders webbs more then the weauers his plot brings him to the pot g Numb 31.8 with that brand of infamie vpon his couetousnesse h 2 Pet. 2.15 as was vpon Cain for his murther i Iude ver 11. and so it were easie to run thorow the whole body of Scripture of Diuinity of History for the illustration of this very particular that there is no respect of persons with God k Acts 10.34 no partiality no such conniuence of his Iustice as may be in some Ciuil and Ecclesiasticall Courts he spares neither Ezekiah for his regality nor Herod for his pompe nor Senacherib for his power nor Nebuchadnezzar for his pride nor Nabal for his wealth nor Goliah for his strength nor Absolom for his beauty nor Achitophel for his policy nor Salomon for his wisedome c. nay potentes potenter c. the mighty shall bee mightily tormented vnlesse their great and crying sinnes be repented The Lord hath gynnes for Nimrodian hunters that bloodily hunt others whips and rods in steepe for those that whip and scourge his people the enemies to his Son to his Sion will he
for the contained q Continens pro contento the subiects of this King in which it may seeme strange to some and occasion their doubt as desirous of resolution how we can well cleare God of iniustice that punisheth the people for the fault of their Prince Ezekiahs subiects for the sinne of Ezekiah Might not Ezekiah say as Dauid almost in the like case Oh it is I that haue sinned r 2 Sam. 24.71 those sheepe what euill haue they done let thine hand be vpon me and vpon my fathers house or as he in the Poet I am he that haue done the deed in me conuertite ferrum ô Rutili Å¿ Virgil of Nisus and Eurialus Oh you Rutilians let him smart that did the fact Could not the Orator blame this iniustice fecit Emilius plectitur Rutilius c. when one suffers for that in which another man sins without being accessary any way Nay doth not the Lord himselfe say That the soule that sinnes shall dye the death whether it be the soule of the father or the soule of the child t Ezekiel 18.4 the soule of the Prince or of the Peere or of the Plebeian c. euery one beare their owne burthen euery one in this life as in the great Iudgement stands on his owne legs euery bushell on his owne bottome Prouerbialia euery saddle as they say set on the right horse euery man answer for himselfe euery herring according to our prouerbs hang by it own necke how can these things stand with that which the Lord threatens that he will visit the sins of the fathers vpon the children vnto the third and fourth generation u Exod. 20.5 that the bastard shall not enter into the congregation vnto the tenth generation which yet it selfe sinnes not actually as it is a bastard but the Parents c. How stands this with Gods executions that Cham scoffs his father Noah * Gen. 9.22 and his sonne Canaan is cursed for his fathers fact x vers 15. and here Ezekiah the King transgresseth yet his subiects feele smart for wrath comes vpon Iudah and Ierusalem This knot seemes hard to lose being as Gordian this riddle needs an Oedipus yet I thinke thus we may giue satisfaction SECT 2. The reasons and resolutions of the point FIrst that the Lord when hee purposeth to inflict iust and deserued punishment vpon the creature is his owne caruer as free independant may effect his ends by what meanes it pleaseth him whether immediately vpon the indiuiduall party transgressing or mediatly vpon those that are his euen as we count it no iniustice when a young Prince offendeth to whip his play fellow or companion in his roome which he takes perhaps as grieuously as if he were beat himselfe so the Lord in punishing a people which is the glory and the strength of a King for the sinnes of a King in punishing a father in his children which are webs spun out of his owne bowels * Of the admirable loue of parents to their children chiefly to sonnes read Examples and Testimonies in Bodin lib. 1. de Rep. c. 4. p. 33. Nicander in Postillis part 3 pag. 357. Pezelius in Gen. cap. 4. pag. 85. 86. collups as they say cut out of his owne flesh comes as neere to the heart of good Princes and louing Parents by this meanes as if they were afflicted in their owne persons for Rachel mournes for her sonnes y Ier. 31.15 Mat 2.18 The like condoling made Rizpah 2 Sam. 21.10 as for her selfe and will not be comforted and Iacob is resolued to goe mourning to the graue z Gen 37.35 for his supposedly lost Ioseph Secondly in these cases the Lord doth as a Physitian who if a man be sicke or distempered in one part applies perhaps his medicines to another part where it workes as kindly a cure as if it were laid on the part that is ill affected As for instance If a man bee pained with an ill blood in the head or be in danger of a plurifie of blood throughout the whole body he lets him blood perhaps in the arme * In the veine called Humeralis or Cephalicaâ— Barlow Method of Physicke lib. 1. cap. 5. p. 7. or elsewhere So if a Prince and Potentate sinne to let him blood as it were in his people a In what particulars and wherefore God plagues the sins of Princes in their subiects reade diuersified examples in the plagued Sichemites Sabarites Troians Israelites Iewes for the sinnes of their Princes Sichem Pari Dauid Ahas and some Sabaritish Magistrates c. reade Luther in Gen. cap. 34. pag 518. Philippus in locis Manlii pag. 325. 412. Strigellius in 2 Chron. 28. and Aelianus lib. 3. in sâ—nding vpon them plague famine or the sword If a father sinne to let him blood in his children and posteritie his blood or consanguinity who can blame the curing skill of the all-wise Physitian Thirdly but yet there is a third answer That as children are vsually not so much punished for their parents sinnes as for their owne chiefly when they insist in their parents steps b Quod peiores plerunque posterior aetas tulit praecipue in Heroum filiiâ— in plurimis instant Tholosan lib. 4. de Rep. cap. 2. pag. 149. Cytraeus in Gen. cap. 35. pag. 432. Philippus lib 3. Cron. pag. 155. p. 157. Brentius in Lucam cap. 15. Hom. 10. pag. 475. c. and doe euill or worse then their forefathers seeing perhaps the iudgements inflicted on their parents yet they will take no warning as Baltazar was nothing bettered by that great iudgement vpon his proud and prophane father Nabuchadnezzar c Dan. 5.21 22. then in iustice the Lord visits vpon the children both their owne sinnes and their fathers as he did on the house of Ahab d 2 King 10.11 Saul e 2 Sam. 21.5.6 Ieroboam f 1 King 13.34 and other idolatrous bloody families whom he rooted out both for their owne sinnes and the abominations of their fathers So Ezekiahs people here as also Dauids people thorow whose sides euen these two good Kings are whipped are not so much punished for the sinnes of their Kings as for their owne sinnes the iust God without offering them any wrong might iustly finde matter enough of exception against them and cause them to smart for their owne transgressions their ingratitude for the restauration of the health of their good King in whose safety they were all interested and shared deeply the abuse of their peace and plenty euill and noisome lusts as now in our Land like Gnats and Summer-flyes ingendring and increasing in the long heat and Sun-shine of their prosperity with other such sinnes might iustly occasion Gods hand both against Dauids people in cutting off 70000 as also against Ezekiahs in bringing wrath vpon the inhabitants of Iudah and Ierusalem Oh the Lords pure eyes g Hab. 1.13 penetrate further then mans
tell them as our Sauiour Christ the Pharisees c Luke 13.3 except they repent they shall perish and iniquity shall be their destruction the soule that sinnes shall dye the death d Ezek. 18.1 We must cry to all to iudge and examine themselues else they shall bee iudged of the Lord e 1 Cor. 11.31 32. Psal 4.4 Lament 3.40 By thus preaching and accordingly humble walking we shall saue our selues and them that heare vs wee shall bring some perhaps out of the power of darknesse f Acts 26.18 plucke them out of the snares of the Deuill g 2 Tim. 2.26 pull them as brands out of the fire as the Angels did Lot out of Sodom we shall cause them by repentance as here the inhabitants of Iudah to turne away the fierce wrath of the Lord from our Nation at least we shall deliuer our owne soules h Ezek 33. wash our hands in innocency and be free from the blood of all as was good Paul an excellent patterne in all these duties Acts 20.26 SECT 3. Those reproued who are neither humbled themselues nor seeke to humble others ANd here ere I goe to any further subiect of this humiliation if I may be so bold to expostulate a while with those who seeme to be much defectiue in this duty failing in acting the parts of humiliates themselues or to effect humiliation in others Vses of redargution First here those are iustly reprehensible that are insensible of the sinnes of the times such as being euerywhere taxed by the Prophets for their couetousnesse pride excesse of riot and the like see no sinnes either in themselues or others as matter of this mournfull humiliation but by their owne lyes and bad liues so strengthen the hands of the wicked that none doe turne from their euill wayes these of all others the Lord threatens shall smart when iudgement beginnes at the Sanctuary because both by their liues and doctrine they feed the people with gall and wormwood with froth and vanity i Ier. 23.14 15 16 21 22 32. Esay 29 10. Esay 6.6 7. Esay 29 11. Esay 28.7 Secondly those also are in the same predicament whose eyes are so shut that they cannot discerne of the plagues that are threatned in the Booke of God such as on whom the Lord hath poured the spirit of deepe sleepe and slumber and hath closed their eyes as well as the peoples that seeing they see not nor vnderstand not such as to whom the vision is as a sealed booke such as erre through Wine and are out of the way through strong drinke erring in vision and stumbling in iudgement such as are either doltishly ignorant blind leaders of the blind or selfe conceited of their knowledge as were some in Ieremies time which had onely a superficiall swimming braine-knowledge though indeed disioyned from sanctification there was no wisedome in them cannot discerne either of the cause of plagues and wrath or of the curse or cure of sin to auoyd sin or to feare the effects of sinne either in themselues or others are here iustly reprehensible Thirdly these are yet more culpable who when according their place and calling they should sharply reproue the sinnes of a people ouer whom they are placed as Pastors and shew them the annexed iudgements to deterre and affright them from it as the prickes doe hinder the hardy child from plucking of the canker-rose reuealing to them all these plagues as sparkes from the fire of wrath that are Pedissequae as handmaids or attendants on sinne recorded by Moses and the Prophets as did Esay Ieremy Ezekiel and the rest of the Prophets before alledged they on the contrary as did their predecessors in former times which euery where are declaimed against as temporizing for their owne ends sow pillowes vnder their elbowes to make them take a deeper and deadlier nap in sinne they heale the hurts of the people with faire words they cry peace peace and all is well when indeed there is no peace to the wicked saith my God k Esay 57.19 they prophesie lyes in the name of the Lord and to euery one that walks after the stubbornnesse of his owne heart they say no euill shall come when indeed Hannibal ad portas Hannibal is euen at Romes gates the Palladian horse is ready to enter Troy sinne lyes euen at the doore l Gen 4.7 Thus they dawbe with vntempered morter m Ezek. 13.10 15. dawbing vp the consciences of poore people or as the Prophet Osee termes them they are Fowlers who both by their flattery catch for themselues n Hos 5.2.8.8 and by their fraudulency bring the people into the net and snare of Gods wrath euen vnawares Such as these were they in Ieremies time who when they should haue preuented the captiuity by turning the people from their wicked wayes and from the euill of their inuentions which they might haue done had they stood in Gods counsell Ier. 23.22 and declared his wayes vnto his people They on the contrary Lament 2.14 by not discouering the iniquity helped forward the Captiuity Oh these soothers Ier. 23 14. these flatterers the Lord professeth are vnto him as Sodom he professeth he neuer sent them that they prophesie onely a lye in his name but that they sent themselues that both they and the deluded people might perish Fourthly yet worse if worse can be are those that neither forewarne of the wrath and vengeance to come as sinnes due desert neither with patience will permit others what they ought to doe themselues such as these were the Pseudo-prophets false Prophets and false Apostles who alwayes opposed the true Such an one was Pashur who smit Ieremy and put him in prison o Ier. 20.1 2. as also other of the Priests and Prophets bitter against him to the very death p Ier. 26. because he prophesied against the Temple and against the City and Shiloh who had indeed preuailed in their purposes notwithstanding all his apologies had he not been deliuered by a Nobleman Ahikan and others which stood for him q vers 16 17 18 The like practice vsed Shemiah the Neholamite against this mournfull Ieremy r Ier. 29.24 25. the like did Amasiah the high Priest of Bethel in stirring vp Ieroboam against Amos Å¿ Amos 7.10 as though he had beene a turbulent fellow and had conspired against the King This success had Christ himselfe amongst the Scribes and Pharisees his emulators of that credit he had with the people euen to the death t Iohn 9.24.29 Such successe had his Apostles after him sent among them as Sheepe among Wolues Mat. 23.34 such as these are so farre from turning away iudgement from a people by bringing them to humiliation that indeed they bring iudgements vpon themselues their houses and bloods as did Pashur and Amaziah and Zidkiah c. these must beare the iniquity of the people and bee remoued by iudgement
call peccatum vastans conscientiam a sin making great hackes and gashes and slashes in the conscience may vpon his repentance and sincere humiliation make so far his peace with God whose grace is able and willing to pardon euery sinne except that sinne vnto death that vnpardonable because vnrepented sinne against the Holy Ghost * See Sonnius in Thesibus Kymnitius in locis de peccato in Spiritum Sanctum as also M. Deuison his Sermon that he may redeeme his soule from death and his darling Doue from the power of the Lyon the Lord sealing to his heart so far his loue that he smelling the sacrifice of a broken spirit a bleeding and a beleeuing heart hee shall not dye the second death neuerthelesse howsoeuer the guilt and punishment of sinne may so farre be remoued by Christ that the soule shall be freed from euerlasting damnation and saued in the day of Christ yet the deare childe of God euen for some scandalous lamented repented sinne in temporary rods and castigations may haue Gods hand vpon him euen to his dying day he may by sicknesse on his body reproach vpon his good name or other domestique personall crosses yea sometimes by trouble of mind and grieuous perplexities in conscience hee may weare a strait and a pinching shooe euen to his very graue this is plaine here in Ezekiah no doubt his repentance had made his atonement with God thorow faith in his expected Messiah his humiliation had made vp the breach so farre and procured his peace in the Court of heauen that there is no progresse nor proceeding against his saluation hee hath his Quietus est for that yet notwithstanding wrath comes vpon him and vpon Iudah either in some sicknesse and infirmity on his body or some griefe trouble of his mind or in some death and cuttings off of his people or the like was this wrath expressed though here it be not reuealed in the manner but more perspicuous is the example of Dauid who vpon the confession and acknowledgement of his sinne to Nathan heard the pardon instantly from the Prophet as from the mouth and oracle of God d 2 Sam. 12.9 10 11 12 c. yet neuerthelesse wee know what was both threatned and executed in rods proportioned to his offence as hee had smit vnlawfully with the sword in killing Vriah so the sword neuer departed from his house Absolom kills his incestuous brother Amnon e 2 Sam. 13.29 Ioab the Kings great friend his instrument in the blood of Vrias f 2 Sam. 11.13 euen this Ioab oh iust Nemesis whether the King will or no g 2 Sam. 18.5 kils his darling how euer then his rebell Absolom h vers 14. and Adoniah Gallinae filius albae another of his faire sonnes is cut shorter by the head in being too heady against his King-brother Salomon i 1 King 2.25 So as Dauid was polluted by adultery adultery and vncleannesse together with the sword did cleaue to his house and seed like Gehezies leprosie the spurious off-spring of his lust dyed in the infancy l 2 Sam. 12.18 Amnon his owne sonne commits incestuous fornication aggrauated by all circumstances of trechery and tyranny with his owne faire sister Dauids owne daughter Tamar m 2 Sam. 13.1 2 3 4 5 6 c. Absolom himselfe as a filthy Bird defiling his owne nest his fathers blood in his thoughts his bed in his acts lyes with his fathers Concubines so shamelesse impudent and imprudent is lust in the sight of all Israell n 2 Sam. 16.22 Other instances may bee giuen and no doubt of it the bleeding too deare-bought experience of many of Gods children which for some momentany sin are pursued and prosecuted iustly in themselues or their blood by the hand of God or man in perpetuated sorrowes too truly proue this assertion SECT 2. The reasons of the former Doctrine NOw leauing secret and inscrutable iudgements vnto God which though they may bee hidden and abstruse from vs yet can neuer be vniust o Sâ—creta esse possunt iudicia Dei iniusta esse non possunt Augustinus The reasons of these thus proceedings of God with his children may be these besides others that we may not intermeddle or reflect in the least measure vpon any Popish satisfactions which we onely with the Scriptures include and conclude in Christ as though according as they dreame and but dreame that these continuated castigations were humane satisfactions * Against Popish satisfactions reade Kymnitius his Examen Concilii Tridentini and Pelargus his Iesuitismus with D. Willets Synopsis of this controuerted subiect c. to Gods iustice First the repentance of Gods seruants reiterated and renewed after some great and scandalous sinne is neueâ— so true and sincere for the qualitie of it so great and vehement for the quantity either in that attrition or contrition which the Schooles speake of or so extensiue in degrees or so constant and permanent in the continuance but the Lords pure eyes sees it in many particulars defectiue and heteroclite either in the matter manner measure meanes grounds or ends for which cause he may still continue his rod vpon the shoulders of his children to make their repentance more perfect and exact in all the true and requisite qualifications Secondly our nature is soone weary of well-doing we would faine haue ease though by carnall meanes as Saul by Dauids Harpe o 1 Sam. 16.23 when the Lord hath wounded our consciences with spirituall weapons wee are prone too soone to cast off the Lords yoake and to throw downe his burthen ere wee bee thorowly tamed and our rebellions subdued and therefore the Lord knowing our flitting and fugitiue natures our false and fickle hearts by continuated crosses still holds vs to it and keepes vs still strict and strait to the tackling and taske of true penitents Thirdly we are subiect as stall-fed Oxen to grow too fat and lazy as pampered horses to grow too skittish as that Iesurum p Deut. 32.15 to kicke against the rider by too much ease as Moab to freeze in our dregges and as standing pooles to grow corrupt without motion and stirring yea as grosse and corrupt bodies to abound with bad humors the originalls of diseases without continuated physicke and purging yea to returne perhaps euen to our former sicknesse and distemperature vnlesse the Lord keepe vs strait laced in continuall exercise and diet by his successiue castigations Fourthly by these after-corrections as by so many stakes and railes and pales the Lord would keepe vs in within the parkes of obedience as Sheepe impale and barre vs within his fold from after-wandrings as by curbing bits hold in our rebellious natures euer subiected without these restraints to continuated apostasies tergiuersations relapses againe more daingerous then euer euen to the sinnes so seriously as we thinke already repented Euen as a man without carefull looking to himselfe is subiect to relapse into
escape no flying from God as experience hath showne x Non obstante regula ciâ—o longe tarde in those that bootlesly haue changed ayres whither the plague cannot follow as the storme did Ionas but their only refuge is at which Dauid aimes that he and all his people by true and serious humiliation fly speedily euen into the very armes of God who wounding can onely heale y Hos 6.1 Oh a president in Dauid worthy of euery great mans meditation contemplation desiring by all meanes as this Patriarch in this option his owne and others humiliation SECT 4. Seuerall families and particular persons must be humbled AS the Lord requires this humilation in his Ministers in his Magistrates in Princes and Prophets in the heads and eyes of the Church and of the Common-wealth so it is requisite also in euery family of the faithfull who as in the Scriptures they are called Churches z Epist ad Philemon v. 2. and haue in them representations of a Monarchy the master being as King Priest and Prophet the wife as Queene the children as Nobles the seruants as subiects c. so as sinne is propagated euen from families into the whole bodie of the land the Lord will haue humiliation euen in particular houses as well as in the Church or Common-wealth chiefly when any iudgement is vpon a nation as here in the times of Ezekiah for in that great mourning of the people of Israel compared by the Prophet vnto the mourning of one that mourns for his onely sonne or as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon it is prophesied that euen euery family shall mourne apart a Zach. 12.11 12 13. the family of the house of Dauid apart and their wiues apart the family of the house of Nathan apart and their wiues apart the family of the house of Leui apart and their wiues apart the family of Shemei apart and their wiues apart all the families that remaine euery family apart and their wiues apart chiefly when the Lord giues occasion of mourning to a familie not onely by his hand in generall on a land but in particular vpon the family whether by plague or famine or sicknesse or death of some remarkeable person some member of the family then as we may see in the practice of Dauid in the sicknesse of the child 2 Sam. 12. and of Bathsheba too conioyning with him in humiliation in probability as they sinned together the family is in a special and peculiar manner to humble themselues Yea in conclusion this duty of humiliation is to be performed of all and euery one Ioel as wee heard summons euen the new maried Bride and Bridegroome to it b Ioel 2.16 vpon occasion to leaue euen their lawfull conuersing as Vriah c 2 Sam. 11. did in a speciall cause of afflicting himselfe and if these must pretermit the very rites and rights of mariage d Vide Pareum in 1 Cor. 7.5 and all earthly delights then the duty concernes al and ouery one of vs not onely the wise and the learned and the honourable but euen the Mechanicks the husbandman the vinedresser on whom Ioel calls yea the drunkard the dicer the riotous person yea the tender virgins and the delicious women that be at case in Sion euery one in our places Prince Priest and people high low rich and poore one with another must be humbled for generall and particular sinnes vnder the mighty hand of God there is none exempted except children at nonage wanting the act of ripe reason hauing it onely in disposition or naturalls and fooles and lunaticke madmen that haue neither habit nor act of reason to distinguish good from euill all else must be humbled Reasons why all must be humbled First for the Lord calls vpon all as he called vpon Zerubbabel Ioshua the son of Iosedech the high Priest and vpon all the people of the land to build the second Temple e Hag. 2.4 5. so he calls vpon all to be strong and valiant to build and reedifie this same spirituall Temple which is by pulling downe sin and corruption by humiliation Secondly all haue sinned all are corrupted and haue peruerted their wayes there is not one that doth good no not one saith the Prophet f Psal 14 1 2 3. alledged by the Apostle g Rom. 3.10 11 12. sin like a gangreene hath run ouer all as a leprosie hath defiled all as a generall plague hath runne through all no place no person free who can say his heart is cleane Oh how many windings and preuarications are in the heart of man h Quam multae latebrae multique recessus Cicero moe in his works most of all in his words Now there is not any sin but stands need of repentance not only are we to be humbled for great grosse crying crimson scandalous sins such sins as send vp a cry against the soule as the sins of Sodom such as murther adultery extortion oppression i Peccata clamantia blasphemy in the highest degree pollutions of soule and body maine prophanations of the Sabbath and such sins as looke with an vgly hew euen in the eye of nature as against the light of nature and grace but euen such sins as the bleare-eyd world sees not as the ciuill and morrall men of our time discerne not to be sins but rather applaud and approue as touching k Splendida peccata vpon vertues as vaine words vnprofitable iangling idle words worldly discourse vpon the Sabbath free and promiscuous conuersing yea Tauernizing Tobacconizing with good and bad vsing familiar recreations with Papists prophane persons without any discrepance swearing by faith and troth l Against which lege Mat. 5.34 Iames 5.12 See M Gibbins Sermon against vaine oaths and the creatures wasting and misspending of pretious time besides these secret and hidden sinnes of vnbeliefe prophanenesse of hart hypocrisie formality in Gods worship idle thoughts lustfull cogitations doubtings preuailing passions secret anger impatiency murmurings against God in crosses secret grudgings emulations repinings at the places or gifts of our brethren euen these and such as these besides our will worship coldnes in prayer sluggishnes in good duties flarnesse of spirit dulnes in our deuotions with the like must be exceeding matter of our daily sound and serious humiliation for euen such negligence and failings and infirmities as these and slacknesses in good duties in good actions haue beene occasions of humiliation to some sincere seruants of God as may appeare by the letters of these zealous martyrs Ridley Latimer Bradford recorded in the Martyrologiâ— little moats haue troubled these tender eyes as Dauid was troubled for touching Sauls garment Augustine repents in his Confessions of his time idlely spent in seeing a spider how shee caught a flye of which yet me thinkes hee might haue made a good vse if he had conceited the spider to be the deuill the webbe his temptations
aliis inuebunt in superbiam Augustinus in Ps 19. Gregor in Moralibus Chrysost Hom 59. in Mat. Cassiodor in Ps 18. Bernard ser 3. de Resur Isiodor lib. 3. de SuÌ„mo bono apud Neotericos in lib. 2. Ethic. Strigell p. 528. in Prou. 16. pag. 78. Philippus lib. 2. cron p. 101. lib. 5 pag. 557. in Postiâ—â—is part 1. p. 654. part 4. pag. 624. praecipue Perald in summiâ— tom 2. part 2 3 4. and sanctified with many sauing graces the humbled soule of Mary Magdalen u Luk. 7.47 48. yea here we see the humiliation of Ezekiah remoues that curse or crosse from himselfe and his subiects which the pride of his heart procured pride kindles incensed wrath humiliation quencheth it Oh who would not hate this hatefull monster of pride so hatefull to God * In his aliis inuebunt in superbiam Augustinus in Ps 19. Gregor in Moralibus Chrysost Hom 59. in Mat. Cassiodor in Ps 18. Bernard ser 3. de Resur Isiodor lib. 3. de SuÌ„mo bono apud Neotericos in lib. 2. Ethic. Strigell p. 528. in Prou. 16. pag. 78. Philippus lib. 2. cron p. 101. lib. 5 pag. 557. in Postiâ—â—is part 1. p. 654. part 4. pag. 624. praecipue Perald in summiâ— tom 2. part 2 3 4. so hurtfull to man so consonant to corrupt nature so repugnant from grace so neere sympathizing with the Deuill so good an agent for hell so preiudiciall both to sanctification and saluation Who on the contrary would not loue and admire this heauen-bred humiliation such a preseruatiue against pride such a purger of pollutions such a depresser of corrupt nature such a keeper in of grace as the ashes of the imbers such a curber of corruption such a plea against the cry of sinne such a Proctor against the guilt of sinne such a fauourite in the Court of heauen yea such a pleader and preuailer before the throne of Grace x De his aliis laudibus humilitatis lege ipsum Paraldum tom 1. pag. 367 368 369. Spinaeum de Tranq lib. 2. pag. 63. Oh as Plato saith of vertue I say of this vertue of this grace which one of the Ancients cals the first the second and the third grace as one called pronunciation the first second and third part of Oraâ—ory if it could be seene and discerned in the lustre and beauty of it with mortall eyes it would stirre vp loue and admiration in the dullest spectator more would be enamoured of this Christian then of that Grecian Helena Take the marrow of all that is said in one word he that would with Herod Pharaoh Rabsakah Senacharib Holofernes Nimrod Nabuchadnezzar the Gospels Pharisee Herodians Pharisees be deiected and made to stoope by the rod of wrath yea eiected as vnsauoury salt from place and grace with God and man let him exalt himselfe in the pride of his heart God hath wayes and meanes enow to pull him downe as experience verifies our prouerb his pride will haue a fall it owes and waits him an ill turne y Adrastia vel Nemesiâ—â—on sinit insolentiam abire impunitam c. Philippus in Cordial Bucholch pag. 122. Hinc Aesopus asserit Deum in caelis frangere magnas ollas exfrustis alias nouas componere apud Philippum in locis Manâ—â—i p. 182. as we say of cording and dicing it is a false plough to hold it hath brought some to the Gallowes as it did Achitophel z 2 Sam. 17.23 and Absolom a chap. 18.14 some to the blocke and the scaffold as many proud rebellious Traytors b Exempla lege apud Valerium lâ—b 6 lib 9 Liu. lib. 1. lib. 24. Munsterum lib. 3. praecipue in Theatro Historiâ—o fol. 320. 570 c. in all Kingdomes and Commonwealths He that lookes too hye some moate or other will fall in his eye to blemish or eclipse him On the contrary he that would bee respected and exalted in grace and fauour with God and man in heauen and earth with humble Ioseph humble Mary humble Manasses humble Mardocheus humble Dauid humble Daniel humble Ezekiah let him be truly soundly sincerely humbled let him fall low that for euer he may be truly aduanced high for the proud Pharisee is reiected the Publican accepted CHAP. X. SECT 1. Though the righteous fall they shall rise againe THe third maine point comes now to be prosecuted as first it was propounded and that is Ezekiahs humiliation for the Text saith notwithstanding Ezekiah humbled himselfe for the pride of his heart In which as in his sinne and transgression we haue seene mans humane frailty as in himselfe considered in Gods castigation and chastizing of him for his sinne wee haue seene both the affection of a father in correcting him as a son and the seuerity of a Iudge in visiting him as a sinner so here as most obuious to our consideration we haue his repentance an image and demonstration of Gods free mercie and sauing grace to the vessels of mercy in that though they be for reasons and causes as we haue heard permitted to sinne by him who could exempt and free them here on earth from all sinne as they shall be freed in heauen and make elect men as inculpable as elect Angels and their bodies as pure as the glorified Spirits of the iust yet neuerthelesse he frees them as from the reigne and dominion c Plurima in hanc rem lege apud Augustin lib. 1. de Nuptiis et Concupisc cap. 25. tract 41. in Iohan. lib. 1. de peccat meritis remissione c. 23. lib. 6. aduersus Iulianum cap 7. so from the ruine and damnation of sinne d Per merita Christi vt vrget Bernard Ser. 3. in natin Domin Ser. 78. in Canticis Serm. 91. Chrysost in Psal 50 Hom. 2. August in Enchirid cap. 23. though they fall yet they rise againe as here we may see in Ezekiah that fell by pride as did Angels and Man but rose againe by repentance and humiliation as the reprobate Angels did not nor euer shall Oh it is a point for euer to be preached and pressed to the comfort and consolation of the elect and to the praise and glory of his grace who is the author and giuer of grace that though the righteous fall seuen times a day that is often either into sinne or as some interpret into crosses and afflictions the fruits of sinne yet neuerthelesse they shall rise againe though they slumber a while in sinne and take a short nap as luld with the sweet allurements of the flesh and charmed a while with that Witch the World yet they waken againe they sleepe not in death their sinne is not mortiferous and vnto death fall they may as we instanced in the wisest the strongest the holiest the humblest Patriarchs Prophets Apostles Martyrs Confessors Preachers Professors that haue beene from the beginning in whom follies frailties weaknesses infirmities haue appeared
shewing them to bee but men subiected to a sinning condition but yet as the Schooles well distinguish they cannot fall away totally and finally as old Pelagianisme * Confuted by Austine Ierome Prosper Bradwarden and by the three CouÌ„cels of Meleuitan Affricke and Orange and new Arminianisme seeme to auerre against the Scriptures d Psal 37.23 24 Psal 94.18 145.14 Pro. 3.26 Esay 26.3 Esay 40.11 46.3.10 2 Thes 3.3 Phil. 4.7 Iohn 10.28 1 Pet. 1.5 2 Tim. 4 18. c. and Orthodoxe e Lege in hanc rem apud Patres Iustin q. 23. q. 98 Jreneum lib. 5. adueâ—sus haereses pag. 550. ad pag. 558. 564. lib. 2. cap. 47. ClemeÌ„t Paedog lib. 1. c. 5. fol. 19. c. 6. folio 20 23. lib 3 c 6 p. 48. Tertul. de Praescrip c. 2. pag. 161 162 de Corona c. 9. p 156 Hilarium in Ps 120 pag. 287 in Psal 128 p. 301 Can. 6. in Matth. pag. 155. Ambr. in Ps 50. in Rom. 8. v. 29 30 apud modernos Marlorat in Ps 51.125 in Ioh. 4.14 Aret in 2 Tim. 2.19 Zanchium de perseu tom 7. pag. 91. ad pag. 174. Kymidont de praedest p. 318. to 333. Diuinity they may indeed fall fearfully who are elected vnto life not onely before their conuersion as Paul Manasses Mary Magdalen c. Augustine Cyprian Luther c. with others who laid long in persecution bloodshed vncleannesse Necromancy idolatry c. and other sins but euen after their conuersion they may haue fearfull relapses as had Dauid Peter Sampson Salomon this our Ezekiah but yet they cannot fall finally and irrecouerably they may indeed in their fall be sore crusht as perplext in soule in conscience in spirit they may breake an arme or a ioynt lose their credit for a time and estimation not onely with the world with whom they warre but with the Church too which is as their vnioynting from the communion of Saints the members of Christ till they be knit and right set and ioynted againe by repentance but yet their fall is not to precipitation to neck-breake as are the falls of the reprobate they wander indeed out of the way and goe astray like lost sheepe yet they returne home againe to the Bishop of their soules their good Shepheard that hath giuen his life for them and bought them with a price euen his owne blood hee seekes them as the woman did the lost groat hee findes them and brings them home on his shoulders to the sheepfold of his Church and this hee doth many wayes to prosecute the Metaphor 1. Either he whistles and speakes to them in the more secret voice and inspiration of his Spirit Meanes which the Lord vseth as a spirituall Shepheard to call home his sheepe by repenting which haue wandred by sinning or else in the audible voice of his word he sends some Gad some Nathan to cry some harsh message in their eares or to blow a Trumpet set vp a flag of defiance against their sinnes denounce wrath so wakening them out of their warme nests rousing and raising them out of their pleasing dreames and slumbers as he did Dauid f 2 Sam. 12. 2 Sam. 24. c. 2. Or else he sends his dogs after them to fetch them in to bring them home and these Shepheards dogs are either outward crosses and afflictions as pouerty sicknes diseases as we may see in the returne of the Prodigall Child whipt home to his Fathers house by outward miseries g Luke 15.15 c. or aboue all by infamy ignominy calumnies reproaches which are as it were the barkings bitings of the Doegs i Vt Doeg in Dauidem 1 Sam 12. the dogs of the world he brings many stragling sheepe apace euen running home to the flocke these dogs are to the elect in respect of their sinnes as the dogs of that rich Churle to Lazarus though sore against their wills they licke whole their sores k Luke 16.21 they heale their sins Or else there is another dog which is more bloody fangd then the rest with a more hideous barking and more daingerous biting sets vpon the sheepe and that is this dog of Conscience which how ere when the elect sinne this Mastiue seemes to be muzzled or lye quietly asleepe at the doore l Of this lethargicall quiet Conscience see the B. Abrenethy his Booke call'd The Physicke of the Soule chap. 8. p. 103. or the pleasant sop of present pleasure or profit be giuen to this Cerberus that he may bee quiet and fawne for a time yet when the sinne is committed and the eyes of the sinner opened the nature quality fruits and effects of the sinne discerned then this Mastiue seemes to bee vnmuzzled hee awakes out of his charmed sleepe as a madde dog indeed bawles and barks at the sinner as at a fellonious thiefe gnawes and mangles the very inwards of his soule as the Wolfe that eates within the flesh m De stimulis furiis Conscientiae plurima exempla testimonia lege apud Ambros lib. 7. ep 44. in epistola ad Constantinum August in Psal 31. Pezelium in Gen. cap. 37. pag. 714. cap. 42. pag. 794. Luther in Gen. cap. 43. p. 652. in cap. 45. p. 671. Patritium lib. 5. de Regno tit 8. p. 313. cum Strigellio in Ethicis Aristot lib. 1. pag. 794. cap. 45. pag. 835. pursues him as the slouth-hound sometimes more closely yet continually sometimes more furiously with open mouth n Hinc vulpina conscientia apud Hugon lib. 2. de anima cap. 15. Hinc etiam illud Isodori lib. 2. Soliloq nunquam sâ—curus reus animus Plura lege apud Senecam Epistola 43. Epistola 88. Tacitum 4. Annalium Ciceron pro Client pro Milon Lipsium in politicis lib. 1. cap. 5. as the Hound doth the Deere or Hare from thicket to thicket lets him haue no rest like that Acteon in the fable till the distressed sinner flye to the true shelter and sanctuary the mercy of God in Iesus Christ till like the pursued Deere hee take soile in the troubled Poole of Bethasda the Lauer of true repentance till he there lose and shake off this Cerberus till he be athirst after the liuing God o Psal 42.1 2. and after his mercy as the Deere that is imbost thirsts after the riuers of water yea till the poore soule intreat the great Master of the family to take vp and take off this Mastiue and chaine him vp there is no rest to the soule of this sinner and this Dog the Lord sets instantly vpon Dauid when after the numbring of his people at the returne of Ioab his heart smote him p 2 Sam. 24.10 and this smiting of the heart like the smiting of Moses on the Rocke q Exod. 17.6 that brought out waters produced these excellent parts of repentance contrition r Psal 6.6 confession Å¿ Psal 51.4 aggrauation